Simple Truths

Good article and simple honest truths about how the team has gotten away from roots...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/stillcurtain.com/2021/10/22/browns-perfect-example-steelers-must-invest-resources-ol/amp/

Quote :

There’s a reason D’Ernest Johnson just came out of nowhere as of late — he really isn’t a special football player like everyone would like to believe. Rather, he is playing with a brilliant offensive line coach and a team that has invested more draft capital, money, and resources into their offensive line than nearly any team in the league.

wow...where have i heard this type of theory before. is he saying the oline makes the running back ? oh thats right...this was my argument every time people  lobbied for a RB in the 1st round.

to be fair the author doesnt take in to account where they were picking and who was available.  sure they have passed up on linemen they should have taken, but picking in the bottom 25% of the 1st round  while the browns were picking in the top 25%  i'm sure made easier to find quality linemen without reaching..the browns have been picking in the top ten for 2-3 decades, the law of averages dictates that sooner or later they had to put a good team on the field.

Would you like to recap how many first round picks the Browns have used on Offensive Line in the past 5 years?  And remembering that they've been picking much much higher than us for many years now.  

Okay - I actually went back six years.

One first round pick at OL. in six years.

Bottom line is when any reporter is saying we should take a page out of the Brown's book on the Oline maybe it's time to admit Colbert/Tomlin/Art II have not addressed key issues there. Whether it is in the draft or Free Agency we need to rebuild the line. Regardless of who our starting QB is. I find it hard to believe we couldn't find a better option than Chuks Oakie Dokie.

I agree with you on that point, solardave.   Years ago we invested heavily in the line - Decastro, Pouncey, etc., and it paid dividends for many years.  We need to do so again.  I will push back against not picking a lineman over Najee though.  I still think Najee was the right pick for us.

In Pouncey's case though, we were able to pick up the best center in the draft that year - even as a late first round pick. This past year, by the time we picked Najee, there were already 8 or 9 OL's off the board. There's a huge difference between getting the best college player at his position and getting the 8th or 9th best player. There's a lot more bust potential at 8th-9th. And yes, all across the draft there is bust potential - but your odds are much better with the top player at his position.

the message of the article is spot on.
1. dont get complacent on the oline.
2. you dont need to spend a 1st round pick on a RB as long as you follow rule #1

i just dont like the way they used the browns as a measuring stick. it doesnt provide proper context. an annual playoff contender is not only at a disadvantage in the draft, but are also in Free agency.
the browns havent had to use the majority of their cap space on just a handful of players , and had to make the tough choice of who to let go.

Right, I agree.

And, using the Browns as a measuring stick is dangerous. With all that cap space, and all that draft capital, here they sit, at 4-3, basically tied with us - and with Mayfield possibly out for the year.

Is this as good as it gets for them? Possibly.

It is difficult to stay as competitive as the Steelers have, for so many years. You Never get a pick inside the top 10. A team like the Browns should be way better than us by now - but they aren't.

No doubt we need to rebuild the line. But some of that process has already started. Dan Moore and Kendrick Green may both develop into excellent linemen - its just going to take time. Another OL in free agency, a high pick next year, and we could have a good line pretty quickly. But patience, its not gonna happen this year.

I said a while ago, and I stand by it: starting 7 rookies is asking a lot. This IS a rebuilding year.

Yes it is a rebuild year but for some reason the FO didn't get the memo and kept #7 around for absolutely zero reason except to promote the illusion that this team had a chance at something. They held on to #7 too long and allowed what Breeze and Brady had/have done cloud their judgment and it's going to hurt the organization for at least a few years to come.

SteelerFreak58 wrote:

Yes it is a rebuild year but for some reason the FO didn't get the memo and kept #7 around for absolutely zero reason except to promote the illusion that this team had a chance at something.  They held on to #7 too long and allowed what Breeze and Brady had/have done cloud their judgment and it's going to hurt the organization for at least a few years to come.

it wasnt just #7 who should have been givin walking papers. it just pisses me off that they borrowed against next years cap to keep some of these guys. im very curious to find out what will happen with JuJu. if washington or claypool dont take their game to the next level they might back the money truck up to him...OR..he might look at the QB situation and say, im outta here, you guys been holding me back enough. im gonna find a team that can pad my stats and get paid.