Off-season conundrum

First and foremost...... No, I am not giving up on this season (yet)... but I am realistic concerning our actual chances of making any real noise..... that said, what will we do with our team when the season does come to a close.....

I have, reluctantly, come to the realization that Kenny Pickett is not the future.... we reached, out of desperation, to immediately replace a HOF qb... it's clear that we have to hit the re-set button..... this is a rather large qb class coming out, so do we take a chance on the 2nd tier..... Caleb (crybaby) Williams, drizzy (oops.. wrong drake) drake maye are long out of our reach.... Jayden Daniel's is a pipe dream unless we lose out the rest of the way... so what's next??? Bo Nix, JJ McCarthy, Quinn Ewers, Shedeur Sanders, Michael Penix????
But wait......
We can't possibly go into next season with Dan Moore at RT, or Mason Cole at C....
But wait.. ...
It's imperative that we get a strong bookend in the secondary for Joey Porter Jr.... and what about SS????
Which positions do we sacrifice in order to shore up another????

It's also rather obvious that some coaching decisions will need to be made as well...
It's almost a foregone conclusion that Matt Canada is shipping out, but what about the other coaches....
Teryl Austin is not a viable D-coordinator, and i'm not sold on Pat Meyer leading the O-line...
We may very well have some monumental decisions to make this off-season ....
Where do we go from here????

 

They have too many holes to trade up for a quarterback, so forget the elite guys. I'm not sure any from that secondary group are an upgrade. Nix's story is a bit too much like Pickett's and McCarthy doesn't look like anything special. I haven't watched enough of Penix and it is tough to tell about Sanders after watching him run for his life so much this season, but I'm not enthusiastic about any of them.

If someone they like falls to them, it is time to consider drafting a quarterback. If not, keep building the rest of the roster, sign a veteran to compete with Pickett and look for the long-term replacement in 2025.

 

He should feel right at home behind our current blocking

 

The offensive line has been a mess since Pouncey retired and if I had to guess Pickett will get a clean slate when Canada moves on in the offseason.

 

Shore up other holes and ride with Pickett and a new coordinator. With more solid offensive talent (line, receivers), emphasize the run game and defense, and we might be salvageable with Pickett.

 

Bo Nix is going back to Utah for what sounds like his doctorate. The guy will be in college for 7 years. He will retire while under his rookie contract

 

I think Kenny gets another year under a new coordinator. I'm not in favor on a QB in the first couple rounds. I say shore up the other holes with BPA.

100% onboard with cleaning the coordinator house. Also would be onboard with letting Tomlin coach out the last year of his contract prior to extending.

 

I agree, get Pickett an OL that can protect and lets see what we have. Its way too early to throw in the towel. We definitely need a C and a RT, move Jones to LT where he belongs and then lets see what he has. We need ILB help again and we will need Secondary help...as well as DL help. I love Cam, but he looks old and slow right now and he may decide to call it a career as well on his own.

 

I think you almost have to draft a potential legit starting QB next year. They need to develop somebody else anyway. You never know what's going to happen.

You can't just bring in another OC, and let KP have another shot just hoping he'll get better. Which is exactly what I believe they will do.

But what if KP doesn't get much better? Now you've wasted another year.

Now, do you draft one in 2025 and hope that he'll be good in another year or two? You're looking at maybe a run in 2026/2027? TJ's already 29. Fitz will be in his 30's by then.

No, you draft one of those 2nd tier guys next year, with a new OC, and have an old fashion QB battle. If KP, wakes up all of a sudden, great! It's a good problem to have.

But, QB is too important to just kick the can down the road.

 

They should draft other positions first - Oline, Dline, ILB, CB are all areas of need. Then pick up a rookie QB with a mid-to-late pick and give the guy a shot in camp. Unfortunately they’re not going to be picking high enough to go after a top QB prospect and even if they were, there are no guarantees.

I think Pickett’s had enough time. He just isn’t the guy. He can’t read zone coverage at all, his confidence is shot and he’s actually getting worse every week. I’m fine giving him a shot in camp next year. But I wouldn’t anoint him the starter. And I’d make it a fair and open competition.

 

It might be wise to draft someone like Nix or McCarthy, in case Pickett struggles under a new coordinator. We wouldn’t have to risk wasting another entire season with Pickett again.

 

One question is how high you take that second-tier guy. Do you spend a first-rounder on a similar guy? A second-rounder?

 

Exactly, having a good quarterback is crucial to winning football games. We saw that yesterday. lol

 

Penix will be a bad pro. Stay away from him.

 

Steelers will either have to get lucky (Niners with Purdy, Eagles with Hurts) or they will have to stink bad enough to get a top pick. The Pickett pick was worth the risk at 20. It isnt as bad as picking him 1st overall or in the top 3 and sucking. That **** sets your team back years. Look at the Jets and Browns for the last 25 years.

 

Penix is one of those guys like Nix that has been in college for like 5-6 years, he has a great arm on deep balls, but he has only been elite the last two years.

 

That's Cam Rising going back to Utah, Nix plays for Oregon, I doubt he stays in college next year.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Sanders returned to college next year, he hasn't been good the second half of the season, I doubt he could hold up in the AFCN at his size.

 

All those guys will be back as Tomlin thinks there are no problems

 

If a legit talent falls to you yes draft him if not do not reach. I would prefer a solid veteran to compete with KP. It’s obvious that Canada has to go but you also have to question Tomlins ability to manage and develop young QB’s. He has never had to do it before and honestly the team played the same way under a young QB in Rudolph and different OC back when Ben got hurt. Conservative, don’t turn the ball over , etc. that results in a predictable offenses and skittish, nervous, indecisive and I confident QB’s. Tomlin has to get a QB guru coach and OC in here and stop micromanaging them.

 

You’re right.

 

Rising is going to be 25 next year I think, and he's still playing college football .

 

I've been a proponent of Pickett getting a "clean slate" when Canada moves on, but after Pickett's abysmal performance this season, the Steelers need to get some additional competition at the quarterback position next season!

 

Pouncey, Villanuevo and DeCastro - all out about the same time. It was over then and dummies Colbert and Tomlin were clueless

 

The good old days when we had Pouncey and DeCastro anchoring the line. We were able to plug anybody in and would not miss a beat. These were some of the low draft picks/FAs that we had:

Villanueva (UDFA)
BJ Finney (UDFA)
Foster (UDFA)
Hubbard (UDFA)
Collon (4th rd)
Feiler (FA claimed off waiver)
Cody Wallace (FA claimed off waiver)
Kelvin Beachum (7th rd)