2019 Official Free Agent Signings / Re-signings / Trades

I like bith the Nelson and Moncrief signings. Both have the possibilty to make major contributions to the improvement on both sides of the ball.

Saw on the Facebook: Eli Rodgers signed a new 2 year deal.

I guess the Moncrief signing isnt bad. Alot of upside there potentially. Still think we need another WR though

jak341 wrote:

Saw on the Facebook: Eli Rodgers signed a new 2 year deal.

That should spell the end of the Hunter experiment and that's a good thing.

TollingtheBell26 wrote:

I guess the Moncrief signing isnt bad. Alot of upside there potentially. Still think we need another WR though

I would say WR and TE. I don't trust Vance will stay healthy all year.

Also saw on Facebook: Dan McCullers signed a 2 year deal. Cam Hayward seems delighted on Twitter.

you have got to be shitting me ...8 million for 2 years for Chikillo ? what the hell has he done to get 4 million a year ? so between him and bud dupree , thats potentionally a cap hit of 13 million for what ? 7 sacks ?
and the moncrief signing, i hope to hell they aren't paying him more than 4 million a year. there's a reason he hasn't been a starter most of his career. his target / catch percentage has been terrible through out his career....
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MoncDo00.htm

jak341 wrote:

Also saw on Facebook: Dan McCullers signed a 2 year deal. Cam Hayward seems delighted on Twitter.

this is why the steelers can't get over the hump. they keep players on the roster who have zero potential to get better. to me a backup should be a guy training to become a starter. when a guy has hit his ceiling and shows no progress , if his ceiling isn't starter quality, it's time for them to go. having guys like McCullers , Chikillo, heyward bey, and eli rodgers taking up roster spots keeps you from finding that next diamond in the ruff.

I think Steelers try to go ILB round 1. Maybe even use an extra pick to move up. They've done well getting good WR 2nd round and lower so hopefully do so again. It looks like they keep Eli so have a bunch WRs already in place. From article at PPG:

Quote :

The Steelers continue to keep some of their players who were unrestricted free agents. Receiver Eli Rogers and defensive lineman Daniel McCullers agreed to terms Thursday morning.

The Steelers now have five veteran receivers under contract for the 2019 season – JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Donte Moncrief, Rogers and Switzer. Moncrief, who played for the Jaguars last season, signed early Thursday morning.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/03/14/Eli-Rogers-and-Dan-McCullers-returning-to-the-Steelers/stories/201903140096

Here you have it, Jessie James left because of the drama within the Steelers locker room. Straight from his mouth.

https://twitter.com/BradGalli/status/1106255311634157569?s=19

jak341 wrote:

Here you have it, Jessie James left because of the drama within the Steelers locker room. Straight from his mouth.

https://twitter.com/BradGalli/status/1106255311634157569?s=19

Kind of had a feel that played into it.

LJ Fort goes to Eagles.

Outside of Vince, do we even have an ILB now?

https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1106193362967769088?s=20

People are going to quickly realize why Steeler receivers so often become 'stars'. Here's a clue: it ain't all about the receivers. Have fun trying to get a few catches a game, AB, and slinking into obscurity.

You guys watch: the passing game will be as good as ever. Either Moncrief, or Washington, or an as yet undrafted rookie, will light it up this year (in addition to, of course, JuJu.).

Also, yes to whoever said go ILB early. They will use the extra picks to move up and get a Devin White or Bush.

jak341 wrote:

LJ Fort goes to Eagles.

Outside of Vince, do we even have an ILB now?

https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1106193362967769088?s=20

that sucks

nine vegetable wrote:

People are going to quickly realize why Steeler receivers so often become 'stars'.  Here's a clue:  it ain't all about the receivers.  Have fun trying to get a few catches a game, AB, and slinking into obscurity.

You guys watch:  the passing game will be as good as ever.  Either Moncrief, or Washington, or an as yet undrafted rookie, will light it up this year (in addition to, of course, JuJu.).

Also, yes to whoever said go ILB early.  They will use the extra picks to move up and get a Devin White or Bush.

but then you have emmanuel sanders who didn't shine until he hooked up with peyton manning.

but yes i agree. as much as i hate to say it , brady turns virtually no name receivers into stars. so did manning. look at all the little white guys like welker , ammandola, woodhead, brandon stokely. austin collins , who shined under brady and manning.

Good article about the new CB from PPG

Quote :

Ray Fittipaldo
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com

Mar 14, 2019 2:53 PM

New Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson signed a free-agent contract commensurate with a starting outside cornerback, and that’s exactly what he expects to be in Pittsburgh.

Nelson, who signed a three-year, $25.5 million deal, is slated to start opposite Joe Haden at outside corner, taking the place of Coty Sensabaugh and Artie Burns, who shared those duties last season.
Nelson played inside and outside during his first three seasons with Kansas City, but he played almost exclusively outside last season after the Chiefs traded Marcus Peterson to the Rams.

“Full-time outside corner – that’s how I envision myself,” Nelson said Thursday afternoon, a few hours after he signed his new contract. “But can I do it? Yes, I can do it. I can do anything the team asks me to do to help the team.

Nelson, who stands 5-feet-11, recorded all four of his career interceptions last season as an outside corner. Three of those four interceptions came in the final eight games of the season for the Chiefs, who were the top seed in the AFC playoffs and lost to the Patriots* in the AFC title game.

“Just being on the outside, you’ll get more targets,” said Nelson, who was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2015 draft. “The ball is going to be coming your way. You’ll have more opportunities. If you’re a playmaker and you have a knack for the ball, you’re able to make more plays on the ball that way.”

Nelson did not start any games as a rookie, but he started 15 times in his second season. A core muscle injury in his third season forced him to miss seven games, but he bounced back to have his best season in the final year of his rookie deal last season. Pro Football Focus ranked him as their 33rd best corner for 2018.

Nelson fits the profile of what the Steelers are looking for in a corner. They’re looking for more ball hawks in their secondary and Nelson’s four interceptions were attractive for general manager Kevin Colbert, who said last month at the scouting combine that the team must improve upon the eight interceptions they posted as a team last season, which was their fewest in a season since 1940.

The Chiefs were almost exclusively a man-to-man defense under former coordinator Bob Sutton. The Steelers mix in some man coverage, but they’ve been a predominant zone team under defensive coordinator Keith Butler.

Nelson was termed a good fit for a zone team when he was coming out of college because of his physical traits as a strong tackler and his abilities in off-coverage. In fact, the Steelers had him in for a pre-draft visit in the weeks before the 2015 draft. When Nelson left, he believed the Steelers were going to draft him.

“I can do a lot of different things,” he said. “That allows me to show how versatile I am.”

Nelson’s signing means the Steelers enter next month’s draft without a glaring need at corner. Haden is entering the final year of his contract, and Mike Hilton, who played most of the reps in the slot, returns for his third season. Cameron Sutton, Brian Allen and Burns also remain on the roster.

“I’m fired up to play for Steelers Nation,” Nelson said. “You guys have some good football ahead.”

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/03/14/Steven-Nelson-Steelers-cornerback-Joe-Haden/stories/201903140120

nine vegetable wrote:

People are going to quickly realize why Steeler receivers so often become 'stars'.  Here's a clue:  it ain't all about the receivers.  Have fun trying to get a few catches a game, AB, and slinking into obscurity.

You guys watch:  the passing game will be as good as ever.  Either Moncrief, or Washington, or an as yet undrafted rookie, will light it up this year (in addition to, of course, JuJu.).

Also, yes to whoever said go ILB early.  They will use the extra picks to move up and get a Devin White or Bush.

Good post. I agree 100%.

jak341 wrote:

LJ Fort goes to Eagles.

Outside of Vince, do we even have an ILB now?

https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1106193362967769088?s=20

I think ILB just became the most important position for our draft this year.

I think Devin Bush will be our #1 this year.

solardave wrote:

I think Devin Bush will be our #1 this year.

Actually just did my Mock Draft 3.0 and using a draft simulator, I picked Devin Bush as well. With Fort signing with the Eagles, we're really going to need an ILB even more so than before.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

solardave wrote:

I think Devin Bush will be our #1 this year.

Actually just did my Mock Draft 3.0 and using a draft simulator, I picked Devin Bush as well. With Fort signing with the Eagles, we're really going to need an ILB even more so than before.

I'd be good with Bush at #1 and Germaine Pratt at #2. VW and Bostic as backups.

Bush would be a good pick in the first. The Steelers may have to move up to get him because White and Bush are the only 2 ILBs worthy of a 1st round pick this year. I don't think they have the horsepower to get White. He'll go in the top 10 and I don't think the Steelers will spend the big capital to go from 20 to inside the top 10.

If, on draft day, Bush is sitting there at the 20th pick and the Steelers chose a DB, or WR, or even a TE, don't panic. This reminds me of the 2012 draft. The Steelers were desperate for an ILB and there were only a couple good prospects that year. When the 24th pick came up Dant'a Hightower's still sitting on the board. I was like a kid on Christmas morning. The announcement came in ... David DeCastro ... WTH? Hightower was nabbed by the Patriots* one pick later. It worked out well. The Steelers didn't pick the guy who would kill the QB or crush the RB. They picked the guy protecting the QB and opening holes for the RB. 2 years later, they nabbed Shazier who was a much better athlete than Hightower (not that Hightower isn't good).

If Bush is the pick in the 1st, they should have a great selection of WRs in the 2nd. If he's gone or they pass on him, there will be top tier CBs and WRs to chose from ... then move up in the 2nd and grab Pratt. If Pratt's gone, there are a handful of 2nd tier ILBs in this draft who ran fast times at the combine ... they are just a little raw. Anyways, that's my long winded post for anyone concerned if the Steelers don't nab White or Bush.

solardave wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

solardave wrote:

I think Devin Bush will be our #1 this year.

Actually just did my Mock Draft 3.0 and using a draft simulator, I picked Devin Bush as well. With Fort signing with the Eagles, we're really going to need an ILB even more so than before.

I'd be good with Bush at #1 and Germaine Pratt at #2. VW and Bostic as backups.

....i like that idea, but no way they would, or should, pay bostic 1.8 million and williams 5.1 million to be backups. they can cut bostic and take a 700,00 cap hit, and williams would be a 4.8 million cap hit. maybe keep just williams to compete with pratt for the starting job. but anywho they are stuck with williams and ain't gonna go ILB 1 & 2.

Did you guys see the mock that has us picking Marquise "Hollywood' Brown with the 1st pick? He's Antonio's cousin.

No way do I see Steelers doing that but if they do I'll scream till a lung falls out. Pah-leeze stay away from that family!

Here's my Mock Draft Version 3.0



Some of you post in The Front Office section, but if you haven't yet we talk a lot of Mock Draft stuff here:
http://www.steelersxtreme.com/t7891p25-pittsburgh-steelers-2019-mock-drafts