Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

[steelblood]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I expect Kemo to be cut, but I'm beginning to think that Ward, Hampton, and Farrior will be back. Even Smith and Foote could return depending on what happens with Wallace. I'm surprised.

Not a fan of bringing Ward or Smith back...

It feels like that ex boyfriend who still hangs around your girlfriends family because he is "friends" with her brother.

16 games over 3 seasons why the hell would we bring Smith back? What do we owe him now? Are we really going to make sure he is injured for life before letting him go?

I'm not saying it is good business or that it is what I'd do. I just get the feeling that this is where we are heading. These are leaders on this team and that is something that I think management is considering.

[TallyStiller]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

Hampton started as a rookie, IIRC... they drafted him and immediately moved KVO to defensive end. The run D suffered in Von Oelhoffen's year at NT after Joel Steed retired, and bounced back with Casey in there. Don't see any similarly capable players out there in this draft, though.

[Discipline of Steel]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

Why is everyone in a hurry to make cuts? Besides, it's not like this team is deep at NT. Hoke retired, McClendon played well but isn't a starter, the Steelers will not be a big player in FA, which leaves the draft.....and let's face it, a rookie NT is not going start in a 3-4.

Everyone needs to take a step back to see how Hampton recovers. There is no reason to cut him now.

Here here we have all off-season to cut him

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

Casey has never been fat a day in his life...

[Shoe]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I hate having all these veterans lingering around. It breeds complacency, entitlement... Besides, we have enough veterans around anyway, without all those guys (Hampton being a poster boy for entitled/complacency).

I want hungry players. Not hungry in the literal sense (i.e. Hampton). I mean hungry in the figurative sense.

[feltdizz]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I hate having all these veterans lingering around. It breeds complacency, entitlement... Besides, we have enough veterans around anyway, without all those guys (Hampton being a poster boy for entitled/complacency).

I want hungry players. Not hungry in the literal sense (i.e. Hampton). I mean hungry in the figurative sense.

It sounds like you don't like obesity. Seriously... I can't think of any other reason why you bash Hampton or use him as the prime example of a vet that needs to go.

Complacency? How about consistency. Hampton has probably been the most consistent Steeler since he arrived. I think we lost him for the bulk of one season since he's been here due to injury.

We. Need him to play for less money but I doubt the FO will use his weight as the primary reason he needs to restructure. I don't have a problem with joking Snacks size but pointing to his weight when talking about what needs to be fixed with the Steelers vet issues is pure ignorance.

[NorthCoast]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I guess I am in the mnority. I say bring back the vets if they restructure to a team friendly contract.
The Steelers have used this formula in the past. Rookies rarely start in this league and if they do it is usually on a bad team that is desperate for talent. The Steelers have the luxury of vets that can teach the young players how to prepare for a game. As the season progresses, the rookies can see more and more playing time if they earn it. The Steelers have been remarkably consistent in fielding winning teams without prolonged bad periods. It's exactly because they follow the formula that they do.
Case in point was Rashard Mendenhall. Anyone recall how he got in the doghouse his first season and had to sit? We had the luxury of FWP and Moore to handle duties until Mendenhall worked through his issues. If he had been forced to play, no telling how that might have wrecked his confidence and career.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

If Casey is healthy then he is currently the best NT we have. End of story. Not saying we have to keep him, I'm saying that we don't cut him today without plan B in place.

[williar]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

Why is everyone in a hurry to make cuts? Besides, it's not like this team is deep at NT. Hoke retired, McClendon played well but isn't a starter, the Steelers will not be a big player in FA, which leaves the draft.....and let's face it, a rookie NT is not going start in a 3-4.

Everyone needs to take a step back to see how Hampton recovers. There is no reason to cut him now.

True. The only vet that I would cut without giving too much thought is Smith. I'd cry if they brought him back. Everyone else, well, I'd only cut if I absolutely have too (only to keep Mike Wallace). If we cut casey, farrior, foote, hampton and everyone else on some of these to go list. Who's going to fill these positions? Most of these vets contracts are up next year anyways, so let it come naturally.

I as just as disappointed in how the season ended but I still maintain we were a few injuries too many from playing in the big game. I think we could have taken out BAL, NE and NYG in the playoffs with a healthy team. So no, I'm not ready to send everyone to the scrap heap just yet. One more year!

[Shoe]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I hate having all these veterans lingering around. It breeds complacency, entitlement... Besides, we have enough veterans around anyway, without all those guys (Hampton being a poster boy for entitled/complacency).

I want hungry players. Not hungry in the literal sense (i.e. Hampton). I mean hungry in the figurative sense.

It sounds like you don't like obesity. Seriously... I can't think of any other reason why you bash Hampton or use him as the prime example of a vet that needs to go.

Complacency? How about consistency. Hampton has probably been the most consistent Steeler since he arrived. I think we lost him for the bulk of one season since he's been here due to injury.

We. Need him to play for less money but I doubt the FO will use his weight as the primary reason he needs to restructure. I don't have a problem with joking Snacks size but pointing to his weight when talking about what needs to be fixed with the Steelers vet issues is pure ignorance.

I'm not anti-Casey. If he was a former Steeler, I'd be singing his praises as the best NT we've had (in our 3-4 era). But he reached his peak in probably 2008, after our last SB win. 2011 highlighted how keeping aging players out of sentimentality or lack of a better option makes a team. We were ranked "#1" (or whatever we ended up in total D), but anyone who watched every game could see how that ranking was a farce. We rarely turned the ball over. You know why? We old.

Hampton is my poster-boy because... yes, he shows up obese. Farrior, and the rest at least show some willingness to be in some sort of shape. I understand Nose tackles are supposed to be girthy, but IMO there is a difference between girthy and obese. (I happen to think guys like Wilfork are obese too, for the record.) I just don't think there is any reason for guys to be THAT fat.

[srk173]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

Most major cuts won't be made until after June 1st because they can save more money by waiting. Stupid league rules end up forcing teams to wait to cut veterans. Doesn't make much sense.

[fezziwig]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I thought hefty weight on a nose tackle was a plus ?

Is it me or is no one talking about Arron Smith and his future ? Maybe it's a no brainer that, he will get cut ? One of my favorite Steelers but, with his injury record and age it is time to let him go.

To me this team does need to go with the youth movement but, it still needs to be an improvement.

As alway, the front office has a better clue than I do on what players in the draft would add value to our Steelers and would be available to our Steelers. If they think we still need to hang on to Hampton then, I believe them.

[Oviedo]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I thought hefty weight on a nose tackle was a plus ?

Is it me or is no one talking about Arron Smith and his future ? Maybe it's a no brainer that, he will get cut ? One of my favorite Steelers but, with his injury record and age it is time to let him go.

To me this team does need to go with the youth movement but, it still needs to be an improvement.

As alway, the front office has a better clue than I do on what players in the draft would add value to our Steelers and would be available to our Steelers. If they think we still need to hang on to Hampton then, I believe them.

The sooner we say goodbye to older player and get much younger quicker the better. No time for sentimentality or living in the past. Just make the cuts, start to get the salary cap right and move on. Get these young players on the field and see if we have anything versus "grooming" them for ridiculous periods of time.

I'm kinda losing respect for some of these guys holding out for another paycheck.

[ikestops85]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

I hate having all these veterans lingering around. It breeds complacency, entitlement... Besides, we have enough veterans around anyway, without all those guys (Hampton being a poster boy for entitled/complacency).

I want hungry players. Not hungry in the literal sense (i.e. Hampton). I mean hungry in the figurative sense.

It sounds like you don't like obesity. Seriously... I can't think of any other reason why you bash Hampton or use him as the prime example of a vet that needs to go.

Complacency? How about consistency. Hampton has probably been the most consistent Steeler since he arrived. I think we lost him for the bulk of one season since he's been here due to injury.

We. Need him to play for less money but I doubt the FO will use his weight as the primary reason he needs to restructure. I don't have a problem with joking Snacks size but pointing to his weight when talking about what needs to be fixed with the Steelers vet issues is pure ignorance.

I'm not anti-Casey. If he was a former Steeler, I'd be singing his praises as the best NT we've had (in our 3-4 era). But he reached his peak in probably 2008, after our last SB win. 2011 highlighted how keeping aging players out of sentimentality or lack of a better option makes a team. We were ranked "#1" (or whatever we ended up in total D), but anyone who watched every game could see how that ranking was a farce. We rarely turned the ball over. You know why? We old.

Hampton is my poster-boy because... yes, he shows up obese. Farrior, and the rest at least show some willingness to be in some sort of shape. I understand Nose tackles are supposed to be girthy, but IMO there is a difference between girthy and obese. (I happen to think guys like Wilfork are obese too, for the record.) I just don't think there is any reason for guys to be THAT fat.

Casey started showing up out of shape under Cowher. Cowher let him get away with it but that all changed under Tomlin. Tomlin embarrassed Casey his first year and I think it had a big effect on him. When Casey signed his contract before the 2010 season I expected him to show up fat and out of shape. Instead he showed up at camp in better shape than he had been in for years. He also had what I thought was one of the better seasons in his career.

He was also in good shape last year but I think he got a bad rap when the ratbirds started diving at his knees in the first game of the season and he got a little gun shy. That didn't last long and he had his normal good year as anchor of the D-line. Yes, he counts a bunch against the salary cap but I don't think cutting him helps us in that regard. He is still a good player so if we have to pay him anyway then let's use his talent. Keeping Casey is a no brainer right now.

[fezziwig]

Re: Fat Casey to Stay With Steelers This Season

Eventually comes the rebuilding.....retooling year or years. I think that is where the Steelers are right now.

To me the only constant or people that will be around or survive the rebuilding that seems to be coming about are, Big Ben, Woodley, Gilbert, Pouncey, Miller, Timmons. Maybe better or a less butchered way of saying it is, these are probably the best talented and youngest guys on the team that will be around for another run at the Super Bowl or at least will be the only familiar faces amongst new starters after the rebuild or two seasons from now.