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Yeah OLB; don’t know how I forgot that because
Dupree is super suspect.Last edited by Steel Maniac; 03-21-2018, 09:13 AM.Comment
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I’m thrilled the Steelers filled two glaring holes through FA but I’m hoping they still go D heavy in the draft. ILB, Safety, CB, OLB... any position on the defense and I’m good with the pick.
No QB! It’s an average class at best and will be picked over pretty good once the Steelers select at 28.Last edited by SteelBucks; 03-21-2018, 09:55 AM.Comment
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Morgan Burnett brings his 'toolbox' of versatility to Steelers
9:15 AM ET
Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH -- Free-agent signing Morgan Burnett isn't sure whether he'll man the free or strong safety spot for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. The team hasn't told him yet, and Burnett simply plans to do his job, be accountable and earn respect from teammates and coaches.
But the Green Bay Packers asked Burnett -- who signed a three-year, $14.5 million deal with Pittsburgh on Tuesday -- to do much more than that over eight years, 102 starts and 699 tackles. He lined up at linebacker, slot corner and both safety spots, depending on the game. He wore the communication headset in his helmet. How many safeties do that?
"I have things in my toolbox that I’m capable to move around and play different positions if need be," Burnett said. "But definitely I came into the league as a safety, and that’s where I’m comfortable at."
The way Burnett sees it, the more you can do, the longer you play in the NFL.
A handful of NFL scouts predict Burnett will probably be a strong safety in Pittsburgh, which would allow Sean Davis -- whom Burnett calls a "versatile guy" who can play the pass or the run -- to slide to free safety.
But Burnett is game for whatever.
"It really doesn’t matter to me. I love football," said Burnett, 29. "As long as I’m on the field, I’m happy and ready to go.":
Burnett heard from Pittsburgh last week but wasn't sure where he'd end up. He tried to clear his head by spending time with his wife and kids over the weekend, waiting for the right call. Burnett and the Steelers loosely agreed to a deal Monday night, and he was on a Pittsburgh-bound plane by 7:30 a.m.
Playing for two storied franchises in the Packers and Steelers was a catalyst in Burnett's free-agent decision.
Sounds like he'll fit right in.
"The history of Pittsburgh, the tradition," Burnett said. "You know about the Rooney family. Just the players that are here. They have a tradition of winning. Coming from Green Bay it was the same tradition. For those guys to be interested in me, and want me here, you can’t turn nothing like that down. You talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers, a very proud city, a proud town, great players. I wanted to be a part of it and try to earn the respect of my teammates and be accountable to my teammates."
http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/27512/morgan-burnett-brings-his-toolbox-of-versatility-to-steelersSteeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.
Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.
We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.
We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.Comment
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Burnett is a guy who works anywhere, but works best as a SS within 15-20 yards of the LoS...the Steelers like their safeties to be interchangeable...Davis has good range and could also work primarily as a FS...
If he is better than Mitchell and can improve communication among our young corps of DBs, then it is a win...Actually, my post was NOT about you...but, if the shoe fits, feel free to lace that &!+€# up and wear it.Comment
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Davis needs to improve when it comes to things like play recognition and tackling. If he doesn't, we'll still have a major problem in our defensive backfield. How he will do at FS in the NFL is really an unknown.
Because of this, I think the Steelers still ought to draft a FS.Comment
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Steelers sign S Morgan Burnett (3 years, $14.5 million):
A+ Grade
As is usually the case, one of the smarter teams in the NFL waited until the second week of free agency to acquire a talented player at a very cheap rate. The Steelers did this with Morgan Burnett in what was one of the best moves in the new league year thus far.
Safety was Pittsburgh's top need (excluding inside linebacker) heading into the offseason. That's no longer the case in the wake of the Burnett signing. Burnett, 29, was outstanding for the Packers for most of his career. He had a bit of a down season in 2017 because of injuries, but he's young enough to have a bounce-back campaign. Assuming this happens, Burnett will offer the Steelers a huge upgrade at safety at a big-time bargain price.
Steelers sign ILB Jon Bostic (2 years, $4 million):
A- Grade
Prior to this past season, Jon Bostic was seen as a major bust. He struggled despite being a second-round pick from the infamously bad 2013 NFL Draft. He missed all of 2016 with a broken foot. The Colts took a chance on him for the 2017 campaign, and it worked out. Bostic didn't play well in coverage, but was forceful in run support.
The Steelers should be able to use Bostic as a two-down linebacker to help them stop the rush, which was a problem for them following Ryan Shazier's injury. A three-down linebacker is still Pittsburgh's biggest need, but Bostic should help. He provides some very good value at just two years for $4 million.
http://walterfootball.com/freeagentsigninggrades.phpSteeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.
Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.
We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.
We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.Comment
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Morgan Burnett, more than just an experienced veteran joining the Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to snag Morgan Burnett in free agency, and we give you the low down on the newest acquisition by those who covered him in the past.
By Jeff Hartman
Mar 21, 2018, 12:45pm EDT
The Pittsburgh Steelers sent shock waves throughout the fan base when they signed free agent safety Morgan Burnett, who previously played for the Green Bay Packers. By now, everyone has heard the usual tidbits on Burnett:
•Has had injury issues in the past
•Very versatile
•Great tackler
And so on, and so forth.
I wanted to get to know what the Steelers were getting, and decided to reach out to Evan “Tex” Western from Acme Packing Company, SB Nation’s Packers website, to ask him a few questions about the man he covered since his rookie season.
Take a look at the interview below:
Morgan Burnett hasn’t played a full season since 2012. Have his ailments been similar, like a lingering knee injury, or just fluke maladies?
While Burnett has missed time each of the last few seasons, it has been almost entirely due to minor, or nagging, muscle-related injuries. He has had a few hamstring pulls (which is what kept him out of a few games in 2017 and 2013), he popped up on the injury report a few times with a groin issue, and he missed a few games in 2015 with a quad injury. However, the only notable major injury he has suffered as a pro was a torn ACL as a rookie in 2010, but he bounced back from that without any issues in the following seasons. There’s certainly a good chance he misses a game or two with something in 2018, but there’s no reason to think that he has any particular limitations from any of his previous issues.
Burnett has played a number of positions while in Green Bay. Where does he excel the most?
By far, Burnett’s best role is as a roving box safety where he can support the run. He rarely misses a tackle and has an excellent nose for sniffing out ball carriers and avoiding blocks. Interestingly, he played a little more of a free safety role early in his career before moving down towards the box, and as the years have gone on he has taken on more and more responsibility at different spots. He also lined up frequently as a slot cornerback and a sub package linebacker in 2016 and 2017; opposing teams did not target him a whole lot in coverage out of the slot last year, but when they did they were successful as he allowed a passer rating over around 133 (according to Pro Football Focus). If you can keep him in more of a run support role while giving him a handful coverage assignments on running backs or tight ends, that’s probably where he’ll be at his best.
Were the Packers interested in bringing Burnett back? Why or why not?
The team was definitely interested, in large part because of his leadership and veteran presence in the locker room. He also wore the communications helmet on defense for the last few years and was very much the field general for that unit, making sure everyone was aligned properly. His impact probably goes beyond just his own stats and performance, as the defense appeared to be much more coordinated with him on the field and more prone to blown assignments and miscommunications when he was sitting out. However, early on in free agency, rumor had it that he was looking for upwards of $8 million per year, which seems far too pricey, but I expected his market to drop down into the level that the Packers would be comfortable with signing him. Apparently that isn’t the case.
What is your general description of what fans can expect from Burnett?
All told, Burnett is a solid tackling safety with the ability and experience to pitch in at a variety of different positions. He won’t blow anyone away with his coverage ability, but does enough to get by and brings a wealth of veteran experience to ensure that he’ll be in the right place at the right time. If he were paired with a good ball-hawking free safety, he would make for a very good traditional strong safety, but his versatility ensures that he can find a role in pretty much any defensive scheme.
...
A huge thanks to Evan for helping us out with this article, and hopefully it helps fans get a more realistic viewpoint of the newest member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2018-pittsburgh-steelers-free-agency-news-rumors/2018/3/21/17147536/morgan-burnett-more-than-just-an-experienced-veteran-joining-the-steelers-packers-news-nflSteeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.
Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.
We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.
We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.Comment
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