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What is your state of the Steelers now!

steelhurt

steelhurt

In Andy I trust....
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Now that this season is officially over having played the SB, what say you now about the state of this football team? We can forget any Tomlin needs fired talk since that worthless, he's not going anywhere, but where are we and how can we be competiitive in 2023 not to have a non losing season, but to make the playoffs and win a game or two. We have done nothing to date as far as adding any coaches and FA is fas approaching so what do we need to do as far as adding coaches? No need to ***** about dumping Canada since that's not happening for 2023 so give your thoughts on adding some quality coaches. Do we add a Pep Hamilton as an assistant to Canada, or a Byron Leftwich to work with Kenny?
Free Agency! Who do we keep and who do we think about signing? Do we keep Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds as the main FA's? Do we bring back Robert Spillane and Steven Simms?
How do we create some cap space? Who are your top four draft picks that can help immediately?
How much influence will Andy and Omar have in this draft and FA? Will Tomlin trump what they want to do or will there be a consensus? Are we going to concentrate on the OL and DL? Is the OL good enough with what we have in place?
Lot of stuff to digest but that's what we do here. We have some excellent pieces in place and this is doable and can be fixed if the right moves are made.
 
With Flores gone they should add to the defensive and offensive side of the ball. Not sure I am too confident in them doing that though.

In the draft it just a matter of how each pick comes off the board. Are we looking at the 4th T compared the 2nd CB? Plenty of needs they just need to BPA their way through it.
A wait and see on Andy and Omar hopefully they mail free agency in route to the draft. Because it will take them winning in both aspects for this team to be relevant come the playoffs.

Sutton should be free agent priority number 1. At least that position should. Follow by how they will attack DE and ILber. I would like 2 out of the 3 upgraded.
 
Pennsylvania.
It always was, always will be the state of the Steelers. As long as the Rooneys are the owners there is no chance of this franchise ever relocating to another state.

People think Pro Football was born in Canton, Oh., It was not. Pro Football was born in Western Pa.
The NFL was born in Canton.
 
My state is whatever the team decides to do. I have zero input. It's pretty much what I've been saying for years on repeat anyway and they're not doing it.

Just hope for no offseason drama and every player trains like Rocky did in Rocky IV for Ivan Drago.
 
Stewey said:
Pennsylvania.
It always was, always will be the state of the Steelers. As long as the Rooneys are the owners there is no chance of this franchise ever relocating to another state.

People think Pro Football was born in Canton, Oh., It was not. Pro Football was born in Western Pa.
The NFL was born in Canton.
Click to expand...
Stop being a STEWEY!
 
Coaching Staff
-Worse than last year with the loss of Flores. Stewart is gone as well, though I don't know what type of impact he made.
-I'd like to see them add a couple of assistants to the staff.
-Even in a normal year, Canada is, at best, an average offensive coordinator. With that said, Tomlin has a huge say in holding the offense back and has to allow Canada to open things up.
-Until proven otherwise, I have little confidence in this group moving into next year...especially looking at the guys coaching in the Super Bowl.

Offense
-The skill position players are young but lack a proven playmaker. Harris lacks the explosive ability. Freiermuth could be a tier 2 tight end if they use him the right way. Johnson should be excellent at YAC and Pickens a player to stretch the field. I still think this offense would benefit from another talented receiver and I am not holding out hope Austin will be that guy.
-The offensive line played well given all five guys started all season. They lack one stud who can help elevate the group. While tackle is the weakest position, I actually like when the Steelers have a stud interior player who can pull and get to the second level. I don't see any of those guys in this draft and will be fine with a tackle. I'd be half tempted to draft two.
-The Steelers HAVE to get better at throwing the ball. Pickett wasn't good enough, the receivers weren't good enough, and the scheme was garbage.

Defense
-Watt, Fitzpatrick, and Heyward carry this group.
-They are weak at ILB, but spare me reaching for one at 1.17.
-Cornerback isn't much of a need if they retain Sutton along with Witherspoon and Wallace. If any of the three are gone then you look at one very early.
-They have good edge rushers, I'd be looking at adding a rushing threat from the interior to pair with Heyward. I know we all want a run stuffer, but a penetrator is more valuable. I doubt they'd know how to use him, but Kancey fits the mold as an undersized DL who can rush the quarterback.
-A lot of focus on the defense in mock drafts, but will that help this team win a title? A lot of points put on the board yesterday. A piece or two would be nice, but not a major focus.
 
This is so easy.

Bring in Andy Reid as OC and DeMeco Ryan as DC
Resign everyone
Bring back the Grave digger
Draft in no particular order Devon Witherspoon, Paris Johnson, Saiki Ika, Trenton Simpson, O'Cyrus Torrence, Will Anderson, and Jordan Addison to keep KFP happy.
Under no circumstances do they go anywhere near over hyped Coooogars.
 
ZonaBurgh said:
This is so easy.

Bring in Andy Reid as OC and DeMeco Ryan as DC
Resign everyone
Bring back the Grave digger
Draft in no particular order Devon Witherspoon, Paris Johnson, Saiki Ika, Trenton Simpson, O'Cyrus Torrence, Will Anderson, and Jordan Addison to keep KFP happy.
Under no circumstances do they go anywhere near over hyped Coooogars.
Click to expand...
you're a poo poo head
 
SteelerFan448 said:
Coaching Staff
-Worse than last year with the loss of Flores. Stewart is gone as well, though I don't know what type of impact he made.
-I'd like to see them add a couple of assistants to the staff.
-Even in a normal year, Canada is, at best, an average offensive coordinator. With that said, Tomlin has a huge say in holding the offense back and has to allow Canada to open things up.
-Until proven otherwise, I have little confidence in this group moving into next year...especially looking at the guys coaching in the Super Bowl.
Click to expand...

Didn't they finish lower than 23rd in offense??? I'm not going to look it up but that is below average. I don't care if Tomlin is to blame or not, we are very weak at OC.

Looks like they finished ranked 26th.

I too, have VERY little confidence in this current group of coaching, top on down.


SteelerFan448 said:
Offense
-The skill position players are young but lack a proven playmaker. Harris lacks the explosive ability. Freiermuth could be a tier 2 tight end if they use him the right way. Johnson should be excellent at YAC and Pickens a player to stretch the field. I still think this offense would benefit from another talented receiver and I am not holding out hope Austin will be that guy.
-The offensive line played well given all five guys started all season. They lack one stud who can help elevate the group. While tackle is the weakest position, I actually like when the Steelers have a stud interior player who can pull and get to the second level. I don't see any of those guys in this draft and will be fine with a tackle. I'd be half tempted to draft two.
-The Steelers HAVE to get better at throwing the ball. Pickett wasn't good enough, the receivers weren't good enough, and the scheme was garbage.

Defense
-Watt, Fitzpatrick, and Heyward carry this group.
-They are weak at ILB, but spare me reaching for one at 1.17.
-Cornerback isn't much of a need if they retain Sutton along with Witherspoon and Wallace. If any of the three are gone then you look at one very early.
-They have good edge rushers, I'd be looking at adding a rushing threat from the interior to pair with Heyward. I know we all want a run stuffer, but a penetrator is more valuable. I doubt they'd know how to use him, but Kancey fits the mold as an undersized DL who can rush the quarterback.
-A lot of focus on the defense in mock drafts, but will that help this team win a title? A lot of points put on the board yesterday. A piece or two would be nice, but not a major focus.
Click to expand...

Pretty much agree and thanks for your great post(s) along the way.


I strongly feel we need trench workers, both OL & DL need help as last season proved that.

We could use another WR but unlikely we draft anybody will make a big difference under the current OC.


Salute the nation
 
Free Agency:
- Sign Sutton: 4 years, 9M avg , 18M guaranteed
- Extend Highsmith 4 years, 12M avg, 25M guaranteed
- Go get a DL with value between 6-8M avg, Tomlinson, Rankins or Larry O again
- Thought on cutting Myles Jack and saving 8M but the free agency pool is horrible and sad beyond Tremaine Edmunds, so only if I had a contract in hand with him for about 10M avg I would cut Jack. Another option is to renegociate Jack's contract lowering 3M his cap hit.
- Cut WJ3, save 12M
- Cut Trubisky, save 8M
- Cut Witherspoon, save 4M
- Sign Terrel Edmunds, 6M avg
- Sign Damonta Kazee, 4M avg
- Sign Parris Campbell WR, 4M avg. Chain mover and can complement the current group, if healthy.
Total spent yearly avg 42M
Total saved 27 M
Differential 15M that can be spread in signing bonuses to make it a net zero of cap won and lost.

Then it's draft time.
- with only Sutton, Wallace and Pierre in the CB room plus kazee as a Nickel CB/S I'm looking for a starter in the 1st round. Here's hoping gonzalez or Cam Smith or witherspoon are available at 1.17. If not it probably means that a LT like Skoronski or Broderick Jones fell. If none of the 4 are available I'd really try to trade back a few spots.

- assuming I got my CB, at 1.32 I go for best OL available, Anton Harrison or Torrence. Else I might get DT Siaki Ika right here or one of the ILBs Simpson / Sanders if they fell. If I didn't get a CB in the 1st I'm going all in with Emmanuel Forbes. If none of these are available then it's a toss between Dawand Jones, John Michael Schmitz and Darnell Wright.

- 2.49 whatever I didn't previously draft either OL, ILB, DT. Adding to the list names like Mazi Smith DT, Henry Too Too ILB, Mauch OT/G, any of the fringe 1st round Edges that might have fell.

- rinse and repeat in the 3rd round adding ILBs Campbell, sewell and pappoe, DT, Edge players , TEs and WRs to the list.

And so on. Hopefully I got a starting CB, an OL that would push either Dotson or Moore and extra depth there, a plug and play NT, a LB to compete for a starting spot and a backup edge project.

Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go!
 
Last edited:
Drink IRON City said:
Didn't they finish lower than 23rd in offense??? I'm not going to look it up but that is below average. I don't care if Tomlin is to blame or not, we are very weak at OC.

Looks like they finished ranked 26th.
Click to expand...
I'm speaking of Canada's entire career. He's had two above average years, including one at Pitt where the team was absolutely stacked with talent. The rest has been average or worse.

And thank you by the way!
 
Litos said:
Free Agency:
- Sign Sutton: 4 years, 9M avg , 18M guaranteed
- Extend Highsmith 4 years, 12M avg, 25M guaranteed
- Go get a DL with value between 6-8M avg, Tomlinson, Rankins or Larry O again
- Thought on cutting Myles Jack and saving 8M but the free agency pool is horrible and sad beyond Tremaine Edmunds, so only if I had a contract in hand with him for about 10M avg I would cut Jack. Another option is to renegociate Jack's contract lowering 3M his cap hit.
- Cut WJ3, save 12M
- Cut Trubisky, save 8M
- Cut Witherspoon, save 4M
- Sign Terrel Edmunds, 6M avg
- Sign Damonta Kazee, 4M avg
- Sign Parris Campbell WR, 4M avg. Chain mover and can complement the current group, if healthy.
Total spent yearly avg 42M
Total saved 27 M
Differential 15M that can be spread in signing bonuses to make it a net zero of cap won and lost.

Then it's draft time.
- with only Sutton, Wallace and Pierre in the CB room plus kazee as a Nickel CB/S I'm looking for a starter in the 1st round. Here's hoping gonzalez or Cam Smith or witherspoon are available at 1.17. If not it probably means that a LT like Skoronski or Broderick Jones fell. If none of the 4 are available I'd really try to trade back a few spots.

- assuming I got my CB, at 1.32 I go for best OL available, Anton Harrison or Torrence. Else I might get DT Siaki Ika right here or one of the ILBs Simpson / Sanders if they fell. If I didn't get a CB in the 1st I'm going all in with Emmanuel Forbes. If none of these are available then it's a toss between Dawand Jones, John Michael Schmitz and Darnell Wright.

- 2.49 whatever I didn't previously draft either OL, ILB, DT. Adding to the list names like Mazi Smith DT, Henry Too Too ILB, Mauch OT/G, any of the fringe 1st round Edges that might have fell.

- rinse and repeat in the 3rd round adding ILBs Campbell, sewell and pappoe, DT, Edge players , TEs and WRs to the list.

And so on. Hopefully I got a starting CB, an OL that would push either Dotson or Moore and extra depth there, a plug and play NT, a LB to compete for a starting spot and a backup edge project.

Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go!
Click to expand...

GREAT post Litos, like your way of thinking and for all the great ones along the way.!!!

The Miles Jack scenario is spot on.


Salute the nation
 
SteelerFan448 said:
I'm speaking of Canada's entire career. He's had two above average years, including one at Pitt where the team was absolutely stacked with talent. The rest has been average or worse.

And thank you by the way!
Click to expand...

Sorry I get a little short sighted as I don’t follow college very closely (slowly changing due to looking at draft talent)

Both agree that O’Canada brings a NON-Pro scheme.


Salute the nation
 
Middle of the pack team/fringe playoff team.
Tired over-rated coaching staff.
Couple of really talented players Watt, Minkah
Some young talent- Pickett, Pickens, Harris, Muth
No trajectory moving up sort of flat lining as a team.
Nothing will change until Tomlin chooses another career path.
 
steelhurt said:
Now that this season is officially over having played the SB, what say you now about the state of this football team? We can forget any Tomlin needs fired talk since that worthless, he's not going anywhere, but where are we and how can we be competiitive in 2023 not to have a non losing season, but to make the playoffs and win a game or two. We have done nothing to date as far as adding any coaches and FA is fas approaching so what do we need to do as far as adding coaches? No need to ***** about dumping Canada since that's not happening for 2023 so give your thoughts on adding some quality coaches. Do we add a Pep Hamilton as an assistant to Canada, or a Byron Leftwich to work with Kenny?
Free Agency! Who do we keep and who do we think about signing? Do we keep Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds as the main FA's? Do we bring back Robert Spillane and Steven Simms?
How do we create some cap space? Who are your top four draft picks that can help immediately?
How much influence will Andy and Omar have in this draft and FA? Will Tomlin trump what they want to do or will there be a consensus? Are we going to concentrate on the OL and DL? Is the OL good enough with what we have in place?
Lot of stuff to digest but that's what we do here. We have some excellent pieces in place and this is doable and can be fixed if the right moves are made.
Click to expand...
Tomlin needs traded for picks since we have holes to fill and he’s so awesome obviously every other team wants him and would mortgage the farm for him.

Canada needs resigned quickly, obviously the continuity starts here as this offense is very close to unleashing hell and we wouldn’t want to scar Kenny with change a concept that is fearful to anyone wearing black and yellow.

Free agency obviously we will take a few trips around the scrap heap to find some over priced special teamers for Bubbles but fill zero legitimate holes as players like Kazee find employment elsewhere. They bring back every dangerously average tweener on the roster…obviously, but nobody who excels at one position.

Come draft time weapons weapons weapons early…WR, TE and RB oughta get it done with the first 3 picks…lines don’t matter if ya have weapons!!!! Obviously
Later grab a bunch of developmental pass rush prospects to try to slip into PS. Maybe a long snapper too…we love ya Bubbles

Rinse and repeat..,it is the way
 
To me the state of things is my expectations continue to lower and I have little hope of a SB so long as the present leadership is in place. HOWEVER, there are many players who entertain like Watt, Najee, George, Minkah and I hope Kenny can be franchise or the next best thing to that.
 
cut:
William Jackson, Mitch Trubisky

restructure:
Minkah

gives us $25 mil in cap space now.

considered cutting Witherspoon, but that would put us in a bind on CBs. Plus, Witherspoon is only 28, and is relatively more healthy than Jackson.

our own FAs to resign:
Sutton, Edmunds
lesser contracts - Ogunjobi and Kazee

extend:
Highsmith - though, not for breaking the bank. he benefits greatly from TJ being on the field and was a ghost for a lot of PT while TJ was injured.

FA I'd want to bring in:
Jerry Tillery, DT, Raiduhs/Chargers
Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa

That would put our DL as Cam, Tillery and Ogunjobi as starters. Not bad at all. Our starting secondary would be Dean - Sutton/Wallace - Minkah and Edmunds. Solid.

Assuming we somehow pull off all those moves, I'd enter the draft with an eye on Broderick Jones. I feel he's the best pure LT in the draft. Run/Pass block anchor for 10+ years. If I can get Jones in the first, I'd look for another OL in the 2nd. The one guy shooting up draft boards is Cody Mauch. As said in other threads, he's from North Dakota State and played LT. He's got some athleticism, as he was recruited as a TE. Then massively grew into his body. Jones in the 1st and Mauch at 32? Eh, why not? Mauch can play T, G and was moved around the OL at the Senior Bowl, even playing Center. He offers lots of versatility. With those two, our OL may be set. Though, I'd not be deterred from taking Schmitz, C, Minnesota with my 2nd pick in the 2nd round. Boom. Complete drastic overhaul of the OL in one draft. Has that ever been done before?

In the third, I'd want Mazi Smith... though I believe we'll take either Kyu Blu Kelly or Tyrique Stevenson. One of those guys should be available, and would be our next CB.
 
Superman said:
cut:
William Jackson, Mitch Trubisky ( I try to get the trade value ASAP)

restructure:
Minkah

gives us $25 mil in cap space now.

considered cutting Witherspoon, but that would put us in a bind on CBs. Plus, Witherspoon is only 28, and is relatively more healthy than Jackson.

our own FAs to resign:
Sutton, Edmunds
lesser contracts - Ogunjobi and Kazee (both played well enough to make them somewhat of a priority, keeping our draft more focused)

extend:
Highsmith - though, not for breaking the bank. he benefits greatly from TJ being on the field and was a ghost for a lot of PT while TJ was injured.

FA I'd want to bring in:
Jerry Tillery, DT, Raiduhs/Chargers
Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa

That would put our DL as Cam, Tillery and Ogunjobi as starters. Not bad at all. Our starting secondary would be Dean - Sutton/Wallace - Minkah and Edmunds. Solid.

Assuming we somehow pull off all those moves, I'd enter the draft with an eye on Broderick Jones. I feel he's the best pure LT in the draft. Run/Pass block anchor for 10+ years. If I can get Jones in the first, I'd look for another OL in the 2nd. The one guy shooting up draft boards is Cody Mauch. As said in other threads, he's from North Dakota State and played LT. He's got some athleticism, as he was recruited as a TE. Then massively grew into his body. Jones in the 1st and Mauch at 32? Eh, why not? Mauch can play T, G and was moved around the OL at the Senior Bowl, even playing Center. He offers lots of versatility. With those two, our OL may be set. Though, I'd not be deterred from taking Schmitz, C, Minnesota with my 2nd pick in the 2nd round. Boom. Complete drastic overhaul of the OL in one draft. Has that ever been done before?

In the third, I'd want Mazi Smith... though I believe we'll take either Kyu Blu Kelly or Tyrique Stevenson. One of those guys should be available, and would be our next CB.
Click to expand...


Nice post Supe, I just added a little to it and highlighted your draft picks. GREAT plan and if all this were to happen, we would definitely be on our way to good things.


Salute the nation
 
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