P-G: Missouri linebacker Steelers kind of player

[papillon]

Jim Wexell is not a fan of drafting Weatherspoon as described below. He usually has pretty accurate info so I wonder if interest in Weather spoon is a "smokescreen?"

In 2007, I raged – initially – at the drafting of Lawrence Timmons with the 15th pick. I was surprised that the Steelers were calling him an outside linebacker for their scheme when in reality he was a 4-3 will backer.

Well, the Steelers moved him inside to replace their weakest linebacker and now it appears they have their pass-downs coverage backer for the next several years. Fine.

But the Steelers are looking at Lawrence Timmons II at this combine. His name is Sean Weatherspoon. Like Timmons, he’s really a 4-3 will backer with similar size and speed.

Weatherspoon had an admittedly uneven senior season, and played poorly when moved inside against Navy in Missouri’s bowl loss. But, at the Senior Bowl, he played his best football of the season as a middle backer. Weatherspoon dropped fluidly and quickly into coverage and shot gaps to take down ballcarriers. And he did it all loudly, since he’s an enthusiastic and passionate leader. But, at his size, he doesn’t take on blocks. He runs around them, so I still feel he’d fit better as a 4-3 will backer. He’s Timmons Lite.

So why draft a second Timmons? Why draft an inside coverage backer who’ll have to be taken off the field on third downs because you already have one of those?

It doesn’t make sense to me, but I’ll watch Weatherspoon go through the paces at the combine today. And I’ll also watch Brandon Spikes, who, with his physical inside presence and third-down pass-rushing ability off the edge, makes more sense as James Farrior’s eventual replacement.

That is, of course, if Rolando McClain is already drafted in the first 17 picks, as expected.

What's even more curious is the fact that I have heard zero info on their desire to draft Thomas. We have serious needs in our secondary and this guy is elite talent. I don't even think we spoke to Mendenhall last season before we drafted him...he wasn't on anyones radar.

I think he was on their radar, but they didn't realistically believe he would be there when they were on the clock, same with Sweed, they thought Christmas came early with both of those picks, iirc.

Pappy

[williar]

I'm in love with this kid too. He seems just what the dr. ordered for our aging, lackluster defense. Athletic, vocal, and emotional leader, and playmaker. Sign me up!

[SS Laser]

Ok I have an idea here guys. If we were to pick weatherspoon. Could this be the new 3-4 defense. Tomlin's idea could be to have more athletic LB like a tampa 2 LB. With a little different guys for the d-line ala ziggy hood? Instead of changing to a 4-3/tampa 2 defense maybe the idea is to change the 3-4 a touch with the type of players? Or will the whole league change some because of the pass happiness? And it seems the increase in speed that even running backs have now. I might be nuts?

It seems funny on the money side of this. Already have big money in a safety and will at ILB. Both 1st round picks. Look were the first round picks are:
QB,RB,WR,S,ILB,DE,NT. Were do you put that next big payday? How much does the dollar figure effect the 1st rd pick? Do they even look ahead to the money a 1st rd player will be looking for in his second contract. Not sure how the CBA affects this.

As a side note Mayock even said today how surprised he is in the 40 times that are coming out every year.

[NJ-STEELER]

My thought about Thomas & why I doubt their interest, is that if they are saying that they may not be able to sign Clark because the team has so much money tied up position with Troy's contact, then why would they draft a safety in the 1st considering the dollars that it would command?

Spoon, regardless of where he's drafted, would be a great asset to the team & the thought of having two big-hitting, heat-seeking missiles as our LBs should bring a smile to any Steeler fan's face.

by that token, how much can we invest in the LB position.

debo is making big money, woodley is gonna get big money, timmons is getting 1st RD moohla

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

[quote=NJ-STEELER]

My thought about Thomas & why I doubt their interest, is that if they are saying that they may not be able to sign Clark because the team has so much money tied up position with Troy's contact, then why would they draft a safety in the 1st considering the dollars that it would command?

Spoon, regardless of where he's drafted, would be a great asset to the team & the thought of having two big-hitting, heat-seeking missiles as our LBs should bring a smile to any Steeler fan's face.

by that token, how much can we invest in the LB position.

debo is making big money, woodley is gonna get big money, timmons is getting 1st RD moohla[/quotei6l1npa]
Honestly, wouldn't that be one of the reasons you do draft a LB? Shedding Farrior's & Harrison's contract over the next 2 years with a 1st round draft pick is alot cheaper than going out in FA and trying to fill holes in 2 years. It is that ever turning process. Farrior & Harrison are getting paid while the draft picks Timmons & Woodley earn their next contract. Woodley & Timmons = Harrison & Farrior going into 2011. We need to look for the new Timmons & Woodley. Maybe the new Timmons & Woodley will be Spoon & "fill in the blank".

[NJ-STEELER]

Ruth brought up the same thing for safety with troy

its gonna be his 8th yr.


by the time a new saftty's contract is up, troy might be retiring also