View topic - What the hell?

[SoCal Stiller Profile]

Steelers just signed Darrius Heyward-Bey to a one-year deal. I can't remember an offseason filled with so many new faces from other teams. Can anyone ever recall the Steelers being this active in the free agent market? All things considered, I thought the front office has done a pretty good job filling in needs on both sides of the ball.

I'm probably in the minority, but I like the DHB signing. It is worth the risk to bring him in for what they're paying him. Despite his hands of stone, he has blazing speed and could open it up if he pans out. Sounds like someone else we all know well.

DHB = Wallace - $8 Mil

Also, I'm not judging any player who spent most of his career as a Raider. The Steelers might just turn this kid into something special - ya never know?

[Steelers76 Profile]

I was just thinking the same thing re: off-season F.A. signings, particularly from players of other teams. I think they realized how many holes this team has, and/or Colbert's recent poor drafts hampering them. If this had been draft classes of some of his from several years ago filling out now, this F.A. signing barrage wouldn't be happening.

As far as D.H.B., I like,(but not love), the move. They got him at a dirt cheap price to provide depth, not be The No.1 or No.2 WR. I still think they take Evans or Benjamin with the 15th overall selection next month, but it's smart to re-stock The Wideout Corps regardless.

Also you have to remember Bey was not expected to go as high as he did in The 2009 Draft. That was The Raiders braintrust selecting a player that wasn't supposed to go until the 2nd or 3rd round that high. Something to keep in mind when experts say he was a bust, or that he didn't perform to 1st round expectations.

[isfry Profile]

Ha! Just posted something of my own on this before seeing this thread. I, too, like this signing. Remember, too, that he was signed by the Raiders in the first round because he could run. Period.

[isfry Profile]

I, too, was struck by the number of (mostly very good) moves this offseason. I have been a fan since I was a kid in the early seventies, and I do not recall such an active FA period. Combine that with what I percieve as some savvy moves (Munchak, Porter, Mitchell, e.g.) and you have me thinking good thoughts going into August, and even just going into May at this point.

[Pommah Profile]

There is, of course, another plausible explanation for the rash of free agent signings. That being, they don't trust their own drafting capabilities.

How did we lose our regular 3rd round pick to the Brownies? I forget that move. At any rate, our "extra" third rounder doesn't come until pick 97, instead of what would have been pick 83. I wonder how much the talent will drop off in that range.

[SoCal Stiller Profile]

Regardless of the reason for the sudden change in philosophy, I like it. They've picked up some good young players with significant NFL experience at a bargain price. It's amazing to me that there are idiots out there who still think the Stillers are "old". I don't know the stat but I would imagine that we are now one of the younger teams in the league. It wasn't even a year ago that we all were woried about the aging roster which in my mind makes this offseason all that more remarkable.

[isfry Profile]

I was just thinking the same thing re: off-season F.A. signings, particularly from players of other teams. I think they realized how many holes this team has, and/or Colbert's recent poor drafts hampering them. If this had been draft classes of some of his from several years ago filling out now, this F.A. signing barrage wouldn't be happening.

How much of this offseason is possibly attributable to the front office (finally) realizing that there is a window of opportunity that comes with having a true franchise QB who can get you to, and win, SB's and that that window will not be open forever? It seems to me that maybe the team has recognized that we need to put a winning team around BR7 and NOW. I like the sense of urgency I am picking up from the moves we've made thus far. Keep 'em comin!!!

[Ed Burns Profile]

I figured they'd be more active in Free Agency this year than they have the last few years, but I didn't think we'd see the influx that we have the last month. I like it. I believe two straight 8-8 seasons led to it, especially with the 0-4 start to 2013. I think they're a team on the rise, even though they still have some holes on Defense to fill. I do want to see what Moats will bring to the Defense, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the picks go the way of the Defense in the Draft.

"Do they take a CB, or WR in the first round?" is the question I'm mulling right now... We'll see. I do think these moves have added a lot of flexibility in the who they'll pick in the Draft. I'm still hoping they pick a monstrous gap plugging NT in the higher rounds to shore up the run D. I'm also hoping that Bey has an impact on the O, and isn't just another Wallace-like retread that drops 40+ passes in a season... I'm also hoping the Blount signing makes the tandem of Bell/Blount the top one-two punch in the AFC... I like everything they've done in this offseason... I'm really looking forward to seeing them have a good draft... Let's see what they'll be able to do with all of the changes when the games begin...

[SoCal Stiller Profile]

I would like to see the Steelers trade up with one of their comp picks and get the Ebron kid from N. Carolina. No position has changed importance the most more than TE the last three years, so I would have no problem seeing them make this move.

[Ed Burns Profile]

I keep forgetting about Ebron. That would be a good pick up. I can see him passing Spaeth on the depth chart, and the Stillers inserting him into some two TE packages. That would be a coverage nightmare for opposing teams defenses, especially in the red zone, because they have to choose whether to cover AB, Bell, Heath, Ebron, or Wheaton.