OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Oh no! They are 3 and 1. Panic!

[WickedWrister]

None of that sounds unusual for a 3/4 receiver though. We're talking a position that's been held by the likes of Switzer, Holton, Washington, McCloud and Sims. All average third day picks or disappointing second day picks, all limited guys who didn't stick around long.

The bar for being a replacement level 3/4 receiver feels pretty low. Not being there while producing in line with opportunity feels like it's expecting too much.

Okay maybe I'll adjust and say he's "replacement level" rather than below it, but I'd be okay if they nuked the whole WR room next year.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I don't know, I don't have any specific yardage threshold that I'm expecting out of him but I'm not going to say he's a proven producer or someone that should even merit contract extension conversations at this point. He has 2 games with over 50 receiving yards in his career. That 27.8 average is being propped up by one long play, but I get it, that's how averages work. Same with the high yards per target. I'm just chalking up these modest improvements to more opportunity-73rd most routes run among WR and 71st in receiving yards. I just see him as having a very limited skill set, basically your average day 3 pick in the draft.

Your 3rd wr is usually a Wheaton type. Slayton Reynolds Aghlor Boyd

 

[WickedWrister]

Your 3rd wr is usually a Wheaton type. Slayton Reynolds Aghlor Boyd

Yeah I don't think he's in the same ballpark as those last 4 names.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Yeah I don't think he's in the same ballpark as those last 4 names.

Reynolds has 185 yards 1 td this season
Boyd 130 yards 0 td
Nelson 114 0 td
Slayton 315 1 td because nabers has missed 2 games
Austin 167 1 td

 

[WickedWrister]

Reynolds has 185 yards 1 td this season
Boyd 130 yards 0 td
Nelson 114 0 td
Slayton 315 1 td because nabers has missed 2 games
Austin 167 1 td

Ok now look at their whole careers...

 

[ChaosAgent]

CAIII has exceeded my (low) expectation, but overall Khan has assembled a terrible WR room.

To agree with what he did, you'd have to conclude either that:
1) Diontae Johnson was actual cancer to this team, which I don't agree with but some do.
2) They couldn't find a Donte Jackson without trading Diontae Johnson. This is not true, since the Steelers have 10M in cap space with which they could have gotten a corner.

Khan just whiffed bad on this whole situation. Hope he realizes it and remedies it.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Austin should only be a WR4 that is mainly offering value as a punt returner. He's a gadget guy, he's not a legitimate WR3 on a team that wants to do anything.

 

[xlm34]

CAIII has exceeded my (low) expectation, but overall Khan has assembled a terrible WR room.

To agree with what he did, you'd have to conclude either that:
1) Diontae Johnson was actual cancer to this team, which I don't agree with but some do.
2) They couldn't find a Donte Jackson without trading Diontae Johnson. This is not true, since the Steelers have 10M in cap space with which they could have gotten a corner.

Khan just whiffed bad on this whole situation. Hope he realizes it and remedies it.

Shit if they waited a couple of days they could have gotten Donte Jackson anyway since he was about to be cut. The trade actually worked for both sides since both players have been good, but everything that happened (or didn’t happen) afterward was a disaster by Khan.

 

[Andy99]

Delete

 

[Peat]

Shit if they waited a couple of days they could have gotten Donte Jackson anyway since he was about to be cut. The trade actually worked for both sides since both players have been good, but everything that happened (or didn’t happen) afterward was a disaster by Khan.

See that raises two possibilities to me

The first is they really wanted Jackson and completely misread the situation on how much Carolina valued Jackson and got ripped off

The second is they were aware of the situation and that's just how much value they could get on a guy they didn't want/didn't want to be here

Khan's been pretty thrifty and shrewd so far and there's been plenty of stories about the problems with DJ, so I know what my guess is here -

I'm looking at the part after the trade too.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Shit if they waited a couple of days they could have gotten Donte Jackson anyway since he was about to be cut. The trade actually worked for both sides since both players have been good, but everything that happened (or didn’t happen) afterward was a disaster by Khan.

I disagree. How did trading Johnson work out for us? Is Pickens less toxic now with him out of the picture?

To your point, we could have gotten Jackson anyway.
We are 4-2 due to Watt, Boswell, Fields' insane running talent and an easy schedule.

 

[xlm34]

See that raises two possibilities to me

The first is they really wanted Jackson and completely misread the situation on how much Carolina valued Jackson and got ripped off

The second is they were aware of the situation and that's just how much value they could get on a guy they didn't want/didn't want to be here

Khan's been pretty thrifty and shrewd so far and there's been plenty of stories about the problems with DJ, so I know what my guess is here -

I'm looking at the part after the trade too.

I’m going with this one. It seems like a case of “We’re gonna cut our DJ and you’re gonna cut your DJ so let’s just swap them.”

But yeah if they pick up anyone better than Jefferson, I don’t think anyone’s complaining about the move considering how well Jackson has played.

 

[Peat]

Could be total BS but this decision is apparently not a unanimous one. I just hope he either balls out or falls flat on his face and makes the future decision an easy one.

Garafolo has been running a very similar story. Who knows whether it matters but right now I don't like the whiff of there being guys, possibly important guys, in the Steelers org who want to leak that people aren't happy on this. Like that's only something it could be so who knows whether it's something or nothing...

... eh, I guess the worst is that it blows up all horribly and I kind of think that mightn't be so bad anyway.

Austin should only be a WR4 that is mainly offering value as a punt returner. He's a gadget guy, he's not a legitimate WR3 on a team that wants to do anything.

I mean that'd have been his role if Wilson hadn't got injured and lived up to his draft position. That's why I say WR3/4. A guy who's ideally a 4 but can step in and be okay as the 3 for a bit if needed.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Shit if they waited a couple of days they could have gotten Donte Jackson anyway since he was about to be cut. The trade actually worked for both sides since both players have been good, but everything that happened (or didn’t happen) afterward was a disaster by Khan.

There were reports that they might cut him if they couldn't trade him. But, there is no guarantee that they would. Or that he would have signed with the Steelers.

In the end D Jackson for D Johnson was a huge win.

Anyone giving Khan grief for that trade-off would be really reaching.

 

[Pens x]

There were reports that they might cut him if they couldn't trade him. But, there is no guarantee that they would. Or that he would have signed with the Steelers.

In the end D Jackson for D Johnson was a huge win.

Anyone giving Khan grief for that trade-off would be really reaching.

Anyone that can’t acknowledge Khan has been sh***t is really reaching.

I wonder if the media finally wakes up and realizes Tomlin is a moron if we lose, starting Wilson.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Anyone that can’t acknowledge Khan has been sh***t is really reaching.

I wonder if the media finally wakes up and realizes Tomlin is a moron if we lose, starting Wilson.

Maybe they want to see ca3 and muth targeted more under Wilson, Maybe they want to see more slants and passes to the seem

 

[MrBrightside]

There were reports that they might cut him if they couldn't trade him. But, there is no guarantee that they would. Or that he would have signed with the Steelers.

In the end D Jackson for D Johnson was a huge win.

Anyone giving Khan grief for that trade-off would be really reaching.

The trade itself is defensible. Not addressing the WR position is not.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

The trade itself is defensible. Not addressing the WR position is not.

This!

They should have done more than Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins. They are at best 4th or 5th WRs.

 

[JTG]

If they can get Najee to run like he did last game, that could go a long way in covering up this passing game. If there was ever a time for Najee to do what we drafted him to do, it is now.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

If they can get Najee to run like he did last game, that could go a long way in covering up this passing game. If there was ever a time for Najee to do what we drafted him to do, it is now.

Too bad he is injured.

Pittsburgh Steelers star running back sustains rib injury

Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Najee Harris popped up on the injury report with a rib injury.

www.pennlive.com

 

[xlm34]

I guess I would take Mike Williams as a lotto ticket over doing nothing but I sure hope Khan aims a little bigger.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah from what I've read about Williams, he's more of a jump ball specialist that doesn't get great separation, and that PFF separation chart definitely aligns with that. That being said, he was also very good in a small sample size last year and Herbet loved throwing to him. It's entirely possible that he was just a bad fit with Rodgers in NY.

That being said, Williams is a guy you bring in to be a WR3 at best right now. I'm more comfortable with their WR depth with Williams at WR3 and Austin at WR4 than Austin at WR3 and Van Jefferson at WR4, but they still need to add another legitimate WR2. He's a lottery ticket that is more of an upgrade on Van Jefferson than an actual solution to the WR issues.

 

[Pens x]

Williams would be a nice add as a #3 receiver.

 

[Peat]

If the team was getting two WRs, I'd take Miles Boykin over Williams. I know that's crazy, but this team needs a WR that can block more than it needs another guy who runs deep over and over.

 

[Empoleon8771]

If the team was getting two WRs, I'd take Miles Boykin over Williams. I know that's crazy, but this team needs a WR that can block more than it needs another guy who runs deep over and over.

I don't know who would fit it, but if I could pick, I'd target a physical blocking WR2 and a playmaker WR3 if I could go that route. Adding a prime Juju as their WR2 and Williams as their WR3 would be what I'd try to do, I just have no clue who that prime Juju is. They'd never in a million years trade him here, but Tee Higgins would look amazing in that WR2 spot.

Getting a cost controlled prime Juju with Pickens as your WR1 and WR2 and rotating lottery tickets (guys like Williams) or draft picks (guys like Austin and Wilson) in your WR3/4/5 slots is personally what I'd be trying to do with their WR room.