Bush is Not Being Used As a Scapegoat for the Steelers Issues

[jebrick]

17 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

Bush had the athleticism of an elite ILB prospect, but his size left a lot to be desired. His lack of splash plays in college were also worrisome. 

It was my knock on him when he was drafted

[SMashMouthMike]

I say bench him, or at least don’t start him.  I hate the way he plays;  I see ZERO intensity. Put in the rookie who might at least not get pushed around the field by wr’s and te’s, let alone olinemen. He had 1 solo tackle against cincy. Schoebert had 8 I think. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by SMashMouthMike

[Steeler Hitman]

21 minutes ago, 43M said:

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Given how many players we have to replace in 2022, there is no reason to bench him or move on from him right now.

I think he should be benched for a variety of reasons: 1. Poor play 2. Poor perceived effort 3. Motivation. Benching a top ten pick may send a message to him. 4. I think a lot of his issues are more mental than just the physical. Sit him and let him clear his head. 

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I'd honestly rather replace Schobert and hope Bush can bounce back a little in 2022.   Maybe bring in someone to compete against him and push him a little.   

I am probably being a Schobert Homer, but I love the guy. I said when he was a free agent in Cleveland that I wished we could afford to sign him. He fits our defense well and only needs time and players around him to get fully acclimated. With a full off season, training camp, and healthy players, I think  Schobert can still be a mini stud for this team at ILB. Not a star like TJ Watt, but make a difference. If Bush can get healthy and get his head right, this could be a very formidable set of ILB's' 

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Even though I don't have much faith in Bush,  Id much rather focus at addressing the trenches and secondary in 2022, and then hope Bush can show some kind of improvement.

Agreed and all the more reason I wouldn't want to pillage and purge another position and have to get two new starters at ILB as well as all the other holes to fill. Shore up the DL, get some CB's who can cover, add another safety (Sorry to my man Edmonds) I would spend some bucks to brings Jesse Bates in to play with Minkah. Whew that would be one heck of a set of coverage safeties. We just need the horses up front to man the trenches so neither would have to play in the box much.

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At this rate, there is no chance he is getting his 5th year option, but if he bounces back next year, maybe sign him on a cheap, one year "prove it" deal in 2023.

Sad but probably true. he is in a worse position than Edmonds is right now. The only thing he has going is he can turn things around next year. Edmonds has six games to look like a superstar to land a big contract. 

 

[MOSteelers56]

2 hours ago, 43M said:

I believe his athleticism was pretty overrated. 

Well, let me rephrase that....

I believe a player like Shazier was much better at utilizing his athleticism than Bush.

I think Bush had straight line speed, but Shazier was fast and could move laterally. Shazier was a far better prospect. 

[Dcash4]

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Id honestly rather replace Schobert and hope Bush can bounce back a little in 2022.   Maybe bring in someone to compete against him and push him a little. 

Im not trying to defend Bush's play -- he has been god awful -- but it's also been a like a perfect storm of exposing him in a really down year. I would not bring Schobert back either and I would replace him with a more Vince Williams styled player that will do the dirty work and take on blockers to help free up Bush. 

Add that we should have a far more put together DL in front and you have a much better recipe for success. Josey Jewell will probably be out there. Someone like that would be an interesting partner with Bush. What that guy might lack in coverage ability can be made up for in sub-packages (and just not being an idiot by placing them on WR's because someone motioned and you are not yet sure if the rules allow that). 

[MOSteelers56]

4 minutes ago, Dcash4 said:

Im not trying to defend Bush's play -- he has been god awful -- but it's also been a like a perfect storm of exposing him in a really down year. I would not bring Schobert back either and I would replace him with a more Vince Williams styled player that will do the dirty work and take on blockers to help free up Bush. 

Add that we should have a far more put together DL in front and you have a much better recipe for success. Josey Jewell will probably be out there. Someone like that would be an interesting partner with Bush. What that guy might lack in coverage ability can be made up for in sub-packages (and just not being an idiot by placing them on WR's because someone motioned and you are not yet sure if the rules allow that). 

I'm hopeful we already have that guy on the roster in Buddy Johnson. 

[43M]

20 hours ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'm hopeful we already have that guy on the roster in Buddy Johnson. 

Well, they cant assume that going into the offseason, so they better start getting him some playing time to see what he has.

Regardless, I still think we need to dump Schobert and add an ILB this offseason.    Buddy Johnson could be in the mix for playing time, but I dont have much faith in him being much more than a special teamer and backup.

[Steeler Hitman]

16 hours ago, Dcash4 said:

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I'm not trying to defend Bush's play -- he has been god awful -- but it's also been a like a perfect storm of exposing him in a really down year.

Great point. I am concerned about the intensity. As stated in a previous response, he was also drafted for leadership. I have said for many years that the Steelers lack that "intense internal player leader." I think Cam is the closest that they have come. Ray Lewis' and Drew Brees' are not born everyday or a dime a dozen,  but that may also be a product of a different era of players.  we have Tic Toc guys and strong tough guys who are concerned about music at practice and talking about another team. "clapping you" after you kicked our butts. (Sorry, but this is my editorial rant). The focus and perseverance to indomitably reach your goal (which should be winning the Super Bowl) doesn't seem to be there.  I can think of two or maybe three times that this team has played a complete complimentary football since 2018. There's been too much talent for that to be the case.

The perfect storm of injuries, changes, etc. has occurred as well. Where's the passion? Where's the pride? I can't imagine a football team telling James Harrison, Joey Porter,  or Greg Lloyd they quit after a loss and not being punched no knocked straight out the next game. They lost but no one ever said they basically rolled over. Sorry, I am peeved! Editorial rant over...😡

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I would not bring Schobert back either and I would replace him with a more Vince Williams styled player that will do the dirty work and take on blockers to help free up Bush. 

I disagree because then we get exposed by teams dumping the ball off in the flat and do not have the speed and quickness to do anything. Bush has speed, but is not a great coverage ILB. He has struggled in coverage even as a speedy and healthy player (Year 1 & 2 prior to injury).  Spillane is a trooper, but limited athletically and was simply badly exposed and left out to dry in the preseason when asked to cover. 

Get better depth for some positions and tweak your scheme. The Steelers are playing a lot of two DL's, but really don't have the ideal guys for that style. Guys like Wormley are being asked to start and play four or five times the game reps that they should be playing out of necessity. You hope that Buddy Johnson develops and can take on the old VW role next year.

I am also not real big on the one year fliers. It typically takes players time to adjust, learn, and get comfortable with a new team and scheme.  (I believe) Players like Joe Schobert and Ahkello Witherspoon should be  given a full season to get acclimated to the system, provided they are not just beat out competitively.

It is tougher than many think to join a team after offseason, OTA's, minicamp, walkthroughs and start at the end of training camp or beginning of the season. Schobert has had to play under the same perfect storm as Bush. I get he's a veteran with a much higher salary, but I don't think he's done anything to show he is a detriment to this team. 

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Add that we should have a far more put together DL in front and you have a much better recipe for success. Josey Jewell will probably be out there.

I loved the outlaw Josey Jewell coming out of college, but is he going to be better than Schobert? Can he cover as well as Schobert? If Buddy Johnson develops, we are adding a player with a similar skillset as his. I say give Schobert a shot to play his game with a healthy DL and a full offseason in this system. 

Someone like that would be an interesting partner with Bush. What that guy might lack in coverage ability can be made up for in sub-packages (and just not being an idiot by placing them on WR's because someone motioned and you are not yet sure if the rules allow that). 

I think we sometimes keep attempting to start at zero instead of developing or allowing the talent we have an opportunity. Before bringing in an Buddy Johnson type player, why not give him a shot? Before getting rid of Schobert and Witherspoon, why not let them develop in the system?

[3rivers]

On 12/2/2021 at 1:58 PM, MOSteelers56 said:

I think Bush had straight line speed, but Shazier was fast and could move laterally. Shazier was a far better prospect. 

shame what happened to Shazier, he was a different type of player IMO. Bush started off decent , but that has not been the theme lately.  I hope they trade him, but if coldert is here, then so will bush. Fail🤨