Foote Back on Three Year Deal

[Shawn]

As long as the Steelers are not looking for Foote to start, not paying him starter numbers then I am ok with this signing.

[steelz09]

When you win as many games as this team has and spent the money they have for a decade there are going to be down years because of age and the cap. Takes two years to get a "cap hell" situation cleared up. You can't avoid it. It happens to every team that wins.

A "realistic" fan would know this.

When players hit 30/31, we would let them walk and always have legit replacements. FS, SS, ILB, OLB, NT? Where are they? Where are our developed draft picks? Oh, that's right... it can't be Tomlin or Colberts fault. Where is the replacement for Cowher's players? How many of Tomlin's defensive players have adequately replaced Cowher's players?

Farrior - (Cowher) > Timmons (Tomlin)
Foote - (Cowher) > ??? - (Tomlin)
Smith - (Cowher) > Hood - (Tomlin)
Harrison (Cowher) > Worilds (Tomlin)
Haggans (Cowher) < Woodley (Tomlin)
Ike (Cowher) > Lewis (Tomlin)
Polamalu (Cowher) > ??? (Tomlin)
Ryan Clark (Cowher) > ???? (Tomlin)
Keisel (Cowher) > Heyward (Tomlin)
Hampton (Cowher) > McClendon (Tomlin)

damn... the truth hurts. That's real impressive drafting and development since January 2007.

[Oviedo]

Both Tomlin and Colbert could be on the hot seat this year. Tomlin probably moreso because he has much less of a tenure with the Steelers. I think it's safe to say the Rooney's were less than thrilled with the product, coaching and lack of discipline the Steelers displayed.

I hope I'm wrong but I can't see how this team will be any better this year than last.

Tomlin is not on the hot seat. Let's not start inventing that. Tomlin is going through the same rebuild and rearm phase Cowher went through in the late 90s. The Rooneys know why we have the mess we do and it isn't because of Tomlin. They know they have one of the best young coaches in the NFL and they won't let him go anywhere.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I'm with ovi on this one.

colbert is more to blame than tomlin, IMO.

[Siggy00]

When players hit 30/31, we would let them walk and always have legit replacements.

Oh really? Since Heinz Field opened?

How many years was the core of this defense together?

[steelz09]

I'm with ovi on this one.

colbert is more to blame than tomlin, IMO.

They are both to blame. It's either very poor drafting or very poor coaching and development. It's probably a combination of both and that's why our depth sucks and our old starters can't be replaced.

[steelz09]

Oh really? Since Heinz Field opened?

How many years was the core of this defense together?

What does that mean? Get in the game here....

Explain this and explain why we can't replace Larry Foote in all these years.

Farrior - (Cowher) > Timmons (Tomlin)
Foote - (Cowher) > ??? - (Tomlin)
Smith - (Cowher) > Hood - (Tomlin)
Harrison (Cowher) > Worilds (Tomlin)
Haggans (Cowher) < Woodley (Tomlin)
Ike (Cowher) > Lewis (Tomlin)
Polamalu (Cowher) > ??? (Tomlin)
Ryan Clark (Cowher) > ???? (Tomlin)
Keisel (Cowher) > Heyward (Tomlin)
Hampton (Cowher) > McClendon (Tomlin)

We are so desperate that we had to take him back from the LIONS because we couldn't develop anyone else in all these years?

[Oviedo]

Hate this move. The front office is making some real bad moves the past couple of days.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Hate this move. The front office is making some real bad moves the past couple of days.

I'm not a huge fan of it either.

3 years just seems absurd for a guy his age.

[Siggy00]

Explain this and explain why we can't replace Larry Foote in all these years.

He was a backup for two of the three years he came back. You see we drafted some guy named Timmons in 2007. He replaced him.

[supersteeler]

The Steelers made an attempt to get a replacement for foote after drafting Spense, it's not their fault he suffered a severe injury that put a monkey wrench into the situation.
We should be worried more about scoring points in the redzone than Larry being retained.

[steelz09]

He was a backup for two of the three years he came back. You see we drafted some guy named Timmons in 2007. He replaced him.

Right... Timmons started to replace him the 1 year when they were splitting time.

Then, Timmons replaced him completely. Since, Farrior was still the better player, Foote went to Detroit.

Foote came back but Farrior was still the better player. Farrior is finally released after an outstanding career and Foote became the starter. That is essentially getting progressively worse. He wasn't good enough to start 3 years prior to that but now he suddenly is? A guy replaces him 3 years ago and in 3 years you can't find anybody younger to develop and become a future starter? Then, you have to sign him to ANOTHER 3 year deal because we STILL haven't found anybody? How is that acceptable from a fan base?

[Siggy00]

Right... Timmons started to replace him the 1 year when they were splitting time.

Then, Timmons replaced him completely. Since, Farrior was still the better player, Foote went to Detroit.

Farrior is finally released after an outstanding career and they bring Foote back to be a starter. That is essentially getting progressively worse. He couldn't start 3 years ago but he can start then? A guy replaces him 3 years ago and in 3 years you can't find anybody younger to develop and become a future starter? Then, you have to sign him to ANOTHER 3 year deal because we STILL haven't found anybody? How is that acceptable from a fan base?

They drafted a linebacker from Miami. His name is Sean Spence. He was going to be groomed to play next to Timmons in the future.

They have these contests called pre-season games. And, if you were paying attention like any realistic fan would be, he was injured during one at Heinz Field and his 2013 season, and his career, is in danger.

[deljzc]

Larry represents some stability, we didn't have too may options other than a FA who can't be guaranteed to be any better than Larry.
Overall Foote played well last season so I can't understand why fans would want him to leave.
The Steelers are doing what they can to be a competitive team under the circumstances they are dealing with, keep in mind they are limited to a degree.

I never said I expected a guarantee. There are no guarantees in scouting, GM work and talent evaluation. Even though Colbert is being paid a seven figure salary, I never expect him to be perfect.

But I do expect him to f'ing TRY sometimes.

The only guarantee in bringing Larry Foote back is you get worse. At his age and history, what he gave us in 2012 (and I would argue it's not as good as some think), is about his PEAK. To expect the same in 2013 without any drop off or injury is foolish.

I would rather trust Colbert's judgement as a scout to FIND a younger replacement to Foote at some point rather than just keep throwing money at the problem and rehashing the same old issues.

You watch, they will probably RENEGOTIATE Larry Foote's contract next year to save cap space (because they've already mortgaged 2014), thus making Larry Foote an even bigger issue someday.

[steelz09]

They drafted a linebacker from Miami. His name is Sean Spence. He was going to be groomed to play next to Timmons in the future.

They have these contests called pre-season games. And, if you were paying attention like any realistic fan would be, he was injured during one at Heinz Field and his 2013 season, and his career, is in danger.

Like a previous poster stated, Spence had a long way to go before you could even consider him as a starter. He didn't show much of anything in preseason against non-starters. He was considerably undersized. Saying Spence was the "future" starter is misguided. Let's wait until the guy does something before we name him starter material shall we? And let's say Spence could be a future starter. Why in the hell couldn't Colbert and Tomlin draft anyone that is a legit backup / potential starter in the FIVE PREVIOUS DRAFT CLASSES.