Ryan Clark has lost starting job in Pittsburgh

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

If we hadn't let Clark go in the first place we would be 11-2 right now.

I don't really think that; but it seems like many people on this board do, seeing as how so many members are wont to link our defensive struggles to Clark's absence (as opposed to with the horrid performances of the players who are still here). This is a defense whose issues go far deeper than the loss of a mediocre safety.

I'm interested in seeing where Clark's progression in the league is in a couple more years. Some are always more than ready to heap a great deal of praise on players who sometimes have a few good games, or maybe one good season. I believe in reserving evaluation of a player until he has proven over a period of time, on a sustained basis that he's NFL caliber. The way our defense played this year, I don't think any one player would have made that much of a difference. While I believe in giving credit where it's due, Clark did have his moments last year, but there were doubts about him being a long term solution. Of all the players that have departed over the last few years and gone to other teams, I can only think of two that are playing at a reasonably high level with their new team, and that's Champ Bailey, and Antonio Pierce.