Former Steeler Brice McCain

[ter1230_4]

You're correct, the Steelers have not made a lot of massive mistakes with big contracts. Most of the massive mistakes have been in the drafts during the Tomlin era. Outside of WR's, the Steelers have done a bad job of judging talent, particularly on the defensive side. Ziggy Hood was a bust, Jarvis Jones sure looks like a bust, Shamarko Thomas looks like a bust (and a third round one at that, since that's the pick we gave up for him). And it used to be that the Steelers would sign a couple of UDFA every year that became big time contributors, guys like Willie Parker, James Harrison. They only dressed 1 of this years 8 draft picks in the opening game of the season. As a lifelong Steelers fan it pains me to see what a sorry defense we have been reduced to. William Gay and Antwon Blake starting at CB? Mike Mitchell and Will Allen starting at S? Just say that out loud a couple of times. How did we end up with a secondary like that WITHOUT massive mistakes? It is so depressing that we have a HOF QB and we are not in a position to win another Lombardi or two with Ben.

[NorthCoast]

I question the idea it's a CB coaching problem from the mere fact that the majority of CBs that have left the Steelers have done virtually zero elsewhere, meaning other coaches are as bad as the Steelers. Or, more likely, these guys truly are not talented.

The only examples of CBs leaving and doing OK elsewhere are Gay to AZ, and Lewis to NO. And of course Gay is now a starting CB for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[RuthlessBurgher]

You're correct, the Steelers have not made a lot of massive mistakes with big contracts. Most of the massive mistakes have been in the drafts during the Tomlin era. Outside of WR's, the Steelers have done a bad job of judging talent, particularly on the defensive side. Ziggy Hood was a bust, Jarvis Jones sure looks like a bust, Shamarko Thomas looks like a bust (and a third round one at that, since that's the pick we gave up for him). And it used to be that the Steelers would sign a couple of UDFA every year that became big time contributors, guys like Willie Parker, James Harrison. They only dressed 1 of this years 8 draft picks in the opening game of the season. As a lifelong Steelers fan it pains me to see what a sorry defense we have been reduced to. William Gay and Antwon Blake starting at CB? Mike Mitchell and Will Allen starting at S? Just say that out loud a couple of times. How did we end up with a secondary like that WITHOUT massive mistakes? It is so depressing that we have a HOF QB and we are not in a position to win another Lombardi or two with Ben.

We have also made numerous big mistakes with premium picks under Cowher as well, whose drafting record is sentimentalized now, but remember he took guys like Jamain Stephens and Troy Edwards in round 1, Will Blackwell, Jeremy Staat, Scott Shields, Alonzo Jackson, and Ricardo Colclough in round 2, Steven Conley, Paul Wiggins, Chris Conrad, Kris Farris, Anthony Smith, and Willie Reid in round 3, etc.

[Jooser]

We have also made numerous big mistakes with premium picks under Cowher as well, whose drafting record is sentimentalized now, but remember he took guys like Jamain Stephens and Troy Edwards in round 1, Will Blackwell, Jeremy Staat, Scott Shields, Alonzo Jackson, and Ricardo Colclough in round 2, Steven Conley, Paul Wiggins, Chris Conrad, Kris Farris, Anthony Smith, and Willie Reid in round 3, etc.

There you go again, ruining a good debate with facts. Dammit Ruthless!

[feltdizz]

I question the idea it's a CB coaching problem from the mere fact that the majority of CBs that have left the Steelers have done virtually zero elsewhere, meaning other coaches are as bad as the Steelers. Or, more likely, these guys truly are not talented.

The only examples of CBs leaving and doing OK elsewhere are Gay to AZ, and Lewis to NO. And of course Gay is now a starting CB for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

CB is a hard position to fill, especially in our D under DL.

My issue is this D being "simplified" and these guys having no clue where to line up on the first play of the game.

it's like they changed all the terminology right before the game. What the neck are Lake and Tomlin doing in practice?

[phillyesq]

We have also made numerous big mistakes with premium picks under Cowher as well, whose drafting record is sentimentalized now, but remember he took guys like Jamain Stephens and Troy Edwards in round 1, Will Blackwell, Jeremy Staat, Scott Shields, Alonzo Jackson, and Ricardo Colclough in round 2, Steven Conley, Paul Wiggins, Chris Conrad, Kris Farris, Anthony Smith, and Willie Reid in round 3, etc.

Cowher/Colbert had a pretty amazing string of first round picks at one point:

Faneca
Edwards (ugh)
Burress
Hampton
Simmons
Troy
Ben
Heath
Santonio

There were certainly misses during his era, as you mentioned. But those hits (Edwards aside) set the foundation for the run of success from 2005 through 2011.

[WindyCitySteel]

Cowher/Colbert had a pretty amazing string of first round picks at one point:

Faneca
Edwards (ugh)
Burress
Hampton
Simmons
Troy
Ben
Heath
Santonio

There were certainly misses during his era, as you mentioned. But those hits (Edwards aside) set the foundation for the run of success from 2005 through 2011.

The three missed playoff years in '98-'00 saw the Steelers draft Faneca, Hines, DeShea, Joey P, A. Smith, Burress, and Marvel Smith. Also Clark Haggans, Fu, Ken Clancy, Jerame Tuman, Zereoue -- not stars but good players.

That's how you rebuild.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Following the two recent missed playoff years of 8-8 back-to-back, we added Jarvis Jones, Le'Veon Bell, Markus Wheaton, Shamarko Thomas, Landry Jones, Vince Williams, Ryan Shazier, Stephon Tuitt, Dri Archer, Martavis Bryant, and Dan McCullers.