Steelers Injury Report: LB Ryan Shazier, CB Brandon Boykin Sit Out Thursday

[Shoes]

Shazier sure is having a second down year.


DAVE BRYAN NOVEMBER 26, 2015 AT 01:56 PM
The Pittsburgh Steelers held a morning practice on Thanksgiving Thursday and their afternoon injury report includes some bad news ahead of their Sunday game against the Seattle Seahawks.
According to the team’s Thursday injury report, linebacker Ryan Shazier (knee) failed to practice. Shazier wasn’t listed on Wednesday’s report, but he reportedly sat out Monday’s bonus day. Shazier missed four games earlier in the season due to a shoulder/neck injury.

#Steelers Thurs. Practice Report: DNP: Shazier (knee), Boykin (ankle) LIM: Spaeth (knee) FULL: Harrison (knee), Thomas (knee), Garvin (knee)
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) November 26, 2015

After being limited on Wednesday, cornerback Brandon Boykin (ankle) sat out Thursday and because of that, it’s not looking good for him to suit up Sunday. Boykin has been limited to playing mostly on special teams so far this season.
Tight end Matt Spaeth (knee) was limited on Thursday while linebacker James Harrison (knee), safety Shamarko Thomas (knee) and linebacker Terence Garvin (knee) all once again practiced fully.
Spaeth is now moving in the wrong direction after missing the Steelers last two games. He reportedly had practiced fully on both Monday and Wednesday, so it’s not looking good for him on Sunday.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/11...hazier-boykin/

[hawaiiansteeler]

oh no, Boykin is not going to be able to play?

what are the Steelers going to do?

[tube517]

Not a royal flush or full house. Fans shouldn't settle for 3 of a kind. Seems like more WSOP fluff.

[Steeldude]

Shazier hurt? Impossible.

This guy is going to be hurt every week.

[steelerdude15]

Its so weird because Ryan didn't miss a game when he played at Ohio State if I'm correct.

[steelcityboyz]

Shazier has all the tools to be great.Too bad his glass body will never let him

[TeeTee]

Its so weird because Ryan didn't miss a game when he played at Ohio State if I'm correct.

Do you think he was on any PEDs back then? He was about 25 lbs lighter, so I doubt it. Some guys just break down if they are on PEDs. Don't know.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Ryan Sanders

[86WARD]

The injuries are becoming annoying...

[teegre]

I was fine with going with Williams/Spence. I get that Ryan Shazier is dynamic, but, the safety spot needed a major upgrade. I also had a man-crush on Déone Bucannon.

QUESTION:
On this defense, would you rather have...

...Shazier & the current safeties?
...or...
...Williams/Spence & Bucannon?


Hindsight is 20/20, and also, admittedly, I am biased because I wanted Bucannon... but, I think option #2 would have been better.

[hawaiiansteeler]

I was fine with going with Williams/Spence. I get that Ryan Shazier is dynamic, but, the safety spot needed a major upgrade. I also had a man-crush on Déone Bucannon.

QUESTION:
On this defense, would you rather have...

...Shazier & the current safeties?
...or...
...Williams/Spence & Bucannon?


Hindsight is 20/20, and also, admittedly, I am biased because I wanted Bucannon... but, I think option #2 would have been better.

here are the Pro Football Focus grades for this and last season on the players we could have had instead of Ryan Shazier:

2015 and 2014

LB

Shazier -9.0, -3.4
CJ Mosley 4.7, 9.5

CB

Jason Verrett 4, 8.6
Darqueze Dennard 1.7, 1.1
Bradley Roby 4.5, -1.2

S

Deone Bucannon 0.4, -10.5
Calvin Pryor -4.1, 3.1
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix 5.8, -2.2
Jimmie Ward -2.0, -5.4

[Craic]

Do you think he was on any PEDs back then? He was about 25 lbs lighter, so I doubt it. Some guys just break down if they are on PEDs. Don't know.

No.

The body naturally fills out at the age he's at, not to mention the 24-7 focus on training and lifting and Deebo's influence. NFL ball is just that much tougher. Some people's bodies just can't take the pounding day in and day out.

[teegre]

here are the Pro Football Focus grades for this and last season on the players we could have had instead of Ryan Shazier:

2015 and 2014

LB

Shazier -9.0, -3.4
CJ Mosley 4.7, 9.5

CB

Jason Verrett 4, 8.6
Darqueze Dennard 1.7, 1.1
Bradley Roby 4.5, -1.2

S

Deone Bucannon 0.4, -10.5
Calvin Pryor -4.1, 3.1
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix 5.8, -2.2
Jimmie Ward -2.0, -5.4

As far as the players whom we discussed over at SF (in our group mock):

MOSLEY is who we mocked. I didn't see the need for an ILB, and we all agreed that 'Bama players had a history of getting injured (which is weird since Shazier was never injured in college). Regardless, we mocked him.

VARRETT was my favorite CB. Alas, the one thing I feared came true: he is always banged up.

DENNARD was who most "said" that they wanted (even though Mosley actually got the most votes). A very solid CB.

BUCANNON plays far better than that rating. He's a stud. I bet that if he were playing SS (not ILB) his rating would be the best of the bunch (all positions).

PRYOR and CLINTON-DIX were everyone else's favorite choices for safeties. I still like Bucannon better, but I'd have been happy with either.

[86WARD]

The two I really wanted there were Dennard and Clinton-Dix.

[teegre]

The two I really wanted there were Dennard and Clinton-Dix.

You would have fit in well, over at SF.


You know who Tomlin really wanted was Odell Beckham, Jr. People were lambasting Tomlin for showing interest in a WR (with so many needs on defense); there was even a draft-day trade rumor.

Also noteworthy was that Tomlin was poised to draft Aaron Donald (had he fallen), but considering he drafted Tuitt in R2, that wasn't seen as a "reach".

Regardless... can you imagine AB and ODB on the same offense??? Wow!!!!!

[86WARD]

[j-d-s]

I don't really think that would work out well for long. Those are two absolutely Top5 receivers and they will be very expensive sooner or later... likely AB would depart sooner than later if we had OBJ. Keep in mind that we do not tend to give our players ginormous contracts and I don't see us paying big money to two WRs.

[Drazo85]

I don't really think that would work out well for long. Those are two absolutely Top5 receivers and they will be very expensive sooner or later... likely AB would depart sooner than later if we had OBJ. Keep in mind that we do not tend to give our players ginormous contracts and I don't see us paying big money to two WRs.

But you would have most dynamic WR duo probably ever playing with Ben for five (thats FIVE) years.

[86WARD]

All you might need is 5-years.

[teegre]

A fitting story...

When Dennis Green drafted Randy Moss, a reporter asked Green: "You already have Chris Carter and Jake Reed. Now that you have Randy Moss, aren't you worried about getting the ball to all three receivers???"

Green responded (as I shall respond):
"That's a good problem to have."

[teegre]

Speaking of trading up for ODB...

For those needing a reason to hate the Shamarko Thomas pick, he cost the Steelers their R3 pick in 2014. Rumor has it that the Steelers sent "feelers" out to see what it would cost to move up a few spots to get ODB. The response was "Give us a R3 pick"... which the Steelers no longer had. No one was willing to take a R4 pick, and the rest is history.



Of course, this is all hearsay and/or Schefter-esque reporting... but, it sounds about right.

[Psycho Ward 86]

You would have fit in well, over at SF.


You know who Tomlin really wanted was Odell Beckham, Jr. People were lambasting Tomlin for showing interest in a WR (with so many needs on defense); there was even a draft-day trade rumor.

Also noteworthy was that Tomlin was poised to draft Aaron Donald (had he fallen), but considering he drafted Tuitt in R2, that wasn't seen as a "reach".

Regardless... can you imagine AB and ODB on the same offense??? Wow!!!!!

i remember this.

Jesus, can you guys imagine if we had Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham, and Martavis all on the same team? that would just be a criminally uncoverable receiving corp. And thats not even mentioning Leveon, Heath Miller, Wheaton, Heyward Bey with a HOF QB throwing

[Steeldude]

What's the point of having Boykin on the active roster?

[86WARD]

What's the point of having Boykin on the active roster?

I can't believe this guy went there...lol...

[ALLD]

Mark Mosely is going to shadow the Ricky Shazier pick much like Ernie Lacy and Le'Veon Bryant. There will always be constant comparisons.

[teegre]

i remember this.

Jesus, can you guys imagine if we had Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham, and Martavis all on the same team? that would just be a criminally uncoverable receiving corp. And thats not even mentioning Leveon, Heath Miller, Wheaton, Heyward Bey with a HOF QB throwing

If only...

Alas.

[SteelerFanInStl]

i remember this.

Jesus, can you guys imagine if we had Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham, and Martavis all on the same team? that would just be a criminally uncoverable receiving corp. And thats not even mentioning Leveon, Heath Miller, Wheaton, Heyward Bey with a HOF QB throwing

It wouldn't have happened because if we had taken Beckham, we wouldn't have drafted Martavis. I'm happy with getting Martavis in the 4th. We just wasted that 3rd round pick.

[Mojouw]

Bucannon still needs to prove he can cover in the NFL - the question about him coming out of school. Arizona has been using him as some sort of bizarre hybrid LB/pass rusher. Think Troy P with no coverage responsibilities.

Verett is great when he can play. So Shazier at CB. Dennard is exactly what everyone thought he was - talented enough to go in the first round and then frustrating because he doesn't really do 1st round corner things. Heck, the Bengals were not even starting him until injuries pushed him into a top 2 role. Then he got hurt. Pryor is an in the box safety with questionable coverage skills. No want. Dix, well there is the player who I think is going to surprise everyone. From what I have seen, he is better than most predicted. He isn't "special" but he makes some plays.

All that being said, I still think Shazier offers the most upside. IF he can stay healthy. If he can close out 2015 strong and "break-out" in 2016 - then the pick is/was worth it. If he is "Glass Joe" (Mike Tyson's Punch Out was awesome!) then, of course, everyone will regret the pick.

As to ODB - well damn that would have been a hell of a WR corps. Although I would almost prefer Bryant, because he offers a size/speed ratio that the position group lacks (aside from DHB). On a distantly related note, the WR I most regret the Steelers missing out on in the draft - Brandon Marshall. Willie Reid. That dude could have been Marshall instead. Same position even.

[teegre]

Bucannon still needs to prove he can cover in the NFL - the question about him coming out of school. Arizona has been using him as some sort of bizarre hybrid LB/pass rusher. Think Troy P with no coverage responsibilities.

Verett is great when he can play. So Shazier at CB. Dennard is exactly what everyone thought he was - talented enough to go in the first round and then frustrating because he doesn't really do 1st round corner things. Heck, the Bengals were not even starting him until injuries pushed him into a top 2 role. Then he got hurt. Pryor is an in the box safety with questionable coverage skills. No want. Dix, well there is the player who I think is going to surprise everyone. From what I have seen, he is better than most predicted. He isn't "special" but he makes some plays.

All that being said, I still think Shazier offers the most upside. IF he can stay healthy. If he can close out 2015 strong and "break-out" in 2016 - then the pick is/was worth it. If he is "Glass Joe" (Mike Tyson's Punch Out was awesome!) then, of course, everyone will regret the pick.

As to ODB - well damn that would have been a hell of a WR corps. Although I would almost prefer Bryant, because he offers a size/speed ratio that the position group lacks (aside from DHB). On a distantly related note, the WR I most regret the Steelers missing out on in the draft - Brandon Marshall. Willie Reid. That dude could have been Marshall instead. Same position even.

Great post... but, I think today's game just solidifies my stance that I'd rather have "Williams/Spence and any of the aforementioned DBs" (as opposed to "Shazier and this current secondary").

[Mojouw]

Great post... but, I think today's game just solidifies my stance that I'd rather have "Williams/Spence and any of the aforementioned DBs" (as opposed to "Shazier and this current secondary").

Yeah. At this point, I have to be honest with myself and see that Shazier may never see the field enough to realize his potential. And this team needs any DB with a pulse and a decent draft grade.