2003 D-side, UbU: Amendment 1

D-side, unit by unit Update:

Last night, the Steeler FO brought in Erik Flowers, cutting James Harrison to make room.� So, they screwed up my unit-by-unit outlook; to make that right, I�m appending these limited comments.

Flowers was drafted 1.26 in 2000 by the Buffalo Bills.� This was the last year of the John Butler reign although, to my recall, Tom Donahoe was already on-board in some advisory capacity.� Early in the draft process, Flowers was regarded as a late 2^nd thru 3^rd type pick but, on the strength of a pretty good Combine, he did move up.� In fact, the late great Joel Buschbaum had EF 28^th among all prospects in his final summation.� Anyway, here are Flowers� numbers then, along with a couple others:�

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KGB is shown here because, as discussed last winter in various prospect articles, he (with Carlos Hall) set the standard for capable package DE discoverable in the mid-rounds.� The other two are current Steeler properties; it is noteworthy that: Flowers is bigger, faster and stronger than either backup.� As a point of interest, his shuttle time was actually a bit faster than Brian Urlacher�s 4.18.

Certainly, those physical attributes must have commended Flowers to the Bills group; however, those have not translated onto the field.� Here are his career stats:

The Bills were a 3-4 team in 2000 with Marcellus Wiley the featured rush DE (Note: please recall the distinction previously drawn between the Bills� and Steeler 3-4 modes).� Presumably, Flowers was to have been Wiley�s heir but after that season Greg Williams brought in the Buddy Ryan 46, and that all changed.� In 2001, Flowers was used as a 4-3 DE and, obviously, the results weren�t great.� The numbers suggest he didn�t bring much pressure and, anecdotally, he didn�t hold up against the run either.

Look, the Bills drafted Aaron Schobel in 2001; they exposed Flowers to Houston in 2002 (who did take him) and they then drafted Ryan Denny in 2002.� Schobel and Denny are the Bills� starting DE today; to the new regime, Flowers just wasn�t the guy.

He went on to do squat in Houston; listed at OLB in the Texans� Steeler-like 3-4, Flowers got nothing done, as is obvious from the stats above.� So, he was a cut there and now he�s here.� What�s it mean?

• Flowers has good size for a package DE; maybe, he�s got a chance to help there.� Given the Steelers� on-going need at that position, and given the relatively poor crop available last spring, Flowers may be some kind of upgrade

• It could be argued that the Steelers got him so they�d have some experience behind OLB Gildon and Haggans.� However, it is quite apparent that he doesn�t bring much there.� Flowers doesn�t look like any kind of LB prospect; if he did, Dom Capers, true architect of the system here, would have kept him on in Enronburg.

Flowers is more prospect than player at this point and, in that respect, he�s a pretty good add. �He does have good size and decent speed; for sure, he�s a better fit in the OKIE than James Harrison.� Then again, Harrison looked like a better bet inside than out.� Me, I�d have let Foote ride and kept JH but, given that the latter has had zero in-board exposure, that could really never have been under consideration.� Now, well, we�ll see whether Harrison catches on with some team whose system better suits his ability; say, St. Louis, Tampa Bay or even Indy.� I�m sorry to see Harrison go but whatever title hope the Steelers may harbor didn�t depend on their 9^th LB.�

As for Flowers, well, if he can contribute, it�ll be in a 3-down set, perhaps as outlined previously (1DL, 2 LB) but, more promisingly, in tandem with a dual DT package, as was the late John Butler�s originating intent.� What are the odds?� Well, not great; as Harrison was out of position at OKIE OLB so is Flowers, if for different reasons.� In the best case, the FO would find prospects fully fit for the system; failing that, we�d like to see the staff adapt their system to the talent on hand.� Certainly, making the 53^rd guy any litmus test is overblown; such innovation or adaptation as may occur needs to act up the roster for any considerable results.� Starting Sunday, you�ll have some material to evaluate there.

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