Worilds next in Steelers linebacker succession

[Galax Steeler]

By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PHOENIX -- When he took over as head coach in 2007, Mike Tomlin inherited an immediate crisis in his defense: How to replace Joey Porter, one of the team's all-time sack leaders and inspirational players.

Porter, the right outside linebacker, had just turned 30 and was coming off a season in which he had seven sacks and two interceptions, one for a touchdown, in 14 games. But, because of a nagging knee injury, he was not the same player that the Steelers saw during their 2005 run to the Super Bowl.

Rather than pay him the $6 million he was scheduled to make in 2007, the Steelers released him

But, as Tomlin soon discovered, Porter's loss was the Steelers' gain.

"There was a guy that came in my office that was ready to prove that he was capable of [playing] 900 to 1,000 snaps a year," Tomlin said. "His name was James Harrison. I think if we all knew what James Harrison was capable of, he would have played more than he did before 2007."

Nobody is expecting Jason Worilds to be James Harrison. But, ready or not, he is the heir apparent at right outside linebacker to Harrison, a five-time Pro Bowl selection who was released two weeks with two years remaining on his contract.

Worilds was a No. 2 draft choice in 2009 who has started 10 games and has 10 sacks in three seasons. But Harrison's stats were even more nondescript when he replaced Porter as the starter at right outside linebacker -- eight starts and four sacks in three seasons.

"I believe that Jason Worilds is chomping at the bit to prove he is capable of being that," Tomlin said during a break at the NFL owners meetings that began Monday at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. "We will see what Worilds is capable of doing."

Then he added with a laugh, "No pressure."

Tomlin's point, though, is well-founded: You never know what can happen when a player gets to emerge from a considerable shadow. And Harrison certainly cast that in his six years as a dominating presence in the Steelers defense.

"But that's what this is," Tomlin said. "That's what change does. It provides opportunities for guys to ascend and take advantage of opportunities, and to carve out a niche or a name for themselves. I think that these competitors are challenged by that or encouraged by those opportunities that change presents."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2NyRKtZHG

[Spike]

Nobody is expecting Jason Worilds to be James Harrison

well that's exactly what we need - without a dominant pass rush by our OLB's our bargain basement secondary will get torn to shreds - scheme can only do so much

Plus we were extremely fortunate that Timmons lasted a whole season - if he gets hurt we're really screwed

We can win with a bunch of schmoes on the DL - not at LB.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Nobody is expecting Jason Worilds to be James Harrison

well that's exactly what we need - without a dominant pass rush by our OLB's our bargain basement secondary will get torn to shreds - scheme can only do so much

Plus we were extremely fortunate that Timmons lasted a whole season - if he gets hurt we're really screwed

We can win with a bunch of schmoes on the DL - not at LB.

bargain basement secondary? theres been no pass rush at all to hide deficiencies in the 2ndary for 2 straight years. if anything, theyve been making up for the lack of pass rush from everybody else

[Spike]

theres been no pass rush at all to hide deficiencies in the 2ndary for 2 straight years. if anything, theyve been making up for the lack of pass rush from everybody else

are you Ike's mom?

where are the turnovers?

that's how defenses are judged now, more opportunites for the explosive offenses to get the ball back and score

if you can't score 30 - stay home

[Dwinsgames]

if you can't score 30 - stay home

I do not buy into this line of thinking whatsoever ...

sure it is nice to hang 30 on someone but it is almost never necessary if you have a good def , sure there will be rare instances but take a journey through the box scores of Steeler games the last 5 years running and a small sample of the games has the opposition hanging 30 on us and over all we have done pretty well for ourselves in that time frame in the W/L column and we rarely hang 30 on anyone

[st33lersguy]

I am positive there will be a top tier OLB available at 17, they need to draft one

[blackngldblood]

Nobody is expecting Jason Worilds to be James Harrison

well that's exactly what we need - without a dominant pass rush by our OLB's our bargain basement secondary will get torn to shreds - scheme can only do so much

Plus we were extremely fortunate that Timmons lasted a whole season - if he gets hurt we're really screwed

We can win with a bunch of schmoes on the DL - not at LB.

Bargain basement secondaries do not finish first in the league while both OLB's are posting anemic sack numbers. this is truly lol.....

- - - Updated - - -

Nobody is expecting Jason Worilds to be James Harrison

well that's exactly what we need - without a dominant pass rush by our OLB's our bargain basement secondary will get torn to shreds - scheme can only do so much

Plus we were extremely fortunate that Timmons lasted a whole season - if he gets hurt we're really screwed

We can win with a bunch of schmoes on the DL - not at LB.

Bargain basement secondaries do not finish first in the league while both OLB's are posting anemic sack numbers. this is truly lol.....

[Craic]

bargain basement secondary? theres been no pass rush at all to hide deficiencies in the 2ndary for 2 straight years. if anything, theyve been making up for the lack of pass rush from everybody else

Ain't this the truth!

[BlastFurnace]

It's time we find out what Jason can do when given the starting job. Who knows, he might surprise us like Chad Brown did in 1996.

[tube517]

It's time we find out what Jason can do when given the starting job. Who knows, he might surprise us like Chad Brown did in 1996.

Chad moved outside too. I hope Jason can make an impact

Sent from my HTC Ruby using Tapatalk 2

[Chidi29]

Tomlin has a lot riding on this pick. He went to bat for Worilds when we took him, passing up Sean Lee who we reportedly had a first round grade on.

[Dwinsgames]

Tomlin has a lot riding on this pick. He went to bat for Worilds when we took him, passing up Sean Lee who we reportedly had a first round grade on.

very true ....

[Seven]

It's time we find out what Jason can do when given the starting job. Who knows, he might surprise us like Chad Brown did in 1996.

Couldn't agree more. Worilds seems to be a pretty polarizing player amongst Steelers fans. It's time to see if he is going to develop or wither.

[Psycho Ward 86]

gotta remember he had wrist surgery or whatever too and tomlin kept documenting that it wasnt fully healed. hopefully that played a part in him not being able to play as well as he wanted

[Chidi29]

Worilds has flashed as a pass rusher and I'm fairly confident he can continue that, but he's nowhere close to being as good against the run as Harrison/Woodley. That's my big concern because to start on this defense, you have to be great against the run.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Worilds has flashed as a pass rusher and I'm fairly confident he can continue that, but he's nowhere close to being as good against the run as Harrison/Woodley. That's my big concern because to start on this defense, you have to be great against the run.

thats where im hoping the wrist was holding him back

[Seven]

That's my big concern because to start on this defense, you have to be great against the run.

I support this in theory, but remember, LaMarr Woodley did start everygame he was healthy for last year

[Chidi29]

thats where im hoping the wrist was holding him back

It would hurt him against the run, but even out of college and his first couple years here, he has never been viewed in that mold. He's a lankier guy. Not even close to being as big as Woodley (all weight jokes aside) and doesn't have the strength/built-in leverage of Harrison.

Side note. Where did the "What's New" button go? Now I just keep finding myself hitting the "home" button.

[Count Steeler]

It would hurt him against the run, but even out of college and his first couple years here, he has never been viewed in that mold. He's a lankier guy. Not even close to being as big as Woodley (all weight jokes aside) and doesn't have the strength/built-in leverage of Harrison.

Side note. Where did the "What's New" button go? Now I just keep finding myself hitting the "home" button.

Welcome back Alex. The "What's New" was removed. (Took me a while to get used to it as well) Just click on "New Posts" under the "Forum" button.

[Chidi29]

Ha, gotcha. Thanks Count!

[Spike]

I do not buy into this line of thinking whatsoever ...

sure it is nice to hang 30 on someone but it is almost never necessary if you have a good def , sure there will be rare instances but take a journey through the box scores of Steeler games the last 5 years running and a small sample of the games has the opposition hanging 30 on us and over all we have done pretty well for ourselves in that time frame in the W/L column and we rarely hang 30 on anyone

The 90's are long gone - the days of smashmouth are OVER...no more fatbacks to save us.

We need to score points and defenses taht can shut down high powered offenses are just about extinct.

Getting to the playoffs isn't enough, I want to win it all.

[Spike]

Bargain basement secondaries do not finish first in the league while both OLB's are posting anemic sack numbers. this is truly lol......

Bwahahaha - - a #1 passing defense on an 8-8 team

What does that tell you? stats are for losers

defenses are becoming worthless in the new NFL, they will all crack eventually, you can't score 35 in the playoffs, just stay home

[Dwinsgames]

The 90's are long gone - the days of smashmouth are OVER...no more fatbacks to save us.

We need to score points and defenses taht can shut down high powered offenses are just about extinct.

Getting to the playoffs isn't enough, I want to win it all.

oh so the Ravens of 2012 had a " high flying offense " ? gotcha

[Spike]

Flacco's jump balls don't count. He has two throws, to the TE and lob ball jumpballs over smurf DB's.

Beat that and he's back to ordinary Flacco the Choker.

We need to upgrade at CB - anyone can't see that is just another blind yinzer in my book.

Stonehands Ike is OK except when he isn't and blows - then we get beat deep bad then.

INT's are the new benchmark of defenses anyway, not yards - - turn the ball over to your high powered offense and let them score POINTS