Harrison Gone

[Oviedo]

I predict a Joey Porter type end to Harrison's career. Will show sometimes that will make us wish he was still around, but eventually becoming irrelevant. Unfortunately, the NFL is a young man's game, and that aint what Harrison is.

Yep, a few more flashes here and there but we all know the flame has started burning much too dim for what he was owed. Time to move on to the next generation.

High probability forst pick is a LB now.

[Oviedo]

Foster isn't getting re-signed. He is the complete opposite of what Haley and the new offensive line coach like in an o-lineman.

Highly unlikely they invest alot to keep Foster. They have seen enough to know they can do better without tying up significant dollars. However, if he takes their price they will keep him until they hopefully find better soon. They are still too few for a final roster at the OL position.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Highly unlikely they invest anything to keep Foster. They have seen enough to know they can do better without tying up significant dollars.

typical response.

numerous reports say they want to keep him if they can afford him. Kind of shoots down your little theory of "we will see what the steelers think of him in the offseason"

[SteelBucks]

High probability forst pick is a LB now.

Astronomically high. The only in house options at OLB (without moving Timmons) are Worilds and Carter.

[SidSmythe]

After Greg Lloyd's career ended I thought "this is a once in a lifetime football player"
James Harrison proved me wrong. He played the game the way it should be played.

[SS Laser]

Astronomically high. The only in house options at OLB (without moving Timmons) are Worilds and Carter.

Undrafted OLB Adrian Robinson might come on? Maybe it will take more then one player to replace 92! Worilds or Carter against the run and can drop in coverage? Robinson to rush? Harrisons run stopping and tackling will be missed the most. I will have to agree bad drafting for OLB has hurt the Steelers now. Hope someone comes on and is serviceable.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Reportedly, the Steelers are looking at several FAs as possibilities at OLB, players who've been underutilized by other teams... but they're only willing to pay $3-4 million/year (per Kaboly, Trib-Review).

So who do you think they might be looking at?

[lloydroid]

numerous reports say they want to keep him if they can afford him.

I love when people spout "numerous reports" as if you can count on any of them as proof of anything. That is hilarious. They say a sucker is born every minute. Pgh will constantly lie, thinking it tricks the fans, etc. Well, some are clearly easily bamboozled.

[lloydroid]

Reportedly, the Steelers are looking at several FAs as possibilities at OLB, players who've been underutilized by other teams... but they're only willing to pay $3-4 million/year (per Kaboly, Trib-Review).

So who do you think they might be looking at?

Well, I guess their are two lists: who we would love and who we can afford.

First on my wish list is Anthony Spencer, Dallas. He was draft in the same class as Timmons and at the time, I thought he might be the better player, and, it looks like, he is the better OLB. Spencer has been held off the field most of his career but he has started to break out.

Then there is Paul Kruger who will cost too much and will end up overpaid. He is good, but not great.

I like Conner Barwin out of Houston. He had a much bigger 2011 but his drop in sacks in 2012 could make him much more affordable. Shawn Phillips had a come back year in SD, with 9.5 sacks but I don't want another older dude.

Quentin Groves could be interesting. What about Calvin Pace? The Browns, and their $40 million of cap space, will surely gobble up one of these guys. Their new D is a 3-4 so you just know they will sign a vet OLB who knows the 3-4.

[flippy]

Call me crazy, but I think Robinson's got a good chance to do well at Harrison's spot. He looked good before the start of last season as just a pass rusher. That's really what we need anyway. Sure he's raw and undeveloped, but he's the only guy I've seen flashes that he could potentially play on the right.

Worilds position is on the left with Woodley. And Carter just isn't that good.

I'm sure we'll go get a FA and probably make ROLB a priority in the draft for sure.

[Jooser]

I saw in another thread that Carter and Sylvester were not tendered offer?

[hawaiiansteel]

I saw in another thread that Carter and Sylvester were not tendered offer?

no, only Kapinos and Sylvester were not tendered offers:

Steelers put low tender on Steve McLendon

MAR 9
By Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com

The Steelers put tenders on their restricted free agents Saturday, and there are two interesting developments.

The first one is Pittsburgh placing a low tender on Steve McLendon, who is expected to replace Casey Hampton as the team's starting nose tackle. There were thoughts that the Steelers would protect him more by putting a second-round tender on him.

But, in choosing the low tender ($1.3 million) over the second-round one ($2 million), the Steelers could lose McLendon without compensation because he was undrafted. Of course, the Steelers would have the right to match any offer, although it could be difficult to do considering their cap problems. This is certainly a gamble.

The Steelers' other notable decision was placing tenders on both running backs, Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman. There was speculation that the Steelers might only put the tender on Redman because of limited cap room. But Pittsburgh put low tenders on Dwyer and Redman, both of whom will get $1.3 million. Although unlikely, the Steelers would get a sixth-round pick as compensation if they lose Dwyer to another team and no compensation for Redman because he was undrafted.

Accounting for all of these RFA tenders in the cap, the Steelers were $1.4 million over. But, when factoring in the release of linebacker James Harrison, the Steelers are now $3.4 million under the cap.

Here's a recap of the Steelers' restricted free agents:

RB Jonathan Dwyer: Original round (sixth round)

P Jeremy Kapinos: No tender

NT Steve McLendon: Right of first refusal (no compensation)

RB Isaac Redman: Right of first refusal (no compensation)

LB Stevenson Sylvester: No tender

WR Emmanuel Sanders: Original round (third round)

[URL]http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/73583/steelers-put-low-tender-on-steve-mclendon[/URL]

[papillon]

Oh my

hood, mclendon and keisel
Woodley, foote, timmons and worilds
Allen, polamalu, Clark and Victrian

Wallace- gone
Mendy- gone
Harrison- gone
Hampton- gone
Taylor- probably gone
Lewis- can't afford

It's going to be a long few years until things get back on track

Pappy

[steelz09]

Oh my

hood, mclendon and keisel
Woodley, foote, timmons and worilds
Allen, polamalu, Clark and Victrian

Wallace- gone
Mendy- gone
Harrison- gone
Hampton- gone
Taylor- probably gone
Lewis- can't afford

It's going to be a long few years until things get back on track

Pappy

And by that time.. Ben is on the downside of his career.

This is what worries me. It's one thing to replace a couple players. It's a whole different story when your trying to replace this list at a minium.

Wallace - I think he is to 1-dimensional but he's still at #1 on some teams and a #2 on the others.
Mendy - I'm not a fan but he's still our best back
Harrison - Our best OLB. He was the James of old towards the end of the season and he is one of the very few players on this defense that can create turnovers
Hampton - A staple of this defense for many years. He's replaceable at this point but by who?
Taylor - I would keep lewis over Ike because of age mostly. Why keep a player that has 1 year left over another that is entering his prime? Ike is a very good coverage guy but he is NOT worth ANYWHERE close to 9 mil.
Lewis - This is the Steelers own fault. They signed some poor contracts and they hung onto old players to long which is now costing us the ability to sign our young players. Historically, the team was good about knowing when to release old players in order to sign the up & comers. Not so much anymore.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Trade Ben to Arizona for a first and second this year and first and second next year so we can fully rebuild instead of being average for the next 5 to ten years.....I'm only 1/2 kidding.