Second day of practice blues

I know I complained about it last year, but I really am not liking this new collective bargaining agreement with the way it limits practices.

The Steelers held their second session on Sunday and it might as well have been an OTA since the players still aren't in pads. No pass rush drills. No backs on backers. No tight ends on backers or inside running drills.

It's kind of like running in place.

That all changes Monday when the pads go on for the first time. That will be when some guys will begin the process of moving themselves away from the pack.

You can work on technique until you're blue in the face, but until the guys do it with pads on, it means nothing. Can some of these young guys get it done when they actually have to worry about blocking the guy across from them?

Certainly, the practices are only one piece of the puzzle. The preseason games will also be important.

But Monday is a big day. As head coach Mike Tomlin said today, it's like the first day of school.

@ As I stated, it's only been a couple of days of non-padded football, but Isaac Redman looks very good at running back.

Redman looks like he's in great shape and is displaying quick feet.

It's no given that he's going to give up the starting role to second-round pick Le'Veon Bell.

@ Cortez Allen sat out practice today with some knee soreness, but it's not considered a big deal.

What is a big deal is DeMarcus Van Dyke leaving today with a hamstring injury. Van Dyke is one of a handful of guys fighting for a roster spot at a crowded cornerback position.

You can't make the club in the training tub.

Rains mar first practice

Storms rolled through Latrobe midway through the Steelers' afternoon practice, forcing the team inside to wait until they passed.

The team then picked up where it left off after moving to Saint Vincent College's turf field.

Isaac Redman is working as the No. 1 running back, ahead of Jonathan Dwyer and rookie Le'Veon Bell, who was behind Baron Batch.

Head coach Mike Tomlin chewed Bell out a little bit - albeit playfully - when the team broke into a special teams session.

"Get where you need to be Bell," Tomlin hollered. "You don't know where you're supposed to be, do you Bell?"

It's the old axiom. If the coach isn't yelling at you, he doesn't care. And Tomlin and the Steelers definitely care about Bell's progress.

Redman, however, looked good carrying the ball - albeit in shorts - showing off some quickness and his trademark spin moves today.

@ Emmanuel Sanders had a solid day, first getting behind Cortez Allen on a double move to make a long catch, then beating William Gay deep on another play to haul in a long bomb from Ben Roethlisberger.

With the rainy, wet conditions, though, the offensive players were definitely at an advantage.

Plaxico Burress took advantage as well, beating DeMarcus Van Dyke on a double move for a long gainer.

@ The interception of the day belonged to Ryan Clark, who nabbed a Landry Jones pass that hit Ike Taylor in the hands - surprise, surprise - only to be batted into the air.

@ There were no surprises on the first-team offensive line, but the second unit included, from left to right, Joe Long, John Malecki, Kelvin Beachum, Justin Cheadle and Guy Whimper.

Those backup spots on the offensive line are going to be a critical battle.

Reporting day news, notes (Will be updated)

Spoke with Sean Spence. He feels he will be ready to play by midseason this year. He'll open training camp on the PUP and go from there according to head coach Mike Tomlin.

Heath Miller, who is walking around without a knee brace, will also open on the PUP. But he looks closer to a guy who intends on playing from the get-go than he does somebody who will be out the first six weeks.

Tight end David Johnson will also open on the PUP as he continues to recover from his knee injury suffered last year, while Alameda Ta'amu arrived with a hamstring issue that has landed him on the PUP as well.

On the good news front, offensive tackle Mike Adams passed the run test Friday and is ready to go. Adams has been given full clearance to play after being the victim of a stabbing in front of his home about six weeks ago.

Fellow offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert struggled through the run test today, but was able to finish. He was taken from the field on a cart following the completion of the run test, however.

Defensive back Nigel Malone also struggled to complete the test but made it through.

Tomlin said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is still experiencing a little discomfort in his knee following offseason surgery, but it's nothing major.

Training camp battles to watch

With training camp set to start at the end of the week, here are a few of the battles that will be contested over the next few weeks:

Nickle corner: William Gay was re-signed and is the frontrunner, but third-year pro Curtis Brown can't be overlooked. Gay has played the position in the past and contrary to some fans' beliefs, has played well as the third corner. But Brown has more upside. Josh Victorian, DeMarcus Van Dyke and rookie Terry Hawthorne could be in the mix as well since the Steelers intend to move starter Cortez Allen back into the slot on passing downs. Regardless of who wins the No. 3 job, the Steelers have a great deal of depth.

Running back: Will a true starter emerge? Jonathan Dwyer opened the offseason getting the No. 1 carries, but Isaac Redman had pretty much surpassed him by the end. The Steelers want rookie Le'Veon Bell to win the spot but he's going to have to do just that, win it. He won't be handed the position by default.

Third wide receiver: This should be interesting. We know that Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders will be the starters. But who will be No. 3 in the pecking order, Plaxico Burress, Jerricho Cotchery or rookie Markus Wheaton? It will likely depend on the down and distance, but Cotchery will likely get the majority of snaps as the No. 3 until Wheaton gets his feet under him. The Steelers should take a look at veteran Donald Jones, released by New England last week, as well.

Right outside linebacker: It's Jason Worilds job to lose. Rookie Jarvis Jones might see some time as a situational pass rusher, but Worilds will get every opportunity to run with it - at least until the bye week.

Bad but understandable sentiment by Pouncey twins

Pretty much everyone in the U.S. has made up their mind about the guilt of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez in regards to the murder charges levied against him.

The story has been plastered on the news and sports pages of every newspaper in America in the past few weeks.

But the story took a different twist over the weekend when twin brothers Mike and Maurkice Pouncey were photographed at a birthday party wearing hats that read, "Free Hernandez."

Was it a bad choice from the Pouncey twins? Yes. But it's not all that hard to believe that they support their former Florida teammate and - at least in the case of Mike Pouncey - roommate.

Heck, even Tim Tebow has been drug into this whole thing for being in a nightclub with Hernandez in college when the troubled tight end started a fight.

There's a bond formed among teammates. Heck, coaches try to foster that bond.

At all levels of sports, coaches want their players to back each other, for better or worse. In college, that means the players all room together. They study together, eat together and pretty much spend the majority of their time together.

Is it any surprise that some of the former teammates of Hernandez wouldn't believe that he was capable of killing someone as the story floated by police has been purported?

You see it all the time with family members of convicted killers who refuse to believe that their loved ones could do something so horrible. They don't want to believe that it's possible their loved one is a killer because - at least in the recesses of the mind - it makes them appear faulty for caring about someone so flawed.

So it's not a surprise that the Pouncey brothers believe that Gonzalez didn't kill anyone, even though they have both reportedly viewed his darker side at times.

But believing in Hernandez privately and making those views known publicly are two different things. In a time when everyone and their brother - no pun intended - are trying to distance themselves from Hernandez, the Pounceys went the other way.

The public outcry is understandable. But it's highly doubtful that Mike and Maurkice Pouncey are the only former teammates of Hernandez to feel that way.

Steelers release training camp schedule

The Steelers today released their schedule for their 2013 training camp. Remember, all open practices are weather permitting. Given how much rain we've gotten already in July, this could be an interesting camp.

The first official practice open to the public will be Saturday, July 27.

DAILY CAMP SCHEDULE
(All practices at 3 p.m. unless noted otherwise; all times subject to change.)
Friday, July 26 – Players report; campus closed
Saturday, July 27 – (Helmets and shorts)
Sunday, July 28 – (Helmets and shorts)
Monday, July 29
Tuesday, July 30 – Players off; campus closed
Wednesday, July 31
Thursday, Aug. 1
Friday, Aug 2 – Night practice at Latrobe Stadium, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 3
Sunday, Aug. 4
Monday, Aug. 5
Tuesday, Aug. 6 – Players off; campus closed
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Thursday, Aug. 8
Friday, Aug. 9 – Campus closed
Saturday, Aug. 10 – Preseason opener vs. N.Y. Giants at Heinz Field
Sunday, Aug. 11 – Players off; campus closed
Monday, Aug. 12
Tuesday, Aug. 13 – Players off; campus closed
Wednesday, Aug. 14 – Evening practice at SVC, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 15
Friday, Aug. 16
Saturday, Aug. 17
Sunday, Aug. 18 – Break camp; campus closed

Supplemental Draft coming

The NFL will hold its Supplmental Draft of Thursday, with six players throwing their names into the fray.

None are considered as high-profile as Josh Gordon, who was selected by Cleveland in the second round last year, or even Terrelle Pryor, who was taken by Oakland in Round 3 two years ago.

The way the Supplemental Draft works is this: If you put in a claim on a player in a particular round, you forfeit that pick in the following year's draft. The trick of it is this, that player must still fit into this year's rookie salary pool.

The Steelers haven't gone to the Supplemental Draft for help for a number of reasons - most notably because if a guy is available in the Supplemental Draft, there's usually an issue with him, off-field or in the classroom.

Here's a look at the players who have made themselves available.

James Boyd, DE, UNLV: A 6-5, 250-pound defensive end, Boyd was a four-start recruit in high school after throwing for 4,200 yards with 44 touchdowns. That's right, he was a QB. He originally signed with USC before heading to West Los Angeles Community College. In his first, and only, season at defensive end, he had 2.5 sacks last year. He's raw and inexperienced, but his size/speed ratio could tempt someone to use a late pick on him.

Nate Holloway, DT, UNLV: A 6-3, 365-pound nose tackle, Boyd's UNLV teammate sat out the 2012 season due to academic issues. Insert your fat-drunk-stupid joke here. But seriously, he had 3.5 tackles for a loss in 2011, and given that  he hasn't played in two seasons, it's unlikely he gets a look.

Toby Jackson, DE, Central Florida: The 6-5, 267-pound Jackson also sat out the 2012 season with academic issues. He played just one season at Central Florida after starting his college career at Navarro College, a JUCO. Alabama and Georgia were reportedly interested in him coming out of JUCO, so he might have some talent. But he's pretty much an unknown.
Damond Smith, DB, South Alabama: Smith is an intriguing player who reportedly ran a 4.4 40 at his small-school pro day. Green Bay tried to sign him as an undrafted rookie following the draft, but it was ruled that he had to enter the Supplemental Draft. At 6-0, 185 pounds, Smith has good size, but he also transferred from Western Michigan to South Alabama following a fight with a teammate. Then, he was suspended later by South Alabama for a violation of team rules.

DeWayne Peace, WR, Houston: Here's a guy who might interest some teams. The 5-11, 190-pound Peace was Houston's leading receiver in 2012 with 54 receptions for 603 yards and two scores. But he was ruled academically ineligible in June and entered the Supplemental Draft. A team looking for slot receiver help might be tempted to give Peace a chance. That's all I'm saying.

O.J. Ross, WR, Purdue: Ross, 5-10, 188, missed Purdue's 2011 bowl game due to academics and was then thrown off the team in February for a violation of team rules. But he did catch 100 passes for 959 yards and six scores in three seasons for the Boilermakers. He was also used as a kick returner as a freshman and sophomore. I like Peace better as a player, however.

Three weeks and counting

Three weeks out from the opening of Steelers training camp and no news is really good news with this team.

While Aaron Hernandez news is all over - and yes, the Pouncey brothers were in a club with him in Florida when he got in a bar fight, but so was Tim Tebow - you see what kind of bad - in this case horrible - news can rock a team.

Those are the kind of distractions a team doesn't need.

The Steelers right now are resting, relaxing and getting ready to head to camp to wash away the stench of last year's 8-8 campaign.

@ Saw NFL official Gene Steratore last night at a youth baseball game. He was in a walking boot after having Achilles' tendon surgery.

Steratore, one of the best in the NFL, hopes to be ready to go once the NFL starts playing games. I wouldn't bet against him.

If it's July ...

If it's July, that can only mean one thing, training camp is around the corner.

The Pirates are playing outstanding baseball right now and hold the best record in baseball. The Penguins were one of the best, if not disappointing, teams in the NHL.

But, despite coming off an 8-8 season, it's still the Steelers that rule the region.

It will be interesting, however, to see how much fanfare continues to surround the Pirates if they continue to play as well as they have once training camp begins.

My first year covering the Steelers - 1993 - coincided with the Pirates starting their 20-year losing streak. There hasn't been a lot to cheer about other than the Steelers opening camp once late July rolls around.

But Pittsburgh is a great sports city and there's room for plenty of excitement surrounding both teams.

Who's the best Steelers player I've covered

It's been 20 years since I first set foot in the Steelers' locker room, and I've seen plenty of great players.

But which one would I rank as the best?

Certainly Jerome Bettis deserves some consideration. The NFL's fifth-leading rusher when he retired, Bettis was the man who embodied the Steelers' toughness, even through some lean years in the late 1990s.

But he's not No. 1.

Greg Lloyd, Levon Kirkland, Kevin Greene, Joey Porter and James Harrison have all been outstanding contributors during that period as well. But Pittsburgh's defense has been geared toward linebackers making plays, so it's tough to single out just one of those great players as the best.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has helped the Steelers become a yearly contender for the Super Bowl since he was drafted in 2004 and deserves consideration. But I think I'm going to go in a different direction.

And though players such as Dermontti Dawson, Alan Faneca, Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith have been key cogs in some great teams, I'm not picking a lineman here.

That leaves me with three choices: Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu and Rod Woodson.

In this case, I'm going with Woodson.

Ward had a fantastic career with the Steelers and is the team leader in basically every receiving category, but he was never considered among the best in the league at his position. And don't give me that best blocking receiver in the league stuff. Yes, Ward was a ferocious blocker, but that did not place him among the top two or three players at his position in any given season as Polamalu and Woodson were.

Really, it's splitting hairs between Polamalu and Woodson in their prime, but I'll take the game-changing cornerback who was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 over the game-changing safety who was similarly honored in 2010.

In their primes, Polamalu and Woodson were among the top five or six players in the game regardless of position. They were players who could change a game by themselves and always had to be accounted for.

But to me, Woodson, at least when he was with the Steelers, was the bigger game changer at cornerback, where he could take away the opposing team's best receiver by himself, blitz better than any corner in history or take a punt back for a touchdown.

Who's your pick?

Steelers should consider Bishop

Usually when players are cut loose by their team, I get a number of questions, mostly centering on whether or not the Steelers should considering signing that player.

In most cases, the player is either washed up, too expensive or doesn't fit the Steelers' scheme.

But Monday, the Green Bay Packers released linebacker Desmond Bishop rather than pay him $3.4 million in 2013.

Bishop missed the 2012 season with a hamstring injury and is still slowed by the issue after having surgery to repair the hamstring. But Bishop is supposed to be ready to play again by the time training camp rolls around.

In this case, Bishop, the Packers' leading tackler in 2011, would absolutely help the Steelers.

Bishop, 28, had a combined 218 tackles and eight sacks in 28 games in 2010 and '11, playing in Green Bay's 3-4 defense. And Green Bay's defense, which is coached by Dom Capers, is similar to Pittsburgh's.

Bishop is already visiting with the Minnesota Vikings and the Steelers certainly wouldn't get into a bidding war for his services, but if he can be had, even on a one-year deal, he could certainly help Pittsburgh, which is still lacking for depth at the linebacker position despite taking Jarvis Jones and Vince Williams in the draft.

Report: Wallace turned down $76 million from Vikings

A report from USA Today says that former Steelers receiver Mike Wallace turned down a $76-million deal from Minnesota to accept a $60-million contract from the Miami Dolphins.

That might be true - though the news of the Minnesota contract is coming from Wallace's father.

But what we don't know is how much of that $76 million was guaranteed and how many years the Minnesota offer was for.

Wallace is quoted as saying that money isn't everything. He wants to win titles and go to Pro Bowls.

If that was the case, he would have stayed in Pittsburgh where he had an established quarterback and had already been to Super Bowls and Pro Bowls.

But he didn't.

What we do know is that $30 million of Wallace's contract with Miami is guaranteed. So if he never plays a down for the Dolphins, he gets $30 million.

That's financial security for a lifetime and then some.

Steelers announce training camp dates

The Steelers will officially kick off their 2013 season when the team reports to training camp on Friday, July 26, at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. This will be the 48^th year the Steelers will train at Saint Vincent College.

The first open practice to the public is scheduled for Saturday, July 27. The first practice in pads for the Steelers is scheduled for Monday, July 29. All practices that are open to the public are scheduled from 3-5 p.m.

The Steelers annual night practice at Latrobe’s Memorial Stadium will take place on Friday, August 2, at 7 p.m. Additionally, the Steelers will hold an evening practice at Saint Vincent College on Wednesday, August 14, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The last scheduled practice open to the public will be on Saturday, August 17. The team’s 2013 training camp will break on Sunday, August 18, one day prior to the Steelers’ game at Washington.

The full training camp schedule will be announced at a later date.

Adams to be released Tuesday

Steelers offensive tackle Mike Adams will be released from the hospital on Tuesday after suffering stab wounds to his left arm and abdomen during an attempted carjacking early Saturday morning on the Southside.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said Monday he has visited Adams a couple of times and that Adams realizes how lucky he is.

Adams is expected to be completely healed in time for training camp.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Police had made one arrest in the stabbing and are searching for the other two suspects.

One would tend to think that somebody who assaults a Steelers player isn't going to be on the lam for long in Western Pennsylvania or be all that popular in prison.

@ The Steelers signed first round pick Jarvis Jones, second rounder Le'Veon Bell and seventh round selection Nick Williams on Monday, leaving only quarterback Landry Jones, a fourth-round pick, unsigned.

Don't know what Landry Jones is waiting for at this point.

This marks one of the earliest dates I can remember that the Steelers' first round pick has been signed and it bodes well for Jarvis Jones that he has gotten his deal done so early.

While he might not begin the season as a starter, the fact that he'll be available from the start at training camp can't hurt his chances to contribute.

So much for uneventful

Steelers offensive tackle suffered stab wounds to his abdomen and forearm during what police are calling a robbery attempt by three men in front of his home on the South Side early Saturday morning.

Adams, 23, was treated at UPMC Mercy for two stab wounds to his abdomen and one to his left forearm. He tweeted a photo of himself in his hospital bed giving a thumbs up sign and is expected to make a full recovery.

The Steelers issued a statement saying they are aware of the situation and are monitoring the health of Adams, who is expected to be the team's starting right tackle.

The Steelers' depth at the offensive tackle position was already thin, and though Adams is expected to be ready in time for training camp, it will be sorely tested in the remaining weeks of OTAs and mini-camp.

At this point, expect Kelvin Beachum to line up in Adams' spot, with Marcus Gilbert remaining at left tackle.

Uneventful week

It was an uneventful week for the Steelers at OTAs, which is exactly what you want.

Teams make news at OTAs for two reasons:

1. Somebody is disgruntled and either speaks out about it or isn't at OTAs because of it.

2. Somebody gets injured.

The Steelers have no such problems right now.

Troy Polamalu wasn't here this week, but that really doesn't matter. In fact, it's a good thing.

Why?

Quite simply, the Steelers backup safeties, Robert Golden, DaMon Cromartie-Smith and Shamarko Thomas, need as much practice time as possible. And with Polamalu hanging around, that's not going to happen.

Plus, Polamalu is back in California working out with his own trainers, something that is needed after an injury-plagued 2012 season.

* June 1 is finally here and the Steelers will realize some salary cap savings from the release of Willie Colon.

Much of that money will be eaten up by the team's rookie signings. But they will still have some extra space to sign a veteran or two or work out some long-term extensions with guys heading into the final season of their contract.

Who might those be?

An extension of a year or two with defensive end Brett Keisel would be welcome and could offer some additional cap relief. The same goes for Polamalu and/or fellow safety Ryan Clark and tight end Heath Miller.

The team would also do well to work out some kind of extension with Emmanuel Sanders and/or defensive end Ziggy Hood.

It will be interesting to see which players the Steelers target for extensions heading into training camp.

Steelers to be part of national broadcasts

ESPN Radio has signed individual multi-year agreements with the New York Giants, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins for out-of-market Sunday afternoon syndication rights beginning with the 2013 season. These agreements mark the first time ESPN Radio will broadcast NFL game action nationally on its over-the-air terrestrial network. 

The teams will continue to broadcast in their home markets through their official local stations.

“Adding the NFL to ESPN Radio’s play-by-play mix, which already includes MLB, NBA, BCS, and the new college football championship starting in 2015, strengthens an already unparalleled and valuable lineup to advertisers, our affiliates and sports fans,” said Traug Keller, ESPN senior vice president, production business divisions.  “We are excited to enter the NFL game business.”

ESPN NFL analysts Herm Edwards, Bill Polian and Damien Woody will each work several of ESPN Radio’s national broadcasts.  Additional commentators and the complete schedule will be announced at a later date.

First week of OTAs wrap up

The Steelers wrapped up their first week of OTAs and it was an eventful week - as OTAs go.

Here's what we have learned:

* LaMarr Woodley came into town in shape but he doesn't care who the deep throat was that blasted him for not working as hard as possible in the offseason.

Woodley looks, to me, the same as he always has. He's a thick linebacker - always has been.

The BS about him being out of shape, in my opinion, is just that.

He played last season after suffering a high ankle sprain. Those are largely unavoidable.

Had his issue again been a hamstring problem, then maybe there would have been something to him being out of shape. As it is, however, there is not.

* Troy Polamalu has changed his workout habits to concentrate more on protecting his right calf, which has bothered him since 2010.

Polamalu said his calf issues of 2012 were "avoidable," and feels his work with a physical therapist will keep them from recurring in 2013.

He also did not sound like a guy who was going to be ready to hang up his helmet at the end of the 2013 season as some have speculated.

* Rookie running back LeVeon Bell and veteran Isaac Redman both look leaner than advertised.

Redman lost his weight in an effort to get quicker, while Bell lost his weight to get faster for the combine.

But the Steelers won't mind if Bell puts his 10 or so pounds back on.

* Marcus Gilbert is getting first shot at left tackle, with Mike Adams on the right side.

That is due, in very large part, to the run blocking ability Adams showed when he played right tackle in 2012. With Adams at right tackle, the Steelers had some of their best rushing days of the season.

Steelers open OTAs

The Steelers opened their OTAs today with very good attendance.

Per Steelers rules, I can't report on who lined up where or how many times, but I can tell you some other things:

* Troy Polamalu said he's been working with a physical therapist on his calf and he feels like his 2012 season was "avoidable."

In fact, Polamalu feels so good about his rehab, he says the calf injury - which has bothered him since 2010 - is now behind him.

* Saw Heath Miller at the facility walking around. He didn't have a brace on his knee and wasn't limping.

Now that's a long way from being ready to get back on the football field, but it's a good sign.

* I tried to talk to LaMarr Woodley today, but he blew me off. Woodley did look to be in good shape.

* Had a nice talk with rookie receiver Justin Brown today. Seemed like a good kid and said his decision to transfer from Penn State to Oklahoma was one of the toughest decisions he made in his life.

* Ike Taylor said Cortez Allen is going to make life "hell" on a lot of opposing receivers this year.

* Emmanuel Sanders wouldn't talk about his flirtations with the Patriots, simply saying, "I'm a Pittsburgh Steeler."

Sanders said he wants to stay here and is open to a long-term contract.

Roethlisberger underrated? Absolutely

Frequent visitors to this blog should be well aware of how I feel about offseason rankings of this and that. They are dreamed up by TV and web site execs to keep people watching and visiting their sites.

But the NFL Network's top 100 players - which is also run on NFL.com - is voted on by the players. And Ben Roethlisberger ranked 61st.

That's right, 61st.

Does anyone in their right mind actually believe that Roethlisberger is the 61st best player in the NFL right now. Does anybody think if all the teams were dissolved and there was a redraft of players by a new league that Roethlisberger would be the 61st player selected?

Maybe in fantasy football. But in the real world, Roethlisberger is one of the 20 best players and most valuable players in the league.

Yet on this list, there are 11 quarterbacks ranked ahead of him. Seriously.

Yes, Roethlisberger is now 31 and missed three games in 2012 with a rib/clavicle injury. Yet he still threw for over 3,200 yards with 26 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions - all without any threat of a running game.

That got him ranked two spots ahead of Stephen Tulloch. Who's Stephen Tulloch, you might ask? He's a linebacker for the Detroit Lions. Yes, those same Lions who make the playoffs as often as your Pittsburgh Pirates.

Knowing Roethlisberger, this slight will fuel him. He was having an outstanding season in 2013 before suffering the injury and wasn't the same player after coming back.

But Roethlisberger is as competitive as anyone I've ever covered. He won't say it publicly, but he'll use this slight to come back with an even better year.

Players I expect to make a leap forward for Steelers

A lot has been made of the Steelers' losses this offseason, and certainly there have been more than a few.

But the Steelers also have a number of young players poised to make big steps forward in 2013 who could help this team return to the playoffs.

Here are some guys I expect big things from in 2013 who didn't necessarily star in 2012:

1. David DeCastro/Mike Adams - I have combined these two because injuries derailed their rookie season, though both played enough for the Steelers to feel comfortable handing them starting jobs heading into 2013. DeCastro will line up at right guard and should be a fixture there for years to come. Adams will compete with Marcus Gilbert for the left tackle position, with the loser of that battle slated for right tackle. Adams is the more physical run blocker of the two, but he's also better suited to play left tackle.

2. Steve McLendon - McLendon has been on fans' radar for the past two seasons but averaged just over 10 snaps per game in 2012 playing behind Casey Hampton. That will change in 2013 as McLendon is slated to take over the nose tackle position. He's a different style of nose tackle than Hampton, playing more like Chris Hoke. That could add up to more pass pressure from the nose position, but will the run defense suffer? We'll see.

3. Curtis Brown - With fellow 2011 draft classmate Cortez Allen headed to the starting lineup, some are labeling Brown, who was actually selected ahead of Allen in the draft, a bust. No so fast. This is a make-or-break year for Brown and he knows it. He could win the slot job in a battle with William Gay and Josh Victorian, though Gay certainly has the experience factor in his favor. Brown, however, might have the best hands of the Steelers' defensive backs not named Troy Polamalu.

4. Adrian Robinson - All you need to know about Robinson is that when the team's offensive tackles needed somebody to work with on stopping outside rushers, they grabbed Robinson to work with. He's not going to be a starter and he needs to figure out what to do on special teams, but the young man has shown flashes of pass rushing skills. If he can put it all together, he could be a valuable backup.

5. Robert Golden - The Steelers liked what they saw from Golden enough that they felt comfortable passing on a number of highly rated safeties in the draft. He can play corner as well in a pinch. A smart kid who oozes with confidence, Golden could be the heir apparent to Ryan Clark.

It's that silly time of year

With little going on right now in the NFL, it's time for the pundits to go to work handing out draft grades, team rankings and other meaningless things.

It's all designed to keep NFL fans interested in the sport in the offseason.

And it usually works.

Something jumped out at me today on the NFL.com web site.

Bucky Brooks rated the teams that had the best draft and listed the Steelers among the few teams he gave an A.

And another article on the site debated which rookie running back would have the biggest impact in 2013, with Steelers second-round pick Le'Veon Bell getting a lot of attention.

But then, on the site's power rankings, the Steelers actually moved down two spots to No. 19, behind such stalwarts as Chicago (Seriously?), Miami (Come on) and St. Louis (Please).

Power rankings are silly. I used to do them on this site in an effort to fill space. But I grew weary of trying to figure out which team was better than another even though they had played and that one did this, well, you get the idea. It's an exercise in futility.

But saying that the Steelers had one of the best drafts and then moving them down two spots in the rankings makes no sense. Then again, that's exactly my point with power rankings.

Starks goes out with a Whimper

The Steelers on Monday signed veteran offensive tackle Guy Whimper, who spent the past three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, likely spelling the end of Max Starks' tenure in Pittsburgh.

There had been some conjecture that the Steelers might want to wait and re-sign Starks, their starting left, at some point before training camp to serve as a backup/fallback plan to either Mike Adams or Marcus Gilbert at the left tackle position.

But with Whimper now under contract, that seems unlikely.

Either Adams or Gilbert will start at left tackle, with the other playing right tackle. Kelvin Beachum will be fallback option No. 1, with Whimper, who has made 22 career starts in seven seasons, being the second option.

The Steelers also signed rookie linebacker Terence Garvin, who spent the weekend with them at their rookie camp as a tryout.

Garvin played in 47 games at West Virginia, making 235 tackles with 10.5 sacks and three interceptions.

To make room on the roster for those moves, the Steelers released rookie center Ivory Wade and rookie defensive tackle Anthony Rashad White.

Rookie camp completed

The Steelers and their 41 rookies and first-year players completed their first weekend of working with the team.

By all accounts, the team came away happy with what it saw.

First-round pick Jarvis Jones came off like James Farrior in interviews - thoughtful and humble - and looked the part on the field.

Second-round pick Le'Veon Bell showed why the Steelers thought so highly of him, displaying some wiggle in the open field to go along with his combination of size and speed.

Forget the idea of Bell "sharing" the workload for the Steelers. He's the favorite to start and get 300 carries.

Third-rounder Markus Wheaton is extremely quick and was sharp running his routes.

Fourth-rounder Shamarko Thomas appears as if he'll be a special teams star, while also stepping into the safety rotation - on the strong side - once he gets the nuances of Dick LeBeau's defense down.

Landry Jones had a tough weekend, but that's not all that out of the ordinary for a quarterback learning a new vernacular with new receivers.

Priority free agent wideout Reggie Dunn has a legitimate shot at making this team despite his lack of size. The 5-8 speedster is as fast as his 4.25 40-time would suggest and is elusive and quick enough to play gunner on coverage units. I should also mention that he returned five kickoffs 100 or more yards in college.

Offensive lineman Nik Embernate is another priority free agent with an excellent chance of making this team. The powerful guard is nasty to the bone. Can't wait to see him hitting people for real once training camp begins.

More info on fifth through seventh round picks

Some posters asked for more information on the Steelers' picks after Round 5. Here ya go.

Round 5
Terry Hawthorne, CB, Illinois - Good size at 6-0, 190 pounds. Fits the Steelers profile for cornerbacks. A willing tackler. Played for a horrible college team in 2012 but appeared in 44 career games, making 26
starts and posting 163 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack, six interceptions, including two pick-sixes,
and 28 passes defended. Also returned kicks. Has above-average speed, running a 4.31 40 at the combine. MVP of his team's bowl win over UCLA in 2011 when he returned an interception for a score.

Round 6A
Justin Brown, WR, Oklahoma - Transferred from Penn State. Excellent size at 6-3, 209. Started
39 of 49 games played in his career, registering 146 receptions for 1,926 yards (13.2 avg.) with
eight receiving touchdowns. Recorded 637 yards on 71 career punt returns (9.0 avg.) with one
touchdown. Not a burner, but ran 4.6 at his pro day. Was fourth-round pick Landry Jones' top target in 2012.

Round 6B
Vince Williams, LB, Florida State - Played in 50 games during his career, starting 26 games during his final two seasons. Though listed at 6-1, 250, he was 6-0 1/2, 233 at his pro day. Reasonably productive with 140 tackles (86 solo), three sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, seven passes defensed and one interception in his career. Sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Played on an outstanding college defense with plenty of other pro talent around him and finished fourth with 59 tackles. Was one of four team captains his senior year and was given the defense's leadership award at the conclusion of the season. Missed all of 2009 with a back injury.

Round 7
Nicholas Williams, DE, 6-4, 309 - Didn't take up football until his senior year in high school, focusing on basketball before that. Wound up at Samford. Ran a freakish 4.84 40 at the combine, where he was a surprise invite. Not only led defensive tackles in the 40-time at the combine, but had the best vertical leap - 33 inches - as well. Think a poor man's Ziggy Ansah with more size.

Steelers add playmakers

Part of the problem the Steelers had in 2012 was a lack of playmakers at the skill positions.

By playmakers, I mean guys who either score touchdowns or turn the ball over to get the ball back for the offense.

The Steelers feel they took a step in the right direction with their new draft class.

First-round pick Jarvis Jones not recorded 14.5 sacks in 2012 and 28 in the past two seasons, he also forced nine fumbles. The strip-sack was something that has been missing in the Steelers defense the past two years.

Running back Le'Veon Bell, the team's second pick, is obviously someone who can score touchdowns, having reached the end zone 33 times at Michigan State.

The Steelers made Bell the second running back taken in this draft, taking him over Eddie Lacy, who didn't pass the team's medical exam due to a toe issue, and Montee Ball, who the team felt had taken too much abuse in college.

The Steelers also liked Bell's pass catching ability more than those two players.

In the third round, Pittsburgh took explosive receiver Markus Wheaton.

Wheaton scored just 16 touchdowns in 49 career games at Oregon State, but that was more of a product of the quarterbacks he played with than it was a knock on his ability.

Despite being 5-11, 182 pounds, Wheaton is strong with the ball in his hands. He's so polished as a runner, the Beavers used him an average of twice per game as a runner. He also averaged seven catches per game in his senior season when he scored 12 receiving touchdowns.

All told, it was a nice haul, particularly in the first three rounds where you have to get potential starters.

Steelers add 15 UFAs

The Steelers have a pretty good idea of who their five starting offensive linemen will be. They also know who their top two backups are: John Malecki and Kelvin Beachum.

Beyond that, however, they have a lot of question marks on the offensive line.

That's why after picking up nine new players in the draft, the Steelers added five offensive linemen as undrafted rookie free agents, the best being guard Nik Embernate of San Diego State. Also signed at that position were offensive tackles Mike Farrell of Penn State and Mike Golic, Jr. of Notre Dame, guard Chris Hubbard of UAB and center Ivory Wade of Baylor.

Golic, of course, is the son of former NFL player and radio show host Mike Golic, Sr.

Also signed by the Steelers were defensive ends Brian Arnfelt of Northwestern and Cordian Hagans of Louisiana-Lafayette, linebacker Alex Baxter of Northern Illinois, wide receivers Reggie Dunn of Utah and J.D. Woods of West Virginia, defensive tackle Athony Rashad White of Michigan State, defensive tackle Omar Hunter of Florida, running back Curtis McNeal of USC and long snapper Luke Ingram of Hawaii.

Interestingly enough, the Steelers did not sign a punter to at least give them another leg at that position behind Drew Butler.

Butler was a bit up and down last season as a rookie and the Steelers do not have another punter on the roster.

Steelers add to backfield

The Steelers passed on Eddie Lacy and Montee Ball, among others, to take running back Le'Veon Bell in the second round of the draft.

While some might question the move - and I didn't have Bell on my second-round list - I found that Lacy had injury issues that caused some concern and the Steelers just liked Bell more than Ball.

As you all know, I like Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's draft preview guides. McGinn had Bell rated as the third-best back in this draft, with scouts saying he had the look of a feature back.

Will that be the case? We don't know.

But what we do know is that Bell carried the ball 382 times last season for a team in which he was the entire offense and did not break down. He also catches the ball out of the backfield well.

And at 6-1, 230 pounds, he ran a 4.57 40 and had the fastest three-cone drill among running backs at the combine.

OK, that makes some sense.

Bell doesn't always run like a big man - he doesn't look for contact like Isaac Redman. But that's not always a bad thing either, especially when you'd like to see him stay healthy in the NFL.

The Steelers passed on some good talent to take Bell, including Arthur Brown, D.J. Swearinger and Margus Hunt, three players I think could be stars in the NFL.

Bell had better become the player the Steelers think he will be - Tood Haley compared him to Eddie George - for this one not to bite them in the behind in the future. Brown went to Baltimore, while Hunt went to Cincinnati.

If those two players turn into stars and Bell does not, the Steelers will be reminded of that four times per season.

@ In the third round, the Steelers added a dynamic receiver in Markus Wheaton of Oregon State.

Wheaton finished as Oregon State's all-time leading receiver with 227 career catches. The school produced both Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, so it's not a joke record - though Johnson and Houshmandzadeh were there at the same time.

He's also got speed to burn. He ran a 4.45 at the combine but says he can run in the 4.3 range. If he can run somewhere in the middle of that, say a 4.37, he's plenty fast enough to help this team replace Mike Wallace.

Wheaton is also far more polished than some of the other receivers that went ahead of him. It was a solid pick.

@ The draft wraps up today. Look for the Steelers to address the safety position in the fourth round - Phillip Thomas of Fresno perhaps - and then add depth on the offensive line, cornerback and inside linebacker as well.

Wheaton's teammate Jordan Poyer would be a possibility in the fourth round at cornerback - he actually returned punts and kicks ahead of Wheaton at the school - as would William & Mary corner B.W. Webb, whom the Steelers had in for a visit.

One late round safety to consider is California University's Rontez Miles, a player the Steelers are very familiar with and like.

Jones in the first, now what?

Now that the Steelers have selected outside linebacker Jarvis Jones in the first round of the draft, where do they go from here?

The top needs are, in no special order, running back, wide receiver, safety and inside linebacker, with offensive line and quarterback being depth needs.

There is still a lot of talent available at all of those positions, but particularly at WR, RB and safety, even though the safety position got hit harder than usual in the first round.

My top guys still available in no particularl order would be:
Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
Kevin Minter, LB, LSU
Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama
Jonathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin
Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State - even though it's not a "need"
Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
Robert Woods, WR, USC
Keenan Allen, WR, California
Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International

Given that there are 10 players listed there and the Steelers pick at 16 in the second round, they should have a good shot at one or more of those listed when they make their second selection - given that there are several top players also available at non-need positions.

If I'm making the pick for the Steelers, I take somebody in the second round who scores touchdowns - ie. a running back or receiver.

The only way that changes for me is if Brown is still on the board. A defensive captain at Kansas State, Brown has been compared positively to Ray Lewis in terms of his leadership and sideline-to-sideline playing ability.

But if the Steelers were able to pull off taking Jones in the first round and taking, say, Franklin or Woods in the second, I think fans would be ecstatic.

Not buying the Eifert-Steelers connection

I keep seeing mock drafts in the past couple of weeks that link the Steelers to Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert in the first round.

Sorry, I'm not buying it.

People are seeing that Heath Miller has a torn ACL and automatically thinking the team needs a replacement. That won't be the case.

The Steelers signed Matt Spaeth and re-signed David Johnson in free agency to help hold the fort until Miller returns to the lineup.

And while Miller's contract will soon be up, I don't expect the Steelers to part ways with one of their team leaders. They'll find a way to get one of the most respected men in their locker room back under contract.

Eifert, in my opinion, would be a wasted pick by this team, a luxury item.

And spare me the comparisons between the Steelers and Patriots. Yes, New England has had success using two tight end sets, but neither of their two tight ends were first round picks.

I like Eifert as a player. But for the Steelers, it would be a poor pick.

Memo: Kevin Colbert, call Mark Dominik

The Pittsburgh Steelers want to make a trade to acquire more draft picks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have already dealt their first-round pick to the New York Jets for Darrelle Revis, want to move back into the first round.

It seems like Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert and Mark Dominik, his counterpart in Tampa, should talk.

Tampa Bay owns the 43rd pick in the draft, a long way to move back from 17 for the Steelers for sure, but I think something could be worked out.

In fact, if I were Colbert, I would insist on a second and third-round pick, plus running back LeGarrette Blount, who got just 41 carries last season after putting together a 1,000-yard season in 2011 when the new coaching staff in Tampa benched him in favor of rookie Doug Martin.

According to Jimmy Johnson's draft value chart - you know, the thing that teams say they don't use but somehow trades always seem to work out pretty close to what the chart says - the 17th pick in the draft is worth 950 points.

Tampa Bay's second and third round picks are worth a combined 685 points.

To me, acquiring a 250-pound former 1,000-yard running back who doesn't turn 27 until December and has a base salary of $1.25 million seems like a bargain.

In fact, the last time the Steelers made such a move to acquire a 250-pound running back who had fallen out of favor with his previous team back in 1996, it worked out pretty good.

I'm not comparing Blount to Jerome Bettis, but for a team in search of a lead runner, Blount would make a lot of sense.

Final mock draft

Without any clear-cut stars at the skill positions, the 2013 NFL Draft could prove to be one of the more interesting in years. Here’s one look at how things could go in the first round Thursday:
1. Kansas City, Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M – The Chiefs have a lot of needs – obviously – but Joeckel is considered perhaps the safest pick in this draft. Others to consider: Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida; Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
2. Jacksonville, Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan – The Jags started their frachise with Tony Boselli as their first pick. Fisher gives them another franchise tackle. Others to consider: Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida; Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon
3. Oakland, Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida – After getting rid of Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly, this is an obvious need pick for the Raiders. Others to consider: Fisher, Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
4. Philadelphia, Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia - New head coach Chip Kelly wants to run the spread. Smith gives him a top-rated QB to build with while Michael Vick starts one more season. Others to consider: Fisher; Milliner; Ziggy Ansah, DE, BYU
5. Detroit, Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon – The Lions have been building their defense around pass rushers. Others to consider: Milliner, Ansah
6. Cleveland, Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama – The Browns get a second top-notch corner to pair with Joe Hayden. Others to consider: Ansah
7. Arizona, Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma – The Cardinals have been awful protecting the quarterback the past two seasons. Others to consider: Ansah, Chance Warmack, G, Alabama
8. Buffalo, Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia – It’s too early for another quarterback here. Two WVU players in the top 10? That’s how good the offense was in 2012. About that defense. … Others to consider: Ansah
9. N.Y. Jets, Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah – The Jets lost Sione Pouha this offseason and replaced him with a 33-year-old Antonio Garay. Rex Ryan also would like to beef up the pass rush, but Lotulelei could be too good to pass up. Others to consider: Ansah; Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU
10. Tennessee, Chance Warmack, G, Alabama – Ansah’s fall continues as teams pass on potential for immediate needs. Warmack will help clear a path for Chris Johnson. Others to consider: Ansah; Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina
11. San Diego, Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina – The Chargers need offensive line help, though Ansah could make sense here, too. Others to consider: Ansah; Mingo; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia
12. Miami, Ziggy Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU – The Dolphins could trade up to get ahead of Arizona and grab Johnson. If not, Ansah would be too good to pass up in this scenario. Others to consider: Mingo; Jones; D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
13. N.Y. Jets, Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU – Rex Ryan reportedly loves Mingo’s athleticism. This is the pick they received for Darrelle Revis, so a corner would make sense as well. Others to consider: Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State; Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
14. Carolina, Sheldon Richardson, DT, Florida State – Missouri. The Panthers need corner help but are said to love Richardson as well. Others to consider: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas; Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State; Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
15. New Orleans, Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia – The Saints are moving to a 3-4 and need outside linebackers. Others to consider: Fluker; Alex Ogletree, LB, Georgia
16. St. Louis, D.J. Fluker, OT/G, Alabama – The Rams covet Austin, but he’s long gone. They have another first-round pick to address safety or wide receiver and take the best remaining offensive lineman instead. Others to consider: Vaccaro; Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
17. Pittsburgh, Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State – With Jones gone, the Steelers will wait on an OLB prospect. Cordarrelle Patterson is too raw, and this draft is deep in receivers. Kenny Vaccarro would be a consideration, but Rhodes can play corner or safety. Others to consider: Vacarro; Patterson; Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State; DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
18. Dallas, Kenny Vacarro, S, Texas – With the top offensive linemen gone, the Cowboys grab the top safety on the board. Others to consider: Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State; Matt Elam, S, Florida
19. N.Y. Giants, Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State – Werner is the best pass rusher still available and the Giants love pass rushers. Others to consider: Watson; Trufant
20. Chicago, Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia – After losing Brian Urlacher and Nick Roach, the Bears need linebacker help. An offensive lineman would work as well. Others to consider: Watson
21. Cincinnati, Matt Elam, S, Florida – The Bengals need safety help badly, though another receiver also would fill a need. Others to consider: Watson; Patterson
22. St. Louis, Cordarelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee – Patterson is raw, but has outstanding speed. The Rams have to give Sam Bradford somebody to get the ball to at some point. Others to consider: Elam; Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee; DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
23. Minnesota, Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington – The Vikings could go for a receiver here, but corner is a pressing need as well. Others to consider: Hopkins; Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina
24. Indianapolis, Datone Jones, DE, UCLA – The offense is good, but the defense needs some pass rush help. Others to consider: Watson; Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State
25. Minnesota, Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina – Once a strong point, the Vikings’ run defense hasn’t been as good recently. Others to consider: Hopkins; Hunter; Jonathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State
26. Green Bay, Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame – Yes, Jermichael Finley is back for one more season, but the Packers need a long-term answer at TE. Eifert could be that option. Others to consider: Hokpins, Hunter; Alex Okafor, LB/DE Texas
27. Houston, DeAndre Hokpins, WR, Clemson – The Texans have been searching for a second receiving option to Andre Johnson for years. They get a good one in Hokpins. Others to consider: Hunter; Robert Woods, WR, USC
28. Denver, Jonathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State – The Broncos need to bolster the middle of their defense. Others to consider: Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State; Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU
29. New England, Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State – Taylor didn’t get the pre-draft talk like some of the other corners, but he’s a feisty playmaker. Others to consider: Carradine; Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
30. Atlanta, Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State – Carradine tore his ACL in November, but is healing well. He would have been a top 15 pick if completely healthy. Others to consider: Hunt; Okafor
31. San Francisco, Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International – The 49ers don’t have a lot of needs, but safety is one of them. Others to consider: Brown; Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama
32. Baltimore, Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee – Everyone knows how the Ravens like to throw deep. Baltimore passes on an obvious need at ILB and goes for another home run threat on offense. Others to consider: Brown, Ogletree, Minter

Tomlin-Colbert PC news

There wasn't a ton of news to come out of the Mike Tomlin-Kevin Colbert press conference today, which is usually the case for a team that holds its cards close to its chest.

But we do know that the Steelers won't be looking to move up in the draft and, in fact, could be very open to moving down in the first round to acquire more picks.

Whether they have a potential trade partner or now will largely depend on who falls.

If, for example, there is an early run on offensive linemen as expected, some team could look to move up to get a shot at Chance Warmack, Jonathan Cooper or even D.J. Fluker.

With this draft and its depth, however, it's more likely the Steelers will be picking at 17. But I do look for them to move around some in rounds 2 through 7.

I now expect that Jarvis Jones will be gone when the Steelers pick. And with the depth at wide receiver, I look for the Steelers to select Kenny Vacarro, the safety out of Texas.

Pittsburgh currently has some very young and untested players sitting behind Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu. And both are a lot closer to the end of their careers than they are the beginning.

If the Steelers take Vacarro in the first, look for them to grab a running back or linebacker in the second, with a trade up possible to get the guy they covet. If a trade up is needed, look for the team to trade back in round three to acquire an extra pick in rounds four or five.

I expect this to be a wild, wide-open draft.

@ I don't expect the Steelers to take a tight end such as Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert. That would be a wasted pick, in my opinion, since the team expects to get Heath Miller back at some point and Pittsburgh re-signed both Matt Spaeth and David Johnson.

@ Mike Tomlin said that Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert will compete for the left tackle position. The other will be the right tackle.

@ Getting a running back in this draft is critical, but I don't think the Steelers have closed the door on signing Ahmad Bradshaw. They have a little wiggle room -  very little - so it would take a restructure or extension of somebody to give them the room needed to get it done before June 1.

Here's why Patterson scares me

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/tennessees-patterson-with-plenty-of-talent-and-question-marks-rt9i5uj-203524771.html

If you don't read Bob McGinn's pre-draft stuff, you should. McGinn did a breakdown today on Cordarrelle Patterson and it brought out many of the issues that I have with the speedy wide receiver out of Tennessee.

He's a big-time boom-bust prospect and, at least in my opinion, that's not the kind of player the Steelers need to come out of this draft with.

If another team takes Patterson in the first round and he becomes a star, more power to them. But the Steelers can't afford to swing and miss this year - at least in my opinion.

McLendon visits Packers, signs with Steelers

Restricted free agent nose tackle Steve McLendon visited the Packers on Wednesday, a move that sent shock waves through Pittsburgh's front office, so much so that the Steelers signed him to a three-year contract extension on Thursday.

The Steelers tendered McLendon, who is expected to move into the starting lineup this season, at $1.3 million and had the right to match any offer he might receive as a free agent. But they would have received no compensation if he signed elsewhere and they decline to match.

Instead, the Steelers signed him to a three-year, $7.25 million deal, which is a decent price for a 27-year-old nose tackle with little mileage on him.

The Steelers still list McLendon at 280 pounds, but he's actually about 330.

Even so, he's a different style of nose tackle than Casey Hampton, who remains on the free agent market.

McLendon is more of a gap shooter in the mode of Kemo von Oelhoffen, than he is a rock at the point of attack.

Incidentally, Hampton's agent, Ralph Cindrich, told me on Twitter Wednesday that he expects his client to sign with somebody - possibly New England - once training camp begins.

One week out mock draft

Without any clear-cut stars at the skill positions, the 2013 NFL Draft could prove to be one of the more interesting in years. Here’s one look at how things could go in the first round next Thursday:

1. Kansas City, Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M - The Chiefs have a lot of needs - obviously - but Joeckel is considered perhaps the safest pick in this draft. Others to consider: Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida; Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

2. Jacksonville, Dion Jordan, OLB/DE, Oregon - The Jaguars want to be like Seattle and build with speed. Jordan is a pure speed rusher. Others to consider: Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida; Fisher

3. Oakland, Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida - After getting rid of Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly, this is an obvious need pick for the Raiders. Others to consider: Fisher, Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

4. Philadelphia, Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia - New head coach Chip Kelly wants to run the spread. Smith gives him a top-rated QB to build with while Michael Vick starts one more season. Others to consider: Fisher; Milliner; Ziggy Ansah, DE, BYU

5. Detroit, Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan - Dee Milliner or Ziggy Ansah make sense here as well, but the Lions have to protect Matt Stafford. Others to consider: Milliner, Ansah

6. Cleveland, Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama - The Browns get a second top-notch corner to pair with Joe Hayden. Others to consider: Ansah

7. Arizona, Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma - The Cardinals have been awful protecting the quarterback the past two seasons. Others to consider: Ansah, Chance Warmack, G, Alabama

8. Buffalo, Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia - It’s too early for another quarterback here. Two WVU players in the top 10? That’s how good the offense was in 2012. About that defense ... Others to consider: Ansah

9. N.Y. Jets, Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah - The Jets lost Sione Pouha this offseason and replaced him with a 33-year-old Antonio Garay. Rex Ryan would also like to beef up the pass rush, but Lotulelei could be too good to pass up. Others to consider: Ansah; Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU

10. Tennessee, Chance Warmack, G, Alabama - Ansah’s fall continues as teams pass on potential for immediate needs. Warmack will help clear a path for Chris Johnson. Others to consider: Ansah; Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina

11. San Diego, Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina - The Chargers need offensive line help, though Ansah could make sense here, too. Others to consider: Ansah; Mingo; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

12. Miami, Ziggy Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU - The Dolphins could trade up to get ahead of Arizona and grab Johnson. If not, Ansah would be too good to pass up in this scenario. Others to consider: Mingo, Jones, D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama

13. Tampa Bay, Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri - If the Bucs don’t trade this pick for Darrelle Revis, Richardson makes the most sense. Others to consider: Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State; Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

14. Carolina, Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State - After releasing Chris Gamble, the Panthers have a need at CB. They like Richardson as well, be he doesn’t drop to them here. Others to consider: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas; Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington

15. New Orleans, Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU - The Saints are moving to a 3-4 defense and Mingo gives them a speed rusher on the outside. Others to consider: Jones; Fluker

16. St. Louis, D.J. Fluker, OT/G, Alabama - The Rams covet Austin, but he’s long gone. They have another first-round pick to address safety or wide and take the best remaining offensive lineman instead. Others to consider: Vaccaro; Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

17. Pittsburgh, Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia - This is a deep draft for receivers and safeties, two of the Steelers’ other top needs, and it’s too early to take a running back, the final big need. Jones might be the top pure pass rusher in the draft. Others to consider: Vaccaro; Patterson; Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State

18. Dallas, Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas - With the top offensive linemen gone, the Cowboys grab the top safety. Others to consider: Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State; Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International

19. N.Y. Giants, Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State - Werner is the best pass rusher still available and the Giants love pass rushers. Others to consider: Watson; Trufant

20. Chicago, Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State - After allowing both Brian Urlacher and Nick Roach, the Bears need linebacker help. An offensive lineman would as well. Others to consider: Watson; Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia

21. Cincinnati, Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International - Cyprien opened eyes on the all-star circuit and isn’t just another small-school prospect. Others to consider: Matt Elam, S, Florida; Watson; Patterson

22. St. Louis, Cordarelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee - Patterson is raw, but has outstanding speed. The Rams have to give Sam Bradford somebody to get the ball to at some point. Others to consider: Elam; Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee; DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson

23. Minnesota, Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington - The Vikings could go for a receiver here, but corner is a pressing need as well. Others to consider: Hopkins; Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina

24. Indianapolis, Datone Jones, DE, UCLA - The offense is good, but the defense needs some pass rush help. Others to consider: Watson, Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State

25. Minnesota, Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina - Once a strong point, the Vikings’ run defense hasn’t been as good recently. Others to consider: Hopkins; Hunter; Jonathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State

26. Green Bay, Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame - Yes, Jermichael Finley is back for one more season, but the Packers need a long-term answer at TE. Eifert could be that option. Others to consider: Hokpins, Hunter; Alex Okafor, LB/DE Texas

27. Houston, DeAndre Hokpins, WR, Clemson - The Texans have been searching for a second receiving option to Andre Johnson for years. They get a good one in Hokpins. Others to consider: Hunter; Robert Woods, WR, USC

28. Denver, Jonathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State - The Broncos need to bolster the middle of their defense. Others to consider: Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State; Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU

29. New England, Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State - Taylor didn’t get the pre-draft talk like some of the other corners, but he’s a feisty playmaker. Others to consider: Carradine; Margus Hunt, DE, SMU

30. Atlanta, Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State - Carradine tore his ACL in November, but is healing well. He would have been a top-15 pick if completely healthy. Others to consider: Hunt; Okafor

31. San Francisco, Matt Elam, S, Florida - The 49ers don’t have a lot of needs, but safety is one of them. Others to consider: Eric Reid, S, LSU; Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

32. Baltimore, Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee - Everyone knows how the Ravens like to throw deep. Baltimore passes on an obvious need at ILB and goes for another home run threat on offense. Others to consider: Ogletree, Minter

Steelers match offer for Sanders. What does it mean

The Steelers on Sunday matched New England's offer sheet for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

The move holds several meanings for the Steelers over the coming weeks.

First, wide receiver becomes less of a pressing need for the team heading into the draft later this month - at least in the short term.

The guess here is that now that Pittsburgh has kept Sanders, it will attempt to sign him to a long-term deal that will keep him past the 2013 season.

They dealt with Mike Wallace as a lame duck starter in 2012 at wideout and likely won't want to put themselves in a similar situation with Sanders. The two sides will have to come to an agreement that will pay Sanders starter money - not star money - but I look for that deal to get done.

Sanders' new contract also eats up an additional $1.2 million of salary cap space, leaving the Steelers just over $700,000 under the cap.

They will clear an additional $5.5 million once guard Willie Colon's release hits the books on June 1, but with  so little cap space now, the Steelers appear to be out of the market for free agent running back Ahmad Bradshaw - unless he goes into the summer unsigned.

Sanders decision looms

John Clayton is reporting that the Steelers are 50-50 on matching New England's offer sheet to restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders.

That 50-50 split is probably between the front office and coaching staff.

For the front office, this seems like a no-brainer. Why rent Sanders for a year - and double what you had projected to pay him? Unless something really strange happens, he's unlikely to be back in 2014.

But the coaching staff is strictly looking at the on-field talent. And certainly, a healthy, happy Sanders is a better option than his 30-plus-year-old backups Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico Burress.

The question that has to be asked is if Sanders will be happy and healthy in 2013 without a long-term contract?

The guess here is no.

And as we saw last season with Mike Wallace, that can make a difference.

I'm not saying Wallace didn't give what he thought was his best effort in 2012. But the lack of financial security certainly mattered to him. He missed all of training camp because of it.

And the questions about his status dogged him throughout the season, becoming a distraction at times.

In this instance, the front-office view seems to be the more realistic one. Why deal with another potential headache when you can get rid of it and pick up a solid draft choice at the same time?

We'll find out Sunday which side wins this discussion.

Sanders finally signs an offer sheet

Steelers wide receiver finally signed an offer sheet with the Patriots on Tuesday, giving the Steelers five days to match the $2.5 million, one-year deal or receive a third-round pick as compensation.

If I were Kevin Colbert, I'd take the pick and run.

Here's why:

In three seasons, Sanders has appeared in all 16 games one time - that being last year. And, with Antonio Brown already locked up to a long-term deal, the Steelers already have a receiver that does a lot of the same things as Sanders.

In addition, if the Steelers acquire New England's third-round pick, they would hold four of the top 91 and five of the top 115 selections in this year's draft. With that kind of ammunition, the Steelers could fill a lot of holes on their roster.

When you also factor in that, with a one-year deal, Sanders will be an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2013 season, the Steelers will be hard-pressed to re-sign him at the end of the season, ala. Keenan Lewis' situation.

If Sanders has a good season, his price tag could be more than the Steelers are willing to pay. If he doesn't have a good year, they might not want to re-sign him.

So, the Steelers should take the third-round pick now, take De'Andre Hopkins in the first round of the draft - Keenan Allen's 40 time will move him out of the first round, while Cordarrelle Patterson's stock is also falling thanks to off-field issues - and then double down on the position later in the draft.

They'll still have three picks remaining in the next two rounds to address their linebacker, safety and running back issues.

Rhodes makes some sense

Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes was scheduled to visit the Steelers on Tuesday. And while some might think the team wouldn't necessarily need another corner, realize that Rhodes might possibly be the best safety prospect available in this draft - at least for the Steelers.

According to Bob Labriola of Steelers digest, Rhodes wasn't in on Tuesday.

But if he does finally visit, it is one that makes sense for the Steelers.

At 6-2, 210 pounds Rhodes is a big cornerback. But he's got good straight line speed as evidenced by his 4.39 time in the 40 at the combine. You want explosiveness? How's an 11-0 broad jump and 40.5 vertical grab you?

He's also exhibited good ball skills, grabbing eight interceptions in three seasons as a starter despite most teams staying away from him in his final two seasons.

So why isn't he being talked about as a top-10 pick?

Rhodes, like many bigger corners, has some issues with being too physical and being a little stiff in coverage.

But, at safety, that wouldn't be as much of an issue for him.

It's questionable whether Rhodes will be available when the Steelers make their pick with the 17th selection in the first round. In fact, he's one of the few first-round quality players they have brought in thus far.

But if he is, they will have to give him serious consideration as a possibly replacement for Ryan Clark or Troy Polamalu in the future.

Three weeks out mock draft

I completed my first mock draft of the year a couple of weeks ago - much to the consternation of some - and now that we're about three weeks out from this year's draft, it's time to throw some more stuff against the wall and see what sticks.

Understand that mock drafts are just that - mock. It's what could happen in certain scenarios once teams start picking. And often times, things change from week to week.

Editor's note: This mock was done BEFORE Keenan Allen ran a 4.71 40 at his pro day. Obviously, he is no longer a first-round consideration.

Anyway, here we go:

1. Kansas City, Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M - No reason to change from my original draft here.
2. Jacksonville, Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida State - Jacksonville could go a lot of different ways with defenders.
3. Oakland, Ezekial Ensah, DE, BYU - The Raiders have been known to grab workout warriors in recent years. Ensah has a ton of potential.
4. Philadelphia, Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia - The Eagles seem the likely destination for Smith.
5. Detroit, Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan - With Jeff Backus done, the Lions have to protect their investment at QB.
6. Cleveland, Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama - The Browns would have two very good young corners.
7. Arizona, Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma - Any offensive line help is needed in Arizona.
8. Buffalo, Matt Barkley, QB, USC - So much for quarterbacks not being a priority in this draft. Kevin Kolb is not the long-term answer.
9. N.Y. Jets, Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon - The Jets have been searching for pass rushers seemingly since Klecko and Gastineau retired.
10. Tennessee, Chance Warmack, G, Alabama - Warmack is more of a sure thing than some of the guys taken ahead of him. But he's also a guard.
11. San Diego, Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina - The Chargers line was a mess last season. Cooper can play guard or center.
12. Miami, Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State - The Dolphins have filled a lot of holes, but need to get better in the secondary.
13. Tampa Bay, Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington - Tampa Bay's secondary needs an influx of talent.
14. Carolina, Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah - The Panthers get some beef up front.
15. New Orleans, Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia - Jones' neck issues are scaring some teams away, but his pass rushing ability can't be denied. The Saints are moving to a 3-4.
16. St. Louis, Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia - To steal a Todd Grahamism, speed, speed, speed.
17. Pittsburgh, Keenan Allen, WR, California - Something about Allen reminds me of when the Steelers selected Heath Miller in the draft. Miller was unable to work out for teams during the offseason due to a sports hernia and fell into Pittsburgh's lap. Allen was considered the top WR in this draft but has been unable to work out due to injuries - though he is scheduled to do so April 9. He has size and is polished.
18. Dallas, Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas - It's no secret the Cowboys are looking for safety help. And no, Will Allen is not the answer.
19. N.Y. Giants, Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State - The Giants love to college pass rushers.
20. Chicago, D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama - The Bears need to do a better job of protecting the quarterback.
21. Cincinnati, Barkevious Mingo, LB/DE, LSU - Mingo is the type of lanky pass rusher who fits into what the Bengals are doing defensively.
22. St. Louis, Matt Elam, S, Florida - The Rams want to come out of their two first round picks with a WR and safety.
23. Minnesota, Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri - The Vikings were a premiere run-stopping team for many years but have slipped of late.
24. Indianapolis, Cordarelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee - Patterson has speed and size but is very raw.
25. Minnesota, Robert Woods, WR, USC - Woods is silky smooth and has good size.
26. Green Bay, Damontre Moore, OLB, Texas A&M - The Packers need somebody to provide a pass rush other than Clay Matthews.
27. Houston, DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson - The Texans need a No. 2 option on the outside.
28. Denver, Jonathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State - The Broncos are in a win-now mode and Hankins should help their run defense right away.
29. New England, Datone Jones, DE, UCLA - Jones just seems like a Belichick-type of pick. Smart, effort guy.
30. Atlanta, Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame - Atlanta needs to groom somebody to replace Tony Gonzalez.
31. San Francisco, Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International - The 49ers don't have a lot of needs, but safety could be considered one.
32. Baltimore, Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU - The Ravens need help at inside linebacker and get a thumper.

What we've seen thus far

By the end of Thursday, the Steelers this week will have had at least 12 of their rookie visitors in for meetings. UCLA running back Jonathan Franklin and Nevada safety Duke Williams will be in on Thursday.

That will mean that the Steelers will have had seven linebackers - John Simon, Vince Williams, Jarvis Jones, Jamie Collins, Khaseem Greene, Michael Mauti and Malliciah Goodman

- three safeties - Williams, Jonathan Meeks and Phillip Thomas - and two running backs - Franklin and Christine Michael - in for visits.


What can we read into that?


Judging from who and the number of linebackers they have brought in, the Steelers aren't going to be looking linebacker in the first round.


Sure, Jones is considered a first-round prospect, but it's likely the Steelers were kicking his tires and having team doctors check out his spinal stenosis issue. The other six guys are all expected to be second round picks or lower.


Michael and Franklin are both considered second or third-round prospects at running back, a position at which there might not be a first-round selection this season unless somebody falls in love with Eddy Lacy.


And the three safeties are all mid-round guys.


What's missing from the players the Steelers have brought in thus far? Wide receivers.


The Steelers have a need at that position and there is a good crop available this year. But none have walked through the doors at the Steelers' offices at this point.


The team can have as many as 30 visitors, and for all we know, their next 20 visitors could all be wideouts. But at this point, if I were a betting man, I'd guess they're looking at taking a wideout in the first round.


Then again, it could all be subterfuge. This is why you have to love this time of year.

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.