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QUOTE

Porter had to go

By Joe Starkey

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Friday, March 2, 2007

You can't blame the Steelers for giving Joey Porter the boot.

It was the only sensible move.

Let's be honest. Porter is past his prime, and there's no way the Steelers were going to extend his contract beyond this season.

He turns 30 on March 22 and has missed significant parts of the past two training camps because of surgeries on both knees.

Porter would have made $5 million this season -- a $1 million roster bonus that was due next Tuesday, plus a $4 million salary. For a club so tight under the cap, better to free the cash and address a couple of problem areas.

One of those is the lack of an edge pass-rusher. And make no mistake, Porter had clearly lost his edge there.

Sure, he recorded seven sacks last season, but six of those came in games against Oakland, Tampa Bay and Miami. He also had four games of one or zero tackles.

Matt Williamson, formerly a scout for the Cleveland Browns, breaks down video of Steelers games each week for ESPN's Scouts Inc. He says Porter still is good in coverage and fairly stout against the run. But Porter can no longer get to the quarterback, unless he's facing a mediocre tackle or racing through a lane created by Dick LeBeau's elaborate defensive schemes.

"I think he's declined noticeably," Williamson said. "I think he benefits from the scheme, but he also understands it so well that he takes full advantage of it.

"And while he made plays, he made them against inferior players. He's not that blind-side, off-the-edge, dynamic guy they need in that defense. He was, at one point."

Yeah, like as recently as the stretch run two years ago, when he salvaged an otherwise mediocre campaign with a late-season surge.

Last season, Porter's main achievement was posing for the most ridiculous Sports Illustrated cover on record -- the one that pictured him next to the headline: "Most Feared Man in the NFL."

I asked Williamson if he could find the most recent video clip of Porter beating a high-quality tackle. He might as well have tried to find the Loch Ness Monster.

"It certainly wasn't in the Super Bowl," Williamson said. "(Seattle tackle) Walter Jones abused him.

"Even against the Colts (in the AFC Divisional playoffs two years ago), it was more scheme than him beating a guy off the edge. I can't quote a date, that's for sure."

Porter probably could have played out his contract with one more decent season, but only if he made it through training camp without imploding in a fit of self-pity. That is, if he showed up at all -- and you figure he would had have to, so not to lose money.

A potential implosion had to be another factor in the Steelers' decision to release Porter. He had enough pull in that locker room to create a serious problem for new coach Mike Tomlin.

This move works toward the opposite end.

It serves as a symbolic severing from the Bill Cowher era. Porter, after all, was Cowher's top lieutenant.

Tomlin will pick his own, or he'll let another emerge.

Porter thought he should have been rewarded with a contract extension after the Super Bowl. He started moaning about it before last season, complaining to the NFL Network of a perceived lack of respect.

Wisely, the Steelers stayed the course.

They made the mistake of signing soon-to-be 30-year-old linebacker Jason Gildon to a five-year, $23 million extension in 2002 and weren't about to make a similar slip.

All of which shouldn't devalue Porter's immense contributions over his eight-year career. A three-time Pro Bowl pick with 60 career sacks, he could be entertaining off the field and dominating on it.

For the first nine games of the 2002 season, he was as good as any defensive player in the game.

Porter played hurt, played hard and played proud. His energy fueled the Super Bowl run.

One of the lasting images from that year is Porter maniacally leading the team in one of his "Who Ride? We Ride!" chants.

Now, it's time for the Steelers to ride into free agency and pick up a player or two. After that comes the draft.

Porter will be replaced and will sign with another team. Life will go on.

That's how it works in the NFL.

Joe Starkey is a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com

just more stuff to think about

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SIGN HIM!

Porter - Odell - Johnson/Pollack!

um brooks?

I asked Williamson if he could find the most recent video clip of Porter beating a high-quality tackle. He might as well have tried to find the Loch Ness Monster.

If you look at Dwight freeneys sack numbers in 2005 and 2006 all of his sacks came off crappy or inexperianced linemen... ala 3 sacks vs whitworth

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SIGN HIM!

Porter - Odell - Johnson/Pollack!

um brooks?

I asked Williamson if he could find the most recent video clip of Porter beating a high-quality tackle. He might as well have tried to find the Loch Ness Monster.

If you look at Dwight freeneys sack numbers in 2005 and 2006 all of his sacks came off crappy or inexperianced linemen... ala 3 sacks vs whitworth

Why do you guys keep saying Brooks!?!?! Hes a MLB not a SLB!..

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According to Hobson, which we know isnt true, Porter wants $7 million a year. I think this is another example of how Hobson doesnt want us to sign any free agents this year, and an example of how much he hates free agents for some reason

Considering the deal Clements just got, I find it hard to argue that Porter will cash in too. I doubt anyone will pay him that much, but such an asking price alone will take us out of bidding.

I don't think Hobson is biased on the FA debate either... he is simply reporting the information he is given (either from the Bengals front office or other media).

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This defense needs an attitude. Thurman could bring it, but who knows about his future. Porter would be another...

"Welcome the Chad and Joey radio show on WLW."

Chad: I'm a great receiver and no one, not even you, can stop me.

Joey: Go run home to Miami and cry to Grandma.

Chad: I'm god.

Joey: No, I'm god.

Chad: Nope.

What a fantastic radio show that would be.

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Would you mind seeing Joey Porter in the orange and black?

While I detested Porter as a Steeler, I think I could easily get used to him in stripes. In fact, he is just what the Bengals' defense needs,i.e.,a type A, in-your-face tough guy. If the Bengals don't do anything else in free agency, they should sign Joey Porter.

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according to Michael Smith at ESPN, the Bengals and Browns seem to be lead contenders for Porter's services...

Browns just signed Atwan Peek(LB) today so that might effect their interest.

I know this is going to upset many of you conservative people who think signing a big name free agent is the worst thing in the world, but I dont care

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I guess I just don't understand the point in releasing an aging vet who has lost a step, just to bring in a more expensive vet who has lost a step. Porter is not the player he was a few years ago... and even that guy was very over-rated.

I'm not an overly negative guy. I liked the Dexter Jackson signing. I was optimistic about the Sam Adams thing... but if we bring in Joey Porter, it will be a major disappointment.

P.S. Save this message so you can use it against me in the future... but I'm betting you won't have the chance (because I'm right).

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P.S. Save this message so you can use it against me in the future... but I'm betting you won't have the chance (because I'm right).

Probably because he'll end up in Cleveland, because the bidding will get high and we'll bow out.

But like Kirk said, I think we need him for the attitude more than anything.

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But like Kirk said, I think we need him for the attitude more than anything.

Yes! This defense has no attitude. Zip. Zilch. It doesn't have a guy that anyone looks to as the "leader" of the defense. Just consider, a man that fires people up and goes nuts, could have a very positive effect on the other guys making us eat our words about many defensive players on this team. If a $5 man, that's lost his step, is all that's needed to get the most of the people around him, then I'd support that.

Anyone could probably find a billion reasons not to bring Porter in. Most of them passionate and loyal to the team via hating Pittsburgh and their players -- all of which I'm sure are justified in your guy's mind. Which I won't argue.

But this defense doesn't have character right now. It needs it something fierce.

I'm not an overly negative guy. I liked the Dexter Jackson signing. I was optimistic about the Sam Adams thing... but if we bring in Joey Porter, it will be a major disappointment.

P.S. Save this message so you can use it against me in the future... but I'm betting you won't have the chance (because I'm right).

It's not about who's right or wrong. But if this team can bring in ANYONE to improve anything, I'm sure you'll support. You can't look at a football team's progression through a single man. Will Porter improve this defense? Personally, even with a lost step, Porter is a better linebacker than most, if not all, on this team. My selling point would be how he makes the players around him perform -- because we already know that most of the players on defense from last season, will be back.

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Good news for derek:

Ravens | Ravens showing interest in Porter

Sun, 4 Mar 2007 12:26:18 -0800

Mark Curnutte, of the Cincinnati Enquirer, reports the Baltimore Ravens have joined a growing number of teams interested in signing unrestricted free-agent LB Joey Porter (Steelers). Baltimore was one of the latest teams to contact Porter, agent Jeff Sperbeck said Saturday, March 3.

Multiple teams interested = bidding war = no Bengals = no Porter in stripes.

Rest easy, friend. :)

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The only real reason I want Porter is his experience and the attitude he would bring. Our D needs a swagger and confidence.

To be honest though I don't think his actual abilities would be much of an upgrade (if any) over what we already have. The attitude he would bring in my be worth it though. Depends on what he wants I guess.

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Um he's suited for SLB as much as he is MLB,if you wearn't so handy cap you would see that.

Im not handy cap, he may be able to PLAY all LB positions but he is a MLB.

In a 4-3, the mlb is meant to be free to run to the ball. That is why undersized backers can thrive at the position in a 4-3 because they are fast, can fly to ball because the interior lineman tie up blockers and free him up. Brooks is large and fast man that can play the mlb postion, but a smaller more athletic lb like odell is ideal, and paired with brooks, being larger and better suited to SLB IMHO, should make a dynamic duo. :batman::taz:

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I'm not an overly negative guy. I liked the Dexter Jackson signing. I was optimistic about the Sam Adams thing... but if we bring in Joey Porter, it will be a major disappointment.

P.S. Save this message so you can use it against me in the future... but I'm betting you won't have the chance (because I'm right).

It's not about who's right or wrong. But if this team can bring in ANYONE to improve anything, I'm sure you'll support. You can't look at a football team's progression through a single man. Will Porter improve this defense? Personally, even with a lost step, Porter is a better linebacker than most, if not all, on this team. My selling point would be how he makes the players around him perform -- because we already know that most of the players on defense from last season, will be back.

I agree that Porter is a better LB that anyone on this team right now... at least he's more proven. But the exact same thing could have been said for Simmons. The point is, I'm hoping we didn't cut Simmons in order to bring in a loud-mouth version of him. That is hardly going to be worth the difference in pay.

You might say that Porter is a better LB than Simmons, but I'd say that's up for debate. Porter is the better pass-rusher... but Simmons might be the more complete of the two. I'm not against cutting Simmons. Hair mentioned in another thread why it makes sense, and I agree with him. But to bring in Porter as a replacement is the opposite of logical.

Now Tommy Polley - that would make sense, and I'd be excited about that.

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Attitude and all, Joey Porter would be most likely limited to the strongside for the Bengals. Troy Polamalu basically handled what a 4-3 weakside backer would do for the Steelers and I can't see Porter with that much range in coverage. Maybe MLB but that's quite a position change. Porter could probably do it but for the most part his pass rush would be lost. Hard to see him kicking down to DE in the nickel with Jumpy and Justin there and more unlikely he'd be a nickel backer.

Awful lot of cap for a player who would most likely just be a run defending strongside backer like Rashad Jeanty.

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