Kelvin Beachum top 10 among left tackles for pass blocking

[zulater]

Kelvin Beachum, LT: +3.0 pass blocking

Breakdown: Beachum’s fifth green-graded day of pass protection on the year, he’s threatening for a Top-5 spot among tackles in that regard. Helping to keep the Colts’ pass rush from making any waves during a 50-drop-back outing, Beachum posted his second clean sheet in four weeks and has now allowed just 12 total pressures on the year in 328 pass-blocking snaps.

Signature Stat: After finishing 2013 as the 39th-ranked tackle in Pass Blocking Efficiency, Beachum’s 96.9 mark this season has him in the Top 10.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...eelers-week-8/

Not the biggest fan of this site, and I find it interesting that any Colt defender could grade as high as they had Corey Redding for this game? I mean Ben barely got his jersey dirty, we had over 600 yards total offense and only stopped ourselves with a couple fumbles and a few dropped passes?

Anyway I've been reading on our board how Beachum should be moved to guard, that he's not good enough as a tackle and I've been wondering why? Yeah he gets beat occasionally. But what left tackle doesn't? After all they pay the guy on the other side of the line too. I think he's a smaller Max Starks. Never going to be All Pro or recognized as a top left tackle, but is quietly going to get the job done in a professional manner. And you wont have to pay him gobs of your salary cap like you would an "elite" left tackle.

Think about it. There's probably no better left tackle in the league than Joe Thomas. But what's that gotten the Browns? What's it ever going to get them?

Give me Beachum at LT and a middling level contract for the next 5-10 years and I'm happy.

One last thing. Beachum gets beat occasionally. But never twice in the same way by the same guy. He learns and improves from his mistakes.

[Count Steeler]

I think Beachum will be successful at whatever position they plug him in at. Glad to hear he is rated so high.

[GBMelBlount]

I'd swear 3 or 4 SU draftniks had Beachum in the draft contest.

He more than makes up for being slightly undersized by his athleticism, intelligence and work ethic.

Being so young he may still improve.

[steelreserve]

Kelvin Beachum, LT: +3.0 pass blocking

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...eelers-week-8/

Not the biggest fan of this site, and I find it interesting that any Colt defender could grade as high as they had Corey Redding for this game? I mean Ben barely got his jersey dirty, we had over 600 yards total offense and only stopped ourselves with a couple fumbles and a few dropped passes?

Anyway I've been reading on our board how Beachum should be moved to guard, that he's not good enough as a tackle and I've been wondering why? Yeah he gets beat occasionally. But what left tackle doesn't? After all they pay the guy on the other side of the line too. I think he's a smaller Max Starks. Never going to be All Pro or recognized as a top left tackle, but is quietly going to get the job done in a professional manner. And you wont have to pay him gobs of your salary cap like you would an "elite" left tackle.

Think about it. There's probably no better left tackle in the league than Joe Thomas. But what's that gotten the Browns? What's it ever going to get them?

Give me Beachum at LT and a middling level contract for the next 5-10 years and I'm happy.

One last thing. Beachum gets beat occasionally. But never twice in the same way by the same guy. He learns and improves from his mistakes.

Nope, it's all nonsense. We have to trade into the top 10 to take a top LT this year, then pay him $10M a season after his rookie contract.

"Then we lock down the left side for 10 years!!!"

[zulater]

Nope, it's all nonsense. We have to trade into the top 10 to take a top LT this year, then pay him $10M a season after his rookie contract.

"Then we lock down the left side for 10 years!!!"

I think you forget this at the end of your post.

[fansince'76]

Nope, it's all nonsense. We have to trade into the top 10 to take a top LT this year, then pay him $10M a season after his rookie contract.

"Then we lock down the left side for 10 years!!!"

Championship!

[tube517]

[st33lersguy]

So the problem is that useless fatass Marcus Dilbert

[Mojouw]

Folks, including me, were saying that the Steelers should look at upgrading both the offensive tackle spots because Beachum was 39th by the same metrics last year. So his track record at LT is some mediocre games and some pretty good games. Last year's performance was not good enough and had Beachum as one of the poorer LT's in the league. Maybe he has turned it around, but I am still not convinced he is the long term answer at the position.

To those that are against an "elite" or "high-profile" LT because of the use of high value draft pick(s) and a potentially large cap hit, I say that your counter examples are false equivalencies.

The Browns have not won anything not because of Joe Thomas and his large contract, but because they have failed, on multiple occasions, to identify and develop a quality QB. And they change coaching staff like most people change underwear. Other teams that have a big name left tackle on the team also suffer from the same problem. Specifically bad QB's and crappy management.

The Steelers lack at least one of these things. Personally, as Ben ages and his legs start to go, I would really like the Steelers to finally get him a consistently high performing blind-side protector. If that is Beachum, great. I remain skeptical.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't think that anyone is advocating taking an over-hyped steriod abusing bum.

[zulater]

My opinion was and is Beachum is a slightly above average left tackle who is still improving. I think he ceiling's out just outside the top ten. 12ish something like that. And to me that's good enough. Particularly if you have an All Pro center and a borderline All Pro right guard. You're not going to line up All Pro's left to right like you could in the pre salary cap days. Again we won a helluval lot of games with a slightly above average Max Starks over there. I think Beachum is already as good of pass protector. I'm happy with him. We've got an entire secondary to rebuild and need a genuine nose tackle. Leave Beachum where he's at. We're good there. Not great, but good.

[Mojouw]

My opinion was and is Beachum is a slightly above average left tackle who is still improving. I think he ceiling's out just outside the top ten. 12ish something like that. And to me that's good enough. Particularly if you have an All Pro center and a borderline All Pro right guard. You're not going to line up All Pro's left to right like you could in the pre salary cap days. Again we won a helluval lot of games with a slightly above average Max Starks over there. I think Beachum is already as good of pass protector. I'm happy with him. We've got an entire secondary to rebuild and need a genuine nose tackle. Leave Beachum where he's at. We're good there. Not great, but good.

Totally agree. If Beachum can consistently perform like a top 12 or even 15 tackle. Then fine. Leave well enough alone. Last season he was not performing that way consistently.

I am still concerned that he has problems against above average pass rushers on an individual level. If he can stonewall guys like Von Miller, Watt, Suggs, etc then great.

[zulater]

Totally agree. If Beachum can consistently perform like a top 12 or even 15 tackle. Then fine. Leave well enough alone. Last season he was not performing that way consistently.

I am still concerned that he has problems against above average pass rushers on an individual level. If he can stonewall guys like Von Miller, Watt, Suggs, etc then great.

Stonewall? Probably not. Those guys get good money for a reason. Limit to the point that the offense can fulfill its function. Yes I believe so.

[tube517]

Folks, including me, were saying that the Steelers should look at upgrading both the offensive tackle spots because Beachum was 39th by the same metrics last year. So his track record at LT is some mediocre games and some pretty good games. Last year's performance was not good enough and had Beachum as one of the poorer LT's in the league. Maybe he has turned it around, but I am still not convinced he is the long term answer at the position.

To those that are against an "elite" or "high-profile" LT because of the use of high value draft pick(s) and a potentially large cap hit, I say that your counter examples are false equivalencies.

The Browns have not won anything not because of Joe Thomas and his large contract, but because they have failed, on multiple occasions, to identify and develop a quality QB. And they change coaching staff like most people change underwear. Other teams that have a big name left tackle on the team also suffer from the same problem. Specifically bad QB's and crappy management.

The Steelers lack at least one of these things. Personally, as Ben ages and his legs start to go, I would really like the Steelers to finally get him a consistently high performing blind-side protector. If that is Beachum, great. I remain skeptical.

- - - Updated - - -



I don't think that anyone is advocating taking an over-hyped steriod abusing bum.

Uh, I forgot my sarcasm smiley.

[86WARD]

My opinion was and is Beachum is a slightly above average left tackle who is still improving. I think he ceiling's out just outside the top ten. 12ish something like that. And to me that's good enough. Particularly if you have an All Pro center and a borderline All Pro right guard. You're not going to line up All Pro's left to right like you could in the pre salary cap days. Again we won a helluval lot of games with a slightly above average Max Starks over there. I think Beachum is already as good of pass protector. I'm happy with him. We've got an entire secondary to rebuild and need a genuine nose tackle. Leave Beachum where he's at. We're good there. Not great, but good.

I was just going to write that he reminds me of the talent level that Max Starks was.

[GBMelBlount]

I was just going to write that he reminds me of the talent level that Max Starks was.

I don't see any analogy at all.

[TMC]

I like Beachum a ton. I think that, excluding physical attributes, he is everything you want in a football player. He works his tail off. He is smart. He has the intangibles you want. I mean, to do what he has done with his size limitations is remarkable and I have a ton of respect for a guy that overcomes the odds. Here is the issue, he is only 6027, which is short for a tackle. He does have 33-1/4" arms, which is good, not the desired 34"-35", but very close and it likely helps him because his arms are a little longer than most guys his height. Where he makes hay is he has very quick feet. If he were taller, bigger framed, he would be ideal.

The issue with shorter, smaller framed left tackles, they usually run into some durability issues, power issues, or things of that nature. Could Beachum be one that bucks those trends? Well, he has so far. But, there is a reason why teams want tackles in the 6'5"-6'6" area with 34"-35" arm length with quick feet. That little bit of difference can play big against speed rushers and most speed rushers are on the blindside of the QB. That extra 2"-3" in reach can mean the difference between whiffing on that speed guy are getting enough of him to push him by your QB. And, another issue that has to be a concern for Beachum, even though he does not have exceptionally long arms, he did not bench well. If his arms were longer, having 19 reps is close enough, but shorter armed guys usually throw it up more, and this could become an issue when he faces stronger pass rushers (like Suggs). It may also be an issue if he moves inside, although we chip and help so much inside, they cover that up pretty well.

If we end up drafting 12th, 15th, 18th and a left tackle slides to us that I believe is a true starting/quality/NFL left tackle, I take him. Not so sure I would move up for one with Beachum playing as well as he is, and I wanted to move up if Matthews fell last year, so Beachum has solidified the position enough where I am not on that path.

The bottom line, Foster's contract runs out this year. The Steelers will need to replace Foster or re-sign him. With the emphasis on moving OL under Munchak, not so sure I want him back (remember, Velasco was the odd man out with Munch as the HC because he did not move). So, I have an OL spot to fill. If a true LT slips, maybe you draft him, move Beachum down. Maybe you play the rookie at RT and kick Gilbert in at guard (he played a few games at right and left guard at Florida). I am just not ruling out a first round tackle. Of course, I would not rule out a first round guard either. In fact, the one thing I hate doing it striking a line through a position because in this league, things change so rapidly, I think you have to draft the best talent/football player on the board and fill your holes in free agency. That way, you always have talent developing. I think the Steelers once did that very well and have started chasing needs more than talent.

I am also not against bringing in Michael Roos if his knee checks out and the money is right. In fact, I would love to extend Beachum and add Roos. That would give a line of Roos, Beachum, Pouncey, DeCastro, and Gilbert. I think that line helps Ben a ton.

[Hawkman]

Many people here seem to be in a hurry to mess with the OL. If they continue to show some of what they did on Sunday, I say stick with it. I'll bet Ben and the coaches feel the same way. I certainly wouldn't spend a high draft pick on another O-Linemen when we desperately need secondary help, and a eventual replacement for Heath.