Re: The Black & Gold Project

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: : : : : : Anyone have any draft predictions or any predictions of offseason moves? : : : : : : Rumors are going around about possibly moving Maddox to let him start for another team and get something in return while we can. : : : : : : I'm hoping for a cornerback in the 1st round of the draft, or possibly an addition to the O line. Kendall Simmons hasn't been a great guarantee lately and his backup left via free agency a few weeks ago. Chad Scott's gone now at CB and Williams is as old as dirt. : : : : : : : : : : I do not foresee Maddux getting traded. I think that would have already occurred. It is getting late, now. Most teams know who their QB is going to be with the exception of maybe the 49ers. But, I was thinking maybe the Bills would want him, but they picked up Holcomb. : : : : : : : : : : In regards to the 2005, I am thinking the Steelers go defensive line/linebacker or wide receiver. WR Roddy White's name keeps coming up alot with the Steelers, so it probably will not be him. The guy that I like is DE/LBDemarcus Ware. The guy is a great physical specimen, but he also seems to have a good sense and instincts for the game. Very fast. Some find his weakness as being able to go down field and cover. So, I do not know if he would be suited as a LB for the 3-4 defense. Maybe like another Vrabel, only faster. The guy is very fast coming from the outside. : : : : : I hope we do not go tight end. The Steelers do not utilize the tight end like other teams. Getting a guy like Heath Miller and not throwing to him is a waste of a first round pick. You can get a good blocking tight end in later rounds. : : : : : Offensive lineman is my concern. We are getting pretty thin since Ross and Vincent were lost to free agency. Even if Max Starks comes on like the coaches think, we are in need of some depth. With Hartings being held together with Super Glue and Pixie Sticks, the Steelers may pull the trigger on an O-Lineman in the first round. They have done this before. I think the Steelers may go after one of those older veteran O-linemen after June 1. This is another classic Steelers pattern. : : : : : I am not sure the Steelers are going to rip through the schedule like they did last year. Staley has me very concerned. The hamstring injury may need surgery because it so deep. He is a good runner, but he is unreliable with injuries. Verron Haynes is another guy that gets banged up often, plus do not forget he was benched two years ago for putting the ball on the grass too much. I think it will be interesting if one of the top echelon running backs drop down late into the first round like Stephen Jackson did last year. Will the Steelers pull the trigger? : : : : : The one thing we do not need in this draft is for Cowher to get all googly-eyed over a player like he did Alonzo Jackson. All Cowher kept saying is that he has "big hands." Who cares, the guy can't play a lick of football!! What a waste of second round pick. He was a project, and you do not take projects in the second round. Bone-headed selection. : : : : : We shall see. : : : : : : : : Demarcus Ware seems to have the same pedigree as Alonzo Jackson, run well, can't cover in pass protection.I think the Steelers are good enough now they can take the best athlete available whomever that may be, they don't need to draft for position.Ike Taylor was a specimen that could run but hasn't developed much yet, he was inactive for some games last year. Alonzo may need to beef up and play the line because he is lost as a linebacker : : : I think is way ahead of Zo in regards in understanding schemes. Zo was a typical bull-rush end with nothing spectacular. He was a far reach in the second round. I think I would compare Ware more to Vrabel than Zo. : : : Best athlete available is good, depending on who the best athlete is. Like I said, I would not take Miller if he is on the board due to a receiving tight end not being one of the main priorities. What is going to happen with Kranchek? Maybe he will be the tight end of the future? : : : I think the Steelers will go that route with the BAA, but I think they will have several BAAs depending on who is left on the board. : : : : The draft and training camp should be interesting, I hope there are no serious injuries this year to derail them, I know injuries are part of the game. Also I hope some of the younger players can come on and really help the team. I have a feeling they will use the tight end more this year, Wisenhunt was a former tight end and I think they will use Duce more as a receiver too. If they can spread the field as the Pats do, they will be tough to stop.But most of all the defense has to step up because ultimately that is what wins games- defense, it did for them in the glory years, many times it was Harris, Blier and a pass on 3rd down and then let the defense take over.I still feel they need a shutdown defensive end or linebacker.Haggans is ok but not great, Porter has had 2 off years in a row and who knows what he will do.Harrison is coming on and will fill in or start,I think if Jackson doesn't show anything in camp or pre-season, he is gone.Sometimes he looks so lost out there.I hope Kranchick does fit into the offense, they got Rierserma to add to the passing game but he never was healthy and then last year I think they kept it fairly simple for Ben.I think Ben and injuries are the key this year. : : Porter is defintely getting long in the tooth, especially with the amount that he is making. This is where problem lies. Cowher has a huge history of showing "loyalty" to his veteran plays which most of the time means that he keeps players past their primes just because they are a veteran. : Zo will be gone. He cannot even play ST. That is the pitiful part of the story. : I am not sold on duce being around all season. Haynes is inconsistent for the long-term, and I think Willie Parker's role will be that of a third-down back. I would not put the load on him for a whole season. Using the tight end as a receiver has not been option in the Cowher era. I would like to see them open that up, but I am not holding my breath.

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