Good Tuesday to you Steelers fans.
As many of you saw yesterday the National Football League has suspended Atlanta wide receiver Calvin Ridley for the entire 2022 for gambling on NFL games. Ridley was not playing for the Falcons at the time (he was away from the team for personal reasons) and he placed a $1,500 bet on several NFL Games including one involving his Falcons’ team. For many years the NFL and other professional and college sports entities kept gambling sites, casinos etc at bay for obvious reasons. With so many states recently opening themselves up to sports gambling the decision was made to embrace the sports betting community. This leads me to wonder if this isn’t the tip of the iceberg in regards to more players being caught for the same thing. Personally, I think it’s a bunch of crap that this was dealt with so swiftly by the league yet any time owners or front office personnel are involved the foot dragging never ends. I contend that Roger Goodell continues to be one of the worst commissioners in sports history and I’m hopeful that one day all of the cover-ups are exposed by someone in the NFL with the balls to come forward. I’m not in any way excusing Ridley – this was a really dumb thing to do – but in the grand scheme of things it’s nothing compared to the crap that’s gone on in New England, Dallas and Miami.
Tweet of the Day… I spent way too much time thinking about this question.
What is something every "junk drawer" must have in order to be considered a proper "junk drawer"?
— Florida Steeler Fan Rod (@Steelerfanrjh) March 8, 2022
My Final Word on A-Rod
With the Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers talk revved up again I feel compelled to speak one final time here. It is widely accepted that the Steelers would need to trade this year’s first round pick along with two future first rounders to get Rodgers. I’m sorry but that’s too rich for my blood. This is a 39-year old quarterback who is suddenly more dramatic than a reality show on E! This current team is not a “quarterback away” from contending for a Super Bowl anyway. There are serious holes on both offense and defense that must be addressed. That leads me to why Rodgers would want to come here in the first place. The O-line is below par, the receiving corps is seriously depleted and the defense is in need of several starters. Davonta Adams will stay in Green Bay for at least one more year and Rodgers will get a new deal there as well. Or maybe not and he goes to Denver. Regardless I don’t want to pay that price for him to come to Pittsburgh period.
UPDATE: [Rodgers has agreed to a new four-ear deal with the Packers that will pay him $50 million per season.]
The Secondary
Every position group on this team will see change but the secondary could, and I stress “could,” see a ton. If the Steelers do not sign Ahkello Witherspoon, Joe Haden and/or Terrell Edmunds then they’ve got some serious work to get done. I stated yesterday that I believe Haden’s time is done unless he agrees to a very friendly team deal. Edmunds and Witherspoon as a little more confusing. Witherspoon really came on last year and used his length to create problems for QBs and receivers. Edmunds, for all that fans don’t like, is incredibly durable and remains a solid if unspectacular player. With these two the question will also hinder on money. I don’t expect either to play for peanuts. Then you have Cam Sutton… Is he better on the boundary or at Nickel? Did Arthur Maulet do enough to convince the team he can be the Nickel? Personally I don’t think so. Either way this group is in for some serious changes.
