Jump to content

kurgan mock offseason v.1


kurgan

Recommended Posts

OK... taking a crack at a mock offseason.  A lot of this is lost in the mists of numbers and accounting, but from nearest I can tell, these are close to accurate.  Also, I am doing this one in a dream world where AB, Tomlin, ArtII and Ben all get into a room and work out their issues with an eye on winning NOW.

According to overthecap.com, we are sitting at:

+19.2 mil

Transactions:

+26.8 (cut Morgan Burnette and Marcus Gilbert)

+52.9 (extend Ben, Haden and Pouncey)

+57.1 (resign/extend Dupree to get his 9 mil down)

+51.5 (resign Sensabaugh, Fort, Grimble, Rogers, Finney, Jesse James, Walton, Jordan Berry, Chickillo and all ERFA)

+41.5 (rounding errors, draft pick pool, buffer for in season)

+29.0 (Sign Dimebacker Deone Buchannon to a contract-- 3 years at 12.5 per with around $20 mil gar.)

+19.0 (Sign OLB Shaquil Barrett to contract--3 years at 10.0 per with around $17 mil gar.)

+13.0 (Sign WR John Brown to contract--2 years at 6.0 per)

+10.5 (After some time in FA--OG Ramon Foster comes home for a retirement tour--2 years at 2.5 per to ride off)

+2.5 (Sign WR Dontae Moncreif to contract--2 years at 8 per)

0 (Sign DT/NG Danny Shelton--2 years 2.5 per)

Rationale:  Buchannon solves the dimebacker issue right now, the right way.  He is a gamer and a weapon that can be used as a TRUE dimebacker.  Barrett gives us the pass rush that we are missing, and wants to go to a place where he can be the guy.  He can take Dupree's spot right away and make him the sub player.  John Brown is a true slot weapon that is still in a spot that he can play and do really well.  In this mock offseason, he becomes a true slot weapon and #3 reciever.  Moncreif is the guy that Hunter never was.  Big, tall, rangy and a combat catcher.  Also a net for James Washington, who if he doesn't come around, we know that Moncrief can be a true outside threat.  Shelton signs at the end as another nose, but more importantly, allows Hargrave to act more as a DT in subpackages to get Tuitt and Heyward some breaks.  Finally, after both sides waffling on the future, Foster comes home for the retirement tour.

2019 Mock Draft:

1:20--De'Andre Baker, CB UGA  5'11" 185

Still the #1 priority to fix IS CB.  Addressing edge and ILB in FA allows us to take the best CB that will be here.  I am a homer, so for me, is Baker.  A true corner that can lock down a side.  May not be the best athlete, but he is a superior technique guy.  We know all the accolades, the guy can play and almost start from Day 1.

2:52--Gerald Willis III, 5T Miami  6'4" 285

Long term DE is needed here, and Willis can play this and play it well.  Stout against the run and able to get pass rush, he can learn at the knee of Tuitt and Heyward and take reps there as the season moves on.  With Hargrave as the true backup at this point, Willis will take over and then make Hargrave a super player along the line.

3:84--Nate Davis, OG UNC-Charlotte  6'3" 311

Powerful run blocker that is mobile, can pull, and can learn how to be a Steeler type lineman.  Can develop with Finney as the stopgap as needed, and the Steelers can develop him long term as the replacement for Foster.  Grimy blue collar guy who punishes people and does it at a small school that does not win much.

4:116--Justice Hill, RB Oklahoma State  5'10" 190

Perfect compliment to Connor/Samuel.  Quick twitch guy who can lean and run, hit zones, and make some break away runs.  Not a home run hitter per se, but can hit a hole and be gone in a second.  Great pass catcher as well, and can be used in that phase.  Also, as a bonus, same program as Rudolph and Washington, so the familiarity is there.

6:162 --T.J. Edwards, MLB Wisconsin 6'1" 248

Yes, another Wisconsin linebacker.  Edwards is a plugger who is made to play in the middle of a defense and stop 1 gap runs.  Clearly a backup for VWill, he will be the trainee at that spot.  Only a 2 down player, is a liability in coverage.  But, another hoss that can plug weak A gap and tackle over top if needed.

6:180 --B.J. Blunt, OLB/SS/Dime McNeese State 6'0" 203

Saw him at the Shrine Game and fell in love.  Hell, even Colbert did.  Dude is a player and a leader.  Is the amp up guy, the hype man, the do everything dude you want on your team and hate to see on the other team.  At WORST, he is a 4 phase special teamer who makes his name and money covering kicks and blowing people up.

7:197--Sean Bunting, CB Central Michigan  6'1" 181

Developmental CB from a small school in the MAC.  Taller, angular corner that excels in zone coverage and can be trained to be a compeitior and push the younger corners on the roster.

NOTABLE UDFAs:

Jesse Burkett, OC Stanford 6'3" 304  (Powerful run blocker and captain.)

Tyre Brady, WR Marshall 6'3" 301 (Jump ball specialist, big target for Ben)

DeMarcus Christmas, NG 6'4" 309 (Plugger, new Shade Tree)

 

Last 4 Cuts:

TE Xavier Grimble, WR Eli Rogers, DT L.T. Walton, LB JAMES BOSTIC (What??)

Practice Squad:

OT Zach Banner, TE Jake McGee, RB Trey Edmunds, OLB Keion Adams, OLB Ola Adeniyi, OC Jesse Burkett (UDFA), WR Tyre Brady (UDFA), DeMarcus Christmas (UDFA), MLB T.J Edwards (6th round pick), CB Sean Bunting (7th round pick)

53 Man Roster (underlines are gameday inactives):

QB: Big Ben, Mason Rudolph, Josh Dobbs (Open compeition for the backup... Rudolph wins and puts Dobbs on the bench, but he is a perfect #3)

RB: James Connor, Jaylen Samuels, Justice Hill (Great mix of the franchise back, the hammer and the change of pace)

FB: Rosie Nix (Another year, another special teamer and lead blocker)

TE: Vance McDonald, The Outlaw, Bucky Hodges (in a bit of a surprise, Hodges wins because of his mismatch nightmare and puts Grimble on the street)

WR: AB, Juju, John Brown, Dontae Moncrief, James Washington, Ryan Switzer (Ok, since two TEs are active, all 6 WR are.  4 wide would be killer, and Washington can be ready to go without any pressure.  Switzer is the returner and backup slot guy.)

OT: AVilly, Matt Feiler, Jerald Hawkins, Chuks Okarafor (Alejandro is the LT.  The RT is an open spot for the best to win.  Second place will be the swing, and then the last place will be inactive.  In my opinion, Feiler will be the winner, Chuks as the swing, and Hawkins will be inactive on gamedays.)

OG/OC: DDC, Foster, Pouncey, Finney, Davis (Interior stays the same, with Finney as the swing.  Davis stays up and is inactive.  He learns and gets better)

DL:  Cam Heyward, Javon Hargrave, Stephon Tuitt, Danny Shelton, Gerald Willis III  (All are active.  First three are in on 'base,' then in subpackages things can get strange.  Hargrave can kick out, Shelton can work the 1 tech, even Heyward at some end.)

OLB:  T.J. Watt, Shaq Barrett, Dupree, Chickillo  (Watt and Barrett start, and play both base and in subpackages.  Dupree is the flop guy, playing both sides in reserve.  Chick kicks to ST only, like Dirty Red, and plays in emergency.)

ILB:  VWill, Dirty Red, Fort (Yes, only 3.  VWill is the two down run plugger.  Fort CAN play as a second guy in base and be the cover guy.  Dirty Red is basically only a special teamer at this point, but a good one)

Dimebacker: Deone Buchannon, B.J. Blunt (This is the new spot.  With nickel and dime being the new base, Buchannon will be on the field most of the time.  He will be the coverbacker against slots and TE, and the filler on draws and screens.  Even in more 'base' packages, he can play some safety.  In the surprise of camp, BLUNT makes the active roster.  He becomes a special teams demon and is on everything while learning from Deone and doing a little bit of stuff.

Corners:  Joe Haden, De'Andre Baker, Artie Burns, Cam Sutton, Mike Hilton, Coty Sensabaugh, Brian Allen (Inactives are hard to tell here, but if Burns does not figure it out, he might be out.  Allen is a ST ace and young guy, so might get some play here, even taking over for Burns.  Sutton and Hilton fight for nickleback duties, with Hilton even getting some burn at FS.  Sensabaugh hopefully is inactive, but stays around for insurance again.)

Safeties:  Terrell Edmunds, Sean Davis, Marcus Allen, Jordan Dangerfield (With Hilton and Buchannon having ability to play in the back, Danger and Allen don't get jerseys.  But, they are ready if needed.)

Specialists: Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry, Cameron Kanaday (Boswell sees a sports psychologist and gets things figured out.  Berry gets better and better.  Kanaday is Kanaday.)

 

 

Overall thoughts:  The offense is now set up the best for us RIGHT NOW.  Ben will have weapons now to throw the ball around, while the line and backs are built to hurt people when they sell out to stop the throwing.  The offense should be more dynamic now.  

Defensively, we are more set up to stop what hurts us.  Our secondary has talent now, and a year older in some places, and should be able to stop people.  The variable of the front line will help, and the backers are more solid and we can get to the passer.

 

Please let me know what you think!!!  Opinions are HELPFUL.  I want to do another one of these at some point, but need feedback and discussion!!!!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could live with most of the offseason moves.

Not a fan of the draft at all, but I could see it happening.

No chance in hell we go into the season with that group of ILBs.   

Are we trading AB?    No way we are signing John Brown and Moncrief to those contracts if AB is still here.   They like Switzer and those signings would basically be giving up on James Washington after one year.

Not a fan overall.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, FourThreeMafia said:

No chance in hell we go into the season with that group of ILBs.

I understand what you are saying, but Buchannon is sort of a ILB.  That is how I get away with dumping Bostic.

1 hour ago, FourThreeMafia said:

Are we trading AB?    No way we are signing John Brown and Moncrief to those contracts if AB is still here.   They like Switzer and those signings would basically be giving up on James Washington after one year.

In this mock, no.  We have to understand that our offense is our offense at this point.  More weapons for our QB is better.  Why can't we have 6 good WR that can play??  They are all different and have different skills.  Moncreif can go outside, AB to slot. With Brown in the slot as well in 3 wide.  Or AB and JB outside and the big guys in the slot.  Add in Vance in the slot.  Also, the Washington idea is NOT giving up on him.  Less pressure and can find a role as the season moves on.  Right now, if we trade AB, he IS WR #2.  That is no bueno.

1 hour ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I don't think we'll only roll with 3 ILBs and 2 safeties on the gameday roster either. 

Buchannon would be both an ILB and Safety, in this case.  Blunt as well, in a pinch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Cbrunn said:

Why does tj Edward's get this can't cover stigma, actually to me coverage is a major positive for tj and would be a great buck that can actually play zone and has a great feal for routes 

Agreed. I've read the same thing. It had me scratching my head. In the tape I've watched he plays very well in coverage. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like 2 guys in your draft.  Baker and Blunt.  I am fine with most of your off season.  No MACK LB is going to kill them again.  You leave Fort as the starter and Buchannon filling in.  If fort is not calling the plays ( or someone else that does not come out) they are in the same pickle again. Barrett is not a replacement for Dupree.  For all of the hatred of Dupree he is much better at OLB than Barrett.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jebrick said:

I like 2 guys in your draft.  Baker and Blunt.  I am fine with most of your off season.  No MACK LB is going to kill them again.  You leave Fort as the starter and Buchannon filling in.  If fort is not calling the plays ( or someone else that does not come out) they are in the same pickle again. Barrett is not a replacement for Dupree.  For all of the hatred of Dupree he is much better at OLB than Barrett.

Are you advocating starting Fort? I'm ok with it, as he's by far the most athletic ILB we have. Could Bucannon stand up to starting as the MACK next to Vince or Bostic? I'd love to see Fort and Bucannon on 3rd downs, but I'm not sure he'd sign with us if he's only going to be a role player. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jebrick said:

I like 2 guys in your draft.  Baker and Blunt.  I am fine with most of your off season.  No MACK LB is going to kill them again.  You leave Fort as the starter and Buchannon filling in.  If fort is not calling the plays ( or someone else that does not come out) they are in the same pickle again. Barrett is not a replacement for Dupree.  For all of the hatred of Dupree he is much better at OLB than Barrett.

Yea at that point, rather just pony up for Preston Smith or one of the KC guys if they can’t afford them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MOSteelers56 said:

Are you advocating starting Fort? I'm ok with it, as he's by far the most athletic ILB we have. Could Bucannon stand up to starting as the MACK next to Vince or Bostic? I'd love to see Fort and Bucannon on 3rd downs, but I'm not sure he'd sign with us if he's only going to be a role player. 

His starting lineup showed VWill, Fort and Big Red.  Listing Bucannon as the dime LB.  By not having a true MACK out there teams will do the same thing they did this year which is to scheme so that VWill covers the slot receiver. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...