Dont'a Hightower to vist the Steelers

[polamalubeast]

Again, I disagree. They were both problems.

The steelers were in the top 5 in sacks in 2015 and in top 10 in 2016.But they were bad in pressure....

[Psycho Ward 86]

The sacks is not the problem for the steelers in the last 2 years....The pressure is one of the big problem of this defense.

this. jesus christ, this.

we were top 3 in the league in sacks 2 years ago but we were towards the bottom quartile in total pressures. sacks dont mean shit. even "good" defenses will put up about 2.5-4 sacks a game in the 30-40 attempts theyre going to face in the duration of 60 minutes. it does your defense no good when they sit their with their thumbs up their ass the rest of the game. Prorate Dupree's production this past season to 16 games and he basically had a double digit sack season. Guys like Brandon Graham record half those sacks but theyre still some of the best pass rushers in the league. James Harrison hasnt put up a lot of sacks the past 2 seasons but he has still been one of the top pass rushers in the league. Are the 2 usually tied together to some capacity (total pressures and total sacks), yeah definitely. But they arent mutually exclusive.


Disclaimer: i still dont want Hightower

[DesertSteel]

The steelers were in the top 5 in sacks in 2015 and in top 10 in 2016.But they were bad in pressure....

We need sacks from the OLB position. Look at the entire LB corp: JH is an old man; Jarvis Jones was a bust; LT is gone; Dupree has POTENTIAL but is unproven. Shazier is legit in the middle. There's NO WAY that we are even close to set at LB, from a pass rushing standpoint. I'd love to have Hightower. He's a disrupter. But I'm not buying what a great pass rusher he is with 2.5 sacks.

[BurghBoy412]

presenting only 2 choices? man oh man, this situation is much more flexible than that.

1. personally i dont want hightower. if we need to pull a free agent for vote of lack of confidence in vince williams, i would love zach brown. his market value is around $4.5 million right now per sportrac. Thats outstanding value for a young, all-purpose ILB that was a 2nd team All-Pro

2. why's it got to be a rookie that has to start? why not vince williams? he has extensive experience in our system and is a cerebral hard working player. hasnt had a lot of pass coverage experience here. perhaps he'll end up exposed, perhaps he wont. if we choose not to replace him with a free agent ILB, we can move towards other sub packages to mask that deficiency. Lots of teams are using hybrid linebacker/safeties. Deone Buchanon, Mark Barron, Kam Chancellor, and Sua Cravens are a couple of guys finding success in these roles. the nfl is a subpackage league anyways

3. there are several rookies i would feel good about plug and playing as either a hybrid linebacker/safety or ILB: Haason Reddick, Reuben Foster, Jarrad Davis, Obi Melifonwu, Josh Jones, and Raekwon McMillan. ILB/MLB's step right into the league all the time and excel

I wonder if the coaching staff doesn't see Williams as starting talent? Or is Hightower just a better player in their opinion? Something must be wrong with Williams if they aren't willing to give him a shot. I mean the coaches would know beings that they're around these guys daily.

I won't argue that versatility on the Defensive side of the ball is becoming ever more important with each passing year. The days of the small corner that can only cover or the lb that can only play the run are over. With exception of the lineman. You better have 7-8 guys out there that can do it all nowadays.

[teegre]

In the 2012 draft, Keith Butler was disheartened when he didn't get "his" linebacker...

[Mojouw]

In the 2012 draft, Keith Butler was disheartened when he didn't get "his" linebacker...

That was 4 years ago. I really have a feeling that Shazier or Duane Buchannon are they way to go, not more "traditional" Lbers like Hightower.

I guess the question is, does Butler? Based on their attempts to play a big nickel package with 3 safeties last season until Golden proved he couldn't handle it, I would say yes.

[teegre]

That was 4 years ago. I really have a feeling that Shazier or Duane Buchannon are they way to go, not more "traditional" Lbers like Hightower.

I guess the question is, does Butler? Based on their attempts to play a big nickel package with 3 safeties last season until Golden proved he couldn't handle it, I would say yes.

Most likely, you are correct. But, man-crushes die hard.

[Mojouw]

Most likely, you are correct. But, man-crushes die hard.

I wonder if the bromance is still alive?

[st33lersguy]

Too expensive. He's commanding over half the Steelers available salary cap

[Psycho Ward 86]

That was 4 years ago. I really have a feeling that Shazier or Duane Buchannon are they way to go, not more "traditional" Lbers like Hightower.

I guess the question is, does Butler? Based on their attempts to play a big nickel package with 3 safeties last season until Golden proved he couldn't handle it, I would say yes.

I agree that this is what were moving towards. The question is, who else is in the draft/free agency market that is capable of being a hybrid safety/roving linebacker?

Jabrill Peppers
Obi Melifonwu
Haason Reddick

i think everyone knows those are givens. is there anyone else? i would argue that Jarrad davis out of florida can become pretty good at this. Josh Jones is a possibility but needs to be coached up a lot for this role.

In free agency, probably just TJ Mcdonald

[BlackAndGold]

Hightower has ZERO career INT's, and only 2 forced fumbles....

[BlackAndGold]

Hightower(along with House) are currently meeting with the Steelers.

[Method28]

Malcom Butler visiting Saints. If Saints sign him, NE might be tempted to just take the #11 pick and draft Ruben Foster as Hightowers replacement

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[Psycho Ward 86]

Malcom Butler visiting Saints. If Saints sign him, NE might be tempted to just take the #11 pick and draft Ruben Foster as Hightowers replacement

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

god damnit. i hate the damn patriots and their win-win situations . id prefer that the patriots end up keeping Butler because of how high the saint's pick is.

What if one of the top 2 safeties fall? ill be livid.

And this isnt even counting the likelihood that Garoppolo gets traded to the browns for picks that are about as high as the one the saints are dangling

[WCSteeler]

We need sacks from the OLB position. Look at the entire LB corp: JH is an old man; Jarvis Jones was a bust; LT is gone; Dupree has POTENTIAL but is unproven. Shazier is legit in the middle. There's NO WAY that we are even close to set at LB, from a pass rushing standpoint. I'd love to have Hightower. He's a disrupter. But I'm not buying what a great pass rusher he is with 2.5 sacks.

The Steelers should throw whatever is necessary at Hightower to get him signed, he is exactly what Tomlin is talking about when we mentions "splash plays". The idea of Vince Williams as a replacement for Timmons is not acceptable. Williams is not consistent, if he were he would have played far more often. Hightower in the middle with Shazier seems like a nightmare for any defense and let's keep one thing in mind, the Steelers should be watching what New England is doing because the Superbowl runs through Foxboro and it's high time the Steelers go all in while Ben is still physically capable.

[BlackAndGold]

Via Kaboly, he's still at the Steelers facility, been there for 6 hours.

[BlackAndGold]

[polamalubeast]

False hope.....

[BlackAndGold]

False hope.....

[Shoes]

Most likely, you are correct. But, man-crushes die hard.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2017/03...nta-hightower/

[st33lersguy]

I'm sorry, but the idea of spending over half the salary cap on another team's players, particularly one that is not very good in coverage, and doesn't produce turnovers, does not sound like a smart idea. Plus we really have no idea what we are getting, how he'll do without Bellichick, whether he'll even make any effort after winning 2 Super Bowls and getting paid. Spending a large chunk of the available salary cap just to sign someone seems like an act of desperation and contrary to what some fans panicking over the moves the Patriots are making, the Steelers do not need to make desperation signings. They would be wise to find value in cheaper signings, re-sign AV, Tuitt, and Shazier, and continue to stockpile on young athletic defenders

[Shoes]

I'd rather pass on Hightower.

[polamalubeast]

This is obvious than the steelers have no confidence in Vince Williams.

I prefer to sign Hightower than drafted an ILB in the first round.

[tube517]

I'd rather pass on Hightower.

So would all the QB's in the league.



Thank you! I'm here all week!

[BlackAndGold]

Via Kaboly, GM Kevin Colbert has left the building

[Shoes]

So would all the QB's in the league.



Thank you! I'm here all week!

[tube517]

[BlackAndGold]

[86WARD]

House signed with the Packers while on his visit in Pittsburgh...lol.

[BlackAndGold]

Hightower has left the building without a contract.