Cutting these 5 players can save the Steelers 50 million

Again, these would all be fine picks - though considering other needs and the depth of the tackle class this year I wouldn't necessarily be jumping to trade up for them. But the relative depth of tackle in this class as opposed to corner is another reason that I'd be leaning to a Wiggins if he falls to them at 20. I don't think it's dismissing the former by potentially using third round capital on it in this year's draft.

The Steelers need to get some younger, cheaper talent of the defensive side of the ball. JPJ, Benton, and Herbig all seem to be good acquisitions last year, but they're still looking at paucity of CBs - talent notwithstanding, Pierre, Wallace, and Sullivan are set to become FAs - and Heyward's looming retirement with no definitive replacements on the roster. Corners don't come cheaply in free agency, and they will likely have to at least acquire a middle-of-the road option for depth, so I think if one of the premium prospects presents themselves at their first pick in April, it behooves them to take a long look.

 

They might even think about taking center Powers-Johnson in the 1st if the top 3 OT's are already off the board. I know you don't usually like to take a center in the 1st round, but the guy is an absolute monster. I think he'll be gone by the 2nd

 

Let's just become the Browns.

Here's to celebrating 30 years straight of having a top 10 pick on the NFL draft

 

As I have stated and, as you have described, the Cornerback Positions value has exploded in terms of importance within the past five seasons. Teams without even two good Corners don't usually possess a good pass defense; having two good Corners in it of itself already being astromically difficult. That said however, due to their tremendous value and importance, this also makes them highly sought after; all the more reason I expect neither Kool Aid nor Wiggins to make it to 20. Should either or exit the Top 10, expect a bidding war for that position is simply too damn difficult to hit on. Granted, neither are slam dunk instant impact players but both can be Day One starters.



The major reason I have brought up Offensive Takcle and have defended my stance in such a manner is for the reasons you have described. This team isn't getting any younger; doubly so on the Defensive Side. T.J. Watt is going to be 30 and, considering how many injuries he has had over the past three seasons..... it is fair to question how many more HOF Level Seasons he has remaining. Highsmith will be 27; Minkah Fitzpatrick also. Heywards contract is another point of emphasis to resolve during the Offseason. All this adds up towards a Defense that likely has two to three more great seasons remaining. That however isn't my biggest hangup; nor is it with the Defense.



The biggest reason why the Defense has looked so much worse than it should have been is due to the severe lack of Offensive Production. On the subject of production, figuring out if Pickett really is the guy shall require one more season for I don't forsee a scenario in which the team just punts on him barring extreme circumstances. As opposed to attempting to trade heaven and earth to acquire one of the QBs, why not focus on another major area of weakness on the team?! Corner and Offensive Tackle are two of the biggest. However, only one is going to ensure that the pressure can be continually placed on opposing teams.


To win in this league, you had better score points. The best way for an Offense to do so starts with the big men up front. Center can also be added here but Jackson Powers Johnson better have one hell of a Combine along with having one hell of an interview with the Steelers for any chance. This also does not include the usual factor of the Steelers bringing the house to Oregons Pro Day given how the Steelers operate in terms of drafting players.



To that end, nabbing a prospect from a familiar place is something I expect the team to likely do. Now and again, in your defense, the Steelers love them some Clemson Tigers; these past two Draft cycles making it very well known. Wiggins can still very well be in play as the team's constant Pro Day visits often include Clemson. However.... the same can be said for the likes of the following other Schools; Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma... to name a few (hint hint).



To sum this up, I am not saying Nate Wiggins is by no means a bad decision. Hell and again, having two top flight Cornerbacks beats the stink outta having only one. That said and, again, two top flight corners are extremely difficult but two top flight tackles are as implausible as one will get for the bust rate of Corners is far greater than Offensive Tackles. While the table provided in the article should give a greater degree of clarity on what happens when a team does get a Derek Stingley Jr or even an Ahmad Sauce Gardner, it ends up undermining the fact of what happens when such Corners don't pan out (see Artie Burns). Compare that to Tackles. The classes from 2020 to 2022 being among the biggest hits; RaShawn Slater, Christian Darrisaw, Charles Cross, Andrew Thomas and even Austin Jackson... to name a few.


As I see it, maximize the value of the pick. The better the value of said player, the more likely that player will become an impact player Year One a la Keeanu Benton.

 

Not a lot of centers are even taken in the draft therefore taking one in the first is not prudent unless he appears to be HOF material

2-3 is a good place to look

There are other positions that provide more bang for the buck in round 1

 

Powers-Johnson reminds me of Creed Humphrey. Hope they can nab him in the 2nd round, but they'll probably have to trade up to get him

 

$22 million is a little out of the Fair market value for now a "Parttime" 35 year old DT to be paid when the season starts.

Disappointed to read this. If Cam doesn't want to talk about a "Pay Cut", he may end up just talking about a "Cut".

Cam Heyward Rips Calls for Him to Take Pay Cut: ‘Screw the People Who Keep Talking About Me Getting a Pay Cut’ (msn.com)
“I bust my butt in rehab, doing everything,” Heyward said. “I got to let things calm down. Screw the people who keep talking about me getting a pay cut.”

 

can't pay AR that much $$

CA needs to step up - a new OC needs to work him in - he can produce, at LEAST what AR did this past season.

 

maybe - as the 4th or 5th.

 

AQL, so what you're saying is that the most important factor in them deciding on drafting a player is how good they do in the combine and the interview? I can understand that to a large degree, but shouldn't the most important factor be if the guy can actually play football? Also, what is your opinion of Pat Meyer as an offensive line coach, and the job he's done so far?

 

Juju has knee problems, he's about washed.

 

Absolutely not.


What I am stating is that the best possible course of action for the Steelers, as we still here today, is nabbing a player who gives the team the best possible chance to accumulate more wins. On the surface, Right Tackle doesn't appear to be that option. In retrospect however, that position has also seen its value sky rocket over the last three seasons; Darnell Wright of the Chicago Bears being the massive highlight in all of this.


When I scout players, I look at the tape of the player, first and foremost. What he does well, what he doesn't do well, what system he is playing in, how proficient he is playing in that system, is he scheme versatile, is he position versatile or limited... and so on.... I then look at whomever that player is playing on an individual level to gauge how well he does against other forms of competition. I then scout how well they do against a gameplan designed to combat their strengths and maximize their weaknesses.


The whole comment upon the Combine by me is due to the fact that there are specific thresholds players do need to have to have some success. Mind you, not all the time (see Troy Polamalu or even Antonie Winfield Jr) but I look for majortiy... not minority. Why such a stance?! Majority rules in the NFL for the minority is simply too difficult to accurately measure. Granted, when or if the minority works, like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes or even Danielle Hunter, you really have something to work with. When it does not though, such as Taco Charlton, Eli Apple or even N'Keal Harry.... oof..

 

I hear what you're saying, it's pretty much a crap shoot even when you weigh in all the factors. Mahomes and Allen were both boom or bust prospects, they just happened to get lucky with them. Drafting players is not an exact science, so many variables. If it was, you wouldn't have busts like Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell

 

Agreed.


That said, at the very least, with majority, a team can get a reliable starter. Again though, quite a bit has to go into getting said starter in the first place; some of the work being done on the teams part (all the variables I have discussed are likely accounted for when scouting as well as team fit and schematic fit) and some on the players themselves (do they really love football and if so, how far are they willing to go, etc).

 

Absolutely. It's a complex process of evaluation, along with getting the guy you want. Luck of course always plays into it too, that might even be the most important factor. Thanks for your time, and sharing your insights. Always enjoy reading your posts

 

My pleasure man.


Just wanting to assist those who want to learn and appreciate the scouting process.

 

You're one of the few guys on here that I feel like have something worthwhile to learn from. Cheers mate

 

Maybe bring Hilton back if he is cap casualty

 

They should've never let him go in the first place

 

I just don't think this is a viable long-term drafting approach if you've scouted a player that you feel strongly about. I'm not saying Wiggins or anyone else at the top of the corner board is bust-proof, but if the Steelers feel one of them checks all the boxes the position is definitely one of need for them. Again, I agree that the o-line must be improved, for a variety of reasons, I'm just more open to it being done without having to go OT straight away in the draft this year.

As for the article you posted, a few things stood out. The first is that they classify a 'miss' as someone taken in the first that played equal to a player taken 55-65th (they are unclear over what span of time), so bottom of the second round. This doesn't make them them below starter level (though of course some will be). Second, if JPJ continues his current trajectory, any corner the Steelers draft would compete for the CB2 role rather than the CB1 most taken in that range would assume. I would think that helps increase their chance of success. Third, as previously mentioned this draft is longer on OT talent than it is on CB. If we're going to accept the article's premise of a high miss rate on corners, what's the chance of one taken in, say, the third in a stunted class failing to 'hit' as well?

I don't think they should force the position, I'm just saying it's something to keep in mind if one that they rate highly happens to fall to 1.20. What likely happens is a run on one, allowing a blue chip at the other to fall. If McKinstry, Wiggins, Arnold, maybe DeJean (like his playmaking, but unsure he's a pure CB) are off the board I'd have no problem with a Mims, Fuaga, or Fautanu. Right now I just lean toward the CBs because I feel about better about the OTs available later.

 

Fair point on the OTs. As I have stated since September, this OT class is very deep and talented. While I still believe it is very deep, the talent level drops off after the Top 75; limiting these players to either swing tackles or very specific ones. If there is a Tackle I would love to obtain if the team goes the CB route in Round One, Blake Fisher from Notre Dame would be an excellent choice. He would need some coaching up for certain but I do forsee a scenario in which he can earn starting time as a rookie in the right system.


Regarding the article though, I do agree with their overall assessment based on one massive factor; return value. As you have pointed out, I think it is clear to just about everyone in the NFL that Joey Porter Jr.'s lack of production was not just overly critiqued but also irrationally judged. Given how INTs are a toxic stat anyhow, a lot of Scouting Departments, GMs and Head Coaches do tend to overthink things or merely look at a stat sheet (see Washington Name Redacted).


Moreover to the point though is that your final statement about OTs is correct for this Corner Class, beyond three to possibly five players, is extremely scheme dependent to an absurd degree. I also agree on Cooper DeJean; someone who I was and still am very high on. That injury isn't likely going to keep him out of the NFL Combine (like he needs to validate much of anything) but how he measures will be intriguing for certain. His greatest weakness still is where exactly is he played... though I would imagine Mike Tomlin would use him in the same vein he uses Minkah. That however, brings it own set of challenges; no true Strong Safety on the team being chief among them.

 

I'm on-board the CB in the 1st round bandwagon. We have 2 tackles in Broderick Jones and Dan Moore Jr...not that we wouldn't want to upgrade Moore but id roll with that if need be. I think upgrading center is more important as far as the line goes at this point. With that said, we have 1 CB in Porter Jr, and that is it. Peterson is too slow and not safety material and we could save money by cutting him and upgrading with a younger/faster player. Wallace is a casualty being out there and needs to be cut. If we have 2 quality press man corners our front 7 will feast. We don't know what we have in Trice Jr who was IRd all year aswell.

 

What? Pittsburgh is drafting 20 and the Browns pick would have been 23.