Our window is still open, just barely. 2021 is the year it slams shut.

[fansince'76]

Six Rings is a chess master, always thinking five steps ahead...

He's a 4-D chess master!

[polamalubeast]

What about the 2025 season?!

[Steeler-in-west]

Six Rings is a chess master, always thinking five steps ahead...

yeah, It seems, I mean we’d a like to see the Steelers be dominant for the next half dozen years, but you have to take advantage of Ben’s final year or two. That’s what the organization is focused on and I won’t second guess them on this. We know too well franchise QB’s don’t come around too often, and when you don’t have one it’s extremely hard to get to the top.

Bradshaw 4-0
Ben 2-1 and hopefully another

everyone else 0-1

[pczach]

What about the 2025 season?!

We're screwed!!!

[polamalubeast]

Thanks to a very easy schedule and Ben's return, the Steelers should make the playoffs. Therefore the window is open, and super bowl appearance is a possibility. I don't buy these 7-9 to 8-8 picks by the media for this coming season. I See 9-7 to 10-6.

However come 2021, we've got serious issues on the OL

Villanueva will be 32 in September, and he had a very poor 2019 getting flagged often and giving up sacks. No doubt the man's a hero, but his days of playing left tackle are almost over. More problematic is he's the lone proven player on the team capable of playing the Left Tackle position to the level the offense needs. What happens if he departs in free agency. Given he'll be 33 in Sept 202, I just can't see the Steelers offering him a three-year deal at the price he will be seeking. This could be his last year in Pittsburgh.

Equally challenging will be replacing Pouncey, who also had a down year. I didn't see many of his trademark pulls in 2019, I saw him struggle to generate holes and getting pushed backward too often. Pouncey has said he's retiring when Ben is retiring. Decastro is still going strong, but he's getting up there in age. Wisniewski, age 31 is really a journeyman type of starter. A temporary patch solution for 1-3 seasons at most.

Suddenly the OL is a major concern, and that is the Steelers fault. In the past 7 drafts, only one OL player was taken on day one or two ( First three rounds ) , and he's still a backup.

It won't matter who is at Quarterback if the OL, who played poorly as a group goes from bad to worse.

I don't know the Steelers were offered to trade Ju-Ju. Maybe they should have taken that deal, as he's likely a goner next year in free agency. A high 2nd or 1st for Ju-Ju...should have taken that deal and picked a Tackle.

With Okorafor and Dotson,maybe not

[pczach]

With Okorafor and Dotson,maybe not

So you're saying the Steelers get to actually draft players to replace current players?

Who knew? I had no idea!

[fansince'76]

Good bump.

With Okorafor and Dotson,maybe not

Yeah, maybe the Steelers' FO might actually know WTF they're doing?

[tube517]

Yes we are 2 wins away from 7-9 as Cowturd predicted.

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

[Rotorhead]

Haha, at this point this season, we are the top team in the NFL, and we absolutely dominated the Cinderella Browns once again.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

With Okorafor and Dotson,maybe not

Okorafor did really well in pass protection today. Held Garrett to 1 sack and it looked like a miscommunication between he and Dotson IMO. Steelers O line is gonna be fine going forward.

[Mojouw]

Okorafor did really well in pass protection today. Held Garrett to 1 sack and it looked like a miscommunication between he and Dotson IMO. Steelers O line is gonna be fine going forward.

I was really bummed when Banner beat out Okorafor in camp. I mean, great for Banner and I think he can be a really good NFL OT. But I was like, whoa boy, I guess that means Okorafor isn't really any great shakes and the Steelers have no OT/LT in the wings. Then Banner gets hurt and Chuks comes in and does what he has been doing. Sure, he isn't going to make All-Pro or anything, but teams have been targeting him in their pass rush game-plan and it hasn't worked. I feel like I am seeing the Steelers give Chuks less help than they initially gave Feiler from TEs and RBs against good pass rushing teams, but that may not be actually true.

Anyways, I think Chuks looks like he can legit play in the NFL. That's awesome. Plus, assume the coaches know what they are doing (I know...I know...), Banner is a at least a smidge better. There is a version that you have the Pittsburgh Steelers next set of bookends for the next several years already on the roster.

Three other o-line thoughts:
1. The team is a "prized" C prospect away from being able to put a 5 man line out there with DeCastro as the oldest player and everyone else 26 and under (Chuks/Dotson/???/DeCastro/Banner). I realize that this is not guaranteed to happen, but a cap strapped 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers could let Feiler and AV walk, push Pouncey out the door ($8 million in cap savings), and roll out an almost entirely new offensive line unit where only DeCastro costs real cap money.
2. What if Hawkins can be rehabbed into what he looked like prior to getting hurt? That's starting to look like some serious OT depth.
3. While I do not (and will never) believe that Sarrett is in the same league as Munchak; I do think we can stop murdering the guy. Through 5 games in 2020, it really does seem like the offensive line problems in 2019 were tied to the QB play, or lack thereof. Someone is getting guys like Banner, Chuks, and Dotson ready to play.

[polamalubeast]

I was really bummed when Banner beat out Okorafor in camp. I mean, great for Banner and I think he can be a really good NFL OT. But I was like, whoa boy, I guess that means Okorafor isn't really any great shakes and the Steelers have no OT/LT in the wings. Then Banner gets hurt and Chuks comes in and does what he has been doing. Sure, he isn't going to make All-Pro or anything, but teams have been targeting him in their pass rush game-plan and it hasn't worked. I feel like I am seeing the Steelers give Chuks less help than they initially gave Feiler from TEs and RBs against good pass rushing teams, but that may not be actually true.

Anyways, I think Chuks looks like he can legit play in the NFL. That's awesome. Plus, assume the coaches know what they are doing (I know...I know...), Banner is a at least a smidge better. There is a version that you have the Pittsburgh Steelers next set of bookends for the next several years already on the roster.

Three other o-line thoughts:
1. The team is a "prized" C prospect away from being able to put a 5 man line out there with DeCastro as the oldest player and everyone else 26 and under (Chuks/Dotson/???/DeCastro/Banner). I realize that this is not guaranteed to happen, but a cap strapped 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers could let Feiler and AV walk, push Pouncey out the door ($8 million in cap savings), and roll out an almost entirely new offensive line unit where only DeCastro costs real cap money.
2. What if Hawkins can be rehabbed into what he looked like prior to getting hurt? That's starting to look like some serious OT depth.
3. While I do not (and will never) believe that Sarrett is in the same league as Munchak; I do think we can stop murdering the guy. Through 5 games in 2020, it really does seem like the offensive line problems in 2019 were tied to the QB play, or lack thereof. Someone is getting guys like Banner, Chuks, and Dotson ready to play.

I'm glad you mention Sarrett!

He had big shoes to fill but even if he is not Munchak (It's impossible to be) he still does a good job and he learned under Munchak

[tube517]

Just draft Maurkice Dawson-Webster and we'll be fine for the next decade.

[Mojouw]

Just draft Maurkice Dawson-Webster and we'll be fine for the next decade.

How could I forget about him! Best OC prospect in years.