New offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. is believed to favor younger and more athletic linemen, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Max Starks, Ramon Foster and Willie Colon are all likely to leave this offseason. Starks and Foster both become unrestricted free agents next month, while Colon’s base salary jumps from $700,000 in 2012 to $5.5 million in 2013, so he’s likely to be cut.

Colon is a road grader who averages over 1 false start penalty per game and has been on season ending IR the last 3 seasons. Good riddance. Starks is an average left tackle, terrible run blocker. Maybe worse than terrible because he's 6'9" with a high center of gravity and poor leverage. The best of the bunch is Foster.

One thing is for sure the Steelers will look a lot different in 2013.

One thing is for sure the Steelers will look a lot different in 2013.

 

Like Colbert said, if we don't make changes, how can we expect to improve on 8-8?

Like Colbert said, if we don't make changes, how can we expect to improve on 8-8?

 

If the Steelers don't make changes I see more like 5-11.

I wouldn't touch Harrison. Has he ever played in a 4-3? The Bengals need to focus on finding a left tackle, safety, strongside linebacker (move Burflict to middle and axe Rey), and another RB. IMO, Whitworth can not hold his own against elite right ends. Crocker isn't going to be around forever, and Rey is terrible and has to go. On top of that, we need an RB that can threaten defenses outside. I thought that I read that Reggie Bush was going to be a free agent. I'm not sure, but if the Bengals could get him and his versatility, I would like that. Also, if Dalton doesn't show better decisiveness next season, he has to go. You can't second guess every single read.

If the Steelers don't make changes I see more like 5-11.

 

Some of the changes won't be for the better. The D Line will be better with McClendon in there. He's a stud, probably should have supplanted Casey Hampton this year. Of course, the corner issue remains. If they sign Lewis, they'll have a healthy Lewis and Taylor and be solid at corner, the additional corner they have in nickel is up in the air, and as always the health of the LBs and Troy are an issue. If healthy, still the top D in the league when it's all said and done. The WR crew has to improve. They had an amazing # of fumbles after the catch this year. Remarkable really. Not to mention several on huge special teams returns to fumble at the end of the run. Those are back breakers for a group who named themselves "young money". Problem is P'burgh doesn't have the running game to control the clock and it's a problem both from the scheme, the RB personnel and the OL. That's an awful lot to fix in an offseason. However, in my glass half full approach, getting rid of Starks, Colon will improve the OL, not hurt it. Now I wonder what they'll do at RB?

I never said we don't throw deep, we do throw deep...a ton, the problem is his accuracy is so bad that a very low percentage of those are actually on target if not being thrown into double or triple coverage and becomes a jump ball.

 

What games were you watching? Very rarely did Dalton throw deep passes that became jump balls last year. I wish Dalton would have at least made them jump balls on the deep passes so this way Green would have at least had a chance at it. Most of the time he either led Green out of bounds on deep passes, or just completely over led him. He needs to at least learn how to give Green a shot to go up and get it. Flacco showed how important it is to sometimes give your receivers a chance to go up and get it during this playoff run. The Bengals may have the best person at doing that in the NFL in Green so I wish he would at least make it a jump ball for green at worst haha. Because I can't argue that Daltons deep ball accuracy is not to good, and has to get better this season.