Will Recent Free Agency Moves Affect Steelers Drafting Of A Defensive Lineman?

The Pittsburgh Steelers uncharacteristically acted quickly on the first day of free agency to sign safety Mike Mitchell. 

Wait, it gets better.

The Steelers signed yet another free agent on Friday, former San Diego Chargers nose tackle Cam Thomas. The 6'3", 330 pounder will add needed depth on the defensive line. - http://tinyurl.com/p7ow9rw

We emphasize "depth" here because the Chargers benched the true nose guard late last season, despite having 26 tackles, two passes defended and an interception. If he is in middle, Steve McLendon could move to defensive end. Though, we simply doubt Thomas will step in as starter. 

While, yes, a Casey Hampton-type space eater in middle could upgrade a declining run defense, is today's NFL completely conducive to that? Also, is Thomas even that man? After all, he was benched toward the end of the season. 

One upside to Thomas (@Baby_Zilla76 on Twitter), though, is his age - he just turned 27 years old this past December. So he does at least have youth on his side. 

Still, it doesn't quite balance the losses of free agent defensive ends/nose tackles Al Woods (Tennessee Titans) and Ziggy Hood (Jacksonville Jaguars). Their departure makes the Steelers paper thin across the defensive line, with the biggest loss being Woods, who, in just two starts at nose tackle, still recorded more sacks last season than Jarvis Jones. He has definite upside that was certainly in the team's plans. 

Now, with just Brian Arnfelt, Hebron Fangupo and Nick Williams under contract, the signing of Cam Thomas is a needed depth signing if nothing else. 

I bet Brett Keisel looks a lot more attractive now. (Anybody have Alameda Ta’amu's number?)

Which now begs the question of what the Steelers will do regarding the position in the NFL Draft? 

Since the Steelers strayed somewhat from the norm in free agency, might they do so in May and go after a Louis Nix III? No, we simply don't expect a high pick to be spent on a defensive linemen. Especially if the guys at PatsCap.com are correct.

Their interpretation of the new CBA suggests that it limits the number of compensatory picks to the number of teams in the league. As a result, the Steelers may not receive a "net value" pick. This is dependent, naturally, "on how the NFL values the qualifying players, and which of the qualifying players is used when multiple 7th round value players are involved. One of the earlier listed teams could lose their pick instead."

If the Steelers are one of the earlier listed teams, they may not be compensated for the loss of safety Ryan Mundy. That would mean the Steelers would need to get as much value in each round as possible.

As far as the defensive line is concerned, that could mean players such as Daniel McCullers (3th-4th round), Justin Ellis (4th-5th round), Ryan Carrethers (5th-6th round) or Deandre Coleman (6th round). But, more on them in a later article.

Instead, therefore, look for the Steelers to keep going right along with their original plans. They have been reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac to want a big/big-play receiver in the first or second round. That won't change.

Speaking of receivers, per Joe Person, the Carolina Panthers beat writer for the Charlotte Observer, on his Twitter (@josephperson) account Monday: "Jerricho Cotchery's free agent trip to Charlotte began tonight with dinner with Ron Rivera and Mike Shula. Continues tomorrow. #courting.” 

As a way of free agency balance, what do the Steelers do? Bring in another free agent. CBSSports.com reported that the Steelers will host former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Lance Moore on Tuesday. 

Business as usual this offseason. 

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TIDBITS: “@steelers: We have re-signed veteran offensive lineman Guy Whimper.

READ: http://stele.rs/1qM8I2d http://twitter.com/steelers/status/445608791480889344/photo/1" 

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We expect Cam Thomas' contract to be somewhere in the realm of two years, $2-$3 million with a minor signing bonus.

Brett Keisel Cuts Beard For Charity, Will Steelers Cut Him?

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel has been cut.

Sort of.

In what has become an annual thing, teammates, coaches and local celebrities took part Wednesday night in shaving Keisel in the “Shear Da Beard” event. - stele.rs/1eXWR8g

What has also now become an annual event is the Steelers having to cut aging players, especially from the defensive side of the ball where several starters qualify for the NFL's version of the AARP card - four starters on defense were over the age of 30, including three in the secondary.

That age, though, finally took its heaviest toll during the 2013 season. The Steelers saw their worst defensive performance (14th in points allowed, 13th in yards allowed and 27th in turnovers forced) in over a decade.

The Steelers are moving in the right direction regarding this, however, having shaved two years off the average age of the defense over the last two seasons.

That's where Keisel comes in. Cutting ties with him, as well as at least a couple of others this offseason, would move the team further in that direction. But that's something for which Keisel isn't quite ready.

“I feel like I can still play," Kesiel said back on December 25 just before the end of the season. "We will see what happens. I try not to think about it too much because I am still here and still part of the team and still fighting with these guys. When the time comes, I will sit down with my family and decide what is best.” - http://tinyurl.com/k8m29uh 

That time is coming rapidly now. Keisel's contract will expire at 4 p.m. on March 12 and, if he is asked to come back for a 13th season, he'll be 36 years old in September. He holds out hope in his heart, but his head is tells him something else.

“I know it's a business,” Keisel said. .... "(But) I bleed black and gold. Everybody knows that. I am a Yinzer, and I love this city and plan on raising my family here.”

“I think I’ve got a couple [years] left in me,” Keisel recently told Scott Van Pelt and Ryan Russillo. “I feel great and still feel like I can play. We’ll see what happens.”

That's all well and good, but the Steelers made a similar mistake when holding on to Aaron Smith too long a few years ago. Injuries took over and ended his career before he actually hung up his cleats. Keeping him on the roster, partially due to sentimentally and partially due to a lack of a viable replacement behind him, hamstrung the team.

Keisel has seen his playing time diminish because of injuries lately as well. It may not be as bad of a situation as it was with Smith, but a similar such move can't be repeated.

If he does return, though, he’ll certainly make far less than the $2.825 million he earned in 2013. Also, though he has been big for the Steelers in the past, sentiment can't be allowed to sway thinking again.

While If It Ain't Steel leans toward bringing him back for the veteran minimum, $940,000 for someone of his tenure, and to have him play Mentor to the team's version of Telemachus, we realize that the timing for both parties is an issue.

Is an old dog ready, willing and/or able to be taught a new trick in another team's system? Juxtapose the Steelers in that question regarding being able to move on with the lot they have.

The Steelers are in a slightly better situation this time around on the defensive line in that both Steve McLendon and Cameron Heyward are playing better or are simply better players than what was behind Smith. Also, Al Woods stepped up and showed that he could be the new Chris Hoke - if not more.

Questions still remain with the D-Line as well, though. Should Ziggy Hood be released or signed for minimum as backup nose tackle/defensive end? Do the Steelers draft a nose tackle or let Hebron Fangupo step into that role? A player the coaching staff is high on, actually.

Regardless, those questions can be addressed as we move further into the offseason. Decisions regarding the newly shorn Brett Keisel begin March 12 as to whether or not we'll have the shear delight of No. 99 kicking the follicle out opposing linemen for one more year.

Analysis, Breakdown Of Steelers 2013 Roster

                      photo courtesy of Matt Vargo

The Steelers announced their cuts, current roster and current practice squad Saturday and Sunday. Because of knowing that certain players being designated for the PUP list, the 8-week Injured Reserve or complete Injured Reserve, we knew the names would change. We just didn't realize how soon. 

To start, the Steelers' initial cuts were Jonathan Dwyer, Alameda Ta'amu, Terry Hawthorne, Justin Brown, Brian Moorman, Josh Victorian, Marshall McFadden, Jamie McCoy, Reggie Dunn, Mike Golic, Joe Madsen, Chris Hubbard, Brian Arnflet, Alex Baxter, Terrence Garvin, Devin Smith, Alevester Alexander, Joe Long, Nathan Overbay, Brian Rolle and Ross Ventrone cut. 

The cut that was a big surprise to many was Dwyer, a fan favorite and the team's leading rusher last season. Yes, the yardage total, 623 yards on 156 carries for 3.99 yards per carry, was the lowest run total by a leading rusher in nearly 50 years (Dick Hoak in 1963 had 679 yards), but he was the most consistent. 

It also, though, should not have been a surprise to loyal readers of If It Ain't Steel as we had suggested that, if he did actually even make the team, that he could be gone once Bell returned. We even said so in our roster prediction blog which we weren't able to update because of personal matters. It also covers the practice squad parameters. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/08/its-time-for-our-look-at-projected.html

It isn't that we didn't want to see him stay, in fact, one half of If It Ain't Steel was livid over his release. And for seemingly good reason. 

Was it fumbles as some have suggested? No. Redman has fumbled the ball seven times in 273-career carries. Dwyer? Twice in 181 carries. More on this in our next piece, though.

As for those whom we thought would make the roster and then the players who did instead go as follows: Dwyer as we've stated, inside linebacker Marshall McFadden, cornerback Terrance Hawthorne (but he was in tub instead of on the field too much), Reggie Dunn and Alan Baxter (though he did make the practice squad). 

Those whom we were surprised over making it: tight end Michael Palmer nose tackle Hebron Fangupo (a very powerful 0-technique prototype nose tackle), cornerback Isaiah Green, safety Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith, linebacker Kion Wilson, that god-awful Guy Whimper, and Devin Smith and Alvester Alexander on the practice squad.

ASIDE: With approximately $3.9 million available under the Salary Cap, every tackle on two legs whose last name isn't Whimper is worth looking at at this point.

As for the roster change on Sunday, center/guard Cody Wallace was signed to the roster and replaced John Malecki. A true journeyman, Wallace has bounced around to seven teams now after being a 4th-round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2008. Malecki has used up his practice squad eligibility and must be signed to a team's roster. 

It's a curious move considering the Steelers usually stick with what they know rather than they don't know. It was suggested that they felt they needed more experience for backups on offensive line. Ok, but Cody Wallace has 18 career snaps, whereas John Malecki has 31 career snaps. 

Curiouser and curiouser...

Here now is the link to the official Steelers roster complete with PUP and practice squad lists, minus DeMarcus Van Dyke whom the Steelers waived on Friday from the injured reserve with an injury settlement. - http://www.steelers.com/team/roster.html

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TIDBITS: The short-version timeline for linebacker Sean Spence's return after being placed on the reserve PUP list is as follows: he’ll be eligible to return to practice after week six and through week 10. He'll then have two more weeks to be added to the regular 53-man roster. 

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Steelers team captains have been chosen. They are: Big Ben, Maurkice Pouncey, Brett Keisel and RC25.

If It Ain't Steel's 2013 Steelers Roster Projection

It's time for our look at the projected Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 roster, time to project who'll maintain the standard we have come to expect. Mind you, with the surgeries in the offseason, injuries in Training Camp and in the preseason games, it hasn't been easy.

We've had to figure out ways to free up roster spots because the list of injured players makes it so that the roster that we'll see week one won't be the roster we'll see after the bye, and then week eight. I've thought of the Steelers possibly (initially) keeping just four running backs, five wide receivers or maybe just three tight ends as ways to complete a 53-man roster. Per the league, teams must reduce rosters to 75 players on the Active List prior to 4:00 p.m. EST on the 27th releasing nearly 500 players to waiver wires (which the Steelers have done) and to 53 by 6pm EST on the 31st releasing over 700 players across the NFL.

(ASIDE: Players who aren't claimed off of waivers will then be allowed to sign to a team's eight-man practice squad. A player is eligible for the PS if they haven't accrued a season or have not been on the active roster gameday roster for more than nine regular season games. The practice squad limit is three years.)

The Steelers find themselves with two injured tight ends, one running back, and two linebackers. How does that affect how many of each are initially kept on the roster? We expect the Steelers to keep nine linebackers, that one is pretty easy. But, the RB and TE situation may dictate how many wide receivers are kept. Will they only keep with a sixth being sent to the practice squad?

OFFENSE (25 players):

Quarterbacks:
Ben Roethlisberger- 7 for #7? Not this season. But, things will be better in year two of the Todd Haley era; Bruce Gradkowski- New backup in town, he needs to stop dictating his passes; Landry Jones- from Uncle Charlie's walker and hearing aid to Jones' baby bottle.

Running Backs:
Le'Veon Bell- his healing Lisfranc foot will keep him out until after the bye in week four, but the rookie has the ability to be the next signature runner in the Steel City; Isaac Redman- though he's had only two carries this preseason, the coaches know he runs with authority whenever he has the ball in his hands; Jonathan Dwyer*- going out on a shaky limb here, but we think he'll acquit himself against the Carolina Panthers; LaRod Stephens-Howling*- he has the electricity to be the lightning to the thunder of the other RBs; Will Johnson at fullback- he has the blocking ability to excel at the position and will be used in the passing game and in more of an H-Back role this season .

Wide Receivers:
Antonio Brown- The number one guy now. He has the wheels and the route-running ability. Plus, he's like the energizer bunny, he just keeps going and going and going...; Emmanuel Sanders- though he's likely gone next season, he's still the best all-around WR on the team; Jerricho Cotchery- over half of his NFL touchdowns have come in the redzone and his experience and maturity will help the younger guys; Markus Wheaton- the real MW? MW 2.0? Regardless, he's got Mitts and Wheels Justin Brown- not very fast, but the rookie is a big target with sure hands; Reggie Dunn- special teams ability and looks to have sure hands if the Steelers want to go Zero Formation. It was either him or Derek Moye, neither of whom will clear waivers. Which might open the door for JD Woods to come back to the PS.

Tight Ends:
Heath Miller- incredibly underrated TE who had career numbers in new offense and should pick up where he left off; David Paulson- better at receiving than at blocking (in fact, he is a bad blocker), but he's a big red zone target; David Johnson- but only until Matt Spaeth comes back after his eight-game IR designation which we believe the Steelers will assign him..

Offensive Line:
Mike Adams- the blindside - nothing more needs to be said - step up, young man; Ramon Foster- he could be Pro Bowl caliber if he wants to be; Maurkice Pouncey- the anchor; David DeCastro- is solid at right guard, especially in the run; Marcus Gilbert- so far, the weak link of an inconsistent (at best) line; Kelvin Beachum- has the ability to play nearly every position on the line and should be the starter at right tackle over Gilbert - C/G/T/TE - the new "Slash?"; John Malecki- coming along slowly but could be much more regular in the rotation by the end of the season if his current learning curve continues; Joe Long- Guy Whimper proved he can't play guard or tackle or any semblance of an NFL player, so it's either Long or Chris Hubbard, with Mike Golic, jr. being moved to the PS.

DEFENSE (25 players):

Defensive Line:
Evander Hood- Ziggy showed up much better in the dress rehearsal, but he has to take control of the position or he'll have signed his ticket out of time; Steve McLendon- Will have fans forgetting Big Snack by the end of the year; Brett Keisel- the Pro Bowler had another solid season last year, but will this one be his final; Cam Heyward- a real mean streak...just need to see it more often; Al Woods- Woods is veteran player who can play either side if needed and at nose tackle; Alameda Ta'amu- was supposed to be the future until Training Camp showed that the future isn't now - Hebron Fangupo may actually have surpassed him.

Linebackers:
Lamarr Woodley- I expect bigger things this year from Woodley, he stepped up in preseason and now needs to be the leader of the linebackers; Larry Foote- the Buck stops here; Lawrence Timmons- finally being left in his natural Mack position last season, he should have been a Pro Bowler; Jason Worilds- make or break season for Worilds who is being nipped at the heels by...; Jarvis Jones- the black cat will be starting by season's end; Marshall McFadden- will backup the Buck and Mack positions; Vince Williams- The Destroyer, 'nuff said; Alan Baxter- the first step of Mr. Baxter is so fast that QBs barely have time to let out a scream before he can get there; Chris Carter- Yeah, but he might relinquish his spot to Brian Rolle or to...; Sean Spence- once he comes off of PUP. Spence had the hybrid quickness, speed and ability to stay with TEs - will he still have it?.

Defensive Backs:
Ike Taylor- Face me, Ike!; Cortez Allen- has earned a starting spot and has the coverage ability and ballhawking ability that Keenan Lewis didn't have (though we think they should have tried to keep him and use Tez in the nickel instead of bringing back...; William Gay- nickel specialist who ain't worth a dime otherwise; Curtis Brown- will see the field more this year between special teams and Dime and select nickel packages; Josh Victorian- Young and still wet behind the ears, but he has a great attitude and aptitude which should start to show on the field; Terry Hawthorne- the rookie is fast and will mainly show that speed on special teams initially; Ryan Clark- led the Steelers in knockout tackles last year as well as quotable quotes; Troy Polamalu- I hear this guy's good; Robert Golden- has real potential, flashes big-play ability at times; Shamarko Thomas- The Shark!

Special Teams (3 players):
Shaun Suisham (K)- SUSHI! (I still wanna see ID); Drew Butler(P)- he beat out Brian Moorman mainly because of his youth; Greg Warren(LS)- he wears no. 60 and you'd be surprised at how many down-field plays he actually makes.

Practice Squad:
LB Kion Wilson- These are the Pittsburgh Steelers, aka "Linebacker, Inc", so he benefits by learning here.
G Mike Golic, jr.- A guard who is very smart but needs to build his strength.
WR Derek Moye or JD Woods- Maybe.
DE Brian Arnfelt- Had too many other DEs in front of him, but worth watching.
CB Isaiah Green- Showed himself well in Training Camp, is a good cover guy and is fast.
RB Alvester Alexander- Good runner who was picked up halfway through TC.
G Chris Hubbard- He should circle back around to the PS if he clears waivers.
NT Hebron Fangupo- If he doesn't actually make the 53.

*Despite their abilities, either LSH or Dwyer may be expendable once players come off the PUP and IR lists. Room will need to be made and it likely would come from one of these two if the roster falls the way we have projected here.

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TIDBITS: DeMarcus Van Dyke and Justin Cheadle have reverted back to the Steelers IR after clearing waivers.

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Below is the blog written post-game and that chronicled the roster cuts. Blogger.com was giving us serious problems, so it wasn't able to be posted. So, here it is:

"Steelers Lose To Chiefs, Trim Roster To 75"
It wasn't good enough. We've got a lot of work to do." - Antonio Brown after the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs 

The Pittsburgh Steelers played light years better than they had in the previous two exhibition games, but, like the Steelers wide receiver said, they still have work to do. 

Certain parts of the Steelers offense showed definite improvement. After previously doing their best to establish the run, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger aired it out to positive results. The running game had mixed results with Jonathan Dwyer and Felix Jones being the two main runners. The offensive line wasn't nearly the revolving door it was last Monday. And the first-team defense spent about 25 minutes knocking around Alex Smith.

Not exactly the 2008 Steelers, but it is progression. 

Big Ben, the Steelers Digest Player of the Week, completed 13-19 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown (almost two), with no interceptions for a 113 passer rating. Big Ben connected with Brown for a 49-yard gain on their first passing play of the evening. He also barely missed connecting with Emmanuel Sanders on a touchdown pass, but Manny wasn't able to pull it in.

The big-play ability wasn't left to just the first team, though. We also saw Markus Wheaton have a long reception of 34 yards, Sanders for 24 yards and Jerricho Cotchery for 21 yards. Tight end Michael Palmer also had one for 25 yards.

Dwyer played well overall as he actually blocked well when in the game, carried the ball eight times for 25 yards and caught Big Ben's lone touchdown pass. Jones, without any chance to even practice, was thrown into the mix rushing for 29 yards on eight carries and returning two kickoffs for 51 yards.

The offensive line continued to have its issues, as was evident by the five sacks allowed, but acquitted themselves better overall. Steelers Maurkice Pouncey believes they can be even better still.

"This is probably the best I’ve ever felt," Pouncey said of his confidence in the line. Knowing that they slipped up in pass protection, Pouncey further said, "It’s small things that we can fix so easily, man, and that’s what we’ve been doing in practice, working our butts off to get everything squared away."

Time is ticking, Pouncey.

The defense played like they are ready for prime time, sacking the quarterback and stonewalling on 4th-and-inches. Cortez Allen hit and stymied his assignments and showed why the coaching staff put their faith in him by not retaining Keenan Lewis. Brett Keisel and Troy Polamalu played like they were completely healthy, and Steve McLendon, Al Woods, Ziggy Hood, Jarvis Jones, who received a scare with a bruised sternum after his interception, and Alan Baxter, who had two sacks, were beautifully disruptive. 

The biggest problems were once again the same thing - penalties and special teams. 

Of the nine penalties, one of which proved costly, we'll simply quote HC Mike Tomlin: "Some of those calls were suspect."

As for the other, somewhere Danny Smith is screaming as he watches tape of his not-so-special teams. The squad endured two more gaffes in a sloppy exhibition season. In addition to a 109-yard return, Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham saw his 52-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter get swatted to the turf. 

Being completely new, Smith has yet to find the right combination of players in order to get them to practice together and gel as a unit. But, part of that dilemma may have been alleviated approximately 24 hours after the game. 

Sunday evening, the Steelers announced the first list of men who wouldn't make the roster. Though one or two of them could feasibly circle back around to the practice squad. The list is as follows:

Tackle D’Anthony Batiste, running back Baron Batch, tackle Mike Farrell, wide receiver David Gilreath, wide receiver Tyler Shaw, cornerback Ryan Steed, linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, tight end Peter Tuitupou, quarterback John Parker Wilson, receiver J.D. Woods, and running back Jeremy Wright.

The only surprises were Sylvester, who many considered still having the possibility of making the team as the ninth linebacker, and Woods who had reportedly played well in Training Camp and had two circus catches when he was in the game against the Giants. 

Also, injured inebacker Sean Spence was placed on the reserve PUP list. He’ll be eligible to return to practice after week six and through week 11. He then has another week to actually be placed on the roster. 

The Steelers also placed guard Justin Cheadle and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke on the waived/injured list. If they go unclaimed by another team, they’ll revert to the injured reserve list. Rookie defensive end Nick Williams has been placed on the injured reserve list.

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According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Steelers reportedly think Jarvis Jones suffered a bruised sternum or chest when he was tackled from behind following an interception Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Jones was taken to an area hospital via an ambulance and strapped to a gurney  following the game. He was kept for observation, but was released Sunday after their battery of tests came up negative. 

Florio speculates Jones wouldn't be "accepting the diagnosis as conclusive," which is his right per the collective bargaining agreement. Why he speculates this is anyone's guess. 

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I am not surprised Mike Golic, jr. didn't get cut. They need OLine bodies, so he has another chance to make an impression. But, I also think Chris Hubbard has a chance to battle Golic, jr. for a PS spot. 

We told you that Hebron Fangupo had the edge on Alameda Ta'amu going into the third game. While Fangupo was playing in the fiurth quarter, Ta'amu was standing with coaches on the sidelines. This suggests Ta'amu may soon say aloha.  

Six Takeaways From Camp, Games As Steelers Prepare For Chiefs' Dress Rehearsal

Another Training Camp at St. Vincent College came to a close Saturday, and the second preseason game is in the books for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They spent over two weeks together at Camp looking to set the foundation for the 2013 season. They have also played two exhibition games in which they didn't exactly look like February 2nd participants.

The integration of the rookies and young players hasn't exactly gone as one would hope, the offense appears pedestrian at best and there is a precipitous drop off in experience and talent once the starters leave the field on both the offensive line and on defense. 

Fielding a team of healthy starters and mixing in the youth on the team will take time. In fact, it may take more than preseason for all to gel, especially with the team dealing with such transition. 

That said, there are elements that were either positive points, or points to focus on in the next game against the Kansas City Chiefs. What were they and what are the things to look to?

Head Coach Mike Tomlin went in to camp needing to find out about his team. The 2013 camp was touted as the most physical camp since the Chuck Noll era. Tomlin set the tone early by having live tackling drills with pads whenever possible. The drills helped give the coaches a better barometer of the players and helped establish an attitude in the RUNNING GAME.

Le'Veon Bell’s injury was "clarified" Thursday at Tomlin's press conference. NFL.com's Albert Breer quoted him as saying on his Twitter (@AlbertBreer) account: "Good news, tho still a problematic injury. RT @steelers @L_Bell26 has a mid-foot sprain, will not need surgery to repair it. - @CoachTomlin."

"Problematic" is right, because the injury could involve a brief rehabilitation, or it could be as injury expert and media contributor Dr. Ray Solano, who is familiar with Bell's situation, tweeted.

In comes the solid play of Jonathan Dwyer in Bell's absence. Dwyer's acquitting himself as well as he did is very significant. Now that Bell is sidelined for some time, Dwyer will get his shot at not only a roster spot, but at moving up on the depth chart as well. It may even force the Steelers to keep an fifth running back or to cut someone else in his stead as both Isaac Redman and LaRod Stephens-Howling seem to be destined to make the roster.

Hopefully, OFFENSIVE LINE coach Jack Bicknell, jr. lit into his linemen this week, because they all looked terrible. Save maybe Ramon Foster, the starters all committed an infraction of some sort, and their backups weren't any better. Guy Whimper was particularly atrocious. 

While Bicknell's zone-blocking scheme seems to be a hit with the players, we need to see if it’s a hit in a game. We also need to see who the capable backups are. Kelvin Beachum is the first lineman off of the bench and will sub for multiple spots. After Beachum, though, nothing is clear. That needs to be settled Saturday night. 

BEN ROETHLISBERGER and TODD HALEY are now on the same page. And according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Big Ben is getting more needed flexibilities and freedoms within the offense. Such trust between coach and player early on can only help later on. - http://tinyurl.com/kvcdfhs

The Steelers players as a whole seem to have a better understanding of the offense and Todd Haley seems to have a better understanding of his players. Now, we simply need to see that new harmony pay dividends for the Steelers offense.

The Steelers are fine at WIDE RECEIVER even with the season-ending injury to Plaxico Burress. The Steelers have Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Jerricho Cotchery and rookie Markus Wheaton. 

The obvious rising star is Wheaton, and draft pick Justin Brown seems to be the fifth WR, but the Steelers have an interesting battle going on between Derek Moye and undrafted free agent rookies J.D. Woods and Reggie Dunn. If It Ain't Steel's thoughts on who makes the roster to come. Nonetheless, watch this battle Saturday night. 

The TIGHT END position is a curious one to decipher at present with both Heath Miller and David Johnson now off of the PUP list and Matt Spaeth still out for the next 7-9 weeks. With Johnson returning to practice for the first time on Wednesday, it has yet to be seen if he will push the healthy tight ends on the roster. Namely David Paulson (who lacks real blocking ability), Jamie McCoy (who is playing H-back), and blocking TE Michael Palmer. - http://tinyurl.com/lxzqeaf

Players to look for to get EXTENDED PLAYING TIME to evaluate is the next thing to focus on considering that during his press conference today, Tomlin confirmed he intended to play starters for at least a half, and play the rest 'by ear'. - http://tinyurl.com/mm9hzd3

Aside from J.D. Woods mentioned earlier, outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and safety Shamarko Thomas have had good camps and good games. Safety Robert Golden looks to be a ballhawk and capable back up, defensive end Al Woods has really looked good at both end and nose tackle. Coaches and players both have raved about his play. Nicholas Williams, Vince Williams and Marshall McFadden are to be looked at closely as well. Lastly, going into the 3rd preseason game, Hebron Fangupo has a slight edge over Alameda Ta'amu at nose tackle. So, keep an eye on that position as well.

Looking backward at the performance last Monday night helps us to look forward to Kansas City. In doing so, we will find out if the coaches are making sure the standard remains the standard.