Kovacevic: Steelers must keep cuts coming

[Mo_Steel]

Re: Kovacevic: Steelers must keep cuts coming

Geez, lucky it's that easy to replace guys like Farrior & Hampton huh?

Farrior will be easier because the team thought ahead & brought Foote back. So they have a ready-made replacement on the roster. And while Foote isn't the player Farrior was in his prime, he's a superior player to the Farrior we saw last season- so the ILB position should be upgraded.

Hampton is a guy that you either see the value of, or don't. He'll never be a stats guy. So if you look for a guy that makes 100 tackles a year, 5 sacks etc- he won't be your guy. But there are very few, if any, NT's in the NFL that absorb blockers like he does, and he's the anchor to the Steelers run defense. Will he be fat & out of shape due to his injury? Probably. Lucky he won't be asked to run more than 5 yards on the field...

Still shaking the head at how so many expect that Antonio Brown could easily replace Wallace if he went elsewhere. They compliment eachother- but Brown needs Wallace more than Wallace needs Brown.

All great points

[ter1230_4]

Re: Kovacevic: Steelers must keep cuts coming

I don't understand the "I'd rather get a late first round pick for Wallace" mentality. What are the chances that you get a player the quality of Mike Wallace with that extra 1st round pick? Although we have had success with our 1st round picks under Colbert, league-wide the bust-rate for 1st round picks is probably around 50% (and I'm sure that doesn't improve the later you pick in round 1). How many of those players are Pro Bowlers within 3 years? I'd say the chances drop to less than 10%. How many have a unique skill that they are best-in-the-league bar-none, like Wallace's big play ability because of his deep speed (if I'm not mistaken Ben-to-Wallace already has the 2nd most 40+ yard TD passes, and is only 1 shy of the record already)? Suddenly, the percentage likely drops below 1%. No thank you to the late first round pick for Wallace. The team is doing what it takes to re-sign him long term (hopefully before the RFA period even starts), and I'm glad for that.

Ruthless ... always the voice of reason.

I agree wholeheartedly. If we lose Wallace we won't be able to snap our fingers and get a replacement. The only good thing about the situation is if we lose Wallace we will get another 1st rounder ... but I would much rather have the perverbial bird in hand instead of the two in the bush.

I totally agree, the Steelers would be foolish to even take a chance on losing Mike Wallace. I don't know if he's a top 5 receiver, but he's surely a top 10 receiver in a 32 team NFL. By managing to draft receiving talent like Wallace in the 3rd round and Brown in the 6th round over a two year span, the Steelers hit the lottery. It's usually a lot tougher to find that kind of receiving talent,. Just ask Bill Belechick, he's been trying for years now and he can't find a receiver who can stretch the field despite having spent multiple high draft picks. That's why the Patriots are guaranteed to come after Wallace if they get the chance. They'd be happy to give us pick #31 for a 25 year old Pro Bowl receiver. Just think how you'd feel two years from now if the Patriots pick up Wallace and the Steelers have wasted a high pick on a Limas Sweed type bust. Draft the talent, keep the talent, that's the Steelers way.

[Slapstick]

Re: Kovacevic: Steelers must keep cuts coming

I don't understand the "I'd rather get a late first round pick for Wallace" mentality. What are the chances that you get a player the quality of Mike Wallace with that extra 1st round pick? Although we have had success with our 1st round picks under Colbert, league-wide the bust-rate for 1st round picks is probably around 50% (and I'm sure that doesn't improve the later you pick in round 1). How many of those players are Pro Bowlers within 3 years? I'd say the chances drop to less than 10%. How many have a unique skill that they are best-in-the-league bar-none, like Wallace's big play ability because of his deep speed (if I'm not mistaken Ben-to-Wallace already has the 2nd most 40+ yard TD passes, and is only 1 shy of the record already)? Suddenly, the percentage likely drops below 1%. No thank you to the late first round pick for Wallace. The team is doing what it takes to re-sign him long term (hopefully before the RFA period even starts), and I'm glad for that.

Ruthless ... always the voice of reason.

I agree wholeheartedly. If we lose Wallace we won't be able to snap our fingers and get a replacement. The only good thing about the situation is if we lose Wallace we will get another 1st rounder ... but I would much rather have the perverbial bird in hand instead of the two in the bush.

I totally agree, the Steelers would be foolish to even take a chance on losing Mike Wallace. I don't know if he's a top 5 receiver, but he's surely a top 10 receiver in a 32 team NFL. By managing to draft receiving talent like Wallace in the 3rd round and Brown in the 6th round over a two year span, the Steelers hit the lottery. It's usually a lot tougher to find that kind of receiving talent,. Just ask Bill Belechick, he's been trying for years now and he can't find a receiver who can stretch the field despite having spent multiple high draft picks. That's why the Patriots are guaranteed to come after Wallace if they get the chance. They'd be happy to give us pick #31 for a 25 year old Pro Bowl receiver. Just think how you'd feel two years from now if the Patriots pick up Wallace and the Steelers have wasted a high pick on a Limas Sweed type bust. Draft the talent, keep the talent, that's the Steelers way.

The Patriots are far from guaranteed to pursue Wallace. Perhaps once they deal with the Wes Welker situation, but will they drop that much money on two big WR contracts in the same year? And give up a 1st round pick?

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Kovacevic: Steelers must keep cuts coming

THURSDAY, MARCH 01, 2012

Two more vets told to hit the road, more coming?


The Steelers have informed defensive end Aaron Smith and guard Chris Kemoeatu that they are not in the team's plans for 2012 and will be released.

The news comes a day after the team informed wide receiver Hines Ward that he will also be released.

The total cap savings from those cuts - when they occur – will be $9.7 million.

And the Steelers might not be done. Avella native Ralph Cindrich, the agent for linebacker James Farrior, tweeted on Thursday that he expects his client could also be on the chopping block.

Certainly, either Farrior or fellow veteran inside linebacker Larry Foote, will not be with the team in 2012.

It is difficult to see Smith, like Ward, go.

A consummate professional, Smith was long one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league - until everyone began talking about him being one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league. By the time that happened, injuries began to knock him out of the lineup for extended periods of time.

Yet Smith was still one of the most respected men in a locker room full of strong leaders.

If the Steelers do indeed cut Farrior to go along with the cuts of Ward and Smith, they will have lost a great deal of leadership in their locker room.

Who steps into some of those roles remains to be seen.

Brett Keisel is a natural option along the defensive front, while Troy Polamalu, though not necessarily vocal, is a player who leads by example.

Offensively, there is little doubt that Ben Roethlisberger is now the man, though Maurkice Pouncey has also earned a lot of respect from his peers.

posted by Dale Lolley

[url="http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/"]http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/[/url]

[NJ-STEELER]

Re: Kovacevic: Steelers must keep cuts coming

To be fair:

What are the chances that a 3rd round pick turns out to be Mike Wallace?

Or a 6th round pick turns out to be Antonio Brown?

Pretty damn remote. But when you luck out with guys like this, you do whatever it takes to keep 'em.

thats what i dont get. we strike gold with some later round guys and then want to peddle them off like its easy to find such gems

we've had 2 years plus nof paying wally peanuts for his production. i dont mind if we overpay for him (if that happens) in the next few years..it kind of averages out