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Coates impresses ... Wheaton better step up

SteelBuckeye

SteelBuckeye

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Seems that Coates had himself a pretty good OTA session. So good that Gilbert had the following to say:

"He looks like he knows how to finish a play with strength, especially in the middle of the field," Gilbert told ESPN. "That’s something I noticed."

To be sure, Wheaton noticed it also:

"He looks good," Wheaton told ESPN. "Obviously as a rookie, he has a lot to learn. But physically, he’s where he needs to be."

I wonder if this is the quiet murmur before the training camp storm that may see Coates eating into Wheaton's snaps?

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/nfl-pittsburgh-steelers-news/2015/6/1/8696661/steelers-impressed-with-rookie-receiver-sammie-coates-thus-far
 
Wheaton has been playing very well for the Steelers. Why would a rookie be eating into his snaps. In fact, Wheaton still may be our No. 2 WR. Bryant hasn't been anointed the No. 2 yet.
 
Wheaton will be miles ahead of Coates by the time mid-August roles around...
 
Good chance this will be the best WR corps in the league from top to bottom. Top 5 receiver in Brown, possible big play/ jumper in Bryant, Wheaton is solid and Coates could have impact in rookie year, Archer as a gimmick. Even if you are good after two, you are pretty damn good.
 
I just said it on another thread, best man at every position. I personally think that Wheaton ends up #2 and when in trips goes to the slot and Bryant goes to Z. In 4 wides sets Coates comes in as another deep threat to open up the middle.

I could however see Coates coming in as the X and Bryant being the Z and AB playing the Y. Brown would eat the other teams breakfast in the Y while Coates and Bryant took the top off the defense.
 
No matter what the 1-2-3-4 order is, I think we have pretty much every WR skill needed in the league represented in our top 4.
 
I don't really understand the love for Wheaton. Everything I've seen from his first couple of seasons on the field is very replaceable. It's nice to see him develop into a contributor as a 3rd round pick (that's better than half) and he is finding a good role on the team, but unless he totally explodes this year into a weapon I haven't seen yet, he's a #2/#3 receiver with a very "normal" skill set for the position. He's a nice "between-the-20's" player, but there isn't much that scares defenses or presents matchup problems.

That's the nice thing about Coates. He's a higher risk with his drop issues, but his reward is much greater than Wheaton because Coates is a strong, thick, tall receiver that does present some problems once he gets the ball in his hands. And there are some matchup problems in the redzone as a slant target and/or a fade target. The best red zone player have to be a strong threat doing both.

I've said this before, but I don't think we will bother spending money on a Wheaton 2nd contract. Even $3 to $5 million/season might be better served using elsewhere.
 
No love for Wheaton here. No hate either. Quite simply, he hasn't done enough to deserve either. Now, while it IS only football in shorts, what struck me is that Coates has been described as possessing only a deep threat's skill set. i.e. not having (yet) the skill set/mentality to go across the middle. It seems that he's set on disproving that. It's also of interest that in order for Gilbert to notice how strong he was making the catch and after the catch in the middle of the field, the coaches had to be putting him in that situation. Testing him so to speak. That's a good thing.

Now, if he's passing that test and continues to pass the test in training camp, yeah, I could see him taking some snaps away from Wheaton. Notice I didn't say taking over Wheaton's role (yet). More importantly, it gives them versatility to create mismatches in a 4 WR set (should they dare go there). Basically, if the kid shows out, it's a win for everyone. Except possibly Wheaton.
 
Wheaton to me is just a guy. But did see a jump from year one to two. If he make another jump in his third year, the WRs as a unit will be better for it.

Bryant should improve but might not show up statistically. As his TD ratio might be a hard repeat.

Coates could very well push into a third receiver role, earlier than expected.

He has the skill set /tools.
 
Interesting thing with this addition of Coates. Wheaton was a good receiver not great but young and fairly solid player. Bryant in his first season had 8 touchdowns and will likely be better this year than last. Brown is one of the best in the game period. Coates could easily be a good contributor and has a few skills different from some others, with indications being he maybe more physical than the others.

These four could be used in some situational football with Miller, Spaeth, and Bell to keep defenses in mismatches and to gain some very favorable on the field groupings. I suspect Wheaton maybe available at a low cost for a wide out and could easily stay as a solid 3 or 4 receiver once the other guys continue to develop. Keeping a solid if unspectacular player on the team instead of looking to sign one in free agency might be a very good way to go.
 
Seems to me they ALL sound amazing in training camp.

Then the real games start and Ben is once again running for his life and the receivers do a relatively decent job while the defense fails to get any pressure whatsoever.

IE... yawn...
 
wig said:
Seems to me they ALL sound amazing in training camp.

Then the real games start and Ben is once again running for his life and the receivers do a relatively decent job while the defense fails to get any pressure whatsoever.

IE... yawn...
Click to expand...

Didn't notice that this was a thread about the defense. Anyway, I can't say that they all sound amazing in camp. Last year the only thing that you heard about Bryant was that he was talented, but still very raw. That didn't sound so amazing then. If I'm not mistaken, Dri's warts were discussed by the media during training camp too. As were Cam Thomas'.
 
SteelerSask said:
Good chance this will be the best WR corps in the league from top to bottom. Top 5 receiver in Brown, possible big play/ jumper in Bryant, Wheaton is solid and Coates could have impact in rookie year, Archer as a gimmick. Even if you are good after two, you are pretty damn good.
Click to expand...

Sometimes these types of situations become a liability instead of an asset for teams..

It all depends on Ben and how he will handle...He has to remember, it is not his job to "keep everybody happy"...

Only so many balls to "pass" around...
 
With his size and strength he could take throws that used to go to Heath. AlsoI'd like to see Coates and Bryant blocking for AB
 
I really didn't read much into this and took it as he is catching the balls that he is suppose to catch and running after he makes the catch to finish the play.
 
SteelerFan448 said:
I really didn't read much into this and took it as he is catching the balls that he is suppose to catch and running after he makes the catch to finish the play.
Click to expand...

Yep, the very thing it was noted that Tomlin was getting on Wheaton about. J/S. Again, even though it's football in shorts, it's a positive thing to hear that the rookie (who is noted for drops) is catching the balls he's supposed to.
 
I think its way to early to project anything about Coats. Wheaton isn't bad and might actually thrive in the slot. He did improve last year and they say you usually see the biggest improvement from year 2 to year 3.
 
The only WR who has a secure position is Brown. Wheaton has been mediocre. Bryant has shown he can be a deep threat but what else? Assuming the best, you want Brown and Bryant on the outside and Wheaton in the slot. For his speed, Wheaton does not seem to be a deep threat.

This is why Coates can take playing time from either of them. If Bryant and Wheaton are still inconsistent then Coates may earn playing time simply by being a better blocker than either of them.
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
The only WR who has a secure position is Brown. Wheaton has been mediocre. Bryant has shown he can be a deep threat but what else? Assuming the best, you want Brown and Bryant on the outside and Wheaton in the slot. For his speed, Wheaton does not seem to be a deep threat.

This is why Coates can take playing time from either of them. If Bryant and Wheaton are still inconsistent then Coates may earn playing time simply by being a better blocker than either of them.
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Perhaps. But if I was a betting man, I would bet they won't be sacrificing Bryant's reps coming off of a productive rookie showing, unless he slumps.

I would only bring in and out Wheaton if I wanted to give Coates more playing time. As I wouldn't risk Bryant's development if it was moving in the right direction by giving him less looks..................
 
The only negative I've heard discussed on Wheaton in the media is his yards after catch average, which is terribly low.
 
Coates will be the No. 4 WR, at best this season. AB, Wheaton and Bryant are 1, 2 and 3. Wheaton and Bryant will fight for No. 2 in camp and my guess is Bryant will win it if he has improved from last year. Coates will battle for No. 4 but may not dress, similar to Bryant last year, if he sucks on special teams. Next year will be a different story. If Wheaton continues to improve and he improved a lot last year after being injured in his rookie season, he will be tough to get rid of especially if AB or his agent start raising a stink again. If Wheaton and Bryant improve this year and Coates does get some playing time to show what he can do, the Steelers will have a decision to make come next season as to who they try to sign and who they trade or let walk. Good position to be in but this year will determine a lot as to the future of our WR's.
 
Football in Shorts. Means very little. I like Sammy and hope he can contribute this year but lets see where he is during the pre-seasson
 
Football in Shorts. Means very little.
Click to expand...

We hear the same stuff every year but we always have to wait for the 'pads' to see if we had it close and the 'games' to confirm it all.
 
SteelBuckeye said:
Seems that Coates had himself a pretty good OTA session. So good that Gilbert had the following to say:

"He looks like he knows how to finish a play with strength, especially in the middle of the field," Gilbert told ESPN. "That’s something I noticed."

To be sure, Wheaton noticed it also:

"He looks good," Wheaton told ESPN. "Obviously as a rookie, he has a lot to learn. But physically, he’s where he needs to be."

I wonder if this is the quiet murmur before the training camp storm that may see Coates eating into Wheaton's snaps?

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/nfl-pittsburgh-steelers-news/2015/6/1/8696661/steelers-impressed-with-rookie-receiver-sammie-coates-thus-far
Click to expand...

Wheaton is a good kickoff return man. He can play the outside or slot as a WR, and sometimes makes plays that Sanders did not. Coates is not a kickoff man, nor a slot guy. He's not taking away Wheaton's snaps.

If we had a stud Left Tackle, we could have the best passing offense of all time
 
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