Derek Markovitz —
The 2013 season ended with a lot of what ifs? What If Maurkice Pouncey doesn’t get hurt eight snaps into the season; what if Le’Veon Bell and Heath Miller were ready to go in week one; what if Keenan Lewis was retained. Lewis was one of three starters that the Steelers let walk in free agency. Two of them are in the prime of their careers. That being said, Mike Wallace was as good as gone as soon as he turned down the offer that Antonio Brown accepted. However, Lewis should be an important lesson for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they mull on a new decision in Jason Worilds.
As you might remember, the Steelers developed Lewis into a solid, physical shutdown corner who had a solid 2012 season. Lewis was also in a contract year and also attracted other suitors. On March 14, Lewis signed a five-year, $26 million deal with the New Orleans Saints. With the steady decline of Ike Taylor, the Steelers made a costly error letting Lewis, a young promising star in the NFL, walk out of Pittsburgh.
Unfortunately, this organization, like so many others in the past, has made a few costly decisions in terms of contract extensions for players that has them in a tight position heading into the 2014 season. Of all the unrestricted free agents that includes names like Emmanuel Sanders, Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood and Ryan Clark. However, another names, Jason Worilds, has to be the clear cut favorite to be re-signed.
This team’s success has always been about two things: Run the football and dominate on defense. The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl with that same philosophy, which is why Worilds, a dominating player in 2013, should be a starter for the Steelers in 2014.
The second round pick out of Virginia Tech displayed overwhelming power off the snap and showed a much-improved burst off the edge as he turned the corner. Worilds was simply too strong for a tight end and more often than not, ran right around an offensive tackle. When opposing teams gave their running backs the assignment to block him, Worilds blew up that scheme as well.
Four games into the season, Worilds looked to be playing his way out of Pittsburgh. However, learning Dick Lebeau’s scheme isn’t exactly rocket science, but it’s pretty close. While it may have been a process for Worilds to get both physically and mentally ready, he is, in fact, ready. Worilds has dedicated himself over the last four seasons, which in turn saw him produce eight sacks in only 11 starts in 2013.
On the flip side, Worilds could still be playing his way out of Pittsburgh as his play in the second half of the season will almost certainly attract other suitors. The Steelers and Worilds would be wise to come to an agreement as there is nothing set in stone that says the Steelers can or will retain linebacker LaMarr Woodley. Woodley has a 2013 cap hit of $13.59 million. Also, Woodley hasn’t played a full season since 2010, the last time he topped double-digit sacks.
Worilds, 25, accumulated just under 24 percent of the team’s total sacks for the season. On top of that, he became the disrupting, blitzing maniac Steeler fans have been accustomed to watching since the 70s. With the injury concerns with Woodley, the Steelers simply cannot rely on him moving toward the future. Furthermore, letting Woodley go gives the Steelers the cap space to re-sign Worilds and a locked-in starting spot for 2014.
For the Steelers it’s quite simple, if it wants to be a contender in 2014, they need Worilds. If the Steelers have learned anything from last year, they will re-sign Jason Worilds. There is no rookie or free agent that can be expected to come in and reproduce Worild’s numbers in 2013.
When it comes down to it, Worilds is the better fit at this position who gives this team the best chance to win in 2014. He is also the one player who would be the most difficult to replace. Tough decisions are ahead for the Steelers, however If there is a must-sign guy, at this point it has to be Worilds.
Jeffrey Snedden —
The Pittsburgh Steelers are venturing deeper and deeper into the abyss caused by salary cap issues and mass aging of their once-formidable roster. A team that has lost the majority of their veteran leadership over the past three years is once again faced with some perilous choices this offseason. Locker room leaders FS Ryan Clark and DE Brett Keisel are free agents, and the team seems set to allow Clark to walk without a fight. Keisel may return for a final run with the team, but that decision is still up in the air.
The team will need to make tough choices on the salary status of franchise cornerstones SS Troy Polamalu and DB Ike Taylor, who both may need to restructure their deals to remain in Pittsburgh. For a team that has been built on the strength of their veterans, the Steelers are venturing into the unknown for the first time in a decade.
One of the last remaining remnants of the 2008 Steelers defense that led the franchise to their sixth Lombardi Trophy is OLB LaMarr Woodley. The 29-year-dold is in the middle of a six-year contract extension that he signed in 2011, a deal that at the time cemented him as the highest-paid player in franchise history. The past three seasons have not gone according to plan for the Michigan alum, as injuries have caused him to miss 14 games between 2011-2013. Prior to that, Woodley was a dynamic pass-rusher who averaged over 10 sacks per season and whose presence forced opposing offenses to gameplan around him.
In 2011, he was on pace for another double-digit sack campaign before a hamstring injury put him on ice. He struggled through 13 games in 2012 while still being slowed by multiple leg injuries. Last season, Woodley seemed to regain his footing, registering 5.0 sacks and 36 tackles in 11 games despite playing without fellow pass-rusher James Harrison and tackling machine Larry Foote. Despite being keyed in on all season by opposing offenses, Woodley was back to his disruptive self before suffering a calf injury that forced him to IR in Week 12.
The emergence of OLB Jason Worilds last season has created a stir that Woodley may be cut this offseason to help the team with their cap issues and open up a starting slot for the 25-year-old. Worilds is an unrestricted free agent who will need to be locked down with a multi-year deal or lost to free agency. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has gone on record that the team could in fact maintain Woodley and sign Worilds, however dependent on Woodley restructuring his deal. Second-year OLB Jarvis Jones did not progress as desired in his rookie season and may not be ready to slide into a starting spot this fall.
Failing to keep Woodley in Pittsburgh could put the Steelers in a position to be without a certified pass-rusher – something Steelers fans have not experienced in many years. Cutting Woodley outright would also leave the Steelers with $14 million dollars in dead money for 2014, which would not help the team retain any free agents. Keeping Woodley would at minimum give the Steelers a true threat on the pass rush and, at max, would retain a Pro Bowl-caliber outside linebacker if Woodley is able to get 100 percent healthy.
At 29 years old, Woodley is entering the phase of his career when linebackers such as Jason Gildon were still putting up double-digit sack seasons. There is no reason to think Woodley will not be able to come back strong and finish his career in Pittsburgh with at least one or two more productive campaigns. For a team going through a transitional period on their defense, the Steelers cannot afford to take the chance that those seasons happen under the colors of another franchise.
