Originally Posted by
BigNastyDefense
Here is the way I look at it:
Cowher had a lot of say in players that were drafted and signed in free agency. He earned that right with the success he had in his coaching career. Colbert however has had major say in all of those transactions also. I would assume that he had "final say" (outside of Dan and Art II) on transactions, which is normally in the contract of all General Managers. However, he had a great working relationship with Cowher and always took his opinion of a player into consideration when making his choices, because in the end Cowher was the man coaching those players. I feel he has developed the same relationship with Mike Tomlin. The draft is a crapshoot. There are first round busts (Ryan Leaf) and sixth round Hall of Fame players (Tom Brady). Free agency is also a bit of a crap shoot, some players get their big pay day and stop working hard, or they're a product of a system and when they leave it they fail to produce at the expected level.
First rounders are expected to succeed. And I am sure that Cowher and Tomlin both have a lot of say in first round picks. However, remember that it was Dan Rooney that drafted Ben Roethlisberger...Cowher wanted an offensive lineman. In the end, they have had final say in EVERY decision and nobody knows how much they have directed some of the decisions that have been made by the Steelers front office.
However, lets look at some of the picks that have been made after the first round in the Colbert era. And if you think that Cowher/Tomlin made all these calls, watched all the tape, and interviewed all the scouts about these players...you're drinking some of the Colbert hate kool aid.
Antwaan Randle El (remember he was a college QB converted to a WR/KR/PR who was rather good at all three and a trick play threat who threw the pass in the big play in Super Bowl XL), Kendrell Bell (won DROY), Chris Hope (former starter), Larry Foote (former/current starter), Brett Keisel (current starter, one of the best 3-4 DE's ever IMHO, found in the seventh round), James Harrison (UDFA who ended up winning DPOY and made one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history), Ike Taylor, Max Starks, Willie Parker (UDFA), LaMarr Woodley, Keenan Lewis, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, Marcus Gilbert, Mike Adams
That's a lot of players that have been or are supposed to become big parts of the Steelers. That's how this team reloads, by finding the diamonds in the rough instead of signing free agents from other teams.
Did we lose Mike Wallace? Yes, and it was expected. Only the most optimistic of Steelers fans felt that he was coming back to Pittsburgh. He didn't want to be here any longer, and I feel the Steelers locked up the better receiver last offseason when they re-signed Antonio Brown.
Anything anyone says about Keenan Lewis is simply speculation. Nobody knows if the Steelers actually offered him a contract. Nobody knows if he even wanted to return to Pittsburgh. He grew up a Saints fan and obviously had a desire to play for his hometown team. Maybe he gave the Steelers a price and they chose to let him see if he can get that price elsewhere. Maybe he told the Steelers not to bother if they wouldn't give him at least a certain amount of money. But the Steelers have Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown waiting in the wings, and they've been getting coached by Carnell Lake the past few years...and I think the "Lake Effect" is going to be a big factor in one (or both) of them having big seasons. The Steelers didn't sign Willie Gay to be the starter across from Ike Taylor.
James Harrison is getting little if any interest in free agency. The Steelers know when to let a player go, and I think they chose right with the former DPOY. He's been hampered with knee and back injuries plus he's 35. And no, the Steelers aren't going to let him come crawling back for the league minimum.
The one player I don't see the Steelers cutting when they normally would is Troy Polamalu. Why? Because he's a legend. Because when he's healthy, he's a game changer. I don't think he's planning on playing past this current contract, and I think the Steelers will allow him to play it out. And if he can stay healthy, he's the best player on the defense.
Ike Taylor won't be cut this year. Why? Because even though he's coming off of an ankle injury, he's a leader. Maybe not with his words, but with his work ethic. He trains if Florida all offseason and comes to camp in excellent shape and totally ripped. More often than not he shuts down the opposing team's best receiver. If he comes back this season and age/injury catches up with him, then next offseason he could become a cap casualty. But I don't think the Steelers are ready to take that chance yet.
Colbert isn't perfect, but no GM is. But he's damn sure better than what Cleveland, Buffalo, Oakland, Jaguars, and lately Cardinals have had. So quit bitching, because hey....we could be the Cleveland Browns.
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I think the cheats were in 6 SB the last 20 and are 3-3, but I may be wrong. Hopefully Tomlin & Colbert can keep from shortening the rope this season. By the way XT....I gave up chewing my finger nails long ago. 
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