I know this wont be popular but........

[Captain Crunch]

[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;552047]Since the 70's dynasty, what is the highest the Steelers have picked in a draft? Was the 11th pick for Ben after going 6-10 the highest we have had?QUOTE]

No we picked #7 in 1989 and got Tim Worley and in 1986 we picked John Rienstra #9... John was a good friend of mine back then... I used to work out with him...

[NorthCoast]

..I would love for the Steelers to position themselves this draft in a way to be able to draft A.J. McCarron next year. If we were to give up a second this for a second first round pick next year we could have the chance of drafting next years best overall QB. Not to immediately replace Ben but to step into the starting spot at the end of Ben's contract. Or maybe even a year before the end of Ben's contract that enables the Steelers to gain back additional picks via a trade. And quite possible very high picks.

McCarron would be great for the Steelers. 3 year starter in the SEC. Great leader. Blue collar type. And he is a winner. This one move could make the Steelers a perennial contender for titles for 10-15 years.

67.2 % completion percentage 30 TD's 3 INT's and big game experience.

do you really want the Steelers to be hamstrung with the salaries of two first rd QBs???? What team in the modern NFL can do that and stay competitive?

[Dee Dub]

do you really want the Steelers to be hamstrung with the salaries of two first rd QBs???? What team in the modern NFL can do that and stay competitive?

Some of you need to go back and re-read what I posted.

First, I am not saying to replace Ben...until his contract is up.

Second, there is a rookie salary cap. McCarron wont get his big contract with the Steelers until Ben is gone.

[lloydroid]

Hypothetically, the Steelers very easily could fully rebuild in two years.....

-Trade Ben to Arizona to be with Bruce for two firsts and two seconds. One of each this and next year. This would all but guarantee we suck next year and would get the top pick in the draft.
-Trade Ike for a 4th round pick.
-Release Harrison and Troy to free up the cap this and especially next year.
-With 4 first round picks, 4 second round picks, and the plethora of picks we will get from players leaving via free agency, we could address all our needs as well as have cap space to acquire players at other positions like RB-WR-S-TE as needed.
-I AM NOT ADVOCATING THIS, JUST SAYING IT COULD BE DONE.

Only problem with all that is they would have to make wise draft picks in order for this to work; Newsflash - they haven't been very good at drafting the last 5 years.

Mike Adams, Sean Spence, Alameda Ta'amu, Chris Rainey, Toney Clemons, Terrence Frederick, Cam Heyward, Marcus Gilbert, Curtis Brown, Chris Carter, Keith Williams, Baron Batch (never has shown me anything), Jason Worilds, Thaddeus Gibson, Chris Scott, Crezdon Butler, Stevenson Sylvester, Jonathan Dwyer, Doug Worthington, Evander Hood, Kraig Urbik, Joe Burnett, Frank Summers, Rashon Harris, A.Q. Shipley, Rashard Mendenhall, Limas Sweed, Bruce Davis, Tony Hills, Dennis Dixon, Mike Humpal, Ryan Mundy

You aren't going to hit on every draft pick, I realize that. But if they don't draft better than the last 5 years nothing else will matter; we are doomed to suck. I don't know what happened to their drafting skills, but some how they have crapped the bed and they better get it fixed.

[Dee Dub]

I just don't understand comments like this.

It's ok you are right there with those Packers fans who were saying the same thing when they drafted Aaron Rodgers. You dont understand. Give it time, it will come to you.

[Dee Dub]

Since the 70's dynasty, what is the highest the Steelers have picked in a draft? Was the 11th pick for Ben after going 6-10 the highest we have had?

I understand where you are coming from on McCarron. On one hand, we have what, 3, maybe 4 years left of Ben tops? And on the other, there is someone that could be with us for the next 10 to 12 years. I think we went so long without a good QB due to how the Steelers philosophy dictates we play. Good defense and a decent running game will get you to .500 almost every season. Especially with the Browns and Cincy in the division. And 8-8 lands you smack dab in the middle of the draft where you will hardly ever see a sure fire stud QB. We went .500 this year and we pick 17th which means that OVER half the NFL did worse then us???

I cannot comment on this until you learn your Steeler history. Here, let me educate you...

Plaxico Burress 8th overall pick 2000
Tim Worley 7th overall pick 1989
Rod Woodson 10th overall pick 1987
John Reinstra 9th overall pick 1986

[Dee Dub]

If we get a lot of compensatory picks next year like most people are predicting, then I would rather use some of those picks and maybe drop down in the first to get a high second or late first, wherever he is slated to go. I would prefer to keep all the picks we have this year to help replace this offseasons potential departures.

That wont work. The Steelers in my opinion will do better than 8-8 next year ( as long as Ben stays healthy), so they will be drafting higher than 17. It would take almost all of next years picks to move up in the 10 ten to get an elite QB.

But if they got a number one next year in a trade this year from a team who may draft any where from 5-15 next year, two first round picks will allow you to move up a lot easier. I remember Bobby Bethard use to trade away his next year's number one for a 3rd round pick...so you never know.

[williar]

No way! Ben is in the prime of his career. He'll get extended next year, I would be willing to wager... They will extend with 2 years remaining...

I would fully expect them to compete for the division title in 2013.

That is an optimistic point of view. I agree that most QBs can play into their late 30's but we're talking about Ben, here. For practically all of his career he's played recklessly. You can't continue to get knocked around like that and expect to keep hopping back up like he did in his 20's. We've heard and said this a thousand times, until Ben starts respecting the cerebral aspect of the game and learns to play from the pocket, he's going to continue to take too many sacks and with those sacks come the injuries.

[RuthlessBurgher]

If we get a lot of compensatory picks next year like most people are predicting, then I would rather use some of those picks and maybe drop down in the first to get a high second or late first, wherever he is slated to go. I would prefer to keep all the picks we have this year to help replace this offseasons potential departures.

Compensatory picks are not tradeable. I'd imagine we'll get a comp pick at the end of the 3rd round for Wallace if the Dolphins and Vikings (and perhaps another team or two) beat each other up for his services. The only other free agent we have that could fetch a hefty dollar would be Keenan Lewis, and I hope we keep him and therefore do not get a comp for him. I expect minor deals for some of our other free agents (Mendenhall, Hampton, Foster, Foote, etc.), so those would be late round comps if anything.

[RuthlessBurgher]

That is an optimistic point of view. I agree that most QBs can play into their late 30's but we're talking about Ben, here. For practically all of his career he's played recklessly. You can't continue to get knocked around like that and expect to keep hopping back up like he did in his 20's. We've heard and said this a thousand times, until Ben starts respecting the cerebral aspect of the game and learns to play from the pocket, he's going to continue to take too many sacks and with those sacks come the injuries.

He was going this last season in Haley's offense. We were off to a 6-3 start and Ben was taking WAY less sacks than he usually does. Then a fluke hit against the Chiefs that could happen to any QB happened to derail everything.