Steelers Bring in Trai Turner for a Visit

[SteelBucks]

There could be more than meets the eye with the Steelers and David DeCastro
https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...ro-trai-turner

If there’s smoke here, I wonder if the organization knew about this before the draft? OL gets dangerously thin if DD isn’t available.

[NorthCoast]

There could be more than meets the eye with the Steelers and David DeCastro
https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...ro-trai-turner

Man, that's a real laundry list of possibilities. And Tomlin didn't really say anything that would squelch any of it.
When Decastro was healthy he was as good as it gets. But last season he was mostly average. If that's what we can expect again then the Steelers are right to go looking for more.

[Captain Lemming]

I'm seeing some talk about the possibility this is about money.

Though DD does not seem to be "that guy", he IS at the end of his deal and might want an extension. While not the type to make a public stink (ala Bell) he might have made his feelings known behibd the scenes and the team might be bringing in people as insurance and as a message.

[Iron City Inc.]

Ben Cleveland of Georgia would have been a real good draft pick for us. I was not happy that the Ravens drafted him. Dotson from what I saw looks to have some good upside. However we're really thin on depth if DD has a medical or if he has a contract issue.

[Ernie]

It's a good thing Kendrick Green was primarily a guard in college

[NorthCoast]

Ben Cleveland of Georgia would have been a real good draft pick for us. I was not happy that the Ravens drafted him. Dotson from what I saw looks to have some good upside. However we're really thin on depth if DD has a medical or if he has a contract issue.

Add to that when CLE grabbed Teller last season for pennies on the dollar.

[Steel Maniac]

Man, that's a real laundry list of possibilities. And Tomlin didn't really say anything that would squelch any of it.
When Decastro was healthy he was as good as it gets. But last season he was mostly average. If that's what we can expect again then the Steelers are right to go looking for more.

I wish he’d have been more forthright about his wanting an extension earlier in this off-season.

[hawaiiansteel]

I wish he’d have been more forthright about his wanting an extension earlier in this off-season.

how do you know that's what the issue with DD is?

got a link or are you just making up stuff again?

[Northern_Blitz]

I'm seeing some talk about the possibility this is about money.

Though DD does not seem to be "that guy", he IS at the end of his deal and might want an extension. While not the type to make a public stink (ala Bell) he might have made his feelings known behibd the scenes and the team might be bringing in people as insurance and as a message.

Wouldn't be surprised.

The way the Steelers do business, it's not great to be on the last year of your contract. I think we tend to like to either extend guys early or let them go. And given DD's age and recent play, the team probably sees this as door #2.

[NorthCoast]

Wouldn't be surprised.

The way the Steelers do business, it's not great to be on the last year of your contract. I think we tend to like to either extend guys early or let them go. And given DD's age and recent play, the team probably sees this as door #2.

Players sometimes need reminded you are paid for future services not what you did in the past. If Decastro puts a great season together he will be paid by someone.

[Steel Maniac]

Players sometimes need reminded you are paid for future services not what you did in the past. If Decastro puts a great season together he will be paid by someone.

Your right but it seems like players think they need to be paid for the past. That would be a great conversation to have.

[NorthCoast]

I'm not sure the goings on are any different this year than any other year but this writer is speculating there could be some further FA signings on the cheap. I think it is only due diligence on players. After all, training camp hasn't even started and who knows what injuries might happen during that time. One fact the writer is correct on, the Steelers are dangerously thin at some positions and a key injury could sink the ship.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...ree-agency-nfl

Do the Steelers have something up their sleeves?
Plenty of free agents visits suggest the Steelers have some sort of roster plan.

By Michael_Beck@MichaelBeck56 Jun 19, 2021, 3:00pm EDT 28 Comments

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their names come across the NFL Network ticker an unusual amount of times for this time of year. Typically the only roster moves the Steelers make between May-July are signing their draft picks to entry level contracts. Instead we have found out the Steelers have hosted a trio of free agents. Those three players being Ryan Kerrigan (signed with the Philadelphia Eagles), Malik Hooker, and Trai Turner. On top of that, the Steelers brash have also expressed interest in finding depth at outside linebacker. All in all the Pittsburgh Steelers roster appears far from complete.


The equation remains, why are the Steelers bringing these guys in?

Aside from the simple due diligence answer, I think this team realizes some of the glaring holes they have behind their starters. After T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are a pair of speed rushers that struggle to defend the run. After Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds isn’t anyone of note. And behind David DeCastro and Kevin Dotson are B.J. Finney and Rashaad Coward, who were awful in 2020. Perhaps the Steelers are getting on top of their roster flaws by filling these holes before an injury can occur. In doing so the team will have quality players that know the playbook can immediately step up in the event of an injury.


The Steelers could also be deploying an idea I wrote about back in January. Waiting until cap space dollars across the league dried up, and offering a number of veteran free agents contracts to at least be in the league for the 2021 season. The salary cap dropping eliminated a number of jobs for the NFL’s veteran middle class, and if these players want to continue earning an NFL pay day most of them would be wise to sign any contract, and make it until the cap rebounds.

The Steelers could take a 2010 Jets approach in replacing starters this offseason

There’s also the ‘super-team’ idea where one of the 32 NFL teams convinces a number of veteran free agents to sign with their team for minimum money in hopes of winning a Super Bowl. The Super Bowl pay bump is real, and free agents coming off a championship run typically garner premium assets on the open market.

Could the Steelers be trying to pull off any of these plans?

[SteelerMaine83]

I've got to say, getting Turner at a reasonable price for a year would be alright with me. Yeah, he stunk last year when he did play, but I'd say he was playing hurt, just like Decastro. Both of these guys were perennial Pro Bowlers before their injuries, so maybe they'll return to form if injury free. And Turner is 4 years younger, too.
I don't see much downside here.

[feltdizz]

Players sometimes need reminded you are paid for future services not what you did in the past. If Decastro puts a great season together he will be paid by someone.

well, you can only pay someone based off what they did in the past. Its def a chicken and egg sort of thing.

but asking a vet to prove it on the last year of their contract is risky business.

[Captain Lemming]

well, you can only pay someone based off what they did in the past. Its def a chicken and egg sort of thing.

but asking a vet to prove it on the last year of their contract is risky business.

If his last season was trash, it is risky from a team perspective to extend him.