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Thread: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

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    Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    BY MATTHEW MARCZI MAY 8, 2016 AT 10:00 AM
    The Pittsburgh Steelers are not typically a team that rushes its young players onto the field too soon, as we all know, and that has been especially true of the defense, with Ryan Shazier in 2014 being the first rookie to start on opening day in the past decade-plus.
    But this year, the Steelers drafted a cornerback, a position that has been widely regarded as a high priority, and a position that has had questionable depth, especially after losing three of the six cornerbacks that spent time on the 53-man roster last year.
    That cornerback, Artie Burns out of Miami, is a raw physical talent who only turned 21 soon after the draft, so he has his work cut out for him if he means to add his name to the list of exceptions to the general rule of working rookies in slowly.
    Among those who believe he has the opportunity to buck the trend is a former Steelers cornerback himself, former 2005 second-round draft selection Bryant McFadden, who made one start in 12 games his rookie season, making 18 tackles with one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, and six passes defensed—as well as a crucial pass defensed in the end zone against the Colts in the playoffs that year.
    Speaking on NFL Network about the defensive backs drafted in the first round in 2016, McFadden was asked about Burns going to his former team, and had this to say:
    “I think Artie has a chance to start. He could be a day-one starter. William Gay is the only experienced corner currently on that roster. If you look at what’s going on with offenses, you have to have at least three quality corners on the field at any given time. I think once Artie gets down the defense, the schemes, the checks, all the audibles, I think he has the opportunity of being a day-one starter Week One.”
    He went on to acknowledge Burns’ room for growth by citing the team’s coaching staff in addition to the lack of obstacles in front of him as his pathway toward starting early. “This is a well-coached bunch collectively on the defense”, he said, which he can cull from personal experience.
    Carnell Lake, he’s a guy that has been hands-on with the secondary, and even Mike Tomlin, he’s a former secondary coach, so from time to time he likes to stick his head into the building and see what the secondary guys are doing”, he said. Lake came on board in Bryant’s final season. “But Artie Burns, he’s a track guy, athletic, very, very raw, but with the right coaching, he could be a day-one starter”.
    Interestingly, it was McFadden to whom Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider has compared Burns, citing strikingly similar pre-draft measurements, and they obviously fit the mold of what the Steelers have historically looked for recently in cornerbacks. Tomlin was asked about the similarity between McFadden and Burns after the draft, but the head coach said he hadn’t made that comparison himself.
    As an aside, I think McFadden handled himself quite well during the segment, and it seems that his post-football career entering the media has been going pretty well. He is not the only former Steelers secondary voice in the media, however, as both Ryan Clark and Ike Taylor have made the same transition.

    http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/05...y-one-starter/


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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by Shoes View Post
    BY MATTHEW MARCZI MAY 8, 2016 AT 10:00 AM
    The Pittsburgh Steelers are not typically a team that rushes its young players onto the field too soon, as we all know, and that has been especially true of the defense, with Ryan Shazier in 2014 being the first rookie to start on opening day in the past decade-plus.
    But this year, the Steelers drafted a cornerback, a position that has been widely regarded as a high priority, and a position that has had questionable depth, especially after losing three of the six cornerbacks that spent time on the 53-man roster last year.
    That cornerback, Artie Burns out of Miami, is a raw physical talent who only turned 21 soon after the draft, so he has his work cut out for him if he means to add his name to the list of exceptions to the general rule of working rookies in slowly.
    Among those who believe he has the opportunity to buck the trend is a former Steelers cornerback himself, former 2005 second-round draft selection Bryant McFadden, who made one start in 12 games his rookie season, making 18 tackles with one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, and six passes defensed—as well as a crucial pass defensed in the end zone against the Colts in the playoffs that year.
    Speaking on NFL Network about the defensive backs drafted in the first round in 2016, McFadden was asked about Burns going to his former team, and had this to say:
    “I think Artie has a chance to start. He could be a day-one starter. William Gay is the only experienced corner currently on that roster. If you look at what’s going on with offenses, you have to have at least three quality corners on the field at any given time. I think once Artie gets down the defense, the schemes, the checks, all the audibles, I think he has the opportunity of being a day-one starter Week One.”
    He went on to acknowledge Burns’ room for growth by citing the team’s coaching staff in addition to the lack of obstacles in front of him as his pathway toward starting early. “This is a well-coached bunch collectively on the defense”, he said, which he can cull from personal experience.
    Carnell Lake, he’s a guy that has been hands-on with the secondary, and even Mike Tomlin, he’s a former secondary coach, so from time to time he likes to stick his head into the building and see what the secondary guys are doing”, he said. Lake came on board in Bryant’s final season. “But Artie Burns, he’s a track guy, athletic, very, very raw, but with the right coaching, he could be a day-one starter”.
    Interestingly, it was McFadden to whom Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider has compared Burns, citing strikingly similar pre-draft measurements, and they obviously fit the mold of what the Steelers have historically looked for recently in cornerbacks. Tomlin was asked about the similarity between McFadden and Burns after the draft, but the head coach said he hadn’t made that comparison himself.
    As an aside, I think McFadden handled himself quite well during the segment, and it seems that his post-football career entering the media has been going pretty well. He is not the only former Steelers secondary voice in the media, however, as both Ryan Clark and Ike Taylor have made the same transition.

    http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/05...y-one-starter/

    Is the comparison to McFadden fair? Most fans felt McFadden was just an average, if not slightly worse than average, corner.

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by Shoes View Post
    Interestingly, it was McFadden to whom Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider has compared Burns, citing strikingly similar pre-draft measurements, and they obviously fit the mold of what the Steelers have historically looked for recently in cornerbacks. Tomlin was asked about the similarity between McFadden and Burns after the draft, but the head coach said he hadn’t made that comparison himself.
    I wouldn't make that comparison either, but then you have to take any article that Matthew Marczi writes with a grain of salt...

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Height, Weight, 40 time are all about exactly the same. So there is that. But I don't think playing style is comparable. I seem to remember that McFadden came out based on his developed zone skills. Burns is kinda the opposite.

    But they are both tallish and around 200 #'s - so Google means they are the same?

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    I hope Burns is not another McFadden. McFadden was not good at all.
    Hater = Realist

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by Steeldude View Post
    I hope Burns is not another McFadden. McFadden was not good at all.
    he wasn't, but I do remember McFadden making a game saving play against Reggie Wayne in the playoffs that saved our 2005 season...


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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    What rock did they pull McFadden out from under...lol. I hope he's right.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dwinsgames View Post
    you are a Kenny Pickett enabler

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by Mojouw View Post
    Height, Weight, 40 time are all about exactly the same. So there is that. But I don't think playing style is comparable. I seem to remember that McFadden came out based on his developed zone skills. Burns is kinda the opposite.

    But they are both tallish and around 200 #'s - so Google means they are the same?
    Drafting Burns, a man up defender, and releasing Frey, a zone defender, seems to speak some that we are looking to change that usual Steelers secondary philosophy. Golson can play man, Davis can play man. I know Davis is looked at as a safety, but he has CB skills. This could be really good or really bad this season. Still no decision on where Grant will play. Lots of possibilities.

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by Born2Steel View Post
    Drafting Burns, a man up defender, and releasing Frey, a zone defender, seems to speak some that we are looking to change that usual Steelers secondary philosophy. Golson can play man, Davis can play man. I know Davis is looked at as a safety, but he has CB skills. This could be really good or really bad this season. Still no decision on where Grant will play. Lots of possibilities.
    That's for sure. I figure if Grant doesn't learn how to play FS he is going to learn how to fill out unemployment forms.

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    James C Wexell ‏@jimwexell

    Ross Cockrell may not hold off challenge of the highly drafted but he deserves some credit for lining up as 1st team CB so far this spring.

    https://twitter.com/jimwexell?ref_sr...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by hawaiiansteeler View Post
    James C Wexell ‏@jimwexell

    Ross Cockrell may not hold off challenge of the highly drafted but he deserves some credit for lining up as 1st team CB so far this spring.

    https://twitter.com/jimwexell?ref_sr...Ctwgr%5Eauthor
    Welp, that settles it - Burns is a bust!


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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by fansince'76 View Post
    Welp, that settles it - Burns is a bust!

    we all knew that the second Artie Burnt Toast was selected...

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    Quote Originally Posted by hawaiiansteeler View Post
    we all knew that the second Artie Burnt Toast was selected...

    If only Antwon "5 Alarm" Blake was still here. When he and Artie "Burnt Toast" would line up at corner at the same time, the fire department would have to be on alert at all Steelers practices.

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    Re: Bryant McFadden: Artie Burns ‘Could Be A Day-One Starter’

    With the amount of "pick plays" teams are running it has never been a better time to play zone.

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