So now Mike Mitchell is suddenly a top 10 safety

[RelaxImaPro]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000365643/article/buckys-best-earl-thomas-eric-berry-headline-dynamic-safeties?campaign=Facebook_writers_brooks

 

8) Mike Mitchell, Pittsburgh Steelers: If you're not familiar with Mitchell's name or game, it's time to get acquainted with a budding star. The sixth-year pro is coming off a breakout season where he tallied 66 tackles, four interceptions, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles as a roaming safety for theCarolina Panthers. The Steelers snagged Mitchell in free agency to act as a designated playmaker in coordinator Dick LeBeau's zone-blitz scheme. If he can quickly master the nuances of the system, Mitchell will team with Troy Polamalu to give the Steelers a terrifying tandem in the middle of the field.

 

Yeah... I'm sure that has nothing to do with him playing for the Steelers now, right?

 

Still props to Mike though, I'm gonna miss that dude.  Hurry up and finish your playing time with Pittsburgh and come back to the Queen City where you belong.

[LinvilleGorge]

He was a top 10 safety playing in our defense behind our front seven.  He was considered a bust in Oakland and that's why we were able to get him on a dirt cheap one year deal last year.

 

I wish we could've kept him, but I realize our defense made him look better than he is.  The actual player that he truly is is likely somewhere in between the bust that he was in Oakland and the borderline Pro Bowler he was last year in Carolina.  The Steelers bet heavily that it's a lot closer to the latter than the former.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

Eh, he played well last season. Good for him, but you would think with 64 starters in the league he would have to prove it again before he was ranked top ten.

[Cary Kollins]

The best front 7 in the NFL didn't hurt.

 

 

 

[PantherWake]

Should we really be surprised? They talk about Steve Smith as if we lost the '05 Triple crown winning Steve Smith.

[Galvatron]

I think a lot of it has to do with how much money he got in FA. Of course, that plus his production here which has already been mentioned.

[RelaxImaPro]

He was a top 10 safety playing in our defense behind our front seven.  He was considered a bust in Oakland and that's why we were able to get him on a dirt cheap one year deal last year.

 

I wish we could've kept him, but I realize our defense made him look better than he is.  The actual player that he truly is is likely somewhere in between the bust that he was in Oakland and the borderline Pro Bowler he was last year in Carolina.  The Steelers bet heavily that it's a lot closer to the latter than the former.

 

I'm talking more about how he was some unknown guy until we let him walk.  Now he signs with probably the 2nd largest market in the NFL and he's suddenly the 8th best safety in the league.  It's just funny.  He probably would've been a top 5 safety had he signed with the Cowboys.

 

Like I said earlier, respect to Mike.  He was underrated last year and I wish we could've kept him and the intensity he brought to the defense and his locker room presence.

[TheRumGone]

This place underrates Mitchell immensely. He came from fuging Oakland. fuging Oakland

[RelaxImaPro]

This place underrates Mitchell immensely. He came from fuging Oakland. fuging Oakland

 

I love Mike, he quickly became one of my favorite players last season.  I'm one of the few that was actually talking about potentially how good of a signing it was last year when we got him from Oakland.  A lot never even gave him a chance.  The board consensus was mainly "bleh we got an Al Davis bust Raider's backup...".  I knew from watching that 2012 game against the Raiders he could be a good player when he was up in Cam's face all game long.  I seriously have no fuging clue how he was a backup for that team, because he was by far their biggest impact player during that game I thought.  Oakland Raiders for you I guess.

 

He'll be missed on the defense and in the locker room, but it wasn't until he signed with the Steelers he became nationally relevant.  No one talked about him when he was busting heads for us last year and having the great year that caused the Steelers to shell out the big bucks for him in the first place.

[Peppers90 NC]

going off of last year and into this year, yes he probably is a top 10 safety.  the time spent in Oakland is irrelevant to these lists.

[TheRed]

I remember a certain thread last year during preseason wondering if he would still even be on the roster by the end of the regular season.

[Peppers90 NC]

also, there aren't many great safeties in this league, kind of an undervalued position and imo one of the least important on a defense if i had to rank all positions in the order of importance.

[SIGCHI222]

This place underrates Mitchell immensely. He came from fuging Oakland. fuging Oakland

 

Not me Rum.  I loved the guy.  His Miami post-game speech about not being afraid of anyone and how everybody was going to have to play us was epic.  Hated to see him go.

 

[rayzor]

as long as he has an elite front 7 in front of him, sure.