State of the Steelers

[warfelg]

https://x.com/Alex_Kozora/status/1767926229322142025?s=20

[warfelg]

I feel like there's a strange board wide freaky friday moment going on where those of us that normally are unhappy with FA are content to sit back and say "it's early, there's good moves to be had".  Meanwhile those that are in the "trust the process" mindset are the ones not happy with this FA period so far.

 

[bigben07MVP]

I hate the Boyd and Renfrow suggestions. Renfrow is 100% a slot only player for a team who will be in 11 personnel near the lowest rate in the league.

Boyd for other reasons mentioned, but also Kaboly and Chris Carter both agree he is a WR3 looking to be paid for a WR2. I would pass.

[warfelg]

3 minutes ago, bigben07MVP said:

I hate the Boyd and Renfrow suggestions. Renfrow is 100% a slot only player for a team who will be in 11 personnel near the lowest rate in the league.

Boyd for other reasons mentioned, but also Kaboly and Chris Carter both agree he is a WR3 looking to be paid for a WR2. I would pass.

Boyd for me comes down to pay.  If he gets WR2 money, then pass.  If you can get him on WR3 money and short term he's WR2 while someone drafted is getting worked in then it's a win.

[bigben07MVP]

2 hours ago, Dcash4 said:

As far as Queen: I don't think it's a terrible signing, but I also don't feel like it checked a box. Nate Tice said it well, he is a talented player but he needs someone telling him what to do. Roquan did that -- Roquan is not here. So is that Roberts now? Feels like we made a nice signing...that needs another signing. It's well worth the shot for a 24 year old, but there's a reason he didn't get the Tremain Edmunds deal, signed on day 2, and has a massive out after year 1. Did we take care of LBer?

I know we listened to the same podcast so I’m not sure why you asked a question that they gave a pretty good answer to. It’s clearly Minkah who will be directing traffic and be the Roquan for him in our defense. “Minkah is like an old school MIKE linebacker who will help get everyone set.”

Another thing you are leaving out is he will be playing behind a better D-Line than he ever had in Baltimore. Even if Larry O isn’t upgraded.

[bigben07MVP]

2 hours ago, AFF said:

Mike Williams would make more sense IMO of those 2.

FWIW I also think Mike Williams is a horrible compliment to Pickens and would pass on him.

Ridley is the guy. If not him then wait for the draft. 

[AFF]

9 minutes ago, bigben07MVP said:

FWIW I also think Mike Williams is a horrible compliment to Pickens and would pass on him.

Ridley is the guy. If not him then wait for the draft. 

Yea I don’t think Williams is a good compliment but between him and Allen I would choose Williams.

[warfelg]

2 minutes ago, AFF said:

Yea I don’t think Williams is a good compliment but between him and Allen I would choose Williams.

I think there's a lot of "not perfect' out there in regards to this, but I think there's a lot of "good for the team" especially if we draft a WR too, some of these guys are capable of doing both outside and inside work.

[MOSteelers56]

22 minutes ago, bigben07MVP said:

Ridley is the guy. If not him then wait for the draft. 

I agree with these sentiments. I don't want Boyd as he reminds me too much of ARob. Renfrow is a slot guy, which it seems like Smith doesn't use a whole lot. If we don't sign Ridley(who I'm actually not super high on), I could see us double dipping on WR in the draft. If we can fill some spots, like C and Safety, I'd be ok with taking a WR in rounds 1-3. I really like that Legette kid in the 3rd. He's a bruiser. 

[MOSteelers56]

I'm also trying to just "trust the process" this year. I'd never heard of Levi Wallace, Cole Holcomb, Mason Cole before we signed them and they all turned out to be solid signings. 

[Ward4HOF]

I'm actually more interested, and concerned, with Safety, than I am WR.  Between CAIII and Mims, I think we can survive until the draft, then see who's available after roster cuts.  But if we grab one right now, as insurance, someone like Curtis Samuel gets us someone who can adequately replace DJ, albeit at a slight downgrade. The Chiefs are rumored to be interested, though...

As far as Safety, I really think there are some decent players to be had, such as Blackmon, Fuller, Whitehead, or heck, go back to Edmunds??  I don't want to start a rookie Safety; I'd be more comfortable with a rookie WR

 

[warfelg]

22 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'm also trying to just "trust the process" this year. I'd never heard of Levi Wallace, Cole Holcomb, Mason Cole before we signed them and they all turned out to be solid signings. 

I think the hard part is operationally, we're not doing the same thing as we always have.  We're far more aggressive.  So the trust the process part is tough because we are used to a more complete team.  Funnily I saw a tweet that showed in 2018-2021 drafts we only have 3 remaining players.  That's an entire core of players we don't have which is why we have cap space and need to do this.

[AFF]

I would prefer younger FAs…Whitehead is an example at 26.

[Dcash4]

1 hour ago, warfelg said:

That's what fits Smith's offense though. You seem stuck on listed position than attributes.

Sitting in zone is not what Smith's offense thrives on for their receivers. Can he beat press? Can he win on his own outside? Can he get vertical and stack? 

Corey Davis is the best #2 receiver a Smith offense has ever seen. Tyler Boyd is not like Corey Davis. 

I am going to repeat this again: nearly 80% of his snaps have come out of 11 personnel in the slot over the last three years. What of that translates to Smiths outside heavy, vertical based WR offense? So, yes. I am stuck on listed position because it's where he will be playing on Smith's offense. 

You listed great slot receiver attributes....now show me the outside receiver ones. Because if you look back on Smith's offenses -- that's where he will be playing.  

1 hour ago, warfelg said:

Also DJ is a better short/intermediate threat than vertical

I really don't wanna go anymore on DJ but his ability to set corners up, stack, and create late separation vertically was the best on the team. 

54 minutes ago, bigben07MVP said:

I know we listened to the same podcast so I’m not sure why you asked a question that they gave a pretty good answer to. It’s clearly Minkah who will be directing traffic and be the Roquan for him in our defense. “Minkah is like an old school MIKE linebacker who will help get everyone set.”

We definitely did, but "so maybe that's an avenue" is the part of the quote you cut off. 

1 hour ago, warfelg said:

feel like there's a strange board wide freaky friday moment going on where those of us that normally are unhappy with FA are content to sit back and say "it's early, there's good moves to be had".  Meanwhile those that are in the "trust the process" mindset are the ones not happy with this FA period so far.

I had this thought too actually ha. Started with 43 siding with the spinning wheels side of a move and continued with you as a guy who thinks we have 100 holes backing moves that created more (i am exaggerating and mean this in a friendly way). I am way more on the optimistic side of the roster construction, but so far I just don't see the plan (and that doesn't mean it doesn't take shape in the next 24 hours). 

We have purposefully created holes at Center and a massive one at receiver with slim pickings to improve them before draft. Traded for an about to be cut corner who likely needs replacing himself and likely needs to take a paycut. Signed a ILB that if Holcomb is healthy probably didn't need to be signed. So as of now, feels like our best option in finding replacements at some of these positions is through the draft and you can't rely on finding 3+ starters and you can't select multiple players with 1 first round draft pick. 

I expected us to go into the draft and just pick the best talents, but feels very slotted now with what we need to do. That can absolutely change, but feels like we took a step or two back before moving forward. 

Kozora said this about the DJ trade, but it' feels like it's true of the entire roster. Our moves, so far, seem to have made us a worse team....not a better one. And with a ton of cash and a team that makes a move like netting Russ Wilson prior to free agency, honestly I expected more.  

[Big Snack]

With the way the market is for certain positions, I like our approach so far. It's crazy to think wr3s are getting paid like rb1 or lb1 guys. I'd rather sign quality guys at positions of lesser value like lb and safety with contracts that are much easier to get out of and draft the wr or cb or tackle and have them on a rookie contract.  Don't get me wrong I'm a Gabe Davis fan but would much rather have queen for the money we spent.  I like ridley too but don't want to think what he would cost. 

I guess I'm just saying now seems like a good time to play moneyball to a degree and zig when others are zagging. Go and add a starting safety and maybe a center if possible in free agency because of cost. Look to add the cb and wr and tackle in the draft to effectively keep the cap under control.