The Steelers offseason to do list

They need to build the defense specifically to beat the Patriots IMO, get rid of Gay too old and Cockrell can't play press coverage. This draft should be like last years draft I would go defense in the first three rounds OLB, DL, and CB.

 

Couldn't hurt, but this draft will not fix the ailments day one

 

I think Willie Gay and Ross are just fine, we wouldn't replace with anything better anytime soon unless we hit the FA market.

I would draft a TE early. I think Ladarius Green is done. Ben needs redzone targets.

 

We need a lot of things lol. What really hurts is that we were fairly healthy this year in the playoffs

 

Pass rusher has to be the main priority. Harrison is 39 and may not be able to play full time. Bud is improving but still has a ways to go.

Depth on the D line wouldn't hurt either. Cam's injury set us back big. Tuitt and Hargrave got dinged as well.

Then I would say maybe CB. Gay is done and Cockrell is a free agent.

Offense I say if we can afford to sign all of our guys we should do it. This group's main concern is availability, not talent.

 

Wouldn't matter our HC wouldn't have them prepared either.

 

I would disagree with this for one reason. I think burns is better than both. he is a rookie. you can hit on another one this year. they are average corners and backups. only problem is they start for us. ross maybe, gay needs to go

 

Replacing Butler with LeBeau is a start. Try and get JPP from the Giants.

 

Ok here is my take on this offseason with regards to this abortion of a game we just witnesses.

1) Who's call was it to go total zone and why? Unfortunately we may never know the answer so with that said if we are going to play good teams like the cheats and we are going to go away from what we run normally then I say yes a pass rusher is needed but we need more ball skill guys at CB and S. We have a good start with Artie, Ross and Sean but I feel Gay and Mitchell will need to be replaced by younger faster more ball hawking types. In todays NFL you need 3 good corners, does Golson and Gilbert fit that need IDK but what I do know is Golson hasn't be able to stay healthy and Gilbert so far is a failed 1st round pick. This is a pass happy league and if we decide to play this type of zone it can't hurt to have plenty of cover guys.

2) Did I see it right at the start of the game Golden was in instead of Davis or were both is and we used one less LB? I think after the Hogan TD I don't remember seeing Golden again and Davis was out there. If Davis was on the bench to start the game, why? How do we change out a starter in the AFCCG when things were going so good? Tomlin was asked at half will he make adjustment and he replied our young DB's are playing scatter brained right now.....wtf?? If you know you have a young secondary wouldn't you take the pressure off them by blitzing more not asking them to cover more or did they feel by dropping into the zone he was taking the pressure off? Either way our young secondary has had some bumps but all in all have played well.

3) Kinda in line with 1 & 2 but since week #10 our D had the most sacks. If we add a pass rusher in this good draft class and JH comes back who better to learn from. If the coaches realize how bad of a game plan it was vs the cheats maybe they will go back to what has worked most of the season which means a pass rusher is needed badly to add to Dupree.

4) WR needs to be addressed Coates stinks and I would rather not bring back Wheaton. I think Roger and Ayers move up the chart but if we lose Bryant we need a real #2 so lets draft a guy here, keep adding fuel to this machine.

5) TE I know there are some guys in this class that are making some people's eyes open but I feel if Green is not gonna retire then don't waste the pick and I feel James is more then good enough to fill the void if and when Green goes down. I say we wait until next season cause we can't fix every position in the draft and we are pretty damn good here baring injury.

6) Same as TE but we need to see what happen to villy, but we do have depth here too

7) RB is a position that I think we can find a gem in rounds 4-5 and maybe turn him into a Dwill type of backup, when if Bell goes down we are ok with the replacement. Obviously if Bell goes down there is no replacing him but lets get a guy like Hunt who is young, cheap and has potential and see what happens.

8) QB I feel you always draft a QB as this is the main position in the NFL, yeah we all hear the talk about Ben but he is coming back but maybe it is time to start the search. I mean look at the cheats, they draft young QB's all the time and end up trading them for picks at the worst or they end up playing when needed. I am all for that kind of thinking.

Anyway these are just my thoughts on different positions and how to look at them in the off season, guess I better get back to work. lol

 

Offseason priorities?


Simple. Retain the guys you need. Get the guys you want via free agency (no Ted Thompson shenanigans please) and the draft (Tomlin's signature trait in Height-Weight-Speed will be applied here), ensure and hope everyone is full healthy come OTA's and make it through training camp and the pre-season largely unscathed.

 

Takkarsit McKinley, Hasan Reddick and Obi Melifonwu would be the guys to immediately assist via rounds one, two, and three.

 

I don't think we should use Golson in any future projections of the lineup. He's more or less a lottery ticket, and should not be counted. Missing 2 years of football is... let's just say it's very unlikely that he becomes what he could have been.

We should be seriously looking at the free agent class of corners:


AJ Bouye is going to get a massive contract. Maybe we'll be the team to give it to him? He's basically the next in the line of "who???" corners (Josh Norman, Richard Sherman). Maybe we'll be the team to break the bank for him? Bouye is the type of player you break the bank on... ceiling is limitless.

Trumaine Johnson is a top 5-10 cover corner. He does NOT fit the Steelers mold (bad tackler), but he can play trail man with the best of them. He's a proven #1 cover corner.

Logan Ryan... it sure would be nice to poach a Steeler corner from the Pats. Malcolm Butler is also a RFA, will be interesting to see how the Pats allocate their boatload of cap space among their many RFA/UFA.

 

Agree. To say Golson is going to walk in and take Willie Gay's spot is a tall order.

I like Burns too, but he is really really raw. There is a lot of technique he needs to learn.

I feel the Steelers have a lot of holes they need to fill... so to speak.

 

some answers.... feedback....

1. We attempted some man looks, and got burned for huge chunk yards each time. Why did we go zone? Probably because it worked well against them 10 weeks ago.

2. It was the big nickel look we use at times with 3 safeties.

3. Brady is statistically the best QB of all time vs the blitz. Need down linemen to generate pressure to get him off his game, not edge/blitzers.

4. WR does not need to be addressed in the near term. Young competition will prove valuable behind Brown.
Brown, Bryant, Rogers (slot)
Coates backs up outside
Ayers backs up slot
DHB backs up all and S/T

5. TE is not a need, outside of potentially a vet minimum blocker to replace Johnson.

6. Vilanueva is a RFA

7. We should re-sign Dwill

8. The question is whether we want to invest in a QB who is further developed (pro offense, quality starts, experience) but has limitations (Brad Kaaya 2nd/3rd round) or do we want to take a flyer on a developmental project (Brady Gustafsson 6th/7th round)

 

Did you watch Gay in the AFCCG? He looked old trying to cover their WRs, Cockrell is fine if you want to play that same crappy zone defense and get exposed.

 

i also believe that we will need to tap into free agent class next year and not rely only on the draft. Our window is closing faster than most think.

 

I think they have to find Harrison and Gay's replacements/understudies. Those are the only holes, really.

There are other spots they can look to upgrade. But upgrades are different than holes.

 

Me too. I thought he would be a day 1 starter in the slot. Loved the pick. But 2 years out of football.... is 2 years out of football. He hasn't played a snap in 2 years... and has never played a professional snap of any kind.

They need to get Bell/Brown figured out contractually... but they are going to have the ability to make a big splash in free agency if they want to. Of course, down the line that means we'll likely have to sacrifice some of our young talent (maybe we can't afford Tuitt after 2017, or maybe Big Al is gone in free agency in a year....)

 

If any upcoming coming year requires us to dip into free agents it is this upcoming year. i know thats not our style but we are running out of time. Also dont think we should count on Bryant, Golson and Green. its a bonus if they play.

 

Also get rid of Golden, he's useless it seems like whenever he gets in the game he gets beat.

 

If those three guys don't contribute next season, we're screwed.

 

If Ben retires and the guaranteed money accelerates to this year, we'll pay $18.6 mill in dead money.
If L. Green retires and the guaranteed money accelerates to this year, we'll pay $3.5 mill in dead money to save $2.5 mill in salary.
Bummer.

 

Thanks for the Feedback, I did notice later in the game we were getting up on the line but it was to little to late and very few. At the start of the game I noticed Golden but no Davis and after the TD to Hogan where Golden was covering our LB not sure who I didn't notice him out there again.

As far as what worked 10 weeks ago I am not sure anything worked in our history vs the Cheats. I mean week 7 Marsha was 19-26 and in the AFCCG he completed more then he attempted in week 7....32. I mean Marsha's number are crazy vs our defense, what does he have something like 26 td's and 3 int's....I don't know the exact numbers but you get the picture....not sure anything worked vs him.

I do feel WR needs to be addressed, jmo only because we have not idea Bryants future and how he comes back. Yes I love Ayers and Rogers and want them to step in but I also want to keep the cupboards stocked. I feel when your an offensive team you have to make sure you keep having weapons. I hope we don't bring back Wheaton and Coates so that's why I feel we go WR.

I agree with the TE spot however this class is deep so if we go there I am fine with that. As well as your response to 6-7-8 I agree with. I do like some RB's in rounds 4 and later so I would like to see us draft one, imo.

Thanks for your thoughts I feel we are pretty much on the same page with most of this,