Cards + top 5 pick (1 Viewer)

[Zigg]

If/When Denny Green gets fired, I would imagine the HC gig in Arizona will be a very coveted position. There's a ton of talent on that team on both sides of the ball and they a pretty young. Throw in the top LT in the draft and this has the making of a juggernaugt.

 

[KiddLattimer]

If they spend their first 6 picks on OL I would imagine they could be pretty good in a few years.

 

[Monse]

I think they'll take Joe Thomas (if he falls to them), if not I could see them either trading back for a guy like Sam Baker or drafting LaRon Landry (S - LSU)

 

[FreeBaGeL]

I think they'll take Joe Thomas (if he falls to them)

Miami may grab him first.

 

[Monse]

I think they'll take Joe Thomas (if he falls to them)

Miami may grab him first.

Yeah I can see numerous teams that could benefit from Thomas...Houston, Oakland, Arizona, Miami, possibly even Green Bay and Buffalo

 

[chris1969]

They need to trade down

ALOT!!!!

and spend the entire 1st day drafting OL

 

[The Duff Man]

They'd be better off trying to trade for a top lineman or get someone via free agency to make an impact sooner rather than later.

 

[chris1969]

They'd be better off trying to trade for a top lineman or get someone via free agency to make an impact sooner rather than later.

Only OL I see worth a top pick would be Thomas and I don't think he gets drafted higher than 10th.

 

[cliffhuxtible]

I think they should trade Fitz or Boldin for an OL as well.

They have an abundance of talent at the WR position.

 

[pigskin pimp]

I think they should trade Fitz or Boldin for an OL as well. They have an abundance of talent at the WR position.

Fitz and Boldin are the very reasons everyone is so stoked about the Card's fantasy outlook. Not many teams are able to put two #1 WRs on the field together. Take one away, and teams will roll double coverage towards that WR. I guess you are a bigger fan of Johnson and Walters than I.That said, the Card's do need a major overhaul on OL. Especially a RT that can protect their QB's blind side.

 

[Phlash]

I think they should trade Fitz or Boldin for an OL as well. They have an abundance of talent at the WR position.

Fitz and Boldin are the very reasons everyone is so stoked about the Card's fantasy outlook. Not many teams are able to put two #1 WRs on the field together. Take one away, and teams will roll double coverage towards that WR. I guess you are a bigger fan of Johnson and Walters than I.That said, the Card's do need a major overhaul on OL. Especially a RT that can protect their QB's blind side.

Boldin and Fitzgerald both THRIVE against double coverage.Just look at Boldins 10 catch, 130+ yard performance on MNF against the top Bears D.

 

[Santa Fe Trail]

If/When Denny Green gets fired, I would imagine the HC gig in Arizona will be a very coveted position. There's a ton of talent on that team on both sides of the ball and they a pretty young. Throw in the top LT in the draft and this has the making of a juggernaugt.

It's going to be a great spot for someone. Nolan has spent two years upgrading the niners talent and it still doesn't compare to what Arizona is sitting on.SI and nfldraftcountdown both have Thomas and Sam Baker in their top eight right now. NDC actually has Jake Long, Levi Brown, and Justin Blaylock in their top 21 as well, but OTs have slid the last couple years. I see Deuce Lutui got his first start yesterday...I wonder if he's been disappointing since it took seven weeks to crack that lineup.

 

[JAA]

Cowher or Fischer

 

[a_rackowski]

They'd be better off trying to trade for a top lineman or get someone via free agency to make an impact sooner rather than later.

Only OL I see worth a top pick would be Thomas and I don't think he gets drafted higher than 10th.

Thats insanity! Joe Thomas is sick! He will be top 4 most definatly.

 

[pizzatyme]

Fischer would be good for the Cards!

 

[CrossEyed]

Steelers plus a top 5 for a new coach is starting to look like more af a possibility too.

And Cowher won't be going to AZ, he'll be going to NC...to retire...at least for a few years. I'm sure he'll come back at some point.

 

[Tau837]

And Cowher won't be going to AZ, he'll be going to NC...to retire...at least for a few years. I'm sure he'll come back at some point.

There is a lot of speculation that Cowher will take the HC job at N.C. State, his alma mater. He just bought a $2.5M home in north Raleigh last week.

 

[pigskin pimp]

I think they should trade Fitz or Boldin for an OL as well. They have an abundance of talent at the WR position.

Fitz and Boldin are the very reasons everyone is so stoked about the Card's fantasy outlook. Not many teams are able to put two #1 WRs on the field together. Take one away, and teams will roll double coverage towards that WR. I guess you are a bigger fan of Johnson and Walters than I.That said, the Card's do need a major overhaul on OL. Especially a RT that can protect their QB's blind side.

Boldin and Fitzgerald both THRIVE against double coverage.Just look at Boldins 10 catch, 130+ yard performance on MNF against the top Bears D.

Exaggerate much? Most WRs do not as you say THRIVE under double coverage. It's when they are able to find the seams in zone coverage or beat their man one on one.That was an awesome day vs. the Bears. Please remember that Lovie does not like to double an one WR all day. Case in point, their loss in the playoffs last year when he refused to adjust for Steve Smith.Boldin's stats the last 2 weeks without Fitz:4-59-0 vs. Raiders4-47-0 vs. PackersThis is the more alarming trend.

 

[Demian]

That trend has everything to do with a rookie QB and nothing to do with Fitz being out.

 

[CrossEyed]

And Cowher won't be going to AZ, he'll be going to NC...to retire...at least for a few years. I'm sure he'll come back at some point.

There is a lot of speculation that Cowher will take the HC job at N.C. State, his alma mater. He just bought a $2.5M home in north Raleigh last week.

Pretty sure he bought that home quite a while ago. His wife and daughter have been living there since this summer.

 

[Tau837]

And Cowher won't be going to AZ, he'll be going to NC...to retire...at least for a few years. I'm sure he'll come back at some point.

There is a lot of speculation that Cowher will take the HC job at N.C. State, his alma mater. He just bought a $2.5M home in north Raleigh last week.

Pretty sure he bought that home quite a while ago. His wife and daughter have been living there since this summer.

Well, it does appear that the purchase was initiated about a year ago, but apparently was only finalized recently. For whatever reason, this was published in the Raleigh News & Observer within the past week (Cowher Buys in Raleigh):

With a Super Bowl ring newly snug on his finger, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher has little reason to leave Pittsburgh.

But he and his family appear to be planning for a future in Raleigh.

A trust managed by his sports agency has purchased a $2.5 million home in an upscale neighborhood in North Raleigh, according to documents on file with the Wake County Register of Deeds.

The MLL Revocable Trust is managed by Frank Zecca, vice president of Octagon Financial Services in McLean, Va. The initials "MLL" may correspond to the first initials of Cowher's three daughters: Meagan, Lauren and Lindsay.

Cowher, 48, has strong ties to North Carolina. He played linebacker at N.C. State in the late 1970s. His defensive coach was Chuck Amato, now the Wolfpack's head coach.

Cowher's wife, the former Kaye Young, and her twin sister, Faye, were members of the Pack women's basketball team then and the sisters still have family in Bunn.

The Cowhers also own a summer home on Bald Head Island.

Kaye Cowher didn't confirm the family had purchased the North Raleigh house but said the family plans to live in Raleigh at some point.

"It's where we want to settle down. Raleigh is where we want to be," she said in a recent interview. "It's where we went to school, we have family and great friends there, and it's a wonderful city. We're looking into real estate there."

Estate planners can conceal residency or ownership for certain properties by creating trusts or companies to be named in public records.

Zecca would not comment on who would occupy the house. Likewise, home builder Don Collins would not comment on the buyer.

"I don't have to give out any information on anyone who buys my houses," Collins said.

The 7,400-square-foot house sits on 1.55 acres off of Norwood Road in North Raleigh.

According to the house's listing, it has five bedrooms, a built-in wet-bar, a whirlpool, a swimming pool and garage space for four cars.

Now, does this mean Cowher will retire this year? Not necessarily, but there has been plenty of speculation about that (Cowher, Steelers Break Off Contract Talks):

Evidence continues to mount that the 2006 football season could be the last one for Bill Cowher as coach of the Steelers.

The latest indication came when club president Art Rooney II yesterday confirmed a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report that negotiations with the coach's agent to extend his contract had ended for this year. Talks will not resume -- if they do at all -- until after the season.

Cowher has two seasons left on his contract. This will be the first time in his 15 seasons that he will not have extended his contract when it had two years left. He and the Steelers last came to an agreement on a two-year extension through the 2007 season in July 2004.

The Post-Gazette reported on June 9 that there was a growing feeling inside the Steelers' organization that this could be Cowher's last season as the team's coach and that he had talked to associates about retiring. Cowher also has told people that he might have retired this year had the Steelers not won the Super Bowl in February.

He and his wife, Kaye, bought a $2.5 million home in Raleigh, N.C., a sale negotiated last fall but one that did not become public until March. Their youngest daughter, Lindsay, left the Fox Chapel School District and enrolled for her sophomore year in a private high school near Raleigh. The Cowhers' other two daughters attend Princeton University.

Cowher, 49, has declined to say whether this will be his final season as coach, saying he will take it year to year.

Rooney's statement began on an upbeat note.

"Over the past several months, we have had a continuing and positive dialogue with coach Cowher's representative, Octagon president Phil de Picciotto, concerning Bill's contract and the future" Rooney said. "I remain optimistic and hopeful that we will be able to conclude a contract extension which will keep Bill coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers for many more years.

"However, we have all agreed that at this time we will continue those conversations after this season so that Bill's focus, and the focus of the entire organization can be on the excitement and challenge of defending the Super Bowl championship."

After practice, Cowher said, "I think I made my statement yesterday about that."

Then he would not comment on Rooney's statement?

"You got that right," Cowher said.

De Picciotto said, "We've never discussed a contract during the season. The timing just isn't right, and nothing more should be read into it."

Rooney's statement came one day after Cowher expressed disappointment that Jerome Bettis announced on NBC-TV Sunday night that he believed this would be Cowher's final season as Steelers coach.

"I think there's been a lot of speculation about my future," Cowher said Monday. "I'm here to say once again it's purely that -- speculation. I don't like talking about the contract because we're in camp. I love coaching football. I love coaching here. ... and I'm going to leave it at that."

In the days before training camp started, Cowher said he was happy with the way contract talks with the Steelers were going.

The Cowhers picked out their new home in North Raleigh, near where his wife grew up. When news of their purchase of the 7,400-square foot home broke in March, it stunned most in the organization. The Cowhers also own a summer home on Bald Head Island, N.C., and the first home they bought when the Steelers hired him in 1992, in Fox Chapel.

If he does retire after the season, assistant head coach Russ Grimm or offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt would be strong candidates to succeed him. Both have been candidates for head coaching jobs in the NFL.

Do these things mean whenever he does retire he would consider coaching N.C. State? No. But, as I said, there has been a lot of speculation that he will coach N.C. State after he retires, and it looks like that retirement could be imminent. Too bad he didn't retire after last season and go out on an extraordinary high.Anyway, as relates to the subject at hand, I don't see any likelihood of Cowher coaching the Cardinals.

 

[Avery]

I like in Raleigh and have heard these rumors as well.

To the best of my knowledge, the rumor's only source is local sports talk radio and are solely based on where he built his house.

I just don't see Cowher wanting to deal with all the additional crap (i.e. recruiting, strong-armed NCAA regulations) that come with the college game.

 

[Tau837]

I like in Raleigh and have heard these rumors as well.To the best of my knowledge, the rumor's only source is local sports talk radio and are solely based on where he built his house.I just don't see Cowher wanting to deal with all the additional crap (i.e. recruiting, strong-armed NCAA regulations) that come with the college game.

Agree that there would be extra headaches. That said, Cowher's love for N.C. State is well known. State fans are hoping that love will spur him to take a shot at lifting the program above the mediocre level it is at now. In recent years, the facilities have been substantially upgraded, as has the talent. The pieces are in place for a talented coach. The problem is (IMO) that most top notch coaching candidates would not view State's program as anything more than a stepping stone, if they would even consider taking the job. Cowher is a possible exception, as he likely would not consider any other college program besides State.Instead of "speculation", perhaps I should have said "hope".

 

[Avery]

I like in Raleigh and have heard these rumors as well.To the best of my knowledge, the rumor's only source is local sports talk radio and are solely based on where he built his house.I just don't see Cowher wanting to deal with all the additional crap (i.e. recruiting, strong-armed NCAA regulations) that come with the college game.

Agree that there would be extra headaches. That said, Cowher's love for N.C. State is well known. State fans are hoping that love will spur him to take a shot at lifting the program above the mediocre level it is at now. In recent years, the facilities have been substantially upgraded, as has the talent. The pieces are in place for a talented coach. The problem is (IMO) that most top notch coaching candidates would not view State's program as anything more than a stepping stone, if they would even consider taking the job. Cowher is a possible exception, as he likely would not consider any other college program besides State.Instead of "speculation", perhaps I should have said "hope".

Spoken like a true State fan. Go Pack!