Off season pick ups and then some....

I was wondering if anyone would have an idea as to what Buress would want for us to get him? How much would be too much for him? And if the Steelers do not keep him, should we go after him and how much would he help our team?


Also, how good or bad would Stephen Alexander be in this offense? Would he work better than our current TE's?

Just some stuff to talk about what do all of you think?

If Burress hits the open market I'd expect he'd be at the top of our free agent list for WR. He's not going to come cheap though.

As for Alexander a big NO THANKS. The guy is always banged up and even when healthy he is a disappointment.

Burress could be a nice pick up...but he's the deep threat for the Steelers. Does anyone know if he has consistant hands?? It doesnt take much to be better than gardner

Pittsburgh is famous for letting their FA's walk, so chances are good he could hit the market. Burress would be a huge improvement over Gardner.

Burress had the ball in his hands in the endzone yesterday and dropped it. The play was crucial and would have brought the Steelers to within a touchdown late in the AFC championship game. For a guy who gets so much talk around the NFL as a premier wideout, he must make those types of plays.

You can't judge an athlete on just one play, but you cannot deny that this guy is too often an underachiever.

Last year, Plaxico Burress was not happy with the Steelers because he wanted a contract extension and they would not give him one. So the team had a "minicamp/voluntary session" in mid-May and Burress skipped it. He said the reason he skipped it was because he was spending Mothers' Day with his mother. He might have gotten away with that until he added that he was devoted to family first and since the Steelers had not made him feel like part of their family, he didn't think he should spend that weekend with the Steelers.

I don't think that is what Joe Gibbs calls a "true Redskin".

Burress should have had that catch in the endzone I agree, he doesn't seem to go after the ball as aggressively as he should at times. Still, is there a better option out there in free agency?

Don't even say Mohammed who's 32 coming off a career year and will be looking for a monster payday.

Houshmandzadeh could be an interesting choice if he tests the free agent waters. I honestly don't know a lot about him though. Just looking at his stats though he doesn't seem to be a big play guy but that could be due to the system and other factors. Still, his numbers this year were certainly more impressive than Gardner's that's for sure. 73 catches, 978 yards and 4 TD.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/steelerslive/s_296187.html

Burress should have had that catch in the endzone I agree, he doesn't seem to go after the ball as aggressively as he should at times. Still, is there a better option out there in free agency?

Don't even say Mohammed who's 32 coming off a career year and will be looking for a monster payday.

Houshmandzadeh could be an interesting choice if he tests the free agent waters. I honestly don't know a lot about him though. Just looking at his stats though he doesn't seem to be a big play guy but that could be due to the system and other factors. Still, his numbers this year were certainly more impressive than Gardner's that's for sure. 73 catches, 978 yards and 4 TD.

Since it seems to take rookie wide receivers at least 2-3 seasons before they really start making an impact, in addition to our recent outcomes from first round draft pick wideouts, I tend to favor upgrades at that position through free agency as well. The only names I've heard that are available are the three that we've mentioned here. I'm sure there are others.

Just as we went after Laveranues Coles when all the talk was about Peerless Price a few years ago, my choice would be Houshmanzedah out of those three. Of course, I'd rather see the same type of success as the Pats when they draft guys from the 6th or 7th rounds who step up.

Ideally, I'd like to see Coles, Taylor Jacobs, Thrash and McCants be the answer, with a late round draft pick waiting in the wings. But somehow, I just don't think that would be enough to get the job done.

After watching yesterday's games, it is obvious to me that we need a speed burner, someone like the Pat's Branch to spread out the D. I don't see that kind of player currently on our roster. But is a WR the number one priority.....how about this for priorities in the offseason:

1. SPEED WR
2. CENTER/OL
2a. DB IF SMOOT LEAVES
3. DE

I would offer that we are pretty set at the following positions:

OT- Samuels/Jensen/Brown
G- Thomas/Dockery [MAYBE AN UPGRADE FOR DOCKERY]
TE- ROYAL/COOLEY
QB- RAMSEY
RB- PORTIS/BETTS

K- HALL
P- TUPA
KR- BROWN

DT- GRIFFIN/NOBLE/SALAVEA
LB- PIERCE/WASHINGTON/ARRIGNTON/CLEMONS/MARSHALL
S- CLARK/TAYLOR/BOWEN
DB- SPRINGS/SMOOT {IF HE STAYS}


Here would be my priorities in the