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2023 Pittsburgh Steelers. Banged up team loses to Buffalo. Looking ahead to 2024 now (12 Viewers)

steelers1080 said:
At least someone doesn't think that Joe Haeg is worth keeping on the roster: Short film breakdown of some Haeg plays
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Maybe he sucks, maybe he doesn't.  Brought in for depth and the video shows five plays over 2 games.  I am guessing the Steelers looked at more film than that.

Then again with comments like  "Here he gets droven back...", "He didn't help nobody..."  this guy's intellect is obviously off the charts so maybe he knows more than the coaching staff.

 
This time of year stinks for football. Feels like the only news we might get is OTA fluff, extension signings (which would be awesome), and bad off the field stuff or injuries. 

 
I am surprised that we have not pulled off any restructures/extensions at this point.  With the news that there was interest in Kerrigan, you would think the cap space required would already be available.  They really need to be looking hard at Poole and one of these vet OLBs (not named Chickillo).  

 
Leeroy Jenkins said:
I am surprised that we have not pulled off any restructures/extensions at this point.  With the news that there was interest in Kerrigan, you would think the cap space required would already be available.  They really need to be looking hard at Poole and one of these vet OLBs (not named Chickillo).  
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Maybe they're not in a rush? The only reason that Watt shouldn't already be re-signed is if they're waiting for some other pieces to fall. 

It's possible that they think there could be a lot of cuts during camp this year and vets available that people might not expect. If that's the case, they could be waiting on extensions of older vets (Haden/DeCastro) and restructures (Bos/Tuitt) to see who is available. If some vet they really want comes available, that could change how they structure Watt's extension to push more or less money into the future, and could determine if they deem it necessary to extend Haden/DeCastro to free up more cap space. 

*I'm also surprised extensions/signings have not been announced. 

 
I was just about to post asking if there was any truth to the Okung rumors -- then I saw a quote from him saying that the Steelers cannot afford him and he only wants paid in Bitcoin . . . .

 
Not addressing quarterback will come back and bite this team. When Fields was falling it sure seemed like an opportunity and I thought Pitt would jump up and grab him. Sitting on their hands and taking an RB at that spot creates a situation where everything must go perfectly this year to have a chance and then they will be scrambling to figure out what to do with footballs most important position next year. 

 
King of the Jungle said:
Not addressing quarterback will come back and bite this team. When Fields was falling it sure seemed like an opportunity and I thought Pitt would jump up and grab him. Sitting on their hands and taking an RB at that spot creates a situation where everything must go perfectly this year to have a chance and then they will be scrambling to figure out what to do with footballs most important position next year. 
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My understanding is that they would have traded up with the Chargers if he fell there.  Fields was the player at #1 on their board.  Harris was #5.

 
Leeroy Jenkins said:
My understanding is that they would have traded up with the Chargers if he fell there.  Fields was the player at #1 on their board.  Harris was #5.
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If Fields was their number one player on the board they should have started door knocking at pick six…and been breaking down the door when he fell to 10. This reliance on Ben at this point is crazy, they may be that division’s worst team in short order. 

 
geneyus said:
Do you know they didn't?
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I do not know. But I do know they didn’t get it done. Bears didn’t give up the world for that pick, so it was attainable. It is just strange watching a good organization ignore that position over the years knowing that Big Ben’s ability to gut it out is coming to an end. I do not consider Mason Rudolph as addressing the position.

 
King of the Jungle said:
Not addressing quarterback will come back and bite this team...
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When they dished a future 1st for Minka, a move they hadn't done since the 60s I believe it seemed odd.  Sure they got Minka but Ben had already suffered his elbow injury so I really questioned the move.

Minka blew up but it is very difficult, next to impossible IMHO to sustain 11 guys on a dominant defense rather than land a QB so dishing a future first put them back at least one year addressing what I felt was a major need.

No first round pick last year = no legit way to address QB need

Huge need got kicked down the road for another year but the way the Steelers started last year seemed like the gamble would pay off but then the wheels fell off.

Last graded O-Line in terms of run blocking and 15th ranked in pass-pro when the offense was built around the short pass attack to protect Ben due to poor O-Line and weak run game.

Late round pick this year = poor shot to address QB situation

Huge need gets kicked down the road for yet another year with aging QB who had mentioned retirement before the elbow surgery and prior to late year issues trying to drive the ball downfield which exasperated the run and pass-pro issues on the O-Line.  

O-Line loses OT in FA and starting C to retirement.

Huge need on O-Line not addressed with top-two picks in the draft.  Instead draft top rated RB who will be playing behind lowest rated run blocking O-Line.  New OC wants to run more PA but will the running game get untracked enough to be effective?

I felt the top priority they needed to 'realistically' address was C because they weren't going to get a QB late in the first round and C is crucial to this team.  Pit fans will say they got a C later and they're fine, err yeah OK.  Could work out but they 'could' have moved up ahead of Minny to land the OT in the 1st instead of 'unrealistcally' moving into the top-ten to take a shot at a QB.

I agree that Fields was the guy to target but it just wasn't going to happen.  I felt and still feel they should have gone O-Line and that way they would have a building block for their future QB.  Now they'll have a questionable O-Line and a RB who will have burned a season or two running behind a poor run blocking line with an aging QB while the defense getting older.

 
King of the Jungle said:
If Fields was their number one player on the board they should have started door knocking at pick six…and been breaking down the door when he fell to 10. This reliance on Ben at this point is crazy, they may be that division’s worst team in short order. 
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They should have done something, because that guy they currently have backing up Roethlisberger isn't it.

 
JohnnyU said:
They should have done something, because that guy they currently have backing up Roethlisberger isn't it.
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How dare you talk about Dwayne Rudolph Dobbs that way! He's definitely a QB technically in the NFL. 

I wouldn't be shocked if they traded a lot to move up next year for QB if Ben is retiring/shows himself to be completely done. That said, I think part of why they're going "all in" this year, is because they also know that the QB situation is F'd after Ben retires. Rudolph is a middle tier backup, Dobbs is less than that, and Haskins is a washed out 1st round husk. Haskins has the most upside, but hasn't shown himself to have the maturity to lead a franchise, or the on field analysis required to read NFL defenses. He's got the physical ability to be a top 20 NFL QB, but I'm not confident that he can put it together to lead any NFL team to the playoffs. 

The Steelers probably won't have a top 8 pick in the next few years, even if Ben retires and Rudolph becomes the lead QB, just because we'll have a good enough defense to keep us in the middle of round 1. If the Steelers want a top 3 QB in a draft, they'll have to trade up for them. The cost of that trade will likely be at least 1 more 1st round pick, and limit the ability to put talent around the QB. Luckily, the Steelers will finally have lots of cap space over the next year or 2, so they can invest in some of their own young talent, and bring in pieces to help on Defense or Offensive line. 

 
5-ish Finkle said:
Isn't everyone?  His arm isn't the issue.
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I just hope they keep him over Dobbs (who I like) and let him learn during the year and have a real competition next season.  If he lives up to his potential, that saves an important pick for the Steelers.  This summer competition between them probably goes a long way towards the 2022 draft strategy.

 
ANYONE over Dobbs. Geezuz.  That guy.....

I know he and Ben are, like, besties or some ish, but as a peripheral UT fan I hated that pick when they made it and hated when they brought him back. Guy might be a football savant, but his issues with inaccuracy have always been, and remain, legion.

 
5-ish Finkle said:
ANYONE over Dobbs. Geezuz.  That guy.....

I know he and Ben are, like, besties or some ish, but as a peripheral UT fan I hated that pick when they made it and hated when they brought him back. Guy might be a football savant, but his issues with inaccuracy have always been, and remain, legion.
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But it's a wonderful idea to put him in at the goal line because he can kind of, maybe sort of scramble.

 
Only way Haskins doesnt make the team is if he pulls another bonehead move like he did in Worshington.   There is a legit chance he is the Steelers starting QB in a year or two.

 
steelcityman said:
Only way Haskins doesnt make the team is if he pulls another bonehead move like he did in Worshington.   There is a legit chance he is the Steelers starting QB in a year or two.
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I am hoping that this turns out to be a huge windfall somehow and that it was just Washington and him being too close to home as the issue.

 
Some scary Ben blurbs I've seen recently. Is he done? Was the predictable short game offense last year because of an inept OC or because of his arm or both? 

Reason for optimism?

 
barackdhouse said:
Some scary Ben blurbs I've seen recently. Is he done? Was the predictable short game offense last year because of an inept OC or because of his arm or both? 

Reason for optimism?
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Mostly a product of a terrible offensive line. Unfortunately the line is still bad.

 
barackdhouse said:
Reason for optimism?
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It's June so why not have optimism at this point?

The defense is still going to be good even if they take a small step back due to missing Dupree and questions in the secondary.  On offense, they have a new OC, stud rookie RB, and different players on the O line from last year.  If Ben is the same as last year the offense could still be better due to the new faces.   

 
Steeler said:
It's June so why not have optimism at this point?

The defense is still going to be good even if they take a small step back due to missing Dupree and questions in the secondary.  On offense, they have a new OC, stud rookie RB, and different players on the O line from last year.  If Ben is the same as last year the offense could still be better due to the new faces.   
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Yeah that's all good - I meant specifically as it relates to Ben's arm and nothing else really. I think getting rid of the OC was a huge plus and I think they're very talented and well coached. I'm mostly concerned about the QB and whether he can throw a football. Is there optimism for *that*? I'm fully on board with the rest of it. Even the June part.

 
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barackdhouse said:
Yeah that's all good - I meant specifically as it relates to Ben's arm and nothing else really. I think getting rid of the OC was a huge plus and I think they're very talented and well coached. I'm mostly concerned about the QB and whether he can throw a football. Is there optimism for *that*? I'm fully on board with the rest of it. Even the June part.
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I think Ben is fine. Last year he was coming off surgery and no offseason program. Pouncey was terrible last year.

 
If Haskins makes and stays on the roster all season, I don't think the Steelers draft a QB next year.  Honestly, I think even if Haskins doesn't make it, that they will wait until 2023 to draft a QB.  They will 100% want to give Rudolph a shot (or have him compete with Haskins), before spending a high pick on another QB.  They will sign a vet and that is it.  If someone they have rated super high falls to them, that could change, but I think they want to see what they have got already first.

 
Mike Sullivan hiring makes sense. Created a prime environment for Haskins to dedicate himself or put on the bust hat. Up to him now.

 
Godsbrother said:
You guys haven't been able to talk smack for 100 years so have at it.
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Good natured kidding.

A few years back everyone had written off Peyton Manning who had multiple neck surgeries and could barely lift his arm when Denver signed him.  

Worked out well so I'm not writing off Ben and I'm on record for liking Haskin's potential but ... saw a tweet that I can't find about the two lowest rated QBs down the stretch last year. 

Ben and Dwayne.

 
Leeroy Jenkins said:
If Haskins makes and stays on the roster all season, I don't think the Steelers draft a QB next year.  Honestly, I think even if Haskins doesn't make it, that they will wait until 2023 to draft a QB.  They will 100% want to give Rudolph a shot (or have him compete with Haskins), before spending a high pick on another QB.  They will sign a vet and that is it.  If someone they have rated super high falls to them, that could change, but I think they want to see what they have got already first.
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I don't really expect Ben to retire.

 
Leeroy Jenkins said:
If Haskins makes and stays on the roster all season, I don't think the Steelers draft a QB next year.  Honestly, I think even if Haskins doesn't make it, that they will wait until 2023 to draft a QB.  They will 100% want to give Rudolph a shot (or have him compete with Haskins), before spending a high pick on another QB.  They will sign a vet and that is it.  If someone they have rated super high falls to them, that could change, but I think they want to see what they have got already first.
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Fully depends on if a situation like 2 years ago happens. If Ben misses a large portion of the season and Mason/Dwayne get significant starts and suck, I could definitely see us drafting a QB. Also, if Ben plays but we still end up with a top 8 pick and are in position to get a top 3 QB (and the FO loves said QB), then QB is not off the table. But that's a lot of if's. 

If Ben starts the majority of the season, and the Steelers don't have a top 10 pick, then I agree that they probably won't trade up for QB in the 1st.

I also think that if Haskins plays the same as he did in Wash, and Mason plays the same as he did in 2019, then neither QB is worthy of being a franchise QB and both won't lead the Steelers to playoff success. But a rookie isn't guaranteed to lead to success either. Though I think Fields would have become a great talent in Pittsburgh (he might get squandered by the Bears when they fire their HC and GM). 

 
xenon said:
Will the DEF be as good this year as they were last year....speaking from fantasy perspective.  
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Totally depends on two things, IMO:  1) overall health, but particularly on the DL, and 2) Hightsmith/et al's ability to replicate the push Dupree provided over the long haul.

Depth is a concern overall, but if they get the same kind of pass rush they did a year ago, that can cover up for a LOT of ills they may end up with on the back end of the D.

 
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Bracie Smathers said:
Sigmund Bloom

@SigmundBloom

Lots of fear about health of David DeCastro in Steelers Nation on this news

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What is up with DeCastro?  
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Did some digging and it seems that nothing is wrong with DeCastro.

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Melanie Friedlander

@Girlsurgeon

Lots of panic about Steelers G David DeCastro. The rumor mill is churning. Let's pump the brakes, folks. He didn't have any brace, crutches or visible signs of injury. If he was retiring, he would have let the team know long ago. Tomlin specifically said "no major injuries."

 
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Leeroy Jenkins said:
Released DeCastro!?!?!?!?!??!
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Currently Pittsburgh has BY FAR the worst o-line in the NFL. This offense is terrifying right now. Awful OL, immobile QB, unproven(and likely not good) running game. As much as they didn't like the quick pass only offense last season, I don't see anyway it changes, even despite a new OC and spending a 1st on a RB. They simply don't have the ability to do anything else successfully in my opinion.

 
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