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OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Off Season We dont need a QB Edition

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Shaftception said:
The chances of a QB they draft in this or any of the coming classes wins a Super Bowl in the next few years, let alone even one playoff game considering this team hasn't done so in however many years now, are to be extremely fair to them, not likely, and in the former case laughably non-existant.

So, since they won't be winning a championship, I'd argue, they could successfully provide whoever this future draft pick ends up being with a receiver sufficient enough to properly develop their skills if they have the potential in them, without needing to trade a 2nd round pick and then invest $30 mil a year over this time period to do so.

I will not agree it's a smart use of assets to spend significant cap space on a player for, at best, his role in the development of your hopeful future QB. Especially for a team like the Steelers who will never consider tanking a season for the chance of drafting one of the actual potential premium talents at the top of drafts who might actually be worth investing significant cap into largely just trying to maximize the development of.

If we were drafting the the next Burrow, yeah sure, pay Metcalf, a Burrow would be worth it, except that's what drafting a Chase is for.

By the time said non-premier QB, whoever it ends up being is hopefully properly developed (again not even a guarantee under this coaching staff), who is theoretically hopefully ready to try to best a Mahomes, Burrow, Lamar, Allen, etc. in the AFC playoffs, Metcalf will be 30 or not even here anymore.
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I don’t really think the success of a Metcalf trade hinges on winning a championship. If he’s a factor in the development of a QB, that’s worth a second rounder and the contract he’s getting every day of the week. I know Metcalf is a good player. And maybe the hypothetical draft choice at WR would be too, but I’ll take the guarantee.

Also the cap space thing is a complete non factor to me.

1.) Their cap situation is completely fine. The Metcalf contract isn’t going to be a hindrance in the slightest.

2.) They literally HAVE to spend cash. You have to spend 90% of the available cap in a three year window. Guys like Metcalf don’t hit free agency so it was either trade for him, or overpay for someone in free agency.

I just think it’s kind of crazy people complain about the lack of spending on offense, but when they do it’s like “No not like that”
 
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DK has 7 more tds than GP over the last 3 years. Gp is capable of playing all 3 spots and running multiple routes. DK runs 2 routes slant and deep ball and plays the x
 
Peat said:
Also re Pickens -

39 dudes had a 100+ targets last season.

Only 2 players had less TDs (Elijah Moore in Cleveland, McBride in Arizona) with 5 tying Pickens on 3 TDs (Robinson on the Giants, Kelce, Nacua, Pittman on the Colts, Odunze with the Bears).

Only 2 players had a lower successful play % than Pickens' 44.7 - Ridley with the Titans, and that guy Wan'dale Robinson.

He was a yardage monster but other than that, he really underperformed his peers.

I know he's capable of better but him fulfilling his talent and being a dominant WR1, rather than a streaky WR1, isn't guaranteed. I sometimes think people get a little too high on what he means to this team because of the highlights and lack of competition - at the moment, he's not doing anything all that special with his volume that'd be impossible to replace.
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The TD thing doesn’t really concern me. He had a few near misses last year that could’ve easily gone in his favor - off hand I recall the play early in the season where he got a screen around the sideline and either it was negated by penalty or he stepped out of bounds. Then there was the one where he double tapped the same foot. You could definitely criticize his concentration at times, but he doesn’t have any physical or ball skill limitations that would make the low TD # sticky year to year like it would for Wandale Robinson (tiny slot WR who gets low aDOT stuff). I can’t really explain McBride’s TD issues other than Kyler might stink.
 
Just piecing reports together here...

If the Steelers like Milroe, but don't want to take him in the 1st, and are comfortable taking DT in round 3, then taking WR in the first and trading GP for a shot at Milroe makes sense to me.
 
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I don't think I would take Egbuka if Pickens was traded, not the kind of WR I'd really be looking at. The Steelers had Jayden Higgins from Iowa State for a top-30 visit and I think he's exactly what they need at a WR2:

Higgins is a plug-and-play receiver whose game tape absolutely pops. While his forty might raise eyebrows, the film shows a savvy route runner who consistently creates separation and wins at all three levels. He's got that rare knack for getting open despite lacking elite speed, showing how technical mastery can trump pure athleticism.

Teams looking for an immediate contributor will find a lot to love here. Higgins has proven he can win from multiple alignments, showing particular excellence on intermediate and deep routes where his combination of body control and ball skills shine. His production against Power 5 competition wasn't a fluke - this is a receiver who understands how to set up defenders and create throwing windows regardless of coverage.

Bottom line - Higgins projects as an immediate contributor who could develop into a reliable WR2 in the right system. His skill set will translate quickest to teams running multiple receiver sets where his route-running sophistication and consistent hands can be maximized. Don't get too caught up in the athletic testing - this is a football player who just knows how to get open and make plays.
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Route running X WR with a 6'4" and 215 lb frame? Hell yeah, sign me up. He's likely a mid/late 2nd, so I figure they'd be targeting this guy with the pick they'd get back for Pickens.

If you could do Pickens and a 2026 3rd/4th for GB's 2nd at #54 overall and get Higgins at #54, I'd be extremely happy with that.
 
T1K said:
The TD thing doesn’t really concern me. He had a few near misses last year that could’ve easily gone in his favor - off hand I recall the play early in the season where he got a screen around the sideline and either it was negated by penalty or he stepped out of bounds. Then there was the one where he double tapped the same foot. You could definitely criticize his concentration at times, but he doesn’t have any physical or ball skill limitations that would make the low TD # sticky year to year like it would for Wandale Robinson (tiny slot WR who gets low aDOT stuff). I can’t really explain McBride’s TD issues other than Kyler might stink.
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I mean it's only really a criticism and concern in terms of him being one of the game's very best. And he posted healthier TD numbers in both of the past seasons.

But compared to the very best, Pickens' best TD numbers are a little low and his low is lower than other people's. And yeah, undoubtedly there's some scheme and QB issues there, but you look at a guy like DJ Moore and it's possible to rack up the TDs in some ugly situations.

Sure, there's no physical of ball skill limitations there for him to being one of the best - but it's not happening. How long do you hold onto the potential of him being one of the best vs being what he is (very good, but not the elite)?
 
WickedWrister said:
Some more prognostications

View attachment 1020026
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Round 1 DL/QB approaching a coinflip

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1745450186029.png
 
Crackhead mock draft time:

-Pickens and a 2026 3rd to GB for #54
-#21 and #83 (975 value) to Detroit for #28, #60 and #196 (972.6 value)

-#28: Harmon, DL
-#54: Higgins, WR
-#60: Milroe, QB
-#123: Giddens, RB

Use your day 3 picks (#156, #185, #196 and #229) to fill whatever other holes you think you have. If you can get Milroe at #83, you don't need to do that trade down with #21 and just take him at #83.
 
I can't decide which of Sanders at 21 or Milroe at all would make me more nihilistic, but I'm looking forward to this draft a lot.

edit:

From Jeremiah's mock

"I’m not convinced the Steelers will take Sanders if he’s available, but if he doesn’t go here, I’m not sure where he ends up. Mason Rudolph can provide a little bit of a bridge until Sanders is ready to go. This pick is a classic case of need meeting value."

Aka I can't no mock Sanders in the first round :sarcasm:
 
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Peat said:
I mean it's only really a criticism and concern in terms of him being one of the game's very best. And he posted healthier TD numbers in both of the past seasons.

But compared to the very best, Pickens' best TD numbers are a little low and his low is lower than other people's. And yeah, undoubtedly there's some scheme and QB issues there, but you look at a guy like DJ Moore and it's possible to rack up the TDs in some ugly situations.

Sure, there's no physical of ball skill limitations there for him to being one of the best - but it's not happening. How long do you hold onto the potential of him being one of the best vs being what he is (very good, but not the elite)?
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TDs are a function of the offensive efficiency as a whole, but you’re not wrong - his numbers do not match his talent. His advanced metrics improved a lot last year. I could see him exploding after a change in environment, time will tell.
 
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Empoleon8771 said:
Yeah they're taking Sanders. Jeremiah saying it makes me fully convinced.
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I think I’m at the point where there’s very little doubt in my mind he’ll be available. There’s just some doubt they actually take him.

I’d be surprised if they don’t but even the people mocking him to the Steelers say they’re not convinced they’ll actually go that direction.
 
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xlm34 said:
I think I’m at the point where there’s very little doubt in my mind he’ll be available. There’s just some doubt they actually take him.

I’d be surprised if they don’t but even the people mocking him to the Steelers say they’re not convinced they’ll actually go that direction.
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I'm the opposite, I'm fully convinced they take him but I'm just not sure if he will be available. I'm just curious if the Browns trade up above the Steelers to take Sanders to pair him with Hunter, it feels like a very Browns type of move.
 
steelersdepot.com

George Pickens Unfollows Steelers On Social Media

Silly as it might sound, the NFL lives in a social media world. And there’s no more common tactic for a player to express discontent with a team or situation than on Twitter or Instagram. WR George Pickens seems to be doing so with Pittsburgh, recently unfollowing the Steelers’ Instagram...
steelersdepot.com steelersdepot.com

DRAMA!


Also... gun to my head, if I'm guessing, I think there's some DL, probably Harmon, that they'd take ahead of Sanders. I'm also kinda curious about the report someone posted of Rooney not being sold on Sanders. If that changes either way at the last minute, that's a big deal, and I kind of wonder what Khan and Weidl think, because if all of Tomlin/Smith/Khan/Weidl want a guy and the owner is going "uhhh" that's unusual.
 
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Empoleon8771 said:
I'm the opposite, I'm fully convinced they take him but I'm just not sure if he will be available. I'm just curious if the Browns trade up above the Steelers to take Sanders to pair him with Hunter, it feels like a very Browns type of move.
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I wonder a little how the Watson debacle influences their decision to trade up.

One one hand, reuniting Sanders and Hunter is a pretty easy story to sell their fans. So I can definitely see a team that drafted Manziel because a homeless guy told them to making a decision that’s more of a PR move.

On the other hand, we’re talking about a team that hasn’t had a first round pick and only one second round pick in the last three years. They could use all the picks they can get and it shouldn’t be a crazy cost to trade up but it won’t be cheap. And I can’t imagine Stefanski and their GM surviving a failed QB pick if they trade up for one, so I just wonder how convinced they are by him.
 
xlm34 said:
I wonder a little how the Watson debacle influences their decision to trade up.

One one hand, reuniting Sanders and Hunter is a pretty easy story to sell their fans. So I can definitely see a team that drafted Manziel because a homeless guy told them to making a decision that’s more of a PR move.

On the other hand, we’re talking about a team that hasn’t had a first round pick and only one second round pick in the last three years. They could use all the picks they can get and it shouldn’t be a crazy cost to trade up but it won’t be cheap. And I can’t imagine Stefanski and their GM surviving a failed QB pick if they trade up for one, so I just wonder how convinced they are by him.
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I guess if you're looking at all that non-talent stuff, then all the stuff about how there's some teams that Deion didn't want his son playing at and how a lot of it sounded like Cleveland probably doesn't help. Although speaking of such things, while I went looking for the latest news on Sanders and Cleveland, apparently Dart's on the record saying he doesn't like playing in cold weather?

Mind you, there's also talk that teams are trying to move up to 2nd... at which point the Sanders/Hunter story goes away if the Browns take it. Which they probably won't.
 
I do think Sanders brings some of the moxie and clutch factor you can't teach a lot of guys. It's not like he was playing for powerhouse programs. Lot of big spots he looked great in.

Arm talent is average. But his accuracy looks pretty legit to me and I like that he can vary the speeds on the shorter throws, depending on the window. Sneaky athletic.

I've seen a ceiling of Goff/Tua and if that's what you believe, and that kind of ceiling is available at 21, you run to the podium. IMO. It's just hard for me to believe in a Tomlin/Arthur Smith combo developing Sanders to the Goff tier.

The safe pick is Harmon. Value is right and it fills an immediate and more importantly, long term hole for the team.

The issue is that Harmon is probably not the difference between winning a playoff game or not. QB, probably more so, though we know the coaching staff is the biggest obstacle on that front.
 
Brugler’s mock has the Steelers passing on Sanders for Harmon. At this point literally every somewhat reputable draft guy has either mocked Sanders to the Steelers or has them passing on him for Harmon.

I’d be a little surprised at this point if it wasn’t one of those two guys.
 
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