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Does Signing Stefen Wisniewski Make Up For The Loss of B.J. Finney?

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By: Jessica Costello SteelerNation.com The Pittsburgh Steelers made moves with free agency, some that you may or may not agree with. But when B.J. Finney‘s contract came into question, the reactions were all about the same. Big reason why I want BJ Finney back is right here. His power at the point of attack is […]

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From a rotational backup multi positional aspect short term they cancel out.

For a starting long term aspect....I would say no, but I will not pretend to know how Finney will be in a permanent starting role either.
 
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Too early to tell.
 
Absolutely. We have a player with the same positional versatility who arguably played at a higher level last year. He's also much cheaper than Finney.
 
If Steelers thought Finney was starter material, they would have paid as much as Seattle to retain him.
 
21STEELERS21 said:
If Steelers thought Finney was starter material, they would have paid as much as Seattle to retain him.
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They definitely saw him as a starter and offered him a contract, but he was a luxury with the depth at OL. The Steelers also had the ability to make quality cost effective moves in FA. I didn't have him as a must have, and you have to make tough choices if you want to win a SB. Hargrave and BJ were those choices.
 
Cope said:
They definitely saw him as a starter and offered him a contract, but he was a luxury with the depth at OL. The Steelers also had the ability to make quality cost effective moves in FA. I didn't have him as a must have, and you have to make tough choices if you want to win a SB. Hargrave and BJ were those choices.
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Was it a starting G contract that was offered or a backup offer? As they sure weren't competitive trying to keep him. A starters role opens up and didn't match what was offered?

I still have a hard time believing that they viewed him as a long term solution.
 
slashsteel said:
Was it a starting G contract that was offered or a backup offer? As they sure weren't competitive trying to keep him. A starters role opens up and didn't match what was offered?

I still have a hard time believing that they viewed him as a long term solution.
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It seemed to me they were playing the odds. They knew what they had in Finney, They made an offer for what they thought he would stay for, but BJ decided to take the better offer in Seattle.

Also if you're attacking positions in FA, G is one of the easiest and cheapest to fill. Same usually goes with TE, & S, which is why, over time, you see the Steelers target those positions aggressively in free agency.
 
Wis offers depth at all 3 interior spots and if we can land the Ohio ST LG who has the same versatility he would likely start at LG with Wis as your swing OL and Banner your unbalanced TE
 
Contract wise we definitely got the better end of the deal. Wis is costing barely more than league minimum while BJ is getting starter money. Player wise we have similar player but a little older. I do think in round 2-4 we draft an interior lineman since Pouncey is not a spring chicken and neither is Wis. But this does protect us from HAVING to grab an interior guy at 49.
 
I'll tell you this, if Finney stayed he still wouldn't be seen as a starter for the future so a high pick G/C this coming draft still is in play. In theory this pick would take Finney starting spot in his 2nd season if Pouncey doesn't retire.
 
Litos said:
I'll tell you this, if Finney stayed he still wouldn't be seen as a starter for the future so a high pick G/C this coming draft still is in play. In theory this pick would take Finney starting spot in his 2nd season if Pouncey doesn't retire.
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I would be shocked if we don't see a O-lineman in 2 or 3.
 
Wisniewski andFinney are close to even. We got Wisniewski for less money . However if you add the retirement of Foster, the Steelers are still in the minus department.

I expect the Steelers to draft a Guard or Center, maybe in rounds 2 or 3.



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Yeah... our offensive line depth is pretty bad. Considering we are likely done in free agency and are tight up against the cap, our offensive line roster:

M. Pouncey, C
D. Decastro, RG
A. Villanueva, LT
M. Feiler, RT

S. Wisniewski, G/C
C. Okorafor, swing tackle

J. Hassenauer, C/G
C. Dilauro, G/C
D. Gray, T

I mean there is NO depth there at all. Three, very young, very low drafted (or not drafted) kids very high up the depth chart at this point. All backing up the studs that are 30-31 years in age. And that's assuming Wisniewski is the starting LG spot, which is a stretch and drop off from either Foster or Finney.

Right now, I think O-line is our #1 need.
 
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deljzc said:
Yeah... our offensive line depth is pretty bad. Considering we are likely done in free agency and are tight up against the cap, our offensive line roster:

M. Pouncey, C
D. Decastro, RG
A. Villanueva, LT
M. Feiler, RT

S. Wisniewski, G/C
C. Okorafor, swing tackle

J. Hassenauer, C/G
C. Dilauro, G/C
D. Gray, T

I mean there is NO depth there at all. Three, very young, very low drafted (or not drafted) kids very high up the depth chart at this point. All backing up the studs that are 30-31 years in age. And that's assuming Wisniewski is the starting LG spot, which is a stretch and drop off from either Foster or Finney.

Right now, I think O-line is our #1 need.
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You are forgetting Banner as backup T next to Okorafor, he is a 4th rounder and has some exp as extra Tackle.

I don't get how you think Wis is such a drop off from Foster when everyone here were helping him packing the minute the season ended. Finney is good depth at G but not so much at C as said above, Wis gives you more balanced and a hell lot more experience with 31 years old only, is not like he is flozell Adams who we brought to start at RT with 34 years old, by the way he was one of our better Olineman that year, yeah it was terrible what Ben endured
 
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I did not notice we signed Zach Banner. That's an interesting signing at that money considering we need interior help and have Okorafor as swing tackle.

Here are my notes on Banner from when I scouted him:

Zach Banner, USC (6083, 353#, 5.58, 8.31 3-cone, 53 KEI, 34⅞” arms)
He’s the biggest lineman I’ve scouted. Massive human being that can swallow up pass rushers but once a guy releases from him, it’s a hold EVERY TIME. Played RT for USC and while he obviously struggles laterally can run okay for his girth. Not many of these types of lineman in the league anymore. Is probably not the athlete of someone like Leonard Davis was and reminds me more of Hermann Johnson out of LSU in 2009 (who I liked but never developed into anything in the pros) or Max Starks late in his career. Like Davis and Starks will be heavily penalized but has the unique ability of just destroying people on plays. Very tough scout. Round 4
NFL Comparison: Max Starks
 
deljzc said:
I did not notice we signed Zach Banner. That's an interesting signing at that money considering we need interior help and have Okorafor as swing tackle.

Here are my notes on Banner from when I scouted him:

Zach Banner, USC (6083, 353#, 5.58, 8.31 3-cone, 53 KEI, 34⅞” arms)
He’s the biggest lineman I’ve scouted. Massive human being that can swallow up pass rushers but once a guy releases from him, it’s a hold EVERY TIME. Played RT for USC and while he obviously struggles laterally can run okay for his girth. Not many of these types of lineman in the league anymore. Is probably not the athlete of someone like Leonard Davis was and reminds me more of Hermann Johnson out of LSU in 2009 (who I liked but never developed into anything in the pros) or Max Starks late in his career. Like Davis and Starks will be heavily penalized but has the unique ability of just destroying people on plays. Very tough scout. Round 4
NFL Comparison: Max Starks
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His contract was pretty cheap, one season prove yourself kind of deal. I think they see Feiler as capable of playing inside in case of emergency. Also think this draft we are getting one or two Olinemen
 
I'll add the Gray did well last TC, and was playing G as well as T. Very position flexible and may be the next swiss army knife we call up from the practice squad.
 
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