my fears leading to draft

[steeler_george]

Everybody me include, has in our mind set OLB nd CB are the most needed postions headigf into the draft. I agree, who else is going to replace Harrison and Cockrell, Gay in late season 2017 and 2018?

I do see those postions as a great need, but my biggesr worries are:

1) who is going to start at LB next to Shazier

Is VW going to step in Timmons shoes, and actually going to make the defense better? I do not think s, hopefully I am wrong. Add in, Shazeir's durablitly, I think we are sooo thin at ILB.

To me this might be a be a bigger need than who is the future replacemnt for Harrison.

2) My other fear is Green's mysterious status..I loved James, when he stepped into Green's role. But come on, he is just an average TE at best. c average.

3) Bell's back up... I love Bell top RB in he game, but I wouldn't draft him in my fantasy league due to him missing sooo many games. Who is going to be the 2nd back?

I don't know about you guys, help ease my worries please, but I think these should be addressed soon in FA and in the draft.

[Iron City Inc.]

K George sky isn't falling but you have legit concerns however lets look at each aspect and see if we can ease the stress:

1. Vince Williams will likely be given the top seed next to Shazier. He has earned it. A run n hit backer who will be on the field on 2nd n 3rd downs as long as he can cover. Now LT was not the best in coverage so it's not like we're losing a top coverage backer. If he struggles there we'll likely go big nickle more. Don't forget we are in sub packages 60+% of the time anyway.
2. TE Green I'm not sure about him playing. What I think you wrote about JJ is correct today he is an average TE. However he came out early and is just learning his craft. If JJ is asked to carry the load I believe he can be at least productive perhaps not a star but he can play the Y and is a good red zone target. We could do worse. This is his 3rd year and he should make a solid improvement in 17.
3 Who backs up Bell? Great question. D Will looks like his ship has sailed. We'll likely be drafting a rookie here. Shawn had a solid thread on backs in this draft. His thread was thorough and the rest of us tossed our 2 cents in. We are fortunate that the depth in this draft matches some of our needs.
We'll likely be coming out of this draft with a LB, corner or 2 and a safety as well as a back. There will be backs drafted this year in the 3rd 4th n perhaps 5th round that will be starters from day one or very solid back ups.
Hand in there and enjoy the process.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

1) Big concerns. When Shazier goes down to injury, Steelers could have a major problem on the inside. I love Vince Williams, but he's a downgrade from Timmons, and he's not very good in coverage. Did I say big concerns?

2) I like Green, but don't think the team can count on him. That said, I don't think TE is nearly as big a problem as at some LB and DB positions. Particularly if they can add some red-zone targets at WR, I think the current TEs will be adequate.

3) I hope they re-sign DeAngelo. I agree, this is an important position to fill, since Bell will surely go down at some point due to injury.

[Slapstick]

I think that Williams gets a bad rap in pass coverage...just because the Steelers left guys like Shazier and Timmons on the field for 3rd downs, it does not mean that WIlliams is incapable for some reason...

http://www.steelcityunderground.com/2017/03/16/film-room-vince-williams/

[phillyesq]

All valid concerns, but I bet all are addressed through the draft.

At ILB, I like Matakevich - he has great instincts but subpar athleticism. I think he'd be ok as a fill in for a few games, if needed. With that said, I think the Steelers need a depth addition here. I'd look for a more athletic type ILB in the middle rounds. If not, I feel like you can always find a competent ILB in free agency after the draft.

I have no idea what to make of Green. James is adequate but never going to be a guy you have to game plan for. It leaves kind of a difficult question - how much of an investment do you make in a position where you don't know if you have a need?

Completely agree that depth is needed behind Bell. I think they can find a guy in rounds 3-5 to do the job.

[feltdizz]

I hope teams continue to ignore JJames and he keeps coming up with big plays when we need him.

James pretty much carried this team on the last drive vs Baltimore that put us in a position to make the playoffs.

He followed that up with his best game of the season vs KC with 5 receptions for 85 yards.

By by all means, please keep ignoring JJames so we can have a nice mismatch when we really need it.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

The day Timmons left, I said, "this may well look like the Timmons-Woodley draft all over again". VW is a fill-in, capable of starting in a pinch, but, he does have weaknesses (speed, coverage). He's a good run stuffer, tho. I don't think it's top priority to get an ILB, but, if a stud is there, I'd take him.

Of the people who have the potential to be on the board at that point, if Cunningham (the ILB from Vandy) is there, I take him before ANYONE else. I've seen him anywhere from 15-30, depending on the mock.

[Oviedo]

Regarding your concerns:

1. VW can't hold Timmons' jock. We will see a drop in performance at this position and it may negatively effect Shazier. Shazier may have to do what Timmons did and it will limit his flexibility
2. Green is bonus. We played all year last year without him.
3. Need to daft another RB. Kniles isn't a #2

[Real Deal Steel]

James pretty much carried this team on the last drive vs Baltimore that put us in a position to make the playoffs.

He followed that up with his best game of the season vs KC with 5 receptions for 85 yards.

By by all means, please keep ignoring JJames so we can have a nice mismatch when we really need it.

JJ was doing all the things we have traditionally wanted a TE do later in the season. People want this new "speed" TE thing that's going on in the NFL. If your blessed to have one then fine but JJ was more then serviceable last year and I don't have any problem with him being our starting TE.

At some point, you need to start believing in what you see; and what we've seen with Green in San Diego and here is that he's fragile and should go ahead on and retire. It's that simple. He's basically trying to gut through another year so he doesn't have to give back bonus money. That's all he's trying to do; basically stealing money.

[SidSmythe]

I wouldn't call JAMES a "C average" when he has potential to be a B Grade TE.
Someone cited he came out early ...what I saw of him last year I'm not sold on him being the Franchise guy. In this day and age you need 2 TE's with starter capabilities.

If we can PAIR a good Defensive draft this year with last years draft and extend SHAZIER and TUITT, we could have a top 5 Defense soon. Much needed when you start thinking of BEN's age.

I'm hoping for an OLB and a play making DB in rounds 1 and 2. After that I'd be happy with a TE in the 3rd along with an ILB in the 3rd or 4th.

[phillyesq]

Regarding your concerns:

1. VW can't hold Timmons' jock. We will see a drop in performance at this position and it may negatively effect Shazier. Shazier may have to do what Timmons did and it will limit his flexibility
2. Green is bonus. We played all year last year without him.
3. Need to daft another RB. Kniles isn't a #2

VW is a step down from Timmons in his prime, but I don't think he's going to be a huge downgrade. He's good against the run, and not the liability against the pass that he's made out to be. He is perhaps better than Timmons at fighting through blockers. In his admittedly small sample as a starter, he played well.

I'm not going to say that he's going to be better than Timmons was, but I don't think it will be a huge dropoff. You may see more of VW leaving the field in passing situations and replaced by a dime LB / S hybrid type, which makes a lot of sense.

[Shawn]

I suspect the Steelers will target McMillan for ILB. They will be looking early because I don't believe they are convinced VW is a real solution .

I think Green plays this year but it's a deep TE class. I would be shocked if they don't draft one.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

if njoku is sitting there at 30 I would run the card up and make green a June 1 cap cut and pocket the 5 million. you just can't trust him, but I also disagree that he is "stealing money" from the steelers when the steelers can pull that money off the table at any time. irrational logic to me

James is a nice TE, nothing special in today's NFL and i like the guy but you have to be objective. the reason people like the idea of having a special athlete at TE is because they have seen what one can do nowadays. most everything I have read on njoku says elite athlete, probable 10 year starter if he remains healthy

[BradshawsHairdresser]

if njoku is sitting there at 30 I would run the card up and make green a June 1 cap cut and pocket the 5 million. you just can't trust him, but I also disagree that he is "stealing money" from the steelers when the steelers can pull that money off the table at any time. irrational logic to me

James is a nice TE, nothing special in today's NFL and i like the guy but you have to be objective. the reason people like the idea of having a special athlete at TE is because they have seen what one can do nowadays. most everything I have read on njoku says elite athlete, probable 10 year starter if he remains healthy

Agree. If Njoku is there at #30, I could see the Steelers taking him. I think he will be long gone by that pick, but you never know.

[Slapstick]

Agree. If Njoku is there at #30, I could see the Steelers taking him. I think he will be long gone by that pick, but you never know.

I would also take Njoku...and I would keep Green...

Then, I would seriously consider lots of 3TE offense with Green, Njoku, and James with Bell and Brown...