Tomlin-era bad personnel decisions

[steelz09]

What do you think were the bad personnel decisions so far in the Tomlin-era? This includes drafting, coach selections, keeping players "past their time", cutting players, etc.

Personnally, I think the bad outweighs the good but I think Tomlin is getting a little better particularly w/ the draft and coach selections.

[MeetJoeGreene]

Bad = letting Kuhn Go and keeping that other horrible dude that he had a feeling about. (RB/FB) can't even remember his name.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Bad = letting Kuhn Go and keeping that other horrible dude that he had a feeling about. (RB/FB) can't even remember his name.

Carey Davis?

[MeetJoeGreene]

Carey Davis?

That was it!

[Prowler]

I know I'm going to get blasted for this but I think Lamarr Woodley is a pylon out on the field much too often. I would rather have a player out there who shows up every game and on every play. He's the Willie Parker of the defense who in opinion will be out of the league in a couple of years.

[Shoe]

I know I'm going to get blasted for this but I think Lamarr Woodley is a pylon out on the field much too often. I would rather have a player out there who shows up every game and on every play. He's the Willie Parker of the defense who in opinion will be out of the league in a couple of years.

I won't go that far by any means, but Woodley has a lot to prove to me. He just got paid last off-season, and proceeded to take two months paid vacation time as far as I'm concerned. To me, hamstrings tend to come as a result of putting too much force before the muscle is ready. i.e. If you don't properly prepare your hamstring for game-day workloads, it won't respond. I think he didn't properly prepare, then hurt himself, and cost his team the chance to make it to the Super Bowl.

I guess right now (hindsight being 20/20), I would say drafting those two linemen (Hood and Heyward) in the first round. I hope I am proven wrong... and I understand that we had a need there. (In '09, I wanted Jairus Byrd.) But these two hold a key to our fortunes this year and beyond. Hood's going into his 4th year--time to produce. Time to set that edge like you're supposed, like #91 did for a decade. You can't rely on Hampton anymore. Heyward--sorry buddy, you are getting lumped in with Hood. It's time to grow up fast. We don't need you to be a back-up, with training wheels on. We need you and/or Hood to SEIZE the opportunity, and make an impact.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'll go with Tomlin letting the cat out of the bag regarding our opinion of Darelle Revis in a pre-draft press conference (so the Jets knew exactly which team that they had to trade up in front of to get him).

[Sugar]

I think literally running the wheels off Willie Parker might not have been the best idea. He could have been spelled a little more, IMO. It would be great to have a guy with that kind of burst as a change of pace back even when he couldn't be the bell cow anymore.

[Chadman]

Are we only mentioning the bad choices? Well, Chadman can pick 2- Larry Zeirlein & Sean Mahan.

The rest are draft choices which are acceptable- not like Tomlin selects these players on his own.

[AkronSteel]

The 2008 Draft was not very good. It was the worst one since 1999 and the worst draft under the Colbert regime. Mendy is really the only stand out and there is questions about him as well, especially now with the injury. He never made the huge impact that we all expected, and if this is his last year in Pittsburgh his biggest play as a Steeler will be his fumble in the Super Bowl. In my opinion, if we go score there that game probably plays out completely different. Mundy is still on the team and is a solid contributor on special teams and sub packages but his last play is what we all remember.

[ramblinjim]

The 2008 Draft was not very good. It was the worst one since 1999 and the worst draft under the Colbert regime. Mendy is really the only stand out and there is questions about him as well, especially now with the injury. He never made the huge impact that we all expected, and if this is his last year in Pittsburgh his biggest play as a Steeler will be his fumble in the Super Bowl. In my opinion, if we go score there that game probably plays out completely different. Mundy is still on the team and is a solid contributor on special teams and sub packages but his last play is what we all remember.

Agreed the 2008 draft doesn't score well long term but man, on draft day the idea of getting arguably the best RB in the draft and getting arguable a top 3 WR in the draft in the first two rounds was impressive. I know there were guys on here saying "Sweed in the first" and I was one that couldn't believe how well the first two rounds played out for us. Gotta love hindsight.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Agreed the 2008 draft doesn't score well long term but man, on draft day the idea of getting arguably the best RB in the draft and getting arguable a top 3 WR in the draft in the first two rounds was impressive. I know there were guys on here saying "Sweed in the first" and I was one that couldn't believe how well the first two rounds played out for us. Gotta love hindsight.

Yup...I was as excited for Mendenhall and Sweed with our first two picks as much as any 2 rounds of the draft that I can remember. Seemed like we were extremely fortunate at the time. Shows how much I know. Too bad...now I can't say that I've yet to meet my match on knowledge of this team.

[ikestops85]

Yup...I was as excited for Mendenhall and Sweed with our first two picks as much as any 2 rounds of the draft that I can remember. Seemed like we were extremely fortunate at the time. Shows how much I know. Too bad...now I can't say that I've yet to meet my match on knowledge of this team.

Try this place

[steelz09]

Yup...I was as excited for Mendenhall and Sweed with our first two picks as much as any 2 rounds of the draft that I can remember. Seemed like we were extremely fortunate at the time. Shows how much I know. Too bad...now I can't say that I've yet to meet my match on knowledge of this team.

I completely agree. I thought both Mendenhall and Sweed were going to be beasts.

Back to the topic, here's my list:

1) Revis blunder may have resulted in the reach for Timmons. This wasn't a "bad" decision but seeing Revis in the B&G would have been a scary thought.
2) Letting Kuhn go in favor of our "blocking" TE, David Johnson
3) Larry Z
4) Sean Mahan
5) Bruce Arians - Not "reeling" Arians in.
6) Kraig Urbik - Saw the talent to draft him but either didn't develop the talent and chose our current, older guys, over this younger talent. The result? Starting center for the Bills.
7) Tony Hills - Took a long time to develop but wasn't bad. He showed in preseason that he could backup T and was possibly our best guard late into the preseason. Shortly thereafter, they released him. I'm still trying to figure this one out.
Thinking Jonathan Scott could replace Max Starks. HUGE BLUNDER. Max Starks should have received 50% of Tomlin's pay last year because he likely saved the season from being a complete disaster and Ben potentially getting hurt much more than what he already did.
9) Most of all... lack of development in our draft picks. I don't know if this is a coaching issue or a player issue. The Steelers always had players that you knew could replace an "older" player. Not so much anymore.... ILB, S, and NT ring a bell. Historically, I can remember us really needing 1 or 2 positions because of depth or lack of talent. I can't remember a time when I see either a severe lack of talent at certain positions or zero (literally) depth at a position.
10) Overpaying for Kemo
11) Overpaying for Willie Colon.

[feltdizz]

I completely agree. I thought both Mendenhall and Sweed were going to be beasts.

Back to the topic, here's my list:

1) Revis blunder may have resulted in the reach for Timmons. This wasn't a "bad" decision but seeing Revis in the B&G would have been a scary thought.
2) Letting Kuhn go in favor of our "blocking" TE, David Johnson
3) Larry Z
4) Sean Mahan
5) Bruce Arians - Not "reeling" Arians in.
6) Kraig Urbik - Saw the talent to draft him but either didn't develop the talent and chose our current, older guys, over this younger talent. The result? Starting center for the Bills.
7) Tony Hills - Took a long time to develop but wasn't bad. He showed in preseason that he could backup T and was possibly our best guard late into the preseason. Shortly thereafter, they released him. I'm still trying to figure this one out.
Thinking Jonathan Scott could replace Max Starks. HUGE BLUNDER. Max Starks should have received 50% of Tomlin's pay last year because he likely saved the season from being a complete disaster and Ben potentially getting hurt much more than what he already did.
9) Most of all... lack of development in our draft picks. I don't know if this is a coaching issue or a player issue. The Steelers always had players that you knew could replace an "older" player. Not so much anymore.... ILB, S, and NT ring a bell. Historically, I can remember us really needing 1 or 2 positions because of depth or lack of talent. I can't remember a time when I see either a severe lack of talent at certain positions or zero (literally) depth at a position.
10) Overpaying for Kemo
11) Overpaying for Willie Colon.

A lot of those decisions are made by the FO. I'm not saying Tomlin isn't partially responsible but he doesn't sign the checks. Half the people you mentioned weren't that good and just because they are playing on other teams it doesn't mean we missed on them.

Funny thing is the first 2 or 3 years Tomlin was HC people kept saying he was a figurehead and wasn't responsible for the teams success... but a few years later people go back and blame him for every move made the first 2 or 3 years.

I think Tomlin deserves blame for BA (not reigning him in), Larry Z and the DB coach.....