The need for Gonzo is glaring..

[Patsfan1645]

I'm referring to attitude. I've already noted in another thread that the Steelers have come out and said they took Gonzalez off their draft board completely because they didn't like his attitude.

If the steelers remove someone from possibly helping them for an attitude/culture fit that is saying something. They are/were beyond disfunctional with regards to culture. I know this because I had a co-worker who had a close friend that played for them from 2013-2016.

 

[borg]

If the steelers remove someone from possibly helping them for an attitude/culture fit that is saying something. They are/were beyond disfunctional with regards to culture. I know this because I had a co-worker who had a close friend that played for them from 2013-2016.

NE took Micah Parsons off their draft board due to similar worries

 

[TheRainMaker]

If the steelers remove someone from possibly helping them for an attitude/culture fit that is saying something. They are/were beyond disfunctional with regards to culture. I know this because I had a co-worker who had a close friend that played for them from 2013-2016.

Tomlin asked him the question as to why he transferred from Colorado to Oregon. What he was fishing for was Gonzalez to say that he wanted to face better competition and be in a bigger spotlight. Nope. He just wanted to follow his position coach.

Source: Poor Visit Led Steelers to Pass on Christian Gonzalez

The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to move past one of the NFL Draft's top cornerbacks.

www.si.com

 

[Patsfan1645]

Tomlin asked him the question as to why he transferred from Colorado to Oregon. What he was fishing for was Gonzalez to say that he wanted to face better competition and be in a bigger spotlight. Nope. He just wanted to follow his position coach.

Source: Poor Visit Led Steelers to Pass on Christian Gonzalez

The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to move past one of the NFL Draft's top cornerbacks.

www.si.com

That really doesnt bother me. If you listen to him speak and how he carries himself he is a very laid back soft spoken guy. When he is on the field he lets his play do all the talking. I would be shocked if that conversation was the reason why they crossed him off their list.

 

[maust]

Tomlin asked him the question as to why he transferred from Colorado to Oregon. What he was fishing for was Gonzalez to say that he wanted to face better competition and be in a bigger spotlight. Nope. He just wanted to follow his position coach.

Source: Poor Visit Led Steelers to Pass on Christian Gonzalez

The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to move past one of the NFL Draft's top cornerbacks.

www.si.com

Yeah Tomlin's judgement was great there taking Broderick Jones over Gonzalez. Just look at how Jones has been lighting it up... oh wait, NVM.

 

[FCB02062]

No way I resign this ****ing sally. Not worth it. 9/10 times if you're an injury guy you don't suddenly become a guy who doesn't miss games. Terry Glenn was a hamstring guy, Gronkowski was an injury guy, Davante Parker was an injury guy. These guys all miss a ton of games and their absence kills the team. Just about guarantee this ****ing skirt wearing pansy Gonzalez comes back, plays a game or two, and gets another booboo and misses the rest of the season. hamstrings are preventable. hydrate, stretch, massage and you won't pull a hamstring. obviously this jackass doesn't care. take care of your body like a professional athlete should and you won't get a hamstring pull.

 

[maust]

That really doesnt bother me. If you listen to him speak and how he carries himself he is a very laid back soft spoken guy. When he is on the field he lets his play do all the talking. I would be shocked if that conversation was the reason why they crossed him off their list.

Loyalty to his position coach was seen as a negative for Gonzalez by the same HC who had such stellar relations with AB, Pickens and Bell. Tomlin's judgement as regards character should hardly be viewed as the gold standard

 

[Patsfan1645]

Loyalty to his position coach was seen as a negative for Gonzalez by the same HC who had such stellar relations with AB, Pickens and Bell. Tomlin's judgement as regards character should hardly be viewed as the gold standard

No doubt.... As I mentioned I was able to hear some true insider stories from someone who played for them. I doubt Tomlin has really changed but there was an unreal amount of favoritism toward Rottenburger and Psycho Brown when they played. They could show up and do whatever they wanted and nothing was done. Mean while if you were someone else on the team and was a couple minutes late to a team meeting you became the example. I was told it wasn't just obvious it was almost comical of how bad it was. Allowing that to go on cant be good for the culture.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Yeah Tomlin's judgement was great there taking Broderick Jones over Gonzalez. Just look at how Jones has been lighting it up... oh wait, NVM.

If he were on the Pats, you'd be saying "let him develop" and any criticism towards him would be an over reaction just like people freaked out when anyone criticized Cole Strange. Jones might be average at best, but at least he's been available for every game so far while Gonzalez has played in only 54% of the games. What if something happens and we hear the dreaded news that Gonzalez is taking the year off? Will you have a different opinion then?

 

[Thunderhead]

No way I resign this ****ing sally. Not worth it. 9/10 times if you're an injury guy you don't suddenly become a guy who doesn't miss games. Terry Glenn was a hamstring guy, Gronkowski was an injury guy, Davante Parker was an injury guy. These guys all miss a ton of games and their absence kills the team. Just about guarantee this ****ing skirt wearing pansy Gonzalez comes back, plays a game or two, and gets another booboo and misses the rest of the season. hamstrings are preventable. hydrate, stretch, massage and you won't pull a hamstring. obviously this jackass doesn't care. take care of your body like a professional athlete should and you won't get a hamstring pull.

Vrabel would never say it publicly for obvious reasons, but I bet he feels similarly.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Gronkowski was an injury guy

Gronk gets a pass from. He had defenders constantly diving at his knees because they couldn't tackle him straight up. With that said, he played in 80% of the total games. He had a freak injury when his HC put him out on the field goal unit in a late 4th quarter blowout.

Glenn missing games was really annoying. Ditto with Martin in 1997 - especially when he tapped out of the playoffs. McGinest around that time as well. You never knew when he was going to play.

 

[Rob0729]

Tomlin asked him the question as to why he transferred from Colorado to Oregon. What he was fishing for was Gonzalez to say that he wanted to face better competition and be in a bigger spotlight. Nope. He just wanted to follow his position coach.

Source: Poor Visit Led Steelers to Pass on Christian Gonzalez

The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to move past one of the NFL Draft's top cornerbacks.

www.si.com

Seriously, they disqualified Gonzalez for this? This isn't as dumb as the Bears only showing Maye's bad plays to get the decision makers to disqualify Maye from their draft board, but I think it is dumb. Especially since the Steelers have drafted a crapload of WRs high with questionable drive and work ethics (George Pickens, Chase Claypool).

 

[NFL Mystique]

Vrabel would never say it publicly for obvious reasons, but I bet he feels sisimilarly

Yep.

I get the sense Vrabel thinks he can either play through it or should have done more to be at a point to play a week or so ago.

The Patriots would be crazy to give him an extension this offseason. Talent means absolutely nothing when you aren't out there playing. I'll go a step further and say they draft his replacement before paying him.

 

[maust]

If he were on the Pats, you'd be saying "let him develop" and any criticism towards him would be an over reaction just like people freaked out when anyone criticized Cole Strange. Jones might be average at best, but at least he's been available for every game so far while Gonzalez has played in only 54% of the games. What if something happens and we hear the dreaded news that Gonzalez is taking the year off? Will you have a different opinion then?

If you're going to try thinking for someone, you might first try thinking like them. "What if" isn't something I traffic in often, neither is telling other people what they'd think in a hypothetical of my own invention. What I've seen from Gonzalez is a player among the best at his position who has suffered two unrelated multi game injuries. I have been given no legit reason to question his heart or character and have yet to see a reputable named source impugning either. While I am sure your 'feels' carry great weight with you, you'll have to forgive me if they don't hold much sway with me.

 

[mgteich]

Yep.

I get the sense Vrabel thinks he can either play through it or should have done more to be at a point to play a week or so ago.

The Patriots would be crazy to give him an extension this offseason. Talent means absolutely nothing when you aren't out there playing. I'll go a step further and say they draft his replacement before paying him.

Of course, we should draft a CB in the first three rounds if the value is there. CALL IT the replacement of Gonzalez if you wish, or the replacement for Jones, for Austin, or just another top CB needed for our future (and now).

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Austin have been exposed. I thought he could be good enough in a role.. but gonzo... is the man happiest.. he will get paid $$$ even if he's the message room.

What is in the message room? Football message room?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I'm referring to attitude. I've already noted in another thread that the Steelers have come out and said they took Gonzalez off their draft board completely because they didn't like his attitude.

The Steelers moved up to pick Broderick Jones over Gonzo and you are highlighting the Steelers draft prowness? LOL

 

[Ross12]

I'd probably keep Gonzo through his fifth year option, then franchise tag him in the sixth year. Really give him a lot of runway to prove he's not truly "injury prone". If he proves you wrong, well, he'll get a massive extension on that seventh year. If he proves you right, you let him go, but at least you aren't paying $30M+ a year for a guy who isn't on the field enough.

That said, perhaps there's room for a contract extension with lower guarantees and more incentives. Doubt his agent will want to go for that though.

 

[mgteich]

I'd probably keep Gonzo through his fifth year option, then franchise tag him in the sixth year. Really give him a lot of runway to prove he's not truly "injury prone". If he proves you wrong, well, he'll get a massive extension on that seventh year. If he proves you right, you let him go, but at least you aren't paying $30M+ a year for a guy who isn't on the field enough.

That said, perhaps there's room for a contract extension with lower guarantees and more incentives. Doubt his agent will want to go for that though.

Even in the 7th year, we can choose whether to compete with other teams for a that year's $30M CB's.

This is a fine plan that gives the team options each year.

 

[Thelonious]

Gonzo is a problem which will either solve itself or will not. It probably will, of course, but it's a pure guess when.

I am much more concerned with the sloppy play and lack of discipline and other problems and with Vrabel's soft-as-a-grape manner of dealing with them. Turns out the ridiculous game ball for the dual f'up kicker was the drooping canary in the coal mine. Add to that jettisoning players obviously better than the guys you kept, the excuse-making, the lack of decisiveness in applying the-best-man-plays approach, the penalties and the hc's expressed indifference to the problem, and you have - possibly, we have to say at this point - the makings of a problem that might not solve itself.