Steelreign : Let the Renovations Begin....or Not

Before a problem can be fixed, we must admit that there is a problem and SteelerNation there is a problem that must be addressed, not with year to year band-aids but with a long term solution. Championship teams are built through the draft and more importantly in rounds four through seven because these players make up a supporting cast for the superstars that get drafted in the first three rounds. This is the basis of the Steelers problems, they have not been able to replace talent through the draft forcing them into hanging on to aging veterans by restructuring their contracts and keeping the payroll dangerously close to cap limits and ironically, leaving them unable to be able to afford to get younger.
So far this offseason the Steelers have parted ways with James Harrison and Willie Colon, but it shouldn't stop there, they need to continue this course of action with Brett Keisel and Ike Taylor as well. The cap hit for Keisel and Taylor is around $12 million, money that the Steelers could have really used to retain younger players that could've helped this team for the forseeable future, but instead Colbert has chosen to let the younger talent leave in favor of vets whose best days are far behind them. Who in their right mind chooses a 33 year old Cornerback, in decline and coming off of a broken ankle, over a 27 year old that is just entering his prime, who in his first year of real playing time leads the league in passes defended? It is the same man who said that bringing the same roster into next season and expecting to be better than 8-8 would be crazy and that changes would be made. Let's look at the changes made so far this offseason.
Players who have left or were released:
Mike Wallace (WR) leaves via free agency to the Miami Dolphins
Rashard Mendenhall (RB) leaves via free agency to the Arizona Cardinals
Keenan Lewis (CB) leaves via free agency to the New Orleans Saints
Willie Colon (G) released
James Harrison (OLB) released after refusing a paycut
Players who have signed or resigned with the Steelers:
Willie Gay (CB)
David Johnson (TE/FB)
Greg Warren (LS)
Ramon Foster (G)
Plaxico Burress (WR)
Bruce Gradkowski (QB)
Larry Foote (ILB)
Well, so far Kevin Colbert was right, the Steelers won't be heading into the 2013 season with the same roster, the old one would have been better than the one he's attempting to (de)construct now. The statement he made heading into this offseason was widely interpreted to mean that even though there wasn't really a need to rebuild, there was going to be some renovations and renovations is supposed to equal improvement, let's see how it's going so far, are the Steelers better off or worse off?
1. Letting Mike Wallace leave and bringing back Plaxico Burress...WORSE
2. Keeping Ike Taylor over Keenan Lewis and bringing back Willie Gay...WORSE
3. Letting Rashard Mendenhall walk leaving Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer as primary ball carriers...WORSE
4. Signing Bruce Gradkowski to backup Ben...Worse
5. Cutting Willie Colon and resigning Ramon Foster...BETTER
6. Cutting James Harrison (Worilds is replacing who Harrison is now, not what he was)...Better
The Steelers cut Harrison and Colon because they didn't feel their value was worth the cap hit and yet amazingly they think that Ike Taylor, at a cap hit of $9.3 million is a better value to the team than Keenan Lewis was at cheaper price. I guess they also imagined Plaxico Burress would be blowing the top off coverages in 2013 too. They must have really been thrilled with being able to bring back shutdown corner Willie Gay too who was cut by Arizona after one season, just what were those Redbirds thinking? A rational person does not make the moves that Colbert has made so far and expexct improvement the following season, when he has the chance to get out of salary cap hell with some improvement to a roster that could've gotten younger. As it is at this point, another 8-8 season is starting to look good but out of reach, while the possibility of a thoroughly gutted Ravens roster finishing with a better record is increasing.