Money

You can thank the Lions for taking Riley Rieff. Oops!

I think the Steelers are weak in the front seven. Like Troy covered the mistakes of the secondary when he was injured there were leaking pipes all over the joint, Shazier has the same effect for the LBs. The one trade piece and PR nightmare we have as the elephant in the room is Le'Veon Bell. If he's not signing and you're not tagging him and quite frankly I'm over the guy, then it's in your best interest to waive any tampering on the guy like with Alex Smith and have him sign his franchise tag and trade him. Gurley set the market. Bell will get paid and maybe get some high guarantees but he'll never be as good anywhere as he is here because of all the pieces around him. The OL, the WRs, and the QB. He's in a perfect situation to get 127 all-purpose yards a game. I'd expect Bell to get some $45m guarantees on a 5 year, $70m type deal in say OAK, HOU, DET, or someone like that. I'm looking at a three team deal here. Not sure if I've seen this anywhere so this could be blasphemy. Martavis Bryant to JAX, Le'Veon Bell to OAK, Dante Fowler to PIT, and PIT receives a 3rd from OAK Oakland you trade down a bit in the draft pick up a 3rd turn it into Martavis Bryant. You take Bryant add a 3rd and get Bell. That's called GM'ing. Bell would be a great fit in the Oakland spread system. Lynch is more suited for a power run scheme and he can spell Bell like Blount did in Pittsburgh. Derek Carr has a bounce back year with a checkdown in Bell whose best asset is catching the ball in space and making defenders miss. Jacksonville has no receivers to speak of Moncrief, Lee, and Bryant would be their best guy. He would help spread the field and open up running lanes for Fournette and give Bortles a deep threat. Fowler is surplus there as he doesn't start and you get a risk-reward type deal with Bryant. For the Steelers, I'd use the cap room from Bell to sign Dez 1 year, $5m and sign DeMarco Murray, persuade Murray whatever you wanna call it to come out of retirement. He is an easy 1,200 yards a year behind this line. He's a one cut runner, which is perfect for our zone run scheme and is a nice combination of power and speed. You have Samuels to pick up the slack with the loss of Bell in the receiving game. And James Conner is a nice 1-2 punch with Murray. Then I give John Lynch a chance to cut bait on Reuben Foster and give him three years of 3rd rd picks. We're looking at Fowler and Watt on the outside. Dupree more as a floater so he can use his speed and blitz up the middle or stunts because he can't get the edge, let alone set the edge in the run game. His best asset is his combination of size and speed and it's not working for him as a 3-4 OLB. I think he's best utilized in space where he can flash his 4.5 speed. Foster plugging up the middle. And then all of the young S/LB hybrids helping out the nickel package. That is far fetched and it's just an idea, but it would certainly be enough to get a ring and set up the team better for the future than picking up a 2020 3rd rd pick for Bell.

He’ll get more than that. Jerick McKinnon just got 4 years, $30m. But I like Mark Ingram. I also like Tevin Coleman.

I like the Jarvis Landry line. He's definitely a better player than Landry, more important, dynamic, etc. But he's also got more risk of getting hurt and being less productive sooner. I'd sit on $16m and say take it or leave it. Knowing full well that maybe he hits UFA next year and gets more money short-term but then gets cut 2-3 years later and ends up with less money bc he needs us just as much or more than we need him.

If the Steelers aren't going to keep four quarterbacks then the move would be to get something for Landry Jones sooner rather than later. The longer you wait the more substitutes are available and Landry becomes worth nothing. The dilemma is the backup quarterback position. When I look at this I'm looking at Landry Jones as not a quarterback of the future, a $2.2m cap hit, and he has more value in a trade than Josh Dobbs. Dobbs has potential and could get better this year even if it is just a marginal improvement, is also cheaper, and is worth nothing in a trade. The question becomes can Rudolph come in and be the backup quarterback. I think he is better than Landry Jones today. If you want to wait and see that he can actually do this you'll wait too long and other backup QB needy teams will just scoop up someone else and you get nothing for Landry. The writing is on the wall for Landry Jones and I think Rudolph is more than capable of being Ben's backup in year one. In terms of asset management, and you aren't keeping four quarterbacks, I'd like to see a Bill Belichick type deal with Landry Jones. The Panthers are one of the Super Bowl contending teams that don't have a backup quarterback so I think he could be their new Derek Anderson. PIT trades Landry Jones + 2019 5th for CAR 2019 4th Then I'm looking at the board of players that aren't going to have their 5th year option exercised that already have a plethora of players at the position. I would be shocked if the Jacksonville Jaguars picked up the $14m 5th year option on Dante Fowler. He's a former #3 overall pick that is finally starting to become the player the Jags drafted. The problem is he got Wally Pipped and Yannick Ngakoue surpassed him when he was injured and has become a Pro Bowl player. Fowler is finally healthy coming off an ACL in 2015 causing him to miss the whole season. He's still young at 23 years old. He had 8 sacks last year in a backup role where he only played 44.23% of the defensive snaps. Given a starting role, he would lead our team in sacks. When I think of Dante Fowler I think of Harold Landry out of Boston College. He has great dip and speed but also has the added benefit of being a lot stronger at the point of attack. When the Jags decline Fowler's 5th year option in the coming days I'd make the call about the availability of him via trade. Fowler solves a lot of our problems at the OLB position. He plugs in immediately in the sub-package and gives us a dynamic pass rush option off the edge that can get to the quarterback on every play. Probably looking at giving him a 6 years, $65m contract. PIT trades 2019 CAR 4th and conditional 2020 PIT 2nd to JAX for Dante Fowler Khalil Mack also has a contract problem and the Raiders addressed their defensive line extensively via the draft with the acquisitions of PJ Hall NT, Mo Hurst DT, and Arden Key DE. The reasons the Raiders acquired Martavis Bryant is the same reasons I could see them having interest in Le'Veon Bell. His talent is undeniable and you can overlook some of the off-the-field because you know he can play. He fills a need. Carr regressed last year without a running game where Marshawn Lynch is not a scheme fit in a spread scheme. He's better in a power run scheme or one cut scheme. Bell gives them a running game and a receiver out of the backfield and is a perfect fit in that offense. If they are having problems with Mack contract negotiations, I would be more than happy to pay him the money Bell wants because I value a pass rusher over a running back. I can replace a running back with a few guys like Belichick and I feel comfortable with Conner, Samuels, Ridley, even Jarvion Franklin all combining to replace Le'Veon Bell. If there was still some uncertainty, DeMarco Murray can easily run behind our offensive line. Given the fact the Raiders addressed defensive line I think they would be willing to go from Mack to Dupree if they also get Le'Veon Bell in the process to help Derek Carr and put up more points on the board. Going 5 years, $85m with $65m guarantees on Khalil Mack. PIT trades Le'Veon Bell and Bud Dupree to OAK for Khalil Mack What I'd like to do is improve the pass rush in base and sub-package situations. Mack-Heyward-Tuitt-Fowler is arguably the best front four defensive line in the league. Probably looking at switching the base to a 4-3 with Watt as the SAM and Bostic as the MIKE. TJ Watt would be better as a pass rusher in space playing 5 yards off the ball and could be used in a bracket (with Edmunds) to cover tight ends such as Rob Gronkowski. Completely eliminating Rob Growkowski from the game. Watt doesn't have the explosion-strength to get past the tackle in short spaces. But what he does have is good agility, intelligence, and length to rush from 5 yards off the ball and beat the tackle by building up speed, setting him up, and using a variety of pass rush moves. Watt can play ILB or as another OLB in sub-package situations. Combined with the other players we brought in such as Burnett, Allen, and Edmunds we could have a variety of different looks that we could disguise what the defense is doing on a given play. And when there's not a unique defensive look, the front four can get to the quarterback on every play.

Look at you cupcakes. This is why you're LOSERS

Dorsey - LEGEND 1) BAKER .... LOL 4) WARD .... LOL LOL LOL LOL 1) BARKLEY 4) CHUBB 33) JOSH JACKSON 35) COURTLAND SUTTON 64) RUDOLPH You get the best QB in the draft. You get the best RB in the draft. You get the best WR in the draft. You get the best CB in the draft. You get the best pass rusher in the draft. BROWNS gonna Brown....... sorry

My analysis of this situation is they don't want to pay Mack the $65m in guarantees he wants and it's the same situation as the Steelers with Le'Veon Bell. They don't want to pay Mack what he values himself at and we don't want to pay Bell what he values himself at so let's make a deal. https://www.12up.com/posts/6044465-report-raiders-insider-said-team-considered-blockbuster-khalil-mack-trade-in-first-round PIT trades Khalil Mack for Le'Veon Bell and Bud Dupree The addition of Samuels and having Conner is a Bill Belichick approach of replacing Le'Veon Bell. I think that replaces him. Samuels is excellent out of the backfield. He's faster than Bell and is arguably a better pass receiver out of the backfield who is adept at making tough contested catches. That means the easy catches are that much easier. Conner gives me a little vision and power run game. Bell is vastly overrated as a runner and is a beneficiary of the trench work and grooming done by Mike Munchak. This guy could run a pet grooming salon and get business. I look at the Raiders roster and they tried to improve the pass rush via the draft getting PJ Hall NT, Arden Key DE, and Maurice Hurst DT. They might be interested in turnover at this EDGE position like they did at Wide Receiver. Maybe they drafted pass rush because they were weak to begin with a contract dispute with Khalil Mack looming and Mack might be out the door like an Atlanta Falcons situation with Julio Jones. Sometimes you do this as a buffer for negotiation and sometimes this guy is really out the door. It would also be gitchy for the Raiders to get Bryant and Bell in two trades. Jon Gruden loves Le'Veon Bell. And I base that off of the numerous times he was spoken highly of him on Monday Night Football. And this wasn't noise. The reason I think the Raiders do this trade is because they swap a little at EDGE where they just improved their entire DL and bring in a piece that can help the rush offense and passing game. They didn't get much production out of this position last year and Derek Carr regressed as a quarterback, his turnovers increased, because he had to do more leading of the offense. Give this man some crutches so he can flat out ball. Bell is the perfect fit in Oakland. I don't know why they think it's a good idea for a power run RB in Marshawn Lynch when they run a spread scheme. Bell fits their spread scheme and can also run out of 1 back or the I-Form. I liken the EDGE guys today as like your NHL defenseman. I might be willing to go from a top line guy in Mack and exchange this for a #4-#5 guy in Dupree while bringing in a top flight winger that can help us put up more points on the scoreboard. The reason the Steelers do this as they address the elephant in the room. The pass rush. When interior DL lead your team in sacks you got problems. Probably half coverage sacks and half beast mode for Heyward. If the coverage breaks down, you lose your coverage sacks. When your two 1st rd OLB picks have combined in terms of sacks (13) what an elite OLB gets by himself you got problems. I'm looking at every team's depth chart and it seems like every team in the league has at least guy that can consistently get there. Keion Adams in the back pocket and belief in Bud Dupree is foolish. Hey I like Adams as a prospect but expecting much production out of Adams and Dupree as a solution is a bad move. I do this trade because let's get these drama queens out of here. Bring your lunch pail to work and start working hard. When I look at our defense, the defense gets so much better adding Khalil Mack as a 3-4 OLB and also putting his hand in the dirt in sub package. I'm looking at Mack-Heyward-Tuitt-Watt as my defensive line in sub package that will consistently get pressure on a QB all day long. Edmunds, Burnett, Allen give us a few nickel ILB options and with Hilton on the blitz and the coverage we already have in place I think this can be a top 5 defense. While still having a top 10 offense. Bottom line. I'm willing to lose a little on offense to make the defense that much better. 5 years, $85m on Mack. $65m in guarantees

Henderson is going to have to prove he can run the jet sweep better than Samuels. That he can provide contributions in the return game. And that he can cover kicks better than DHB. So it's like Henderson with all that or DHB? Plus, you save slightly under $1m if you go Henderson over DHB.

I like the center prospect. Morris. 37 reps. 35 1/2" vert. 7.34 3 cone. He's strong and nimble. Ideal characteristics for interior lineman

I think Samuels is Le'Veon Bell out of the backfield

I'll give this class a "B" for the players. But in terms of assembling a class to help them win a Super Bowl this year they came up short

Also add Trent Thompson DT UGA. He is not quite as good as Geno Atkins but very similar size and athleticism And Fumagali.

Then we need DL depth. More 3-tech DT

I'd take any of these guys with our next two picks Mo Hurst Okoronkwo Tim Settle JC Jackson J'mon Moore Quenton Meeks Deshon Elliott Jack Cichy Andre Smith Joe Ostman Tyrell Crosby