What’s your thoughts on the Steelers this year?

**John Morris** · 07-20-2021, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by MarkS

Their situation is massively different than ours. If we go Stanley/Mekari/Bozeman/Zeitler/Villanueva, then we have 5 players who have started a combined total of 340 games, with an average age of 29 (youngest is 23, oldest is 32). 4 of 5 have been starters in this league for multiple seasons, if not their entire careers - the exception is Mekari, who has already started more games than Banner, Okorafor & Dotson combined.

The Steelers have a good player in Trai Turner, then what? A 3-year backup who's now expected to switch positions and anchor the left side of the line (Okorafor)? A 4-year backup trying to rehab from a torn ACL(Banner)? A couple of rookie 3rd and 4th round draft choices? A career backup they picked up off the streets(Finney)? Kevin Dotson will probably be decent.

And you think our situation is comparable to the dumpster-fire in PGH, because Villanueva is flipping from Left to Right Tackle, and Bozeman is sliding back into the Center position (which he played in college, where he was the O-line signal caller for the national champs, and 2nd-team All-American)? No, dude.

Agreed. If you really think their situation is remotely close to ours, you're delusional. I'm extremely high on our O-Line.

**footballfan** · 07-21-2021, 04:35 PM

Certainly a lot of?‘s with this team heading into training camp with the offensive line being the biggest. Can Cam Sutton fill in adequately for Mike Hilton? Can the offense pick up the new playbook from OC Canada? Can Ben stay healthy? Will Melvin Ingram prove to be a good signing?
With the schedule that they are facing it’s definitely important that they get out of the gate with a great start. I’m optimistic that they will be competitive and looking forward to the team being out of Cap hell come next season.

Cheers

**Jfoh** · 07-21-2021, 04:44 PM

How did Pittsburgh get so shallow in depth? I look across the board and think we have two spares for every o line position. When I look at the Steelers I see a team who is starting their spares and hoping they play well and suffer no injuries. When was the last time the backup played well and lasted all year for 17 games? They have a very tough road with a immobile QB and a RB who is gifted but still very raw against the toughest schedule in the NFL. This could be a very long year if a couple linemen go down.

**Ravens4Real** · 07-21-2021, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Jfoh

How did Pittsburgh get so shallow in depth? I look across the board and think we have two spares for every o line position. When I look at the Steelers I see a team who is starting their spares and hoping they play well and suffer no injuries. When was the last time the backup played well and lasted all year for 17 games? They have a very tough road with a immobile QB and a RB who is gifted but still very raw against the toughest schedule in the NFL. This could be a very long year if a couple linemen go down.

It’s what happens when you have to pay people starting with a franchise QB.

People are here are going to find out very quickly how difficult it is to pay a franchise QB and think you can fill out the rest of the team with studs. Sacrifices have to be made.

That’s why we are royally blowing our chances with Lamar on his rookie deal. If we can’t get it done this year, the chances in the future take a drastic hit once his pay goes up 10fold.

**Sarcasticfury** · 07-21-2021, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens4Real

It’s what happens when you have to pay people starting with a franchise QB.

People are here are going to find out very quickly how difficult it is to pay a franchise QB and think you can fill out the rest of the team with studs. Sacrifices have to be made.

That’s why we are royally blowing our chances with Lamar on his rookie deal. If we can’t get it done this year, the chances in the future take a drastic hit once his pay goes up 10fold.

Pretty sure we all know that. The Flacco contract wasn't that long ago.

**Ravens4Real** · 07-21-2021, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Sarcasticfury

Pretty sure we all know that. The Flacco contract wasn't that long ago.

Well, people that speak to others teams difficulty to field amazing teams at every position sure seem to have selective memory on the Flacco days then.

At least Flacco won us a super bowl before he got paid. Lamar doesn’t win one this year, he’s getting paid relatively more in the QB market than Flacco did. Which is scary to think about considering the amount we will have to give up to get him under a contract.

**Captain Silver** · 07-21-2021, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens4Real

It’s what happens when you have to pay people starting with a franchise QB.

People are here are going to find out very quickly how difficult it is to pay a franchise QB and think you can fill out the rest of the team with studs. Sacrifices have to be made.

That’s why we are royally blowing our chances with Lamar on his rookie deal. If we can’t get it done this year, the chances in the future take a drastic hit once his pay goes up 10fold.

Horseshit. The Steelers have been good a long ass time with Ben, with studs all over their team and have paid premium prices. Truth is they made some poor choices here and there. Only place they are perpetually blessed is drafting wide receivers.

**Ravens4Real** · 07-21-2021, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

Horseshit. The Steelers have been good a long ass time with Ben, with studs all over their team and have paid premium prices. Truth is they made some poor choices here and there. Only place they are perpetually blessed is drafting wide receivers.

Who have they truly had to pay outside of Big Ben? I couldn’t even name one person that they paid max dollars to. I don’t even think AB commanded top dollar. They have great deals with almost all of their lineman and their D hadn’t been very good until just recently.

Just because they have studs on their teams doesn’t mean they are paying them as such. We have Lamar coming, Stanley, Andrews, Humphrey, Peter’s… they have never had to pay that amount of individuals in that time.

Oh and if you forget, for about the last 7 years, they have also had to restructure half of their big contracts because of the salary cap.

If you think Lamars contract isn’t going to make us lose a couple middle tier guys and replace them with low level guys…. There’s not much I can say.

**Sarcasticfury** · 07-21-2021, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens4Real

Well, people that speak to others teams difficulty to field amazing teams at every position sure seem to have selective memory on the Flacco days then.

At least Flacco won us a super bowl before he got paid. Lamar doesn’t win one this year, he’s getting paid relatively more in the QB market than Flacco did. Which is scary to think about considering the amount we will have to give up to get him under a contract.

Why is that scary? It's the nature of the how the league works now. If you're a good QB, you're gonna get the big bucks, ring or no. It happened with Dak ,it happened with Mahomes, it happened with Deshaun, and it's gonna happen with Lamar, Baker, and Josh Allen. There's nothing scary about doing what every team that has a QB worth a damn is gonna do.

**Ravens4Real** · 07-21-2021, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by Sarcasticfury

Why is that scary? It's the nature of the how the league works now. If you're a good QB, you're gonna get the big bucks, ring or no. It happened with Dak ,it happened with Mahomes, it happened with Deshaun, and it's gonna happen with Lamar, Baker, and Josh Allen. There's nothing scary about doing what every team that has a QB worth a damn is gonna do.

Because it is going to greatly hinder us putting together teams like we have had the past couple years. Not scary in a sense but definitely concerning.

**Sarcasticfury** · 07-21-2021, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens4Real

Because it is going to greatly hinder us putting together teams like we have had the past couple years. Not scary in a sense but definitely concerning.

Okay. That statement also applies to literally every other team whose QB earned a second contract.

**Captain Silver** · 07-21-2021, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens4Real

Who have they truly had to pay outside of Big Ben? I couldn’t even name one person that they paid max dollars to. I don’t even think AB commanded top dollar. They have great deals with almost all of their lineman and their D hadn’t been very good until just recently.

Just because they have studs on their teams doesn’t mean they are paying them as such. We have Lamar coming, Stanley, Andrews, Humphrey, Peter’s… they have never had to pay that amount of individuals in that time.

Oh and if you forget, for about the last 7 years, they have also had to restructure half of their big contracts because of the salary cap.

If you think Lamars contract isn’t going to make us lose a couple middle tier guys and replace them with low level guys…. There’s not much I can say.

Pouncy, Hayden, Tuitt, Watt, Brown, Heyward, Decastro. Ben has taken up 12-13% of their cap historically. So they have managed to pay players, they don't go overboard, but it can be done. Look at New Orleans, they had plenty of years dishing out mad contracts with Drew Brees. If you manage the cap, you can pay a QB, look at the Chiefs. It doesn't take a rookie QB contract to win it all, only 4 out of the last 20 Super Bowls and maybe another 4 on the losing side were on rookie contracts.