Well done, Colbert

[StarSpangledSteeler]

I admit, I am a big time Colbert basher come free agent season (and sometimes the draft as well). But let's step back for a moment and look at the positive/successful moves he has made. He just re-signed Hampton to a 3 year $21 million deal with only $11 million guaranteed. Wilfork just got a 5 year $40 million deal with $25 million guaranteed. In my opinion we got a steal. That's basically 1 1/2 seasons of guaranteed money for Casey. Colbert got Kemo to re-sign for less than he was offered by the Jets, Harrison for much less than he would've been offered this year in the uncapped open market, and Miller for below market value. More important than the actual savings though is the fact that he's keeping our own players. It seems like not too long ago we were a 'cut them loose before they start declining' kind of team. Now there are a number of players who want to retire 'a lifelong steeler'. That means something to me as a fan. The players want to be here. Colbert is very good at creating and selling a family type atmosphere. Our players all seem to get along pretty well. We don't have the drama other teams deal with on a daily basis. And although I scream for him to sign a "Bodden" or "Cromartie" when we have a gaping need, it's his discipline and prudence come free agent time that allows him to re-sign our own talent and keep continuity. That's how you build loyalty and unity amongst your team rather than the "you're fired" then "pay the new unproven free agent guy" approach so many teams employ. So when you are complaining this year about our non-FA-signings (which we all inevitably will) just remember there's a reward that comes with the 'steeler way' also.

[hawaiiansteel]

I admit, I am a big time Colbert basher come free agent season (and sometimes the draft as well). But let's step back for a moment and look at the positive/successful moves he has made. He just re-signed Hampton to a 3 year $21 million deal with only $11 million guaranteed. Wilfork just got a 5 year $40 million deal with $25 million guaranteed. In my opinion we got a steal. That's basically 1 1/2 seasons of guaranteed money for Casey. Colbert got Kemo to re-sign for less than he was offered by the Jets, Harrison for much less than he would've been offered this year in the uncapped open market, and Miller for below market value. More important than the actual savings though is the fact that he's keeping our own players. It seems like not too long ago we were a 'cut them loose before they start declining' kind of team. Now there are a number of players who want to retire 'a lifelong steeler'. That means something to me as a fan. The players want to be here. Colbert is very good at creating and selling a family type atmosphere. Our players all seem to get along pretty well. We don't have the drama other teams deal with on a daily basis.

And although I scream for him to sign a "Bodden" or "Cromartie" when we have a gaping need, it's his discipline and prudence come free agent time that allows him to re-sign our own talent and keep continuity. That's how you build loyalty and unity amongst your team rather than the "you're fired" then "pay the new unproven free agent guy" approach so many teams employ. So when you are complaining this year about our non-FA-signings (which we all inevitably will) just remember there's a reward that comes with the 'steeler way' also.

except for Ben, of course...

[fezziwig]

With a quarterback getting this kind of pressure and media attention, we as a team have fallen pretty low. If Ben wants to get lower, he will need to use a shovel.

Not even saying he is guilty of the charges, just guilty of not doing the preventative steps that gets one into to these messes.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

More important than the actual savings though is the fact that he's keeping our own players.

And although I scream for him to sign a "Bodden" or "Cromartie" when we have a gaping need, it's his discipline and prudence come free agent time that allows him to re-sign our own talent and keep continuity.

Your take is one way to look at it....the definately pro Steelers way to look at it. One could argue that the Steelers were forced to resign Hampton because we have nobody ready due to Colbert never addressing the position in drafts. One could also argue, regarding the second portion of your comments above, that after being forced to sign veteran players due to no youth being groomed behind them that there isn't money left to try and upgrade apparent weaknesses like CB or FS.

Regarding Heath's signing.....it made him the 3rd highest paid TE in the league...

Player Team Contract
Kellen Winslow Jr. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6 years, $36.1 million
Dallas Clark Indianapolis Colts 6 years, $36 million
Heath Miller Pittsburgh Steelers 6 years, $35.3 million
Tony Gonzalez Atlanta Falcons 5 years, $31.25 million
Daniel Graham Denver Broncos 5 years, $30 million

Kemo signed for 1 million less in guaranteed money but an extra year on the contract....

The Steelers re-signed guard Chris Kemoeatu to the roster on Friday to a contract worth $20 million over the next five years. It was widely reported that Kemoeatu was going to sign a contract with the New York Jets for roughly the same amount as the Jets reportedly offered a four-year deal for $16.8 million with roughly $7 million in guarantees, but he has decided to stay with the Steelers instead. Kemoeatu will receive a $4 million signing bonus as part of his new contract with $6 million in guarantees and it helps ease the concern about the guard position on the Steelers offensive line.

[url="http://www.steelersdepot.com/2009/02/steelers-sign-g-chris-kemoeatu-to-five-year-contract/"]http://www.steelersdepot.com/2009/02/st ... -contract/[/url]

Harrison did cut the Steelers a deal coming off the season he had. How much of the contract will he be servicable though as the contract has him signed to be a Steeler until he is 37 years old. Farrior is 35 and showed decline last year. I think Colbert signed these players the Steelers normally let go partially due to not having replacements ready to take over, but mostly to keep the gang together to get as many Superbowls out of them that he can. Lets hope that losing Troy and Smith were the reasons our defense folded like oragami last season, and not the fact that a majority of them are on the downsides of their careers.

One thing I majorly hope is that Colbert has a GREAT draft this and next year, because strictly in my opinion, his last 4, 5, 6 drafts have been suspect.

Look at some of the holes we have now, backups too, not just starters, and then look at some of the picks......One thing I find strange is we haven't drafted a NT since Casey Hampton yet the 3-4 NT is possibly the most important position for the 3-4.

QB
1 11 Ben Roethlisberger QB Miami (Ohio)
5 156 Dennis Dixon QB Oregon
5 163 Brian St. Pierre QB Boston College
5 164 Omar Jacobs QB Bowling Green State

RB
1 23 Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
5 169 Frank Summers RB UNLV
7 240 Cedric Humes RB Virginia Tech
7 242 J.T. Wall FB Georgia
7 244 Noah Herron RB Northwestern

WR
1 25 Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State
2 53 Limas Sweed WR Texas
3 84 Mike Wallace WR Mississippi
3 95 Willie Reid WR Florida State
4 131 Fred Gibson WR Georgia
7 227 Dallas Baker WR Florida

TE
1 30 Heath Miller TE Virginia
3 77 Matt Spaeth TE Minnesota
5 167 Charles Davis TE Purdue
6 194 Matt Kranchick TE Penn State
7 241 David Johnson TE Arkansas State

OL
3 75 Max Starks T Florida
3 79 Kraig Urbik G Wisconsin
3 93 Trai Essex T Northwestern
4 130 Tony Hills T Texas
4 131 Willie Colon T Hofstra
5 156 Cameron Stephenson G Rutgers
6 177 Bo Lacy T Arkansas
6 197 Drew Caylor C Stanford
6 201 Marvin Philip C California
6 204 Chris Kemoeatu G Utah
7 226 A.Q. Shipley C Penn State

DL
1 32 Evander Hood DE/DT Missouri
4 132 Ryan McBean DE Oklahoma State
4 133 Orien Harris DT Miami (Fla.)
6 205 Ra’Shon Harris DE Oregon
7 212 Eric Taylor DT Memphis
7 228 Shaun Nua DE Brigham Young


LB
1 15 Lawrence Timmons LB Florida State
2 46 LaMarr Woodley LB Michigan
2 59 Alonzo Jackson LB Florida State
3 88 Bruce Davis LB UCLA
5 145 Nathaniel Adibi DE Virginia Tech
5 166 Rian Wallace LB Temple
6 188 Mike Humpal OLB Iowa

DB
1 16 Troy Polamalu DB USC
2 38 Ricardo Colclough CB Tusculum
2 62 Bryant McFadden DB Florida State
3 83 Anthony Smith DB Syracuse
3 96 Keenen Lewis CB Oregon State
4 125 Ike Taylor CB Louisiana-Lafayette
5 168 Joe Burnett CB Central Florida
5 170 William Gay CB Louisville
6 194 Ryan Mundy FS West Virginia

Other
4 112 Daniel Sepulveda P Baylor

[D Rock]

QB
1 11 Ben Roethlisberger QB Miami (Ohio)
5 156 Dennis Dixon QB Oregon
5 163 Brian St. Pierre QB Boston College
5 164 Omar Jacobs QB Bowling Green State

A franchise QB with the only high choice and 1 good back-up out of 3 attempts in the 5th round. A

RB
1 23 Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
5 169 Frank Summers RB UNLV
7 240 Cedric Humes RB Virginia Tech
7 242 J.T. Wall FB Georgia
7 244 Noah Herron RB Northwestern

A solid started with a high draft pick, a question mark in a late round, and 3 7th rounders who shouldn't even be expected to make the team. Willie Parker was a great find undrafted. B+

WR
1 25 Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State
2 53 Limas Sweed WR Texas
3 84 Mike Wallace WR Mississippi
3 95 Willie Reid WR Florida State
4 131 Fred Gibson WR Georgia
7 227 Dallas Baker WR Florida

2 great WRs, a highly likely 2nd round bust, a total complete failure in the third and fourth rounds, and another body to likely be cut picked up in the 7th. This has been a really bad position, and a lot of good picks were wasted on bad players that could have filled other needs. Holmes and Wallace at least make it tolerable. C-

TE
1 30 Heath Miller TE Virginia
3 77 Matt Spaeth TE Minnesota
5 167 Charles Davis TE Purdue
6 194 Matt Kranchick TE Penn State
7 241 David Johnson TE Arkansas State

One of the leagues best and a guy they liked enough to retain as his backup...then a couple more nobodies with picks that don't matter all too much. A-

OL
3 75 Max Starks T Florida
3 79 Kraig Urbik G Wisconsin
3 93 Trai Essex T Northwestern
4 130 Tony Hills T Texas
4 131 Willie Colon T Hofstra
5 156 Cameron Stephenson G Rutgers
6 177 Bo Lacy T Arkansas
6 197 Drew Caylor C Stanford
6 201 Marvin Philip C California
6 204 Chris Kemoeatu G Utah
7 226 A.Q. Shipley C Penn State

If you aren't going to draft them high then you have to draft a bunch later and hope a couple maybe work out. That seems to be the Steelers motto here. They have starters from the 3rd, 4th, and 6th rounds. A couple question marks peppered in. And a bunch more crappy players. They have found some decent undrafted guys in Foster, Stapleton, and Legursky. C+

DL
1 32 Evander Hood DE/DT Missouri
4 132 Ryan McBean DE Oklahoma State
4 133 Orien Harris DT Miami (Fla.)
6 205 Ra’Shon Harris DE Oregon
7 212 Eric Taylor DT Memphis
7 228 Shaun Nua DE Brigham Young

Two question marks from last years 1st and 6th, two complete losses in the 4th, and some throw away 7th rounders. C


LB
1 15 Lawrence Timmons LB Florida State
2 46 LaMarr Woodley LB Michigan
2 59 Alonzo Jackson LB Florida State
3 88 Bruce Davis LB UCLA
5 145 Nathaniel Adibi DE Virginia Tech
5 166 Rian Wallace LB Temple
6 188 Mike Humpal OLB Iowa

Ouch. A serviceable starter from the 1st round, a stud and a bust in the second, another gigantic bust in the third, and some other dudes that did nothing. Still, there are two starters with massive potential, and they also found defensive MVP James Harrison undrafted. B

DB
1 16 Troy Polamalu DB USC
2 38 Ricardo Colclough CB Tusculum
2 62 Bryant McFadden DB Florida State
3 83 Anthony Smith DB Syracuse
3 96 Keenen Lewis CB Oregon State
4 125 Ike Taylor CB Louisiana-Lafayette
5 168 Joe Burnett CB Central Florida
5 170 William Gay CB Louisville
6 194 Ryan Mundy FS West Virginia

A legend early, 2nd and 3rd round busts, a 2nd rounder they let walk away, a solid 5th round starter, and then some question marks. Colclough, Mcfadden, and Smith really screwed this up for them. Big misses. C-

Other
4 112 Daniel Sepulveda P Baylor


Slightly above average punter with a 4th rounder, and traded up to get him. C

A couple solid positions, but way too many average drafts that didn't produce much, especially out of rounds 2-4. Rounds 5-7, it's ok if they don't pan out. 2nd rounders need to contribute significantly, and 3rd and 4th rounders have to have a role and be solid.

The Steelers FO get too much credit for their big hits in the 1st round and not enough blame for their mid-round misses. It's those misses that have put this team in a hole facing age and declining skills in their starters with no backups ready to take over.



Wallace, Starks, Colon, Woodley, Taylor, and Sepulveda contribute significantly.
Spaeth, Essex, and McFadden had/have some sort of role.

9 Useful players.


Urbik and Lewis are unknown.



Sweed, Reid, Gibson, Hills, McBean, Harris, Jackson, Davis, Colclough, Smith were useless.

10 Players from rounds 2-4 that did absolutely jack squat. If they hit on 3 of those 10 picks then maybe Casey, Clark, and Farrior have players behind them ready to fill a spot, and maybe some better players are available on the O-line as well.

[Shawn]

Nice post SSS.

[LouSteel]

I hear you SSS, and agree quite a bit...

BUT if you are going to build through the draft you've got to hit a home run every time, and we haven't done that.

I don't want to break the bank on FA every year, but to think that the Jets got Cromartie for a 3rd round pick -- the pick we used for the likes of Bruce Davis, Anthony Smith, and Willie Reid... it makes me think that we need to work FA a little more than we do now.

[NorthCoast]

I hear you SSS, and agree quite a bit...

BUT if you are going to build through the draft you've got to hit a home run every time, and we haven't done that.

I don't want to break the bank on FA every year, but to think that the Jets got Cromartie for a 3rd round pick -- the pick we used for the likes of Bruce Davis, Anthony Smith, and Willie Reid... it makes me think that we need to work FA a little more than we do now.

I don't agree you have to hit a home run EVERY time. You just to need to 'hit' more than you 'miss', meaning at least 3 to 4 picks MUST be starters (or you find them as UDFAs).

[LouSteel]

I hear you SSS, and agree quite a bit...

BUT if you are going to build through the draft you've got to hit a home run every time, and we haven't done that.

I don't want to break the bank on FA every year, but to think that the Jets got Cromartie for a 3rd round pick -- the pick we used for the likes of Bruce Davis, Anthony Smith, and Willie Reid... it makes me think that we need to work FA a little more than we do now.

I don't agree you have to hit a home run EVERY time. You just to need to 'hit' more than you 'miss', meaning at least 3 to 4 picks MUST be starters (or you find them as UDFAs).

OK, bad baseball metaphor on my part

I do think, though, that our past draft history leaves a lot to be desired... and there have been impact players we could've gotten in FA for picks that ended up wasted.

[NorthCoast]

Our historical draft position makes it pretty tough in the later rounds. I think the Steelers have done OK given where they land. Keep in mind that not every draft class is loaded with talent at the same level. I don't pay much attention to other teams drafts, but I wonder if their 'miss' years match up with ours?
If the average player lasts 7 yrs in the league and you can find 4 players in the draft, and subtract a few lost each season due to FA, then I think you can maintain a consistent core of players on both sides of the ball, with fill-in by fringe talent. On defense, we have maybe three core players including Troy, Hampton, and Smith. These are players not easily replaced. On O, we have maybe 3 more core players, Ben, Ward, and Miller.