The news could not be any worse today, as Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network reports that Willie Colon will be out for 2010 with a torn Achilles’ tendon. MRI results are not back, but a tear like that will mean he’s done for the season. With him out, you can look for Trai Essex to be the teams starting right tackle. Colon had started 50 straight games.
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jay
June 28, 2010 at 6:41 pm
First of all it’s not definite yet; so I’m keeping my nuts crossed. Secondly, I sure hope Ramon Foster or the Buffalo free agent Scott or the Tennessee Volunteer rookie (also Scott) can step up, peri-fucking-UD! Oh, I sure hope you’re wrong, Matt, about Trai Essex starting at Right tackle.
mark
June 29, 2010 at 7:56 am
I will assume that Scott (From Buffalo) will get the most reps at starter at RT during the next 2 months. Foster will get his chance and I think the team will sign another FA? Whatever happened to Hills? This is a big loss for an offensive line that is in a transition. Colon has been dependable and ironically , never missed a game since being named starter!Dont sweat Jay, I cant believe Essex will be a starter at T anytime soon.
DrGeorge
June 29, 2010 at 10:49 am
I’ll bet our QBs hyperventilated when they got this bit of bad news. And for good reason.
I’ve lobbied for a revamped O-line on this site for a long time, but losing Colon was not what I had in mind. Perhaps, this would be an opportune time to flip Starks back to RT where he started and where he is more effective. We need a LT with quick feet (Starks isn’t it), and this is as good an excuse as any to fill the void. The Steelers will not have a dominating line until the LT deficiencies are addressed. Unfortunately, the pool of available LT candidates is non-existent at this time of year.
Therefore, the easier (cheaper) and more likely scenario for 2010 is plug and play, with Scott (Lions FA) having the inside track at RT and Foster, Essex, Pouncey, and Scott (the rookie) competing for the slot at RG. Hills hasn’t cracked the line-up in four years, and I doubt that he will survive the final cut this year.
Colon’s injury will probably delay Pouncey’s ultimate destiny at Center and buy a little more time for Hartwig, who is gallant but badly under-sized at that position.
Our new line coach is going to have his hands full between now and the opening game assembling a workable solution using the available pieces.