DeVille Does the Offseason, 2014 Edition

[SteelerOfDeVille]

2013 Summary
With a 2^nd consecutive missed playoff, you might feel this team isn’t very good. However, I was encouraged by the 8-4 finish. The team was a single Antonio Brown misstep on the sideline from being playoff-bound (or choose your other key weird play).

While I’m not completely thrilled by the offensive coordinator, OR the defensive performance, I wouldn’t be upset if all staff stayed status quo. I’m *mostly* content with the play-calling down the stretch, save a few screen passes on 3^rd and long. The no-huddle became effective, and Haley bought in to that idea, which, I believe, saved his job.

The o-line took its lumps, but, was respectable by the end of the season, with a lot of backups and guys off the street. I suspect, there will be some good competition in camp and am actually fairly excited about the prospects of the o-line this upcoming season. I wouldn’t spend early picks there unless there was just a beast available. Otherwise, I take a mid-to-late round o-linemen or two. That’s it.

Defensively, I think Lebeau was a little short-handed and for all my griping about the offense, I’d focus the offseason more on defense than offense. The league has become a pass-heavy league, we all know this. LeBeau’s defenses thrive when they can get you in 3^rd and long, then blitz your socks off. Unfortunately, they didn’t find themselves in that situation as often as they could have. This run defense was 21^st in the league. Help up the middle defensively is a requirement.

With that, here’s my game plan:


Free Agency, signings:
Our own:
Worilds, Cotchery, Dwyer, Al Woods, Fernando Valesco
A few contracts need to be extended/adjusted for cap purposes (Ben, Troy, etc).

Unsigned/Cut:
Manny Sanders, Ryan Clark, Felix Jones, Brett Keisel, Lamarr Woodley, Larry Foote, Ziggy Hood, Levi Brown

Other teams guys:

• A mid-range priced, solid WR; Golden Tate would be my target
• FS is a big need if Clark is allowed to walk. The team needs to find the next Ryan Clark here...

Draft

1. Louis Nix, III, NT, Notre Dame; has made both Manti Te’o and now, the next man up, look good. Put him in front of Timmons and we’re talking Defensive POY ballots for Timmons.
(other possibility: CJ Moseley, HaHa Dixon if a serviceable FS cannot be found)

2. (Trade down ~20 slots and get and gain an additional 4^th or 5^th rounder.)

Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss; good size (6’2”) decent speed and big hands and fights for ball. Bye Manny.

3. Traded in 2013 draft

4. a. Rashad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State; Solid cover guy who doesn’t mind helping in run support.
b. (from Trade) Select De’Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon; This will be what Chris Rainey should have been. A Solid change of pace back to compliment our big-back, LeVeon. Bye Felix and LaRod...
c. (Comp pick - Wallace) Lamin Barrow, ILB, LSU; another of those “first on tape to recognize the play” guys that Tomlin loves. Good fit to battle it out

5. Brandon Thomas, OG/OT, Clemson; solid find with the flexibility the team likes

6. Charles Sawyer, CB/FS, Ole Miss; good cover guy, supports in run; was injured, has some character flaws.

7. DeAndre Coleman, DT/DE, California; huge, run-stuffer, depth at DE

NOTE: There’s probably another comp pick or two in here, but, who knows what the commish does with the Tomlin sideline debacle

Defensive Lineup:
NT - Louis Nix, III
DE - Heyward, McLendon, Al Woods
ILB - Timmons, Spence, Vince, (rook)
OLB - Worilds, Jarvis, Chris Carter
Starting defensive secondary would add a FA, and Reynolds might compete for Nickel on day 1

Offensive Lineup:
QB – Ben
RB – LeVeon, DeAnthony (3^rd down), Dwyer
FB – Will Johnson
WR – Brown, Tate, Cotchery, Wheaton, Moncrief
TE – Heath, Spaeth, Paulson
OLine – With Pouncey back, to go along with experience gained due to all the injuries, I’d expect minimal changes

Most of this written a week ago, so i hope nothing major changed since then..