The Steelers offseason

Not sure why this fan base is so disappointed w Bud....he’s not an AP player but he is a very serviceable starter IMO

 

We need a stud ILB. So trade up If necessary.

 

Because a number 1 was used on him and thus more is expected from him.

 

Donte Moncrief, not going to help us forget about AB. Don’t know if this guy will give any help to our offense?

 

I'm sorry, can't help myself.

Stopper was a lifelong Browns fan until they left in '95. When they came back he "wasn't really a fan of any certain team", but secretly followed EVERYTHING the new Browns did....and they lost and lost and lost, so he kept it a secret. Uncontrollably complained so much that he got exiled as a fan and kicked off the Browns boards...then the Browns start winning, now they are being touted as the favorite to win the division.

Meanwhile stopper makes himself so annoying to Ravens fans that he is banned there too...

Which leads him to his true calling, Steelers fan. What happens immediately? They no longer have ties to two of the best players at their respective positions...

I hate to tell you all, but as long as you keep stopper around as a fan, you are going to begin a decent into losing like you've never seen before..

Don't say I didn't warn you!!

 

I got banned from the Buccaneers board but nobody posts there so it wasn't noticed.

 

Because...........after MISSING on Jarvis Jones two years earlier, and having spotty play from Shazier a year later due to injury, Pitt was forced to spend yet another 1st round pick on an OLB to try and further lay the foundation for another great defense. Unfortunately Alvin (I refuse to give him a nickname until he earns it) has also had his injury issues. While he has shown promise at times, by most measures he has NOT improved much at all his first four years at Pitt. A freak athlete with ridiculous measurables, Pitt was counting on him being an impact player by year 2-3 and one of a handful of young players that would form the nucleus of a new defense. When you draft a guy #22 overall, meaning he was probably #15-18 overall on THEIR board due to QBs and other positions they wouldn't consider at the time, you are expecting him to become "that guy".

Pitt's defense, or any base 3-4/nickel defense only works and is maximized when you have PLAYMAKERS at the linebacker position. Its a bonus if you have very good and at times dominant defensive linemen that can win individual matchups at the point of attack and cause disruption playing in front of them.........which we have (thank GOD) in Heyward/Tuitt/Hargrave...............but the linebackers have to be your asskickers and guys that bring it from all directions and excel in all 3 phases. We don't have that at all. We have one legit OLB that is good in all three phases and doesn't come off the field (Watt). We have ZERO 3-down ILB and haven't had one since Shazier. Vince Williams is a good COMPLIMENTARY thumper at the other ILB spot, but he is not a true every down player. Then there is Dupree. A very limited pass rusher, he is an outright liability vs the run, and the guy is completely worthless in man coverage or even dropping into zone. Horrible sense of when/where to drop, and feel for the play as its developing. He's a "REACT" OLB whose only pass rush move is to run up the field........turn around..........come back.........and hope the QB still has the ball and hasn't moved off his spot. Very seldom or ever does he just "beat his man".........be it off the snap, or through a combination of moves. You can't have that as your starting OLB, and you certainly should expect demand more for $9.2 million. Problem is we have nothing better behind him. I hope he can maybe........FINALLY.......put it all together in his 5th year, but I have serious doubts as we would have seen it by now..........even in just ONE GAME for the majority of it. We used to feast almost anytime any team had a backup tackle starting or tried to get by with a combination blocking scheme with a TE/RB chip. If the LBs can't demand attention and game planning from the other side, then that just isn't getting it done.

 

Well a difference maker at a position of need (unless everyone thinks Davis is finally going to put it together in his contract year) was landed by our division rival unfortunately. Doesn't even sound like we were ever really interested or attempted to reach out to him.

With 3-4 years now of the cap steadily rising and teams that have stunk or been fortunate to land a franchise QB on a rookie deal during that time, some teams are able to shell out big money and pay a premium for top players in free agency. I didn't expect us to spend like the Jets because we just don't have it. But if you want one of those key players that can fill a hole on your team, you gotta open your wallet and match THEIR offers. The days of "bargain shopping" for players in free agency are over, and there is no guarantee you'll have a key player you want come available after cut downs from camps. There just aren't a lot of $3 stocks in the NFL that will move to $20 for any team. Given we actually had a little more space this year than normal, I don't think anybody thought our biggest signing in free agency would be a marginal corner from one of the worst passing secondaries in the NFL to supposedly START across from Joe Haden. I think they wanted to target a starting caliber corner because they like their chances of landing a plug in play starter at ILB in the draft, but it sure would have been nice to see them go after ILB Jordan Hicks and solidify if not improve more than one position of need on the defense. I'm fine with Moncrief signing at WR. Both Nelson and Moncrief's cap hits the first year is only $6 mil combined. That's nearly soon to be ex-Steeler Morgan Burnett's base salary this year. Hicks cap hit in Zona the first year is only $7 mil. Having all three of those would have significantly improved one position of need, and marginally two others. Now we better hit on our first two draft picks, and move up in one or both if need be.

 

I wasn’t banned until week 15 or so on the Balt board...guess who won the AFC N?

 

Of what was available, Moncrief was a good signing. Fort left for the Eagles, so there's an even bigger hole at ILB than last year.

 

I remember Moncrief had a ton of potential coming out of college. I think had some injuries early on. All we can do is be hopeful at this point. We’ll get a better idea once we see him on the field for our beloveds

 

If nothing else it gives Washington competition and takes WR off the need list. They are headed into the draft with a major need at ILB, which all but assures they will take one at 20.

 

Moncrief had 48 catches and 668 yards playing with Bortles and Kessler last season surely he can improve upon that with Ben getting him the ball. He also had a solid year with Luck in 2015 when they were both healthy (64 catches 733 yards 6 touchdowns). No he isn't going to replace Brown but there is nobody out there in the league available who was going to do so (unless you count the fact Odell was available). He should eb able to produce some solid numbers for the Steelers and will hopefully take advantage if teams focus to much attention on JuJu.

 

He was a 1st round pick with freakish athletic talent that has never had more than 6 sacks in a season. As a pass rusher he's got 20 sacks in four seasons. Watt has 20 in two seasons. As a pass rusher he has a speed move and a.....speed move. After four NFL seasons he's never developed a second pass rush move. Frequently overruns the QB and takes himself out of the play. He can't set the edge against the run. Average to below average dropping into coverage. He will be paid 9 million this season. Time to move on.

 

I think Moncrief is a good pickup.

It will be interesting to compare Moncrief and AB's numbers at the end of this next year.

 

I actually thought Dupree was much improved against the run this year.

 

I hope you are correct since he's back again this season. I know stats don't tell the whole story but his tackles and sack production for 2018 looks a whole like 2017. He's a full time starter but he's never shown the development that you'd expect from a guy with his athleticism.

Joey Porter is gone and Butler is taking over LBs last I heard. Maybe Butler will be able to get Dupree to take the next step.

 

Issue a lot of Steelers fans have with Alvin is simple. As already mentioned by multiple posters he’s a 1st round pick and expected to make a lot more “splash” plays. He has very little of them and what he has done so far u could get a later round guy to do the same.

 

He had decent numbers with a terrible QB so there is some hope. I heard they were in the running for Tate which could have been a much better signing.
As far as the comparisons, what may tell the story at the end of the season is comparing JuJu-licious’s numbers in 2019 to Mr Big Chest in 2018 and Moncrief’s 2019 numbers to JuJu’s 2018 numbers. And don’t forget Washington who could be the #2 so the comparison of JuJu to Moncrief go out the window.

 

Tate would have been a bad signing. He's a slot guy, they already have Rogers, Switzer, plus Juju works a lot out of the slot. They needed an X receiver to replace Brown. Washington did not show enough to go into the new season as the #2 guy, if he earns it awesome, I'm cheering for him. But he's also a Z receiver, so he'll be on the field a lot when Juju works out of the slot. Moncrief is a deep threat that will help stretch the defense, a big guy that Roethlisberger likes, and as you said had success with Bortles. Probably going to take more than 1 player to replace AB's production, but I really like the Moncrief signing. However, if they do not address the huge freaking hole in the middle of the defense it won't matter. Instead of adding to it, so far we lost a good player.