OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Steelers Draft OLB Jarvis Jones

[SuburbanRhythm]

ILB is a need position. Foote is probably staying for 1 more year. Sylvester is strictly a special teamer. Spence is still an uncertainty with knee injury.

If we draft a ILB in early rounds, he can sit and learn for a year so he can get ready as starter for 2014. LeBeau's complex defense is difficult to learn for any rookie.

I'll agree there is a need, but much like Foote is used now, the player in the spot will be a two down player. Not necessarily a 2nd round need.

I know the Steelers are up against the salary cap, but I think they could sign Bradshaw to address the RB need. He's only 27.

As for WR, we have Brown, Sanders, Cotchery and Burress, do you think we should still sign Steve Breaston or draft someone? Probably the latter?

I liked the idea of signing Breaston is we let Sanders go to the Patriots. While I don't have a problem with him as a player, especially in an offense he's produced in prior, they need someone opposite Brown for the long term. Burress is probably a 1 year guy now. Cotchery maybe 2 more. Sanders, seemingly, 1 more year.

Also need a guy, preferably, who is a speed guy to stretch the field and possibly return punts and kicks, which no one listed above is.

 

[UnrealMachine]

How much of a need is RB, really? Dwyer career avg is 4.3 ypa, playing behind a pretty bad O-Line, and he is still very young. Redman career avg is 4.2 ypa. Do we really expect a rookie or overpriced vet to come in and start cranking out 5.0 ypa? Any gain we get there would be incremental at best and ignores a much greater need at S with two aging, injury-prone starters with literally one (undrafted) player behind them on the depth chart. CB gets murky after this season as well. Let's fill our true immediate holes/needs first.

 

[Bennett Brauer]

I agree that Dwyer could start, he was decent last season. But Bradshaw would add depth to a RB committee.

Hey what number should Jones wear, #92?

 

[seabs926]

How much of a need is RB, really? Dwyer career avg is 4.3 ypa, playing behind a pretty bad O-Line, and he is still very young. Redman career avg is 4.2 ypa. Do we really expect a rookie or overpriced vet to come in and start cranking out 5.0 ypa? Any gain we get there would be incremental at best and ignores a much greater need at S with two aging, injury-prone starters with literally one (undrafted) player behind them on the depth chart. CB gets murky after this season as well. Let's fill our true immediate holes/needs first.

Dwyer and Redman make the OL look a lot worse than they really are at times. When it takes you 2+ seconds to get back to the line of scrimmage, it makes a world of difference. Holes don't stay open for very long in this league. I don't trust a RB who somehow manages to gain weight as the season progresses. Colbert was quoted as saying the run game was indicative of the talent we had a RB this year - that says something about his mindset.

We need to get address two of RB, WR, and S tonight.

 

[SteelFish87*]

As for WR, we have Brown, Sanders, Cotchery and Burress, do you think we should still sign Steve Breaston or draft someone? Probably the latter?

I'd rather draft someone. Steelers have been good at drafting WRs lately (Wallace and Sanders were both mid-3rd picks, Brown a late 6th)

 

[SteelFish87*]

How much of a need is RB, really? Dwyer career avg is 4.3 ypa, playing behind a pretty bad O-Line, and he is still very young. Redman career avg is 4.2 ypa.

I agree we have more pressing needs. I feel like we could draft a RB late or get an undrafted guy to be our 4th. But if Lacey is there today, we definitely take him

Dwyer, Redman, Batch, new guy. Not great but I can live with it

 

[UnrealMachine]

Dwyer and Redman make the OL look a lot worse than they really are at times. When it takes you 2+ seconds to get back to the line of scrimmage, it makes a world of difference. Holes don't stay open for very long in this league. I don't trust a RB who somehow manages to gain weight as the season progresses. Colbert was quoted as saying the run game was indicative of the talent we had a RB this year - that says something about his mindset.

We need to get address two of RB, WR, and S tonight.

There is a lot of truth in what you wrote, and I'm certainly not pleased with Dwyer and his mini-Bus conditioning levels. That being said, I'm very comfortable saying that our O-line was average at best against the run (when we had Colin) and then took a complete nosedive toward the last 1/3 of the season. Further evidence can be seen with Mendenhall, former 1st round pick and once finished 7th overall in the league, gaining a career low 3.6 ypa. Then there was the speedster Chris Rainey who never quite did break one (wonder why?) finish with 3.9 ypa.

Is you memory of the O-line last year one of the RB not getting to the line quick enough, or one of the our RB getting stopped in the backfield and/or having to shed multiple tacklers at or before the line of scrimmage? Mine is the latter. Statistically, we ranked 27th in run blocking: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/OL

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I'd never draft a RB in the 1st round unless it was a generational talent like Adrian Peterson. That position is by far the easiest to find good talent beyond the 1st round.

I agree...and I think the entire league does at this point.

No running backs in the first round for the first time in a half-century.

 

[Robert Theodorson]

Greetings Pens fans, name/avatar suggests we don't agree on hockey but I was raised a Steelers fan. I come in peace

I think we all knew that we would draft a linebacker in the first round, I really hoped it would not come true but we did.

Didn't stay up to watch past the top 10 but I went to sleep praying that Pittsburgh didn't pick up Manti T'eo.

We desperately need help at the DB position, either corner or a backup safety that can start in the next 2 years. I HATED the William Gay signing, and as you all know Troy and Clark are shadows of their former selves, hopefully we get a good DB today.

 

[UnrealMachine]

Greetings Pens fans, name/avatar suggests we don't agree on hockey but I was raised a Steelers fan. I come in peace

I think we all knew that we would draft a linebacker in the first round, I really hoped it would not come true but we did.

Didn't stay up to watch past the top 10 but I went to sleep praying that Pittsburgh didn't pick up Manti T'eo.

We desperately need help at the DB position, either corner or a backup safety that can start in the next 2 years. I HATED the William Gay signing, and as you all know Troy and Clark are shadows of their former selves, hopefully we get a good DB today.

I agree with our need at DB, but why the hangup on OLB?!? We had one of the lowest sack totals in the league last season (worse than the Browns) and have been having trouble creating turnovers the last two seasons (perhaps related to not getting much pressure on the QB?). Jarvis Jones led the country in both last season playing in the toughest conference. He wasn't a one-season wonder either as he put up comparable sack numbers in the previous season. He is exactly what the team needs. People erroneously focus on his 40-time, but ignore his perfectly adequate 10-yard time (1.66). We need pressure on the opposition QB and this guy brings it. It will make the DB better by default. Next pick should definitely be a DB though, preferably a S.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

DB is the next hole to fill. Loved the Jones pick.

I liked Patterson at WR but not sold on Woods or Hunter enough to make them the second-rounder. Maybe Swope or even Cobi Hamilton later.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

OLB was a legitimate dire need. In the past I'd argue that we can find guys in the middle rounds there, but that hasn't been true for a while now, and Jones is an elite prospect who's only real flaw is a health risk that all 32 team doctors cleared. Outside of possibly trading back, which wasn't going to happen with Jones on the board, that was a best case scenario for us.

Safety is the next gaping hole. There are many other positions I can see us going in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, but if today ends without a new safety then I'll be pissed.

 

[sniugneP]

From what I watched Jones on highlights, he didn't look like he ran 4.9. It's more like he ran 4.6.

He got a great motor. He doesn't quit until whistle blows. That's always a big plus.

 

[SuburbanRhythm]

I agree with our need at DB, but why the hangup on OLB?!? We had one of the lowest sack totals in the league last season (worse than the Browns) and have been having trouble creating turnovers the last two seasons (perhaps related to not getting much pressure on the QB?). Jarvis Jones led the country in both last season playing in the toughest conference. He wasn't a one-season wonder either as he put up comparable sack numbers in the previous season. He is exactly what the team needs. People erroneously focus on his 40-time, but ignore his perfectly adequate 10-yard time (1.66). We need pressure on the opposition QB and this guy brings it. It will make the DB better by default. Next pick should definitely be a DB though, preferably a S.

Agree with UM here.

Yes, we need a DB, but know what will make the existing DBs look at crap load better? Getting to the QB.

Jason Gildon and Joey Porter made Chad Scott and Dewayne Washington look good.

Ike and Allen are two good starters. Willie Gay is serviceable as a nickel guy. What scares me is he's a play away from starting.

But much like the Super Bowl years he was here prior, when only required to cover, on clear passing downs, for 4 seconds, he can at least hang in the general vicinity of the receiver - something Curtis Brown and Josh Victorian didn't do.

 

[Solution]

When the Saints drafted Vacarro, I was very pleased with that. They were the last team without a trade that I saw between us and Jones. I have been calling that pick for about two months here at work. anyway, I think that robert Woods would be my second round pick if Lacy is not available. The third rounder would be either a safety or a RB.

 

[Dick Sledge]

I can't believe how many good players are left and we have a shot at. Here are the picks I would love coming out of tonight.

WR - Allen, Woods, Hunter, Rogers, Williams, Wheaton and Swope.

RB - Lacy, Franklin, Bernard, Lattimore, Michael and Ellington.

TE - Ertz, Kelce, Escobar and McDonald.

S - Cyprien, Swearinger, S. Thomas, P. Thomas and Rambo.

IL - Te'o, Brown, Minter, Moore and Alonso.

I'm personally hoping for a WR/RB combo for rounds 2 and 3. On the other hand if one of Te'o, Minter or Brown are there I definitely won't be mad if we take one of them. Or a safety obviously.

My completely awesome probably wrong predictions for tonight:

2nd - Allen
3rd - Michael

 

[sniugneP]

I doubt Lacy is available at 48th.

I'm hoping to trade down. We still have a lot of options if that happens.

 

[SteelFish87*]

Bengals will probably take Lacey

 

[seabs926]

I can't believe how many good players are left and we have a shot at. Here are the picks I would love coming out of tonight.

WR - Allen, Woods, Hunter, Rogers, Williams, Wheaton and Swope.

RB - Lacy, Franklin, Bernard, Lattimore, Michael and Ellington.

TE - Ertz, Kelce, Escobar and McDonald.

S - Cyprien, Swearinger, S. Thomas, P. Thomas and Rambo.

IL - Te'o, Brown, Minter, Moore and Alonso.

I'm personally hoping for a WR/RB combo for rounds 2 and 3. On the other hand if one of Te'o, Minter or Brown are there I definitely won't be mad if we take one of them. Or a safety obviously.

My completely awesome probably wrong predictions for tonight:

2nd - Allen
3rd - Michael

With the focus the FO is probably putting on the quality of the individual, Michael isn't even a consideration. He's a turd. The guy overslept and missed interviews at the combine and was suspended for some games for conduct detrimental to team.

Not to mention his average play - ball security and pass protection issues. The guy is an athlete, not a player.

 

[sniugneP]

I agree that Dwyer could start, he was decent last season. But Bradshaw would add depth to a RB committee.

Hey what number should Jones wear, #92?

He will wear #91.

 

[sniugneP]

Bengals will probably take Lacey

https://mobile.twitter.com/MarkKaboly_Trib/status/327840601540284416

If Alabama RB Eddie Lacy gets by the Bengals (37), Cardinals (38), Jets (39), he will be there for #Steelers with the 48th overall pick

 

[ColePens]

New draft tonight... Big - wanna throw up the new thread?

 

[Alesle]

Lots of people (not here, thankfully) having a complete meltdown about the Jones pick.

This is Derrick Pouliot x10 on the waaambulance metric scale.

So basically production doesn't count, just how a guy runs in shorts.

A fair bit of his production was down to the schemes Georgia were running, often leaving Jones unblocked to go after the QB. I think he's a decent pick, but I would hold off on planning the parade.

 

[Rico Fatastic]

Is you memory of the O-line last year one of the RB not getting to the line quick enough, or one of the our RB getting stopped in the backfield and/or having to shed multiple tacklers at or before the line of scrimmage? Mine is the latter. Statistically, we ranked 27th in run blocking: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/OL

My memory of the run game last year involved a lot of the RB having to shed multiple tacklers at or before the line of scrimmage because he either couldn't find the holes the O-line was making, or he hesitated too much before he hit the hole.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

A fair bit of his production was down to the schemes Georgia were running, often leaving Jones unblocked to go after the QB. I think he's a decent pick, but I would hold off on planning the parade.

I'm not an expert on JJ, but I know the game backwards and fwds.

Any DC worth his salt will find ways to free up his best pass rushers.

Many of the best pash rushing OLB feast when they are lined up over the TE or isolated across the LOS on the backers. Parcells was doing this with Taylor back in the day.

I watched a lot of footage of JJ since he was picked and saw him beating Ts a number of times, even beating the T and backer to blow up plays. I think I saw him run free on one or two plays total out of a hundred + snaps. Apparently, teams were game planning him and he was still making plays. It's difficult to always free up your best pass rusher when other teams are isolating him. So I'm not sure how he could of always been running free on every play.... Sounds a bit odd based on what I saw and know about protection schemes.

This pick reminds me a ton of when the Steelers picked Polo and people lost their **** because he was one hit away from munching on cardboard and collecting My Little Pony Dolls, according to all of the wannabe experts.