Kevin Colbert Stops Just Short Of Calling NT A ‘Dying’ Position After Steelers Leave It Unaddressed Until 7th Round

[polamalubeast]

The Pittsburgh Steelers came into the 2020 NFL Draft needing, potentially, a starting defensive tackle for their 3-4 front. They didn’t take a defensive lineman until the seventh round, and when they did, they took an athletic, developmental prospect, which perhaps tells you everything you need to know about how they view the 3-4 nose tackle in today’s game.

“A traditional 3-4 nose tackle”, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert began during the team’s post-draft press conference, “I don’t want to say it’s dying, but it’s less and less of base defense. When you’re in a defense 75 percent of the time, different sub-packages, I don’t know if anyone really has a base defense even though you do say you’re a 3-4”.

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https://steelersdepot.com/2020/04/ke...til-7th-round/

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I'm not even gonna click on the link. Sounds like something Marczi would write.

If you are weak up the middle, then teams gonna run at you all day. McCullers is a waste of a jersey and a decent big 3-technique like Hargrave is an asset to stop that.

[polamalubeast]

I'm not even gonna click on the link. Sounds like something Marczi would write.

If you are weak up the middle, then teams gonna run at you all day. McCullers is a waste of a jersey and a decent big 3-technique like Hargrave is an asset to stop that.

The run defense could be a concern for the steelers, especially in the middle if the opposing offenses are bigger like 2 TE or 1 TE and 1 FB ... I don't know if against its lineup the steelers can be fine if they put Tuitt , Heyward and another DE(or 2) instead of a NT.

If this is a problem, the Ravens will easily run for over 250 yards against us.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

The run defense could be a concern for the steelers, especially in the middle if the opposing offenses are bigger like 2 TE or 1 TE and 1 FB ... I don't know if against its lineup the steelers can be fine if they put Tuitt , Heyward and another DE(or 2) instead of a NT.

If this is a problem, the Ravens will easily run for over 250 yards against us.

I agree with you completely and its why they put Bob Griffin in against the Steelers the final week of the season and were able to run the ball effectively against the Steelers.

Don't need a 2-gap NT like 10 years ago, but Hargrave was at least proficient enough vs the run to make the opposing RB pick another hole. If you make a RB choose another gap, it gives your ILB's time to get to him for the tackle, but mostly that O line had Steelers D on skates.

[polamalubeast]

I agree with you completely and its why they put Bob Griffin in against the Steelers the final week of the season and were able to run the ball effectively against the Steelers.

Don't need a 2-gap NT like 10 years ago, but Hargrave was at least proficient enough vs the run to make the opposing RB pick another hole. If you make a RB choose another gap, it gives your ILB's time to get to him for the tackle, but mostly that O line had Steelers D on skates.

The run defense for the most had done a very good job in 2019(3rd in the NFL in yards per run against) outside of the last game in a game where the steelers were almost eliminated for the playoffs and they were out of the gas at this point ... They had also done a very good job in the first game against the Ravens with Lamar Jackson, but I hope that our D-line will be solid enough again against the run and not rely on McCullers otherwise it could be a disaster...Remember the game against the Jaguars in the regular season in 2018,when the run defense was a disaster with MCullers but with Hargrave it was a different story.

But I don't think the steelers are dumb to rely on MCullers on that...I think they have others plan but we will see.

[86WARD]

Further enhances my thought that Tuitt is the “replacement” for Hargrave...

[BlackAndGold]

I think Alualu is going to be the NT. Wormley is a classic 5 tech, Buggs simply isn't big enough. Alualu is the more "ideal" NT of the capable d-lineman on the 53.

If not, Damon Harrison is still on the FA market and if he still wants to play he could be a solid stop gap.

[polamalubeast]

I think Alualu is going to be the NT. Wormley is a classic 5 tech, Buggs simply isn't big enough. Alualu is the more "ideal" NT of the capable d-lineman on the 53.

If not, Damon Harrison is still on the FA market and if he still wants to play he could be a solid stop gap.

But they will after 4 PM today….

I don't think it will be Harrison but it can be another one...