my look at the 53

[skinsdad62]

i am not going to go player to players but i will look at the improvements

TE this group is deep now , remember we had compton playing TE last season we have 3 legit pass catchers and 2 good blockers plus carrier in reserve

WR this group is hugely deep and we have 2 young studs , crowder and dox to build with plus harris and thompson on the PS with size for the future

QB looks like we have a decent developmental guy

O/LINE , long to center in the near future could be in the works moses has regressed stieger is done and is a stop gap only

RB jones and thompson have shown they are injury prone , the young rookie is a very good blocker with brown lurking on the PS if healthy they could be decent

D/line , not sure we are better . hood should be one starter with baker and the ancient golston , huge hole up the middle , lanier is a good prospect
OLB we have a solid corp here but it could have been dominate
ILB big upgrades here with spaight and cravens adding depth
CBS most improved area on the team
SAFETY a weakness turned into a solid unit
ST i think it will be slightly improved and Way is lights out garvin and everitt make this a good unit with niles paul being back too

the draft
Dox has been hurt so it could be till mid season before we get consistent play from him i expect 10 snaps per game from him at most early

cravens should contribute right away and get 50% of the snaps at ILB

fuller cb should get 15 snaps a game in dime packages

Suds , qb red shirt year possible BU by 17/18

ionman DT PS year one , a lot of hype but people forgot he was a 5th rounder

marshall RB IR red shirt year . learn system get healthy make a run in 2017

daniels ILb same as above

lanier RFA should fit into our rotation

kelly RFA will get relief snaps for jones

 

[deanpet21]

I remember the days when I had to defend the signing of Ziggy Hood to skinsdad. How thing change. lol.

 

[skinsdad62]

hood starting doesnt say much about the d/line

 

[Sharkinva]

hood starting doesnt say much about the d/line

Actually Hood starting and the fact that we even gave Jenkins a shot at making roster says... we are talent depleted as far as the D-line is concerned. Some how I dont think there are any teams saying... boy if we had just signed Ziggy Hood, that would stamp our ticket to Houston right there.

 

[deanpet21]

You guys bashed the pickup. Both of you guys didn't have him making the team. Who said he was starting? We don't know that yet.

 

[Sharkinva]

You guys bashed the pickup. Both of you guys didn't have him making the team. Who said he was starting? We don't know that yet.

The fact that he MADE the team should tell you, our D-line is seriously lacking in the talent department. He is an eight year vet who was a first round pick, his original team didnt want him, and he got released from the Jags.

Please let those two things sink in. Ziggy Hood making this roster is probably not a good thing.

 

[Sportster 72]

Then too the fact that Pot Roast got cut by NE should tell something too.

 

[deanpet21]

The fact that he MADE the team should tell you, our D-line is seriously lacking in the talent department. He is an eight year vet who was a first round pick, his original team didnt want him, and he got released from the Jags.

Please let those two things sink in. Ziggy Hood making this roster is probably not a good thing.

He was hurt last year that is why his stock dropped. It was a great signing. I tried to tell you guys that the guy has talent and the Jags gave him a good contract but he just got hurt. He has a good talent level and where we got him in FA was a steal. I would rather have Hood\Reyes lining up opposite Baker vs Murphy any day of the week. The problem with the line is that we don't have a true NT.

 

[Sharkinva]

He was hurt last year that is why his stock dropped. It was a great signing. I tried to tell you guys that the guy has talent and the Jags gave him a good contract but he just got hurt. He has a good talent level and where we got him in FA was a steal. I would rather have Hood\Reyes lining up opposite Baker vs Murphy any day of the week. The problem with the line is that we don't have a true NT.

If Hood was even remotely as talented as you think, the Steelers would have never let him go. We got him on a one year deal for veteran minimum. Most people being realistic realize that we will be looking for D-line in the draft next year. Hood is a stopgap and the fact that he made this roster does scream that we have no good young talent in the position group.

 

[Sharkinva]

Dean.. .\You do realize that the MONSTER Ziggy Hood has averaged 2 sacks a season when healthy right??

 

[deanpet21]

I do. But I thought he was a solid signing at the time and he is. You guys bashed it. Don't deny it now.

 

[Sharkinva]

Not sure what you consider bashing. But I said at the time, and I maintain... if Ziggy Hood makes thie roster and starts, it is a huge sign that we lack talent on the Defensive line.

 

[skinsdad62]

dean , you had ziggy hood being the best thing since sliced bread , we had him as a rotational guy that is the gap and add to it your murphy bashing it adds up tp why we knock hood

but lets be real he is a rotational guy on par with reyes and RJF and most likely murphy

 

[gkekoa]

The Steerlers couldn't afford Hood. He was injured and not worth the price for the Jags coming off injury.

He was worth a shot and has a chance to fill a hole

 

[kbso83432]

The offense should be dynamic if Cousins has time to get it out, which he should. What troubles me most is this team probably won't be able to run, stop the run, or get to the quarterback. Those three aspects have been crucial to having a good season historically.

Still not sold on Barry, but I have no idea how people are going to stop us from throwing the ball all over the place, health permitted.

Would have liked to see Jenkins make it and I really liked what I saw from Jefferson and Trail. I guess Bates offers more on ST, if he's even active on gameday.

Hoping Garvin, Paul, Everett, can keep those soul crushing kick returns from happening this year. The one Whitehead took back probably cost us that Cowboys game. ST usually costs this team 2 games a year. I cannot stress how much I hope that unit is improved.

We should be in the mix, but the Giants lost a bunch of close games that they gave away last year and added a bunch of talent on D. We'll see what Dak has. Gotta at least split the first two.

 

[deanpet21]

dean , you had ziggy hood being the best thing since sliced bread , we had him as a rotational guy that is the gap and add to it your murphy bashing it adds up tp why we knock hood

but lets be real he is a rotational guy on par with reyes and RJF and most likely murphy

No, you didn't have him making the team. I said it was a good signing then I got jumped on. Just admit you were wrong.

 

[Sharkinva]

No, you didn't have him making the team. I said it was a good signing then I got jumped on. Just admit you were wrong.

Dean, what you seem to miss ( more likely ignore on purpose) is that if we had any real talent on Our D-line, Hood should not have made this team. He has shown to be an average rotational player at best through out his career. The only reason you know his name at all is because some talking head six years ago proclaimed he would be a stud, and the Steelers took him in the first round. His greatest claim to fame is that his name is Ziggy, aside from that at best he would be a third stringer in this league. The fact that he ade roster here and is expected to contribute heavily is NOT a good thing.