Take a chance on Colt Lyerla?

[Shawn]

4.61, being compared to the Gronk, but likely has serious addiction issues. I have no idea where this guy is going to fall...all over the map. CBS says 7-FA, but I know some are slotting him much much higher. Honestly, I'm not sure physically that there is a better TE in this draft. This guy is a phenom. If he is there late 5-7, would you take a chance on him?

[K Train]

Wont even be on their board

Bengals let gresham walk and take him as a UDFA lol

[Shawn]

I'm not sure you can not have Lyerla on your board. A guy that good? Personally, I wouldn't sign him unless he agreed to go to treatment. But, IMO he could be worth a late round look.

[Oviedo]

Curious to see how his combine drug test turns out? Would he come into the league in the substance abuse program?

It is a terrible waste of talent when someone does that to themseleves.

[Shawn]

Curious to see how his combine drug test turns out? Would he come into the league in the substance abuse program?

It is a terrible waste of talent when someone does that to themseleves.

I like your thinking. The NFL is punitive when it comes to addiction. The fact is this...if you treat addiction as a disease people get better. Give this guys some tools to stay sober and he is worth a late round look.

[Oviedo]

I like your thinking. The NFL is punitive when it comes to addiction. The fact is this...if you treat addiction as a disease people get better. Give this guys some tools to stay sober and he is worth a late round look.

I agree. What would be the worst that could happen if we pick him in the 6th Round and he wouldn't make it or play. Heck our Round 1 pick from last draft didn't really play or do anything.

Get him the help and structured environment and htake the chance. I think what would keep them away is more the PR side of it.

[Shawn]

I agree. What would be the worst that could happen if we pick him in the 6th Round and he wouldn't make it or play. Heck our Round 1 pick from last draft didn't really play or do anything.

Get him the help and structured environment and htake the chance. I think what would keep them away is more the PR side of it.

IMO, he is worth the investment. Treatment, after care accountability with frequent testing and agreement for longer inpatient treatment if relapse occurs. If he was that good hooked on substances, how good would he be sober?

[BURGH86STEEL]

Steelers should stay away from any players that have addiction problems.

[B&GinNC]

Didn't work out terribly well with Alameda Ta'amu or Chris Rainey... character concern guys = wasted picks. If he gets through to free agency, I could see putting a few bucks into a priority UDFA contract.

[Shawn]

Steelers should stay away from any players that have addiction problems.

Glad my employer stuck it out with me over 6 years ago when I needed treatment for addiction issues. Glad my current employer actually considers my recovery an asset. Addiction properly treated can actually be an asset in someone's life. If the Steelers used this as an opportunity to invest in a talented addict, I would be excited to give him a chance.

[Shawn]

Didn't work out terribly well with Alameda Ta'amu or Chris Rainey... character concern guys = wasted picks. If he gets through to free agency, I could see putting a few bucks into a priority UDFA contract.

This is part of the problem. Comparing addiction to hitting women is like comparing diabetes to rape. Lets not forget the NFL knows nothing and I mean nothing about addiction treatment. They treat it like its a moral, weak, bad person issue. If that were true, you would expect those individuals who have displayed morality, ethics, and work ethic to have lower rates of addiction. You would expect priests, pilots, docs, CEOs, pastors, nurses, etc to have lower rates of addiction. But, that isn't what you see. After you get a high school diploma, the percentages are roughly the same in all lines of work. I have met many hard working, talented addicts who were considered "good people", but for some reason couldn't put the drink down. They react to mood altering substances like an allergy. So, when I see people judge addicts I realize it comes from a place of ignorance about the disease process...and the fact that people can and do get better.

People who enter the treatment center I work for who complete 4-6 weeks with us have around a 60% chance of remaining alcohol and drug free for a year+ if part of our extended care program. How do we know? We continuously drug test.

[SS Laser]

This is part of the problem. Comparing addiction to hitting women is like comparing diabetes to rape. Lets not forget the NFL knows nothing and I mean nothing about addiction treatment. They treat it like its a moral, weak, bad person issue. If that were true, you would expect those individuals who have displayed morality, ethics, and work ethic to have lower rates of addiction. You would expect priests, pilots, docs, CEOs, pastors, nurses, etc to have lower rates of addiction. But, that isn't what you see. After you get a high school diploma, the percentages are roughly the same in all lines of work. I have met many hard working, talented addicts who were considered "good people", but for some reason couldn't put the drink down. They react to mood altering substances like an allergy. So, when I see people judge addicts I realize it comes from a place of ignorance about the disease process...and the fact that people can and do get better.

People who enter the treatment center I work for who complete 4-6 weeks with us have around a 60% chance of remaining alcohol and drug free for a year+ if part of our extended care program. How do we know? We continuously drug test.

Interesting post. Not sure I get the allergy reference. I figure you are talking brain and mental action to an allergy. Anyway no sir for the Steelers as far as Lyeria if he is already an addict. Sorry but not worth the time and money invested in a young immature addict who depending on mental make up could replapse very easy in the NFL. Being a addict I think is to hard to control as a young man in the high pressure NFL. Plenty other players that need coached and are not already addicted to a substance if that is the case. Bad enough more then a few players will become addicted to some drug because of playing NFL football.

[Oviedo]

Glad my employer stuck it out with me over 6 years ago when I needed treatment for addiction issues. Glad my current employer actually considers my recovery an asset. Addiction properly treated can actually be an asset in someone's life. If the Steelers used this as an opportunity to invest in a talented addict, I would be excited to give him a chance.

I'm sure the Vikings are also glad they took a chance on Chris Carter.

[Shawn]

Interesting post. Not sure I get the allergy reference. I figure you are talking brain and mental action to an allergy. Anyway no sir for the Steelers as far as Lyeria if he is already an addict. Sorry but not worth the time and money invested in a young immature addict who depending on mental make up could replapse very easy in the NFL. Being a addict I think is to hard to control as a young man in the high pressure NFL. Plenty other players that need coached and are not already addicted to a substance if that is the case. Bad enough more then a few players will become addicted to some drug because of playing NFL football.

Allergy in a sense that most people can have a beer without triggering an obsession about alcohol. But, about 10% of people when exposed to a mood altering substance are triggered into obsessive thinking about the substance. They react differently much like an allergy which triggers a mental obsession. Not to mention an addicts brain reacts to drugs differently. Let me give you an example...

If you give my wife an oxycotin, she is like yuck...makes me sleepy...makes me feel sick...but yeah I guess it helps with the pain. But, give it to an addict and ask them how it effects them. Whoo Hooo...energy...I'm superman! All is right with the world, every problem they had just disappeared. That triggers an obsession they can't put down without help.

A late round flyer on a talent of Lyerla's caliber with some mimimal investment into the life of a talented young man makes sense to me. Worse case scenario, he is snorting lines again in short order. Ok, you took a risk and lost a 6th or 7th rounder. You may have even paid for treatment. So there is that. But, the high end is you have a pro bowl caliber TE who finds sobriety and his calling. Easy choice if you ask me. Low risk, high reward investment.

[Shawn]

I'm sure the Vikings are also glad they took a chance on Chris Carter.

True. I'm sure there are success stories around the league. I would have to look em up.