OLB ILB S contracts and the draft.

[Legacy User]

Seems like a great time to shoot the moon draft wise and grab a really legit Edge Rush even if it means trading alot of picks. Heres why

1. The table is set other than OLB, and OLB is a disaster.
2. I think Ben might see another contract after this one but the clock is definetly ticking. UFA after 2019 and he will be 38 so this season and 3 more could be it
3. The roster literally probably cant be up graded significantly outside of a very few high end picks. To wit

QB Ben ufa 2020 Mett ufa 2018 Jones ufa 2017. As much I hate to say it re signing Landry is probably the best option. Perusing the QB depth charts honestly didnt yield any better looking possible cuts so I suspect a low dollar Jones deal or or something similar to a FA but it sure seems LJ has the inside track

RB Bell is a must sign and probably absorbs most of ABs current cap hit. DWill in my mind wants a SB so hopefully he signs cheap. David Cobb and Richardson are currently PSed and then there is Fitz who is a ERFA. Nix is also a ERFA. RB looks pretty good to me in any scenario once Bell is signed. DWill is a bonus.

OL Gilbert DD Pouncey Foster are all signed at least til 2019 AVill is a ERFA. Hubbard is ERFA. Wallace is UFA and might take some change Finney and Harris are signed til 2018

WR AB is gonna get paid DHB and Coates are good til 2019 Rogers til 2018. Probably a low end FA needs signed for the 5th spot

TE X is a ERFA DJ is FA JJ is good til 2019 and LG til 2020

So on the offense you got

AB and Bell as top end money signings to get done. DWill DJ and Wallace probably need some more than they are getting money, andthen some ERFA deals and there are literally no spots on the offense open

The D is similar in make up.

Great year to consider trading up. The roster really doesnt have too many holes that couldnt be offset by an elite Edge Rusher and Mack ILB

Id be fine with a draft that ended up with only 3 selections if we got our guys at Edge Rusher and Mack ILB and a developmental player

Even just 2 selections if we got our guys. Plenty of drafts where thats all you get anyway

[Legacy User]

Don't forget the jury is still out on Bud Dupree. I think they like Jarvis in coverage and against the run, but know he's limited as a pass rusher. I could see him being re-signed and them banking on him and Dupree to start. They might decide they just need a pure speed rusher type in the mid rounds.

I am personally totally on board with OLB as far and away the #1 need, just don't be surprised if the PS don't quite see it that way.

Right after OLB is DE (long term injury to either starter really fucks us), CB, WR. Wide receiver is pretty scary if Wheaton walks and Bryant doesn't come back.

[Ice]

(I'm talking possibly since Blount)

That Woodson guy was pretty decent.

[StillerInCT]

Shazier needs to figure out a way to stay on the field. 2 or 3 sporadic, stand out games isn't going to cut it. I'd rather have a guy who contributes consistently on a weekly basis rather than a guy who may or may not play, but when he does he explodes.

[Ice]

Shazier needs to figure out a way to stay on the field. 2 or 3 sporadic, stand out games isn't going to cut it. I'd rather have a guy who contributes consistently on a weekly basis rather than a guy who may or may not play, but when he does he explodes.

I have a feeling we see Shazier for the next game. When he's been on the field, he's been excellent this season, actually going back to last. Only thing holding him back is injury, at this point.

[Scunge]

Who was this player?

0 games started
16 games started
16 games started
13 games started
11 games started
16 games started
5 games started
14 games started
16 games started
7 games started
16 games started
12 games started

So, over the course of his 12 year Steeler career, this player missed 34 regular season starts. I don't count his rookie season as games missed. Who was that player?

Troy Polamalu. When you have a special player who can do the things that Troy and Shazier can, you make exceptions for that player. Shazier is not going anywhere, the Steelers probably hold him in the same regard as Troy, the injuries are just part of the makeup of this type of player

Also, look around the NFL, what team has a superstar ILB that does not miss time? Navorro Bowman just got hurt again. So that will most likely mean he will miss 28 starts in the last 3 years. KC's Derrick Johnson, 4 time Pro Bowler, missed 15 starts in 2014. Luke Kuechly missed 3 starts last season. Dallas' Sean Lee has missed some 18 starts the past 4 years. New England's Dont'a Hightower is an ILB that many here wanted to draft and in a possible 68 games, he has only played in 56 games with 53 starts. He missed 4 games last season, 4 games in 2014. Such is the nature of the position, Hightower is 265-270 pounds and even he gets injured!

Kind of makes you really appreciate how durable Timmons has been over the years. Shazier, to me, is no more injury prone then his contemporaries at ILB. Timmons was really the gold standard when it came to never missing any time and people can't wait to run him out of town. But he is really the exception, most, if not all ILBs miss time.

[Ice]

Nice perspective, Scunge.

[bradshaw2ben]

Stop with the good sense!

[Legacy User]

Whoa bullshit agenda overload Scunge

Donta Hightower hasnt missed all those games due to injury. He has missed most because hes a bust.

Sean Lee has missed 18 outta 64 starts about 28 percent

Shazier has missed 16 outta 36 about 44 percent

Troys 1st year zero had nothing to do with injury. His actual 1st 3 years he missed 3 games outta 45.

Im not going to bother looking up Kuechulys Bowmanns or Johnsons stats because they are probably just as far off judging from the picture youve attempted to paint so far.

The Steeler D needs a special player at either Mack ILB or SS. Shazier is that kinda player. Unfotunately a guy who at best looks to be hovering around only playing in half the regular season games at best to say nothing of the post season in his early 20s probably isnt the answer long term because it only gets worse with age. Ask 31 yrs old at the time 4 time pro bowler Derrick Johnson about that. That probably had something to do with those 15 games in 2014 dontcha ya think ?

[Legacy User]

(I'm talking possibly since Blount)

That Woodson guy was pretty decent.

Oops, yeah, forgot about that one lol.

[Legacy User]

Hindsight is 20/20

People scoff but they should have thought outside the box a little and not sign FA Mitchell. Shazier could had been a faster bigger and better Kam Chancellor. Certainly would had been better at Mitchell's job. Its what I thought when he was drafted and got beat up for even saying it. Timmons and VW in the middle with Shazier laying the lumber from S. Not a bad combo. He probably could had avoided some of the scrum, stayed cleaner and therefore less risk of boo boo. Never mind being a better position to free lance.

[Quixotic]

I'm always in favor of a high CB pick, if a worthy player is there. I don't think you can have enough of them in the modern NFL. Even though Burns is in his infancy and has a long way to go between the ears and with his tackling, it's already clear to me in the early going that he has some physical ability that we haven't seen out of one of our CBs in ages (I'm talking possibly since Blount)...

That said, I don't really think we need to draft ILB, even if Timmons walks. The need at OLB is so desperate, I just hope someone is there, and we don't have to reach (again). I think we need (seriously) to draft and/or sign 3 players this year.

They've done a good job finding value players at ILB even with China Doll Shazier that I think we're covered for awhile. Maybe a later round pick again.

(I agree it's time to spend some coin for a FA OLB as it will likely take time for even a first rounder to "develop" and we can't afford to wait.)

Not being argumentative or anything, but are you saying Burns has more physical ability than Rod Woodson (who came well after Blount)?

[Scunge]

Chef, dont quit your day job.

I go to Pro Football Reference and they do a good job of listing all the vitals of the players. I just don't make up numbers or pull stuff out of my ass. When I surf the net and visit SteelerFury and need to refresh my memory, I put the SteelerFury page on my 27" monitor and then put Pro Football Reference page on the 22" monitor, so I am able to jot stuff down and check facts really easy.

Bowman sat out the entire 2014 season, so he missed 16 games. He just popped an Achilles and is done for the year, so he will miss 12 games this year. So, from 2014-2016, 3 years, he will miss 28 games. Luke Kuechly suffered a concussion in their season opener against Jax last season and then proceeded to miss games 2, 3, and 4.

I am not going to bother walking you through the other players and their missed games, it is clear you have your mind made up and it does not matter any evidence to the contrary. Talk about a bullshit agenda.

Don't Hightower is a bust? Really? Seems it is more like he has been injured, like most ILBs. When healthy he has been productive, 348 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 12 passes defensed, 1 FF, 1 FR, scored 1 TD.

Shazier as a safety is about the lamest idea I have heard in quite some time. He is going to be just fine, a Pro Bowler at ILB and he will be a long time Steeler just like Timmons.

[cop1211]

Ok let's play this game. Steelers end up drafting at #28. The top 5 OLB are off their board . Couldn't or wouldn't trade up. They want to resign Timmons and Timmons wants to stay.
What's your first round pick?
For me it's

1.CB
2.OLB
3.DE
4.OLB
5.RB
6S
7.WR

[Legacy User]

I'm always in favor of a high CB pick, if a worthy player is there. I don't think you can have enough of them in the modern NFL. Even though Burns is in his infancy and has a long way to go between the ears and with his tackling, it's already clear to me in the early going that he has some physical ability that we haven't seen out of one of our CBs in ages (I'm talking possibly since Blount)...

That said, I don't really think we need to draft ILB, even if Timmons walks. The need at OLB is so desperate, I just hope someone is there, and we don't have to reach (again). I think we need (seriously) to draft and/or sign 3 players this year.

They've done a good job finding value players at ILB even with China Doll Shazier that I think we're covered for awhile. Maybe a later round pick again.

(I agree it's time to spend some coin for a FA OLB as it will likely take time for even a first rounder to "develop" and we can't afford to wait.)

Not being argumentative or anything, but are you saying Burns has more physical ability than Rod Woodson (who came well after Blount)?

Not at all, this is a message board, everyone is argumentative.

I posted a few moments before you posted that yeah, I forgot about that one. For some reason, probably since Woodson was a safety later in his career, I forgot about him. Oh, and yeah, I'm old.

[Legacy User]

Ok let's play this game. Steelers end up drafting at #28. The top 5 OLB are off their board . Couldn't or wouldn't trade up. They want to resign Timmons and Timmons wants to stay.
What's your first round pick?
For me it's

1.CB
2.OLB
3.DE
4.OLB
5.RB
6S
7.WR

Yeah, that works for me. Whether they sign Timmons or not (if not maybe an ILB pick third day). Maybe switch 3 and 4. More than all, I hope we don't reach. That's probably how we got Jervis in the first place.

Other option (big kettle of fish) maybe consider a switch to 4-3 where there might be more options at the outside positions?

[Legacy User]

Scunge

Shazier is a great player. He misses close to half our games in his early 20s at Mack ILB

The players you cherry picked as evidence of Shaziers huge injury issues are in no way compareable. The end.

To whom it may concern

Drafting anything other than an Edge Rusher with our top pick at this point is just totally without logic or reason.

A Mack ILB better be a high priority as well because we cant rely on what we have. The end.

[zeke5123]

Scunge

Shazier is a great player. He misses close to half our games in his early 20s at Mack ILB

The players you cherry picked as evidence of Shaziers huge injury issues are in no way compareable. The end.

To whom it may concern

Drafting anything other than an Edge Rusher with our top pick at this point is just totally without logic or reason.

A Mack ILB better be a high priority as well because we cant rely on what we have. The end.

Best rusher is ranked 50th best prospect on your chart. Best slot WR is ranked 23. Best safety is ranked 30th. You are picking 32. Who are you taking?

[bradshaw2ben]

Scunge

Shazier is a great player. He misses close to half our games in his early 20s at Mack ILB

The players you cherry picked as evidence of Shaziers huge injury issues are in no way compareable. The end.

To whom it may concern

Drafting anything other than an Edge Rusher with our top pick at this point is just totally without logic or reason.

A Mack ILB better be a high priority as well because we cant rely on what we have. The end.

Best rusher is ranked 50th best prospect on your chart. Best slot WR is ranked 23. Best safety is ranked 30th. You are picking 32. Who are you taking?

I sure as hell don't put myself in that situation without a trade plan or FA plan that gets me a quality edge player.

[the-other-burg]

Scunge

Shazier is a great player. He misses close to half our games in his early 20s at Mack ILB

The players you cherry picked as evidence of Shaziers huge injury issues are in no way compareable. The end.

To whom it may concern

Drafting anything other than an Edge Rusher with our top pick at this point is just totally without logic or reason.

A Mack ILB better be a high priority as well because we cant rely on what we have. The end.

The need is definitely great, but it has been addressed in the draft, and addressed again, and we aren't much better. So either the FO seems to lack the ability to scout edge rushers, or we need to go back to the old way of drafting super athletic DE's, and then spending 2 seasons with no expectations, coaching them into 3-4 OLB's. (Here's hoping Dupree is a success story)

[zeke5123]

Scunge

Shazier is a great player. He misses close to half our games in his early 20s at Mack ILB

The players you cherry picked as evidence of Shaziers huge injury issues are in no way compareable. The end.

To whom it may concern

Drafting anything other than an Edge Rusher with our top pick at this point is just totally without logic or reason.

A Mack ILB better be a high priority as well because we cant rely on what we have. The end.

Best rusher is ranked 50th best prospect on your chart. Best slot WR is ranked 23. Best safety is ranked 30th. You are picking 32. Who are you taking?

I sure as hell don't put myself in that situation without a trade plan or FA plan that gets me a quality edge player.

Agreed on that point. But just because we need edge rushers doesn't mean you reach terribly for edge rushers. I also am not sure of the FO's ability to identify college pass rushers.

I don't think we need great edge rushers. With our D-line, if we have three league average rushers, then we should be fine. The problem is the closest we have to league average rusher is a 38 year old Harrison.

[cop1211]

Don't reach out of need, unless you want another Jervis pick, if the top 5 OLB's are gone and you can't trade up or don't want to trade up.
Again everyone wants a top OLB but it might not be possible, do you reach, or do you go another position like ILB depending on what they do with Timmons or CB where you have a jag, a guy with 2 years in the league without actually playing one snap, a former first round "bust", and an old player.

That leaves one good looking corner in Burns.

[Legacy User]

Scunge

Shazier is a great player. He misses close to half our games in his early 20s at Mack ILB

The players you cherry picked as evidence of Shaziers huge injury issues are in no way compareable. The end.

To whom it may concern

Drafting anything other than an Edge Rusher with our top pick at this point is just totally without logic or reason.

A Mack ILB better be a high priority as well because we cant rely on what we have. The end.

Best rusher is ranked 50th best prospect on your chart. Best slot WR is ranked 23. Best safety is ranked 30th. You are picking 32. Who are you taking?

I sure as hell don't put myself in that situation without a trade plan or FA plan that gets me a quality edge player.

Exactly. Heres why

1. Very very likely we have this season and 3 more with Ben. Then its more than likely back to mediocre hell for decades. MAKE THE MOST OF THE 3 YEARS WE GOT LEFT. THE TIME IS NOW. THERE IS NO TOMMORROW.

2. This team is LOADED AND ABLE TO MAKE A SERIOUS RUN IN RIGHT NOW. You can make a fairly good argument we have the 3 best players in the nfl with Ben AB and Bell on offense. The OL is exactly who the Steelers want. On top of that every unit is at least 2 deep on offense with capable if not star players

3. No other defensive position effects and helps all the others like Edge Rusher. It literally makes the entire defense easier and better for everyone else if pressure is a viable thing. Our 2ndary will look much much better with pressure off the edge

4. There literally arent going to be roster spots available for what is likely at least 8 draft picks. I will be damn pissed if the Steelers draft more than 4 positions.

Win now. We got this year and 3 more left with the best player in Steeler history then its over. Think about that.

[Legacy User]

Scunge

Shazier is a great player. He misses close to half our games in his early 20s at Mack ILB

The players you cherry picked as evidence of Shaziers huge injury issues are in no way compareable. The end.

To whom it may concern

Drafting anything other than an Edge Rusher with our top pick at this point is just totally without logic or reason.

A Mack ILB better be a high priority as well because we cant rely on what we have. The end.

The need is definitely great, but it has been addressed in the draft, and addressed again, and we aren't much better. So either the FO seems to lack the ability to scout edge rushers, or we need to go back to the old way of drafting super athletic DE's, and then spending 2 seasons with no expectations, coaching them into 3-4 OLB's. (Here's hoping Dupree is a success story)

Those days are over IMO. Too many teams playing 3-4. Used to be it was only a few. They've stolen our secret sauce, darnit!

[Legacy User]

Don't reach out of need, .

Why fucking not ? So zach cliff stoudt mettenberger might be able to go 9 and 7 in 4 short years from now ?

So landry david woodley jones can back into a wild card loss in 4 years ?

I can EASILY MOTHERFUCKING LIVE WITH 0 AND 16 in 4 years for a LOMBARDI OR 3 RIGHT NOW.

This shit doesnt happen often dumbfucks. The planets have alligned. Your girlfriend said shed try sharing you with her model girlfriend. The boss offered you the Miami office.

GO FOR IT. NOW. Lol.Some you have in fact fucked up a blow job. Multiple times even. Im sure of it. Lmao

[Legacy User]

Don't reach out of need, .

Why fucking not ? So zach cliff stoudt mettenberger might be able to go 9 and 7 in 4 short years from now ?

So landry david woodley jones can back into a wild card loss in 4 years ?

I can EASILY MOTHERFUCKING LIVE WITH 0 AND 16 in 4 years for a LOMBARDI OR 3 RIGHT NOW.

This shit doesnt happen often dumbfucks. The planets have alligned. Your girlfriend said shed try sharing you with her model girlfriend. The boss offered you the Miami office.

GO FOR IT. NOW. Lol.Some you have in fact fucked up a blow job. Multiple times even. Im sure of it. Lmao

Love the passion of this post. Plus I needed a dose of laughter.

[zeke5123]

Don't reach out of need, .

Why fucking not ? So zach cliff stoudt mettenberger might be able to go 9 and 7 in 4 short years from now ?

So landry david woodley jones can back into a wild card loss in 4 years ?

I can EASILY MOTHERFUCKING LIVE WITH 0 AND 16 in 4 years for a LOMBARDI OR 3 RIGHT NOW.

This shit doesnt happen often dumbfucks. The planets have alligned. Your girlfriend said shed try sharing you with her model girlfriend. The boss offered you the Miami office.

GO FOR IT. NOW. Lol.Some you have in fact fucked up a blow job. Multiple times even. Im sure of it. Lmao

Because reaching generally leads to bad picks; not just sub-optimal picks. Everyone agrees edge rusher is a need. Addressing it stupidly is almost as bad (perhaps worse) than not addressing it.

[Steelafan77]

I don't think we need a high CB pick. We can't even play all the guys we have now. Unless Golson literally retires, we probably go into next year with Gay, Cockrell, Golson, Burns, Gilbert... and Davis as an emergency guy.

Add a late round or UDFA developmental guy and you've got a nice group.

That's kinda how I'm looking at it. Gilbert could set fire and be the steal/deal of the century. Or he could fizzle out of the league. Unknown. Burns is still developing. Nicely. Couple rookie bumps and bruises. Gay is in his 11th season. Could he be on a downward spiral to retirement? We'll have to wait to see. Golson is a complete unknown. Two seasons and not once been able to play defense in a regular season game. I like what Cockrell is doing. Remember, it is his second season on the squad so he's still developing himself. I think Cockrell gets better. Davis should be developed at SS for which he was drafted. Back up slot corner shouldn't take any time away from that development. How soon we forget Shabazz is on the practice squad currently still developing. Garner and Hagen were developing good until the roster numbers dictated their exit. I think defensive back is a low priority. I have to side with those that believe edge rusher is priority. ILB is higher on the list this season IMO too due to Timmons looking at the wrong side of 30 with dwindling time left on his contract. Shazier has not played a Full season to date and I'm not sure he ever will. VWill and Fort are good back ups and great when spelling the starters but not starter material, yet. Dirty Red is the freshest face at the position. Perhaps 3-5 draft picks on defense shoring up the front 7 and the left over picks used at OLine and TE/RB.

[cop1211]

Don't reach out of need, .

Why fucking not ? So zach cliff stoudt mettenberger might be able to go 9 and 7 in 4 short years from now ?

So landry david woodley jones can back into a wild card loss in 4 years ?

I can EASILY MOTHERFUCKING LIVE WITH 0 AND 16 in 4 years for a LOMBARDI OR 3 RIGHT NOW.

This shit doesnt happen often dumbfucks. The planets have alligned. Your girlfriend said shed try sharing you with her model girlfriend. The boss offered you the Miami office.

GO FOR IT. NOW. Lol.Some you have in fact fucked up a blow job. Multiple times even. Im sure of it. Lmao

WHY ARE YOU YELLING?? Advocating for selecting a reach at OLB in the first is a dumb idea.
Are you wearing a Jervis jersey?
Again everyone wants an OLB including myself.
You can't always get what you want.
Apparently you advocate a reach at OLB no matter what, or doing a Minn-Dallas Hershel Walker type trade up.
I say no thanks to either a reach, or a trade up of multiple picks that would include not only this year but next.
OLB is the biggest need, we all want a stud in the first, it will be address via some point in the draft multiple times, and or FA, but ILB or CB could use a #1 pick player as well, if the OLB's have been picked over, or a trade cost to much.

[Jobu]

VWill and Fort are good back ups and great when spelling the starters but not starter material...

...Period!