These are the positions the Steelers shouldn't draft this year

you might be on to something. all the guys ben came up through the ranks with are gone now since heath retired. he has taken a beating for many years, not just last season. those have to start adding up at his age and it's got to be getting harder to get refreshed after every game now. he could play for 4-5 more but will the want to be there that long.

 

wheaton had a pretty good year for us and may have a better one this year. i wouldn't boot him out the door quite yet.

 

I wouldn't necessarily want him gone, but like Dean just mentioned (and PWP before) Wheaton is probably our most enticing trade candidate. We have somewhat of a logjam at WR and if we could land a comparable player in the defensive backfield or edge rusher, I would consider it. I just don't think I'd trade him straight up for a draft pick because you're getting rid of a young capable player who is probably still improving for an unknown commodity.

 

I agree, and I think losing Heeeath will take its toll on Big Benjamin. I'm glad the team has the foresight to realize that he's not long for the gridiron and that they are properly vetting out realistic QB options. I just hope they don't force the issue like with Landry Jones. If a prospect comes to them, then great, but I don't think we have to actively seek one out.

 

You gotta give something to get something; If Wheaton could bring us back a good player in an area of need, I'd be all for it. We have a surplus at wide receiver. Taking advantage of it only makes sense. If we can get back the right player in a trade scenerio.

 

i don't think we are that deep at wr minus a guy like wheaton. AB yes, bryant yes, but then we have coates that is a complete unknown really. that's it besides wheaton. DHB is a FA and then we have some futures players and probably some UDFA's will be brought in. one injury and we would be in trouble on the wr front and not be near as stacked.

 

denver would be my first guess at that question. KC may be 2nd. i just think we could use wheaton a lot more than letting him go at this point. why weaken our offense more? we already are down heath miller.

 

I guess I've got faith in what I saw in Coates. Coates seems like he has all the tools but needs more snaps.

 

Unfortunately I don't think Wheaton is a viable trade candidate at all. He will be a FA after the season. I don't know any teams that would be willing to part with anything of value for a player that could ultimately be a one year rental. That's bad business.

If a trade were to happen involving Wheaton, I would expect him to return a player that is also in the final year of his contract of similar status or a veteran player that is currently under contract but that team feels is over paid or under performing his contract. That or a mid round pick... None of that really sounds all that great to me. Wheaton is worth more to us on our roster than he is for any of that return.

 

i do think coates has a place. having 4 good wr's keeps us at the top. coates has had his struggles at drops throughout college too. similar to bryant. if AB were to go down as we saw last year, i'd hate to depend on bryant, coates and just some PS player. add that to no heath and we go from one of the stronger offenses to middle of the road. it also takes ben some time to get on the same page with newer receivers. heath being gone and if wheaton were gone we would be going backwards somewhat.

 

You won't get much for Wheaton maybe a 6th rd pick, because he's in the last year of his contract. They would be better off holding onto him, take the comp pick for him in 2017.

 

Yeah, but I'm assuming he's RFA? We could tender him like we did Sanders and would get a 3rd round pick if someone offer sheets him or get him for an extra year at a decent price if not. I get what you're saying, but I wouldn't immediately assume he's only a one year rental. We could probably find a CB of his quality in FA that wouldn't break the bank and we could keep Wheaton anyways.

Player for player trades happen very seldomly in the NFL. I highly doubt there is any market for him. I like the outside the box thinking, it just doesn't really make sense for us. Besides, we'd be one injury or suspension at WR away from being really thin at the position if we traded Wheaton.

 

Wheaton is a fine ball player, will sign somewhere else next year catch his 60 -70
a year and live happily ever after. With AB about to break the bank, you can't keep them all.

 

I agree SG, I would just keep Wheaton on the roster. I know everyone wants more draft picks this time of year, but the return could potentially be nothing. I would try to extend his contract. He's never had a breakout year, he's had some good ones this year finally, but the price would be affordable now I would think.

 

When you consider AB is about to get his contract re-worked; Bryant is fixed over on the other side; and we have Coates who's shown flashes, I don't see the sense in holding on to a guy who's only here for one more year if we could move him and get something that would help us in another need area (possibly long term if he pans out.)

Just holding on to Wheaton for the sake of holding on to him for one more year? To hope for a 6th round comp pick? We've tried those methods in the past and it's not been that fruitful. If we could move Wheaton for something equally viable for us, then we should do it.

 

I'm not as sold on Coates as most. I don't want the Steelers to move on from Wheaton next year and hope for a comp pick either. I would prefer they extend/re-sign so he's not lost with no compensation. I like Wheaton, can he be upgraded? Sure, but at what cost and in what time frame. If Wheaton is traded this offseason for draft picks or other players, the WR depth is then affected. Why not target the areas in need with the draft and FA without damaging the depth at another.

 

What makes you think they could get something for Wheaton besides a late round pick?

 

bryant has this year and next and his signing won't be cheap either. wheaton has some worth in the slot.

 

I agree with you but if Coates and Wheaton pan out (for argument sake) we won't be able to afford both of them.

But if you still must have a WR, we can sign the one the Vikings just cut. Kids name is Wallace. lmfao! (I'm being sarcastical)

 

Since the Steelers are returning their top 5 WRs next season. I don't think they will be drafting Braxton Miller in the first round like some fans on here suggested.