James Harrison is back...

by diehardsteersfan Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:40 pm

Steelers will be signing him because if injuries. He has agreed to return for one more season. This is good news for us after Jarvis Jones got hurt.

by Guest Tue Sep 23, 2014 5:23 pm

Are you sure this is a good thing? Every NFL team this off season had a chance to sign him for the minimum and they all pasted. I don't know if adding another old slow player is the direction the steeler's want to go.

by diehardsteersfan Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:40 pm

Dmounts wrote:Are you sure this is a good thing? Every NFL team this off season had a chance to sign him for the minimum and they all pasted. I don't know if adding another old slow player is the direction the steeler's want to go.

He is more of a leader than a player at this point. I thought he could help some of the young guys and be just good enough to help in certain cases on the field. I expect him to be riding the pine for the most part.

by **Admin** Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:14 pm

Dmounts wrote:Are you sure this is a good thing? Every NFL team this off season had a chance to sign him for the minimum and they all pasted. I don't know if adding another old slow player is the direction the steeler's want to go.

In a strange sort of way, yea... it's a good thing. He knows the defense inside & out. I'd expect he is going to back up Moats at this point. As for sure he is not in condition to start and play. The Good things are, he is a quick and instant upgrade as a backup. The only other option was to promote a rookie from practice squad. He already knows the schemes and terminology. The draw back is... he WAS great... as in paste tense- but I feel he has value as a leader and is a very good option as a backup. I wonder though.... will he remain after Jones returns? I'm guessing not.

by Randell60 Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:10 am

Admin wrote:
Dmounts wrote:Are you sure this is a good thing? Every NFL team this off season had a chance to sign him for the minimum and they all pasted. I don't know if adding another old slow player is the direction the steeler's want to go.
In a strange sort of way, yea... it's a good thing. He knows the defense inside & out. I'd expect he is going to back up Moats at this point. As for sure he is not in condition to start and play. The Good things are, he is a quick and instant upgrade as a backup. The only other option was to promote a rookie from practice squad. He already knows the schemes and terminology. The draw back is... he WAS great... as in paste tense- but I feel he has value as a leader and is a very good option as a backup. I wonder though.... will he remain after Jones returns? I'm guessing not.

They'll tell him to leave, and take his beat up aluminum walker with him, as tosses both of them down on the sidewalk... LOL

by diehardsteersfan Wed Sep 24, 2014 8:20 pm

Admin wrote:
Dmounts wrote:Are you sure this is a good thing? Every NFL team this off season had a chance to sign him for the minimum and they all pasted. I don't know if adding another old slow player is the direction the steeler's want to go.
In a strange sort of way, yea... it's a good thing. He knows the defense inside & out. I'd expect he is going to back up Moats at this point. As for sure he is not in condition to start and play. The Good things are, he is a quick and instant upgrade as a backup. The only other option was to promote a rookie from practice squad. He already knows the schemes and terminology. The draw back is... he WAS great... as in paste tense- but I feel he has value as a leader and is a very good option as a backup. I wonder though.... will he remain after Jones returns? I'm guessing not.

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By [email=arobinson@tribweb.com?subject=RE:%20Steelers'%20Tomlin%20says%20practice%20will%20determine%20OLB%20Harrison's%20role%20story%20on%20TribLIVE.com]Alan Robinson[/email]
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014, 7:27 p.m.
Updated 19 hours ago

For the Steelers, it wasn't as much about what James Harrison still has left but what they had remaining at backup outside linebacker.
No one.
Until Harrison re-signed Tuesday, less than three weeks since his retirement ceremony, the Steelers' depth chart didn't list a backup to Jason Worilds or Arthur Moats. For good reason: there wasn't one on their roster.
That's what injuries to two starters can do a team that, for the first time in three Septembers, isn't scrambling to overcome a bad start only a few weeks into the season.
Just when the Steelers (2-1) finally were playing like the team they envisioned having back in training camp, their two most recent first-round draft choices, outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and inside linebacker Ryan Shazier, were hurt Sunday night at Carolina.
Jones' injury is major — he underwent wrist surgery Monday and was placed on the designated-to-return injured reserve list, meaning he can't play again for at least eight weeks. Moats replaces him.
Shazier's injury is less severe, a sprained right MCL, but he's out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3) on Sunday at Heinz Field and possibly beyond. Sean Spence is expected to replace him, although former starter Vince Williams also is on the bench.
So with a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker in their backyard, and one who played effectively for the Bengals last season, coach Mike Tomlin said it was “a simple and easy decision” to bring back Harrison.
“We know James. He knows us. James understands how we desire to play defense,” Tomlin said. “He understands the scheme.”
For Harrison, it was an equally easy decision to return. The Arizona Cardinals sought him out last month, but Harrison couldn't work out a deal — much like old/new teammate Brett Keisel couldn't. And for the same reason.
Harrison simply didn't want to go that far away to play, especially with his family still here in Pittsburgh.
So he retired Sept. 5 and decided to move on with his life.
Now he's moving back into a defense he knows well, although there have been some tweaks since he last played for them Dec. 30, 2012, getting a sack and making 11 tackles against Cleveland.
As for how much Harrison will play, Tomlin said, “We're going to give him snaps in practice and watch how he takes to it ... We'll just see where he is and let that be our guide.”
Harrison never wanted to leave the Steelers but couldn't agree on terms when the Steelers sought last year to renegotiate the final two years of his contract. He signed with the Bengals but, despite grading out eighth among NFL 4-3 linebackers in Pro Football Focus' evaluation, played only about one of every three plays, or 383 snaps.
He grew frustrated at not playing in games in which he felt he could be productive. But he never complained about being in a defense that doesn't turn loose its outside linebackers to be pass rushers, as the Steelers defense does.
Still, the numbers suggest that, even at age 36, Harrison could be a productive addition. He was rated third among all NFL 4-3 outside linebackers against the run, and his overall grade was higher than any Steelers defensive player except Troy Polamalu.
Still, the Steelers did not talk to Harrison about playing this season until the injuries occurred.
“The attitude we all know James Harrison has, his will, desire, determination, his work ethic — I just think it's going to be great for that defense, the young defense,” Ben Roethlisberger said on his weekly 93.7 FM show. “James has that nastiness, tenacity, toughness.
“I know he's still got it in the tank because I know how hard James works.”
And, for now, retirement can wait. Not long after Harrison signed his contract, Tomlin posted on Twitter a picture of the two with the caption, “Deebo is back. There goes the neighborhood.”

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by Guest Sun Sep 28, 2014 7:12 pm

Did harrison play today?

by **Admin** Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:08 pm

Dmounts wrote:Did harrison play today?

He did... not an outstanding number of snaps, but he did play. Those who expect him to be what he was, are surely going to be disappointed. He is a competent backup, capable of spelling the starters. His skills are diminished due to age. Happens to all of them. Hell... who am I kidding... all of us too! LOL.

by diehardsteersfan Fri Oct 24, 2014 7:16 pm

Admin wrote:
Dmounts wrote:Did harrison play today?
He did... not an outstanding number of snaps, but he did play. Those who expect him to be what he was, are surely going to be disappointed. He is a competent backup, capable of spelling the starters. His skills are diminished due to age. Happens to all of them. Hell... who am I kidding... all of us too! LOL.

I'm working on finding the fountain of youth. Smile

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