Steelers sign third-round pick Sammie Coates

[Coach]

I am not as convinced as you that the Steelers are ready to dump Wheaton. They will likely have 6 wide outs on the team and I suspect will cut from the bottom of the depth chart. At the end of this years cut downs it may be time to decide who do you keep at wide out Wheaton or Archer, one is a possible 4th or better wide out the other a gimmick player. DHB is a very good special teamer but he maybe on the bubble as well if they happen to like some of the tight ends more. They could keep an extra tight end and one of the rookie wide outs on the roster and part ways with DHB and dri as they have limited involvement in the team. Wheaton seems to have more upside than both of the other two.

WIngman.

The Steelers do not offer big money for their 3rd receivers in free agency. See Sanders. With the cap going up in 2016, some team will offer more than we are willing to pay for Wheaton. We have Heyward and Gay to re-sign. That's what I think.

However if Bryant somehow goes backward, or Coates does not pan out Wheaton's value to the Steelers increases. The draft these days is loaded at WR.

 

[TDX27]

Why would they part with Wheaton? He showed great improvement last year over his rookie year that was done in by injuries. He and Bryant will be battling for the No. 2 position in camp. Although, it may be more like 2A and 2B.

 

[deljzc]

Why would they part with Wheaton? He showed great improvement last year over his rookie year that was done in by injuries. He and Bryant will be battling for the No. 2 position in camp. Although, it may be more like 2A and 2B.

The money doesn't add up. And we can't afford everyone.

The offensive side of the ball has 2nd contracts coming up for Beachum, DeCastro and Bell. And possibly a restructuring of Brown. And Roethlisberger's cost is going to go up too.

The only big contract coming off the books is probably Heath Miller.

That means the offense "as a group" looks to be counting a LOT more on our salary cap books by percentage of what's available in 2 years than now. Can we really afford to throw 2nd WR money at anyone?

I know the defense looks to get cheaper but by how much?

 

[TDX27]

I agree we can't afford everyone. Actually, I doubt we can afford to pay Ben, AB in 2 years and Bell in 2 years. AB and Bell would have to take less to stay than to go elsewhere. Trying to pay them both top 5 (more like top 3) money and pay a franchise QB will be damn near impossible. That is what makes keeping Wheaton (assuming he continues to improve) sound more logical than letting him walk after his rookie contract.

 

[Wingman]

It might depend on how much money they want and how happy they are here. For a wide out the key to success is often the qb they have. There are only 5 or ten really good qbs out there after that it is a drop off. These kids may realize that they will not be getting much more going somewhere else, staying here and playing with a good qb vs more money in a place like Oakland or Cleveland, or pick any of the other ****** football teams you want. There have been lots of players that have taken less than market value to stay here, no I am not prepared to name them but it is something we have all heard about from time to time.

Again the position will be paid what the team determines it is worth, there is the possibility the kid wants to stay.

 

[MT~Forged]

AB or Bell is the deceision that will be made. Coates was drafted for his upside and as a replacement WR if AB leaves. If AB stays then maybe Coates is just an upgrade.

 

[USDA#1]

unless the cap goes up in a major way.

but with the ***'s tarnishing the shield and product getting weaker, who knows if that can happen.

and I don't get the lack of love for Wheaton, I thought he was showing improvement as the season wore on.

 

[Wingman]

Think back to the post regarding the imagined hold out of Brown for more money that was started by what was likely a poorly researched piece of journalism or an outright fabrication. Brown was out in regard to a child or something like that I do not recall which and then returned to practice later stating something to the effect of be grateful for what you have. He may not be greedy and going for a break the bank contract, he has seen first hand how that worked out for Wallace. It is possible that the star players on this team might just settle for good contracts instead of great ones so that they can be remembered in the way a guy like Bradshaw is instead of like Archie Manning is. Different things are important to different people.

 

[deljzc]

unless the cap goes up in a major way.

but with the ***'s tarnishing the shield and product getting weaker, who knows if that can happen.

and I don't get the lack of love for Wheaton, I thought he was showing improvement as the season wore on.

He showed some improvement but has he reached non-replaceable yet?

We can't find a 5'11" 190 lbs. receiver that can get targeted 90 times, catch 55 passes @ 12-12.5 ypc, 30 first downs and 2-4 TD's?

How much is that going to go up?

In 2013, Sanders peaked at 112 targets, 67 catches @ 11 ypc, 37 first downs and 6 TD's. In our offense the way it is evolving with Bell as a big part of the pass game, that's about the most a 2nd WR is going to get in our offense. And those touches will likely come from declining TE production.

We'll see what the Steelers think, but I haven't seen so much from Wheaton to say "wow, that is special" as compared to the myriad of other #2 and #3 WR's that seem to have rotated through here over the past 5-6 seasons.

 

[ZACKB]

Think of it this way...the Ravens would have probabaly drafted him if we didn't. Look at their wr's. Smith is like 36 yrs old.

 

[Shane Falco]

This just in…Sammie Coats dropped the pen as it was handed to him to sign his contract…lol…good luck Sammie

 

[deljzc]

Think of it this way...the Ravens would have probabaly drafted him if we didn't. Look at their wr's. Smith is like 36 yrs old.

And really, maybe that's the best question.

If the Ravens overpaid for Markus Wheaton on the open market (because everyone on the open market is overpaid) would he scare you if we had to face him twice a year?