Big Ben's Replacement

[legend of polamalu]

4th Rnd---
And the Pittsburgh Steelers select:




Chad Kelly OLE MISS QB

We give Ben a project to mentor whose famous Uncle Jim Kelly has ties with Pittsburg and is close with Ben. This motivates Ben to stay an extra year (2).

This kid has a lot of upside and I would take a chance on him in the 4th. I have seen mocks where he goes in the 6th.
Thoughts?

[feltdizz]

PittsburgH

I would take him in the 6th. He started out hot but faded as the season went on. I haven't seen enough of him to know if he is an upgrade from Landry. I wouldn't take him in the 4th though, that's too early.

[SteelCrazy]

I'll tell you if he's worth a look or not in about 30-60 minutes

[SteelCrazy]

I'd pass until the 6-7 rounds...no way I'd go with a 4th. Under pressure he needs work. Not good at escaping pressure when pocket starts to collapse, but is a good running QB......very odd. Stares down a single receiver. Decent accuracy. Makes bad throws at times and bad decisions. If he didn't have Jim Kelly blood in him I'd pass all together.

[Shawn]

I really think Chad can play ball. The problem? He is a behavioral nightmare. There is a reason a guy with that kind of arm talent is being talked about as a 6th round pick.

[Oviedo]

I'd take Nathan Peterman over Kelly every time

[feltdizz]

I'd take Nathan Peterman over Kelly every time

I second this... I didn't realize who you were talking about until I did a google of the name. Peterson was solid last year. Pitts offense was scary good too. I really loved his decision making. The ball sails on him sometimes but overall he was a nightmare for defenses. He comes from a pro style offense so he is ahead of the curve. I think he is a sleeper pick and someone is going to get a great backup who will one day be an Alex Smith type QB. I don't think he makes it to the 6th.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Peterman could be the next QB to come off the board after the 4 guys talked about as potential first round picks (Watson, Trubisky, Kizer, and Mahomes) and Cal's Davis Webb, who should come off the board on Friday night. The next best options is likely Pitt's Peterman or Miami's Brad Kaaya. Likely in the mid rounds.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers planning for life after Roethlisberger
Posted by Mike Florio on March 27, 2017, 2:20 AM EDT

No one is taking seriously the retirement musings of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The team nevertheless realizes that he’s much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and they’re beginning to plan accordingly.

“I think we’ve been in that mindset for the last several years, that’s what this business tells us to be in,” coach Mike Tomlin told NFL Network in an interview that will be televised on Wednesday. “We better start sharpening our sword in terms of evaluation of quarterbacks and what’s available to us or potentially available to us, that’s just due diligence. So yes, we have.”

It makes plenty of sense for the Steelers to be looking for their next quarterback, even if Roethlisberger ultimately objects to the use of a high draft pick on a quarterback when it otherwise could be used on getting him help as he pursues a third Super Bowl win. Still, it doesn’t seem to be a major priority, at least not for now.

“I think because of [Roethlisberger’s] durability and how he plays, I don’t know that we have that level of urgency, but we are taking ourselves mentally through the process,” Tomlin said. “Not an easy one, obviously, but it is what it is. It’s an element of the business. Guys can’t play forever and he acknowledges that and we acknowledge that.”

In the two decades between the retirement of Terry Bradshaw and the drafting of Roethlisberger, the Steelers lacked a true franchise quarterback. Not coincidentally, they also didn’t win a Super Bowl during that same gap.

It will nevertheless make for an awkward year (or two, or three) if the Steelers draft Roethlisberger’s replacement before he needs to be replaced. That should be a very real factor for the team as it decides whether to roll the dice on the next franchise quarterback before the current one walks away.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/03/27/steelers-planning-for-life-after-roethlisberger/

[Real Deal Steel]

I could care less how awkward it would be. You can't put a price on having your QB of the future in place. With that said, I like the kid from Cal. He has all the tools and sitting for two years behind Ben would be perfect.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I could care less how awkward it would be. You can't put a price on having your QB of the future in place. With that said, I like the kid from Cal. He has all the tools and sitting for two years behind Ben would be perfect.

.
If you want Davis Webb, though, you'd likely have to use pick 62.

Still interested if we had to use our 2nd round pick on a backup QB rather than a potential starting LB or DB?

[Real Deal Steel]

.
If you want Davis Webb, though, you'd likely have to use pick 62.

Still interested if we had to use our 2nd round pick on a backup QB rather than a potential starting LB or DB?

No. I definitely know we have more pressing needs. But who knows what Colbert ranking board is saying. I'd sure love a peek at it.

[phillyesq]

.
If you want Davis Webb, though, you'd likely have to use pick 62.

Still interested if we had to use our 2nd round pick on a backup QB rather than a potential starting LB or DB?

Not at all. I want an OLB and CB in the first 2 picks. I could stomach using one of the 3rd round picks on a QB. I wouldn't like it but I could live with it.

[Oviedo]

Not at all. I want an OLB and CB in the first 2 picks. I could stomach using one of the 3rd round picks on a QB. I wouldn't like it but I could live with it.

I could see Peterman in the 3rd

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

As Ruthless said, I also believe it would take our 2nd at Min. To get Webb. When the balls start getting juggled though Webb could end up being the end of the first or Early second when somebody jumps up to get him.