The time has come for the Pittsburgh Steelers to start thinking about life without Troy Polamalu. Their star defender has a difficult choice to make whether to retire or come back to play again but this time however, it will be on a different team. Due to make about $6 million dollars if he’s on the roster this season, he will either retire or end up as a salary cap casualty. This is why heading into the 2015 NFL Draft, the Steelers must head in a different direction at the position and draft Landon Collins.
It’s a cruel business at the end of the day but it’s just part of running a successful football team. There is no doubt in my mind that Polamalu is a future Hall of Famer and no matter what he decides, will be remembered for his incredible career with the Steelers. However, there comes a time though that you must have change.
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The Steelers will ultimately need to do what is best for their team and part ways with him. They will absolutely need to find a suitable replacement to step right in and build their own legacy considering that last season, Polamalu didn’t register a single sack or get an interception for the first time in his career since 2007.
The Steelers must go young on defense and infuse the safety position with top talent. With the No. 22 overall pick in the draft, if available, Collins would be the next best thing to have on the Steelers defense as in my opinion, he’s the No. 1 safety in this year’s draft.
At 6’0″ and 228 pounds, Collins is ready to make a name for himself and do his very best to live up to the standard that Polamalu set for the past 12 years with the Steelers. Collins is incredibly aggressive, able to react quickly on the fly and has a knack for being a tackling machine while intimidating offenses.
Collins excels with run support but he will need to improve in his pass coverage skills once the best receiving targets the NFL has to offer starts coming his way. With his solid leaping abilities however, the majority of the time in one-on-one situations, he might not get the interception but he has a knack to bat the football down.
Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Landon Collins catches a pass during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
He can run sideline to sideline and loves to stop offenses dead in their tracks with how aggressive he plays. He also has traits of leadership and could possibly be developed as the next unspoken leader on defense. Compared to a rather thin crop of safeties at this year’s draft, Collins leads the pack with his athleticism and keen defensive traits.
While no one will ever really replace Polamalu and the legacy he’s built, this would be the right direction to head into in an effort to keep that hard-hitting presence felt. Collins is a natural play-maker as there is no doubt in my mind that with the proper coaching and his tremendous upside, he will be a force to reckon with for years to come.
Overall, Collins has what it takes to bring that physical energy similar to what most come to expect when watching the defense of the Steelers. He is the kind of player that will only get better over time and there is no doubt in my mind if the Steelers want to find their replacement, Collins is truly the way to go as they fill a major team need now while heading in a bold direction without Polamalu.
Next: Pittsburgh Steelers need to release Troy Polamalu and move on
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