The Steelers assured they will open the 2014 season with their sixth punter in the past four years when they signed veteran Adam Podlesh on Tuesday.
Podlesh, who was with Chicago in 2013, replaces Mat McBriar as the veteran punter on Pittsburgh's roster and will compete with Brad Wing, who has never punted in the NFL, for the job with the Steelers.
At first glance, Podlesh doesn't appear to be an upgrade. His gross average of 40.6 yards in 2013 ranked 33rd in the league.
But he placed 27 kicks inside the opposing 20 - McBriar and Zoltan Mesko had 16 combined for the Steelers in 2013 - and had just two touchbacks, which ranked third in the NFL among regular punters.
Ironically, Podlesh was selected 11 picks ahead of Daniel Sepulveda in the 2007 draft.
The Steelers traded fourth and sixth-round picks in 2007 to move up seven spots to select Sepulveda.
Yeah, was no secret to anyone paying attention the Steelers were gonna draft a punter in the middle rounds of that draft (not unlike last year with QB). When Jacksonville surprised everyone with that pick, I'm guessing it spooked Pittsburgh into moving up for Sepulveda.
ReplyDeleteI am convinced that every time the Steeler brass thinks about punting, they get a monumental brain cramp
ReplyDeleteThey had an extra fourth that year as a comp pick as well, so they felt comfortable dealing the pick.
ReplyDeleteDrafted Ryan McBeam later in that round.