Steve McLendon is healthy and looking for a third contract with Steelers

[stillers4me]

Early in the third quarter of the AFC wild-card game against the Baltimore Ravens, Steelers nose tackle Steve McLendon drove center Jeremy Zuttah deep into the backfield, a brute-force maneuver that allowed inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons the chance to roam free and tackle running back Justin Forsett for a four-yard loss.


It’s well known by now that McLendon’s effort did not help the Steelers as they fell to the Ravens, 30-17. What’s not as well known is by that point in the season, McLendon basically was playing with one arm............

Read more @ http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/06/05/Steve-McLendon-is-healthy-and-looking-for-a-third-contract-with-Steelers/stories/201506050137

[steelreserve]

Yeah, I'm looking for McLendon not to have a third contract. Maybe extended one year at a low salary as a backup. Enough of the mediocrity. We want to keep running a 3-4 defense, we need a better nose tackle than that. No more excuses.

[Mojouw]

Again:

But someone needs to show me, with actual #'s and stuff, where the problems in the run defense are largely McLendon's fault.

I do not think giving McLendon a massive third contract would be a great idea, but a reasonable contract to have him as part of your defensive line rotation and/or starters would never be a bad idea. Look at how many large college lineman are drafted in attempts to have them play a 3-4 NT - not only by Pittsburgh, but across the league. Most do not succeed. The Steelers have one that has been successful in the NFL. How is getting rid of that player a good idea? Now if he wants $8 million dollars a year or something...

[steelreserve]

Again:

But someone needs to show me, with actual #'s and stuff, where the problems in the run defense are largely McLendon's fault.

I do not think giving McLendon a massive third contract would be a great idea, but a reasonable contract to have him as part of your defensive line rotation and/or starters would never be a bad idea. Look at how many large college lineman are drafted in attempts to have them play a 3-4 NT - not only by Pittsburgh, but across the league. Most do not succeed. The Steelers have one that has been successful in the NFL. How is getting rid of that player a good idea? Now if he wants $8 million dollars a year or something...


As you've probably heard me say before, the problem is not that McLendon is a total flop. He's OK. The problem is that OK doesn't do us any good. We run an aggressive 3-4; therefore we need a nose tackle who is WAY better than OK. McLendon can be a backup, no more than that, or else we're screwing up.

No, the next Casey Hampton is not simple to find, but guess what, we need the next Casey Hampton. Not optional in this defense. McLendon was a stopgap just decent enough that we sleepwalked into not trying to do any better, and now it's gone on so long we don't think we need to. Like that chick you're dating who isn't really that clever or good-looking, just there, and before you know it you've been together a year and a half and people are asking when you're going to get married, and you're like "UHHHHHHH--"

But no, he's not good enough to be the long-term starter. Just not good enough. And the way we've handled the situation that tells me if we keep him around, we'll settle, and this is a case where you can't settle. So rather than that, I'd sooner take my chances than lock in more mediocrity and try to find our next nose tackle circa the 2021 draft, because you KNOW that's what'll happen. This staff treats NT like Cowher treated QB, while still trying to run Cowher's defense. Does not work.

That's more what this is about than McLendon not having any value at all. If I believed they could sign him and make him a rotation player, and they'd ACTUALLY do it, I'd be glad to have him. But I don't believe they have that capability. For some reason, it's the McLendon-or-Nothing defense as long as he's physically able to play, just like it was with Willie Parker at RB (though this is somewhat less infuriating). It's about us and our complacency, stubbornness, putting too much faith in over-analyzing statistical bullshit and snap counts - whatever you want to call it that is preventing us from getting off our asses and addressing one of the most important positions on the team.

[ALLD]

[QUOTE=steelreserve;488174]As you've probably heard me say before, the problem is not that McLendon is a total flop. He's OK. The problem is that OK doesn't do us any good. We run an aggressive 3-4; therefore we need a nose tackle who is WAY better than OK. McLendon can be a backup, no more than that, or else we're screwing up.

No, the next Casey Hampton is not simple to find, but guess what, we need the next Casey Hampton. Not optional in this defense. McLendon was a stopgap just decent enough that we sleepwalked into not trying to do any better, and now it's gone on so long we don't think we need to. Like that chick you're dating who isn't really that clever or good-looking, just there, and before you know it you've been together a year and a half and people are asking when you're going to get married, and you're like "UHHHHHHH--"

But no, he's not good enough to be the long-term starter. Just not good enough. And the way we've handled the situation that tells me if we keep him around, we'll settle, and this is a case where you can't settle. So rather than that, I'd sooner take my chances than lock in more mediocrity and try to find our next nose tackle circa the 2021 draft, because you KNOW that's what'll happen. This staff treats NT like Cowher treated QB, while still trying to run Cowher's defense. Does not work.

That's more what this is about than McLendon not having any value at all. If I believed they could sign him and make him a rotation player, and they'd ACTUALLY do it, I'd be glad to have him. But I don't believe they have that capability. For some reason, it's the McLendon-or-Nothing defense as long as he's physically able to play, just like it was with Willie Parker at RB (though this is somewhat less infuriating). It's about us and our complacency, stubbornness, putting too much faith in over-analyzing statistical bullshit and snap counts - whatever you want to call it that is preventing us from getting off our asses and addressing one of the most important positions on the team.[/QU"OTE]


"Okay", like some of the tweener body types will get you 8-8, 9-7 or 10-6.

[Mojouw]

As you've probably heard me say before, the problem is not that McLendon is a total flop. He's OK. The problem is that OK doesn't do us any good. We run an aggressive 3-4; therefore we need a nose tackle who is WAY better than OK. McLendon can be a backup, no more than that, or else we're screwing up.

No, the next Casey Hampton is not simple to find, but guess what, we need the next Casey Hampton. Not optional in this defense. McLendon was a stopgap just decent enough that we sleepwalked into not trying to do any better, and now it's gone on so long we don't think we need to. Like that chick you're dating who isn't really that clever or good-looking, just there, and before you know it you've been together a year and a half and people are asking when you're going to get married, and you're like "UHHHHHHH--"

But no, he's not good enough to be the long-term starter. Just not good enough. And the way we've handled the situation that tells me if we keep him around, we'll settle, and this is a case where you can't settle. So rather than that, I'd sooner take my chances than lock in more mediocrity and try to find our next nose tackle circa the 2021 draft, because you KNOW that's what'll happen. This staff treats NT like Cowher treated QB, while still trying to run Cowher's defense. Does not work.

That's more what this is about than McLendon not having any value at all. If I believed they could sign him and make him a rotation player, and they'd ACTUALLY do it, I'd be glad to have him. But I don't believe they have that capability. For some reason, it's the McLendon-or-Nothing defense as long as he's physically able to play, just like it was with Willie Parker at RB (though this is somewhat less infuriating). It's about us and our complacency, stubbornness, putting too much faith in over-analyzing statistical bullshit and snap counts - whatever you want to call it that is preventing us from getting off our asses and addressing one of the most important positions on the team.

I would buy all of that, and in fact, I agree with most of it. But I just can't get around a few other things and be totally on board.

The first is that the pass rush was not being negated by double team blocks all that often. So it isn't like McLendon's fundamental failure to soak up multiple interior linemen lead to Jones, Worilds, Harrison, Moats, etc being confronted by a tackle and another linemen, TE or RB. Other than Harrison, those players simply failed to beat their man. In other words the guy who would have been blocking them even if Hampton in his prime was still at NT.

The second is that every single measure you want to look at says that McLendon is an above average interior run defender. That would seem to speak for itself.

The third is that McLendon has little to nothing to do with the Steelers main problem on defense -- zero competent play makers in the secondary.

To borrow your analogy, McLendon is like the girl that you never notice, right there in front of you while you pursue other options. Only to eventually realize that there was a perfect option all along.

Put it this way, look around the league, and who else would you want playing NT?

[hawaiiansteeler]

look around the league, and who else would you want playing NT?

Dontari Poe

[polamalubeast]

Dontari Poe

To have a nose tackle like him,the steelers would need to draft in the top 10 ....

[hawaiiansteeler]

To have a nose tackle like him,the steelers would need to draft in the top 10 ....

not necessarily.

Casey Hampton was seleccted 19th and Vince Wilfork was drafted 21st overall...

[Mojouw]

Poe and the Chiefs ranked near the bottom of the league in run defense last year (28th or so) compared to 6th for Pittsburgh.

Additionally the Steelers gave up 3.64 yards per rush up the middle (9th out of 32) compared to 4.39 for KC (30th out of 32).

So, again, how is drafting a NT - even one as physically gifted as Poe - a good use of resources based on how the league is currently trending?

[polamalubeast]

Poe and the Chiefs ranked near the bottom of the league in run defense last year (28th or so) compared to 6th for Pittsburgh.

Additionally the Steelers gave up 3.64 yards per rush up the middle (9th out of 32) compared to 4.39 for KC (30th out of 32).

So, again, how is drafting a NT - even one as physically gifted as Poe - a good use of resources based on how the league is currently trending?

I agree that the problem of the steelers defense is not the nose tackle position, but for Poe, he had 6 sack last year, which is great for a nose tackle.