Draft a NT, sign one in free agency or stand pat with McLendon?

[Iron City Inc.]

McCullers of Tenn might be worth a shot in about the 4th. Huge player who has some upside.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

I wouldn't touch mcullers with a 10 foot pole

kid is lazy as hell

[hawaiiansteel]

Red Bryant

Jaguars sign Red Bryant

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 8, 2014



The Jaguars have just bolstered their rebuilding effort with a big addition to their defense.

Red Bryant, a starting defensive end on last year’s Super Bowl-winning Seahawks team, has signed with Jacksonville. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that it’s a four-year deal.

The 6-foot-4, 323 pound Bryant has started every game but one in the last three seasons for Seattle. Overall he’s been with the Seahawks for six years, having arrived as a fourth-round pick in 2008.

Although the official free agency period hasn’t started yet, Bryant is eligible to sign now because he was released by the Seahawks in a cost-cutting move.

Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley was the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012, so he knows Bryant well. Bryant will be a big part of Bradley’s efforts to turn around the struggling Jaguars.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/08/jaguars-sign-red-bryant/[/URL]

[Discipline of Steel]

Quite possibly but the steeler are using him as a NT so it doesn't really matter that he's a better fit for DE. We need a legit NT.

Opposing teams don't say... "McClendon is a good penetrator DE but he's lined up at NT... so let's not run the ball up the middle".... Nope, they were running right at him.

McClendon may not suck but he's not good.. I have high hopes for him but I think labeling him as good is a bit of a stretch at this point.

I never said he was good. But he might be with a move to DE. Think about this as our starting rotation: Heyward, Nix, McClendon. The only reason McClendon was playing NT is because there was nobody else. NT is a glaring need and I would even consider moving up a few spots to secure Nix if necessary.

[steelblood]

The writer says that Terrence Cody is 6 feet tall and 360.

Whaaaa? Cody is 6'4 at least.

[K Train]

I dont think they can close the door on Fangupu either....but I wouldnt mind taking Kerr in the 3rd round

[feltdizz]

I never said he was good. But he might be with a move to DE. Think about this as our starting rotation: Heyward, Nix, McClendon. The only reason McClendon was playing NT is because there was nobody else. NT is a glaring need and I would even consider moving up a few spots to secure Nix if necessary.

this would make the whole D look better. Not sure about moving up to get Nix. I think/hope he is around at 15.

[hawaiiansteel]

Advocating a Hampton-like nose tackle is advocating McLendon's ouster

By Jack Finn on Mar 14 2014



Alan Robinson tweets that "multiple" Steelers players believe a "Casey Hampton-type" player could help improve the Steelers declining run defense. This indicates these players believe Steve Mclendon can't get the job done at Nose Tackle.

Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune review tweeted Thursday night that several Steelers players told him a "Casey Hampton-type space eater" could help improve the Steelers run defense.

After being known as one of the best run stuffing units in the league over the last decade, The Steelers run defense took a bit of a nose dive in 2013, giving up uncharacteristically big yardage per game as well as allowing game changing long runs from the likes of Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte and Daniel Thomas. Yes, Daniel Thomas who?

One of the lightning rods for run defense criticism has been new nose tackle Steve McLendon. Some would argue that he is not as big as a nose tackle should be, and therefore not able to perform the role of the gap-eating behemoth we usually associate with the nose tackle position in the Steelers 3-4 defense.

In contrast, McLendon's predecessor, Casey Hampton, was the archetype gap-eating behemouth, and anchored a great Steelers run defense for over a decade. The principal criticism against McLendon is that he is not Hampton, which is both obvious and unfair, because Hampton is one of the best nose tackles of all time.

But it is fair to say McLendon does not play like Hampton, he is not as strong nor does he frequently occupy multiple blockers the way Hampton use too, and some attribute this as the main factor in the decline of the run defense.

Of course McLendon has his supporters too, and the issue has been hotly debated over the course of the season and into the off-season.

However, if what Robinson says is true, and he has no real reason to lie, then it appears "several" Steelers players also attribute McLendon's inability to eat up multiple blockers as a large source of the problem. If they are advocating for a "Casey Hampton-type space eater" then they are also advocating the replacement of Steve McLendon.

Robinson didn't specify how many players actually said this, he only said "multiple players", but even a few is enough to be seen as a damning criticism of Mclendon's job at Nose Tackle. If the players you're playing with don't think you can get the job done, then something is wrong.

The Steelers are hosting Nose Tackle Cam Thomas today, and with their lack of depth along the defensive line it would seem likely they look to address both the defensive end and nose tackle position in the draft.

[URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2014/3/14/5508118/steelers-players-think-space-eater-could-improve-run-defense[/URL]

[Ernie]

Maybe the Cam Thomas signing addresses the above article (at NT)? And moves McClenden to DE?

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Maybe the Cam Thomas signing addresses the above article (at NT)? And moves McClenden to DE?

Hope not. Cam's bigger, but, I keep reading Mclendon is better. Hoping Cam was for depth.

[feltdizz]

Everyone says we need another Casey because we need another Casey...