I'm bored. You're bored. We're all bored, waiting for training camp to start.
I'm not big on the NFL Network's top 100 list because, well, it's a flawed voting system. From what I can gather, not a lot of players vote for the list. And, in reality, the top 12 or so players should all be quarterbacks. After all, if you're putting together a team for the 2015 season, wouldn't you want a QB first?
I'm going to put together a list now of the Steelers' top 25 players, regardless of position heading into this season. Hint, yes Ben Roethlisberger is No. 1.
25. Cortez Allen, CB - A starting cornerback at No. 25? Well, this is where Allen played himself to in 2014. I think he'll bounce back this season and outperform this ranking. But I have to see it first.
24. Shamarko Thomas, S - This is a projection as much as anything. He has to outperform this ranking.
23. Will Johnson, FB - I have thought for the past couple of years that Johnson could be used more as a receiver. Maybe this year.
22. Jarvis Jones, OLB - Gotta stay healthy. But he's shown some flashes. This had better be the year he puts it all together.
21. Markus Wheaton, WR - Wheaton had his moments in 2014, but he was eventually overshadowed by rookie Martavis Bryant. That will only happen more moving forward.
20. Antwon Blake, CB - Yes, he's the third corner. And yes, he's ranked higher than Cortez Allen, the presumptive starter.
19. Arthur Moats, OLB - You see the issues the Steelers have defensively when their two presumptive starting outside linebackers are ranked 18th and 21st. They must climb this list.
18. Marcus Gilbert, OT - Gilbert is solid, if unspectacular. His ranking is a little lower than perhaps expected because he's had issues staying healthy a full season.
17. Stephon Tuitt, DE - Another player who could outperform this ranking. I liked what I saw down the stretch last season.
16. Ryan Shazier, LB - The Steelers selected him in the first round to be a star. He's shown flashes. But that's all to this point. They need him to break out in 2015.
15. Ramon Foster, OG - Like Gilbert, solid if unspectacular. Good leader.
14. Mike Mitchell, S - We'll give him a pass for his play in 2014 because of injuries and learning a new defense. He also had to play a lot of deep safety because Troy Polamalu could no longer run. He could be asked to attack the line of scrimmage more this season.
13. Steve McLendon, NT - Played a good portion of 2014 with a very injured shoulder. He's not Casey Hampton, but McLendon is a solid football player.
12. Heath Miller, TE - Not the downfield threat he once was, but still a good leader and solid performer. His blocking isn't what it once was.
11. William Gay, CB - Another solid leader, Gay will make some splash plays. Like every corner in the NFL, he'll struggle at times as well. But he's the best the Steelers have right now.
10. David DeCastro, G - He's been good thus far, but you expect greatness any day from a guard selected in the first round. Could this be the year?
9. Martavis Bryant. WR - Looks like he could be a beast this year. Could outperform this ranking. But the name of the game is scoring touchdowns while stopping the opponent from doing the same. He had eight scores in 10 games last season.
8. James Harrison, LB - Will less Harrison this year equal more production from the 37-year-old? Perhaps. But he was very productive in 2014.
7. Kelvin Beachum, LT - Might be the toughest guy on the team not named Ben Roethlisberger to replace if he were lost to an injury. Will give up some sacks, but he's very smart and often overlooked.
6. Maurkice Pouncey, C - The leader of an offensive line that's improved greatly over the past two seasons. And it still has room to grow.
5. Lawrence Timmons, LB - Finally, a Pro Bowl nod for Timmons last season. He probably should have been making his third or fourth such trip.
4. Cameron Heyward, DE - The new heart and soul of the Steelers defense. A new contract will be forthcoming in training camp.
3. Le'Veon Bell, RB - It's hard to put a guy who might be the best overall running back in the league third, but it's tough to put him ahead of the top two guys as well. He's a young Marshall Faulk.
2. Antonio Brown, WR - Might be the best player, pound for pound, in the NFL. He also might be the best wide receiver in the league.
1. Ben Roethlisberger, QB - The NFL leader in passing yards last season, Roethlisberger has a handle on Todd Haley's offense now and should be primed for another big season.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Where things stand
In the numerous radio interviews I've done over the past month while the Steelers were doing OTAs and mini-camp, I've been asked time and again what we've learned from the whole experience.
The reality is that we really haven't learned a lot other than who the Steelers figure will be in their starting lineup come September.
Yes, Martavis Bryant looks like a beast.
Of course the offense is expected to carry the team. It did so last year as well.
There's no doubt the defense, which will be considerably younger than the group that opened last season, will also be faster.
But there's plenty we still don't know, some of which we won't truly be able to get a handle on until sometime in mid-October.
Will a younger and faster defense equal a better defense?
How will Keith Butler's defense differ from the one run by Dick LeBeau?
Where will the sacks come from?
Can the offense become even more dynamic?
Training camp and the preseason will give us a slight glimpse at some of those questions. But they won't completely answer them.
Butler's play calling and style, in particular, will be a work in progress. The Steelers aren't going to tip their hand too much in the preseason. They would be silly to do so.
After all, why show New England or anyone else is on the schedule early any new wrinkles Butler has up his sleeve?
So we can all speculate about this package or that package, but the reality is that if the Steelers' coaching staff is smart - and I believe it is - this preseason will be more bland than a bowl of unsweetened oatmeal.
* The same thing can be said of offensive and defensive linemen. We can see who is in shape and who is not. But when it comes to actual play on the field, there's very little blocking and no tackling in the offseason workouts.
That won't kick off for real for another month.
* While the veterans might not like it, the fifth preseason game this year that the Steelers will play is invaluable to young players hoping to make this roster or one elsewhere.
An extra preseason game might be of no benefit to the starters, who don't figure to play more than an extra series or even quarter in August than they usually would.
Those other three quarters have to be played by someone.
The reality is that we really haven't learned a lot other than who the Steelers figure will be in their starting lineup come September.
Yes, Martavis Bryant looks like a beast.
Of course the offense is expected to carry the team. It did so last year as well.
There's no doubt the defense, which will be considerably younger than the group that opened last season, will also be faster.
But there's plenty we still don't know, some of which we won't truly be able to get a handle on until sometime in mid-October.
Will a younger and faster defense equal a better defense?
How will Keith Butler's defense differ from the one run by Dick LeBeau?
Where will the sacks come from?
Can the offense become even more dynamic?
Training camp and the preseason will give us a slight glimpse at some of those questions. But they won't completely answer them.
Butler's play calling and style, in particular, will be a work in progress. The Steelers aren't going to tip their hand too much in the preseason. They would be silly to do so.
After all, why show New England or anyone else is on the schedule early any new wrinkles Butler has up his sleeve?
So we can all speculate about this package or that package, but the reality is that if the Steelers' coaching staff is smart - and I believe it is - this preseason will be more bland than a bowl of unsweetened oatmeal.
* The same thing can be said of offensive and defensive linemen. We can see who is in shape and who is not. But when it comes to actual play on the field, there's very little blocking and no tackling in the offseason workouts.
That won't kick off for real for another month.
* While the veterans might not like it, the fifth preseason game this year that the Steelers will play is invaluable to young players hoping to make this roster or one elsewhere.
An extra preseason game might be of no benefit to the starters, who don't figure to play more than an extra series or even quarter in August than they usually would.
Those other three quarters have to be played by someone.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Mini-camp wraps up
The Steelers wrapped up mini-camp with a spirited session on Thursday.
The final session was highlighted by a two-minute situation with the offense scoring on the opening drive and the defense winning the second session.
There was a lot of good-natured jawing going back and forth from the starters on both units, who did not compete in the workout. This was one for the reserves as the coaches took one final look at some guys before sending them off for five weeks.
Per mini-camp rules, I can't give you a rundown on any plays in particular, but Landry Jones looked much more comfortable in the pocket on this day.
Tyler Murphy, meanwhile, had better sharpen up those receiving skills.
@ My biggest takeaways from this offseason of workouts are these:
* This offense is poised to be among the top two or three in the NFL this season, even if Le'Veon Bell has to sit out the first three games. It's that good with playmakers all over the field.
* Daniel McCullers and Clifton Geathers haven't put the pads on yet, but they give the team a great deal of hope for a true five-man rotation on the defensive line. Both are in excellent shape and block out the sun.
* Martavis Bryant should be among the breakout players in the NFL this season, if not the breakout player. He's in great shape and looks much more comfortable and polished.
* I'm still not sure who the backup left tackle is. But Alejandro Villanueva is now up to 340 pounds, which he carries very easily on his 6-9 frame.
Villanueva is still listed at 277 pounds, which goes to show that you can't believe everything on the roster listings.
I'm told he shows a lot of promise as a run blocker. The key will be whether he is too tall to play the position in the NFL.
I'm not writing off Mike Adams as the backup there, but he's only got a year remaining on his contract and the team has to look to the future.
* The coaching staff is very intrigued by massive tight end Cameron Clear, all 6-5, 277 pounds of him.
They obviously liked Jesse James better - enough so that they drafted him - but Clear has a shot as well.
Rob Blanchflower, meanwhile, has been nursing a hamstring injury that he had better hope heals before training camp begins.
* I've written it here before: Don't overlook C.J. Goodwin at wide receiver. Eli Rogers is pretty good, too. The Steelers are going to have some tough cuts at that position.
* I saw a lot more passes being caught by defenders this offseason. The team has put an emphasis on that. If Mike Mitchell can stay healthy - which he did not do last season - he could be primed for a very good year.
The final session was highlighted by a two-minute situation with the offense scoring on the opening drive and the defense winning the second session.
There was a lot of good-natured jawing going back and forth from the starters on both units, who did not compete in the workout. This was one for the reserves as the coaches took one final look at some guys before sending them off for five weeks.
Per mini-camp rules, I can't give you a rundown on any plays in particular, but Landry Jones looked much more comfortable in the pocket on this day.
Tyler Murphy, meanwhile, had better sharpen up those receiving skills.
@ My biggest takeaways from this offseason of workouts are these:
* This offense is poised to be among the top two or three in the NFL this season, even if Le'Veon Bell has to sit out the first three games. It's that good with playmakers all over the field.
* Daniel McCullers and Clifton Geathers haven't put the pads on yet, but they give the team a great deal of hope for a true five-man rotation on the defensive line. Both are in excellent shape and block out the sun.
* Martavis Bryant should be among the breakout players in the NFL this season, if not the breakout player. He's in great shape and looks much more comfortable and polished.
* I'm still not sure who the backup left tackle is. But Alejandro Villanueva is now up to 340 pounds, which he carries very easily on his 6-9 frame.
Villanueva is still listed at 277 pounds, which goes to show that you can't believe everything on the roster listings.
I'm told he shows a lot of promise as a run blocker. The key will be whether he is too tall to play the position in the NFL.
I'm not writing off Mike Adams as the backup there, but he's only got a year remaining on his contract and the team has to look to the future.
* The coaching staff is very intrigued by massive tight end Cameron Clear, all 6-5, 277 pounds of him.
They obviously liked Jesse James better - enough so that they drafted him - but Clear has a shot as well.
Rob Blanchflower, meanwhile, has been nursing a hamstring injury that he had better hope heals before training camp begins.
* I've written it here before: Don't overlook C.J. Goodwin at wide receiver. Eli Rogers is pretty good, too. The Steelers are going to have some tough cuts at that position.
* I saw a lot more passes being caught by defenders this offseason. The team has put an emphasis on that. If Mike Mitchell can stay healthy - which he did not do last season - he could be primed for a very good year.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
OTA final thoughts
With Bruce Gradkowski sidelined with what we learned today is a shoulder injury, the Steelers were forced to use Landry Jones Tajh Boyd and Devin Gardner at QB - a lot.
The results have not been great, though the defense has been getting a lot of interception practice.
That's bad news for Jones - or maybe not.
With none of the young quarterbacks - and Gardner is still working at wide receiver as well - standing out, Jones, who has the most experience of that group, might have the inside track at making the roster once again.
Of course, the Steelers will have a full month at training camp and five preseason games for that to sort itself out.
@ Todd Haley said today that the team will treat Le'Veon Bell at training camp as if he's going to be available in the first three games. And who knows, he still might be since the NFL has not yet heard Bell's appeal.
But it is doubtful that he'll be available in at least the first two games.
That's probably the right tactic to take since the Steelers will need to get Bell his work so he can hit the ground running - no pun intended - when his suspension is completed.
@ The Steelers continue to work extremely hard on their red zone offense and for good reason.
The team was very good at quick-strike scores in 2014. But they were just 19th in scoring touchdowns inside the red zone.
And the defense can always get better in that area.
@ If you're planning on visiting training camp this year, the team is off Tuesday July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 18 and Monday, Aug. 10.
The team's night practice at Latrobe High School Stadium will be Friday, July 31.
Mike Tomlin has to be on Cloud 9 knowing that he's going to have the players sequestered for a month at Saint Vincent College. He lives for that kind of thing.
The results have not been great, though the defense has been getting a lot of interception practice.
That's bad news for Jones - or maybe not.
With none of the young quarterbacks - and Gardner is still working at wide receiver as well - standing out, Jones, who has the most experience of that group, might have the inside track at making the roster once again.
Of course, the Steelers will have a full month at training camp and five preseason games for that to sort itself out.
@ Todd Haley said today that the team will treat Le'Veon Bell at training camp as if he's going to be available in the first three games. And who knows, he still might be since the NFL has not yet heard Bell's appeal.
But it is doubtful that he'll be available in at least the first two games.
That's probably the right tactic to take since the Steelers will need to get Bell his work so he can hit the ground running - no pun intended - when his suspension is completed.
@ The Steelers continue to work extremely hard on their red zone offense and for good reason.
The team was very good at quick-strike scores in 2014. But they were just 19th in scoring touchdowns inside the red zone.
And the defense can always get better in that area.
@ If you're planning on visiting training camp this year, the team is off Tuesday July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 18 and Monday, Aug. 10.
The team's night practice at Latrobe High School Stadium will be Friday, July 31.
Mike Tomlin has to be on Cloud 9 knowing that he's going to have the players sequestered for a month at Saint Vincent College. He lives for that kind of thing.
Thursday, June 04, 2015
Week 2 of OTAs wraps up
The Steelers finished off the second week of their OTAs this week and it's been pretty uneventful, which is good.
For a look at what can go wrong in these things, look no farther than the Denver Broncos, who lost starting left tackle Ryan Clady during their OTAs.
The Steelers had perfect attendance at their OTAs until Wednesday and Thursday when both James Harrison and Ryan Shazier missed.
That leads me to believe that head coach Mike Tomlin drove the point home with this team that he wanted everyone to be there as much as possible.
In previous years, it was not unusual for five to 10 veteran players to miss these "voluntary" sessions.
Things come up that sometimes makes it hard for everyone to be there. But this team is making a point of being there.
@ It's interesting that the Steelers took the time this week to take a look at Devin Gardner and Tyler Murphy as quarterbacks as well as wide receivers.
Could Mike Tomlin be thinking about trying to steal a roster spot by having one of the two or both in the mix for the No. 3 QB position?
Possibly.
With teams more likely to try some two-point conversions this year, it might not hurt to have a dual-threat QB on the roster, as well.
But from what I've seen thus far, none of the QBs behind Ben Roethlisberger or Bruce Gradkowski, who isn't doing much in these workouts, is showing much of anything - including Landry Jones.
@ Looking for an early sleeper to make the roster? How about California University wide receiver C.J. Goodwin.
Goodwin spent last season on the practice squad, where he wowed teammates seemingly once a week with a leaping catch. The 6-3 receiver has a 40-plus-inch vertical.
He told me that season on the practice squad really helped his confidence and helped him polish his game.
Can he beat out Darrius Heyward-Bey for the fifth spot? That's unlikely, since DHB is a solid special teams guy, but injuries can change things quickly.
Regardless, Goodwin's route running looks to have improved mightily and caught up with his athleticism.
For a look at what can go wrong in these things, look no farther than the Denver Broncos, who lost starting left tackle Ryan Clady during their OTAs.
The Steelers had perfect attendance at their OTAs until Wednesday and Thursday when both James Harrison and Ryan Shazier missed.
That leads me to believe that head coach Mike Tomlin drove the point home with this team that he wanted everyone to be there as much as possible.
In previous years, it was not unusual for five to 10 veteran players to miss these "voluntary" sessions.
Things come up that sometimes makes it hard for everyone to be there. But this team is making a point of being there.
@ It's interesting that the Steelers took the time this week to take a look at Devin Gardner and Tyler Murphy as quarterbacks as well as wide receivers.
Could Mike Tomlin be thinking about trying to steal a roster spot by having one of the two or both in the mix for the No. 3 QB position?
Possibly.
With teams more likely to try some two-point conversions this year, it might not hurt to have a dual-threat QB on the roster, as well.
But from what I've seen thus far, none of the QBs behind Ben Roethlisberger or Bruce Gradkowski, who isn't doing much in these workouts, is showing much of anything - including Landry Jones.
@ Looking for an early sleeper to make the roster? How about California University wide receiver C.J. Goodwin.
Goodwin spent last season on the practice squad, where he wowed teammates seemingly once a week with a leaping catch. The 6-3 receiver has a 40-plus-inch vertical.
He told me that season on the practice squad really helped his confidence and helped him polish his game.
Can he beat out Darrius Heyward-Bey for the fifth spot? That's unlikely, since DHB is a solid special teams guy, but injuries can change things quickly.
Regardless, Goodwin's route running looks to have improved mightily and caught up with his athleticism.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Thoughts on first week of OTAs
I had to laugh when a reporter asked James Harrison how he was adjusting to his new role as a mentor with the Steelers.
"It's really not any different than before," Harrison replied. "It's just that the team is more vocal about it now than before."
Harrison couldn't be more right.
To think that James Harrison just became a leader this year because the team started talking about it is silly. After all, he's a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
To think that other players haven't always at least watched how he goes about his business is short-sighted. After all, that's exactly why the Cincinnati Bengals signed him as a free agent in 2013 following his release by the Steelers.
The Bengals didn't necessarily have a spot to play Harrison because he didn't fit in their 4-3 defense. But they wanted to have him around in an attempt to change the culture there.
When you're a guy such as Harrison or Troy Polamalu, you don't necessarily lead vocally. You lead by example. Players watch your work ethic and how you go about your business. Do you take plays off or mess around in the weight room? Do you pay attention in meetings?
You're always under the microscope. You can't take a day off.
It's the same reason a guy such as Antonio Brown is looked as a leader on this team, even though he's not the most vocal player.
The young guys on the team can look at Brown's work ethic and see the right way to do things.
Harrison has always been that guy. And he's always been approachable for those who have questions. Now, he's just being a little more vocal.
@ It's just been a few practices, but I like what I see from undrafted rookie running back Cameron Stingley.
He's a thick 6-1, 230 and shows some burst. Mind you, there's no tackling right now. But Stingly's a guy to keep an eye on.
@ Both Daniel McCullers and Clifton Geathers look lean for guys who can block out the sun.
John Mitchell said at the draft that both were in great shape and he wasn't stretching the truth.
"It's really not any different than before," Harrison replied. "It's just that the team is more vocal about it now than before."
Harrison couldn't be more right.
To think that James Harrison just became a leader this year because the team started talking about it is silly. After all, he's a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
To think that other players haven't always at least watched how he goes about his business is short-sighted. After all, that's exactly why the Cincinnati Bengals signed him as a free agent in 2013 following his release by the Steelers.
The Bengals didn't necessarily have a spot to play Harrison because he didn't fit in their 4-3 defense. But they wanted to have him around in an attempt to change the culture there.
When you're a guy such as Harrison or Troy Polamalu, you don't necessarily lead vocally. You lead by example. Players watch your work ethic and how you go about your business. Do you take plays off or mess around in the weight room? Do you pay attention in meetings?
You're always under the microscope. You can't take a day off.
It's the same reason a guy such as Antonio Brown is looked as a leader on this team, even though he's not the most vocal player.
The young guys on the team can look at Brown's work ethic and see the right way to do things.
Harrison has always been that guy. And he's always been approachable for those who have questions. Now, he's just being a little more vocal.
@ It's just been a few practices, but I like what I see from undrafted rookie running back Cameron Stingley.
He's a thick 6-1, 230 and shows some burst. Mind you, there's no tackling right now. But Stingly's a guy to keep an eye on.
@ Both Daniel McCullers and Clifton Geathers look lean for guys who can block out the sun.
John Mitchell said at the draft that both were in great shape and he wasn't stretching the truth.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
OTA opens
The Steelers had perfect attendance at the opening of their final OTA session on Tuesday.
That's important because, well, these are the actual OTAs that matter.
While a big deal was made about Antonio Brown skipping the initial OTAs a while back - reportedly because he wanted a new contract - the final three weeks are the on-field team work, 9-on-7, 7-on-7 and 11-on-11.
There's really not a lot of position work for a guy like Brown to do at this point. He works out hard enough on his own. At this point, he's fine-tuning his game and the best way to do that is in team drills.
Ben Roethlisberger laughed off any questions about whether he thought Brown was going to show for OTAs and mini-camp.
"I called him as soon as I heard that," Roethlisberger said. "He said he didn't know where it was coming from."
It came from Brown's agent or someone close to him. But it was more laying the groundwork for a possible new deal in 2016 than it was this year.
@ Roethlisberger said he has no idea what PSI the Steelers set their footballs to and he doesn't care one way or the other. He has no preference as to how hard or soft the footballs are.
He also said that the Patriots getting caught manipulating footballs in last year's playoffs and spygate doesn't diminish anything they've done in his eyes.
"They've won a lot of games." he said.
@ Ryan Shazier said his workouts with many of the other young linebackers and James Harrison in Arizona were very beneficial, teaching him what it takes to workout in the offseason in the NFL.
@ With a tip of the cap to the NFL's new PAT rule and possibly more two-point conversions this year, the Steelers began by working on that aspect.
Roethlisberger feels the new PAT rule of kicking from the 15 will benefit dome teams since they have a lower potential to miss those kicks while outdoor teams will have a more difficult time with them late in the year.
Then again, if you've got home field advantage in the playoffs and you're playing a dome team, you could have an advantage.
@ Ike Taylor showed up at the first practice. He's not playing, but he was around and didn't have anything to do, so . . .
That's important because, well, these are the actual OTAs that matter.
While a big deal was made about Antonio Brown skipping the initial OTAs a while back - reportedly because he wanted a new contract - the final three weeks are the on-field team work, 9-on-7, 7-on-7 and 11-on-11.
There's really not a lot of position work for a guy like Brown to do at this point. He works out hard enough on his own. At this point, he's fine-tuning his game and the best way to do that is in team drills.
Ben Roethlisberger laughed off any questions about whether he thought Brown was going to show for OTAs and mini-camp.
"I called him as soon as I heard that," Roethlisberger said. "He said he didn't know where it was coming from."
It came from Brown's agent or someone close to him. But it was more laying the groundwork for a possible new deal in 2016 than it was this year.
@ Roethlisberger said he has no idea what PSI the Steelers set their footballs to and he doesn't care one way or the other. He has no preference as to how hard or soft the footballs are.
He also said that the Patriots getting caught manipulating footballs in last year's playoffs and spygate doesn't diminish anything they've done in his eyes.
"They've won a lot of games." he said.
@ Ryan Shazier said his workouts with many of the other young linebackers and James Harrison in Arizona were very beneficial, teaching him what it takes to workout in the offseason in the NFL.
@ With a tip of the cap to the NFL's new PAT rule and possibly more two-point conversions this year, the Steelers began by working on that aspect.
Roethlisberger feels the new PAT rule of kicking from the 15 will benefit dome teams since they have a lower potential to miss those kicks while outdoor teams will have a more difficult time with them late in the year.
Then again, if you've got home field advantage in the playoffs and you're playing a dome team, you could have an advantage.
@ Ike Taylor showed up at the first practice. He's not playing, but he was around and didn't have anything to do, so . . .
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Questions, questions, questions?
With this being the little bit of down time in the NFL, anybody have any questions?
Thursday, May 14, 2015
It's quiet time
It's quiet time for a couple of weeks around the Steelers as the rookies get some time to digest their new playbooks and the veterans continue their OTA activities.
One thing that did catch my eye this week was that the Steelers put a claim in on Houston Texans safety D.J. Swearinger.
They didn't get him, of course, since they were way down the list. Swearinger landed in Tampa Bay.
But the fact that the former second-round pick, who wore out his welcome in Houston after just two seasons, was on Pittsburgh's radar speaks volumes about what the team feels about its current safeties.
I liked Swearinger a lot coming out of South Carolina. He was feisty. He liked to hit - hard. He constantly showed up when I watched the Gamecocks.
That doesn't mean he wasn't without his issues. He showed a me-first tendency that I felt would have to be coached out of him. That didn't happen in Houston.
He also is best used as a box safety.
Was it just a case of the Steelers putting in a claim on a good player to perhaps block him from landing in Baltimore, which also put in a claim? Perhaps.
We might never know. But the fact the Steelers put in a claim on him certainly raises an eyebrow.
One thing that did catch my eye this week was that the Steelers put a claim in on Houston Texans safety D.J. Swearinger.
They didn't get him, of course, since they were way down the list. Swearinger landed in Tampa Bay.
But the fact that the former second-round pick, who wore out his welcome in Houston after just two seasons, was on Pittsburgh's radar speaks volumes about what the team feels about its current safeties.
I liked Swearinger a lot coming out of South Carolina. He was feisty. He liked to hit - hard. He constantly showed up when I watched the Gamecocks.
That doesn't mean he wasn't without his issues. He showed a me-first tendency that I felt would have to be coached out of him. That didn't happen in Houston.
He also is best used as a box safety.
Was it just a case of the Steelers putting in a claim on a good player to perhaps block him from landing in Baltimore, which also put in a claim? Perhaps.
We might never know. But the fact the Steelers put in a claim on him certainly raises an eyebrow.
Friday, May 08, 2015
What I would do with Brady
Now that we've all had a couple of days to digest the whole Patriots' deflating footballs situation, here are my two cents on the issue.
Tom Brady must be suspended.
While Brady's supporters will point out that the evidence is circumstantial, there is also a preponderance of it. And let's remember, this isn't a criminal case. The NFL doesn't need to be convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Brady was involved in having the footballs adjusted.
The league just needs to be pretty sure something happened. Ask Ben Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger was suspended for six games - later reduced to four - in 2010 for his involvement in an alleged sexual assault even though a Georgia district attorney did not feel there was enough evidence to convict the Steelers' quarterback in a court of law.
If Brady is innocent of any involvement of doctoring the footballs, why didn't he turn his cell phone records over to NFL investigators? That's what an innocent person would have done.
Brady, however, did not.
And those poo-pooing this as not a big deal should look at how these kind of things are handled in other sports.
In baseball, if you doctor a baseball or bat, you are suspended. In NASCAR, crew chiefs are suspended if their car is off by 1/8 of an inch.
Cheating is cheating. And if it wasn't a big deal and didn't give a competitive advantage, why would Brady risk doing it?
His agent's assertion that the league ran a sting on his client in conjunction with the Colts is laughable. The league provided footballs, to be sure, but it did not provide any needles or drop any hints that a deflating the balls might be a good idea.
Brady should draw, in my opinion, at least a two-game suspension and the Patriots, as a team, should be fined and docked at least a second-round draft pick.
While I don't doubt that there are other quarterbacks who have done this in the past, the league has to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Tuesday, May 05, 2015
Biggest rookie impact
I've done some radio interviews and been asked otherwise on the streets which rookie I think will have the biggest impact for the Steelers this season.
There's actually several good choices.
Though I think first-round pick Bud Dupree is raw and isn't ready to be a full-time player anytime soon, I do think he can make an impact on special teams and as a situational pass rusher.
And considering outside linebackers coach Joey Porter is planning on rotating his top four linebackers, Dupree should get a chance to contribute sharing time with Arthur Moats.
I liked cornerbacks Senquez Golson and Doran Grant before the draft and the fact the Steelers got both of them was a bonus.
Both had second-round talent and it wouldn't surprise me to see both play this season and make major contributions on special teams.
But I think Golson is more likely to step into the nickel role and make an impact - though it wouldn't shock me if Grant forced his way into the package with his solid speed and tackling skills.
Wide receiver Sammie Coates will have a tough time breaking into the lineup, much as Martavis Bryant did a year ago. Of course, once Bryant did start playing, he made a major impact, the biggest of any rookie on the roster.
I don't see a similar path for Coates this season, however.
Jesse James should win a spot as the No. 3 tight end, but it's tough to predict big things for him in that role.
As for the other picks, if they earn spots on the roster, they'll likely be inactive on game days - unless they prove to be special teams stars.
I'm going to go with Golson making the biggest impact this season as a rookie. He'll be my favorite to win the Joe Greene Great Performance Award given to the team's top rookie, with Dupree and Grant being darkhorses.
There's actually several good choices.
Though I think first-round pick Bud Dupree is raw and isn't ready to be a full-time player anytime soon, I do think he can make an impact on special teams and as a situational pass rusher.
And considering outside linebackers coach Joey Porter is planning on rotating his top four linebackers, Dupree should get a chance to contribute sharing time with Arthur Moats.
I liked cornerbacks Senquez Golson and Doran Grant before the draft and the fact the Steelers got both of them was a bonus.
Both had second-round talent and it wouldn't surprise me to see both play this season and make major contributions on special teams.
But I think Golson is more likely to step into the nickel role and make an impact - though it wouldn't shock me if Grant forced his way into the package with his solid speed and tackling skills.
Wide receiver Sammie Coates will have a tough time breaking into the lineup, much as Martavis Bryant did a year ago. Of course, once Bryant did start playing, he made a major impact, the biggest of any rookie on the roster.
I don't see a similar path for Coates this season, however.
Jesse James should win a spot as the No. 3 tight end, but it's tough to predict big things for him in that role.
As for the other picks, if they earn spots on the roster, they'll likely be inactive on game days - unless they prove to be special teams stars.
I'm going to go with Golson making the biggest impact this season as a rookie. He'll be my favorite to win the Joe Greene Great Performance Award given to the team's top rookie, with Dupree and Grant being darkhorses.
Saturday, May 02, 2015
Final draft thoughts
So much for the best player available.
GM Kevin Colbert as much as admitted the Steelers didn't do that this year - not that they really do any year - and instead drafted for need.
The team went into this draft wanting to take six defensive players and two offensive. Lo and behold, six defensive and two offensive players were taken.
They were taking offensive players based on value, which is why Maxx Williams would have been the pick in the second round had he lasted and Sammie Coates was taken in the third round.
The Steelers felt the value was too great to pass up.
But they had holes they wanted to fill and they did so.
@ The Steelers sign 12 undrafted rookies on Saturday following the draft. They are:
GM Kevin Colbert as much as admitted the Steelers didn't do that this year - not that they really do any year - and instead drafted for need.
The team went into this draft wanting to take six defensive players and two offensive. Lo and behold, six defensive and two offensive players were taken.
They were taking offensive players based on value, which is why Maxx Williams would have been the pick in the second round had he lasted and Sammie Coates was taken in the third round.
The Steelers felt the value was too great to pass up.
But they had holes they wanted to fill and they did so.
@ The Steelers sign 12 undrafted rookies on Saturday following the draft. They are:
Cameron
Clear
TE
6-5
277 Texas A&M
Nigel
Crawford-Kinney DT
6-5
300 Saint
Augustine’s
Dominique
Davis
DE
6-5
285 Liberty
Miles
Dieffenbach
G
6-3
303 Penn State
Reese
Dismukes
G
6-3
296 Auburn
B.J.
Finney
C
6-4
318 Kansas State
Tyler
Murphy
WR 6-2
213 Boston College
Bradon
Prate
DE 6-4
285 Illinois
State
Collin Rahrig G 6-2 285 Indiana
Collin Rahrig G 6-2 285 Indiana
Eli
Rogers
WR
5-10
180 Louisville
Ross Scheuerman
RB
6-0
204 Lafayette (Pa.)
Kevin
Whimpey
T
6-5
295 Utah State
Murphy is interesting in that he was a quarterback at Boston College and will be making the switch to wide receiver.
@ Corners Senquez Golson and Doran Grant and safety Gerod Holliman had a combined 29 interceptions last season. The Steelers have 42 as a team - and no more than 11 in any one season - since the 2010 season.
That also happens to be the last time they won a playoff game.
Coincidence? I think not.
@ I find it interesting the team didn't take an offensive lineman. Mike Adams, Ramon Foster and Kelvin Beachum are all heading into unrestricted free agency following this season, while the team also needs to work out a long-term extension with David DeCastro, even though his fifth-year option was picked up.
You'll notice, though, four offensive linemen among the undrafted guys brought in. There's a good chance one or two of those guys sticks around.
@ Colbert said the Steelers had targeted a cornerback in the second round and that Golson was one of them.
But Eric Rowe was a target as well. And once Rowe was taken and tight end Maxx Williams began to fall, he became a target.
But they didn't want to give up a fifth-round pick to move up.
I don't have a problem with that. As it turns out, would you rather have Golson and Jesse James or Williams?
I'd take Golson and James. Williams, in my opinion, is OK. But he's not the next Jimmy Graham.
@ When we asked defensive line coach John Mitchell about Daniel McCullers and Clifton Geathers, his eyes lit up.
Mitchell said he had spoken to McCullers about getting his weight down and the big nose tackle complied. Geathers, meanwhile, according to Mitchell, came in about 30 pounds lighter.
Both guys should be much better in 2015.
@ When we asked defensive line coach John Mitchell about Daniel McCullers and Clifton Geathers, his eyes lit up.
Mitchell said he had spoken to McCullers about getting his weight down and the big nose tackle complied. Geathers, meanwhile, according to Mitchell, came in about 30 pounds lighter.
Both guys should be much better in 2015.
Day 2 post-draft thoughts
Some Steelers fans might not have liked the pick, but I like the team's selection of Senquez Golson in the second round of Friday's draft.
It showed something of a change in thinking for the Steelers with their corners.
Yes, at 5-9, 176 pounds, Golson isn't the ideal size for a cornerback in the NFL. But he takes the ball away, including recording 10 interceptions last season.
For too long the Steelers have focused on bigger corners who don't necessarily have ball skills. And picking where they were typically at in the bottom of the first round, they rarely had an opportunity to select a corner with good ball skills.
If a guy has both size and ball skills, he goes in the first part of the first round.
But the Steelers took Golson over some larger corners who didn't possess his ball skills.
Those trashing the pick should think about one thing. Did they want the Steelers to take a chance on Tyrann Mathieu a couple of years ago?
Mathieu, as you might remember, had numerous off-field issues at LSU, eventually getting himself kicked out of school.
But there were plenty of Steelers fans who wanted the team to take a chance on him - despite his 5-9, 186-pound size and bevy of issues - because the team needed playmakers in its secondary.
Golson is Mathieu without the rap sheet.
The typical Steelers pick would have been Eric Rowe, a big corner with speed who had three career interceptions in college. And Pittsburgh was interested in him.
But for a team that hasn't had more than 11 interceptions in a season since 2010 - the last time it won a playoff game - acquiring a playmaker in the secondary was a must.
@ I thought the pick of Sammy Coates was a good value pick in the third round.
Yes, he has some issues with drops. But the Steelers feel that can be corrected.
He's got 4.4 speed and averaged over 20 yards per catch in his college career. And at 6-1, 212 chiseled pounds, he's got a different body type than Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton or even Martavis Bryant, to whom Coates has been compared.
The Steelers see Coates as a guy who can do some of the dirty work blocking while also having the ability to take the top off a defense.
@ The Steelers were trying to move up in the second round but found the price too expensive. Then, when they decided to wait and see if tight end Maxx Williams would fall to them, Baltimore pulled the trigger and moved up, giving up their second and fifth round picks to do so.
We'll see if that bites the Steelers in the behind. Williams is the top tight end in this draft, but it's a weak tight end group. He catches the ball well, but isn't particularly fast and offers little as a blocker, though he could get better as he grows into his body.
But it's not getting any easier to find true tight ends with so many college teams running spread offenses.
One thing for certain, if you look at the team's record of selecting tight ends early in the draft, it's been good, with Eric Green, Mark Bruener and Heath Miller all contributing early in their careers.
All were first-round picks and all had plenty of success right away.
In fact, the Steelers went to the Super Bowl in both 1995 and 2005, when they took Bruener and Miller in the first round.
@ Who will the Steelers target on Day 3?
Ohio State's Doran Grant or USC's Josh Shaw are the top corners still available. That position has once again been picked over pretty hard, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the Steelers make a move to go up in the fourth round to get one of them.
Other targets could include Penn State's Jesse James or South Alabama's Wes Saxton at tight end, Georgia Tech center/guard Shaq Mason and Clemson defensive end Corey Crawford or Kristjan Sokoli of Buffalo.
The Steelers also could target a safety since Will Allen isn't getting any younger. James Sample of Louisville and Ibraheim of Northwestern are the top strong safety types available. One guy to keep an eye on, though is UCLA's Anthony Jefferson.
At free safety, there are some interesting guys still out there. Cody Prewitt, who played with Golson at Ole Miss is a solid centerfielder type and Penn State's Adrian Amos also is still on the board.
Derron Smith of Fresno also is a guy who had 15 career interceptions in college.
There also are a couple of interesting small college outside linebackers available in Davis Tull of Chattanooga and Kyle Emmanuel of North Dakota State, though I don't know the Steelers will take another outside linebacker unless the value is just too great to pass on.
I'm hearing that CFL product Shawn Lemon is just a guy so a special teams ace could find a spot.
It showed something of a change in thinking for the Steelers with their corners.
Yes, at 5-9, 176 pounds, Golson isn't the ideal size for a cornerback in the NFL. But he takes the ball away, including recording 10 interceptions last season.
For too long the Steelers have focused on bigger corners who don't necessarily have ball skills. And picking where they were typically at in the bottom of the first round, they rarely had an opportunity to select a corner with good ball skills.
If a guy has both size and ball skills, he goes in the first part of the first round.
But the Steelers took Golson over some larger corners who didn't possess his ball skills.
Those trashing the pick should think about one thing. Did they want the Steelers to take a chance on Tyrann Mathieu a couple of years ago?
Mathieu, as you might remember, had numerous off-field issues at LSU, eventually getting himself kicked out of school.
But there were plenty of Steelers fans who wanted the team to take a chance on him - despite his 5-9, 186-pound size and bevy of issues - because the team needed playmakers in its secondary.
Golson is Mathieu without the rap sheet.
The typical Steelers pick would have been Eric Rowe, a big corner with speed who had three career interceptions in college. And Pittsburgh was interested in him.
But for a team that hasn't had more than 11 interceptions in a season since 2010 - the last time it won a playoff game - acquiring a playmaker in the secondary was a must.
@ I thought the pick of Sammy Coates was a good value pick in the third round.
Yes, he has some issues with drops. But the Steelers feel that can be corrected.
He's got 4.4 speed and averaged over 20 yards per catch in his college career. And at 6-1, 212 chiseled pounds, he's got a different body type than Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton or even Martavis Bryant, to whom Coates has been compared.
The Steelers see Coates as a guy who can do some of the dirty work blocking while also having the ability to take the top off a defense.
@ The Steelers were trying to move up in the second round but found the price too expensive. Then, when they decided to wait and see if tight end Maxx Williams would fall to them, Baltimore pulled the trigger and moved up, giving up their second and fifth round picks to do so.
We'll see if that bites the Steelers in the behind. Williams is the top tight end in this draft, but it's a weak tight end group. He catches the ball well, but isn't particularly fast and offers little as a blocker, though he could get better as he grows into his body.
But it's not getting any easier to find true tight ends with so many college teams running spread offenses.
One thing for certain, if you look at the team's record of selecting tight ends early in the draft, it's been good, with Eric Green, Mark Bruener and Heath Miller all contributing early in their careers.
All were first-round picks and all had plenty of success right away.
In fact, the Steelers went to the Super Bowl in both 1995 and 2005, when they took Bruener and Miller in the first round.
@ Who will the Steelers target on Day 3?
Ohio State's Doran Grant or USC's Josh Shaw are the top corners still available. That position has once again been picked over pretty hard, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the Steelers make a move to go up in the fourth round to get one of them.
Other targets could include Penn State's Jesse James or South Alabama's Wes Saxton at tight end, Georgia Tech center/guard Shaq Mason and Clemson defensive end Corey Crawford or Kristjan Sokoli of Buffalo.
The Steelers also could target a safety since Will Allen isn't getting any younger. James Sample of Louisville and Ibraheim of Northwestern are the top strong safety types available. One guy to keep an eye on, though is UCLA's Anthony Jefferson.
At free safety, there are some interesting guys still out there. Cody Prewitt, who played with Golson at Ole Miss is a solid centerfielder type and Penn State's Adrian Amos also is still on the board.
Derron Smith of Fresno also is a guy who had 15 career interceptions in college.
There also are a couple of interesting small college outside linebackers available in Davis Tull of Chattanooga and Kyle Emmanuel of North Dakota State, though I don't know the Steelers will take another outside linebacker unless the value is just too great to pass on.
I'm hearing that CFL product Shawn Lemon is just a guy so a special teams ace could find a spot.
Friday, May 01, 2015
Bud Dupree and other thoughts
Regular followers of this blog know I am no Bud Dupree fan. I see his athleticism and size and know why a team would want to select him in the first round.
What I didn't always see in the tape that I watched was production. And that's kind of important.
Apparently, the 21 teams that picked ahead of the Steelers on Thursday saw some of that as well. That's why a guy who many saw as a top 10 to 15 pick fell to 22.
The Steelers certainly had a need at outside linebacker. They need production out of the outside linebacker position to make their defense work.
But I don't know that Dupree will be anything more than a situational pass rusher this year - and maybe even in the future.
Now, everything the team said about him following the draft says they feel they can mold him into an every-down player. And perhaps they can.
But I see a player who lacks good football instincts when it comes to diagnosing things quickly. Again, maybe that can be worked on.
The ceiling is high on Dupree. He could be a game-changer in the DeMarcus Ware mold. But he could also be the next Huey Richardson.
He's a project in the first round and I'm not big on taking projects in the first round, especially when your most important player, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, has a Super Bowl window that is closing.
@ Who would I have taken? Byron Jones was a nice, safe pick for a team that is in need of defensive backs.
Like Dupree, Jones is a freakish athlete. But Jones' game tape is much better than that of Dupree.
@ That said, the Steelers will definitely focus on the cornerback position on day 2 of the draft. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to see the team take a pair of corners in the second and third rounds.
At the very least, they will likely take two in the top four rounds.
Who's available? I like Eric Rowe, Quinten Rollins, Josh Shaw, Doran Grant D'Joun Smith and Senquez Golson. Alex Carter would also be solid, though safety might wind up being his best position.
There's also some other guys, such as Jalen Collins, Ronald Darby and P.J. Williams who will likely go in the second round, though they have some off-field red flags.
So with the 24th pick in the second round, the Steelers should be able to get a corner who might help this season.
GM Kevin Colbert also said a trade up in the second round is possible since the team has seven picks remaining in the final six rounds - if there's a player the team has to have and a run on corners starts.
What I didn't always see in the tape that I watched was production. And that's kind of important.
Apparently, the 21 teams that picked ahead of the Steelers on Thursday saw some of that as well. That's why a guy who many saw as a top 10 to 15 pick fell to 22.
The Steelers certainly had a need at outside linebacker. They need production out of the outside linebacker position to make their defense work.
But I don't know that Dupree will be anything more than a situational pass rusher this year - and maybe even in the future.
Now, everything the team said about him following the draft says they feel they can mold him into an every-down player. And perhaps they can.
But I see a player who lacks good football instincts when it comes to diagnosing things quickly. Again, maybe that can be worked on.
The ceiling is high on Dupree. He could be a game-changer in the DeMarcus Ware mold. But he could also be the next Huey Richardson.
He's a project in the first round and I'm not big on taking projects in the first round, especially when your most important player, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, has a Super Bowl window that is closing.
@ Who would I have taken? Byron Jones was a nice, safe pick for a team that is in need of defensive backs.
Like Dupree, Jones is a freakish athlete. But Jones' game tape is much better than that of Dupree.
@ That said, the Steelers will definitely focus on the cornerback position on day 2 of the draft. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to see the team take a pair of corners in the second and third rounds.
At the very least, they will likely take two in the top four rounds.
Who's available? I like Eric Rowe, Quinten Rollins, Josh Shaw, Doran Grant D'Joun Smith and Senquez Golson. Alex Carter would also be solid, though safety might wind up being his best position.
There's also some other guys, such as Jalen Collins, Ronald Darby and P.J. Williams who will likely go in the second round, though they have some off-field red flags.
So with the 24th pick in the second round, the Steelers should be able to get a corner who might help this season.
GM Kevin Colbert also said a trade up in the second round is possible since the team has seven picks remaining in the final six rounds - if there's a player the team has to have and a run on corners starts.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Final mock draft
The playing around is pretty much over. It’s time to put up
or shut up – or at the very least get this draft completed before another
prospect his arrested for something stupid.
For the sake of sanity, I’m not putting any trades into this
draft that already have not taken place. This doesn’t mean that I don’t think
there will be any deals made. In fact, I expect quite a few this year as teams
position themselves to get the guys they want.
Anyway, without any further ado, here we go.
1. Tampa Bay, Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State –
This pick has been locked in since the combine.
2. Tennessee, Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – I
wouldn’t be surprised to see the Titans make this pick and then deal Mariota
later.
3. Jacksonville, Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida – The
Jaguars need pass rushers. Leonard Williams would fit, but Fowler will give Gus
Bradley the kind of edge rusher he covets.
4. Oakland, Leonard Williams, DT, USC – Amari
Cooper would make sense as well, but the Raiders can add a receiver later.
Williams is a game changer.
5. Washington, Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson – Beasley
steps in and replaces Brian Orakpo. Brandon Scherff would make sense here too,
but it’s a little too early.
6. N.Y. Jets, Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky – The Jets
would love to get their hands on Winston or Mariota. Perhaps they make this
move and dangle Dupree and something else for Mariota.
7. Chicago, Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama – It’s no
secret that since Brandon Marshall was dealt that the Bears will be looking at
wide receivers.
8. Atlanta, Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia – With Fowler,
Beasley and Dupree gone, the Falcons go get Steven Jackson’s replacement in
Gurley.
9. N.Y. Giants, Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa – I’ve
felt pretty good about this being Scherff’s landing spot for a while now.
10.
St. Louis, La’el Collins. OT, LSU – The Rams got
Greg Robinson last year, now they get his bookend.
11.
Minnesota, Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State – When you play in the same
division as Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago, you’d better have corners who can
cover.
12.
Cleveland, Kevin White, West Virginia – It’s
hard to believe White falls this far, but here he is. He would be tough for
Cleveland to pass on.
13.
New Orleans, Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska – The
Saints are in desperate need of pass rushers.
14.
Miami, DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville – The
Dolphins would have loved to get their hands on Gurley and it’s too early for
Melvin Gordon, so they go for a dynamic playmaker.
15.
San Francisco, Marcus Peters, CB, Washington –
Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver are gone and the 49ers should have more info
than anyone on the Peters, an Oakland native.
16.
Houston, Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon – The Texans
could use an inside linebacker, but it’s too early for that. Armstead gives
them an end to line up opposite J.J. Watt.
17.
San Diego, Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin – An
easy choice for the Chargers, who need an every-down runner.
18.
Kansas City, Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford – Eric
Fisher is still a work in progress at LT. If he fails on the left side, Peat
would give them another option. And can start on the right side right away.
19.
Cleveland, Danny Shelton, DT, Washington –
Getting White and Shelton would be a heck of a haul for the Browns.
20.
Philadelphia, Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest –
The top three corners and top four OLB prospects are now off the board for the
Steelers.
21.
Cincinnati, Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.) –
Andrew Whitworth will turn 34 this year. Flowers plays with a nasty edge.
22.
Pittsburgh, Byron Jones, CB, UConn – With the
top three corners off the board, the Steelers choice in this mock comes down to
Jones, talented-but-troubled Shane Ray or Landon Collins. Collins would be
tempting as a box safety, and Ray is a top-15 talent who drops because of a toe
injury and an issue with marijuana. Jones, meanwhile, is a high-character
player who tested off the charts at the combine, including setting a world
record in the standing long jump. Oh, and he can play as well, though he was
limited to seven games in 2014 with a shoulder injury.
23.
Detroit, Malcom Brown, DT, Texas – The losses of
Suh and Fairley in the middle will be made up for by the additions of Brown and
Haloti Ngata.
24.
Arizona, Cameron Erving, C, Florida State –
Bruce Arians saw what adding a top-notch center did in Pittsburgh when Maurkice
Pouncey was brought in.
25.
Carolina, D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida –
Offensive line picks aren’t sexy, but they are necessary. And Carolina needs
help on its line in the worst way.
26.
Baltimore, Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (Fla.) –
Having lost their speed receiver, Torrey Smith, the Ravens need for speed at WR
is obvious.
27.
Dallas, Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri – If there’s a
team that doesn’t mind troubled players, it’s the Cowboys. I’m not convinced
Ray is a truly bad guy. Smoking some marijuana is not the character strike it
used to be. That toe injury, though, is troubling.
28.
Denver, Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon – The Broncos
have to protect Peyton Manning, who is as mobile as the Lincoln Memorial at
this stage in his career, not that he ever moved around great to begin with.
29.
Indianapolis, Landon Collins, S, Alabama –
Winston Guy is currently Indianapolis’ starting strong safety. Nobody outside
of Guy’s family knows who he is.
30.
Green Bay, Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA – Brad Jones
and A.J. Hawk are gone. Kendricks is a bit on the small side, but he makes
every tackle.
31.
New Orleans, Nelson Aghlor, WR, USC – Agholor doesn’t
have the size of some of the other top receivers, but he’s silky smooth.
32.
New England, Eric Rowe, CB/S, Utah – Rowe’s size
and speed are off the charts. He has suspect hands, but he’s the kind of hybrid
player the Patriots love.
Friday, April 24, 2015
My ideal Steelers draft
I'm tired of doing mock drafts, even though I will do my final one later this week. So instead, today I'll do a mock eight-selection draft for the Steelers, who have eight picks in the seven-round draft, with the players I think the team will target in each round.
Obviously, availability will have a lot to do with this, otherwise, I'd simply plug in Dante Fowler in the first round, even though there's no way he's there in with the 22nd pick.
Round 1-Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest - I think Johnson will be there for the Steelers and he's a guy who can, at the very least, step right in as the nickel corner. I could also see Byron Jones being the guy. But if Shane Ray's toe injury causes him to fall, he's go a shot as well.
Round 2-Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville - Kid who had 16 different sets of foster homes could find a home with the Steelers. Was a productive collegiate pass rusher and is considered a high-character guy. Just what the Steelers need. If they go OLB in the first, then they go corner in the second, with Quentin Rollins, Eric Rowe or Jalen Collins being targets - yes, I think Collins falls that far.
Round 3-Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary - Mike Tomlin bites the bullet and takes a kid from his alma mater. McBride is worth the pick. He's the next in the long line of third-round receivers who make an impact with the Steelers.
Round 4-Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss - Golson isn't very big, but all he does is make big plays. The Steelers could use a player like that.
Round 5-Shaquille Mason, G/C, Georgia Tech - Mason is the kind of athlete the Steelers have drafted in recent years on their offensive line. He's a bit undersized, but he can pull and run block well coming from Tech's run-heavy offense.
Round 6 (1)-Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama - Saxton is a better athlete than a football player right now, but the Steelers have a little time to develop him before Heath Miller hangs up his pads for good. He's a willing blocker and ran a 4.65 40.
Round 6 (2)-Kyle Emmanuel, OLB, North Dakota State - A big-time playmaker at the lower levels, Emmanuel might eventually develop into a valuable backup with starter capabilities. At worst, he's a core special teams player.
Round 7-Corey Crawford, DE, Clemson - At 6-5, 299, he's got ideal size for a 3-4 defensive end. He might never be starter quality, but could be a valuable backup.
Well, there it is. I realize there are no running backs on the list, but there weren't any I wanted to take over the value picks of McBride, Golson, Mason and Saxton in the middle round. Then, you might as well wait and bring in a URFA.
Obviously, availability will have a lot to do with this, otherwise, I'd simply plug in Dante Fowler in the first round, even though there's no way he's there in with the 22nd pick.
Round 1-Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest - I think Johnson will be there for the Steelers and he's a guy who can, at the very least, step right in as the nickel corner. I could also see Byron Jones being the guy. But if Shane Ray's toe injury causes him to fall, he's go a shot as well.
Round 2-Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville - Kid who had 16 different sets of foster homes could find a home with the Steelers. Was a productive collegiate pass rusher and is considered a high-character guy. Just what the Steelers need. If they go OLB in the first, then they go corner in the second, with Quentin Rollins, Eric Rowe or Jalen Collins being targets - yes, I think Collins falls that far.
Round 3-Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary - Mike Tomlin bites the bullet and takes a kid from his alma mater. McBride is worth the pick. He's the next in the long line of third-round receivers who make an impact with the Steelers.
Round 4-Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss - Golson isn't very big, but all he does is make big plays. The Steelers could use a player like that.
Round 5-Shaquille Mason, G/C, Georgia Tech - Mason is the kind of athlete the Steelers have drafted in recent years on their offensive line. He's a bit undersized, but he can pull and run block well coming from Tech's run-heavy offense.
Round 6 (1)-Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama - Saxton is a better athlete than a football player right now, but the Steelers have a little time to develop him before Heath Miller hangs up his pads for good. He's a willing blocker and ran a 4.65 40.
Round 6 (2)-Kyle Emmanuel, OLB, North Dakota State - A big-time playmaker at the lower levels, Emmanuel might eventually develop into a valuable backup with starter capabilities. At worst, he's a core special teams player.
Round 7-Corey Crawford, DE, Clemson - At 6-5, 299, he's got ideal size for a 3-4 defensive end. He might never be starter quality, but could be a valuable backup.
Well, there it is. I realize there are no running backs on the list, but there weren't any I wanted to take over the value picks of McBride, Golson, Mason and Saxton in the middle round. Then, you might as well wait and bring in a URFA.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Steelers wrap up draft visits
The local airwaves are abuzz going over the Steelers' schedule, so I'll leave that to them. The schedule is what it is, after all. And anybody who thinks they can predict what a team's record will be without taking the draft into account is, well, a little short sighted.
With that in mind, we'll continue to focus on the draft.
The Steelers wrapped up their pre-draft visits today with four more defensive players. Here's the final list of who they brought in:
TE Cameron Clear, Texas A&M
WR DeVante Parker, Louisville
LB Shane Ray, Missouri
LB Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota State
DL Randy Gregory, Nebraska
QB/WR Devin Gardner, Michigan
CB Darryl Roberts, Marshall
RB Matt Jones, Florida
WR Sammie Coates, Auburn
OLB Eli Harold, Virginia
CB Senquez Golson, Ole Miss
TE C.J. Uzomah, Auburn
DE Nate Orchard, Utah
WR Sammie Coates, Auburn
WR Breshad Perriman, UCF
CB Marcus Peters, Washington
CB Alex Carter, Stanford
LB Max Valles, Virginia
CB Doran Grant, Ohio State
QB Tyler Murphy, Boston College
OL Quinton Spain, WVU
TE Jesse James, Penn State
WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona
TE Kennard Backman, UAB
DT Xavier Cooper, Washington State
TE Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State
TE Wes Saxton, South Alabama
CB Bryce Callahan, Rice
CB Stephen Nelson, Oregon State
S Landon Collins, Alabama
DE Preston Smith, Mississippi State
CB Dexter McDonald, Kansas
LB Davis Tull, Chattanooga
Of course, the Steelers also met with a number of other players at the combine and head coach Mike Tomlin and GM Kevin Colbert attended at least a dozen on-campus workouts - while other assistant coaches and scouts attended dozens of others.
But it's pretty obvious the Steelers are looking at corners, linebackers and tight ends very closely.
What does all of this mean?
Last year, the Steelers brought six of the players they selected in the draft in for private visits. The year before, that number was five, while another of their visitors was signed as an undrafted free agent. And in 2012, four of the players they selected came off their pre-draft visit list.
So there's a good chance that four or five of the 29 players players listed above will be selected by the Steelers in this year's draft.
With that in mind, we'll continue to focus on the draft.
The Steelers wrapped up their pre-draft visits today with four more defensive players. Here's the final list of who they brought in:
TE Cameron Clear, Texas A&M
WR DeVante Parker, Louisville
LB Shane Ray, Missouri
LB Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota State
DL Randy Gregory, Nebraska
QB/WR Devin Gardner, Michigan
CB Darryl Roberts, Marshall
RB Matt Jones, Florida
WR Sammie Coates, Auburn
OLB Eli Harold, Virginia
CB Senquez Golson, Ole Miss
TE C.J. Uzomah, Auburn
DE Nate Orchard, Utah
WR Sammie Coates, Auburn
WR Breshad Perriman, UCF
CB Marcus Peters, Washington
CB Alex Carter, Stanford
LB Max Valles, Virginia
CB Doran Grant, Ohio State
QB Tyler Murphy, Boston College
OL Quinton Spain, WVU
TE Jesse James, Penn State
WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona
TE Kennard Backman, UAB
DT Xavier Cooper, Washington State
TE Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State
TE Wes Saxton, South Alabama
CB Bryce Callahan, Rice
CB Stephen Nelson, Oregon State
S Landon Collins, Alabama
DE Preston Smith, Mississippi State
CB Dexter McDonald, Kansas
LB Davis Tull, Chattanooga
Of course, the Steelers also met with a number of other players at the combine and head coach Mike Tomlin and GM Kevin Colbert attended at least a dozen on-campus workouts - while other assistant coaches and scouts attended dozens of others.
But it's pretty obvious the Steelers are looking at corners, linebackers and tight ends very closely.
What does all of this mean?
Last year, the Steelers brought six of the players they selected in the draft in for private visits. The year before, that number was five, while another of their visitors was signed as an undrafted free agent. And in 2012, four of the players they selected came off their pre-draft visit list.
So there's a good chance that four or five of the 29 players players listed above will be selected by the Steelers in this year's draft.
Monday, April 20, 2015
My thoughts on Antonio Brown skipping voluntary workouts
Here's what I had to say in today's Observer-Reporter.
http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20150420/COLUMN0103/150429972#.VTXJjyFViko
http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20150420/COLUMN0103/150429972#.VTXJjyFViko
Friday, April 17, 2015
Latest, greatest mock draft
With the draft a little over two weeks away, here's my latest mock.
1. Tampa Bay, Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - No change at the top.
2. N.Y. Jets (trade with Tennessee) Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon - The Jets can see all the rumors about others moving up for Mariota and make the move themselves.
3. Jacksonville, Dante Fowler, OLB/DE, Florida - The Jaguars haven't had much of a pass rush in forever. Fowler could give them one.
4. Oakland, Leonard Williams, DT, USC - The Raiders aren't dumb enough to screw this up, are they?
5. Washington, Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama - Washington could use playmakers pretty much across the board.
6. Tennessee (from N.Y. Jets), Kevin White, WR, West Virginia - The Titans could go defensive tackle, but White is a dynamic playmaker.
7. Chicago, DaVante Parker, WR, Louisville - A run on receivers? Yep, it could happen this year.
8. Atlanta, Randy Gregory, LB, Nebraska - The Falcons can just line Gregory up and let him chase quarterbacks.
9. N.Y. Giants, Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa - A pick that stays the same from my previous mock. It just makes too much sense.
10. St. Louis, Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford - In the NFC West, you must protect the quarterback.
11. Minnesota, Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State - With Parker off the board, the Vikings go defense.
12. Cleveland, Danny Shelton, NT, Washington - There are concerns about Shelton's long-term ability to hold up given his weight, but Cleveland needs a run stuffer.
13. New Orleans, Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson - The Saints need help just about everywhere after turning their roster over.
14. Miami, Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida - His 40-time opened some eyes for teams that didn't realize he was that fast.
15. San Francisco, Marcus Peters, CB, Washington - The 49ers take a chance on the local kid.
16. Houston, Alvin Dupree, OLB, Kentucky - The Texans envision pairing Dupree with last year's first round pick Jadaveon Clowney.
17. San Diego, Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia - Gurley is a playmaker, but he's coming off a serious knee injury.
18. Kansas City, Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri - The Chiefs take the local star to eventually replace aging Tamba Hali opposite Justin Houston.
19. Cleveland (from Buffalo), La'el Collins, OT, LSU - The Browns need to improve at right tackle and Joe Thomas isn't getting any younger.
20. Philadelphia, Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon - The Eagles land the massive defensive lineman who Chip Kelly recruited.
21. Cincinnati, Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.) - The Bengals get a guy who can step in and play on their line right away.
22. Pittsburgh, Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest - It all just keeps coming back to Johnson for the Steelers, who haven't taken a corner in the first round since 1997.
23. Detroit, Malcom Brown, DT, Texas - The Lions need to replenish up front.
24. Arizona, Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. This just makes too much sense if he's on the board.
25. Carolina, D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida - T.J. Clemmings might be the better player long-term, but Humphries is more polished now.
26. Baltimore, Byron Jones. CB, UConn - A freakish athlete, but can he play? The Ravens think yes.
27. Dallas, Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma - Jerry Jones loves him some Oklahoma players.
28. Denver, Cameron Erving, C/G, Florida State - Erving is polished and can help the Broncos now.
29. Indianapolis, Landon Collins, S, Alabama - The Colts pump up their run defense, but can Collins cover anyone?
30. Green Bay, Jalen Collins, CB, LSU - The Packers overlook the fact that Collins started just 10 games in college.
31. New Orleans, Eric Rowe, CB/S, Utah - Is he a corner or safety? The Saints need help all over and can afford to see which it is.
32. New England, Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma - He's got character issues, but that's never bothered Bill Belichick.
1. Tampa Bay, Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - No change at the top.
2. N.Y. Jets (trade with Tennessee) Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon - The Jets can see all the rumors about others moving up for Mariota and make the move themselves.
3. Jacksonville, Dante Fowler, OLB/DE, Florida - The Jaguars haven't had much of a pass rush in forever. Fowler could give them one.
4. Oakland, Leonard Williams, DT, USC - The Raiders aren't dumb enough to screw this up, are they?
5. Washington, Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama - Washington could use playmakers pretty much across the board.
6. Tennessee (from N.Y. Jets), Kevin White, WR, West Virginia - The Titans could go defensive tackle, but White is a dynamic playmaker.
7. Chicago, DaVante Parker, WR, Louisville - A run on receivers? Yep, it could happen this year.
8. Atlanta, Randy Gregory, LB, Nebraska - The Falcons can just line Gregory up and let him chase quarterbacks.
9. N.Y. Giants, Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa - A pick that stays the same from my previous mock. It just makes too much sense.
10. St. Louis, Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford - In the NFC West, you must protect the quarterback.
11. Minnesota, Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State - With Parker off the board, the Vikings go defense.
12. Cleveland, Danny Shelton, NT, Washington - There are concerns about Shelton's long-term ability to hold up given his weight, but Cleveland needs a run stuffer.
13. New Orleans, Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson - The Saints need help just about everywhere after turning their roster over.
14. Miami, Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida - His 40-time opened some eyes for teams that didn't realize he was that fast.
15. San Francisco, Marcus Peters, CB, Washington - The 49ers take a chance on the local kid.
16. Houston, Alvin Dupree, OLB, Kentucky - The Texans envision pairing Dupree with last year's first round pick Jadaveon Clowney.
17. San Diego, Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia - Gurley is a playmaker, but he's coming off a serious knee injury.
18. Kansas City, Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri - The Chiefs take the local star to eventually replace aging Tamba Hali opposite Justin Houston.
19. Cleveland (from Buffalo), La'el Collins, OT, LSU - The Browns need to improve at right tackle and Joe Thomas isn't getting any younger.
20. Philadelphia, Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon - The Eagles land the massive defensive lineman who Chip Kelly recruited.
21. Cincinnati, Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (Fla.) - The Bengals get a guy who can step in and play on their line right away.
22. Pittsburgh, Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest - It all just keeps coming back to Johnson for the Steelers, who haven't taken a corner in the first round since 1997.
23. Detroit, Malcom Brown, DT, Texas - The Lions need to replenish up front.
24. Arizona, Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin. This just makes too much sense if he's on the board.
25. Carolina, D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida - T.J. Clemmings might be the better player long-term, but Humphries is more polished now.
26. Baltimore, Byron Jones. CB, UConn - A freakish athlete, but can he play? The Ravens think yes.
27. Dallas, Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma - Jerry Jones loves him some Oklahoma players.
28. Denver, Cameron Erving, C/G, Florida State - Erving is polished and can help the Broncos now.
29. Indianapolis, Landon Collins, S, Alabama - The Colts pump up their run defense, but can Collins cover anyone?
30. Green Bay, Jalen Collins, CB, LSU - The Packers overlook the fact that Collins started just 10 games in college.
31. New Orleans, Eric Rowe, CB/S, Utah - Is he a corner or safety? The Saints need help all over and can afford to see which it is.
32. New England, Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma - He's got character issues, but that's never bothered Bill Belichick.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
A look at the Steelers, final
With the draft just a few weeks away, here's the final part of our look at the Steelers as currently constructed. Today, we'll take a look at the offensive line.
The Steelers' offensive line stayed relatively healthy in 2014 and the young group had its best season.
Center Maurkice Pouncey made another trip to the Pro Bowl and right guard David DeCastro could have easily joined him there.
They will continue to be the cornerstones of this group.
Left tackle Kelvin Beachum, a former seventh-round pick, has settled in nicely at left tackle. He's no star, but neither were guys such as John Jackson or Max Starks. They just got the job done.
Beachum also will continue to get better as he improves his strength. He's smart and is a hard worker.
Left guard Ramon Foster isn't a star, either, but he's very capable. He's probably the least athletic of the team's linemen, but he's strong and solid at the point of attack.
At right tackle, Marcus Gilbert overcame a somewhat slow start to put together a solid season. Many griped after he had a tough game against Baltimore in the opener - after signing a contract extension - but Elvis Dumervil has made plenty of guys look bad. Gilbert, like Beachum, isn't a star, but he's solid.
The Steelers have reportedly picked up DeCastro's option for 2016, but I haven't confirmed anything about that yet and the team hasn't announced it. And both Beachum and Foster will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, so the Steelers are going to have to spend some money on the position.
Top backup Mike Adams also will be unrestricted following the 2015 season, and it's likely the team will allow the former second round pick to move on. Adams hasn't lived up to his draft status, though he was OK when he filled in for four starts last season, at least showing some fight.
Cody Wallace and Chris Hubbard are the top backups inside and neither is starter quality on a long term basis.
Alejandro Villanueva spent most of the season on the practice squad and is a project.
It's likely the Steelers will attempt to sign Beachum to an extension - possibly before training camp - and will draft at least one young interior linemen in case they are unable to re-sign Foster - though he'd like to stay.
There's also always the chance the value in the draft could be a offensive tackle if the top corners and edge rushers are gone when the Steelers select at 22. Adding a young tackle to this group who could possibly fill in at guard as well wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
The Steelers' offensive line stayed relatively healthy in 2014 and the young group had its best season.
Center Maurkice Pouncey made another trip to the Pro Bowl and right guard David DeCastro could have easily joined him there.
They will continue to be the cornerstones of this group.
Left tackle Kelvin Beachum, a former seventh-round pick, has settled in nicely at left tackle. He's no star, but neither were guys such as John Jackson or Max Starks. They just got the job done.
Beachum also will continue to get better as he improves his strength. He's smart and is a hard worker.
Left guard Ramon Foster isn't a star, either, but he's very capable. He's probably the least athletic of the team's linemen, but he's strong and solid at the point of attack.
At right tackle, Marcus Gilbert overcame a somewhat slow start to put together a solid season. Many griped after he had a tough game against Baltimore in the opener - after signing a contract extension - but Elvis Dumervil has made plenty of guys look bad. Gilbert, like Beachum, isn't a star, but he's solid.
The Steelers have reportedly picked up DeCastro's option for 2016, but I haven't confirmed anything about that yet and the team hasn't announced it. And both Beachum and Foster will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, so the Steelers are going to have to spend some money on the position.
Top backup Mike Adams also will be unrestricted following the 2015 season, and it's likely the team will allow the former second round pick to move on. Adams hasn't lived up to his draft status, though he was OK when he filled in for four starts last season, at least showing some fight.
Cody Wallace and Chris Hubbard are the top backups inside and neither is starter quality on a long term basis.
Alejandro Villanueva spent most of the season on the practice squad and is a project.
It's likely the Steelers will attempt to sign Beachum to an extension - possibly before training camp - and will draft at least one young interior linemen in case they are unable to re-sign Foster - though he'd like to stay.
There's also always the chance the value in the draft could be a offensive tackle if the top corners and edge rushers are gone when the Steelers select at 22. Adding a young tackle to this group who could possibly fill in at guard as well wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
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