oneforthetoe
07-19-2011, 11:53 PM
Interesting article. If you don't read the entire article, the jist of it is that one of the author's rules for free agency is that you don't second guess the Steelers by grabbing our castaways:
Here's a good rule of thumb in the NFL: You're not smarter than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nobody does a better job of drafting and developing talent than the Steelers, and outside of the Eagles, nobody is more confident about letting their veterans leave while creating opportunities for new talent to come through. That goes double on defense, where the mind of Dick LeBeau is arguably the unit's most valuable asset.
We went through the past 10 seasons and identified every time a regular starter on the Pittsburgh defense left the team in free agency......
Player Pos Age What Happened With His New Team?
Jason Gildon LB 32 Cut in training camp by Buffalo
Levon Kirkland LB 31 Lasted one season in Seattle
Earl Holmes LB 29 Cut after one season
Joey Porter LB 29 Flopped before having monster 2008 season ..
Chad Scott CB 31 Two seasons as a slot corner in New England
Dewayne Washington 32 Started one season for Jacksonville
Brent Alexander S 33 Spent two seasons as Giants' starting safety
Kimo von Oelhoffen 35 Lasted one year with Jets
Kendrell Bell LB 27 Signed to a big contract by Kansas City, but
benched after two years of play
Clark Haggans LB 31 Has started for past two years on ugly Arizona defense
Larry Foote LB 29 One season as Detroit's starting MLB before
returning to whence he came
Deshea Townsend 35 Fill-in for Indy last season
Chris Hope S 26 Five years as starting safety for Tennessee
Bryant McFadden 28 Made it through one season in Arizona before
getting traded back to Pittsburgh
Full Article: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6782227/free-agents-meet-hell
Here's a good rule of thumb in the NFL: You're not smarter than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nobody does a better job of drafting and developing talent than the Steelers, and outside of the Eagles, nobody is more confident about letting their veterans leave while creating opportunities for new talent to come through. That goes double on defense, where the mind of Dick LeBeau is arguably the unit's most valuable asset.
We went through the past 10 seasons and identified every time a regular starter on the Pittsburgh defense left the team in free agency......
Player Pos Age What Happened With His New Team?
Jason Gildon LB 32 Cut in training camp by Buffalo
Levon Kirkland LB 31 Lasted one season in Seattle
Earl Holmes LB 29 Cut after one season
Joey Porter LB 29 Flopped before having monster 2008 season ..
Chad Scott CB 31 Two seasons as a slot corner in New England
Dewayne Washington 32 Started one season for Jacksonville
Brent Alexander S 33 Spent two seasons as Giants' starting safety
Kimo von Oelhoffen 35 Lasted one year with Jets
Kendrell Bell LB 27 Signed to a big contract by Kansas City, but
benched after two years of play
Clark Haggans LB 31 Has started for past two years on ugly Arizona defense
Larry Foote LB 29 One season as Detroit's starting MLB before
returning to whence he came
Deshea Townsend 35 Fill-in for Indy last season
Chris Hope S 26 Five years as starting safety for Tennessee
Bryant McFadden 28 Made it through one season in Arizona before
getting traded back to Pittsburgh
Full Article: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6782227/free-agents-meet-hell