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

[Mr Jiggyfly]

With boards moving Skoronski to IOL so much, I'd be a bit wary taking him at 17. We need a T ...

That could play into the Steelers hands (pun intended) like it did with KP.

Rashawn Slater fell to the Chargers at 13 and he was considered by a lot of people to be the top LT in his class.

He fell because of the same issues with Skoronski. Short arms. Not enough length. Is he a guard in the NFL? Robble robble.

Now he’s one of the best young LT in the league.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

With boards moving Skoronski to IOL so much, I'd be a bit wary taking him at 17. We need a T ...

Ive read his arm length is an issue.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Diontae Johnson and George Pickens Both Top-15 Receivers Per ESPN Analytics

By most accounts, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson had a down year, as he finished the season with 86 receptions for 882 yards and no touchdowns. However, according to ESPN analytics posted on fivethirtyeight.com, Johnson was a top-five receiver in the league, coming in at No. 5...

steelersdepot.com

 

[Flying Dego]

Diontae Johnson and George Pickens Both Top-15 Receivers Per ESPN Analytics

By most accounts, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson had a down year, as he finished the season with 86 receptions for 882 yards and no touchdowns. However, according to ESPN analytics posted on fivethirtyeight.com, Johnson was a top-five receiver in the league, coming in at No. 5...

steelersdepot.com

Come on. "Johnson a top 5 reciever"

Just no. Do I berate him for lacking as a #1? Absolutely. Is he a decent reciever especially if played as a #2 or #3 target, yes. This grading put him above Chase and a whole load of others is ludicrous.

Edit: I love Pickens but #15 best WR. LOL.

 

[Peat]

Yeah I thought he flat out said it, but I wasn't positive. Canada's performance as OC last year was unacceptable, but he wasn't the only factor for why the offense in total was subpar.

The offense requires the OL working to support the running game, Pickett being efficient with the ball, Canada making smart and varied playcalls and Tomlin allowing the team to have a more aggressive offense. With all 4 of those working, I think their offense could be very good. But I'm obviously skeptical that all 4 of those will be working at any time.

I think I'm probably a broken clock on this at this point but I want to see what was going on with redzone conversion. To the best of my knowledge that's the one stat of Pickett's/the team's that absolutely stinks. I know they got into a bunch of scoring positions after the bye, I don't know why they all became field goals, whose fault that is. That's the big one to me.

I think that'd take them to good immediately. Very good... yeah, Tomlin has to greenlight a more aggressive offence. Which I kinda struggle to see happening.

It’s gonna be interesting to see what happens with Bresee. On paper he fits what the Steelers need right and could be an eventual Heyward replacement, but from what I’m reading about him, he seems like he’s a boom or bust kind of prospect.

He’s a crazy athlete for his size but never seemed to produce like he should. I’ve seen a lot of Clemson fans wonder why he’s so highly regarded.

Looking at the rest of those rankings, if they could somehow get Jones and Witherspoon, that’d be amazing. It seems like both may be big risers though.

For reals. Couple of weeks ago, he was going top 10 in some mocks. There's some now where he doesn't even make the 1st. It feels unlikely he'll fall all of the way out the way things are going but not impossible. Him and Ringo just seem to be losing a ton of trust.

And yeah, I don't think this positioning is going to survive the next few months. Shame.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Brugler's top 15 by position has Sanders ahead of Simpson, so you're not alone.

Other small wrinkles of possible interest -

He has Skoronski as IOL, not OT.

He has Kelee Ringo as 6th CB. Maybe not an ideal guy for the Steelers given how much development he needs, but there's a real chance for someone to gain great value on an athlete.

Has Addison at top WR.

Sees Edge, CB, and TE as the well stocked positions in the draft.

Conversely, with Skoronski listed as IOL, that leaves just two OTs and two DLs that consistently show up in the 1st round of mocks.

I think Ringo is a fine pick… at 49. His lateral movement/twitchiness is a huge red flag imo, despite him being big strong fast.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I think my perfect draft right now would be

17. Skoronski
32. Sanders
49. Boutte

DL in FA.

 

[JTG]

I think my perfect draft right now would be

17. Skoronski
32. Sanders
49. Boutte

DL in FA.

Yeah, that would be pretty ideal, IMO. I've also seen some drafts have Bresee drop, which brings an entirely new dimension to things. He's everything Tuitt was, and some.

We have to find a way to get a NT, and I think both Ika and Smith will be going around the the Boutte pick.

 

[TimmyD]

That could play into the Steelers hands (pun intended) like it did with KP.

Rashawn Slater fell to the Chargers at 13 and he was considered by a lot of people to be the top LT in his class.

He fell because of the same issues with Skoronski. Short arms. Not enough length. Is he a guard in the NFL? Robble robble.

Now he’s one of the best young LT in the league.

Words can’t describe how happy I was seeing him fall to 13 lol

Ive read his arm length is an issue.

Like @Mr Jiggyfly said, arm length was supposed to be an issue for Rashawn Slater as well and he fell to the Chargers at 13… I promise you that his arm length hasn’t presented any problems. He’s already one of the best LT in football.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Words can’t describe how happy I was seeing him fall to 13 lol


Like @Mr Jiggyfly said, arm length was supposed to be an issue for Rashawn Slater as well and he fell to the Chargers at 13… I promise you that his arm length hasn’t presented any problems. He’s already one of the best LT in football.

Ya I touched on this before, but getting your franchise QB and franchise LT in b2b drafts is almost a statistical impossibility.

They are without a doubt the two most important positions in football, and finding a franchise guy at either spot is extremely difficult.

I’ve watched the Steelers since I was a kid in the late 80s until now and they never had a franchise LT.

Maybe we have the undesirable body part issue help the Steelers have exactly who they need fall into their lap once again.

Guess we’ll see what the chatter is after the annual meat market.

 

[TimmyD]

Ya I touched on this before, but getting your franchise QB and franchise LT in b2b drafts is almost a statistical impossibility.

They are without a doubt the two most important positions in football, and finding a franchise guy at either spot is extremely difficult.

I’ve watched the Steelers since I was a kid in the late 80s until now and they never had a franchise LT.

Maybe we have the undesirable body part issue help the Steelers have exactly who they need fall into their lap once again.

Guess we’ll see what the chatter is after the annual meat market.

Yeah the short arms for a tackle thing is as silly as the small hands for a QB thing. Yeah it’s definitely rare, almost impossible. I thought they were going to have to trade up with the Lions to get either Sewell or Slater that draft. Once Sewell went to Detroit I was sure Carolina was going to take Slater to fortify their offensive line. When I heard the pick announced as Jaycee Horn, I literally almost spilled my drink because I was celebrating so much. I couldn’t believe it actually happened

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yeah the short arms for a tackle thing is as silly as the small hands for a QB thing. Yeah it’s definitely rare, almost impossible. I thought they were going to have to trade up with the Lions to get either Sewell or Slater that draft. Once Sewell went to Detroit I was sure Carolina was going to take Slater to fortify their offensive line. When I heard the pick announced as Jaycee Horn, I literally almost spilled my drink because I was celebrating so much. I couldn’t believe it actually happened

I’ve had that feeling of elation on draft day three times as a Steeler fan:

- when they took Plaxico Burress
- when they took Roth
- when they took KP

Last two are self explanatory as QB is so important.

With Plex gotta remember until that time the best WR I ever saw was Yancey Thigpen for one season then he left of course.

Ward wasn’t an established guy yet either.

Then I suffered through the Troy Edwards fiasco.

I wanted them to draft Plex so badly and when they called his name on draft day I was beyond stoked.

Never imagined they would take WR in b2b years, especially with the illusion that Edwards was an answer they just invested in.

Was also terrified they would take Pennington and I hated his tape.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I’ve had that feeling of elation on draft day three times as a Steeler fan:

- when they took Plaxico Burress
- when they took Roth
- when they took KP

Last two are self explanatory as QB is so important.

With Plex gotta remember until that time the best WR I ever saw was Yancey Thigpen for one season then he left of course.

Ward wasn’t an established guy yet either.

Then I suffered through the Troy Edwards fiasco.

I wanted them to draft Plex so badly and when they called his name on draft day I was beyond stoked.

Never imagined they would take WR in b2b years, especially with the illusion that Edwards was an answer they just invested in.

Was also terrified they would take Pennington and I hated his tape.

The day of the Plex draft, I was at the old Civic Arena watching the Pens/Caps play. During stoppages, they'd show the picks of the NFL draft. Place went bananas when Plex was picked.

Game went into OT and if memory serves correct, Jagr got the OT winner. Felt like he had a billion OT playoff goals in his career whereas Mario had 1 or Zero.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

The day of the Plex draft, I was at the old Civic Arena watching the Pens/Caps play. During stoppages, they'd show the picks of the NFL draft. Place went bananas when Plex was picked.

Game went into OT and if memory serves correct, Jagr got the OT winner. Felt like he had a billion OT playoff goals in his career whereas Mario had 1 or Zero.

I bought my first house right out of college that summer and had friends over to watch the Steelers first preseason game, show them the place, etc.

I think it was the first pass of the game they threw a fade route to Plex and he jumped up and got the ball…

I yelled “f*** ya! Got up pumping my fist like they won the SB.

All my friends looked at me like I was mental.

It was a little awkward.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

Then he spiked the ball without being touched?

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Then he spiked the ball without being touched?

Would have been way less embarrassing if he did that in his first pre-season game and not when it counted.

Agt the Ravens no less.

No one told him it wasn't college anymore, but it's not his fault, he didn't know the gun was loaded.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

The stuff about Burress made me look up that draft. The raiders really took a kicker in round 1.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Kinda expected. Just have to hope for the best going forward.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

The stuff about Burress made me look up that draft. The raiders really took a kicker in round 1.

That guy was legendary, but I think he got all f***ed up and held a woman agt her will… something of that nature. So I’m going to be careful how much I laugh about his hard partying ways.

He had the body of some middle aged dad that has given up on life:

It gets even better though - he was once almost deported back to Poland.

He was Phil before Phil was a thing.

He was also a huge party monster that was arrested 4-5 times in a two year span.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Kinda expected. Just have to hope for the best going forward.

This is Exhibit A against results-based decision-making.

If a reporter had half a brain, they would have pointed out that the 2nd half of the schedule was supremely easy. But I realize that requires critical thinking and analysis. Something that the Pitt media, Eddie Munster, and Tomlin all lack

 

[SomeDude]

Kinda expected. Just have to hope for the best going forward.

Translation: I'm not paying that guy to sit at home and then having to pay another guy to do the job.

 

[Empoleon8771]

My stance on Canada at this point is that any decision they make with the offense should be entirely focused on maximizing Pickett. Keeping Canada for next year allows Pickett to focus on improving his areas of weakness in the near term and then he can learn a new offense with a new OC when he's more prepared after next year. I think that's a legitimate argument to consider here, would having a new OC plus having Pickett focus on improving his clear weaknesses overwhelm him?

I don't know the answer to that by the way, I'm not defending keeping Canada. But I think there is a completely justifiable case based on wanting stability for Pickett and have him focus on improving his skills.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Translation: I'm not paying that guy to sit at home and then having to pay another guy to do the job.

Remember that they EXTENDED Canada for an extra year last offseason. So they could have theoretically been out of his contract by now.

So the translation is "we've created this mess and we have to lay in it because I'm not paying extra money to fix my idiototic decision"

 

[The Old Master]

Translation: I'm not paying that guy to sit at home and then having to pay another guy to do the job.

more truth than some would think

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Sweet, can't wait for more BS race claims in the NFL

Panthers choose Reich over Wilks as new coach

The Carolina Panthers have agreed to hire Frank Reich as their new head coach, the team announced Thursday.

www.espn.com