tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76656377253306822892024-03-13T09:01:13.696-07:00If It Ain't SteelJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-63889017646553392642015-05-03T01:13:00.000-07:002015-05-03T01:13:10.877-07:00Third Day Recap Proves that Steelers will Draft for Need<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OgFIsoquShU/VUXWrLv8TDI/AAAAAAAAIkk/r9R5VKDwbVM/s1600/_0_BlacKGold2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OgFIsoquShU/VUXWrLv8TDI/AAAAAAAAIkk/r9R5VKDwbVM/s1600/_0_BlacKGold2015.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Pittsburgh Steelers have long claimed that they do not draft based on need, thus the "best player available" term that we all know so well. Their stance is that they draft according to their overall ratings of players. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This is what Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said at the NFL Combine regarding drafting for need:</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"We will never go into a draft saying we have to address that area, because if we do, we are going to over-evaluate a particular position and probably make a draft mistake."</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This, now, is what Colbert said at the pre-Draft press conference last Monday:</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"[We never look to] draft for need....If you pass up a great player at any position, you're making a mistake that you'll regret at some point."</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Sound fairly similar, don't they? It's basically a script he and head coach Mike Tomlin follow. And while I believe that to be true to an extent, it does seem, when broken down per year, to be more the exception than the rule. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This is especially so in the first round, but found itself being true in most of the this weekend. The third day of the NFL Draft filled needs from the very first selection of the day. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>ROUND 4 -</i></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>DORAN GRANT, CB, 5'10" 200LBs; 4.44/40 </b></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers' pass defense was 27th in the NFL last season, plus they lost two CBs (one to free agency and one to retirement). Enter Grant. With 30 starts in his career, he recorded 146 tackles, 20 passes defended, nine interceptions and one sack. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He is a very tough player who is also versatile as he excels as much in run support as he does shadowing receivers. Because of that, he had been looked at as a possible free safety option before the Draft, but defensive backs coach Carnell Lake has already made it clear where he will be used, saying that he is a "solid, physical corner that has decent speed." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/mps3xkc">http://tinyurl.com/mps3xkc</a> </b><br />
<br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The drafting of Grant makes it five of the past six years that the Steelers have drafted a player from Ohio State.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>ROUND 5 -</i></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>JESSE JAMES, TE, 6'7" 261LBs; 4.66/40 (Pro Day)</b></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">With Heath Miller aging and no true backup designated as of yet, there was a need to get a tight end with upside to eventually take over the mantle. The Steelers like Rob Blanchflower, but more was needed. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">James has the functional athleticism to be a Move TE, but more could have been seen from him, especially with his lackadaisical approach to blocking. But the Steelers really like him.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"We feel like he is a young man who can come in and add something to the Pittsburgh Steelers next season," per tight ends coach James Daniel. "....He has enough talent to be good in all phases of the game." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/kphtgt6">http://tinyurl.com/kphtgt6</a></b><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>ROUND 6 -</i></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>LETERRIUS "LT" WALTON, DT/DE, 6'5" 319LBs</b></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Hm...I can't think of any another 6th-round player from Central Michigan to ever be drafted by the Steelers. Can you?</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Brett Keisel was released due to his injury having yet healed and Cam Thomas was worthless, that created the need to get depth. L.T. Walton is a massive man who's a 5-technique type who will be put at defensive end in the Steelers 3-4 scheme. Because of his balance and because of how thin they are at DE, Walton will have a chance to actually make the 53. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell alluded to that balance at the press conference when he said, "He stays on his feet and that is the most important thing for a defensive lineman." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/p9wepen">http://tinyurl.com/p9wepen</a></b><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>ROUND 6 (COMP) -</i></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>ANTHONY CHICKILLO, DE/OLB, 6'3" 267LBs</b></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers lost one OLB and another is 37 years old, so they needed depth and to get younger at the position. Despite playing more with his hand on the ground at Miami, Fl., outside linebacker coach Joey Porter said that the Steelers will use Chickillo as an edge rusher.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"[Chickillo] adds depth to our pass rushing situation. ... He's always showing up on the field, he has a live motor." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ouc74r6">http://tinyurl.com/ouc74r6</a></b><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Porter also said that he told James Harrison that he will be limiting him to 25 snaps per game next season, and that there will only be four or five OLB spots. That's Jarvis Jones and the Silverback on the right, and Arthur Moats and rookie Bud Dupree on the left who are guaranteed. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">That likely leaves only one more spot to fill. But by whom? Howard Jones? Shawn Lemon? Jordan Zumwalt? Terrance Garvin? Chickillo? Time will tell, but that player will need to wreck shop in order to do so, and will have to excel on special teams as well. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>ROUND 7 </i>-</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>GEROD HOLLIMAN, FS, 6'0" 218LBs</b></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The least of the needs, but a need nonetheless. The winner of the Jim Thorpe Award led the FBS with 14 INTs last season at Louisville. He also recorded 63 tackles, six pass defenses and a sack.</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Holliman's ball hawking skills are undeniable, and he has a good chance of making the team if he learns to do just one thing. What's that? Let me give you a hint: he got his contact skills from the Deion Sanders School of Tackling. Like Yoda said, he must unlearn what he has learned. If he does, he has a good chance to stick. </span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So, two edge rushers, two CBs, a prime candidate for the No. 4 wide receiver spot and the possible future at TE? Funny how "the best player available" and team needs keep overlapping...</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b></span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"@drinelli: @steelers have agreed to terms with 12 rookie free agents following the 2015 NFL Draft. Full press release & list: </span><a href="http://t.co/xjgAHxuYll/s/al1X" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/xjgAHxuYll/s/al1X</a><br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-2156482202713057402015-05-02T01:16:00.001-07:002015-05-02T01:16:35.852-07:00Steelers Get A Little Secondary Help And Big (Play) Receiver Help Friday<i>"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Mark Twain </i><br />
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Fans
of the Pittsburgh Steelers have been clamoring for a cornerback since
the season's end, and for good reason considering how porous the
secondary was at times. Well, the Steelers provided them a <i>
little</i> good news in the second round. <br /><br />With <i>the 56th pick</i> of the NFL Draft, the Steelers selected 5'8" 178-pound CB <b>Senquez Golson</b> out of Ole Miss.<br /><br />Yes,
Golson is diminutive, but don't tell him that. He's smaller, but plays
much bigger and isn't afraid of challenging bigger adversaries. <br /><br />Still,
5'8" is 5'8" and many will look down (no pun intended) on him because
of it. Even Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake said of Golson's
facing tall WRs: "He's going to be challenged. He's going to have to
prove he can play in this league." <br /><br />My immediate response to that
is, ask 6'4" former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Harold Carmichael
about what it was like to battle 5'7" former Washington Redskins CB Pat
Fischer. Or, more specifically, just ask Alabama's 6'6" O.J.
Howard about Golson out jumping him for the game-winning interception
that sealed Ole Miss' 23-17 victory in 2014. <br /><br />Lake did go on to
say, though, that Golson has unusual ball skills and that, "If he were
taller, teams would've jumped on him right away."<br /><br />Golson's speed, a 4.47/40, was a factor also: "I like speed. You can't cover if you don't have speed." - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/mkc9fdj">http://tinyurl.com/mkc9fdj</a><br />
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The
explosive Golson is very athletic, very fluid, very confident and very,
very competitive - he plays with such a chip on his shoulder that it
seems surgically implanted. <br /><br />He's an artisan honing his craft
when on the field, yet even the greatest artists still need to be able
to reach the easel. And even with his leaping ability, he is going to be
mismatched at times. That will necessitate his refining his techniques
and not simply relying on his God-given talent. That's where coaching
will come into play. - <a href="http://draftbreakdown.com/players/senquez-golson/">http://draftbreakdown.com/players/senquez-golson/</a><br /><br />For a franchise,
however, that for so long endured a CB who couldn't catch at all, Golson
and his ball-hawking abilities will be a welcome change. <br /><br />~<br /><br /><b>Sammie Coates</b> came with <i>the Steelers third-round selection</i>, no. 87 overall. The
Auburn product is a physical specimen (6'2" 212LBs) with a very
athletic skill set and big-play ability (21.8 yards per catch in 2014). - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/nhmozqc"><b>http://tinyurl.com/nhmozqc</b></a> <br /><br />He
isn't lacking in the speed department, either, as he ran an official
4.43/40 at the NFL Combine, but has supposedly run in the 4.3/40 range. <br /><br />The
NFL Network's Mike Mayock even commented on said speed when the
Steelers made the selection saying, "This guy is pure speed. He's big
bodied and takes the top off of zones. He is a height-weight-speed
specimen. The only question is how natural are his hands."<br /><br />In
fact, he did have a high drop rate - a problem stemming mainly from
needing to maintain his concentration through the process of the catch.
If he comes in ready to work, though, these are things that can
addressed via coaching. Things that also include how to better use
leverage and improving his route running. <br /><br />He doesn't have too
much wear and tear on his body, though, has very good quickness plays in
a physical way and can move himself through holes in the defensive
backfield.<br /><br />He can be the No. 4 WR that the Steelers needed and
provide a competitive push to Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant, but
he's also a big play waiting to happen, an extra threat to an offense
that still may need to outscore it's opponents until the defense gets to
a point where it can once again hold its own. <br />
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-47823117169479990252015-05-01T01:34:00.001-07:002015-05-01T01:55:34.875-07:00Hey, Pittsburgh! This Bud's For You! - Steelers Select OLB Alvin Dupree in 1st Round of 2015 NFL Draft<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"I think when you make that ['drafting for need'] comment, you're not doing your due diligence," Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Monday. "....Invariably it takes care of itself."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">At the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago on Thursday night, it did just that. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2yTxPEQqI6k/VUM_X_HxKRI/AAAAAAAAIjs/L-X6Q3aG9co/s1600/img25169727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2yTxPEQqI6k/VUM_X_HxKRI/AAAAAAAAIjs/L-X6Q3aG9co/s1600/img25169727.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Especially regarding the first round, the Steelers grip as tightly to their "best player available" philosophy as Gollum did to The Ring. So it should be no surprise that they remained cool under fire as potential prospective choices were taken in front of them. Yet, they were true to themselves and fulfilled need at the same time when they selected Kentucky edge rusher Alvin "Bud" Dupree with the 22nd pick.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Nonetheless, that isn't to say they weren't pleasantly surprised when the projected left outside linebacker 'fell into their laps' as he did. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"We’re really excited. The other day during the press conference we talked about the outside linebacker position being very deep with several impact players,” said GM Kevin Colbert, “and we believe we got an impact player in Bud Dupree. It’s really exciting that he was able to be there for us at No. 22. Quite honestly that was something we didn’t expect to happen." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/nktysw9">http://tinyurl.com/nktysw9</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Invariably it takes care of itself.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The senior DE/OLB ended his Wildcat career starting 35 of 47 games where he recorded 23.5 sacks (half of a sack per game played), 38 tackles for a loss, four forced fumbles and an interception for a touchdown. Dupree also ranked in the top three among LBs in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and the broad jump at the NFL Combine. - </span><a href="http://t.co/xDImanPC4l">http://t.co/xDImanPC4l </a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Per Mike Prisuta of the DVE Morning Show, a "scout from a team not drafting Dupree on Dupree said: 'Has it all, quickness, power, intangibles. Will play well first year. He's going to be good.'" - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/qzeb2bs">http://tinyurl.com/qzeb2bs</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Dupree is not without his flaws, either, though. He is very raw and sometimes he looked better with his hand on the ground than he when he was standing up. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He can at times be an inconsistent pass rusher who doesn’t always exhibit good hand use. His speed rush can also be a little out of control, he doesn't have a great array of pass rushes/pass rush moves in his repertoire, and has trouble consistently anchoring against the run. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The overall body of work, though, paints a portrait of a player who has loads of upside and the potential to one day enter the pantheon of great Steelers linebackers. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For now, though, he's only asked to learn the system and to eventually contribute with the starters and the rest of the team in the push for another Ring. And the rest of it, my 'great linebackers' comments...? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Invariably it takes care of itself.</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-40319045503072955892015-04-30T02:56:00.001-07:002015-04-30T14:14:22.285-07:00If It Ain't Steel's Steelers 2015 Mock Draft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vc08cPbfxaU/VUH6Wmx8_WI/AAAAAAAAIjU/bdopa6vrrIk/s1600/_64_SteelersDraft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vc08cPbfxaU/VUH6Wmx8_WI/AAAAAAAAIjU/bdopa6vrrIk/s1600/_64_SteelersDraft.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Updated:</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The wait is finally over. The day when half the teams in the NFL are assured a spot in the Super Bowl and when the season is already over for the other half...at least if you ask their fans. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">That's right, the 2015 version of the NFL Draft is finally here. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I had planned for at least two more articles breaking down the various potentially available players in the two biggest positions of need. But two computer glitches caused me to lose LOTS of research and hours of writing that would've been said breakdowns. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So, despite saying several times that we would never do a mock draft, here is (*blech*) <i>If It Ain't Steel's 2015 Mock Draft. </i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 1 - Marcus Peters, CB, Washington:</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Aside from all the game film and the reading of the explanations and the mea culpas, what finally pulled me completely into the Peters camp was Kevin Colbert. At the Monday press conference with he and head coach Mike Tomlin, Colbert had two mini rants where he said it's "horrible" when people put out "much misinformation" via whatever means regarding "a kid’s...character," and that they themselves "don't pay attention to mock drafts (*ahem*) but rather do their own "due diligence." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In my humble opinion, that had Marcus Peters' name written all over it. Add to that they met with Peters at the NFL Combine, defensive backs coach Carnell Lake was at Washington's Pro Day, and then Peters was also brought in for an official visit. It just seems to add up his being the pick at no. 22.</span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Alternatives: (our choice) Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Byron Jones, CB, UConn;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Owamaghbe Odighizuwa DE/OLB, UCLA;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Danny Shelton, DT/NT, Washington;</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>T.J. Clemmings, OG/OT, Pittsburgh;</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Eddie Goldman, DT/NT, Florida St.</i> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 2 - Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville:</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"That which doesn't kill me makes me strong enough to kick your whiny butt." (That's how the saying goes, right?) Well, Mauldin endured in 16 different foster homes growing up and it made him stronger. It made him strong enough to be a productive pass rusher, but didn't kill his character. He sounds like a Steeler. </span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Alternatives: Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami, OH;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Eric Rowe, CB/FS, Utah;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Nate Orchard, DE/OLB, Utah;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Preston Smith, DE/OLB, Miss. St.;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia.</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 3 - <i>(Split) Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary:</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers need a no. 4 WR who could someday be more, McBride is worth the pick, and it's Mike Tomlin's alma mater. A very feasible selection.<b> </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon:</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Ekpre-Olomu doesn't seem to get that he's on the smaller side. He tackles, he has power that belies his frame, he tackles, he battles on every play...oh, and he tackles: he had over 200 in three seasons at Oregon. But we can't take that many CBs, either. </span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Alternatives: </span></i><i style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">D'Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic.</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 4 - Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss:</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Remember the Redskins' Pat Fischer...? Golson isn't very big, but all he does is make big plays. The Steelers could use someone like that.</span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Alternatives: Derron Smith, FS, Fresno St.;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma;</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Steve Nelson, CB, Oregon St</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 5 - Jesse James, TE, Penn State:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Can the "outlaw" and "biker" jokes. Ok? Good, because this is one player the Steelers have had their eyes on for a while. Big, strong, can block and has upside. Let's be Frank, James, I think you'll be riding right on into town very soon. (Sorry, I couldn't resist one after all.)</span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Alternatives: Shaquille Mason, G/C, Georgia Tech;</span><br style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Davis Tull, DE/OLB, Tennessee-Chattanooga.</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 6 - Max Valles, OLB, Virginia:</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Every time I watched film of Virginia's Eli Harold, I saw Valles doing something impressive. Young and raw, Valles may have come out too early. But that could also be to his advantage in that he could virtually be a tabula rasa for the right coaching staff. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Alternatives: Anthony Chickillo, DE, Miami, Fl.</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 6 (Comp) - Kyle Emmanuel, OLB, North Dakota State:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A big fish in a small pond, but the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive MVP did lead the FCS with 19.5 sacks. Who knows, he might make a living as a valuable reserve with starting capability - every team needs those.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Alternatives: Dexter McDonald, CB, Kansas</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Round 7 - Troy Hill, CB, Oregon:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Per Pro Football Focus, he actually grades out better than Ekpre-Olomu, the tackling guru mentioned above, but didn't get the press. That's ok, his the swagger caught my attention. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Alternatives: Corey Crawford, DE, Clemson.</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There you have it - the first and last <i>If It Ain't Steel Mock Draft</i>. Let's just hope I get at least one right.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>ADDENDUM: I don't know why it hadn't dawned on me that I had 4 CBs, so I adjusted it. In my defense, though, there are several CBs and edge rushers who will be available starting in the 3rd round who could be be with the team for years to come. Part of the reason for that also, though, is explained in the "Tidbits" section. </i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">OFFICIAL PRE-DRAFT VISITS -</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DE/OLB Eli Harold, Virginia</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DE/OLB Nate Orchard, Utah</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Senquez Golson, Mississippi</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">TE C.J. Uzomah, Auburn</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Marcus Peters, Washington</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Alex Carter, Stanford</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DE/OLB Max Valles, Virginia</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">WR Breshad Perriman, UCF</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">QB Tyler Murphy, Boston College</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">TE Wes Saxton, South Alabama</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">WR Sammie Coates, Auburn</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">TE Cameron Clear, Texas A&M</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">G Quinton Spain, West Virginia</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">TE Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">TE Kennard Backman, UAB</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DT Xavier Cooper, Washington State</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DE/OLB Randy Gregory, Nebraska</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">WR Devin Gardner, Michigan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona State</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Steven Nelson, Oregon State</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Darryl Roberts, Marshall</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Bryce Callahan, Rice</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Eric Rowe, Utah</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Doran Grant, Ohio State</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DE/OLB Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota State</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">S Landon Collins, Alabama</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DE Preston Smith, Mississippi State:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">DE/OLB: Davis Tull, Tennessee-Chattanooga.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">(Over half were edge rushers and/or cornerbacks.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">PRO DAY DINNERS -</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">RB Matt Jones, Florida</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">C Max Garcia, Florida</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">OLB Alvin Dupree, Kentucky</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">OLB Danielle Hunter, LSU</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Jalen Collins, LSU</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">OLB Shane Ray, Missouri</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">OLB Markus Golden, Missouri</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">OLB Lorenzo Mauldin, Louisville</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">WR DeVante Parker, Louisville</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">CB Charles Gaines, Louisville</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">S Gerod Holliman, Louisville.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">(3/4 of them were edge rushers and/or cornerbacks.)</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-75980856753476204822015-04-10T01:55:00.000-07:002015-04-11T20:33:49.980-07:00Troy Polamalu: One of the Greatest Steelers Ever...and a Greater Man Still<div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">
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“When the time comes to leave, just walk away quietly and don’t make any fuss.” - Banksy, Wall and Piece</div>
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Thursday night, after an already full day of activity, yet more news surfaced regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers. News regarding quite possibly the greatest Steelers safety, and one of the best strong safeties to lace up a pair of cleats: Troy Aumua Polamalu has retired. </div>
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Make no mistake, it was time for the former USC graduate to walk away. <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider, who first broke the news of Polamalu's decision, wrote that it came after a good deal of contemplation saying that he "started to debate whether [he] should come back or should [he] play....”, but that family was the main reason. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ph2ssll">http://tinyurl.com/ph2ssll</a></b></div>
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And from a logical standpoint, one can truly breathe a sigh of relief as the team can now look firmly to the future, get younger on defense and focus on forming a strong defense again. </div>
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But this isn't about logic or about the X's and O's of a team yet to be assembled. This is purely about emotion, the emotion engendered by a man who was gracious, yet relenting; tempered, yet tenacious; benevolent, yet beguiling and God fearing, yet fearsome and fearless.</div>
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Polamalu's legacy isn't simply about numbers - though he<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> retires with 770 career tackles, his 32 interceptions aren't </span>even among the top 150 of NFL players for a career. But every INT, every forced fumble and every fumble recovery he made simply seemed to be just what the Steelers needed at the time. Or to be a spectacular "Did you see that?!" moment. And often, it was both.</div>
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As the Steelers’ first-round draft pick in 2003, one for whom they traded up, Polamalu was considered a bust in his rookie season. But it wasn't long before he came to be known for uncanny instincts and an athletic prowess that was coupled with fearful physicality. It was that player who found his way into the hearts of fans and the sleepless nights of foes and offensive coordinators alike, and many of whom are lining up to praise him. - <a href="http://t.co/7K5mnrr3dm/s/Tcuo">http://t.co/7K5mnrr3dm/s/Tcuo</a> </div>
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Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review once asked arch-rival Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh about Polamalu and Harbaugh said: "You had to account for him at all times. We had times when we didn't account for him, and I was like, 'He is wearing No. 43 and he has hair down to his shoulders. There's no way we should miss the guy, right? Block him. Block him, please.'" - <b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/lsqwbcc">http://tinyurl.com/lsqwbcc</a></b></div>
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At his best he was a safety whom you could deploy virtually anywhere on the field - he had the speed to cover deep, as was memorably evidenced by his one-handed interception in 2009 against Kenny Britt and the Tennessee Titans, by his pick six off of Joe Flacco over the middle-left in the 2008 AFC Championship game or the numerous times he perfectly timed the snap count and caught the quarterback or running back before a second or third step could be taken. </div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Polamalu will certainly be remembered as a safety who transformed the position in the NFL. My most endearing memory, though, isn't a game-winning INT or a pick six or even a vicious hit he levied against a ball carrier. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My greatest memory might just be the scene that unfolded after he had made a mistake on a play that could've resulted badly for the Steelers. Troy recognized his mistake and walked off the field with his head down and headed straight for his defensive coordinator - "Coach Dad" - Dick LeBeau. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">LeBeau hugged him while taking his helmeted head in hand and consoled him. Troy's approach and demeanor was that of a child in his father's embrace. Troy just stood there listening to Coach Dad's sage words. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The relatively short time the camera captured the two seemed more like several minutes - time wrapped its heavy hands around each second and brought us all into that embrace with them because we had all already been in that position. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That's who Troy was. He was a humble, soft-spoken, everyday man whom you could be proud to let your sons emulate or to let your daughters swoon over. He was the player whose jersey you were never ashamed to wear. He was the player you knew one day you'd see giving a dignified and deflective Hall of Fame speech. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One day he'll do just that. Until then, though, you won't hear from him. He won't seek out fanfare or a self-aggrandizing press conference. He'll relax with his family until it's time for his luxurious and curly locks to adorn his bronzed bust in Canton. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That's the man he is. He knew it was time to leave, and so he just walked away quietly and didn't make any fuss.</span></div>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-72187602159943077772015-04-09T17:28:00.001-07:002015-04-16T01:17:24.507-07:00Bell Suspended, DeCastro Extended, Steelers Scheduled Presented and CBs VisitedThursday proved to be a busy day for the Pittsburgh Steelers. There was good news, there was bad news and there was Hall of Fame news. Well, sort of...<br />
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Early this morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell has been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the season: "@AdamSchefter: Pitt RB LeVeon Bell suspended 3 games, fined additional game check for violating substance abuse policy, per league sources. He is appealing."<br />
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As NFL.com reporter Gregg Rosenthal posted regarding the August 20, 2014 incident, "Detective Brian Kohlhepp of the Ross Township, Pennsylvania Police Department confirmed to NFL Media that running backs Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount were pulled over Wednesday around 1:30 p.m. ET. They, along with an unidentified female passenger in the backseat, were taken into custody and admitted to marijuana possession." The arresting officer had found a "20 gram bag of marijuana inside the car."<br />
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Regarding the appeal, Steelers beat writer for ESPN Scott Brown doesn't believe the suspension stays at three games saying, "...there is no
way the three-game suspension sticks. The collective bargaining agreement
-- not to mention common sense -- won't allow it." - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/jww9jwv"><b>http://tinyurl.com/jww9jwv</b></a><br />
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Regardless, as it is that the Chong to Bell's Cheech, erstwhile teammate and current New England Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount, was also suspended (one game) for his part in the incident, the NFL will likely no longer pair the two teams on its opening weekend Thursday Night Football kickoff as both teams will be without two of their stars.<br />
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<b><i>Next came word</i></b> Thursday that Steelers exercised the extension on right guard David DeCastro. Picking up DDC's option means he'll make the average of the salaries for the
"3rd-25th highest paid" OG's in NFL, per Pro Football Talk. Being that the option is for injury only, and that he is set to receive a salary of $8,070,000 in 2016, a longterm deal is likely imminent.<br />
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Signing him to a new deal would seem especially prudent considering that DDC truly established himself this past season and should've been a Pro Bowl participant. The last thing the Steelers want is for the player many are calling 'the next Alan Faneca" to become...the next Alan Faneca.<br />
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<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCLOz7tW0AE3daf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Embedded image permalink" border="0" height="182" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCLOz7tW0AE3daf.jpg" width="400" /></a><b><i>"Steelers Live"</i></b> announced the team's preseason schedule at 4 pm EST and probably drew a greater audience than whatever baseball game was on at the time. The only date known at present "obviously" is the Hall of Fame game on August 9, 2015. - <a class="twitter-timeline-link" data-expanded-url="http://stele.rs/2run1" dir="ltr" href="http://t.co/NzOcE3IyZS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="http://stele.rs/2run1"><span class="tco-ellipsis"></span><span class="invisible">http://</span><span class="js-display-url">stele.rs/2run1</span><span class="invisible"></span><span class="tco-ellipsis"><span class="invisible"> </span></span></a><br />
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<b>~</b><br />
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<b>TIDBITS:</b><br />
Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant had already visited the Steelers, then Thursday saw more CBs making trips to the Southside. As first reported by Steelers Digest's Bob Labriola, Stanford's Alex Carter, Washington's troubled-yet-mega-talented CB Marcus Peters and Virginia linebacker Max Valles made visits.<br />
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Though we believe Carter is a potential Steelers 2nd-round selection, the focus was definitely on Peters. Even though he was kicked off of his college team, Peters is considered by many as the best CB in the NFL Draft and that he would be a good fit with the Steelers. Interestingly, in addition to Thursday's visit, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin met
with Peters at the NFL Combine. Further still, defensive backs coach Carnell Lake and former Steelers tight end and current scout Mark Bruener were at Washington's Pro Day. <br />
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If It Ain't Steel's preference may be Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson in the first round, but we wouldn't be in any way hurt over Peters' being selected instead. Just sayin'...<br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-87779297652547100712015-04-08T00:41:00.000-07:002015-04-10T02:29:11.831-07:00The 2015 Steelers 1st-Round NFL Draft Possibles, Alternates and the Borgias.Approximately a month ago we were asked to post our thoughts on whom the Pittsburgh Steelers
might and/or should take in the first round of April's 2015 NFL Draft. Well,
going over each of the players we believe would be viable choices for the Steelers turned out to take longer than expected as well as causing data to accumulate. In doing so, either we needed empirical data to back up what we already believed,
or we needed to masticate on whether a potential draftee was deserving of his
post-NFL Combine and pre-Draft rise. We may not have been writing under the If It Ain't Steel Blog umbrella, but it didn't mean that the work wasn't going into
the evaluations. So, barring a trade down, and without further ado, here are the 10 men we feel may hear their names called in association with the team in Steel Town, USA.<br />
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<b><i>EDGE RUSHERS</i> -</b><br />
ALVIN "BUD" DUPREE: 6'4" 269 LBs, 4.56/40, 42" Vertical - <br />
Many of you whom we have interacted with on social media are probably thinking we must've been drinking the Kool-Aid regarding this one. Bear with us, though, there is something that puts him over the edge. Our original thoughts were that the game film dictated his being better
with his hand on the ground than he is standing up. Also, that he's an
inconsistent pass rusher who doesn’t always exhibit good hand use, his
speed rush can be a little out of control, he doesn't have a good
amount of pass rushes in his repertoire even causing him to being pancaked a couple of times (from the right side) and has trouble anchoring against the
run.<br />
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BUT....Dupree has an excellent and explosive first step, his speed rush
has at times forced tackles to cheat their kick-slide which allowed them
to be beaten inside, he also has explosive speed, his long arms cover over other ills in his run defense, and we fully admit to loving his motor and hustle. <br />
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Unfortunately, we saw a player who we felt translated better to an NFL 4-3 DE than to a 3-4 OLB because of his being so very raw. What pushed us, though, over from the Con to the Pro side is something his bio at NFL.com said. And we quote, "He must continue to improve as a pass rusher, but his traits are undeniable. <i>Difference between being good and great might be his coordinator</i>." Sage words that could be prophetically descriptive of defensive line coach John Mitchell, outside linebackers coach Joey Porter and defensive coordinator (and former linebackers coach) Keith Butler. All of that and his being an underclassman, something the Steelers love, he is slightly ahead of the other edge rushers.<br />
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OWAMAGHBE ODIGHIZUWA: 6'3" 267 LBs, 4.62/40, 39 Vert., 25 reps Bench Press -<br />
Personal choice. A huge and ripped Zulu Warrior-built weapon who can get off the ball and convert speed to power. He has huge (11") hands making him very strong at the point of attack, especially against the run. He is relentless and versatile, but he has one definite downside in that he isn't really a pass rusher. That, also, could be what very well keeps the Steelers from drafting him.<br />
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PRESTON SMITH: 6'5" 271 LBs, 4.74/40, 34" Vert. -<br />
Certain pundits and mocks have chosen defensive end Nate Orchard as a possible pick here, presumably if the other edge rushers are gone. We prefer, though, to go farther south to get DE/OLB Preston Smith in such a "best player available" eventuality. Why? He's bigger and faster than Orchard, and he uses that power and speed well. He comes off the edge with the intent to do harm and looks like he's always in a bad mood on the field. He can even slide inside to the one-technique and attack the A-gap. And while he has the quickness to do so, he still doesn't have the quickness of some, say like that of the aforementioned Orchard. He also has the tendency to give up on a play that goes away from him. This one is possible, but not necessarily probable.<br />
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<b><i>DEFENSIVE TACKLES/NOSE TACKLES</i> -</b><br />
DANNY SHELTON: 6'2" 340 LBs, 5.64/40, 34 reps Bench Press -<br />
Look, we don't expect Shelton to fall to no. 22 to begin with, but the idea has been tossed around that a run on other positions, like edge rusher, cornerback and/or offensive lineman, could push him down the line. In such a scenario, he'd likely be the best athlete available and could fall to the Steelers. Now, we don't believe this is overly likely as we are not down on current Steelers NT Steve McLendon as others are. But the best player available is the best player available. Especially one who is a bona fide run stuffer, often faced and handled double teams, plays the requisite gaps and techniques and even got to the quarterback (9 sacks in 2014).<br />
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EDDIE GOLDMAN: 6'4" 336 LBs, 5.27/40, 26" Vert. -<br />
Take every argument and superlative just said about Shelton and apply it to Goldman. Then add that he's actually much more explosive than Shelton, but take away from him the fact that he's nowhere near as polished, nor is he as mighty a pass rusher. But, his raw qualities make him enough of a <i>tabula rasa</i> that he could be molded into exactly what would be desired. You have to have at least one out-of-the-box pick in any mock or breakdown and this is ours. (What? Did you think Mike Tomlin was at Florida State's Pro Day just for cornerbacks Ron Darby and P.J. "Joyride" Williams???)<br />
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<b><i>DEFENSIVE BACKS</i> -</b><br />
KEVIN JOHNSON: 6'0" 188 LBs, 4.52/40, 41.5" Vert., 6.79 3-Cone Drill -<br />
Pardon me while I wipe the drool away...<br />
Personal choice to say the least. We love Johnson. Great feet, is great at flipping his hips, is smooth with great balance, squares up greatly, has a great backpedal...aww, hell, he's just great. Yes, we know that Trae Waynes is the consensus top cornerback, and for good reason, but there are three CBs who are just head-and-shoulders above the rest. Johnson fits the Steelers' mold, though: he uses great technique, he likes to throw his body into ball carriers, and he is a natural athlete - maybe the best athlete at the position. There are only two knocks to him and his game - he has a bit of a thin frame for an NFL CB, especially in the legs, and while he played both man and off coverage, he had the tendency to be too aggressive resulting in pass interference calls. - <a href="http://draftbreakdown.com/players/kevin-johnson/">http://draftbreakdown.com/players/kevin-johnson/</a><br />
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MARCUS PETERS: 6'0" 197 LBs,4.53/40, 37.5" Vert. -<br />
If not for being kicked off of his college team, amongst other run-ins, Peters would be ahead of Waynes as the top CB pick in 2015. Pure talent. Prototype body. As fluid and as natural a pair of hips as you will find. An intimidator. Virtual textbook man-cover corner. Tracks and high-points the ball with the best of them allowing him to come away with the interception. Honestly, not too much negative can be said of him. Though, maybe, his long speed isn't the best, and he actually is a bit handsy at times when in tight spaces, but that's about it. If Peters drops to, or past, the Steelers, it's purely because of his behavioral/emotional issues.<br />
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<b><i>ALTERNATES</i> -</b><br />
T.J. CLEMMINGS: 6'5" 309 LBs, 5.14/40, 22 reps Bench Press -<br />
Local kid, long and athletic, versatile- can play 3 positions, has a fluid kick-slide and has the strength to make virtually any block ... yeah, we could see it. After all, the Steelers are known to stay close to the ball in there first pick. Check their last 15 first rounders.<br />
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SHAQ THOMPSON: 6'0" 228 LBs, 4.64/40, 20 reps Bench Press, 6.99 3-Cone Drill -<br />
The limb will probably break beneath us, but we're out here nonetheless. Thompson is talented, athletic and relentless. His biggest impact in
pass coverage rather than as a pass rusher. He'll also be better in pursuit (including backside pursuit) as a run
defender. Bulk up and play inside/middle linebacker? Slim down even more and stay light and quick? How about stay where you are and be the hybrid defender that the NFL is going to anyway? He could be the right team's X-factor. But if you're going to be a 6'0" 228-pound hard-hitting safety type, then why not just take...<br />
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LANDON COLLINS: 6'0" 228 LBs, 4.53/40, 35" Vert., 16 reps Bench Press -<br />
Easily the best safety in a year wanting of safeties. Plays down in the box a lot, but can cover with good speed. Lacks recovery speed, though, and has hands of stone - good for Roberto Duran, bad for a defensive back (just ask Ike Taylor). But Collins has a definite career on Sundays. Will it be with the Steelers? That depends on Shamarko Thomas' hamstrings.<br />
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There you have it, the players we feel are amongst those on the Steelers board. If you were looking for particular names that weren't here, there was likely good reason. Names such as the aforementioned Waynes (gone), Vic Beasley (gone), Shane Ray (gone), Eli Harold (2nd rounder) or Maxx Williams (LOL). But, depending on the reception this receives, a follow-up piece covering rounds two and three might just cover them as well. Stay tuned.<br />
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<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-48047314211842445052014-06-13T23:32:00.000-07:002014-06-14T09:31:37.979-07:00Chuck Noll - The Immaculate Coach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">updated 6/14/14</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Never has Friday the 13th had such significance or weighed so heavily, for a member of the family has died. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"I could not have had a better coach as a young beat guy covering the #Steelers than Chuck Noll. I learned football & much more from him." - @EdBouchette via Twitter</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"If you're picking the greatest coach/manager in Pittsburgh sports history, Chuck Noll should be at the top of the list." - Alan Robinson (@arobinson_Trib) via Twitter</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It was announced Friday night that the architect of the 1970's dynasty, Charles Henry Noll has passed away. He was 82.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402726622458_29" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chuck Noll won more Super Bowls than any other head coach in NFL history, winning four titles in six years (1974-1980). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402726622458_34" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Noll is not as highly recognized a sports figure as many because of his humility. He deflected attention and praise, giving his players platforms instead. In actuality, he made good players great and great players iconic. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He is on the Mt. Rushmore of coaches and should be readily mentioned with George Halas, Don Shula, and Vince Lombardi. - </span><a href="http://t.co/9eCWM9HXQB/s/fB2r" id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402726622458_42" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/9eCWM9HXQB/s/fB2r</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Chuck Noll took over a team that had played in one playoff game by their 40th year and turned them into a juggernaut that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s, barely missing out on a fifth. He is, in fact, the first and only coach to win four Super Bowls. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">From 0 and 40 (years) to 4 and 0 in championships. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The story I remember most about Coach Noll was when he was hired to turn the team around. He assembled all of the players from the team (1968 roster) on Friday and told them he was going to go over all of their game film and get back to them on Monday as to what was wrong. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When they re-assembled after the weekend, he revealed the problem: "Half of you just can't play football."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402726622458_66" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Noll began to remedy that immediately. He was hired on January 27th, 1969 and drafted "Mean" Joe Greene on January 28th.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The cornerstone had been laid. The next year, 1970, brought Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount. Then 1971 brought Gerry Mullins, Larry Brown, Mike Wagner, Ernie Holmes, Dwight White and Jack Ham - maybe the second greatest draft in NFL history. Franco Harris then arrived in 1972, but it was 1974 that solidified the dynasty. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And solidified his legacy. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Not only did he draft well, but he taught the game. He was a great coach, yes, but he was a great teacher as well. One that many feel was incredibly under-recognized.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402726622458_86" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In fact, as the Tribune Review's Alan Robinson again states, "There was not one subject you could ask Chuck Noll about and he wouldn't have some knowledge. Brilliantly smart."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Even coaches from other sports greatly respect the man. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICC3_FXDUZ0/U5vrQJLnn3I/AAAAAAAAGjc/LbdsV1wj43g/s1600/_04Noll_HOF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICC3_FXDUZ0/U5vrQJLnn3I/AAAAAAAAGjc/LbdsV1wj43g/s1600/_04Noll_HOF.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Although I never met Chuck Noll," Indian Hoosiers head coach Tom Crea (@TomCrean) tweeted, "he set a standard for all coaches at teaching technique and the details of fundamentals. The total teacher."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402726622458_101" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Noll had great players and made them even better. He helped transform the Steelers from dead to deadly, from a travesty to a dreadnought. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Maybe the late broadcasting icon Myron Cope was right when dubbing him "The Emperor." But, for a certainty, Hamlet's words ring appropriate and true regarding Coach Noll. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"He was a man. Take him for all and all. I shall not look upon his like again." - Hamlet, Act 1, scene 2</span><br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-23701046347722753372014-06-12T23:33:00.000-07:002014-06-13T05:35:36.123-07:00Time For The Landry Jones Era To Begin; The Devil Went Down To...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">by Jayden Matthews</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have signed most of their draft picks and have also now signed center Maurkice Pouncey to an extension, they're faced with a bit of a dilemma. That being the getting of their franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger extended. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_13" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">With the contracts for quarterbacks skyrocketing here lately at a fierce pace, should the Steelers pay big money to Big Ben in order to keep him? I say...no.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wlFrepVVBs/U5qYZ7qcyHI/AAAAAAAAGi8/_MiRUpd4eq0/s1600/_Landry03_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wlFrepVVBs/U5qYZ7qcyHI/AAAAAAAAGi8/_MiRUpd4eq0/s1600/_Landry03_.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If Big Ben wants to play hardball and demand all that money that Colin Kaepernick, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan and others have gotten, then let Big Ben ride the big bench and ring in the Landry Jones era. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_23" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Many thought the Steelers wasted a draft pick on selecting Landry Jones, but I say it's time to see what this kid's got. Why not just throw him in the fire and see if the barbecue smokes?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Move over bacon, there's somethin' meatier!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If Ben wants to be overpaid like the rest of these guys, show him who the boss is!</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_38" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I mean, it isn’t like that last season Ben really did anything to help the Steelers. He had a <i>horrendous</i> start where he himself had nine of the team's 20 turnovers before the bye. Sure, he ended with a QB Rating of 92.0, 28 touchdown passes, 4,261 passing yards and a completion percentage of 64.2%, but he had nowhere to go but UP! </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_43" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Plus, who in tarnation who wants a QB who plays every snap, sets records for completions in a season (375) and had a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio while becoming the franchise's career leader in TD passes (219)? Why would we pay this guy??? Let him be a Divo!</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_48" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Even if he did lead his team to three Super Bowls while winning two of them, that still doesn’t warrant a big contract, does it? </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_53" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If I've got a guy like Landry Jones on the bench that could potentially step right in and take over, why wouldn't I use him? I mean, we are in rebuild mode anyway. So why not? </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_58" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When Landry was at Oklahoma, he accounted for...well, he threw for...uh, he won...well, he did a lot! This guy really brings something to the table! He could be the next Bobby Douglas or Craig Morton for all we know, so we have to give him a shot!</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_63" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Why are we even thinking about giving Big Ben an extension when we have this guy on the roster already and have him for the next three years? </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_68" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Let's not even bother getting a deal done fo...oh, forget it. I can't do this anymore... My eyes hurt from reading this hogwash. To everyone that made it this far without busting their computer and cussing us to no end, enough with the foolishness. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_73" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Anyone who thought for one second that <b>If It Ain’t Steel</b> would actually entertain the thought of sitting our beloved Big Ben for one snap, unless it was due to injury, for Landry Jones must be so dumb that if you went bobbin' in a barrel of boobs, you'd still come up suckin' your thumb. This obvious SATIRE!</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_78" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Y'all know we have to do this every once in a while to keep you on your toes. By the way, we said his whole name, Landry Jones, each time because they will have the <i>only times you'll hear it all season.</i> ;-)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO...PITTSBURGH"</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_88" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The devil went down to Pittsburgh, he was lookin' for a soul to steal. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind. He was willing to make a deal</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When he came across this young scribe writin' down her latest thoughts</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And the Devil sidled up next to her and said "Girl, let me tell you what."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_102" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a writer, too.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And if you'd care to take a dare I'll make a bet with you.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Now you write a pretty good blog, girl, but give the Devil his due.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I'll bet a Mont Blanc of gold against your soul 'cause I think I'm better than you."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_116" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The scribe said, "My name's Jayden, and it might be a sin,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">But I'll take your bet; and you're gonna regret 'cause I'm the best there's ever been."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_124" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this off."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And fire flew from his fingertips as he brushed his shoulders off.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And he started crackin' his knuckles and flexin' his wrists.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_138" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"As I reported earlier...I'm the devil incarnate,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">To overload with meaningless stats, I stay up late,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">No sleep do I need, just Xanex and weed, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And on a coffee IV will I feed. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In eight short bars I'll prove I'm the best, no reason</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">To question. I'm all you need all through football season. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I'm the best, and if you ever challenge me, bright eyes, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I'll stomp and scream and claim you plagiarize."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_164" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When the Devil finished, Jayden said, "You ain't even pretty good ol' son,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So just sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_172" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I'm a lyrical miracle, you can call me the pinnacle</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Proper breathing is critical, take a breath and now here I go! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I could fly the TARDIS like The Doctor all through time</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And never find anything weaker than that so-called rhyme.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Battling you, son, ain't even worth the hassle</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When ya think your filet mignon but ya ain't even White Castle. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Now lemme put it so you understand - I'm LeGarrette Blount: I rumble!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You're Rashard Mendenhall...fumble.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_198" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">...now, retire."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_203" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And he laid that gold Mont Blanc on the ground at Jayden's feet.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Jayden said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever wanna try again,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I done told you once—you son of a bitch—I'm the best that's ever been."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_217" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>And she played:</i></span><br />
<i><br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_222" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /></i>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>"Fire on the Mountain." Run, boys, run!</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>The Devil's in the house of the rising sun;</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>The chicken's in the bread pan picking out dough.</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Granny, will your dog bite? No, child, no."</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">original lyrics by Charlie Daniels</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402639445649_242" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This wasn't *ahem* about anyone. It was purely *cough* a fictitious event. Any representation of resemblance of anyone, dead, alive or who subsists on Xanex and coffee, is purely coincidental. </span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-17888425898817816642014-06-12T16:04:00.003-07:002014-06-12T16:04:54.799-07:00Maurkice Pouncey Leads List Of Steelers Signings - Was It The Right Move?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Contracts are being signed on the South Side. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">On Monday, June 9, fourth-round draft pick Martavis Bryant signed his rookie contract - a four-year deal worth $2,659,220, with a signing bonus of $109,805. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_19" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The 6'4", 211-pound Clemson product "appeared in 37 games with 13 starts" in college, "registering 61 receptions for 1,354 yards with 13 receiving touchdowns. Bryant’s career 22.2 yards per reception average is an NCAA FBS record, an ACC record and a school record, and his 13 receiving touchdowns are the 10th-best total in school history." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ln44ry2">http://tinyurl.com/ln44ry2</a></b><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_24" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">ESPN's Field Yates has now also reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers have signed 3rd-round running back Dri Archer, though terms have yet to be disclosed. At the time of writing this, Stephon Tuitt remains the only draft pick left unsigned. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_29" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">But the news that has social media buzzing is the signing of former All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6SUzibzbS4/U5owz0s0cWI/AAAAAAAAGik/WZLXqYMlwGo/s1600/_53_Pouncey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k6SUzibzbS4/U5owz0s0cWI/AAAAAAAAGik/WZLXqYMlwGo/s1600/_53_Pouncey.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Per Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette, Pouncey's new deal, a 5-year, $44 million extension at its base, is a "6-yr, $48 M deal" that "includes total bonuses of $20.25 M, $13 M for signing..."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_39" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">At the Steelers press conference announcing the extension, Pouncey said "It seems like five years all over again...I'm excited for this new adventure."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As mentioned, the deal pays Pouncey a signing bonus of $13 million. That’s more than the signing bonus paid last week to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The guaranteed money is about half of what Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack (5 years, $42, $26M reportedly guaranteed) received, but the new money he’s receiving makes him the highest paid center at $8.8 million per year (Mack is at $8.4M). - </span><a href="http://t.co/XFb0Acn2ZI/s/j4lm" id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_47" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/XFb0Acn2ZI/s/j4lm </a><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_51" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The real money in the contract is three years and a total of $26.5 million. Pouncey will also get $17.75M next year and $23M in 2016 per whatever provisos are set forth in the terms. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_56" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Bouchette also said that the Salary Cap hit would be $3.6M, but OverTheCap.com has it at $5.514M. If Over The Cap is correct, the Steelers sit at $6.36M under their Cap with regard to the Rule of 51 numbers. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_61" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Regardless of the particulars, Pouncey is very happy with his new deal. He said that free agency was "never on my mind." Especially after his injury last season, walking was his main priority. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/oys5nyw">http://tinyurl.com/oys5nyw</a></b><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_66" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"It's really unbelievable. I'm so thankful for this moment right now," said a Pouncey when speaking on the loyalty the organization showed him after being injured again last season. "I am so thankful for this moment right now. It's really awesome....I'm just glad to be a Pittsburgh Steeler."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_71" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Loyalty that is well deserved. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Despite what I may have said on social media Thursday morning, or how I may have been misconstrued, the signing of Pouncey was a must. It was the right move. Once I saw the real numbers also, after having flashes of LaMarr Woodley go through my head, I was completely in agreement with the contract. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_81" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If you just go by statistics and listen to the "he's always injured" crowd, it could be easy to knock Pouncey. The truth is that Pouncey was on the field more than any other offensive lineman. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_86" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Per a stat offered up by the Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib), "Pouncey played in 86% Steelers snaps first 3 yrs (not counting freak injury last yr). To compare, next highest OL is Foster at 77% over 4 yrs."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_91" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Pouncey is just 24-years old and was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in his first three NFL seasons. Though he has never been higher than 12th in Pro Football Focus' center grades, the game isn't played on paper. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_96" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Pouncey is strong and very athletic for his size. Though he has been handled at times by a couple of the behemoth-like nose tackles in the league, he still holds his in that instance. But, to be blunt, he would be pretty damn good in the outside zone and the other things OLine coach Mike Munchak has in store. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_101" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Feisty, mobile and respected, he's a true leader to his peers - his teammates named him an offensive captain at just 24 years old. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_106" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Respected by teammates as well as ownership. A teary-eyed Pouncey hugged Dan Rooney after the brief press conference.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"There's a lot of love here." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b> Steelers using Ryan Shazier all over the field - </span><a href="http://t.co/y1Z2yasXVz/s/8icA" id="yui_3_16_0_6_1402568536357_124" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/y1Z2yasXVz/s/8icA </a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"@MarkKaboly_Trib: #Steelers' Will Johnson is working at fullback and at tight end. Tomlin said he is goes to both RB & TE meetings" - #WVU</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"@MarkKaboly_Trib: #Steelers fans are going to have to get used to a lot of inside handoffs to Dri Archer from the shotgun in the red zone."</span><br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-50948474241631568422014-06-06T22:56:00.001-07:002014-06-07T19:44:55.884-07:00LeGarrette Blount's Presence Will Help Steelers Pass Game Too<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5HRZCFVpZvA/U5KmTONWFhI/AAAAAAAAFyc/RI1ZoY2gIBg/s1600/2014_OSWaa_0422_Blount_Article_0032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5HRZCFVpZvA/U5KmTONWFhI/AAAAAAAAFyc/RI1ZoY2gIBg/s1600/2014_OSWaa_0422_Blount_Article_0032.jpg" height="213" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It was a balmy Miami night in November of 1996 when the Pittsburgh Steelers visited the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Jerome Bettis was the star that night as he rushed for 119 yards on 27 carries. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_11" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There is a visual that stands out most memorable in my mind from that night - as Mike Tomczak led the offense down the field for the game-winning touchdown, "The Bus" just kept battering the Dolphins defense causing the defensive backs especially to get slower and slower after tackling him. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_16" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">On the deciding play, Tomczak perfectly executed the play action, the defense bit and wide receiver Ernie Mills caught the 20-yard touchdown pass. Steelers win: 24 - 17.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_21" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The defense bit so hard that Tomczak stood back there for what seemed like minutes and Mills was so open that he had time to tie his shoes before catching the ball. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The object lesson here: sometimes the best defense is a good offense. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers have had their problems over the last few years with holding leads. Obviously, the majority of that is directly on the defense itself. But, not all. Allow me to explain. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_36" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Granted, giving up leads is giving up leads. That is solely a defensive deficiency, one which has also been addressed in the draft and free agency. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_41" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">But not being able to hold on to the ball once you get it back means the defense gets little rest. A tired defense gives up big plays and surrenders more points. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_46" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Whether via the play action or in the no-huddle, keeping them off of the field keeps them fresh. Their being fresh means their being alert enough mentally and physically to stop the opponent. Tight end Heath Miller understands this as well. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_51" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"[The no-huddle] is good," Miller said in an interview with Dale Lolley. "We're getting a lot of work with it. We're going to continue with it. <i>The last period is good for it. We're tired and we can take the defense and make them tired. It can be a weapon for us</i>." (Brackets and italics ours) - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/kgl4n3r">http://tinyurl.com/kgl4n3r</a></b><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_56" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Blount could weigh heavily, no pun intended, in this, both in play action and in the no-huddle offense.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_61" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">By all means, Bell aids in this also. But where Bell can definitely punch it up the middle, he can bounce it outside just as well. Blount, on the other hand, just pounds and pounds. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_66" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">...and pounds. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“That's my running style,” Blount said. “That's how I run the football, and I feel that Le'Veon is a big, tough running back, too. This is how this team is run with a physical run game, and that's what we are trying to get back to.” - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/p7lwgcy">http://tinyurl.com/p7lwgcy</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>To get back to controlling the clock.</i></span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_81" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Tribune-Review article linked above points out that eliminating negative plays is paramount in this. It brought out that it "was most notable in short-yardage situations last year where they ranked 21st in power ranking (percentage of runs on third or fourth down with 2 yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown), according to Football Outsiders. They were only successful on 60 percent of such plays."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_86" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Can't control the line of scrimmage, can't control the clock.</i></span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_91" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">That's where Blount has excelled in his career, in using "his big frame to his advantage as 65 percent of his career yards have come after contact," partly from averaging 5.47 yards per carry on first and ten alone, and a career 4.7 YPC average. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_96" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">That kind of production would aid Big Ben in the play action as well, considering that no QB used play action less than he did in 2013, utilizing it just 11.6% of the time, per Pro Football Focus. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_101" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Blount may only receive "six to eight carries a game," but his presence and potential threat may just get an opposing defense to bite on the play action in 2014, also, allowing Big Ben to cleanly hit one of his receivers for a game winner.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b> Via Mark Kaboly: Steelers OTA 6 -- tight end goal line drills where I almost get run over - </span><a href="http://t.co/hKH4bH99pI" id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_114" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/hKH4bH99pI</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Steelers OTA 6 -- What a catch by Lance Moore - </span><a href="http://t.co/f0j0RCjKaD" id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_121" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/f0j0RCjKaD </a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Steelers OTA 6 -- OL drills with a Sushi kick - </span><a href="http://t.co/S2qlcwjXxM" id="yui_3_16_0_8_1402110676432_128" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/S2qlcwjXxM </a>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-51815359429682257342014-06-06T20:36:00.000-07:002014-06-06T22:03:49.470-07:00Steelers Sign Shazier, Now Must Sign Roethlisberger Sooner Rather Than Later<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5679">by Jason Robinson and Jayden Matthews</span><br />
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"Shazier's 4-year contract with #Steelers is for $9.5 million, $9 million guaranteed including $5.23 M signing bonus" - Ed Bouchette via Twitter (@EdBouchette)<br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5700">On Thursday, the former Ohio State standout became the sixth of nine Pittsburgh Steelers draft picks to sign a rookie contract, and the first to be signed with the new cap room money freed up from LaMarr Woodley's release. </span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5701">The versatile linebacker with blazing speed, or as one scout put it, "He's a blur," can play any of the four linebacker positions in the 3-4 defense and could likely make an immediate impact for the Steelers.</span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5702">In college, Shazier played in 39 games at weak-side outside linebacker as well as inside. He totaled 316 tackles, including 101 tackles in 2013 when he was a first-team All-American, 14 sacks, 44 1/2 tackles for a loss, nine quarterback pressures and nine forced fumbles. </span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5703">Considering those numbers and his skill set, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly from his Twitter (@MarkKaboly_Trib) account, "The Steelers are going to use Ryan Shazier in sub packages to rush from the outside. Not exclusively, but there will be a package for that."</span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5704">Speaking of prodigious numbers and skill sets, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger brings his gaudy career numbers back to OTAs with an, as was put by the </span>NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala, "awfully instructive" and an excited demeanor, but without a contract extension. - <a href="http://on.nfl.com/1j4bpWH" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5705" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://on.nfl.com/1j4bpWH</a> </div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5708">The news that Big Ben has risen to a new level of leadership is the best news to come out of OTAs. Shouldn't that be rewarded or at least acknowledged by the front office? </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5711">Big Ben has said many times that he doesn't get involved with the business side of things, that he just wants to worry about football. But that doesn't mean he isn't aware of what's going on around him. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5714">In the midst of those post-OTA interview questions, he congratulated San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick on his six-year, $126 million contract. The real numbers, however, being just a two years for $28 million and "only $13M guaranteed." After year, however, it starts to turn in Kaepernick's favor. - </span><a href="http://overthecap.com/looking-closer-colin-kaepernick-contract-extension/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402110676432_5716" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://overthecap.com/looking-closer-colin-kaepernick-contract-extension/</a></div>
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Some believe Big Ben is headed for a franchise tag that will earn him in excess of $19 million. His Salary Cap hit is set to be $18.895 million this season and $18.395 million in 2015. The Steelers should want to avoid this Cap hit and make sure Big Ben ends his career in Black and Gold. </div>
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It's a process which only gets harder the longer they wait. Not only because of Kaepernick's deal, but because of what's to come. - <b style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/l2gvhz9">http://tinyurl.com/l2gvhz9</a></b></div>
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“Word around NFL is that when Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson get new deals next year, they will come in between $24-$25 million per year.” - Adam Schefter via Twitter (@AdamSchefter)</div>
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There is definitely a way to avoid this, however. <b>If It Ain't Steel</b> has actually covered it before, and it came hard upon the New England Patriot's Tom Brady's contract extension. </div>
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"Rip up his current contract and redo it overall, which in effect turns his old agreement into a new one, and of course extend him....The New England Patriots did that very thing with Tom Brady, doing away with his old contract and its liabilities and most of his salary was paid as a bonus which doesn't count against the Cap. - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/k72gq7m" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/k72gq7m</a></div>
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"In doing this the Steelers would not only save money but it would also allow them two years to clear up other money issues, freeing up money under the cap allowing them to re-sign their free agents and possibly sign other players....He is all about the team and will do what is needed to help the team. - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ljeju3q" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/ljeju3q</a></div>
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"The only drawback is the possibility of a per year salary being around $20 million." At the same time, though, the Cap numbers would be lower, which is the main objective here after all. </div>
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That and to keep one of the best QBs in the NFL "excited." </div>
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<b>TIDBITS:</b> Antonio Brown's 1,499 yards receiving in 2013 were by far the most in NFL history for a sixth-round draft pick.<br />
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OLB Jason Worilds has missed five of the first six OTA practices because of a calf injury. He has been running and riding the stationary bike.</div>
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“@jimwexell: Don't buy this nonsense about the #Steelers' no-huddle looking like all that. It was awful Wednesday, as it should in June.”</div>
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Sean Spence participating in Steelers offseason workouts <a href="http://t.co/wIP17r8pkV" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/wIP17r8pkV</a> </div>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-27761805642049255212014-06-03T00:50:00.002-07:002014-06-03T18:27:06.154-07:00Darrius Heyward-Bey: Prove Me Wrong.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Monday morning, Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review posted an article regarding the "new Steelers receivers," Lance Moore and, specifically for the sake of this, Darrius Heyward-Bey, "deep on NFL experience." </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_13" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In the piece, Kaboly wrote that "what Heyward-Bey offers (even more than his 4.2 speed)" is "experience." </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_18" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Granted, he does have experience in the way of 63 starts in 72 career games. He has 169 receptions in those games for a total of 2,380 yards, and he can play both the X- and Z-receiver roles.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“They think I am fast....If that is what they need me to do — to be the deep threat — that's what I will do. If they need me blocking, then sure. If they need me on special teams....I am a team-first guy,” said Heyward-Bey. “....I know a lot of different places to play on the field. Some guys are handcuffed to one spot, where I feel like I am intelligent.” - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/lt4lgj4">http://tinyurl.com/lt4lgj4</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">To my knowledge no one ever questioned his intelligence. For that matter, neither were his heart, his work ethic nor his speed (<i>which, by the way, is actually 4.3/40</i>). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In a recent blog post, <b>If It Ain't Steel</b> wrote that "speed alone won't get Hermes to Mount Olympus. Nor does it get an NFL player gridiron success."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_38" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Remember Clifford Franklin? As Jimmy McGinty said about him: "Great attitude, great desire, and THE fastest son of a b**ch I've ever seen." With the reply to that being, "Yeah, but can he catch?" (Ok, that was from the movie The Replacements. But it's a damn good segue.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Last season, Football Outsiders had Heyward-Bey with a -24.5 DVOA for the season and a -63 rating - 83 out of 90 eligible receivers - and only a 45% catch rate. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr">http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Comparatively, Pro Football Focus had Heyward-Bey graded at -9.4 on passing plays, worst among qualifying receivers. Heyward-Bey so bad that he was pulled at halftime of the November 14 Tennessee Titans game last season. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_53" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Why? His hands. Or lack thereof. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Digging deeper into Pro Football Focus showed that Heyward-Bey dropped an average of 14.18% of the catchable targets in his final three years with the Oakland Raiders. But he was even worse last year, dropping over 23.5% of catchable targets, five per game average, and ranking next to last of qualifying receivers. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_63" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So "experience", 'intelligence' and speed are all well and good, but they mean nothing if they don't translate into catches. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Richard Mann and the rest of the Steelers' offensive staff believe they can work with him and make Shinola out of...well, you know. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Where Heyward-Bey has found success in the past is when he got the ball in space, targeting him on slants, curls, screens, etc...giving him the opportunity to get yards after the catch. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_78" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Can he do that for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Yes, offensive coordinator Todd Haley can certainly design such plays, but Lance Moore and Dri Archer both can perform in those capacities. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_83" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Can he use his speed and fill the role of the X receiver vacated by Mike Wallace? Yes, but that would be akin to breaking up with your girlfriend...and getting with her twin sister. At least in this scenario it would be. Not only that, but that was why Markus Wheaton was drafted last season. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401665442880_88" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Can he also defy the odds and move up the depth chart to secure a spot on the final 53-man roster? Yes, it is possible - possible, but not probable. Not probable in our estimation with Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Lance Moore, rookie Martavis Bryant, Derek Moye and Justin Brown all in front of him, with the latter of whom having impressed the coaches in OTAs thus far. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Add Archer as de facto wide receiver and it gets harder and harder to find a spot for him. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Can he? Yes. Will he? Likely not. The numbers say no. History says no. I say no. But, hey, prove me wrong. </span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-46841386066155365952014-06-01T17:06:00.001-07:002014-06-01T18:58:40.486-07:00Steelers Secondary Should Be Improved; June 1st Salary Cap Info<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Updated: 1850 hrs, June 1st</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"We have more numbers there than people realize. We may have great players in building and they haven't had chance to show us."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Those words by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau summed up why the team did not select one of the top-level cornerback in the first round of this year's NFL Draft that many expected them to select. Especially when Darqueze Dennard, about whom we wrote as our favorite going into the draft, was sitting there as a fully-ripened fruit ready to be picked. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_22" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers' coaches, however, simply didn't feel that their secondary was as dire a situation as it seemed on the surface. Defensive backs coach Carnell Lake agreed with LeBeau that CB wasn't as pressing a need as perceived. He specifically said that Brice McCain and Antwon Blake will help Steelers. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_27" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Add to that, CB Deion Belue, an undrafted free agent out of Alabama that the Steelers claimed off of waivers (Dolphins), and Devin Smith and Isaiah Green and you have those who will be battling for a backup role. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_32" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Blake, a UTEP product, falls into the "he's not small, he's short" category in which head coach Mike Tomlin placed rookie running back Dri Archer. He's 5'9", 198 LBs but did 21 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press at his 2012 Pro Day. He also ran a 4.32/40, and is the gunner on Steelers special teams. Rather than a player expected to get snaps in the Steelers' defense, that's where his greatest value is. As for McCain, we wrote about his potential when he was signed back in April. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/04/steelers-sign-brice-mccain-bring-in.html">http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/04/steelers-sign-brice-mccain-bring-in.html</a></span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_37" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Belue (5'11", 182 LBs) had a turf toe injury which hindered his senior season, but he played well in the 2012 National Championship game against Notre Dame. He's wiry, strong for his size and has good enough speed (4.47/40). A slot man who can occasionally line up out side, Belue has a chance at the practice squad.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Devin Smith and Isaiah Green should be familiar to Steelers fan as the two CBs who were on and off of the practice squad all of last season. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_47" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers finally did address the need for depth at cornerback, though, by selecting Arizona's Shaquille Richardson (6'0", 194 LBs) in the fifth round. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_52" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The former Wildcat has versatility, length and a good frame. He looks mainly to be a right CB, but also played a safety/rover position and in the slot in some subpackages. He's also fast (4.43/40), quick and agile, but not physical. He'd rather cut a runner rather than wrap him up, and also tends to squat to much which can affect his backpedal. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_57" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Lake's familiarity with Richardson, having helped recruit Richardson to UCLA, is intriguing and he could very well be a diamond in the rough with Lake's guidance. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I remember Coach Lake being someone I can look up to,” said Richardson, who was also a teammate of Robert Golden at Arizona. “I'm happy to be learning from him and being a Pittsburgh Steeler. It's crazy.”</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_67" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Lake praised Richardson as well.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_72" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“He's a smart, young corner who can come in and contribute,” said Lake. “He gives us good size out there and somebody that has the ability to put a lot of pressure on tall receivers that have been drafted in the last few years.”</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_77" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Then there are your starters and main substitute, Cortez Allen, Ike Taylor and William Gay, with Gay receiving praise for his play last season. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/kst23t3">http://tinyurl.com/kst23t3</a></b><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_82" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Taylor's play was the expect opposite last season, rated by PFF as 107th out of 111 CBs. Something of which is keenly aware. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I feel after these last two years,” Taylor said, “especially after last year, that I have lot to prove. I feel like I have more to prove than ever.”</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_92" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Tez Allen had a similar season to his 2012 campaign. He didn't play much of the first half of the season due to injuries, but made his presence felt late in the season. Starting the final seven games, he finished the year with 51 tackles, two interceptions and a touchdown. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_97" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Also, one of the most important things to remember is that Taylor isn't following the opponent's best receiver. That responsibility has fallen more to Tez. That disallowed the top WRs from having career days on Taylor and saw a slight increase in coverage, causing the Steelers' pass defense to finish 9th in the NFL giving up 222.1 yards per game. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_102" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Free agent acquisition Mike Mitchell will help complement the rest of the safeties, plus an expected improved pass rush from the front seven, as pressure on the quarterback throws off timing (routes) and helps create turnovers, will lead to improving the pass defense.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Per OverTheCap.com, the Steelers have $357,896 under the Salary Cap as of Sunday, June 1st, a day when there is no loss of compensatory picks for free agents signed. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://overthecap.com/nfl-rookie-salary-cap-2014.php">http://overthecap.com/nfl-rookie-salary-cap-2014.php</a></span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_117" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As of Monday, June 2nd, the $8 million freed up by the release of LaMarr Woodley will be available. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Displacement dictates, though, that his release will be closer to $7.5 million in cap space. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_125" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Still, that will be more than enough to sign the remaining four selections from the draft. Sixth-round draft pick DL Daniel McCullers and seventh rounder TE Rob Blanchflower were signed on May 19th, fifth-round draft pick Wesley Johnson and sixth-round pick Jordan Zumwalt on May 27th and fifth-round draft pick CB Shaquille Richardson on May 29th. All were signed to a four-year deals. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_130" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">None of these picks actually counted against the Cap because of said displacement and the Rule of 51. The top four picks will even displace four players currently counting against the cap out of the top 51. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401665442880_135" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So, expect the amount used to sign those top four to be less than $3 million (at least $750,000-$1 million less than the amount first reported that we previously covered). That leaves well over $5 million to be spent on another free agent or two with plenty left afterward. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><i>UPDATE</i>:</b> I've since come across more exact numbers brought to light by fellow scribe Neal Coolong of Behind The Steel Curtain. The Cool One wrote that the exact number Woodley's release frees up after displacement is "$7.505" million and that the Steelers' Cap cost for the aforemetioned rookies is "$2,018,643." So, as The Cool One wrote, "let's call it $5.48 million in Cap space after the remainder of the rookie class is signed."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-53379028456905098172014-05-31T00:44:00.000-07:002014-05-31T00:44:05.923-07:00Mike Munchak - Steelers' Best Offseason Addition to Offensive Line<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fA3lhMrr_SY/U4mG1ERMAzI/AAAAAAAAELQ/29NhyOiNGfM/s1600/20140528radSteelersOTASpts03-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fA3lhMrr_SY/U4mG1ERMAzI/AAAAAAAAELQ/29NhyOiNGfM/s1600/20140528radSteelersOTASpts03-2.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Forrest Gregg, Norm Van Brocklin, Jack Del Rio... Not all great NFL players turn out to become great NFL coaches. The Pittsburgh Steelers, however, seem to have a knack for finding the ones that do. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_5" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_7" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">New offensive line coach Mike Munchak played 12 years in the NFL, was a 10-time All Pro and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. Credentials laudable enough to create for him a "very high" degree of deference.</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_10" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_12" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“He understands each player is different. He understands how to cater to everyone,” Ramon Foster said of Munchak. “The respect factor is very high. … It's a joy right now to be taking advice and coaching from him.” - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/qyu2mq7">http://tinyurl.com/qyu2mq7</a></b><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_15" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_17" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As the Tribune-Review's Alan Robinson points out further in his article, his 'understanding that each player is different' is because he "adjusts to them rather than being one who insists the linemen adjust to him," especially because he is still learning about his group. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_20" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_22" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Munchak believes that "starters Beachum, Ramon Foster, Pouncey, DeCastro and Marcus Gilbert and backups Mike Adams, Cody Wallace, Guy Whimper, Wesley Johnson and others" have the chance to be a special group. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_25" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_27" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Munchak does, after all, have two first rounders and two second rounders amongst those starters. He not only has Pouncey, one-time First-team All Pro, coming back from ACL surgery, but also guard David DeCastro, whom he should be able to take to the next level. DDC started road-grading his opponents in the second half of last season, and has the chance to become one of the best guards in the NFL via Munchak’s tutelage. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_30" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_32" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Left tackle protection picked up appreciably in the second half of the season, also, when Kelvin Beachum was installed, but Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert are of greater interest. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_35" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_37" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers invested high draft picks in both of them and neither has been great, although Gilbert has been serviceable. They will be Munchak's biggest challenge in helping this group to pick up where they left off in 2013.</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_40" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_42" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Wallace, Whimper and this year's fifth-round draft pick Wesley Johnson rate high on the list of those who'll be the most likely backups. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_45" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_47" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In reverse order, the fifth-round draft pick out of Vanderbilt, Johnson, has nice height (6'5"), but he's not even three bills (297 LBs), which indicates he'll need to get bigger and stronger to survive in the NFL. Being that he played all positions on a zone-blocking offensive line in college, Johnson will likely be moved into the role of swing lineman that was held by Beachum before he was inserted at left tackle. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_50" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_52" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Whimper was signed back in March to a one-year veteran minimum of $920,000 ($635K against the Salary Cap), of which only $65,000 is guaranteed. Which means he'd only be a $65K dead money hit if released. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_55" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_57" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The possibility of that happening increases if Fernando Velasco's achilles injury heals to the point where's ready to go by Training Camp. He had said he'd be back for OTAs, but achilles injuries take longer than that. Time will tell, therefore, on Velasco who brilliantly took Pouncey's place at center when he went down. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_60" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_62" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It was then that the 2008 fourth-round draft pick, Wallace, took Velasco's place at center upon his injury against the Baltimore Ravens. Both men can play center or guard. Wallace, also, though has a nasty streak and physicality about him that showed when he responded by proving himself emphatically over the final month of the season.</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_65" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_67" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers signed Wallace to a three-year deal back on March 12th.</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_70" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_72" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">These men are the core of an offensive line that allowed just seven sacks over the final seven games and helped boost the running game to more than a 100 yard per game average and to 4.0 yards per carry. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_75" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_77" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Munchak has said that he isn't changing much terminology from when Bicknell, jr. was the OLine coach, and believes they can be molded into a "special" unit that may still be a zone-blocking one. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/n2x4rga">http://tinyurl.com/n2x4rga</a></b><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_80" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_82" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Though sparingly used last season, such a system is well suited for running back Le'Veon Bell and can help the run game get going even more so. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_85" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_87" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In the interview linked above, Munchak said about the scheme that "it stretches the defense. They’re not sure exactly where he’s going to cut. Watching [Bell] run the inside zone and some of the runs they’ve run, I can [see] he has very good vision, he has a good feel for the game, and it’s just a matter of him getting more reps at it." (Brackets ours)</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_90" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_92" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Then throw in LaGarrette Blount taking part of the load and you have the makings of a powerful ground game. And sharing the load to make for a more lethal corps is something Bell is "definitely" on board with.</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_95" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_97" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Bell said. “We’re going to give defenses different looks, a change of pace. [Blount will] bring that power to the game and bring a lot more tough yardage. I won’t have to get all that tough yardage runs. I’m definitely looking forward to it. I’m excited about it.”</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_100" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_102" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And Steeler Nation should be excited that Mike Munchak is making it all possible. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_105" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_107" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_110" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_112" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b> Flashback on FA additions this offseason:</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_115" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_117" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Mike Mitchell, S, March 11th</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_120" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Greg Warren*, LS, March 12th</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_123" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Cody Wallace*, C/G, March 12th,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_126" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Cam Thomas, DE/NT, March 14th,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_129" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Guy Whimper*, G/T, March 17th,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_132" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Michael Palmer*, TE, March 21st</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_135" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Lance Moore, WR, March 21st,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_138" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Arthur Moats, LB, March 24th,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_141" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">LaGarrette Blount, RB, March 28th,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_144" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Brice McCain, CB, April 1st,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_147" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, April 2nd,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_150" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Eric Olsen, C, April 3rd,</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_153" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Adam Podleah, P , April 15th</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_156" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">* indicates own free agent signed</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_8_1401517770817_158" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-7781622641195259962014-05-29T16:49:00.001-07:002017-08-23T12:50:10.385-07:00Dreams<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">To the woman with beauty born in the heavens, but which blesses the earth,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">One whose beauty is fully fattened fruit that ripens year-round:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For you, my passion burns like a pyroclastic conflagration from morning's birth</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">To night's rest as I wait patiently again for your voice, that mellifluous sound. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401407072513_26" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Then like wings of a hummingbird, my heart flutters feverishly when you call my name.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">My love for you constantly deepens, testing the limits of anyone's imagination.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Love that either plunges me to the depths of despair or to the heights of fame. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Love of a beauty unmatched in quality, and in brilliance without imitation. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401407072513_40" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And like a hawk on its prey I reach for you and feel for you, but to my dismay</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You are only here in my dreams, and dreams are pyrite, not gold. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There is nothing here but dust and air to grab and pull my way. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">My pallor increases as I release my grip, my heart goes grey and cold.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401407072513_54" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Aquieta mi herida*, my love, because in your lovely light I want to bask. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I want to live by the light of your eyes and to gladly do whatever you ask. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401407072513_62" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">To Thumper,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">08/23/2017</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">*Heal my wound (Spanish) </span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-50719173344830125302014-05-28T22:34:00.000-07:002014-05-29T07:31:59.188-07:00Ryan Shazier's Bold Prediction: Super Bowl In Steelers' Near Future?<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick Ryan Shazier is already making quite an impression. Not all of it may being so good. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As the Steelers OTAs began Tuesday, Shazier lined up as first team Mack linebacker, with his speed and aggressiveness turning heads. However, not all have appreciated his aggressive play. Ask recently-returned center Maurkice Pouncey. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I didn’t want to break rule No. 10,” said Pouncey, referring to coach Mike Tomlin’s edict which forbids fighting.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He said this because, as reported by Chris Bradford of TimesOnline.com, "Shazier threw down C Maurkice Pouncey during a drill." He tried to "make amends," but Pouncey wasn't having it." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/n6svq3t">http://tinyurl.com/n6svq3t</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Shazier, buddy, c'mon. Love the aggression, but we can't have Pouncey hurt...again. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HcZ-YRRdmOI/U4bBveEASTI/AAAAAAAAEKo/qtSjoHJ5_z0/s1600/_50Shazier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HcZ-YRRdmOI/U4bBveEASTI/AAAAAAAAEKo/qtSjoHJ5_z0/s1600/_50Shazier.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">But the impetus of this article is born of a tweet by Shazier (@RyanShazier on Twitter) on Monday when he portended great things for the city of Pittsburgh when he wrote that within "5 years" the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates would all win a championship in their respective sports. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Leaving the Pens and Bucs to hockey and baseball blogs, the question needs to be asked of the erstwhile Pittsburgh Pirates: Are the Steelers close to reaching and winning another Super Bowl?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">First off, I think we have to acknowledge that winning a Super Bowl title involves a healthy dose of good fortune as well as skill. We all agree there? Good. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">That said, back in February of this year, If It Ain't Steel laid out what we believed were the seven musts for this offseason. In it we wrote, among other things, that the Steelers need to make sure to have few changes on offense. Because, make no mistake, the offense wasn't the problem. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-seven-musts-for-steelers-2014.html">http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-seven-musts-for-steelers-2014.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Sure, things started off badly as the offense was anemic early on. There were a plethora of turnovers - nine in the first four games by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger alone - and no offensive line to speak of - just 1,383 yards rushing, easily their fewest in a 16-game season at only 3.51 yards per carry.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Most all of this was early, however, and it turned around to the Steelers advantage in the second half of the season. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Only the Carolina Panthers (7-1) had a better second-half record than the Steelers (6-2). To accomplish that, they scored 28.2 point average over the final nine games, they went from a -11 in turnovers in the first four games alone to +7 over the final eight, they allowed just seven sacks in the final seven games, they were a more efficient offense going 14-for-20 (touchdowns) in the red zone in the final six games, and they committed to the run more culminating in 461 yards gained with a 4.0 YPC average in the final four games. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Not that the offense will just hit the ground running and automatically beat everyone 28-17, especially with the loss of wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery and the addition of WR Lance Moore and also of running back LaGarrette Blount. By no means, though, is the offense the problem and won't ultimately be the reason this team fails. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the defensive side of the ball.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers' porous defense surrendered 17 plays of 40 yards or more, including 11 of over 50 yards, last season. Five of those those 17 plays were runs, two of which being by quarterbacks. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There is no way that can continue if the Steelers want to be successful. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">We have seen what a brutal, intimidating and opportunistic defense has done for the Steelers in the (recent) past, and we saw what such a defense did for the Seattle Seahawks this past season.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Having a high-powered offense can only get you so far. Just ask the Denver Broncos. Or the 2007 New England Patriots. Or almost any of the top offenses that have faced the top defenses in the Big Game. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Even in this pass-happy, fantasy football-driven NFL, defense still wins championships. And the Steelers must successfully rebuild their unit into a dominant one if they want to be considered Super Bowl contenders again.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">There is good news and bad news, however, when it comes to turning around those pathetic statistics and results. The bad news is that upgrading the defense isn't a quick fix. There were holes to fill everywhere - in the defensive line, in the linebacking corps and in the secondary. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The good news is that the Steelers defense still has good players and very good coaches, although it is far from a Super Bowl-contending unit. But, even though it's too early to say definitively, via free agency and the NFL Draft, GM Kevin Colbert and company have seemingly brought together the appropriate pieces.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401175476330_124" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Finally, though we won't discuss it in detail here, the last thing that shouldn’t be overlooked is Special Teams. The return game is an area the Steelers are continually lacking, but which can only be benefitted by the addition of rookie Dri Archer. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Well, was Shazier's prognostication valid and potentially accurate? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It still may be a couple of years before the Steelers can call themselves Super Bowl contenders or even champions again, but that five-year window is certainly attainable. Why? The aforementioned Super Bowl champion Seahawks had back-to-back 7-9 seasons in 2010 and 2011. It is absolutely feasible. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b> Cam Thomas started at left defensive end opposite Cam Heyward during the first OTAs. Thomas will play both LDE and NT, much like Al Woods and Chris Hoke before him. Heyward is coming off a very good year - 59 tackles (35 solo), 30 QB pressures, 8 passes defended, 5 sacks and a fumble recovery. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Markus Wheaton opened OTAs as the starting X receiver opposite Antonio Brown. He naturally has the inside track on the job, as that is why he was draft last year. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"There are a lot of us chasing that spot," a humble Wheaton conceded. "It’s not mine. There’s a lot of good competition." The 5'11", 189-pound WR ran a 4.4/40 at the 2013 Combine.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">ROLB Jarvis Jones said he hasn't really gained many actual pounds, but that he is much stronger and that he studied hard to be ready for the new season. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">According to the a Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly, the NFL’s transactions wire said that the Steelers were awarded former Alabama corner Deion Belue (5'11"/182 LBs) on waivers from Miami on Wednesday.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Belue was a two-season starter for the Crimson Tide, notching 60 tackles, breaking up 10 passes and recording three interceptions.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Steelers waived offensive tackle Kaycee Ike.</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-38230639890745979912014-05-26T20:52:00.000-07:002014-05-26T20:56:35.590-07:00Dri Archer: Speed Kills - Is the Third Time the Charm for the Steelers?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"When you're a fast guy you must always play fast, that's your advantage. I can be quick and I can be fast." - Dri Archer at Steelers minicamp. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">We've all heard the famous words by the late ultimate Raider Al Davis, "Speed kills," and "You can't teach speed." They are idioms by which Davis lived (and figuratively died), and by which NFL coaches and owners still often live today. Including those of the Pittsburgh Steelers. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">With their third pick on the 2014 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected Dri Archer, running back out of Kent State. He was a player I had wanted going into the draft, but I felt he could be gotten in the fourth or even fifth round. But, as I alluded to earlier, teams fall in love with speed, and a 4.26/40 - also having an "unofficial" 4.16/40 - is easy to fall in love with. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">That's not just fast, that's "Oh, sh**!" fast. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Speed is coveted, yes. Speed can be the X-factor that can make the difference over the course of a game or an entire season. Just ask the Seattle Seahawks. But, speed alone won't get Hermes to Mount Olympus. Nor does it get an NFL player gridiron success. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Just consider names such as Jimmy "Oops" Hines, Johnny Lam Jones, Renaldo Nehemiah, Ron Brown...all of whom had numerous World and/or Olympic speed records between them, yet few receptions, touchdowns or years in the NFL. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Archer worked strictly with the running back group in the few minicamp practices so far, but has changed his number from 34 to 13 - a wide receiver's number. He did play a lot of WR his last year at Kent State, though, and has said the Steelers have told him they plan on using him "creatively." - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2014/5/22/5741166/steelers-dri-archer-offense-wide-receiver">http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2014/5/22/5741166/steelers-dri-archer-offense-wide-receiver</a> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Recent words by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seem to echo that sentiment. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Is he a running back? Is he a wideout? Regardless of position," Tomlin said, "I think he’s a playmaker. He's a guy that gets yards in chunks and rings up the scoreboard."</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401129687481_60" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Point blank, Archer has more tools than Black & Decker. Over his career, he had 325 rushes for 2,342 yards (7.2 yards per carry) and 24 touchdowns. He also caught 99 passes for 1,194 yards (12 yards per reception) and 12 scores.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He was also a return man, returning 51 kicks for 1,436 yards (28.2 yards per return) and four touchdowns, positions which Steelers GM Kevin Colbert says in his mind "are starters," and saying of Archer specifically that "his kick return ability is unique. It really is special." - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://youtu.be/9ILPHki7-Ww">http://youtu.be/9ILPHki7-Ww</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When you watch the tape on Archer, you can see him read his blocks as he turns it up the field. Upon getting out of the backfield, you even see him breaking some tackles proving he more than just speed. There's a reason he played running back and rushed for all those yards, including despite battling ankle injuries in 2013. The tape does not lie - get him the ball in space and let him use his awesome lateral athleticism to play a life-size game of Madden with 11 grown men. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Because of his size, however, Archer won't be on the field on every down. When he does take the field on offense, though, you will see him get the ball on draws, sweeps, screens and from the slot. Add the return game to that and his vision, athleticism and speed will make him a nightmare to tackle.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Though his touches may be limited, especially early on, because of the talent around him at running back and wide receiver, defenses will have to prepare for him any time he is on the field. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401129687481_85" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Steelers have been down this road before, however, as they attempted to get a Dexter McCluster-like player for offensive coordinator Todd Haley whom he coached with the Kansas City Chiefs. Another small, versatile and fast X-factor player who added another dimension to the Chief's offense. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In 2012, they drafted RB Chris Rainey (lasting just one season after 14 receptions and 26 rushes), who was let go because of gambling and assault allegations. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In April of 2013, they picked up unrestricted free agent RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, or LaSH, on a one-year deal with the Steelers from the Arizona Cardinals. He accumulated only six rushes, two catches and one return before being injured and lost for the year. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i><b>Aside</b>: being that LaSH was "only" a 4.48/40 guy, the other most recent diminutive speedster to be considered would be Reggie Dunn. At Utah's Pro Day, Dunn ran a 4.22/40. But, not having enough versatility, he never made the final roster.</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Now, the third is hopefully the charm for the Steelers. Being that he's faster - he was also clocked at an "unofficial" 4.16/40 - and stronger than both Rainey and LaSH, he could ultimately prove to be better for the Steelers than they could have been and easily as good of a weapon as McCluster was. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">All of this is encouraging as we move forward into OTAs, which begin Tuesday of this week, but his speed and college stats will not matter if he isn't ready mentally also. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“I think I made a pretty good impression. Learning the playbook. A lot to think about.” </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A lot indeed. Because, remember Renaldo Nehemiah mentioned earlier in the article? He lost his job to some slow WR who ran a 4.71/40. I think his name was Jerry Rice or something...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b> The Steelers begin OTAs Tuesday, May 27. The specific dates for the Steelers’ 10 OTAs are May 27, May 28, May 29, June 3, June 4, June 5, June 9, June 10, June 11, and June 12.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1401129687481_135" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There will also be a mandatory three-day minicamp June 17-19. Then an approximate month will pass before Latrobe. </span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-82411670426213578792014-05-24T12:59:00.000-07:002014-05-24T13:18:38.699-07:00Roger Goodell Needs To Drop Hammer On Ray Rice, Jim Irsay<div class="yiv1074575130 yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40497" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40575" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">written by Jayden Matthews</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So Ike Turner, Phil Spector and Ray Rice walk into a bar... Stop me if you've heard this one. </span></div>
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<span class="yiv1074575130" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40590" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Roger, Roger, Roger...why must we have these conversations? Oh, I know why. It's because you're a hypocrite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yiv1074575130" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40593">Many, including myself, are wondering when you are going to address the situation regarding the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Rice assault. You say that you will not tolerate any stain on your precious shield. Well, isn't dragging his unconscious fiancée, whom he conveniently married as soon as charges were filed, out of an elevator and then kicking her a stain? - </span><b style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/pbs3lxk">http://tinyurl.com/pbs3lxk</a></b></span></div>
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<span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40512" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40597" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you not realize, Roger, that every nine seconds a woman is assaulted at the hands of domestic violence, and it is the leading cause of injury to women? Do you also not realize that a lot of those women are fans of the NFL? </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIjKFBNGxXs/U4DwAJmru9I/AAAAAAAAEJo/L44eroxxufw/s1600/_00027Irsay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIjKFBNGxXs/U4DwAJmru9I/AAAAAAAAEJo/L44eroxxufw/s1600/_00027Irsay.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">by Matt Vargo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40516" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40600">What kind of message would you be sending if you let Rice off with nothing? If some form of punishment is not handed down, it would be a slap to the face of the women that have suffered from this type of action and you would indirectly be an accomplice to their assaults. Ask any</span><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40517" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40602"> victim or families of victims of domestic violence, such as myself or William Gay, and we will assure you that any other reaction would be the wrong message. - </span><a href="http://youtu.be/dMZw8JIkOd8">http://youtu.be/dMZw8JIkOd8</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yiv1074575130 yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40521" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40604" style="font-size: small;">The legal issues have played out in the courts and Rice agreed to an intervention program to avoid jail time. I hope this gives him the help he needs. He and his new wife Janay Palmer held a press conference on Friday, along with the usual apologies. But, basically it was a dog and pony show to show they're a happy couple now, with their "no relationship is perfect" comments. -</span><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://t.co/qxo2eIk6o3" rel="nofollow" style="color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/qxo2eIk6o3</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40525" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40609" style="font-size: small;">Intervention programs and press conferences notwithstanding, it still does not take away from the fact, Mr. Goodell, that there was video of him dragging her caveman-style out of that elevator in Atlantic City after knocking her out. </span><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40526" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40611" style="font-size: small;">He committed an act of violence against a woman. You do realize, don't you, that young men look up to these players? What kind of message is being sent to these young men? That it is OK to hit your lady and drag her around like a caveman? Really? </span></span></div>
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<span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40528" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40612" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2010, you said you did not need an arrest to hand down a punishment. Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, found that out first hand, being suspended for six games and later being reduced to four. Ben was never charged with any crime, never arrested, never had any videos of his actions, nothing. But Big Ben was made an example of because, as you put it, he put a "stain" on the beloved shield of the NFL. </span></div>
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<span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40532" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since Big Ben’s suspension, there have been several NFL players arrested for drunk driving, domestic battery, having guns in airports and even an alleged serial killer that is now in jail. But the one thread that connects all of them is the <i>lack of punishment handed down</i>. None of them were stains, then?</span></div>
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<span class="yiv1074575130" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The best one by far just might be Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, who was arrested in March for alleged intoxication and operating a vehicle, he also had in his possession bottles of prescription drugs that were not his. Irsay was at the owners meeting and was seen on TV. Now if that isn't a big old glaring stain, then I don’t know what is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yiv1074575130">An NFL owner in possession of controlled substances that weren't even his? Oh, that’s right, you’re playing the wait-and-see and game. Well, you didn't with Big Ben. Even if he is suspended, you made it clear before anything was announced he would be punished and punished he was. - </span><b style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/nr7zj3y">http://tinyurl.com/nr7zj3y</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yiv1074575130" id="yiv1074575130yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_4678">Ryan Clark, former Steelers' safety said it best on ESPN's First Take: “So here we have Jim Irsay, a guy, an owner, who has history of substance abuse, who's found in a car with over $29K and prescription drugs that weren't in his name, pulled over for driving under the influence, and now we're saying we need more information? What more information do we need than these aren't your prescription pills? You're obviously under the influence. You have $29K. There would be no questions asked if this was a player." - </span><b style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/papv46t">http://tinyurl.com/papv46t</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40547">I fully agree with Clark. But what else is new when it comes to Roger Goodell and his handling of punishments? Which</span><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40548"> gets me to my point. Roger, you need to stop being all Stay-Puff-Marshmallow-Man soft and squishy and afraid of any repercussions from NFLPA, and start acting like Thor and bring the proverbial hammer down and bring it down swiftly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40552">Start sending messages to these overgrown frat boys that enough is enough and that this type of behavior has no place in the NFL. If they want to do the crime, then they must do the time. </span><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40553">Not slaps on the wrists, either - both</span><span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40554"> Rice and Irsay need to be suspended. </span></span></div>
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<span class="yui_3_16_0_1_1400900958147_40558" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because if you don’t start sending the appropriate messages, to find the biggest stain on the shield of the NFL, all you will have to do is look in the mirror. </span></div>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-46308358940102987042014-05-17T10:29:00.000-07:002014-06-01T16:35:18.081-07:00Shedding Light On Rookie Salaries and Salary Cap <span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Bears have signed all draft picks already. Steelers won't be following suit. With only 300K under cap, they have to wait until after June 1" - Pittsburgh Tribune Review's Mark Kaboly</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_16" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When I read that, I figured that it was time to delve into the rookie contracts and how they will affect the Steelers overall Salary Cap. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_21" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">After the NFL Draft, the website OverTheCap.com released the contract estimates for what each team would be paying its draft picks. The Steelers will be looking at approximately $3.78 million in base salary, $5.89 million against the 2014 Cap and $8.43 million in signing bonuses. Here is their complete breakdown per player and contract year. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://overthecap.com/rookiepool2014.php?Team=Steelers">http://overthecap.com/rookiepool2014.php?Team=Steelers</a></span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_26" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">To be completely lucid regarding rookie monies, though, the Rookie Cap is not a separate pool. Actually, it is a separate <i>calculation</i> with no dollar-for-dollar correlation between the Rookie Cap and the overall Salary Cap. That being the case, rarely will rookie salaries, in the new 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement, impact the team’s overall Cap.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_31" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This needs to be remembered because of the Rule of 51 taking precedent in the offseason. It has to, or else offseason rosters, which balloon to 90 players and include several new contracts, would cause teams to violate the Salary Cap regularly. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_36" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So, simply put, the top 51 Cap numbers, all of the shares of bonus money for the players outside of the top 51 via displacement and all dead money amounts count toward the team’s overall Cap. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_41" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Also per the CBA, the individual bonus amounts received by the rookies is prorated over the four years of their rookie deal and that prorated amount is added to the base salary to create the player’s Cap number. For a further breakdown of the NFL rookie pool and its impact on the Cap, I refer you once again to Over The Cap. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/n8flumb">http://tinyurl.com/n8flumb</a></b><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_46" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">What does all of this mean for the Steelers rookies? As Mark Kaboly alluded to above, the earliest any will be signed is June 2 when linebacker LaMarr Woodley's release hits the books and frees up around $8 million in cap space. Ryan Shazier and the others will likely sign just prior to the start of training camp. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_51" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Speaking of Shazier and to quote Kaboly again, “Steelers 15th pick Ryan Shazier's deal will be 4 years for around $9.5 million with a $5.2 million signing bonus.” It will likely come with an approximate $1.7 million signing bonus also. Over The Cap, as the link showed earlier, backs up this estimate. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_56" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In reference to the four years mentioned twice in the past three paragraphs, the NFL and NFLPA came to an agree upon adjustment to rookie contracts. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"Specifically, the two sides have agreed that, once a player is drafted, he will automatically be deemed to have received an offer for a four-year contract at the minimum salary for each season. Previously, the team was required to provide written notice of the tender offer before or immediately after the draft." - </span><a href="http://t.co/71ZBTWJorv" id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_64" style="background-color: white; color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/71ZBTWJorv </a><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_68" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Well, that's the drafted rookies, now what about the UDFAS? They'll cash in on this, right? Uh...no. </span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400345545725_73" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Per Pro Football Talk, to sign undrafted free agents, teams have up to $80,362 each for signing bonuses - a total amount per team, not per player. That's about $8,900 per UDFA for the Steelers. For the rival Baltimore Ravens, though, it's only about $4,700 for each of the 17 UDFAs they signed.</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-21999036837694906512014-05-15T01:14:00.001-07:002014-05-15T01:14:47.545-07:00Speed And Power - Day 3 & UDFAs: Did The Draft Improve The Steelers?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jr7gTJh4hf0/U3R1iDAf4sI/AAAAAAAADoQ/AQhHC-36SoU/s1600/14_Draft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jr7gTJh4hf0/U3R1iDAf4sI/AAAAAAAADoQ/AQhHC-36SoU/s1600/14_Draft.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"This time, I think we might...take our chances with the other guy from Clemson. Not Sammy [Watkins], but the other receiver from Clemson [in the second round]," said Taylor," Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor said this past April 22 on his TribLiveRadio show. (brackets ours)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_17" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Better late than never. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_20" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_22" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It was actually with their fourth pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, that the Pittsburgh Steelers selected wide receiver <b>Martavis Bryant</b> from the University of Clemson. The very wideout that we at <b>If It Ain't Steel</b> had been clamoring for on social media and in a blog article as early as immediately after his performance at the NFL Combine. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/03/steelers-post-combine-nfl-draft-look.html?m=1">http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/03/steelers-post-combine-nfl-draft-look.html?m=1</a></span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_25" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_27" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Since then, however, we have done our due diligence with an even deeper research on the man. After watching approximately 30 minutes of highlights with no sound or influence, this is what we saw:</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_30" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_32" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He has great straight away speed and break away speed. His route-running ability is still about average, but he got better as the season went on, which is in his favor. He is fairly adept at the fly, drag, 7, 8 and 9 routes. When he runs those curl routes, though, they aren't tight enough. He needs to be taught to make much harder cuts <i>and sell them</i> to keep NFL CBs off of him. Also, as we already knew, he catches too many balls with his body. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_35" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_37" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He needs to be more aggressive at going after the ball, but has a high catch radius and gets the ball at its apex. His blocking ability is also wanting, but his overall ability, upside and potential are very promising. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_40" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_42" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Steelers WR Coach Richard Mann likes him also, saying that they "got a big WR, something different than we have now. A guy I've been hunting. Been wanting a tall WR all draft." Mann also pointed out that if Bryant had stayed in college another year that he "could've been a first-round pick." </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_45" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_47" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Bryant gives the Steelers a tall receiving threat who is also a big-play threat. And though he averaged just under 20 yards per catch in his college career, Mann pointed out that "he'll be a great weapon in the red zone for us." </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_50" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_52" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There has been a number of articles written that purport that Bryant could start game one next season. Is that true, Mann?</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_55" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_57" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"I don't think that it's fair to him to say that he will start. You have to come in and work."</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_60" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_62" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">That's what we think, too. As do Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_65" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_67" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The next pick that brought the Bizarro World reference in part one of this two-part article was cornerback <b>Shaquille Richardson</b> out of Arizona. The 6'0", 194-pound CB ran a 4.43/40 at his Pro Day and has been clocked as fast as a 4.38/40.</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_70" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_72" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Smooth athlete whose skill set -- great size and length, good wingspan, great in zone but can play man and often wins at the line of scrimmage, more consistency is needed in his technique but has good ball skills, has the ability to trigger off of his backpedal, fills the gaps and lanes against the run, and also played on special teams -- reflects head coach Mike Tomlin's words after the draft regarding playmakers. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_75" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_77" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"You covet speed, but it's football not a track meet. If you get a capable football player who happens to be fast, it's an asset.”</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_80" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_82" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake likes Richardson's size and speed also, mimicking the sentiments of his being good in coverage. He should like him, though, Lake recruited Richardson when Lake was an assistant coach at UCLA. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_85" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_87" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Lake and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau both say that CB wasn't as pressing a need as perceived. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_90" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_92" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"We have more numbers there than people realize," LeBeau said. "We may have great players in building and they haven't had chance to show us." Lake echoed those words saying that Brice McCain and Antwon Blake will help Steelers. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/04/steelers-sign-brice-mccain-bring-in.html">http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/04/steelers-sign-brice-mccain-bring-in.html</a></span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_95" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_97" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">With their second compensatory pick, the Steelers next took OT/OG <b>Wesley Johnson</b> from Vanderbilt. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_100" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_102" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">At 6-5, First Team All-SEC OLineman has nice height and strength, but isn't quite 300 pounds. He'll need to gain more muscle and overall weight to survive in the NFL. His versatility, though, makes him potentially very valuable, much like Kelvin Beachum before him. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/pfkuaak">http://tinyurl.com/pfkuaak</a></b><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_105" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_107" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">We had mentioned <b>Jordan Zumwalt</b> as a Steelers possibility in a previous piece written after the NFL Combine because he's a taller, versatile linebacker (6'4") with fairly good length who played multiple linebacker positions in college. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_110" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_112" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He's agile with good laterally movement, acceleration, and the ability to elude blockers in space. He shows good technique keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and can be disruptive in the backfield in blitzes. Lacks NFL-caliber strength, but loves to hit and can deliver blows harder than his frame would seem to indicate. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/mvhs66k">http://tinyurl.com/mvhs66k</a></b><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_115" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_117" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Daniel McCullers, the Steelers 2nd 6th round selection, is a behemoth of a defensive tackle out of Tennessee. He stands nearly 6'7" and tips the scales at 352 pounds. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/03/secondary-may-be-key-but-steelers.html">http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/03/secondary-may-be-key-but-steelers.html</a></span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_120" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_122" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">After the selection, Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell made the understatement of the year: "Daniel is a big kid."</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_125" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_127" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In related news, water is wet, fire is hot and Donald Sterling is a bigot. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_130" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_132" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">McCullers is so big he's on both sides of the family. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_135" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_137" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">McCullers is so big, he uses the Tennessee interstate as a Slip `n Slide when it rains. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_140" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_142" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">McCullers is so big that the last time he jumped for joy he got stuck. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_145" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_147" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">McCullers projects as a space-eating nose tackle (and eating damn near e'erything else), but is bigger than what the Steelers are used to at the position. Coming out of college, both Casey Hampton (6'1", 320 LBs) and Joel Steed (6'2", 300 LBs) were much shorter and smaller than Mount McCullers. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_150" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_152" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And as far as his space eater attributes, we definitely need a true plug at nose guard, but the Steelers were in their sub packages most of the time last season (60%-65% of the time). That means, on average he'd only be on the field for about one, maybe two, out of three downs. He'd have to be incredibly agile and athletic to warrant staying on the field in those sub packages, something which he is not. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_155" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_157" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As The Sports Xchange said of him, the "Steelers want their nose tackles to eat up blocks and McCullers is big enough to eat up several. He is the biggest man on their roster right now. A little tall for nose tackle, so playing low will be a test for him."</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_160" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_162" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">He does have good potential and upside, though. McCullers at times would practically bully opponents and it's a $22 cab fare to get around him, slowing down the ball carrier and allowing time for LBs to get to the point of attack. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/lrne4mj">http://tinyurl.com/lrne4mj</a></b><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_165" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_167" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Rob Blanchflower, a 6'4", 256-pound tight end out of UMass, was the Steelers' final pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/n323rau">http://tinyurl.com/n323rau</a></b><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_170" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_172" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Overall grade for the Steelers' 2014 draft at this point(ITALICS) would have to be a B+ -- still could've and should've gotten another cornerback, but that's probably the worst we can say considering that all other needs were addressed. Good job, Colbert & Co., you definitely improved the team. Now bring on the season. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_175" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_177" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_180" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_182" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>TIDBITS:</b> The Steelers minicamp is May 16-18. These are players you will also see there:</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_185" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_187" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">UDFAs: On offense: QB Brendon Kay (Cincinnati), TE Eric Waters (Missouri), OT Kaycee Ike (UAB), G Will Simmons (East Carolina) and G Chris Elkins (Youngstown State).</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_190" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_192" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">On defense: DE Josh Mauro (Stanford), DE Ethan Hemer (Wisconsin), LB Howard Jones (Shepherd) and DT Roy Philon (Louisville).</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_195" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_197" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">S Jake DeMedal (St. Francis) and DB Devon Carrington (Stanford) have tryouts with the Steelers, and Penn State OL Adam Gress will also work out with the Steelers at rookie minicamp this weekend. - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/oevq4wv">http://tinyurl.com/oevq4wv</a></b><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_200" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_202" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">~</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_205" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_207" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">2014 Steelers Draft Class Twitter handles and what Jersey #'s we Know:</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_210" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Ryan Shazier: #50 @RyanShazier</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_213" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Stephon Tuitt: #91 @DOCnation_7</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_216" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Dri Archer: @Dri_Archer1</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_219" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Martavis Bryant: #10 @ThaBestUNO</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_222" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Wes Johnson: @wjohnson67</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_225" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Shaq Richardson: @Dr4_Richh</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_228" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Jordan Zumalt: Not on Twitter</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_231" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Daniel McCullers: @_BIGDAN98</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_234" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Rob Branchflower: @Rob_Blanch</span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_237" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_239" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Thanks to Matt Vargo for doing the leg work on these. </span><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_242" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_16_0_7_1400137014250_244" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-50520902782718867462014-05-11T23:43:00.000-07:002014-05-12T10:02:08.798-07:00Steelers Draft Speed And Power - Did They Get Better? 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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4876">Do you know who Bizarro is? He is a sometime-super villain in DC Comics who was created as a "mirror image" of Superman, does and says everything in an opposite or backwards manner and even lives on the cube-shaped planet Bizarro World. </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4889">To bring it into more of a pop culture light, the t.v. show Seinfeld, which inserted some kind of Superman reference into every episode, even popularized the term "Bizarro World" to mean a situation or setting that is weirdly inverted or opposite of expectations.</span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4890">That's what the three days of the NFL Draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers felt like. </span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4891">Everyone just knew the first and second day would bring a cornerback and a wide receiver, and the third day defensive linemen, offensive linemen and maybe a running back or tight end or both. </span></div>
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Everyone was wrong.<br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4894">Going in to round one Thursday night, the consensus was that the Steelers would take either WR Mike Evans (if he was still there) or one of three cornerbacks, Darqueze Dennard, Marcus Gilbert or Kyle Fuller. Though, even with Dennard falling right into their lap at #15, much as another cornerback did in 1987, they passed on him and selected Ohio State linebacker <b>Ryan Shazier</b> instead. - <a href="http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/05/steelers-draft-ryan-shazier-in-first.html">http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/05/steelers-draft-ryan-shazier-in-first.html</a></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4896">To be clear, Shazier IS a good pick. He's fast. He has great "see-to-do" allowing him to get to the ball carrier quickly. He's fast. He has very good tackling technique which allows him to wrap up so that he misses few tackles. He's fast. His speed and power make it so that he stops the ball at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield a lot. Just ask former Wisconsin back Montee Ball (2012) - <a href="http://t.co/5wOlAq6TtV" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4898" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/5wOlAq6TtV</a></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399873856056_4900">And did I mention he's fast? He ran an "unofficial" 4.36/40 at his Pro Day. </span>He ran an official 4.38/40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, though, said they themselves clocked him at 4.4/40. But what's a few centiseconds between friends?</div>
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"I think he's going to be a problem (for offenses)," Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said of Shazier. "He's going to get on people quicker than they know."</div>
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LeBeau further offered, "He's probably the fastest linebacker in this draft and he will instantly become one of the very fastest in the league....He has as much range and intuitive reaction as any of the great Ohio State linebackers."</div>
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Then, in the second round, they took <b>Stephon Tuitt</b>, defensive tackle out of Notre Dame. He has defensive end speed with defensive tackle size, 6'5" and 304 LBs, and strength, 31 reps on the 225-pound bench press. He notched 21.5 sacks in three seasons with the Fighting Irish, including 12 in his 2nd-team All-America year of 2012. - <a href="http://youtu.be/v8xFIkZtGX0">http://youtu.be/v8xFIkZtGX0</a></div>
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He definitely looks the part and also has prototypical dimensions for a five-technique DE with long arms to ward off blocks. He holds his ground at the point of attack, can stack and shed and has excellent movement for his size.</div>
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The drafting of a second defensive player in as many picks is a nod to the Steelers knowing that the reality was that they must get younger on defense. With longtime starter Brett Keisel being an unrestricted free agent, Tuitt, as well as Shazier, could possibly compete for reps right away. </div>
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"Both of these players, if all develops as anticipated, are going to get a whole lot of playing time," LeBeau said in an interview after Tuitt was drafted. </div>
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“Sometimes in the past, we've been in a position where our draft picks don't necessarily have to play for a year or so," LeBeau continued. "This is definitely not the case in this situation. Our depth is a challenge....We are getting quality players and quality depth. Both of these players, if all develops, are going to get a lot of playing time."</div>
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Specifically of Tuitt, LeBeau said, "You always have to have a big guy on the field and Tuitt suits that no matter what the down and distance is."</div>
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The Steelers third selection, a compensatory selection, was running back <b>Dri Archer</b>. He was one I had wanted after doing my due diligence earlier in the offseason, and he is one who could be used in various ways. - <a href="http://youtu.be/uX4IAY3d2io">http://youtu.be/uX4IAY3d2io</a></div>
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"Steelers plan to use Archer at RB and WR, will move him around everywhere," said Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette from his Twitter (@EdBouchette) account. "Plus, he will return kicks and plan to work with him on punts."</div>
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He is only 5'7 3/4", 173 LBs, but had some of the best numbers in NFL Scouting Combine history, including a 2014 Combine best 4.26 in the 40-yard dash: </div>
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40 Yrd Dash: 4.26</div>
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20 Yrd Dash: 2.34</div>
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10 Yrd Dash: 1.47<span class="yiv0190068036Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
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225 Lb. Bench Reps: 20</div>
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Vertical Jump: 38</div>
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Broad Jump: 10'02"</div>
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20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.06</div>
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3-Cone Drill: 6.86 </div>
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The number that stands out even more so than the 40 time was the 20 reps on the 225-pound bench press. A number that prompted Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to say that "he's not small, he's short." - <b style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/kjcj86e">http://tinyurl.com/kjcj86e</a></b></div>
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The Kent State product often lined up as a slot receiver for the Golden Flashes and could do the same for the Steelers. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry at Kent State. </div>
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According to Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly, Archer was clocked at 4.16 "on one official handheld Combine watch." Steelers RB coach James Saxon said the team had Archer timed at a sub 4.2 also. </div>
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That's fast. In fact, that's "Oh, sh*t!" fast. </div>
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According to <a href="http://draftnasty.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: blue; cursor: text !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">DraftNasty.com</a>, and something fellow WVU fans will appreciate, Archer is “even more naturally explosive and elusive than...Tavon Austin.”</div>
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If Archer is even <i>as </i>explosive and elusive as Tavon Awesome, the Steelers will have found someone who can play human ping-pong with NFL defenses.</div>
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Hopefully, therefore, after Chris Rainey and LaRod Stephens-Howling, the third time's the charm. </div>
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The question remains, then: did they get better? The round one results would seem to suggest yes. Though the position of cornerback wasn't addressed, there were areas of need that were. Though Archer could easily have been found in the next round, he's a playmaker that the Steelers can and will make use of sooner rather than later. As is the case with all three of the first three draft picks. </div>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-90930830584422088562014-05-09T13:01:00.001-07:002014-05-09T13:01:13.162-07:00Steelers Draft Ryan Shazier In First, Miss Out On Biggest Need<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UigeHqsoVJE/U20yhcNrs0I/AAAAAAAADns/ygyHSXoXLxo/s1600/50_RS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UigeHqsoVJE/U20yhcNrs0I/AAAAAAAADns/ygyHSXoXLxo/s1600/50_RS.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"You never pass up a quality player with the hope that you are going to get someone else in the sixth round." - GM Kevin Colbert</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Yet, that is essentially what they did. More on that in a bit.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In Thursday night's first round of the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted linebacker Ryan Shazier out of Ohio State. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Shazier was definitely a great player in college. The 2013 First-Team All-American is credited with 259 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss and seven forced fumbles over the past two seasons. Shazier is a game changer and a playmaker from his linebacker position. Exactly what Colbert likes about him. Not surprising after visiting his Pro Day and bringing him in for an official visit. - </span><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/04/catching-up-with-chronicling-steelers.html">http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/04/catching-up-with-chronicling-steelers.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"You need speed in secondary and linebacker. He can make plays laterally and we are super excited. ... Each and every year his production increased. His biggest asset is speed. This guy can flat-out run."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin echoed Colbert's words more succinctly at the post-selection press conference: "The young man has no holes. ... What we needed was a defensive playmaker and he fits the bill." </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Shazier played at both inside and outside linebacker positions, depending on their alignment, although the majority of the time he was the WILL (weakside) linebacker. So he definitely fills needs. - </span><a href="http://t.co/Y0fW2pKHYS" id="yui_3_16_0_9_1399664301700_44" style="background-color: white; color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/Y0fW2pKHYS </a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Two of those needs, as Colbert alluded to, are playmaking ability and speed. The former was touched on, but the speed aspect is summed up thusly: when asked at what speed did they clock him, Tomlin quipped, "Fast."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">His "unofficial" speed at his Ohio St. Pro Day was 4.36 in the 40-yard dash. Colbert also pointed out that Shazier's "burst is unique."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Filling such needs spells the end for Vince Williams as a starter. He may have gotten better as the season went along, but that isn't enough when it was basically an improve my from nauseatingly bad to mediocre. I like Williams as a backup, but not at all as a starter. Enter Shazier. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Shazier will play the MACK in the Steelers 3-4 alignment, moving Timmons to the BUCK. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If Shazier turns out to be good, even great, that's wonderful. But the secondary is just bad, plain and simple. A second tier rookie won't help. The Steelers should've taken Darqueze Dennard when they had him in their sights. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">With five CBs taken in first round, the talent pool for what the Steelers want at CB is diluted. These are the best of what remains, with the first three of them being ones who fit the Steelers and their needs at the position. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Phillip Gaines, Rice - 6'0", 193 LBs, 4.38/40 - Size, speed and length. When we first wrote about him, we erred in saying that "he could be a steal in the later rounds." After deeper research, we realize how incorrect that was and believe he could be a perfect choice at pick No. 46. In many ways, he is another Ike Taylor or Cortez Allen. He and Tez could be one half of a lockdown secondary. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska - 6'2 1/2", 218 LBs, 4.61/40 - He isn't as fast as some, but uses his length well and also has tremendous instincts and anticipation. He is a mauling, bump-and-run guy who can also play off. A former WR and almost a safety, he is very position - and scheme-specific, which means, if he doesn't pan out at CB, the Steelers would have a fallback plan. If he plays CB he really is a LCB, i.e. who lines up on the Z WR. This will allow him to play an off-man technique which seems to be his best technique. Which, Tez being the No. 1 CB, should work out just fine. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Keith McGill, Utah - 6'3", 211 LBs, 4.51/40 (2nd-3rd round) - At the Senior Bowl, Mayock said that McGill reminded him of the Seahawks' corners. High praise. Has only one full season under his belt, but made the most of that time with an interception and 12 pass defenses. Has also played safety. (See Jean-Baptiste) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Best of the rest through the 4th round:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Marcus Roberson, Florida - 6'0", 191 LBs, 4.61/40 (2nd round) - While not as explosive or fast as others, he has good size and versatility, can play both on the outside (is used to being on an island) and in the slot, has an great motor and also plays the run very well.</span><br />
<br id="yui_3_16_0_9_1399664301700_103" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Loucheiz Purifoy, Florida - 5'11 1/2", 190 LBs, 4.61/40 (2nd-3rd round) - Very athletic, good size for a cornerback with great hips and agility - can turn and run on a dime and is also exceptional in tight coverage. The only two issues may be his ability to play the run and his hands. The former is a must for Steelers CBs, as they are expected to help in run support (see Colbert's quote above). Purifoy may have had only two interceptions and 11 passes defended in his career, one college season for a typical defensive back, but that could be because of the fact that quarterbacks didn't throw his way a lot.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Pierre Desir, Lindenwood - 6'1", 198 LBs, 4.59/40 (3rd- 4th round) - Because of being from a small school, Desir proved that he could do well against a higher level of competition by playing (well) in the both the East-West Shrine game and the Senior Bowl. He intercepted 13 passes in two seasons at Division II's Lindenwood University (Missouri) despite the word being that, like Purifoy, quarterbacks seldom threw his way. Desir projects as a starter on either side, but especially at LCB against the Z WR. His outstanding short-area quickness and speed make him a natural in that off man technique. Very few WRs will outrun him in those first 15-20 yards at LCB. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Also availabe are Lamarcus Joyner (5'8", 185 LBs) of Florida State and Jaylen Watkins (6'0", 195 LBs) of Florida.</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-31103318850781076062014-05-08T13:21:00.001-07:002014-05-08T13:21:38.934-07:00Who Will Be The Steelers' Selection In The 2014 NFL Draft?<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Ask that question to 10 Pittsburgh Steelers fans and you're likely to get 10 different answers. From Aaron Donald to Taylor Lewan and from Louis Nix III to Eric Ebron. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Even Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said Monday that there are at least 15 players "that we would be very happy to pick" in the 15th slot in the first round Thursday night. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">The reality is that, depending on how the 14 picks above them unfold, there are likely only four or five players the Steelers will take with their first selection. Who are they? </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">The Steelers have gone from a veritable "who's who" on defense to a veritable "who's that." Aside from Mike Mitchell, it's an array of young and unsung players who've been brought on board to fill holes and address depth issues. Ike Taylor is 34 years old and the Steelers need cornerbacks. They are absolutely looking strongly at taking a cornerback and a wide receiver in the first two rounds. But they replaced Jerricho Cotchery with solid veteran slot receiver Lance Moore, added Darius H...(sorry, dropped my pen) Heyward-Bey and they can definitely get a very good WR in round two. Therefore...</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><b>Darqueze Dennard</b>, CB, 5'11", 200 LBs, Michigan State - <i>If available</i>, I lean toward Dennard at No. 15. The Steelers are paper thin at two areas on defense: defensive line and cornerback. With the only two real choices along the front seven being long gone by the time the Steelers pick, a top-flight corner would be the next best option. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Despite LeBeau's scheme being difficult for rookies to grasp, he is likely to be ready sooner than later. I still have questions regarding his ability in the zone, and he does allow his athleticism to make up for decidedly minor, unpolished aspects of his cover game. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">But Dennard is an aggressive, NFL-type CB who looks to be a great overall fit for what the Steelers do, in that he is athletic and excels in man-to-man coverage. To paraphrase William Somerset from the movie <i>Se7en</i>: "This guy's methodical, exacting, and [best] of all, patient." - </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/mqqau5b">http://tinyurl.com/mqqau5b</a></b><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">What, though, if Dennard isn't available? Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is 32 years old, after all, and he needs another big or "big play" receiving weapon to pair with Antonio Brown after losing three very productive WRs to free agency in 14 month span (Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery). If available, that WR in the first round would be...</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><b>Mike Evans</b>, WR, 6'5", 230 LBs, Texas A&M - It has become fairly obvious, especially after watching the Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans Pro Day/workout, that Evans made Manziel’s two great college seasons. - </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="font-size: 17px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/pboyhrp">http://tinyurl.com/pboyhrp</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">He is the best bad-ball receiver in the draft, he’s 6'5", is 4.53 in the 40, has great moves, a great ball-catching arc and an ability to out jump and outmuscle smaller cornerbacks. He is a red zone beast who rarely drops passes. If he’s available at No. 15, I can't see the Steelers passing on him. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><b>Justin Gilbert</b>, CB, 6'0", 200 LBs, Oklahoma State — Gilbert is a potential top 10 pick, yes. He ran a 4.37 in the 40, yes. He had seven interceptions last season, yes. He also had six career kickoff return touchdowns (one short of the NCAA record), yes. He might even be as good or better athlete than Dennard. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">BUT...his hips are a little more rigid than Dennard's and he has a history of biting on pump fakes. More importantly, he hasn't shown the same kind of physicality as Dennard in that he isn't nearly the run-stopping tackler and that is HUGE in Pittsburgh. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><b>Kyle Fuller</b> (pictured), CB, 6'0", 190 LBs, Virginia Tech - Fuller especially won me over at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mike Mayock, too. Throughout the Tuesday (Feb. 25th) broadcast, the NFL Network analyst praised Fuller repeatedly. He gushed about his fluidity and tackling ability, giving likely the best compliment possible in saying: "He gets it." Mayock also said that if Fuller ran better than a 4.50/40 that he would be a "first-round lock." He ran a 4.49/40.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">My personal choice (mainly because I doubt Dennard will still be there) may require a trade down to be accomplished. But he can play wide or in the slot, has a physical demeanor with good length, is very tough and <i>loves</i> to tackle. Has a good vertical leap and very smooth hips to be able to turn-and-go. He has smart route recognition, is quick to react, has very good anticipation and cover instincts, closes in a flash and is always looking to strip the ball to force turnovers.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Eric Ebron, TE, 6'4", 245 LBs, North Carolina - There's a lot to like about Ebron. He is a receiving tight end who has rare speed and athleticism for his size and is a good route runner. He is a mismatch nightmare who is generally sure-handed. He has a quick release off the line and excellent body control. Outstanding catch radius and leaping ability. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">His combine numbers were also impressive. He ran an official 4.6/40, completed 24 reps on the 225-pound bench press, recorded a 32-inch vertical leap and a 120-inch broad jump...but he doesn't well. Not at all. This one is a stretch and only happens if all others on their board are gone, and if they don't trade down. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">As has been the case for several months, If It Ain't Steel's choices are either Dennard or Fuller if they go corner, and Evans if they go receiver. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Which will it be? We'll know as of approximately 6:15 p.m. EST. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Sent from SteelerJsun's iPhone</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665637725330682289.post-64793700830046913232014-04-29T23:45:00.000-07:002014-04-29T23:45:10.985-07:00Catching Up With, Chronicling Steelers Visits, Workouts and Pro Days<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">No, <b>If It Ain't Steel</b> wasn't sold at a fire sale. Close, though. </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_9" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_11" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">As we ease back into this blog thing, we thought it best to catch up on what our Pittsburgh Steelers have done in preparation for the April, er uh, May NFL Draft. </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_14" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_16" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">In addition, in upcoming articles we will cover more pre-draft information, which of these prospects was actually selected and their potential, and the logistics of rookie salary.</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_19" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_21" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Back to the matter at hand... </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_24" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_26" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">These are the Pro Days that were attended by the Steelers staff:</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_29" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_31" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Auburn - Kevin Colbert;</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_34" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_36" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Duke - Colbert; </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_39" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_41" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Florida - Mike Tomlin, Carnell Lake and Colbert;</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_44" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_46" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Florida State - Tomlin, Colbert and Todd Haley;</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_49" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_51" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">LSU - Tomlin, Colbert and Haley;</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_54" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_56" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Johnny Manziel/Mike Evans - Tomlin and Colbert; </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_59" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_61" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Michigan - Tomlin and Mike Munchak; </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_64" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_66" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Michigan State - Tomlin and Colbert;</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_69" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_71" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">North Carolina - Colbert; </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_74" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_76" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Notre Dame - Tomlin, Colbert and Joey Porter; </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_79" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_81" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Ohio State - Tomlin and Colbert; </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_84" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_86" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Oklahoma State - Tomlin and Colbert;</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_89" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_91" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Penn State - Tomlin and Colbert; </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_94" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_96" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Texas A&M - Colbert; and</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_99" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_101" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Vanderbilt - Dan Rooney.</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_104" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_106" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">These, now that the period has been exhausted, are the visits and/or workouts held by the Steelers. The visits can serve multiple purposes. Teams can delve further into whatever character concerns or medical issues may exist. The visits can also just be general visitations as teams try to learn as much as possible in order to make informed decisions come draft weekend. </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_109" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_111" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Or they can also be used as smokescreens... </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_114" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_116" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">There are 30 non-local visits and workouts allowed, which does not include any individual workouts held away from the team's facility. The visits and workouts were:</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_119" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_121" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Beau Allen, DT/NT, Wisconsin (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_124" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_126" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_129" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_131" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Odell Beckham, WR, LSU (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_134" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_136" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Rob Blanchflower, TE, UMass (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_139" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_141" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona State (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_144" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_146" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_149" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_151" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_154" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_156" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Scott Crichton, DL, Oregon State (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_159" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_161" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_164" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_166" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Aaron Donald, DL, Pittsburgh (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_169" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_171" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_174" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_176" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_179" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_181" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_184" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_186" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State (Private workout);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_189" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_191" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_194" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_196" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Seantrel Henderson, OL, Miami (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_199" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_201" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Jackson Jeffcoat, DL, Texas (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_204" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_206" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Wesley Johnson, OL, Vanderbilt (Private workout);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_209" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_211" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Demarcus Lawrence, LB, Boise State (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_214" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_216" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_219" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_221" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, Boston College (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_224" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_226" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Calvin Pryor S, Louisville (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_229" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_231" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Shaquille Richardson, CB, Arizona (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_234" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_236" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State (Private workout); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_239" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_241" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_244" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_246" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_249" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_251" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_254" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_256" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Stephon Tuitt, DL, Notre Dame (Visit); </span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_259" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_261" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Brock Vereen, S, Minnesota (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_264" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_266" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Jason Verrett, CB, TCU (Visit);</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_269" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_271" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Andre Williams, RB, Boston College (Visit); and</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_274" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_276" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Jordan Zumwalt, LB, UCLA (Visit).</span><br id="yui_3_13_0_11_1398839009525_279" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;" /></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320078901630699697noreply@blogger.com0