Defense only has about a two year window left if that.

[steelchamp204]

Before they start retiring and getting let go and the only future promise defensive playmaker I see is timmons,Hood has been a bad pick we can admit. Gay is showing nothing in the secondary and thats our future is them three guys. Everyone else will be getting to slow. The only thing we will need to replace on offense will be hines and some starting OL. But defensively we will be bad after next year probably since we will be going through a rebuilding stage, Maybe trade a couple players to get some 2nd or 3rd round draft picks? But, noone on the dline is getting it done(talking about eason,hoke,hood,hampton) and its embarrassing,we have ALOT of holes to fill on this team and can be a very long building project.

[DanRooney]

My god if we get rid of Timmons in favor of Woodley...

Hines will be easy to replace. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown will do fine. Dwyer, I think, will have no problems taking over for Moore. I think Tomlin was trying to get Crezdon Butler into the mix, but he injured his quad or something last night.

[Scorp]

If these boys want another championship thay need to get it done now. Time is their enemy and time is running short. The season is almost over and they need to play like their hungry. They need to kick ass like every team stole something from them.

[Rampage]

You bring up a good point. Age is definitely becoming a factor for this crew.

Keisel and Smith are showing their age. As well as these guys have played for the Steelers, I do not see them having much more time in the black and gold. Smith's prowess in stopping the run is a double edged sword. Although it is his forte, it is playing a role in prematurely ending his seasons on a regular basis. Now that Keisel is starting to show some wear and tear, things are getting to be a bit discouraging for this crew. I know that the jury is still out on Hood, but hopefully he can become an asset in the near future.

Hampton and Hoke have been playing well. A few years ago Hampton was looking like he was on a downward spiral and his career would be slowing down. What has surprised me, especially this season, is that he seems like he is better conditioned and he is still getting a good push up the center. Hoke also looks like he is playing as well as he has in the past. Unfortunately, with two NTs that are in their early thirties, this position is going to need some attention.

The team should be well set with OLBs; they have Harrison, Woodley, and Worilds. They would have had Gibson to further bolster that crew; however, we all know how that went down. This team has done well breeding outside linebackers, so I am not overly concerned with their future.

ILBs could be a bit of a concern. Timmons looks fantastic; he has range, physicality, and apparently, an understanding of Lebeau's schemes. Unfortunately, Farrior is aging. He has done very well for this team and he still makes some nice plays, yet it appears that he has lost a step. The same goes for Foote. Keyaron Fox and Stevenson Sylvester show a lot of potential. I liked Fox during his start last year against the Vikings and Sylvester looks like he could play well.

Safety is a major concern for this team. We all know and love Polamalu and although he is not having his best season, he is nowhere close to being the weak link. Where is Clark, though? Is he afraid of the NFL's new stance on big hits? Has he lost a step? It used to be that he struck fear into receivers (like the Welker drop last night), but it does not seem like he is involved in as many plays as he once was.

Cornerbacks are a huge question mark. Taylor appears to be playing at his typical level, although he actually has made some plays on the ball this season which is good to see. I was excited to see McFadden come back; however, that sensation has faded quickly. He has not had a very good season. I think the William Gay experiment is over. He had some good plays in the Ravens game and the blocked put against the Bengals, but the poor plays have overshadowed his successes. How many touchdowns has he given up in the last two games? I would like to see this team incorporate Keenan Lewis or Crezdon Butler to see if they have any potential.

Overall, I am somewhat split on the window this team has. Yes, some of the players we have come to know over the years will probably be finished within two years, yet we may have some young guys slip in to replace them. Hopefully that is the case, but I am not holding my breath. The recent drafting has been less than stellar, and that is not how you build a good team.

[steelchamp204]

My god if we get rid of Timmons in favor of Woodley...

Hines will be easy to replace. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown will do fine. Dwyer, I think, will have no problems taking over for Moore. I think Tomlin was trying to get Crezdon Butler into the mix, but he injured his quad or something last night.

I wasnt trying to knock woodley i forgot about him sorry lol

[coldrolled]

al woods played for tampa sunday... he held his own.

[K Train]

al woods was pretty dominate in his rotational position.......they think he'll start at nose by year end...awesome right?

they need a DE and NT....casey has been playing at a pro bowl level and eason has turned into a hell of a 34 end, but even hes old.

timmons and woodley are must resigns, farrior is a must be replaced (sylvester please?)

[Nolrog]

they need a DE and NT....casey has been playing at a pro bowl level and eason has turned into a hell of a 34 end, but even hes old.

timmons and woodley are must resigns, farrior is a must be replaced (sylvester please?)

The D has been a huge concern. In the last 3 weeks, they've been blown out twice and almost blew a big lead. They get zero pressure on the opposing QB. LeBeau hasn't been blitzing like he used to, I think because of the lack of quality in the backfield (no shut down corner.) The LBs are good, as are the safeties, but everything else needs upgrades. The DL is very good when the starters are there, but we've seen 2 years in a row with Smith and Kiesel missing time. Ziggy doesn't have the same impact as Aaron Smith does.

At the same time, the OL is a total disaster. Watching the opponent rush 3 fricken guys against the 5 man line and get pressure/sacks on Ben is just an embarrasment.

Quite frankly, they can't win like this. Playoff QBs will pick that D apart if they have all day to stand back there. Brees and Brady did just that. If they are going to lose, LeBeau should at least bring pressure and knock the opposing QB around a bit.

[coldrolled]

al woods was pretty dominate in his rotational position.......they think he'll start at nose by year end...awesome right?

they need a DE and NT....casey has been playing at a pro bowl level and eason has turned into a hell of a 34 end, but even hes old.

timmons and woodley are must resigns, farrior is a must be replaced (sylvester please?)

Farrior will be retiring.. i have this feeling... Sly is fast... Let him play...

I still say our offense not scoring is keeping the D to conservative.

Let Worilds in for Woodley and Harrison in some kinda rotation... even if limited. just get him some plays.