What our OL will look like this season and concerns on D

[SteelCrazy]

According to Tomlin this will be our OL this year and in the future. Well, that is if everyone works out and no one gets hurt. [URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Tomlin-on-rookie-orientation/516bf9d4-84d5-41ac-8931-d8e27e7cfffa[/URL]

LT - Mike Adams
LG - Willie Colon
C - Maurkice Pouncey
RG - David DeCastro
RT - Marcus Gilbert

We could literally go from one of the worst OL's to one of the best in just one season. If Adams and DeCastro live up to the hype its going to be unreal watching our offense this season. I do have one concern now and it's the Defense. We do not have a proven CB on one side. We let go of our best ILB. Although he didnt play much the last 2 season's, Aaron Smith was a rock on the D-Line. He allowed the LB's to do there jobs. I have a weird feeling we could finish out of the top 10 Defense's in the league in quite some time.

I'm in love with what our OL may be and scared to death about what our D is headed for........Someone make me look stupid about the D, please. (dont tell me that I already look stupid)

[Flasteel]

According to Tomlin this will be our OL this year and in the future. Well, that is if everyone works out and no one gets hurt. [URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Tomlin-on-rookie-orientation/516bf9d4-84d5-41ac-8931-d8e27e7cfffa[/URL]

LT - Mike Adams
LG - Willie Colon
C - Maurkice Pouncey
RG - David DeCastro
RT - Marcus Gilbert

We could literally go from one of the worst OL's to one of the best in just one season. If Adams and DeCastro live up to the hype its going to be unreal watching our offense this season. I do have one concern now and it's the Defense. We do not have a proven CB on one side. We let go of our best ILB. Although he didnt play much the last 2 season's, Aaron Smith was a rock on the D-Line. He allowed the LB's to do there jobs. I have a weird feeling we could finish out of the top 10 Defense's in the league in quite some time.

I'm in love with what our OL may be and scared to death about what our D is headed for........Someone make me look stupid about the D, please. (dont tell me that I already look stupid)

I'm loving the line's potential as well, but Colon at guard and Adams at LT seem like some pretty big unknowns.

As far as the defense...well, here's a few reasons off the top of my head:
1. Last year, we were number one in the league in scoring, yards, and passing yards.
2. This was despite Woodley and Harrison missing large chunks of the season. They return healthy.
3. We have 2 recent number one draft choices that are going to give us a great rotation at DE
4. We just drafted a guy who was widely considered the best 3-4 NT in the draft. Spence doesn't look to shabby either.
5. The word seems to be that the coaches are real high on the progress of Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. They both looked pretty good in limited action last year.
6. Troy Polamalu

[Snatch98]

According to Tomlin this will be our OL this year and in the future. Well, that is if everyone works out and no one gets hurt. [URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Tomlin-on-rookie-orientation/516bf9d4-84d5-41ac-8931-d8e27e7cfffa[/URL]

LT - Mike Adams
LG - Willie Colon
C - Maurkice Pouncey
RG - David DeCastro
RT - Marcus Gilbert

We could literally go from one of the worst OL's to one of the best in just one season. If Adams and DeCastro live up to the hype its going to be unreal watching our offense this season. I do have one concern now and it's the Defense. We do not have a proven CB on one side. We let go of our best ILB. Although he didnt play much the last 2 season's, Aaron Smith was a rock on the D-Line. He allowed the LB's to do there jobs. I have a weird feeling we could finish out of the top 10 Defense's in the league in quite some time.

I'm in love with what our OL may be and scared to death about what our D is headed for........Someone make me look stupid about the D, please. (dont tell me that I already look stupid)

I don't know that we're going to miss Farrior. He was/is a great steeler and a fantastic leader but we have some pretty big personalities/leaders on defense that can certainly fill the void. Foote also knows the system and has the ability to lead if he's asked to do so. As far as Aaron Smith is concerned are you serious? He hasn't been the same in a good long while and played in spot start situations last season. He'll go down as one of the most underrated players in the National Football league and he was THE MAN for a long time. He wasn't THE MAN production wise on the field over the last couple seasons therefore his production or lack thereof due to injury and wear and tear will not be missed. It's the reason we drafted Hood and Heyward respectively in the first round in two separate drafts. We also had Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen step up last season and both seem poised to emerge this season. Willie Gay moves on and you now miss the guy? I've always liked Gay and thought he caught a bad wrap around here but with the amount of **** the guy caught here you can't say you're now worried about the corner spot. I'm not at all worried about our defense outside of Hampton. Thankfully we drafted the big boy in the 4th round.

[SteelCrazy]

I don't know that we're going to miss Farrior. He was/is a great steeler and a fantastic leader but we have some pretty big personalities/leaders on defense that can certainly fill the void. Foote also knows the system and has the ability to lead if he's asked to do so. As far as Aaron Smith is concerned are you serious? He hasn't been the same in a good long while and played in spot start situations last season. He'll go down as one of the most underrated players in the National Football league and he was THE MAN for a long time. He wasn't THE MAN production wise on the field over the last couple seasons therefore his production or lack thereof due to injury and wear and tear will not be missed. It's the reason we drafted Hood and Heyward respectively in the first round in two separate drafts. We also had Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen step up last season and both seem poised to emerge this season. Willie Gay moves on and you now miss the guy? I've always liked Gay and thought he caught a bad wrap around here but with the amount of **** the guy caught here you can't say you're now worried about the corner spot. I'm not at all worried about our defense outside of Hampton. Thankfully we drafted the big boy in the 4th round.

I was worried about the position when Gay was here, but he did shine at times. Dick LeBeau is great and I hope he can get the great out of these new guys. As far as Smith goes, no one has filled his shoes when he went down. No one stood out. Hood made some plays and so did Heyward, but neither took over the position. Maybe with some reps it changes though.

[SteelCrazy]

I'm loving the line's potential as well, but Colon at guard and Adams at LT seem like some pretty big unknowns.

As far as the defense...well, here's a few reasons off the top of my head:
1. Last year, we were number one in the league in scoring, yards, and passing yards.
2. This was despite Woodley and Harrison missing large chunks of the season. They return healthy.
3. We have 2 recent number one draft choices that are going to give us a great rotation at DE
4. We just drafted a guy who was widely considered the best 3-4 NT in the draft. Spence doesn't look to shabby either.
5. The word seems to be that the coaches are real high on the progress of Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. They both looked pretty good in limited action last year.
6. Troy Polamalu

Where Adams, Colon and Gilbert play is still to be decided. I just threw their names in where I think they'll end up.

[Snatch98]

I was worried about the position when Gay was here, but he did shine at times. Dick LeBeau is great and I hope he can get the great out of these new guys. As far as Smith goes, no one has filled his shoes when he went down. No one stood out. Hood made some plays and so did Heyward, but neither took over the position. Maybe with some reps it changes though.

Aaron Smith hasn't stood out over the last 2 seasons either. The discussions here have been "Aaron has lost a step" and Heyward hasn't had a strong go yet because he was still getting his feet wet as a rookie. I love Aaron Smith as much as anyone but he hasn't been Aaron Smith for a good while now. Certainly not to the point of worrying about it.

[pfelix73]

Well, I think you guys are reading into this more than whats there on that page. Because he actually doesn't list that lineup you have there in this thread. That doesn't mean that Gilbert goes to RT. That just means that Adams starts out at 2nd string behind Gilbert at LT. BARRING INJURIES, I would tend to think that Adams will not be playing much this year. Unless we have a freaking repeat of injuries from last year. Remember, Gilbert wasn't supposed to play much, if at all, last year....

We've got Gilbert (who's also played LT at Florida) at LT, Legs/ Foster, Pouncey, Rook/Foster, and Colon as the starting OL going into camp. Adams would be 2nd string backing up both Gilbert and Colon at this point. Along with Jonathan Scott.

Lets let the OL coach decide who goes where. Surely, the OC and HC would be listening to the OL coach.


Just wondering-
LT - Mike Adams
LG - Willie Colon
C - Maurkice Pouncey
RG - David DeCastro
RT - Marcus Gilbert

I don't see this listed on that link. Is this something you made up? Or is it on another page?

Just now saw your other post-

Whew- OK, that starting OL is something you did.... Sorry, I disagree with all that change. Again, according to the Steelers- Colon is a OT.

[Shoe]

I'm loving the line's potential as well, but Colon at guard and Adams at LT seem like some pretty big unknowns.

As far as the defense...well, here's a few reasons off the top of my head:
1. Last year, we were number one in the league in scoring, yards, and passing yards.
2. This was despite Woodley and Harrison missing large chunks of the season. They return healthy.
3. We have 2 recent number one draft choices that are going to give us a great rotation at DE
4. We just drafted a guy who was widely considered the best 3-4 NT in the draft. Spence doesn't look to shabby either.
5. The word seems to be that the coaches are real high on the progress of Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. They both looked pretty good in limited action last year.
6. Troy Polamalu

I consider Colon a large question mark. The guy has missed two seasons, with two different injuries. Even if you came back at 100% (which we know is impossible), he wasn't rock-solid when completely healthy IMO. Adams is also a large question mark, for obvious reasons.

Defensively, the player who (sad as it is for me to say) potentially might not live up to expectations is Harrison. His effort is awesome as always; but as a 34-year old guy, who is undersized, and back surgery in his past--it's extremely likely that we've seen the best of him. Luckily we have prospects waiting in the wings.

[Discipline of Steel]

Defensively, the player who (sad as it is for me to say) potentially might not live up to expectations is Harrison. His effort is awesome as always; but as a 34-year old guy, who is undersized, and back surgery in his past--it's extremely likely that we've seen the best of him. Luckily we have prospects waiting in the wings.

I agree with you about Colon but think Troy is just as likely to under produce as Harrison. Who can avoid the injury bug??

[pfelix73]

Colon is a giant question mark, but with 2 years off, heck, he should at least be rested and ready to compete.