Realistic FA plan

1. If they don't sign bell, I would not only sign a FA running back but ALSO draft one. Connor will not be a durable NFL player. I predicted this as soon as they drafted him; he tries to play a bruiser and that - and running too upright - will get you hurt often. You need some wiggle - as even the 260 lb Bettis had sweet feet. Remember Ron Dayne? Leader of NCAA Div 1 rushing, yet, because he had little wiggle, was ineffective as an NFL RB.

Of the FAs I'd look at (and remember I said to draft one as well) I'd consider:

Dion Lewis (27) - In his prime, small but strong, and from PITT (which Rooneys over-value)
Carlos Hyde (27) - Big, fast, not very agile.
Jerick McKinnon (25) - Will want starters spot.
Isaiah Crowell (25) - Underrated but, IDK. Stinks of Browns.
Rex Burkhead (27) - Kind of plodding.

The rest are too old.

As far as the draft, there are over 10 good backs that will be there in rounds 2-3.

2. DL, choose one of these guys who comes in at a moderate price. They are all still young.

Sheldon Richardson (27)
Dontari Poe (27)

Muhammad Wilkerson (28)
Bennie Logan (28)
Star Lotulelei (28)

3. ILB. One of these guys would add a lot and lessen the need to use a first round pick on ILB.

Navorro Bowman (29) - too many miles
Avery Williamson (26)
Zach Brown (28)
Todd Davis (25)
Preston Brown (25) - My pick
Demario Davis (29)
Anthony Hitchens (25)
Jerrell Freeman (31)
Jon Bostic (26)

4. Safety.

Lamarcus Joyner (27) - Will be too pricey
Kenny Vaccaro (27)
Morgan Burnett (29)
Eric Reid (26)
Tre Boston (25)

Kurt Coleman (29)

Quintin Demps (32)
Tyvon Branch (32)

Ron Parker (30)
Tavon Wilson (28)

Bradley McDougald (27)
Reggie Nelson (34)
Michael Thomas (28)
Cody Davis (28)
Terrence Brooks (26)

 

All those spots can be filled in draft with players just as good. I am not a fan of over paying for free agents and only one or 2 of those guys are worth it. As u said joyner will be to much. Williamson is interesting to me. He makes plays but not sure he is much better than williams. He too will be pricey. Draft a safety and ilb with first 2 picks. Order dont matter. Mckinnon is only back u listed that would intrest me if we let bell go

 

FA class is garbage hot smelly garbage, no way in hell any of these guys can hold Bell jock never mind take his place.

DT this draft class is loaded up and down so a draft guy imo is the best way.

ILB I like Zach Brown last year and he did disappoint so I am all about him. Another name someone pointed out was DJ Johnson on like a 2 year deal to help our rookie(s) we draft here.

At S I think we could land Tre Boston I like him a ton.

I have said before after we sign Bell we would have enough money to offer a ILB and a S a 4yr 25 mil. Offense stays the same and defense get fixed best of both worlds.....unless you just plain out right hate Bell then you won't like this plan.

 

Steelers need a NO Saints draft this year.

 

How are the Steelers going to afford these type of free agents? They may sign 1 or 2 mid tier free agents, not a big name player though.

 

I saw Nigel bradams name come up as a dream signing for us. He would foot the bill for sure.this

 

Personally, I think the Steelers will be able to shred some more salaries here between now and the draft. FA wise, I think we bring in 4 total players with one or more being CB's/S. Top 4 FA I would look to bring in are
Demario Davis-LB
Kyle Fuller- CB
Eric Reid- DB
Quincy Enuwa-WR

If we were able to get 1 out of these 4 then I would be happy.

 

Love to get Fuller but not sure we will be looking there, I am not in the Reid fan club.....

 

I'd love to get Zach Brown but he's gonna get paid.

 

You may be right but IMO Bowman, Williamson, D. Davis, T. Davis, Freeman, Johnson are all right there with him if not ahead of him and they all aren't gonna get paid. Ogletree signed 4/42 last year meaning someone will top that but not many others will come close. I hope Zach is there for us for 4/25 if not I am pretty sure one of them names will be. Like I said not all will get paid and when you look at Brown he is not ranked in the top 75 FA's.

 

That list is not top tier FA players, maybe a few. And, I think we will sign one medium level FA at ILB or S and then sign 2 more bargain guys. And I repeat: if we don't sign Bell, we need to sign a RB FA __and__ draft another because Conner will not hold up very long before he gets hurt again.

 

Gonna have a hard time signing any FAs from the Jets they have like 90 million in cap space....

 

Players are gonna still want to play there, they can have all the money they want id a player don't want to go there it won't matter.

 

Don't kid yourself....it's always about the money. My point though is that Davis and Enunwa are 2 of their better players so they know what they have and because of the money they have ,they will clearly have the inside track to re- signing them if they want.....

 

Ok tell that to the Pats who always get guys at a discount.......I agree most times it is about the money but there are always them players who won't sign with bad teams too. There are a lot of bad teams with space not just the jets. Clowns 109m, Colts 73m, 49ers 68m and Bears 63m, so there is a lot of money to be spent......

 

Yeah mostly malcontents or guys our coaching staff don't know how to handle. My point is with Davis and Enunwa most times if the team has the money they sign their own. Guys are comfortable and contracts are usually similar to the other teams who have money to spend. You'll see I totally expect us to re-sign Spence for a team friendly deal..........I kid....I kid.

 

I'm talking about guys like Wilkerson he will be out of the Steelers price range, Richardson is a knucklehead not interested.

 

Glad it is Friday night that will make me drink more.......lol

 

Not sure where you are getting your PITT comment from. The Steelers haven’t drafted a player from PITT since Poteat in 2000.

 

We aren't the pats. The pats have been a guaanteed afc championship apperamce at the worst for the last decade. They have a coaching staff who could make trash look plausible with great coaching and schemes. We don't.

 

James Conner in 2016

 

That is not the point the point is you said players always follow the money, most of the time yes but the Cheats always get good deals. Take last year with hightower he choose less money to go to them.

 

Hahah completely forgot about him. Ok 2 in 18 years. Still not over valuing going to PITT

 

But what relevance does that have to us? Also our own players won' take less money so what makes you think people coming to us Will? Part of ne doing what they do is also a big part of Brady making pocket change.