Official 2012-13 Pittsburgh Steelers Off-Season Thread

[FreeCandy44]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9317925/offseason-grades-every-afc-team-nfl

Key additions: QB Bruce Gradkowski, RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, CB William Gay, TE Matt Spaeth, OT Guy Whimper

Key losses: WR Mike Wallace, CB Keenan Lewis, G Willie Colon, RB Rashard Mendenhall, OLB James Harrison, NT Casey Hampton, OT Max Starks, S Ryan Mundy, C Doug Legursky, RB Chris Rainey, S Will Allen, QB Charlie Batch, QB Byron Leftwich

Ow.

Wow...that's....

Looks like a 5-11 season.

[the wicked child]

I knew it was bad... didn't realize it was that bad. Aye caramba.

[FreeCandy44]

I think I'd look good in a Guy Whimper jersey.

[Froggy]

i mean, it looks bad listed like that, but which of those guys would you have broken the bank to keep?

[FreeCandy44]

Starks for one, I do not trust Michael Adams.

[the wicked child]

i mean, it looks bad listed like that, but which of those guys would you have broken the bank to keep?

Break the bank? None. However, I still don't get not even making an offer to Lewis. We finally looked to have been putting together a half decent secondary and we didn't even make an effort to sign the #2 guy. Doesn't exactly instill a lot of confidence. I'll be shocked if this team sniffs .500.

[ulf]

We have the highest over/under for wins this year in our division per Vegas. Haters gon hate.

[FreeCandy44]

The team will miss Starks and Lewis.

[Froggy]

lewis would have been nice to keep. maybe starks, but i can see it being time to move on there. I just hate seeing that list of players, in which almost every case, it was the absolute right decision letting them go.

[blackjack68]

I think I'd look good in a Guy Whimper jersey.

You be better off going out with a Bang jersey on.

(if there was such a guy.)

[Rocco]

i mean, it looks bad listed like that, but which of those guys would you have broken the bank to keep?

Break the bank? None, though Lewis played well and losing him will hurt. But the only guy on the list they made any effort to keep was Harrison. Letting Rainey go was necessary, and dropping Batch/Leftwich was long overdue but I count 5 starters (I don't include Colon because he's garbage) gone, a former starter in Mendenhall, and two guys who played a lot due to injuries over the last two years. They've been replaced by 5 guys who basically were let go because they weren't good enough at their prior team. Whimper stunk too badly for the Jags to keep around, which is a sobering thought. 2 of them weren't good enough for the Steelers a few years ago but were brought back anyway. That's a significant talent/experience drain in one offseason.

[Rocco]

We have the highest over/under for wins this year in our division per Vegas. Haters gon hate.

Vegas is hoping to take advantage of Yinzers pumped that Gradkowski and LSH are on the team.

[Rocco]

Legursky has signed with the Bills. Who will take over for Pouncey when he misses his required 2-3 games this year?

[slappybrown]

What is this

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/2238 ... ossteelers

The team looking to knock off the Broncos should not be the Patriots or Ravens but rather the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh is coming off an 8-8 season and someone mistakenly ranked Ben Roethlisberger 67th on the NFL top 100 list. Bill Cowher warned me that the poor top-100 ranking will motivate Big Ben this season. He was also quick to point out that Roethlisberger was on his way to a great season before being injured.

If the Broncos don't get to Roethlisberger at least three times to sack him they'll be in trouble. Big Ben is 54-14 when sacked two times or less. On the other hand, Big Ben played his last playoff game in Denver and lost to a Tim Tebow-led Bronco team when he completed just 55 percent of his passes, throwing one TD and getting sacked five times.

Based on last year when Manning threw 25 touchdown passes in nine home games to just five interceptions, coupled with him getting Wes Welker this season, the Steelers would have to come into Denver with the hopes of scoring at least 30 points. Denver averaged 32.7 points a home game last year.

So, for early June with every right to change my mind later in the NFL season, I see the Broncos facing off against the Packers in what could be the first Super Bowl in the snow. Both of these team should have 'snow' experience heading into the game.

[Rocco]

Pat should stop getting high before he writes his columns.

[the wicked child]

Could we see the long awaited return of Drama Ben?

[shafnutz05]

Ike Taylor, Dan Rooney, and an intimate interview setting.

http://www.steelers.com/video-and-audio/videos/Ike-Taylor-Interviews-Steelers-Chairman-Dan-Rooney/13e95245-4c4b-47fb-b2c5-29b1d8f0d26a

[shafnutz05]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/pouncey-twins-wear-free-hernandez-hats-while-celebrating-161251229.html

While celebrating their birthdays at Cameo nightclub in Miami, Mike and Maurkice Pouncey apparently wore "Free Hernandez" hats. The Pounceys were teammates with Hernandez at University of Florida.

Deadspin and other outlets wrote about the photograph, which doesn't appear to be digitally altered. (Here's another photo of the hats.) Pro Football Talk confirmed that it is the Pouncey brothers in the photo.

It's incredible how stupid professional football players are.

[Pavel Bure]

Ike Taylor, Dan Rooney, and an intimate interview setting.

http://www.steelers.com/video-and-audio/videos/Ike-Taylor-Interviews-Steelers-Chairman-Dan-Rooney/13e95245-4c4b-47fb-b2c5-29b1d8f0d26a

How much swag do the Rooney's have?

[pensfan1989]

[columbia]

If the NFL is trying to get me to further tune out, it's working.

[eww7633]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/pouncey-twins-wear-free-hernandez-hats-while-celebrating-161251229.html

While celebrating their birthdays at Cameo nightclub in Miami, Mike and Maurkice Pouncey apparently wore "Free Hernandez" hats. The Pounceys were teammates with Hernandez at University of Florida.

Deadspin and other outlets wrote about the photograph, which doesn't appear to be digitally altered. (Here's another photo of the hats.) Pro Football Talk confirmed that it is the Pouncey brothers in the photo.

It's incredible how stupid professional football players are.

Pouncey seems incredibly stupid. Really not a fan of that dunce.

[canaan]

Professional morons

[Cagsjr724]

This is one of the many reasons I am no longer a Steelers fan or NFL fan.

[Letang Is The Truth]

Maybe it's Keith Hernandez