Blow it up

Blowing up is far too drastic and impactful. We need help with DL, LB and corners and WRs. GP should be traded. He is good, but the man is a headcase that causes angst among teamates. The players won't talk about George right now, but if they could, I would imagine there would be a significant amount of displeasure.

 

Retraining Fields is something that baffles me....
I agree 100%

 

They’ll probably re-sign Wilson. I have no idea what that contract looks like, the rest of the season will determine that to an extent.

Fields isn’t getting a starting job anywhere else and they’ll need a backup anyway. If he wants to stay for backup money why not keep him?

First and foremost this offseason address the offensive line. Move on from Meyer and get the best and most proven Oline coach you can. The Lions have shown that an average QB can succeed once the line is good. Everything else will become easier when the pocket isn’t collapsing in on the QB every time he drops back.

They have invested a lot of draft capital in the Oline in recent years. Meyers pedigree didn’t convince anybody when they hired him and here we are after all that investment and they’re still not able to pass protect. The injuries to Daniel’s and Fautanu were unfortunate in fairness but I’d still feel a lot better if the team had a proven Oline coach. I know that may not be that easy to find.

 

Let's discuss. It's my opinion Russ is the better QB today. However, Russ is not the future QB for the Steelers. AND, it is also my opinion Justin Fields is a starting caliber NFL QB.

If we extend Russ we continue to stay where we are now. But when we get to the end of the new deal, Russ is no longer extendable and so we are right back to square 1 in another 3 years.

If we extend Fields, we develop our offense together. Meaning new OL, new RBs, new WRs, young QB grow and develop together, and hopefully last for the next decade. Rather than develop and have to start over in the next few years.

I think both paths have positives and negatives. I think the greater potential is to stay with Fields moving forward.

With Ben, we started with an older offense and a young QB. That worked out great. A young offense with an older QB, I don't think works out so great.

 

I disagree in relation to Fields. I don’t think he is ever going to be a good enough passer to be a long term starter in the NFL. Whatever team he will be on will always be looking for the next guy IMO. Even when they were winning games with Fields this year it was the defence that was the biggest factor in those wins.

I don’t think either of them will be the long term future tbh

Regardless of what QB they keep or don’t my underlying point is that the priority has to be the offensive line. Whatever they need to do to improve, be it coaching or new personnel, they need to do it.

 

If it is true that neither is our QB of the future, with Fields you have years to figure it out. With Russ, it is now.

 

I'd argue that Sam Darnold or Jameis Winston are probably better options than what we currently have. Jacoby Brissett has made a career out of being a bridge QB.

 

I don't know about Darnold yet. 1 season does not make a player. As for Winston, no he's not better than what we have.

 

Yes I can see the rationale behind what you are saying. There are several re-thread QB’s doing very well around the league, Darnold, Geno, Mayfield etc.

Justin definitely has the physical tools and is worth keeping around, either as the starter or the primary backup. He might already be viable with more weapons and a better Oline.

 

When we were super bowl competitive, we had a franchise QB, great assistant coaches and hit on our #1 picks.
1. Ben exited
2. good asst coaches exited
3. haven't hit a home run on a #1 pick except for Watt since 2012. (shazier injured, najee not elite). it's soon to be 2025 if you're doing the math.

so i assume we need to get a franchise qb which may take 10 years...there's no quick easy way to get a franchise qb unless you get real lucky like Lamar.
and tomlin needs to do a better job getting asst coaches
and we need to hit on more #1 picks.

 

i agree. steelers are just going to have to cycle thru arms until we find a franchise QB. it will take a while. years and years.

 

I don’t think blowing up the players is worth it or it even makes sense.

But the entire coaching staff needs to be blown up first golf day. Then keep Fields and come up with a franchise QB plan as best/fast as possible.

 

Man.... you really have given up on BroJo haven't ya?!

 

What I still fail to understand within this thread is the fact that some people still believe the team needs to invest even more in the Offensive Line despite doing just that since 2021. Acquiring Offensive Lineman is one aspect. Getting ones that are starter capable?! That is another set of circumstances.


Dan Moore came to Pittsburgh in 2021.... along with the likes of Kendrick Green. 2022 saw James Daniels and Mason Cole. 2023 saw Issac Seumalo, Broderick Jones, Spencer Anderson, Nate Herbig and Dylan Cook. 2024 saw Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick and most recently in Max Scarping. As one can tell, the quality of these Offensive Lineman have grown over the years albeit slowly; 2024 seeing some of the biggest gains overall. What's important to note isn't just quality of the Offensive Lineman but specifically the positions as a whole; Offensive Tackles in particular. Dan Moore is on his way out and will likely receive a very good payday while the Steelers have entrusted the bookends to the likes of both Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu. Center is finally figured out in Zach Frazier while Ryan McCollum has been a solid depth piece. Guard is where it gets interesting as Isaac turns 32 next season. Spencer Anderson isn't going anywhere but James Daniels just might be even though he is on season ending IR.


Now that the likes of Guard and Center are set (for now at least), the big question mark heads back to the bookends. Broderick Jones, for those of us that forget, came into the league with only 19 starts as a Tackle; only one full season under his belt. For anyone expecting him to be the second coming of Tristian Wirfs, Rookie Season Jedrick Willis or even his fellow College Alum in Andrew Thomas within two seasons didn't have realistic expectations to begin with. For that matter, it took Andrew Thomas three years to finally unlock all that latent potential. Another Offensive Lineman who possessed more starts but also took time was Christian Darrisaw; another hyper athletic tackle. Even Jedrick Willis had a much greater start as a Tackle within his first two seasons but has fallen off considerably. If one wants to compare his 2023 fellow classmates?! Darnell Wright has improved since his rookie season; Paris Johnson Jr doubly so. However, both of them had just as many warts as Broderick Jones did in their respective Rookie Seasons. This all leads to Broderick; a young player who has battled both injuries along with a very rough transition into the pros via playing out of position (hint hint). Given how all of Broderick's starts, very limited mind you, were at Left Tackle, expecting him to magically become the next Lane Johnson or Forrest Gregg was nothing short of a fantasy. Hell, expecting him to be even above average like Brian O Neil of the Vikings wasn't realistic either.


Overall, Tomlin and Khan both collectively warned all of us about Jones' development after he got drafted; a "diaper dandy". That told me all I needed to know; a very young yet very talented Lineman who was going to need time. However, Jones isn't blameless in all of this. Not beating out Dan Moore wasn't a good sign to start out the season to begin with. Troy Fautanu getting hurt didn't assist in this matter either. Jones' struggles continued even after he removed that elbow brace by the near end of the first half of the season. Broderick has been through HELL; a seemingly continual theme of young Offensive Lineman under Tomlin. Kevin Dotson being played out of position ended up costing the Steelers a Pro Bowl Caliber player. Kendrick Green should have NEVER BEEN starting as a Center; Duke Manyweather's tweet about this being proof positive;





Mason Cole being a Center was just as bad and now all of us are seeing history repeat itself with Broderick Jones; the same vein it was with Kevin Dotson. Even with all of this stated, Tomlin isn't alone for the Offensive Line's troubles. Pat Meyer hasn't fully cashed in his checks either. I say fully for he has turned Dan Moore into a solid Offensive Tackle and did play a part in developing the likes of Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick.... if that is all there was to this story. Again, the devil is in the details; both Frazier and McCormick have tremendous amounts of experience as both have over 45+ starts coming out of college. Let me repeat that; 45+ total starts!!! That is nuts.. so to have Pat take all of the credit is disingenuous to both Mason and Zach. If you take away Dan Moore, Pat Meyer hasn't developed nor improved any Offensive Lineman since becoming the Steelers Offensive Line Coach with the possible exception of Ryan McCollum. That is, more or less, what Meyer's resume is as Offensive Line coach.



In short?! Broderick Jones hasn't lived up to his status as a Top 15 Draft Pick. However, with a Head Coach who has shown to place his Offensive Lineman in unwinnable situations time after time and an Offensive Line Coach who has not lived up to his abilities to train the young Offensive Lineman, never mind BroJo, the entire Offensive Line is going to continue to look much worse than the talent level suggests; no matter who the Offensive Lineman are.

 

@AskQuestionsLater good post and to be clear when I say address the offensive line I’m mainly talking about coaching.

I’m not sure what Meyers contract status is but they need to move heaven and earth to get a proven NFL Oline Coach this offseason. I dont know who is available or who might be a good fit, but they need somebody that can mould the guys they have into and effective unit.

Their early draft picks in 2025 will be needed to address the secondary and WR groups, possibly DT as well

 

I think this is a good point and worth repeating. Our success in the first round has to be better.

Since 2013, some of our first round picks have included Jarvis Jones, Artie Burns, Terrell Edmunds, Devin Bush, and Kenny Pickett.

 

Looks like a bust to me. Maybe he would be better at LT where he played in college, but I doubt it.

 

Not directly targeted at any one person specifically. Just the general consensus I got from reading all of the comments about the lack of investments of the Offensive Line as a whole.

 

I'd say give him another season. That said, I don't think you will be entertaining that idea.

 

Jones will get another season because Steelers have too many holes elsewhere and he's a first round draft pick.

 

AMEN

The OL could have 5 pro-bowlers signed in off-season and still be coached down to missing blocks and an average OL. Why is Pat Meyer still coaching ANYWHERE in the NFL?

I am so steamed Tomlin and his handpicked craptacular staff are still here. GET RID OF HIM and get a SERIOUS head coach. Let the cheerleader full of empty slogans and cliches go, for the love of all that is Steelers nation!

 

Yep, the only way I sign Wilson is if I have a fairly easy get get out after year 1 completes (post June 1st cut) with low/no cap hit. I don't do anything big that would have a $20mil + cap hit in year 2, 3 or 4.

 

It's getting harder and harder to recall that, but yes, most of the 90s were that, most of the 70s were that. Most of the 2000s were that. Even Tomlin's first two or three seasons were that, but it's been a downward train wreck since. I am embarrassed for Steeler Nation and I'd be embarrassed for Rooney's, but they can and should have done something about this 5+ years ago. Shame on them. Shameful.