Ridley better than Connor

The term "injury bug" seems to connote getting hurt as pure bad luck; I only accept that to a degree. Some players are just more prone to getting hurt for various reasons. Others have the knack to get down/turn etc. to avoid hard collisions, such as AB. JC appears to not have the knack to avoid hard hits and he will likely be hurt often throughout his career, however long that lasts. I felt he was drafted too early, because the team over-values players from western PA.

 

He really didn't have many carries before he was placed on IR. In meaningful games that Bell was available no other RB got many carries over the last few years.
We don't know how things will shake out with JC yet. Usually when people make bold predictions like this they look foolish later.

 

I think the jury is still out on Conner - and I think it's silly that anyone can say for certain that he's a good pick/bad pick at this point. Yeah, yeah, the injury thing. This all remains to be seen. I only made one mention earlier in this thread that I didn't like how non-evasive he seemed to be. That can be taught, but if he doesn't change that style I would say he's not very valuable.

Also on the "over-valuation of Western-PA players" - I actually get why they are that way. Think about it - hometown hero, that suddenly might be so fiercely loyal to his "home team" that he plays above his head for a while and gives something that wasn't apparent in scouting reports. Not saying it works all the time, but the potential is there, and I can see why they would do it.

 

I hope I do end up being foolish , just didnt see anything about this guy that said 3rd rounder, maybe he ends up being a solid player, but I hope bell gets his extension and we don't have to worry about it.

And ya him being a pitt panther player for sure makes people put the blinders on

 

The backs who went before JC were Fournette, McCaffery, Kamara, Mixon, Cook, Hunt and Foreman. All will likely have more productive careers than JC, most by a lot. (Fournette, Kamara and Hunt are gonna crush it, and so will Cook.) But they were all taken before JC. Cohen was taken after JC and I think he's gonna destroy JC's career stats in time. Cohen is small but dynamic as hell, and won't be hurt all the time like JC.

 

In Conner's defense, Bell was often injured during his rookie season and he turned out to be a damn good RB. I remember hearing the "b-word"/wasted pick label regarding Bell in 2013. We'll see, but the Steelers still need some depth at RB.

 

Doesn't look the part 6' 2" 233 solid muscle. Could help out at OLB if needed. Barring Injury, he will have a very nice career. And will receive an NFL pension.

 

Do you realize that a lot of top performers in the NFL, are players from Western, Pa Aaron Donald Penn Hills HS suburb of PGH, PA ,Shady McCoy just to name a few.
Steelers scouts don't care where you come from, if you can play you can play and most Pitt / Western Pa players can play.

 

I posted this when they drafted him....his style worked well in college, where not every one has NFL size, power and speed, but short of Earl Campbell (and even he could be a little elusive when he wanted) a 230 lb back who just plows into defenders will not last. He will get hit too often and too hard and will break up. Nothing I saw in his Pitt or Steeler tapes changed my mind. Even the Bus (260...270?) had moves and made defenders miss. The most underrated part of Bus' game was his sweet feet. Sure, he could run people over (like Urlacher in last regular season game, 2005) but Bus had wiggle in his game. I don't see any with JC. He has already had shoulder and knee issues in his NFL career. Cohen was the better pick.

 

Maybe, but the Rooneys do, and they are the shot callers at the end of the day. And let's not be nuts: being from WPA doesn't make you magically good. They put far too much weight on that factor.

 

I think its hard to justify anything with 32 carries. Unfortunate he got hurt. He would have had more action in the Texans and Browns games.

He did average 4.5 YPC. That isn't bad.

But, going to be hard for James to get the carries. Bell is the best 3 down back in football and never comes off the field.

I'm a Conner fan boy though. LOL.

 

Yep. That is exactly what I saw as well. Seemed like he was limping after every carry.

 

Bell got injured, often by cheap thug hits. But he never had that injury vibe like JC. It seems like after nearly every run, JC looks dinged. You can't try to just run over peeps in the NFL; you will get nailed.

 

I'll reserve judgement til there's enough of a product to analyze. I think he could be a perfect blast off back to bells patient approach... Just needs to stay healthy, AND actually used.

 

Well, I said as soon as we draft him that his style will lead to him being hurt all the time. I don't see anything changing along that front. I hope i'm wrong, but it doesn't appear that anything will change.

 

All good not disputing ya.