Home Player Spotlight The Steelers Blew It Big-Time With Chickillo

The Steelers Blew It Big-Time With Chickillo

by Steeldad

Prior to being selected in the 2015 NFL Draft, Anthony Chickillo was 6′ 3″ and almost 270 lbs. He graded out as high a third-round pick but eventually went in the 6th round to the Steelers. Within minutes of selecting him, outside linebackers’ coach Joey Porter went on Steelers Nation Radio and made no bones about the Steelers’ intentions with him.

“We plan to move him to outside linebacker,” said Porter. That was back in the first week of May.

When camp started, Chickillo had dropped forty pounds as part of his transition to the outside linebacker position. I’m still scratching my head as to why the Steelers felt that this was Chickillo’s best option. The team was already very deep at outside linebacker and his chances of making the roster there appeared to be much slimmer compared to if he had stayed at defensive end.

So here we are now less than a week away from the opener in New England and the Steelers find themselves incredibly thin and weak at the defensive end spot. Where does Anthony Chickillo find himself today?

In a place that he really doesn’t deserve be in quite frankly. The chances of him making the roster as an outside backer were slim. Initially of course, Chickillo had made the roster only to find out he was cut today.

The major reason that the Steelers’ decision to move him away from defensive end looks even worse today is not just because of the poor depth there. It’s because Chickillo would have been a perfect fit for the four-man front the Steelers have used so much during the preseason.

I’m of the opinion that Chickillo deserved better. The young man was a very good collegiate defensive end at a big-name school. Will some team now pick him up, pack the weight back on and let him play his more natural defensive end?

There’s a darn good chance of that. I don’t think Chickillo is on his way to being an all-pro or anything like that but it sure would have been nice to see what he could have done at a position where the Steelers desperately need help. Instead, he goes down as yet another wasted draft pick by this front office.

 

 

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17 comments

Mark September 7, 2015 - 2:16 pm

I absolutely agree with you! I am tired of watching Mike Tomlin and staff put poor defense on the field. What does this guy see in his evaluations. This defense is terrible, no pressure on the QB ever (unless Harrison is in the game)…oh wait he is a cower guy. The safeties belong in the MAC, the corners couldn’t even shadow Bob Barker….oh and who needs a big nose tackle if you are going to stay in the 3-4. Linebackers are average at best. How does Dri Archer take up a roster space (and a third round pick)…this coach is more bizarre to me than Chip Kelly.

Jack Johnson September 7, 2015 - 2:59 pm

Couldn’t agree with you more!!!

Ben Anderson September 7, 2015 - 3:54 pm

Completely disagree. They blew it when they cut him, yes.
However, when he was drafted, he was a pudgy 267 pound player who didn’t have a true position at Miami. He excelled in pass rush drills and in 11 on 11. He chances of developing into a a viable OLB are much greater than trying to make him an undersized 5tech. Had he been a muscular 267, then I may have agreed.

steeldad September 7, 2015 - 4:05 pm

How do we know he couldn’t have developed into a rotational D-lineman? Kid had a great motor and if he could drop 40 lbs couldn’t he have added muscle and weight? People don’t value draft picks beyond the 4th round. I value all of them. The Steelers took a flyer on him when they could have really used DL depth. Another wasted pick.

Ben Anderson September 7, 2015 - 6:37 pm

Well, first, I think 40 pounds may be an exaggeration. Last I heard he was down to about 245 after starting camp at 253. 2nd, the fact that he was so easily able to drop that weight between mini camp and Latrobe tells me that he lost fat, not muscle.
In point of fact, Chickillo admitted getting up to 284 at Miami at the behest of his coaches and said, “it never felt right.” If he was already down to 267 at the combine, he was well on his way to making it “feel right” before the Steelers ever took him. He posted this photo the week before Latrobe. https://instagram.com/p/5M-KdXkAVt/
3rd, as a 6’3″ guy with 33′ arms, he would be at a disadvantage, lengthwise, going up against OTs and guards who were longer by comparison, Stephon Tuitt, the new prototype shape for 3-4 DE is over 6’5″ and has 35″ arms.
4th, the reason that Chickillo slipped so badly in the draft was that he was never able to fulfill that pass rush promise he showed as a freshman. From his standpoint, the added weight was what held him back.
Last, and certainly most important, cutting a guy like Chickillo while NFL rosters are still in flux, is right up there with the dumbest things that Colbert has ever done. I don’t know that Chick will ever become a pro bowler, but maybe Kevin hasn’t noticed the dearth of talent within the OLB unit as a whole. Colbert needs legitimate developmental guys to get into the system now in order to have them ready to take one of the spots over when 37 year old Harrison retires and Jarvis inevitably leaves or is demoted. Chickillo fit the bill.
Kevin Colbert has gutted what was once a proud defensive unit through poor drafting and bad contract management.

steeldad September 7, 2015 - 4:05 pm

Consider too how much they’ve been using 4 man fronts as well.

Lisa September 7, 2015 - 4:47 pm

Some team needs to look at the Steelers stupidity and pick up Chickillo quickly.

steeldad September 7, 2015 - 5:18 pm

I don’t know Lisa. Everyone tells me I’m over-valuing him. That wasn’t my point in the first place. Should have left him at DE and let him prove himself from there! Thanks for commenting Lisa!

bob graff September 7, 2015 - 5:29 pm

I’ve been saying that the talent evaluation has been suspect for quite some time. The absolute refusal to invest anything in the CB position in a passing league is unthinkable. Yes we have made some good picks , but overall they really are below average. And the truth is they play the game on the field andThursday is really going to be a great test of just where this team is.

Wayne Simpson September 7, 2015 - 6:34 pm

You’re definitely on point. Also the Ravens took Za’Darius Smith de/ lb and Tray Walker cb standout rookies in the 4th round – Steelers take Doran Grant, Chickillo and then cut them . What the hell is going on. Colbert, Rooney, Tomlin our drafting is below the line.Gay,Blake,Will Allen, Golden,Ventrone, Landry Jones, Hubbard can only make Steelers roster.

Vittorio Di Stazio September 7, 2015 - 6:53 pm

The whole organization believes in making the DL and the LB’s the focus point of the Defense not the CB’s. Lets take Seattle for an example if they had no pass rush but still had Thomas, Chancellor and Sherman the hawks would be in every game but would be lucky to go 8-8 at best. The point here is that you draft 4 pro bowl CB’s but if there is no pass rush the CB’s and S are left helpless. Now as for Chickillo he should have not been cut but from the report I had read on him before the draft many felt he would be better suited for OLB. If Chickillo was to stay at DL he would have never succeeded and knowing the type of DL the Steelers like and want for the front line there really would been no chance for the guy to succeed. I mean you fans think it’s easy to be a GM when if given the opportunity you wouldn’t have done any better than Colbert. Guys like Gay, Blake, W.Allen and Golden did more than Grant and Chickillo. The D played 5 preseason games and of all the Defensive players who played in those games name the guys who played well?

Mark September 7, 2015 - 8:43 pm

Look at the big picture…it’s been more than just 5 preseason games with no names, it’s been 2 years of terrible defense. How many 200 yard games did receivers have against us in this time period? How many offenses can run on in critical short yardage plays. I know you have been watching the same team we all have…the questions are there. What the heck are you doin to address them? Does Shawn Spence 3rd round pick and 4th round pick Alameda Ta’amu NT of the 2012 draft wow you? Does first round pick Jarvis Jones and Shamarko Thomas 4th round pick – top two defensive picks of 2013 wow you? Shazier is still unproven (due to injuries), and in fact the 2014 defensive draft is unproven still (so I will not harp on them). I can continue to go back to 2012 and 2011 but you see my concern. It’s a continuation of over evaluating mediocre talent when better folks are on the board. By week six you will see our safeties are lost and teams will still ram it down our throats as they please.

Vittorio Di Stazio September 8, 2015 - 1:08 am

I understand all that but we can’t do nothing about it. Only Tomlin, Butler, Porter and Lake can do something about it. Yes Colbert has messed up the last few drafts but at the time he took guys he felt were better options than the other guys that were take after them. Ta’Amu has only himself to blame for not staying with the Steelers. Go back to when Jones was drafted most if not all who commented on that pick felt he was a steal for the Steelers for where he was picked. Spence missed a boat load of time due to a sever knee injury so you can’t give him grief. I will say that there is 1 major thing missing from the D besides talent and that’s ATTITUDE. Previous Steeler Defenses had not only talent but they carried an attitude a swagger if you will. The Steelers have never had top notch CB’s and never will, now having CB depth yes that is important to the team but not high end CB talent. I know it’s going to be a long season but this whole D falls on the shoulders of 4 men Tomlin, Butler, Porter and Lake.

bob graff September 8, 2015 - 3:36 am

No we may have had the two best of all time, Blount and Woodson.

Wayne Simpson September 8, 2015 - 4:06 am

Vittoria you said it ATTITUDE.Butler was asked what would be the personality of the defense. His answer -just win the game. Yes Steelers fans wants to win every game but we also want a ferocious, tenacious ,mean,aggressive, nasty, unforgiving, intelligent defense. Let’s start with that mindset.

Vittorio Di Stazio September 8, 2015 - 6:59 pm

Thank you Wayne. There is reason why I said ATTITUDE, every great defense that has existed had attitude. Yes they had the talent no question that’s an essential of any Defense but they must also play with a swagger a mindset that as long the D is on the field were going make your life miserable. Look at the Seahawks D. If they had just Sherman,Thomas and Chancellor and no pass rush would they able to win 10-12 games per year? I don’t think so. Yes the Steelers need the secondary to play well but unless there is a pass rush the secondary’s job gets a lot tougher. This is the only way I can explain the D and why it’s the way it is at this point.

Ben Anderson September 9, 2015 - 11:53 pm

I wish I could “like” this post.

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