Pittsburgh GM Kevin Colbert says what we all know--players who played in 2020 will be favored

over those who opted out (all things being equal).

Makes total sense. One of the reasons I was not for re-signing Golladay for huge money was that it appeared he put himself over the team. He was getting paid by us in 2020, but he was taking that money looking to the money he stood to make from someone else in 2021. When someone displays that me first attitude, you (should) always be wondering at what point is that attitude going to rear it’s head? When the player feels he hasn’t gotten enough balls thrown his way? When the coach makes him mad? When it’s too cold to practice outside? It does make sense when all things are pretty equal to go to the guy who lives football. Lives for being there for his teammates. It doesn’t make the other guys horrible humans, especially with the unknowns of COVID at the time they made those decisions. But I understand Colbert’s viewpoint, though I bet Rog isn’t happy at all with those comments.

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This is a bit of a lip service out of Colbert when you think about it. The top players who opted out will all be gone by the time the Steelers pick. And if one of those guys are there he’s going to take the guy and use the “if everything is close” qualifier he put in there.

So if you read what he said and really think about it, he is saying if you have 2 players rated close to eachother you go with the player with more recent information on him. No chit.

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Lol. Exactly. If Chase fell, colbert would be all over it.

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Of course, but then he would not be among the cluster of players with late first round value and wouldn’t be a part of this particular conversation. Now Rousseau vs Ojulari, you have the situation Colbert spoke about. I have Rousseau rated higher, but this is where you could see sitting out bite a guy like him.

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Tactic???

He’s trying to get other gms to let players slide

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Ask Love how that worked out for him. Sorry, but these kids are working for their future and trying to secure their livelihood. They want to sit out go ahead, it’s not bailing on your team, we all make conscious decisions about our lives and futures. Why are these kids knocked for it?

Playing because fans and what not want to see you play does nothing I’d you blow out a knee and lose your chance.

Taking a year off worked so well for USC WR Mike Williams.

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Every time you write this… I have wondered if you were a fan of the Chit Rodriguez shirts?
:grin:
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I definitely understand your point. Especially in the year of COVID.

But like all business decisions, to include the ones we make, there are pro’s and con’s to that decision.

Players are absolutely free to make that business decision, and GMs are free to consider that when making their decisions.

A player might be protecting himself from a serious injury, and/or exposing himself to COVID. But the con to that is has potentially stunted a year of growth. He has turned down the opportunity to put his talents on display. And yep, he is taking the chance that GMs may see him make that business decision and wonder if he will miss time on the field for future business decisions.

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Well said! It absolutely is a catch 22 as Burrow showed what a great year can do for someone. I understand the business aspect of it and the GMs point of views. Just hard for me to fathom these kids doing what’s best for them as until they’re drafted they are their own boss. Personally I am not opposed to a player who sat out. I’d be devastated if I worked 10 plus years to make it to have a shot at the pros and something crazy happens and it’s all gone before I even start.

It’s a vicious world we live in, GMs are understandable to have this view point. Fans not so much, that’s my take though.

I wrote something eerily similar in the Gettleman thread an hour later than you wrote this…