I liked Todd Haley's approach to this game with his first-team unit.
With a pair of rookie offensive linemen starting, he had Ben Roethlisberger throwing screen after screen. It allows the rookies to get their feet wet while also protecting the franchise quarterback.
Plus, the Steelers have really been working hard on their screen game. Might as well try it out and see if it works. It does.
@ Speaking of those rookie linemen, I'd give David DeCastro a C-plus for his first game. Mike Adams, meanwhile, gets a D.
DeCastro wasn't overwhelmed and was OK in pass protection for the most part. Adams did a good job in run blocking, not so much in pass protection when his guy came with a speed move.
Adams left early after suffering a slight knee injury. He's expected to be OK.
A bigger issue was the play of Marcus Gilbert at right tackle. Hard to believe he started a whole season in 2011 after looking as bad as he did against the Eagles.
@ The news was not as good for fullback/tight end David Johnson. Johnson suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season.
Johnson was injured when Gilbert was being thrown into the pocket for about the fifth time on the opening drive.
With Johnson down, the Steelers are left with Will Johnson at fullback. Look for them to bring somebody else in, or at least take a look at Jamie McCoy at fullback as well.
@ Of the young receivers, Marquis Maze showed some moves as a return man - though he had a couple of nice punt returns called back due to penalties.
Tyler Beiler also made a nice adjustment on a back shoulder throw from Jerrod Johnson for a 30-yard gain as well.
Other than that, however, it was continued blah.
I felt bad for Johnson, who was playing behind a shoddy third-team offensive line with receivers who couldn't get open.
He's looked better than what he showed against the Eagles.
@ I really thought Adrian Robinson and Myron Rolle helped themselves among the bubble guys. Both were very active.
Robinson has been a guy who has shined throughout camp, while Rolle had been pretty quiet until the game against the Eagles.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
What, who I'll be watching in the first preseason game
The Steelers will play their first preseason game at Philadelphia Thursday night, and there's going to be plenty of notable action on the field.
Here are a few of the things and players I'll be watching in this one:
@ How does the new offense look under Todd Haley?
Traditionally, teams don't show a whole lot in the preseason. But the Steelers haven't had a completely new offense in Pittsburgh in quite some time.
To this point, the Steelers offense has featured more intermediate passes and throws to the running backs. We'll see if that carries over to the games.
@ How do the rookie offensive linemen look?
I've found it interesting that so many people have said that David DeCastro has been a bust in the first two weeks of training camp. That's ridiculous.
I've seen countless rookies take some time to get accustomed to the speed and power of the NFL. DeCastro has as well. But Maurkice Pouncey struggled with one-on-one matchups in his first camp as well. Then, when he got into game action, it was obvious he was a player.
The other side of the DeCastro coin is that Ramon Foster is having a very solid camp.
There was a big difference between DeCastro beating out Foster and Mike Adams pushing Trai Essex aside.
@ Does Cortez Allen take advantage of Keenan Lewis' shoulder injury?
Allen will likely start with Lewis being limited with the shoulder injury. If he can hold up in coverage against DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, it will go a long way toward winning a starting job.
@ Who will step up at free safety?
To this point, Ryan Mundy has been so-so. The same goes for veteran Will Allen.
I'm anxious to see what a young kid like Robert Golden can do in game action. There's a spot to be won there behind Ryan Clark.
@ Will any of the receivers behind Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery show anything.
It's been up and down throughout training camp for the receivers behind those three.
At this point, I'd say Derrick Williams and Tyler Beiler have been the most consistent, but that's not saying much.
@ Can Chris Rainey win the starting return job.
Rainey is fast, but can he consistently catch punts? He flubbed one in practice on Tuesday, which has to be a concern. This is, after all, a kid that fumbled six punts in college.
I'm not as concerned about him as a kick return guy, but if he can't field punts, that's a problem.
Marquis Maze will also be given a chance. It's big for him because he hasn't shown a lot as a receiver.
@ Keep an eye on rookie punter Drew Butler, the son of former Bears kicker Kevin Butler.
Butler is the only healthy punter in camp right now with Jeremy Kapinos dealing with back issues.
Kapinos has gotten more surly as camp has gone on because Butler has looked pretty good. But can he do it on the big stage?
If so, Butler could win the job.
Here are a few of the things and players I'll be watching in this one:
@ How does the new offense look under Todd Haley?
Traditionally, teams don't show a whole lot in the preseason. But the Steelers haven't had a completely new offense in Pittsburgh in quite some time.
To this point, the Steelers offense has featured more intermediate passes and throws to the running backs. We'll see if that carries over to the games.
@ How do the rookie offensive linemen look?
I've found it interesting that so many people have said that David DeCastro has been a bust in the first two weeks of training camp. That's ridiculous.
I've seen countless rookies take some time to get accustomed to the speed and power of the NFL. DeCastro has as well. But Maurkice Pouncey struggled with one-on-one matchups in his first camp as well. Then, when he got into game action, it was obvious he was a player.
The other side of the DeCastro coin is that Ramon Foster is having a very solid camp.
There was a big difference between DeCastro beating out Foster and Mike Adams pushing Trai Essex aside.
@ Does Cortez Allen take advantage of Keenan Lewis' shoulder injury?
Allen will likely start with Lewis being limited with the shoulder injury. If he can hold up in coverage against DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, it will go a long way toward winning a starting job.
@ Who will step up at free safety?
To this point, Ryan Mundy has been so-so. The same goes for veteran Will Allen.
I'm anxious to see what a young kid like Robert Golden can do in game action. There's a spot to be won there behind Ryan Clark.
@ Will any of the receivers behind Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery show anything.
It's been up and down throughout training camp for the receivers behind those three.
At this point, I'd say Derrick Williams and Tyler Beiler have been the most consistent, but that's not saying much.
@ Can Chris Rainey win the starting return job.
Rainey is fast, but can he consistently catch punts? He flubbed one in practice on Tuesday, which has to be a concern. This is, after all, a kid that fumbled six punts in college.
I'm not as concerned about him as a kick return guy, but if he can't field punts, that's a problem.
Marquis Maze will also be given a chance. It's big for him because he hasn't shown a lot as a receiver.
@ Keep an eye on rookie punter Drew Butler, the son of former Bears kicker Kevin Butler.
Butler is the only healthy punter in camp right now with Jeremy Kapinos dealing with back issues.
Kapinos has gotten more surly as camp has gone on because Butler has looked pretty good. But can he do it on the big stage?
If so, Butler could win the job.
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Tuesday news and notes
Rookies Mike Adams and David DeCastro will get the starts at left tackle and right guard, respectively, against the Eagles.
Adams will start because he's been better than Trai Essex at left tackle. DeCastro will be in there because Willie Colon is out with a sore ankle and Ramon Foster has shifted over to left guard.
I keep on seeing that Adams and DeCastro have been disappointing. I haven't seen it that way. In fact, let's wait until they play a couple of preseason games before we pass any judgment.
After all, Maurkice Pouncey didn't win the starting job until that third preseason game.
@ Cam Heyward is also out for Thursday's game, though I haven't been able to get to the bottom of why.
Heyward practiced Sunday and appeared fine. Then, he wasn't around on Tuesday.
@ It appears Cortez Allen will start in place of Keenan Lewis.
Lewis has been battling through a sore AC joint in his right shoulder, but it appears the team won't let him test it in a game.
Allen, by the way, has been the better of the two at training camp. Both, however, will see plenty of playing time, regardless of who wins the starting job.
@ I have really liked what I've seen of first-year quarterback Jerrod Johnson.
The big guy (6-5, 251) is extremely light on his feet and throws a nice ball.
He got a chance to run the two-minute offense Tuesday and didn't disappoint, leading his unit to a score on a pass over the middle to Derrick Williams. It was a nice throw and catch and I could see Johnson beating out Charlie Batch for the No. 3 job.
@ Tyler Beiler had a couple of nice catches on Tuesday and could be making a case for himself to stick on this roster.
With Mike Wallace still holding out, there is room for at least two of the "other" receivers in this camp to make the roster.
Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that the group has been inconsistent behind the top three, but Beiler is probably the most consistent of the group.
Adams will start because he's been better than Trai Essex at left tackle. DeCastro will be in there because Willie Colon is out with a sore ankle and Ramon Foster has shifted over to left guard.
I keep on seeing that Adams and DeCastro have been disappointing. I haven't seen it that way. In fact, let's wait until they play a couple of preseason games before we pass any judgment.
After all, Maurkice Pouncey didn't win the starting job until that third preseason game.
@ Cam Heyward is also out for Thursday's game, though I haven't been able to get to the bottom of why.
Heyward practiced Sunday and appeared fine. Then, he wasn't around on Tuesday.
@ It appears Cortez Allen will start in place of Keenan Lewis.
Lewis has been battling through a sore AC joint in his right shoulder, but it appears the team won't let him test it in a game.
Allen, by the way, has been the better of the two at training camp. Both, however, will see plenty of playing time, regardless of who wins the starting job.
@ I have really liked what I've seen of first-year quarterback Jerrod Johnson.
The big guy (6-5, 251) is extremely light on his feet and throws a nice ball.
He got a chance to run the two-minute offense Tuesday and didn't disappoint, leading his unit to a score on a pass over the middle to Derrick Williams. It was a nice throw and catch and I could see Johnson beating out Charlie Batch for the No. 3 job.
@ Tyler Beiler had a couple of nice catches on Tuesday and could be making a case for himself to stick on this roster.
With Mike Wallace still holding out, there is room for at least two of the "other" receivers in this camp to make the roster.
Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that the group has been inconsistent behind the top three, but Beiler is probably the most consistent of the group.
Monday, August 06, 2012
Steelers release first depth chart
The Steelers on Monday released their first official depth chart of the season as they prepare for Thursday's preseason opener in Philadelphia.
There were a few surprises on the list, including holdout wideout Mike Wallace still being listed as No. 1 ahead of Emmanuel Sanders at receiver.
It was likely a measured move by the Steelers to show Wallace that - at least right now - there are no long-term hard feelings regarding his holdout, which will reach its third week on Wednesday.
We could see a change in that moving forward.
Rookie offensive tackle Mike Adams is still listed behind Trai Essex at left tackle on the depth chart despite the fact that Adams has been used ahead of Essex on the field the past three days.
Sanders, meanwhile, is listed as the team's No. 1 return man ahead of rookie Chris Rainey.
Defensively, because the guys on the PUP list aren't listed, Chris Carter is the starter at right outside linebacker, ahead of rookie Adrian Robinson. On the other side, it is veteran Brandon Johnson listed as second behind LaMarro Woodley.
There were a few surprises on the list, including holdout wideout Mike Wallace still being listed as No. 1 ahead of Emmanuel Sanders at receiver.
It was likely a measured move by the Steelers to show Wallace that - at least right now - there are no long-term hard feelings regarding his holdout, which will reach its third week on Wednesday.
We could see a change in that moving forward.
Rookie offensive tackle Mike Adams is still listed behind Trai Essex at left tackle on the depth chart despite the fact that Adams has been used ahead of Essex on the field the past three days.
Sanders, meanwhile, is listed as the team's No. 1 return man ahead of rookie Chris Rainey.
Defensively, because the guys on the PUP list aren't listed, Chris Carter is the starter at right outside linebacker, ahead of rookie Adrian Robinson. On the other side, it is veteran Brandon Johnson listed as second behind LaMarro Woodley.
Friday, August 03, 2012
Feisty play continues
Friday night's practice at Latrobe Stadium was highlighted by a second round on backs/tight ends on backers drill.
David Johnson and Barron Batch were the clear stars for the offense - with Johnson drawing praise after practice from head coach Mike Tomlin.
Batch didn't win his matchups as decisively as Johnson, but after a poor showing the first time the Steelers did these drills, he showed some real toughness and a willingness to finish blocks.
Isaac Redman has a groin injury and did not take part, joining LaMarr Woodley, James Harrison and Jason Worilds on the sidelines for this one.
Heath Miller also did not take part.
Defensively, Lawrence Timmons still brings the noise in this drill.
@ Ben Roethlisberger was held out tonight, as was Brett Keisel. Both were just given the night off.
@ Talked to Joey Porter during practice. He said his wife really likes Pittsburgh and has him looking for a house back here.
Porter would also like to get into coaching.
@ Cam Heyward and rookie Mike Adams had some Ohio State on Ohio State violence after Adams pancaked Heyward in a team drill.
Heyward apparently took offense to Adams going for the kill shot and the two squared off and started swinging.
Willie Colon stepped in to break it up, but then also started swinging at Heyward.
@ Speaking of Colon, he got rolled up in a team drill - right before the fight - after Ramon Foster tossed someone into the back of his leg, tweaking his ankle.
It was a scary moment for Colon, who is coming off an Achilles' injury.
He went a few more plays, then shut things down.
Foster moved over to left guard and rookie David DeCastro took over at right guard.
David Johnson and Barron Batch were the clear stars for the offense - with Johnson drawing praise after practice from head coach Mike Tomlin.
Batch didn't win his matchups as decisively as Johnson, but after a poor showing the first time the Steelers did these drills, he showed some real toughness and a willingness to finish blocks.
Isaac Redman has a groin injury and did not take part, joining LaMarr Woodley, James Harrison and Jason Worilds on the sidelines for this one.
Heath Miller also did not take part.
Defensively, Lawrence Timmons still brings the noise in this drill.
@ Ben Roethlisberger was held out tonight, as was Brett Keisel. Both were just given the night off.
@ Talked to Joey Porter during practice. He said his wife really likes Pittsburgh and has him looking for a house back here.
Porter would also like to get into coaching.
@ Cam Heyward and rookie Mike Adams had some Ohio State on Ohio State violence after Adams pancaked Heyward in a team drill.
Heyward apparently took offense to Adams going for the kill shot and the two squared off and started swinging.
Willie Colon stepped in to break it up, but then also started swinging at Heyward.
@ Speaking of Colon, he got rolled up in a team drill - right before the fight - after Ramon Foster tossed someone into the back of his leg, tweaking his ankle.
It was a scary moment for Colon, who is coming off an Achilles' injury.
He went a few more plays, then shut things down.
Foster moved over to left guard and rookie David DeCastro took over at right guard.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Thursday news and notes
We might have seen a changing of the guard at cornerback Thursday in the final two plays of practice.
Working in the two-minute offense to close things out, Ben Roethlisberger lofted a 36-yard TD pass down the sideline to Antonio Brown, who got behind Keenan Lewis - the current frontrunner to start opposite Ike Taylor.
On the very next play, Cortez Allen, who along with Curtis Brown is fighting to unseat Lewis, leaped over rookie receiver Tony Clemons to pick off a Byron Leftwich pass along the sideline, showing the athleticism that has the coaching staff so excited about him.
Lewis has been battling a shoulder injury - and had to briefly leave practice Thursday after jacking up wideout David Gilreath at the line of scrimmage - but Allen's athletic ability is hard to overlook.
Coming out of the Citadel, Allen was supposed to be a project. At this point, the former fourth-round draft pick looks like the second coming of Ike Taylor - with hands.
@ LaMarr Woodley sat out practice again today and as a result, the linebackers vs. tight ends running drill was a walkover for the tight ends - who to this point have looked like five guys named Moe.
Jamie McCoy continues to shine in the one-on-one blocking drills, but until he lines up against Woodley, James Harrison or even Jason Worilds, we'll withhold judgement.
On the defensive side, the only linebacker who flashed was Adrian Robinson, a rookie out of Temple.
After beating pretty much everyone the team put in front of him, Robinson drew what Mike Tomlin called, "Varsity reps" against David Johnson.
Robinson also looked good there.
Mind you, Heath Miller has not been participating in these drills for the tight ends.
@ A moment after being chastised for not being physical enough on a stunt, rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu brought the pain in a collision with Ramon Foster. That was 700 pounds of human being ramming into each other there and was not for the faint of heart.
Cam Heyward looks like a beast in those drills.
He jacked up Trai Essex so hard on a bull rush that it's possible Essex' ancestors felt it.
Working in the two-minute offense to close things out, Ben Roethlisberger lofted a 36-yard TD pass down the sideline to Antonio Brown, who got behind Keenan Lewis - the current frontrunner to start opposite Ike Taylor.
On the very next play, Cortez Allen, who along with Curtis Brown is fighting to unseat Lewis, leaped over rookie receiver Tony Clemons to pick off a Byron Leftwich pass along the sideline, showing the athleticism that has the coaching staff so excited about him.
Lewis has been battling a shoulder injury - and had to briefly leave practice Thursday after jacking up wideout David Gilreath at the line of scrimmage - but Allen's athletic ability is hard to overlook.
Coming out of the Citadel, Allen was supposed to be a project. At this point, the former fourth-round draft pick looks like the second coming of Ike Taylor - with hands.
@ LaMarr Woodley sat out practice again today and as a result, the linebackers vs. tight ends running drill was a walkover for the tight ends - who to this point have looked like five guys named Moe.
Jamie McCoy continues to shine in the one-on-one blocking drills, but until he lines up against Woodley, James Harrison or even Jason Worilds, we'll withhold judgement.
On the defensive side, the only linebacker who flashed was Adrian Robinson, a rookie out of Temple.
After beating pretty much everyone the team put in front of him, Robinson drew what Mike Tomlin called, "Varsity reps" against David Johnson.
Robinson also looked good there.
Mind you, Heath Miller has not been participating in these drills for the tight ends.
@ A moment after being chastised for not being physical enough on a stunt, rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu brought the pain in a collision with Ramon Foster. That was 700 pounds of human being ramming into each other there and was not for the faint of heart.
Cam Heyward looks like a beast in those drills.
He jacked up Trai Essex so hard on a bull rush that it's possible Essex' ancestors felt it.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Tuesday news and notes
The Steelers held yet another feisty practice today, highlighted by a drill I had not seen them run before - something head coach Mike Tomlin called "wide receivers stalk blocking DBs."
The drill consisted of a player running with the ball toward an imaginary edge and the receiver firing out and blocking - or attempting to block - the defensive back in front of him.
Things got very heated in the competition, with wideout Derrick Williams getting into it with rookie corner Andre Freeman in a fight that brought in several teammates, including safety Ryan Clark.
Moments later, Ike Taylor or Antonio Brown got into a little pushing match.
At the completion of it all, the coaching staff brought both groups together - presumably to remind them that they are all on the same team.'
@ Every day the Mike Wallace holdout continues is one day closer to Plaxico Burress returning to Pittsburgh.
That's not a misprint.
Burress is definitely on the team's radar, and at some point, the Steelers are going to have to move on without Wallace.
Burress would be an immediate help to this team in the red zone.
@ LaMarr Woodley continues to dominate the backers on tight end blocking drill, regardless of who the Steelers put in front of him.
Don't know if that is because he's that good, the Steelers' tight ends behind Heath Miller aren't that strong or both. I'm leaning toward a little bit of both.
Tuesday, it was Woodley again completely rag-dolling David Johnson on three consecutive runs through the drill. Woodley looks primed for a big year.
@ The Steelers have been giving both Mortty Ivy and Stevenson Sylvester some work at outside linebacker in an attempt to find some position flexibility there.
Ivy didn't look all that strong at the point matching up against Jamie McCoy, who might be the most consistent blocker of all the tight ends behind Miller.
@ Miller, by the way, returned to practice on a limited basis today and looked good catching the ball.
Keenan Lewis, who was thought to be out for at least a couple of days with a shoulder injury, went through a full practice.
A little competition goes a long way.
@ First-year quarterback Jerrod Johnson made back-to-back perfect throws in the final team session, making a beautiful sideline throw to Marquis Maze down one sideline. Maze had a nice diving catch on the play.
Johnson then dropped a ball in perfectly to Tyler Beiler over Freeman.
Johnson is a big kid (6-5, 251) but shows good mobility in the pocket. He could push Charlie Batch off the roster.
The drill consisted of a player running with the ball toward an imaginary edge and the receiver firing out and blocking - or attempting to block - the defensive back in front of him.
Things got very heated in the competition, with wideout Derrick Williams getting into it with rookie corner Andre Freeman in a fight that brought in several teammates, including safety Ryan Clark.
Moments later, Ike Taylor or Antonio Brown got into a little pushing match.
At the completion of it all, the coaching staff brought both groups together - presumably to remind them that they are all on the same team.'
@ Every day the Mike Wallace holdout continues is one day closer to Plaxico Burress returning to Pittsburgh.
That's not a misprint.
Burress is definitely on the team's radar, and at some point, the Steelers are going to have to move on without Wallace.
Burress would be an immediate help to this team in the red zone.
@ LaMarr Woodley continues to dominate the backers on tight end blocking drill, regardless of who the Steelers put in front of him.
Don't know if that is because he's that good, the Steelers' tight ends behind Heath Miller aren't that strong or both. I'm leaning toward a little bit of both.
Tuesday, it was Woodley again completely rag-dolling David Johnson on three consecutive runs through the drill. Woodley looks primed for a big year.
@ The Steelers have been giving both Mortty Ivy and Stevenson Sylvester some work at outside linebacker in an attempt to find some position flexibility there.
Ivy didn't look all that strong at the point matching up against Jamie McCoy, who might be the most consistent blocker of all the tight ends behind Miller.
@ Miller, by the way, returned to practice on a limited basis today and looked good catching the ball.
Keenan Lewis, who was thought to be out for at least a couple of days with a shoulder injury, went through a full practice.
A little competition goes a long way.
@ First-year quarterback Jerrod Johnson made back-to-back perfect throws in the final team session, making a beautiful sideline throw to Marquis Maze down one sideline. Maze had a nice diving catch on the play.
Johnson then dropped a ball in perfectly to Tyler Beiler over Freeman.
Johnson is a big kid (6-5, 251) but shows good mobility in the pocket. He could push Charlie Batch off the roster.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Steelers July 29th notes
I finally got to sit and watch - OK, stand and watch - an entire practice Sunday for the first time at this camp without having to hustle somewhere else or have things abbreviated by the threat of rain.
I saw some pretty good things out there.
Second-year linebacker Chris Carter looks physically bigger on the field and his functional strength is improved. Once just a guy who could beat you with his quick first step, Carter can now lock onto somebody and force them where he wants to go instead of the other way around.
He did this in the backs on tight ends drills against David Johnson, then handled Leonard Pope.
Carter told me after practice that he's added eight to 10 pounds of muscle.
Being that he's starting opposite LaMarr Woodley with both James Harrison and Jason Worilds on the PUP list, it was a good move for Carter.
@ The Steelers had a physical pads practice and had some players dinged up at times.
Starting running back Isaac Redman took a shot early and sat out a few plays, but the most serious injury was to cornerback Keenan Lewis, who suffered an injury to the AC joint in his right shoulder during a sideline collision.
He could be sidelined a while, with Cortez Allen moving into his starting spot.
Offensive linemen Trai Essex and David DeCastro also suffered minor ankle sprains, but are not expected to miss any time.
Tight end Heath Miller (ankle) and punter Jeremy Kapinos (back) were joined on the sidelines Sunday by wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who was given the day off by head coach Mike Tomlin rather than have him practice on field turf.
As for good news on the injury front, safety Damon Cromartie-Smith is expected to be activated from the PUP list on Wednesday. He has been out with a shoulder injury.
@ Funny moment of the day came when offensive tackle Max Starks was working with the other PUP list players on his conditioning.
After running back Rashard Mendenhall completed a cone drill with the ball in his hands, Starks did the same.
I told the guy next to me that if Starks had the ball in his hands on a play, something had gone terribly wrong.
Starks came to his senses on the next drill and declined the ball when Mendenhall offered it to him.
@ The catch of the day belonged to first-year receiver Jimmy Young.
Working against Ike Taylor, Young went to the ground down the sideline on the final play of practice to snare a perfect pass from Byron Leftwich, hanging onto the ball as his helmet popped off upon contact with the ground.
@ While Carter looked improved, both Johnson and Leonard Pope disappointed in the backs on tight ends drill.
The clear star was LaMarr Woodley, which is why they are paying him the big bucks. Woodley whipped everyone in sight.
I saw some pretty good things out there.
Second-year linebacker Chris Carter looks physically bigger on the field and his functional strength is improved. Once just a guy who could beat you with his quick first step, Carter can now lock onto somebody and force them where he wants to go instead of the other way around.
He did this in the backs on tight ends drills against David Johnson, then handled Leonard Pope.
Carter told me after practice that he's added eight to 10 pounds of muscle.
Being that he's starting opposite LaMarr Woodley with both James Harrison and Jason Worilds on the PUP list, it was a good move for Carter.
@ The Steelers had a physical pads practice and had some players dinged up at times.
Starting running back Isaac Redman took a shot early and sat out a few plays, but the most serious injury was to cornerback Keenan Lewis, who suffered an injury to the AC joint in his right shoulder during a sideline collision.
He could be sidelined a while, with Cortez Allen moving into his starting spot.
Offensive linemen Trai Essex and David DeCastro also suffered minor ankle sprains, but are not expected to miss any time.
Tight end Heath Miller (ankle) and punter Jeremy Kapinos (back) were joined on the sidelines Sunday by wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who was given the day off by head coach Mike Tomlin rather than have him practice on field turf.
As for good news on the injury front, safety Damon Cromartie-Smith is expected to be activated from the PUP list on Wednesday. He has been out with a shoulder injury.
@ Funny moment of the day came when offensive tackle Max Starks was working with the other PUP list players on his conditioning.
After running back Rashard Mendenhall completed a cone drill with the ball in his hands, Starks did the same.
I told the guy next to me that if Starks had the ball in his hands on a play, something had gone terribly wrong.
Starks came to his senses on the next drill and declined the ball when Mendenhall offered it to him.
@ The catch of the day belonged to first-year receiver Jimmy Young.
Working against Ike Taylor, Young went to the ground down the sideline on the final play of practice to snare a perfect pass from Byron Leftwich, hanging onto the ball as his helmet popped off upon contact with the ground.
@ While Carter looked improved, both Johnson and Leonard Pope disappointed in the backs on tight ends drill.
The clear star was LaMarr Woodley, which is why they are paying him the big bucks. Woodley whipped everyone in sight.
Friday, July 27, 2012
What the Brown signing means
After having Mike Wallace spurn a similar offer, the Steelers signed wide receiver Antonio Brown to a five-year, $42-million contract extension on Friday.
What does this mean for Wallace?
It means that his days with the Steelers are numbered.
After giving Brown a big deal, the Steelers aren't likely to hand out another one at the same position.
So his options now are to report to camp, sign his tender and hope he has another big season, or hold out until there are six games left in the season, report, and become a free agent at the end of the year, hoping that somebody will make him a big offer.
He's got a much better chance of getting a big deal next season if he goes out and tears it up this season than he does if he doesn't play.
Brown's contract also likely means that the Steelers won't use the franchise tag on Wallace, either.
What does this mean for Wallace?
It means that his days with the Steelers are numbered.
After giving Brown a big deal, the Steelers aren't likely to hand out another one at the same position.
So his options now are to report to camp, sign his tender and hope he has another big season, or hold out until there are six games left in the season, report, and become a free agent at the end of the year, hoping that somebody will make him a big offer.
He's got a much better chance of getting a big deal next season if he goes out and tears it up this season than he does if he doesn't play.
Brown's contract also likely means that the Steelers won't use the franchise tag on Wallace, either.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Steelers complete first practices
Heath Miller left the Steelers practice this afternoon with a sprained left ankle. It's not considered serious.
Alameda Ta'amu also left with a foot injury. It, too, is not considered serious.
Other than that, the Steelers' practices today weren't a whole lot different than the OTAs. There's still a lot of learning to do with the new offense, which features more throws to the running backs on swing passes and screens than I have seen in my 20 years of covering this team.
Fans should be happy with that.
@ Fans will get their first look at the Steelers Friday afternoon when the team's practice is open to the public. I expect the team to be a little more spirited in that workout. The players seem to feed off the energy of the crowd.
@ Troy Polamalu looks a little heavier than usual. He's doing his usual work after practice and such, but he's starting to fight father time and genetics.
I still expect Polamalu to be a difference maker, however.
@ Don't be surprised if the Steelers bring in a veteran wide receiver or two for workouts in an effort to scare Mike Wallace into camp - Plaxico Burress anyone?
The team could also open negotiations with the agent of wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Alameda Ta'amu also left with a foot injury. It, too, is not considered serious.
Other than that, the Steelers' practices today weren't a whole lot different than the OTAs. There's still a lot of learning to do with the new offense, which features more throws to the running backs on swing passes and screens than I have seen in my 20 years of covering this team.
Fans should be happy with that.
@ Fans will get their first look at the Steelers Friday afternoon when the team's practice is open to the public. I expect the team to be a little more spirited in that workout. The players seem to feed off the energy of the crowd.
@ Troy Polamalu looks a little heavier than usual. He's doing his usual work after practice and such, but he's starting to fight father time and genetics.
I still expect Polamalu to be a difference maker, however.
@ Don't be surprised if the Steelers bring in a veteran wide receiver or two for workouts in an effort to scare Mike Wallace into camp - Plaxico Burress anyone?
The team could also open negotiations with the agent of wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Steelers open camp
Mike Wallace was the only no-show for the Steelers as they opened training camp at Saint Vincent College Wednesday.
At this point, Emmanuel Sanders will assume Wallace's starting role and the Steelers will move on.
Traditionally, the team has not negotiated with players who are holding out while under contract, but this situation is a little different.
Wallace has yet to sign his one-year tender offer with the team and is thus not under contract at this time meaning, technically, he's not a holdout.
But he's not a free agent any longer, either, leaving him and the Steelers at an impasse.
His teammates expect Wallace to come into camp no later than the start of next week. We'll see.
At this point, he's really not missing anything. But once the weekend begins, he'll have to play catch up.
@ Six players will open camp on the PUP list, including linebacker James Harrison, who is resting a sore knee.
The other players who will sit out practices early are running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee), nose tackle Casey Hampton (knee), offensive tackle Max Starks (knee), linebacker Jason Worilds (hand) and safety Damon Cromartie-Smith.
Despite being down two outside linebackers - at least for a few days - head coach Mike Tomlin said the team won't sign anyone for depth at the position.
Tomlin said it will be an opportunity for Chris Carter to get more reps.
At this point, Emmanuel Sanders will assume Wallace's starting role and the Steelers will move on.
Traditionally, the team has not negotiated with players who are holding out while under contract, but this situation is a little different.
Wallace has yet to sign his one-year tender offer with the team and is thus not under contract at this time meaning, technically, he's not a holdout.
But he's not a free agent any longer, either, leaving him and the Steelers at an impasse.
His teammates expect Wallace to come into camp no later than the start of next week. We'll see.
At this point, he's really not missing anything. But once the weekend begins, he'll have to play catch up.
@ Six players will open camp on the PUP list, including linebacker James Harrison, who is resting a sore knee.
The other players who will sit out practices early are running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee), nose tackle Casey Hampton (knee), offensive tackle Max Starks (knee), linebacker Jason Worilds (hand) and safety Damon Cromartie-Smith.
Despite being down two outside linebackers - at least for a few days - head coach Mike Tomlin said the team won't sign anyone for depth at the position.
Tomlin said it will be an opportunity for Chris Carter to get more reps.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Steelers extend Tomlin
The Steelers haven't gotten a new deal done with wide receiver Mike Wallace yet, but they did manage to extend the contract of head coach Mike Tomlin through 2016.
At 40, Tomlin is entering his sixth season with the Steelers. The Steelers have gone to the playoffs in four of Tomlin's first five seasons, while also advancing to the Super Bowl twice, winning once.
At 40, Tomlin is entering his sixth season with the Steelers. The Steelers have gone to the playoffs in four of Tomlin's first five seasons, while also advancing to the Super Bowl twice, winning once.
“We are pleased to announce that Mike
Tomlin will remain with the Steelers for at least five more years,” said
Steelers’ President Art Rooney II. “Mike is one of the top head coaches in the
National Football League and we are thrilled he will continue to lead our team
as we pursue another Super Bowl title.”
Monday, July 23, 2012
Steelers get deal done with DeCastro
The Steelers got their final draft pick signed, agreeing to terms with first-round pick David DeCastro on a four-year deal worth just over $7.8 million.
The deal includes a team option for a fifth season.
Getting the deal finished with DeCastro prior to the opening of training camp Wednesday was important for the Steelers, who expect the former Stanford All-America guard to compete for a starting spot this season.
His signing leaves Mike Wallace as the only player not currently under contract. Wallace still has a $2.7 offer on the table as a restricted free agent, but has yet to sign it.
Negotiations are ongoing.
The deal includes a team option for a fifth season.
Getting the deal finished with DeCastro prior to the opening of training camp Wednesday was important for the Steelers, who expect the former Stanford All-America guard to compete for a starting spot this season.
His signing leaves Mike Wallace as the only player not currently under contract. Wallace still has a $2.7 offer on the table as a restricted free agent, but has yet to sign it.
Negotiations are ongoing.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Back from my last vacation and ready for camp
I'm back from my last week away and am ready to gear things up for training camp.
There was, however, some interesting news while I was away in Virginia.
First, the Steelers re-signed offensive tackle Max Starks to a one-year deal. The next day, they released offensive tackle Jonathan Scott, even though they had room on their roster to keep him around.
The signing of Starks was not surprising. He showed them last year just how valuable he can be when the Steelers played their first few games without him and struggled - with Scott at left tackle.
Starks suffered a knee injury at the end of the season, but is rehabbed and back in shape. His signing allows the team to ease rookie Mike Adams along while learning from a veteran how to play in the NFL.
That will be good for Adams in the long-term.
As for Scott, the Steelers had to keep him around until they were sure Starks would be ready to go.
Once that happened, the Steelers did the honorable thing and released him now, giving him a better chance to hook on with another team.
That's why players respect the team's front office so much.
There was, however, some interesting news while I was away in Virginia.
First, the Steelers re-signed offensive tackle Max Starks to a one-year deal. The next day, they released offensive tackle Jonathan Scott, even though they had room on their roster to keep him around.
The signing of Starks was not surprising. He showed them last year just how valuable he can be when the Steelers played their first few games without him and struggled - with Scott at left tackle.
Starks suffered a knee injury at the end of the season, but is rehabbed and back in shape. His signing allows the team to ease rookie Mike Adams along while learning from a veteran how to play in the NFL.
That will be good for Adams in the long-term.
As for Scott, the Steelers had to keep him around until they were sure Starks would be ready to go.
Once that happened, the Steelers did the honorable thing and released him now, giving him a better chance to hook on with another team.
That's why players respect the team's front office so much.
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Top 100 thoughts
The NFL Network recently completed its top 100 list. I'm not a big fan of such lists, but the network has to come up with something to fill its airwaves during the NFL dog days of June and July before camps open.
The Steelers were well represented on the list once again, with six players, led by safety Troy Polamalu at No. 19.
Interestingly enough, Polamalu's spot on the list was one ahead of Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis and three behind Ravens safety Ed Reed.
James Harrison was the second Steelers player listed, coming in at 29th. That's not bad for a player who fought through an injury-plagued 2011 season and also missed a game due to suspension.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was ranked 30th, which sounds low until you consider he was the fourth quarterback on the list. Roethlisberger was ranked below Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady, and one spot ahead of Eli Manning. It's tough to argue with that pecking order.
Wide receiver Mike Wallace came in at 47th, which some people likely have a problem with. I don't. Wallace is a special talent and ranking him as the fourth-best player on the Steelers' roster is a nod to that.
Center Maurkice Pouncey ranked 49th despite coming off what I considered a so-so year for him. I thought Pouncey was better as a rookie than he was last year, but the fact that he has already stepped into a leadership role shows how he is thought of by his teammates and peers.
Finally, despite playing just half a season in 2011, linebacker LaMarr Woodley ranked 63rd on the top 100. Woodley was well on his way to earning a spot higher last season and could be primed to put up a monster season in 2012.
@ Longtime O-R sports writer Mike Kovak is leaving after 13 years here to head off to Johnstown.
For several years, Mike was the second guy with me at Steelers games. In fact, we covered the playoff game in Tennessee in 2002 together.
On the drive back, we decided to stop at a Shoney's in Kentucky. As I was at the breakfast bar, I noticed two guys with hooks for hands.
I made mention of this when I got back to the table. Lo and behold, there was another guy sitting near us that also had a hook for a hand. There were three in one spot. Don't know if it was "Hook for a Hand" day at Shoney's or what.
Maybe they got a discount for thresher accidents.
But Mike will be missed.
The Steelers were well represented on the list once again, with six players, led by safety Troy Polamalu at No. 19.
Interestingly enough, Polamalu's spot on the list was one ahead of Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis and three behind Ravens safety Ed Reed.
James Harrison was the second Steelers player listed, coming in at 29th. That's not bad for a player who fought through an injury-plagued 2011 season and also missed a game due to suspension.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was ranked 30th, which sounds low until you consider he was the fourth quarterback on the list. Roethlisberger was ranked below Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady, and one spot ahead of Eli Manning. It's tough to argue with that pecking order.
Wide receiver Mike Wallace came in at 47th, which some people likely have a problem with. I don't. Wallace is a special talent and ranking him as the fourth-best player on the Steelers' roster is a nod to that.
Center Maurkice Pouncey ranked 49th despite coming off what I considered a so-so year for him. I thought Pouncey was better as a rookie than he was last year, but the fact that he has already stepped into a leadership role shows how he is thought of by his teammates and peers.
Finally, despite playing just half a season in 2011, linebacker LaMarr Woodley ranked 63rd on the top 100. Woodley was well on his way to earning a spot higher last season and could be primed to put up a monster season in 2012.
@ Longtime O-R sports writer Mike Kovak is leaving after 13 years here to head off to Johnstown.
For several years, Mike was the second guy with me at Steelers games. In fact, we covered the playoff game in Tennessee in 2002 together.
On the drive back, we decided to stop at a Shoney's in Kentucky. As I was at the breakfast bar, I noticed two guys with hooks for hands.
I made mention of this when I got back to the table. Lo and behold, there was another guy sitting near us that also had a hook for a hand. There were three in one spot. Don't know if it was "Hook for a Hand" day at Shoney's or what.
Maybe they got a discount for thresher accidents.
But Mike will be missed.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
About a month out
We're about a month out from the start of training camp and I'm taking a much-needed vacation. Bear with me this week whilst I recharge the batteries.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Position battles
I did a radio spot with Greg Linelli today and he asked me about which position battle for the Steelers I am most looking forward to seeing - or at least something along those lines.
To me, I feel the cornerback position will be the most interesting.
Currently, Keenan Lewis is holding down the starting spot opposite Ike Taylor, with second-year players Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen pushing.
One of those three will also serve as the slot corner as well. Brown seems best suited for that position, but Allen's athleticism is hard to deny.
Lewis, however, played very well last season as the third corner and has much more experience than the other two.
Unless Dick LeBeau can come up with a way to get all three corners young corners on the field at the same time, somebody is going to be disappointed.
What position battle are you looking forward to?
@ Speaking of Linelli, he has long been one of the underrated and underutilized radio hosts in the Pittsburgh market.
Soon, he won't be.
Greg is moving on to greener pastures. Good luck to him.
To me, I feel the cornerback position will be the most interesting.
Currently, Keenan Lewis is holding down the starting spot opposite Ike Taylor, with second-year players Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen pushing.
One of those three will also serve as the slot corner as well. Brown seems best suited for that position, but Allen's athleticism is hard to deny.
Lewis, however, played very well last season as the third corner and has much more experience than the other two.
Unless Dick LeBeau can come up with a way to get all three corners young corners on the field at the same time, somebody is going to be disappointed.
What position battle are you looking forward to?
@ Speaking of Linelli, he has long been one of the underrated and underutilized radio hosts in the Pittsburgh market.
Soon, he won't be.
Greg is moving on to greener pastures. Good luck to him.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Mini-camp notes
As I expected, the Steelers did not open mini-camp with rookies David DeCastro and Mike Adams working with the No. 1 offensive line.
DeCastro and Adams did work in with the ones in the final team session, but just for a few plays. Other than that, they both worked with the twos, DeCastro at right guard, Adams at left tackle.
Marcus Gilbert got the nod at left tackle, while Ramon Foster was at right guard. The surprise among the first-team line was Trai Essex at right tackle over Jonathan Scott.
@ Ben Roethlisberger looked pretty sharp during a two-minute drill, tossing a TD pass to Jerricho Cotchery on fourth down from the 4 after quickly moving the team down the field.
Byron Leftwich didn't look nearly as sharp, missing on all four of his passes.
In fact, at one point during team drills, Leftwich missed on eight straight passes. But, in his defense, with Mike Wallace MIA and Hines Ward retired, Leftwich is working with a group of highly untested players on that second unit.
@ Chris Rainey looks pretty good as a running back. Very quick and easy to lose in the hole.
Baron Batch also looks like he's completely healed up as well.
It's going to be a very interesting battle at running back on this team.
Rashard Mendenhall is also running in a straight line again. He hasn't started cutting yet, but Mendenhall looks like he's in great shape. It looks like he'll be back sooner rather than later.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Who is the worst Steelers player you've seen?
It's easy to pick out the best players you've seen over the years.
In the 19 seasons I've been covering the team, Rod Woodson, Carnell Lake, Jerome Bettis, Greg Lloyd, Levon Kirkland, Dermontti Dawson and Ben Roethlisberger stand out as some of the best I've seen.
That list could go on and on.
But who are the worst players to suit up for the Steelers. And I'm talking about guys who actually played and (tried to) contribute.
In the 19 seasons I've been covering the team, Rod Woodson, Carnell Lake, Jerome Bettis, Greg Lloyd, Levon Kirkland, Dermontti Dawson and Ben Roethlisberger stand out as some of the best I've seen.
That list could go on and on.
But who are the worst players to suit up for the Steelers. And I'm talking about guys who actually played and (tried to) contribute.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Week 2 of OTAs news and notes
Not a whole lot happening at OTAs this week.
I guess the biggest news was that Marcus Gilbert got some time at left tackle this week with rookie Mike Adams still unable to attend because of the class schedule at Ohio State.
Though the Steelers would prefer to keep Gilbert at RT, it's not a bad thing for him to get some work on the other side - even in shorts. As we have seen the past couple of years, what the planned line is and what it turns out to be a few weeks into a season, are often two different things.
Besides, as I've previously said, it's not the Steelers' way to simply hand a rookie a starting job.
So with Gilbert, Trai Essex and Jonathan Scott working at LT, there are still some bodies to climb over there.
I know, I know, you all hate Essex and Scott. But it says here that if push came to shove and Adams can't beat those guys out - which is always a possibility - the Steelers want to cover their bases.
Plus, there's still the possibility of bringing Max Starks back again. Starks, by the way, has been seen at the Steelers practice facility.
© Perhaps the most bizarre happenstance of the week was the "retirement" of former quarterback Kordell Stewart.
Considering the only time I'd seen Kordell the past few years was on pre-game shows and such, I thought he'd already hung up the helmet.
I know a lot of fans have a great deal of dislike for Stewart, but I always found him a decent guy.
He was a little full of himself in the beginning, but got knocked down a peg by the whole benching in favor of Kent Graham (!) thing.
He stayed strong and came back a better player and person from that ordeal - and the ridiculous and cowardly rumors about his sexual orientation.
I always admired him a little for that.
Was he a great quarterback? No. But he sure was fun to watch. If the coaching staff had used him a little better, he could have been much more impactful than what he was - and he was still impactful.
© Hines Ward will be working on NBC this fall. I hope they give him some training before they set him free on the mic.
I did a story on Ward for the Steelers Game Day program a couple of years ago. I asked him two questions and finished the interview with 20 minutes of tape to go through.
Ward is famous among reporters for his talking. He would talk about anything and everything, often without cue.
I wish him luck.
I guess the biggest news was that Marcus Gilbert got some time at left tackle this week with rookie Mike Adams still unable to attend because of the class schedule at Ohio State.
Though the Steelers would prefer to keep Gilbert at RT, it's not a bad thing for him to get some work on the other side - even in shorts. As we have seen the past couple of years, what the planned line is and what it turns out to be a few weeks into a season, are often two different things.
Besides, as I've previously said, it's not the Steelers' way to simply hand a rookie a starting job.
So with Gilbert, Trai Essex and Jonathan Scott working at LT, there are still some bodies to climb over there.
I know, I know, you all hate Essex and Scott. But it says here that if push came to shove and Adams can't beat those guys out - which is always a possibility - the Steelers want to cover their bases.
Plus, there's still the possibility of bringing Max Starks back again. Starks, by the way, has been seen at the Steelers practice facility.
© Perhaps the most bizarre happenstance of the week was the "retirement" of former quarterback Kordell Stewart.
Considering the only time I'd seen Kordell the past few years was on pre-game shows and such, I thought he'd already hung up the helmet.
I know a lot of fans have a great deal of dislike for Stewart, but I always found him a decent guy.
He was a little full of himself in the beginning, but got knocked down a peg by the whole benching in favor of Kent Graham (!) thing.
He stayed strong and came back a better player and person from that ordeal - and the ridiculous and cowardly rumors about his sexual orientation.
I always admired him a little for that.
Was he a great quarterback? No. But he sure was fun to watch. If the coaching staff had used him a little better, he could have been much more impactful than what he was - and he was still impactful.
© Hines Ward will be working on NBC this fall. I hope they give him some training before they set him free on the mic.
I did a story on Ward for the Steelers Game Day program a couple of years ago. I asked him two questions and finished the interview with 20 minutes of tape to go through.
Ward is famous among reporters for his talking. He would talk about anything and everything, often without cue.
I wish him luck.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
OTA news and notes
Isaac Redman told reporters today that the Steelers do, indeed, have a fullback on the roster. The Steelers have moved David Johnson to fullback on a full-time basis.
Redman said this will help Johnson as a blocker since he formerly had to go to tight end meetings and did not attend sessions with the running backs. Redman, who is glad about the change, said the running backs will be better able to show Johnson where they would like their lead blocker during their film breakdowns.
@ Draft picks David DeCastro, Mike Adams and Alameda Ta'amu are not at these OTAs because their colleges are still in session.
@ Linebacker Jason Worilds was at the session today but not practicing. He has a cast on his left wrist.
Defensive end Brett Keisel is among those not here as well. He's still recovering from his groin injury suffered against Denver.
@ Talked to Keenan Lewis today. He feels like the starting job is his to lose after logging more than 500 defensive snaps last season.
He also said he's been in constant contact with teammate Mike Wallace and that it is difficult seeing people rip his friend for not being at the OTAs. The other players don't mind.
@ Also spoke with Maurkice Pouncey briefly about the new offense. He said that the blocking scheme isn't different, just some different verbiage.
He also likes the move of Willie Colon to guard. Said it gives the Steelers a lot of nasty in the middle of the line.
Redman said this will help Johnson as a blocker since he formerly had to go to tight end meetings and did not attend sessions with the running backs. Redman, who is glad about the change, said the running backs will be better able to show Johnson where they would like their lead blocker during their film breakdowns.
@ Draft picks David DeCastro, Mike Adams and Alameda Ta'amu are not at these OTAs because their colleges are still in session.
@ Linebacker Jason Worilds was at the session today but not practicing. He has a cast on his left wrist.
Defensive end Brett Keisel is among those not here as well. He's still recovering from his groin injury suffered against Denver.
@ Talked to Keenan Lewis today. He feels like the starting job is his to lose after logging more than 500 defensive snaps last season.
He also said he's been in constant contact with teammate Mike Wallace and that it is difficult seeing people rip his friend for not being at the OTAs. The other players don't mind.
@ Also spoke with Maurkice Pouncey briefly about the new offense. He said that the blocking scheme isn't different, just some different verbiage.
He also likes the move of Willie Colon to guard. Said it gives the Steelers a lot of nasty in the middle of the line.
Monday, May 21, 2012
OTAs set to begin
The Steelers OTAs are set to begin this week and the team has some interesting battles that will begin.
We all know by now of the team's shakeup on the offensive line. As I've said, Jonathan Scott will likely take first-team snaps at left tackle and Ramon Foster will be at right guard - for now.
But rookies Mike Adams and David DeCastro will be pushing from the start.
The other big battle will be at cornerback across from Ike Taylor.
William Gay, last year's starter, is gone and Keenan Lewis will get the first chance to replace him.
But second-year players Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown will be pushing hard.
Of course, one of those three will be in the starting lineup. Another will be the third corner.
We all know by now of the team's shakeup on the offensive line. As I've said, Jonathan Scott will likely take first-team snaps at left tackle and Ramon Foster will be at right guard - for now.
But rookies Mike Adams and David DeCastro will be pushing from the start.
The other big battle will be at cornerback across from Ike Taylor.
William Gay, last year's starter, is gone and Keenan Lewis will get the first chance to replace him.
But second-year players Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown will be pushing hard.
Of course, one of those three will be in the starting lineup. Another will be the third corner.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Colon moving to LG
In a move that has been talked about for years by fans, the Steelers have told Willie Colon that he will move inside to left guard.
Colon has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, so the move makes some sense. The team has drafted offensive tackles Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams in the second round of the past two drafts and with Colon being a question mark in terms of his injury past, they've got to get the young guys as many snaps as possible.
If, for example, Adams doesn't work out at left tackle, they can always move Colon back out to right tackle and move Gilbert over to the left side - though he might not have the feet to make such a move. Last year's starter, Max Starks, is also still a free agent, so there is also the possibility that he could be brought back as well if Adams struggles.
The move of Colon to left guard would give the Steelers a potential line of, from left to right, Adams, Colon, Maurkice Pouncey, rookie David DeCastro and Gilbert.
That line certainly has some pedigree, but it would be foolish not to expect some rookie struggles from Adams, who was inconsistent at Ohio State.
Colon has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, so the move makes some sense. The team has drafted offensive tackles Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams in the second round of the past two drafts and with Colon being a question mark in terms of his injury past, they've got to get the young guys as many snaps as possible.
If, for example, Adams doesn't work out at left tackle, they can always move Colon back out to right tackle and move Gilbert over to the left side - though he might not have the feet to make such a move. Last year's starter, Max Starks, is also still a free agent, so there is also the possibility that he could be brought back as well if Adams struggles.
The move of Colon to left guard would give the Steelers a potential line of, from left to right, Adams, Colon, Maurkice Pouncey, rookie David DeCastro and Gilbert.
That line certainly has some pedigree, but it would be foolish not to expect some rookie struggles from Adams, who was inconsistent at Ohio State.
Monday, May 14, 2012
New offseason rules stink
Last year, we had the lockout, so there was plenty to talk about in regard to the NFL.
But the lockout spawned a new collective bargaining agreement and new offseason practice rules, which we are currently living under. And I've got to tell you, I'm with the coaches on this one These new rules stink.
The new CBA severely limits – compared to the previous rules - the number of monitored practices coaches can have with their players. Thus, young players aren't getting as much face time with coaches as they used to.
In addition, it's also meant less for the media to write about in regard to their respective teams.
At this point in previous years, you could drop in and watch an OTA or two, talk to some players and file away information for future stories. Now, not so much.
The only players the new rules is really hurting are the young ones – the players who need the OTAs to get better.
That's why the coaches wanted more structured practices, not just players working out with team trainers. The players can stay in shape on their own. That's part of their job.
It's the coaches' jobs to get them ready to play. And that has gotten more difficult with fewer offseason practices.
But the lockout spawned a new collective bargaining agreement and new offseason practice rules, which we are currently living under. And I've got to tell you, I'm with the coaches on this one These new rules stink.
The new CBA severely limits – compared to the previous rules - the number of monitored practices coaches can have with their players. Thus, young players aren't getting as much face time with coaches as they used to.
In addition, it's also meant less for the media to write about in regard to their respective teams.
At this point in previous years, you could drop in and watch an OTA or two, talk to some players and file away information for future stories. Now, not so much.
The only players the new rules is really hurting are the young ones – the players who need the OTAs to get better.
That's why the coaches wanted more structured practices, not just players working out with team trainers. The players can stay in shape on their own. That's part of their job.
It's the coaches' jobs to get them ready to play. And that has gotten more difficult with fewer offseason practices.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Steelers-Jets talked trade
NFL Network is reporting that the Steelers had a trade in place with the Jets to move up and get guard David DeCastro - something I tweeted they should do as DeCastro fell past the 15th pick.
The Jets wanted Quinton Coples or Bruce Irvin and when the Seahawks took Irvin with the 15th selection, the Jets decided to stick with their pick and take Coples rather than risk not getting their man in a trade down with the Steelers.
As luck would have it for the Steelers, they were able to stay where they were at and get DeCastro anyway.
Tells you why the Steelers were so excited about getting DeCastro on draft day and wasted no time getting their pick to the podium.
The Steelers also have the Bengals to thank.
Cincinnati, which needed a guard, passed on the chance to take DeCastro not once, but twice, deciding instead to trade back in the first round and take Kevin Zeitler.
I like Zeitler and think he'll be a solid player for a long time in the NFL. But DeCastro has an opportunity to be special.
The Jets wanted Quinton Coples or Bruce Irvin and when the Seahawks took Irvin with the 15th selection, the Jets decided to stick with their pick and take Coples rather than risk not getting their man in a trade down with the Steelers.
As luck would have it for the Steelers, they were able to stay where they were at and get DeCastro anyway.
Tells you why the Steelers were so excited about getting DeCastro on draft day and wasted no time getting their pick to the podium.
The Steelers also have the Bengals to thank.
Cincinnati, which needed a guard, passed on the chance to take DeCastro not once, but twice, deciding instead to trade back in the first round and take Kevin Zeitler.
I like Zeitler and think he'll be a solid player for a long time in the NFL. But DeCastro has an opportunity to be special.
Monday, May 07, 2012
Rookies complete their first camp
The Steelers rookies completed their first workouts with the team over the weekend. I'd love to report more, but the team has restricted what the media is permitted to report from the workouts and, I took a well-needed week of vacation last week and skipped the workouts.
What gives?
How can I take a week off when the team is working?
Honestly, we won't know a thing about these rookies until we see them interacting with the veterans and where the team lines them up when everyone is present.
We all know that David DeCastro, Mike Adams and Alameda Ta'amu are big. We know that Sean Spence is short.
Outside of that, there isn't a lot to be gained from these kind of workouts - media wise.
OK, there are a couple of things. David DeCastro lined up initially at right guard. Mike Adams at left tackle. They will likely both swap sides at some point before it's all said and done.
The players are having the playbook thrown at them for the first time. Outside of that, until mini-camp later this month, we really won't know much.
@ One thing we do know is that the new rookie salary cap rules are having the desired effect. The Steelers have begun signing their draft picks and given the new rules, there's a good chance everyone could be signed by the time mini-camp opens up May 22.
What gives?
How can I take a week off when the team is working?
Honestly, we won't know a thing about these rookies until we see them interacting with the veterans and where the team lines them up when everyone is present.
We all know that David DeCastro, Mike Adams and Alameda Ta'amu are big. We know that Sean Spence is short.
Outside of that, there isn't a lot to be gained from these kind of workouts - media wise.
OK, there are a couple of things. David DeCastro lined up initially at right guard. Mike Adams at left tackle. They will likely both swap sides at some point before it's all said and done.
The players are having the playbook thrown at them for the first time. Outside of that, until mini-camp later this month, we really won't know much.
@ One thing we do know is that the new rookie salary cap rules are having the desired effect. The Steelers have begun signing their draft picks and given the new rules, there's a good chance everyone could be signed by the time mini-camp opens up May 22.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Day three of the draft
The Steelers finished off the draft today by taking six more players, bringing their total to nine in the draft.
Pittsburgh began the day by trading a fourth and sixth round pick to Washington to select nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu.
Next came Florida RB/WB Chris Rainey, Colorado WR Toney Clemons, Oregon TE David Paulson, Texas A&M CB Terrence Frederick and SMU G Kelvin Beachum Jr.
In the hours following the draft, the team signed 12 rookie free agents. Included in that list were Pitt LB Brandon Lindsey, Duquesne WR Connor Dixon, punter Drew Butler of Georgia, CB Terry Carter of Louisiana Tech, safety Robert Golden of Arizona, defensive end Ikponmwosa Igbinosun of Southern Connecticut, offensive lineman Ryan Lee of Furman, WR Marquis Maze of Alabama, placekicker Grant Ressel of Missouri, LB Adrian Robinson of Temple, OT Desmond Stapleton of Rutgers and DE Jake Stoller of Yale.
I loved the move up to get Ta'amu. He's a big nose tackle who fits right into their defense as a guy who can occupy two interior linemen and keep the inside linebackers clean.
Rainey should also be able to make this team as a PR/KR while also offering competition for a fifth WR spot and change-of-pace running back.
Clemons has an outside shot to make it as well if he proves he can play special teams and be the fifth wideout.
Pittsburgh began the day by trading a fourth and sixth round pick to Washington to select nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu.
Next came Florida RB/WB Chris Rainey, Colorado WR Toney Clemons, Oregon TE David Paulson, Texas A&M CB Terrence Frederick and SMU G Kelvin Beachum Jr.
In the hours following the draft, the team signed 12 rookie free agents. Included in that list were Pitt LB Brandon Lindsey, Duquesne WR Connor Dixon, punter Drew Butler of Georgia, CB Terry Carter of Louisiana Tech, safety Robert Golden of Arizona, defensive end Ikponmwosa Igbinosun of Southern Connecticut, offensive lineman Ryan Lee of Furman, WR Marquis Maze of Alabama, placekicker Grant Ressel of Missouri, LB Adrian Robinson of Temple, OT Desmond Stapleton of Rutgers and DE Jake Stoller of Yale.
I loved the move up to get Ta'amu. He's a big nose tackle who fits right into their defense as a guy who can occupy two interior linemen and keep the inside linebackers clean.
Rainey should also be able to make this team as a PR/KR while also offering competition for a fifth WR spot and change-of-pace running back.
Clemons has an outside shot to make it as well if he proves he can play special teams and be the fifth wideout.
Interesting Day 2
The Steelers had an interesting second day to the draft, starting with the selection of Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams.
I didn't like Adams as a possible first-round pick because of his off-field issues and I just didn't see enough consistency in his play for the Buckeyes.
But as a second-round pick - particularly a late second-round pick - I'm OK with it. In fact, it's reminiscent of when they took Marvel Smith in the second round.
Smith had off-field issues at Arizona State and questions about his toughness. He become a long-time starter after the Steelers took him in the second round.
The Steelers have already laid out some conditions for Adams. He's already getting his second chance with them. There won't be a third. You can bet that they will set him up with former teammate Cameron Heyward as a mentor.
I didn't have Adams on my second-round because I didn't think he would still be available.
As for linebacker Sean Spence, if you've seen Miami play in the past couple of seasons, you know who he is. Spence is a tough, tough linebacker who has a good feel for the game.
Is he undersized at 5-11, 232 pounds? Yes. But the Steelers aren't lining him up outside. He's going to be an inside linebacker in this defense. I viewed Spence as more of a fourth-round prospect, but he'll immediately help on special teams and was one of the best linebackers available.
Now, the Steelers can target a nose tackle in round four.
I didn't like Adams as a possible first-round pick because of his off-field issues and I just didn't see enough consistency in his play for the Buckeyes.
But as a second-round pick - particularly a late second-round pick - I'm OK with it. In fact, it's reminiscent of when they took Marvel Smith in the second round.
Smith had off-field issues at Arizona State and questions about his toughness. He become a long-time starter after the Steelers took him in the second round.
The Steelers have already laid out some conditions for Adams. He's already getting his second chance with them. There won't be a third. You can bet that they will set him up with former teammate Cameron Heyward as a mentor.
I didn't have Adams on my second-round because I didn't think he would still be available.
As for linebacker Sean Spence, if you've seen Miami play in the past couple of seasons, you know who he is. Spence is a tough, tough linebacker who has a good feel for the game.
Is he undersized at 5-11, 232 pounds? Yes. But the Steelers aren't lining him up outside. He's going to be an inside linebacker in this defense. I viewed Spence as more of a fourth-round prospect, but he'll immediately help on special teams and was one of the best linebackers available.
Now, the Steelers can target a nose tackle in round four.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Draft Day II thread
The NFL draft will resume tonight with the second and third rounds.
Here are some of my targets in no particular order for the Steelers moving forward These are players I think might be available when they pick:
Round 2
NT Alameda Ta'amu, Washington; OT Bobbie Massie, Mississippi; LB Lavonte David, Nebraska; LB Bobby Wagner, Utah State; OT Mitchell Schwartz, California
Round 3
RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati; RB LaMichael James, Oregon; LB James Michael Johnson, Nevada; NT Josh Chapman, Alabama; DT Mike Martin, Michigan
Here are some of my targets in no particular order for the Steelers moving forward These are players I think might be available when they pick:
Round 2
NT Alameda Ta'amu, Washington; OT Bobbie Massie, Mississippi; LB Lavonte David, Nebraska; LB Bobby Wagner, Utah State; OT Mitchell Schwartz, California
Round 3
RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati; RB LaMichael James, Oregon; LB James Michael Johnson, Nevada; NT Josh Chapman, Alabama; DT Mike Martin, Michigan
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Christmas comes for Steelers
Christmas came early for the Steelers Thursday as the top-rated guard in this year's draft, David DeCastro, dropped right into their laps with the 24th pick.
All night long, I was advocating the Steelers trading up for the former Stanford star if he fell past Cincinnati with the 17th selection.
The Steelers explored that option, but were patient. That's why Kevin Colbert gets paid the big bucks.
Many, including the Steelers didn't see DeCastro dropping that far. In fact, when Colbert said there were seven to 10 players in this draft that were easy evaluations and future stars, DeCastro was one of the players he was talking about.
But a run on pass rushers - Bruce Irvin in the first round? - and the Browns being the Browns - a 28-year-old QB in the first round - allowed DeCastro to fall.
Draft Day blog thread/Day 1
All is quiet here at the Steelers headquarters. Not much going on, though the building is a little more on lockdown than usual.
I haven't changed my thinking a whole lot in regard to how the Steelers will handle this draft. The preference for me is still that they take an offensive lineman - read, guard - in the first round and move on from there.
But I still get the feeling that Dont'a Hightower will be the pick if he is there.
I don't think they will take Dontari Poe. Too much of a question mark for a first-round pick. That would be out of character for Kevin Colbert.
If Luke Kuechly is available in the range of pick 18, they should seriously consider making the move up.
@ The Browns have traded their fourth, fifth and seventh picks to move up one spot in the first round.
Cleveland will be Cleveland.
@ I'm hearing that Andrew Sweat of Ohio State and Trinity High School here in Washington is on the Steelers radar in the seventh round.
ILB for the Buckeyes. Solid special teams player. Good citizen.
@ The Steelers re-signed quarterback Byron Leftwich to a one-year deal. That means quarterback is probably off the board for them in this draft. They now have five.
I haven't changed my thinking a whole lot in regard to how the Steelers will handle this draft. The preference for me is still that they take an offensive lineman - read, guard - in the first round and move on from there.
But I still get the feeling that Dont'a Hightower will be the pick if he is there.
I don't think they will take Dontari Poe. Too much of a question mark for a first-round pick. That would be out of character for Kevin Colbert.
If Luke Kuechly is available in the range of pick 18, they should seriously consider making the move up.
@ The Browns have traded their fourth, fifth and seventh picks to move up one spot in the first round.
Cleveland will be Cleveland.
@ I'm hearing that Andrew Sweat of Ohio State and Trinity High School here in Washington is on the Steelers radar in the seventh round.
ILB for the Buckeyes. Solid special teams player. Good citizen.
@ The Steelers re-signed quarterback Byron Leftwich to a one-year deal. That means quarterback is probably off the board for them in this draft. They now have five.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Last 17 picks of the mock draft, more news
Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said today that he feels there are only seven to 10 sure things in this year's draft, fewer than normal.
To me, that says the Steelers will be working hard to trade back in the first round - or up if one of the players they feel is a difference maker falls within their range.
With that in mind, here are the final 17 picks - I goofed and only picked 15 in the first part - of my mock draft, though I think this draft could have more movement than any in recent memory.
It's without a doubt one of the most unsettled in my mind in recent memory.
16. N.Y. Jets, Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis - This is a Rex Ryan kind of pick. Lots of flash, but possibly little action. Poe could be great. But he might have the biggest bust potential of any pick. Ryan will take him thinking he's getting the next Haloti Ngata. Maybe.
17. Cincinnati, Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois - The Bengals would have loved for CB Stephen Gilmore to drop to this spot, but take the best pass rusher available instead. He could play end or linebacker.
18. San Diego, Reilly Reiff, OT, Iowa - The Chargers found out in 2011 what happens if you don't protect Philip Rivers well. He turns into Bernie Kosar at the end of his career. Ugly. Then again, Bernie was ugly early in his career, as well. But at least he could play.
19. Chicago, Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia - The Bears have to do a better job of protecting the quarterback than they have. Glenn is solid in pass protection, but not as strong in the running game. He's big, though, and should get better in that aspect.
20. Tennessee, Michael Brockers, DT, LSU - I wouldn't be surprised if Brockers goes much earlier than this. But he won't fall any farther. Philadelphia is a strong possibility at 15.
21. Cincinnati, Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama - The Bengals continue to improve their defense after having a strong offensive draft in 2011.
22. Clevleand, Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford - The Browns need an upgrade at right tackle. Martin should be OK there, certainly better than what they've had. A receiver such as Baylor's Kendall Wright would also make a lot of sense, but this draft is deep in receivers.
23. Detroit, Courtney Upshaw, DE/LB, Alabama - Upshaw would give the Lions a versatile defender who can line up at end or linebacker and get after the passer.
24. Pittsburgh, Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama - This would be ideal for the Steelers. Hightower could push Larry Foote for a starting spot right away. If he's not available, Jerel Worthy or Kevin Zeitler could be the pick - with a move down a possibility.
25. Denver, Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State - The Broncos need to get better up front.
26. Houston, Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor - Wright gets to stay in Houston and line up opposite Andre Johnson.
27. New England, Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse - Jones is athletic and can get after the passer.
28. Green Bay, Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State - A high-motor outside linebacker to line up opposite Clay Matthews
29. Baltimore, Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin - Konz is the best of a weak center group. He can start for a year at guard before taking over in 2013.
30. San Francisco, Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin - The 49ers are building around their defense and running game. As we saw when they played the Ravens on Thanksgiving, their line could use some work, particularly at right guard.
31. New England, Devon Still, DT, Penn State - Another big ugly for Belichick up front.
32. N.Y. Giants, Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame - The addition of Smith would help on the back side as well as stopping the run.
To me, that says the Steelers will be working hard to trade back in the first round - or up if one of the players they feel is a difference maker falls within their range.
With that in mind, here are the final 17 picks - I goofed and only picked 15 in the first part - of my mock draft, though I think this draft could have more movement than any in recent memory.
It's without a doubt one of the most unsettled in my mind in recent memory.
16. N.Y. Jets, Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis - This is a Rex Ryan kind of pick. Lots of flash, but possibly little action. Poe could be great. But he might have the biggest bust potential of any pick. Ryan will take him thinking he's getting the next Haloti Ngata. Maybe.
17. Cincinnati, Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois - The Bengals would have loved for CB Stephen Gilmore to drop to this spot, but take the best pass rusher available instead. He could play end or linebacker.
18. San Diego, Reilly Reiff, OT, Iowa - The Chargers found out in 2011 what happens if you don't protect Philip Rivers well. He turns into Bernie Kosar at the end of his career. Ugly. Then again, Bernie was ugly early in his career, as well. But at least he could play.
19. Chicago, Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia - The Bears have to do a better job of protecting the quarterback than they have. Glenn is solid in pass protection, but not as strong in the running game. He's big, though, and should get better in that aspect.
20. Tennessee, Michael Brockers, DT, LSU - I wouldn't be surprised if Brockers goes much earlier than this. But he won't fall any farther. Philadelphia is a strong possibility at 15.
21. Cincinnati, Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama - The Bengals continue to improve their defense after having a strong offensive draft in 2011.
22. Clevleand, Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford - The Browns need an upgrade at right tackle. Martin should be OK there, certainly better than what they've had. A receiver such as Baylor's Kendall Wright would also make a lot of sense, but this draft is deep in receivers.
23. Detroit, Courtney Upshaw, DE/LB, Alabama - Upshaw would give the Lions a versatile defender who can line up at end or linebacker and get after the passer.
24. Pittsburgh, Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama - This would be ideal for the Steelers. Hightower could push Larry Foote for a starting spot right away. If he's not available, Jerel Worthy or Kevin Zeitler could be the pick - with a move down a possibility.
25. Denver, Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State - The Broncos need to get better up front.
26. Houston, Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor - Wright gets to stay in Houston and line up opposite Andre Johnson.
27. New England, Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse - Jones is athletic and can get after the passer.
28. Green Bay, Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State - A high-motor outside linebacker to line up opposite Clay Matthews
29. Baltimore, Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin - Konz is the best of a weak center group. He can start for a year at guard before taking over in 2013.
30. San Francisco, Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin - The 49ers are building around their defense and running game. As we saw when they played the Ravens on Thanksgiving, their line could use some work, particularly at right guard.
31. New England, Devon Still, DT, Penn State - Another big ugly for Belichick up front.
32. N.Y. Giants, Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame - The addition of Smith would help on the back side as well as stopping the run.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Final mock, picks 1-16
OK, here's the first part of my much-anticipated, highly thought out final mock as we head into the final week before the draft.
1. Indianapolis, Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford - No surprises here. He's been the top pick all along and would have been the top pick last year had he come out.
2. Washington (from St. Louis), Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor - Again, no surprises. This is why the Redskins moved up, for the opportunity to take one of the top two QBs.
3. Minnesota, Matt Kalil, OT, USC - There has been talk in recent weeks that the Vikings are considering Justin Blackmon or Morris Claiborne here. Both would be good fits, but Kalil will be the pick.
4. Cleveland, Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama - Mel Kiper said in a conference call that the Browns have the worst skill position players in the league. Tough to argue that. Blackmon would help as well, but Richardson is the clear-cut best player at his position and receivers can be had later in the draft.
5. Tampa Bay, Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU - Tampa Bay gets a difference maker in the secondary. Who cares if he didn't test well on the Wonderlic. All he has to know is who to cover.
6. St. Louis, Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State - Blackmon has been described by Warren Moon as Dez Bryant with a brain. Good enough for me and a team with nobody who can get open down the field.
7. Jacksonville, Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina - Ingram is a solid pass rusher for a team that has been searching for a difference-maker up front for a number of years,
8. Miami, Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M - The Dolphins are in serious need of a quarterback and though Tannehill is going to take some time to develop, he's a tremendous athlete.
9. Carolina, Fletcher Cox, DE/DT, Mississippi State - The Panthers could put Cox at defensive tackle or end, it really doesn't matter. He's just a good football player.
10. Buffalo, Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame - Floyd has it all, size, talent and skill to be a great NFL player. Buffalo is beefing up its offense in the hopes that it can surround Ryan Fitzpatrick with studs that take him to the next level.
11. Kansas City, David DeCastro, G, Stanford - Kansas City's two biggest needs - other than quarterback - are interior linemen on both sides of the ball and at inside linebacker. DeCastro is a better player than Luke Kuechly, though Kuech could be the pick.
12. Seattle, Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina - There are some character concerns with Coples, but when has that ever bothered Pete Carroll? The Seahawks need to generate a pass rush and Coples could do that.
13. Arizona, Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College - Ken Whisenhunt gets a gift in a great, instinctive football player to plug into his 3-4 defense.
14. Dallas, Mark Barron, S, Alabama - Jerry Jones reportedly loves Barron, even though Stephen Gilmore would help his defense more. Nuff said.
15. Philadelphia, Stephen Gilmore, CB, South Carolina - It looks like Asante Samuel has played his last game with the Eagles, so there's a need. The Eagles could use linebacker help as well, so Courtney Upshaw makes some sense.
1. Indianapolis, Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford - No surprises here. He's been the top pick all along and would have been the top pick last year had he come out.
2. Washington (from St. Louis), Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor - Again, no surprises. This is why the Redskins moved up, for the opportunity to take one of the top two QBs.
3. Minnesota, Matt Kalil, OT, USC - There has been talk in recent weeks that the Vikings are considering Justin Blackmon or Morris Claiborne here. Both would be good fits, but Kalil will be the pick.
4. Cleveland, Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama - Mel Kiper said in a conference call that the Browns have the worst skill position players in the league. Tough to argue that. Blackmon would help as well, but Richardson is the clear-cut best player at his position and receivers can be had later in the draft.
5. Tampa Bay, Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU - Tampa Bay gets a difference maker in the secondary. Who cares if he didn't test well on the Wonderlic. All he has to know is who to cover.
6. St. Louis, Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State - Blackmon has been described by Warren Moon as Dez Bryant with a brain. Good enough for me and a team with nobody who can get open down the field.
7. Jacksonville, Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina - Ingram is a solid pass rusher for a team that has been searching for a difference-maker up front for a number of years,
8. Miami, Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M - The Dolphins are in serious need of a quarterback and though Tannehill is going to take some time to develop, he's a tremendous athlete.
9. Carolina, Fletcher Cox, DE/DT, Mississippi State - The Panthers could put Cox at defensive tackle or end, it really doesn't matter. He's just a good football player.
10. Buffalo, Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame - Floyd has it all, size, talent and skill to be a great NFL player. Buffalo is beefing up its offense in the hopes that it can surround Ryan Fitzpatrick with studs that take him to the next level.
11. Kansas City, David DeCastro, G, Stanford - Kansas City's two biggest needs - other than quarterback - are interior linemen on both sides of the ball and at inside linebacker. DeCastro is a better player than Luke Kuechly, though Kuech could be the pick.
12. Seattle, Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina - There are some character concerns with Coples, but when has that ever bothered Pete Carroll? The Seahawks need to generate a pass rush and Coples could do that.
13. Arizona, Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College - Ken Whisenhunt gets a gift in a great, instinctive football player to plug into his 3-4 defense.
14. Dallas, Mark Barron, S, Alabama - Jerry Jones reportedly loves Barron, even though Stephen Gilmore would help his defense more. Nuff said.
15. Philadelphia, Stephen Gilmore, CB, South Carolina - It looks like Asante Samuel has played his last game with the Eagles, so there's a need. The Eagles could use linebacker help as well, so Courtney Upshaw makes some sense.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Steelers draw five prime-time games
Steelers 2012 Preseason Schedule
Date Opponent Time** (TV)
Week 1 (Thurs., Aug. 9)....... at Philadelphia....................7:30 p.m. (KDKA-TV)
Week 2 (Sun., Aug. 19)...... INDIANAPOLIS...................8 p.m. (NBC/WPXI-TV)
Week 3 (Sat., Aug. 25)........ at Buffalo..............................7 p.m. (KDKA-TV)
Week 4 (Thurs., Aug. 30)... CAROLINA........................ 7:30 p.m. (KDKA-TV)
Steelers 2012 Regular-Season Schedule
Date Opponent Time** (TV)
Sunday, Sept. 9................. at Denver..................................8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Sept. 16............... N.Y. Jets..................................4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 23............... at Oakland.................................4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 30............... Bye
Sunday, Oct. 7.................. Philadelphia.............................1 p.m. (FOX)
Thursday, Oct. 11............... at Tennessee.............................8:20 p.m. (NFL Network)
Sunday, Oct. 21................. at Cincinnati...............................8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Oct. 28................. Washington.............................1 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, Nov. 4.................. at N.Y. Giants.............................4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Monday, Nov. 12............... Kansas City..............................8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday, Nov. 18*............... Baltimore.................................8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Nov. 25*............... at Cleveland...............................1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 2*................. at Baltimore...............................4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 9*................. San Diego................................1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 16*............... at Dallas.....................................4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 23*............... Cincinnati................................1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 30*............... Cleveland.................................1 p.m. (CBS)
* Times and TV network may change due to flexible scheduling
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Steelers unveil new throwbacks
The Steelers revealed on Tuesday the new throwback uniforms for their 80th anniversary celebration.
The uniforms are from the Steelers 1934 season and will be worn twice this year.
Here's a look at them.
The uniforms are from the Steelers 1934 season and will be worn twice this year.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Steelers updated visit list
Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams
Miami (Ohio) guard Brandon Brooks
Ole Miss offensive tackle Bobby Massie
Midwestern State guard Amini Silatolu
Oregon running back LaMichael James
Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead
Colorado wide receiver Toney Clemons
Florida International wide receiver T.Y. Hilton
Missouri tight end Michael Egnew
Oregon tight end David Paulson
Louisiana-Lafayette tight end Ladarius Green
BYU defensive tackle Hebron Fangupo
Regina defensive tackle Akiem Hicks
Virginia defensive end Cam Johnson
Miami defensive end Olivier Vernon
Cincinnati defensive end Derek Wolfe
USC defensive linebacker Nick Perry
Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower
Alabama linebacker Jerrell Harris
California linebacker Mychal Kendricks
Wayne State defensive back Jeremy Jones
West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy
Stanford long snapper Zach Nolan
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Steelers have busy two days
The Steelers have had a busy couple of days, signing tight end Leonard Pope on Tuesday to a one-year deal and bringing back wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery on Wednesday with a two-year deal.
It's a typical Steelers move as they prepare for the draft.
Pittsburgh never likes to go into a draft with obvious needs and tight end and wide receiver were looking like obvious needs with just a couple of weeks remaining before the draft.
They are now not quite so pressing.
Are their other needs? Sure. Another guard or two - or possibly a tackle - would certainly be of some use. So would an inside linebacker and young quarterback to groom as a No. 2 behind Ben Roethlisberger.
But tight end and wide receiver are now way down the list.
© Cotchery signed a two-year deal worth $3 million, a pretty bargain basement price.
It was a prudent move to sign Cotchery for two years.
With Mike Wallace looking like he's not going to sign his tender offer - why would he and lose all of his bargaining power? - and both Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders scheduled to be restricted free agents at the end of the 2012 season, having Cotchery locked up for the next two season at least gives the Steelers one veteran under contract for those two seasons.
Do I expect Wallace or Brown to go anywhere? No. But it will be awfully difficult for the Steelers to keep Wallace, Brown and Sanders long term. And signing Cotchery to a two-year deal means the Steelers can bring a young receiver along slowly.
It's a typical Steelers move as they prepare for the draft.
Pittsburgh never likes to go into a draft with obvious needs and tight end and wide receiver were looking like obvious needs with just a couple of weeks remaining before the draft.
They are now not quite so pressing.
Are their other needs? Sure. Another guard or two - or possibly a tackle - would certainly be of some use. So would an inside linebacker and young quarterback to groom as a No. 2 behind Ben Roethlisberger.
But tight end and wide receiver are now way down the list.
© Cotchery signed a two-year deal worth $3 million, a pretty bargain basement price.
It was a prudent move to sign Cotchery for two years.
With Mike Wallace looking like he's not going to sign his tender offer - why would he and lose all of his bargaining power? - and both Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders scheduled to be restricted free agents at the end of the 2012 season, having Cotchery locked up for the next two season at least gives the Steelers one veteran under contract for those two seasons.
Do I expect Wallace or Brown to go anywhere? No. But it will be awfully difficult for the Steelers to keep Wallace, Brown and Sanders long term. And signing Cotchery to a two-year deal means the Steelers can bring a young receiver along slowly.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Mock Draft II
Here's round two of my pre-draft mock. More information is trickling in, and there have also been some free agent signings in the past week that will change things.
1. Indianapolis - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
2. Washington - Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor
3. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
4. Clevland - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
6. St. Louis - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
7. Jacksonville - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
8. Miami - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
9. Carolina - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.
10. Buffalo - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
11. Kansas City - David DeCastro, G, Stanford
12. Seattle - Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
13. Arizona - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
14. Dallas - Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
15. Philadelphia - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
16. N.Y. Jets - Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
17. Cincinnati - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
18. San Diego - Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama
19. Chicago - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
20. Tennessee - Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
21. Cincinnati - Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia
22. Clevleand - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
23. Detroit - Nick Perry, DE, USC
24. Pittsburgh - Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin
25. Denver - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
26. Houston - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
27. New England - Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
28. Green Bay - Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State
29. Baltimore - Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
30. San Francisco - Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
31. New England - Chandler Jones, DE/LB, Syracuse
32. N.Y. Giants - Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
Fleener might have been on the Steelers' radar but on Tuesday, they signed free agent tight end Leonard Pope, who gives them a solid backup to Heath Miller.
1. Indianapolis - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
2. Washington - Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor
3. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
4. Clevland - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
6. St. Louis - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
7. Jacksonville - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
8. Miami - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
9. Carolina - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.
10. Buffalo - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
11. Kansas City - David DeCastro, G, Stanford
12. Seattle - Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
13. Arizona - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
14. Dallas - Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
15. Philadelphia - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
16. N.Y. Jets - Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
17. Cincinnati - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
18. San Diego - Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama
19. Chicago - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
20. Tennessee - Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
21. Cincinnati - Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia
22. Clevleand - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
23. Detroit - Nick Perry, DE, USC
24. Pittsburgh - Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin
25. Denver - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
26. Houston - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
27. New England - Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
28. Green Bay - Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State
29. Baltimore - Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
30. San Francisco - Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
31. New England - Chandler Jones, DE/LB, Syracuse
32. N.Y. Giants - Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
Fleener might have been on the Steelers' radar but on Tuesday, they signed free agent tight end Leonard Pope, who gives them a solid backup to Heath Miller.
Monday, April 09, 2012
Steelers visits thus far
Here's a list of players who have visited the Steelers thus far. Obviously, the team has 30 total players it can bring in, so this list is incomplete at this point. But there are still more than two weeks remaining before the draft.
Some of the visits will be to check on medical status, such as receiver T.Y. Hilton. Some will be smokescreens - in my opinion Mike Adams falls into this category. Others still will be players in which the Steelers have actual interest, such as Isaiah Pead.
Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams
Ole Miss offensive tackle Bobby Massie
Miami (Ohio) guard Brandon Brooks
Colorado receiver Toney Clemons
Alabama linebacker Jerrell Harris
Regina defensive tackle Akiem Hicks
Cincinnati defensive end Derek Wolfe
Virginia defensive end Cam Johnson
West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy
Florida International receiver T.Y. Hilton
Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead
Stanford long snapper Zach Nolan
Some of the visits will be to check on medical status, such as receiver T.Y. Hilton. Some will be smokescreens - in my opinion Mike Adams falls into this category. Others still will be players in which the Steelers have actual interest, such as Isaiah Pead.
Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams
Ole Miss offensive tackle Bobby Massie
Miami (Ohio) guard Brandon Brooks
Colorado receiver Toney Clemons
Alabama linebacker Jerrell Harris
Regina defensive tackle Akiem Hicks
Cincinnati defensive end Derek Wolfe
Virginia defensive end Cam Johnson
West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy
Florida International receiver T.Y. Hilton
Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead
Stanford long snapper Zach Nolan
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
First mock draft
Now that April is finally here, it's time to start doing some mock drafts. Here's the first of what will be at least three that I do before the draft.
1. Indianapolis - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
2. Washington (from St. Louis) - Robert Griffin, Baylor
3. Minnesota - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
4. Cleveland - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
6. St. Louis (from Washington) – Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
7. Jacksonville – Quinton Couples, DE, North Carolina
8. Miami – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
9. Carolina - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
10. Buffalo - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
11. Kansas City – Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
12. Seattle - David Decastro, G, Stanford
13. Arizona – Melvin Ingram, LB, South Carolina
14. Dallas – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
15. Philadelphia – Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
16. N.Y. Jets – Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama
17. Cincinnati (from Oakland) – Cordy Glenn, OT/G, Georgia
18. San Diego – Fletcher Cox, DE, Mississippi State
19. Chicago – Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
20. Tennessee – Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
21. Cincinnati – Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
22. Cleveland (from Atlanta) – Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
23. Detroit – Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
24. Pittsburgh - Donta’ Hightower, LB, Alabama
25. Denver – Devon Still, DT, Penn State
26. Houston – Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
27. New England (from New Orleans) – Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC
28. Green Bay – Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State
29. Baltimore – Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
30. San Francisco – Pete Konz, C, Wisconsin
31. New England - Kendall Reyes, DE, Connecticut
32. N.Y. Giants – Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
Steelers announce 80th anniversary details
The Pittsburgh Steelers unveiled plans today for events to celebrate the team’s 80th season, “The Year of the Fan,” as well as a logo commemorating the 80 seasons (1933-2012).
This is the beginning of a broad range of events and festivities that will celebrate the legacy of the team, its players and its fans throughout the 80th season.
The Steelers Fan Image Season Ticket Design Contest gives fans a chance to be on the face of Steelers’ tickets for the 2012 season. From Monday, April 2 through Friday, April 20, Steelers’ fans can submit a 15-second video on Steelers.com with their three words about, “My Steelers Experience."
On Monday, April 23, 80 finalists will be announced. The ten grand prize winners will be revealed at the 2012 Steelers Fan Blitz at Heinz Field on Saturday, April 28. Along with their image on the tickets, the 10 winners will also receive four tickets to a game, pregame hospitality, on-field pregame field passes, a $100 Steelers gift card and participation in the Terrible Towel twirl on the sidelines before kickoff.
At the 2012 Steelers Fan Blitz presented by Xfinity on Saturday, April 28 at Heinz Field,
fans will be able to purchase 80th season merchandise at all Steelers Sideline stores and will have a chance to win prizes every half hour, including 80th season items. In addition, the Pittsburgh Steelers and PNC will provide fans with various opportunities during the 80th season to experience Steelers football up close and personal throughout the entire 2012 season, engaging Steelers Nation through an extensive social media campaign.
© The NFL unveiled its new Nike uniforms for each team. The Steelers' uniform appears on this page. There's not any massive changes.
© In other news, the Steelers hosted running back Isaiah Pead of Cincinnti on Tuesday.
Pead is considered a mid-round prospect.
This is the beginning of a broad range of events and festivities that will celebrate the legacy of the team, its players and its fans throughout the 80th season.
The Steelers Fan Image Season Ticket Design Contest gives fans a chance to be on the face of Steelers’ tickets for the 2012 season. From Monday, April 2 through Friday, April 20, Steelers’ fans can submit a 15-second video on Steelers.com with their three words about, “My Steelers Experience."
On Monday, April 23, 80 finalists will be announced. The ten grand prize winners will be revealed at the 2012 Steelers Fan Blitz at Heinz Field on Saturday, April 28. Along with their image on the tickets, the 10 winners will also receive four tickets to a game, pregame hospitality, on-field pregame field passes, a $100 Steelers gift card and participation in the Terrible Towel twirl on the sidelines before kickoff.
At the 2012 Steelers Fan Blitz presented by Xfinity on Saturday, April 28 at Heinz Field,
© The NFL unveiled its new Nike uniforms for each team. The Steelers' uniform appears on this page. There's not any massive changes.
© In other news, the Steelers hosted running back Isaiah Pead of Cincinnti on Tuesday.
Pead is considered a mid-round prospect.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Steelers host a free agent
The Steelers finally hosted their first free agent on Friday and you can expect a few more to trickle in during the coming weeks as they scan the dollar store wares of what's left over after the feeding frenzy.
Buffalo left tackle Demetrius Bell was in Pittsburgh to meet with Steelers brass. He's visited a few other teams as well and is considered a talented, yet injury prone, left tackle.
Bell has a relationship with Steelers line coach Sean Kugler, which probably prompted his visit to Pittsburgh.
But it's likely his asking price will be out of Pittsburgh's range, even though he played in just seven games last season.
Twenty-seven-year-old left tackles don't come cheaply, even injury-prone ones.
Buffalo left tackle Demetrius Bell was in Pittsburgh to meet with Steelers brass. He's visited a few other teams as well and is considered a talented, yet injury prone, left tackle.
Bell has a relationship with Steelers line coach Sean Kugler, which probably prompted his visit to Pittsburgh.
But it's likely his asking price will be out of Pittsburgh's range, even though he played in just seven games last season.
Twenty-seven-year-old left tackles don't come cheaply, even injury-prone ones.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tomlin speaks
Mike Tomlin spoke to the media for the first time since the Steelers lost at Denver in the playoffs on Tuesday at the NFL owner's meetings.
There wasn't a lot of earth-shattering news to be had. Tomlin reiterated that it was he, not owner Art Rooney II, who made the decision to both fire Bruce Arians and hire Todd Haley to replace him as offensive coordinator.
Tomlin also said the Steelers will likely add a running back this offseason, either via free agency or the draft. The draft is the more likely scenario, though a veteran such as Justin Forsett could fill the void left by Mewelde Moore and serve as a nice change-of-pace to Isaac Redman until Rashard Mendenhall is able to return.
He said receiver Emmanuel Sanders and tackle Willie Colon have a lot to prove after both going through back-to-back injury-plagued seasons.
Tomlin also said the Steelers have hosted three college players - not including the ones from Pitt.
They are Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams, Florida International wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and Cincinnati defensive end Derek Wolfe.
Hilton is an intriguing player. The 5-10, 183-pounder looks like an Antonio Brown clone. He also ran a 4.3ish 40 at his individual workout before pulling up with a quad injury, the same issue he had in his bowl game at Florida International.
The Steelers were likely having their doctors check him out to make sure he's sound.
But the fact that Tomlin offered those names up freely tells me he's not interested in any of those players.
There wasn't a lot of earth-shattering news to be had. Tomlin reiterated that it was he, not owner Art Rooney II, who made the decision to both fire Bruce Arians and hire Todd Haley to replace him as offensive coordinator.
Tomlin also said the Steelers will likely add a running back this offseason, either via free agency or the draft. The draft is the more likely scenario, though a veteran such as Justin Forsett could fill the void left by Mewelde Moore and serve as a nice change-of-pace to Isaac Redman until Rashard Mendenhall is able to return.
He said receiver Emmanuel Sanders and tackle Willie Colon have a lot to prove after both going through back-to-back injury-plagued seasons.
Tomlin also said the Steelers have hosted three college players - not including the ones from Pitt.
They are Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams, Florida International wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and Cincinnati defensive end Derek Wolfe.
Hilton is an intriguing player. The 5-10, 183-pounder looks like an Antonio Brown clone. He also ran a 4.3ish 40 at his individual workout before pulling up with a quad injury, the same issue he had in his bowl game at Florida International.
The Steelers were likely having their doctors check him out to make sure he's sound.
But the fact that Tomlin offered those names up freely tells me he's not interested in any of those players.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Steelers awarded draft picks
The Steelers were awarded three compensatory picks on Monday, giving them 10 total in this year's draft.
Pittsburgh got three extra seventh-round selections, getting the 33rd selection (pick 240), 39 (246) and 41 (248).
The Steelers likely won't make a deal in the first few rounds, but moving up or down in later rounds is certainly a possibility.
While the compensatory picks cannot be traded, the extra seventh-round selections will give the Steelers the option of dealing some of their picks in the middle rounds to move up a little higher.
© William Gay signing with Arizona is not a surprise.
The fact that he signed just a two-year deal is somewhat surprising, however.
Bryan McFadden also signed a two-year deal with Arizona and found himself back in Pittsburgh a year later.
Now, he might wind up being out of football.
In my estimation, Gay is a slightly better player - because he can play in the slot - but two-year deals don't offer a lot of stability.
The Steelers expected to lose Gay, however.
With Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown in the mix behind Ike Taylor, they're fine at cornerback.
Pittsburgh got three extra seventh-round selections, getting the 33rd selection (pick 240), 39 (246) and 41 (248).
The Steelers likely won't make a deal in the first few rounds, but moving up or down in later rounds is certainly a possibility.
While the compensatory picks cannot be traded, the extra seventh-round selections will give the Steelers the option of dealing some of their picks in the middle rounds to move up a little higher.
© William Gay signing with Arizona is not a surprise.
The fact that he signed just a two-year deal is somewhat surprising, however.
Bryan McFadden also signed a two-year deal with Arizona and found himself back in Pittsburgh a year later.
Now, he might wind up being out of football.
In my estimation, Gay is a slightly better player - because he can play in the slot - but two-year deals don't offer a lot of stability.
The Steelers expected to lose Gay, however.
With Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown in the mix behind Ike Taylor, they're fine at cornerback.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Thoughts on Wallace
Reports out of San Francisco have Mike Wallace requesting a deal worth more than Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald $120 million contract if he were going to consider joining the 49ers.
This, of course, caused a great deal of public outcry from Steelers fans, who A. Don't think Wallace is worth that kind of money, and B. think he's as good as gone.
Both statements are ridiculous.
Agents always aim high when negotiating. That's their job. If, and that's a big if, Wallace's agent told the 49ers he wanted more than Fitzgerald, so what?
That doesn't mean that's where any final contract would end up at.
Agents ask for the moon all the time. That's what they do. The team then offers a counter - if they're truly interested. And so it goes from there.
As for Wallace not being in Fitzgerald's class as a receiver, realize that in their first three NFL seasons, they both caught 24 touchdown passes, while Wallace had more yards. Fitzgerald had more receptions.
That's not a true barometer and the eye test tells me Fitzgerald is a better receiver, but agents being agents, they're going to look at the numbers.
Does this mean Wallace won't be a Steeler in 2012? Nope. In fact, if the report is true - and I do have my doubts about the veracity - Wallace will definitely be back with the Steelers this season.
And if they can't work out a deal with Wallace, there's always the possibility of using the franchise tag on him in 2013.
This, of course, caused a great deal of public outcry from Steelers fans, who A. Don't think Wallace is worth that kind of money, and B. think he's as good as gone.
Both statements are ridiculous.
Agents always aim high when negotiating. That's their job. If, and that's a big if, Wallace's agent told the 49ers he wanted more than Fitzgerald, so what?
That doesn't mean that's where any final contract would end up at.
Agents ask for the moon all the time. That's what they do. The team then offers a counter - if they're truly interested. And so it goes from there.
As for Wallace not being in Fitzgerald's class as a receiver, realize that in their first three NFL seasons, they both caught 24 touchdown passes, while Wallace had more yards. Fitzgerald had more receptions.
That's not a true barometer and the eye test tells me Fitzgerald is a better receiver, but agents being agents, they're going to look at the numbers.
Does this mean Wallace won't be a Steeler in 2012? Nope. In fact, if the report is true - and I do have my doubts about the veracity - Wallace will definitely be back with the Steelers this season.
And if they can't work out a deal with Wallace, there's always the possibility of using the franchise tag on him in 2013.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Ward goes out with class
Hines Ward announced his retirement today, the way he should have done so about a month ago - with class.
Ward thanked his teammates, the organization and fans for his 14 years in a Pittsburgh uniform, choking back tears on a number of occasions.
At this point, there's not a whole lot I can say about Ward that I haven't already said.
I've always respected him and he was always a stand-up guy who was loved by his teammates.
That was apparent at Tuesday's press conference when Aaron Smith, James Harrison and Jerome Bettis showed up to lend support.
They did, however, have a side bet on how long it would take Ward to break down and cry. As Harrison said, "Hines is a cryer."
But there's nothing wrong with that. Ward played with emotion, and it was tough for him to walk away from the game he loves.
Ward can do so, however, with his head held high. He gave his all at all times on the field and in practice.
And as he said, he and Smith, James Farrior and Chris Hoke – all of whom the team has parted ways with in the past month – leave a legacy here much like the Steelers of the '70s.
They won, and they won a lot.
Ward thanked his teammates, the organization and fans for his 14 years in a Pittsburgh uniform, choking back tears on a number of occasions.
At this point, there's not a whole lot I can say about Ward that I haven't already said.
I've always respected him and he was always a stand-up guy who was loved by his teammates.
That was apparent at Tuesday's press conference when Aaron Smith, James Harrison and Jerome Bettis showed up to lend support.
They did, however, have a side bet on how long it would take Ward to break down and cry. As Harrison said, "Hines is a cryer."
But there's nothing wrong with that. Ward played with emotion, and it was tough for him to walk away from the game he loves.
Ward can do so, however, with his head held high. He gave his all at all times on the field and in practice.
And as he said, he and Smith, James Farrior and Chris Hoke – all of whom the team has parted ways with in the past month – leave a legacy here much like the Steelers of the '70s.
They won, and they won a lot.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Why I don't see a team making a run at Wallace
Now that Peyton Manning has chosen the Denver Broncos as his final destination, speculation has begun about the Broncos or 49ers making a pitch to Steelers restricted free agent Mike Wallace.
I don't see it happening in either case.
The Broncos already have a decent young receiving corps as the Steelers found out the hard way in the playoffs. If Demaryious Thomas and Eric Decker could make Tim Tebow look good at times, imagine how they will do with Manning.
And the more important rumor is that Manning would like to bring tight end Dallas Clark along with him from Indianapolis. That makes a lot more sense.
The Broncos could then spend their remaining cap space to beef up their defensive line, which is a weakness.
As for San Francisco, the 49ers can add all the receivers in the world, but right now, they don't have a quarterback. That's a little more important.
I'm not saying it won't happen, but even if it does, the Steelers will work hard to match the offer. They're not going to allow Wallace to walk.
I don't see it happening in either case.
The Broncos already have a decent young receiving corps as the Steelers found out the hard way in the playoffs. If Demaryious Thomas and Eric Decker could make Tim Tebow look good at times, imagine how they will do with Manning.
And the more important rumor is that Manning would like to bring tight end Dallas Clark along with him from Indianapolis. That makes a lot more sense.
The Broncos could then spend their remaining cap space to beef up their defensive line, which is a weakness.
As for San Francisco, the 49ers can add all the receivers in the world, but right now, they don't have a quarterback. That's a little more important.
I'm not saying it won't happen, but even if it does, the Steelers will work hard to match the offer. They're not going to allow Wallace to walk.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Hampton takes a cut
With Casey Hampton taking a cut in pay - it's a cut, not a restructure as some are reporting it - the Steelers' need to take a nose tackle high in the draft is a little less pressing.
And it again goes to show how the Steelers like to do business.
Pittsburgh never likes to go into a season being forced to rely on a rookie at any position, particularly on defense.
That's why there hasn't been a full-time rookie starter on the team's defense since Hampton and Kendrell Bell broke in there in 2001.
And even at that, Hampton and Bell had to earn their spots. They weren't handed the positions.
So the Steelers now have Hampton under contract, meaning they can ease a rookie into the rotation if he deserves it. The same goes at inside linebacker, where they are comfortable playing Larry Foote beside Lawrence Timmons if need be.
Certainly, things aren't so cut-and-dried on offense. But even in cases where rookies have come in and started - Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey, etc. - the Steelers had veteran options around just in case things took a little longer than expected.
It's the Steelers way. And it's worked for some time.
So while fans may get upset that both Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin don't like to play rookies, the reality is that they don't like to HAVE to play rookies. And there is a difference.
And it again goes to show how the Steelers like to do business.
Pittsburgh never likes to go into a season being forced to rely on a rookie at any position, particularly on defense.
That's why there hasn't been a full-time rookie starter on the team's defense since Hampton and Kendrell Bell broke in there in 2001.
And even at that, Hampton and Bell had to earn their spots. They weren't handed the positions.
So the Steelers now have Hampton under contract, meaning they can ease a rookie into the rotation if he deserves it. The same goes at inside linebacker, where they are comfortable playing Larry Foote beside Lawrence Timmons if need be.
Certainly, things aren't so cut-and-dried on offense. But even in cases where rookies have come in and started - Ben Roethlisberger, Maurkice Pouncey, etc. - the Steelers had veteran options around just in case things took a little longer than expected.
It's the Steelers way. And it's worked for some time.
So while fans may get upset that both Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin don't like to play rookies, the reality is that they don't like to HAVE to play rookies. And there is a difference.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Market for Wallace being set
There as a flurry on wide receivers getting new contracts on Tuesday as the free agent period began in the NFL.
But none of the receivers signing deals was named Mike Wallace.
That doesn't mean, however, that it wasn't a big day for Wallace, as the market was set for a receiver of his skills.
Let's take a look at some of the deals that were completed.
Vincent Jackson, who is one strike short of getting a year's suspension, signed a five-year $55 million contract with Tampa Bay.
Washington went crazy - there's a shock - and gave Pierre Garçon $42.5 million for five years and Josh Morgan essentially $6 million per year.
Robert Meachem(!) got $25.9 million for four years from San Diego to replace Jackson.
And just before the free agency period began, New Orleans re-signed Marques Colston to a five-year, $40-million deal.
That's some crazy money being thrown around for a group of receivers, many of whom aren't in Wallace's class.
So what will this mean for the Steelers?
That $9.4 million figure it would have cost them to place the franchise tag on Wallace might have been a bargain.
Then again, with so many teams dipping their toes into the receiver waters, there aren't a lot of teams out there still looking for receivers.
And, as I've said all along, it's one thing to sign a receiver to a big deal. It's another to do so AND give up a first-round pick, which is what a team would have to do to pry Wallace away from the Steelers.
The question is, however, can the Steelers afford to sign Wallace to a long-term deal?
The answer, at least right now, is no. But the salary cap will be increasing in 2013, which is good news considering Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are going to reach their restricted free agent year following the 2012 season.
But none of the receivers signing deals was named Mike Wallace.
That doesn't mean, however, that it wasn't a big day for Wallace, as the market was set for a receiver of his skills.
Let's take a look at some of the deals that were completed.
Vincent Jackson, who is one strike short of getting a year's suspension, signed a five-year $55 million contract with Tampa Bay.
Washington went crazy - there's a shock - and gave Pierre Garçon $42.5 million for five years and Josh Morgan essentially $6 million per year.
Robert Meachem(!) got $25.9 million for four years from San Diego to replace Jackson.
And just before the free agency period began, New Orleans re-signed Marques Colston to a five-year, $40-million deal.
That's some crazy money being thrown around for a group of receivers, many of whom aren't in Wallace's class.
So what will this mean for the Steelers?
That $9.4 million figure it would have cost them to place the franchise tag on Wallace might have been a bargain.
Then again, with so many teams dipping their toes into the receiver waters, there aren't a lot of teams out there still looking for receivers.
And, as I've said all along, it's one thing to sign a receiver to a big deal. It's another to do so AND give up a first-round pick, which is what a team would have to do to pry Wallace away from the Steelers.
The question is, however, can the Steelers afford to sign Wallace to a long-term deal?
The answer, at least right now, is no. But the salary cap will be increasing in 2013, which is good news considering Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are going to reach their restricted free agent year following the 2012 season.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Free agency set to begin
The free agent period will begin in a couple of days and there's sure to be a furry of activity, even though the salary cap came in at just $120.6 million, a smidgen above what it was last season.
Some teams are always prepared to overpay for somebody else's talent.
As has been the case, don't expect the Steelers to be major players – unless they have to.
The team has been in contact with the agent for wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. And even if he gets an offer on the open market, it's likely he'll at least give the Steelers the opportunity to match.
Outside of that, the Steelers will sit on the sidelines and look for bargains - as they always do.
And the Steelers also won't lose anybody they can't do without.
They will make tender offers on all of their restricted free agents to cover their behind, but if push comes to shove, because of Pittsburgh's iffy cap situation, it won't go crazy to match any offers - save one for wide receiver Mike Wallace.
Some teams are always prepared to overpay for somebody else's talent.
As has been the case, don't expect the Steelers to be major players – unless they have to.
The team has been in contact with the agent for wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. And even if he gets an offer on the open market, it's likely he'll at least give the Steelers the opportunity to match.
Outside of that, the Steelers will sit on the sidelines and look for bargains - as they always do.
And the Steelers also won't lose anybody they can't do without.
They will make tender offers on all of their restricted free agents to cover their behind, but if push comes to shove, because of Pittsburgh's iffy cap situation, it won't go crazy to match any offers - save one for wide receiver Mike Wallace.
Sunday, March 04, 2012
What's next for Steelers
After the painful goodbyes of last week, the Steelers now prepare for the next step in the 2012 offseason - making their final preparations for free agency.
After last week's releases and the previous restructures the team did in the previous weeks, the Steelers are approximately $12 to $14 million under the salary cap - depending on what it finally comes in at.
The Steelers must now tender their offers to restricted free agents. That will include a first-round tender of $2.742 million for wide receiver Mike Wallace and the low tender of $1.26 million to guards Ramon Foster and Doug Legursky, both of who were undrafted, corner Keenan Lewis (third), safety Ryan Mundy (sixth) and tight end David Johnson (seventh).
That will eat up some $9 million of their newfound cap space.
Offering the low tender for Foster and Legursky is a gamble, perhaps even more so than making a first-round tender for Wallace.
With the release of Chris Kemoeatu, the Steelers have no other guards with NFL experience on their roster. Should another team decide to make an offer to Legursky or Foster that the Steelers cannot or do not want to match, they would receive no compensation.
The team does still have some cap wiggle room should it have to clear space to match an offer for Wallace or either guard.
Nose tackle Casey Hampton, who is scheduled to make $5.89 million, could be asked to take a pay cut or be released. The Steelers could also trim offensive tackle Jonathan Scott ($2.2 million) or safety Will Allen ($1.28 million).
A couple of things we do now know after last week's cuts is that A. this team values Jerricho Cotchery over Ward and will make a strong push to re-sign him, and B. Guard and inside linebacker have become the undoubted biggest needs in the draft.
The Steelers have enough money under the cap to make a strong offer for Cotchery, though, again, if they have to match any offers to their own restricted free agents, obviously, some other cuts would have to be made.
Resigning Cotchery would also preclude the team from making a strong pitch for any of their unrestricted free agents, most notably corner Will Gay or running back Mewelde Moore.
After last week's releases and the previous restructures the team did in the previous weeks, the Steelers are approximately $12 to $14 million under the salary cap - depending on what it finally comes in at.
The Steelers must now tender their offers to restricted free agents. That will include a first-round tender of $2.742 million for wide receiver Mike Wallace and the low tender of $1.26 million to guards Ramon Foster and Doug Legursky, both of who were undrafted, corner Keenan Lewis (third), safety Ryan Mundy (sixth) and tight end David Johnson (seventh).
That will eat up some $9 million of their newfound cap space.
Offering the low tender for Foster and Legursky is a gamble, perhaps even more so than making a first-round tender for Wallace.
With the release of Chris Kemoeatu, the Steelers have no other guards with NFL experience on their roster. Should another team decide to make an offer to Legursky or Foster that the Steelers cannot or do not want to match, they would receive no compensation.
The team does still have some cap wiggle room should it have to clear space to match an offer for Wallace or either guard.
Nose tackle Casey Hampton, who is scheduled to make $5.89 million, could be asked to take a pay cut or be released. The Steelers could also trim offensive tackle Jonathan Scott ($2.2 million) or safety Will Allen ($1.28 million).
A couple of things we do now know after last week's cuts is that A. this team values Jerricho Cotchery over Ward and will make a strong push to re-sign him, and B. Guard and inside linebacker have become the undoubted biggest needs in the draft.
The Steelers have enough money under the cap to make a strong offer for Cotchery, though, again, if they have to match any offers to their own restricted free agents, obviously, some other cuts would have to be made.
Resigning Cotchery would also preclude the team from making a strong pitch for any of their unrestricted free agents, most notably corner Will Gay or running back Mewelde Moore.
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Two more vets told to hit the road, more coming?
The Steelers have informed defensive end Aaron Smith and guard Chris Kemoeatu that they are not in the team's plans for 2012 and will be released.
The news comes a day after the team informed wide receiver Hines Ward that he will also be released.
The total cap savings from those cuts - when they occur – will be $9.7 million.
And the Steelers might not be done. Avella native Ralph Cindrich, the agent for linebacker James Farrior, tweeted on Thursday that he expects his client could also be on the chopping block.
Certainly, either Farrior or fellow veteran inside linebacker Larry Foote, will not be with the team in 2012.
It is difficult to see Smith, like Ward, go.
A consummate professional, Smith was long one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league - until everyone began talking about him being one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league. By the time that happened, injuries began to knock him out of the lineup for extended periods of time.
Yet Smith was still one of the most respected men in a locker room full of strong leaders.
If the Steelers do indeed cut Farrior to go along with the cuts of Ward and Smith, they will have lost a great deal of leadership in their locker room.
Who steps into some of those roles remains to be seen.
Brett Keisel is a natural option along the defensive front, while Troy Polamalu, though not necessarily vocal, is a player who leads by example.
Offensively, there is little doubt that Ben Roethlisberger is now the man, though Maurkice Pouncey has also earned a lot of respect from his peers.
The news comes a day after the team informed wide receiver Hines Ward that he will also be released.
The total cap savings from those cuts - when they occur – will be $9.7 million.
And the Steelers might not be done. Avella native Ralph Cindrich, the agent for linebacker James Farrior, tweeted on Thursday that he expects his client could also be on the chopping block.
Certainly, either Farrior or fellow veteran inside linebacker Larry Foote, will not be with the team in 2012.
It is difficult to see Smith, like Ward, go.
A consummate professional, Smith was long one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league - until everyone began talking about him being one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league. By the time that happened, injuries began to knock him out of the lineup for extended periods of time.
Yet Smith was still one of the most respected men in a locker room full of strong leaders.
If the Steelers do indeed cut Farrior to go along with the cuts of Ward and Smith, they will have lost a great deal of leadership in their locker room.
Who steps into some of those roles remains to be seen.
Brett Keisel is a natural option along the defensive front, while Troy Polamalu, though not necessarily vocal, is a player who leads by example.
Offensively, there is little doubt that Ben Roethlisberger is now the man, though Maurkice Pouncey has also earned a lot of respect from his peers.
Lasting memories of Hines Ward
The Steelers made the tough, but logical, choice on Wednesday and announced their plans to release wide receiver Hines Ward.
Perhaps it's fitting that it occurred on Feb. 29, Leap Year.
One of my lasting memories of Ward – and there are plenty – will be his half-skip, half-leap in the end zone after catching the game-clinching touchdown pass from Antwaan Randle El in Super Bowl XL.
For 14 seasons, Ward has personified the Steelers organization. He was tough. He was gritty. He was a football player.
In an age when many wide receivers have been me-first prima donnas, Ward worked his tail off in all facets of the game.
When he was a special teams player, he was the best special teams player he could be. When he was needed as a blocker, he threw himself into it with reckless abandon. When he was relegated to being a backup, he did so gracefully.
Here's hoping he takes the giant hint the Steelers gave him Wednesday and doesn't attempt to try and come back another season elsewhere.
The Steelers made it quite obvious that they don't feel he can play any longer.
Their concerted effort to get him 1,000 receptions made their intentions obvious. They didn't want the season to end with Ward short of his goal because they were pretty sure they weren't going to bring him back.
And now that's the case.
Some will say that because of what Ward has meant for the team, the Steelers owed him the opportunity to come back.
But that's ridiculous. The Steelers took care of their debt to Ward in Week 17 in Cleveland when they got him his 1,000th catch.
They told him they didn't think he could play any longer.
He is choosing not to believe them.
And that's a shame.
Maybe Ward will come to his senses soon and realize that at 36, he not only can't, but doesn't need, to play football any longer.
The thought of Ward finishing out his career in another city playing for another team just isn't right.
Perhaps it's fitting that it occurred on Feb. 29, Leap Year.
One of my lasting memories of Ward – and there are plenty – will be his half-skip, half-leap in the end zone after catching the game-clinching touchdown pass from Antwaan Randle El in Super Bowl XL.
For 14 seasons, Ward has personified the Steelers organization. He was tough. He was gritty. He was a football player.
In an age when many wide receivers have been me-first prima donnas, Ward worked his tail off in all facets of the game.
When he was a special teams player, he was the best special teams player he could be. When he was needed as a blocker, he threw himself into it with reckless abandon. When he was relegated to being a backup, he did so gracefully.
Here's hoping he takes the giant hint the Steelers gave him Wednesday and doesn't attempt to try and come back another season elsewhere.
The Steelers made it quite obvious that they don't feel he can play any longer.
Their concerted effort to get him 1,000 receptions made their intentions obvious. They didn't want the season to end with Ward short of his goal because they were pretty sure they weren't going to bring him back.
And now that's the case.
Some will say that because of what Ward has meant for the team, the Steelers owed him the opportunity to come back.
But that's ridiculous. The Steelers took care of their debt to Ward in Week 17 in Cleveland when they got him his 1,000th catch.
They told him they didn't think he could play any longer.
He is choosing not to believe them.
And that's a shame.
Maybe Ward will come to his senses soon and realize that at 36, he not only can't, but doesn't need, to play football any longer.
The thought of Ward finishing out his career in another city playing for another team just isn't right.
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