Sometimes you really must take care with what you wish for. Three years ago yours truly had the idea to do a “Steelers Resign Clifton Geathers” article as an April Fools joke. Instead we went with the faux Steelers trade Lawrence Timmons to Miami one that did so well that a credentialed press member actually called the Steelers to verify the nonexistent trade.
- Which turned out to be a wise choice, because the Steelers actually DID resign Clifton Geathers on April 1st.
That was then, this is now. While I wasn’t planning on doing it, it occurred to me that a Daniel McCullers resigning might be good April Fools fodder (didn’t do an April Fools article last year, and probably won’t this year. Or will I…..?_)
- Well, good thing that wasn’t this year’s plan, because it would be back to the drawing board:
Congrats to @aThreeAthletics big Dan McCullers on agreeing to a new contract with the @steelers
— Chad Speck (@a3Chad) March 22, 2018
The day’s news saw the Pittsburgh Steelers resign Daniel McCullers to a one year contract. One can only assume that it is for a veteran minimum which would guarantee McCullers nothing, but at this point in his career one has to wonder why the Steelers would even devote one of their 90 off season roster spots Daniel McCullers.
In a rare action shot, Daniel McCullers holds off David Andrews. Photo Credit: Steelers.com
As our free agent focus profile of Daniel McCullers pointed out, “Big D = Disappointment.” At 6’7″ and 350 plus pounds, Daniel McCullers is every defensive coordinator’s fantasy. Yet measurable don’t always mean much in the NFL, and Daniel McCullers did make some progress from his rookie to sophomore years, but has seen scant little since then.
- In fact McCullers snap counts went from 9% and change in 2015, to 17% and change in 2016, to 1.33% in 2017.
That’s decidedly the wrong direction.
Too Early to Declare a “Dunbar Effect?”
In looking the prospects of the Steelers resigning Daniel McCullers, about the only plausible scenario involved new defensive line coach Karl Dunbar coming in, reviewing film, and seeing something he feels he could salvage.
- Perhaps Karly Dunbar has done just that.
Because really, even with Justin Hargrave not making a lot of growth between his first and second year, and even with L.T. Walton perhaps hitting a plateau, Daniel McCullers body after four years in the NFL offers scant justification for a second NFL contract, even at the veteran minimum.
The Steelers declined to activate Daniel McCullers for all but six games in 2017, including the AFC divisional playoff loss the the Jaguars, despite knowing that both Javon Hargrave and Stephon Tuitt were less than 100% going into the game.
- Perhaps McCullers had an undisclosed injury. That would explain a lot.
Whatever the reasons is, Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin, Keith Butler, John Mitchell and Karl Dunbar are far more qualified to make that judgment that me. But this resigning is a real head scratcher.
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