“I don’t know if it’s a new era, but there are a lot of guys out here I have no idea who they are.” via The Sports Xchange on CBSSports.com

Granted, I am sure most of this quote was made in jest because the Steelers experienced so much roster turnover this offseason, but “The Beard” really made a good point.  There are numerous new faces on this football team, that is a straight up fact.  The old faces of the early decade we grew to know and adore have either left, or are now on the verge of packing it in over the next couple of seasons.  But you know what?  It is not necessarily a bad thing at all for this team.

Kevin Colbert, Art Rooney II, and Dan Rooney have done a terrific job over their careers. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

All things considered though, the Steelers franchise has replaced talent and transitioned from consistent roster turnover better than almost any team during the Free Agency/Salary Cap era.  So last night, I thought about some of the talent which Pittsburgh has developed and helped to become terrific players over the last 20 years, and then ultimately had to replace for whatever reasons.  This list is just a short sample I came up with:

Offense

Running Backs: Barry Foster, Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker

Tight End/Wide Receivers: Eric Green, Yancey Thigpen, Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward

Centers/Guards: Dermontti Dawson, Carlton Haselrig, Duval Love, Jeff Hartings, Alan Faneca

Tackles: John Jackson, Marvel Smith

Defense

Defensive Linemen: Ray Seals, Joel Steed, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Aaron Smith

Linebackers: Hardy Nickerson, David Little, Kevin Greene, Chad Brown, Greg Lloyd, Levon Kirkland, Earl Holmes, Kendrell Bell, Jason Gildon, Joey Porter, James Farrior

Defensive Backs: Rod Woodson, Thomas Everett, Carnell Lake, Darren Perry, Deshea Townsend

Kicker: Gary Anderson

Some of these guys were above-average contributors and played to a very high level during their tenures with the club like Randle El, Jackson, Seals, von Oelhoffen, Nickerson, Holmes, Everett, Perry, and Townsend.  Santonio had one of the greatest individual Postseasons ever and was named Super Bowl MVP for his efforts.  The rest of these players made the Pro Bowl at least once during there time in Pittsburgh, and a good number of these guys made multiple Pro Bowls like Lake, Lloyd, Greene, Farrior, Foster, Anderson, Green, Parker, Porter Hartings etc..  Yet the awesome thing about this list is that it includes two Hall of Famers already inducted in the forms of Woodson and Dawson, and Ward, Bettis, and Faneca all likely will have their tickets punched to Canton in the near future as well.  And this is a list of guys that are gone now.  Who knows how awesome this list will be in another decade when a few names like Casey Hampton, Maurkice Pouncey, Heath Miller, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and Troy Polamalu are added to it.

With all the change, it honestly goes to show the solid work of people like Dick Haley, Tom Donahoe, Kevin Colbert and the rest of their fellow employees during their regime’s when they were Front Office heads.  The talent may come and go, but the key has been to make it a never-ending process, and it is what the Steelers have done a masterful job of over the last couple decades.  And yes, Pittsburgh is again in the midst of yet another rebuilding/reloading process as we speak.

Yet as Coach Mike Tomlin has stated over and over again: “The Standard is The Standard.”  And that singular phrase itself embodies almost the “The Steeler Way” of doing things, and how they have kept building winning teams over the years.  Players, and talented players at that, may leave for whatever reasons.  But the Steelers and their Front Office have always been on the lookout to add new and talented players to the roster on a consistent basis.  We might not know very many of these new names and faces right now in June of 2012, yet over the next few years I am sure they will all be familiar to us and we will be cheering hard for them.

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The inevitable came to pass on Monday when the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the release of longtime starter Larry Foote.

The circumstances over his departure are a bit murky to say the least. The Steelers are painting this as a salary cap move but if that were the case, why wait until now? If they released him months ago, they could have used some of his $2.89 million salary to try and woo free agents. Also, with the recent release of Gary Russell and the restructuring of Hines Ward‘s contract, the Steelers are well under the cap. There was no pressing need to cut anybody, let alone somebody making a measly salary.

Reading between the lines, it appears the salary cap excuse is simply a way for the Steelers to save face. Foote has given several recent interviews noting his unhappiness over sharing playing time with second year LB Lawrence Timmons. Apparently, he sensed the writing was on the wall as far as Timmons taking his place on a full time basis so he wanted out now while his value was high as the incumbent starter on a championship team. He also may have heard rumors of the Steelers trying to trade him and preferred a release so he could sign with the team of his choice.  Pittsburgh’s hand was forced when he didn’t show up to minicamp last week so rather than deal with a sulking distraction, they simply cut the cord.  Foote has been quoted as saying he’d like to take his two Super Bowl rings and spend the final years of his career playing for his hometown Detroit Lions. Good luck with that.

In the meantime, this is the 2nd starter from the NFL’s best defense to not be returning next year with CB Bryant McFadden already having left for Arizona Pittsburgh West. Timmons did see his playing time increase steadily as the season progressed but has yet to prove he’s an every down player. While a tremendous athlete who made some terrific plays when brought in on passing downs, Timmons is a bit on the small side and will have to prove he can play the run as well as the pass. Foote was a solid if unspectacular player whose dependable play earned him a spot in the starting lineup in every game since winning the job back in 2004.

Thanks for everything, Big Foote. You will be missed.