JB's 2025 mock draft and free agency, 2.0

[The Standard]

McCord in round 1? Pay Donte Jackson? Lord Almighty.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

The unfortunate thing is that you pretty much need someone as gifted as Ben to have real success in the NFL.

And/Or you need a team that is as set as the 2004 Steelers were. A great D, veteran leadership on both sides of the ball, a solid veteran OL, a workhorse RB to take pressure off the rookie QB. I'm a huge fan of Ben, and believe that his abilities would thrive in almost any situation, but he is not close to the QB we know him to be if he is in KP's shoes.

I hated the KP pick, but I hated the way he was "developed" even more. He started off behind a vet, which I was fine with, but he should have been on his own timeline. He could have made his debut to start the season after being prepared by taking snaps during TC and PS. He could have debuted after the bye after getting a full extra week of practise snaps. I wouldn't have been as upset even if he sat the year and entered TC the next year as the proposed starter. The one thing that should have never happened is getting thrown in at halftime of a game you're losing because the other guy wet the bed, and the coach was hearing noise. It should have been about Pickett being ready, not Trubisky losing the job.

I don't know how I went off on this rant, but Pickett was dealt every bad card in the deck from the time he was drafted. His failure couldn't have been scripted any better.

[Northern_Blitz]

And/Or you need a team that is as set as the 2004 Steelers were. A great D, veteran leadership on both sides of the ball, a solid veteran OL, a workhorse RB to take pressure off the rookie QB. I'm a huge fan of Ben, and believe that his abilities would thrive in almost any situation, but he is not close to the QB we know him to be if he is in KP's shoes.

I hated the KP pick, but I hated the way he was "developed" even more. He started off behind a vet, which I was fine with, but he should have been on his own timeline. He could have made his debut to start the season after being prepared by taking snaps during TC and PS. He could have debuted after the bye after getting a full extra week of practise snaps. I wouldn't have been as upset even if he sat the year and entered TC the next year as the proposed starter. The one thing that should have never happened is getting thrown in at halftime of a game you're losing because the other guy wet the bed, and the coach was hearing noise. It should have been about Pickett being ready, not Trubisky losing the job.

I don't know how I went off on this rant, but Pickett was dealt every bad card in the deck from the time he was drafted. His failure couldn't have been scripted any better.

Makes sense to me. I wasn't all that excited about the Kenny pick, but I didn't hate it. I thought it was a reasonable bet, even though most QBs fail. I would have hated it if we traded up for him.

With Ben we had the best of both worlds. A highly talented guy on a highly talented team. Currently, SF is in a situation something like this re: great team around a QB (who isn't anywhere near Ben's level IMO).

I think Kenny should have started after the bye. But I don't think it would have made much of a difference.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

There's competition for Justin Fields' services from teams like the Raiders and NY Jets.

That alone means Fields will command at least anywhere from $15-20 million a year.

This. I’m thinking closer to $15, but knowing others are interested *could* drive the price higher than that

[Joel Buchsbaum]

This. I’m thinking closer to $15, but knowing others are interested *could* drive the price higher than that

Why pay a QB 15 million or more a year the fumbles often struggles the pass the ball? Why???

Draft a QB in round or or two. I predict the run on QB's will start earlier than the " media " thinks.

[Northern_Blitz]

Why pay a QB 15 million or more a year the fumbles often struggles the pass the ball? Why???

Draft a QB in round or or two. I predict the run on QB's will start earlier than the " media " thinks.

Didn't you want to pay Mason $20MM last season?

[Northern_Blitz]

Why pay a QB 15 million or more a year the fumbles often struggles the pass the ball? Why???

Draft a QB in round or or two. I predict the run on QB's will start earlier than the " media " thinks.

From the end of last season, I was thinking that if there's interest from other teams that Wilson would get something close to $30MM/year and Fields would get ~ $20MM/year (maybe even more including unlikely to be earned bonuses).

We'll see how wrong I end up being once contracts start getting signed.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Didn't you want to pay Mason $20MM last season?

His maket value was not that. But yes I wanted him back as a bridge QB in 2024.

He played better his last three games as a starter for us than Wilson or Fields did. So....

[hawaiiansteel]

His maket value was not that. But yes I wanted him back as a bridge QB in 2024.

He played better his last three games as a starter for us than Wilson or Fields did. So....

Really?

Let's take a look at Mason's last 3 games this past season:

Week 16 vs Colts - threw 3 interceptions in a loss
Week 17 vs Jaguars - 193 yds passing, another interception in a loss
Week 18 vs. Texans - benched in favor of Will Levis

So.....

[Northern_Blitz]

His maket value was not that. But yes I wanted him back as a bridge QB in 2024.

He played better his last three games as a starter for us than Wilson or Fields did. So....

I think many of us were well aware that Mason's market value would be much less than $20MM even before he signed.

FWIW, I think Fields is a lot harder to put a value on. Unlike Mason, he probably is an NFL starter. And since both the UFA group and the draft class this year aren't viewed as all that good, a young very-athletic QB on the UFA market is probably going to get a significant offer.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Really?

Let's take a look at Mason's last 3 games this past season:

Week 16 vs Colts - threw 3 interceptions in a loss
Week 17 vs Jaguars - 193 yds passing, another interception in a loss
Week 18 vs. Texans - benched in favor of Will Levis

So.....

For us. His last three starts. Yep.

[NorthCoast]

Why pay a QB 15 million or more a year the fumbles often struggles the pass the ball? Why???

Draft a QB in round or or two. I predict the run on QB's will start earlier than the " media " thinks.

Any QB within reach for Steelers in this draft is NOT a day 1 starter. He will need coaching and mentoring. So who is doing the mentoring? Skylar Thompson? LOL.