OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: 2022 Handball season has arrived!

[xlm34]

I see guys like Harrison and Jones being speculated as big risers.

Yeah I feel like Jones could end up like Cross last year. A guy projected mid-late first but ends up being a player teams love.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yeah I feel like Jones could end up like Cross last year. A guy projected mid-late first but ends up being a player teams love.

If they covet one of those guys, they will try to move up like they did with KP (just couldn’t find a dance partner).

I suspect the new regime may be aggressive about protecting KP because of Weidl’s history.

Feel pretty confident they will zero in on getting a LT, and will be all about finding a willing trade partner.

If they can’t work a trade, then do they move back and get Harrison, or do they worry he will be off the board if they don’t take him at 17?

 

[JTG]

It seems like Broderick Jones may be a riser and Skoronski could be the guy that drops depending on how teams view his ability to stay at tackle.

I just have a feeling right now the value at 17 will be at CB or WR and not OL or DL. But a lot can change depending on free agency and the combine.

We can wait on CB if we really need to. CB is deep this year. We should be able to snag one in the 3rd or 4th round that is a 2nd round talent.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think if Jones is a big riser, that just means one of Johnson Jr or Skoronski falls to the Steelers.

Honestly, I'd be fine with taking Jones at 17 anyway. If he goes earlier than that, it just means one of the other tackles will very likely be falling to the Steelers.

 

[Andy99]

Too easy for Cincinnati…think the Bills choke the division game again to them…

 

[Goalie_Bob]

I think if any of the 1st round tackles make it to SD at 21 they take one. Even Tampa at 19 could be in the market depending on what they do with Donovan Smith.

Though I’m not sure where Tampa is at. Brady seems to be gone. And if he is, feels like they need to tear it down and start over. So I’m not sure a Tackle is where they would start. Maybe they take Tanner McKee from Stanford.

But Steelers can’t move back too far and still get a tackle.

My favorite result from mock draft simulators is taking a tackle in the 1st, then taking either Siaki Ika or Mazi Smith with 32. Then looking at who is available at CB/WR. Thus placing capital into the trenches and then looking at the next level of importance.

Obviously, the pick at 32 is a pivot point. If Tanner McKee and/or Richardson slip to the 2nd round. Teams like Carolina, Saints, LV, Rams, Seattle could be looking to trade up and take them. If the Steelers can use that position to grab an extra 3rd round pick and move down maybe 7-8 picks I think they need to look at it.

Coming out of the draft with the following would be a successful draft IMO.

1st: Harrison/Jones
2nd: Ika/Smith
2nd: Forbes/Ricks

When I look at trading up to get a tackle. I don’t like the cost which would probably be pick 49. The talent for tackles at 31 or 49 can be very good if not the equal of the 1st round tackles. And I don’t want to give up the player at 49 for that difference.

 

[Peat]

I think if Jones is a big riser, that just means one of Johnson Jr or Skoronski falls to the Steelers.

Honestly, I'd be fine with taking Jones at 17 anyway. If he goes earlier than that, it just means one of the other tackles will very likely be falling to the Steelers.

I dunno. Seems to be space for three OTs in the 16 spots before the Steelers.

It seems like you'll get 4 QBs at max - that leaves 12.

If you start crossing out position groups -

You'll see a lot of D go. Anderson and Carter for sure, Murphy and Wilson near as sure, Bresee and Van Ness maybe.

Secondary, there's about 5/6 guys who it seems could go there. Which I guess could swallow everything, but how many teams need D?

You look at offence and there doesn't seem much likelihood of a TE getting picked there, although not impossible. Ditto RB. You've got mock drafts in which no WR is going until 20 too. No IOL is going that high.

I guess the big thing is it seems incredible that teams won't reach for skill positions even if right now the talent isn't there. They go for that, an OT at 17 looks more likely. As is... it seems very easy to see three OTs gone by that point.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Too easy for Cincinnati…think the Bills choke the division game again to them…

I really want Buffalo to win so they can start choking away superbowls again

 

[Colonel Mustard]

We need cb’s that can cover these wr’s

 

[Peat]

I really want Buffalo to win so they can start choking away superbowls again

Can't choke finals if you choke ever getting there.

I like watching Buffalo. I like how that team plays. I just struggle to see them putting away another top team. There's something intangibly off there.

 

[Peat]

Just saw some interesting numbers on Steelers Depot

Before the Bye Week, the scored 1.1 points per drive, which would have been dead last in the NFL over the whole season (behind the Colts at 1.4).

After, they scored 2.1 points per drive, good for 11th over the course of a whole season.

The scoring number didn't rise much because they went from 11 drives a game to 9.9.

They also scored on 42% of their drives after the bye, good for 6th on the league. Probably be higher if Boswell hadn't done his groin too.

If they could convert in the red zone properly and didn't have to keep settling for field goals, their efficiency would have looked pretty strong. Which is glossing over the big important bit, but it is the most flattering thing I've seen said about the offence for a while.

 

[Common Sense]

I for one am shocked that the Bills folded after barely squeaking it out against Skylar Thompson last week.

 

[MrBrightside]

I for one am shocked that the Bills folded after barely squeaking it out against Skylar Thompson last week.

In fairness they played a team that barely squeaked it out against Tyler Huntley last week.

 

[JTG]

Can anyone else see the story line when we play the Bengals? Burrow and Chase v. Pickett and Addison.

I'm mentally preparing already.

 

[JTG]

The Brock Purdy blowfest is getting out of control. Their team is winning but the guy is doing the bare minimum to win. He went 15/20 yesterday for 178 yards, and was sacked 4 times.

I like Brock, and I think he's being utilized and performing exactly how he should be. But for people to put him on a pedestal or to even suggest he's better than Pickett at this point is absurd. Purdy had 2 games where he threw more than 30 times, and both games his QBR was under 100.

 

[TimmyD]

I think if any of the 1st round tackles make it to SD at 21 they take one. Even Tampa at 19 could be in the market depending on what they do with Donovan Smith.

Though I’m not sure where Tampa is at. Brady seems to be gone. And if he is, feels like they need to tear it down and start over. So I’m not sure a Tackle is where they would start. Maybe they take Tanner McKee from Stanford.

But Steelers can’t move back too far and still get a tackle.

My favorite result from mock draft simulators is taking a tackle in the 1st, then taking either Siaki Ika or Mazi Smith with 32. Then looking at who is available at CB/WR. Thus placing capital into the trenches and then looking at the next level of importance.

Obviously, the pick at 32 is a pivot point. If Tanner McKee and/or Richardson slip to the 2nd round. Teams like Carolina, Saints, LV, Rams, Seattle could be looking to trade up and take them. If the Steelers can use that position to grab an extra 3rd round pick and move down maybe 7-8 picks I think they need to look at it.

Coming out of the draft with the following would be a successful draft IMO.

1st: Harrison/Jones
2nd: Ika/Smith
2nd: Forbes/Ricks

When I look at trading up to get a tackle. I don’t like the cost which would probably be pick 49. The talent for tackles at 31 or 49 can be very good if not the equal of the 1st round tackles. And I don’t want to give up the player at 49 for that difference.

Just curious, why do you feel like the Chargers take a tackle at 21? They have Slater at LT so they are set in that spot and Pipkins played solid for them at RT until he sprained his MCL. He played through it and his play wasn’t as good, but when he was healthy he was solid and he should be pretty cheap. I don’t see them needing a tackle, at least not at 21

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Can anyone else see the story line when we play the Bengals? Burrow and Chase v. Pickett and Addison.

I'm mentally preparing already.

Heads are gonna explode when the choice in April comes down to Addison, who has the Pitt connection and Porter Jr. who has a Steeler connection. Oh and JNS who has a Pirates connection.

 

[JTG]

Heads are gonna explode when the choice in April comes down to Addison, who has the Pitt connection and Porter Jr. who has a Steeler connection. Oh and JNS who has a Pirates connection.

I don't follow baseball, so I didn't even realize the JNS connection.

Luckily all of these guys are actually solid football players. If I had to choose though, I'd choose Porter. I think the choice will be Addison.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

Just curious, why do you feel like the Chargers take a tackle at 21? They have Slater at LT so they are set in that spot and Pipkins played solid for them at RT until he sprained his MCL. He played through it and his play wasn’t as good, but when he was healthy he was solid and he should be pretty cheap. I don’t see them needing a tackle, at least not at 21

Pipkens and two of their other backup tackles are free agents. I'm just prognosticating on team needs and what is available now, obviously after free agency team needs could very much change. Same with the Steelers.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I don't follow baseball, so I didn't even realize the JNS connection.

Luckily all of these guys are actually solid football players. If I had to choose though, I'd choose Porter. I think the choice will be Addison.

I agree, imo, our biggest needs that can be addressed with that pick is cb or the trenches on either side of the ball. If they go cb, ot, dl in any order it should be ok. Luckily, cb this year looks deep in the draft.

 

[JTG]

I agree, imo, our biggest needs that can be addressed with that pick is cb or the trenches on either side of the ball. If they go cb, ot, dl in any order it should be ok. Luckily, cb this year looks deep in the draft.

A guy that I think many of us don't talk about enough here is Trenton Simpson from Clemson. He is a guy who has played LB, CB, S, and he's done all of them really well. He could be a really awesome pickup for us at MLB that we can pair with Robinson for the future. PFF right now has him right around pick 32.

This draft, I'd draft linemen. Don't care what side of the ball. We could also really open up our draft possibilities if we went after a guys like Orlando Brown (LT) or Dalvin Tomlinson (NT). I know people have also spoken about Tremaine Edmunds, but I can't see Buffalo letting him get away, and I'm not sure I'd want the Steelers to pay him what he's looking at in free agency.

Khan has his work cut out for him this offseason to make some room. He has to restructure TJ and Cam. He has to extend Highsmith.

 

[Pens1566]

A guy that I think many of us don't talk about enough here is Trenton Simpson from Clemson. He is a guy who has played LB, CB, S, and he's done all of them really well. He could be a really awesome pickup for us at MLB that we can pair with Robinson for the future. PFF right now has him right around pick 32.

This draft, I'd draft linemen. Don't care what side of the ball. We could also really open up our draft possibilities if we went after a guys like Orlando Brown (LT) or Dalvin Tomlinson (NT). I know people have also spoken about Tremaine Edmunds, but I can't see Buffalo letting him get away, and I'm not sure I'd want the Steelers to pay him what he's looking at in free agency.

Khan has his work cut out for him this offseason to make some room. He has to restructure TJ and Cam. He has to extend Highsmith.

Yeah, a savvy pickup or two in FA and our draft focus really changes. I could absolutely see us grab any of OL/DL/LB and look elsewhere in the draft.

 

[xlm34]

Andre Dillard is a guy who’s going to hit free agency that makes some sense to go after. He was a first round pick by the Eagles in 2019 so Weidl will be very familiar with him. From everything I’ve read about him, he’s actually a really solid left tackle that’s just blocked by one of the better left tackles in football right now.

He’d be an upgrade over Moore, shouldn’t cost top dollar, and gives you a lot of flexibility in the draft.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

A guy that I think many of us don't talk about enough here is Trenton Simpson from Clemson. He is a guy who has played LB, CB, S, and he's done all of them really well. He could be a really awesome pickup for us at MLB that we can pair with Robinson for the future. PFF right now has him right around pick 32.

This draft, I'd draft linemen. Don't care what side of the ball. We could also really open up our draft possibilities if we went after a guys like Orlando Brown (LT) or Dalvin Tomlinson (NT). I know people have also spoken about Tremaine Edmunds, but I can't see Buffalo letting him get away, and I'm not sure I'd want the Steelers to pay him what he's looking at in free agency.

Khan has his work cut out for him this offseason to make some room. He has to restructure TJ and Cam. He has to extend Highsmith.

The playoffs have once again shown us that the trenches are vital to playoff success.

I’m hoping their first three picks are all trench players.

My fantasy is a LT, LG, and and a nose that can anchor.

Hopefully Leal gets stronger and keeps building on his rookie season, which would give them four building blocks in b2b drafts.

 

[TimmyD]

Pipkens and two of their other backup tackles are free agents. I'm just prognosticating on team needs and what is available now, obviously after free agency team needs could very much change. Same with the Steelers.

I envision them re-signing Pipkins. They like him a lot and he finally rewarded their faith in him by turning in a solid campaign at RT. So I believe he is their starting RT next year, which leads me to believe if they did take a tackle it wouldn’t be until the later rounds most likely