Pittsburgh Steelers Thread

dfx-

I wanted the team to go to the playoffs because the defense deserved it and it's a good habit to get into after missing it last year.

But I think between this week and last week in particular, I think the positive is an 8-8 record, possibly a good defense if they can be kept together - otherwise just bury this season under the sea and move on.

The_Honeybadger

Dufflecoat Fanny wrote: »

I'd rather see us get a little more currency in the draft next year than a post season blow out. We're going into next draft with a lot of gaping holes and very few picks. We could be in a top 5 pick situation next year and it might be for the best and find Bens replacement.

I don’t think there are that many gaping holes tbh, it was an absolutely crazy season of injuries and it really gave them no chance. There is also no chance they have stop 5 pick next season.

Priorities in the next draft are mainly on offence, center, guard, running back and tight end. I think the current receivers are ok with a QB that is not Duck, hopefully it’ll be Ben for 16 + games given how much they are paying him.

Defence depends on whether Bud stays, if he does then all they need is depth. Hargrave will go but they should have Tuitt back and Buggs will be in his second year.

If Ben can come back and still throw the ball they will be a playoff team next year imo. If the defence can stay top 10 he won’t have to score 35 per game like he did in recent years. 20-24 will win most games

Please please can they get rid of Berry

Bye-bye Steelers.

The_Honeybadger

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Bye-bye Steelers.

It was an accomplishment in itself that they were still relevant this weekend. I cannot remember another team in my time following the NFL so killed by injuries that made it this far.

dfx-

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Please please can they get rid of Berry

He had a great year up to Arizona, statistically giving great flipped fields. It is somewhat fitting that the end of season collapse started with that botched punt in Arizona and it ends with his mistake in Baltimore.

23 successive games with an offensive turnover now - including with Ben. Eight of the last nine games with only one offensive TD. It's not just the QB.

The_Honeybadger

dfx- wrote: »

He had a great year up to Arizona, statistically giving great flipped fields. It is somewhat fitting that the end of season collapse started with that botched punt in Arizona and it ends with his mistake in Baltimore.

23 successive games with an offensive turnover now - including with Ben. Eight of the last nine games with only one offensive TD. It's not just the QB.

Yeah he was good earlier in the year but really terrible the last few weeks, and I mean game changing bad, that’s saying something for a punter. And he is expensive relatively speaking vs the cap.

The offence has a lot of issues and I am not for a second saying Ben fixes everything if he comes back healthy. He led the league in interceptions last season. He will give you a better chance than Duck or Rudolph though.

I think the formula going in to 2020 is get Ben back under center, try to keep the defence intact and establish a run game by improving the OLine and getting somebody more durable than Conner. Arizona got Drake for a fifth this year for example. Running backs are cheap and effective. Ravens ran their way to a 1st seed albeit with maybe the best running QB ever. Conner was the Steelers leading rusher this year and he didn’t even hit 500 yards, you can’t win that way.

The_Honeybadger

Saw today the Steelers, Arizona, Detroit and Denver are the four teams in the running for hard knocks. I think with Bens comeback etc there is a good chance they go with Pittsburgh.

dfx-

I'd say they'll take the Steelers while they have the chance. Tomlin doesn't like it and said a few years ago that they just have to keep on winning to avoid it, Rooney didn't either but accepted it would probably happen sometime...

Dufflecoat Fanny

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Saw today the Steelers, Arizona, Detroit and Denver are the four teams in the running for hard knocks. I think with Bens comeback etc there is a good chance they go with Pittsburgh.

Steelers will have cheer leaders before that happens, never.

The_Honeybadger

The Steelers can push back a bit but ultimately they can’t really say no. They are a historically successful franchise with a big following nationally so I think the League might take the opportunity while Ben and Mike Tomlin are still there.

Arizona would also be a nice story with Murray in his second year and Larry Fitz in probably his last

The_Honeybadger

Watt, Heyward and Fitzpatrick have made first team All Pro. Fully deserved by all three.

Johnson made the second team as a punt returner as well.

dfx-

Chiefs win keeping the 49ers on 5 titles...

Troy Polamalu gets through on first ballot to the HOF.

The_Honeybadger

Congrats to Troy Polamalu and hard luck to TJ Watt who missed out on DPOY although Gilmore did deserve it I think.

Some interesting roster decisions for the Steelers to make in the coming weeks. They are right up against the cap and have some important guys hitting free agency.

Hard to get excited about the draft, no first or third round pick this year. Hope they choose wisely with what they do have.

BoldReason

I thought they might give the DPOY to Watt. But it was close between the 2. Chandler Jones also must have been in the reckoning.
You could argue for and against a few. Gilmore was probably the most consistent over the whole season.

The_Honeybadger

BoldReason wrote: »

I thought they might give the DPOY to Watt. But it was close between the 2. Chandler Jones also must have been in the reckoning.
You could argue for and against a few. Gilmore was probably the most consistent over the whole season.

I think I saw that Watt only got ten votes out of fifty and Gilmore was the clear winner. Steelers missing the playoffs would probably have gone against him, no big deal.

There were several in the running alright, Barrett, Jones, White, even Aaron Donald was as good as anybody although he wasn’t really talked about this year as a DPOY candidate

dfx-

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Hard to get excited about the draft, no first or third round pick this year. Hope they choose wisely with what they do have.

HAS to be TE and maybe see what they can get in the lower rounds at OL..

Kirk Van Houten

They need to find a way to get the run game established. Not sure if that's the O Line or a new RB or FB needed though. Get the run going and the pass game gets a bit easier.

The_Honeybadger

dfx- wrote: »

HAS to be TE and maybe see what they can get in the lower rounds at OL..

I’m not a big draft guy but I was reading that this TE class is supposed to be relatively weak? They will definitely pick a TE but It’s just a question of where. The O-Line is getting old fast, Foster is done and will be cut, Finney is leaving in free agency meaning they’ve no backup center. O-Line might be their biggest need when you think about it.

That said, if Bud Dupree leaves in free agency they’ll have to pick a pass rusher again with their first selection! Hargrave is definitely going so they will need a NT as well. Backup safety is also a need as they’ve nothing really behind Minkah & Edmunds

They’ll have to pick well because I was looking at their cap situation and they have no room to do anything in free agency. They’ll have to cut about $15m just to retain their restricted free agents and sign the rookie class. Bye bye Foster, Barron and Chickillo

dfx-

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

They need to find a way to get the run game established. Not sure if that's the O Line or a new RB or FB needed though. Get the run going and the pass game gets a bit easier.

I think it comes down to how healthy they think Ben will be. He can read coverages a lot better and has a lot more leeway, keeping the defenses honest. Towards the end of the season, they were just running downhill at Hodges/Rudolph.

OOnegative

We’ve tagged Bud Dupree, not really a big shock.

The_Honeybadger

OOnegative wrote: »

We’ve tagged Bud Dupree, not really a big shock.

Yeah saw that, they have some other free agents that they need to work on now, Hilton, Feiler and Banner will all hopefully stay. I think Finney and Hargrave are gone as they’re too expensive to keep unfortunately.

Kirk Van Houten

Chickillo has been released. Frees up about 4.5million in cap space.

Edit: Barron and Holten also gone.

OOnegative

Ramon Foster retiring.

The_Honeybadger

OOnegative wrote: »

Ramon Foster retiring.

He was going to be cut anyway, he regressed very noticeably last season. Great servant to the team over his career, I’d say he will be really missed in the locker room. That makes guard a high priority in the draft now unless they manage to keep Finney, he is a lifelong Steelers fan so maybe.

Chickillo was a goner the moment they tagged Bud Dupree, thought the might hold on to Barron but the savings were too attractive.

I saw somewhere that there is another potential 35m in restructures if needed, and they can backload a new deal for cam heyward as well. Don’t see them doing much in free agency apart from a few journeymen to plug holes though. If Javon Hargrave is not getting big offers I’d love if they could bring him back.

Edit: Vance McDonald restructured saving 2.3m, this is a good move imo but they need to draft a TE

Kirk Van Houten

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

He was going to be cut anyway, he regressed very noticeably last season. Great servant to the team over his career, I’d say he will be really missed in the locker room. That makes guard a high priority in the draft now unless they manage to keep Finney, he is a lifelong Steelers fan so maybe.

Chickillo was a goner the moment they tagged Bud Dupree, thought the might hold on to Barron but the savings were too attractive.

I saw somewhere that there is another potential 35m in restructures if needed, and they can backload a new deal for cam heyward as well. Don’t see them doing much in free agency apart from a few journeymen to plug holes though. If Javon Hargrave is not getting big offers I’d love if they could bring him back.

Edit: Vance McDonald restructured saving 2.3m, this is a good move imo but they need to draft a TE

Hargrave just signed with the Eagles in a deal that makes him the highest paid NT in the league.

The_Honeybadger

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Hargrave just signed with the Eagles in a deal that makes him the highest paid NT in the league.

Deserves every penny, very underrated player that will be missed more than most people realise. Tough to see him leaving.

dfx-

Good to see Barron gone. He got far too much starting time last year with questions over his effort.

Also good to see McDonald staying. Whatever about drafting a TE or sourcing one, at least they don't need to find two or three..

The_Honeybadger

Barron was exposed at times but it does leave them quite short of depth at safety / LB now, Barron could play either spot. Bush will presumably have a bigger role going forward but a couple of injuries at either spot would cripple them and they have no draft capital to add depth to the roster. They’ll have to do a bit of bargain hunting after camp cuts I guess.

Kirk Van Houten

Finney signs with the Seahawks.

Steelers sign TJ's brother Derek Watt.

The_Honeybadger

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Finney signs with the Seahawks.

Steelers sign TJ's brother Derek Watt.

Finney 2 years $8m surely the Steelers could have matched that, perhaps they were happy to move on

Love the Watt signing