Thursday, March 14, 2013

Free Agency Strikes the Steelers

Two days into NFL free agency, and here is what it hath wrought for the Black 'n Gold....

  • They have lost their best wide receiver
  • They have lost their best running back (although being the Steelers "best running back" in 2012 is the definition of the saying "damning with faint praise")
  • They cut one of their best, albeit often injured, offensive linemen
  • The signed a new back up quarterback, and since he played in the WPIAL, this will go over great with the locals
  • They resigned LB Larry Foote
  • They resigned long snapper Greg Warren
What does it all mean?  I don't know, but I am sure that hundreds of hours of sports talk radio and TV and much newsprint will be expended analyzing these developments. However, I do think that one issue now becomes paramount:  Kevin Colbert and Company better draft a bunch of guys who can come in and start playing NOW to help this team.  For what it is worth, I do think that the Bruce Gradkowski signing was a good one.  Charlie Batch's game against the Ravens aside, the Steelers seriously needed to upgrade that back-up QB position.

To me, the most interesting development in free agency, and I don't pay a whole lot of attention to it, is Wes Welker leaving the Patriots and signing with Denver.  Now, this comes a surprise to me, because I think that Welker is an amazing receiver, but, and I know we don't like Bill Belichick, but if he is willing to let Welker go, then maybe he, Welker, doesn't have as much left in the tank as most of us may think.

Interestingly, Welker will not experience that great a drop off, if any, from the guy throwing passes to him, as he leaves one all-time great, Tom Brady, to now work with another, Peyton Manning.  Mike Wallace, on the other hand, will not be able to have the same experience switching from Ben Roethlisberger to Ryan Tannehill.

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