Harrison Says He Won't Take a Paycut--Bye James!

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

JPN, based on what I saw this year, there really isn't a future on this current roster on defense or at least a future that looks bright.

Worilds? - Maybe, but didn't do anything to really say, "I can't wait to see him full time."
Carter? - Definitely not
Robinson? - Definitely not
Woodley? - Heck over the past two years I can't say that his future is still as bright as it was three years ago
Sylvester? - Definitely not
Hood/Heyward? - Same as Worilds, maybe
McClendon? - Couldn't win the job from Casey, so a "maybe" at best
T'amu? - nope, more off the field news than on the field
Golden/Will Allen? - Not really, do you want them as our starting safety tandem?
Lewis/Cortez Allen? - The only ones that really look to be on the rise and there is a strong possibility that Lewis won't be a Steeler

So, I don't really see the future on defense, maybe its there and I have no idea how to evaluate these guys, but I didn't see anything other than Lewis and Cortez Allen that said, man the future is really bright at that position.

IMO, the Steelers need to find a way to work some guys in this year and keep some vets and then complete the transition in 2014. Cleaning house this year may put the Steelers at 3rd or 4th in the division for more than 1 year, IMO, unless, tremendous strides are made by a handful of young players and I just don't see it.

Pappy

There are alot of maybes Pap. Most from limited playing time. If we knew the answers to the maybes we could all sleep better. The only ones who have a better idea if the Steelers. We can only guess. My guess based upon their actions?

Worilds - I believe the Steelers feel he is next in line.
Carter - Still a work in progress. Depth until he shows more.
Robinson - They liked something to protect him on the 53.
Woodley - Still the man after a down year. Nothing to worry about.
Sylvester - May be just depth and a role player on ST. We will find out about inside this year.
Hood/Heyward - No reason to think they aren't the future.
McClendon - You won't see Casey back because of him. Casey was making 4.9 mil last year on a guranteed contract. Do you think a healthy Hampton would have been benched?
T'amu - Bent over backwards to keep him even after his problems. That tells you something.
Golden - I took Allen off. He shouldn't be here on this list. Again, thought enough of Golden to keep him on 53. He may have a shot at the future FS.
Lewis/Cortez Allen - Love the CB depth. Lewis should be the #1 priority.

The Steelers were 3rd in the divsion with this roster. What makes anyone think keeping these declining over paid underachieving 30+ year olds will drink from the fountain of youth and give us one for the Chief and all can ride off into the sunset and retire Steelers after they win the SB in 2013 has me puzzled. I know KC can figure it out.

[papillon]

There are alot of maybes Pap. Most from limited playing time. If we knew the answers to the maybes we could all sleep better. The only ones who have a better idea if the Steelers. We can only guess. My guess based upon their actions?

Worilds - I believe the Steelers feel he is next in line.
Carter - Still a work in progress. Depth until he shows more.
Robinson - They liked something to protect him on the 53.
Woodley - Still the man after a down year. Nothing to worry about.
Sylvester - May be just depth and a role player on ST. We will find out about inside this year.
Hood/Heyward - No reason to think they aren't the future.
McClendon - You won't see Casey back because of him. Casey was making 4.9 mil last year on a guranteed contract. Do you think a healthy Hampton would have been benched?
T'amu - Bent over backwards to keep him even after his problems. That tells you something.
Golden - I took Allen off. He shouldn't be here on this list. Again, thought enough of Golden to keep him on 53. He may have a shot at the future FS.
Lewis/Cortez Allen - Love the CB depth. Lewis should be the #1 priority.

The Steelers were 3rd in the divsion with this roster. What makes anyone think keeping these declining over paid underachieving 30+ year olds will drink from the fountain of youth and give us one for the Chief and all can ride off into the sunset and retire Steelers after they win the SB in 2013 has me puzzled. I know KC can figure it out.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. The veterans that everyone wants to release, cut or dump in some fashion are by far the best option this team has to be a winner and contender next year and, IMO, it isn't even close. You've got the glass half full and I believe that the glass is near empty with the young guys. Many were kept on the 53 simply because you have to fill the roster in my estimation, Golden, Sylvester, Robinson, Carter, et al. I hope I am so wrong that you can drudge up this thread 9 months from now and tell me, "see I told you so Pap", I just don't see it happening.

If the Steelers cut or release every veteran that has been proposed on this board they will be fortunate to win 6 games and that will be because Ben is worth about 4-5 games a year, with an average quarterback and the young defense for which everyone is clamoring they would win about 2 games. None of these younger players were even pushing a veteran for playing time, Hood and Heyward were handed playing time because Smitty retired otherwise, they'd probably still be waiting for Smitty to retire. Hell, Keisel was the best defensive lineman the Steelers had and he's 34 and has been a good player, but no one is mistaking him for the Hall of Fame.

No one could dislodge Harrison at 85% in his own words he was playing and rehabbing. Damn, how do you not push Harrison out of a job if he isn't 100%? Because, he's still the best OLB they have, thankfully, Timmons is playing very well or Harrison would be the best LB on the team at 34.

Hampton in all reality shouldn't have seen any snaps unless an injury occurred and, yet, he was a two down NT this past season with relief from McClendon on third down.

Going younger just for the sake of going younger is a recipe in my mind for more than one or two down years. You hope they develop and if they don't you're drafting to replace a player that was drafted to replace a player and that's never a good thing.

Like this year, the Steelers need an RB and a WR, they drafted Mendenhall and Wallace to be those guys, now they have to draft their replacements. I know the cap situation is burdensome and is the biggest reason for all of this, but the reality, IMO, is that if they clean house this year the Steelers will need the current young guys to become the players they were expected to be or hope they hit it big in the draft.

Pappy

[phillyesq]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. The veterans that everyone wants to release, cut or dump in some fashion are by far the best option this team has to be a winner and contender next year and, IMO, it isn't even close. You've got the glass half full and I believe that the glass is near empty with the young guys. Many were kept on the 53 simply because you have to fill the roster in my estimation, Golden, Sylvester, Robinson, Carter, et al. I hope I am so wrong that you can drudge up this thread 9 months from now and tell me, "see I told you so Pap", I just don't see it happening.

If the Steelers cut or release every veteran that has been proposed on this board they will be fortunate to win 6 games and that will be because Ben is worth about 4-5 games a year, with an average quarterback and the young defense for which everyone is clamoring they would win about 2 games. None of these younger players were even pushing a veteran for playing time, Hood and Heyward were handed playing time because Smitty retired otherwise, they'd probably still be waiting for Smitty to retire. Hell, Keisel was the best defensive lineman the Steelers had and he's 34 and has been a good player, but no one is mistaking him for the Hall of Fame.

No one could dislodge Harrison at 85% in his own words he was playing and rehabbing. Damn, how do you not push Harrison out of a job if he isn't 100%? Because, he's still the best OLB they have, thankfully, Timmons is playing very well or Harrison would be the best LB on the team at 34.

Hampton in all reality shouldn't have seen any snaps unless an injury occurred and, yet, he was a two down NT this past season with relief from McClendon on third down.

Going younger just for the sake of going younger is a recipe in my mind for more than one or two down years. You hope they develop and if they don't you're drafting to replace a player that was drafted to replace a player and that's never a good thing.

Like this year, the Steelers need an RB and a WR, they drafted Mendenhall and Wallace to be those guys, now they have to draft their replacements. I know the cap situation is burdensome and is the biggest reason for all of this, but the reality, IMO, is that if they clean house this year the Steelers will need the current young guys to become the players they were expected to be or hope they hit it big in the draft.

Pappy

Very well said.

[Northern_Blitz]

Going younger just for the sake of going younger is a recipe in my mind for more than one or two down years. You hope they develop and if they don't you're drafting to replace a player that was drafted to replace a player and that's never a good thing.

If we cut Harrison, it won't be getting younger for the sake of getting younger. It will be 100% about the salary cap. With no cap, we'd keep guys like JH all the time until they're done because they are still productive when they're on the field and you don`t lose anything (but money) by keeping them. But if Worilds has to play 25% of the time anyway (JH has started 24/32 games over 2 seasons), is it worth saving Harrison's cap hit to keep a guy like Lewis? That's why the FO gets paid the big bucks.