By Tyler Sweet
Today is a tough day for all NFL players and franchises. Tough decisions had to be made over the past couple days as to which players will make the final 53 man roster. Here is the list of players cut today by the Steelers:
RB Jonathon Dwyer
P Brian Moorman
RB Alvester Alexander
NT Alameda Ta’amu
DE Brian Arnfelt
LB Alan Baxter
LB Terence Garvin
LB Marshall McFadden
LB Brian Rolle
WR Justin Brown
WR Reggie Dunn
WR Kashif Moore
OL Mike Golic
OL Chris Hubbard
OL Joe Long
OL Joe Madsen
TE Jamie McCoy
TE Nathan Overbay
DB Terry Hawthorne
CB Devin Smith
DB Ross Ventrone
DB Josh Victorian
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ed
August 31, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Wow. Horrible waste of draft picks. Didnt Colbert trade up for Alameda Ta’amu? Hawthorne and Brown should never been taken… Landry Jones probably should be cut as well. Dwyer being sent packing is RETARDED to say the least! Felix Jones is a walking injury report and you keep him when you have a weak group of rb’s? Last time I looked Le’veon Bell STILL hasn’t proved he’s a NFL RB…. Good lord Colbert and Tomlin are starting to get to be dumb and dumber
Brian
August 31, 2013 at 7:25 pm
Dwyer did not look good at all in preseason
Chris Williams
August 31, 2013 at 5:03 pm
Surprised about Hawthorne and long. Can’t believe they would rather have whimper
Ryan
August 31, 2013 at 5:33 pm
I don’t think it’s so much they wanted to keep whimper, it’s just to where they don’t have a choice. Long struggled mightly and still has practice squad eligibility. That being said I wouldn’t be surprised if whimper isn’t on the team tomorrow considering all the lineman that have and, are going to be cut.
Glenn Gilbert
August 31, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Can’t believe all the wasted draft picks. DON’T agree with Dwyer being cut. Should have kept Dunn were going to regret that. I hope Bell is available in two weeks as I think Felix and Howling will NE injured by then. Very concerned with the way our draft picks are being wasted especially on L. Jones. He will never turn out to even be a second string QB. Wanted two picks with him.
jberniej
August 31, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Glad Dwyer was cut… only saw consistent mediocricy (sp?).
To me he just either never gave it his sll or had nothing extra to give. Just
never seemed like he tried that hard but just did what was required.
That being said..hopefully we pick up somebody better… someone close to a Bettis
type who WANTS to go the extra mile.
Tyler Sweet
August 31, 2013 at 7:51 pm
Dwyer getting cut was not a big surprise if you think about it. He has been given plenty of chances to prove himself the past several years when Mendenhall was hurt. He had moments where he looked like an average back (I wouldnt say terrible), but it seemed that every good play was followed up with a fumble or hesitation hitting the hole which would result in a 2 yard loss. At his size and in this division, you must take advantage of every yard. Bettis was great at lowering his head when he needed to, yet was patient in letting the hole open up. Its a fine line between being patient and simply”dancing” around in the backfield. I dont believe Redman is the answer. For that matter, Stephens-Howling nor Felix Jones seem to be the answer either. I will give Le’Veon Bell the benefit of the doubt, but the Steelers RB situation right now is not good.
Blkandgold4Life
August 31, 2013 at 9:01 pm
Wow..Redman and Bell haven’t Gained 20 yards between them this pre-season and Dwyer gets the boot?? Just goes to show you the trust Tomlin and Haley have in Dwyer..NONE! I hope they don’t plan on using Antonio Brown or Sanders to return Kicks/Punts..Reggie Dun has to much speed to let go..low risk high reward. Ta’amu played well but Al Woods playd way better. Really liked Brian Role but Wilson and Williams were lights out..Kinda surprised they kept Moye and released Justin Brown AND JD Woods..thought one of them would stick.
Joe
August 31, 2013 at 9:09 pm
I say cut whimper and resign Starks who was just released
George H
August 31, 2013 at 10:37 pm
Why not? I’m all for that, although I didnt even realize Starks lashed on somewhere
tricitysteel
September 1, 2013 at 3:52 am
I just don’t think there is any chance Starks is re-signed, he doesn’t fit the type of athletic lineman that Bicknell and the Steelers want.
Joe
September 2, 2013 at 11:12 am
That may be true but does whimper really fit that mold either. I rather have a backup that can actually play at a high level
matt
August 31, 2013 at 9:44 pm
Well Dwyer,McFadden,Rolle I’m really worried the talent@depth is ridiculously weak I hope its not tested
John
August 31, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Please prove me wrong on some of those choices .I want Tomlin and Colbert to have the last laugh on me. Steeler fan for life.
CW
August 31, 2013 at 10:59 pm
Hawthorne is a risk as he did look good during the time he got on the field, but he’s been injured enough and played only so much so he likely will not get any attention and land on the PS.
NT “Fang” outplayed NT Ta’amu for the backup spot and Ta’amu is still PS eligible with a good deal of upside, so not a surprise.
Moye outplayed Brown after the first preseason game, but Brown should get to the PS as well and develop for next year.
If Dwyer didn’t fumble as often as he has in limited playing time, this move would be a huge mistake, but he’ll probably still be there in a couple of weeks if Howling or Jones goes down anyway.
Baxter, Arnfelt, McFadden, Long, and Hubbard all look like solid locks for the PS as well.
CW
August 31, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Also I expect Whimper will survive only as long as it takes to find a better veteran offensive lineman.
Mark
August 31, 2013 at 11:49 pm
Every year the decisions made by Tomlin continue to be wrong,6 tight ends, guy whimper,who cares about Dwyer, they couldn’t run the ball anyhow
These aren’t your dads Steelers
Bad drafts, bad coaching bad signings lead to another mediocare year
Sad the team has a big time QB and a horrible coach and GM
john
September 1, 2013 at 6:42 am
Well I hope these guys find work and a new organisation. Nfl rules say you can only have 53. But did Kevin and Mike get it right. Time will tell. O and four aint a great start and please do not let it continue into the regular season.
Ronn
September 1, 2013 at 6:55 am
If we could stop throwing interceptions every other game motivate the special teams espically the return game then the Steelers win ratio would increase dramatically
ed
September 1, 2013 at 8:18 am
WHO is William Gay blowing? He’s arguably the worst db I’ve seen
AP.
September 1, 2013 at 9:23 am
I will always love my Steelers until the end. Tomlin worries me; we didn’t draft Lacy because he’s injury prone? We also had a shot of drafting a big time TE, but passed on it even though the passing game needs all of the help it can get. Hopefully it will be a successful season, but if we tank Tomlin has to go. Go Steelers!!!
AP.
September 1, 2013 at 10:07 am
Mike Tomlin has made questionable decisions of recent past. I will love my Steelers always, but am really concerned that a successful organization is being lead by a not so TALENTED coach. We knew before this past draft that we needed WRs, DBs, a solid RB and a complimentary stud TE to compliment Heath Miller. What did we do; pass on Lacy, because he’s injury prone (don’t know if that was good or bad) and we didn’t sign a TE that was available to help out our passing game, which was clearly a need. I hope our season turns out to be successful, but if we tank Mike Tomlin has to go. Go Steelers!!!
Slugo
September 1, 2013 at 9:24 am
Wow, I forgot all of you watched every practice, sat in every meeting and are paid to evaluate talent… Wait you’re not and you haven’t… You pretty much don’t know crap about crap.
john
September 1, 2013 at 6:34 pm
Mate I say I hope you are correct. and I am wrong because then the result will be in favour of steeler fans and the organisation.
Laverne and Shirley
September 2, 2013 at 11:29 am
I love how we have Lenny and Squiggy (Tomlin and Colbert) running the “show!” These guys are a match made in mediocrity: no red zone weapon, annual revolving door of o-line coaches, continual cutting of drafted players as they fool-heartedly stick to absurd cliches like, “Can’t make the tub in the club–doh, doh, doh!” Let’s not forget top down, puppetesque axioms like, “The standard is the standard!” Pay close attention when watching the next Steelers game for the strings attached to Tomlin’s shirt, they kinda blend in with the background but if you look real close, you can see them! I wonder if the Rooney’s are now rethinking their rule?! Let’s also dispel all the moronic and and short-sighted comparisons to Cowher. Idiots (I’m sorry I mean people) say things like, “Well, Cowher inherited a great team from Noll!” Okaaaaaaaaaay, who was the franchise quarterback Noll so altruistically handed over to Cowher, HMMMM?! Could Tomlin get to multiple AFC title games AND a super bowl without BB? Could Belicheat do the same without Brady? If you answered no to both questions, keep reading. But if you answered yes to any of them, your mom probably still makes your bed! Cowher went to two AFC title games and a super bowl with Neil O’Donnell. He then commenced to go to the playoffs with Mike Tomczak!!!!!!!!! Okay I’m back after laughing my ass off. He then went to two more AFC title games with Kordell Stewart…Are these quarterbacks really that bad you ask…Yes, yes they are, were, whatever. But the stats may bear out that that’s debatable. So, what’s not debatable is the fact that NONE of them were elite franchise quarterbacks. I don’t need stats to tell me BB is an elite QB, I just use my eye test as should everyone else. Oh, yeah, Cowher also had an annual revolving door of free agents leaving for elsewhere for the first 8 or 9 years because, if you homers remember, the Rooney’s said, “When we get a new stadium, we’ll start signing our FA’s!” Tomlin has been the beneficiary of that sentiment exclusively through his tenure as HC. Cowher, as aforementioned, had to watch players like Woodson, Searcy, Kirkland, Lloyd, Brown, Thigpen, Johnson, Hastings, Mills, et al leave! There’s no question Tomlin isn’t in Cowhere’s league and here’s the kicker that I want to impress: in Cowher’s first six years, he went to the playoffs every year without a franchise quarterback and with high player personnel turnover. Tomlin, on the other hand and with a franchise quarterback and much, much, lower player personnel turnover has made the playoffs only four times with the first time being a HOME LOSS TO A WILDCARD TEAM JAGUARS!!!! back again after laughing my ass off! Tomlin’s fluctuant, inconsistent results while having BB on the roster and essentially being able to retain most of his high caliber players is unacceptable as a fan and member of Steeler nation. I understood and accepted Cowher’s inability to win a Super Bowl in his first six years because of the circumstances. I also understood the playoff draught in the late 1990’s because of all the turnover catching up to him and his team. But when he had a chance to rebuild and draft BB, went 10-5 with an explosive offense and Tommy Maddox (do I really need to laugh here?), he went 15-1 with a roookie QB, and finally won one for the thumb! Tomlin says things like we’re going to unleash hell and then lose five in a row! A good coach competes every year, not every other year. Belicheat went 11-5 with Cassell! Colbert is an idiot because too many of his picks get cut and he did not get along with Cowher which tells me something (not good) about Colbert. Cowher should be brought back after the firing of Tomlin and Colbert, and given the GM responsibilities concomitantly with HC responsibilities!
DrGeorge
September 2, 2013 at 5:13 pm
On balance, our rookies look pretty good, especially our UFAs. I am hopeful Arnfelt, Rolle, and Long will get through waivers and join our practice squad. They are worth developing.
The rest of the cuts above seem just, including Dwyer. Cutting Dwyer would have been a non-issue for Baltimore, New England, Green Bay, or any other contender. It was an issue for us only because our backfield is so mediocre. Redman remains our only power back and the only back who consistently falls forward. Bell looks like the second-coming of Mendenhall– a journeyman RB with average speed, average power — but I’m willing to cut him some slack until he has a chance to proved himself better than he has looked to date.
Yet, all of our backs are good enough if the O-line makes holes for them. That is the salient point of this draft. Our O-line and D-line were not improved by the infusion of new talent. The O-line still has serious problems with pass blocking, does not yet execute the new zone blocking schemes consistently well on running plays, and routinely fails to recognize blitzing stunts in time to neutralize them. The D-line still does not put enough pressure on opposing QBs, which puts added pressure on our secondary.
As for Tomlin, the time for excuses is over. 1. Our line play has been a problem for four years, and Tomlin has tried and failed to fix it via the draft or free agency on both sides of the ball. His personnel decisions are a mixed bag, but the inescapable fact is that he has failed to replace the veterans he has lost with men of the same quality. Our talent level is markedly less than it was when he arrived. Only Hood remains from our draft classes of 2008 and 2009. 2. Special teams remains a chronic weakness. Since Tomlin fired Al Everett, for reasons never made clear, our special teams play has suffered and remains subpar. 3. Team discipline declined with the loss of key veterans, and Tomlin has contributed to that decline with his coddling of “star” players who put their own interests ahead of the team. Cowher made mistakes as a coach, but a failure to discipline was not one of them.
The preseason is meaningless, the pundits say. And in terms of wins and losses, it is meaningless. But in terms of execution, it is far from meaningless. This preseason, we continued to have problems in all three of the areas mentioned above, just as we did last year. That fact does not inspire much confidence that the 2013 season will be much better than 2012.
DrGeorge
September 3, 2013 at 7:40 pm
A postscript to my own comment: we re-signed Arnfelt and Long. Two out of three’s not bad. And J. Brown cleared waivers, too.
Redman will start against the Titans, and he will play as well as the O-line blocking permits. When he was healthy in 2012, he averaged over 4 yds a carry and had 100 yard games. And he has a great attitude. Felix Jones and Stephens-Howling will provide a nice change of pace and lots of speed. Let’s hope they get a chance to show what they can do. If they get tackled in the backfield, the blame lies elsewhere.
Tomlin signed back up center Cody and released Malecki. Wonder why? On paper, there isn’t much to choose between them. If we’re going shopping, why not sign a veteran LT instead — someone who can stay in front of a bull-rushing DE and keep Ben upright?