Foote released!

[jmlamerson]

Pittsburgh Steelers release veteran starting inside linebacker Larry Foote - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4107676)

We need this guy. Now.

He's a top flight ILB. DJ/Foote/Thomas/Vrabel is a shockingly good LB corps for this season and beyond.

[yashi]

I read that he's stated he wants to play for his hometown Lions.

[jmlamerson]

I doubt that Pioli is gonna spend anymore of our money on LB's in this offseason. Although he may be a good pick up for long term issues, we have 3 new LB veterans that will be starting for us.

We have two - Vrabel and Thomas. Beisel is a reserve.

And we have more than enough cap money to sign ten Footes.

yashi, I hope you're wrong.

[hometeam]

Lets grab him up!

Im on on the Foote wagon !

This guy is a veteran (not too old though) 3-4 MLB who knows how to win~! he can only help us, and we have plenty of cap space left.

[jmlamerson]

Regardless of our cap sotuation or what you feel our starting line up is I feel that Pioli is done getting FA Veterans in the LB position. I see him more interested in getting UDFA to sign with the squad for the future.

Foote is only 28. He'll be in his prime for five or six more years.

I understand wanting youth, but come on!

[Bike]

There was no trade value for this guy?
Why was he released?

[yashi]

Foote is only 28. He'll be in his prime for five or six more years.

I understand wanting youth, but come on!

Not to take anything away from Foote, he's a good player but he was by far the worst of the Steelers linebackers (not necessarily a bad thing). That includes his backup, Lawrence Timmons, who ended up taking a lot of his playing time away and is now causing him to be cut.

Another question arises, is he necessarily that good, or a product of a great scheme and surrounding talent? These types of players usually get overpaid (see Bart Scott).

ESPN Scouting Report:
Foote is an emotional player who gives it everything he has, but he isn't particularly big, strong, fast or athletic. His ability to read and diagnose plays against the run and pass is an underrated aspect of his repertoire. He isn't massive, but doesn't hesitate to take on bigger blockers or a fullback in the hole. He is a good tackler, but not a thumper. He times his blitzes well and has a strong understanding of Pittsburgh's complex blitz packages, but he doesn't overwhelm pass blockers with his physicality or array of moves. He is also a good, but not great, coverage player, who reads routes well but is hindered by his tools. His change-of-direction ability is marginal and he can look stiff in space. Throughout his career in the NFL, he has consistently become a better and better football player, but may have hit his peak at this point of his career.

[jmlamerson]

There was no trade value for this guy?
Why was he released?

Salary cap reasons, per the article. Foote was set to cost $3.5M this season, and the Steelers wanted Lawrence Timmons to start in his spot. They didn't want to spend $3.5M on a backup.

[Chiefster]

There was no trade value for this guy?
Why was he released?

Good question.

[Sn@keIze]

If we could land Foote it would be too good to be true. Ill take anything from that Pittsburg D. He played an important role.

You want to talk about a scary LB core!

[pbatrucker]

Foote got the boot because he is a back up and the Steelers have depth at the position. That tells me they took the best back up and gave the boot to foote simply because he costs more than his value. Pioli is not going to pay for that type of player when he can bring in younger men to learn from the Vets we have now without the baggage of bad habits from a Pro career. It's a known fact it's easier to teach some one that has no experience at a pro level then someone that has the pro experience and developed bad habits. If he was cut by the Steelers, he is probably a good player with too many bad habits to pay for. That takes me back to my prior statement of Pioli bringing in the UDFA, easier to teach and easier to set on the right track , much less expensive.

We have Vrabel, Thomas and Johnson as starters. Monty and Mario are probally backups. The LB we picked up in FA earlier are special teams player. We need another from somewhere.
Foote is a good hardworking football player. Sounds like a Pioli guy to me, although Pioli might be looking for that attack LB we will probally still need. IN ANY CASE BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF SOME OF OUR AQUISITIONS, WE STILL NEED LBers. I do not see any UDFA that will help.
:bananen_smilies046: :11:

[hometeam]

Foote would definately be an upgrade over whoever else we have that would start if he wasnt here.

And about Pioli spending money.. we have tons of cap room left, and he would be a great addition.

It goes back to the old saying

"something is worth whatever its purchaser will pay for it"

and the KC chiefs as a purchaser have enough to pay for Foote, whatever he is worth~

[chief31]

Foote got the boot because he is a back up and the Steelers have depth at the position. That tells me they took the best back up and gave the boot to foote simply because he costs more than his value. Pioli is not going to pay for that type of player when he can bring in younger men to learn from the Vets we have now without the baggage of bad habits from a Pro career. It's a known fact it's easier to teach some one that has no experience at a pro level then someone that has the pro experience and developed bad habits. If he was cut by the Steelers, he is prolly a good player with too many bad habits to pay for. That takes me back to my prior statement of Pioli bringing in the UDFA, easier to teach and easier to set on the right track , much less expensive.

The Steelers always get rid of their LBs. Because they know that they can farm them, due to a great system.

He is extremely experienced and skilled as a 3-4 ILB. I would be glad to acquire him. But I doubt we do.

[theaxeeffect4311]

Foote got the boot because he is a back up and the Steelers have depth at the position. That tells me they took the best back up and gave the boot to foote simply because he costs more than his value. Pioli is not going to pay for that type of player when he can bring in younger men to learn from the Vets we have now without the baggage of bad habits from a Pro career. It's a known fact it's easier to teach some one that has no experience at a pro level then someone that has the pro experience and developed bad habits. If he was cut by the Steelers, he is prolly a good player with too many bad habits to pay for. That takes me back to my prior statement of Pioli bringing in the UDFA, easier to teach and easier to set on the right track , much less expensive.

Undrafted rookie Free agents are easier to teach and easier to set on the right track? You are telling me that a 28 year old starting ILB coming from the best defense in the league who just won the Super Bowl is a guy who is not worth having on the Chiefs? He has nothing that he can bring to this team? Zach Thomas is a one year guy. Foote can be a guy to solidify the inside and while he may not be a standout at his position, he is consistent and a solid starter. Pioli is not Herm/Carl. While Pioli will grow players in our system, he is not going to let the team lose to grow players. He is going to make sure we have a competitive team to put out there every week. Foote is not a backup. He started every game last season and for the past 5 seasons. He would be the perfect guy to mix with Zach Thomas and whoever to train the LBs to eventually take Zach and his positions. The only reason they are going with Timmons is because Timmons is better in pass coverage on third down and he's a first round pick. That is the main thing. It's time for Timmons to sink or swim. But the point is that they had Foote there so they could slowly grow Timmons into the position. Pioli wants smart players with a winning attitude. What better guy than Larry Foote, the previous starting ILB from the Steelers.

[Coach]

The last Steeler LB we brought in was less than impressive.

Kendrell Bell

He could provide some depth if he was available for the right price.

[chief31]

The last Steeler LB we brought in was less than impressive.

Kendrell Bell

He could provide some depth if he was available for the right price.

I was wondering how long it would take to hear mention of Bell.

Bell may have been better had he been asked to play 3-4 OLB instead of 4-3 OLB.

But we definitely got hosed on that deal.

[Chiefster]

Foote got the boot...

No pun intended right??? :lol:

[jmlamerson]

The last Steeler LB we brought in was less than impressive.

Kendrell Bell

He could provide some depth if he was available for the right price.

Big difference between Bell and Foote. Bell was an overpaid injury risk coming off some subpar seasons. Foote's healthy and coming off a super bowl.

Seriously, Foote has played 16 games a season since his rookie year.

[AkChief49]

We have two - Vrabel and Thomas. Beisel is a reserve.

And we have more than enough cap money to sign ten Footes.

yashi, I hope you're wrong.
Foote Wants To Play For The Lions (http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/04/28/foote-wants-to-play-for-the-lions/)

Posted by Mike Florio on April 28, 2009, 2:54 p.m.
Perhaps far bigger than the news that former Steelers linebacker Larry Foote wants to play for the Detroit Lions is that anyone wants to play for the Detroit Lions.
But, indeed, Foote wants to continue his career in the state he calls “home,” with the team everyone calls “really, really sucky.”
“Detroit is always No. 1 (http://www.detnews.com/article/20090428/SPORTS0101/904280423/1126/Ex-Steeler+Larry+Foote+wants+to+join+Lions),” Foote told the Detroit News. “I mean, my agent is talking to them about me coming home, and we’ll go from there. But no question about it, that’s my first choice.”
Foote also revealed that he had been pushing the team to cut him, and that at one point he thought he’d be traded.
“I’ve been forcing [this] the whole offseason,” Foote said. “I’ve been asking for it all offseason, asking for a trade, and I guess they finally did something. I wish they’d have done it a little earlier. Technically, I’m a free man now, but a lot of the money [in free agency] has been spent. . . .
“I don’t know what the Steelers were doing in the whole process. They kept saying they were trying to get a trade. I know they were in talks with the Lions. But I don’t know how it’s gonna work. My agent [Ken Kremer] said the Lions tried to get me, but I still don’t know how bad they want me.”
On one hand, it’s arguably a tad douchey for the Steelers to squat on Foote through the first two months of free agency and then cut him three days after picking a total of, um, zero linebackers in the draft. On the other hand, Foote’s agent could have avoided the situation by simply shifting $1 million of Foote’s $2.885 million base salary into a roster bonus due on the first day of the 2009 league year.
If the Lions aren’t interested in bringing to the franchise a guy who got two Super Bowl rings without buying either of them on eBay, then maybe the Cardinals will be inclined to consider Foote, given his connection to former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.

[DT14PRIEST]

Sign Travis LaBoy

thats my thoughts

[pbatrucker]

2010 MOCK DRAFT
404 Error Message - SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/writers/andrew_perloff/04/28/2010/index.html)

We're finally drafting a LB
:yahoo: :11:

[hometeam]

I hope the Lions mess this up and he ends up in KC. We could use him, probabaly as a starter, at LEAST as depth.

[pbatrucker]

I hope the Lions mess this up and he ends up in KC. We could use him, probabaly as a starter, at LEAST as depth.
I believe the Lions got Follet in the 7th rd. Hard hitting LB out of Cal. I had him on my list for later rounds.
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