Man, I've been swamped at work and trying to find a better job. Finally get a weekend off and I feel like putting down some thoughts on the offseason and the upcoming draft. The Steelers didn't make the playoffs and that's why this offseason sucks major dick. I've never been more disappointed or appalled by a season.

Position Thoughts:
1. OLB- A few intriguing names I'd like to kick the tires on. Obviously Dee Ford is the big name you'd like to see, but I'd be bringing in the pair of free agents from the Broncos, Shane Ray and Shaquill Barrett. Neither have been very healthy but both have some talent that could be brought in for cheaper than some other names. The Steelers must get better depth and a guy to push Bud Dupree.

2. CB- The Steelers have Joe Haden and Mike Hilton. Other than that, it's about it. The Steelers should just move on Arite Burns, he's lost all confidence and its unlikely he re-emerges as a viable option. When Sensabaugh is your other boundary CB, its indicative of your talent at CB. He's solid but you have to upgrade over him if you can. Not many options in free agency that really get you excited either.

3. SAF- I hated the Terrell Edmunds pick, one of the worst picks I've seen in a long time. While I think he could become a decent strong safety, Sean Davis is another guy who has been incredibly average. It's not enough just to be a good athlete in the NFL, the best athletes come to play every day. Morgan Burnett looked like a solid signing the last offseason and the Steelers aren't going to move on from him, but he was really ineffective as the "dime LB" and looked like he couldn't stick in coverage. The free agent market doesn't look good either and signing Burnett last offseason probably has them thinking against it.

4. ILB- Man, really can't be more disappointed in the Steelers LB unit overall this past season, especially at ILB. The Steelers must get more athletic here. Losing Matthew Thomas was a punch to the gut, he looked like a guy that could have improved the overall athleticism of the group too. Fort looked good at times but the Bostic signing looks like a mistake. I'm fine with Shazier still being on this team and trying to get back, but the Steelers need to realize that they need another alpha dog at ILB. Again, getting a guy CJ Mosley in free agency would be nice but its already reported that the Ravens have opened up talks already.

5. Offense- Really there aren't any game changers here either. A lot depends on what happens with the Antonio Brown saga but we will find out.

6. Bell and Brown- My guess is that the Steelers are just ready to move on already from these guys. Hopefully Brown can net some draft capital and maybe a player. Do the Steelers transition tag Bell? Is it worth the headache? My gut says they will because he's just too valuable to let walk away for nothing. I'd be trying to get whatever I can for them.

Draft Parameters:
1. Bell is traded to Oakland for pick #35. Oakland has a lot of cap space and they lack playmaker at RB.
2. Brown is traded to Buffalo for pick #9. Buffalo has unreal cap space and they could really use a guy to help out Josh Allen, their current group has no one. This draft class doesn't have an elite WR so Buffalo goes and gets one through free agency.
3. Steelers find some bottom of the bargain bin free agents to fill holes but not really guys who will change the current roster makeup. Typical Steelers moves so they don't have to draft a need in the draft (even though they do it constantly).
4. Steelers resign Ramon Foster, Jesse James, Darrius Heyward-Bey, LJ Fort, Kameron Canaday, Eli Rogers, BJ Finney, Xavier Grimble.

Picks:
1T. Devin White ILB LSU
Like I said in a different thread, it will take a top ten pick to get Mr. White. White will be the guy who replaces what Ryan Shazier brought to the table. What really separates White from other players is his love of football. He's described as a pure gamer and team leader among his teammates. His play speaks for itself.

1. D'Andre Walker OLB Georgia
Walker is by far my favorite edge rusher in this class. He is a perfect scheme fit for the Steelers with his ability to set the edge and get after the quarterback. I think his potential for the NFL is better than other prospects because of his all-around game.

2T. Dexter Lawrence NT Clemson
While we have a good group of starters, the Steelers really have no one behind them. Alualu took a step back and McCullers is a fat fuck, waste of space. Lawrence is as good as they get. He's a massive human being who can command the double team but also get after the QB. His combination of size of quickness is a terror for anyone who lines up over him.

2. Iman Marshall CB USC
Marshall is another guy who I've been keying in on for some time. Marshall may not have the flash and pizazz of other prospects but he has the size, athleticism, and playmaking ability I look for in a boundary prospect. He plays physical and does a good job breaking up passes. If for some reason he doesn't succeed at CB, I also think he'd make a good safety.

3. Lukas Denis FS Boston College
I'm higher on Denis than others I think. Denis is a ballhawk in the deep half of the field. He's a fluid athlete with good hips that allow him to turn and cover quickly. He's played in a tough defense at Boston College and has been very well coached. He would be a welcome addition to a weak secondary.

4. Emmanuel Hall WR Missouri
Hall is the deep threat that this team has been missing since Martavis Bryant was traded and Mike Wallace departed for Miami. Hall is a pure speed demon and can really get vertical. He wasn't fully healthy this past season. If you look at his tape versus Georgia in 2017, he looks like a guy that the Steelers could develop. The Steelers have done a good job as anyone finding talent and developing WRs and I think this kid could be the next.

6T. Amani Bledsoe DE Oklahoma
Bledsoe was a highly related recruit for Oklahoma and he has a unique blend of size and athleticism. He's a guy who I'd like to see the Steelers take an interest in as a guy to develop into a 34 DE. He's a tough son of a bitch who can play the run and get after the passer.

6. Jordan Jones ILB Kentucky
Not sure how big he is but this kid hits and punishes would be ball carriers and receivers. He immediately helps on special teams.

7. Derrick Baity CB Kentucky
Another Wildcat I identified before the season and his teammates are getting more acclaim, but he's a gamer too. He does a nice job staying with receivers and making plays on the ball. We need more guys who can make plays on the ball, not just tackle after the catch.

KEY UDFAs:
Alex Bars OG Notre Dame- Went down with an injury this year but he was playing at a high level before that. Notre Dame churns out OL just as well as anybody recently and this another guy in their stable of OL.

Terez Hall ILB Missouri- Another kid that IU football tried to get before Missouri made a late push to get him. Kid is a good athletic specimen and can really get after the ball carrier.

Jeff Smith WR Boston College- He's got pretty good hands and some weels to burn. He was Boston College's big play guy this year and might be a diamond in the rough.

DJ Knox RB Purdue- He's not an everydown player, but he had a quick first step and runs extremely hard. He's burned the Hoosiers year in and year out for the last four years. His size is questionable since he's only 5'8" but he's a big guy too at 200lbs. He's the type of guy that defies the odds. He would be a nice change of pace back with Conner and Samuels.

Well thought out mock as always

Pretty clear we like Devin White. I agree he’s a top ten pick.
Part of me wants AB to freeze his balls off up in Buffalo but part of me thinks that’s too good for him giving him a young stud Qb. Regardless of scenario i hope the AB trade somehow nets White.

Trading Bell and parlaying that into Dexter Lawrence in early round two is simply grand larceny. Probably could take Lawrence at 20 and get Walker at 35 but that’s semantics

Chiefs said to be tagging Dee Ford. Perhaps a swap of Bell for Ford?

CJ Mosely another dude I want but he’s not getting out of Baltimore so as usual the draft will have plug holes on the roster. So frustrating

Excellent breakdown smith. Love the draft and as Drama put, the parlaying of both Bell and Brown into immediate upgrades on the defense. Well done sir.

Those late round picks? Baity is a great under the radar pick that we could eventually see as a fast riser once it gets closer to draft time. He can definitely push Brian Allen and Cam Sutton for boundary corner. Jones, another under the radar prospect is a great pick. This player is a beast. A beast at 218-220 lbs but a beast nonetheless. He would definitely need a season to add 10-15 lbs muscle but in the meantime potentially harness that ST's Demon title. The only disagreement I have is..., Fuck resigning Heyward-Bey. Dude is a paycheck thief. CUT HIS ASS!

Out of curiosity, how does transition tagging Bell allow them to trade him?

The only reason I signed him is just for the Steelers "filling the holes" tendency. I can't stand him to be honest but there are worse problems on this team than DHB.


When he signs the tender to test out the free agent market, the Steelers will have his rights and the right to match. At that point the Steelers can match a contract offer. So what you do is you sign Bell to the deal he is offered from another team. So the Steelers have him under contract and can move him at that point.

Thanks Smith. I’ll be honest, I don’t really understand how a lot of this tag stuff works.

Would never happen. Under this scenario the Steelers would be on the hook for his signing bonus, both in actual money and cap hit.

The Steelers won't get anything from Bell, trade wise or through compensatory pick.

They can tell the interested team they'll not match in exchange for compensation. Not on the hook for anything.

A few things:

1) That would involve some behind the scenes handshake deal that would be an entirely separate transaction. The NFL may have issues with that.
2) The Steelers are dinosaurs in their thinking, there's no way they would do that.
3) There's a dozen other teams in the league that could give him an offer that the Steelers couldn't match, so there's no incentive to do so.