My "Inside Out" Take on Martavis Bryant

Update(3/13): I wrote this article before the reports of Bryant's depression surfaced, as well as the reports saying he missed tests rather than failed them.

It's a sad day for Steeler nation. We've all read the reports saying Martavis Bryant is facing a full season suspension. This news fills me with a variety of thoughts and feelings. 

I'm mad at him for choosing weed over his career. 

I feel sorry for him because he's struggling with addiction. 

I'm bummed because we may never see him in a Steelers uniform again. 

I'm happy because our organization planned for this scenario. 

Because I feel so many things, i'm gonna write this article with an "Inside Out" approach. I'm going to do a breakdown of all the emotions I'm feeling. 

Anger

I'm mad at Bryant. He told us fans and he told the organization that he changed and he was better. This was a lie obviously. Bryant has received numerous comparisons to great's like Randy Moss; it sucks when a guy with this level of talent and potential throws it away. Bryant was given the opportunity of a lifetime playing for the Steelers organization and having Ben as a QB. He simply chose weed over football. Guys like him don't deserve the privilege of wearing black and gold. 

Fear

Bryant needs help. With everybody talking about how idiotic he is, we tend to forget that he's a human being. He's a human being struggling with an addiction. Football aside, Bryant needs help. Mental and physical health are more important than football, and although we do have a right to be critical of Bryant's actions, we must encourage him to get the help he needs. 

Sadness

Man, this sucks. It's entirely plausible that we will never see Bryant wearing black and gold ever again. The Steelers have a history of disposing of cancerous players like Bryant. Santonio Holmes, Alameda Ta'amu, and Chris Rainey are some recent examples. The Steelers pride themselves in their reputation and don't want players like Bryant tainting that. So yeah, it wouldn't surprise me whatsoever if Bryant is cut. The Steelers knew the risk when drafting him; part of the reason he fell to the 4th round. He was a boom or bust prospect with loads of talent, but raw and immature. We may never get to be annoyed by the Pittsburgh commentators for say "Martavius" ever again. 

Joy

Thank God the Steelers are smart. Many questionable moves now make a lot of sense. 1) Drafting Coates 2) Signing DHB for 3 years 3) Signing LaDarius Green. All 3 of these moves were questioned by fans and the media for fair reason. Thankfully, all of these guys will contribute and help relieve Bryant's absence. Coates flashed his talent in the playoffs and gave fans reasons to be excited for him. DHB played admirably and showed he can be a reliable #3/#4 guy. Green has loads of potential and may end up playing a bigger role as a receiver now with Bryant potentially gone all season. It also helps that the Steelers are great at drafting and developing receivers. Our preparation for this scenario reminds me why I love this organization. 

In conclusion:

I'm writing this as I'm still wrapping my head around this whole situation. There are so many scenarios that could happen at this point and it's pretty difficult to predict the future of Martavis Bryant. It's possible the Steelers cut him, it's possible we give him another shot. Only time and news leaks will tell. For now, despite our anger, I think its important to support Bryant and encourage him to get the help he needs. Now excuse me while I go overhaul my mock draft. 

Thanks for reading. 

Steelers Mock Draft 3.0 (FanSpeak)

Mock draft time! With free agency beginning, mocking has gottena  whole lot easier. Thanks to the signing of Ladarius Green & the return of a lot of our starters, the Steelers are in a great position going into the draft.

To make it easier on myself for deciding draft picks, i'll be doing a FanSpeak mock drafting using Matt millers board (updated as of 3/10). I did one 4-round draft with no undo's. I also attached links to each players draft profile at NFL.com. 

I'd also like to preface that i am not a scout whatsoever. I don't watch film. I learn about these guys through reading various scouting reports written by guys I trust. Just a fan over here. 

Also, as i'm writing this, Steve Mclendon & Kelvin Beachum are currently free agents. 

Let's begin. 

1) Vernon Butler - DT - Louisiana Tech 

I know I know, "we need to take a cornerback here!!!" Here me out though. Currently Mclendon is a free agent and isn't guaranteed to return. Butler fills two needs. Not only can he play DT while in 3-4, we would be able to relieve Tuitt/Cam as DT while in nickel. A playmaking DT that can help our star DE's stay healthy sounds like a solid pick to me. Honestly too, how nasty does a d-line consisting of Tuitt/Butler/Heyward sound? Butler will help with the run D and pass rush, so i'd be fully onboard with taking him. 

It's also worth noting that when I pick there were no cb's worth taking. Jackson III & Alexander were both gone. 

Other players available:

Darian Thompson

Eli Apple

Leonard Floyd 

2. Vonn Bell - SS - Ohio State 

This was a tough selection choosing between Bell & Jordan Jenkins. I ultimately chose based off of need. I think Bell is a great choice not just because of the Steelers/OSU connection, but because of his smart play-style. Bell is great in both areas where our last two safeties drafted lacked. He plays smart (see Shamarko Thomas) and he plays aggressive (see Gerod Holliman). He may not be a bone-crusher like Karl Joseph, but he excels in both coverage and run-support and would be a major asset for the secondary. 

With Golden returning, The Steelers would't need to rush Bell onto the field either. They could easily implement a time share between the two with Bell likely getting more time as the season progresses. 

other players available

Jordan Jenkins

Karl Joseph

Jalen Mills

3. Kyler Fackrell - EDGE - Utah State 

This pick easily took the most time. They weren't any options I loved, but I feel Fackrell could fit this defense. With Jones & Harrison both likely gone, the Steelers definitely need edge help for the future. Similar to Dupree, we'll be drafting Fackrell more based on his athletic ability and potential. We could afford to let him sit for a year and learn, and he'll definitely need the time. Fackrell has the length, power, and athleticism to be a great player for us, he just needs time to put it all together. Don't sleep on his coverage skills too. His versatility will surely make Kieth Butler happy. 

Other players available 

Dak Prescott 

Carl Nassib 

Landon Turner 

4. Jonathan Jones - CB - Auburn 

The position everybody wants. It is inevitable the a player like Jones will make fans unhappy because of his size. The Steelers don't care about cb size though, they want football players and athletes. Size shouldn't matter when a player has speed, instincts, toughness,fluidity, and ball skills. 

Don't get me wrong, i'd be ecstatic if we came out of the draft with a player like Mackensie Alexander, William Jackson III, or Kendall Fuller. Jones just seems like the type of player the Steelers covet. 

Other players available

Cyrus Jones

Maurice Canady

Final thoughts: 

I'd be very happy with this draft. Butler & Bell could both be impact players during their first season. Fackrell & Jones are both developmental players who will contribute to special teams and give the team depth, and maybe get playing time if they prove themselves. This team honestly doesn't have many dire needs, so the Steelers will have a lot of flexibility going into the draft. Quality players at all four of these positions will be available throughout the draft so i'm confident the Steelers will fill some needs. 

I'm sure my projections will change as free agency continues and we learn more about draft prospects. There are players like Karl Joseph & Justin Simmons who have draft grades currently ranging from 4th round to the 1st round. We still have a lot to learn, but for now this draft makes me happy.  

Whether you love or hate my draft, share your thoughts! Thanks for reading guys. 

The Importance of TE's for Super Bowl Winners

When Heath Miller retired, journalists everyone began speculating what the Steelers will do. Will the sign Dwayne Allen? Draft Hunter Henry? Is Jesse James gonna be our starter?

Well with this article I'm going to evaluate how important tight ends were to recent Super Bowl winning teams. 

Super Bowl 50 - Denver Broncos 
Owen Daniels

Neither Owen Daniels or Vernon Davis were vital pieces to the Broncos offense. Although Owen Daniels had some big touchdowns in the playoffs for the Broncos, he had a relatively quiet season; he ended the regular season with 46 receptions - 517 yards - 3 td's. He played about 75% of the snaps during this season. Daniels in a way is a lesser version of Heath. Primarily a blocker and a reliable receiver. His play is an example of how a team can get by with a tight end that isn't great, but reliable. 


Super Bowl 49 - New England Patriots
Rob Gronkowki

Ok, different story here. Gronk was, and still is, a vital piece of the Patriots offense. Gronk ended the 2014 regular season with 82 receptions - 1,124 yards - 12 td's. He played about 73% of the snaps during the season. Gronk represents how a dominant tight end can transcend an offense; he is the best at his position in the league and the offense changes without him. The Steelers use tight end differently than the Pat"s though. Gronk is primarily a receiver and although he does block, that's not his focus. Surely though if the Steeler's had a tight end of Gronk's caliber their offense would undoubtedly be the best in the league. 


Super Bowl 48 - Seattle Seahawks
Like Wilson

Not gonna lie, I had to look up who the Seahawks tight end was this year. That sort of speaks of the kind of player Luke Wilson is. A solid, under-the-radar guy. He ended the 2014 regular season with 22 receptions - 362 yards - 3 td's. He is clearly more Owen Daniels than Gronk, asked to block more than catch. Although the Seahawks later traded for Jimmy Graham, they were arguably better without him. The Seahawks, like the Steelers, prefer blocking tight ends with receiving ability. 

(Some research showed that Zach Miller went into 2014 as the starter before getting injured early in the season.) 


Final thoughts:

This is a small sample size, but I feel it gets my point across. A team doesn't need a dominant tight end to be successful and win. Heath was honestly an average player last year, efficient at both blocking and catching. I think Jesse James, Matt Spaeth, and either a rookie or a vet will make a solid tight end core. 

I don't think there's one sure solution to fix this issue; the team has a multitude of options. Whether its signing a vet, drafting a guy high, or drafting a guy in the middle rounds, the Steelers will find a way to adjust their scheme to make it work. That's what the great teams do, they adjust to the guys they have.

If the Steelers draft a guy like Hunter Henry, it's hard to imagine that they'll adjust things to give him more targets. With the amount of weapons the Steelers have, they really have no need to increase the tight end role in their offense. The Steelers don't need a flash tight end, they need a tough, hard-nosed, team-first guy who will block and catch. The Steelers may need to invest in a new tight end though considering Spaeth's age and growing injury history. Players like Nick Vannet & Austin Hooper are the popular picks for targets in the 2nd & 3rd round. 

They could also go the vet route and go for a guy like Jermaine Gresham or Mercedes Lewis. This would be the best route if they believe in Jesse James (and even Xavier Grimble). A veteran presence would lessen the pressure on James & Grimble and allow them more time to grow and develop at their own pace. 

In no way am I saying that Heath is easily replaceable and won't be missed. I respect Heath immensely and he is a huge presence both in the locker room and in the community. 

It's hard to predict the route the Steelers will go. I imagine Hunter Henry, Nick Vannett, Austin Hooper, and other tight end prospects will be brought in for pre-draft visits. That's basically the story of the NFL offseason: you can speculate all you want, but at the end of the day all we can do is wait for free agency and the draft. 

Thanks for reading.