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TE is going to be a key next season

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by francobettis, Feb 5, 2018.

  1. francobettis

    francobettis Well-Known Member

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    watching Zach Ertz make key plays over and over shows me that TE is very important. I hope Vance McDonald is that man. I think McDonald has that big play capability if he can stay health and hold on to the ball.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  2. OX1947

    OX1947 Well-Known Member

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    Key will be if TJ Watt can turn into Von Miller and if the Steelers can get a safety who can covet ground.

    Offense is fine. Steelers just need an average defense and they can beat anyone.
     
    • Very Optimistic Very Optimistic x 3
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Like Like x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
  3. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    The TEs the Steelers have will have to do for now. RB should be the only position on offense that needs attention in the draft. The defense is broken and the '18 draft should reflect that.
     
    • Disagree Disagree x 1
  4. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    Id really like a TE that can do it all... Is Vance an elite blocker? Maybe, not sure.

    If we can draft an elite guy I wouldn't be mad at it.
     
  5. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Never know how the draft will unfold but I doubt they take one early and if they dont, no need to waste a late rd pick on one.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    From what I saw Vance looked like a great blocker. Vance really came on at the end of the year. With Vance, Jesse and Grimble I would say we are set a TE. That is if we can find the money to keep Vance that is.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  7. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    I like Vance but like I have said in other threads he just isn't worth the salary he is due. I hope they rip it up and sign something more team friendly. He could end up being a stud but he has never had more than 30 rec in a season and he is often injured. For the kind of money he is due and the lack of cap space we will have after signing Bell we can't afford that.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    I couldn't agree with you more. Vance has so much potential, and towards the end of the season you could really see why Colbert traded for him. But he has two big things working against him. 1 he's hurt all the time and 2 he has questionable hands. I think he will be back, but it has to be on a Steeler friendly deal. They can't pay him what he has coming to him. I do think they get this done. Steelers Depot reported that he wants to come back. I'm not sure any team out there is going to pay him anything close to what he is supposed to make.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  9. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    They will draft a WR, Eli probably won't be ready to start the season and Hunter most likely won't be back.
     
  10. Ender

    Ender

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    I like all facets of Vance's game including his blocking. The run game was significantly better when he was in there this season. I just hope he can get healthy and play 16-19 games in a season.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  11. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    Vance right now is the 12th highest paid Steeler, he is due 4.3 this year, 5.1 next year and 6.4 in 2020 & 2021. That's 22.2 mil over the next 4 years wow, he had 14 rec for 188 yds and 1 td. That is hardly top 15 money so I hope Steelers Depot is right and he does want to come back cause it will have to be at a better LOWER contract.

    I too liked how he came on but as you pointed out injury and drops are the knocks on him. If money wasn't so tight I wouldn't care but I would rather give that money to Bell and draft a guy or sign Vance for a whole lot less. jmo
     
  12. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    Steelers need to draft a scat-back/pass catching type of RB like Kamara of the Saints. This type of back would be the ideal compliment to Conner who is more like a Bam Morris type of RB. Steelers could win just as many games without Bell and with a Pegram/Morris-esque, circa 1995, RB lineup.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Disagree Disagree x 1
  13. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    Conner showed he couldn't handle part of the load never mind most of the load and then you want to add another back so we are one dimensional when that back is in the game. Another thing your forgetting is pass protection, Bell has all 3 of these qualities why would we want to start over at RB with being this close?
     
    • Very Optimistic Very Optimistic x 1
  14. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    It's gonna cost too much to keep Bell. The defense needs a major influx of talent either in the draft or free agency. The Steelers are going nowhere fast without upgrades to the defense. I'd rather the FO spend the money on defense and draft a RB early... round 2.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  15. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    I understand and some what agree but we can do both keep Bell and fix the D....by the way the D is not that far off.
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 1
  16. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Conners body of work isnt nearly big enough to draw any conclusions about it one way or the other.

    Im not sure which way I want to go with Bell, Im on the fence but I think they are going to part ways. They arent going to pay Bell all that money and then pull him off the field in 3rd and short situations and I think thats a real concern they have.

    Maybe they start using 2 RB sets to counter that, but that still means you're paying a fortune for a not true 3 down back.

    Still also leaves the elephant in the room that is his cap hit.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  17. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    The cap numbers for the Steelers are brutal to say the least. Bell would consume any cap space that is left and restructures of other players would have to be done on top of his deal.

    Replacing Shazier is going to be next to impossible. A rookie ILB is gonna take time to get up to NFL speed... even if he's a 1st rounder. Maybe the Steelers can strike gold like they did with Kendrell Bell, but it's highly unlikely. TJ Watt started off great, but hit the rookie slump as the season wore on. The same thing will happen to the ILB. It's gonna take 2-3 years to get the defense back up to par. Steelers are also in dire need of a new Free Safety and Strong Safety to challenge/motivate Davis.

    RBs are much easier to replace than LBs. Steelers can get a good RB in rounds 2-3.
     
  18. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    I agree about Conner but that is my point we don't know what we have with him. Are you willing to not pay Bell and take a step back at the rb spot and on offense? I am not especially these next 2 years with Ben, I feel this is an offensive league and we need to keep the offense top notch. I have posted in other threads about how much cap space we can save with some cut that aren't prime players. I think it was around 20-22 mil, just in cut not to mention extensions and restructures.
     
  19. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    We can get the cap space like I just said to Blast and as far as rookies not being able to step up not so fast. Rookies are getting more playing time than ever cause they are getting pro level coaching in college. The days where 1st round picks sit the bench are long gone.

    A RB in our system is not that easy to replace Bell is an all in one back plus more. Run, pass, protect and line up at wide....I don't like the off the field stuff with Bell but I don't care about that. I want a guy that can win us games and that is Bell.
     
    • Very Optimistic Very Optimistic x 1
  20. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    We'll have to agree to disagree on Bell.

    I don't think his attitude and the locker-room drama the Steelers will get ... are worth the price tag. Plus, he has a history of injuries and failing drug tests. How reliable will he be after he signs the big contract? That's a big risk for the Steelers, IMO.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  21. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    In 5 seasons he missed 13 games due to injury and/or suspension, was a pro bowel 3 times and an all pro twice. The last 2 years he has been out of this world rushing for 1268 & 1291 while rec 616 & 655. That is a ton of production to replace so I would say not spending that money is a big risk for the Steelers. You will always have injuries, you can't control that but the off field stuff does worry me and is a valid point.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  22. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    People that are worried about the cap I posted this in the TE thread these few cuts will free up 19.7 mil:

    cuts:
    Mitchell 5 mil
    McDonald 4.318...try to re sign
    Wilcox 3.125
    Foster 2.675 replace with Finney or Feiler
    Gay 1.75
    Golden 1.475
    Sensabaugh 1.4

    People don't want to give Bell 15 mil and want to add that money to the D which I understand the D needs help but everyone is ok with 26 mil on Heyward and Tuitt???? So some don't want to give Bell 15 mil (or whatever he will get) and he is easily a large % of our offense and the same people talk about how bad our D is yet we have 26 mil just for 2 guys alone.........just food for thought!

    Like I said we can do both the above cuts, some extensions and restructures, draft and a small FA or two.
     
  23. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    It's terrible the Steelers have $26M tied up at DE and are not getting their money's worth. For the record, I'm NOT OK with it. This reminds me of the Woodley situation the Steelers were in a few years back. Players on their 2nd contracts loafing around and not pulling their weight. And yes, Heyward was one of our best players on D in '17 with his sack totals, etc... but the one playoff game was more important than any of those regular season games and he did not show up... at all.
     
  24. Diamond

    Diamond Well-Known Member

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    Well the cowboys let Demarco Murray in 2014 go after he had 1845 yard rushing 13 TDs and 57 receptions for 416 yards, because he wanted a 42 mill contact, which he got with philly but was traded to titans after 1 year because chip kelly hardly used him, and now bell wants 70 mill after a season that wasnt even close to murrays numbers....
     
  25. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    Totally different situations, first Murray didn't fir Chip's system while Bell is the key to ours, then Phillys gets rid of him and he has some super years on an average team. Let's not also forget the oline play of the Cryboys who after letting Murray go let McFadden rush for over 1000 yds.

    I also think the money Bell is looking for may be large but he is looking for more guaranteed money, that is where him and the steelers are apart.
     

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