Dick Lebeau isn't holding back players, they have to prove they belong on the field. You look at Lewis now and think it was Lebeau that held him back, when he got his chances early he failed physically and mentally and then when he got his act together and Lebeau played him, he played great, so great that his home town team offered him a contract that the Steelers were incapable of matching and even if they did he would have gone home.
The same with Worilds he has had every opportunity to prove himself and couldn't. When he finally did the Steelers had already made plans for the future. Now the Steelers are hamstrung with the salary cap and are going to have a hard time signing Worilds. I'm not sure 8 good games is enough to give him a boatload of dough. He had opportunity and didn't seize the moment.
Lewis and Worilds were given opportunity and didn't take advantage of it when it was given to them. It's unfortunate, because as a fan, I'd love to have Lewis on the roster and be able to sign Worilds, chances are Worilds isn't going to be a Steeler either.
Pappy
1.20 - JC Latham, OT, Alabama
2.51 - Xavier leggette, WR, South Carolina
3.84 - Sedrick Van-Pran Granger, OC, Georgia
3.98 - Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
4.119 - Maason Smith, DT, LSU
7.178 -
7.195 -
"Football is a physical game, well, it used to be anyways" - Mel Blount
Troy refusing a cut is disheartening, but he can at least make the case that he is worth it. (He BETTER play up to it next year.) But because of it (partly), all of those free agents mentioned must go: Hood, Worilds, Clark, Keisel.
As for Lebeau, it isn't as straightforward as stated. The guy is class, and he needs to be treated as such. And if you give him Seattle's roster, he (of course) can still be considered a great coordinator. But when the talent isn't Seattle-like, the value of the coordinator's ability goes up. In other words, he's gotta make chicken salad out of chicken feathers. At his age, he can't do that.
It is all just talk, because he isn't going anywhere. What we need to focus on, is bringing a fundamental building block on our defense, from this year's draft. We need an attitude adjustment player, not only just a good player. We don't need a Lawrence Timmons (solid cog), we need a Greg Lloyd (someone who brings a change in culture).
Its not just about playing young guys earlier... its about playing them earlier without the encyclopedia sized playbook confusing them.
It would be nice to see a rookie come in and have an impact like Wallace, Bell, Pouncey, Sanders, Holmes had on offense?
When was the last time a rookie had an impact on a DL defense? Woodley is the only name I can think of.... That is the why most fans are frustrated with our "scheme"... it requires a few years and in this new NFL we don't have that extra time.
I'm sorry but we need to find a Kuechly, Willis, etc... first year impact player on D. If we draft a DB or LB its going to take the typical 2 to 3 years before we see them play full speed. It would be nice to see a guy come in a play full speed on day 1.
Williams, Jones and the Shark all played as rookies on D. Just none really played well. LeBeau isn't going to dumb down the system for any rookie...we know that. So, either the FO is cool with that or they are not.
Trolls are people too.
I think this is the million dollar question. FO could be cool and patient in the old NFL. If our D continues to struggle the next year or 2 then what? We have to play with the guys we have and if DL refuses to adjust he should be forced out.
We are picking players that we believe will fit our system... lack of talent isn't an acceptable excuse.
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