Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. The final one ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, with Round 1 just hours away. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
Brian Tollini: With the exception of not adding Mitch Morse and Mike Williams, do you feel of the offseason went as Omar Khan envisioned? Also, do you feel this may have been a good learning experience for him to not put so much faith in signing specific players? Once Morse and Williams were gone, there didn’t seem to be much of backup plan.
Alex: Ehhh…not at QB. Even he admitted he was surprised to make all the moves he did. His goal was to land one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. Not both and not trading Kenny Pickett. I think they had to roll with the punches once Pickett said he wanted out. Finding a partner for him and then coming back at Fields once Pickett was shipped out to Philadelphia.
Everything else, I can’t really say. It felt like they started with a head of steam and burned out. They sprinted in a marathon of free agency. But they obviously feel pretty comfortable.
treeher: They say that Defense wins Super Bowls. Do we have a D that can win a SB, assuming we achieve an “average” Offense?
Alex: They have a very good defense. But it’s just hard to win a Super Bowl with an average offense in this era. I had the stat that for something like the last half dozen years, the Super Bowl winner had a top ten offense. Until the Chiefs in 2023, who were average in the regular season, but they had Mahomes and put up 25-plus in three of their four playoff games. Pittsburgh doesn’t have Mahomes. So I would say it’s hard to do without at least a good offense and franchise type of QB unless your defense was 2008 Steelers level good. And Pittsburgh isn’t that.
ironkett:
Hi, Alex!
Which permutation of potential draft possibilities do you find yourself liking more:
OT in round one, WR in round two, wait on C
C in round one, WR in round two, wait on OT
I started the draft thinking it had to be center first round, but I think I may like the (theoretical, of course) outcomes where the steelers get a stud tackle in round one and a mid-round center (Nourzad, SVPG, Lee, etc.) a little more. I think the offensive line, as a whole, might actually have a higher upside if the Steelers do that. What do you think?
Alex: I’m pretty torn. I look at names more than positions because that’s what you’re drafting. I really want to move Broderick Jones over but I know that’s slightly more than a want than the need at center. Draft the OT, trade up for the C is more ideal, but you obviously can’t just wave a wand and make that happen.
jger15:
happy draft day!!
hopeful the team can snag Fautanu tonight, but regardless curious why many view him as an iOL over an OT prospect given his arm length.
what advantages does one have as a tackle being tall if the arm length doesn’t coincide? or to rephrase, does a prospect like Fautanu have a leverage advantage being shorter in height given his arm length of a much taller man?
Alex: Happy draft day! Yeah it’s the height. And I agree. I care about length more than height. There’s usually a correlation, shorter meaning shorter arms, but not as much in Fautanu’s case. I just don’t know where they’d play him. I don’t know where he’d fit. LT and keep Jones on the right side? Guard’s not happening. Center or right tackle, he’s never played and he doesn’t want to go inside.
Aaron Baker:
Alex,
So the Steelers took a look at Cooper Dejean and Wiggins, projected first round guys. What would need to happen for them to realistically draft a DB in the first round? It seems far fetched but it seems like they really would like a guy like Dejean.
Alex: A big run on the top o-linemen ahead of them and no deal with Aiyuk getting struck. That’s where CB could come into play. And those things are possible.
BirdMan79:
Two parts.
1. Waiting on OT….. What do you make of Blake Fisher and Roger Rosengarten. ( You did their Draft Profiles MONTHS ago, I wish they were updated post-combine and workouts)
2. Late round WR’s….. Lot of talk about bloodlines with Luke McCaffery. What about Brenden Rice. Also, in alot of my mocks, I seem to grab Jordan Whittington late.
Alex: Fisher needs development. But he’s got some size and mass and can run block. Punch needs work. I didn’t do the Rosengarten one but they are updated with measurables and testing. The tape is our North Star and that’s how we create our reports. They don’t change based on a 40 time. Rosengarten seems pretty light and not a super physical run blocker. Don’t think he fits ideally but is at least a RT.
Yeah I could see those three. I think Whittington will stick on a roster as a No. 4/slot receiver who can play on special teams. For sure.
Bill Antos: Barton played left tackle in college. Most see him moving to guard or center in the NFL. If there is a run on tackles and a team drafting before the Steelers needs a right tackle, how likely do you think he might be drafted as a right tackle or is he strictly guard or center in NFL?
Alex: For what it’s worth – and not much – I had six OL off the board by No. 20 in my 7 round mock draft. Barton gone at 16. Steelers got Latham at 20 (which feels optimistic). I’d watch the Bengals. They could use a RT. Lost Jonah Williams, signed Trent Brown to a cheap deal. But that’s for a guy like Mims.
Barton isn’t being viewed as a RT though, as I learned the other day listening to an interview of his, he played a bit of RT as a freshman at Duke. In practice, at least. Not sure about a game. But he’s not a RT.
Dan Blocker: Hi Alex – (Role Play) – I’m Omar Khan, you’re John Lynch. I offer to swap my 1st thru 3th round picks with you, and include my Round 4 pick, In exchange for Brandon Aiyuk. So essentially your moving up 9 spots in rounds 1-3, my 4th, and we get Aiyuk. Would you take this deal?
Alex: No, I wouldn’t. Omar Khan would rightfully laugh his way to the bank. I’m not Jon Gruden or Ryan Poles, I’m not getting swindled like that. I need some premium value to give up Aiyuk when I have him for ’24 and I’m trying to win, and have some close, to a ring. Great deal for you (Khan). Bad deal for me (Lynch).
Steel Rain: Hi, Alex. What are the chances the Steelers move Broderick Jones to LT for training camp and create an open competition for the RT spot (should they not draft an OT in the 1st round)?
Alex: If they don’t draft an OT in the first round? Pretty low. Hard to find a guy that could start Day One once you get past the first round.
Alexander Heath: I feel like I might be one of the few in the camp, but G. Barton IMO is the blue-chip offensive lineman, we should acquire him, but not necessarily for the center position, but to improve our O-line. People forgot, but James Daniels was a center prospect coming out of the draft, we should always consider different scenarios where Barton can improve our O-line drastically and I see him as our future guard than I do a center considering James Daniels could easily shift inside.
There are a lot of movement, IQ, and physicality that reminds me of Alan Faneca. Hence my thinking here for moving him to guard, not center. I don’t see him maximizing his potentials at center position as much as he could at guard (this also could ease up the RT position having an elite guard playing beside them) where James Daniels is above-average offensive lineman, you don’t keep him there for sake of desiring one position.
Also another thought is that the salary cap clearing, IMO it is gearing up for Dan Moore being traded away + a pick for a starter (CB/WR/RT) so I’m curious in this scenario, who else is a trade candidate from 31 teams? Wondering if you have looked into this.
Alex: I get pretty often questions about Daniels to center. Omar Khan dismissed the idea at the Combine. He’s been at guard for awhile and they don’t have a desire to do that. Now you’re playing someone else who hasn’t played center in forever while Barton plays guard for the first time. That’s messy.
Trade candidates…not many. Which is typical this time of year. If you’re asking who is a trade candidate for the other 31 teams, aside from the WRs, haven’t heard much. Maybe a C, a Liam Eichenberg, I don’t know. Haven’t spent much time on it.
Peter-Petersen: Hey Alex, looking for a guy the Steelers might draft, but haven’t shown interest. What type of guy could that be, late rounder or early guy that they haven’t expected to be available? Do you have a name in mind?
Alex: I guess I’d go back to my mock with CB Elijah Jones and S Mark Perry. I wonder about some of the WRs. A Keon Coleman, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan. But we’ll see.
