THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED

[Ron Burgundy]

FWIW, I wanted us to resign Fields. Not because I thought he'd get us out of this get in as a WC and not be competitive in the playoffs. Because I figured he'd be ~ $10MM less than other options. Wasn't the case with Wilson. But I do think we'll end up paying Rodgers more than Wilson got (but less than the crazy numbers that were originally reported he wanted).

I think it's true that how Fields was handled likely hurt. One of the things I really liked about Fields was how good a team mate he was even after he was put back on the bench. My guess is that Fields wasn't made any promises though. I think Wilson was. And I think this is a case where we should have made a change there late in the season.

But I also think we pretty much know for certain that there would be less guaranteed money in whatever contract we offered. And when it's reported that the Steelers were "close" to the Jets offer, it also suggests that the AAV and total money were less.

So it's an easy call to take the deal with more total money, more guarantees, and a team that didn't piss you off last year. I tend to believe that players will take the money (especially guarantees) almost every time though.

Impossible to know the truth though.

My opinion, I think re-signing Fields and making him QB1 was the best option. It's not like Wilson was good down the stretch.
Shades is too risk averse at this point to gamble on a younger QB though. He'll sell the farm to guarantee 9 wins and not risk having 9 losses with a young QB and/or aggressive play calling. I think signing A-Arod is his way of getting that playoff win that's eluded him for 8 years.

 

[NorthernBlitz]

Same.
I've always said that Shades isn't a bad coach, I think he's a good coach.
Bad coaches don't go 18 years without a losing season. But he's not a great coach. Great coaches win more than 3 playoff games in 13 years and none in the last 8.
Back in the day we used to call The Chin "Marty Schottenheimer, Jr." Anymore it looks like Shades is the new Marty Jr.

I've always said that I think the two were pretty comparable.

Of contemporary coaches, I think Tomlin is pretty similar to Peyton (especially when he was with the Saints). Both had HoF QBs for their whole tenure. I think they have similar records too.

I like that Tomlin didn't run away when his QB retired. I thought it was kind of weak that Peyton quit...but they were going into obvious cap hell.

It looks like Peyton will have the edge on rebuilding (although Ben would always caution people to wait until year 2 for QBs). And it's not because he went QB shopping when he came back to a different team.

 

[Steelr4evr]

I expect more from an 18 yr coach. It’s not just the QB position that is holding Coach Tomlin back. When was the last time you felt good about all 5 OL-men ? DL ? On down the various rooms of the team? How confident (fully-not at all) are you with the Sub-coaching ?

I just expect more, call me entitled but i feel justified n my expectations.


Salute the nation

When was the last time the team looked polished and working like a well oiled machine? It normally looks like a couple of gear teeth are busted,a rod is bent and the timing chain has slipped...lol

 

[NorthernBlitz]

Both Watt and Minkah had guarantee's beyond the first year, as does DK. I think how Tomlin handled Fields had more to do with him not coming back than money. And that's not just a random guess made out of nowhere, that's years of seeing promises made and promises broken (ie Deebo, Blount, Ingram, Pickett).

Watt and Minkah both had multiple (?) all-pros when they signed (at least one each). And they were top of market contracts for their positions.

I agree that the DK thing is more of a departure. But it seems like they genuinely want him to be part of the future with a deal that long. Maybe we'll get rid of this practice. Especially if it's only for years 1 and 2 for high end players (DK does have a PB I think). Given how patient the Steelers are with players, I can't imagine them cutting someone on a 4 or 5 year deal after only 1 years.

I don't think we'd have done that for Fields. Who's deal would be shorter. You never though though...QBs are always different.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I don't think we'd have done that for Fields. Who's deal would be shorter. You never though though...QBs are always different.

I don't think they would have traded for DK unless they felt strongly that they'd be able to sign A-Arod.
I doubt they make that trade just to have Fields or Rudolph throwing to him.
I suspect they have a deal with A-Arod already but haven't announced it yet.

 

[NorthernBlitz]

I don't think they would have traded for DK unless they felt strongly that they'd be able to sign A-Arod.
I doubt they make that trade just to have Fields or Rudolph throwing to him.
I suspect they have a deal with A-Arod already but haven't announced it yet.

I think that makes sense. I think Rodgers is coming here now that he has no more suitors. I don't think he'll want to retire after the last two seasons with the Jets.

I also think they are signaling that they don't intend to extend Pickens after the season.

And that they didn't want to run the one WR offense again this year after we showed how terrible it was when that one WR got hurt.

 

[stillwright]

I think that makes sense. I think Rodgers is coming here now that he has no more suitors. I don't think he'll want to retire after the last two seasons with the Jets.

I also think they are signaling that they don't intend to extend Pickens after the season.

And that they didn't want to run the one WR offense again this year after we showed how terrible it was when that one WR got hurt.

That is a bunch of thinking. Please tell us more of what you think.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

When was the last time the team looked polished and working like a well oiled machine? It normally looks like a couple of gear teeth are busted,a rod is bent and the timing chain has slipped...lol

When we had Haley, LeBeau, and Munch.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Not on this board, but I remember people saying the same thing about Mason last off season.

I thought they'd bring back Mason and Kenny. And that in a fair competition Mason would win the job.

But taking the bet on Wilson was just a better option IMO.

I don't think the same thing about Rodgers. Hope to be wrong because I think he'll sign with us.

Literally the only good thing about Russ was his price tag…and laughing at Denver.

There was zero future with Russ, limited upside and he set the franchise back at least another year in pursuit of another meaningless Tomlinship. But Tomlin got a past pedigree guy he liked (much like Rodgers would be). We can only hope the failed Russ experiment taught the quick learning knowledge sponge SBWHCMTVLCOYGOAT something and he does not repeat the mistake with Rodgers.

The best thing about OldeRuss is he’s a Giant now.

Waste of space, waste of a chance in finding out what we had in JF…luckily for the Steelers Rudy actually wanted to come back and that is 98% because of Steeler Nation fans and their excellent rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

 

[Slaine]

I hope that they do sign ARod. Then Tomlin will be out of excuses. People will see that his "we're just better than you because we're the Steelers" approach to scheme is horrible and that even when you add a medium to decent QB (at this point in his career) that it doesn't work.
I was pro-Tomlin for a long time but he is far too comfortable and far too insular to adapt in my opinion.

 

[insaniti]

I hope that they do sign ARod. Then Tomlin will be out of excuses. People will see that his "we're just better than you because we're the Steelers" approach to scheme is horrible and that even when you add a medium to decent QB (at this point in his career) that it doesn't work.
I was pro-Tomlin for a long time but he is far too comfortable and far too insular to adapt in my opinion.

VERY good use of the word "insular", my dad used that word a lot talking about people he didn't want to know he was talking about them