donte jackson in rare company

That's the thing. There is plenty of reason to doubt Fautanu, including his age and injury history. Mitchell, on the other hand, is already showing he can be an impact player in the NFL. Offensive tackle was not a bigger need than cornerback. Cornerback has been an issue this season, and could be an even bigger one in the future with Jackson due to be a free agent. Barton would have made more sense than Fautanu, too, because they had such a desperate need at center.

Fautanu was a mistake. We won't know how bad a mistake until we actually get to see him play more next season, but this team would be much more of a threat to win a Super Bowl if they had Mitchell.

 

The team is playing well right now. Enjoy the ride. Everything doesn’t need to be picked apart 10 different ways.

 

There is absoMofolutely zero reason to draft any secondary.
We don't have a coach who can evaluate, elevate, or teach
HA HA
HEE HEE
YUK YUK

THANKS ROONEY!!!!

 

Why not do both? The point of a message board like this seems to be escaping you. I get that you prefer to be relentlessly positive and ignore all negatives, but that doesn't mean the rest of us can't have a genuine conversation about what we are seeing with the team.

 

It's a genuine conversation based on "what if's" and "we should have's" and 20/20 hindsight. Our biggest, glaring need last draft was a replacement for Dan Moore, Jr. He was horrendous last year. One dropped in our laps, we took him. He got injured. That doesn't make him a bad pick. It just means he got injured.
What we have is a corner who is third in the league in interceptions, who would have kept Mitchell off the field for x number of games, who has to be resigned next year. What we also have is a tackle who has come into his own, who would also, coincidentally, have to be resigned next year, who you would have no clear replacement for.
We also should have taken Tom Brady in the 5th round. Why aren't we still arguing about that?

 

Dan Moore Jr is having a great season this year. I doubt management lost sight of his potential the way that so many fans did. I don’t think the FO panicked as much as you suggest they did for his replacement. Tom Brady may have won a couple of SB’s for us but 30 other teams did not predict his future either.

 

This year Moore is good but it was not the case last year

 

correct - I have a feeling they were prepared to move on from Moore - yes - he is playing better. No argument, other than that beatdown vs. Garrett 2 weeks ago.

and i am HAPPY to see it - always want to see our players PROSPER!!!

that said, OLINE talent is critical to SUCCESS. the FO (and ME!) saw that as the #1 need (T in particular) hitting the draft in the spring. CB was high too on the list. You can't draft 4 #1's, so you slot them according to talent and who falls and who does not.

We took a CB high the year before w JPJ. He will be OK.

 

Of coarse it wasn’t. It was a downright disaster. The coaching staff stuck with him though which tells me they saw more than we did with whatever progress during practice. He also became the first Steeler rookie since 1970 to start at LT. Perhaps there is a reason he struggled for a bit as the position is not an easy area to go to from college to the Pro’s.

 

not EASY AT ALL!

I hope he is our answer. HOPE.

LT is critical, as we all know. Right now, Jones is not ready to go there and Troy now has had a year setback. My hunch is we are stronger on the OLINE with all 3 of them, entering next year. Don't know Moore's contract status...

 

Moore is a free agent after this year...another reason why they are a tackle last draft!

 

Please stop misrepresenting my argument. Getting injured isn't why Fautanu was a bad pick, though it is a factor given that there were injury concerns about him coming out of college and now there is even more cause for concern.

No, tackle was not the biggest glaring need in that draft. Cornerback was right there. So was defensive line. I highly doubt that Jackson would have kept Mitchell off the field. One of them would have ended up in the slot, probably Jackson. Wait until you see Jackson and Mitchell on the same field when the Steelers play the Eagles. I imagine you will see why Mitchell is better now and long term.

Also, that Jackson is a pending free agent is a reason why Mitchell would have been a better pick. They wouldn't have to re-sign Jackson because they would have Porter, Mitchell, and Trice.

 

Jackson is a free agent, too. Both are positions where one of their starters could leave as a free agent after this season.

 

I know that but in the last offseason it was more important to have a RT to put Jones at the LT position.And they have way more chance to sign Jackson after this year that Moore

In the last draft,the CB position was not my top 3 biggest need.RT,C and WR was.Each have their own opinion I guess

 

well....there you go! imagine that, Khan planning for the future!!!

 

the offseason FA period will be active again. THEN - we fill in the cracks with the draft.

We all know the drill.

 

So you sign Jackson to a 3 yr deal with the 3rd being an option year. The 2025 CB class drops off real quick after Hunter and Jackson. It will be slim pickings considering where the Steelers will be drafting.

 

The problem is, some people want their GM to be perfect...it's impossible. I mean Kevin Colbert in his prime was amazing, he built several great teams, including 3 teams that went to the super bowl but he also made some mistakes, like Mendenhall over Chris Johnson and drafting Limas Sweed in the same draft!!!

And it's very possible next year many will be happy with our first round pick in 2024...I'm sure Khan has a plan for everything!

 

That is yet another reason why drafting Mitchell would have made more sense.

 

I don't think the coaches saw anything more with Moore than we did. If they did, Moore would have a nice contract extension in his hands right now. The Steelers wanted more at the position so Jones was the pick. But they also knew Jones was gonna take a few years to really get it. Colbert once said the Steelers draft with a 3 year view. He also said the top 3 picks are expected to be eventual starters. Where Colbert really blew it was the Green pick for center. I think someone may have gotten fired over that one.

 

it’s a big learning curve at LT. as soon as Moore got it he will now go elsewhere during FA and be a long time starter for who ever picks him up. Let’s hope Jones, who struggles at RT can fill those shoes. This is getting off topic though. like STD says we have been neglecting the secondary for far too long. Next draft CB must be addressed once again high in the draft.

 

you mean.....so that we would be in BIND next year at T?

come on man, come on.

 

What are you talking about? That Jackson is a free agent and can leave after this season is a reason they should have drafted Mitchell.

 

so is D Moore - I thought we established that in this thread?

 

Just for conversation.....Many of us wanted a CB in the 1st round. I don't remember anyone wanting Brady in the 5th. LoL
If You really think about it....If Bledsoe wasn't on the NE Patriots that Year....they don't go to the SB....because We knocked Brady out of the Game early on, and He hadn't scored a point....but Bledsoe did.