Steelers Free Agency
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I truly thought the move last year would be to move him to the right side and address LT. Feels like the tackle position is way too important for us to have so little capital (4th round pick and relatively cheap free agent re-signing) sunk into it.
I posted something on here before about all the offensive linemen we drafted - many being higher picks - between 1992 and 2012. It was an insanely high number versus what it has been since then. Feels like we had a good formula and then veered from it. Maybe the lower draft picks we made it work with were starting to get to our head. Colon, Beachum, Hubbard, Villanueva (although not drafted by us), Foster, etc.
Preaching to the choir, bro.
I have gone through that period from 2014 to now and it is disturbing how under drafted they have been on the OL. I think MT is evolving a bit, but he has the "splash play" mindset and much rather would have drafted a WR than an OL in the second or third round.
That said, they dropped a three year 30 mil contract on Okorafor last year, so he is one one of their tackles this and next year one way or another.
Part of the difference was the 3-4. It was like the spread in terms of personnel disruption and we were an early adopter. Since there aren't many 6'5" 280lbs DEs on the planet, it's easier to just play a different defense rather than chase those unicorns. So you get a dude who is 6'3" 250lbs in the 3rd or 4th round. Lots more of those available. That let us load up on OL in the early rounds since we could get pass rush way later than most teams. We had about a 10 year period where it was very easy to find pass rush and DE for our 3-4, but then more and more teams started adopting it and we lost that advantage. That's why you saw us drafting pass rush and 3-4 end much higher than usual from like 2006 onward.
Our second biggest advantage was taking WR over and over before it became vogue to do so. Grabbing guys in the 2nd and 3rd rounds was genius. We took a high value position and made it even scarcer by continually picking off talent from the rookie pool. That allowed us to let people like Mike Wallace walk for cheaper and better options, trade MB before he fell off a cliff, and do the same to Sammie Coates and Claypool.
NFL teams are getting smarter. I don't know where the next advantage is...maybe analytics and finding DBs and RBs in the later rounds? Whatever it is, I'm not sure I see us being ahead of the curve this time. Hopefully I'm wrong.
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If Johnson, Jones, and Skoronski (and I'm not sure if they see him as a tackle) are gone, why force the issue when they could draft a tier-2 tackle at 32?
I'm saying if Jones is there (50/50 at best) then they have to take him. If not then maybe one of the better CBs will be there and the Steelers can, as you suggest, still get a decent OT at 32.
Either way, I think it's OL and CB or CB and OL.
I'm not totally sure Broderick Jones will be there at 32. He's showing at 13th overall on Grinding the Mocks, which is a mock draft aggregator and crowd sourcing site. Anton Harrison goes at 28. https://grindingthemocks.shinyapps.io/Dashboard/
I think you either take Jones at 17, or maybe trade back no further than 20 if he's your guy.
I agree, I just don't know if they like him enough to pass on certain tackle prospects.
Yep, getting a top OT is a big priority, and so is getting a top CB. It seems that to get a top CB you have to identify them and get them early in the draft. Whereas getting a very good WR can be done in rounds 2-4.
I'd hate to see the Steeler pay a high price to move up and get a sure fire Left OT as I love that the Steelers have 3 picks in the top of the draft, but then again I don't see how they can win big without a top OT guarding their QB's blind side and Moore is not it. If the Steelers move up in the 1st round, hopefully only a spot or two, it would be great if the cost was a 3rd round pick or less but that's probably just wishful thinking.....
To move up 5 spots, say to jump ahead of the Jets (who might take Jones), Steelers would need to give up an early to mid 3rd rounder, which they have to trade. Their mid second is too steep unless they get something additional in return. I'd actually consider making this trade if Jones is available in Houston's spot, because the Jets need an OT to protect Rogers.
I agree with others who have said here that they mystifyingly like Moore, and I think it’s a given they’d take Porter if he is there because of obvious reasons. But as you say, I think a top OT is a much more critical need than a CB. You just HAVE to keep the starting QB healthy at (nearly) all cost. And even if he can avoid injury getting pulverized constantly, it devastates the effectiveness of the passing game.
Whereas CBs get minimized by PI-happy officials so much in todays NFL, that you may as well just have serviceable ones. If defense is a priority, it’s actually better to emphasize pass rushers, because the best way to disrupt the passing game is harassing/pulverizing the QB, not with secondary defense.
If one of those 3 drop to 17 I am pretty sure the Steelers grab him. If not look for defense. Personally I would like to see them grab John Michael Schmidt at 32 or 49 if he is still there.
The Steelers have never drafted left tackles high dating back to when Noll took over. Off the top of my head the guys who've manned the position:
Jon Kolb: 1969-81 (4th)
Ray Pinney (not a 1st)
Ilkin (late round)
John Jackson (8th rounder)
Wayne Gandy (free agent)
Starks and Marvel Smith (semi-high picks)
Beachum (7th)
Villanueva (free agent)
The Jermaine Stephens pick was a bad one by Cowher. Shocked after trading for Bettis he didn't draft Alstott to team those two up since Cowher loved the running game. That was also a period of some bad drafting along the O-line: Stephens, Cris Conrad, Paul Wiggins, Kris Ferris. It turned in the 2000s with Starks, Smith, Simmons, UDFA Keydrick Vincent.
Jon Kolb: 1969-81 (4th)
Ray Pinney (not a 1st)
Ilkin (late round)
John Jackson (8th rounder)
Wayne Gandy (free agent)
Starks and Marvel Smith (semi-high picks)
Beachum (7th)
Villanueva (free agent)
The Jermaine Stephens pick was a bad one by Cowher. Shocked after trading for Bettis he didn't draft Alstott to team those two up since Cowher loved the running game. That was also a period of some bad drafting along the O-line: Stephens, Cris Conrad, Paul Wiggins, Kris Ferris. It turned in the 2000s with Starks, Smith, Simmons, UDFA Keydrick Vincent.
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If we take a Safety and a MLB in our first 2 picks I am legitimately done with the Steelers lmao. I'll be a ****ing Eagles fan.
I still think we go CB or LT with the first pick. I'm guessing CB just by virtue of who I think will be available. But I fully expect us to take those two positions in our first 4 picks, if not first 3.
Just seems like we're a franchise chasing its tail.
Throw in our 4th, then trade down from 42 to 47 for Washington's 4th.
Idk...idk if I would do this trade. I don't know enough about the players. I think there's a decent chance we can get Broderick Jones at 17 or Anton Harrison at 32. I'd probably just wait and see.
I don't know, I'd probably want the Steelers to make that deal you proposed without giving more. The trick is to get other teams to make worse deals. Steelers moved from 27 to 16 to draft Polamalu and also gave up #92 and #200. Overall, that slighly benefied the Steelers point wise.
But I really don't think Jones is going to be there at #17. I have a feeling they are going to draft Porter or the Maryland CB at #17, and then draft the other OSU OT at #32.
Banks at 17 seems like a reach. Trade back four spots if you can and take the best available. Plenty of holes to be filled.
Added a swing tackle - Le'Raven Clark - another with an Eagles connection.
Jones appears to be climbing in mock drafts, so he likely will not be there when the Steelers pick.
Not sure they "like" Moore as much as they look at the cap numbers and figure he's good enough for now. Sort of like they did with Villanueva. He wasn't a major issue (except in certain pass situations) until the middle of their line started to break down and the running game went to crap.
I still don't think they'll draft a LT early only because there probably won't be one at 17 worth the pick and I don't see anyone above them biting on a trade unless it's just really bad for the Steelers. I still get a feeling they're moving back and will use 32 like it's their #1.
Steelers sign Keanu Neal. 2 year deal.
Certainly active this free agency.
Certainly active this free agency.
They are addresing depth at keg positions to make the NFL draft not a need based afffair-
It’s smart
I’ll be really interested to see the draft and performance next year. They don’t have an elite offensive player like KC or Buffalo, but I’m definitely more optimistic than @Fk_Pitt or @Zeldas Open Roof.
Within the division, the Browns stink and the Ravens torched their chances by playing hardball with Lamar. Burrow is good but I don’t think that team stays as strong once he and Chase cash in.
Hit on a draft pick or three and the Steelers are right back in the thick of things.
Yeah folks seem to think there isn’t a salary cap and once their rookie deals are over they will suffer elsewhere .
Cincy is clearly the favorite in the division .
But we did split with them last year in a down year for us
losing sutton set me back a bit. i just think Cincy is a powerhouse.. i think we can have a 10-7 record.. i just REALLY REALLY Hate canada. i think he is insanely under qualified to be an NFL Coordinator. It just seems like we have no idea what we are even trying to accomplish..
i hope im wrong and you are right, hit on 2 of our first 3 picks and the future (and present) look good..
We just aren’t ready to compete against the big boys. We have to score a lot of points while showing the ability to keep cincy, Buffalo and KC scoring to a minimum. Can we score enough points with Kenny and can our defense slow down those other offenses enough? I don’t know if one off-season can address everything and close the gap.
Does anyone think the Steelers are going to try a ball control offense to keep those competing QBs off the field? Khan and Weidl are loading up on run blockers.
Vegas has our over under set at 8.5 wins. I love the over. I just think 12-13 wins is a hill too far. The schedule appears to be favorable too.
But there's only one guaranteed big boy that the Steelers will have to face year in year out in the AFC. And that's KC.
I'm really not sold on the long-term big boy stature of Buffalo or Cincy.
Ravens still took us down to the wire with a backup who might as well have been on our payroll that day. In general, I think they have more physicality and better depth. If they can find anyone competent at QB, I'm not sure we're ahead of this as soon as this season.
I fear we may be mired in mediocrity for a while. We have a lot of Andy Daltons out there: Positions solidified with guys who are good enough to warrant starting but maybe not good enough to be all that notable at their position.
Watt and Fitzpatrick. An aging Heyward. Then what?
Really need to nail a few draft picks and have certain guys (Muth, Pickens, Kenny) take huge steps forward. I feel like there are a lot of fans who are hoping for that one to come true for their respective teams, though.
And we can easily see what's at the top, but teams like the Jaguars also seem to have a beat on us when it comes to young talent.
This would be a very good first round for the Stillers.
www.cbssports.com
2023 NFL 3-Round Mock: Ravens replace Lamar Jackson with Anthony Richardson; Steelers trade back into Round 1
Also, a team outside of the top 10 trades up for a QB
www.cbssports.com
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