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Ryan Shazier is neither gone nor forgotten. The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker remains a fixture at the team’s facility as he continues his recovery from spinal surgery last December that left his football future uncertain at best.

While there is a sense of loss Youth Jake McCabe Jersey , there is no sense of panic. The Steelers understand there is no one player that has Shazier’s mix of speed and smarts. So they’re not even going to try to replace him.

Expect a group that includes free-agent signee Jon Bostic, Tyler Matakevich and possibly even rookie Terrell Edmunds as part of the committee that will be in Shazier’s spot at inside linebacker when the defending AFC North champions open the 2018 season in Cleveland.

The front office felt so comfortable with the idea it passed on selecting a linebacker in last month’s draft, the first time in nearly a decade the Steelers didn’t use one of their picks on a position coach Mike Tomlin considers among the most vital on the field.

That’s fine by Bostic. The well-traveled 27-year-old signed a two-year deal in March following a productive if injury marred season in Indianapolis. Bostic’s arrival appeared to be for depth purposes but when the draft came and went, he now finds himself with as good a shot as anyone as lining up next to veteran Vince Williams. While he kept tabs on the draft, he didn’t exactly celebrate when Pittsburgh didn’t pick up a linebacker.

”At the end of the day, I don’t get paid to do that type of stuff,” Bostic said during organized team activities this week. ”All I can control is me preparing, when my number is called upon, make sure that I’m ready.”

Something Bostic was last season for the Colts, finishing with 97 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in 14 games before a knee injury in December sent him to injured reserve. He’s good to go now and eager to show he’s ready to unpack his bags and stay awhile.

The Chicago Bears chose Bostic in the second round of the 2013 draft, but he found himself on the move following a coaching change after the 2014 season. The Bears sent him to New England in 2015 and the following January the Patriots flipped him to Detroit for a draft pick. He never played a down for the Lions after breaking his left foot during a practice against the Steelers.

From there it was on to Indianapolis Tom Waddle Jersey , where he breathed life into his career by being one of the most consistent performers on a team that won just four games. The expectations are considerably higher in Pittsburgh.

”Last year, when I was out there, I proved myself and going forward I plan to prove myself again,” Bostic said. ”I got a lot of unfinished business.”

So do the Steelers, who were gashed for 164 yards rushing and 45 points in a stunning playoff loss to Jacksonville. Though Pittsburgh led the league and set a franchise record with 57 sacks, the defense struggled at times following Shazier’s injury against Cincinnati on Dec. 4.

Throw out a Christmas Day game against Houston – which played without quarterback DeShaun Watson – and the Steelers allowed 33.5 points and 381 yards after Shazier’s exit. They’ll have a full offseason to get ready for life without him. The plan includes potentially flipping from a 3-4 to a 4-3 look in certain situations and getting creative with substitutions.

That’s where Edmunds comes into play. Though technically a safety, he served as a de facto linebacker late in his time at Virginia Tech when the Hokies played with five or more defensive backs. There’s also Matakevich, a special teams ace who will finished 2017 on injured reserve due with a shoulder issue.

General manager Kevin Colbert pointed out after the draft that Matakevich was injured during the same quarter the Steelers lost Shazier. Who knows what he could have done if asked to fill in for Shazier? It’s one of the reasons Colbert said he didn’t feel comfortable ”reaching” for a linebacker in the draft if one who fit the profile wasn’t available.

”Between Jon and Tyler we don’t know what we have at those two quite honestly because Jon is new to us and Tyler will be in the rotation and competition as well,” Colbert said. ”If there are positions that are available to us when we are picking, and they fit and they are at the right spot, great.”

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Hue Jackson surfaced from the chilly water soaked and smiling before he raised both arms in triumph.

Cleveland’s coach hasn’t had many moments to celebrate during two miserable seasons with the Browns, so this felt like a victory over the dreaded Steelers.

A very wet Thomas Vanek Jersey , wonderful win.

Jackson took a dive into Lake Erie on Friday , delivering on a promise with a dip he hopes can help cleanse the bumbling Browns, who have gone 1-31 in two seasons with Jackson in charge.

Clad in a T-shirt and shorts, Jackson jogged into the surf holding his wife Michelle’s hand before submerging himself. He popped up, pulled up his sagging swim trunks – but not before his backside was exposed – and then splashed along with owner Dee Haslam and more than 150 team employees who turned out to support him and raise money for his charity.

”No more freakin’ losing,” Jackson hollered. ”Let’s go!”

Jackson’s plunge had been in the works for months. After the Browns went 1-15 in his first season, Jackson vowed that if the team finished that poorly again, he would jump into one of the Great Lakes. And when Cleveland staggered to a 0-16 record last season, becoming only the second team in NFL history to lose all 16 games, Jackson had no choice but to stick to his words.

”This is not something I do every day, but I made a statement, and I have to back it up Craig Smith Jersey ,” Jackson said. ”I came here two years ago to win, and I’m going to win here. I truly believe that. But I think when you make statements, you’ve got to stand by them.”

With a TV news helicopter hovering over Huntington Beach, and an NFL Films crew recording his every move on land and sea, Jackson spent several minutes in the unusually warm 72-degree water.

After returning to shore, Jackson expressed relief to have it behind him.

This was a chance to wash off the filth from two painful, forgettable seasons.

”It feels good that it’s over with,” Jackson said. ”It’s over and done with. The page is turned, and you can see it’s not just me, it’s our organization. They are the reason why I do what I do, and our players and our fans. I know our fans have been very disappointed. I get it. But that page is closed. Hopefully they’ll give us a chance to earn back their respect, their trust Womens Saquon Barkley Jersey , their affection for our football team and this city, because we plan on doing something special.”

Before he headed into the water, Jackson became emotional while speaking to the team’s employees. He pledged to donate $100 for every Browns co-worker who joined him, and Dee and Jimmy Haslam matched him, raising $30,000 for his foundation which raises awareness and fights human trafficking.

Jackson was fortunate to keep his job following two seasons, but Dee Haslam said the team remains confident he’ll get the Browns turned around.

”Hue’s a great coach, a great leader of men,” she said. ”The last couple years have been terrible for us and been really terrible for our fans. We take that responsibility and feel horrible about it because Northeast Ohio and the fans of the Cleveland Browns deserve so much more.”

As he prepares for his third season, Jackson said his days of making predictions are over.

”I’m not making any more guarantees,” he said. ”I’m not making any more promises.”

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