-
Tight End
Obviously living in England I don't get to see college football, having said that watching highlights & reading what the pro's and you guys say, I'm pretty happy how we've drafted.
However with the league doubling up on Tight-Ends now we look incredibly weak depending on when Heath comes back. Do you think they are high on Paulson or is there anyone out there we could still add to the roster?
-
I agree. We really needed to add something at the TE position. Spaeth coming back helps but no difference makers after Miller who is a huge unknown coming off the injury.
-
Did Weslye Saunders ever sign with another team after he was released last year following his suspension? He looked like he had some potential early on, but that was in Arians offense. You would think with his size and athleticism he'd be a great fit for how Haley likes to use TEs.
-
Arians brought Saunders to Indy...
-
Where did Stoneburner go!
-
Maybe someone already on our roster is being overlooked by fans...
03/15/12 - Oregon Pro Day: While James may have been the headliner, the athlete who helped himself the most may have been tight end David Paulson, who improved his results from the Combine in virtually every category, especially the all-important 40-yard dash. Paulson, who was clocked at 4.93 seconds in the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, proved much more explosive Thursday, timing at 4.66 and 4.71 seconds. He also added an inch in the vertical jump (33" Thursday) and three in the broad jump (9'5" Thursday). - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com01/02/12 - PLAYERS TO WATCH: Oregon tight end David Paulson has 30 catches for 428 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers may not rank among the top tight ends in the country, but the senior's value to the Ducks was proven when he was named co-most valuable player this season by the team. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last two games and seems to be heating up in time for the Rose Bowl. He has 13 catches for 195 yards and two scores in his last three games, his best three-game stretch of the season. - The Sports Xchange
[URL]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z4RAZASJumA[/URL]
some of the catches he makes in that highlight are awesome.
-
[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;561412]Maybe someone already on our roster is being overlooked by fans...
03/15/12 - Oregon Pro Day: While James may have been the headliner, the athlete who helped himself the most may have been tight end David Paulson, who improved his results from the Combine in virtually every category, especially the all-important 40-yard dash. Paulson, who was clocked at 4.93 seconds in the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, proved much more explosive Thursday, timing at 4.66 and 4.71 seconds. He also added an inch in the vertical jump (33" Thursday) and three in the broad jump (9'5" Thursday). - Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com01/02/12 - PLAYERS TO WATCH: Oregon tight end David Paulson has 30 catches for 428 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers may not rank among the top tight ends in the country, but the senior's value to the Ducks was proven when he was named co-most valuable player this season by the team. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last two games and seems to be heating up in time for the Rose Bowl. He has 13 catches for 195 yards and two scores in his last three games, his best three-game stretch of the season. - The Sports Xchange
[URL]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z4RAZASJumA[/URL]
some of the catches he makes in that highlight are awesome.[/QUOTE]
My issue with Paulson is he is a "tweener. Too small for TE and too big for FB. Seems like the classic H-back not really a TE. We don't use an H-back.
He seems to have great hands and body control but would get overwhelmed trying to block. Not tall enough to be a threat or asset in the Red Zone either.
-
[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;561412]Maybe someone already on our roster is being overlooked by fans...
[/QUOTE]
I like Paulson. But how bout our 7th round pick this year. He's a giant athlete and former basketball player. Those types usually turn into monster TEs. But we are counting on him to be a 3-4 DE.
-
I never realized Paulson had such good hands. That's very encouraging.
-
I think they think that Paulson is serviceable in the short term, and a nice option as a complement to Heath when he returns. I think they are OK with that thought, assuming Heath returns near the start of the season. They would be up a creek without a paddle though, if Heath has complications returning. Or if Heath isn't near the player he was.
-
The TE craze is hilarious..
-
David Paulson is 6'4" 246lbs and ran a 4.62 40yds at his pro day when coming out.
Dennis Pitta is 6'4" 245lbs and ran a 4.63 40yds.
Pitta scored 10 TD this year. Maybe Paulson just needs a chance to start as the primary TE and have Ben throw him the ball.
-
[QUOTE=D Rock;561440]I never realized Paulson had such good hands. That's very encouraging.[/QUOTE]
A couple of those catches are pretty amazing. I like how he catches the ball with his hands, not always his body. You would think the Steelers would of taken a TE with Heath injured and getting up there in age. Maybe they like Paulson more than people are aware.
-
[QUOTE=Steel Life;561407]Arians brought Saunders to Indy...[/QUOTE]
I wish we would have held on to Saunders. I thought he had a chance to be a very good TE in Haley's offense. He seemed to have the physical attributes so it must have been a mental thing that caused them to release him instead of giving him a second chance.
-
[QUOTE=feltdizz;561443]The TE craze is hilarious..[/QUOTE]
we really should have drafted Tyler Eifert in the first round, what were the Steelers thinking? :stirpot
-
[QUOTE=ikestops85;561469]I wish we would have held on to Saunders. I thought he had a chance to be a very good TE in Haley's offense. He seemed to have the physical attributes so it must have been a mental thing that caused them to release him instead of giving him a second chance.[/QUOTE]
[COLOR=#00ff00]I think the character issues also had an impact.[/COLOR]
-
[QUOTE=hawaiiansteel;561475]we really should have drafted Tyler Eifert in the first round, what were the Steelers thinking? :stirpot[/QUOTE]
Yeah, rather then trying to set up mismatches by forcing smaller DB's to cover bigger TE and WR, its better to have all your receivers be the exact same size.
-
[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;561483]Yeah, rather then trying to set up mismatches by forcing smaller DB's to cover bigger TE and WR, its better to have all your receivers be the exact same size.[/QUOTE]
maybe the plan for the Steelers is to use Bell as a back out of the backfield to create the mismatch?? it doesn't always have to be a TE.
Steelers got what is arguably the second best pass catching RB in the draft (damn Bengals grabbed Giovani)...
-
[QUOTE=NorthCoast;561484]maybe the plan for the Steelers is to use Bell as a back out of the backfield to create the mismatch?? it doesn't always have to be a TE.
Steelers got what is arguably the second best pass catching RB in the draft (damn Bengals grabbed Giovani)...[/QUOTE]
I was thinking the same thing, hand it off to Bell or have him come out of the backfield. Will Johnson has decent hands as well. I'm not concerned over the players as much as getting some creative play calling in the red zone and I'm confident Haley will improve on that.
-
What's the word on DJ's health? I thought his game was coming together before he got hurt. I thought he was going to be the most improved player on the roster last year.
-
[QUOTE=Oviedo;561421]My issue with Paulson is he is a "tweener. Too small for TE and too big for FB. Seems like the classic H-back not really a TE. We don't use an H-back.
He seems to have great hands and body control [B]but would get overwhelmed trying to block[/B]. Not tall enough to be a threat or asset in the Red Zone either.[/QUOTE]
Am I the only one who remembers the ball that bounced off his butt into the end zone that cost us a touchdown in the San Diego debacle last year? He can't hold the line of scrimmage as a blocker whatsoever and is a real liability in that aspect of the game.
-
[QUOTE=B&GinNC;561534]Am I the only one who remembers the ball that bounced off his butt into the end zone that cost us a touchdown in the San Diego debacle last year? He can't hold the line of scrimmage as a blocker whatsoever and is a real liability in that aspect of the game.[/QUOTE]
[COLOR=#00ff00]I think we'll see alot of Spaeth, for blocking purposes, until Heath can play. Maybe Paulson will be used in 2 TE sets or rotate in and out in passing downs. I also wonder how the new zone-blocking schemes will affect the TE's.[/COLOR]
-
It's funny, but as much as I advocated for getting the top TE, the fact that the team didn't even draft one tells me that they really think they are OK. I'm not seeing it, but they know a whole lot more about what's on the roster than I do. :tt2
-
[B]2013 NFL Draft: What The Steelers Draft Says About TE Heath Miller[/B]
Apr 29th, 2013 by Matt Shetler
[IMG]http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/234/files/2013/04/6874570-300x445.jpg[/IMG]
Entering the 2013 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers had plenty of holes to fill.
At least on paper it looks like Steelers’ general manager Kevin Colbert filled those holes and added depth to some positions of need.
One thing he didn’t do though is address the tight end position and I believe that says a great deal about the one he already has.
After tearing his ACL on December 23, in what was his best season as a pro, Steelers’ tight end Heath Miller was expected to miss a good chunk of the 2013 season. But by the Steelers not at least drafting a tight end in the middle rounds I believe says a lot about the fact that Colbert feels that Miller may not miss as much time as originally thought.
I’m not expecting an Adrian Peterson-type of recovery for Miller, but if the Steelers expected Miller to miss a large portion of the season, it’s likely that they would have drafted a tight end for insurance purposes. That’s not just insurance for this season in the fact that Miler is coming off of a serious knee injury, but insurance for the future in case he can’t be signed to a contract extension when his deal is up.
If the Steelers believed in any of that, they likely would have taken a tight end in the fourth round instead of reaching on a quarterback they could have gotten later on.
Coming off ACL surgery, whatever the Steelers get from Miller in 2013 is a bonus. The 2014 season is likely the target year for Miller to start making a big impact on the Steelers’ offense again.
But by not drafting a tight end, Colbert is saying two things.
The first is that they believe the Steelers will be fine in the short-term with Matt Spaeth and David Paulson at the position.
Secondly he’s saying he expects Miller to be back and contributing this season.
That alone is good news for Steeler fans.
[URL]http://cityofchampionssports.com/2013/04/29/2013-nfl-draft-what-the-steelers-draft-says-about-te-heath-miller/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Hot%2BTopics[/URL]
-
That article, to me, seems like it jumps to conclusions.
-
Paulson is a #2 TE at best.
-
[QUOTE=Sugar;561545]It's funny, but as much as I advocated for getting the top TE, the fact that the team didn't even draft one tells me that they really think they are OK. I'm not seeing it, but they know a whole lot more about what's on the roster than I do. :tt2[/QUOTE]
Not only did the Steelers not draft a TE, they did not bring in a lot of rookie FAs, either. I think they are going to go into the season with Spaeth, Paulson and Johnson until Miller is ready, and for Heath, I'm thinking perhaps after the bye week.
-
[QUOTE=SidSmythe;561627]Paulson is a #2 TE at best.[/QUOTE]
At the very best, IMO. Obviously, the team thinks of him more highly than I do.
-
[QUOTE=Coolie Man;561408]Where did Stoneburner go![/QUOTE]
i watch stoneburner alot i dont think he will ever make an impact unless some how he finally meets the weight room. i wish we had saunders still
-
Saunders had 2 catches for 15 yards...
Paulson had 7 for 51...
-
[QUOTE=B&GinNC;561534]Am I the only one who remembers the ball that bounced off his butt into the end zone that cost us a touchdown in the San Diego debacle last year? He can't hold the line of scrimmage as a blocker whatsoever and is a real liability in that aspect of the game.[/QUOTE]
I remember it and it was a STUPID play call to begin with...
Watch Eifert this year... I bet the same thing would happen if he was on our OL on that play. Not trying to say Paulson is in Eiferts league but blocking isn't his specialty.
Hell, I remember FWP digging in Heath's behind a few times when he whiffed on blocks. No one makes all the blocks as a TE. I've seen Heath struggle or lose battles on the OL.
-
I have always heard that Heath is a good blocker. But it seems to me that he gets called for holding a lot. Anyone know exactly how many times? Is it more than average?
-
So...there are a ton of TE in the NFL who are pass catching TE's and are good blockers; we have video of Paulson showing some great hands and his measurables are equal to Dennis Pitta who caught 10 TD's and also isn't a great run blocker....but we are going to say Paulson is a bum based on the dozen passes we have seen actually thrown at him.
-
[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;561829]So...there are a ton of TE in the NFL who are pass catching TE's and are good blockers; we have video of Paulson showing some great hands and his measurables are equal to Dennis Pitta who caught 10 TD's and also isn't a great run blocker....but we are going to say Paulson is a bum based on the dozen passes we have seen actually thrown at him.[/QUOTE]
I don't think there are a ton of TEs who are good at blocking and catching passes. In fact, I think a good blocking TE is slowly going by the wayside. Heath might be the last of that breed.
Once you start looking at Gronkowski and Hernandez from NE you see that they are rarely called upon as a primary blocker. They might try and seal a back-end or stand and get in the way of a defender but they aren't used like Heath with running plays constantly going in their direction. I think the only one in this year's draft that would be similar to Heath was that guy Kelce from Cincinnatti. He supposedly is a great blocker and developing into a good receiver.
I think the position of TE is really going by the wayside. Nowadays the TE is either a big wide receiver or a small offensive lineman. Heath might be the last of a dying breed.
-
[QUOTE=ikestops85;561931]I don't think there are a ton of TEs who are good at blocking and catching passes. In fact, I think a good blocking TE is slowly going by the wayside. Heath might be the last of that breed.
Once you start looking at Gronkowski and Hernandez from NE you see that they are rarely called upon as a primary blocker. They might try and seal a back-end or stand and get in the way of a defender but they aren't used like Heath with running plays constantly going in their direction. I think the only one in this year's draft that would be similar to Heath was that guy Kelce from Cincinnatti. He supposedly is a great blocker and developing into a good receiver.
I think the position of TE is really going by the wayside. Nowadays the TE is either a big wide receiver or a small offensive lineman. Heath might be the last of a dying breed.[/QUOTE]
Sorry IkeStops....one error in my typing screwed up my entire post. I intended to say:
'there are a ton of TE in the NFL who are pass catching TE's and [SIZE=4][B]AREN'T[/B][/SIZE] good blockers'
-
[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;561939]Sorry IkeStops....one error in my typing screwed up my entire post. I intended to say:
'there are a ton of TE in the NFL who are pass catching TE's and [SIZE=4][B]AREN'T[/B][/SIZE] good blockers'[/QUOTE]
[img]http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_men0gvYILY1qk16kc.jpg[/img]
-
[QUOTE=ikestops85;562039][IMG]http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_men0gvYILY1qk16kc.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
sorry man. We were thinking alike....
-
Miller and Spaeth are locks to make it. Assuming Paulsen is close. Then you have David Johnson coming back (and the endless debate about whether Will Johnson could be a dual FB/TE and take his spot). The Steelers brought in Zack Pinalto - Bills cut him and limited playing time with the Bucs and Jamie McCoy - undrafted, never been more than a practice squad guy.
15 free agents being brought in and not a singe TE in the group.
-
If I had to guess I would say Spaeth and Paulson are our TE's.
-
[B]Spaeth: "There is a sense of determination"[/B]
Posted 5/1/13
Teresa Varley - Steelers.com
Tight end Matt Spaeth has been taking part in the Steelers offseason program since it began on April 15, but he is still getting a warm welcome every time one of his teammates see him for the first time. That was the case earlier this week when cornerback Ike Taylor was all smiles seeing Spaeth, who rejoined the Steelers this offseason as a free agent.
“It’s awesome. It’s a great feeling to be back,” said Spaeth. “It really started to hit home when I first came in for the workouts, that I was back and I would be staying. Once you see the old stuff, the locker room, being on the field, it really sets in.”
Spaeth was the Steelers third-round draft pick in 2007 out of Minnesota, seeing playing time mainly in the two-tight end set and on special teams. He signed with the Chicago Bears after the 2010 season, playing there the last two years.
The Bears released Spaeth on March 13, and the Steelers brought him back, giving them depth at tight end with Heath Miller still recovering from a knee injury.
Spaeth is taking full advantage of the offseason program, not just to stay in shape but to pick up on all of the changes in the offense under coordinator Todd Haley.
“This offseason is important for me for sure,” said Spaeth. “The stuff in the classroom is going to be the biggest thing for me, learning the playbook and all of that. The conditioning and physical part you learn the ropes over time. I am not worried about that part. But the more confident you are with the playbook, the better you are going to feel in practice and the better you can play.”
Spaeth said he already senses the determination the team has to get back to the playoffs this year, and thinks having a mix of veterans participating in the offseason program helps to keep that feeling strong.
“There is a sense of determination and that is why I wanted to be back here,” said Spaeth. “I love it. This team is so young. It’s a different team than when I was here before. It’s important for me to be around these guys and show them I am here to work. I am here to put my hand in the pile and help others any way I can.”
With some turnover on the roster, Spaeth said he still feels like he needs to prove himself, a feeling he thinks he will always have.
“This league is not what have you done, it’s what are you going to do for me,” said Spaeth. “I know that. I understand that. I am here to work and do whatever I can to help this team win.”
[URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Spaeth-There-is-a-sense-of-determination/3d464181-1c53-450f-8e35-3d6d469762c3[/URL]