Has Khan, Weidl, and Tomlin Been Given Enough time?

This upcoming draft will be their 3rd working together. Most of us know a rebuild takes time. How much time is a very honest and real question. Before the 2023 draft cycle, the team was under different management all the way up. We got used to how that group did things. This is different and I don't think any of us really know what to expect moving forward with this group. We can speculate and predict, but we don't know.

I think the rule of 3 is a good standard. It typically takes a rookie 3 seasons to either become part of the roster or he's allowed to walk. Is this a fair rule to use for those in charge of building the team? Meaning, if there is not marked improvement from year 1 to year 3, it's time to start finding replacements. This upcoming draft and season will be #3.

What say you?

 

I think it is far too early to say one way or another. Jones was the first draft pick of the "team" and he's 23 years old right now. I would say the early returns have been fairly positive in my opinion. Obviously the FA/trade work has been the best so far, as it is still too early to make calls on the draft picks, but I don't hate the direction they are going. We've had 10 picks in the first 4 rounds the past two years and 4 of those have been on the OL.

 

I feel like no matter what we do it ends the same. There really hasn’t been much progress imo but I guess we will see.

 

Will the Steelers ever pick up a 5th round option on one of their own 1st round draft picks? If the answer is "No" after 7 years, since the 2017 1st round pick, you really do need to find someone else to take over the draft.

Khan, so far is only down for 2 1st round picks, but I wouldn't bet a Nickel, for either Broderick Jones or Troy Fautanu getting a 5th year option right now. Unless you count the time Khan was on the Steelers payroll, then he is down for all 7 years of No Options being picked up.

Mike Tomlin's record on the other hand is a disaster at picking in the 1st round.

 

Not impressed, we need game changers, plus after the Baltimore disaster I am not sure I like
the players approach to football. This team is SOFT, they don't want to hit anybody. Offensively
and Defensively. They didn't want to tackle it was too cold for these players. LOL. Better get some players
with some attitude and heart that hate to lose. These guys just want to collect a pay check every month.

 

Tomlin has had plenty of time to win. Khan-- not yet or Weidl. But no one can tell me that Tomlin hasnt.and if he ever has a losing season--- that is it--- get him out of here.

 

Your avatar is so appropriate.

 

This is not the 70's with a long draft and no FA. You need to build through the draft, of course, but you also need to keep and sign the proper 'mid' FA's. I like Khan's first 2 drafts, but the holes still seem the same, and in some cases worse. This is the first year we actually have 'bigger' FA money, and though we usually do not make big splashes, we need a couple of players who are in their prime and can make a difference on both sides of this team.

The bigger issue is not just how they perform, but the third name on your list. MT and those coach's on the staff, there is and was real disconnect as the season went along, there needs to be changes, who and what we will see, but I am not optimistic.

 

I'm a fan of the GM team. Colbert and Tomlin left an absolute mess and the rebuild was going to take a while. Khan and Weidl have had two good off seasons; two good drafts, brought in some FA talent, removed a cancer and made other changes I like. There is a lot of FA money to use this off season and a good set of picks. To that, add Fautanu and R.Wilson, two players I still really like. If they get anything out of Lee and/or Watts that could be an excellent '24 draft with Frazier, P.Wilson and McCormick already playing well. The roster, outside of QB, could be the best the Steelers have had in a long time.

Obviously though, they aren't going to win without a good QB. Assuming one of Wilson or Fields is signed, there are arguably four or five teams in the AFC in worse QB shape than Pittsburgh; the Titans, Raiders, Jets, Browns, and Dolphins. However, the Titans get their choice of Ward and Sanders. Tua is a really good QB but is such an extreme injury risk. Rodgers is a HOFer but got old. The Browns and Raiders are always a mess. Is that where the Steelers should be? Only better than the Browns and Raiders? Unless Fields or some 4th rounder like Will Howard magically becomes the guy, we'll all be discussing this again next year.

I'm all for completing the rebuild this year. If that means trading a vet like TJ or Minkah, I'd do it. I just don't see them bringing back much in trade though. They're aging vets with big contracts and Minkah especially has just disappeared. Smith gets another year for me but it has to be his offense. They need more and better coaches all around, more teaching, newer schemes and ideas. Bringing back Austin is a bad idea. Bringing back Meyer is a really bad idea. Allowing Tomlin to keep his immense control is a terrible idea. It's up to Art and I have no hope he'll do the right thing.

 

Tomlin has been given enough time in my opinion. The other two deserve more.

 

This.

Unless they get that truly dynamic franchise QB we'll be stuck in the AFC second tier for the next 5+ years. The quartet of Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, and Jackson are 29, 28, 28 and 28 years old. None of them have lost a playoff game to any other QB in the AFC since 2019 meaning they've only been beat in playoffs by another member of the quartet. That's what we're against. A group of really good QBs that are in their prime. Even Lamar who catches crap for his playoff record hasn't lost to anyone outside the quartet since 2019 in his second career playoff game.

Here are the AFC Champ games in the last five years:

2024 - Mahomes vs either Allen or Jackson
2023 - Mahomes vs Jackson
2022 - Mahomes vs Burrow
2021 - Burrow vs Mahomes
2020 - Mahomes vs Allen

 

I meant as the 3 of them together obviously. Considering this is going to be draft #3 for this team, it's pretty much the same either way you approach it. And, I don't mean keep all or none.

 

Tomlin: I think there's enough threads to talk about the job he's doing.

Weidle: I'm going to mark his job as incomplete. We need a couple more years of data before we can reflect on the job he's doing thus farm.

Khan: I think we can judge him by the players that he's acquired via trade and FA. Offloading Dionte Johnson for Donte Jackson was a quality trade, trading Claypool for a 2nd was robbery, trading Pickett was an OK trade, and trading a 6th for Fields was a quality trade. His FA acquisitions were ok. Guys like Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb were OK pick-ups, but the injury of Holcomb was rough. Picking up Cam Sutton was an awful decision. And the worst decision he's made so far was not getting a WR opposite Pickens. I think he's done more good than bad, like trying to restock the OL, LB and secondary, but there's still many holes in this roster. Grade C (but can improve swiftly if we see more out of the 23/24 draft picks).

 

I agree with this mostly. I don't think it's fair to grade Khan on the WR front just yet. We don't know what was offered out for who, nor do we know what others were asking for. The players themselves have input in this to some extent as well. That info will come out eventually and that grade can be modified accordingly.

 

We may have to add C.J. Stroud to the list soon. QB I was wrong about was Trevor Lawrence, I put him in with the AFC best.

 

Khan and Weidl are just getting started..... Tomlin's time was up a few yrs ago

 

Tomlin has had 5 years too many already, at least. Jury out on Khan and Weidl, but how can you judge them properly when your head coach is a clown?

 

Tomlin is not the GM. While he does and should have a voice in terms of roster construction, it's not, or at least shouldn't, ultimately be his responsibility.

If it is, that's an organizational and ownership issue, not a Tomlin issue. Remember how Cowher wanted Shane Andrews instead of Ben but was overruled by Dan Rooney?

 

Yeah, the AFC has much more talent at the QB position than the NFC. Stroud, Herbert, Tua, aren't up there with the Mahomes and the other three, but they're not bad. Maye or Bo Nix might join that second group as wel. They both look promising. Don't know about Lawrence. That leaves Richardson, whoever is in Cleveland, the Jets, the Raiders, the Titans, and the Steelers. The last 6 QB's are all trash.

I can't put either Fields or Wilson up even with the second group.

 

I wouldn't say it's Tomlin's responsibility, but power he has acquired via tenure. I will agree that Art II needs to step in and strip him of such power. Instead of being Tomlin's peer, he needs to be Tomlin's boss.

 

Exactly.

 

I guess if the question is, how are they doing as a unit then I think the drafting and the player acquisitions have been better as of late. But in my opinion, I’d keep those two and **** can Tomlin.

 

Who ever goes and who ever is pick we have to live with. I am disappointed because of all the years I have followed the Steeler, I don’t think I will live long enough to see them win or even make to the SB.

 

Exactly. We can't accurately judge Khan until as GM he gets to hire a head coach and pick the future franchise QB in the draft. Those are the biggest decisions a GM must make.

Tomlin has had enough time. His book has been written, won with Cowher's players, mediocre since, and has no coaching tree.

Tomlin should receive ZERO benefit of the doubt.

 

I’m not going to subscribe to the “Cowhers players” philosophy.
Tomlin is a good coach who will do well with another team, because his message and the buy-in will be good. It’s become redundant with this team and IMO can’t be fixed.