2020 Draft & FA

[Bridgeburner]

FYI. Been watching more film and really liking this RB class. You have to think one or more of Swift, Taylor, Ettiene, and Dobbins will be available at our pick.

 

[SteelersPride]

FYI. Been watching more film and really liking this RB class. You have to think one or more of Swift, Taylor, Ettiene, and Dobbins will be available at our pick.

Etienne isn't entering the draft I don't think

 

[Bridgeburner]

Etienne isn't entering the draft I don't think

Woa. I hadn't seen that until now. Interesting.

 

[Superbelt]

Look at this years SB, with both leading rushers being undrafted guys.

It's not that important of a position.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

FYI. Been watching more film and really liking this RB class. You have to think one or more of Swift, Taylor, Ettiene, and Dobbins will be available at our pick.

I'm liking it as well, and agree that at least 1 or 2 will be on the board at 49, but I don't think that will be the direction Colbert goes in.

He's looking at the tandem of Connors, and Snell being his main guys. Whyte will likely stick as the change of pace guy and Samuels...it's certainly not the most dynamic RB room in the league, but I see them sticking with that group pretty much.

Connors hasn't been bad enough to cut, and not good/available enough to extend so I think they will let his rookie deal expire and revisit RB in 2021.

 

[Bridgeburner]

I'm liking it as well, and agree that at least 1 or 2 will be on the board at 49, but I don't think that will be the direction Colbert goes in.

He's looking at the tandem of Connors, and Snell being his main guys. Whyte will likely stick as the change of pace guy and Samuels...it's certainly not the most dynamic RB room in the league, but I see them sticking with that group pretty much.

Connors hasn't been bad enough to cut, and not good/available enough to extend so I think they will let his rookie deal expire and revisit RB in 2021.

I probably agree, I don't really think they "will" go RB. I just think they "should" if the talent is on the board. Snell IMHO is a plodder and Samuels just "okay" at everything. Conner is too injury prone. The talent is there, but I don't think he can be relied on.

I'm a big believer in BPA. What your strength is now, might not be 12 months down the line. Good football players are hard to find. Take them when you can regardless of need (I like need as a tie-breaker if the evaluation is close). Hell, it's an even better WR class. I wouldn't hate WR in the second if the value is there.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Look at this years SB, with both leading rushers being undrafted guys.

It's not that important of a position.

Almost happenstance I think.

KC should be in the market for a bigger RB. But Shady McCoy and Spencer Ware were the guys they were expecting to carry the rock...IR for Ware, and Shady couldn't stay on the field much lately.

In SF, Coleman got hurt forcing the game to Mostert and he delivered but I don't think they intended to go into the game with him as the primary RB.

 

[SteelersPride]

Look at this years SB, with both leading rushers being undrafted guys.

It's not that important of a position.

im with you, there are a few rare exceptions I think but a second round pick on those guys isnt needed. Theres middle round talent, build the line. That and alot of RB's, just like qb's look stellar in college, but their game isnt neccessarily pro ready. The RB's coming out of SDSU the past 3-4 years are case and point, they alll put up 1700 + yards a year, easily. Some of them are 5'4 165 lbs.......

RB is the easiest transition. But its also the easiest to plug and play ALOT of guys. TBH, benny snell is flawed in a billion ways, not much pre-draft interest in him from alot of teams. We liked him and took him, he looked awful in the pre-season. The line had some good games, and he did ok, but watch his runs, the lanes were there, he wasnt running extremely well. He def can improve, but the point is a guy that was largely forgotten had some some run in the regular season. Even James Conner, if the steelers didnt take him where they did, he probably would of fell another round or 2-3.

I can rattle off a list of late round backs that are intriguing. I still LOVE the kid from Utah, hes just made of glass, when hes on the field he initiates contact, but ALWAYS hurt.

 

[Superbelt]

Almost happenstance I think.

KC should be in the market for a bigger RB. But Shady McCoy and Spencer Ware were the guys they were expecting to carry the rock...IR for Ware, and Shady couldn't stay on the field much lately.

In SF, Coleman got hurt forcing the game to Mostert and he delivered but I don't think they intended to go into the game with him as the primary RB.

Last year, Patriots. Blount. Undrafted. Rams lost with their first rounder, Gurley as the leading rusher
2017: Blount again, with Philly. Patriots lost with a 4th round Rb. White as the leading rusher.
2016: Blount again with NE. Falcons lost with a 4th round Rb. Freeman, ditto.
2015: CJ Anderson with Den. Undrafted. Carolina lost with a 1st round RB. Stewart....
2014: Blount again, with NE. Seahawks lost with Lynch. A 1st rounder....
2013: Now we have a 1st round RB winning with Seattle over Denver. But he wasn't even the leading rusher. Percy Harvin was, a WR. Lynch had 39 yards rushing.


Blount kinda skews all of this. But he also did it with two teams.

 

[Superbelt]

I'm not against drafting a RB, but it's just very devalued for me.

Maybe consider looking in the 4th round and later.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I probably agree, I don't really think they "will" go RB. I just think they "should" if the talent is on the board. Snell IMHO is a plodder and Samuels just "okay" at everything. Conner is too injury prone. The talent is there, but I don't think he can be relied on.

I'm a big believer in BPA. What your strength is now, might not be 12 months down the line. Good football players are hard to find. Take them when you can regardless of need (I like need as a tie-breaker if the evaluation is close). Hell, it's an even better WR class. I wouldn't hate WR in the second if the value is there.

Tomlin still seems to prefer the work horse RB, and they don't really have that guy in this group. I'd be okay with RB drafted assuming he's clearly an upgrade to the RBs on the roster, but as far as need goes...I think with Ben at the helm, this cast of RBs can collectively produce 1500 yds/700 yds receiving/6-8 tds.

BPA...well, in it's purest sense of taking the best player available regardless of position, very few teams draft BPA these days imo, especially in the 1st round.

I think PIT can really look at about 4 or 5 positions of need...OG, TE, RB, WR, DT, ILB, but aside from maybe TE or DT, they're not really looking for a starter from the draft.

So it's really hard to say at this point who will represent the BPA.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I probably agree, I don't really think they "will" go RB. I just think they "should" if the talent is on the board. Snell IMHO is a plodder and Samuels just "okay" at everything. Conner is too injury prone. The talent is there, but I don't think he can be relied on.

I'm a big believer in BPA. What your strength is now, might not be 12 months down the line. Good football players are hard to find. Take them when you can regardless of need (I like need as a tie-breaker if the evaluation is close). Hell, it's an even better WR class. I wouldn't hate WR in the second if the value is there.

Tomlin still seems to prefer the work horse RB, and they don't really have that guy in this group. I'd be okay with RB drafted assuming he's clearly an upgrade to the RBs on the roster, but as far as need goes...I think with Ben at the helm, this cast of RBs can collectively produce 1500 yds/700 yds receiving/6-8 tds.

BPA...well, in it's purest sense of taking the best player available regardless of position, very few teams draft BPA these days imo, especially in the 1st round.

I think PIT can really look at about 4 or 5 positions of need...OG, TE, RB, WR, DT, ILB, but aside from maybe TE or DT, they're not really looking for a starter from the draft.

So it's really hard to say at this point who will represent the BPA.

Last year, Patriots. Blount. Undrafted. Rams lost with their first rounder, Gurley as the leading rusher
2017: Blount again, with Philly. Patriots lost with a 4th round Rb. White as the leading rusher.
2016: Blount again with NE. Falcons lost with a 4th round Rb. Freeman, ditto.
2015: CJ Anderson with Den. Undrafted. Carolina lost with a 1st round RB. Stewart....
2014: Blount again, with NE. Seahawks lost with Lynch. A 1st rounder....
2013: Now we have a 1st round RB winning with Seattle over Denver. But he wasn't even the leading rusher. Percy Harvin was, a WR. Lynch had 39 yards rushing.


Blount kinda skews all of this. But he also did it with two teams.

Blount more than kinda skews it...he blow its out of the water...lol

I'm more with your line of thinking than against, but so much of it depends on your QB, and your OL...if you have studs at those positions, sure, you don't need to invest high draft capital on a RB.

But on the flip side...if your team is built like TN (marginal talent at QB, young at WR, pretty good OL, beast of a RB). A team like this could justify taking a stud RB top 10.

 

[Bridgeburner]

Look at this years SB, with both leading rushers being undrafted guys.

It's not that important of a position.

It absolutely is that important. The issue isn't importance, it's a market flooded with capable backs. Supply and demand. Which is why elite talent might be available to them in the second round. I'm simply suggesting that if similar talent isn't available at positions of greater need, they should consider it.

 

[Bridgeburner]

And I'm also suggesting this because I want another SB for the Steelers before Ben walks off. RB can be an instant upgrade to our chances.

 

[Superbelt]

And I'm also suggesting this because I want another SB for the Steelers before Ben walks off. RB can be an instant upgrade to our chances.

I think the piece needed (Assuming Ben is back) is a TE, some OL, maybe a WR. and fill some D holes from expected FA losses.

We saw what Samuels did with our scrubs. I think Ben can make him look like a superstar. Same with Conner, who is a pretty good receiving back himself.

The Pats won a bunch of SB's with their leading RB's being more of pass catching halfbacks.

 

[Bridgeburner]

I think the piece needed (Assuming Ben is back) is a TE, some OL, maybe a WR. and fill some D holes from expected FA losses.

We saw what Samuels did with our scrubs. I think Ben can make him look like a superstar. Same with Conner, who is a pretty good receiving back himself.

The Pats won a bunch of SB's with their leading RB's being more of pass catching halfbacks.

A TE we draft this year isn't going to help us much this year. That's a pick for 2-4 years down the road.

But yeah. It's possible we can skip a superior talent and go for a clearly lesser talent and still win I guess. Maybe you're right.

 

[Superbelt]

A TE we draft this year isn't going to help us much this year. That's a pick for 2-4 years down the road.

But yeah. It's possible we can skip a superior talent and go for a clearly lesser talent and still win I guess. Maybe you're right.

Well, in the 2nd, I'd be considering the OG's Kindley or Lemieux.
CeeDee Lamb or DeVonta Smith at WR.

But I wouldn't be unhappy with the Missouri TE, or Kmet from ND. They can contribute right away as pass catchers.

 

[Bridgeburner]

Well, in the 2nd, I'd be considering the OG's Kindley or Lemieux.
CeeDee Lamb or DeVonta Smith at WR.

But I wouldn't be unhappy with the Missouri TE, or Kmet from ND. They can contribute right away as pass catchers.

Like I said before, I'm only standing on the table for RB if the prospect is clearly the best available. Because I do think it's a need and I do think it would have a tangible benefit to Ben's next 1-3 seasons.

Devonta Smith is returning to Alabama. CeeDee Lamb will most likely be a top 10 pick. Rookie TE very rarely catch a lot of passes. And this is a weaker group. That's not to say that one won't come out and do it. And if the Steelers think they see a guy who can, by all means.

 

[Superbelt]

Like I said before, I'm only standing on the table for RB if the prospect is clearly the best available. Because I do think it's a need and I do think it would have a tangible benefit to Ben's next 1-3 seasons.

Devonta Smith is returning to Alabama. CeeDee Lamb will most likely be a top 10 pick. Rookie TE very rarely catch a lot of passes. And this is a weaker group. That's not to say that one won't come out and do it. And if the Steelers think they see a guy who can, by all means.

The Steelers have been amazeballs at finding WR talent this past decade.

I'll trust whatever guys they might pick up in the draft as capable players.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

@Bridgeburner @Superbelt

Both making a good case actually.

Win now...In terms of which drafted position would help the most right away...I think OG would be the position...there are two or three guys that are plug and play.

RB...would probably be the next most productive. My issue with RB is I think the 2 or 3 headed option they have now would be just as productive. IMO only one RB is probably going 1st round this draft so several guys are getting pushed into a more favorable position in the draft...there are 16 picks ahead of PIT in the 2nd round...almost all of them will be making their 2nd selection in the draft....that has me rethinking RB availability at 49 a little more.

We shall see.

If I had the decision to make...I would probably go DT or OG and look at the FA market for a TE.