well let's discuss where we go from here

Run game will drive this wagon. It has to be good to make the rest work. It has to be able to make the defense respect it. We have to be able to win drives with the run game and the pass game. O-lines is part of it but so are the RBs. I'm not of the we can just get one in the later rounds crew. Many thought we could just hit gold with our wr picks every time we needed one.

 

Jackson is projected to go in rd. 3. Many things change before the draft though.

 

Yet, Tomlin is holding this organization hostage.

 

To your point, given that he is coming off injury, his contract demands may be pretty reasonable.

 

we could probably say the same about seumalo. i think the injury hurt him this year. two years ago i thought they were the best interior duo in the league. if they both make full recoveries that would be a formidable trio on the interior. mccorrmick has some learning to do yet so for a year it would make sense until seumalos contract run out.

in the same type of theory would be to re-sign mike williams. i don't think last year really put him up there with many other WR's in what he might be asking. same with demarcus robinson. that would up that room with our young guns. let these guys go through camp and it may look quite different. the only problem is who is throwing to them.

 

I wonder if people would be as down on Pickens if the whole AB thing hadn’t happened.

In terms of behaviours I don’t think he’s been as bad as is often made out.

The issue is more just how dependent we were on him last season.

 

yea, i gotta agree thig. i like the kid. many of these wrs are moody. he just wants the ball and he keeps showing what he's capable of doing when they get it to him. another reason i think we could use williams back here and pickup a guy like demarcus robinson. let these vets that have been in his situation a little bit show him how to be a pro. who did he learn from? DJ.

 

Eww

 

i want to touch on the tackles now. would it be beneficial to leave jones at the RT spot? i think troy may be the better LT. jones has played RT for a year and a half. let him continue there. it is important going into year 3 for him to not have to change it all up right now. let him build on what he has done for this long. troy fautanu has the skillset to play LT. why turn over the apple cart? if and this is an unkown right now, and as elvis has stated, daniels is cleared and we sign him, it may help jones on that side and make it more of a strength. troy on the left with seumalo (hopefully healed from this years injury) can also be a driving force in his learning curve. make the transition easy. both those guards could help the two tackles and frazier on the interior. seal up this porous line with a couple of easy moves. it could benefit the run game and fields as well.

 

I see this going well here

 

If they can get Will Howard, he will start for us for 10 years. He has all the tools and size for our type game. He can throw the ball down field, has a very fast release and he can run when it is needed. He played 5 years in college and finished with a NC. He has potential to be as good as Burrow.

 

Right now IDK the specifics with Herbig and Seumalo, if they could sign/extend Daniels to a 1/2 year deal it would be great depth. Seumalo, for the price may be a cap casualty, his play has not been stellar, but we are facing year with unknown left side. Depth and experience cannot be overlooked in value for a long season.

 

He was projected as 3 to 4 round prospect before the NATY, will likely get close looks at the combine and pro day, I have no opinion really, the amount of NFL potential talent surrounding him certainly did not hurt him, but the same could be said for many college QB's. Some, like Burrow explode on the scene, others not so much.

Some on here have differing opinions on taking a QB high, or any for that matter insisting you wait for the next Burrow. I disagree, I do not think you reach, but you draft this position like any other, team need, BPA, player potential, and go from there. You are going to find possible gems AND busts in every round...especially rounds 1 and 2. My bigger concern is do we have the right staff to develop a QB, and the surrounding talent for success as he develops.

 

they have met twice with brady cook from mizzou. they are looking for at least depth.

 

What is an NC

 

First I’d have to get past the fact he played at Ohio State.

I suspect I would do that right after he threw his first touchdown pass.

WE ARE

 

I almost asked what a Natty was and then it finally sank in

 

QB - I'm not as down on Wilson as some. I'm not big on him either. Same with Fields. Russ seemed good for six games, so maybe start him the first six games and Fields the rest of the year. See how that works. Seriously though, there's nothing inspiring to me in the FA market, or where we'll be picking in this draft. So sign one as a bridge and try a lottery ticket in the mid rounds. Bring on the 2026 class.

Resign Wilson or Fields; draft a flier in the mid to late rounds

RB - I like the idea of an Robinson/Gibbs-type back, but given Warren, whom I think they keep, there are a number of bigger backs in this class that bring a combination of vision, patience, and elusiveness that Harris lacks, while still bringing his power. Hampton or Robinson, or Skattebo or Gordon II a round or two later would be be good options. I was watching film of Skattebo the other night and that kid's got some impressive contact balance.

Resign Warren; draft RB in round 2-4; sign vet backup

WR - A lot depends on where they see Pickens in the future. There's some concern that Wilson is a slot-only receiver, but I thought he made for an intriguing Z compliment to Pickens coming out. Whichever way they choose to go there, they need to increase the use of a quick-cutting receiving option in the short and intermediate range. Last year only Skownorik (5 targets) and Johnson (1) had an ADOT under 11.6 yards amongst Steeler WRs. That leaves the underneath routes for slower-footed RBs and TEs coming off of chip blocks or on wheel routes. That's not helping a QB behind this o-line right now.

Signing a vet like Higgins or Godwin would be welcome, but also costly. Higgins and his 6'4"/215 frame will command in the neighborhood of a $25M APY contract, and would likely be signed only if the FO is trading off Pickens. If done for a good return I could get on board with that. Godwin won't be much cheaper, ~$20M APY, but he operates mostly out of the slot, so it either becomes an expensive WR room if they keep Pickens, or they draft another boundary receiver. Assuming no major signing, they need a high-character performer to add in the draft.

Egbuka would fit that bill in the first, being good at just about everything without having any one elite physical trait; Burton III is another consideration at 1.21, shades of Deebo Samuel in his game, but with a little more boom/bust risk; otherwise there's Tre Harris, more of an X frame with the route-running and versatility that makes for a plus WR2; or there's Savion Williams, a 6'5" athletic freak but with occasional hands issues. It's early, but I'm leaning Egbuka in the first or Williams later.

Draft WR in rounds 1-3; sign vet backup as needed

DL - Despite finishing 8th in points allowed and 12th in total yards, I just don't like the scheme Tomlin/Austin continue to run. They were 8th in rushing yards and 25th in passing yards allowed, which supports the idea of bulking up the secondary over adding to the DL, but despite needing more talent in the secondary, they also run a combination of man/cushion/zone that makes life harder on those in coverage - not to mention many still looked confused about where they were supposed to be at times late into the season.

The other way to help that unit is by increasing pressure on the QB. The scheme they're running relies upon some extraordinary players to accomplish this, and with elite players like Heyward and Watt continuing to age the focus needs to be on generating more talent. Last year the Steelers operated out of their base D only about 26% of the time, their lowest in over eight years. Their blitz rate was 29%; third lowest over that span. As a result, their sack total dropped by 17% from last year, down to 40, tied with 2022 (when Watt only played in 10 games) for their lowest output in eight years. They need more size and athleticism up front.

Kenneth Grant and Derrick Harmon, or an Alfred Collins or Shemar Turner in the second, would be good options.

Draft DL in rounds 1-3

CB - Another premium position that's expensive in FA. One reasons I was for the idea of picking up Harris' option last offseason was that at only $7M it would allow the team to focus its early picks on premium talent they need along the line, corners, and receiver. Jackson shouldn't be too expensive to resign, and I think they need to be looking at that while adding at least one other talent. Assante Samuel Jr was injured most of the year for the Chargers; they may be able to grab a sneaky signing there, though LA should want to keep him.

Draft-wise, Benjamin Morrison is a versatile R1 option, but with the other needs in play I've been starting more around the R3/4 talent and working in. Denzel Burke falling to 83 would be nice. Zy Alexander and Dorian Strong should be in that area as well.

Resign Jackson; look for value signing in FA; draft CB in first four rounds

 

I never quite understood why they kicked the year off telling Daniels he wouldn't be back.

 

This! As long as we hold on to this we will only be so good unless he decides to overhaul his complete system but he will not do that. Might break his .500 win percentage and that is all that matters. He is riding that streak all the way to the Hall of Fame!