Before Leighton Vander Esch’s pro day:
Tomlin & Colbert ate dinner with him.
During Leighton Vander Esch’s pro day:
Steelers LBs coach led the linebacker drills.
After Leighton Vander Esch’s pro day:
???
Before Leighton Vander Esch’s pro day:
Tomlin & Colbert ate dinner with him.
During Leighton Vander Esch’s pro day:
Steelers LBs coach led the linebacker drills.
After Leighton Vander Esch’s pro day:
???
Did he order the big salad?
Officially in the conversation to be the pick in round one.
But will he be there? He has over taken Evans as the #3 ILB prospect.
1. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia 2. Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia 3. Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan 3. Renardo Green, CB, FSU 4. Mo Kamara, OLB, Colorado State 6. Logan Lee, DT, Iowa 6.Khristian Boyd, NT, Northern Iowa
Los Angeles Chargers: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
The Chargers have a great defense, but they need help at nose tackle, safety and linebacker. They figure to address one of those positions with this pick unless they choose an offensive lineman, so Leighton Vander Esch makes sense if Vita Vea and Da'Ron Payne are off the board.
Vander Esch's stock is rising. I've had him going to the Steelers for quite a while, but Pittsburgh may have to move up to get him.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2018_1.php
Should the Steelers move up to get him?
If they draft him, it would be the first time the Steelers drafted someone from outside of a power 5 conference in the first round since Big Ben in 2004
Actually... if LVE is our guy, we might have to trade up.
LVE has dinners scheduled with the following teams.
12 & 22. Bills
13. Washington
14. Packers
15. Cardinals
18. Seahawks
19. Cowboys
20. Lions
21. Bengals
24. Panthers
25. Titans
26. Falcons
27. Saints
28. Steelers
32. Eagles
If they want him, the Steelers are going to have to move up. Neither he nor Evans will be available at 28. It’ll wind up being an “Artie Burns” situation all over again...and they’ll reach for Jackson or Leonard at that spot when they could probably wait until round 2...
Kenny Pickett is who I though he was .. Eagles problem now
Exactly this. I think the Steelers see this list as 1. Smith, 2. Edmunds, 3. Evans, 4. LVE. Just looking at the history of Steeler 1st round picks from P5 conferences. This has been the trend since Ben. Terrible Podcast even had a segment on it Friday. This being the case, I could see LVE being the pick at 28 making him the 4th ILB off the 1st round board this draft.
However, the prospect of getting an edge with starting this season potential is great also. With VW and Bostic already penciled in as starters, a 2nd/3rd round pick of Baker, Sam, Avery, or Jefferson could be in the cards as well.
I love how this draft is playing out in the fact that I really have no idea today where this 28th pick may go. You really want this pick to have an impact this season, so ILB, OLB, Safety, WR, or TE are the most likely landing spots. Need puts you over to the ILB, OLB positions. But QB, and RB could both also be in play although doubtful at 28. Plus, as we have discussed before, not too early to look at a dominant OL pick either. I think we can rule out DL, CB, but a game changer at any of the other position groups can be the pick.
- - - Updated - - -
If the Pats can pull off a 1st and 6th for Cooks, why can we not get at least a 3rd and 4th for Bryant? Bryant would be a #1 or #2 on a lot of teams.
Kenny Pickett is who I though he was .. Eagles problem now
Correct. I mis-spoke/posted, Cooks and a 4th for a 1st and a 6th. Cooks never been a malcontent is false though. The very reason the Saints let him go was because he pouted too much about having to share the ball. Talent-wise, Cooks has very few peers. As does Bryant. Bryant's history is his downfall, true. But in the right system, Bryant could be a legit weapon and a nightmare that we let him get away. But he's gone after this season anyway, so why not make a trade for more picks. At least try like you say.
I would not be opposed to it if the compensation was right because he is on the last year of his rookie deal , that said would also be more pressure to replace him this year as well with someone who could handle some of the load anyways ... maybe Keke Coutee in the 5th could be a guy to look at ... has speed and quickness and pretty decent hands a clutch player for Maholmes at Tex Tech ... that said he is only 5'11 -180 and may have issues off press coverage in the NFL ?
Kenny Pickett is who I though he was .. Eagles problem now
Oh, I agree. I’d rather stay put, and draft whomever remains. Because, the Steelers have no “glaring” holes, and thus, they could go in any number of directions (ILB, S, TE, QB, OLB... OG, RB). As in: the Steelers don’t have to be pigeon-holed into one position/one player.
As far as trading Bryant goes, remember that when he leaves, he’ll likely get a huge contract... and this, we’ll get a R4 comp pick. So, it’s probably better to just keep him, hope he has a stellar season, and get the comp pick in 2019.
Option 1:
Trade Bryant for a R4 pick
Option 2:
Get one more year from Bryant
Get a R4 comp pick
I like the idea of trading him and getting something of value before he leaves. With all the talk about how great he is and what a big season he will have, do you think that other NFL teams would maybe value him more and possibly offer a 2nd round pick? Look at what NE got in the Cooks deal and from what so many say here, Bryant appears to be so more impactful of a WR than Brandin Cooks.
Here are my thoughts:
Bryant has shown that he can be insanely good. A few seasons ago, there was a stat that the differential between Bryant playing and not playing was a difference of TEN points per game. That is unheard of.
But... he hadn’t been that guy for two years. And more importantly, one more suspension, and Bryant is gone for a long, long time.
SUMMATION:
I think a R4 is about all that we’d get for Bryant... which is basically the same as what we’d get as a comp pick. (Ergo, we might as well keep him for one more season.)
OK, was just curious on your thoughts if you were under selling him. All this talk of how great he is and then the estimation that he is only worth a 4th round pick.
Charlie Casserly on NFLN last night said that Cooks was a better fit in the Rams locker room than Odell Beckham would be (and less $$). He emphasized how important it is that a guy fit in the locker room. IMO, the Steelers locker room sounds like its full of big egos, but I still hope it doesn't have pouting Bongtavis Bryant this season. Hopefully he just keeps it business for the year and isn't a distraction.
As for LVE, I still wonder if the kid projects better to OLB. He seemed to get caught up on blocks inside a lot on his video and if the Steelers use their OLB in coverage more, that is his best strength.
https://youtu.be/ELTFWbNjl38
An interesting "negative" take on LVE. Basically says he can be a good LB BUT he is not currently due to an inability to take on and shed blockers with proper technique.
In contrast, Evans appears far more polished and technically advanced as a player -- https://youtu.be/5R9LEBZxac4 -- look at around 7:20 or so and I think it highlights the difference. Evans just slips the OL block and finds the ball. LVE appears to end up on his butt far too often in that situation.
But goodness goodness that size and speed of LVE is just really really enticing...can he be taught what he doesn't know and how quickly can he apply it?
If Jags playoff game Bryant shows up for all of 2018 - look the heck out. Those were some pretty darn good DBs he made just look foolish.
As for signing him, I'm not certain that it is a total foregone conclusion that he is out the door. I think it is by far the most likely scenario. But...But...
1. Steelers gave Ben his roster bonus for 2018 already so they are most likely NOT extending him this season. So his extension likely comes next off-season.
2. Ben tells Colbert "OK - I'll give you the hometown discount, but you keep the band together."
3. Colbert tells Ben, well I can't keep Bell here because they don't make a dump truck big enough to carry all the money he wants. Ben, says "Fine, get me Bryant".
4. They offer Bryant a version of the first contract extension that AB signed - when he took Mike Wallace's money.
Do I honestly think that happens? No, I don't. But it is possible. If Bryant starts having "fun" on the football field again it may totally change what he prioritizes in a contract/FA situation.