Mike Florio was on 93.7 The Fan a week ago and was talking about the LaMarr Woodley contract situation. Florio had a quote that intrigued me when he said, “Is it the system or is it the player? Sometimes they decide it’s the player and they pay the player. Sometimes they decide it’s the system and they let the player walk away.” I went back and compiled the stats of Steelers left outside linebackers going back to 1994 and the numbers have been fairly consistent for the most part over the years. For years that players did not start all 16 games, I added the stats of the players that started in their place and combined the total stats for those years as you will see in the table of stats below.

Looking back at the Jason Gildon years from 1996-2002, you can see what a force he was and he only missed starting 3 games in that time span. All 3 missed starts came in the 1996 season. From 1998-2002, Gildon tallied 53 sacks and an eye-popping 72 in games he started during his Steelers career. Clark Haggans followed after Gildon was released and while his tackles were fairly consistent his sack totals paled as he totaled only 25 in four seasons. He also missed 7 games in that time frame and was spelled by James Harrison. Harrison only recorded 1 sack in those starts and really was never a fit on the left side that he is on the right, so score one for the system and player combined here.

Now onto LaMarr Woodley. Woodley has been a full time starter for just 2 seasons and has already totaled 25 sacks as a starter in that time. While two seasons do not make a career, he has established himself as a premier pass rusher from the outside left linebacker spot. If not for CBA uncertainty, the Steelers might have already locked him up for 4 more years based on those numbers, but on the flip side they might be waiting to see LaMarr put up a third straight type season before making him the highest paid man on defense and the second highest paid on the team. Can you blame them?

The Steelers on the flip side might think that it is the system as looking all the way back to 1994, one must admit that the left outside linebacker spot has produced. The Steelers drafted Thaddeus Gibson in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft as possible insurance. Gibson was not drafted to threaten Woodley, he was drafted because the Steelers have no depth behind Woodley right now. If Woodley stays healthy in 2010, he very easily can put up another 12 sacks and 60 plus total tackles and that would more than solidify him as worthy of the big, big money. Unless Gibson switches sides or moves inside, we may never know what his potential is or isn't at the position, but you always need depth.

So back to the question on if it is the system or the player, I think it is both. The Steelers do a great job of drafting these tweener, stand up college defensive ends that can play the run as well as pass rush. These types of players excel in the 3-4 defensive schemes and the Steelers have a long, long history of these types of players. In no way am I advocating the Steelers not find a way to get a long term deal done with Woodley, but you have to like their track record over the last 15 years at the position. While Haggans was statistically the worst of the bunch, he certainly was no slouch. He also has a Super Bowl ring in his possession, while Gildon and Kevin Greene do not.

Hopefully we do not need to find out if Gibson is or isn't anything more than a serviceable backup, but if we do, you better hope it is the player, because as of right now, Woodley is the player putting up numbers that will be hard to be beat, regardless of the system.

Year	Player	GS	Solo	Asst	Total	Sacks	Int	FFum	DefTD
1994	Kevin Greene	16	53	16	69	14	0	1	0
1995	Kevin Greene	16	34	14	48	9	9	2	0
1996	Jason Gildon	13	47	12	59	7	0	3	0
1997	Jason Gildon	16	41	12	53	5	0	0	1
1998	Jason Gildon	16	42	12	54	11	0	2	0
1999	Jason Gildon	16	42	15	57	8.5	0	1	0
2000	Jason Gildon	16	58	19	77	13.5	1	4	1
2001	Jason Gildon	16	43	13	56	12	1	3	1
2002	Jason Gildon	16	45	22	67	9	0	3	0
2003	Jason Gildon	16	43	19	62	6	1	1	0
2004	Clark Haggans	13	30	8	38	6	0	2	0
2004	James Harrison	3	6	3	9	0	0	1	0
2004	Combined	16	36	11	47	6	0	3	0
2005	Clark Haggans	13	42	19	61	9	0	4	0
2005	James Harrison	3	12	4	16	1	1	0	0
2005	Combined	16	54	23	77	10	1	4	0
2006	Clark Haggans	15	52	25	77	6	1	2	0
2006	James Harrison	1	4	0	4	0	0	0	0
2006	Combined	16	56	25	81	6	1	2	0
2007	Clark Haggans	16	37	21	58	4	0	0	0
2008	LaMarr Woodley	15	41	19	60	11.5	1	2	1
2008	Lawerence Timmons	1	4	1	5	0	0	0	0
2008	Combined	16	45	20	65	11.5	1	2	1
2009	LaMarr Woodley	16	50	12	62	13.5	0	1	1

Incoming search terms for the article:

• players on the steelers and their position
• left outside linebacker
• pittsburgh steelers players or system
• Left Linebacker
• jersey 47
• left side linebacker
• steelers defensive scheme palumalu position
• Left side linebackers duties
• outside linebacker on the left side
• who is the highest paid linebacker in the pittsburgh steelers team

Former Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher, could have his loyalty tested if the Penguins and Hurricanes both advance to the NHL Conference finals. This will be a good problem to have. Let's Go Pens!

Sports Illustrated recently listed the five best and five worst owners in each of the four major team sports with the Rooney Family being listed number one.

Jim Wexell from Steel City Insider conducted an interview during the recent Steelers minicamp with second-year wide receiver, Limas Sweed.

The ever useless Peter King has ranked the NFL teams, 1-32, after free agency and draft. Although he tries to win over Steeler fans by listing them number 2, he list us after the Patriots.

Former Steeler great, Kevin Greene, is now the Packers outside linebacker coach and helping the Pack phase in 3-4 defense.

If anyone runs into Pitt student, Andrew Ablog, please punch him in the mouth for me. This is what you get when Eagles fans live vicariously through Steeler fans.

Three former Pittsburgh Steeler players and one coach are among the 25 semifinalists being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009. The Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors chose the 25 semifinalists from the recently announced list of 133 preliminary nominees. Center Dermontti Dawson, defensive end/linebacker Kevin Greene, defensive back Rod Woodson and former Steeler offensive line and Redskins offensive lineman coach Russ Grimm head the list of 25 semifinalists.

The complete list of 25 modern-era semifinalists is as follows:

C Dermontti Dawson
LB/DE Kevin Greene
CB/S Rod Woodson
G Russ Grimm
WR Cris Carter
RB Roger Craig
RB Terrell Davis
DE Richard Dent
DE/LB Chris Doleman
P Ray Guy
DE/LB Charles Haley
CB Lester Hayes
DT Cortez Kennedy
G Bob Kuechenberg
G Randall McDaniel
Owner Art Modell
DT John Randle
WR Andre Reed
TE Shannon Sharpe
DE Bruce Smith
QB Ken Stabler
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue
Special Teams/WR Steve Tasker
LB Derrick Thomas
Owner Ralph Wilson