Which TE Could Be Best Fit for the Steelers in 2020 Free Agency?

[Steeler Nation]

By Jared Villani SteelerNation.com   If there was one obvious weakness in the Pittsburgh Steelers offense last season (aside from the quarterback position), it was their lack of a presence at the tight end position. Vance McDonald‘s injury history could be the deciding factor with free agency looming for a team that may be looking […]

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[deljzc]

Hooper is out of our price range.

Henry is out of our price range UNLESS he finds nothing else in free agency and is willing to play for a 1-year prove-it deal at lower money but the Steelers rarely ever do those.

Olsen is a possibility but he is getting a lot of interest. Complete band-aid.

I still think the play is to try and trade for OJ Howard. I know there is risk there but I think he could be a reclamation project. Go into the season with 3-4 cheap question marks and hope you find enough to get you the 1500 snaps you need at the position.

 

[TDX27]

Or, if the Clowns really want to get rid of Njoku, maybe we can steal him from them. I still don't know why they put him in the dog house when he was coming back from his injury.

 

[SteelerFan448]

I still think the play is to try and trade for OJ Howard. I know there is risk there but I think he could be a reclamation project. Go into the season with 3-4 cheap question marks and hope you find enough to get you the 1500 snaps you need at the position.

Would you be willing to give up our second and a 4th or 5th for Howard?

 

[deljzc]

Would you be willing to give up our second and a 4th or 5th for Howard?

No 2nd. I think Tampa is only going to get a 3rd/4th for him. And maybe one in a future draft (not 2020).

The guy has played 3 years, been injured and has 94 catches and 12 TD's in 38 games. Eventually you stop basing value on college tape and start basing value on pro tape.

His pro tape is a mid-round talent (at best). But his contract is very friendly for 2020 and maybe a change of scenery does him good.

You don't put all your chickens into the OJ Howard basket but you address your TE this off-season a bit shotgun. Bring back everyone not named Vance McDonald (too expensive). Use a draft pick on one in the top 4 rounds. Go into camp with 4 possibles and hope you find enough to get the snaps out of them.

 

[Hines57]

I'm looking at the draft for TE. Our free agent capital is extremely limited this year.

 

[slashsteel]

I'm looking at the draft for TE. Our free agent capital is extremely limited this year.

With the lack of draft capital the off-season grade will be contingent on how well they free up money not only to sign Bud, but to fill obvious deficiencies on offense.

The key to how far the Steelers go this upcoming season will be tied to free agency, more so than in recent pasts.

 

[Hines57]

With the lack of draft capital the off-season grade will be contingent on how well they free up money not only to sign Bud, but to fill obvious deficiencies on offense.

The key to how far the Steelers go this upcoming season will be tied to free agency, more so than in recent pasts.

If that is the case then we may be looking for someone who is coming off an injury (Eifert) or had a very down year and wants a show me 1 year cheap deal. That is really the only scenario(s) that I see us getting anyone worth a damn UFA for a TE.

Hopefully we can resign Vannett for depth. McDonald is a wash, let him go.

 

[Litos]

If that is the case then we may be looking for someone who is coming off an injury (Eifert) or had a very down year and wants a show me 1 year cheap deal. That is really the only scenario(s) that I see us getting anyone worth a damn UFA for a TE.

Hopefully we can resign Vannett for depth. McDonald is a wash, let him go.

I think Ben can make the best out of Mcdonald, who also is our best blocking TE, better than eifert too in that regard

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[slashsteel]

I think Ben can make the best out of Mcdonald, who also is our best blocking TE, better than eifert too in that regard

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And then there is the premise that this isn't a rebuilding team. So you don't gut a position and in the process fill it with another player with injury question-marks.

Moreso than McDonalds.

You can bring another TE and in the process extend McDonalds contract lowering the cap hit. Strengthening a weak unit.

We don't worry about future cap issues because when Big Ben is gone then you eat those issues as you will be in a rebuilding mode.

You build depth you don't break it down unless you have legitimate upgrade plans with less question-marks in place.

 

[Hines57]

I think Ben can make the best out of Mcdonald, who also is our best blocking TE, better than eifert too in that regard

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Ben had McDonald for what 2 years? I didn't see anything that would make me want to keep him. He's injury prone and disappears during games. We have yet to replace Heath with an adequate starting TE.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

You tend to disappear as a tight end when nobody throws you the damn ball.

Again, vance has missed 3 games in 2 years. Tuitt has missed 16.

Vance is 13th in league as far as TE pay.

 

[SteelerSask2]

They are going to duct tape this up and give a go next season. Some guys will be cut and some will be renegotiated to get Bud under. They could save 20 million on Ben next season. He will have to be fully Ben or this will be his last season. Cutting Macdonald just means you eat his salary and have to get a starter. He is a starter. ITS NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

 

[Litos]

Ben had McDonald for what 2 years? I didn't see anything that would make me want to keep him. He's injury prone and disappears during games. We have yet to replace Heath with an adequate starting TE.

2018, 14 games, 50 catches, 610 yards, 4 TDs, 12.2 avg. Those stats hover around 10 to 12 best TE in the league for that season. That while sharing snaps with Jesse James, who got 423 yards in 30 catches.

Ben can get a lot from Vance, a guy that you won't improve in FA without unloading at least +10M

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[Drink IRON City]

I think Ben can make the best out of Mcdonald, who also is our best blocking TE, better than eifert too in that regard

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And then there is the premise that this isn't a rebuilding team. So you don't gut a position and in the process fill it with another player with injury question-marks.

Moreso than McDonalds.

You can bring another TE and in the process extend McDonalds contract lowering the cap hit. Strengthening a weak unit.

We don't worry about future cap issues because when Big Ben is gone then you eat those issues as you will be in a rebuilding mode.

You build depth you don't break it down unless you have legitimate upgrade plans with less question-marks in place.

I agree and Cope had a "CAP Class" regarding the release of O'l McDonald. I think the restructure of his contract is by far the best way to go and as slash is saying you don't create a hole to only have to fill it. Keep McDonald and look for depth. RB / OL is still high priority as the need department to fill.






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[Hines57]

2018, 14 games, 50 catches, 610 yards, 4 TDs, 12.2 avg. Those stats hover around 10 to 12 best TE in the league for that season. That while sharing snaps with Jesse James, who got 423 yards in 30 catches.

Ben can get a lot from Vance, a guy that you won't improve in FA without unloading at least +10M

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2018 is two seasons ago. Humpty Dumpty McDonald isn't getting better.

 

[Litos]

2018 is two seasons ago. Humpty Dumpty McDonald isn't getting better.

You can scratch last season given what the QBs did and the ****** game plan.
He might not get better but he is better than what's there at his same price.

Unless they trade our 3rd round comp pick for a starter I don't see how they can improve the position in this off-season

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[Shane Falco]

I like a Vannett. He is the ideal Roethlisberger TE. Very much like Heath and James. His blocking is adequate and he seemed to seal the edge better than McDonald when needed. I hope he gets a good workout this season.

 

[Gridiron]

McDonald has become too thick and immobile, he has very little flexibility and is unable to create space anymore. He is all bull and no gazelle and is so limited he needs to go.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

McDonald has become too thick and immobile, he has very little flexibility and is unable to create space anymore. He is all bull and no gazelle and is so limited he needs to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef1_KlnA4Nc

 

[Gridiron]

Your point ? He is thick and immobile,yet powerfull but can;t get open or create separation. Highlight plays like the one above are great but mean little if you cant get pen and get downfield.

 

[F83]

trade 4th and 5th for Howard or 5th for Denver's jake Butt. OJ is as close to in this draft or free agency you will get a all around TE that can block and Catch, was just with a QB with terrible accuracy and one who liked to pass deep more than check down.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Your point ? He is thick and immobile,yet powerfull but can;t get open or create separation. Highlight plays like the one above are great but mean little if you cant get pen and get downfield.

seems he got open in 2018, but not 2019. What happened? OH he got rickets from lack of vitamin D. NO, that's not it. He magicly got worse because he started eating Cheetos and watching Netflix... No ,,
Maybe it was the fact that they didn't throw him the ball. Maybe Ben was gone. Maybe our O line was bad and they used him to stay and block more. Maybe our best RB was hurt a **** ton, we couldn't run,, and coupled with no deep threat, poor line play, lack of a passing threat and no running game,, defenses stacked the box more and there wasn't much room. So they used him to block more. Maybe he was too brittle and was out all year,, no,,, he missed 2 games due to concussion.

The point of the video was that he can get separation and get open,, and be the gazelle.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

trade 4th and 5th for Howard or 5th for Denver's jake Butt. OJ is as close to in this draft or free agency you will get a all around TE that can block and Catch, was just with a QB with terrible accuracy and one who liked to pass deep more than check down.

youre not getting Jake ******* Buttt for a 5th round draft pick. You're on crack.

 

[Drink IRON City]

With the cap space we have, I'm hoping our TE is already on the roster. Some of you here think we have this AMAZING cap space, which we don't. TE appears to be a big need but part of that is due to the QBs we fielded last year, oh and play calling. True as we will have the same play caller but we will have a different QB than last year. That QB will take our minds off the TE need. HEALTHY RB is a big need this season as well a a KEY OL starter because I think we are losing one for sure.

The CAP is as big a thing as any of the positions needed. OUR cap guru needs to attack the things it takes to make cap room. Bud Dupree is going to command a large portion if we decide to keep him. If that DAMN BEN would have opened a "Roethlisberger" joint, we could have funneled him money through team food purchases and save his "CAP" hell, similar to marsha's circumstance in cheatriotvill.


Salute the nation