Alex Carrington

[Shoe]

Well, that's that then. 8-8 here we come.

It's a joke, but it really isn't.

This is a key draft. We are kind of like the 49ers, back in the late 90's: salary cap hell, coming off a mediocre run after a LONG range of success. People were probably thinking that the 49ers would bounce back quickly... but the 2000s ended up being a lost decade for them.

We are sitting here in the situation IMO.

We are lacking. We wouldn't be seeing a mass exodus of free agents, if we weren't. And who have we signed? Worilds... hardly a leader by any measure. We need attitude adjusters, we need leaders-by-example, we need ass-kickers. The emphasis should be there, instead of say, physical ability. Otherwise, who knows... we could be looking at a long dry spell like those 2000s Niners.

[SteelCrazy]

come on, how do you possibly expect us to be able to win 4 games without Alex Carrington?

Re-Sign 99!

[steelsnis]

It's a joke, but it really isn't.

This is a key draft. We are kind of like the 49ers, back in the late 90's: salary cap hell, coming off a mediocre run after a LONG range of success. People were probably thinking that the 49ers would bounce back quickly... but the 2000s ended up being a lost decade for them.

We are sitting here in the situation IMO.

We are lacking. We wouldn't be seeing a mass exodus of free agents, if we weren't. And who have we signed? Worilds... hardly a leader by any measure. We need attitude adjusters, we need leaders-by-example, we need ass-kickers. The emphasis should be there, instead of say, physical ability. Otherwise, who knows... we could be looking at a long dry spell like those 2000s Niners.

Jeezus you're a downer. Do you really think that this team is on the verge of a lost decade??? The Steelers being in "salary cap hell" is the biggest myth out there. Khan and Colbert do a great job managing the cap. Which free agents have we lost out on because of the cap situation?

The Steelers have never used FA to spend big money on big name players. They've always done exactly what they're doing this year. Signing under the radar FA's who (hopefully) end up making a positive impact down the line.

Obviously a team that builds through the draft needs to draft well. That's a given. They have like 11 picks in the upcoming draft, one that is supposed to be one of the best in recent history.

Call me an optimist but I just don't see this team as being that far off from contending. They still have a top 5 QB and an offense on the verge of being great. The defense def needs work but it's getting younger and faster by the day.

It's only March. Obviously FA isn't over with and the draft is still ahead. Stop being so negative!

[Shoe]

Jeezus you're a downer. Do you really think that this team is on the verge of a lost decade??? The Steelers being in "salary cap hell" is the biggest myth out there. Khan and Colbert do a great job managing the cap. Which free agents have we lost out on because of the cap situation?

The Steelers have never used FA to spend big money on big name players. They've always done exactly what they're doing this year. Signing under the radar FA's who (hopefully) end up making a positive impact down the line.

Obviously a team that builds through the draft needs to draft well. That's a given. They have like 11 picks in the upcoming draft, one that is supposed to be one of the best in recent history.

Call me an optimist but I just don't see this team as being that far off from contending. They still have a top 5 QB and an offense on the verge of being great. The defense def needs work but it's getting younger and faster by the day.

It's only March. Obviously FA isn't over with and the draft is still ahead. Stop being so negative!

It's a funny thing: (As a fan), if you express any true, realistic thoughts that aren't, "We are going for #7", you aren't a true fan. In 2010 or 11, guys were calling our D old (e.g. Warren Sapp, I remember getting crucified on here for that)... looking back, they were right on the money! We've had back to back 8-8 seasons. You can be blindly optimistic if you want to (I always root for the best), but reality says that it isn't that easy. Do you not see any warning signs? e.g. Guys are jumping ship like it is the Titanic! I'm not saying we WILL be garbage next year. I AM saying this is a pivotal point though.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re-Sign 99!

sorry, but he ain't working for minimum wage...

[Slapstick]

It's a funny thing: (As a fan), if you express any true, realistic thoughts that aren't, "We are going for #7", you aren't a true fan. In 2010 or 11, guys were calling our D old (e.g. Warren Sapp, I remember getting crucified on here for that)... looking back, they were right on the money! We've had back to back 8-8 seasons. You can be blindly optimistic if you want to (I always root for the best), but reality says that it isn't that easy. Do you not see any warning signs? e.g. Guys are jumping ship like it is the Titanic! I'm not saying we WILL be garbage next year. I AM saying this is a pivotal point though.

Jumping ship like the Titanic?

Really?

Who? Troy? Ike? Heath Miller? Jason Worilds?

The biggest names that were lost were Manny Sanders and Ziggy Hood...and the Steelers pretty much handed them life preservers before pushing them off the side...

[steelsnis]

Jumping ship like the Titanic?

Really?

Who? Troy? Ike? Heath Miller? Jason Worilds?

The biggest names that were lost were Manny Sanders and Ziggy Hood...and the Steelers pretty much handed them life preservers before pushing them off the side...

Shoe,

The Steelers won the Super Bowl in the 2005 season. That offseason they lost Randle El, Chris Hope, and Kimo. Were they jumping ship like the Titanic???

The Steelers won the Super Bowl in the 2008 season. In 2009, via free agency the Steelers lost: Nate Washington, Bryant McFadden, Anthony Smith, Marvel Smith, Byron Leftwich and Larry Foote. Did they jump off a sinking ship too??

My point is, players leave EVERY TEAM, EVERY YEAR. Who did this team lose (that they really wanted to keep) because they couldn't afford them??? I can't think of one player!

Who are you upset about leaving the Steelers this offseason? Al Woods???

[Shoe]

This is not one of those cases that things are apparent. In other words, it is just about seeing impending signs. I made a point about the defense in '11, when we were ostensibly ranked #1. Most without their rose-colored glasses on, could see the slowness of our D (the age). Yet fans here would say, "we are fine. We are ranked #1!" Even now, people want to mitigate our D's sorryness, citing a respectable defensive ranking.

You can cite FA seasons we've had (correctly I might add), but those teams weren't leaving any Titanic. We were good. Our 2012-2013 teams have not been good. We can go all the way back to the '84 season, just three or four seasons removed from our last SB. We played our way into the AFCC, and many then might have thought that was business as usual. An objective fan though, could've probably seen that this team wasn't a championship caliber team, even though we somehow got to that game. And we proceeded to fall into mediocrity and below, until Cowher came on in '92. What really has me concerned, is this defense. There are zero, game-changing players on the D.

[Vader]

Shoe,

The Steelers won the Super Bowl in the 2005 season. That offseason they lost Randle El, Chris Hope, and Kimo. Were they jumping ship like the Titanic???

The Steelers won the Super Bowl in the 2008 season. In 2009, via free agency the Steelers lost: Nate Washington, Bryant McFadden, Anthony Smith, Marvel Smith, Byron Leftwich and Larry Foote. Did they jump off a sinking ship too??

My point is, players leave EVERY TEAM, EVERY YEAR. Who did this team lose (that they really wanted to keep) because they couldn't afford them??? I can't think of one player!

Who are you upset about leaving the Steelers this offseason? Al Woods???

Leaving a SB winning team can't be categorized as jumping ship like the Titanic. Those guys left for more money and cashing in on their success. The guys that are leaving now are either being kicked to the curve (Hood, Clark) or just leaving because the Steelers are apathetic towards them (Sanders, Woods).

Losing these guys isn't a big deal to me except for the fact they were draft picks that didn't work out. Right now there is nobody on defense that needs to be accounted for. There is no Harrison, Woodley or Smith. The drafting has been putrid for many years now and it is showing. So I'm not concerned they are leaving.... I'm concerned because they were drafted in the first place.

[steelsnis]

That's my whole point! Guys leave teams via free agency every year. You can't categorize it as "jumping ship" just because the Steelers are coming off back to back 8-8 years. Guys left during the Super Bowl years too!

I agree with you guys that we need impact players on Defense. 100% agree. That's not happening through free agency, though. It never has with the Steelers. It has to happen through the draft and our own player development. I'm excited to see how Hayward progresses. How Worilds looks as a full-timer. How Jarvis progresses in his second season as he's reacting, not thinking.