More visitors for the Steelers

The Steelers hosted another group of rookies today, while also having a veteran guard in for a visit.

The rookies included trio of linebackers - Jarvis Jones, Jamie Collins and Khaseem Greene - and a pair of safeties - Jonathn Meeks and Phillip Thomas.

The veteran guard was former Houston part-time starter Antoine Caldwell.

Jones is the lone potential first-round pick of the bunch, though I've seen some mocks with Greene sneaking into the first round.

Jones has a neck issue that the Steelers will want to check out for themselves, so this was likely a fact-finding issue. He is a first-round consideration for the Steelers.

Collins is a 6-4, 250-pound outside linebacker from Southern Mississippi. He ran a very quick 4.64 40, did 19 reps of 225 on the bench press and showed off his explosiveness with a 41 1/2 inch vertical at his workouts.

He spent a lot of time in opponent's backfields in the past two seasons, recording 39.5 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks. He is said to be lacking in instincts, which is why he's more of a second-to-third round prospect.

Greene is a player many in Pittsburgh are familiar with since the former Rutgers star is the brother of Pitt running back Ray Graham. At 6-1, 241, he's not as big as Collins, but has a better motor and instincts.

Greene also runs in the 4.6 range, which is what you'd expect for a former safety. But he also excels in forcing turnovers. He recorded 125 tackles, 5.5 sacks and forced six fumbles in 2012. In Pittsburgh's defense, he would likely be an inside linebacker and would be a second-round possibility.

Thomas is a playmaking free safety who recorded 13 interceptions and six forced fumbles at Fresno State. And at 6-1, 208, he looks like an NFL safety. He did, however, have a knee injury in 2011 that cost him the entire season.

Meeks is a 6-1, 205-pound safety from Clemson who is more of a late-round prospect. He did, however, run a 4.55 40.

As for Caldwell, he appeared in 39 games for the Texans in four seasons, making 19 starts. The former Alabama star can play both guard and center, making him a viable backup option as the swing player on game days.

No movement right now for Bradshaw

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw visited the Steelers last week to get checked out by team doctors now that he's out of his walking boot, which was required after the former Giants star had surgery in January to insert a screw into his foot to help heal a broken bone.

The Steelers liked what they saw of his health, but did not offer Bradshaw a contract.

That could, however, change at some point.

In fact, the Steelers are expected to meet with Bradshaw again in a couple of weeks to see how he's healing. That meeting is expected to come prior to the NFL draft.

If Bradshaw checks out OK at that time, the Steelers could make the move to sign him.

@ Today was the first day for pre-draft visits and the Steelers had three guys in: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael, Ohio State linebacker John Simon and Florida State linebacker Vince Williams.

Michael is considered a third-round prospect. He had some injuries in college and issues with the coaching staff at Texas A&M, but is a talented runner. The Steelers are likely trying to get to know him as well as possible - while also allowing their doctors to check him out.

Simon had a better junior season than senior year thanks to a shoulder injury that required surgery. But at 6-1, 257, he's what the Steelers look for in their outside linebackers. And considering the Buckeyes run a similar defensive system to what the Steelers employ, the transition isn't as difficult for Ohio State players.

Williams, 6-1, 235, is a little undersized, but that seems to be what the Steelers are looking for in their inside linebackers now - smaller guys who can cover in space.

He and Simon are both considered mid-round prospects.

One month out mock draft

With a month remaining before the NFL holds its draft April 25-27, things are starting to take shape and the subterfuge being put out is heavy.

There's no clear-cut No. 1 player in this year's draft and there's no a clear line of separation as their usually is between the can't-miss prospects and the second tier.

With that in mind, here's a look at how the first round could go in a month - though things will certainly change.

1. Kansas City, Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M - It's not a flashy pick, but it's a safe one for a team in need of help up front. Sharrif Floyd could sneak in here as well.

2. Jacksonville, Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon - Jacksonville has been searching for a pass rusher for the better part of the past decade. Jordan has extreme speed coming off the edge.

3. Oakland, Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida State - As mentioned, Floyd could be the top pick. If he's not, the Raiders could use help on the interior of their defensive line.

4. Philadelphia, Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia - Chip Kelly needs a QB that fits his offense. And Dennis Dixon won't be the answer, while Nick Foles is a bad fit. Smith isn't a big runner, but he ran the spread extremely efficiently at WVU.

5. Detroit, Dee Millner, CB, Alabama - The Lions could go for Eric Fisher, the big offensive tackle from Central Michigan, but Millner fills a big need as well.

6. Cleveland, Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State - Cleveland signed Paul Kruger to match with Jabaal Sheard on the outside and doesn't need linemen. The Browns would have liked Millner here, but settle for a big corner in Rhodes.

7. Arizona, Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan - Some had Fisher rated just as high or higher than as Joeckel. The Cardinals were a mess up front last season.

8. Buffalo, Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee - With Smith gone, the Bills will wait a round to take a QB or make a move up into the latter parts of the first to get the guy they want. Patterson will give that young QB a weapon.

9. N.Y. Jets, Ezekial Ansah, OLB, BYU - He's raw, but the Jets have been in search of a pass rush for years. Ansah might be too good to pass up.

10. Tennessee, Chance Warmack, G, Alabama - A nice safe pick for the Titans.

11. San Diego, Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma - The Chargers need to protect lead-footed Phillip Rivers.

12. Miami , Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina - The run on offensive linemen continues.

13. Tampa Bay, Star Louteleli, DT, Utah - His heart condition isn't as big of a deal as originally thought. Louteleli wasn't the sure-fire first pick that some thought, but he's not bad, either.

14. Carolina, Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington - With the release of Chris Gamble, the Panthers need help at CB.

15. New Orleans, Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU - Jarvis Jones would be a consideration as well for the Saints, who are moving to a 3-4. But the Saints keep Mingo in the Bayou.

16. St. Louis, Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia - Austin will look good running on the turf in St. Louis.

17. Pittsburgh, Kenny Vacarro, S, Texas - With both Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark on the wrong side of 30 and no backups at the position with any experience, the Steelers need help at safety. Austin would have been a serious consideration, but he's gone. Jarvis Jones also gets some consideration - if his neck checks out. Arthur Brown also has a shot here.

18. Dallas, Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri - The Cowboys would love to get their hands on Vacarro, but are thwarted and settle for defensive line help.

19. N.Y. Giants, Bjoren Werner, DE, Florida State - Werner doesn't wow you with his athleticism, but he gets after the passer. The Giants love pass rushers.

20. Chicago, Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State - Alec Ogletree is a knucklehead and Manti Te'o was overrated all season. Brown is the top middle or inside linebacker in this draft.

21. Cincinnati, Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia - The Bengals take a chance on a pass rusher to add to their stable of young pass rushers.

22. St. Louis (from Washington), Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia - The Rams ignore the character risks and take another speed player. The NFC West teams are all building that way.

23. Minnesota, Keenan Allen, WR, California - Heading into the draft process, many had Allen rated the top receiver in this draft class. But he hasn't been able to work out much. The Vikings will reap the benefits.

24. Indianapolis, Jesse Williams, NT, Alabama - It's not a high-profile pick like last year, but the Colts get a solid, if unspectacular player, to plug in at the nose.

25. Minnesota (from Seattle), Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina - Having addressed the WR position, the Vikings add an interior lineman.

26. Green Bay, Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama - Another Alabama player in the first round. Lacy gives the Packers a running game, something they haven't had - or tried to use - in years.

27. Houston, Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee - Hunter is an Andre Johnson clone who struggled through injuries in his college career. But his size, speed and ability cannot be ignored.

28. Denver, Damontre Moore, OLB, Texas A&M - Once thought to be a top-10 pick, Moore falls to the bottom of the round due to his lackluster 40 time. After losing Elvis Dumervil, the Broncos have a need here.

29. New England, Robert Woods, WR, USC - After flirting with Emmanuel Sanders, the Patriots go with Woods to help revamp their receiving group.

30. Atlanta, Datone Jones, DE, UCLA - The Falcons have holes at CB and DE.  The top three corners are gone and Jones is the best defensive end available.

31. San Francisco, Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State - Carradine tore his ACL in November, but the 49ers don't necessarily need him to play right away.

32. Baltimore, Kevin Minter, LB, LSU - The Super Bowl champs have an obvious need at linebacker.

Allen to visit Cowboys

Steelers safety Will Allen is schedule to be in Dallas to visit the Cowboys on Monday.

Allen, who is entering his 10th season in the league, is an unrestricted free agent who has spent the past three seasons with the Steelers after originally being drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucs.

While not much more than a special teams contributor in his first three seasons with the Steelers, Allen, 6-1, 200, played a substantial role in 2012, displacing Ryan Mundy as a replacement for injured Troy Polamalu.

Allen started seven games in 2012, making 34 tackles and defending three passes. He was a more physical force in the secondary than Mundy and helped the Steelers to a No. 1 ranking in pass defense.

Allen's potential departure could leave the Steelers with a big hole on the roster behind Polamalu and free safety Ryan Clark.

Mundy, also a free agent, has already signed with the New York Giants, leaving second-year pro Robert Golden as the lone experienced backup at this point. And though the Steelers like Golden's potential, his experience in his rookie season was limited in 2012 when he recorded eight tackles.

The Steelers do have, however, a draft that is deep in safety prospects this year, led by Texas star Kenny Vaccaro, who is considered a first-round prospect and could be available when the Steelers pick in the first round with the 17th overall selection,

Texas holds its Pro Day on Tuesday. You can bet the Steelers will have plenty of people in attendance to check out the Longhorns, with an eye on Vaccaro, who will be looking to improve on his combine 40-yard dash time of 4.63 seconds.

Vaccaro plays much faster than that time. In fact, the Longhorns often used him to match up on passing downs with opposing slot receivers.

@ With Elvis Dumervil's signing by Baltimore, the odds are increasing ever so slightly that James Harrison could be back in Pittsburgh in 2013.

Baltimore was one of the few possible landing spots for Harrison, who hasn't drawn a great deal of interest on the open market thanks to his injury history.

Denver would be another possibility. The Broncos are currently looking at Dwight Freeney and John Abraham as replacements for Dumervil, but could turn to Harrison if those two options don't work out.

But the Steelers and Harrison could kiss and make up - if he's willing to swallow his pride - and get something done, probably after the draft.

Interest in Freeny, Dumervil? Eh

There are reports citing league "sources" that the Steelers are interested in free agents Dwight Freeney and Elvis Dumervil as a possible replacement for James Harrison.

My first thought is, eh.

I just don't see either being a significant upgrade over Jason Worilds at this point in their careers - at least not for the money it would cost the Steelers to bring one of them in.

The 33-year-old Freeney had five sacks in an injury-riddled 2012 season. IF we were talking about Freeney circa 2008, it would be different. That Freeney would be worth whatever money you had to spend on him. This one is not.

As for Dumervil, yes he's younger than Freeney. And yes, he's been productive over the past three seasons, recording 37.5 sacks. But what else is he going to bring to the table for you? He's got five pass defenses in the past three seasons.

Harrison wasn't great dropping into coverage. In fact, he didn't have a pass defense in any of the past two seasons. But he did have five in 2010. And his play against the run - in addition to his pass rush ability - was and has always been what has made him a great player. 

The Steelers currently have just $2 to $ 3-million in cap space, surely not enough to put them in the conversation with Dumervil. They would likely have to release a veteran or two to free up the cash to sign him.

Besides, they still have Jason Worilds.

In know, some of you hate Worilds for whatever reason. But he has been productive when he's played in the past two seasons. In fact, he had five sacks last season - showing great burst to the quarterback - in limited playing time while also defending two passes.

With another offseason and training camp under his belt, he could be a nice workable part, with the potential to be a good replacement for Harrison or bridging the gap for somebody else to do so - Chris Carter or a draft pick.

The Steelers will see a $5.5-million windfall in June when Willie Colon's release goes on the books. That money can be used to sign their draft picks and sign another veteran to fill whatever need the Steelers don't take care of in the draft - or a luxury item such as bringing Max Starks back.
But the current cap space could be better used to sign a player such as Ahmad Bradshaw, a running back who has stated publicly that the Steelers have shown an interest in him. That's a source that I trust.

The sky is not falling

Fans tend to look at things in a vacuum. They are so intent on what's going on with their favorite team that they don't look around at what's happening with everyone else.

And that's what we've had the past couple of weeks with the Steelers, who have released Willie Colon and James Harrison and lost Mike Wallace and Keenan Lewis in free agency.

Depending on who you listen to, the Steelers are looking at having the first-overall pick in next year's draft to being so bad that everyone in the front office and on the coaching staff will be fired.

But when you look at what's happened to the Steelers - none of which was a surprise - it pales in comparison with what's going on in Baltimore.

With Ed Reed's signing with Houston Wednesday, the Ravens are now down eight starters. Eight!

And we're not even close to being done with free agency at this point.

Cincinnati, despite having a ton of salary cap space, has lost linebacker Manny Lawson without making any significant upgrades.

Meanwhile in Cleveland, the Browns have been active in free agency, but are still lacking in the most important position on the field, quarterback.

The bottom line is that nothing happens in a vacuum. And there will be other moves made both in free agency and in the draft.

There's several months for things to play out, including the all-important draft.

Steelers get sixth round compensatory pick

The NFL announced its compensatory picks for the draft on Monday night and the Steelers added an extra sixth-round selection for losing William Gay to Arizona last season.

The ironic thing is that Arizona released Gay in the offseason and the Steelers re-signed him.

So, in effect, the Steelers got both Gay and a sixth-round draft pick for signing him back after renting him to Arizona for a season.

Of course, the Steelers should reap at least two - and possibly more - higher compensatory picks in 2014 after losing Mike Wallace, Keenan Lewis, Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Mundy - so far this year.

Pittsburgh hasn't signed anyone to a big-money contract and isn't really counting on their current signings - Gay and tight end Matt Spaeth - to play major roles in 2013.

The Steelers figure to get at least a third-round pick for Wallace and a fourth or fifth-round selection for Lewis.

If Mendenhall has a bounceback season in Arizona, he could net a fifth or sixth-round compensation pick, while Mundy's signing will probably be cancelled out by the moves the Steelers have already made.

@ Speaking of draft picks, there has still been no movement on the Emmanuel Sanders front.

The longer the Patriots go without making Sanders an offer, the less likely they are to do so.

No movement on Sanders

Emmanuel Sanders has not received, nor has he signed, an offer sheet from the New England Patriots.

It could be forthcoming in the coming days, but at this point, he remains property of the Steelers.

New England did release starting wideout Brandon Lloyd on Saturday rather than pay him a $3 million roster bonus, so the Patriots, who have already lost Wes Welker, do have something of a need at the position, though they have signed Donald Jones and Jeremy Amendola.

Jones, however, is something of a China doll, so the Patriots could still be looking for more help there.

But even if the Steelers were to lose Sanders, is it that big of a deal?

Certainly, he's No. 2 on the depth chart right now behind Antonio Brown, and he's a promising young receiver, but he's also one who has played in 16 games just once in three seasons while playing in a limited role.

You could make the argument that the Steelers might be better served if he does sign with New England and they receive a third-round pick in return.

That would also clear $1.323 million in cap space for Pittsburgh, which could then sign another receiver or go hard after another free agent, let's say Victor Butler, as a possible replacement for James Harrison.

With four picks in the first three rounds of the draft, the Steelers could then do what they did in 2010 when they selected Sanders in the third round and Antonio Brown in the sixth.

Given that there are a good number of solid mid-round receiver prospects available in this draft, it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen.

And the Steelers still have Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico Burress to help out with the passing game this season if the young guys aren't quite ready.

Sanders meets with New England

Steelers restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders was in New England to meet with the Patriots.

The Steelers put regular tender on Sanders, meaning they have the right to match any offer he receives as a free agent or receive a third-round pick in return from the Patriots.

Of course, that has yet to happen, and there hasn't been a lot of movement in restricted free agents over the pat few years.

In other Steelers news, guard Willie Colon wasn't out of work long, signing a one-year, $1.2-million deal with the New York Jets.

It's a good signing for both signing the Jets and Colon, who has a lot to prove after three injury-riddled seasons.

It's interesting that Colon was out of work less time than James Harrison, who isn't getting the kind of interest he thought he would on the open market.

That doesn't mean Harrison is likely to think about returning to Pittsburgh. His pride, which already wouldn't let him accept a pay cut from the Steelers, likely wouldn't let him come back for a lesser contract after being released.

Meanwhile, the Steelers met with Beanie Wells, Victor Butler and Kellen Davis on Friday, but all left town without contracts.

That doesn't mean the Steelers won't sign them, but they'll wait while the free agent market softens up.

@ ESPN is reporting the Steelers signed former draft pick Matt Spaeth, who spent the past two seasons with Chicago.

I guess that means they won't be signing Davis.

Spaeth had just six receptions for 28 yards in Chicago last season, serving mainly as a blocker.

Steelers couldn't afford Lewis

Keenan Lewis signed a five-year, $26.3 million contract with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday and the teeth gnashing began for Steelers fans.

Yes, I think Lewis is a good player. But he's not a great one.

To be a great corner, you have to create turnovers - period.

Lewis doesn't do that. In fact, in four NFL seasons, he has one interception.

The way the rules have shifted in the NFL over the past decade - and particularly the past five years - it doesn't pay to just have guys who can cover.

Look at the Steelers the past two seasons. They've ranked No. 1 in the league against the pass both years. But there have been times late in games that opponents have rallied late to win games.

Why?

One part of the answer is a lack of pass rush. But the other part of the equation is that the Steelers don't have a secondary that takes the ball away.

The Steelers feel that putting Cortez Allen in the lineup full time will give them somebody else - with Troy Polamalu - who can force turnovers. Allen gave them a glimpse of that in the final two games of 2012 when he forced four turnovers while seeing his most extensive playing time.

This is the kind of secondary they want to make a shift to. It's the kind of secondary they had early on in Bill Cowher's tenure. Rod Woodson had excellent hands, as did Darren Perry.

In fact, Perry was limited in all facets of the game except catching the ball.

We'll see a continued shift in Pittsburgh's philosophy come out of this year's draft. The Steelers are going to take a safety. And you can bet he'll be a player with ball skills.

So no, the Steelers couldn't match the 5-plus million per season for Lewis. They weren't going to pay that kind of money to a player who doesn't get them possession of the ball back.

And they have other holes to fill.

Steelers keep moving forward

With Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert in Morgantown for the West Virginia pro day - they've been quite busy this offseason visiting pro days - the Steelers were still moving forward in free agency.

That included re-signing long snapper Greg Warren and having running back Beanie Wells in on Friday to meet with team doctors.

The signing of Warren is a good one. Solid long snappers are hard to find and the team didn't want to go into 2013 having an open tryout for that position.

As for Wells, he would seem to be a similar back to both Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer. And the Steelers were just kicking his tires a little bit - a smart move for a back who has the knee issues that Wells has had.

Something tells me that if the Steelers were so inclined to make a move to sign Wells, it might come at the expense of Dwyer or Redman.

Tender offers can be pulled and players who have signed their tenders can be released. It wouldn't make much sense to have three power backs on the roster.

@ It appears both Keenan Lewis and Ryan Mundy are close to leaving.

Lewis is reportedly working on a deal with New Orleans, while Mundy is doing the same with the Giants.

Steelers release Colon, sign Gradkowski

The Steelers on Tuesday released guard Willie Colon with a June 1 designation and signed free agent quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.

The move to release Colon with the June 1 designation means the Steelers won't see the $5 million in savings until after June 1. But it also means they don't have to play the game of telling Colon not to show up at offseason workouts.

They can also move forward knowing they will have his money available in the future - likely to sign draft picks.

Gradkowski's signing means the Steelers are done with Byron Leftwich - which was a given - and possibly Charlie Batch - which wasn't.

The Steelers could still make a move to bring back the 38-year-old Batch if they don't get a quarterback in the draft.

In other news, running back Rashard Mendenhall signed a one-year deal with Arizona, reuniting him with Bruce Arians there.

It's probably a good signing for both. Mendenhall gets a year - more than a year removed from his knee surgery - to prove he's better than he was in 2012, while the Cardinals get a replacement for Beanie Wells.

The Steelers are also reportedly interested in the oft-injured Wells - at least according to ESPN. But considering they already have a pair of comparable runners in Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman, I don't see the fit.

Meanwhile, Keenan Lewis is heading to New Orleans for a meeting with his hometown Saints.

So much for Wallace not getting paid

Mike Wallace cashed in as a free agent Tuesday, signing a five-year $65-deal with the Miami Dolphins.

The signing makes him the third-highest paid receiver in the league behind Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and Detroit's Calvin Johnson.

So much for the "Wallace is hurting himself in free agency" crowd.

Spare me the discussion of whether or not you feel Wallace is worth that kind of money. Fact of the matter is, right or wrong, the Dolphins felt he is.

@ The Steelers made a couple of moves of their own Tuesday, signing linebacker Larry Foote to a three-year deal and wide receiver Plaxico Burress to a one-year contract.

Both were solid moves.

If Sean Spence recovers and wins a starting job, Foote gives the Steelers a solid backup at both inside positions at a minimal cost.

If Spence doesn't recover from his preseason knee injury, Foote can help hold down the position while the Steelers groom another player to move into that slot.

Burress' signing at the veteran minimum also gives the Steelers options at the WR position without Wallace.

He showed me enough in his late tryout last season to know that he still has something left in the tank. After all, the 6-5 Burress was never a speed demon. His game was built around using his 230-pound frame to beat corners.

He's also a player that the younger players on this team respect. Burress is much more mature now than he was earlier in his career - prison will do that to a man.

@ The moves to sign Burress and Foote were made after the Steelers restructured linebacker LaMarr Woodley's contract, freeing up $4 million in cap space.

With that restructure and the signings of Burress and Foote, the Steelers currently have $4.7 million in cap space.

@ The Steelers will reportedly entertain free agent quarterback Bruce Gradkowski and linebacker Moise Fokou on Wednesday.

All Steelers fans pretty much know Gradkowski's story by now. But he's spent the past two years backing up Andy Dalton in Cincinnati.

Fokou, 6-1, 237, is a cover linebacker who spent last season in Indianapolis, starting one game. He spent the previous three years in Philadelphia, making 22 starts.

Steelers make one final pre-FA move

The Steelers made their final move of the pre-free agency period by re-signing guard Ramon Foster to a three-year deal.

The move likely means that the team will either ask Willie Colon to take a pay cut or release him outright - though that move probably wouldn't come until after June 1.

If the Steelers release Colon - who has played in just 12 games in the past three years - now, they would save just $1.5 million.

If they wait until after June 1, the savings would be $5.5 million.

Pittsburgh began the day $3.4 million under the salary cap after releasing James Harrison and making tender offers to restricted free agents Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman, Steve McLendon and Emmanuel Sanders.

Foster's signing likely ate up about half of that.

That means the Steelers will again sit on the sidelines when the free agency period begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday - something that's not surprising.

But, if they wish to make a move, they can free up some additional cash with another contract restructure or two, with LaMarr Woodley likely being the first player they would approach.

Steelers release Harrison

In a move that wasn't totally shocking, the Steelers released linebacker James Harrison on Saturday, saving just over $5 million in salary cap space for 2013.

The move came after the team reached an impasse with Harrison's agent on lowering the five-time Pro Bowl player's salary for 2013.

The Steelers used their new-found cap space to offer tenders to restricted free agents Emmanuel Sanders, Steve McLendon, running backs Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman.

Linebacker Stevenson Sylvester was not tendered an offer and will become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday unless the team makes him an offer before then.

The moves leave the Steelers just under the league salary cap of $123.9 million. But it could create some additional cap space with a restructure of linebacker LaMarr Woodley's contract if it chooses to make a move in free agency.

That could become an issue, particularly at the linebacker position, where Woodley and Lawrence Timmons are now the only returning starters.

In addition to losing Harrison, inside linebacker Larry Foote is also headed to unrestricted free agency, though the team would like to sign him to at least a one-year deal to return.

Former second-round draft pick Jason Worilds is expected to replace Harrison, the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year who ranks fourth on the team's all-time sack list with 64.

Worilds had five sacks in limited action in 2012 filling in for Harrison and Woodley.

Free agent linebackers who might interest the Steelers include Kansas City's Brandon Siler, San Francisco's Larry Grant and Green Bay's Brad Jones.

Looking at free agency

Those who don't think Mike Wallace is going to get a big payday in free agency haven't been very realistic.

At look at any of the free agency rankings done on pretty much any web site will tell you that. Wallace is young and fast and productive. The fact is, Wallace has game-changing speed.

Sports Illustrated did a free agency fantasy draft - a different idea - and Wallace was the top pick. CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco ranks him as the second-best free agent available.

Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis will also be in demand.

Lewis went with the 22nd choice in the SI draft. Prisco ranked him 18th and third among available cornerbacks.

That should give you an idea of why the Steelers felt the need to sign William Gay.

Guard Ramon Foster went in the 18th round in the four-team SI draft, making him the third, and last, Steelers player on the list.

Interestingly enough, offensive tackle Max Starks was not selected. The four guys picking were trying to build a team by filling every position available, which means Starks could have been the ninth-best tackle rated by the selectors, but that doesn't mean Starks won't get offers on the free agent market.

Gay signing means Lewis likely gone

The Steelers made a big free agent signing Monday, adding cornerback William Gay at a three-year deal.

It wasn't all that surprising. As soon as Gay was released last week by Arizona, which had signed him to a two-year, $4.95-million contract last season, the natural fit was for Gay to return to Pittsburgh.

It was a move similar to the one made by Bryant McFadden a couple of years ago. Unlike McFadden, however, Gay still has tire left on the tread.

Gay was solid in the slot for the Steelers in 2011 before leaving for Arizona, and that's likely where he'll be asked to play in 2013. That means Cortez Allen will move into the starting lineup on the outside opposite Ike Taylor, though the Steelers will likely call it an open battle between Allen, Gay and Curtis Brown heading to training camp.

It also means that the Steelers will now likely let Keenan Lewis walk - unless he finds the free agent market more soft than anticipated.

The Steelers liked what they saw of Allen last season, particularly when he started in place of Taylor in the last few games. Pittsburgh needs more playmakers in the secondary, and despite Lewis' solid play last season, he just isn't a guy who's going to get a bunch of interceptions.

What the Steelers can do is use the money they might have used to re-sign Lewis to make other moves, ie. sign a running back.

Your Steelers are now under the cap

With three strokes of the pen, the Steelers have gotten themselves under the NFL salary cap, which now appears as if is going to be $123.9 million, an increase of about $2.3 million from 2012.

After restructuring the contracts of Lawrence Timmons, at a savings of $5.3 million, Antonio Brown at $3 million and Ben Roethlisberger at $6 million, the Steelers pared $14.3 million from their cap, which should put them under as they needed to be by March 12.

That's significant because the team did not need to release any players to get to that number and still has enough wiggle room by restructuring, say, LaMarr Woodley's deal, to be somewhat active in free agency.

Next up, however, will be deciding upon tender offers to their own restricted free agents.

As I've stated before, there could be some surprises there. I wouldn't be shocked if linebacker Stevenson Sylvester and running back Jonathan Dwyer weren't tendered offers, which would make them unrestricted free agents March 12.

What the Steelers will not likely do with their newfound cap space is make a late run at their potential unrestricted free agents - unless it were a veteran such as Casey Hampton or Charlie Batch at a minimum deal.

They'll let guys such as Keenan Lewis, Mike Wallace and Ramon Foster test the open market to set the contract price and then see if they can match or better a deal that is offered - if it is offered.

@ The additional cap space could also allow the Steelers to make a pitch to free agent wideout Steve Breaston, who was in town Thursday to meet with the team.

@ The Steelers claimed quarterback John Parker Wilson off waivers from Jacksonville.

The 27-year-old Wilson, a former Alabama star, has not appeared in a regular season game in the NFL, but spent three seasons with Atlanta before joining the Jaguars last season.

He's not much more than a camp arm at this point.

Thoughts, observations

That the Steelers have opened negotiations with several veterans about contract restructures isn't huge news.

Everyone knew they were going to have to do something - and soon - to trim some salary cap before March 12.

The big news will be if they have to release any veteran players to get under the cap.

At this point, that's looking like it's not going to happen.

By restructuring Ben Roethlisberger, Lawrence Timmons and even LaMarr Woodley, the Steelers should be able to get under $123 million - which is now the number that the cap is estimated to be at.

Teams won't know the true cap number until sometime next week.

@ Some fans will make a big deal about players restructuring their deals, but it's really beneficial to the player.

Put it this way, it's kind of like your boss coming to you and asking if you'd like $50,000 now in a lump sum - that you get to keep no matter what - as opposed to waiting for it and getting it on a weekly basis the remainder of the year - unless you're fired.

@ Dee Milliner solidified his spot atop the rankings among cornerbacks in this draft by running a 4.37 on Tuesday and might now be a top-10 consideration for some teams, while Xavier Rhodes didn't do anything to hurt his first-round status by running a 4.43 at 6-1, 210 pounds.

But the other corner who could now start seeing some first-round consideration is Washington's Desmond Trufant. At 6-0, 190, Trufant rant a 4.38. That, coupled with a solid Senior Bowl, could push him into the bottom of the first round.

@ The situation at safety is a little more clouded.

Kenny Vacarro, the top safety available, ran a pedestrian 4.63 at 6-0, 214 pounds. But he did lead the safeties in the 20-yard shuttle at 4.06 and had a 38-inch vertical jump.

Considering Texas used Vacarro as a nickel back on passing downs, that's not surprising. He has the short-range change of direction to cover slot receivers.

But his on-campus workout will be important if he wants to go in the first round. He needs to get that 40 time into the 4.55 range if he wants to go early.

LSU's Eric Reid was probably the star of the safety position, running a 4.53 40 at 6-1, 213, while showing off an 11-2 broad jump and 40.5 vertical.

But that position is deep this year. If the Steelers were to pass on Vaccaro in the first round, I love D.J. Swearinger in the third as a guy who can play free or strong safety.

Swearinger is a big hitter and showed off good athleticism at the combine, with a 37-inch vertical, 10-2 long jump and 6.70 in the three-cone drill.

He only ran a 4.67 40, however.

@ If the Steelers don't go for a safety and pass on an offensive lineman in the first round, that leaves WR or LB in the first.

I'm not a big fan of Cordarrelle Paterson in the first round (I question his smarts) and Keenan Allen, the other top wideout in this class didn't work out at the combine due to a hamstring injury.

Tavon Austin would be a solid pick, but with his size restrictions (5-8, 174 pounds), teams might shy away from taking a guy who is strictly a slot receiver early in the first round.

Clemson's DeAndre Hawkins looks like the next Roddy White. At 6-1, 214 pounds, he's a physical receiver with a 36-inch vertical. But he ran a 4.57 40. If he can improve that time, I wouldn't have a problem taking him in the first round, even at 17.

I can't say the same right now for some of the linebacker prospects.

Why take a chance on a Barkevious Mingo, who tore up the combine, when his production in college didn't match his measurables?

Other guys who might be available at 17 - such as a Damontre Moore - had pedestrian combines. In fact, Moore ran 4.95 in the 40.

The Steelers might be better served waiting and taking a guy like Sio Moore of UConn in the second or round. Moore was a monster at UConn and his good play last season was backed up at the combine, where he ran a 4.65 40, did 29 reps of 225 on the bench and showed off a 38-inch vertical leap.

At 6-1, 245, Moore would probably transition to inside linebacker in the Steelers scheme.

Running backs, receivers put on show

The running backs and receivers put on a show Sunday at the NFL combine, with some impressive results.

West Virginia wideout Tavon Austin and Texas receiver Marquise Goodwin were the top performers in the 40-yard dash at that position.

Austin and Goodwin were originally hand timed at 4.25 seconds, times that were later adjusted to 4.34 for Austin and 4.27 for Goodwin.

That those two were the top receivers in terms of speed was not surprising. Austin consistently blew away the competition last season, while Goodwin is an Olympic-level track star as well.

The downside for those two? Austin is 5-8, while Goodwin is 5-9.

Austin will still likely wind up as a first-round player - he had a top-flight 4.01 in the 20-cone shuttle, showing his change of direction skills - while Goodwin didn't have the production of Austin and will likely work his way into the third round.

The surprise among the wide receivers was Texas A&M's Ryan Swope. At 6-0, 205 pounds, Swope ran a 4.34 40 and also had 16 reps of 225 pounds. He was a productive player for the Aggies, but many questioned his speed - don't they do that with all white receivers?

Swope was originally viewed as a third-round pick, but after answering the questions about his speed, might slide up to the second round.

One receiver the Steelers did meet with was USC's Robert Woods. At 6-0, 201 pounds, Woods ran a sold 4.51 Sunday. He's a silky smooth receiver who runs solid routes and catches nearly everything.

As for the running backs, they didn't show the overall speed as a group that the wideouts did, but Auburn's Onterrio McCalebb did rip off a 4.34 40.

At 5-10, 168 pounds, however, he's not much more than a change-of-pace back who's a day 3 draft pick despite his great 40 time.

Of the backs who interest the Steelers, Montee Ball ran a 4.66 40. Before you say that's too slow, realize that was .01 faster than Alfred Morris ran last year. Morris, a sixth-round pick, didn't have Ball's pedigree, which is why Ball will likely go in round three, while Morris went in the sixth.

Monday, the defensive linemen and linebackers will work out, while Tuesday, it will be the safeties and corners.

Colbert speaks

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert doesn't speak publicly often, so when he does, it's usually newsworthy - even though Colbert is often very guarded with what he says.

Today was no different.

Colbert addressed the media today in Indianapolis at the combine and did his usual dance of saying a lot while really not tipping his hand too much. It's truly an art form.

What he did say, however, was that he and head coach Mike Tomlin have their finger on the pulse of the team's locker room and he really doesn't see a fracture there as some players have suggested after linebacker LaMarr Woodley was ripped by an anonymous player earlier this week in a story in the Post-Gazette.

Was their some "me first" stuff in the locker room this year? Certainly.

But really, that wasn't any different than any other year. People have been quick to rip Mike Wallace for that perceived attitude forget that Hines Ward once held out as well.

And Ward was also a player who got upset when he didn't get the ball as much as he thought he should - though he handled it a different way, making veiled comments in the media.

Who could forget all of the Roethlisberger and Ward don't like each other stuff? True or not, they coexisted because both men knew they needed the other.

* Colbert also said that the Steelers haven't opened any negotiations with players on contract restructures or extensions, but will do so once they return from Indianapolis.

The Steelers are about $14 million over the 2013 cap and must be under it by March 12.

Picking up that $14 million won't be as difficult as some have said.

The Steelers can extend some key veterans - Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller and even Ryan Clark - and restructure some others such as Antonio Brown, Woodley and Lawrence Timmons to clear space.

Colbert did mention Woodley by name - especially after he was ripped anonymously earlier this week by a teammate - as a player the Steelers would have no problem restructuring or extending. They feel Woodley will bounce back after an injury-plagued last season and a half.

There is some evidence to back that up. Woodley was a beast in training camp last season, so much so that head coach Mike Tomlin was using him as the measuring stick for the tight ends on backers vs. tight ends drills.

Woodley manhandled all of the team's tight ends.

But with James Harrison out early, opponents were able to focus their blocking schemes on Woodley. And by the time Harrison returned, Woodley was dealing with ankle and hamstring issues.

Breaston, Steelers seem like a good match ... but

When Steve Breaston was released by Kansas City earlier this week, the questions immediately started to come.

Wouldn't Breaston and the Steelers be a perfect fit?

In an ideal world, certainly. But the Steelers aren't currently dealing with ideal circumstances.

Because the salary cap did not increase this year, the Steelers find themselves some $14 million over the cap with the free agency period set to begin in a couple of weeks.

In other words, to sign Breaston, the Steelers would have to part ways with some veterans.

The Steelers will likely rework the contracts of Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller, Antonio Brown and maybe even LaMarr Woodley to help them get under the cap.

They could also ask James Harrison and Willie Colon to take pay cuts - though Harrison's would probably have to come in the form of at least a one-year extension.

But that's a lot of movement of contracts to work out and still figure out a way to sign a free agent or two.

And Breaston, who had 61 catches in 2011 with Todd Haley as Kansas City's coach before falling off to seven in 2012, might not want to wait for the Steelers to sift through their salary cap mess to sign a new deal. He'll have other suitors, some who might even offer more than the minimum wage deal the Steelers would likely pony up.

Then again, Breaston has already followed Haley from Arizona to Kansas City and is known to have a good relationship with the Steelers offensive coordinator. So maybe he'll wait until the Steelers have room before the former Woodland Hills star signs with his old team.

Combine time

It's the most important job interview many of these young men ever participate in.

The NFL combine is set to kick off and will provide plenty of intrigue a news.

How important is the combine?

Last year, for example, 85 percent of the 253 players selected in the draft participated in the scouting combine. That 85 percent number has been pretty constant over the past few years.

That doesn't mean a combine invite is a ticket to the NFL. There were 328 players invited last season. But only 65 percent of those players were selected in the draft.

Teams have learned their lesson over the years. Nobody wants to draft the next Mike Mamula, a player who has become synonymous with being a combine stud and Sunday dud.

Most teams use the combine to reinforce things - both bad and good - that they already knew about a player.

If you had a third-round grade on a player, you're not going to necessarily downgrade him to a seventh-round or undraftable grade simply because he didn't run or jump as high as you expected.

In fact, the most important part of the combine is actually the player interviews.

For the most part, NFL coaches haven't had any interaction with these players. To this point, it's only been the scouts - and that contact is on a limited basis.

The scouts visit schools throughout the late summer and fall, but only get to watch practices or film. They may or may not get an opportunity to sit down with a player and talk for five minutes.

Teams will get that chance at the combine.

The purging is beginning

In the last couple of days, word has leaked out that the Packers are going to cut All-Pro Charles Woodson and the Colts will do the same with Dwight Freeney.

Such is life in today's NFL.

We all know that the Steelers are having cap issues. But while Steelers fans are bemoaning the team's issues, they have to realize that other teams are in the same boat.

With the cap not going up much again this year, many teams are being forced to bite the bullet with aging veterans who might not be worth their big cap number.

It wasn't exactly what the players had in mind when they signed a new CBA prior to the 2011 season.

The Steelers, of course, are headed down the same road with linebacker James Harrison - possibly.

Depending on what the team can get done in terms of contract extensions with Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller and maybe another younger vet or two, they could have to make the difficult decision to cut Harrison in order to have enough cap space to make offers to their restricted free agents in a couple of weeks.

Then again, there could be a couple of surprises there as well.

While the Steelers have routinely offered contracts to all of their restricted free agents, this year, that might not be the case.

In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the team didn't offer running back Jonathan Dwyer or linebacker Stevenson Sylvester.

The coaching staff was unhappy with Dwyer's stamina and his constant tapping out of games after making just two or three carries in a row. The thought is that he might not have what it takes to be an every down back, so why tender him an offer that will more than double his salary if you don't think he's in the long-term plans?

The same goes for Sylvester, who has been around three years but still hasn't shown anything as a position player. He was supposed to be a good special teams player, but even that was missing in 2012, when he managed just one special teams tackle in nine games.

This is why they gave him the money

Antonio Brown is sometimes seen as a me-first kind of player, drawing silly penalties for doing things like running backwards into the end zone.

And he's criticized for being a member of the "Young Money Crew," something that some fans take issue with, especially in 2012, when the team's group of wide receivers - including Brown - didn't perform up to expectations.

But if you had any question about why the Steelers handed Brown a $42-million contract extension after just two seasons in the league, there's a good clue on the team's web site.

Brown told Steelers.com this: "We have a lot of young guys. A lot of guys haven't been around here for the history of this team. I want to make sure guys understand the importance of being here, the tradition that is required from our peers, coaches and everybody inside this building. You have to know the history of something if you are a part of it. You have to know where it started, where it came from and what it's about. You know where you are with it now and where you want it to go. I can help teach guys about that and take that type of approach. Every man has to understand the importance of what the Steelers logo stands for, the men that came before us and wore that jersey, and we have to understand the importance of it, be humbled by it and work with that mentality."

Now, some might think that Brown is talking just to talk. But he truly means that. When the Steelers say that Brown's work ethic is second to none, they mean it. He is a tireless worker, and he really wants to be the best receiver in the NFL.

An ankle injury derailed Brown's season in 2012, limiting his effectiveness. But you can bet that will drive him in the offseason to work even harder to make it back to a Pro Bowl.

Does he still have some "look at me" moments? Sure. But I think they are born more out of excitement than they are planned outbursts like previous "star" receivers such as Terrell Owens.

He will be an excellent tutor for whatever young receiver the Steelers add in this year's draft.

More changes on Tomlin's staff

The changes continue to come on Mike Tomlin's staff as wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery has left to become and assistant coach at Duke.

Montgomery had come to the Steelers three years ago after serving as the receivers coach at Duke. He replaced Randy Fichtner, who moved from receivers coach to quarterbacks coach. Fichtner remains on the staff.

Montgomery's move marks the third departure from Tomlin's staff this offseason.

Previously, offensive line coach Sean Kugler left to become head coach at UTEP, while special teams coordinator Amos Jones left to take the same position with Arizona.

And no, Hines Ward will not be taking this job anytime soon.

It is not yet apparent what position Montgomery will serve with the Blue Devils. According to the school, offensive coordinator Kurt Roper remains with the team, though the positions of associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, wide receivers coach, passing game coordinator and special teams coordinator are open.

More silver linings

Looking for more in terms of silver linings from Baltimore's Super Bowl win?

Try this one on:

While we all know that there's often a letdown for teams after winning the Super Bowl - the Steelers can attest to that - take a look back at the last time that the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000.

Coming off that win, the Ravens were considered to be the NFL's next possible dynasty, led by a defense that was being compared to many of the greats.

What happened after that?

In 2001, the Ravens went 10-6, yet finished second to the Steelers in the AFC North standings. Pittsburgh whipped them in the playoffs, 27-10.

The following season, the Ravens stumbled to a 7-9 year and failed to make the postseason.

So while everyone in Pittsburgh is focused on what happened with the Steelers in 2012 and who this team is going to be without in 2013 - and rightfully so - don't forget to look at who the defending Super Bowl champs are going to be without as well.

Ray Lewis will retire. Paul Kruger and Ed Reed - two main cogs of the defense - are both unrestricted free agents and could be out the door.

In fact, take a look at Baltimore's list of impending free agents, and you will see a list that is longer than any other team in the league. And it includes the likes of quarterback Joe Flacco, Reed, Kruger, left tackle Bryant McKinnie, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, cornerback Cary Williams and tight ends Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson.

Some of those guys are restricted free agents, but even at that, those guys will be getting significant raises if the Ravens intend to keep them.

And Flacco is likely to get a big increase from his $4.61 million salary of last season to at least $20 million in 2013.

Super Bowl proves Steelers not all that far off

If the Super Bowl proved one thing, it is this: The Steelers are not as bad off as some would think.

Remember, the 2012 Steelers beat both the eventual Super Bowl champions and the defending Super Bowl champs on their home fields.

They also took the Ravens to the limit in a game at Heinz Field with Byron Leftwich at QB.

So while a non-playoff season stinks and the Steelers have some salary cap issues to deal with, the picture isn't all that bleak.

@ Bad black eye for the NFL and New Orleans for the power to go out in the league's biggest event.

Maybe the league would consider scaling back its halftime extravaganza to one that only sucks up enough electricity to power a small city instead of a major one.

Nah, that's silly talk.

@ Is it too much to ask that the national anthem be performed the way it was written and intended to be sung?

I realize the Star Spangled Banner isn't the easiest tune to carry - I have some some singing myself.

But do we really need "stars" to add their own flair to it? We all know Alicia Keys is a good singer. We don't need her to bastardize the national anthem to prove it.

@ I really didn't think Joe Flacco should have won the MVP award for this Super Bowl. If I were voting, I would have cast a ballot for Jacoby Jones. Two 50-plus yard touchdowns - including a record 109-yard kick return to open the second half - were good enough for me.

@ For all of the people ripping some of Mike Tomlin's decisions this season - and I was among that crowd at times as well - realize that all coaches make a bonehead call at times.

Witness John Harbaugh's fake field goal call at the end of the first half on fourth-and-nine and well within field goal range.

@ Flacco's MVP award likely added another $10-20 million to his pricetag as a free agent, so there's that.

@ There is no way on God's green earth that Warren Sapp should be going into the Hall of Fame before Jerome Bettis, let alone Michael Strahan, who was a far better player than Sapp.

Big weekend for Bettis

It's a big weekend for former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis.

Bettis is one of the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again this weekend and I expect the third time to be the charm for the NFL's fifth-leading all-time rusher.

He should be inducted into the hall.

Bettis became eligible three years ago, at the same time that Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin also became eligible.

I talked to a number of Hall of Fame voters, and they felt there was a pecking order at that time. It went Faulk, Martin and then Bettis.

It was hard to argue. Faulk was one of the most dynamic all-purpose runners in league history.

I remember when he was with Indianapolis, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher gnashing his teeth wondering how the Steelers were going to match up with Faulk when he split wide. He was too fast and ran routes too well to cover with a linebacker, but you also didn't want to put a defensive back on him and take one out of coverage elsewhere.

Martin, meanwhile, is the NFL's fourth all-time leading rusher, ranking just ahead of Bettis.

This is Bettis' year.

What we've learned from Tomlin's hires

Mike Tomlin hired a pair of assistants this week, tapping Jack Bicknell Jr., to coach his offensive line and Danny Smith to run the special teams.

Bicknell doesn't have a ton of NFL experience, but he has had success. He was part of a Super Bowl staff with the Giants. He also had a ton of success running a zone blocking scheme last year in Kansas City.

Bicknell prefers smaller, more mobile offensive linemen, which is what the Steelers have been trending toward the past few years anyway.

Smith has a ton of experience, having been an NFL assistant for 14 years.

Tomlin tried to hire him in 2009 before settling on Al Everest, but was denied an opportunity to speak with him by the Washington Redskins.

Some have tried to tie Smith's hiring to Kevin Colbert since Smith was with the Lions when Colbert was there. But the Pittsburgh native and Central Catholic High School grad also worked at Tomlin's alma mater, William & Mary for three years, so there's an obvious tie-in there as well.

Tomlin told Steelers.com he was looking for a dynamic personality to lead his special teams unit. If anything, that's probably where Amos Jones, who replaced Everest after he was fired in August, failed.

Jones, who had been the Steelers assistant special teams coach since 2007 before his promotion, was a good coach. But he never came across as a dynamic speaker.

@ Congratulations to Charlie Batch for winning the Byron "Whizzer" White Award for his charity work. Batch works extremely hard on his charity and constantly reaches out to help youth athletes in the Pittsburgh area.

The award is long overdue for Batch.

Tomlin hires offensive line coach

We've largely seen Mike Tomlin stick pretty much with what he knows or, should I say, who he knows when it comes to coaching hires.

His initial staff with the Steelers included a number of hires - outside of the people he kept - who were people with whom he had coached at previous stops.

But last year's hiring of Todd Haley as offensive coordinator was a step outside of that box. So, too, was Tomlin's hiring of Jack Bicknell Jr., as his new offensive line coach.

Looking at Bicknell's resume, it doesn't appear to have any direct ties to Tomlin or anyone else on his staff.

In fact, Bicknell, who has just four years of coaching experience at the NFL level, is something of fresh blood at this level.

The two stops he has made in the NFL - with the Giants from 2009-11 and Kansas City last season - have proven fruitful in different ways.

In New York, Bicknell helped coach a line that paved the way for a Super Bowl champion. In Kansas City, he coached a line that led one of the NFL's top rushing attacks despite the fact the Chiefs' QB situation was a mess.

With the Steelers, Bicknell inherits a line that includes promising young players Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Adams, David DeCastro, Kelin Beachum and Marcus Gilbert. All but Beachum, a seventh-round draft pick last year, were premium draft picks.

The onus will be on Bicknell to help those young players reach their full potential.

Post Senior Bowl thoughts

Watching the Senior Bowl, I couldn't help but think that it was something of a waste of time - at least for me, since I cover the Steelers.

OK, maybe not a complete waste of time, but as we've seen time and again with the Steelers, their first-round pick likely won't be one of the players who was performing in the Senior Bowl.

Time and again in the Kevin Colbert era, the Steelers have tended to take players who were coming out as juniors, whether they be redshirt juniors or true juniors.

The thinking, at least for the Steelers, is that when you take a guy who is 20 or 21 years old, not only do you get more mileage out of him, but his potential upside might be greater as well.

If he grades out as a first-round pick at 20 or 21, he still has room to grow.

Now, once they get into the later rounds, age doesn't become such a factor. But for those guys making the big money - the first rounders - the Steelers like a guy who's just 25 or 26 heading into his second contract.

With that in mind, some guys to look at as potential first rounders include linebacker prospects Barkevious Mingo, Damontre Moore, Alec Ogletree, cornerback Dee Milliner, defensive tackles Jonathan Hankins and Sharrif Floyd, wide receivers Keenan Allen, DeAndre Hopkins and Robert Woods, running back Gio Bernard and safeties Matt Elam and Eric Reid.

The young underclassman mantra isn't a must, but it's a good place to start when looking at potential Steelers first-round draft picks.

Some of those guys probably won't wind up with first-round grades once everything is hashed out, but they are some players to watch at the NFL combine. Of course, there are other factors as well.

With a guy like Ogletree, you have to weigh his four-game suspension at Georgia for a violation of team rules - drugs - against his athleticism and play. Given the issues the Steelers had this season with draft picks, I'm guessing they take Ogletree off their board.

Another thing to consider is that given this team's need of an influx of playmakers, the Steelers might throw the underclassman rule out the window and simply take the best playmakers available.

@ The Steelers aren't wasting any time looking at potential new special teams coordinators. They are interviewing Washington's Danny Smith, a Pittsburgh native, for the open position.

Jones leaves Steelers for Cardinals

The Steelers will have their third special teams coordinator in less than a year when they begin their spring OTAs.

Special teams coordinator Amos Jones is leaving the Steelers to join the staff of Bruce Arians in Arizona.

Jones, who had been with the Steelers since 2007, replaced Al Everest in August when he was abruptly fired. Previously, Jones had been the Steelers assistant special teams coach.

His departure leaves head coach Mike Tomlin with two and possibly three positions to fill on his staff.

In addition to Everest and Jones, offensive line coach Sean Kugler left at the end of the season to accept the head coaching position at UTEP.

Tomlin and his staff were in Mobile, Ala., this week for the Senior Bowl. Team president Art Rooney II was with them, meaning Tomlin was likely talking to potential replacements.

Has Pro Bowl run its course?

According to Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News, some 32 players asked out of the Pro Bowl this year, opening the doors for 32 other players to make it to the NFL's All-Star game.

But is it really an All-Star game if 32 of the game's best - as voted by the fans, players and coaches - choose not to play?

I'd say no.

Add to those 32 who have asked out of the game or not been able to play because their team is in the Super Bowl the dozens of players who declined invitations because of existing injuries - such as Steelers safety Ryan Clark - and you're looking at guys playing in this game who were voted the third, fourth-best or worse player at their position in their conference competing in the all-star game.

It's time for the farce to come to an end.

And let's not even talk about the way the game is played. The league is begging for players to take this game seriously. Fat chance of that when they've got millions of dollars at stake if they get injured.

The solution? Forget playing the game. Name the Pro Bowl teams and let them take their trip to Hawaii or some other warm-weather site - after the Super Bowl - to ensure that the NFL's best players attend.

And have a ceremony showing highlights from the player's season. Give out the awards for MVP and other honors. Make it an event and tie it in to some kind of charity.

But for the love of God, quit playing a game that the players don't care about and the fans really don't want to see.

New bowl game

There will be a new bowl game coming up March 15 in Florence, Ala., at the University of North Alabama's Braly Stadium for late-round draft prospects and prospective free agents.

The Prograss International Scout Bowl will feature players from NCAA Division I, I-A, II and III and replace the defunct Cactus/Snow Bowl. There will also be some international players invited to play as well.

The coaching staff for the South team will include Mike Gottfried, a former Pitt head coach, while Johnny Majors has also signed on.

The North squad coaching staff will include former California University of Pennsylvania and Washington & Jefferson College coach John Luckhardt.

The former Cactus Bowl, which started in 1994 as the Snow Bowl, featured a number of future NFL players over the years, including Jahri Evans, Leonard Weaver, John Kuhn, Delanie Walker, Brandon Carr and Zach Miller.

Worst nightmare

The worst possible thing that could have happened has happened for most NFL fans.

It will be the Ravens vs. the 49ers in the Super Bowl this year.

That in itself isn't so bad. There should be plenty of story lines for this game.

But they will all be overshadowed by the Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh stories that will be churned out as if they've never been done before.

Did you know that John and Jim Harbaugh are brothers? Brothers!

They even share the same parents.

We saw all of this in 2012 when the Ravens and 49ers met for a Thanksgiving Day game when the story was played to death. It will all be hashed and rehashed again in the next two weeks. Ugh!

@ For Steelers fans, the Ravens making the Super Bowl is a good thing.

We already knew that Ray Lewis was going to retire at the end of this season. But with Baltimore making it this far, there's a good chance that some of the other Ravens' longtime vets hang it up after this game as well.

Ed Reed, Bryant McKinnie, Anquan Boldin and Matt Birk are four others who come to mind, which would leave Baltimore with some big shoes to fill.

And then there's this: With each playoff win, Joe Flacco's pricetag goes up another $10 or so million.

Flacco has played pretty well in these playoffs, but I'm still not a big fan. I don't think he's an elite talent at quarterback. But he's going to have to be paid as if he is now.

East-West Shrine prospects to watch

There will be a pair of college All-Star games on Saturday, but the one I'll be watching will be the East-West Shrine game, which has better overall prospects, than the Raycom College Football All-Star Classic.

There are a few players I'm interested in seeing perform against fellow all-star type NFL prospects.

First up is David Bass, a defensive end from Missouri Western State, who at 6-4, 260, would be an outside linebacker in the Steelers' system.

Bass started 50 consecutive games and finished 2012 with 11.5 sacks after recording 14.5 in 2011. But that was playing at the NCAA Division II level. Bass has long arms and a good motor, so his play could translate to the NFL.

But I want to see it.

* Ray Graham, RB, Pitt. Obviously, living in Pittsburgh, I've seen a lot of Graham. And I've always liked what I've seen. He's a tough runner despite being just 5-10, 190 pounds.

The thing I want to see with Graham is if he's healthy. He was having a monster season in 2011 before tearing up his knee. He rebounded well in 2012, but then missed the Panthers' bowl game.

Graham has a lot to prove in this game.

* D.C. Jefferson, TE, Rutgers. Jefferson didn't see the ball much at Rutgers, but I liked what I saw of him as a blocker the few times I watched the Scarlet Knights. At 6-5, 250 pounds, he's got the size you need to set the edge.

Can he catch the ball well enough to make it in the NFL?

The Steelers are going to likely bring in a late-round prospect or rookie free agent at tight end. Jefferson could be a nice fit.

* Shamrko Thomas, S, Syracuse. My favorite mid-round safety prospect this year is South Carolina's D.J. Swearinger, who is a human missile.

But Thomas also caught my eye this season with the way he throws his body around. At 5-10, 217 pounds, he's similar in size to Troy Polamalu. He plays the run like Polamalu at times as well.

Colbert fires the first shot

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said today that pretty much anything is on the table in regards to the team's roster following an 8-8 season.

"If we don't change 8-8, if we don't change the roster that produced 8-8, we'd be silly to expect a better result if we've got the same group of guys," he said. "We can't box ourselves in and limit what we potentially could do."

That could even mean stepping outside the box and diving into free agency.

Certainly, the Steelers have cap issues right now. They are roughly $11 million over next year's cap, which is estimated to be at $121 million.

But the team has plenty of wiggle room to get under that number.

One move I could see this team making in free agency? Acquiring a starting running back, or at least a back who can help carry the load for whatever rookie the team drafts.

Colbert made it apparent he was definitely not happy with the team's production at running back, where Rashard Mendenhall is an unrestricted free agent and Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer are heading into restricted free agency.

I get the feeling the team will tender Redman but not Dwyer, who the coaching staff wasn't too happy with as a "feature" runner when he was given a shot.

 I don't think we're talking about breaking the bank and bringing in 30-year-old Steven Jackson, or even 28-year-old Reggie Bush. That's too expensive and you don't help things by signing running backs who are near 30 and have a lot of mileage.

But a mid-level free agent such as Detroit's Joique Bell or Kansas City's Peyton Hillis, could be a nice player to pair with a young runner.

Bell, 5-11, 220, is a restricted free agent, but the 26-year-old also was undrafted. Detroit has salary cap issues, just as the Steelers do, and may be unwilling to put a high tender on Bell to retain his services. He's the kind of multi-talented runner/receiver the Steelers could use in Todd Haley's offense.

Hillis, 6-1, 250, is more of a banger, but the 26-year-old would be a nice complimentary back to a smaller speed-type runner as he was this season in Kansas City.

Moving forward

It's all just speculation until a new offensive line coach is named - and there's no hurry there at this point - but with three key offensive linemen heading into free agency, the Steelers are going to have a different starting group in 2013.

Left tackle Max Starks, guard Ramon Foster and backup center/guard Doug Legursky will all be unrestricted free agents, and the Steelers could have a tough time bringing any of them back.

Starks and Foster want to start, and that opportunity might not be available with the Steelers. Of the three, Legursky could be the one who re-signs with the Steelers to continue as Maurkice Pouncey's backup - though he's shown enough as a true center to justify a team taking a chance on him as a starter.

With the Steelers having taken Maurkice Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert, David DeCastro and Mike Adams with premium draft picks in the past three years, they figure to hold down four of the starting spots. At what position - at least for Gilbert and Adams - remains to be seen.

At this point, if I were positioning them, Adams would be the left tackle and Gilbert would be the right. But that could change.

I know Adams struggled at left tackle last preseason, but he was a rookie at that point, seeing his first playing time. He's now had a decent amount of game experience and should have a better understanding of what's required.

At the same time, Adams proved to be a very good run blocker in the games he started this season, which would seemingly make him a better fit on the right side.

As for Gilbert, I question his footwork for a move to the left side. He also had issues last season on the right side handling power pass rushers, but again, perhaps an offseason to work on technique and strength will be good for him.

The wildcard in the equation is Kelvin Beachum. Beachum was taken late in last year's draft to be the new Trai Essex, a guy capable of playing guard or tackle.

He proved to be reasonably solid as a pass blocker, but didn't have the functional strength to run block. He's another player who will benefit from an offseason in the weight room.

The Steelers are trying to get away from the big, hulking, overweight linemen of the past - which is what you get when you fill your line with late-round draft picks.

And they've done a good job of becoming more athletic up front.

The next step is getting those linemen in the right places.

Rainey situation different from others

I've been asked on Twitter what the difference is between what happened with rookie running back Chris Rainey and rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu.

There are differences.

Rainey had been charged in 2011 with sending a threatening text to a girlfriend. But after speaking with Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers felt he was worth taking a chance on.

He then had two minor incidents during the season before being charged with striking a woman in Florida this week. Obviously, Rainey hadn't gotten the message in regard to walking the straight and narrow.

While Ta'amu's drunk driving incident on the South Side was deplorable, it was his lone misstep while with the team. He's had no other issues since joining the Steelers. If he had, he would have been gone.

As it was, Ta'amu was suspended for two games and subsequently released and placed on the practice squad.

That alone cost him between $200,000 to $300,000 in salary this season.

Ta'amu is still on notice. If he makes another mistake or has another run-in with the law, he'll be released as well.

@ Former Steelers Jerome Bettis and Kevin Greene made the cut to be among the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

The guess here is that Bettis gets in and Greene does not.

When Bettis became eligible for the Hall of Fame, he did so in the same year as Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin.

At that time, the pecking order among those backs ranked them Faulk, Martin, Bettis.

Faulk got in the first year, Martin the next. Now, it's Bettis' turn.

Rooney happy with Haley

Steelers president Art Rooney II said Wednesday that offensive coordinator Todd Haley will meet with officials from the Arizona Cardinals about their vacant head coaching position.

The Cardinals received permission from the Steelers to speak to Haley last week, but Haley has not yet interviewed.

“When a guy has an opportunity to be a head coach, I don’t think there are many teams that would withhold that permission these days,” Rooney told Steelers.com. “He’s a good, young coach and has opportunities, and I certainly wouldn’t stand in his way if he had that kind of opportunity.”

Rooney said he was happy with the job Haley did with the Steelers’ offense this season. The Steelers were 6-3 before an rib and shoulder injuries to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger forced him to miss three games as Pittsburgh lost five of its final seven games to finish 8-8.

“If we look at it in terms of nine games into the season, our offense was functioning at a pretty high level,” said Rooney. “Ben was on track to have his best season of all time, and he was taking fewer sacks. So a lot of the things we were hoping for were happening. After he got hurt, our offense seemed to lose its rhythm, and even after Ben came back we never really regained that momentum.

“You have to look at it as: OK, when our quarterback was healthy what did we have? And what we had I thought was pretty good. Not that there aren’t things we don’t want to improve, but you would think the second year of a new offense would be better than the first. Hopefully those kinds of things will evolve in our favor.”

Contract situations

With the Steelers roughly 13 or so million dollars over next year's salary cap of $120 or so million, they will have some juggling to do to get under the cap and still be able to resign potential free agents, offer tenders to their restricted and exclusive rights free agents and sign their rookie class.

Here are the top 10 salaries headed into next year:

                                Cap Number
Ben Roethlisberger   $19.6  
LaMarr Woodley     $13.2
Lawrence Timmons  $11.16
Troy Polamalu          $10.1
James Harrison         $10.03
Ike Taylor                $9.45
Heath Miller             $7.95
Willie Colon             $7.65
Antonio Brown        $6.2
Ryan Clark              $4.75

As you can see, the top of the pay scale tips heavily toward the defense - particularly in favor of the linebackers. That group of 10 players also accounts for roughly $100 million of the team's salary cap for 2013, leaving just $20 million to fill out the rest of the roster.

Now, there is some wiggle room there, such as turning base salary into signing bonus - something the Steelers have done quite a bit of in the past. The only problem with that is you have to be sure the player is going to be part of your plans in future seasons because it increases their cap hit down the road.

For example, a simple restructure for Roethlisberger would make sense, since you could turn his base salary into bonus money and save $7.1 million.

For a player such as Harrison, however, the savings would only be $2.8 million. And with Harrison at 35, that's probably not the way to go.

Just doing a simple restructure on all of their top 10 contracts - at least the ones they would be able to do so with - and the Steelers could create nearly $36 million in cap space.

But, that includes restructuring Harrison, Polamalu and Taylor - Clark can't be done since he is only signed through next season.

Take those three out of the equation, and you're looking at $27.2 million in savings, plenty enough wiggle room to do everything they need in the offseason without releasing any veterans.

A look at the Steelers heading into the offseason

http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20130105/COLUMN0103/130109613/1003

Losing Haley would be a setback

According to the Arizona Republic, Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley has been given permission to interview with the Cardinals for their open head coaching position.

Haley, a former offensive coordinator in Arizona, is held in high esteem by the Bidwell family after helping the Cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2008.

But if he leaves the Steelers after just one season, it will be a big setback.

The team spent an entire offseason last year learning a new offense - most notably new offensive terminology.

If Haley leaves, the Steelers will have their third offense in three seasons. With one of the youngest offenses in the league - outside of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger - that's a lot to throw at young players.

The Steelers have long prided themselves on continuity. It's one of the reasons why the team has had some much success over the past couple of decades. They have largely kept things the same, making things easy for young players to improve by learning the system better.

Now, certainly, the Steelers could offset the loss of Haley - if that happens - by promoting from within. Mike Tomlin's top choice a year ago would have been Kirby Wilson had he not been recovering from burns suffered in an accident in his home.

But at this point, Wilson's offense would likely be different from the one Haley runs. And he would faced with the choice of keeping Haley's terminology or returning to what the Steelers used before.

Plus, prior to injuries to Antonio Brown, Roethlisberger and half of the offensive line, the Steelers offense was producing under Haley in the first half of the season. They led the league in third down conversions, were second in time of possession and their scoring was up about a point-and-a-half from the previous season.

And that was with a group of players still learning the new offense.

Now, certainly, the team didn't finish as well. But the aforementioned injury problems were the main culprit for that.

Much has been made of comments Roethlisberger made regarding Haley's offense, particularly following a loss at Dallas.

But Roethlisberger has always taken shots at the offensive coordinator, whether it was Ken Whisenhunt or even his best buddy, Bruce Arians. He always wants to do things his way, which would include running the no-huddle exclusively.

And the offensive coordinators have had to reign him in.

The fact is, the rift between Haley and Roethlisberger just isn't there. It's a figment of the imagination of people who were waiting for a big blowup between the two that never happened.

Wallace has no regrets

http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20130101/SPORTS0403/130109941

Here's my piece from Wednesday's O-R on Mike Wallace's thoughts on his season.

To summarize, he feels the holdout hurt him, but doesn't regret it. He also doesn't think he's necessarily a good fit in Todd Haley's offense.

Post-Cleveland thoughts II

The Steelers have locked up the 17th pick in the draft with Sunday's 24-10 victory over Cleveland.

That's not a bad place to be, especially considering the success the Steelers have had selecting in the teens in recent years.

In 2010, they grabbed Maurkice Pouncey with the 18th pick in the draft. He's worked out OK.

In 2007, it was Lawrence Timmons taken with the 15th selection. He's become the team's best defensive player.

In 2004, they took Ben Roethlisberger 11th. Enough said.

Same goes for Troy Polamalu at 16 in 2003 - though they had to trade up to make that pick.

Add in Casey Hampton at 19 in 2001 and you have to go all the way back to Troy Edwards in 1999 - a Tom Donahoe/Bill Cowher pick - to find a selection in the teens that hasn't worked out.

@ Phil Taylor's blindside shot on Kelvin Beachum was as cheap as they come and deserved all of the ire it raised with the Steelers.

But was it that much worse than Doug Legursky diving at the knees of linebacker Craig Robertson earlier?

That kind of got the ball rolling in the cheap shot department in this game, though the Browns also submarined guys on a PAT, drawing a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties.

Maybe the heat will start coming back for the Cleveland-Pittsburgh series.

@ If that didn't do it, then Greg Little (!) catching a pass and staring down the Pittsburgh sideline like he has actually done something in the NFL might.

@ It won't so much be what the Steelers do in the first round of this year's draft that makes a difference as much as it is what they do in rounds 2 through 7.

I think everyone trusts Kevin Colbert and company to get a player who will help immediately in 2013 in the first round. History tells us that will happen.

But the Steelers need solid picks this year in the later rounds to help make up for a 2008 draft that is now a total washout.

At least it will be if Rashard Mendenhall leaves, as expected. At this point, only Mendenhall and Ryan Mundy, a sixth-round pick, remain on the Steelers roster.

@ The Steelers need to do what's necessary to keep Keenan Lewis, even with the late emergence of Cortez "Turnover" Allen.

You need three solid corners in this league and the trio of Ike Taylor, Lewis and Allen is outstanding.

Pair that with a healthy Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark next year, and you don't have to worry about the secondary.

Josh Victorian showed enough that he deserves to come back, and Curtis Brown was the team's best special teams player and might still develop into a solid corner.

As I said last week, I'd also teach Allen to play safety if they don't get a young stud to groom at that position.

@ The Steelers were without leading receiver Heath Miller, their receiving yardage leader, Mike Wallace, and had a pair of Dougs, Legursky and Malecki, playing guard with Ramon Foster at right tackle after Beachum and David DeCastro left with injuries in the first half.

Is it any wonder the offense was a bit limited?

@ The key to playing defense in the secondary in today's NFL is the ability to get turnovers.

With the way the rules now favor the offense, you don't necessarily need good cover guys as much as you need guys who can catch or force fumbles back there.

Allen has shown that he has the instincts to be a turnover guy. I think with a full year of starting under his belt, Lewis will be better at that in 2013 as well.

And, according to the other defensive backs, Brown has the best hands of any of the corners.

@ It's a shame Brett Keisel's season ended the way it did, but it gave Cam Heyward a chance to play. He was his typical feisty self and disruptive in the passing game.

The run defense, however, wasn't nearly as good after Keisel left.

@ If I'm putting this roster together for 2013, I try to find a way to keep Casey Hampton around - though maybe as the backup to Steve McLendon.

I also want Larry Foote back, at least as a locker room presence and insurance plan in case Sean Spence isn't ready to take over and I don't get someone in the draft.

But I also want Plaxico Burress back to help mentor my young receivers.

Jerricho Cotchery is a great guy and solid citizen, but he doesn't command the respect among his peers that Burress can. And Burress showed Sunday that with a whole offseason under his belt, he could be a factor in 2013.

Who I like Cleveland II

Not a lot to say about this one.

Cleveland's backfield will consist of second-year player Thaddeus Lewis, who will be making his first career start after being signed off the practice squad earlier this week, handing the ball to Montario Hardesty.

The Steelers haven't been swept by the Browns in a season since 1988 and Cleveland is unlikely to change that this time around with Lewis at QB.

There's no line on this game because Vegas doesn't like to lose money.

Take the Steelers to win., 24-7.

@ As things currently stand, the Steelers hold the 14th pick in the draft.

Even with a win over Cleveland, it's unlikely the Steelers would move down in the draft too far.

The Giants and Cowboys already have eight with. Miami, St. Louis and New Orleans are sitting with seven wins.

All have better strength of schedules than the Steelers. So there's a chance the Steelers could win and still have the 14th pick at the end of the day.

Wednesday news, notes

Steelers tight end Heath Miller will have surgery on Thursday to repair a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. But he will do so knowing that he was voted to the Pro Bowl.

Miller was one of just two Steelers selected to the Pro Bowl on Wednesday.

The other was center Maurkice Pouncey, who will be making his third trip.

It's a second Pro Bowl for Miller, who obviously won't be playing in the game as he recovers from surgery.

Miller sounded optimistic today that he'll make a full recovery, though he would not commit to a timetable.

@ I was kind of surprised that not one defensive player from the Steelers was selected.

Ryan Clark is a favorite of fans and had a solid season, but since Baltimore's Ed Reed is still playing and the league selects only one free safety, he really had no chance - though he could wind up going if/when Reed decides not to.

But I thought inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons was certainly deserving. Instead, New England's Jerod Mayo and Kansas City's Derrick Johnson were chosen.

Timmons has been the best player on what is statistically the league's best defense. He leads the Steelers in interceptions and tackles and is tied for second in sacks.

Post-Cincinnati thoughts Part II

Well, that was disappointing.

Of all the things that have gone wrong for the Steelers this season - and it's been a myriad of issues - seeing Ben Roethlisberger implode in back-to-back games wasn't high on the worry list.

To be fair, Roethlisberger played a great game in Dallas a week ago before his gack in overtime cost the Steelers a win.

Against Cincinnati Sunday, he never looked like a quarterback who was in control of the game.

Sure, the Bengals did their best to take Heath Miller out of the game, but Roethlisberger was just off, forcing the ball to covered receivers and missing open ones.

The other thing to note here - for all of the Todd Haley bashers - Roethlisberger has thrown four interceptions in the past three games, all of his interceptions in the past two games came in the no-huddle, when he was calling the shots.

That's not on Haley, that's on the quarterback.

Roethlisberger had been highly successful early in the season running Haley's offense, which called for quick throws and check downs to the running backs.

But after coming back from his rib and shoulder injuries, it seemed like he was intent on doing things his way, scrambling around, making stuff happen, both good and bad.

That didn't work so well Sunday when the Bengals took his security blanket, Heath Miller, out of the game, first figuratively with double teams, later literally with a torn ACL and MCL.

Roethlisberger will have a whole offseason to digest what's happened here. And he'll have a whole offseason to digest Haley's offense once again.

Roethlisberger looks awfully silly right now for complaining about the playcalling last week and then going out and laying another egg.

@ Sure, Roethlisberger was under heavy pressure from the Bengals on Sunday, who took advantage of the inexperience on the right side of the Steelers' offensive line.

But the Bengals had four sacks - and had one was nullified by a defensive penalty. The Steelers had a season-high six sacks.

The Steelers also turned the Bengals over three times, with Keenan Lewis hobbled and Ike Taylor standing on the sideline.

Cortez Allen had a coming out game working on the outside, instead of the slot, picking off a pair of passes - and just missing a third - and forcing an A.J. Green fumble - yes, other team's receivers fumble too.

The Steelers now have three long, tall corners to work with. And if Allen can prove to be a playmaker when given more opportunity, they have to find a way for him to play more.

This team proved to be a couple of playmakers short of being a solid team this season.

Lawrence Timmons is one on the defensive side, but there weren't any others - though Troy Polamalu showed he still has it, for those who were doubting him.

The Steelers don't often dip into the veteran free agent market, but given the results this season, maybe it's time, especially if this team has to replace wide receiver Mike Wallace in the offseason.

@ Roethlisberger isn't the only one who should feel silly right now.

How about all the people who were saying the Steelers should cut Troy Polamalu in the offseason. Or that he should retire.

I've been saying for the past couple of weeks that Polamalu has been playing fine. The only issue was that his return coincided with the team losing Ike Taylor and then nearly every other corner on the roster getting banged up.

He was playing a lot of deep safety.

Sunday, Dick LeBeau changed things up and turned Polamalu loose in the Steelers' biggest game of the season.

The results were there for all to see. Polamalu still has it.

That doesn't mean that you don't have a better option at safety to back up both he and Ryan Clark - Cortez Allen anyone? - but Polamalu has earned the right to able to let the Steelers know when he's done, not the other way around.

And he's not done.

@ If you were going to put together a list of the biggest disappointments for the 2012 season, LaMarr Woodley would have to be at the top.

James Harrison had a reason for his slow start, and his play down the stretch has been solid, so much, in fact, that the Steelers have to consider bringing him back in 2013, contract allowing.

But Woodley hasn't been a factor rushing the passer at all this season and you have to wonder if his hamstring issues of 2011 have robbed him of his explosiveness.

If that's the case, the Steelers have some issues. Jason Worilds showed in limited playing time this season that he isn't the bust some thought he was, but he also might never be a star.

And the Steelers need their outside backers to be stars.

@ Keenan Lewis, hats off to you. That was a Jerome Bettis-like performance Lewis put forth Sunday, limping out of the huddle and then playing some solid cornerback.

Lewis has earned himself a lot of money this season - though he might be more valuable to the Steelers than another team due to his lack of interceptions.

I know that sounds crazy, but he's why: Lewis is just what the Steelers look for in their corners, long, strong and a solid tackler.

His speed is underrated, and as LeBeau said this week, the more he plays, the more confident he will get coming out of his breaks to get interceptions.

@ Ah, Shaun Suisham. Sorry for mushing you this week.

I wrote Saturday on this blog that Suisham was quietly having a Pro Bowl season. He then went out and missed 24 and 53-yard field goals.

Actually, the 24-yarder wasn't his fault. Usually reliable Greg Warren had a bad snap.

@ Brett Keisel said the officials told him he was penalized for doing his bow-and-arrow sack celebration because he was simulating a weapon.

That's insane. And if the league was going to crack down on that type of thing, perhaps somebody should have informed Keisel, who's done that same celebration since, oh, around 2005.

@ Rashard Mendenhall looked better than he has all season on Sunday, gaining 50 yards on 11 carries.

@ Just so you can start planning for next year, here's the Steelers' schedule for 2013:

Home: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore, Tennessee, Buffalo, Miami, Chicago and Detroit

Away: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore, Oakland (Again!), New England, N.Y. Jets, Green Bay and Minnesota (in London)