I'll play Morning After General Manager. As I see this team, problem areas are rather obvious:
1) ILB
2) CB
3) FS/SS
4) Right side OLB
5) WR-3
6) RB-3
7) Def Line Depth
So what to do about it?
1) ILB- very slow starters who cannot play against many multiple receiver sets. The ILB in the passing era must be able to cover receivers out of the backfield or the TE. Steelers have ILB who fit when teams primarily rant the ball. Bostic and Williams cannot be the starters next season. They have similar skill sets and similar limitations and easily exploited. Both cannot be on the field together. Fort is the only 3 down ILB who gets any playing time. Matt Thomas needs to be given a shot as he fits the model of the modern ILB (athletic and speed).
There are some ILB coming up as potential free agents but not sure any of them make to the open market. Kwon Alexander is a Shazier-type athlete with similar skills. Does he return to TB? If not, he is an instant upgrade over any ILB on our roster.
This draft has several athletic ILB the fit our needs.
- LSU's White is the obvious first ILB to be drafted. Likely gone before we pick around #20.
- Alabama's Mack Wilson
- Coney from Notre Dame
- Kendall Joseph from Clemson
- Devin Bush from Michigan (a little small perhaps but same physical size as Shazier and similar skills)
- Joe G-H from Duke, very athletic and not projected to go in early rounds
Free Agency doesn't look like it's going to give us the fix (unless we can sign Alexander) so I would look at Rounds 1-2 for an ILB. We should come out of this draft with at least one of these ILB, or one very similar to them.
2) Sensabaugh's contract is up. It's decision time on Artie Burns. Can he be salvaged or is his time up? Does he have any trade value at draft time? It's hard to see a place for him on this team going forward. I try to dump him via trade for anything if possible. Maybe there's a team out there also disappointed with their former high round draft pick who thinks they can fix him? Otherwise, we'd be lucky to get a 6th round pick for him.
Lots of good CB in the draft this year but this staff cannot draft secondary so I target the best possible in free agency - but not Jalen Ramsey. He is another Le'Veon Bell in the making and if he doesn't hold out next season, he will want a number the following year that we don't want. Not worth it for a one year player who can be a constant distraction. Part of the problem with the 2018 Steelers was too many outside distractions. Time to eliminate the side noise on this team. I target Ronald Darby from the Eagles, Trevor Williams from San Diego (former Penn St corner who is stuck behind good corners in SD), Kayvon Webster, Rashaan Melvin, Bradley Roby, Justin Coleman or Steve Nelson if any of them are not re-signed by their current teams. Each would be an instant upgrade for the No.2 CB next season and likely more ready than a rookie.
As for the draft, I look at Rounds 3-5 for one of those Ohio State corners (Sheffield, Arnette, or Diggs) as each is a clone of Artie Burns physically (6-0+ 195 and extremely fast) but all are considered raw by the draft sites. There's our Artie Burns replacement and we have a year or two to ruin them with current coaching)
3) FS/SS. I throw my hands up at this mess.What are we doing here? We have several hybrid safeties who aren't great at anything. Davis, Burnett and Edmunds are all the same player. We have no true Free Safety on the roster but it's time to decide if Davis is our guy there. He's a bad tackler and doesn't seem to ever be in position for picks. He played CB mostly in college. I just don't know. But he was terrible at SS so he either keeps the FS job or we move on from him. There are so many holes on this defense that I keep him at FS for another year and hope for improvement. That leaves Edmunds to take the SS job. Burnett looked slow to me and I'm not sure why he is on this roster anymore. If there is any market to move him via trade, I trade him. Allen looks to have the same skills and speed limitations but is much cheaper. We don't need both Burnett and Allen. Keep the young guy with upside and let the slow guy at 30 go.
What's out here in Free Agency? The obvious is Earl Thomas but coming off a bad injury at 30, wanting a big payday - no thanks. We would hate that contract very quickly. Funny guy Ha Ha Clinton-Dix might be an answer, liked him at Alabama and in GB. He can play either safety spot and would be an upgrade over any of our current guys plus still young. Tre Boston. Same. If either make it to the open market then I try to sign one and do anything possible to move Burnett.
4) OLB Bud Dupree. Frustrating player. He has every measurable for the position. Very fast for 269 pound LB. But he doesn't appear to have power moves, isn't great against the run for his size, and doesn't get tot he QB often for all that speed and quickness. He often runs himself out of position on the play. Why has coaching not made a difference with him? All ability, very little production. I've seen enough, we need better from that position.
Free Agency. The pipe dream is Clowney. Not happening. Next. Anthony Barr? Not getting out of Minnesota. Next. Dee Ford? KC not letting him escape. Next.
Shaq Barrrett from Denver? Not the athlete that Dupree is but production has been better with far less playing time. Dante Fowler? Another 1st rounder who never panned out. Shane Ray? Another 1st rounder flame out. I don't see an obvious upgrade being available through free agency so back to the draft. Rounds 2-3 I hope to pick up one.
5) WR-3. We need a Martavis Bryant type speed guy, right? Call me crazy but Kevin White hits free agency and is not likely to be re-signed in Chicago, hasn't worked out there mainly due to injuries and they've got a nice team going without him. Former 1st rounder with size and speed (6-3, 215 and very fast with good hands). Guy was a monster in college and has every physical attribute of Martavis Bryant. He hasn't produced thus far so should not cost too much in free agency. Needs a new spot to re-start his career. Very physical receiver who can also block. I wanted Pittsburgh to get him out of college but he went 4th overall. Might finally be something. Much better speed than Washington who I don't think can fill that vertical threat role. But White and Washington as 3-4 receivers is quite a foursome. He's my target in free agency.
If not, I get the younger version of him in the draft - Gary Jennings out of West Virginia. 6-2, 215, very fast with very good hands. He's currently viewed as a mid-rounder. Not going to be ready to run a lot of routes (like Washington) but he is better suited for deep vertical routes as his college career was built on them. Has potential to be something in the NFL.
6) Upgrade Ridley. We don't need a starter but need a younger backup. I like TJ Yeldon who is done in Jacksonville but he's a malcontent being a backup to Fournette. Breaking News - Fournette may be released by Jax. That will certainly impact the free agent market and likely de-value Me'Veon since Fournette is younger and a powerhouse runner, and equally disruptive to a team. Don't forget Kareen Hunt will likely be back next year somewhere. We don't need any of them, no matter their talent. Next year needs to be all hands on deck, focused with no outside distractions. Ben isn't playing forever. I also like CJ Anderson if we could convince him to join. Any RB can miss time and we found out Samuels is for real this year so we have our #2 who is also a good 3rd down back. Not a big area of need but a better option than Ridley should be easy to find in the draft if not free agency.
7) Time to start looking at depth. Walton hasn't done much of anything. No pass rush, no run defense. I draft someone in rounds 3-6 for his spot. Alualu has been a great backup so I bring him back if he will re-sign with us. We should ok with Heyward for a couple more years since our DE aren't using speed so if he is slowing down, it doesn't show. He had a good year.
Now, on to the nose.
We need help. Hargrave had a good year but he isn't a true nose tackle on obvious tuning plays, and I'm thinking short yardage. He isn't stout enough to stand up to double teams. I look to free agency for short-term help here. Stay with me for a second. the following guys have expiring contract: Michael Pierce, Haloti Ngata, Steve McLendon, John Hankins, Dom Peo. All would be significantly better than Dan McCullers how I never see on the field at all. This would be a limited need but any of these guys would be better depth at NT and all would be beneficial short-yardage/run situations, plus Hargrave wouldn't have to play as many downs and maybe is fresher. We really have no depth behind him.
This was going to be just a few thoughts. But after my 3rd cup of coffee this morning, I guess I had a few things to say about our Steelers.
My biggest change would be the defensive coaching staff though. Butler hasn't shown me anything at all in his years here. Is it him or is it Tomlin? Who knows but it isn't working. Schematically, we are easily exploited. Yesterday, we had 269 lb Dupree in coverage on a WR. All season, we have LBs matched up against receivers, This is a fail for us. It's always going to be a fail for us. There is no LB in free agency or in the college draft who can fix this problem. It appears to me that Butler/Tomlin are insisting on playing defense the way it was played when Troy Aikman and Emmett Smith were winning Super Bowls. Those days are long gone. Our sub packages need to be addressed. Our schemes need to be changed. What are we trying to accomplish out there because whatever it is, it's wrong. Ryan Shazier is not out there to run with receivers on crossing routes so it's time we take the LB off the field ad match up one of those safeties in their place. I cannot stomach watching Vince Williams or John Bostic chasing after someone they have no chance of ever catching. All the personnel in the world can't fix our main problem. Butler, Porter and Bradly would be replaced.Greg Williams is available. He has failed a few times as a head coach but always put good defenses together. I go talk to him and ask his thoughts on our roster and his plan for it. He's looking for a job and we should be interested.
OK, rant over. Season over. Let's hope for a better 2019. Happy New Year to the Nation.
