State of the Steelers

[jebrick]

1 minute ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'd take an absolute dominate OG in the first. Safety and RB are about the only positions I'd avoid almost at all cost in the first. It'd have to be an absolute stud ILB or OG, though. 

I disagree on safety.  Talented players that play in space are worth a 1st round pick. 

I do not like WR in the 1st because they are totally dependent on a QB to get the ball.  They are generally badly coached in college and the spread offense does them no favors.  But..but CBs are the same!  CB are mostly badly coached in college but easier to project in the NFL IF they can be coached/learn and not dependent on  anyone else for their possible success.

 

Sometimes WR might be the BPA and what you take in the 1st but I would also take a dominate OG over a WR.  But neither one in the top 10 ( unless they are totally dominate).

[bigben07MVP]

11 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'd take an absolute dominate OG in the first. Safety and RB are about the only positions I'd avoid almost at all cost in the first. It'd have to be an absolute stud ILB or OG, though. 

I wouldn’t, unless we trade down. A dominant OG can be had with one of our high 2nd rounders, would be a waste to use a top 10 pick on one imo. I agree that finding a top tier LG to replace Dotson should be a high priority this offseason though. 

[warfelg]

24 minutes ago, jebrick said:

I do not like WR in the 1st because they are totally dependent on a QB to get the ball

If you have a rookie contract QB I would do WR in the 1st in a heartbeat. We’re starting to see over and over that rookie contract QBs getting a stud WR is worth it. 

[MOSteelers56]

5 minutes ago, warfelg said:

If you have a rookie contract QB I would do WR in the 1st in a heartbeat. We’re starting to see over and over that rookie contract QBs getting a stud WR is worth it. 

I don't hate the idea of taking a top 10 WR, I only question if Addison is worth it. I don't think he's Jamarr Chase. I need to look at him more, though. 

[warfelg]

10 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I don't hate the idea of taking a top 10 WR, I only question if Addison is worth it. I don't think he's Jamarr Chase. I need to look at him more, though. 

I would need to move down and collect more assets to do that. 

[MOSteelers56]

20 minutes ago, warfelg said:

I would need to move down and collect more assets to do that. 

I'm all for that. I'm not really sold on any of the blue chippers in this draft. 

Will Anderson isn't wowing me with production or H/W/S.
Jalen Carter looks like a beast, but does he fit our defense?
Good, but not great OTs it seems. 

I'm terrible at scouting CBs, so that's out, but unless there is a sure fire, lockdown dude(which Ringo or JPJ or someone else might be), I'm in the trade back camp. 

[jebrick]

1 hour ago, warfelg said:

If you have a rookie contract QB I would do WR in the 1st in a heartbeat. We’re starting to see over and over that rookie contract QBs getting a stud WR is worth it. 

But there is no stud WR in this draft.  At least not an obvious one

[August4th]

kinda annoying that WR is kind of a need after spending so many 2nd RD picks on the position since 2017

[MOSteelers56]

39 minutes ago, August4th said:

kinda annoying that WR is kind of a need after spending so many 2nd RD picks on the position since 2017

I don't think WR is a major need. It's a need in that if there's a blue chip stud, you take him. Anything other than that is kind of a waste of time to me. I want to sign a vet and call it good. 

[August4th]

30 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I don't think WR is a major need. It's a need in that if there's a blue chip stud, you take him. Anything other than that is kind of a waste of time to me. I want to sign a vet and call it good. 

agree with this

Johnson

Pickens

FA vet

Austin

if Austin ends up doing nothing again, I'll be open up to taking a WR high in 2024 draft.

[43M]

4 hours ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I don't think WR is a major need. It's a need in that if there's a blue chip stud, you take him. Anything other than that is kind of a waste of time to me. I want to sign a vet and call it good. 

Jarvis Landry would be perfect for next year.   He would be much like the Jerricho Cotchery signing years back.

[bigben07MVP]

20 hours ago, 43M said:

Jarvis Landry would be perfect for next year.   He would be much like the Jerricho Cotchery signing years back.

Couldn’t agree more. We need a guy like that in the WR room. 

[warfelg]

Continuing my deep dive into the roster with OFFENSIVE LINE in this post.

First off a look at salaries that are out there:

Chuks Okorafor: 2023 $13,083,333; 2024 $11,833,334

James Daniels: 2023 $11,166,666; 2024 $11,166,668

Mason Cole: 2023 $6,921,666; 2024 $6,271,667

Kendrick Green: 2023 $1,329,754; 2024 $1,324,877

Kevin Dotson: 2023 $1,174,704

Dan Moore: 2023 $1,114,476; 2024 $1,229,476

UFA: Jesse Davis, Trenton Scott; RFA JC Hassenauer

OUTS ON CONTRACTS:

Chucks Okorafor: $6,166,668 in dead cap if cut at end of season.

James Daniels: $5,833,334 in dead cap if cut at end of season.

Mason Cole: $3,043,334 in dead cap if cut at the end of season.

SIDE NOTE: Kendrick Green would result in $679,509 in dead money, Dan Moore would result in $523,428 in dead money.

I didn’t do this at any other position, but I need to inject here.  This position needs a deeper dive in what’s out there.  While Cole-Daniels-Okorafor is likely to stay in place, none of them are playing well enough to go unchallenged at their positions.  If you can find someone then great.  I think overall Green and Dodson are in their last year here.  Green could stay if he is quietly putting together enough behind the scenes to warrant wearing a hat next year.  But even at that JC should be retained as a RFA, and a true LT guy should be brought in, and Moore should challenge as a IOL backup.

Because of this being this way, I’m not giving the targets and sleepers.  I’m going to give you a 4 tier FA system.  Big Money will be guys I would “break the bank for”, Market Rate will be guys you don’t need to go all out for but can get, Stop Gaps will be guys that you could get a year or two out of but need to draft someone too, and Deal Bin will be guys who won’t cost much but have potential.

BIG MONEY FREE AGENTS:

Orlando Brown Jr - He’s with KC right now, who will be feeling the crunch in 2023 with the cap.  They have $20mil in space, but can clear a bunch (Frank Clark).  Then again they do have a few key FA’s on that with Juju, Hartman, Bush.  If they don’t tag him, he might test the waters of FA.  He’s a good not great LT but would be good for what we need.

Jack Conklin - I know he’s a RT, but what did I say earlier about Chucks? If you can upgrade over him you do it.  I think Conklin is one of the few RT’s who’s an upgrade.  I would go all out to get him though.  OL is such a need for us, and an upgrade over Chucks, yet Chucks is good enough he should fetch you a 3rd+ on the trade market with a weak OL class.

Mike McGlinchey - Read above for Conklin.  Everything goes the same.  McGlinchey comes with the added benefit of being IOL flexible if you want to kick Daniels to a more natural C or LG position so you might not need to move Chucks with this.

MARKET RATE FREE AGENTS:

Wes Schweitzer - He’s going to go quite under the radar because of who he plays for (Washington) but he’s a very solid player.  I think he’s like James Daniels this past offseason where its going to be a signing that’s not thought of much but just brings solid play.

Andre Dillard - I won’t put him in the BIG MONEY class because he’s injured quite a bit.  Overall though he is what we hope Dan Moore could be.  A good run blocker, a pass blocker that can make you forget he’s there.  Overall that’s what you want at LT.

Isaiah Wynn - I’m going to put something out there for him.  Not a LT.  I think he could be a great fit at LG though.  He’s powerful enough, tactical enough, where a move inside will put him on that next level as a player.  As above with Dillard the issue here is injuries.

STOP GAP FREE AGENTS:

Isaiah Wynn - Yup he’s on here a second time.  I think he’s a better LT than Moore, but as a LT he’s nothing more than a stop gap as he’s not a guy (I feel) you can count on as a long term LT in the NFL.

Tom Compton - A for sure LG upgrade.  But at 34 he’s only going to give you a good year in there, basically enough time to get someone drafted and coached up.

Will Hernandez - He’s a much younger version of Compton.  At 28 he’s young enough to get a second year in a go round, but if he’s your answer you aren’t asking the right question.

DEAL BIN FREE AGENTS:

Ethan Pocic - He’s not a name that pops up a lot but when he’s in it’s not that noticeable.  You could pick him up and slide Cole over to LG if you wanted to.

Austin Blythe - Same thought as Pocic in that you can put Blythe at C and Cole at LG and kill two birds with 1 stone.

OBVIOUS DRAFT TARGETS:

Peter Skoronski - I know some think he’s an OG at the NFL level due to some measurables.  I think he’s enough of a tactician at the LT position to make up for those deficiencies the way Rashawn Slater does.

Paris Johnson Jr - He’s got the measurable and the tactical together.  I think he’s a really high floor type prospect that can have all pro upside.

Broderick Jones - He’s my top IOL prospect of this draft.  I think he’s a stud at LG, and an above average LT.

Olu Fashanu - He’s all about the upside, has progressed yearly at PSU and can continue to improve.  He’s also very young (rSo) so he’s got a lot of development to go.

Jaelyn Duncan - His make or break to me is going to be all about where he goes.  If he goes to a good OL coach he’s going to be a guy that everyone thinks slipped through the cracks.  If he goes to the wrong team, I think everyone will see him as overdrafted.

O’cyrus Torrence - He’s going to be overlooked because of the Gators blech year, but he’s a solid IOL prospect that you can get in the 2nd.

IF THEY ARE A TOP 50 PICK, IT’S A MISTAKE; BUT THEY HAVE A FUTURE IN THE NFL:

Andrew Vorhees - He’s not having the year everyone thinks he should, but he’s got all the measurables that you would hope for.  Overall USC is a slight mess.

Jarrett Patterson - I think he’s a “poor man’s Zach Martin” in that he’s going to step in day 1 and be a good starter for you, but he’s a “poor man’s” because he won’t be a All-Pro and he doesn’t have the high ceiling to go with the high floor.

Anton Harrison - He’s kinda like Duncan in that it depends where he is and his success will come from that.  But he doesn’t have the same ceiling that Duncan does.

Zion Nelson - He still needs a ton of development, and if he’s a day 1 starter he’s going to end up as a bust at LT.  But you might be able to pump him into LG and get a day 1 starter.  Otherwise he’s a guy you work on for a year or two and use him in jumbo sets to get him on the field.

SLEEPERS IN THE DRAFT:

Jack Nelson - Struggles against smaller and faster pass rushers, but he’s a really tall and long guy.

Quinton Barrow - Grand Valley State sounds more like a fictional HS than a college, but they guy is a stats type guy from a measurable standpoint, but will need an all star game invite to get on the list.

Steve Avila - Very strong and a bulldozer of a human but surprisingly agile.  His high floor is worth it, even if he’s not likely going to improve much at the NFL level due to his polished state.

BJ Wilson - Again, Quincy sounds like a made up school, and he will need an invite out of the DII level to get on the radar more, but he’s got the ability to come in and be polished.

[AFF]

@warfelg

Im overpaying in FA for Brown…I know he’s not elite but we saw already what getting an average(Cole) and above average OL(Daniels) can do…they’re not cutting Chuks.

Getting a OG like Torrence with 1 of our early 2nds would be great.

Good write up.

[warfelg]

9 minutes ago, AFF said:

@warfelg

Im overpaying in FA for Brown…I know he’s not elite but we saw already what getting an average(Cole) and above average OL(Daniels) can do…they’re not cutting Chuks.

Getting a OG like Torrence with 1 of our early 2nds would be great.

Good write up.

I would be willing to look at this:

Sign Conklin for RT, try Chucks at LT, sign Schweitzer for LG. Then look at Zion Nelson for long term LT solution.  I think though if you plan that and then fall in love with one of the top LT’s, I would not be afraid of moving Chucks in a trade.