The Steelers, The Tackle Position, Willie Colon, and His Future Status

May 5th, 2012 at 7:00 am by Dom

I am not going to lie to you readers, the fact that Pittsburgh selected two “top-tier” Offensive Linemen in the first two Rounds of last week’s Draft made me an extremely happy camper. The Steelers’ recent efforts to stockpile and develop young talent along their Offensive Line has illustrated the concerted efforts of a franchise hell-bent on protecting their $100+ million Quarterback as he enters his 30′s. Yet with all of the new and talented faces in town, there is one once-starting member of the Steelers’ Offensive Line whose current status is a bit “up in the air” and multiple questions will likely surround in the coming months: Willie Colon.



Colon’s Career So Far, Injuries, and Growing Uncertainty



2012 will be a season with a lot on the line for Colon.
Willie Colon may have started over 3 plus seasons in a row for the Steelers, and he indeed signed a 5 year $29 million dollar contract before the 2011 season began as well. However, Colon enters the 2012 season as more of a question mark than an answer along an Offensive Line with a core of young, developing, and potentially fantastic talent. And the biggest reason for the uncertainty surrounding Colon has to be his overall health and the reliability of his body to hold up over a 16+ game marathon of a season.

Earlier in his career, Colon was actually a model of stability along the Offensive front for Pittsburgh. From the end of his Rookie season (2006), to the end of 2009, Colon logged 54 out of a possible 54 starts in a row (postseason included), and was the only one of Pittsburgh’s grunts up front to start each and every game during said stretch. In a period where Jeff Hartings retired, Alan Faneca left via Free Agency, Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons got seriously hurt, then left town, and then retired, Sean Mahan and Justin Hartwig proved inadequate solutions at Center, the Right Tackle spot Colon manned seemed to be the only position which guys were not constantly be shuttled in and out on a consistent basis. Now however, Colon’s reliability is in question because of the injuries which he has sustained over the last two seasons.

Over the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Colon has missed 31 out of a possible 32 regular season games because of the aforementioned injuries. Before the 2010 season began, Colon tore his Achilles and the injury coupled with the subsequent surgery forced him to miss the entire season. Undeterred by Colon’s ailment, the Front Office rewarded Colon with a new contract (5 years $29 million) in 2011, and it appeared all was well, and Colon would take his spot back at Right Tackle. Unfortunately, Colon was injured again, and went down late in Week 1 of the 2011 opener at Baltimore and was lost for a second season in a row.

Pittsburgh’s Coaches, Scouts, and Front Office members were not been blissfully ignorant of Colon’s recent injury history and the amount of time he has missed over the last two seasons. With those things in mind, the Steelers have drafted accordingly over the last two years to cover their bases, and done a pretty good job at that as well. Thus, the Steelers’ recent accumulation of talent at the Tackle position has put Colon somewhat “on notice” as the Steelers begin to prepare for the 2012 season.



The Tackle Pool Is Now Stronger...........
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(read more)http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/05/05/the-steelers-recent-acquisitions-willie-colon-and-his-future-status/

I still think we should move him to guard. It would solidify the two guard positions with he and DeCastro. We could try Adams as a starter or settle for Jonathan Scott until he's ready to go.

I just want the best 5 starters on the field at the same time.

Buddha Bus wrote:

I still think we should move him to guard. It would solidify the two guard positions with he and DeCastro. We could try Adams as a starter or settle for Jonathan Scott until he's ready to go.

I just want the best 5 starters on the field at the same time.

Isn't Adams projected to be a LT?

Buddha Bus wrote:

I still think we should move him to guard. It would solidify the two guard positions with he and DeCastro. We could try Adams as a starter or settle for Jonathan Scott until he's ready to go.

I just want the best 5 starters on the field at the same time.

solardave wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

I still think we should move him to guard. It would solidify the two guard positions with he and DeCastro. We could try Adams as a starter or settle for Jonathan Scott until he's ready to go.

I just want the best 5 starters on the field at the same time.

Isn't Adams projected to be a LT?

Before the draft, they said they were moving Gilbert to left tackle. Kugler wouldn't answer the question of how drafting Adams affects those plans.

Wallace108 wrote:

solardave wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

I still think we should move him to guard. It would solidify the two guard positions with he and DeCastro. We could try Adams as a starter or settle for Jonathan Scott until he's ready to go.

I just want the best 5 starters on the field at the same time.

Isn't Adams projected to be a LT?

Before the draft, they said they were moving Gilbert to left tackle. Kugler wouldn't answer the question of how drafting Adams affects those plans.

I say Kugler will play the better of the two at LT thats what I think.

solardave wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

I still think we should move him to guard. It would solidify the two guard positions with he and DeCastro. We could try Adams as a starter or settle for Jonathan Scott until he's ready to go.

I just want the best 5 starters on the field at the same time.

Isn't Adams projected to be a LT?

Yes, he is. I was talking about moving Colon to guard.

I think we should bring back Starks, he could be a hell of a mentor for Adams IMO

fer69 wrote:

I think we should bring back Starks, he could be a hell of a mentor for Adams IMO

I wouldn't mind having Starks back, but his health could be an issue. He may not be fully recovered and/or in shape from his injury. I'd certainly rather have him than J. Scott.

Buddha Bus wrote:

fer69 wrote:

I think we should bring back Starks, he could be a hell of a mentor for Adams IMO

I wouldn't mind having Starks back, but his health could be an issue. He may not be fully recovered and/or in shape from his injury. I'd certainly rather have him than J. Scott.

i totally forgot about his knee surgery

fer69 wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

fer69 wrote:

I think we should bring back Starks, he could be a hell of a mentor for Adams IMO

I wouldn't mind having Starks back, but his health could be an issue. He may not be fully recovered and/or in shape from his injury. I'd certainly rather have him than J. Scott.

i totally forgot about his knee surgery

Sonofabitch.