Happy Friday and welcome the last official weekend of the 2020 NFL league year.
The 2021 NFL league year will get underway on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. EST and that is when the free agency signing period will officially get underway. Currently, the Pittsburgh Steelers have 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents and it will be interesting to see how many of them wind up being re-signed. Probably not too many overall.
It should be an interesting weekend and following week just the same and we look forward to covering all the news and notes for yinz. In short, stay close to the site as we should have plenty of content to keep you entertained starting later tonight.
As usual, I have five questions for yinz on this Friday night and I look forward to reading the responses. Please take time to answer each one in the comment section below.
Have a great rest of the weekend and please stay safe and virus-free. Thank you for visiting the site this past week as well.
Peace and love, peace and love!
1 – On Friday, the Steelers signed offensive lineman B.J. Finney to a one-year contract following him being released by the Cincinnati Bengals. With the Detroit Lions reportedly releasing tight end Jesse James on Friday, do you believe the Steelers will sign him back in the next two weeks as well?
2 – Of the list of the soon-to-be Steelers unrestricted free agents listed below, name me the ones that you guarantee me will be on the roster come the start of the team’s 2021 training camp.
DT Tyson Alualu, T Zach Banner, P Jordan Berry, RB James Conner, S Jordan Dangerfield, S Sean Davis, QB Joshua Dobbs, OLB Bud Dupree, OLB Jayrone Elliott, G/T Matt Feiler, T Jerald Hawkins, CB Mike Hilton, G Danny Isidora, OLB Cassius Marsh, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, CB Cameron Sutton, T Alejandro Villanueva, ILB Avery Williamson, DE Chris Wormley
3 – True or false: The forthcoming contract signed by wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will have an annual new money average greater than $15.999 million.
4 – What is your best guess as to which team Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva will sign with in free agency?
5 – True or false: The Steelers will draft one of Najee Harris, Javonte Williams, or Travis Etienne.
Recap of 2020 Fourth Offseason Weekend Friday Night 5 Questions
Question 1: Friday Night Five Question respondents are sure that 2021 will be Ben Roethlisberger’s final season in the NFL. The median score on a scale of one to ten was eight. Let’s see what happens in 2021!
Question 2: Respondents overwhelmingly said they were comfortable drafting a running back in the first round. In fact, the lowest round chosen was the third. Respondents have running back listed extremely high on their shopping list for the Steelers.
Question 3: 59% of respondents would NOT cut inside linebacker Vince Williams for a cap savings of $3.34 million. The Steelers still shaving the salary cap close but there is still time to restructure a couple contracts before cutting players under contract. Less than a week to determine who will stay and who will go.
Question 4: Respondents ranked the listed modern era wide receivers as follows:
- Antonio Brown; 2010-18
- Hines Ward; 1998-2011
- Lynn Swann; 1974-82
- Louie Lipps; 1984-91
- Santonio Holmes; 2006-09
- Yancey Thigpen; 1992-97
- Roy Jefferson; 1965-69 (most never saw the 3-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro play)
Folks wondered why John Stallworth modern receivers like John Stallworth, Mike Wallace, and Plaxico Burress not included on the list.
Here’s how the listed receivers ranked my latest 500 top all-time Steelers:
Hines Ward #12 overall on all-time list.
Antonio Brown # 14
Lynn Swann #23 (John Stallworth ahead of Swann)
Louis Lipps #40
Roy Jefferson #84
Santonio Holmes #116 (JuJu edges out a super bowl hero!)
Yancey Thigpen #140 (Dwight “Hands of” Stone, Ron Shanklin, Plaxico Burress in front of Thigpen).
Question 5: 68% of respondents say the Steelers will NOT re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster before March 18. The Steelers just can’t afford him.
Many thanks to all that continue participating in the Steelers Depot Friday Night Five Questions!
