Today the Steelers begin their preseason football schedule against the Philadelphia Eagles, and Pro Bowl Wide Receiver Mike Wallace is still not in camp. He has yet to sign his Restricted Free Agent tender, and the Steelers do not do contract negotiations with players who do not report to camp.
Mike Wallace is one of the better receivers in the NFL, and he is a really big part of the Steelers offense. The team also recently signed Antonio Brown, the Steelers other Pro Bowler at the position, to a contract extension. I would think that this bothered Wallace, seeing his teammate being taken care of and himself still not receiving a new contract.
Mike Wallace doesn't have a whole lot of leverage here. He has no other team that he can possibly play for, nobody showed any interest in him during free agency. The only way that he can play for another team is if the Steelers were to trade him, and they are not going to be doing that. All he can do is hold out for the first ten weeks of the season and then come in and be on the roster for six weeks to gain an accrued season and reach unrestricted free agency after this season. However, even if he does that, the Steelers can still hit him with the Franchise Tag and keep his rights for at least one more season if they choose to.
So the question must be asked, who is being hurt more by this holdout, Mike Wallace or the Pittsburgh Steelers?
The Steelers still have what should be an upgraded offensive line...Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback...Antonio Brown, Emmannuel Sanders, and Jerricho Cotchery at wide receiver...Heath Miller at tight end...and Issac Redman at running back.
Is Wallace one hell of a deep threat, able to blow the top off of almost any defense? Yeah. But Brown and Sanders are both pretty fast, and Cotchery can be that underneath guy like Hines Ward once was. Miller should be able to go out to receive passes more than last season if the offensive line is impoved too.
The team is learning a new offense with Todd Haley coming in as the offensive coordinator. Brown, Sanders, and Cotchery are learning the intracacies of the offense while all Wallace can do is study the playbook. He cannot ask questions, be shown coaches film of the plays from other teams Haley has coached, or get the timing down with Roethlisberger due to practicing with the team.
The Steelers offense will work without Mike Wallace, that's a fact. The chains will move, touchdowns will be scored.
However, Mike Wallace needs the Steelers. He needs to showcase his skills so his market price will be as high as possible when free agency arrives at the end of this season. It's not a good idea for him to hold out for the majority of a season because he is unhappy with his restricted free agent tender. The Steelers could have cut that offer to just over $500k this season, but they chose not to. That's them showing faith that they believed he would sign the tender and come to camp.
So I end this blog post with a message to Mike Wallace, though I doubt he will ever see it:
Mike Wallace, you know how the Steelers do business. You know that they take care of their own as long as their own players aren't being unreasonable. You know they won't negotiate with a player who is not practicing. Sign your tender, get into camp. The Steelers will then reopen negotiations and maybe you'll get the long term deal you desire. If you don't, you showcase your skills for an entire season to get that deal as a free agent be it with Pittsburgh or without. But in the end, and you know it, you need the Pittsburgh Steelers more than they need you.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Looking at Steelers Training Camp
Today, the Pittsburgh Steelers started their 2012 Training Camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
In the past week, the Steelers resigned left tackle Max Starks (which I will touch more on later in this article) and first round draft pick David DeCastro.
And there was also one big omission today, Mike Wallace failed to report, and until he reports to camp the Steelers will not negotiate on the long-term deal that he covets.
This week, Mike Tomlin signed a three year extension to remain the Head Coach in the Steel City.
Things are looking good going into training camp for the Steelers, so lets look at some of the battles that are going to be happening in camp this year.
Mike Adams vs Max Starks, Left Tackle: Mike Adams, the rookie second round draft pick, is currently penciled in as the starter at left tackle. However, in a slightly surprising move this past week, the team resigned Max Starks who started at that position last season but was injured in the playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.
So why did the Steelers resign Starks? Well it could be for one or more reasons -- a backup who can play both tackle positions so if there is an injury to either starting tackle the entire line doesn't have to be reshuffled, they aren't sure if Adams can start at left tackle this season so if they don't like what they see in camp Starks can step in, or they have already changed their mind on Adams starting and will place Starks in that spot quickly in camp.
Whatever the reason is, Mike Adams now has some competition at left tackle in camp. Mike Tomlin will put his best five linemen out there, be it Starks or Adams.
Keenan Lewis vs Cortez Allen vs Curtis Brown, Cornerback: William Gay, last season's starter across from Ike Taylor, left in free agency for Pittsburgh Wes......err, the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers didn't trade for a starter or pick anyone up in free agency, therefore they must believe that one of these three can start at that position.
I think that it's going to be Keenan Lewis that come out of this as the starter, and hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. That will leave Allen and Brown competing for the nickel corner spot.
However, while I feel Lewis will be starting this season, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the other two possibly snagging the spot in preseason games if they do look better.
Jonathon Dwyer vs Barron Batch vs John Clay, Backup RB: It's basically known that Issac Redman is going to be the starter at the beginning of this season while Rashard Mendenhall recovers from a torn ACL. Depending on how Redman plays, Mendenhall may not get the starting job back.
So in camp, it's the battle to back up Redman. All three of these backs bring something different to the table. I think in the end, it will be Dwyer who is the backup to Redman, at least until Mendenhall returns from his injury.
Larry Foote vs Stevenson Sylvester vs Sean Spence, ILB: During the offseason, the Steelers released veteran inside linebacker James Farrior who had started in Pittsburgh since the 2002 season. Last year, it looked like he had lost a step. He just wasn't the same. So the Steelers released him because of that and to get under this season's salary cap.
His replacement will either be Larry Foote, who won a Super Bowl starting next to Farrior in 2005, or Stevenson Sylvester.
Foote has the experience, but he is considered a liability in pass coverage. He is also 32 years old, an age when many feel players outside of kickers, punters, and quarterbacks begin to decline on the field.
Sylvester is young and could turn out to be a good linebacker. He's shown a lot playing special teams and playing in limited rotation on defense.
Then you have the rookie, Sean Spence, who there have been reports during mini camps that he was wowing the coaches. He, in my opinion, was drafted as the eventual starter in the middle of the Steelers 3-4 defense next to Lawrence Timmons.
I think that Foote will be the starter at the beginning of the season, but that either youngster can end up unseating him if he doesn't play as well as the coaches are expecting him to this season.
Emmanuel Sanders vs Jerricho Cotchery, Wide Receiver: Yes, Mike Wallace did not report to training camp because he doesn't want to play under his restricted free agent tender. However, he's going to eventually show up and he will be starting. Across from him will be Antonio Brown.
So what's with this Sanders vs Cotchery thing you may be asking yourself? Well, the third receiver is very important in today's pass happy NFL. And while I expect new offensive coordinator to help fix the problems with the running game that the Steelers had last season, the nickel will still be used quite a bit.
Sanders has speed and a ton of talent. People were saying he'd be the starter across from Wallace. However, injuries have derailed him and he hasn't played an entire 16 game season yet in his career. If he can stay healthy, the sky is really the limit for this kid.
Cotchery is a veteran of eight seasons and has had only one 1000 yard season in his career. However, he reminds me a lot of Hines Ward where he isn't afraid to go across the middle and make the tough catches. He's going to do what's asked of him. Of his 16 receptions last season, 13 of them went for first downs. He's reliable when you need to move the chains.
In the end, I think Sanders wins the third receiver job as long as he stays healthy. He's got the talent, and the kid is fast. Trying to cover Wallace, Brown, and Sanders? Yeah, I don't think many teams have three corners that can do that.
It is now time to focus on climbing that stairway to our seventh Lombardi Trophy. Preparation for the 2012 NFL Season has now commenced. All I have to say now, is one phrase:
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
In the past week, the Steelers resigned left tackle Max Starks (which I will touch more on later in this article) and first round draft pick David DeCastro.
And there was also one big omission today, Mike Wallace failed to report, and until he reports to camp the Steelers will not negotiate on the long-term deal that he covets.
This week, Mike Tomlin signed a three year extension to remain the Head Coach in the Steel City.
Things are looking good going into training camp for the Steelers, so lets look at some of the battles that are going to be happening in camp this year.
Mike Adams vs Max Starks, Left Tackle: Mike Adams, the rookie second round draft pick, is currently penciled in as the starter at left tackle. However, in a slightly surprising move this past week, the team resigned Max Starks who started at that position last season but was injured in the playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.
So why did the Steelers resign Starks? Well it could be for one or more reasons -- a backup who can play both tackle positions so if there is an injury to either starting tackle the entire line doesn't have to be reshuffled, they aren't sure if Adams can start at left tackle this season so if they don't like what they see in camp Starks can step in, or they have already changed their mind on Adams starting and will place Starks in that spot quickly in camp.
Whatever the reason is, Mike Adams now has some competition at left tackle in camp. Mike Tomlin will put his best five linemen out there, be it Starks or Adams.
Keenan Lewis vs Cortez Allen vs Curtis Brown, Cornerback: William Gay, last season's starter across from Ike Taylor, left in free agency for Pittsburgh Wes......err, the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers didn't trade for a starter or pick anyone up in free agency, therefore they must believe that one of these three can start at that position.
I think that it's going to be Keenan Lewis that come out of this as the starter, and hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. That will leave Allen and Brown competing for the nickel corner spot.
However, while I feel Lewis will be starting this season, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the other two possibly snagging the spot in preseason games if they do look better.
Jonathon Dwyer vs Barron Batch vs John Clay, Backup RB: It's basically known that Issac Redman is going to be the starter at the beginning of this season while Rashard Mendenhall recovers from a torn ACL. Depending on how Redman plays, Mendenhall may not get the starting job back.
So in camp, it's the battle to back up Redman. All three of these backs bring something different to the table. I think in the end, it will be Dwyer who is the backup to Redman, at least until Mendenhall returns from his injury.
Larry Foote vs Stevenson Sylvester vs Sean Spence, ILB: During the offseason, the Steelers released veteran inside linebacker James Farrior who had started in Pittsburgh since the 2002 season. Last year, it looked like he had lost a step. He just wasn't the same. So the Steelers released him because of that and to get under this season's salary cap.
His replacement will either be Larry Foote, who won a Super Bowl starting next to Farrior in 2005, or Stevenson Sylvester.
Foote has the experience, but he is considered a liability in pass coverage. He is also 32 years old, an age when many feel players outside of kickers, punters, and quarterbacks begin to decline on the field.
Sylvester is young and could turn out to be a good linebacker. He's shown a lot playing special teams and playing in limited rotation on defense.
Then you have the rookie, Sean Spence, who there have been reports during mini camps that he was wowing the coaches. He, in my opinion, was drafted as the eventual starter in the middle of the Steelers 3-4 defense next to Lawrence Timmons.
I think that Foote will be the starter at the beginning of the season, but that either youngster can end up unseating him if he doesn't play as well as the coaches are expecting him to this season.
Emmanuel Sanders vs Jerricho Cotchery, Wide Receiver: Yes, Mike Wallace did not report to training camp because he doesn't want to play under his restricted free agent tender. However, he's going to eventually show up and he will be starting. Across from him will be Antonio Brown.
So what's with this Sanders vs Cotchery thing you may be asking yourself? Well, the third receiver is very important in today's pass happy NFL. And while I expect new offensive coordinator to help fix the problems with the running game that the Steelers had last season, the nickel will still be used quite a bit.
Sanders has speed and a ton of talent. People were saying he'd be the starter across from Wallace. However, injuries have derailed him and he hasn't played an entire 16 game season yet in his career. If he can stay healthy, the sky is really the limit for this kid.
Cotchery is a veteran of eight seasons and has had only one 1000 yard season in his career. However, he reminds me a lot of Hines Ward where he isn't afraid to go across the middle and make the tough catches. He's going to do what's asked of him. Of his 16 receptions last season, 13 of them went for first downs. He's reliable when you need to move the chains.
In the end, I think Sanders wins the third receiver job as long as he stays healthy. He's got the talent, and the kid is fast. Trying to cover Wallace, Brown, and Sanders? Yeah, I don't think many teams have three corners that can do that.
It is now time to focus on climbing that stairway to our seventh Lombardi Trophy. Preparation for the 2012 NFL Season has now commenced. All I have to say now, is one phrase:
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Who's the most indispensable Steeler?
Earlier this week, NFL.com had an article asking who was the most indispensable player in the NFL. Most of the people who contributed to the article went with either the Saints' signal caller Drew Brees; or the new quarterback in Denver, Peyton Manning.
This got me to thinking, what player in the Steelers is the most indispensable?
The players that came to mind for me were:
QB Ben Roethlisberger - The Steelers won zero Super Bowls between the Bradshaw and Roethlisberger eras. Since Roethlisberger has become the Steelers' starting quarterback, the team has won two Super Bowls and been to a third.
C Maurkice Pouncey - Most people wouldn't consider an interior offensive lineman indispensable. However, Pouncey is one of the top two centers in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. He makes a lot of the line calls and is the anchor of the offensive line.
OLB James Harrison - The attitude of the defense comes from Harrison. He plays mean, angry. He doesn't want to injure anyone, but he's not opposed to hurting somebody (his words, not mine). When he missed those games with a broken orbital bone (that's his eye socket), the Steelers defense had trouble getting to the quarterback.
OLB LaMarr Woodley - Woodley is another sackmeister, and it was obvious that the pass rush was hurt by him missing games and then being limited by a hamstring injury. When Woodley and Harrison are both on the field together, they are one of the best pass rushing duos in the league and big plays often happen. He has also won a Defensive Player of the Year award.
FS Ryan Clark - Ryan Clark is a hard hitting safety. He plays within the scheme and allows Troy Polamalu to be Troy Polamalu. He missed the playoff game against the Denver Broncos last season and Tim freaking Tebow (TEBOW OF ALL PEOPLE!!!!!) had his best game as a QB. If Clark is there, I think the Steelers probably win that game.
That's a pretty good list of candidates. They are all excellent players. They have all been to a Pro Bowl, they all have Super Bowl rings. However, none of them are the most indispensable player on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That indication goes to Troy Polamalu.
He is the only player on the defense that's allowed to play outside of the scheme. He's allowed to play completely on instinct. He causes big plays. He's the one player on the defense in which the other team's quarterback has to know exactly where he is when the QB snaps the ball, not that it matters much because that spot is likely not where he will be when the ball is thrown.
Troy Polamalu is the ONLY player that I have ever seen dive over the offensive line and sack the quarterback. And he's done it twice.
If he's lined up at the line of scrimmage like a pass rusher, he's likely going to end up somewhere in the defensive backfield breaking up as pass or coming up with an absolutely stunning interception. If he's way back at his spot at safety, next thing you know he's in the offensive backfield chasing down the quarterback or stuffing the running back for a loss.
This is the guy that makes the Steelers defense so good. He allows Dick LeBeau to call a lot of those exotic schemes and blitzes. When Polamalu isn't players, it's a watered down version of the defense.
This got me to thinking, what player in the Steelers is the most indispensable?
The players that came to mind for me were:
QB Ben Roethlisberger - The Steelers won zero Super Bowls between the Bradshaw and Roethlisberger eras. Since Roethlisberger has become the Steelers' starting quarterback, the team has won two Super Bowls and been to a third.
C Maurkice Pouncey - Most people wouldn't consider an interior offensive lineman indispensable. However, Pouncey is one of the top two centers in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. He makes a lot of the line calls and is the anchor of the offensive line.
OLB James Harrison - The attitude of the defense comes from Harrison. He plays mean, angry. He doesn't want to injure anyone, but he's not opposed to hurting somebody (his words, not mine). When he missed those games with a broken orbital bone (that's his eye socket), the Steelers defense had trouble getting to the quarterback.
OLB LaMarr Woodley - Woodley is another sackmeister, and it was obvious that the pass rush was hurt by him missing games and then being limited by a hamstring injury. When Woodley and Harrison are both on the field together, they are one of the best pass rushing duos in the league and big plays often happen. He has also won a Defensive Player of the Year award.
FS Ryan Clark - Ryan Clark is a hard hitting safety. He plays within the scheme and allows Troy Polamalu to be Troy Polamalu. He missed the playoff game against the Denver Broncos last season and Tim freaking Tebow (TEBOW OF ALL PEOPLE!!!!!) had his best game as a QB. If Clark is there, I think the Steelers probably win that game.
That's a pretty good list of candidates. They are all excellent players. They have all been to a Pro Bowl, they all have Super Bowl rings. However, none of them are the most indispensable player on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That indication goes to Troy Polamalu.
He is the only player on the defense that's allowed to play outside of the scheme. He's allowed to play completely on instinct. He causes big plays. He's the one player on the defense in which the other team's quarterback has to know exactly where he is when the QB snaps the ball, not that it matters much because that spot is likely not where he will be when the ball is thrown.
Troy Polamalu is the ONLY player that I have ever seen dive over the offensive line and sack the quarterback. And he's done it twice.
If he's lined up at the line of scrimmage like a pass rusher, he's likely going to end up somewhere in the defensive backfield breaking up as pass or coming up with an absolutely stunning interception. If he's way back at his spot at safety, next thing you know he's in the offensive backfield chasing down the quarterback or stuffing the running back for a loss.
This is the guy that makes the Steelers defense so good. He allows Dick LeBeau to call a lot of those exotic schemes and blitzes. When Polamalu isn't players, it's a watered down version of the defense.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
AFC North Camp Battles
This weekend the NFL has 20 rookie mini-camps going. The Pittsburgh Steelers held theirs a couple of weeks ago.
Rookie mini-camps are held for multiple reasons. They are for drafted players, undrafted free agents, and first year players with that team that are trying to gain a training camp invite. There are no team veterans there, so this allows the rookies and first year players to actually get practice reps and coaching focused on them.
In the coming two months there are going to be full team mini-camps and organized team activities. A lot of these are going to be "voluntary," but it will be nearly full team participation. These are why the rookie camps are so important, once the team vets come in a lot of the rookies fall to the wayside. First and second round picks, the ones expected to start or make major contributions will get individual coaching. However the guys that have to make the team by showing that can be special teams monsters, they won't get that type of tutoring.
So with most teams' rookie camps coming to a close today, here is a list of what I feel the most compelling camp battles involving rookies will be in the AFC North.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Offensive Line Battles: David DeCastro, the Steelers first round pick, is projected to start the season at one of the two offensive guard spots. However, which one the Steelers are going to plug him in at, nobody is sure of yet. At Stanford, he played right guard but the Steelers could easily plug him in at left guard. The two incumbents at the guard spots are Ramon Foster and Doug Legursky. One of them would be losing their starting jobs, so I am sure both are going to do their best to not let that happen. However it will, that's a fact.
The other, and to me more interesting battle on the offensive line, will play out at the tackle positions. Right now, it looks like it's going to be Marcus Gilbert on the left side and Willie Colon on the right side. The monkey wrench thrown into this plan is that in the second round, the Steelers took Ohio State's Mike Adams who most teams gave a first round grade. It will be these three players competing for two positions.
Throw in there that last year Gilbert started at right tackle due to Colon going down for the season with an injury and was told over the offseason that he would be the left tackle, and then the team drafted Adams who exclusively played left tackle in college. Many believe that Adams is the left tackle of the future which would put Gilbert back on the right side in the near future.
As long as Colon can stay healthy, which hasn't happened in the past two seasons, I expect him to start t right tackle with Gilbert starting at left. However I think Adams will be starting on the line by the end of the season either due to a Colon injury or just by being the better player overall eventually.
Baltimore Ravens
Outside Linebacker/Offensive Guard: The Baltimore Ravens, for the most part, have their roster set.
However, there will be a battle at outside linebacker. With last year's Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs currently out with a "small" tear in his ACL, it's almost guaranteed that second round pick Courtney Upshaw out of Alabama is going to start at outside linebacker this season. However, if Suggs comes back, will he still be starting? And if Suggs can start the season, will Upshaw be able to lock down the outside linebacker spot on the other side? His competition is going to be Paul Kruger, who has been a backup for most of his career.
The Ravens lost Ben Grubbs to the Saints and failed to find a suitable replacement in free agent. With their other second round pick, they selected Kelechi Osemele and he's going to challenge Jah Reid for that starting left guard spot. I truly think that Osemele can win that battle, but it should be a fun one to watch.
Cincinnati Bengals
Starting Cornerback: The Bengals drafted Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round of last month's NFL Draft, and part of that is because of the issue at corner.
Assuming that Kirkpatrick isn't penciled in as a starter, the two starters would be Nate Clements and Adam "Pacman" Jones. Leon Hall is currently recovering from an injury which might keep him from being ready to start the season.
So at the moment, Kirkpatrick needs to only unseat one of the two aforementioned players to start at the beginning of the season, and that's a real possibility. The problem will be when Hall will be ready to come back, does Kirkpatrick start across from Leon Hall or does he move to the nickel role because either Clements or Jones will be one of the starting two.
This is going to be a pretty interesting battle because Clements has tons of experience but is getting up there in age for a starting corner, and Jones has regressed over the past couple of seasons. Last season, Jones only played in eight games and didn't record an interception.
The wild card in this battle is Terrance Newman, signed as a free agent this past offseason after being cut by the Dallas Cowboys. Often thought of as old and lost a step, he could wrestle away a starting job from Kirkpatrick.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback Competition: In last month's draft, the Browns drafted 28 year old quarterback Brandon Weeden out of Oklahoma State late in the first round. He wasn't drafted in the first round at his age to sit for a season or two, he was drafted to play soon.
However, the Browns refuse to just flat-out say that Weeden is the guy they want to start the season like the Colts and Redskins have already said about their first round quarterbacks. But from the sounds of it, the starting quarterback job is Weeden's to lose.
His competition is former third round pick and last season's starter Colt McCoy, and career backup Seneca Wallace.
While I expect Weeden to end up with the job, I think McCoy does however have a chance to keep his grasp on the starting spot because he already has experience in the West Coast Offense and has seen a lot of NFL defenses in his two seasons.
But you know what they say about thinking you have two quarterbacks, if you think that, you really have none. In the end, a QB competition throughout camp could hurt the Browns more than helping them by not allowing a QB to get into a rhythm with his receivers and get as many first team practice snaps as possible. But Weeden's cannon of an arm should hopefully wrap this competition up quickly, allowing the Browns to settle on a QB sooner rather than later.
Rookie mini-camps are held for multiple reasons. They are for drafted players, undrafted free agents, and first year players with that team that are trying to gain a training camp invite. There are no team veterans there, so this allows the rookies and first year players to actually get practice reps and coaching focused on them.
In the coming two months there are going to be full team mini-camps and organized team activities. A lot of these are going to be "voluntary," but it will be nearly full team participation. These are why the rookie camps are so important, once the team vets come in a lot of the rookies fall to the wayside. First and second round picks, the ones expected to start or make major contributions will get individual coaching. However the guys that have to make the team by showing that can be special teams monsters, they won't get that type of tutoring.
So with most teams' rookie camps coming to a close today, here is a list of what I feel the most compelling camp battles involving rookies will be in the AFC North.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Offensive Line Battles: David DeCastro, the Steelers first round pick, is projected to start the season at one of the two offensive guard spots. However, which one the Steelers are going to plug him in at, nobody is sure of yet. At Stanford, he played right guard but the Steelers could easily plug him in at left guard. The two incumbents at the guard spots are Ramon Foster and Doug Legursky. One of them would be losing their starting jobs, so I am sure both are going to do their best to not let that happen. However it will, that's a fact.
The other, and to me more interesting battle on the offensive line, will play out at the tackle positions. Right now, it looks like it's going to be Marcus Gilbert on the left side and Willie Colon on the right side. The monkey wrench thrown into this plan is that in the second round, the Steelers took Ohio State's Mike Adams who most teams gave a first round grade. It will be these three players competing for two positions.
Throw in there that last year Gilbert started at right tackle due to Colon going down for the season with an injury and was told over the offseason that he would be the left tackle, and then the team drafted Adams who exclusively played left tackle in college. Many believe that Adams is the left tackle of the future which would put Gilbert back on the right side in the near future.
As long as Colon can stay healthy, which hasn't happened in the past two seasons, I expect him to start t right tackle with Gilbert starting at left. However I think Adams will be starting on the line by the end of the season either due to a Colon injury or just by being the better player overall eventually.
Baltimore Ravens
Outside Linebacker/Offensive Guard: The Baltimore Ravens, for the most part, have their roster set.
However, there will be a battle at outside linebacker. With last year's Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs currently out with a "small" tear in his ACL, it's almost guaranteed that second round pick Courtney Upshaw out of Alabama is going to start at outside linebacker this season. However, if Suggs comes back, will he still be starting? And if Suggs can start the season, will Upshaw be able to lock down the outside linebacker spot on the other side? His competition is going to be Paul Kruger, who has been a backup for most of his career.
The Ravens lost Ben Grubbs to the Saints and failed to find a suitable replacement in free agent. With their other second round pick, they selected Kelechi Osemele and he's going to challenge Jah Reid for that starting left guard spot. I truly think that Osemele can win that battle, but it should be a fun one to watch.
Cincinnati Bengals
Starting Cornerback: The Bengals drafted Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round of last month's NFL Draft, and part of that is because of the issue at corner.
Assuming that Kirkpatrick isn't penciled in as a starter, the two starters would be Nate Clements and Adam "Pacman" Jones. Leon Hall is currently recovering from an injury which might keep him from being ready to start the season.
So at the moment, Kirkpatrick needs to only unseat one of the two aforementioned players to start at the beginning of the season, and that's a real possibility. The problem will be when Hall will be ready to come back, does Kirkpatrick start across from Leon Hall or does he move to the nickel role because either Clements or Jones will be one of the starting two.
This is going to be a pretty interesting battle because Clements has tons of experience but is getting up there in age for a starting corner, and Jones has regressed over the past couple of seasons. Last season, Jones only played in eight games and didn't record an interception.
The wild card in this battle is Terrance Newman, signed as a free agent this past offseason after being cut by the Dallas Cowboys. Often thought of as old and lost a step, he could wrestle away a starting job from Kirkpatrick.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback Competition: In last month's draft, the Browns drafted 28 year old quarterback Brandon Weeden out of Oklahoma State late in the first round. He wasn't drafted in the first round at his age to sit for a season or two, he was drafted to play soon.
However, the Browns refuse to just flat-out say that Weeden is the guy they want to start the season like the Colts and Redskins have already said about their first round quarterbacks. But from the sounds of it, the starting quarterback job is Weeden's to lose.
His competition is former third round pick and last season's starter Colt McCoy, and career backup Seneca Wallace.
While I expect Weeden to end up with the job, I think McCoy does however have a chance to keep his grasp on the starting spot because he already has experience in the West Coast Offense and has seen a lot of NFL defenses in his two seasons.
But you know what they say about thinking you have two quarterbacks, if you think that, you really have none. In the end, a QB competition throughout camp could hurt the Browns more than helping them by not allowing a QB to get into a rhythm with his receivers and get as many first team practice snaps as possible. But Weeden's cannon of an arm should hopefully wrap this competition up quickly, allowing the Browns to settle on a QB sooner rather than later.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Steelers Draft Grade: A
I know that you cannot truly grade a draft until after three years, but just going off of potential, I give this year's Steelers' draft an A-. So from here, let's look at each player that the Pittsburgh Steelers took in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Needs: Offensive Guard, Inside Linebacker, Offensive Tackle, Nose Tackle, Cornerback
First Round, 24th Overall: David DeCastro, OG/Stanford - I still cannot believe that the best guard prospect since Steve Hutchinson in 2001 fell all the way down to us. He was the one player that I felt would have been worth trading up to select in the first round if he fell, but the Steelers didn't have to. Now he helps solidify the offensive line, putting an All-Pro caliber guard next to our All-Pro center.
Second Round, 56th Overall: Mike Adams, OT/Ohio State - When the Steelers made this selection on Friday, it became obvious that the team's goal in this draft was to build a legitimate offensive line to protect franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. While the Steelers normally don't take players with character concerns, Adams requested that the Steelers bring him in for a pre-draft visit and he explained himself and told them that he wanted to be a Steeler and would do anything to make things right. He did everything they asked him to do, before the draft, including counseling. So they put him back on their board with a first round grade and got him at their pick in the second round. Best chance scenario is that he becomes the franchise left tackle, and I truly feel that at worst he will be an excellent bookend right tackle with our 2011 second round pick Marcus Gilbert at left tackle.
Third Round, 86th Overall: Sean Spence, LB/Miami - It's been said that he will be playing inside linebacker for the Steelers in their 3-4 defense. I think he fits great in the Steelers defense because the job of the defensive line is to tie up blockers allowing the linebackers to fly around and make the plays. Spence is a very athletic linebacker who can deliver the blow to the running back and has fluid hips to be out in pass coverage. He may have to sit a large part if not the entire season and learn the defense, but he should be a future starting linebacker for the Steelers. He reminds me a lot of Lawrence Timmons, the guy who will be lining up next to him when Spence finally gets on the field.
Fourth Round, 109th Overall: Alameda Ta'amu, DT/Washington - At 6'3" and 348 lbs., the Steelers found the man who will be the linchpin of the team's 3-4 defense for the next decade or so. The nose tackle spot on the defensive line is so important, and the Steelers got a steal in the fourth round when they were able to trade up and take the mammoth Washington defensive tackle. He may even see playing time this season. Casey Hampton tore his ACL in the playoff loss to Denver and probably won't be ready for training camp and could miss the start of the season. Ta'amu might be able win the starting job of Hampton cannot start the season, which could relegate Hampton to a backup role in what is likely his final season.
Round Five, 159th Overall: Chris Rainey, RB/Florida - One thing the Steelers really didn't have was a speedy change-of-pace back. The pick of Florida's Rainey changed that. He cannot block a linebacker and he goes down on contact running between the tackles, but in open space he's dangerous and his track star speed translates to the football field. He can also work the slot, and he has good hands for a running back so I can see him being used a bit like Percy Harvin has been used by the Minensota Vikings. There is a chance that he could also be moved to receiver later in his career, in my honest opinion. Also, he can return kicks and punts, saving the mileage that would be put on wide receiver Antonio Brown in that role.
Round Seven, 231st Overall: Toney Clemons, WR/Colorado - The Steelers have recently had some luck drafting wide receiver later in the draft (Mike Wallace - Third Round, Emmanuel Sanders - Third Round, Antonio Brown - Sixth Round) so I like the chances of this pick working out to be at least a solid fourth receiver in a season or two. He's a bigger target who can go over the middle, strong enough to break arm tackles, and has deceptive deep speed. However, he has had a problem with drops and struggles to catch the ball with his hands and bring it into his body. He is a physical blocker, but can sometimes be too aggressive. He's going to have to make the team as a special teams player, otherwise he is likely going to end up on the practice squad.
Round Seven, 240th Overall: David Paulson, TE/Oregon - An underrated pass catcher, he is going to struggle to get open in the NFL. He's a decent blocker also. He's nothing more than a backup player for his NFL career and could possibly be cut in training camp with all of the depth ahead of him. Probably destined for the practice squad.
Round Seven, 246th Overall: Terrance Frederick, CB/Texas A&M - Frederick is an undersized corner who isn't a man-to-man cornerback, but is a good zone corner. So he fits the Steelers' scheme that likes to play zone. He also likes to throw his body around, which isn't something you often see from smaller corners. He will have to show that he can contribute on special teams to make the squad out of training camp because the Steelers are already pretty deep at the position.
Round Seven, 248th Overall: Kelvin Beachum, OT/SMU - Beachum is undersized for the position in the NFL but has good athletic ability, body control, and footwork. He's going to have to show a lot in training camp to make the final roster, but has a shot as a developmental player if he doesn't get eaten up be defensive lineman and linebackers in one-on-one drills. Is likely never going to win a starting job in the NFL, but could be a good depth player. Could be a practice squad candidate.
So out of this draft the Steelers have likely four future starters in David DeCastro (Guard), Mike Adams (Tackle), Sean Spence (Linebacker), and Alameda Ta'amu (Defensive Tackle). That's an extremely good draft, with possibly three of those players starting at some point this season. After those first four picks (the likely future starters) it was all about depth, which is how the draft normally works.
I am ecstatic about the results of this draft and cannot wait for the season to start. It's going to be interesting to see which guard position DeCastro plays, if Mike Adams can win a starting tackle job and if he will be on the left or right side, how quickly Spence can take in what his responsibilities of his position on this defense and take away the starting job (if at all this season), and if Ta'amu can become the starter in training camp if Hampton cannot start this season.
Needs: Offensive Guard, Inside Linebacker, Offensive Tackle, Nose Tackle, Cornerback
First Round, 24th Overall: David DeCastro, OG/Stanford - I still cannot believe that the best guard prospect since Steve Hutchinson in 2001 fell all the way down to us. He was the one player that I felt would have been worth trading up to select in the first round if he fell, but the Steelers didn't have to. Now he helps solidify the offensive line, putting an All-Pro caliber guard next to our All-Pro center.
Second Round, 56th Overall: Mike Adams, OT/Ohio State - When the Steelers made this selection on Friday, it became obvious that the team's goal in this draft was to build a legitimate offensive line to protect franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. While the Steelers normally don't take players with character concerns, Adams requested that the Steelers bring him in for a pre-draft visit and he explained himself and told them that he wanted to be a Steeler and would do anything to make things right. He did everything they asked him to do, before the draft, including counseling. So they put him back on their board with a first round grade and got him at their pick in the second round. Best chance scenario is that he becomes the franchise left tackle, and I truly feel that at worst he will be an excellent bookend right tackle with our 2011 second round pick Marcus Gilbert at left tackle.
Third Round, 86th Overall: Sean Spence, LB/Miami - It's been said that he will be playing inside linebacker for the Steelers in their 3-4 defense. I think he fits great in the Steelers defense because the job of the defensive line is to tie up blockers allowing the linebackers to fly around and make the plays. Spence is a very athletic linebacker who can deliver the blow to the running back and has fluid hips to be out in pass coverage. He may have to sit a large part if not the entire season and learn the defense, but he should be a future starting linebacker for the Steelers. He reminds me a lot of Lawrence Timmons, the guy who will be lining up next to him when Spence finally gets on the field.
Fourth Round, 109th Overall: Alameda Ta'amu, DT/Washington - At 6'3" and 348 lbs., the Steelers found the man who will be the linchpin of the team's 3-4 defense for the next decade or so. The nose tackle spot on the defensive line is so important, and the Steelers got a steal in the fourth round when they were able to trade up and take the mammoth Washington defensive tackle. He may even see playing time this season. Casey Hampton tore his ACL in the playoff loss to Denver and probably won't be ready for training camp and could miss the start of the season. Ta'amu might be able win the starting job of Hampton cannot start the season, which could relegate Hampton to a backup role in what is likely his final season.
Round Five, 159th Overall: Chris Rainey, RB/Florida - One thing the Steelers really didn't have was a speedy change-of-pace back. The pick of Florida's Rainey changed that. He cannot block a linebacker and he goes down on contact running between the tackles, but in open space he's dangerous and his track star speed translates to the football field. He can also work the slot, and he has good hands for a running back so I can see him being used a bit like Percy Harvin has been used by the Minensota Vikings. There is a chance that he could also be moved to receiver later in his career, in my honest opinion. Also, he can return kicks and punts, saving the mileage that would be put on wide receiver Antonio Brown in that role.
Round Seven, 231st Overall: Toney Clemons, WR/Colorado - The Steelers have recently had some luck drafting wide receiver later in the draft (Mike Wallace - Third Round, Emmanuel Sanders - Third Round, Antonio Brown - Sixth Round) so I like the chances of this pick working out to be at least a solid fourth receiver in a season or two. He's a bigger target who can go over the middle, strong enough to break arm tackles, and has deceptive deep speed. However, he has had a problem with drops and struggles to catch the ball with his hands and bring it into his body. He is a physical blocker, but can sometimes be too aggressive. He's going to have to make the team as a special teams player, otherwise he is likely going to end up on the practice squad.
Round Seven, 240th Overall: David Paulson, TE/Oregon - An underrated pass catcher, he is going to struggle to get open in the NFL. He's a decent blocker also. He's nothing more than a backup player for his NFL career and could possibly be cut in training camp with all of the depth ahead of him. Probably destined for the practice squad.
Round Seven, 246th Overall: Terrance Frederick, CB/Texas A&M - Frederick is an undersized corner who isn't a man-to-man cornerback, but is a good zone corner. So he fits the Steelers' scheme that likes to play zone. He also likes to throw his body around, which isn't something you often see from smaller corners. He will have to show that he can contribute on special teams to make the squad out of training camp because the Steelers are already pretty deep at the position.
Round Seven, 248th Overall: Kelvin Beachum, OT/SMU - Beachum is undersized for the position in the NFL but has good athletic ability, body control, and footwork. He's going to have to show a lot in training camp to make the final roster, but has a shot as a developmental player if he doesn't get eaten up be defensive lineman and linebackers in one-on-one drills. Is likely never going to win a starting job in the NFL, but could be a good depth player. Could be a practice squad candidate.
So out of this draft the Steelers have likely four future starters in David DeCastro (Guard), Mike Adams (Tackle), Sean Spence (Linebacker), and Alameda Ta'amu (Defensive Tackle). That's an extremely good draft, with possibly three of those players starting at some point this season. After those first four picks (the likely future starters) it was all about depth, which is how the draft normally works.
I am ecstatic about the results of this draft and cannot wait for the season to start. It's going to be interesting to see which guard position DeCastro plays, if Mike Adams can win a starting tackle job and if he will be on the left or right side, how quickly Spence can take in what his responsibilities of his position on this defense and take away the starting job (if at all this season), and if Ta'amu can become the starter in training camp if Hampton cannot start this season.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
My Final First Round Mock Draft
The 2012 NFL Rookie Draft begins on Thursday at 8 PM EST for the first round. So here is my final first round mock draft. I don't do trades in my mock drafts, but in this one if I feel the pick might be traded I will say that I feel it might be traded and who that trade partner is most likely to be.
- 1.Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB/Stanford - It was announced this week that the Colts will be selecting the Stanford signal caller with the first overall pick of the 2012 Draft, which is what everyone expected.
- Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB/Baylor - With the Colts announcing that they will be taking Luck, the Redskins will be taking the guy they wanted when they traded a ton of picks to the St. Louis Rams, Baylor's RG3.
- Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT/USC - The Vikings took Christian Ponder last season in the first round, if they want to make sure he doesn't get the crap beat out of him for the next couple of seasons, they need to get a franchise left tackle to protect him. Kalil is that guy. The Vikings might trade this pick to move back a few spots, likely with the Buccanneers if they want to make sure they get Richardson.
- Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB/Alabama - I have had them taking Morris Claiborne, but recently I have changed my mind. The Browns need offensive play makers around McCoy. Richardson is a guy who can run the ball between the tackles, get to the edge, catch the ball out of the backfield, and stay in and block. He's the best player available and would help out McCoy the most if the Browns don't trade back.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB/LSU - In this mock draft Richardson is off the board. So here I have them taking Claiborne. While the Buccaneers do need some offensive firepower, I can only see them taking Richardson with this pick if he falls to them. He doesn't, and they need a cornerback here with Ronde Barber being way past his prime and Aqib Talib being indicted on felony charges he might not be available for most or all of the season due to a combination of suspension, court dates, and possibly jail time.
- St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR/Oklahoma State - The Rams got a king's ransom for the second overall pick, taking a chance that Blackmon wouldn't be there when they picked at six. In this mock draft I have him still available and the Rams snatch up the guy who's expected to be Sam Bradford's go-to guy in what was a very anemic offense last season.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR/Notre Dame - The Jaguars have plenty of needs. I have them taking Floyd here because their wide receiving corps are extremely underwhelming. Floyd has size and speed. Right now, Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert's most reliable target is his running back. That's just not acceptable. This is another pick that could be traded if Jacksonville can get someone to bite, but with the top six prospects already being gone, it might not be that easy.
- Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB/Texas A&M - I don't think Tannehill is a first round pick. He's got all the physical tools, but I don't feel he has the decision making down to be a first rounder, much less a top ten pick. But the NFL is a quarterback driven league, and the Dolphins haven't had a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. Peyton Manning said no thanks when the 'Phins pursued him this offseason, and Matt Flynn felt that Seattle was a better fit for him even with his former offensive coordinator with the Packers getting the head coach job in Miami. Since nobody wants to go to Miami, they take Tannehill here because he doesn't have a choice of where he is drafted.
- Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT/LSU - The Panthers have a need on the interior of their defensive line, and I think they take Brockers here. I had them taking Dontari Poe before, but now I think they take Brockers because he put up the stats that Poe didn't in an inferior league. The Panthers got ran on last season. Brockers can come in and help that problem by plugging up the middle.
- Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT/Iowa - The Bills gave quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick a huge raise last season and now they need to protect that investment. If Reiff falls to them they need to take him. They don't have anyone currently on the roster that I would trust to protect the blindside of the quarterback.
- Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, OG/Stanford - The Chiefs need help on their interior offensive line, and DeCastro is the best guard prospect to come into the NFL in years. He can run block, pass block, pull, and trap. He'd help their run game and he would help protect starting quarterback Matt Cassel. If he is there, he will be their pick.
- Seattle Seahawks: Melvin Ingram, DE/South Carolina - Ingram is likely the top pass rusher in this draft and the Seahawks need to get better at getting after the quarterback. They got Matt Flynn as a free agent, so with this pick they will focus on their defense. Ingram can play both defensive end and outside linebacker giving the Seahawks some flexibility on how to use him in the best way possible.
- Arizona Cardinals: Jonathon Martin, OT/Stanford - The Cardinals gave a big roster bonus to Kevin Kolb this offseason when they failed to woo Peyton Manning. Now they need to protect that large investment by taking Martin with this pick. Yes, they resigned Levi Brown but he's been average and can be moved over to right tackle where I think he's best suited in the NFL.
- Dallas Cowboys: Stephon Gilmore, CB/South Carolina - The Cowboys got Brandon Carr on free agency, but that still doesn't fix their defensive backfield. Gilmore can play right away if Mike Jenkins doesn't play well to start the season and even if he does, he's likely not returning in 2013 anyhow so Gilmore would then be able to step right in with a year's NFL experience.
- Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, DT/Mississippi State - The Eagles reportedly love Cox (see what I did there?) and if he falls to them, they will be sprinting to the podium to hand in the card with his name on it. Last year the Eagles were gashed up the middle by teams and Fletcher Cox would come in and play very well on Philly's offensive scheme.
- New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB/Alabama - The Jets have had to blitz to get pressure on the quarterback under Rex Ryan. Taking Upshaw here would likely end that trent because Upshaw would be a pass rushing beast in Ryan's scheme.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB/Alabama - The Bengals aren't a team to worry about red flags, so they aren't going to worry about the fact that Kirkpatrick was recently in some trouble for possession of marijuana. Leon Hall suffered an Achilles injury last season and may not be ready to start the season. Even if he is, Nate Clements is getting up there in age and was average at best last season. Even if Kirkpatrick didn't start this season, he likely would step in on the other side of Hall in 2013.
- San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, OLB/Illinois - The Chargers need to find a pass rusher, something they haven't had since Sean Merriman was running on steroids collecting quarterback sacks like kids collect Hot Wheels cars. With the addition of Peyton Manning to the division with the Broncos, getting to the QB is going to be high on the list for the Chargers with former Pro Bowl quarterbacks on every other team in the division.
- Chicago Bears: Dontari Poe, DT/Memphis - It's widely believed that the Bears will be taking the best available defensive lineman with this pick, and Poe is there for this pick. He's an athlete in that huge body and can be a great player for the Bears for years. If Poe falls to da Bears, he will be snatched up quickly.
- Tennessee Titans: Janoris Jenkins, CB/North Alabama - I don't recognize a single name on the list of cornerbacks for the Titans. They lost Cortland Finnegan to the Rams, so I have them taking Jenkins who can likely come in and start right away in the Titans defensive backfield. They also could go defensive end or defensive tackle here.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG/Georgia - The Bengals could go a couple of different ways here, but I think they make the safest pick and take Glenn to replace Bobby Williams on the offensive line. If they don't go Glenn, I can see them going defensive end possibly.
- Cleveland Browns: Kendall Wright, WR/Baylor - The Browns also need a top flight wideout to help McCoy and Wright is a speedster who can get past defenses or run shorter routes and get yards after the catch. Right now, there isn't a receiver on the Browns that would be better than third string on most other teams, so they need to find a receiver who can make plays. They might also go offensive tackle here if one is available that they like.
- Detroit Lions: Mark Barron, SS/Alabama - He's likely the best player available and he fills a need. The Lions defensive secondary is pretty bad, and Barron would step in right away at the strong safety position. The Lions could also go offensive tackle with this pick.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont'a Hightower, ILB/Alabama - The Steelers cut James Farrior in a salary cap move, so they have a pretty big hole at the position. Hightower was born to play linebacker for the Steelers, and if he falls to them they will select him quickly. He might even be able to step in and start next to Lawrence Timmons to start the season. However if Cordy Glenn is available here, he would be their pick.
- Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, DT/Michigan State - The Broncos need to beef up the interior of their defensive line. They lost Brodrick Bunkley over the offseason, and he played very well for them last season. This is probably the highest Worthy will be selected, and he would also bring a mean streak to the defensive line of the Broncos. If Worthy isn't there for some reason, the Broncos would likely go interior offensive line.
- Houston Texans: Stephen Hill, WR/Georgia Tech - The days of Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter across from Andre Johnson will finally be over for Texans fans when they select Stephen Hill in the first round. He hasn't had many catches because of the type of offense Tech runs, but the one stat that does stand out is his Yard Per Reception average (25.47 for his career and 29.3 last season), which shows that he's a big play receiver. He's fast, big, and physical. Hill is also an outstanding downfield blocker, something that Arian Foster will love. Just look at the two other first round receivers that have come out of Georgia Tech, Demaryius Thomas and Calvin Johnson.
- New England Patriots: Shea McClellin, DE-OLB/Boise State - McClellin is shooting up draft boards, and McClellin reminds me a lot of former Patriot outside linebacker Mike Vrabel. The Patriots had a horrible defense last season and they are trying to build it back up. McClellin could play both defensive end and outside linebacker in their hybrid defense.
- Green Bay Packers: Harrison Smith, SS/Notre Dame - The Packers need help in the defensive secondary, and Smith can step in a play the strong safety position for them from the get-go. Charlie Peprah was torched repeatedly last season and Nick Collins career is in jeopardy. The Packers defense fell off last season after being pretty dominant the season they won the Super Bowl. It needs to be fixed if they want to stay on top of the NFC North.
- Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, OG-OC/Wisconsin - Peter King is reporting that for some reason, the Ravens don't like Konz. I personally think it's a smokescreen because they don't want anyone jumping in front of them to take him. They lost their starting Ben Grubbs to the New Orleans Saints. He could step in and play guard right away. Center Matt Birk contemplated retirement this offseason, so Konz could then replace Birk after this season if he chooses to retire next offseason.
- San Francisco 49ers: Kevin Zeitler, OG/Wisconsin - The 49ers love to run the ball with Frank Gore. They also added Randy Moss and Mario Manningham to help with the offensive firepower to go along with tight end Vernon Davis. Zeitler can clear holes for Gore and help protect quarterback Alex Smith so he can connect with his receiving options.
- New England Patriots: Devon Still, DT/Penn State - There have been rumors that the Patriots are looking to trade this pick. If so, then they obviously won't be making this selection. However, they have not traded it yet and I have them taking the Nittany Lion here to help beef up the 4-3 front of the Patriots line. He would be an excellent player next to mammoth tackle Vince Wilfork. He could also play DE when the Patriots line up in a 3-4 front.
- New York Giants: Luke Kuechly, MLB/Boston College - He falls all the way to the end of the first round to be snatched up by the defending Super Bowl Champions. He'd be in a great situation with an excellent pass rush up front allowing him to go sideline-to-sideline making tackles. He would start in the middle of the Giants defense from day one.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Steelers 2012 Draft
With the 2012 NFL Rookie Draft just a little bit over a week away, today I am going to look at all seven rounds of the Steelers upcoming draft.
The Needs
Inside Linebacker: In the offseason, the Steelers had to make some cuts to get under the salary cap. One of those cuts were veteran inside linebacker James Farrior. Right now the two starting inside linebackers are Lawrence Timmons and Larry Foote. Timmons is an integral part of the defense, but I am not comfortable having Foote starting long-term.
Offensive Line: The Steelers have spent just one first round pick on an offensive lineman over the years, and that was on center Maurkice Pouncey. I would be fine with an offensive lineman in the first round, but if they don't take one in the first I would like to see them take one in the second if available. They could use a guard and/or a tackle.
Cornerback: Over the offseason, the Steelers allowed William Gay to leave. They didn't really even show him any interest from the looks of it. Gay played very well last year and was a starter. Ike Taylor is obviously going to be one starting corner. At the moment the other starter corner looks like it will come from one of the following - Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown, Walter McFadden, Antonio Smith, or Keenan Lewis (who is a Restricted Free Agent at the moment).
Running Back: While not a huge need, I expect the Steelers to take a RB somewhere in the middle to late rounds. Rashard Mendenhall is likely going to start the season on the Physically Unable to Play (PUP) list due to tearing his ACL in the regular season finale against the Browns last season. So that makes our starting running back Isaac Redman (who is an Exclusive Right Free Agent). Behind him are a bunch of backs that have little to no NFL experience (Baron Batch, John Clay, Jonathon Dwyer, Will Johnson, Jamie McCoy, and Chad Spann). I expect most of those guys to either be cut or be placed on the practice squad. I wouldn't mind seeing the Steelers take a fast guy who would be a change-of-pace back to Redman's power running style.
Nose Tackle: It's looking like Casey Hampton might not be ready to start the season, and the NT position is the anchor of the Steelers 3-4 defensive scheme. Even if Hampton is ready for the start of the season, he's getting up there in age and won't be around much longer. The Steelers need to take a young NT who can learn from and eventually take over for Big Snack when he's gone. If Hampton can't start the season, it looks like Steve McClendon would play the NT position, but I wouldn't want him being Hampton's long-term replacement.
Possible NFL Draft Picks
Round One: Dont'a Hightower, ILB/Alabama - This would fill the immediate need for a starting ILB next to Lawrence Timmons. While he might not start right away, I think he would eventually replace Foote during the season.
Other Options: Cordy Glenn, OT-OG/Georgia; Stephon Gilmore, CB/South Carolina; Janoris Jenkins, CB/North Alabama; Kevin Zeitler, OG/Wisconsin; Peter Konz, OC-OG/Wisconsin
Round Two: Amini Silatolu, OG/Midwestern State - The Steelers need a guard with their two starting options looking like Ramon Foster and Doug Legursky at this moment. Silatolu would bring better depth to the line and compete for a starting guard spot right off the bat.
Round Three: Alameda Ta'amu, DT/Washington - I think Ta'amu would be the perfect fit here if he's available. I could also see the Steelers trading up in the round to get him. He's the big NT that is needed in the middle of the defensive line in the 3-4 that the Steelers run. The Steelers would have Hampton's successor and he would compete with McClendon to start at the beginning of the season of Hampton isn't able to.
Round Four: Leonard Johnson, CB/Iowa State - He probably wouldn't see a lot of playing time outside of special teams, but he'd be there to groom and for depth.
Round Five: B.J. Coleman, QB/UT-Chattanooga - The Steelers current backup quartervacks are Jerrod Johnson and Troy Smith. I see them taking Coleman and grooming him to become the #2 quarterback in a season or two.
Round Six: Ryan Miller, OG/Colorado - The offensive line needs help, so another interior offensive lineman for depth and to maybe one day even be a starter.
Round Seven: Frank Alexander, DE/Oklahoma - Can never have enough depth on the defensive line.
Round Seven (compensatory): Carson Wiggs, K/Purdue - Last year Shaun Suisham was a pretty iffy kicker. He misses some kicks that he damn sure should have made. Drafting Wiggs might not unseat Suisham, but he'd be given a chance to win the job in training camp.
Round Seven (compensatory): Adonis Thomas, RB/Toledo - This guy is a speed back who's shifty and a an great athlete. He's got excellent burst and can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Round Seven (compensatory): Neiko Thorpe, FS/Auburn - This guy is fast and is a very good athlete. He can tackle and he has good ball skills. Also, the last name doesn't hurt either. Can be an excellent special teamer.
Now don't hold me to these picks. The Steelers might trade a pick to move up in a round, trade a pick and move back in a round...trade a pick for a player already on a team. Maybe the guy won't be available when the Steelers pick. These are just my best guesses for the Steelers picks.
The Needs
Inside Linebacker: In the offseason, the Steelers had to make some cuts to get under the salary cap. One of those cuts were veteran inside linebacker James Farrior. Right now the two starting inside linebackers are Lawrence Timmons and Larry Foote. Timmons is an integral part of the defense, but I am not comfortable having Foote starting long-term.
Offensive Line: The Steelers have spent just one first round pick on an offensive lineman over the years, and that was on center Maurkice Pouncey. I would be fine with an offensive lineman in the first round, but if they don't take one in the first I would like to see them take one in the second if available. They could use a guard and/or a tackle.
Cornerback: Over the offseason, the Steelers allowed William Gay to leave. They didn't really even show him any interest from the looks of it. Gay played very well last year and was a starter. Ike Taylor is obviously going to be one starting corner. At the moment the other starter corner looks like it will come from one of the following - Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown, Walter McFadden, Antonio Smith, or Keenan Lewis (who is a Restricted Free Agent at the moment).
Running Back: While not a huge need, I expect the Steelers to take a RB somewhere in the middle to late rounds. Rashard Mendenhall is likely going to start the season on the Physically Unable to Play (PUP) list due to tearing his ACL in the regular season finale against the Browns last season. So that makes our starting running back Isaac Redman (who is an Exclusive Right Free Agent). Behind him are a bunch of backs that have little to no NFL experience (Baron Batch, John Clay, Jonathon Dwyer, Will Johnson, Jamie McCoy, and Chad Spann). I expect most of those guys to either be cut or be placed on the practice squad. I wouldn't mind seeing the Steelers take a fast guy who would be a change-of-pace back to Redman's power running style.
Nose Tackle: It's looking like Casey Hampton might not be ready to start the season, and the NT position is the anchor of the Steelers 3-4 defensive scheme. Even if Hampton is ready for the start of the season, he's getting up there in age and won't be around much longer. The Steelers need to take a young NT who can learn from and eventually take over for Big Snack when he's gone. If Hampton can't start the season, it looks like Steve McClendon would play the NT position, but I wouldn't want him being Hampton's long-term replacement.
Possible NFL Draft Picks
Round One: Dont'a Hightower, ILB/Alabama - This would fill the immediate need for a starting ILB next to Lawrence Timmons. While he might not start right away, I think he would eventually replace Foote during the season.
Other Options: Cordy Glenn, OT-OG/Georgia; Stephon Gilmore, CB/South Carolina; Janoris Jenkins, CB/North Alabama; Kevin Zeitler, OG/Wisconsin; Peter Konz, OC-OG/Wisconsin
Round Two: Amini Silatolu, OG/Midwestern State - The Steelers need a guard with their two starting options looking like Ramon Foster and Doug Legursky at this moment. Silatolu would bring better depth to the line and compete for a starting guard spot right off the bat.
Round Three: Alameda Ta'amu, DT/Washington - I think Ta'amu would be the perfect fit here if he's available. I could also see the Steelers trading up in the round to get him. He's the big NT that is needed in the middle of the defensive line in the 3-4 that the Steelers run. The Steelers would have Hampton's successor and he would compete with McClendon to start at the beginning of the season of Hampton isn't able to.
Round Four: Leonard Johnson, CB/Iowa State - He probably wouldn't see a lot of playing time outside of special teams, but he'd be there to groom and for depth.
Round Five: B.J. Coleman, QB/UT-Chattanooga - The Steelers current backup quartervacks are Jerrod Johnson and Troy Smith. I see them taking Coleman and grooming him to become the #2 quarterback in a season or two.
Round Six: Ryan Miller, OG/Colorado - The offensive line needs help, so another interior offensive lineman for depth and to maybe one day even be a starter.
Round Seven: Frank Alexander, DE/Oklahoma - Can never have enough depth on the defensive line.
Round Seven (compensatory): Carson Wiggs, K/Purdue - Last year Shaun Suisham was a pretty iffy kicker. He misses some kicks that he damn sure should have made. Drafting Wiggs might not unseat Suisham, but he'd be given a chance to win the job in training camp.
Round Seven (compensatory): Adonis Thomas, RB/Toledo - This guy is a speed back who's shifty and a an great athlete. He's got excellent burst and can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Round Seven (compensatory): Neiko Thorpe, FS/Auburn - This guy is fast and is a very good athlete. He can tackle and he has good ball skills. Also, the last name doesn't hurt either. Can be an excellent special teamer.
Now don't hold me to these picks. The Steelers might trade a pick to move up in a round, trade a pick and move back in a round...trade a pick for a player already on a team. Maybe the guy won't be available when the Steelers pick. These are just my best guesses for the Steelers picks.
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