Willie Colon

[steelz09]

Starks posted that he'll be ready in mid-July on twitter. I'm not sure what "ready" means but I would strongly suggest the Steelers keep Starks around... possibly as a starter if Adams isn't ready week 1

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Even if Adams is ready...Having Starks on this roster as a back-up only makes the team better. He is vested so I believe the Steelers don't absorb his full salary. J Scott's 2 mil could be used elsewhere.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Bringing back Starks would give experienced depth at all 3 positions along the OL in case injuries strike again:

OT:
Marcus Gilbert
Mike Adams
Max Starks

OG:
David DeCastro
Willie Colon
Ramon Foster

OC:
Maurkice Pouncey
Doug Legursky

[steeler_george]

regarding 2 rookies

Disn't we have 2 rookies in play with Pouncey and Foster ?

Please correct me if I am wrong

[RuthlessBurgher]

Colon making the switch to guard
Posted 21 hours ago

Teresa Varley
Steelers.com


Steelers’ offensive lineman Willie Colon is back after missing the last two seasons injured, but don’t look for him at tackle.

Colon revealed today that he has been working at the left guard spot, a position where he is likely to be the starter on opening day.

“They moved me to left guard now. I am learning that," said Colon. “That is a challenge for me. As a tackle you are used to just being an athlete, left on an island. But as a guard I am between the tackle and (Maurkice) Pouncey, the verbiage and how to work with those guys I am learning. When you are in the middle things happen faster. When I am at tackle I have the whole side of the sideline to work with. At guard I am in a box where I have to work faster and react faster. I have to be more aware of calls. On the flip side I get to get after people.

“I am excited to get out there. I know the sky is the limit for us as a line. We have the young kids (David) DeCastro and Mike Adams. The biggest thing that always gets us is the injury bug, but if we can stay strong and healthy we should be the one or two best line in the league.”

The Steelers used their top two draft choices on offensive linemen this year, taking DeCastro, who is projected as a right guard, and Adams, who could start at tackle. And shortly after that, Colon learned of his position change.

“It’s so funny,” said Colon. “Before the draft it was never heard of, I was staying at tackle. We drafted DeCastro and I get a call the next day that we are moving you to guard. I was never against it. It wasn’t something I frowned upon. For me to still be here, still be a Steeler and still have the chance to crack that starting lineup, I am blessed. I just want to compete and be the best that I can be.”

The Steelers begin OTAs on Tuesday, May 22, giving Colon a large portion of the offseason to learn the guard spot.

“I was never against the transition,” said Colon. “The only knock I ever had was if you want me to play guard don’t ask me to play guard week one against Baltimore and I have been playing tackle my whole career. If moving to guard was going to happen, this was the best time for it to happen where I can learn and go through the mistakes and work on my mechanics when I have time, work on it and get better from there.

“Since I have been here people have said Willie if you go to guard you can be All Pro; Willie if you go to guard you can be this. Because I go to guard and have the potential doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. I have to work my tail off to be a good guard at this level.”

[URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Colon-making-the-switch-to-guard/f072ca01-4774-45a3-b30f-cda6226d2883[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Disn't we have 2 rookies in play with Pouncey and Foster ?

Please correct me if I am wrong

Nope...two different years.

Foster was an UDFA in 2009 (started 4 games as a rookie).

Pouncey was a 1st round pick in 2010 (started 16 games as a rookie).

[steeler_george]

Was it Kemo and Essex with Pouncey .... Starks-Kemo-Pouncey-Essex-Colon

[RuthlessBurgher]

Was it Kemo and Essex with Pouncey .... Starks-Kemo-Pouncey-Essex-Colon

Essex and Kemo were both rookies together (3rd and 6th rounders in 2005).

In 2005, Essex started 4 games a rookie and Kemoeatu started none.
In 2006, Kemoeatu started 2 games and Essex started none.
In 2007, neither of them started any games.
In 2008, Kemoeatu started all 16 games and Essex started none.
In 2009, Essex started all 16 games and Kemoeatu started 12.
In 2010, Kemoeatu started 15 games and Essex started 5.
In 2011, Kemoeatu started 8 games and Essex started 3.

[ramblinjim]

Agreed.
Handing a kid with an entitled attitude (entitled enough to think that smoking dope in the midst of the draft process) would be OK is a stupid move. Make him earn his role. Now... he may actually prove to be the best option this year (at wherever position they play him), but I'm thinking about the rest of his career. This is a player who needs a healthy dose of humility, perspective.

Oh Adams will get a dose of humility come training camp. The name is James Harrison. Elvis Dumerville and Von Miller aren't chumps either, our tackles will have their hands full.

[Slapstick]

Pouncey started as a rookie and made protection calls...

Nobody seemed to have an issue with that...

[Crash]

You didn't, but one thing I have noticed that in the last two playoff games this team has played the much maligned running game has played pretty well behind that OL.

Pouncey didn't play either game. Legursky was making the calls.

[hawaiiansteel]

Pittsburgh Steelers News Bulletin: Offensive Line Transition

by Neal Coolong on May 17, 2012


I find it ironic that the amount of in-game and pre-game fluctuation among the offensive line was one of the reasons behind the justified savagery of the Steelers offensive line. Yet, the transfer of Willie Colon three spots west of where he used to be (and essentially hasn't played) has gotten Steeler Nation so excited. I'm excited as well, but looking down the road, it's worth considering the bigger picture and the message being sent.

Is it the "Anything's Better" argument, or does the chlorophyll shimmering from afar appear to give off a deeper green hue? I wrote no pro offensive lineman should struggle much with a position change, at least from a mental perspective, if he's given adequate time to learn the terminology and movement. Training camp should be plenty of time. Flozell Adams didn't need much time to learn right tackle, after having played for like 38 years at left tackle with a different team. Reason suggests Colon will handle the transition just fine.

And if it doesn't work? The Steelers have now invested two first round picks (C Maurkice Pouncey and RG David DeCastro) and two second round picks (LT Marcus Gilbert and potential RT Mike Adams) in their offensive line.

If they are not one of the three best offensive lines in the game by the end of next season, heads have to roll, don't they? Maybe it's the head of offensive line coach Sean Kugler. Maybe it's offensive coordinator Todd Haley's, or head coach Mike Tomlin's.

I'm only bringing it up because Post-Gazette writer Ed Bouchette had mentioned via Twitter on Wednesday he felt current Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt was the best offensive coordinator the Steelers had (or did I read that wrong? I didn't see his column, just the tweet). Russ Grimm was the offensive line coach (and candidate to replace Bill Cowher before the job went to Tomlin).

The offensive line those guys had, in 2005 in particular, was excellent, especially when we look at it retrospectively. OTs Marvel Smith and Max Starks, Gs Alan Faneca and Kendall Simmons (he started that year, didn't he?) and C Jeff Hartings are comparable as a unit in terms of draft picks invested (three 1sts, a second and a third) to what Pittsburgh has today but I'll challenge you to go back and watch a game from 2005 and tell me you aren't shocked with how good they were as a unit. That kind of thing doesn't happen overnight.

Or maybe I'm just seeing a decent offensive line, and comparing it to what we've had recently.

Either way, the bar is set pretty high, and with a position unit that relies heavily on cohesion and trust, it's currently in a state of massive transition, and it's going to take a helluva coaching job to make it work. Not saying it won't, but let's not think this line will automatically dominate.

Maybe I should just have a few beers and think about it.

[URL="http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/5/17/3026739/Pittsburgh-steelers-news-willie-colon-david-decastro-cameron-heyward-ziggy-hood#storyjump"]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com...hood#storyjump[/URL]

[Dee Dub]

Many of us have been suggesting this for years. It makes sense.

Yeah it makes sense now...but it didnt prior to this year. Why? The addition of descent bookend tackles would be my guess.

[hawaiiansteel]

Eau-de-Colonin’

By Mike Prisuta - SteelCityInsider.net
Posted May 16, 2012



Even though it's been an oft-discussed move in the past, Willie Colon told SCI's Mike Prisuta it's "definitely a move for the future." Read all about Colon moving to left guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It had to happen sooner or later.

After all, the position shift information that Willie Colon volunteered on Wednesday, specifically his move from right tackle to left guard, is one that has been speculated upon since Colon’s arrival in Pittsburgh. It’s a move the Chicago Bears had been prepared to make less than a year ago when they pursued Colon as a free agent.

Better late than never.

It’s all about getting the best five offensive linemen on the field.

The Steelers have long said as much.

Since draft day they’ve apparently committed themselves to doing something about it.

“There’s a lot of money on the line, definitely,” Colon said, acknowledging a potential fivesome that would include two No. 1 picks (Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro), two No. 2 picks (Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams) and the guy the Steelers paid handsomely not to go to Chicago.

“It’s definitely a move for the future,” Colon continued. “As Ben (Roethlisberger) gets older we definitely have to keep him upright. There’s been so much talk about his sacks that he’s been taking over the years. Whether it’s from him holding the ball or from us just not protecting well; he’s brought two championships here.

“We need to get some more. We need to bring some more back to the city and he’s definitely the guy that’s more than capable of doing it. But if we don’t keep him upright and throwing and doing what he does best it’s going to be a turbulent road for us.”

As intriguing an element in all of this as the Colon position shift is obvious to some of us is the migration of Colon to left guard rather than right guard.

Chris Kemoeatu’s old position was always perceived as the pulling guard position. And DeCastro, the No. 1 pick from Stanford, was the NCAA’s premier pulling guard last season. And Colon played tackle for as long as he did, in part, because departed OC Bruce Arians never thought Colon could pull.

“I disagree (that Arians thought that) because we had a play called ‘Tonto’ where I pulled (from right tackle),” Colon argued. “He wouldn’t call it a lot but at least it was in the playbook. That was enough for me.

“It was an option.”

It’ll be much more for new OC Todd Haley.

“They have me pulling,” Colon confirmed. “They have me moving. I think it’s going to go both ways. I think we’re going to be a lot more balanced this year. You should expect both of us (Colon and DeCastro) pulling. It should be good.

“I think we’re definitely going to run the ball a lot more. Coach Haley is coming in with the mindset that we’re going to be a lot more balanced team. Obviously, we have great receivers, everybody knows that. We have a great quarterback. But I also feel like we have a real physical line and we have great running backs.

“For us to be balanced I think you can expect a lot more play-action, a lot more of us flat getting after guys up front.”

Three-fifths of the O-line is now coming into focus, Colon at left guard, Pouncey at center and DeCastro at right guard.

“As of now that’s what it looks like, yes,” Colon said.

The status of the tackles remains unresolved. Does Gilbert stay at right tackle or shift to left?

Does Adams’ future as the Steelers’ left tackle of the future commence next week?

“I don’t really know the rotation (at tackle) right now,’ Colon said.

He knows this much: He’s going to guard willingly.

“I like it,” he said. “It’s just a matter of me learning the verbiage and learning where I need to be to make this line better.

“My only issue I would have had was, ‘Don’t move me to left guard midway through (training) camp.’ I pride myself on being a mechanic and a technician. So if it was to happen do it right now when I have the time to learn and go through my mechanics.

“(The Steelers) honored that. I got the call right after the draft after we picked up DeCastro that I was going to move to guard. I have no problems with it. I’m taking it well. I like being there.

“The Bears wanted me as a guard. Since I’ve been here there’s always been speculation about me moving to guard. I’m not 6-foot-6 or 6-7. I’m just 6-3; big back, barrel chest, typical guard frame. I’ve never been against it. All I wanted was the time to learn the position.”

OTAs just got a whole lot more interesting.

[URL]http://pit.scout.com/2/1187090.html[/URL]

[Jooser]

At least Willie is on board with it. I like his attitude towards the move and I think he'll be a very good guard. Think about it, Ben essentially has TWO tackles protecting his blind side on every pass play!