I would not want to be making the decisions about who to cut on this roster.
With the injuries and inexperience among the backups, this could be one of the toughest Steelers cuts in some time.
Add in the fact we just don't know what a Todd Haley offense will look like/need from its roster, and you have a lot of unknowns.
Do the Steelers keep two QBs or three?
Charlie Batch put his best foot forward Thursday night, going 11 of 14 for 102 yards and a TD. But Jerrod Johnson also looked good again, going 7 of 10 for 78 yards and a score.
Johnson did make a mistake down at the goal line, waiting too long to call a timeout and costing the Steelers five yards, but he made up for it by zipping a pass for a TD to Wesyle Saunders.
Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich are locks, but who knows what the Steelers do after that.
@ Speaking of Saunders, despite his suspension, his play the last couple of weeks has put him back on this roster.
Saunders has been inconsistent in training camp and the coaching staff wasn't happy with that. But when you see him get open - as opposed to, say Leonard Pope - you see a player who could be No. 2 behind Heath Miller coming back from the suspension.
I'm not quite sure what Pope brings to the table.
@ The Steelers gave Jonathan Dwyer 13 first-half carries to see if he could handle that kind of load.
Could it be that Dwyer will be the starter in Denver, with Isaac Redman playing more of a short-yardage/third-down role? You betcha.
@ I like what I saw of all the Steelers running backs tonight.
Baron Batch showed more cutting ability than he had shown throughout the preseason, while newly signed DuJaun Harris showed a nice jump stop and power.
@ I don't know that Chris Rainey is going to give the Steelers a lot in their base offense as a ball carrier. But as a return man, he's scary dangerous.
@ It appears that rookie Sean Spence's season is over after he suffered a torn ACL and dislocated knee.
Too bad. The kid would have been a special teams ace this season.
The Steelers' special teams coverage units are going to be a problem this season.
@ The Steelers will use the new IR designation on first-round pick David DeCastro. They expect him to be out eight weeks.
Paulson and Pope are equally average at blocking, but Paulson has room for improvement, is young and a much better receiving weapon. Think we got a nice 7th rounder in our hands. Pope probably makes the roster but is the one who leaves after Saunders returns
ReplyDeletereally all he brings to the table is knowing Haley's offense (other than maybe Wallace, who doesn't know it by now?) and size
Shame about Spence. It looked like he just got pushed in the back by a blocker and his foot stuck in the turf as he fell.
ReplyDeleteglad to have wallace back, i have no problems with him not signing the tender until now. the offense is better with him in it, hope they can work a long term deal
ReplyDelete2 qb's. offer charlie a sideline coach or pr job. sign him later if needed
cut down the number of pre season games
rainey looks like he will be great fun to watch, can he take the beating in the nfl ?
saw the highlight of the spence injury. i cringed and my knee hurt clear in illinois just from watching that. i hope that isn't the end of his career.
This season has the feel of breaking bad in every possible way.
ReplyDeleteI agree about special teams becuase of a lack of depth at TE, LB , CB and safety (since Brown injured knee and Golden pulled a hammy).
ReplyDeletei don't quite understand the new IR rule. i read that the "marquee" player can come back after week 6 and play after week 8, but also has to be on the 53 man roster as of the final preseason cut. therefore, what is the benefit? do they not still take up a roster spot?
ReplyDeleteor do you put them on the 53 man roster, IR them immediately, then add another player to the roster until you bring the injured player back?
"or do you put them on the 53 man roster, IR them immediately, then add another player to the roster until you bring the injured player back?"
ReplyDeleteThat's the way I understand it. DeCastro has to be on the final 53 and then can go on IR and another player re-signed.
"2 qb's. offer charlie a sideline coach or pr job. sign him later if needed"
ReplyDeleteWhy would Batch want to do either? When he retires, he'll go to work for the NFLPA.
The new IR rules means that they have to cut somebody, hope he clears waivers, and then sign him back when they place DeCastro on IR
philly tried to do the coach/qb if needed thing with a young qb last year, I believe it was.
ReplyDeleteIts roster stashing and the NFL immediately shot it down. Its so obvious with Batch, that there is no way he could take a position with the team and then later sign as a player.
I'm surprised its mentioned so much.
just cut batch
ReplyDeletehe is too fragile anyways
Well, old Charlie survived. He won't dress on Sundays though as that 46th spot will go to a non-qb.
ReplyDelete