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| Free Agent Departures Like Mendenhall Leave the Steelers Searching For Answers |
This is something the Steelers have NOT done in the past. Sure, fans always talk about how nice it would be to land someone like Stephen Jackson or a Jake Long. However, its never reality...just day dreaming. The Steelers have always done business a certain way. Don't go after high priced Free Agents, sign some players that can fit into the system, and draft quality players that will be the future of the organization. However, when checking my usual daily websites, I was shocked to see the Steelers made a play at Free Agent Tackle Jake Long (Former Miami Dolphin) and interest in Denver Broncos Elvis Dumervil. At a time when players are leaving the Steelers at an alarming rate, and more might be leaving in the near future (I'm looking at you Emmanuel Sanders), the Steelers' actions as an organization are not matching the Steelers words.
Mike Tomlin, Art Rooney, and Kevin Colbert have all said the same thing. The core of this team is still strong. We have great leadership. We have a team that contend. We realize we lost players, but the players who are behind them are players that can step in and make an impact. We need to get better in alot of different areas, and the draft is where we plan to fill alot of those holes.
Those last two comments is what being contradicted. The Steelers showing interest in these high priced Free Agents makes it clear that they don't believe what they are saying. If they felt they trusted players like Jason Worilds to get the job done in place of James Harrison, would they even be showing interest in Elvis Dumervil? If they thought Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert could lock down the two Tackle positions, would they even be flirting with Jake Long? The answer to both of these questions are NO. Sure, they might be able to find Rookies that can play, but how often do players come in and make an immediate impact on any NFL team. They are rare...we will leave it at that. If you ask me, the Steelers are desperate. They realize that this 8-8 team that is now being disbanded is very fragile. What will the core of this football team look like moving forward? It might look drastically different from the past, but if the Steelers are smart, they won't stray from what has worked for so many years. Let players go, trust the next guy up can play, minimal moves in Free Agency, and DRAFT WELL. Its worked for the last 10+ years...and can still work. Stick to the blue print.
A Quality Free Agent every now and again wont hurt either..Hartings..Bettis..Brown..Green! Remember those days?? Were depending on every draft pick to be a hit. Where's the 2008 draft class? Wheres are the Limas Sweeds..Bruce Davis'? We've probably got 3 Keepers out of the last Three Drafts..I mean IMPACT players like Woodley & Timmons that Actually PLAY!..Not Special Teamers like
ReplyDeleteBatch Or PRACTICE SQUAD PLAYERS! and Where's Chris Rainey? Ta'amu? Not to mention the CAP CASUALTIES Keenan Lewis?
Wallace? and possibly Emanuel Sanders? If we gona be in the Deep Red every off season with the Cap..Midas well spend some $ on a couple players who a proven..not projects! In a few years every draft pick the Steelers aquire will play out his rookie contract and be gone! Because they know if they do out perform they wont get paid.Not because the Steelers don't want to pay them its because they CANT pay them! "The Steelers Way" needs a new direction @Blkandgold4Life