Add more Free agents or stand pat?

[TDX27]

There is no way they are drafting a TE in the first 4 rounds. There just isn't the need to waste a pick. They are looking for a blocking TE. They can bring Gentry back pretty cheap or another FA. If they draft a TE, it shouldn't be until the 7th round.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Muuuuuuth & L’il HEyward are a TE duao that is solid, Gentry is that blocking TE. We have to big a needs to waste a draft pick before rnd 6 on. Luxury pick in a non-luxury year.

We are so close to having a respectable OL, but we can’t rest, we need to invest HIGH and possibly twice. This isn’t BEN back there where he has hidden weaknesses his entire career.


Salute the nation

 

[Superman]

that could be a bit short-sighted, to completely rule out a TE early-ish.

I say that since Darnell Washington is pretty ******* unique. A 6-7, 270lb TE who can pass pro and run block while also catch ... and can move his *** down the field? I'd not take him at 17 or 32, but at 49 he's a distinct possibility. Some scouting reports have even said if he can't make it at TE, he can add some weight and be a LT. Definitely not a finished project coming into the draft, but one guy who brings many options to the offense. Slide him next to Moore and help chip or even drive in the running game.

I'm still hoping for Broderick Jones or Brian Branch at 17. Either of those are going to be instant starters and help their side of the ball. IMO, this draft is very, very good, with talent from 10 down to the end of the 2nd fairly equal. Excellent time to have 3 picks in the first two rounds.

 

[ianv2012]

that could be a bit short-sighted, to completely rule out a TE early-ish.

I say that since Darnell Washington is pretty ******* unique. A 6-7, 270lb TE who can pass pro and run block while also catch ... and can move his *** down the field? I'd not take him at 17 or 32, but at 49 he's a distinct possibility. Some scouting reports have even said if he can't make it at TE, he can add some weight and be a LT. Definitely not a finished project coming into the draft, but one guy who brings many options to the offense. Slide him next to Moore and help chip or even drive in the running game.

I'm still hoping for Broderick Jones or Brian Branch at 17. Either of those are going to be instant starters and help their side of the ball. IMO, this draft is very, very good, with talent from 10 down to the end of the 2nd fairly equal. Excellent time to have 3 picks in the first two rounds.

The only guy I'd consider high at TE, in his situation I'm looking at the player and what it allows us to do on offense more than a position.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Although probably unpopular, we cannot prioritize OT/CB over the glaring weaknesses on the team IMO. We COULD draft an OT in the top 2 picks but is Moore or Chuks really as bad as our LB play? We had Spillane on the field on 3rd downs for Christ's sake! We have nobody to play the slot and have been pathetic waiting for our SS to get better defending the better TEs. We need a "slot capable" CB (which I think we can get later in the draft). We need better ILBs with at least ONE who can cover the TE and short zones. Our D is horrible when Watt is out of the line-up as proved this year. Highsmith "might" be a short-term employee as he may be too expensive to resign. If so, we need more at OLB over CB. Our DL needs more than Heyward and some average guys and a monster can be had later to occupy double-teams to allow us to blitz ILBs more. Picking a DL early just means 2 years of acclimation and weight training before he starts to look like Heyward (and Heyward, himself will be retired by then) so we need more than one at DL, preferably a NT late and a DE earlier.

As long as we have Canada as a play caller/conceptual OC, our offense is going to live and die by the running game. Maulers can be had on the cheap in the later rounds if they are considered not as adept at pass-pro. Maybe we get a David Bakhtiari who could be had later too? Our first two picks need to be IMPACT players and OTs are never in that category. Impact players are OLBs, CBs WRs, TEs and QBs. The reality is their are only one or two LTs in this draft (that are obvious) while most are most suited for RT or even possible candidates to move inside. Chuks isn't great and neither is Moore but neither are bad. Just imagine what cap hell we'd be in if they were studs!

The best IMPACT player we can get early is one that fills our weakest position(s) which I believe is at OLB (if Highsmith is presumed gone after this season), ILB/SS and perhaps CB if a shut-down corner is available. How many shut-down corners are in this draft? My guess is maybe 1 that is known and one that will appear later in the draft by pure luck.

ILB and S are the TE and RB of the defense. They are all positions teams should avoid in the first round. There is a ton of value at these positions in rounds 2-4. The Steelers shouldn't reach for an ILB at 17 just because they need one.

 

[SteelerFan448]

that could be a bit short-sighted, to completely rule out a TE early-ish.

I say that since Darnell Washington is pretty ******* unique. A 6-7, 270lb TE who can pass pro and run block while also catch ... and can move his *** down the field? I'd not take him at 17 or 32, but at 49 he's a distinct possibility. Some scouting reports have even said if he can't make it at TE, he can add some weight and be a LT. Definitely not a finished project coming into the draft, but one guy who brings many options to the offense. Slide him next to Moore and help chip or even drive in the running game.

I'm still hoping for Broderick Jones or Brian Branch at 17. Either of those are going to be instant starters and help their side of the ball. IMO, this draft is very, very good, with talent from 10 down to the end of the 2nd fairly equal. Excellent time to have 3 picks in the first two rounds.

Drafting a No. 2 blocking tight end is not the direction this team needs to go. That's the ultimate luxury pick for a team in need of upgrades with the starting 11. If the Steelers want to be better up front, get better linemen. They really need to use 3 of the top 4 draft picks on premium positions. ILB is the only spot I'd sway away from that because there is a pretty good option with Jack Campbell and that wouldn't be until the second round.

 

[johngaenzler]

I will be disappointed if we don’t take an ILB at 32 or 49. Not sure why people think Roberts, Holcomb and Robinson are a Steeler-level ILB corps…

 

[keslerclan]

ILB and S are the TE and RB of the defense. They are all positions teams should avoid in the first round. There is a ton of value at these positions in rounds 2-4. The Steelers shouldn't reach for an ILB at 17 just because they need one.

I might agree UNLESS you add a Minkah (drafted at #11) at FS or better a Derwin James (#17 ironically drafted after Minkah). Where would our D be with/without one of these guys?

As for ILB, if you get a shot at a Fred Warner "type", he would go in the first 5 picks. We need a pass defending SS/ILB as one of those two positions is on the field at all times. Our QB pressures hide our #2 CBs all day but when the heat is coming and they throw into the short-zones (as hot routes often end up), we gotta be ready to defend. I'll take a Buda Baker all day long at #32 and maybe even at #17 IF our top targets are gone.

Our defense is laughable without BOTH of our OLBs on the field and almost as bad at defending the run which 2 of 3 of our division rivals are adept at exploiting. We now have some run defending ILBs but 0 that are decent against the short-zone pass plays. If we get a shot at Campbell, it will have to come at #32 because he and Sanders will be gone by #40. There might be only 1 shut-down corner and only 1-2 LT capable OL to pick at #17, IMO. If they are gone, where do we go with the pick? I'd go SS/ILB that can play the slot/pass better than we have now. DT might be there but who wants to take a chance on Bresee? Not me...

 

[Confluence]

ILB and S are the TE and RB of the defense. They are all positions teams should avoid in the first round. There is a ton of value at these positions in rounds 2-4. The Steelers shouldn't reach for an ILB at 17 just because they need one.

I would prefer a cornerstone OL at 17, but if we do get that stud ILB, then we could all feel comfortable because that bird in the hand is worth 2 Devin Bushes.

 

[madinsomniac]

that could be a bit short-sighted, to completely rule out a TE early-ish.

I say that since Darnell Washington is pretty ******* unique. A 6-7, 270lb TE who can pass pro and run block while also catch ... and can move his *** down the field? I'd not take him at 17 or 32, but at 49 he's a distinct possibility. Some scouting reports have even said if he can't make it at TE, he can add some weight and be a LT. Definitely not a finished project coming into the draft, but one guy who brings many options to the offense. Slide him next to Moore and help chip or even drive in the running game.

I'm still hoping for Broderick Jones or Brian Branch at 17. Either of those are going to be instant starters and help their side of the ball. IMO, this draft is very, very good, with talent from 10 down to the end of the 2nd fairly equal. Excellent time to have 3 picks in the first two rounds.

Look, I think the best franchise value is always the franchise Tackle over a Safety, but i do love getting a utility playmaker at S especially if it screws Cincinnati out of him lol

 

[Drink IRON City]

that could be a bit short-sighted, to completely rule out a TE early-ish.

I say that since Darnell Washington is pretty ******* unique. A 6-7, 270lb TE who can pass pro and run block while also catch ... and can move his *** down the field? I'd not take him at 17 or 32, but at 49 he's a distinct possibility. Some scouting reports have even said if he can't make it at TE, he can add some weight and be a LT. Dnitely not a finished project coming into the draft, but one guy who brings many options to the offense. Slide him next to Moore and help chip or even drive in the running game.

I'm still hoping for Broderick Jones or Brian Branch at 17. Either of those are going to be instant starters and help their side of the ball. IMO, this draft is very, very good, with talent from 10 down to the end of the 2nd fairly equal. Excellent time to have 3 picks in the first two rounds.

I enjoy the enthusiasm and share in it as well.

A lot was said about Muth when he was drafted and yet we left CREED HUMPHRY standing at the altar.

A-N-D

Yet Here we are still trying to get premium OL. I get BPA concept, but we have to commit to OL at some point. We are so close........... we just need to finish it out.


Salute the nation

 

[Superman]

I enjoy the enthusiasm and share in it as well.

A lot was said about Muth when he was drafted and yet we left CREED HUMPHRY standing at the altar.

A-N-D

Yet Here we are still trying to get premium OL. I get BPA concept, but we have to commit to OL at some point. We are so close........... we just need to finish it out.


Salute the nation

yeah, and I'm one who wanted us to take Creed. He'd have been a better long-term investment for us considering who we were putting on the field instead. That, and I still believe we could have gotten Muth in the 3rd instead of the dude who's soon to be packing up and moving on with his life's work.

 

[TDX27]

The Steelers are signing veteran OT Le'Raven Clark to bolster their depth.

 

[FordFairLane]

The Steelers are signing veteran OT Le'Raven Clark to bolster their depth.

He was a long armed experienced college tackle that really never developed like most thought. He has crazy long arms for a guy 6-5 but never really used them like he should. Let guys into his body too much. Maybe Meyers thinks he can change that.

 

[Superman]

 

[TDX27]

They signed another depth OT as well and are bringing Bud in for a visit.

 

[madinsomniac]

They signed another depth OT as well and are bringing Bud in for a visit.

A depth OT shouldn’t really cost more than a low wage vet… anyone with experience is gonna cost a bit over a million bucks… so it doesn’t matter if we sign those guys…

Bud probably is coming far more pricey…

 

[Confluence]

still looking for a bit more at WR/TE/DB pre-draft even if Bud returns.

Has Gentry signed anywhere yet?

 

[Stryker]

still looking for a bit more at WR/TE/DB pre-draft even if Bud returns.

Has Gentry signed anywhere yet?

Not yet

 

[Confluence]

Not yet

I'd be pleased with Gentry re-upping and one or more DBs pre-draft. They are surely gonna draft a WR since JuJu and Claypool are gone.