Offseason Moves/Free agent signings

The day of the true nose tackle have faded with this defense. Now a Defensive Tackle yes. This defense use the Nose only on a limited basis. To many sub packages now. Ojunjobi can man the nose when needed or Adams.

I agree Loudermilk has regressed so it's a big year for him. Leal is a different story. They will use him in sub packages to play end with 2 Defensive tackles and do some stand up rushing.

 

I'm incredibly excited to see what additional moves, if any, we make on the free-agent market and how we attack the draft. I've been pretty damn pessimistic about the future of this team, mainly because I've not seen any past precedent to indicate we'd actually address the needs that have been holding us back - ie. the O-line, more than anything. I think we could have won 10+ games with a semi-decent line last season and made the playoffs. Yes, we have a ton of work to do still, but I like where things are headed and with the Browns and Ravens suddenly underperforming, we have a shot - even if it's a smaller one - to make some noise as soon as this season.

 

we have upgraded the whole inside linebacker room, including coach.

 

This is why Mazi would be a good fit. He can play the hybrid end/tackle role like Heyward and Ogunjobi. He has the size and strength to be a nose tackle, but enough athleticism to make some plays.

 

This team is using the Philly and SF blue print to a degree. With defenses getting smaller why not go bigger on offense and have the run game be the focus.

SF isn’t as big as Philly and they are more innovative with their run game but the premise is the same. Run focused offense with clock management and play action. Those are the kind of offenses that are QB friendly and team defense friendly.

it was how Cowher built his teams. I didn’t think we would go back to that. I was certain Tomlin liked the dazzle and the athletes that put up a lot of splash plays. I think you still need those elements but they can’t be the basis of your team identity. We kind of morphed into that for awhile with Ben, Brown and Bell.

I honestly believe teams designed around a power run game with play action and clock management with a dominant Defense can win in any era. Obviously in todays NFL with rules favoring the offense so much you have to be capable of airing it out when you need too because there is just gonna be shootouts with teams like KC, Bengals and Bills.

we’re probably still one good wr away from hanging if with the elite teams in shootouts but more importantly were also in need of KP maturing and developing and our Offensive coordinator learning nuances of game management and innovation.

with that being said I like what we’re building. I can see us winning a lot of games next year maybe not against the elite teams but that comes with time. We won’t lose games against teams like the jets like we did last year. I can see us being in the playoffs and a team no one wants to face.

the lone difference in todays NFL on defense compared to other eras is the emphasis is placed on turnovers more. Since it is so difficult to force a three and out consistently in todays NFL the emphasis of sacks and interceptions are at a premium.

I think the Steelers will go heavy on defense in the draft. Weidel is well aware of how Philly put a heavy emphasis on building the defensive line and getting stalwarts in the back end to ball hawk.

I believe they feel there is enough talent in the draft and based on where they are drafting to fill those roles. They realize they have not done a good job with ILB development or evaluation in years past since Shazier. Going out and getting proven ILB’s instead of a Jack who had been in decline tells you they are done messing around with that position. I believe Widel knew Holcomb well going up against them twice a year. I’m sure Flores schooled the Steelers and perhaps used Miami game tape on the ILB he had coached in Miami and NE. I feel like this FO knows these players pretty well that we are bringing in.

the line ? In all of the FO signings is honestly Peterson. That one feels just like the Jack signing last year. A knee jerk reaction to losing Sutton and a high named player with pedigree on the downside of his career.

my only thought is they will use him to mentor the young talent they bring in. Finally why have the Steelers seemingly out a priority of bringing Kazee back over Edmunds? I believe for the reason I mentioned above. Turnovers. Kazee has ball skills and he is instinctual in that area and Edmunds is not.

The formula is obvious. Ground control offense, impose your will on the other team. QB friendly offense allowing KP to minimize mistakes and not put added pressure on him as he developes. Think O’Donnell in the 90’s with more upside and moxy.

the Defense will be tasked with creating sacks, turnovers and limiting teams to FG’s. With the way FA went it is apparent we won’t be focused on ILB or G early on. It would be nice to get Dupree or an aging vet to contribute as a third edge as that is one less position we have to worry about.

so I see us now having the following needs/wants.
CB
Slot CB
Safety
NT/DL
LT
Edge Depth
TE depth
Slot WR

I think there are three players on this team the Steelers value more than we think they do.
Levi Wallace, Akhello Witherspoon and Dan Moore.

The hard part is figuring out what talent you can wait on in the draft based on depth within the draft at that position and the urgency of our team need.

unless they are really enamored with some of the top cb’s I can see is waiting until one of the two picks in rd 2. I don’t know if the Steelers would take Dawand Jones at 17 or Mazi Smith. I feel like those guys are definite possibilities for us at 32. It all depends on who is there at 17 and if we think those guys will last until 32.

it would be nice to come out if the draft with both of these guys but then your settling for what is sure to a drop off in talent at cb in mid rd two.

I think the players realistically to be in contention for us to draft in first three picks are:

Branch S Mich
M. Smith DT Mich
D. Jones OT OH St
D Wright OT TN
D Barnes CB MD
C Smith CB SC
I Benton DT WI
Illinois Safety forgot the name.

so if we get one of each position with top 3 picks I think we will be set foundationaloy provided they play up to expectation.

 

See, I believe just the exact opposite. I believe we quit running Defenses with a NT upfront, because we didn't have a quality NT.

In 2021 we finish dead last allowing 5.0 yards per carry, because Alualu was injured at the beginning of the season and the Steelers started running those 2 man fronts without a NT. We draft a high quality NT like Mazi Smith, and you will see the return of those basic 3 man fronts immediately.

When I watch the Steelers play and they are in one of their packages with only 2 Lineman, I know the offense is going to run straight up the middle for maximum yardage.

 

I’m not saying you are right or wrong. But I will say I really see and like the idea of doing the exact opposite of what most other teams are trending towards in approach for two related reasons.

1) Because if teams are mostly all being built one way to mimic the new winning style then other teams are building to combat that approach. So, if everyone is building to stop the pass, then we build with a heavy run approach.

and related

2) If teams are trending to build in a similar fashion, then they are all targeting a certain type player(s) to create that system. So, if we build in a different style, then the *best players to create our opposing plan will have been looked over by our competitors.

Maybe ball control running style with heavy pass rush defense is the way to go if most teams are trying to quick strike passing attacks.

 

I saw a hilarious column by Bucky Brooks on NFL.com today. He listed his top 10 underrated free agent signings this year. On the list was none other than Devin Bush going to Seattle. He claims that Pete Carroll will reclaim Bush's career like he has Geno Smith's. The words he used to describe Bush were "feisty" and "ultra competitive". He obviously never saw Devin Bush play one down of football before, Bush doesn't have a competitive bone in his body.

 

I actually agree with you. They need that big body eating up space and occupying two blockers. The run defense had been sliding downward as sub packages have been more prevalent and the have activated the two DE's as pass rushers.

 

Remaining Free Agents. Guys will start getting a bit desperate. Who would you take on a cheap deal?

TE DALTON SCHULTZ
LB BOBBY WAGNER
ED JADEVEON CLOWNEY
WR ODELL BECKHAM JR.
CB ROCK YA-SIN
CB MARCUS PETERS
WR D.J. CHARK JR.
T ISAIAH WYNN
ED YANNICK NGAKOUE
ED LEONARD FLOYD
S TAYLOR RAPP
ED JUSTIN HOUSTON
T TAYLOR LEWAN
ED FRANK CLARK
ED KYLE VAN NOY
CB SHAQUILL GRIFFIN
S ADRIAN AMOS
TE AUSTIN HOOPER
T CAMERON FLEMING
T DONOVAN SMITH
DI MATT IOANNIDIS
ED RASHEEM GREEN
RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT
LB DENZEL PERRYMAN
DI A'SHAWN ROBINSON
S RODNEY MCLEOD
DI POONA FORD
T GEORGE FANT
TE FOSTER MOREAU
WR MECOLE HARDMAN
DI SHELBY HARRIS
S DURON HARMON
HB DEVIN SINGLETARY
CB BRYCE CALLAHAN
S JOHN JOHNSON III
WR JARVIS LANDRY
HB KAREEM HUNT
WR OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS
TE IRV SMITH JR.
ED DAWUANE SMOOT
ED CARLOS DUNLAP
LB RASHAAN EVANS
ED BUD DUPREE
ED SHAQ LAWSON
HB DAMIEN HARRIS
HB JERICK MCKINNON
CB TROY HILL
LB ANTHONY WALKER
WR MARVIN JONES JR.
WR MACK HOLLINS
WR TRENT SHERFIELD
S KAREEM JACKSON
WR NELSON AGHOLOR
ED DANTE FOWLER JR.
DI AKIEM HICKS
TE MARCEDES LEWIS
ED ANDREW VAN GINKEL
LB MYLES JACK
ED ROBERT QUINN
T BILLY TURNER
T BRANDON SHELL
DI CHRIS WORMLEY
S TERRELL EDMUNDS
ED CARL NASSIB

 

I would kick the tires on Rock Ya Sin, Taylor Rapp, and Taylor Lewan.

Also Bud of course

 

yea there is glaring needs lol. It will be fun to see this unfold, and I agree CB right now is sparse, I just do not want another reach..one Artie Burns, Senquez Colson, and oh yea Doran Grant...4th rounder but

So take me back a few years. The NT was playing something like 40 to 45 per cent of the snaps. This was before Alualu. I may be off but I do not think those numbers have changed, not do I think they will. If a Big Snack type is there, then yea you have to think long and hard, but today's offenses have evolved.

 

Agreed on all of those. I've mentioned before that I would take Edmunds back as long as he came cheap, too.

 

Bud
Edmunds
Rock

Draft. First two picks are BPA for either CB or LB. Then late second WR. Rest of picks go BPA.

I do wish they would have dropped mitch and got someone better to teach pickett. Mitch seems like he was trying to cause problems. So someone like matt Ryan, Wentz, etc..... but sadly i think they'll keep mitch around.

 

the thing with mazi smith is he's good enough to play in the base 3-4 and also be good enough to play in the 2 down sub sets. that is something we have been lacking with alualu aging and getting hurt. big thick strong quick body as one of your two down lineman. you then run cam or ogunjobi as the other and can sub between the 3 keeping fresh legs and making the offensive line have to double instead of blocking one on one and freeing up their guards to freely go out and put a hat on our ILB'ers. if they don't then double on TJ or highsmith, well then we should get plenty of pressure on the passer. one guy like smith will make 4 or 5 other guys better.

 

CJ Gardner-Johnson to Detroit 1/8 (6.5 guaranteed)

 

this says a lot.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...p&cvid=7099bdbe73984bc5b5e1ece1361247e8&ei=43

 

Just a couple more things to add to the above post. When you go with a ground and pound offense you significantly reduce the turnovers and mistakes. As good as our teams were under Ben, Brown and Bell are Achilles heel was one of them was either injured come playoffs or we turned the ball over and lost the turnover war which ultimately cost us the game. A perfect example is the playoff game against Jackonsville.

back then when we turned the ball over we did not have the defense that could handle the turnover war or be on the field for long periods. Our defense was in transition from the 2010 Defense for sure.

I believe the Steelers understand one element we got away from last year through the fact we didn’t have Watt for the bulk of the season was sacks. The fact we led in interceptions in spite of that is amazing. With that being said the Steelers realize how vitally important putting pressure on the QB is. I believe they are gonna go after some young edge talent in this draft to sure up the third edge on this team. It is just too important of a position to the team and the way the NFL is played today.

if we could get a edge rusher and slot corner from that list that would be awesome. Some of the Edge veterans are on the backside of their career and would probably come cheaper and be willing to take a role position. The issue is these guys at this point are looking to join who they perceive to be a contender. They may not view the Steelers as such.

 

Exactly

 

Anybody else concerned with the slot corner position?

 

Love Taylor Lewan but his asking price would probably be way too high. Even coming off the injury and being 31, someone is probably willing to throw $15M at him and I just don't think with the problems he's had with the knee that it's a good investment at this point in his career.

 

Well there ya go, getting schooled..lol. That makes a lot of sense, my point of ignorance was no one is worth a 1st round pick playing 40% of downs, Big Snack might be an exception because he was all that, lol. To have a guy that can fill that role, plus be involved in the other packages is definitely worth a look.

 

A vet #3 RB would be nice. Several guys out there: Zeke, Devin Singletary, Hunt, Damien Harris, Jerick McKinnon

 

A different take, but the Texans resigned Tunsil to a 3 year 75 million, with 50 million guaranteed..reported that another 10 million in incentives is easily guaranteed. At his age and injury history Lewan is not making that, but yea 15 million is very possible.

 

Wow! That is some serious cheddar! We know they will be drafting Young or Stroud so having Tunsil protect his blind side was apparently a top priority. Maybe they pick up another OT for the right side at 12 as well.