Steelers Burning Question: What is the most underrated position battle?
Last season I did the Friday Night Steelers Six Pack and wondered if it was worth doing further. After all, interaction was not great, and sometimes you just have to adjust. So I decided to call an audible, and not just abandon the Friday night meeting of the black-and-gold minds.
Instead of six questions, I wanted to focus solely on one question.
We’ll still do the preamble of what you’re eating/drinking/listening to, but we’ll focus our attention on the one Steelers question of the week. Don’t worry, most weeks I’ll do a bonus/extra credit question for fun. With all that out of the way, let’s get to the question!
Of all the position battles about the ensue in training camp, which one is the most intriguing to you, but also considered “under the radar”.
As an example, everyone will be watching the wide receivers and how that room shakes out, just like everyone will always be watching the quarterbacks intently.
For me, I’m going to say running back. Not so much with who makes the team, but how does the team plan on using these players. We won’t get a great feel for this in training camp, but more so during the preseason. Do they even give Kaleb Johnson a shot with the starters? How do they incorporate Kenneth Gainwell? Oh, and Cordarrelle Patterson is still on the roster with Trey Sermon. We know Jaylen Warren is likely in “pole position”, but the division of labor will be very intriguing to me.
That’s why I’ll take the running back position.
What say you?
As for what I’m eating, we are having slow cooked ribs with sweet potatoes and broccoli. As for drink, it’s going to be sore bought kombucha and the the music will be whatever is on the radio!
Happy Friday everyone!!
I’m going to say secondary. There are so many moving pieces there now it’s a mystery to me how it willl all shake out. Steelers are now very thin at safety – Thornhill, Elliot, a UDFA (Castro) and a guy who plays primarily on Special Teams.
Steelers went from playing three safety sets to only having three safeties. That cannot last for an entire season. So does Ramsey slot in there? What about him at slot corner. Last year he played a somewhat similar role on Miami to the role Mike Hilton played on the Steelers, blitzing the QB Then again, Bishop was rumored to be hoping to take the next step at slot corner. He had an up and down year last year, getting beat at times but also coming up with four INTs; one more than Ramsey had in about half the snaps. He also had a better completion percentage (57% to 62%). Maybe he wins that role in camp outright. Then there’s the CBs. What if Trice suddenly blossoms and stays healthy, could he be a better option then the currrent top three (Slay, Porter and Ramsey)? Do they cut the guy from the Jets they signed and/or the 7th round pick or (more likely) practice squad them.
Sadly, teams can use 13-personnel, and run Beanie over… and w/a 2-yr. contract, bad business to let Echols go, even to the practice squad.
Evening meal will be deli sandwiches, potato salad, and cantaloupe. Beverages will be state-fair lemonade and unsweeteened iced tea (again, until I tire of zesting lemons). I can’t always have ribs… family film will be The Dead Pool, w/Clint Eastwood.
Uh, Kaleb had better get significant time w/the ones, or I’ll walk to Latrobe and hurt someone. Patterson? Now, that is a mystery. Retaining him seems irrational, particularly if he still maintains poor conditioning/diet. Team’s already old.
As the structure of the back five is also of high visibility (Blackmon, Ramsey’s roles, etc.?), I vote for the off-ball linebacker structure, for a few reasons. Hope that Roberts isn’t missed and that Harrison plays special teams well.
Chicken gyros with some Greek wine
There are a few positions I could lean towards, but right now, I’m going to say punter. Waitman was pretty dang solid last season (11th in the league IIRC) but with Johnston being fully healthy again, it’s gonna be tough.
That said, I think RB is a solid choice.
One shank (that I recall…), in a blizzard, plus exceptional holding, good.