SHould We Draft a TE?

[papillon]

I think we're going to see a bit of a different running game next year. A true blocking TE may be drafted, but not until the 5th or 6th round.

Pappy

[Steel Life]

With all the other holes we have, I'd pass. But you never know with Colbert, he may surprise us & draft one when a stud defender is available.

[steelfin]

Spaeth blows...wasted pick...but I dont see wasting another high draft pick on TE when we have so many glaring needs on the Oline and defensive side of the ball....

We also need to conside the WR spot....Holmes will be gone after his contract, Hines is getting up there in years and Sweed.....well its not looking so good....

[Lonbull]

Flippinburghers -

I'm of course all for drafting the BPA in most cases so if in the second day of drafting an interesting prospect at TE comes along - so be it -

However next season we have

Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Sean McHugh, and David Johnson coming back.

David Johnson was reported to be a very solid blocker at TE and he'll be 23 years old next season.

I could certainly see where the Steelers could bring in another guy to compete - but currently we're pretty good at TE.

L.B.

[Oviedo]

Flippinburghers -

I'm of course all for drafting the BPA in most cases so if in the second day of drafting an interesting prospect at TE comes along - so be it -

However next season we have

Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Sean McHugh, and David Johnson coming back.

David Johnson was reported to be a very solid blocker at TE and he'll be 23 years old next season.

I could certainly see where the Steelers could bring in another guy to compete - but currently we're pretty good at TE.

L.B.

Both McHugh and Johnson are probably better suited to playing FB. Neither has the size or the pass catching ability you expect ou5t of an elite TE. Even in Detroit, McHugh played more FB than TE and late last season the running game really got better when he played the FB role. Neither McHiugh or Johnson will force an opponents defensive coordinator to take them into account as part of his game planning.

Other than Heath none of the TEs we have are game chamgers. You add someone like a Jermaine Gresham on the field at the same time as Heath and you have created a mismatch problem that no team will be able to deal with, particularly in the Red Zone which we all acknowledge is a problem.

Think about over the next couple of years as Hines gets older. He is Ben's safety blanket and primary possession receiver. Get someone like Gresham who has TE size and a WR skill set a couple years experience to step into that role. That would not be a bad addition. And you are hearing this from a defense first philosophy fan.

[MeetJoeGreene]

Andrew Quarless - Penn State

[PSU_dropout43]

Aaron Hernandez - Florida

[RuthlessBurgher]

Flippinburghers -

I'm of course all for drafting the BPA in most cases so if in the second day of drafting an interesting prospect at TE comes along - so be it -

However next season we have

Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Sean McHugh, and David Johnson coming back.

David Johnson was reported to be a very solid blocker at TE and he'll be 23 years old next season.

I could certainly see where the Steelers could bring in another guy to compete - but currently we're pretty good at TE.

L.B.

Both McHugh and Johnson are probably better suited to playing FB. Neither has the size or the pass catching ability you expect ou5t of an elite TE. Even in Detroit, McHugh played more FB than TE and late last season the running game really got better when he played the FB role. Neither McHiugh or Johnson will force an opponents defensive coordinator to take them into account as part of his game planning.

Other than Heath none of the TEs we have are game chamgers. You add someone like a Jermaine Gresham on the field at the same time as Heath and you have created a mismatch problem that no team will be able to deal with, particularly in the Red Zone which we all acknowledge is a problem.

Think about over the next couple of years as Hines gets older. He is Ben's safety blanket and primary possession receiver. Get someone like Gresham who has TE size and a WR skill set a couple years experience to step into that role. That would not be a bad addition. And you are hearing this from a defense first philosophy fan.

I don't disagree about the potential impact that adding a player like Gresham could have on this offense, but it would be difficult to spend another 1st round pick on a TE after already spending so much on the TE position already (Heath's big extension last offseason) and with so many other holes to fill that are more immediate needs (secondary, D-line, O-line, LB'ers, etc.).

[NJ-STEELER]

i wouldn't mind seeing someone brought in to replace spaeth, but not in the 1st round.


in that pack game yesterday, they have 2 TE's drafted in the 3rd (finley) and 5th (lee) that would look much better in our 2 TE set then spaeth does.

then you have 2 guys (boss and celek) then went in the 5th round in the same draft that spaeth did. again, i think we'd be better off with either one of those guys

there are impact 2nd TEs out there that can be taken later in the draft

[Oviedo]

i wouldn't mind seeing someone brought in to replace spaeth, but not in the 1st round.


in that pack game yesterday, they have 2 TE's drafted in the 3rd (finley) and 5th (lee) that would look much better in our 2 TE set then spaeth does.

then you have 2 guys (boss and celek) then went in the 5th round in the same draft that spaeth did. again, i think we'd be better off with either one of those guys

there are impact 2nd TEs out there that can be taken later in the draft

Boss and Celek do better because their QB has made them primary targets. They don't have someone like Heath on their team. That is not on Spaeth. Put Celek and Boss on this team and they will be ignored too because Ben looks first and foremost for WRs and TEs as an afterthought.