Moves that need to be made

I agree with the play calling, perhaps some high percentage pass plays that go towards Wheaton would do wonders for his confidence and help him out in the long run. And why not, we hit AB with the wr screen all the time. I do think Bryant should see playing time. I'm not ready to lob 3-4 bombs to him per game. Mainly, because Ben isn't all that accurate on the long passes, and these plays are always called at the wrong time (2nd and long instead of 2nd and short, 3rd down).

 

Not worrying about players' development isn't just bad for their fantasy stats, it's bad for the team, too. I'm not Wheaton's agent. I want him playing (and developing) because it's good for us now and later. Same reason I want Shazier playing, and Cam Heyward earlier in his career. Stifling their development makes sense if the competition is superior (Worilds sat behind Harrison and Woodley), but sitting Wheaton for the rotating cast of backups + 1 guy who can only run a single route? That means taking off superior talent and hurting us in the future. It'd be like having ARE and Mewelde Moore return punts over Antonio Brown all over again.

Wheaton can't do it all, but he currently offers more than all those other guys. Mix and match. Get a variety in there. If Bryant eventually earns the right to surpass him, fantastic. But those other guys? I see no reason for them to ever be landing more snaps than Wheaton. A couple of games with low production does not destroy everything else we know about him. I don't understand the, "Oh look, that ball was nowhere near him, he must have run the wrong route, he has no idea what he's doing, forget the current benefits and future potential, we'd be better off with a backup" mentality.

 

we need players that can come in and produce and get better as they play. we don't need guys that take a couple of years to see the field and then 2-3 more years to get better after that. the league has taken that away from the old develop players for the future. they have to be at least good enough to play at a somewhat high level when they arrive. we need more guys like bell, shazier and tuitt and less like cortez, adams, gilbert. especially to take over starting roles. wheaton should be more of a depth guy than a starter to me. more of a 3rd or 4th receiver in the mix.

 

In what way? If the WR and the ball end up in different area codes, how can that possibly be what is best for the team now?

 

It's not as if Wheaton earned the job ... it fell to him when Sanders and Cotchery left. He got his shot, and he didn't take the bull by the horns despite AB drawing all the extra attention of opposing DBs. We could keep beating our heads on that wall, or we can try someone new. IMO having Bryant occupying the attention of the opposing deep safety is the better option.

 

Why didn't you make this argument when that was happening with Ben and AB? I bet you didn't even notice. It's pretty glib to assume that, despite success, a few miscommunications is a prediction of the future. You think even though we've seen Wheaton produce for this team (and be a major factor in winning one game), the most likely scenario if we put him on the field is a wrong route every target? Or even more than Bryant?

If Pouncey and Ben mis-time some snaps, will you want to put in Cody Wallace? If there are two busted coverages between Troy and Gay, will you want to bench of one them? All those things are bad, but benching a superior player is not the answer. Wheaton and Ben will get better together with time, not worse.

"You're right. Wheaton hasn't done much more to earn the job than JB and Bryant have done." - what I might have said 6 months ago. He absolutely earned the job. And I just don't get how your #1 concern with Wheaton is a mental grasp of the offense, so your solution is to replace him with the guy who, at least according to those announcers during the game who spoke with the coaches, only knows a handful of plays.

 

http://nfltraderumors.co/2015-nfl-free-agents-list/



Ought to be able to steal one from this list. Maybe some team having big troubles now would part with someone they are expecting to lose next year anyhow.

Wouldn't mind any one player to strengthen the team. The fine line thing. One player imporoves 2-3 others. Imagine the damage Ben could do with an extra 2-3 plays a game. Carimi Atlanta 2-5 going nowhere. One more bona fide run stopper to solidify the D. Check the list out.

 

You keep saying things like "we've seen Wheaton produce for this team" ... we have? When? He's averaging < 40 yards a game as a starting WR. That is horrendous. He's 72nd in the NFL in receiving yards. He's on pace to finish the season with 633 receiving yards. That's less than 8 WR have right now! He's tied for 58th in receptions ... and he has 0 TDs.

You say that he's a "superior player", but what are you basing that on? Bryant just walked off the trainers table and already has more TDs to his name than Wheaton has in 2013 & 2014 combined. What makes him superior?

 

If we're not trying to win, then we may as well bench Ben and save him for next season.

 

It will help that's for sure .I think some just look at what Sanders is doing and think Wheaton is the next Sanders....I think even some of the Coaches have been force feeding Wheaton just because of that ....I think they are now realizing he is simply not of the same caliber , and it is entirely possible he is not a #2 WR .....

When I watched Sanders I knew he had mad skills , so did the staff ,he just kept staying hurt was his problem not his skills ...Now he has great health and a great QB with Super weapons all around him that makes him look elite ...So don't let the play of Sanders over value the play of Wheaton..

I have not been high on him since the pick and will remain that way until I see him go off in the Stadium and then continue to perform at a high level,,,,IMO I don't think he can or he will and it is wrong to play him when guys behind him are playing at a higher level.....That goes for every position ,I don't care what you invested the play should dictate who should play.....All signs show that should not be Wheaton at this point...

 

I give. Wheaton has never helped the team, and Bryant's TD and Brown's 94 yards + drops + fumble are more than anything Wheaton has done, ever. Wheaton has NOT shown us anything on the field. Just don't look into that, ok? You'll do better looking at stats.

 

Sanders was never a great #2 here. He is with Peyton Manning, but not here. I think Wheaton is in the same mold, except, like I said, with better clutch hands. Ideally Bryant will emerge as the top outside guy, and Wheaton will be the slot guy. We could do a lot of 3 WR sets like that and be pretty strong.

I just don't get why you stick with your guns so much. You say Mike Adams did great even after being destroyed. You don't like the Wheaton pick, and so now you're acting like DHB and JB have been outplaying him. And Bryant has had about two snaps. We're all aware Wheaton's numbers are low, but you really didn't see him do anything to suggest he's better than those guys?

 

Adams is the better run blocker off all our Tackles ,I think you will see that on display tomorrow....I have never been high on Adams as a pure Tackle , I just stated the guy can run block at a high level ,do we need better Tackles ? No doubt about it..

As far as what Wheaton is doing compared to what the guys behind him are doing he is not winning the battle ...As I stated they are running better routes ,they are drawing double coverage , they are blocking better down the field...So when I look at a WR I look at the entire body of work ,not just stats and Wheaton has showed to be less of a player at this point than the guys behind him...

Will he get better ? Can he get better ? maybe
Does he deserve more reps at this moment in time ?No he does not...

 

No, but you are either trying to win, or you are trying to do something other than trying to win.

 

I have no idea why you keep bringing up Brown.

 

Sanders is what he is in Denver. Here he was never gonna be better than a slot receiver and should've been with cotchery on the outside. Put Bryant in and place Wheaton in the slot along with Moore mixing it up. Get the big kid some snaps and it will pay off down the the road. Or go with the same situation and put Bey in as your number 2 with a mix in of Bryant. We have some good potential in the WR corps and need to mix em in. Not sold on J brown yet but I do know Wheats upside but as in the case with Sanders... He's a slot guy here.

 

I agree we do have a lot of skills at WR and maybe Wheaton does have a high ceiling , but just like they said on Steelers Depot he has not looked the same since that drop a few games back ...I was never sold on him , but maybe he is better than I think , but the pressure has him shaken right now....

My point is no need to force the ball to him or force plays his way when other guys just seem more into it than him at the moment ....

 

Don't forget those outrageous predictions about Redman, those were classic!

 

Oops, about Adams, I meant to include this to show what I was talking about: http://thesteelersfans.com/forums/showthread.php?3238-Wide-9-and-defending-Adams

 

TY for the refresher . I was defending his play against the wide 9 at that point time he has since not showed so well at pass protection... I still think he is the best run blocker on our roster , as a Steeler fan I always have high hopes for guys I like the tape on ....

Adams has a lot of beast tape in the run game and I hope for Ben's sake he figured out how to pass protect ....

 

And lots of fun for me as well....Who knows how long he had that injury ? and who knows how much that affected his NFL career ? Can't predict that kind of stuff that's for sure ....But a last on to my next pimped guy DHB ...I was Pimping him on the old board just as hard as Redman so now I will pimp for more PT for him ,

TY, Glenn I aim to please...

 

Good debate about Wheaton and the other receivers. That's why I like this board.

Now, I think Wheaton has lost some confidence but we should not throw him at the bottom of the roster. I say play the guys who are performing. I would give him some easy throws to boost his confidence but not at the expense of the other players. I'm not sole on Bryant just after two catches in the previous game. But we have to give these guys a chance.

If it was me, I would start AB, DHB and Lance Moore at this point. I would sprinkle in Wheaton and Bryant on different series. I think we need to go with the veterans and see what they can do.

 

Just curious... After one catch, you move DHB up to starter?