Possible replacements for Hampton?

[D Rock]

I'm thinking Ryan Pickett from Green Bay.

Ryan Pickett, Green Bay Packers (30)
Under Dom Capers, the Packers defense has made a complete transformation into a new unit. The most impressive turnaround comes from the defensive line and the front 7’s ability to stop the run. Pickett has turned around his career in Green Bay and done a fantastic job at NT on run downs, where almost all of his snaps have come.

[url="http://footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/dl.html"]http://footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/dl.html[/url]


Use the money that used to go to Hampton to pay him enough to get him away from Green Bay, give him a front loaded 4 year deal to take advantage of the lack of a CBA.

Draft a NT to groom in the 2nd or 3rd...Dan Williams from Tennessee maybe? And turn the reigns over to the kid in a couple years.


anyone else have any ideas/plans they think might work?

[steelblood]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Dan Williams may be the 1st NT taken and will almost certainly be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd.

I like the Pickett idea. Hopefully they won't transition tag him.

[Shawn]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Dan Williams may be the 1st NT taken and will almost certainly be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd.

I like the Pickett idea. Hopefully they won't transition tag him.

Cody will likely be used by a 3-4 team and will go much higher than Williams. And I'm not convinced Williams will gone by the time we pick in the second unless San Diego takes him in the first.

[Steeler Mafia]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

How about a Honey Baked Ham?

[D Rock]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Dan Williams may be the 1st NT taken and will almost certainly be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd.

I like the Pickett idea. Hopefully they won't transition tag him.

With them drafting BJ Raji so high last year, I don't think they can afford to pay both guys good money.

[frankthetank1]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Dan Williams may be the 1st NT taken and will almost certainly be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd.

I like the Pickett idea. Hopefully they won't transition tag him.

With them drafting BJ Raji so high last year, I don't think they can afford to pay both guys good money.

thats a good point. plus raji has been playing well the second half of the season. i like pickett it would be a smart move

[Chadman]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Is he BETTER than Hampton though?

Just re-sign Casey- his play has always been good. Not sure why people are worried he'll take his money & play crap- he hasn't yet at any stage of his Steeler career.

When you have an elite talent that is still performing at an elite level- why mess with that? As far as NT's go, Hampton still has 3 years left in him. Ask Sam Adams, Ted Washington, Jason Ferguson etc..

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Dan Williams may be the 1st NT taken and will almost certainly be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd.

I like the Pickett idea. Hopefully they won't transition tag him.

A transition tag only means that his original team gets the right to match an offer you make to him. If they match, they keep him. If they don't match, you get him without any draft compensation required. Only franchise tags require draft compensation.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

It will definitely be an interesting off season. Several issues and question marks on the defensive side of the ball.

[Shoe]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Is he BETTER than Hampton though?

Just re-sign Casey- his play has always been good. Not sure why people are worried he'll take his money & play crap- he hasn't yet at any stage of his Steeler career.

When you have an elite talent that is still performing at an elite level- why mess with that? As far as NT's go, Hampton still has 3 years left in him. Ask Sam Adams, Ted Washington, Jason Ferguson etc..

If he was an elite talent Chadman, I might agree... but I just don't think he is (of course, they know a lot more about it than me, since I just watch on TV). I think his Pro Bowl selection was as much reputation and a dearth of other talent TBH.

I think he is far from elite as a matter of fact (and as DT's go). If this was Haloti Ngata for example, I'd be right with you. And if this was '05, I'm right with you. But the '10 Hampton? No thanks... not for that price.

[papillon]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Is he BETTER than Hampton though?

Just re-sign Casey- his play has always been good. Not sure why people are worried he'll take his money & play crap- he hasn't yet at any stage of his Steeler career.

When you have an elite talent that is still performing at an elite level- why mess with that? As far as NT's go, Hampton still has 3 years left in him. Ask Sam Adams, Ted Washington, Jason Ferguson etc..

If he was an elite talent Chadman, I might agree... but I just don't think he is (of course, they know a lot more about it than me, since I just watch on TV). I think his Pro Bowl selection was as much reputation and a dearth of other talent TBH.

I think he is far from elite as a matter of fact (and as DT's go). If this was Haloti Ngata for example, I'd be right with you. And if this was '05, I'm right with you. But the '10 Hampton? No thanks... not for that price.

There aren't many better than him currently playing. Using a rookie rather than a veteran performing at a very high level isn't exactly a good situation either. If they can get him signed and worked into the cap situation (even though, I guess the cap isn't really an issue is it?) they should retain his services for several more years.

Pappy

[Slapstick]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

As Tomlin has stated, either players are on the rise or on the decline...

Which is Hampton?

Do the Steelers need to franchise him for another year to find out?

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

As Tomlin has stated, either players are on the rise or on the decline...

Which is Hampton?

Do the Steelers need to franchise him for another year to find out?

At his age, Hampton is on the decline, but he is declining from a lofty peak and is not declining rapidly (like, say, Farrior).

Hampton on the decline is still better than Hoke (since he is even older than Hampton, is likely also on the decline) and a rookie (who would be on the rise, but would be starting from way down at base camp, so it will take a long time for him to come close to the peak).

Franchise Hampton and draft his replacement. Hampton would be the better option this season while the rookie adjusts to the pro game. By 2011, hopefully the youngster will be ready to take over and we can let Casey go at that point.

[Chadman]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

Don't franchise him- re-sign him & draft his replacement in the middle rounds instead of reaching for Cody or Williams.

Let Hampton play 3 years of his new contract, then let the rookie step in & replace him.

[papillon]

Re: Possible replacements for Hampton?

As Tomlin has stated, either players are on the rise or on the decline...

Which is Hampton?

Do the Steelers need to franchise him for another year to find out?

At his age, Hampton is on the decline, but he is declining from a lofty peak and is not declining rapidly (like, say, Farrior).

Hampton on the decline is still better than Hoke (since he is even older than Hampton, is likely also on the decline) and a rookie (who would be on the rise, but would be starting from way down at base camp, so it will take a long time for him to come close to the peak).

Franchise Hampton and draft his replacement. Hampton would be the better option this season while the rookie adjusts to the pro game. By 2011, hopefully the youngster will be ready to take over and we can let Casey go at that point.

And, since, it appears that franchising Hampton will cost them less than a million dollars over his current salary. It seems like a no brainer to me and just tell him not bother with training camp unitl the last two weeks. Don't go through the whole veteran holdout so I don't have to go to training camp BS, just get into camp the final two weeks and be ready to play.

Pappy