News with views related to your Pittsburgh Steelers …
• Marcus Gilbert’s five-year, $30 million extension, announced Tuesday afternoon, comes as at least a small surprise.
Sure, Kevin Colbert had identified Gilbert as one of his targets for a possible extension this preseason — along with Shaun Suisham (done), Jason Worilds and Cortez Allen — but there figured to be more to the situation with Gilbert, given his inconsistent past. Also, everyone — and I do mean everyone — inside the camp knew Gilbert had prepared himself like never before, fully aware this was to be his contract year.
Now, you can say big deal, whatever it takes. But bear in mind that carrot is now gone, if it really was money that was Gilbert’s primary motivator.
• Brett Keisel and Pittsburgh go together like Keisel’s chin and facial hair, just in case you missed his tweet to announce his return to the Steelers …
Nice, huh?
I’ll confess here, though, that I’ve otherwise been mostly unmoved by this saga over the summer from the football standpoint. The defensive line is shaping up as young, fast, strong and smart enough to know when to hold back and simply contain the run. I’ll take Cam Heyward, Steve McLendon and Stephon Tuitt in a 3-4 defense, I’ll take Heyward and Tuitt as the down linemen in the nickel, and I’ll take all of their combined potential.
But it’s also accurate to point out that the line wasn’t deep, a situation compounded by Cam Thomas not exactly flooring anyone in Latrobe. If that weren’t the case, this move never gets made, all emotion aside.
So, if Keisel comes in as part of a rotation, as he surely will, while every chance is given to Tuitt to succeed, I’m all for this. If Keisel comes in just because the coaches know he knows the playbook, I’m not.
• Easily the most interesting moment of Mike Tomlin’s press conference was his observation of Landry Jones: “He didn’t have a good performance in the last outing, and that’s evident. I’m looking for a rebound week from him.”
The fourth-round pick invested in Jones has never made sense.
• I asked Tomlin if he’s got the confidence in his receivers to go four-wide, five-wide if needed. We obviously haven’t seen much of that since Bruce Arians. His response: “Yeah, we’re capable. We have a lot of capable guys working at that position.” We’ll see. I read more into his apparent distaste for the question — he’ll talk your ear off about other formations — than maybe I should.
• One of those keys is Martavis Bryant, the fourth-rounder who’s been pushed and pushed and pushed from the first day of rookie camp. Here’s my brief talk with Bryant before practice:
• This was important, too, from Tomlin, given the impact that still-nomad Shamarko Thomas has made this preseason: “I think he’s done a really nice job beyond the splash. I’m talking about the routine things. That’s what you’re looking for in a guy in his position, that he continues to mature and grow. I’m open to all capable men participating in any form or fashion that can help us win and, by that, I mean there may be certain situations that may lend itself to his inclusion in the package and so forth. We’ll do it for the purpose of winning, not because he’s doing well.”
Translated from Tomlin-speak, he’ll play more than just dime.
• Methinks it would behoove young Jarvis Jones to find his way onto the football field this week. Just a couple vibes, nothing more.
• Much, much more Steelers coming the next three days.
August 20, 2014
News with views: Gilbert’s payday too early?
by Dejan Kovacevic • Columns • Steelers
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
News with views related to your Pittsburgh Steelers …
• Marcus Gilbert’s five-year, $30 million extension, announced Tuesday afternoon, comes as at least a small surprise.
Sure, Kevin Colbert had identified Gilbert as one of his targets for a possible extension this preseason — along with Shaun Suisham (done), Jason Worilds and Cortez Allen — but there figured to be more to the situation with Gilbert, given his inconsistent past. Also, everyone — and I do mean everyone — inside the camp knew Gilbert had prepared himself like never before, fully aware this was to be his contract year.
Now, you can say big deal, whatever it takes. But bear in mind that carrot is now gone, if it really was money that was Gilbert’s primary motivator.
• Brett Keisel and Pittsburgh go together like Keisel’s chin and facial hair, just in case you missed his tweet to announce his return to the Steelers …
Nice, huh?
I’ll confess here, though, that I’ve otherwise been mostly unmoved by this saga over the summer from the football standpoint. The defensive line is shaping up as young, fast, strong and smart enough to know when to hold back and simply contain the run. I’ll take Cam Heyward, Steve McLendon and Stephon Tuitt in a 3-4 defense, I’ll take Heyward and Tuitt as the down linemen in the nickel, and I’ll take all of their combined potential.
But it’s also accurate to point out that the line wasn’t deep, a situation compounded by Cam Thomas not exactly flooring anyone in Latrobe. If that weren’t the case, this move never gets made, all emotion aside.
So, if Keisel comes in as part of a rotation, as he surely will, while every chance is given to Tuitt to succeed, I’m all for this. If Keisel comes in just because the coaches know he knows the playbook, I’m not.
• Easily the most interesting moment of Mike Tomlin’s press conference was his observation of Landry Jones: “He didn’t have a good performance in the last outing, and that’s evident. I’m looking for a rebound week from him.”
The fourth-round pick invested in Jones has never made sense.
• I asked Tomlin if he’s got the confidence in his receivers to go four-wide, five-wide if needed. We obviously haven’t seen much of that since Bruce Arians. His response: “Yeah, we’re capable. We have a lot of capable guys working at that position.” We’ll see. I read more into his apparent distaste for the question — he’ll talk your ear off about other formations — than maybe I should.
• One of those keys is Martavis Bryant, the fourth-rounder who’s been pushed and pushed and pushed from the first day of rookie camp. Here’s my brief talk with Bryant before practice:
• This was important, too, from Tomlin, given the impact that still-nomad Shamarko Thomas has made this preseason: “I think he’s done a really nice job beyond the splash. I’m talking about the routine things. That’s what you’re looking for in a guy in his position, that he continues to mature and grow. I’m open to all capable men participating in any form or fashion that can help us win and, by that, I mean there may be certain situations that may lend itself to his inclusion in the package and so forth. We’ll do it for the purpose of winning, not because he’s doing well.”
Translated from Tomlin-speak, he’ll play more than just dime.
• Methinks it would behoove young Jarvis Jones to find his way onto the football field this week. Just a couple vibes, nothing more.
• Much, much more Steelers coming the next three days.