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Thread: Building and Offense - Weapons vs Big Uglies

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    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Building and Offense - Weapons vs Big Uglies

    One of the things I have been thinking a alot about is how the Steelers approached (re)building on offense the last few drafts and off-seasons. To me, it seems they have approached getting skill positions high in the draft and then filling in around that on the line with later round picks and FA.

    2021 - Harris and Freirmuth are the two picks I kind of circle in my mind. I think both are excellent NFL level players. But I do wonder if it was the "wrong" picks for where the Steelers were/are at.

    BUT....then I look at the actual way the draft played out....https://www.pro-football-reference.c...2021/draft.htm

    And it isn't like they passed on a ton of "studs" to get those two. Really....the only one I might like to swap out would be Creed Humphrey. Looking at the rest of the OL class, outside of the top couple of guys, Dan Moore actually holds his own. Green - not so much.

    Anyways, I had it in my head that the 2021 draft really set their OL back by going RB-TE; but in totaly 20/20 hindsight, it really may not have.

    FWIW, I would have still personally preferred OL-TE and then get someone like Stevenson later in the draft.

    Anyways, it was a break from talking about QBs and coordinators and an interesting side tangent. Despite the fact that the 2021 draft did NOT "fix the run game" it still netted two really good players and I'm not sure there was a significantly better OL to be made that they passed up.

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    Senior Member Array title="DesertSteel has a reputation beyond repute"> DesertSteel's Avatar

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    Re: Building and Offense - Weapons vs Big Uglies

    The last two drafts aside, the Steelers usually go defense in R1. I strongly disagree with the Najee pick last year. I don't see his value that high in the draft. An o-lineman would have been much higher value. This year, the need dictated the pick. And KP might turn out to be the guy for the next 12 years. I loved the TE pick in R2 last year. I think things will cycle back towards the line for the next 2-3 years. So, I think more than it being a draft philosophy, it's really more cyclical than anything in the roster building process.

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    Senior Member Array title="steelreserve has a reputation beyond repute"> steelreserve's Avatar

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    Re: Building and Offense - Weapons vs Big Uglies

    Look at it this way - the Harris pick saved us from Benny Snell Football.

    On the other hand, the offensive line makes everything into Benny Snell Football.

    I think maybe what they were hoping for is that out of your round 3-4 picks, about half of them should turn into decent starters and half of them won't, so if you get two or three that way and sign two or three free agents, you ought to be ok. Of course, the regular ups and downs of things might go against you, and that's about where we are. I can't fault them for trying, though. It's not an awful plan, you can't spend first-round picks on everything.

    I am not too unhappy with the way the line has played in the regular season, all things considered. They've just been lackluster, not a crippling problem. We even had a running game last time. Compared to what it looked like we were going to have in preseason, that's been a pleasant surprise.
    See you Space Cowboy ...

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    Senior Member Array title="Steeler-in-west has a reputation beyond repute"> Steeler-in-west's Avatar

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    Re: Building and Offense - Weapons vs Big Uglies

    well we had three big holes to fill on the line (Pouncey, AV and soon after DeCastro). I wish the steelers made center (Humphrey) their first priority and maybe went after Orlando Brown to replace AV. Replacing DeCastro was tough because it happened late and suddenly. But if the Steelers were committed to rebuilding the line as a priority would it have made a difference in DeCastro's career decisions? Maybe? He still could've been effectively playing today. I always thought you can't do anything without a good o line - a competent QB and skill guys are necessary too but o line first - they open holes and provide pass protection. there's already talk that Najee might be be getting dinged up prematurely and maybe getting hit behind the line too much is affecting his ability to hit the right seams..

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