Category: Steelers Wire News

4 free-agent wide receivers for the Steelers to consider

The Steelers are desperate for wide receivers.

Let’s face facts. The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver depth chart is an absolute mess. With Ryan Switzer headed on IR and JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson both with concussions, the remaining guys on the roster do not inspire confidence.

As of right now, the healthy receivers on the roster are James Washington, Tevin Jones and Johnny Holton. Two of those receivers have a combined one reception this season. I’ll let you guess which two.

If Johnson and Smith-Schuster aren’t going to be available this week, the Steelers will have to reach out into free agency for a receiver to give the passing offense a fighting chance. Considering the team really can’t run the football, this might be the only shot they have.

Here are four free-agent receivers to consider this week.

Emanuel Hall-Coming out of college, Hall had impressive measurables and the production to match. He was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has significant NFL potential but no experience.

Aldrick Robinson-Robinson represents a solid veteran presence with dependable hands. If you are looking for a receiver in November the pickings are slim but Robinson is an interesting guy to consider for the short passing game the Steelers are using.

Dez Bryant-Bryant is ready to return and is far and away the most talented guy on this list. Pittsburgh should have already inquired on his availability and once Bryant says he’s ready to come back be at the top of their list.

Michael Crabtree-Another veteran, similar to Robinson who wouldn’t get a look if not for the injuries but given the circumstances would have a good chance to get reps on a depleted depth chart.

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3 takeaways from the NFL discipline rulings for the Steelers and Browns

The NFL didn’t hold back on their discipline for Thursday night’s game.

(AP Photo/David Richard)

Details are still coming in as to the full discipline the NFL is handing out to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns after the fight at the end of Thursday night’s game. We know the suspensions for the key players as well as fines for each team. But in the coming days, don’t be surprised if there are more fines handed out once the NFL has a chance to pour over the full video.

Here are three big takeaways from the discipline rulings.

The NFL sent a message with the Garrett suspension

As soon as the fight happened, social media exploded with the outcry to ban Garrett for the season. I honestly never thought the league would actually do it. There is a precedent for this type of activity but it’s never carried this type of punishment. The reason this one was so extreme? He did it to a quarterback.

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Did Mason Rudolph get off too easy for the fight Thursday night?

Mason Rudolph is reportedly only to be fined for Thursday night. But some think this isn’t enough.

The NFL was swift in doling out punishment to all involved in Thursday night’s fight between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. Several players including Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey received the heaviest discipline. But Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph got no suspension and will reportedly only facing a fine.

NFL fans seem to be divided on how much Rudolph is to blame for him eventually being bludgeoned over the head with his own helmet. So I’m asking fans and non-fans alike. Did Rudolph get off too easy for his part in the Thursday night fracas?

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I don’t see any way Rudolph should be suspended for what he did. When he kicked at Garrett, the 270-pound defensive end had him pinned on the ground by his facemask. What would you do in that instance? Rudolph stood his ground against Garrett knowing his team had his back. Good for him.

But having said that, I want to hear from all of you. Do your civic duty and cast your vote.

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Report: Steelers QB Mason Rudolph to be fined for fight

It looks like the NFL is going to fine Mason Rudolph for his part in last night’s fight.

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According to NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph did not escape the long arm of the NFL law for his part in the brawl at the end of Thursday’s game with the Cleveland Browns. Pelissero is reporting Rudolph will be fined for his part of the altercation with Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.

Rudolph got into a scrum near the end of the game Thursday with Garrett after Garrett sacked him. In the process, there were words exchanged and as Garrett had Rudolph pinned down, the Steelers quarterback took some swing to and get Garrett off. This led to Garrett pulling Rudolph’s helmet off and hitting him with it.

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Former Steelers, Browns OC Todd Haley rips into Browns following brawl

Todd Haley gets frank about the Browns and their issues.

If you want to talk about the debacle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, why not bring in a guy who has been on the coaching staff of both. Former Steelers and Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley went on SiriusXM satellite radio to talk about the brawl from last night’s game, which he characterized as “inexcusable” and “embarrassing.”

Haley took it even further, extrapolating what we saw with Myles Garrett on Thursday as a microcosm of what is and has been wrong with the Browns organization for a long time. And Haley didn’t hold back.

“This comes back to coaching. This falls squarely right on the head coach,” Haley said. “You’re either coaching it or you’re allowing it to happen.

“Part of the frustration is as you see these things happening and going on that should be allowed to be going on because you are practicing bad habits. You’re practicing lack of discipline. It’s not just a fluke.”

Haley’s time with the Browns was short-lived. He was hired in January 2018 to be the offensive coordinator but was fired along with the head coach in October of that same year. Haley was the offensive coordinator of the Steelers from 2012-2017.

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NFL hands out fines, suspensions for Thursday night brawl

The penalties were stiff by the NFL related to last night’s fight.

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Justice came quickly and it was stiff from the NFL in Thursday night’s debacle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. The NFL has fined both teams $250,000 for their involvement in the scrum.

As far as suspensions go, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has been suspended indefinitely, at least extending through the remained of this season. According to the statement, Garrett cannot return without reinstatement from the league.

Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey has been suspended three games for his involvement and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended one game for his cheap shot on quarterback Mason Rudolph.

The statement goes on to note additional discipline could be forthcoming for other players including some who left the bench during the fight. The league has a lot of film to dig through to sort all of this out.

As always, all parties involved can appeal their punishment.

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Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph suffers case of mistaken identity

Kyle Rudolph unintentionally got caught up on the Mason Rudolph situation last night on social media.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph was on Good Morning Football on Friday morning and shared his unintentional connection to the incident at the end of Thursday’s Pittsburgh Steelers game.

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Steelers vs Browns: Predicting the punishments for Thursday’s fight

How many games will everyone be suspended for after Thursday’s night brawl?

The NFL is abuzz Friday morning as everyone has an opinion about the ridiculous events that transpired at the end of the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-7 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. If you happened to miss the end of the game, you can get caught up on the scrum that ensued right here.

There were really four major players in this. On the Pittsburgh side, you have quarterback Mason Rudolph and center Maurkice Pouncey. For Cleveland, you have defensive end Myles Garrett and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi. All four should receive some level of discipilne by the NFL and here are our predictions.

DE Myles Garrett

Browns’ fans won’t like this but Garrett is the main culprit in all this. There are plenty of fans trying to defend his actions and somehow justifying them based on how Rudolph acted in the moment. But it’s safe to assume the NFL won’t see it that way. Garrett isn’t getting a year-long ban so put that aside. Based on previous incidents similar to this and rounding up for the magnitude and stage it occurred, we are going with a six-game suspension for Garrett.

C Maurkice Pouncey

First and foremost, props to Pouncey for not apologizing for his part in the fight. And props to him for being willing to accept whatever penalty the league hands down, knowing he’d defend his quarterback again given the opportunity. Pouncey took Garrett to the ground and threw multiple punches and kicks after Garrett hit Rudolph on the head with his own helmet. What will this earn Pouncey? I’m leaning two games so he isn’t on the field when these two teams meet again in two weeks.

QB Mason Rudolph

If you talk to most Steelers’ fans, they feel like Rudolph needs to be fully exonerated for any involvement in the fight. But the truth is he was an active participant, even if he did take it to the level the others involved did. Will he be suspended? At this point, I’m leaning toward no but I’m counting on a hefty fine for the blows he threw at Garrett after the Browns defender took him to the ground.

DT Larry Ogunjobi

If you weren’t paying attention you might not have noticed Ogunjubi’s part in the fight but the NFL will be paying attention. After Pouncey and Garrett went to the ground Ogunjubi chose to come up and cheapshot Rudolph in the back rather than help out his teammate taking a whooping on the ground. Rudolph had removed himself from it and never saw the hit coming. Let’s go with a one-game suspension for Ogunjobi.

Steelers vs. Browns: 3 big takeaways from Pittsburgh’s loss in Week 11

The Steelers had major letdowns on both sides of the football on Thursday.

Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Things got really weird in last night’s game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But we’ve talked plenty about what happened at the end of the game against the Cleveland Browns, but we are here to talk about the actual game itself. The Steelers fell 21-7 and now sit at 5-5 and are struggling to hold on to a spot in the playoffs.

The game was ugly from start to finish for the Steelers, and you have to wonder how they rebound from this loss. Here are our big takeaways from the game:

Injuries don’t excuse poor play

Running back James Conner and wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson all went down with injuries. But this does not absolve quarterback Mason Rudolph for his four-interception effort. This game raises serious doubt about whether he can help this team win going forward.

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Mason Rudolph calls what Myles Garrett did ‘bush league’ and ‘a total coward move’

Mason Rudolph didn’t mince words when talking about what Myles Garrett did at the end of the game.

After the game, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph addressed the incident between him and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. Surprisingly, given how the game turned out, Rudolph didn’t pull any punches (get it?) in calling what Garrett did “a total coward move on his part” and “bush league” in reference to Garrett pulling off Rudolph’s helmet and hitting Rudolph with it.

But before you are want to pass judgment on Rudolph for his comments, you just need to look to his own team. Many Browns’ players and even their head coach shared their disapproval with what Garrett did.

Rudolph was also asked if he thought Garrett should be suspended for the season. To which Rudolph took the high road and rather than interject his opinion simply deferred to the league noting he didn’t know the rules on these types of things but it didn’t matter.

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