2009 Steelers Draft and Mel Kiper Sucks Thread

Here's my 2 cents on the OL - its still an area of concern. Not knowing who will play most of the positions is never good. Its takes time for a group to mesh. They have DeCastro for RG but he has not played a down n the NFL and you never know if he'll turn out to be a bust. Pouncey is injury prone and I dont see anyone that can solidify the LG position if Decastro plays RG. Too many moving parts, it needs to stabilize.

Thank You, Go Steelers.

 Pro downs

I think that is a race t rack off of I-476, no?



I agree on Paulson, IMHO in the 7th round you are drafting for ST and depth. I don't see him helping either. Who do you have behind
Chris Carter at OLB? Nobody...  I think Shawn Loisseau would have been a standout Special Teamer. They took Paulson, and then in the next few picks, BJ Coleman the QB from TEnn Chatt. went and then the Safety we liked from South Carolina, Antonio Allen went. An ILB  and a S I think would help the depth more than a 5th or 6th TE. They already have 4 TE's to compete for 3 jobs, and Jamie McCoy is the 5th TE for the PS. Paulson makes ZERO sense to me, unless McCoy is inelligibel for the PS this year.  Time will tell.

Heath Miller
Leonard Pope
DJ Johnson
Weslye Saunders
Jamie McCoy
David Paulson

at least two guys are going to be sent packing. Competition is one thing, a log jam is another.

NYB, there are more than that, you forgot they signed Will Johnson WVU who is a FB/TE just like DJ but can probably catch better than DJ, and they brought back Wes Lyons who they're trying out at TE instead of receiver this year. So there is actually 8 players competing for 3 TE spots.  Sorry to make your log jam more like a Fuster Cluck.

Heath Miller
Leonard Pope
DJ Johnson
Weslye Saunders
David Paulson
Wes Lyons
Will Johnson
Jamie McCoy

Several things to remember here ...

1. We have a new OC who likes to use the TE. Just because we kept 3 TEs for the last few years doesn't mean we won't keep 4 in 2012. Unless something unforeseen happens the chances of us keeping 6 WRs this year is pretty slim so there's a roster spot right there.

2. This is a copycat league and the Two-TE set is gaining popularity. I posted this on the Ravens board concerning the non-use of a 3rd WR ...

Pitta is your third receiver. The two TE set is the new NFL offense. You can do anything out of the set and if you're not substituting you don't have to allow the defense to substitute either ...

-Traditional (1 TE stays in to block, 1 releases)
-4 receivers (both TEs release)-Power run (2 TEs in line)
-Power run (1 TE as lead blocker)
-Spread (2 TEs, 2 WRs spread out wide - forces a LB to cover in space)
-Max protect

... and an offensive guru could give you about a dozen more sets.

3. Wesley Saunders is suspended for the first 4 games and we have a bye Week 4 so he doesn't count as a roster spot until October 8th.

4. Lyons, Johnson and McCoy are camp fodder. They don't count.

5. David Johnson is underrated as a lead blocker but the doesn't do anything else very well. Personally, I wouldn't have tendered him and tried to sign him to a smaller contract but that's just me. Paulson has done everything DJ does and he's a better receiver so he offers the Steelers an opportunity to upgrade that position.

6. There is just as big a logjam at LB as there is anywhere else. The Steelers have only kept more than 8 LBs on the roster once (2010) and that ended after just a few weeks when they cut Thaddeus Gibson. I guess you could make a case for beating out Chris Carter but the Steelers really like him.

1. We have a new OC who likes to use the TE. Just because we kept 3 TEs for the last few years doesn't mean we won't keep 4 in 2012.
--------------------------


Me - I'd rather keep an extra Big Ugly on the roster than a 4th TE..  4th TE = LS = Tats on a bull..   Useless...

Hey Todd...  Just run the freakin ball..

enjoy,

bb

Beach, don't discount my WVU boy, Johnson.  I think he has a shot to make it, at least the practice squad.  As you said there will be one position open for the first four weeks, and the Steeleres have a new OC, so guys that fit his offense will not be the same guys that fit Ariens offense.

Me - I'd rather keep an extra Big Ugly on the roster than a 4th TE..  4th TE = LS = Tats on a bull..   Useless...

Why? They only dress 7 linemen anyway (which I don't get).

Me - I'd rather keep an extra Big Ugly on the roster than a 4th TE

triple TE package but with lineman instead of TEs and a true fullback in the backfield.

Adams - Starks - Foster - Pouncey - DeCastro - Gilbert - Colon - Legursky

Adams, Colon and Legursky as Tackle eligibles.

Beach, don't discount my WVU boy, Johnson.

Could happen but unlikely. Can't remember the last time a futures signing made the team. Probably James Harrison. He looks more like a pure FB anyway. Don't see anyway he could play TE position in the NFL.

triple TE package but with lineman instead of TEs and a true fullback in the backfield.

That's the goal line package.

Okay misread a little - you said no TEs. We don't even dress enough linemen to pull that off but it would be quite a sight!

Starks Adams Foster Pouncey Gilbert Colon Legursky Miller
                                    Roethlisberger
                                   Hampton    Clay

That is my Goal LIne Package. ^

I know Todd Haley is the new OC, but 8 TE's on the 90 man is nucking futs when you are keeping 4.  I disagree with the log jam at LB, I think there is twice as many spots for less than twice as many players. And don't they normally dress 7 LB and have 8 on the 53 man? I am not as excited about Morty Ivy as some, and until Chris Carter can hold the edge, I am not impressed.

Regardless, I can see them going Safety next year, Polamalu and Clark have marginal backups, not sure what to make out of Keenan Lewis yet or if DCS sticks. Ryan Mundy is a core ST player that can fill in at Safety but the talent drop off is a pretty wide margin. The CB's will be good competition in camp, I got my money on Cortez Allen winning the starting job opposite Ike Taylor.


                          

I know Todd Haley is the new OC, but 8 TE's on the 90 man is nucking futs when you are keeping 4.

And only three have ever seen the Steelers sideline. Unlike LB ...

James Harrison
Larry Foote
Lawrence Timmons
LaMarr Woodley
Jason Worilds
Chris Carter
Stevenson Sylvester
Morty Ivy
Sean Spence

Eight of the nine have been on the field and the other is a 3rd round pick. I just can't see how you think a 7th round LB would have a better chance at making the 53 than a 7th round TE.

Jason LaCanfora via twitter ...

Interesting note on Bruce Irvin, the 1st 1st rounder to sign. Jets and Steelers had a draft-deal essentially done for NY to drop back. Jets were gonna take Irvin or Coples in the mid-20s, and Steelers would take DeCastro at 16. Once Seattle took Irvin at 15, Jets pulled out. Steelers still got their man, DeCastro, in their original spot. Will be interesting to see how careers of Irvin and Coples pan out.

I can't see the Steelers divulging this information to anyone but I wouldn't put it past the Jets front office. Very interesting if true.

I can't see the Steelers divulging this information to anyone ...

/Bruce Arians slinks back into the shadows...

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2012/0
5/2012-steelers-53-man-roster-predi
ction/

Probably the earliest prediction at a 53 man roster. He has them keeping 4 TEs but lists Johnson as a fullback. They could use Johnson as both and then Pope and Miller with him on the goal line and Legursky in the backfield. But aside from that I don't see them leaving anyone off the roster. Perhaps Paulson would be kept around for an "easy cut" after week 4.

Does Pope even offer that much more than Johnson? Johnson can be used multiple ways and when Saunders comes back he would be the #2 TE. Would rather see them keep an Ivy for special teams or Al Woods due to Hampton's health. Really like Marquis Maze but keeping him would be redundant with Rainey. Maybe an extra defensive back or receiver for special teams. Maybe a Myron Rolle, Mortty Ivy, Derrick Williams, or some other undrafted guy that might suprise.

James Harrison
Larry Foote 
Lawrence Timmons
LaMarr Woodley
Jason Worilds
Chris Carter
Stevenson Sylvester
Morty Ivy
Sean Spence

Eight of the nine have been on the field and the other is a 3rd round pick. I just can't see how you think a 7th round LB would have a better chance at making the 53 than a 7th round TE. 

I agree with both of you (NY and Beach)...

I don't think a 7th round linebacker makes this team out of camp. Aside from Ivy, I like all our LB's (not a big knock on Ivy, he just hasn't shown much to this point).

At the same time though, Paulson really just...doesn't seem like much. Even if he does make it out of camp he's probably the one to go when Saunders comes back week 4.

So, in my opinion, I'd rather have another young linebacker (or a few other positions) to develop on the PS than another young TE.

In the end though, we're probably splitting hairs debating this 



.

RE: Eight of the nine have been on the field and the other is a 3rd round pick. I just can't see how you think a 7th round LB would have a better chance at making the 53 than a 7th round TE.

Only 3 of those 9 can actually make it as a OLB. We saw what happen to the pass rush when Harrison and Woodley were both out.
I dont understand bringng in yet another little LB for this defense, nor do I think Tomlin is getting the whole 3-4 concept although he did have one of the best looking drafts ( on paper) in his career( IMO).
Next year look for an OLB to be 1st overall,unless the 4-3 comes into play, which would explain the smaller faster LB's.

I dont understand bringng in yet another little LB for this defense

I think its just part of the evolution of the game, breed.  The league is going to more speed players on the field on offense.  With the 3 and 4 receiver sets and the 2 TE sets that everyone is running, your ILBs absolutely have to be able to play in coverage now.  Smaller, faster guys with good coverage skills are the way to combat that evolution.  When the game changes you have to change with it.  Drafting monster ILBs who can only stuff the run would be a bit silly in today's NFL, don't you think?

Next year look for an OLB to be 1st overall,unless the 4-3 comes into play, which would explain the smaller faster LB's.

I wouldn't have an issue with that at this point, as long as he was worth the pick.  You know, BPA and all that...

I'm certainly not ready to write off Jason Worilds yet, though, either.  I saw a kid who knows how to get to the QB when he was in the game last year, he just didn't finish many of those plays.  That will come with experience.  Let's see if Chris Carter put some weight on too, because he has a crazy first step.  If he can add some bulk and keep that burst, he could be pretty good off the edge as well.