Najee says he had nobody to learn from

It's almost like there weren't any coaches.

 

I took that as him saying there was a lack of veteran leadership on the offensive side of the ball. That is true. In a lot of ways, we had to start over on offense following Ben (and others) retirement / departures.

 

Don't care, he isn't on the team anymore. He better worry about his burst through the line.

 

He's not wrong. He was a solid back for the burgh. Good guy. I wish him success

 

What are you doing passing up a perfectly good manufactured opportunity to ***** about the Steelers?

 

While he's not wrong, RB is one of the easiest positions to play in football. I mean, get ball, find hole, run through hole. That second step was Najee's problem.

 

there weren't

we are deficient of good coaching

you all don't know that yet?

 

Najee was here for 4 years he should have been a leader

He wasn’t

 

Perhaps, but that doesn't make his point any less true or important. Not every guy is going to be a leader. Many just aren't cut out for it. Wasn't Harris named a captain his second season? Didn't the same thing happen for Pickett? You have these very young guys being asked to lead because there are no veterans taking that role.

 

This^^^

 

Blitz pickup on pass plays is the toughest job a RB has. Harris was good at that for the most part.

 

That can be said about most positions in football when they are stripped down to their essence. The details, the why's and whyfors as well as the whens are what can make or break a player. Sure take ball run through hole seems simple but what about when it's not a run play?

Let's say your a 2nd year back and it's a play action pass. You're playing against the Steelers and Watt is working through a block on the outside meanwhile Benton is driving the center into the LG opening a hole for Queen or Wilson to blitz unblocked, who is the bigger threat? All world linebacker Watt doing what he does or the inside linebacker with a free shot at your QB? What's your blitz pickup as a RB?

You're the rookie LG starting next to a rookie center for the Steelers. It's a pass play and at the snap of the ball you have no one to block because the inside backer is 5 yards off the LOS and rocking back on his heels. Do you hold your position to continue to protect your QB? Do you attempt to dbl team with your center pulling you out of position to make a block if there is a delayed blitz? Do you just pancake anyone near you?

In Harris' case you know the play call, know the design, but instead of simply putting your foot in the ground and going, you over think it. You see a DE or DT giving your OL as much as they can handle do you hit the hole with power figuring they won't get a chance to get a solid arm on you or wait, cut back and run through a different hole where your blocks aren't set up and where you are worrying about linebackers in the 2nd level instead of running over smaller defensive backs.

These are all things coaching and veteran leadership can help with. One of the number 1 things every player on that team should know is that the Ravens will hold you up while another strips the ball out. Don't fight for an extra yard, get to the ground and have that ball locked tight. Yet every year it happens.

 

It definitely wasn’t a Ben Roethlisberger, Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker situation but not often do players have that type of mentoring coming into the league. Add to that all the coaching changes and Najee didn’t find himself in a very favorable situation. Besides that he really did conduct himself in a very professional manner both on and off the field. I really wish the Steelers would have picked up his 5th year option due to the fact that we really don’t have a back up plan going into next season.

 

Yep. And Najee was removed from his captain role in his third season.

 

An UDFA RB picked up pass blocking just fine. He had the same teachers as Harris.

 

That was the moment any chance of his 5th year option went poof

And a few still think the Steelers made a mistake

Some people are slow to learn

 

Back some time ago.

I remember walking into the 49er training camp during their best days. They had cameras video taping all over the place during work outs.
I remember same with the Patriots.
And the coaches on these teams used those as they would see bad habits or whatever the day before and they would drill on those things.
There were some other teams that did same and I am sure most do it now days.
But the point is, those position coaches drilled those guys to get it down.
I even saw Bill Parcells light up one of his guys big time over some lack luster coaching..
Gibbs' squads were so well coached they actually could change a game plan at half time.

Harris probably has a point. I know a few folks around the NFL that thought Matt Canada was a joke.
Maybe it runs deeper.

 

The offense lacked vocal leadership after Pouncey and DeCastro left... No two ways about it. But Najee didn't really position himself to be a leader either. Granted, he was never good enough to get seen in that light, but he could've made that effort. I am hoping we can bring some leadership to the offense soon. There are 3 Buckeyes that would bring that pretty instantly that we could take in the first round. Egbuka, Henderson, and Judkins were all that to a degree. Their QB would be pretty awesome too. That kid has great leadership qualities.

 

The Steelers would be in a much better position right now if they would have picked up that 5th year option. It doesn’t matter if he was a captain or not. Warren as a feature back and some others is not going to be any better.

 

Seriously

Najee in a contract/prove it year was barely the 18th best running back in the league

Giving him the 5th would have guaranteed his salary for not one but two years and he would have thought he was being held hostage and underpaid

I can imagine how much effort he would have shown in that **** show

 

The Steelers should pass on all three of them in the first round.

 

Agree to disagree. I know you're on the "DL no matter what" train, but if Grant and Harmon aren't there, I don't see one that is worth pick 21 ahead of any of the three guys I just listed.

 

Maybe they take Nolen or Dart, it's not worth it taking a RB at #21 since he will be part of a three man rotation.

 

Maybe for a year? You're only drafting a RB that high if you think he is going to be the #1 in a tandem within a year or two. I don't think anyone is selling hard on Jahmyr Gibbs because he is part of a tandem... Nobody would be mad if we had an Aaron Jones or James Cook with pick 21. Idk.

I am not very high on Nolen (and I think the fit for a one gap 3 tech penetrator is less than ideal, since we just had that guy in Ogunjobi), and my preference is to wait until 26 for a QB. I wouldn't be pissed with Dart or anything, but all three of the guys I mentioned should be on our mind at 21. Howard could find his way there too.