Happy Friday to yinz and welcome to the last weekend of June 2018.
Four weeks from today the Pittsburgh Steelers will have put the wraps on their second training camp practice of this year. Six weeks from today we’ll have seen the Steelers first preseason game of 2018. In other words, we’re getting close.
Not much on tap for me this weekend outside of leaving shortly to go back to the pulmonary doctor in order to go over my sleep study results from a few weeks ago. They scheduled me last on Friday because according to the lady that called, “The doctor has quite a bit to go over with me.” That can’t be good, right? Anyhow, after this doctor visit I hope to be done with them for a while.
I have been busy contextualizing quite a few games this past week and really did enjoy that process. It’s not often I am afforded so much tape study time in one week and I think just this past week alone I watched 14 college games in total.
As usual, I have five questions for yinz to answer on this Friday night and I look forward to reading them in the comments below.
Have a great and safe weekend and peace and love to all of yinz!
1 – During his rookie season with the Steelers, wide receiver Martavis Bryant caught 26 passes for 549 yards. Will new wide receiver James Washington beat both those numbers during his rookie season?
2 – What do you believe is the most underrated and overrated aspect or quality of Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph coming out of college?
3- What are your thoughts on young quarterbacks being able to increase their pass velocity and distance at the NFL level?
4 – Ben Roethlisberger is currently listed at 25/1 to win the NFL MVP award this upcoming season. Of the quarterbacks listed below with shorter odds than Roethlisberger, which ones deserve that classification?
Aaron Rodgers
Tom Brady
Carson Wentz
Drew Brees
Russell Wilson
Cam Newton
Deshaun Watson
Jimmy Garoppolo
Matt Ryan
Jared Goff
Kirk Cousins
Philip Rivers
5 – I am debating contextualizing a few of the 2016 games that Steelers quarterback Joshua Dobbs played at Tennessee. Which two games would you most like to see done from the list at this link?
Recap of Start of Summer Break 2018: Steelers Friday Night Five Questions
Question 1 – Ben Roethlisberger will have signed a new contract extension by this same time next year according to 81% of Steelers Depot Friday Night respondents. His current contract ends in 2019 when he would earn a base salary of $12,000,000 and a roster bonus of $5,000,000, while carrying a cap hit of $23,200,000 and a dead cap value of $17,400,000 according to Spotrac.
Question 2 – NFL players ranked Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell higher on the 2018 NFL Network top 100 list than Steelers Depot respondents. Just more evidence that as passionate as Steelers nation is; they are not homers but view the Black & Gold objectively. NFL players chose Antonio Brown as the number two player just behind Tom Brady. The players also ranked Le’Veon Bell as the best running back and placed him 5th overall just ahead of Todd Gurley. Steelers Depot respondent’s rankings for Bell ranged from 5-10 with a median ranking of eight overall. Wes Lee was the only respondent who matched the NFL player’s ranking. For AB, our rankings ranged from 1-6. Jeremy & SoCal Steeler matched the NFL player’s ranking but only SkoolHouseRoxx got this right by ranking AB #1.
Question 3 – Nearly 20% of respondents did not think any of the listed young offensive players were buzzworthy. But of those that did it was close between RB Jarvion Franklin (27%); WR Damoun Patterson (23%) & TE Pharoah McKever (23%). OL Patrick Morris (7%) was the caboose. I’m looking forward to seeing them at Latrobe and playing in the preseason games to see if any create a buzz.
Question 4 – Over 72% do not expect 2018 to be Ramon Foster’s final season. Despite his long service; many believe he has some gas left in the tank and is a team leader. Several folks see him staying on the team as long as Ben Roethlisberger is taking snaps.
Question 5 – This assumes Jaylen Samuels makes the 53-man roster in 2018. 46% believe that he will exceed 100 yards in both rushing and receiving in his rookie season. Although the majority said he would not carry out that feat most believed that he might do it in at least one category. Translation … many believe he will make the team and play for the Steelers in 2018.
