Scroll down the twitter feeds of Steelers fans and you might think it was 2008. James Harrison signed with the New England Patriots today………so what. The Patriots got the 2017 version of Harrison, not the 2008 version. The same linebacker who couldn’t beat out Anthony Chickillo or Arthur Moats for a spot on the active roster. Harrison went through waivers unclaimed, meaning every team in the NFL had a chance to acquire him. Even while making the veteran minimum, no team claimed the former all-pro. There’s a reason for that, James Harrison just isn’t good anymore.

As far as the narrative of Deebo giving the Pats any sort of inside information on the Steelers defense, that’s nonsense. Bill Belichick already knows this defense better than half the Pittsburgh players. New England is desperate for veteran depth on defense, pure and simple. There’s no hidden strategy behind this acquisition.

The James Harrison signing will come and go without incident. Five years from now most people will forget it even happened. While it’s great for clicks on social media, it will have far less impact on the field of play.