When it comes to evaluating the NFL Draft, many who covered the event — locally and nationally — gave high marks to the Pittsburgh Steelers for their additions to the team.
Speaking on this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The X dished out some praise as well.
“I thought they did a real good job,” Madden said. “I thought it was a very concise, organized draft. I thought they filled need, after need, after need. There was nothing haphazard about it.”
Madden was particularly impressed with the organization’s decision to move up the draft board three spots to select Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones at No. 14 in Round 1. He also liked the fact that the Steelers stayed with pick No. 32 to lead off Round 2 Friday night and used it to select Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
“If you would’ve told anybody associated with the Steelers, a fan of the Steelers, a media person, that they are going to get Broderick Jones and Peezy’s kid — and only have to give up a fourth-round pick to do it — you would’ve taken that in a flash,” Madden said.
Madden also gave a thumbs up to the third-round pick of 6-foot-7, 265-pound Georgia tight end Darnell Washington. But in terms of immediate impact, Madden isn’t expecting that this one draft will lead to an immediate paradigm shift for the Steelers and the AFC North in 2023.
“This was always more than a one-draft job,” Madden added. “Have they laid the foundation to win playoff games? Not immediately. But maybe sooner or later. … It’s not a quick fix. It’s not going to make them more than a nine- or 10-win team. It’s not going to win them a playoff game. But it has put a foundation in place to have a team that can succeed beyond just squeaking in and getting routed by Kansas City in the first round. Now they can perhaps build to better. But they need another draft very similar to this one next year.”
Madden also had some thoughts on the Penguins’ general manager search. It may have hit some bumps before it really started.
For one, Kyle Dubas, the Maple Leaf’s general manager, will likely be retained in Toronto now that the franchise has advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Plus, there are some other potential candidates that may be off the list already.
“I hear that (Ray) Shero is going to go to Philadelphia in some capacity. I hear that (Mathieu) Darche, the assistant in Tampa Bay, doesn’t want the job in Pittsburgh and doesn’t even want to discuss it,” Madden said.
Also, during the podcast, Madden and I discuss the NHL playoffs, the offseason goalie market and the upcoming Pirates-Rays series in Tampa.
Listen: Madden Monday with Tim Benz and Mark Madden — talk Steelers draft, Penguins’ GM search
