Could Thaddeus Moss' Injury Benefit Steelers on Draft day?
On Thursday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported LSU tight end Thaddeus Moss was found to have a fracture in his foot during his physical at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Moss is scheduled to have surgery, but is expected to heal in plenty of time before the start of the regular season.
With his father (Randy Moss) being one of the greatest receivers to ever play the game combined with taking part in one of the greatest offensive seasons ever at LSU, it's hard to imagine Moss not being selected early in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, some weren't heavily in love with Moss to begin with prior to the discovery of his surgery.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had this to say about Moss:
"He has great hands and good body control, but he's an average athlete who benefited from rub routes and off coverage to find plenty of open-window catches... He could struggle to uncover against tight man, but his hybrid TE/H-back versatility and run-blocking prowess could lock him into a TE3 role."
CBS Sports has Moss listed as the fifth-best tight end in the draft, ranking as the 75th best player overall on their big board. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has him as the sixth-ranked player at his position, with Moss falling out of his top 100 players prior to the start of the combine as well. From all indications, it appears the media value Moss around the third/fourth round.
This may be potentially good news for the Steelers, a team that may possibly be in the market for a tight end depending on the status of Vance McDonald's cap hit of $7 million, although the team could very well aim for a tight end should Nick Vannett not return or if Zach Gentry still isn't developed properly.
It's a still a mystery on where the Steelers will go in the 2020 NFL Draft, as the team currently only has five selections and doesn't draft until the second round. Of course, majority of the draft game plan derives from the outcome of free agency, a puzzle that includes pieces such as Bud Dupree, Javon Hargrave and a handful of others.
The recent news of Moss' injury isn't expected to bump him drastically down draft boards, however it is a notable flag for teams to monitor through the draft process. Moss also needed surgery on his other foot back in 2018, forcing him to miss the entire season.
Of course, Moss isn't the only notable tight end prospect available in the draft, as the position is headlined by Notre Dame's Cole Kmet and Purdue's Brycen Hopkins. However, both players will likely be off the board by the 49th overall pick when Pittsburgh steps to the podium. Thus comes the popular link of the Steelers and Moss.
Whether the team believes they can grab him with their second, third (projected compensatory pick) or either of two fourth round selections, the news of Moss' injury only helps a team like the Steelers, who need all the wiggle room/flexibility possible when they're on the clock come late April.
