Aaron Smith out 3 months

[steelerkeylargo]

A source with the Pittsburgh Steelers revealed to SteelCityInsider.com that Aaron Smith will undergo surgery on his right rotator cuff Friday, and that he won't be able to play for at least three months.
That leaves the Steelers' valuable defensive left end out of action until the middle of January, meaning Mike Tomlin will have to make a decision similar to the one Bill Cowher made in 1995 with Rod Woodson, when Cowher left open a roster spot until the Super Bowl that season.

[steelblood]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

A source with the Pittsburgh Steelers revealed to SteelCityInsider.com that Aaron Smith will undergo surgery on his right rotator cuff Friday, and that he won't be able to play for at least three months.
That leaves the Steelers' valuable defensive left end out of action until the middle of January, meaning Mike Tomlin will have to make a decision similar to the one Bill Cowher made in 1995 with Rod Woodson, when Cowher left open a roster spot until the Super Bowl that season.

ugh. our run defense just got much worse.

[steelerkeylargo]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

First thing I would do is get on the horn the Raiders and see if they want a first round pick back for that Richard Seymour trade.

[Doogie36]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

I look to look at things on a positive note. Aaron Smith is hard to replace but lets not get carried away with this tooo much.

Where are we getting KILLED this year???? 3rd down and in the passing game right??? With Aaron out wont teams try to run a little more than pass now???? If they do I look at that as a positive.......

I'm sick of seeing 3rd and longs and teams throwing for 1st downs.....I was so frustrated ths week being at DETROIT and watching the soft defense giving up 3rd and longs all day long.........I'd much rather a 3rd and 3 and seeing the teams try to RUN for the first which they might try to do now instead.......

Again positive thinking...........TROY can come up in the box on those 3rd and shorts....i dont see this as being a HUGE PROBLEM for us but in fact a HELP!!!!!!!!!

I'm just throwing a different twist on it.............seriously!!!!

[ikestops85]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

Sh!t

[steelerkeylargo]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

Limas Sweed and a 1st round Pick for Richard Seymour and a 3rd. Sounds good to me!

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

First thing I would do is get on the horn the Raiders and see if they want a first round pick back for that Richard Seymour trade.

In Pittsburgh, first round picks are used to obtain building blocks that will be cornerstones of our franchise in the future (i.e. not to get guys that are over 30 who are playing out the final year of their contract).

Although Smith is the premier 3-4 DE in the league, I think that a DE rotation of Keisel, Hood, Kirschke, and Eason is solid enough (and we could perhaps grab Sonny Harris back off of the Carolina practice squad to put on our 53 man roster to provide depth if Tomlin decides to put Smith on I.R.)

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

I look to look at things on a positive note. Aaron Smith is hard to replace but lets not get carried away with this tooo much.

Where are we getting KILLED this year???? 3rd down and in the passing game right??? With Aaron out wont teams try to run a little more than pass now???? If they do I look at that as a positive.......

I'm sick of seeing 3rd and longs and teams throwing for 1st downs.....I was so frustrated ths week being at DETROIT and watching the soft defense giving up 3rd and longs all day long.........I'd much rather a 3rd and 3 and seeing the teams try to RUN for the first which they might try to do now instead.......

Again positive thinking...........TROY can come up in the box on those 3rd and shorts....i dont see this as being a HUGE PROBLEM for us but in fact a HELP!!!!!!!!!

I'm just throwing a different twist on it.............seriously!!!!

I appreciate the effort, but it is never a help to lose your best d-lineman.

[steelerkeylargo]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

First thing I would do is get on the horn the Raiders and see if they want a first round pick back for that Richard Seymour trade.

In Pittsburgh, first round picks are used to obtain building blocks that will be cornerstones of our franchise in the future (i.e. not to get guys that are over 30 who are playing out the final year of their contract).

Although Smith is the premier 3-4 DE in the league, I think that a DE rotation of Keisel, Hood, Kirschke, and Eason is solid enough (and we could perhaps grab Sonny Harris back off of the Carolina practice squad to put on our 53 man roster to provide depth if Tomlin decides to put Smith on I.R.)

While I totally agree with the drafting philosophy the Steelers have used for years. I think you have to win every SuperBowl you can while you have the team to do it! Richard Seymour is as versatile a DL as their is in the NFL. And while he is in the last year of his contract we can work something out. Especially if next year is uncapped. With the pass D as shaky as it has been, we dont need the run D to suffer a similiar fate.

[Oviedo]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

First thing I would do is get on the horn the Raiders and see if they want a first round pick back for that Richard Seymour trade.

In Pittsburgh, first round picks are used to obtain building blocks that will be cornerstones of our franchise in the future (i.e. not to get guys that are over 30 who are playing out the final year of their contract).

Although Smith is the premier 3-4 DE in the league, I think that a DE rotation of Keisel, Hood, Kirschke, and Eason is solid enough (and we could perhaps grab Sonny Harris back off of the Carolina practice squad to put on our 53 man roster to provide depth if Tomlin decides to put Smith on I.R.)

I thought the same thing about grabbing Harris back if Smith goes on IR.

I like the idea of two young DL on the roster like Hood and Harris.

[pfelix73]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

Anyone form the TB Bucs or Vikings available? Tomlin seems to like to pluck players he knew from the past.

Conservatively thinking, picking up Harris is probably what they'll do.

I think this is horrible news. Last time we lost Aaron, remember what happened?

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

Anyone form the TB Bucs or Vikings available? Tomlin seems to like to pluck players he knew from the past.

Conservatively thinking, picking up Harris is probably what they'll do.

I think this is horrible news. Last time we lost Aaron, remember what happened?

But back then, Nick Eason was gawd-awful (he's improved greatly since then), and we did not have a young first round talent like Ziggy on the roster either. It's awful news for sure, but should not be as bad as it was that year.

Also, back then, we had Clark Haggans as the OLB on that side. Even though Woodley hasn't had the splash plays so far this season that he had last year, he is a better than Haggas was.

[Iron Shiek]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

Pretty worrisome indeed. I'd like to see how they manage this going forward. I won't panic until I see their performance without him.

No doubt he will be missed.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

Count me into the "Oh sh%t" side of this.

[JTP53609]

Re: Aaron Smith out 3 months

not only bad for the team but i feel bad for aaron smith, this is bad news, very bad news, we just lost our best DLman