View topic - Is the OL that important?

[DL&V Profile]

It amazes me that this OL with a back-up LT, 1st yr starter at LG, a very avg center, an undrafted back-up RG and a RT who should be a guard is even in the position to win a Superbowl.

The Steelers OL from 1995 and 2005 Superbowl teams would laugh at these guys.

So after all is said and done is the OL that important? I ask because Detroit and St. Louis are picking 1, 2 and every draft guru says you gotta have a superstar LT to win, really.

I also think it is very likely Starks and Kemo get the Randle El contract offers and are gone. I for one won't miss them.

DL&V

[steelcitymetal Profile]

the OL is important if you don't have roethlisberger, ward, holmes, parker, and the best defense in the league.

with the talent we have, these games should be easier. but we have to struggle against the OL and bruce.

[Steel Keeper Profile]

i think the OL is important if you don't have roethlisberger, ward, holmes, parker, and the best defense in the league.

+1. If you look at every other unit on the roster they are among the best in the league, save the kick returners and Berger (thankfully we get Sepulveda back next season). So you don't NEED a great OL if you are brimming with talent elsewhere. But you must be a dominant team otherwise to make up for an average OL

[steelcitymetal Profile]

if arians had half a brain and some imagination, our line wouldn't look so bad.

look at the philadelphia game. they just blitzed and blitzed and blitzed because we didn't keep them honest.

[lloydrules Profile]

Of course it is. The OL has been playing much better down the stretch. A good OL is not contingent on where the players were drafted, but in how well the play in the system. It's a chain link fence; every link effects the others. The Browns have a good OL, but the rest of their team stinks so it doesn't matter. Pgh OL is very average, but with Ben, Ward, Heath, the D, it got the job done so far.

[steelcitymetal Profile]

heath is a beast

[dracula in cleats Profile]

Awesome picture of Miller....Heath is a Beast...great catches and Greet drive downfield after the catch!!!

[McLovin Profile]

Sorry McLovin disagrees. The OL is VERY important. Bet your life that Larry Porn is going to get fired. The hit that sent Ben into the Tunnel to get looked at will loom as the hit that gets Porn fired. You can't have your $100 mil qb taking the beating he's taken the pummeling he's taken the past few years. Even perrenial douchebag Skip Bayless as I'm writing this has called him the 3rd best qb in the league after Manning and Brady. If Skip sees it don't you think the Rooney's do too?Do the Colts and Pats let their qbs take the beating Ben does? Both those guys had knee injuries last year and didn't get hit half as much as Ben and those guys throw more than Ben! McLovin just has the punch in the gut feeling that at most only one starter is going to be replaced in the off season. No salary cap info no friends that know Colbert just a wretched feeling that Colbert won't address the problem using the excuse this unit got Steelers to Super Bowl. McLovin wants Colon off the team...his penalties are just stupid and untimely! He was abused yesterday as was the entire unit. In the short term the Cards defense is not the stout unit that the Steelers faced yesterday. There is no BLowMe Ngata to destroy every run play so hopefully Willie can get on track and run like he did in SB XL.

[LooseSlag Profile]

LooseSlag also disagrees. LooseSlag is currently watching the Dallas game on NFL Replay. LooseSlag says O-line is extremely important, as Ben again goes down in thehands of Demarcus Ware.

[steelcitymetal Profile]

i don't think anyone said the OL isn't important

our OL/OC makes our stellar tallent look "pretty good".

[DL&V Profile]

I agree as well that the OL is important, real important.

One would hope that Colbert realizes that this Defense is primed for a 2-3 yr run at the top and if he acquires a good OL the team is looking at 2 or 3 more Superbowls.

Marvel Smith ($6.65 mil) and Starks ($6.9 mil)........hell that is $13.55 mil to go get some talent. Of all the free agents I have seen listed I'd like to see us get........

Jason Brown (C) of the Ravens - he's better than Hartwig (move him to OG) and it hurts the Ravens to lose him, plus he is young.

Khalif Barnes (LT) of the Jags - he's better than Starks and likely $1-2 million cheaper and he is young.

Jahri Evans (OG) of the Saints - top rated FA guard, he is a RFA so we'd have to give up a draft pick or two.

2009 OL = Barnes-LT, Evans-LG, Brown-C, Hartwig-RG, Colon-RT

Draft a RT to replace Colon after 6 games and we're looking at a dynasty.

IMO, Kendall Simmons needs a medical settlement because there is NO way this guy comes back from a ruptured achilles to play at a high level. Cut him......take the salary cap hit and move on.

DL&V

[LooseSlag Profile]

IMO, Kendall Simmons needs a medical settlement because there is NO way this guy comes back from a ruptured achilles to play at a high level. Cut him......take the salary cap hit and move on.

DL&V[/quote]


AMEN!

[Nittany Steel37 Profile]

IMO, Kendall Simmons needs a medical settlement because there is NO way this guy comes back from a ruptured achilles to play at a high level. Cut him......take the salary cap hit and move on.

DL&V

No way...for whatever reason Simmons' starting spot has been exclusively reserved for him no matter what.

Suck horribly? It's cool, you were a first round pick in 2002!

Tear your ACL, come back and still suck horribly? Hey, how would you like a contract extension?

Dominate in the preseason, then suck horribly when it matters? That's one of our most tenured lineman!

Suck horribly, then rupture your Achilles and watch an undrafted free agent fill your spot with no noticeable dropoff?

If past form holds, KenDoll will be back in the starting lineup.

[El Nino Profile]

IMO, Kendall Simmons needs a medical settlement because there is NO way this guy comes back from a ruptured achilles to play at a high level. Cut him......take the salary cap hit and move on.

DL&V

No way...for whatever reason Simmons' starting spot has been exclusively reserved for him no matter what.

Suck horribly? It's cool, you were a first round pick in 2002!

Tear your ACL, come back and still suck horribly? Hey, how would you like a contract extension?

Dominate in the preseason, then suck horribly when it matters? That's one of our most tenured lineman!

Suck horribly, then rupture your Achilles and watch an undrafted free agent fill your spot with no noticeable dropoff?

If past form holds, KenDoll will be back in the starting lineup.

if anything i saw stapleton as an upgrade over simmons

to be honest, i dont think we make it this far in the playoffs if simmons didn't get injured

[Steel Keeper Profile]

I agree as well that the OL is important, real important.

One would hope that Colbert realizes that this Defense is primed for a 2-3 yr run at the top and if he acquires a good OL the team is looking at 2 or 3 more Superbowls.

Marvel Smith ($6.65 mil) and Starks ($6.9 mil)........hell that is $13.55 mil to go get some talent. Of all the free agents I have seen listed I'd like to see us get........

Jason Brown (C) of the Ravens - he's better than Hartwig (move him to OG) and it hurts the Ravens to lose him, plus he is young.

Khalif Barnes (LT) of the Jags - he's better than Starks and likely $1-2 million cheaper and he is young.

Jahri Evans (OG) of the Saints - top rated FA guard, he is a RFA so we'd have to give up a draft pick or two.

2009 OL = Barnes-LT, Evans-LG, Brown-C, Hartwig-RG, Colon-RT

Draft a RT to replace Colon after 6 games and we're looking at a dynasty.

IMO, Kendall Simmons needs a medical settlement because there is NO way this guy comes back from a ruptured achilles to play at a high level. Cut him......take the salary cap hit and move on.

DL&V

That's a very good line but not realistic at all.

Barnes could be a realistic option. Evans may be a good player, but we'd have to give up a first and a third to get him. WAY too much when you take into account his cap hit too. Brown will cost way too much $$$. Good player, but not realistic with the salary cap. And he'd probably play Guard and Hartwig would stay at center.

I have been of the opinion that we must take a tackle in the first round. While that would be nice, my strategy would be (if I were Colbert) to sign two FA tackles and wait another year to see how Hills develops. I really like what I hear about Jon Stinchcomb in New Orleans, good in pass pro, decent run blocker, but doesn't get too much drive. Could be had for a decent price a expect. The Saints have a young guy they think can be close to as effective but much cheaper, of course. Then bring back Starks or bring in Barnes, like you suggested. Tender Colon $927k and hope someone bites and pick up a 4th rounder. If you can't get the tackles you want in FA you still have Colon as a back-up plan.

I don't think there's too much interest in Kemoeatu, bring him back for cheap and on a short deal. Stapleton may be the long-term answer at C.

Hopefully draft Duke Robinson in rd. 1 and trade up for Herman Johnson in the second. That potentially shores up the OL for the foreseeable future (depending on your opinion of Stapleton as the C of the future).

Something like:
Barnes-Robinson-Hartwig-Johnson/Kemo-Stinchcomb
Not great, but an improvement I'd think

The other huge issue is replacing Hampton in 2010 (Ron Brace?) and an eventual replacement for Aaron Smith. But those decisions could wait. IOL cannot

[McLovin Profile]

I agree as well that the OL is important, real important.

One would hope that Colbert realizes that this Defense is primed for a 2-3 yr run at the top and if he acquires a good OL the team is looking at 2 or 3 more Superbowls.

Marvel Smith ($6.65 mil) and Starks ($6.9 mil)........hell that is $13.55 mil to go get some talent. Of all the free agents I have seen listed I'd like to see us get........

Jason Brown (C) of the Ravens - he's better than Hartwig (move him to OG) and it hurts the Ravens to lose him, plus he is young.

Khalif Barnes (LT) of the Jags - he's better than Starks and likely $1-2 million cheaper and he is young.

Jahri Evans (OG) of the Saints - top rated FA guard, he is a RFA so we'd have to give up a draft pick or two.

2009 OL = Barnes-LT, Evans-LG, Brown-C, Hartwig-RG, Colon-RT

Draft a RT to replace Colon after 6 games and we're looking at a dynasty.

IMO, Kendall Simmons needs a medical settlement because there is NO way this guy comes back from a ruptured achilles to play at a high level. Cut him......take the salary cap hit and move on.

DL&V

Too early to talk offseason but McLovin will play along. First move that MUST happen is to fire Larry Porn. EVERY offensive lineman committed a penalty or did something incredibly stupid or both as was the case of Kemo and his personal foul and Colon getting his millionth false start penalty or Starks getting raped by a man with one shoulder. These Line "Men" played like it was a preseason game rather than the AFC championship game. That said how do the Steelers fix this shit? Do they let the FAs in Starks and Kemo and the crippled Marvel walk? McLovin certainly would. So who plays LT? That's an expensive position to fill via FA even if you think Khalif Barnes is average he is still going to command a lot of money. Jon Stincomb another average OT but McLovins dead grandmother an upgrade over Colonoscopy so signing him solid idea. That leaves the draft. No starting calibur LT will fall to the 32nd spot and Colbert showed last year he won't trade up for an OLman. McLovin not high on Duke Robinson...Max Unger center from Oregon the pick there. Too early too speculate on the draft but living in the South and seeing ton of LSU football McLovin can tell you Herm Johnson of LSU will be there in round 3 he's overrated. Anyhow McLovin sees the OL next year shaping up like this and it aint pretty:
LT Starks
LG Kemo
C Hartwig-Unger groomed for following year
RG Simmons--he has nude photos of Colbert
RT Stinchcomb