Well, it's good thing the Steelers still have skin in the game and am prepared when our turn comes up.
Because Seoul will be stocking another underrated skill player and give him a dependable weapon for Mr. Russell "Man Muscle" Wilson.
Steelers stealthily select:
TE Tim Wright
First some basics:
- Age 24
- Converted WR, UDFA in 2013
- 6' 4", 240 lbs
- 4.65s 40-yd
- 7.27 3-cone
- 9' 10" broad, 36" vertical
What he did in his rookie year (TE ranking if he were on the Past last year):
- 12th in catches w/ 54 (1st)
- 16th in yards w/ 571 (2nd)
- 5 touchdowns (1st)
- 26th in PFF pass rating w/ +1.9 (2nd)
- 24th in passes caught w/ 75% (1st)
- 1st in deep pass catch rating w/ 50+ targets w/ 80% (1st)
Here's what Greg Cosell said about Wright last year:
He's getting more and more snaps as kind of a hybrid tight end/wide receiver. He's got excellent potential as I see it as a movement receiving tight end because of his size and length.I think that he's a guy I would expect, as they move forward, can become a bigger factor in what they do. Glennon was clearly comfortable throwing him the ball.
Did you catch that word "hybrid"? Yeah, because flat out Tim Wright can catch the ball:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ-SiDnRG3A
He blows at run blocking (he was a WR after all), but we already have a giant of an OL and Fleener for that. Wright is your very definition of a "move" TE who will play between 20-20.
Like our resident red zone specialist Fauria, Wright is in a crowded situation with Austin Seferian-Jenkins coming on board with the RL Bucs. However, it's well-known that 1st year TEs rarely make a big impact, and Wright is an emerging talent that could see an even bigger production as a 2nd year guy.
Lovie Smith agrees:
Tim is a guy I should have talked about more because he's another guy that does something well it seems like every day," Smith said according to the official team website. "Nowadays, with the emergence of the passing game and you've got to be able to pass to win ... the matchups ... tight end versus safety, tight end versus linebacker, we have a good matchup with Tim Wright. He of course can do things in-line, but he can split out, he can run all of the passing tree, he's natural moving out and running routes too. I'm very pleased with him and all he's done since Day One."
Here's another thought in going with Wright, whom I almost picked the last time around. Russell is immaculately accurate. We hate losing out on Stills and his amazing catch rate, but TY can still stretch the field and we have a ton of "good hands" targets who can dominate the short to intermediate routes:
- WR TY Hilton
- WR Austin Pettis
- RB CJ Spiller
- FB/RB/TE Marcel Reece
- TE Coby Fleener
- TE Tim Wright
- TE Joseph Fauria
Our WR/TE group is not a spectacular by any measure (although I'm looking for a Josh Boyce breakout) but combined with our running backs this is a very versatile group that can run as well as pass in any situation. Oh, and guess who ran the most play-action in the league last year?
Russell Wilson (says hi with his 112.3 PA NFL rating in PA).
DM PM'd.
Edit: To me being able to run both pass/run is critical in our tough AFCN with all the incredible D-line play from our opposition. By beefing up the line, keeping the best RB group in the league, and finding dependable targets seem to be the best counter in reducing the number of 3rd-longs and reduce turnovers.