Steelers released C Mason Cole

[Northern_Blitz]

Or playing him on his natural side. Steelers love to move OL to their unnatural side.

And you're advocating moving a guy to his unnatural position (Daniels to C), right?

[feltdizz]

It's a surprise that they did this BEFORE the draft. Everyone knew that they'd get a Center. NOW, it kinda puts a target on their backs.

Don't be surprised by a trade up for JPJ in the first

Wonder if there was an incentive to make this move now vs waiting. I think we have so many needs that this doesn?t really tip our hand.

[Chucktownsteeler]

It's a surprise that they did this BEFORE the draft. Everyone knew that they'd get a Center. NOW, it kinda puts a target on their backs.

Don't be surprised by a trade up for JPJ in the first

I was thinking the same thing. Why tip your hand and release him before the draft? paltry savings as well.

I'd still love to play poker with these guys.

[WindyCitySteel]

And you're advocating moving a guy to his unnatural position (Daniels to C), right?

He played center for 3 years at Iowa.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I was thinking the same thing. Why tip your hand and release him before the draft? paltry savings as well.

I'd still love to play poker with these guys.

This isn't tipping anything. No team was thinking before this that the Steelers don't need a center. The need is just as glaring with nobody there as it was with Mason Cole there.

[Northern_Blitz]

He played center for 3 years at Iowa.

Then 6 years at guard in the NFL.

I think he could do it in a pinch. But I think it's not his natural position. I don't think moving him from G to C is much different than having a G change sides.

[Northern_Blitz]

This isn't tipping anything. No team was thinking before this that the Steelers don't need a center. The need is just as glaring with nobody there as it was with Mason Cole there.

I just hope that we actually address the glaring need we have a C this time.

We're going to need a rookie to step in an start on day one. That means we have to draft one early (I think it should be at 20 if we don't have a backup plan). It means that we can't take the luxury of the player we love (e.g. a TE) and get left with a guy we think might be able to convert to C.

[feltdizz]

I was thinking the same thing. Why tip your hand and release him before the draft? paltry savings as well.

I'd still love to play poker with these guys.

Given how Khan did in his first draft and everyone being wrong about Willis I think some of you would go home naked if you played poker with the FO.

Hold onto Mason for what? To trick folks into thinking C wasn’t a need? Seems silly to me. Would not be surprised if we don’t even go Center round 1. That might be a reach anyway.

Hopefully we get back to BPA and don’t draft for need.

[Northern_Blitz]

Given how Khan did in his first draft and everyone being wrong about Willis I think some of you would go home naked if you played poker with the FO.

Hold onto Mason for what? To trick folks into thinking C wasn’t a need? Seems silly to me. Would not be surprised if we don’t even go Center round 1. That might be a reach anyway.

Hopefully we get back to BPA and don’t draft for need.

This.

It's why I think we'll do the Colbert type thing here and sign someone who can play C on day 1 if we need them to.

Then we don't get forced into the situation of choosing between reaching or forcing a guy who's clearly not ready to start into the lineup on day 1. We did that last time we were looking for a C in the draft.

[feltdizz]

This.

It's why I think we'll do the Colbert type thing here and sign someone who can play C on day 1 if we need them to.

Then we don't get forced into the situation of choosing between reaching or forcing a guy who's clearly not ready to start into the lineup on day 1. We did that last time we were looking for a C in the draft.

I’m not sure that happens. If the best player at 20 is DT, I say take them.

[Captain Lemming]

I don't think going into the drafto without a playable center is a good idea.

You never know how the draft breaks. And you don't want to get screwed out of the top 3 guys, or feel like you're forced to try to overpay to trade up if the first 2 go before our 2nd pick.

The idea that you shouldn't bring in mid-level UFAs is really flawed I think. Because it forces you to draft hard for need. Which is a very poor draft strategy IMO (and I think the data supports that). If we do that, I think we have to expect that we draft a C in the first. Because the need would be so acute that we couldn't really risk waiting until the 2nd.

The hard part about being a GM (IMO) is that you need to solve for all the positions simultaneously to build a roster that is good and fits under the cap. And there's lots of uncertainty because you don't know who falls to you in the draft or how they turn out, and UFAs tend to be overpriced and often fail in different systems.

My biggest issue with going in with no center you shout out your intention of drafting one.

[Captain Lemming]

It's a surprise that they did this BEFORE the draft. Everyone knew that they'd get a Center. NOW, it kinda puts a target on their backs.

Don't be surprised by a trade up for JPJ in the first

This is spot on

[Chucktownsteeler]

My biggest issue with going in with no center you shout out your intention of drafting one.

This is exactly what I said. There is NO doubt now we need a center. You keep Cole until after the draft and you have a better chance at the BPA.

I can't think of any football teams that play without a center.

[Chucktownsteeler]

It's a surprise that they did this BEFORE the draft. Everyone knew that they'd get a Center. NOW, it kinda puts a target on their backs.

Don't be surprised by a trade up for JPJ in the first

Spot on and I'd still love to play poker with these guys. They tip their hand at every turn.

[Northern_Blitz]

This is exactly what I said. There is NO doubt now we need a center. You keep Cole until after the draft and you have a better chance at the BPA.

I can't think of any football teams that play without a center.

We started Green for a bit. Does that count?