OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Super Bowl? Thats like a giant pot of chips or popcorn right?

[xlm34]

This years draft for Steelers is hard to call. Last 2 years I absolutely knew they'd take a QB and RB, just wasn't sure who.

Here are my predictions at the moment. I have a right to chance my mind

Round 1, Pick 17 CB Joey Porter, Jr. Penn State
Round 2, Pick 32 EDGE Drew Sanders, Arkansas

Oh for sure. It could go in a bunch of different directions which is going to make it really entertaining to watch.

And yeah I’ll probably change my mind on what I think they’ll do 10 times before draft day.

 

[Peat]

I thought he was a Colts fan? And then when they moved he basically renounced any fandom to any team.



I would have liked to trade down as well but there is barely any trade movement in this mock. I'm the only one to make a trade in the 1st round and the guy I traded with in the first has made a trade in the 2nd. People are just making picks and haven't really been participating in the mock draft experience.

And I do really like the idea of Washington but I don't think he is worth taking at 32. And he is gone now anyways, so I can't take him at 49. But there are other really good TE's still left that could provide the slot receiver production but with a TE body. Which I kind of like over a true slot receiver.

You are probably wiser than me. The whole point of a TE draft this deep is possibly getting an absolute bargain at 80 or 120. But goshdarn it if the idea of just picking up a freak doesn't appeal to me far too much.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I thought he was a Colts fan? And then when they moved he basically renounced any fandom to any team.



I would have liked to trade down as well but there is barely any trade movement in this mock. I'm the only one to make a trade in the 1st round and the guy I traded with in the first has made a trade in the 2nd. People are just making picks and haven't really been participating in the mock draft experience.

And I do really like the idea of Washington but I don't think he is worth taking at 32. And he is gone now anyways, so I can't take him at 49. But there are other really good TE's still left that could provide the slot receiver production but with a TE body. Which I kind of like over a true slot receiver.

That was after the Colts moved from Baltimore, then the Ravens moved there years later and he obviously changed his mind and became a fan again of his new hometown team.

Kiper may be a season ticket holder for the Ravens, but can’t remember that for sure. I know he’s been seen at various Ravens games over the years.

Once in awhile he will slip up and say shit like “My Ravens”, but it’s not a big secret he’s a fan and grew up in Baltimore.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

You are probably wiser than me. The whole point of a TE draft this deep is possibly getting an absolute bargain at 80 or 120. But goshdarn it if the idea of just picking up a freak doesn't appeal to me far too much.

Oh agreed. The ideal picture of Washington and how I can see him being used makes me really excited. But if he was really that good, why didn't he produce more in college? I can see how he compares physically to Gronk. But Gronk scored TDs in college, 16tds in 22 games. The knowledge of how to get open and how to adjust to make catches was there for Gronk. And then that production transferred to the NFL.

Washington, he has 3tds in 27 games. Something is missing there. Is he not being used correctly, or is all that size and speed just not translating to actual production.

And I am not wiser, I just read and watch shit on the internet and make judgements.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

You are probably wiser than me. The whole point of a TE draft this deep is possibly getting an absolute bargain at 80 or 120. But goshdarn it if the idea of just picking up a freak doesn't appeal to me far too much.

While I love the idea of a 2 TE offense, I think TE is seen as a "want" vs a "need" on the Steelers' draft board.
Maybe next year if they have less holes, they'd pick a guy like this high

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Yuck

Report: Steelers have called Bears about trading up to No. 9

According to EJ Snyder, the Steelers have had conversations with the Bears about trading for the No. 9 pick in the NFL draft.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Peat]

Oh agreed. The ideal picture of Washington and how I can see him being used makes me really excited. But if he was really that good, why didn't he produce more in college? I can see how he compares physically to Gronk. But Gronk scored TDs in college, 16tds in 22 games. The knowledge of how to get open and how to adjust to make catches was there for Gronk. And then that production transferred to the NFL.

Washington, he has 3tds in 27 games. Something is missing there. Is he not being used correctly, or is all that size and speed just not translating to actual production.

And I am not wiser, I just read and watch shit on the internet and make judgements.

The word on Washington seems to be his college underused him because they had other talents and he was a good soldier about it.

The question becomes can you train him up given he's missed valuable experience and if he merely hits his likely ceiling rather than absolute ceiling is that worth 32? It's not, and I do know that, but I can't help going "but..." to myself.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

As much as I’d love to trade back and add extra picks in the 2nd/3rd, if you can turn 17+32 into someone you think is a franchise LT you do it all day.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

As much as I’d love to trade back and add extra picks in the 2nd/3rd, if you can turn 17+32 into someone you think is a franchise LT you do it all day.

There is a rumor the Steelers have talked to the Bears about moving up:

NFL: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights | Yardbarker

NFL rumors, news and videos from the best sources on the web. Sign up for the NFL newsletter!

www.yardbarker.com

I don’t know how credible this EJ Snyder is, but it’s something that’s out there for anyone who wants some Steeler draft news.

 

[Josey Wales]

There is a rumor the Steelers have talked to the Bears about moving up:

NFL: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights | Yardbarker

NFL rumors, news and videos from the best sources on the web. Sign up for the NFL newsletter!

www.yardbarker.com

I don’t know how credible this EJ Snyder is, but it’s something that’s out there for anyone who wants some Steeler draft news.

EJ Snyder
@FootballEJ
Co-Creator: Bootleg Football http://bootlegfootballpodcast.com | Senior Draft Analyst: Windy City Gridiron |
@bearsoverbeers
| Game film is my drug of choice.

 

[xlm34]

That seems like just good GMing by Khan and I’m guessing it’s pretty common practice.

It makes sense to touch base with the teams ahead of you and gauge their interest in trading back/the cost to trade back. That way all the dirty work is done by draft day.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Yuck

Report: Steelers have called Bears about trading up to No. 9

According to EJ Snyder, the Steelers have had conversations with the Bears about trading for the No. 9 pick in the NFL draft.

www.yahoo.com

I would hate a trade up. You're giving up 2 for 1, you better land an All Pro caliber.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

I totally disagree with it taking 17+32. That guy is smokin the ganja. Draft pick calculators say it should only take 17+49. I would maybe add a 3rd next season to add a little more.

17+32 can get them to 7, maybe even 6 with an extra pick 2nd or 3rd.

 

[Peat]

Yeah, Rich Hill value chart says 17 + 49 is a bit of an overpay for 9. Maybe even get a late round pick or two back.

I wouldn't hate it if they did that for Paris Johnson. I'd rather try to only pay a 3rd to jump up a few spots for Broderick Jones, but I'm not gonna dismiss good because it could be great. 17+32, I don't think an OT prospect worth that is in the draft.

 

[Ryder71]

If they get a Cornerstone at left tackle in moving up I'm all for it. Well, depends on what we have to give up. Obviously 17th overall, but if we lose 49 do we recoup another pick later?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Steelers release Jamir Jones

 

[bigdaddyk88]

EJ Snyder
@FootballEJ
Co-Creator: Bootleg Football http://bootlegfootballpodcast.com | Senior Draft Analyst: Windy City Gridiron |
@bearsoverbeers
| Game film is my drug of choice.

This trade up makes no sense the bear’s biggest need is lt i don’t think they will trade down

If they get a Cornerstone at left tackle in moving up I'm all for it. Well, depends on what we have to give up. Obviously 17th overall, but if we lose 49 do we recoup another pick later?

Trading down from 32
Flipping dotson for a day 3 pick

It cost us 1st 3 5 and another 3rd to go from 20-10 to get bush we don’t have a 5th maybe the bears like Dotson

 

[Ryder71]

If they sign Dupree for quality depth and can add a corner on the 2hd day of the draft it should be a decided improvement.

 

[Ryder71]

This trade up makes no sense the bear’s biggest need is lt i don’t think they will trade down


Trading down from 32
Flipping dotson for a day 3 pick

It cost us 1st 3 5 and another 3rd to go from 20-10 to get bush we don’t have a 5th maybe the bears like Dotson

One can hope I guess. Not sure what the value is we'd have to give up to move up, however if we can keep 32 we could legitimately get two impact players.

 

[JTG]

I'd stay put at 17. I just think a really awesome player is going to fall into our laps. No reason to spend draft capital to move up.

Something I think is worth discussing is what if a team pays us a premium in 2024 picks to take 32? I wouldn't be totally against it.

I'd have traded down from 32 if possible. Also, while my head says take a CB, or a coverage ILB, or a DL... my heart would have been "screw it, take Darnell Washington, bully bully bully!"



So here's a thing.

How hard is it to coach a guy to play DL?

I get the feeling it generally doesn't take as much experience and skill as most positions, and it's more about sheer athleticism. But then I see a lot about how DL have one of the slowest adjustment periods in the NFL.

Basically... for DL, how much do you say "if he's got the athleticism, we can teach him"?

I love Washington's size, but his lack of production in college is concerning to me. I guess the upside of him is if he really sucks at TE you can have him just eat whatever he wants for a year, be 6'7 300 pounds and he's as big as Paris Johnson...

 

[Peat]

I love Washington's size, but his lack of production in college is concerning to me. I guess the upside of him is if he really sucks at TE you can have him just eat whatever he wants for a year, be 6'7 300 pounds and he's as big as Paris Johnson...

I suspect if he could easily do that he'd have done it. Highest paid OT gets 8m more a year than the highest paid TE. Although he is super lean.

I guess with Washington if he'd produced in college he'd be going top 15. Maybe higher. He could be the best blocking and best red zone TE in the NFL, while being useful enough as an intermediate weapon. You've got balance the boom vs the idea you get Zach Gentry 2.0. Heart says gamble on it, head says don't.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Brinson's 2023 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: The Worst Mock Ever that is sure to anger all NFL fanbases

He pretty much nailed it with the Steelers and Tomlin’s methodology.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

Call me crazy but drafting Zay Flowers because he played with Tomlin’s son is more egregious.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Call me crazy but drafting Zay Flowers because he played with Tomlin’s son is more egregious.

Corner is a bigger need, so it seems more plausible, but I guess drafting a wr with the first because of that connection would be even more annoying.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

@Peat -
head vs heart is a good way to put it. Kind of wacky because typically that means you take a guy you think is a stat stuffer over an big ugly lineman and this is the opposite

I love Washington's size, but his lack of production in college is concerning to me. I guess the upside of him is if he really sucks at TE you can have him just eat whatever he wants for a year, be 6'7 300 pounds and he's as big as Paris Johnson...

Actual counting production can be meaningless to NFL success imo. So many guys produced and so many didn’t across so many positions. Washington executed what he was asked to do at a high level to go with the freak size.

I don’t even think his stats are bad- I’d say a 28 catch, 450 yard year (10% of their pass game) is nothing to sneeze at for the second TE in a pro style offense in the SEC. That’s 4th in rec. yards on the Bulldogs despite being used as a blocker. I think that’s why he might go high, definitely could see a team thinking he’s only scratching the surface as a receiver (not sure if I agree).