We have too many holes to be mortgaging picks...I'd prefer to just take Wright if the LTs are swiped.
We aren't one star player away, we need to build a better roster.
Khan's draft tomorrow sets the tone for the Steelers over the next several years. We really need to hit.
Do we?
I've said it a few times, but I'm looking at the roster and I see no reason it couldn't hit the playoffs as is. It is more or less the same roster as the one that was one win away with the main differences being Pickett should be making a jump, Watt shouldn't suffer a season-crippling injury, Seumalo should be a lot better than Dotson and in an OL that plays all season like the end of last season rather than the beginning, and the fear that we'll really miss Sutton if Peterson has his age drop off super quick. Which is three good things and maybe one bad one.
We do have some places where one injury feels potentially cataclysmic, but even there I think it's just Tackle and Edge.
If we're talking holes as in terms of plus starters who lift all boats and who can help us win a Super Bowl, then yeah... but even there, I wonder. The big hole is QB, we don't know how many other holes disappear if that one disappears. Which makes patching the holes around him all the more important, no?
Tbh, if everyone could stay fit and Pickett could take a jump, then I feel like the only *big* holes are Tackle and Cornerback. Bit of a race against time to get there before Heyward leaves a hole on DL, but I think we're closer than it may appear. Think Khan did a good job this offseason.
I dunno. I'm not straining at the leash to do it but I'm increasingly coming round to it being a good idea.
are Jones and Wright in reality that much better LTs than, say, Harrison, who we could probably nab at 32? If they aren’t tremendous difference makers, then just follow the board and grab a tackle on day two..I’d rather pick three quality starters in this draft than one who might be slightly better and the other two worse
Today? Yeah. Or there'd be no chance of nabbing him at 32. His play strength is notably behind them. He's probably about as good at controlling a pass rusher unless they manage to exploit that, but he's more exploitable there, but nowhere near the same run blocker. Also I hadn't realised until looking at his profile again, but he was a penalty magnet in college (14 in 2 seasons) while being protected by his college scheme. Wright only had 2 penalties last season while Jones was never called for holding at college, and they're both stronger. I've seen plenty of people talk about Harrison not being ready for a year, while Jones and Wright are.
Down the line? Possibly the same. Part of me would like to get Harrison and take a gamble on that. He's got good movement skills and length. I'm not sure he's got the same attitude. For a team that's talking over and over about the importance of the run game, I'm not sure how much they want him.
Part of me suspects that, for all of that one report about them not loving Dawand Jones' love ethic, they'd prefer him.
But we shall see. I would also note that while you probably get Harrison at 32, there might be a few squeaky bum moments at the end of the 1st. I've seen him thrown around as an option for Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals in the last week. If you absolutely must have him you've got to take him at 17, which would stink. If he's there at 32 you probably have to take him to be sure, which would make me grumpy as I want to trade down a little and pick up some late round picks to target quality in less premium positions (TE, C, ILB/SS). And yeah I know you'd potentially sacrifice that moving up anyway. But I'd rather sacrifice that in the name of getting someone where I'd be a little shocked if we were revisiting the position in a couple of years than jumping on a need with someone I didn't feel great about.
Besides, to flip the question... are Emmanuel Forbes, Kelee Ringo, and DJ Turner that much better at CB than Tyrique Stevenson or Darius Rush? Will McDonald vs Tuli Tulipulotu?
