Timmons returns to outside LB spot

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Before Lawrence Timmons became a $50 million inside linebacker in the NFL, he was a star outside linebacker in college, a player the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted as the heir apparent to All-Pro Joey Porter on the outside.

For the time being, at least, Timmons is heading back to his future as the next in the lineage of great outside linebackers the Steelers have produced.

With James Harrison out for several weeks due to a broken orbital bone around his right eye, Timmons will start in his place at right outside linebacker. Veteran Larry Foote will return to the starting spot he occupied for five seasons in Pittsburgh: Timmons’ gig at right inside linebacker.

The Steelers maintain there isn’t all that much of a transition for Timmons to make. His transition was from the outside to the inside when he began his NFL career.

“He’ll be fine — he never played inside linebacker until he got here,” safety Ryan Clark said. “That was his original position, a position he was really drafted to play until James Harrison became James Harrison. And then we had to find somewhere else to put him.”

That was in the inside in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense — ironically, originally to replace Foote, who asked to be released after the Steelers’ victory in the 2009 Super Bowl. Foote had started every game for Pittsburgh at the position from 2004-08, but at the time, he saw the writing on the wall with Timmons.

The Steelers drafted Timmons with their first-round pick in 2007 — the team’s first draft choice with Mike Tomlin as coach — and the 6-foot-1, 234-pound linebacker with 4.6 speed had shown enough with his athleticism at that point that it was obvious the Steelers needed to find a place for him.

With Harrison winning the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008 and LaMarr Woodley — drafted a round after Timmons in 2007 — having had 111/2 sacks in his first season as a starter, the only place the Steelers had for Timmons was on the inside.

“I’m pretty comfortable with this because I’ve been playing the whole week at outside, and me and the coaches have been sprucing up the little things that I haven’t seen in a while,” Timmons said. “Obviously, the more reps you get, the more you’re going to see. But I’ve started at outside linebacker before, so I am sure I will be fine.”

Timmons filled in for Harrison and Woodley a game each in 2008, and he has spelled them at times when either has left a game early due to injury.

“I know what to expect,” said Timmons. “I’m an unselfish person willing to do whatever for the team. If I just play my assignment, I’ll be fine.”