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Art Rooney Speaks on Roethlisberger, and Bell

slashsteel said:
I used Burns as a competition depth reference, didn't mean they would get rid of him. His tackeling needs to improve though. Restructure Ben, Tuitt,Heyward,AB, lot of options. Cut Mitchell and Wilcox. Again I think they will get a contract done, but they can tag him and survive the off-season. And still bring in a FS and a ILBer.

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Click to expand...
I hope so. If we can improve our D, we win a SB. If we were truly the No. 5 D last year (not just on paper), we would have won the SB but we played more like a bottom 5 D, especially after Shazier got injured. The team has holes to fill and also has no depth on D.
 
Make an agreement with Bell. Franchise him and then let him negotiate with any team in the league. We need to get more out of him than a 3rd rd comp pick.
With the state of our defense, I do not see how you can keep him for $15 mill+ per year. They are already paying 17 to AB. Use the money saved and throw it at the best free agent ILB.

last year alone Dalvin Cook, Hunt and Kamara were drafted and made immediate impact. We do not need Bell to be successful on offense. But we need a ILB bad.
 
BLITZ said:
Make an agreement with Bell. Franchise him and then let him negotiate with any team in the league. We need to get more out of him than a 3rd rd comp pick.
With the state of our defense, I do not see how you can keep him for $15 mill+ per year. They are already paying 17 to AB. Use the money saved and throw it at the best free agent ILB.

last year alone Dalvin Cook, Hunt and Kamara were drafted and made immediate impact. We do not need Bell to be successful on offense. But we need a ILB bad.
Click to expand...
Don't forget Fournette.
Bell makes our offense better for sure, but I just can't see us taking a 14.6million one year cap hit on him, not with the state of our defense.

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stillwright said:
I would move on from Bell this year. Target a FA RB and draft a guy. I love what Bell brings to the table but at what price. Hell...Tomorrow I might be back on the sign Bell wagon.
Click to expand...

here's your list of unrestricted free agents. go ahead and pick one:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...eads-a-deep-crop-of-free-agent-running-backs/

Unrestricted Free Agents (36)
Player Age Team
Alfred Blue 26 HOU
Alfred Morris 29 DAL
Andre Ellington 28 HOU
Benny Cunningham 27 CHI
Bishop Sankey 25 MIN
Branden Oliver 26 LAC
Brandon Bolden 27 NE
C.J. Spiller 30 KC
Carlos Hyde 26 SF
Cedric Peerman 31 CIN
Charles Sims 27 TB
Damien Williams 25 MIA
Darren Sproles 34 PHI
Dion Lewis 27 NE
Eddie Lacy 27 SEA
Fitz Toussaint 27 PIT
Frank Gore 34 IND
George Winn 27 IND
Isaiah Crowell 25 CLE
Jamaal Charles 31 DEN
Jeremy Hill 25 CIN
Jerick McKinnon 25 MIN
Jordan Todman 27 HOU
Kenjon Barner 28 PHI
Kerwynn Williams 26 ARI
Lance Dunbar 27 LA
Le'Veon Bell 25 PIT
LeGarrette Blount 31 PHI
Mike James 26 DET
Orleans Darkwa 25 NYG
Rex Burkhead 27 NE
Shane Vereen 28 NYG
Stevan Ridley 28 PIT
Taiwan Jones 29 BUF
Terrance West 26 BAL
Travaris Cadet 28 BUF
 
and the list of the top RBs in the draft:

http://www.draftcountdown.com/nfl-draft-ranking/2018-running-back-rankings/

1. Saquon Barkley Penn St. 5-11 230 4.50
2. Derrius Guice L.S.U. 5-11 218 4.50
3. Rashaad Penny San Diego St. 5-11 220 4.55
4. Ronald Jones II USC 6-0 200 4.40
5. Sony Michel Georgia 5-11 215 4.55
6. Nick Chubb Georgia 5-10 225 4.55
7. Kerryon Johnson Auburn 6-0 212 4.50
8. Bo Scarbrough Alabama 6-2 235 4.60
9. Josh Adams Notre Dame 6-2 225 4.50
10. Nyheim Hines North Carolina St. 5-9 197 4.50
 
That's an ungly list. Crowell and Williams would be the only two I'd even consider should we somehow let Bell leave. (We won't)
 
Coryea said:
Don't forget Fournette.
Bell makes our offense better for sure, but I just can't see us taking a 14.6million one year cap hit on him, not with the state of our defense.

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Click to expand...


Yeah and also the dude from Carolina. I was thinking the 3 I mentioned were taken in 2nd or 3rd rounds. saving our 1st rounder for defense again. Best inside Linebacker via free agency. 1st rd draft on best safety or edge rusher. Then what ever picks would get for Bell we could again spend on defense.
 
Superman said:
here's your list of unrestricted free agents. go ahead and pick one:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...eads-a-deep-crop-of-free-agent-running-backs/

Unrestricted Free Agents (36)
Player Age Team
Bishop Sankey 25 MIN
Carlos Hyde 26 SF
Isaiah Crowell 25 CLE
Jerick McKinnon 25 MIN
Click to expand...

Under the premise we get two 1sts and or some defensive help, or some combination thereof, I'd roll with any of these FAs and some kid from the draft.
Bell is a PHENOMENAL talent. There is zero disputing this.
But if we're talking about a serious run at another ring, we don't need an elite RB gouging us for $15 million in cap space.
We have a top 5 QB, a top 5 OL, and arguably the best WR corp in the league with Brown, JuJu, Bryant leading the way.
Our defense on the other hand has Heyward, Tuitt, and Watt then a bunch of also rans.....especially in the back 7.
Shazier masked a lot of our deficiencies with his speed and instincts and he future is uncertain at best.

Would LOVE to be able to keep Bell, but I don't see that helping us improve and getting over the hump for a shot at 7 because of the cost it will take retaining him leaving us with less than nothing to address the D, other than the draft.
 
We take Ben for granted, I hope they extend his contract and plays out his time. When Ben is gone the bitching will triple. Look at the times this year he brought this team back to a win and if it was not for a controversial call with Jesse, who knows with home field advantage. Bell has become a jerk, yes we would love to sign him but if it take away from shoring up a defense than find another back and trade him.
 
anyone recall how effective our run game was/is without Bell? It's almost non-existent without him. An effective run game makes life easier and better for our top WR, our franchise QB and makes our OL look better.
Bishop Sankey sucks
Carlos Hyde is a walking injury
Isaiah Crowell sucks
Jerick McKinnon lost his job to a rookie and a journeyman RB.
no thanks.

In the draft, the only guy who comes close to producing what Bell does - despite all the masturbatory posts over Barkley - is Sony Michel. We could easily draft him.

I'm not saying we need to overpay Bell, but we need to ... in coach speak ... keep this in perspective. Is losing Bell going to make us a better team? We know how damn good Bell is, and we know how good our offense can be with him.

I'd be much more comfortable moving Dupree inside and drafting an OLB such as Harold Landry, then taking Deshon Elliott with our 2nd round pick. Or even putting Cam Sutton at safety.
 
I wouldn't say no existent. Williams had 900 yards, 4.5 YPC, 11 TDs, 40 catches in 2015, when he had to start 10 games

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Last edited:
Superman said:
anyone recall how effective our run game was/is without Bell? It's almost non-existent without him. An effective run game makes life easier and better for our top WR, our franchise QB and makes our OL look better.
Bishop Sankey sucks
Carlos Hyde is a walking injury
Isaiah Crowell sucks
Jerick McKinnon lost his job to a rookie and a journeyman RB.
no thanks.

In the draft, the only guy who comes close to producing what Bell does - despite all the masturbatory posts over Barkley - is Sony Michel. We could easily draft him.

I'm not saying we need to overpay Bell, but we need to ... in coach speak ... keep this in perspective. Is losing Bell going to make us a better team? We know how damn good Bell is, and we know how good our offense can be with him.

I'd be much more comfortable moving Dupree inside and drafting an OLB such as Harold Landry, then taking Deshon Elliott with our 2nd round pick. Or even putting Cam Sutton at safety.
Click to expand...
Likes before I saw Dupree move inside.

Not sure that would even be considered, nor should it. Has he played ILBer before?
 
slashsteel said:
Likes before I saw Dupree move inside.

Not sure that would even be considered, nor should it. Has he played ILBer before?
Click to expand...

Looks like he played all over the place as LB (inside and outside) at Kentucky. While primarily as a OLB, he's said he's doing more coverage than rushing the passer now. That's why I suggest moving him inside. So we have a OLB rushing the QB. At this point, Dupree and Watt are our most athletic LBs. Not that Dupree can make up for or replace Shazier, but he's been here long enough to grasp and understand the role of every LB position.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ChVLohiz7M
 
Eh there is some nice options out there on the free agent market. I would be surprised if that isn't the route they took.

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I'd like Deon Lewis as an option. He has great quickness and good hands. He'd compliment Conner's game well.
 
Dupree doesn't read and react well enough to move to the middle IMO
 
At this point, if I were Big Ben, I would call my own plays. For the last 5 seasons he should have just audibled and/or went no huddle when he saw fit.
They may say that would not be a Team Player, but, when they count wins and rings, Tomlin would look like a genius.
You know, best HC to ever a run a team.

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Randy Kirchner (sp?) has a fairly easy job if you think about it...

Just let Ben create his own game plan, call audibles, go no huddle when he wants and he is secure until Ben quits football.
 
Danburgh1 said:
At this point, if I were Big Ben, I would call my own plays. For the last 5 seasons he should have just audibled and/or went no huddle when he saw fit.
They may say that would not be a Team Player, but, when they count wins and rings, Tomlin would look like a genius.
You know, best HC to ever a run a team.

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Click to expand...

I would love this then when something doesnt work we dont have to deal with the who called what bullshit
 
Superman said:
anyone recall how effective our run game was/is without Bell? It's almost non-existent without him. An effective run game makes life easier and better for our top WR, our franchise QB and makes our OL look better.
Bishop Sankey sucks
Carlos Hyde is a walking injury
Isaiah Crowell sucks
Jerick McKinnon lost his job to a rookie and a journeyman RB.
no thanks.

In the draft, the only guy who comes close to producing what Bell does - despite all the masturbatory posts over Barkley - is Sony Michel. We could easily draft him.

I'm not saying we need to overpay Bell, but we need to ... in coach speak ... keep this in perspective. Is losing Bell going to make us a better team? We know how damn good Bell is, and we know how good our offense can be with him.

I'd be much more comfortable moving Dupree inside and drafting an OLB such as Harold Landry, then taking Deshon Elliott with our 2nd round pick. Or even putting Cam Sutton at safety.
Click to expand...

All of those backs SUCK........compared to Bell.
Obviously. I'm not making the point that they easily replace Bell. They don't. Not even close.
It would be a HUGE hit to lose Bell. No disputing this.

We live in the era of the salary cap.
We live in the era that we put up 42 on the League's #1 D and gave up 45 to BLAKE BORTLES!
We jettisoned our OC because he made Ben uncomfortable and called plays Ben didn't like and who Ben didn't get along with.
So it's clearly all about appeasing Ben before he retires and getting him another ring.

Bell eating 15 million of cap space won't make that happen.
NOT addressing our D and all of their shortcomings will not help that happen.
Just dollars and sense ( common, that is ) says you don't ride a franchise RB to a title.
You ride your franchise QB.
Last franchise RB to win a SB for their team? Marshall Faulk in 99.....maybe? Jamal Lewis with the Rats in 00? That's almost 20 years ago.
The League has changed.
ALWAYS need a D for a ring. Used to need a stud RB and stout D with mediocre QB.
Those days are gone.
 
steel dino said:
Randy Kirchner (sp?) has a fairly easy job if you think about it...

Just let Ben create his own game plan, call audibles, go no huddle when he wants and he is secure until Ben quits football.
Click to expand...
So basically treat him like a Franchise QB?

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Superman said:
here's your list of unrestricted free agents. go ahead and pick one:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...eads-a-deep-crop-of-free-agent-running-backs/

Unrestricted Free Agents (36)
Player Age Team
Alfred Blue 26 HOU
Alfred Morris 29 DAL
Andre Ellington 28 HOU
Benny Cunningham 27 CHI
Bishop Sankey 25 MIN
Branden Oliver 26 LAC
Brandon Bolden 27 NE
C.J. Spiller 30 KC
Carlos Hyde 26 SF
Cedric Peerman 31 CIN
Charles Sims 27 TB
Damien Williams 25 MIA
Darren Sproles 34 PHI
Dion Lewis 27 NE
Eddie Lacy 27 SEA
Fitz Toussaint 27 PIT
Frank Gore 34 IND
George Winn 27 IND
Isaiah Crowell 25 CLE
Jamaal Charles 31 DEN
Jeremy Hill 25 CIN
Jerick McKinnon 25 MIN
Jordan Todman 27 HOU
Kenjon Barner 28 PHI
Kerwynn Williams 26 ARI
Lance Dunbar 27 LA
Le'Veon Bell 25 PIT
LeGarrette Blount 31 PHI
Mike James 26 DET
Orleans Darkwa 25 NYG
Rex Burkhead 27 NE
Shane Vereen 28 NYG
Stevan Ridley 28 PIT
Taiwan Jones 29 BUF
Terrance West 26 BAL
Travaris Cadet 28 BUF
Click to expand...

You could get Deion Lewis, and Alfred Morris for maybe a 1/3 of the cost that Bell is asking for, and likely get a better yards per rush.

Morris ran it 115 times, for 547 yards at 4.8 yards per rush. Much better than Bell's 4.0 per rush last year.

Dion Lewis ran it 180 times for 896 yards and 5.0 yards per rush.

Both were much better than Bell's 4.0 per rush last year. Lewis is also a good kickoff return man.

Aren't the Steelers either 2 or 4 million over the cap depending on the source? How can they afford 12+ million plus a huge signing bonus on one player without massive cuts and contract restructuring?
 
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