Woodley: Defense to blame for blowing leads

[RuthlessBurgher]

no excuses for our defense, the defensive secondary in particular.

there were times in the 4th quarter when I would see Tyrone Carter, William Gay, Ryan Mundy, Deshea Townsend and Joe Burnett on the field and yell into the television set
"What are they doing out there?", but then realize we had no one else better available.

we need a serious upgrade at the CB spot opposite Ike and some depth at the safety position. the return of Troy will obviously help a lot, but what happens if/when he gets injured? please, please...no more Tyrone Carter!

Woodley was on the radio again yesterday afternoon and repeated that the defense let the team down. He said the offense scored more than enough points but for some reason they couldn't close out games on defense and he didn't know why. It is a concern that someone as close to it as he is still don't know what the problem was. Doesn't bode well for seeing it fixed.

Assuming nothing happens in free agency, the team should look to add 3 DBs in this draft starting in Round 2. Make sure that Tyrone Carter has played his last game for the team would be addition through subtraction.

The reality is that Troy is unlikely to get through a season without playing hurt or missing games. His style of play just doesn't allow him to stay healthy. If we go safety early it should be someone who has the ability to play either free safety or strong safety, e.g. Taylor Mays, as a precaution.

We also have to hope that Burnett and Lewis make a jump this year because we all forget how lucky we are to have Ike and just assume he is never going to get hurt and play at a high level forever.

I don't think that Taylor Mays will be able to play either safety position at the next level very effectively, never mind both (I think he'd be better off bulking up a bit and becoming an uber-athletic linebacker instead).

I think we should draft two safeties...a free safety somewhat early like Earl Thomas in round 1 or Nate Allen in round 2, then a strong safety to back up Troy (a replacement for Carter) in the mid-rounds such as Myron Rolle or Barry Church.

[steelblood]

I agree with Ruthless. Taylor Mays is not an NFL FS. He has poor hips, lateral agility, and often breaks late on the ball. I think his #1 position would be 4-3 OLB, #2 is SS. He may prove me wrong, but I'd rather have Earl Thomas. Yes, he is a little small at 195, but he'll add a few pounds as he matures and he has tremendous instincts and ball skills. We don't need another thumper, we need a ballhawk. If Troy goes out, Thomas would be able to help make up for his absence because he can cover a lot of ground and plays the ball well.

[frankthetank1]

i agree about mays. i only saw a few usc games last season but i wasnt impressed at all with mays. i think he is very overrated

[hawaiiansteel]

hey Ruthless, noticed you have Bruce Campbell as the Steelers' #1 draft choice in your mock...thought you might find this of interest.


Bruce Campbell Scouting Reports: NFL Draft Prospects File


Campbell is one of the most intriguing players in this year’s draft. He’s an incredible athlete for an offensive lineman and a natural left tackle. His quickness, upper body strength and size make him ready for the NFL right now, even though he came out following his junior season.

Campbell’s an attractive talent because he’s shown he can handle a man and zone scheme. This could give him the advantage over other early entrants Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Davis, who are almost strictly man blockers.

Where Campbell gets negative points is in his inconsistent technique, which could give a line coach fits. Campbell also has a growing history of injuries. Missed time in 2009 with turf toe and an injury to his medial collateral ligament. Campbell started only 17 games in his career, which is a big red flag. Campbell may define the term "boom or bust prospect."

Walter Football absolutely loves Campbell's potential.

Consider Bruce Campbell the Jason Smith of the 2010 NFL Draft class. His stock will be soaring through the roof once we get to the Combine, however, he is more of a natural pass protector than Smith. With more experience, he could become a Pro Bowl left tackle at the next level. Of course, you have to consider his long list of injuries, but he'll likely be taken in the top 16 picks.

Draft Board Insider sees Campbell as a huge risk-reward type player.

Campbell has a ton of potential and more upside than any tackle in the draft. BUT ... Any team that chooses to draft him will have to weigh out if the risk is worth the potential that Campbell has shown.

[RuthlessBurgher]

hey Ruthless, noticed you have Bruce Campbell as the Steelers' #1 draft choice in your mock...thought you might find this of interest.


Bruce Campbell Scouting Reports: NFL Draft Prospects File


Campbell is one of the most intriguing players in this year’s draft. He’s an incredible athlete for an offensive lineman and a natural left tackle. His quickness, upper body strength and size make him ready for the NFL right now, even though he came out following his junior season.

Campbell’s an attractive talent because he’s shown he can handle a man and zone scheme. This could give him the advantage over other early entrants Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Davis, who are almost strictly man blockers.

Where Campbell gets negative points is in his inconsistent technique, which could give a line coach fits. Campbell also has a growing history of injuries. Missed time in 2009 with turf toe and an injury to his medial collateral ligament. Campbell started only 17 games in his career, which is a big red flag. Campbell may define the term "boom or bust prospect."

Walter Football absolutely loves Campbell's potential.

Consider Bruce Campbell the Jason Smith of the 2010 NFL Draft class. His stock will be soaring through the roof once we get to the Combine, however, he is more of a natural pass protector than Smith. With more experience, he could become a Pro Bowl left tackle at the next level. Of course, you have to consider his long list of injuries, but he'll likely be taken in the top 16 picks.

Draft Board Insider sees Campbell as a huge risk-reward type player.

Campbell has a ton of potential and more upside than any tackle in the draft. BUT ... Any team that chooses to draft him will have to weigh out if the risk is worth the potential that Campbell has shown.

I think the juice should be worth the squeeze.

His combination of size, strength, and athletic feet is absurdly rare.

A competant o-line coach (and I think we have one now) should be able to iron out any inconsistencies in his technique.

Injuries happen. He did not have any that required any major reconstruction with potential long term impact. He got the turf toe, missed a couple of games, then came back for a couple of games, hurt his knee, missed one more game, then finished the season. Not a huge risk factor, injury-wise in my book.

The only thing that you worry about is the fact that he only started 17 games, so he will be raw. But if we drafted him, we'd still have Starks and Colon to start, so he would only be needed as a backup, not a starter from day one. I'd be willing to take such a risk for the potential future gain.

[hawaiiansteel]

I'm very interested in watching Bruce Campbell at the Combine, if he blows everyone away there with his athletic ability he may very well be one of if not the first OT taken.

[Flasteel]

hey Ruthless, noticed you have Bruce Campbell as the Steelers' #1 draft choice in your mock...thought you might find this of interest.


Bruce Campbell Scouting Reports: NFL Draft Prospects File


Campbell is one of the most intriguing players in this year’s draft. He’s an incredible athlete for an offensive lineman and a natural left tackle. His quickness, upper body strength and size make him ready for the NFL right now, even though he came out following his junior season.

Campbell’s an attractive talent because he’s shown he can handle a man and zone scheme. This could give him the advantage over other early entrants Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Davis, who are almost strictly man blockers.

Where Campbell gets negative points is in his inconsistent technique, which could give a line coach fits. Campbell also has a growing history of injuries. Missed time in 2009 with turf toe and an injury to his medial collateral ligament. Campbell started only 17 games in his career, which is a big red flag. Campbell may define the term "boom or bust prospect."

Walter Football absolutely loves Campbell's potential.

Consider Bruce Campbell the Jason Smith of the 2010 NFL Draft class. His stock will be soaring through the roof once we get to the Combine, however, he is more of a natural pass protector than Smith. With more experience, he could become a Pro Bowl left tackle at the next level. Of course, you have to consider his long list of injuries, but he'll likely be taken in the top 16 picks.

Draft Board Insider sees Campbell as a huge risk-reward type player.

Campbell has a ton of potential and more upside than any tackle in the draft. BUT ... Any team that chooses to draft him will have to weigh out if the risk is worth the potential that Campbell has shown.

I think the juice should be worth the squeeze.

His combination of size, strength, and athletic feet is absurdly rare.

A competant o-line coach (and I think we have one now) should be able to iron out any inconsistencies in his technique.

Injuries happen. He did not have any that required any major reconstruction with potential long term impact. He got the turf toe, missed a couple of games, then came back for a couple of games, hurt his knee, missed one more game, then finished the season. Not a huge risk factor, injury-wise in my book.

The only thing that you worry about is the fact that he only started 17 games, so he will be raw. But if we drafted him, we'd still have Starks and Colon to start, so he would only be needed as a backup, not a starter from day one. I'd be willing to take such a risk for the potential future gain.

I have harped on the lack of premium picks along the line as much as anyone, but not here...not him. LT is not a real need right now and we have a lot of money invested in the spot. Unless the guy is also capable of being a stud road-grader for the right side, we have far more pressing needs my friend.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'm very interested in watching Bruce Campbell at the Combine, if he blows everyone away there with his athletic ability he may very well be one of if not the first OT taken.

I think so too...I'm mocking him now because most folks have him in the mid-to-late first at this point. But I think after the combine, he'll be consensus top10. I don't see how Al Davis would be able to pass up such a package (unless he goes nuts for Taylor Mays' size-strength-speed combo).

[RuthlessBurgher]

hey Ruthless, noticed you have Bruce Campbell as the Steelers' #1 draft choice in your mock...thought you might find this of interest.


Bruce Campbell Scouting Reports: NFL Draft Prospects File


Campbell is one of the most intriguing players in this year’s draft. He’s an incredible athlete for an offensive lineman and a natural left tackle. His quickness, upper body strength and size make him ready for the NFL right now, even though he came out following his junior season.

Campbell’s an attractive talent because he’s shown he can handle a man and zone scheme. This could give him the advantage over other early entrants Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Davis, who are almost strictly man blockers.

Where Campbell gets negative points is in his inconsistent technique, which could give a line coach fits. Campbell also has a growing history of injuries. Missed time in 2009 with turf toe and an injury to his medial collateral ligament. Campbell started only 17 games in his career, which is a big red flag. Campbell may define the term "boom or bust prospect."

Walter Football absolutely loves Campbell's potential.

Consider Bruce Campbell the Jason Smith of the 2010 NFL Draft class. His stock will be soaring through the roof once we get to the Combine, however, he is more of a natural pass protector than Smith. With more experience, he could become a Pro Bowl left tackle at the next level. Of course, you have to consider his long list of injuries, but he'll likely be taken in the top 16 picks.

Draft Board Insider sees Campbell as a huge risk-reward type player.

Campbell has a ton of potential and more upside than any tackle in the draft. BUT ... Any team that chooses to draft him will have to weigh out if the risk is worth the potential that Campbell has shown.

I think the juice should be worth the squeeze.

His combination of size, strength, and athletic feet is absurdly rare.

A competant o-line coach (and I think we have one now) should be able to iron out any inconsistencies in his technique.

Injuries happen. He did not have any that required any major reconstruction with potential long term impact. He got the turf toe, missed a couple of games, then came back for a couple of games, hurt his knee, missed one more game, then finished the season. Not a huge risk factor, injury-wise in my book.

The only thing that you worry about is the fact that he only started 17 games, so he will be raw. But if we drafted him, we'd still have Starks and Colon to start, so he would only be needed as a backup, not a starter from day one. I'd be willing to take such a risk for the potential future gain.

I have harped on the lack of premium picks along the line as much as anyone, but not here...not him. LT is not a real need right now and we have a lot of money invested in the spot. Unless the guy is also capable of being a stud road-grader for the right side, we have far more pressing needs my friend.

True enough, but our depth at offensive tackle is as dire as any position on the team. Everyone is talking about the lack of depth on the d-line, at linebacker, and in the secondary, but seriously, we have no backup tackles (and Colon may eventually ask for more than we are willing to pay when he finally becomes an unrestricted free agent that we can no longer keep with a simple RFA tender anymore). If something happens to Starks or Colon, the only options would be to move Essex from guard to tackle, move Foster from guard to tackle, or dress Tony Hills for the first time ever after being inactive for 2 solid seasons.

You can never have too many tackles, and we are rarely in a position to be able to draft a potentially elite talent at tackle. I would have no problem drafting a tackle like Campbell with the full understanding that he may not play at all in his rookie year (unless someone gets hurt) except for maybe as an occasional 3rd tackle-eligible on short yardage running plays.

If he pans out like I think he could in a year or so, he could be an improvement over Max Starks (Max played well last year, we have to give him credit...but no one is going to confuse him with Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden, or Orlando Pace in their respective primes). If that were the case, you could potenially move the bigger guy (Starks) back to the right side, and put the guy that is more athletic with nimble feet to be able to shadow to speed rushers (Campbell) on the left to protect Ben's blindside. Even if we do extend Colon, he could then be moved inside to RG, giving us a pair of nasty maulers at guard with Kemo and Colon (even though Zeirlein was unwilling to consider this, Kugler may). All that we would need would be a competant young center, and our o-line would suddenly become a strength, allowing our excellent skill position players to be able to maximize their full potential.

If you want more of a mauling tackle that could dominate on the right side (but has good enough feet to be able to play on the left side as well), you'd want someone like Rutgers' Anthony Davis (6'6" 325 lbs. vs. Campbell's 6'7" 310 lbs.), but Davis is already being mocked ahead of us on a regular basis, so he may not be a realistic consideration at this point (and as I mentioned in my previous post, I think Campbell vaults ahead of us after what I expect to be a phenomenal combine showing).

Frankly, I'd like to be able to draft any of the top 4 tackles (Okung, Davis, Campbell or Bulaga) at #18. If it came down to the 5th OT (Trent Williams), I think I would prefer someone else like FS Earl Thomas or NT Dan Williams instead.