They really don't. There isn't anything about the OL unit that makes you think there is enough talent to be more than average.
OT: Steelers - who do they build around?
- Thread starter Chairman Moe
- Start date
And a lot of that is due to the Steelers drafting around the 18-22 range. When there's a class with a really good (franchise-type) OL (tackle) player or two, they are gone before the Steelers even get a sniff
The most optimistic way I can argue in favor of the OL is:
- McCormick and Frazier were ok to good at times as rookies
- Fautanu was like a top 5 OL draft prospect in the last 5 years. He won a job as a rookie. Seems like he has a good base and was on a good trajectory prior to getting hurt.
- Jones has physical tools that can't be taught. Good tape in college. He was very young and raw and always needed some seasoning and coaching. The light may come on for him.
So that's 4 young guys, 3 of whom were highly drafted, who possibly can play. I'm not saying it's likely that all or most hit but it's not crazy to think that they could be good as a unit.
2021. There are guys starting all over the league, including a couple of all-pro centers, that the Steelers passed on.
Why not ?
This narrative is silly
nah
I’ve been told the HC has all the power !
Jones wasn't even the best tackle at Georgia and he got beat out by Fauntanu, who was projected by just about everyone as a Guard in the NFL. Frazier is decent but he's never going to be more than average and that's not even a slight against him. But he's never been a pass blocker. McCormick is a bit of a mystery and only because he's pretty raw. The truth is that there really isn't anyone even close to elite on the unit. They could be a middle of the road unit and that's about it.
They could have a really good OL with many of the guys that they've passed over. I mean, Baltimore did more for their OL in the past two years than Pittsburgh has done in recent memory.
1st round - Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu
2nd round - Zach Frazier
UFAs - James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo
That's priority and investment from the front office. Of course, Tomlin hires a scrub OL coach to guide and develop this group and it looks like a total disaster.
I wouldn’t go as far as a disaster for next year but I’m definitely with you as far as questioning the number of posters being so optimistic about the OL going forward. Seems to be only one reason why that is, two 1st rounders snd one 2nd rounder. Everyone serms to glaze over how they’ve played as a unit.
Fautana is still a question mark and, while everyone thinks moving Jones to LT is the solution to making him better, the thought of him at LT is a little scary.
Yeah I think they need to further upgrade the OL. I’m not sold that this OP can be a top half of the league unit. It’s not near as bad as it was but it’s not near good enough to win
IMO they need a legit OL coach first. Dotson became a really good guard after leaving and even Green was serviceable. Will be interesting to see how Moore does with another team
You’re confident that a pedigreed DC would come here? Why now? How long has it been since Dick Lebeau? Tomlin’s defense doesn’t work. Why would someone come here to be Tomlin’s understudy? Might be career suicide since coordinators come here to die. Where are the last few coordinators who were here?
Highest paid defense in the league will still be the highest paid defense in the league without Minkah.
The investment in defense was sooooo effective that Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson had their best games of their careers against said defense.
This defense blows.
Hey - no doubt the former GM screwed the pooch for multiple years .
The owner is the boss . He makes the hires
The former GM? What did he do?
The owner needs to foist a DC on Tomlin like he did Todd Haley back in the day. That’s the only way we get a pedigreed guy, and a different innovative system. But it won’t happen.
So
As noted
The owner is Tomlin’s boss and can dictate coaching hires and fires .
Hailey was hired to do one job - protect Ben’s health with quick plays .
That’s why he was hired by Rooney
If they were investing in the OL, they would do what they could to trade up and get a true first round tackle. They wouldn't have passed over an all-pro Center for a TE. You don't draft Joey Porter Jr. when two very good interior linemen are right there for the pickings. There were a whole host of good OL-men sitting there in the third round this past year, many of whom played very well this past season as rookies, but the Steelers sat on their hands and drafted Roman Wilson. OL has never been a priority under Tomlin and in particular, they don't worry as much about pass pro, choosing to bring guys in that are run block first. The player evaluation isn't there. You have to actually INVEST in the O-line. Not keep throwing money at the defense. Yeah, the coach sucks but the Steelers have not done made OL a priority in a really long time.
The owner doesn't dictate coaching hires and fires. If he's doing that then Tomlin is an incompetent boob.
They had to protect Ben's health but running quick plays?! Or maybe they could invest in some OL talent, not draft a college guard that played a few games at Center and put him in front of your HOF QB. You're kind of making it worse because you're insinuating that nobody at the top knows what to do to fix very basic problems.
Let Kevin Colbert know .
Apparently he didn’t get the memo .
And Ben sucked up lots of cap .
Yes - I’ve been saying for a long time know - the downturn started when art 2 took over from Dan .
The answer imo, is the oline. Not that they definitely have anyone to build around yet but they have used a lot of draft capital to be this bad.
Dump Watt, Minkah, Cam for picks. Draft a QB and start over on their defense.
So I want somebody to really think about this and answer why then was Mike Tomlin allowed to fire Todd Haley? If Dan Rooney is the one who made him hire him, why was Mike Tomlin allowed to fire him? I think that’s the source of all the offensive struggles. they fired Todd Haley and allowed Ben to have his buddy coach and he wasn’t qualified and I’m not sure if Mike Tomlin would’ve picked Fichtner first.. And if that’s the case I had to give Mike Tom on the pass and so would the ownership because they screwed up.
Because Haley has off the field issues
NFL's Todd Haley & Wife Involved In Bar Fight, Coach Suffers Hip Injury
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley had a messed up New Year's Eve
amp.tmz.com
Rooney didn’t like that .
His contract was not renewed and announced January 18th that same month 16 days later .
Sure it was just a coincidence!
18 years with the same coach really took its toll!! Coaches should have term limits!!!
Poor Mike. He just sits there and takes all of this abuse from the ownership.
“Poor” Mike is the third highest paid NFL coach at $16mm annually. It’s a great gig because he doesn’t have to deliver top 3 performance and gets his lap dogs to blame the Rooneys for being too cheap to allow him to hire a competent staff. Nothing is Teflon Mikes Fault His only job is to deliver word salad quips and make sure his players like him.
Why would he. He’s getting paid top dollar to deliver mediocre results and gets dopes like you to blame ownership. It’s a great gig
Remember, it’s liberals who resort to name calling according to you.
It’s a good point. Ask anyone what he does best, and no one, not one person, will say X’s and O’s, roster construction, preparation…
But the first thing everyone will say is
A) his players like him (which is insignificant crap. If being liked meant anything and translated into wins, then he’d be 15-2 every year)
B) his non losing seasons (which is crap because he’s had three 8-8 seasons and he absolutely has a losing season. It’s called the post season).
He’s a master motivator and serves as the face of the organization.
That’s what he does best .
He is a good face of the organization and the city.
But the motivator thing? Nah. His team has quit on him in 5 straight seasons and most recently got embarrassed on national tv for quitting and having no fight.
Let me ask it this way -
Why were the Steelers picked last in their division preseason?
Is it because the roster was great but the coaching is bad ?
I’d say Tomlin is analogous to regular season Jamie Dixon at pitt .
Teams peak early and when others improve for post season- we aren’t capable of matching .
I don’t know that to be the case, as I don’t follow national media. They don’t know what they are talking about. They aren’t close enough to know what’s going on. But it is interesting that the most vocal of defenders nationally are now finally changing their tunes.
Everyone locally knew we were headed to an 8-10 win season. The Steelers finished where they always do-mediocre season and blowout loss in the post season. I’m counting 9 wins again next season.
More importantly…Why did the Steelers brass think they were only a QB away from competing for a Super Bowl? Who cares what people 2000 miles away think. Sounds like gross incompetence, denial, and no self awareness inside the organization to me.
Be in the top 45% of NFL teams every season. Get blown out and outclassed in the playoffs. Mediocrity is the standard.
You’d have to ask ownership .
Now you’re starting to think logically .
Why haven’t the pens made a coaching change ?
They are arguably further away from being a contender.
Not trying to be clever as much as I'm laughing at your arguments that Tomlin is being victimized by the Rooney family.
The pens ownership is just as dumb when it comes to the HC of their hockey team. Although he has less responsibility than Tomlin does. Sullivan has a GM to answer to, whereas the GM Khan reports to Tomlin.
But what is your point? Tomlin isn’t going to fire himself. He incompetently runs the team and the owner incompetently runs the franchise and believes in him.
You and the owner defend Tomlin like he’s your lover. It’s weird. What does he do to satisfy you?
