What our OL will look like this season and concerns on D

[steelz09]

I know it's risky but if 2 rookies are going to start, I'd like to see:

LT: Adams / Gilbert
LG: DeCastro
G: Pouncey
RG: Colon
RT: Adams / Gilbert

If Adams looks like the "best bet" at LT, I would still like to see DeCastro at LG. What I'm trying to say is it's risky, but I still wouldn't hesitate to have to rookies at both LT (Adams) and LG (DeCastro). I would then keep Gilbert at RT. Colon has played RT for most of his career.... keeping him on the right side makes sense.

[Oviedo]

Long overdue if you ask me.

Careful now. Some will perceive your heresy as criticism of the defense.

[SuperSize]

DeCastro will play LG. I'd bet on it.



Pete

[pfelix73]

How much? I'll bet ya. No reason to move.

[SteelCrazy]

My OL configuration is something I see from what I know up til now. Of course Adams and DeCastro may end up on the other sides of their respected positions (although I feel DeCastro is less likely to move), but for now from what I have gathered I see it playing out like I listed.

LT - Adams
LG - Colon
C - Pouncey
RG - DeCastro
RT - Gilbert

Unless Adams is light years behind or Gilbert regresses, Colon will play at Guard this season.

[steelz09]

How much? I'll bet ya. No reason to move.

why would you move Colon to the left side when he played RT for all these years. I'm voting for Colon at RG and Gilbert at RT (or LT for that matter)

[pfelix73]

Sorry, don't understand your reply. You said (or maybe it was someone else) to move him out of his RT spot, not I. Anyway, I just wish people would understand what the Steelers FO and coaches have been saying for many MANY years now. They say that Colon is a OT not a OG. So, therefore, he's over there at RT. He sure as heck can't play LT. Not at LG either, he'd be too slow for that position and is probably not quick enough to be an NFL OG at all. Therefore, Adams would be backing up Willie and Gilbert at both OT along with Scott. I would be very surprised if Adams could beat out Colon at this point, but thats what camp is for...

Yea, the bet was for DeCastro playing LG this year.... No reason to move him to LG.

[pfelix73]

I would seriously doubt a rookie is gonna start at LT for the Pittsburgh Steelers...

[grotonsteel]

I would seriously doubt a rookie is gonna start at LT for the Pittsburgh Steelers...

If J Scott can be Steelers starting LT in 2011 anything is possible.

Gilbert-Foster-Pouncey-DeCastro-Willie Colon will be my starting O-line. Mike Adams will be my backup swing tackle.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I would seriously doubt a rookie is gonna start at LT for the Pittsburgh Steelers...

Yeah, but it should be a heck of a camp battle between Gilbert and Adams, though. I think the team has more faith in Colon at RT than the fans do, so he should likely stay put at RT. They've been talking about moving Gilbert over to the left side since before the draft, so I suspect that is still what they plan to do now (they aren't going to hand Adams anything; he will have to earn it). DeCastro should play his usual position at RG (allowing us to pull more than one way under Haley...unlike the Arians offense). Pouncey will obviously play at center. Foster and Legursky will battle for LG.

However, if Adams does impress at LT during the preseason, that could allow the team to move Gilbert inside to LG (during the 2008 championship season for Florida, the Gators had Marcus Gilbert at LG and Maurkice Pouncey at C for 2 games against Hawaii and Miami; Gilbert's first start at Florida was at RG in 2007 in place of the injured Maurkice Pouncey. In 2009, Gilbert played RT, and then played both tackle positions in 2010).

I'd like me some Adams-Gilbert-Pouncey-DeCastro-Colon. Legursky and Foster could be gameday backups, and if anything happened to either tackle, Gilbert could be moved outside (unless, of course, we are able to bring Max Starks back into the fold eventually).

Remember, Gilbert and Adams are both second round tackles...Gilbert had a 2nd round grade, but Adams had a 1st round grade and will be extremely motivated to impress after the Steelers picked him even after all of the outside issues...if a somewhat overweight and sloppy Gilbert can start at tackle for the Steelers as a rookie, a supremely motivated behemoth with left tackle feet should be able to as well...we'll see.

[pfelix73]

Yea, but that 1 year of experience in the NFL has Gilbert already a leg or 2 up on Adams. The rooks will have to prove themselves...Not saying that they can't or won't, but experience Gilbert already has.

We'll soon see.

[Oviedo]

Yeah, but it should be a heck of a camp battle between Gilbert and Adams, though. I think the team has more faith in Colon at RT than the fans do, so he should likely stay put at RT. They've been talking about moving Gilbert over to the left side since before the draft, so I suspect that is still what they plan to do now (they aren't going to hand Adams anything; he will have to earn it). DeCastro should play his usual position at RG (allowing us to pull more than one way under Haley...unlike the Arians offense). Pouncey will obviously play at center. Foster and Legursky will battle for LG.

However, if Adams does impress at LT during the preseason, that could allow the team to move Gilbert inside to LG (during the 2008 championship season for Florida, the Gators had Marcus Gilbert at LG and Maurkice Pouncey at C for 2 games against Hawaii and Miami; Gilbert's first start at Florida was at RG in 2007 in place of the injured Maurkice Pouncey. In 2009, Gilbert played RT, and then played both tackle positions in 2010).

I'd like me some Adams-Gilbert-Pouncey-DeCastro-Colon. Legursky and Foster could be gameday backups, and if anything happened to either tackle, Gilbert could be moved outside (unless, of course, we are able to bring Max Starks back into the fold eventually).

Remember, Gilbert and Adams are both second round tackles...Gilbert had a 2nd round grade, but Adams had a 1st round grade and will be extremely motivated to impress after the Steelers picked him even after all of the outside issues...if a somewhat overweight and sloppy Gilbert can start at tackle for the Steelers as a rookie, a supremely motivated behemoth with left tackle feet should be able to as well...we'll see.

I see no way they move Gilbert inside to Guard. He did too well at OT as a rookie. Stranger things have happened but I would be totally shocked.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Yea, but that 1 year of experience in the NFL has Gilbert already a leg or 2 up on Adams. The rooks will have to prove themselves...Not saying that they can't or won't, but experience Gilbert already has.

We'll soon see.

If I had to guess, I'd say that Gilbert would probably win the battle at LT (I too doubt that the team would be willing to go with 2 rookie OL starters from day 1) and we'd go:

LT Gilbert
LG Foster/Legursky
C Pouncey
RG DeCastro
RT Colon

With Adams and the loser of the Foster/Legursky battle as the gameday backups.

But if the Adams/Gilbert battle at LT is close, I'd rather start Adams at LT since that would give us the opportunity to start the best 5 players on the OL with Gilbert at LG (since Adams doesn't project to guard, if Gilbert is left tackle, then we'd have to start a less talented players like Foster or Legursky instead).

Even if it is not from day one, I think the team would like to eventually end up like this:

LT Adams
LG Gilbert
C Pouncey
RG DeCastro
RT Colon

Perhaps the switch could be made after our first 3 games during the bye week, or perhaps after our first 5 games in the 10 days we'll have between the 10/11/12 Thursday nighter in Tennessee and the 10/21/11 Sunday nighter in Cincinnati.

I'd personally rather move Colon inside to guard and left Gilbert at RT, but I think the team thinks more of Colon at RT than most of us. I'd like to see:

LT Adams
LG Colon
C Pouncey
RG DeCastro
RT Gilbert

[steelz09]

Sorry, don't understand your reply. You said (or maybe it was someone else) to move him out of his RT spot, not I. Anyway, I just wish people would understand what the Steelers FO and coaches have been saying for many MANY years now. They say that Colon is a OT not a OG. So, therefore, he's over there at RT. He sure as heck can't play LT. Not at LG either, he'd be too slow for that position and is probably not quick enough to be an NFL OG at all. Therefore, Adams would be backing up Willie and Gilbert at both OT along with Scott. I would be very surprised if Adams could beat out Colon at this point, but thats what camp is for...

Yea, the bet was for DeCastro playing LG this year.... No reason to move him to LG.

We'll just agree to disagree. I honestly don't care what the coaches or FO think about Colon. They have been right before (like the draft, hopefully) and they have been wrong before. I think they're wrong about Colon. He is in the bottom half of the league at RT. A rookie (Gilbert) replaced him in his first year as a starter. Gilbert played just as good, if not better than Colon at any stage of his career. Colon was overpaid just like Kemo. For years, I've watched Colon reach to try to get his hands on DE/LBs and he struggles w/ his shorter arms. Speed rushers abuse him. Long-armed/lengthy rushers abuse him. He is more of a bruiser type that is much better at run blocking. I think w/ his build, mean streak, aggressive, run blocking style is perfect for the guard position. Heck, I think he could be in the top 1/3 in the league at guard. That might be a generous prediction but it's possible. His negatives attributes at tackle will almost be a non-factor at guard. Lastly, if he's athletic enough to play RT then he should be able to play RG. I would keep him on the same side he's familiar with.

[RuthlessBurgher]

We'll just agree to disagree. I honestly don't care what the coaches or FO think about Colon. They have been right before (like the draft, hopefully) and they have been wrong before. I think they're wrong about Colon. He is in the bottom half of the league at RT. A rookie (Gilbert) replaced him in his first year as a starter. Gilbert played just as good, if not better than Colon at any stage of his career. Colon was overpaid just like Kemo. For years, I've watched Colon reach to try to get his hands on DE/LBs and he struggles w/ his shorter arms. Speed rushers abuse him. Long-armed/lengthy rushers abuse him. He is more of a bruiser type that is much better at run blocking. I think w/ his build, mean streak, aggressive, run blocking style is perfect for the guard position. Heck, I think he could be in the top 1/3 in the league at guard. That might be a generous prediction but it's possible. His negatives attributes at tackle will almost be a non-factor at guard. Lastly, if he's athletic enough to play RT then he should be able to play RG. I would keep him on the same side he's familiar with.

I'd like to see what Colon can do at guard as well (his body habitus, skill set, general demeanor seems to be more indicative of a prototypical NFL guard than a prototypical NFL tackle). However, if Colon moves inside to guard but stays on the right side as you suggest, then you'd have this:

LT Adams
LG DeCastro
C Pouncey
RG Colon
RT Gilbert

Not only would we be starting 2 rookies on the OL, but those 2 rookies would be right next to each other, and they'd be charged with protecting Ben's blind side. I doubt the powers that be would be willing to go forward with that plan.