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The short and long term situation at pass rusher and corner back

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The old saying is if you can't rush the passer, you'd better be able to cover well. What if you can't do either?

Right now we are hurting for OLB and CB.

OLB: Our " franchise tag " player in Worilds retired. Jarvis Jones looks like a bust. Harrison is a warrior, but 37. Moats was signed for cheap and might have to start.

CB: We lost McCain in free agency. He was a projected starter. Now that he is gone, Allen or Blake are the projected to start?. Yikes.

These are perhaps the worst set of OLB's and CB's that we have had since 1990.

Pressure is on Colbert to draft upgrades. If Colbert hits and finds good players at OLB and CB, we can win our first playoff game since January 2010! If we pick average or bad players in rounds 1-3 in the 2015 draft, it will likely take 2 years before the Steelers select the same positon high again.

The last time we picked a Corner in round one was 1997!
 
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I just don't see anyone falling to us that's going to make much of a difference in the short term, just don't see if not drafting at 22. In fact because of that don't be surprised if we don't draft a future left tackle. With our schedule Colbert is going to have to pull a pass rushing big receiver covering rabbit out of his *** if we are to advance past last year, hopefully he can but the defense I'd looking dire.
 
Well the NFL's 6th rated best coach, sorry about that this is not about Tomlin, but he says he's ok with the current CB situation, at least from what I've read lately on the media outlets. He's expecting a bounce back season from Cortez and is happy with guys like Blake and Big Play Bill Gay so we shall see what we shall see. I would expect at least a CB in round #2 if not with pick in round #1. Also have to see if anyone becomes available after the June 1 cuts occur.

The pass rush I have no fricking clue. I like Moats but not as my starter, only as a spot starter and reserve. James will come to camp and provide great leadership and work ethic but not sure how much he has left at 36 0r 37 so time will tell. Uncle Jarvis is the key and he has to be a major contributor this year or we're screwed. What's interesting to me the Steelers both Tomlin and Colbert said they had to improve the pass rush so I really thought they would add one of the hot shot OLB in F/A so I would have to think now this happens in the draft. I don't like we're they're sitting at 22 to be able to land a stud OLB and the guy I want is Bud Dupree but he won't be there I'm afraid. So what's the plan? Do they move up?

What concerns me Tomlin seems to be basing 2015 on potential on guys like Jones, Allen, Blake.
 
steelhurt said:
Well the NFL's 6th rated best coach, sorry about that this is not about Tomlin, but he says he's ok with the current CB situation, at least from what I've read lately on the media outlets. He's expecting a bounce back season from Cortez and is happy with guys like Blake and Big Play Bill Gay so we shall see what we shall see. I would expect at least a CB in round #2 if not with pick in round #1. Also have to see if anyone becomes available after the June 1 cuts occur.

The pass rush I have no fricking clue. I like Moats but not as my starter, only as a spot starter and reserve. James will come to camp and provide great leadership and work ethic but not sure how much he has left at 36 0r 37 so time will tell. Uncle Jarvis is the key and he has to be a major contributor this year or we're screwed. What's interesting to me the Steelers both Tomlin and Colbert said they had to improve the pass rush so I really thought they would add one of the hot shot OLB in F/A so I would have to think now this happens in the draft. I don't like we're they're sitting at 22 to be able to land a stud OLB and the guy I want is Bud Dupree but he won't be there I'm afraid. So what's the plan? Do they move up?

What concerns me Tomlin seems to be basing 2015 on potential on guys like Jones, Allen, Blake.
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I like Gay. He had a very good season, but it would be hard for him to play as well. Gay knows the system and how to play well within it.

Cortez Allen is a different story. As a corner he's not quick enough for the short stuff, and he's not fast enough to recover when beaten. TE's have burnt him for six. His confidence is low. Some say but Ike took a while to " get it ". While that is true, Ike had great speed and was super durable. Allen does not have that type of speed and is injury prone. The Steelers gave Allen a large 2nd contract. Its not looking good right now...

If Tomlin and Colbert think they are all set at corner, I am worried. And based on them not trying to retain McCain if seems like the corner back position is not a high priority.
 
steelhurt said:
What concerns me Tomlin seems to be basing 2015 on potential on guys like Jones, Allen, Blake.
Click to expand...

When you don't have a lot of proven guys, you have to hope your potential guys come through.

As far as FAs went, they have never been big players in the first wave ($$$$) guys. And with some of the ridiculous amounts of money that FA CBs and OLBs got, they were not going to bring in anyone that would have made a lot of Steeler fans happy.
 
CB Starters Allen, Gay
OLB Jones Harrison

I see a variety of formations with timmons and shazier at times at OLB in 4-3, with Williams at the mack spot, Mcullers at the NG, and perhaps Tuitt at the 3T spot with heyward anchoring the line and the rusher we draft at re
 
SteelBuckeye said:
When you don't have a lot of proven guys, you have to hope your potential guys come through.

As far as FAs went, they have never been big players in the first wave ($$$$) guys. And with some of the ridiculous amounts of money that FA CBs and OLBs got, they were not going to bring in anyone that would have made a lot of Steeler fans happy.
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Nope they have not been big players on day one and I never insinuated that they should be but they could have made a move later that week on a guy like Orapko who didn't exactly break the bank and maybe even one of those F/A CB's from the 49'ers would have helped as well. Tell me you wouldn't be feeling better today getting ready for the draft. I know I would have.
 
Coach said:
The old saying is if you can't rush the passer, you'd better be able to cover well. What if you can't do either?

Right now we are hurting for OLB and CB.

OLB: Our " franchise tag " player in Worilds retired. Jarvis Jones looks like a bust. Harrison is a warrior, but 37. Moats was signed for cheap and might have to start.

CB: We lost McCain in free agency. He was a projected starter. Now that he is gone, Allen or Blake are the projected to start?. Yikes.

These are perhaps the worst set of OLB's and CB's that we have had since 1990.

Pressure is on Colbert to draft upgrades. If Colbert hits and finds good players at OLB and CB, we can win our first playoff game since January 2010! If we pick average or bad players in rounds 1-3 in the 2015 draft, it will likely take 2 years before the Steelers select the same positon high again.

The last time we picked a Corner in round one was 1997!
Click to expand...

Another old saying is.....if you can't rush the QB and cover the WR's then you better score more points then your opponent.
 
steelhurt said:
Nope they have not been big players on day one and I never insinuated that they should be but they could have made a move later that week on a guy like Orapko who didn't exactly break the bank and maybe even one of those F/A CB's from the 49'ers would have helped as well. Tell me you wouldn't be feeling better today getting ready for the draft. I know I would have.
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I don't know if Orakpo would have made me feel better, because I would have been wondering about his injury history and if he'll hold up. But I get where you're coming from. And I'll admit to being as surprised as most when they didn't make a move during the second or third wave of free agency.
 
SteelBuckeye said:
I don't know if Orakpo would have made me feel better, because I would have been wondering about his injury history and if he'll hold up. But I get where you're coming from. And I'll admit to being as surprised as most when they didn't make a move during the second or third wave of free agency.
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I just do not know like most of us here where the hell this so called improved pass rush is going to come from. Tomlin and Colbert had said they would improve on it so I guess I got fooled into believing they would pull the trigger somewhere in F/A. Oh well I'm just a dumb *** Steeler die hard like the rest of us. Obviously they know better than we do and have a plan but I wish I could make myself feel more confidant that they do indeed have this plan.
 
steelhurt said:
I just do not know like most of us here where the hell this so called improved pass rush is going to come from. Tomlin and Colbert had said they would improve on it so I guess I got fooled into believing they would pull the trigger somewhere in F/A. Oh well I'm just a dumb *** Steeler die hard like the rest of us. Obviously they know better than we do and have a plan but I wish I could make myself feel more confidant that they do indeed have this plan.
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D is gonna be a dumpster fire. Gay is fine, Allen is apparently a head case and will never amount to anything. Mitchell is a JAG but that's better than being bad. We still have a lot of LB's ON the roster but only Timmons and Deebo are any good. Moats is a JAG but again, that's better than being bad. Best hope is probably that Spence is 100%. Shazier is too soon to tell but we'll hope he works out. 2/3 of the DL won't be very good unless McClendon and/or McCullers kick it up a notch, which is by no means certain.
 
Coach said:
The old saying is if you can't rush the passer, you'd better be able to cover well. What if you can't do either?

Right now we are hurting for OLB and CB.

OLB: Our " franchise tag " player in Worilds retired. Jarvis Jones looks like a bust. Harrison is a warrior, but 37. Moats was signed for cheap and might have to start.

CB: We lost McCain in free agency. He was a projected starter. Now that he is gone, Allen or Blake are the projected to start?. Yikes.

These are perhaps the worst set of OLB's and CB's that we have had since 1990.

Pressure is on Colbert to draft upgrades. If Colbert hits and finds good players at OLB and CB, we can win our first playoff game since January 2010! If we pick average or bad players in rounds 1-3 in the 2015 draft, it will likely take 2 years before the Steelers select the same positon high again.

The last time we picked a Corner in round one was 1997!
Click to expand...

Cry me a fricken river...

We know we don't have "depth" at OLB - but, lest you forget, we have a few prospects (i.e.. Howard Jones, Shawn Lemon, Roosevelt Nix and Jordan Zumwalt) who very well "could be" answers to our questions. We just don't know. Also, Jarvis hasn't played a full season "knowing" the game speed and playbook - if he looks like his first season - this season - then bust he is; but, until then the jury is out. I agree - we do need at least one new PASS RUSHING DEMON.

The same goes for the "depth" at CB. IIRC, Ike "took a year or two" off as he climbed the depth of the roster. Allen showed flashes in his first two years and very well could rebound. The loss of McCain presents a problem; but, I like Blake and he proved he could play the edge and slot. That still leaves two openings. B.W. Webb...hmmm??? As some have assumed, perhaps this is the year we double up on CBs.

Here's my point. While we know that Coach Butler will keep some of the 3-4 defense we've seen in the past - we just don't know what new wrinkles he's come up w/ and will come up with. The coaches are with these guys a lot more than we, the couch critics.
 
I agree that there are plenty of needs, but I seriously doubt that a tackle will be taken at 22. Beachum was one of the top 5 according to pro football focus ans should still improve.
 
Hey Coach, at least in 1990 we had Lloyd and Woodson!
 
This year it is pretty hard to get a feel for the draft and our needs mostly because we really don't know what kind of defense we are going to be running. Are we going to be 3-4 heavy or 4-3 heavy, and the Steelers aren't going to let the cat out of the bag before the draft so we are left with just what they have said. With DL gone and Butler taking over there may also be some change as to who is going to make the call on our defensive needs.
I also feel that this years draft is pretty deep from round 1-3 and some nice "potential" guys between rounds 4-6 at the CB position. However I do not feel the same about the OLB position in the draft, I think rounds 1-2 there are some nice prospects but between 3-6 there are just a handful of "potential" prospects. This is just my opinion on what I have read, I am not a draft guru or anything like that so if someone feels different feel free to point out who you like and why.
What I think we should do is trade back a few spots, gain an extra 2nd or 3rd and focus on OLB in round 1 or maybe 2. I feel we could still get a very good CB in round 2 or 3 who could still help us this season. Heck I think we could wait till the 4th and grab a guy like Gaines and he could help. I just think if we don't grab a OLB in the 1st or 2nd they may not offer much help this season.
 
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Coach said:
The last time we picked a Corner in round one was 1997!
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And he was a so-so starter. The 2nd rounder we drafted was a bust and Curtis Brown was a disappointment as a 3rd rounder.

Forget rounds, we need to do a better job drafting.
 
stillwright said:
Another old saying is.....if you can't rush the QB and cover the WR's then you better score more points then your opponent.
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And yet another old saying......."at the end of the game, have more points then the other team"



Salute the nation
 
Crimsonsteel said:
Hey Coach, at least in 1990 we had Lloyd and Woodson!
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You're right! Maybe we have to go back even further than 1990 to find a weaker set of starters at OLB and CB for the Steelers
 
stillwright said:
Another old saying is.....if you can't rush the QB and cover the WR's then you better score more points then your opponent.
Click to expand...

Last year Ben did a good job of putting up at least 30 quite often, this year he should try for 40.
 
Just how to we put pressure on any QB with what we have. The linebackers are worked to death and teams just move down the field.
 
black and gold apex said:
Just how to we put pressure on any QB with what we have. The linebackers are worked to death and teams just move down the field.
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I would have the DL concentrate on rushing the passer and keep 2 or 3 LB's in short pass defense since it seems to be a big weak spot, but I'm not a hall of fame defensive coordinator so what do I know?
 
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