Cameron Heyward

[phillyesq]

Heyward is probably the best young talent on this team right now. I think JJ will show a HUGE improvement next year as well.

On defense, yes, those two are easily the best young talents. I'd still throw Cortez Allen into that mix as well.

I think that DD is also a good young talent, and may rival Heyward for the title of best young talent on the team.

[Slapstick]

Over the last four games, Heyward has recorded the following:

23 tackles
2 sacks
3 passes defensed

If he can keep up that pace, he'd have 50+ tackles, 5 sacks and 7 passes defensed...and he didn't even start the whole season...

[birtikidis]

Decastro is living up to his billing. I honestly think that Decastro and Velasco at guard with Pouncey in the middle would be an INCREDIBLE interior line.You'd have guys that could pull both ways, including the center. talk about opening up the playbook.

[Shawn]

Decastro is living up to his billing. I honestly think that Decastro and Velasco at guard with Pouncey in the middle would be an INCREDIBLE interior line.You'd have guys that could pull both ways, including the center. talk about opening up the playbook.

That's if Velasco can play G. I read a few opinions that he is a much better C than G. I'm not sure of the validity. If that is the case, it might make more sense to place Pouncey at G.

[Chadman]

Chadman would almost suggest that Pouncey's best value to the organisation might come in the form of a trade.

Velasco at Center has proven to be more than funtional, DeCastro looks good & Foster has been very good too. Pouncey's rookie contract is up when?

Trade him for a couple of draft picks & keep getting younger.

Besides, Chadman thinks there are character issues with that one.

[Shawn]

I'm not sure what you can get for Pouncey, but at most it would be a first. He is a young, extremely talented OLman. Why would this team dump a known commodity for an unknown? For me, I kick Pouncey out to Guard and have one of the best interior OL's in the NFL.

[flippy]

I'm not sure what you can get for Pouncey, but at most it would be a first. He is a young, extremely talented OLman. Why would this team dump a known commodity for an unknown? For me, I kick Pouncey out to Guard and have one of the best interior OL's in the NFL.

I think Foster is better than Velasco.

[phillyesq]

I'm not sure what you can get for Pouncey, but at most it would be a first. He is a young, extremely talented OLman. Why would this team dump a known commodity for an unknown? For me, I kick Pouncey out to Guard and have one of the best interior OL's in the NFL.

I think it would be tough to get a first for Pouncey, if you trade him. He's coming off an ACL tear and will be in the last year of his deal. Combine his questionable judgment, and I don't see how you get a first in return for Pouncey this offseason.

[Slapstick]

Velasco will be a free agent after this season...what makes you think the Steelers will be able to keep him?

[Shawn]

Velasco will be a free agent after this season...what makes you think the Steelers will be able to keep him?

What makes you think they wont?

[Slapstick]

What makes you think they wont?

Two things:

1) Salary Cap

2) Pouncey

[flippy]

Two things:

1) Salary Cap

2) Pouncey

I know everyone wants to get rid of everyone, but I don't think you can realistically think this team to afford to throw away high picks like Pouncey and make this team competitive long term. I think we need to keep young talent.

Otherwise, what do more picks even matter when we'll just discard top picks once they become talented.

Velasco's been ok. But I'm not sold he's really all that good. He's not the strongest guy in the world and gets pushed around a lot in the middle. Seriously, if you like Velasco, focus in and watch him next week and I doubt you'll be as impressed.

The 2 guys that are impressive on the OLine are DD and Foster. They're playing great. Gilby and Beachum have been up and down a lot.

Here's the thing I can't figure out. Utlimately, our RBs would have the best chance of success running right like all RB do. So why not put Foster and Adams as our RG and RT? Those are the biggest boys we've got up front that can move some bodies. Then you move DD to the left so he can pull right. Then we get Pouncey back next year and have him and DD pulling right and our running game could be sick. And we just need a guy on the left that can consistently protect Ben's backside and this line might actually be good.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

What makes you think they wont?

They can save $4.1M by cutting Pouncey, who will be in the last year of his contract. Go with a 3 year deal around $7-9M for Velasco, and you save money.

[phillyesq]

They can save $4.1M by cutting Pouncey, who will be in the last year of his contract. Go with a 3 year deal around $7-9M for Velasco, and you save money.

Looks to me that all you'd save on Pouncey is the salary, which is about $1.2. Subtract the cost of a replacement, and the cap savings are negligible:

[URL]http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/maurkice-pouncey/[/URL]

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Looks to me that all you'd save on Pouncey is the salary, which is about $1.2. Subtract the cost of a replacement, and the cap savings are negligible:

[URL]http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/maurkice-pouncey/[/URL]

But if you check this site - [url]http://overthecap.com/cap.php?Name=Maurkice%20Pouncey&Position=C&Team=St eelers[/url]

You also see a roster bonus due of over $2.8M, and if you check the numbers on the site that we are not allowed to link, you also see a cap hit of over $4.6M. Whichever number is right, it is definitely higher than just the $1.2M salary. The depot is usually very reliable.