Whyte and Cain...

Drafting dbs is a crap shoot unless your picking in the top 10, true for every team not just the Steelers.

 

Yeah most of the top cover corners in the league are first rounders. It’s one of the most difficult positions to draft after QB.

 

Drafting a lb to play db doesn't help.

 

I like these additions given the state of the team.... I'd drop Holton and edmunds come the next roster adjustment to keep them vs dump em both to get JuJu and Connor back in the fold... Pretty easy swap to make to get our playmakers back.

 

I'm getting better!!

 

I like both of them.

 

I would like the see Whyte back next season over Trey Edmunds. Whyte looks like he can go from a stand still to top speed in a single step. It is very early but after watching him for just a short time I have to wonder why he wasn't on a 53 man roster. He seems to have good vision and a quick burst through the hole but there has to be an issue because how does he not make a team?

 

Hey Steel Hog.

Yes, we seem to have dropped off "somewhat" in our drafting capabilities for "certain positions". We know that for WR, up to this point (Tomlin era), we have excelled. At the total opposite end of the spectrum our draft record for DBs is just plain awful. I am not sure why this is. However, some heads need to roll in the scouting/coaching departments IMO regarding the DBs. Look at how many have come and gone under Tomlin. Not one has cut it as a starter and has remained with the team over the years. The closest "hit" was Keenan Lewis who, was good, not great, but good and we all know he wanted to go home to New Orleans; which he did.

What really makes it embarrassing IMO, is that DBs are suppose to be Coach Tomlin's area of expertise. Well he fails there IMO as far as drafting them and developing them. I could give him a pass here and there. However, he has absolutely NOTHING to show for this position under his tenure. The common denominator here is Tomlin. One cannot tell me that all of the DBs drafted under him are just that bad. Maybe it is a combination of him, scouts, and whoever is our secondary coach(es) over the years. As I like to say in these situations…. Just Disgusting. Take care.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Yes drafting DB's has been fairly pathetic over the amount of time we have taken to get it right and looks like Miami did it for us. But even I can't completely put the total blame of MT as this is a special kind of failure that had to take others to help him with.

 

Hey Steel Hog.

Yes, I agree that Tomlin most likely collaborates with others in the "Think Tank" when it comes to drafting. I also recognize that DBs are a hot commodity given that we are in so-called "Passing League" and there is a premium on them. Almost, to the degree as finding a Franchise QB. However, whoever (or multiple people) is responsible for all of these misses really needs to go or be demoted or look for a new job. To me, this is just TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. Otherwise let's just do what we did with Fitzpatrick, Haden and Nelson. Let other teams do that piece of work for us.

Actually, I am glad that Steeler management has finally got on board with you cannot do everything by the draft alone. Yes, historically the Steelers have done a great job through the draft but there are times when you have to look at trades or pick-up Top-Notch free agents and have a good blend regarding how the team is being assembled. Take care.


STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

A lot of the issues with DBs has been Dick LeBeau. The rules were changing but LeBeau was running the same defense and he wanted physical DBs that could tackle and knew how to play zone. The issue with that was when the rules changed that prevented a receiver from being hit past 5 yards, the defense stayed the same. Now you have physical CBs that can't hit the guy and throw the timing off in a zone read which good QBs could pick apart with ease.

The DBs on the roster could not play man coverage, the Steelers even admitted that fact when they took another beating from the Pats. So now the team needs good DBs but most of the good ones were gone by the time they were on the clock. So they started using SPARQ scores and combine results rather than game tape to draft DBs and the results were horrible

We got Artie Burns in the first round, most people saw that as a major reach but they needed a CB so bad they took a chance. We got a 2nd round Sean Davis who has the proverbial "physical gifts" but lacks the instincts and ball skills for his position. We got a Terrell Edmunds, who I'm calling a bust, that didn't have a lot of tape but had a decent combine.

Then we have the FAs, the Coty Sensabaugh's, Ross Cockrell's and others. They were actually what I like to call "trash heap signings" because they weren't wanted by any other teams for what the Steelers were paying. The fact that some of these guys had a little bit of success speaks volumes because they didn't have much before or after. I was extremely critical of the coaching and I still am but I started looking back after Minkah came here and I'm changing up on that a bit.

I'm honestly coming out of the fire Tomlin camp and I'll explain. Minkah Fitzpatrick changed the entire defense, they didn't magically change the scheme and we didn't suddenly get a field full of different players. One guy made a dramatic difference, how does that happen? The issue is the back end of the defense has been horrible for a long time, Joe Haden helped but even with him the team was still giving up a huge amount of long TDs and there was at least one in almost every game.

I'm really thinking that we just have had really poor players, and as evidence just look at the success rate of the DBs that leave here. Most don't do well or they are out of the league shortly after. Even with Edmunds being the weak link the defense is still good, imagine what it looks like with another solid guy, not great, just solid. Before anyone says it, yes, I'm saying Edmunds isn't solid. He has improved but I think what you see on the field now is what he is, no better.

We can say things like, "Look at Bud Dupree and it took 4 years" and you'd be right but here is the thing. I think Bud's vastly improved play is happening due to Fitzpatrick, he has gotten the reps over they years but how many times did he just get to pin his ears back? He is getting to rush more and that constant repetition helps him get over on the OT blocking him. Before Fitzpatrick he'd drop into coverage for a few downs then a rush or two and then back to coverage.

That brings me to why I think Edmunds doesn't improve more than what he is right now. His ball skills aren't getting better, if anything should be noticeable by now it would be the way he plays the ball. He is slow to react and it causes him to be behind to the point he doesn't look for the ball, it has been that way from the start. When he is in position he is still slow to react and takes a bad angle, that isn't something you can coach, the angle to the ball isn't going to be the same every play. He lacks the instinct needed, he can play that spot for the next 5 years and it won't get better, he is what he is right now. So have at it and beat me up, I know its coming...LOL!!!

 

I'm seeing tweets about Whyte being scratched in favor of Edmunds if Conner can go in a limited role. Seems like they like the 3 brothers in one game story line. If it's true it's the dumbest of dumb moves I've seen lately.

 

If Edmunds is active it would be for his special teams play.

 

Hey Thorn.

If the scratching of Whyte is true, this is just one more example of our bone-headed coaching staff and their incompetency. Like you said, and I cannot agree more with you if true: "the dumbest of dumb moves I've seen lately". Whyte adds a dimension of speed 10.5/100 meters. That is blazing. Take it from a track coach. Get Whyte out in the flat and watch him take off given some lanes. We got Samuels for another passing threat. We need that since JuJu and Vance are out. This in part, is why I personally am not on board with all of this Tomlin for "Coach of the Year" trash.

Tomlin is the Head Coach, He gets paid to deal with injuries, departures, disgruntled players etc. It is called having a "Contingency Plan". Get this team to win the Super Bowl then maybe we can have a conversation about "Coach of the Year". He has accomplished nothing special this year IMO. Yes, I am very happy we are still "Significant" as I say. However, I would expect nothing less.

STEELWINDS AKA The East Side Kid

 

Some folks just want it more than others and said folks need the chance to show it. I like the kid and hope he continues to impress in our preferred garb.