When Carnell Lake arrived as Steelers defensive backs coach in 2011 he inherited one of the most veteran units in the NFL. He had Troy Polamalu in his prime and Ryan Clark and Ike Taylor in or past theirs.
In his sixth summer as a Steelers assistant, things are much different. Lake is now working with one of the younger secondaries in the league.
It didn’t happen overnight. Clark left following the 2013 season, and Polamalu and Taylor left after the 2014 season, when the Steelers began to restock the position through the draft.
Still, there are times when the point is driven home, and even Lake is smacked in the face with the realization of how young his group really is.