The SportsXchange – Thu, Jul 18, 2013 10:10 PM EDT
(Diamond Images/Getty Images)
INSIDE SLANT
Pittsburgh is a team in transition as the Steelers report to Saint Vincent College July 26; it's just that few can say what that changeover might look like after an 8-8 season.
Will they improve, or will the decline that took place in the second half of last season continue? They lost plenty of starters, including important ones, since last year, both old and young. Gone are former Pro-Bowl defenders James Harrison and Casey Hamptonalong with starting cornerback Keenan Lewis. Offensive starters joining them out the door were linemen Willie Colon and Max Starks, halfback Rashard Mendenhall and receiver Mike Wallace.
That's a lot of talent to lose, although general manager Kevin Colbert often noted that it was talent lost from an 8-8 team.
Injuries helped drag down the 2012 Steelers and they have tried a few new training twists to see if that will help.
Their biggest issues continue to be the lack of punch on the ground and the lack of big plays on defense. Although the Steelers' defense finished No. 1 in the NFL in each of the past two seasons in fewest yards allowed, they were down both years in producing turnovers and sacks.
Even though Todd Haley was hired in 2012 as offensive coordinator with a task to improve the running game, he failed. It slipped from No. 14 in 2011 to No. 26. It's why they drafted halfback Le'Veon Bell with the second pick, and why they made over their offensive line.
On the hot seat: Troy Polamalu has piled up the kinds of credentials that put players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year with seven Pro-Bowl appearances. However, he made few appearances for the Steelers last season, playing in only seven games because of a calf injury. He's 32 and with no experienced backup safeties, the Steelers need him to put in a full season and do it with his expected style of play.
Cause for concern: Tight end Heath Miller, voted by his teammates as the Steelers MVP in 2012, is still rehabbing from three torn knee ligaments, including his ACL. He may not be ready for the season and they do not have another tight end anywhere near his ability.
Breakthrough star: Rookie running back Le'Veon Bell has a chance to boost the Steelers' ground game to where Art Rooney says it should be. Bell, their second-round draft choice, looked good in the spring but, of course, without pads or getting tackled. He should start.
Position battles: Jarvis Jones vs. Jason Worilds at right outside linebacker. If Jones can pick up the defense fast enough, he could unseat James Harrison's heir apparent and a four-year vet who has never won a starting job.
Plaxico Burress vs. Jericho Cotchery for No. 3 wide receiver. Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanderswill start and there's room for one of the two veterans.
NOTES, QUOTES
--A judge rejected a claim by the Steelers that the taxpayer-funded city-county Sports and Exhibition Authority must pay most of the estimated $30 million cost to add 3,000 seats to Heinz Field. The seats originally were supposed to be installed for the 2013 season; now even having them for 2014 is in doubt.
--The Steelers announced they will wear their throwback jerseys - the 1934 "bumblebee" shirts they wore for two games last season - for one game this season, at home, but did not yet identify the game.
--Steelers president Art Rooney would like to see Pittsburgh host an NFL draft.
"Sure, I'd like to see the draft move around, and I would love to see it come to Pittsburgh some time," Rooney said. "It's a great event and attracts tremendous fan interest. It would be a fun event for Pittsburgh to host, and I think our city could do a great job with it."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's still learning, but he's learning at a quicker pace than most guys we drafted at that position as a defensive end." - LB coach Keith Butler on prized pupil, rookie Jarvis Jones.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter - Ben Roethlisberer. Backups - Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones, John Wilson.
Roethlisberger had knee surgery in June and is coming off arm and rib injuries from last season, but says he's healthy and ready to go. His two veteran backups are gone - Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich - and replaced by vet Gradkowski and rookie Jones. Roethlisberger has played all 16 games in a season only once as he enters his 10th at age 31. He was in the MVP conversation through the first nine games before he was hurt.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters - Le'Veon Bell, FB Will Johnson. Backups - Isaac Redman, Baron Batch,Jonathan Dwyer, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Curtis McNeal.
Bell, their No. 2 pick, should have few problems winning a starting job that no one could win last season, including the now-departed Rashard Mendenhall. Redman will be No. 2, but Dwyer - their leading rusher in 2012 - could have trouble making the team. Batch and Stephens-Howling will vie for the third-down chores, although Bell also can catch and could be an every-down back.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter - Heath Miller. Backups - David Paulson, Matt Spaeth, David Johnson, Jamie McCoy, Peter Tuitupou.
Miller had triple ligament tears to end the season and had January surgery to repair two, including the ACL. He may not be ready to start the season. Spaeth rejoins the team and looks to be more of a target in his second time around with the Steelers. Paulson can catch and block. Johnson returns after missing the season with a knee injury, and can also play fullback.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters - Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders. Backups - Jerricho Cotchery, Plaxico Burress, Markus Wheaton, David Gilreath, Reggie Dunn, Derek Moye, J.D. Woods, Kashif Moore.
Brown and Sanders were twin disappointments last season and now must pick up the slack with the departure of Mike Wallace. The Steelers kept Sanders after he signed a restricted free-agent offer sheet with New England, but this looks like his final year in Pittsburgh. Cotchery and Burress will fight for playing time and Burress will get the chance to show he deserves more. Wheaton has the speed but how quickly he picks up the offense is the question.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters - LT Marcus Gilbert, LG Ramon Foster, C Maurkice Pouncey, RGDavid DeCastro, RT Mike Adams. Backups - G/T Kelvin Beachum, C/G John Malecki, T Guy Whimper, T Joe Long, G Nik Embernate, T Mike Golic Jr., C Joe Madsen, T Mike Farrell, G Justin Cheadle, G Chris Hubbard.
It's the start of a new, young era as the Steelers show faith that their high draft picks the past few years can get the job done. If they open the season this way, it will be their youngest offensive line since the 1950s. Pouncey and Foster have been there, but this will be a commitment to two recent second-round picks at tackle, Gilbert and Adams. They love DeCastro and have no doubts about him. Beachum was a surprise success as a rookie and will be their top backup, perhaps even at center, where he took snaps in the spring.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters - LE Ziggy Hood, NT Steve McLendon, RE Brett Keisel. Backups - ECameron Heyward, E Al Woods, NT Hebron Fangupo, NT Alameda Ta'amu, E Nick Williams, E Cordian Hagans, E Brian Arnfelt, NT Omar Hunter.
Another big change here with the departure of NT Casey Hampton. McLendon is more active, but not the run-stopper of Hampton's class. Hood has been a tad disappointing and Heyward has a shot at grabbing that spot, even though he's played most of his career as Keisel's backup. Woods has potential and Fangupo could beat out Ta'amu, a fourth-round draft choice who ran into off-field problems as a rookie.
LINEBACKERS: Starters - LOLB LaMarr Woodley, LILB Larry Foote, RILB Lawrence Timmons, ROLB Jason Worilds. Backups - ILB Stevenson Sylvester, OLB Jarvis Jones, OLB Adrian Robinson, OLB Chris Carter, ILB Sean Spence, Marshall McFadden, Vince Williams, Alan Baxter, Brian Rolle,Kion Wilson, Terence Garvin.
The departure of James Harrison, who refused to take a pay cut and wound up in Cincinnati, forcedthe Steelers to draft Jones first and he could overtake Worilds quickly to start. Woodley's big issue has been his health and inability to play up to his standards because of it. Timmons was their best defensive player in 2012 and is Pro-Bowl material, making plays everywhere. Foote just keeps making tackles and is rarely out of position. Sylvester and Carter have not taken any steps when given the chance. Spence likely will go on PUP and not play again after missing last season with a devastating knee injury that may never heal properly.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters - LCB Cortez Allen, RCB Ike Taylor, FS Ryan Clark, SS Troy Polamalu. Backups - CB William Gay, CB DeMarcus Van Dyke, CB Curtis Brown, S Robert Golden, CB Josh Victorian, S DaMon Cromartie-Smith, S Ross Ventrone, CB Terry Hawthorne, CB Nigel Malone, CB Isaiah Green.
The loss of free-agent CB Keenan Lewis was a big story, but the Steelers like Allen more, a reason they did not offer Lewis a deal. The rest of the starting backfield is solid, more spectacularly so when Polamalu is healthy, something that was rarely seen last season. Gay was re-signed to play in dime defenses. Brown has never shown he can get it done. They let two veteran backup safeties leave, Will Allen and Ryan Mundy, but added the hard-hitting Thomas in the draft.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Shaun Suisham, P Brian Moorman, LS Greg Warren, KR LaRod Stephens-Howling, PR Antonio Brown, K Daniel Hrapmann, P Drew Butler.
Suisham has turned into a clutch kicker with the Steelers, and has good range. He made 28 of 31 and two misses came from 53 and 54. He won three games with field goals on the final play in 2012. Butler was not so steady at his position as a rookie and the veteran Moorman, signed as a free agent, looks like a good bet to take his spot. Warren is as good as they come and will play his ninth season with the Steelers. The return men are wide open and the Steelers would love someone to take those duties from Brown.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers)
--QB Charlie Batch (not tendered as UFA).
--NT Casey Hampton (not tendered as UFA).
--LB Brandon Johnson (not tendered as UFA).
--P Jeremy Kapinos (not tendered as RFA).
--QB Byron Leftwich (not tendered as UFA).
--TE Leonard Pope (not tendered as UFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS (1)
--CB DeMarcus Van Dyke was claimed off waivers from Oakland before the season began and they believe he has enough talent to keep.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED (all picks signed).
--LB Jarvis Jones (1/17): $8,705,502 all guaranteed/4 yrs, $4,711,272 SB.
--RB Le'Veon Bell (2/48): $4,120,600/4 yrs, $1,376,800 SB/$97,300 RB 2014.
--WR Markus Wheaton (3/79): $2,811,376/4 yrs, $591,376 SB.
--S Shamarko Thomas (4/111): $2,613,152/4 yrs, $453,152 SB.
--QB Landry Jones (4/115): $2,599,220/4 yrs, $439,220 SB.
--CB Terry Hawthorne (5/150): $2,350,052/4 yrs, $190,052 SB.
--WR Justin Brown (6/186): $2,264,072/4 yrs, (104,072 SB.
--RB Vince Williams (6/206): $2,238,680/4 yrs, $78,680 SB.
--DE Nick Williams (7/223): $2,217,848/4 yrs, $57,848 SB.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--RB Baron Batch: ERFA; terms unknown.
--WR Plaxico Burress: Potential UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--RB Jonathan Dwyer: Potential RFA; $1.323M/1 yr.
--LB Larry Foote: Potential UFA; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--G Ramon Foster: Potential UFA; $6M/3 yrs.
--TE David Johnson: UFA Steelers; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--CB Justin King: Potential UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--NT Steve McLendon: RFA tendered at $1.323M with no compensation); $7.25M/3 yrs, $1.67M SB.
--RB Isaac Redman: RFA tendered at $1.323M with no compensation); $1.323M/1 yr.
--WR Emmanuel Sanders: RFA tendered at 1.323M with third-round pick as compensation); matched Patriots offer $2.5M/1 yr.
--LB Stevenson Sylvester: Not tendered as RFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--LS Greg Warren: UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--CB William Gay: FA Cardinals; $4.5M/3 yrs, $500,000 SB.
--QB Bruce Gradkowski: UFA Bengals; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--P Brian Moorman: UFA Cowboys; terms unknown.
--QB John Parker Wilson (waivers Jaguars).
--TE Matt Spaeth: FA Bears; $2M/2 yrs, $250,000 SB.
--RB LaRod Stephens-Howling: UFA Cardinals; terms unknown.
--OT Guy Whimper: FA Jaguars; terms unknown.
PLAYERS LOST
--S Will Allen: UFA Cowboys; $905,000/1 yr, $65,000 SB.
--G Willie Colon (released/post-June 1 designation).
--LB James Harrison (released).
--C/G Doug Legursky: Not tendered as UFA/Bills; terms unknown.
--CB Keenan Lewis: UFA Saints; $26M/5 yrs, $6M SB/$11M guaranteed.
--RB Rashard Mendenhall: UFA Cardinals; $2.5M/1 yr.
--S Ryan Mundy: UFA Giants; terms unknown.
--RB Chris Rainey (released).
--T Max Starks: UFA Chargers; terms unknown.
--WR Mike Wallace: UFA Dolphins; $60M/5 yrs, $11M SB/$30M guaranteed/$27M fully guaranteed.
No comments:
Post a Comment