Steelers Free Agency Decisions Creating Due And Undue Criticism

“I don’t view it as dramatically different than other years,” Rooney told Steelers reporters on Thursday and as reported by Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “The recent history is, we face decisions like this almost every year in terms of making decisions on players who made key contributions. I always say, every year is a new jigsaw puzzle and you have to put together the pieces the best way you can and shaping contracts is a big part of that."

There are a few pieces missing to that puzzle. Several key free agents have decided to leave the friendly confines of Heinz Field for greener pastures, or at least what they think will be greener, prompting the head coach of his team, Mike Tomlin, to say recently, "I'm concerned about a myriad of things." As he should be. This very well could be a watershed year for the triumvirate of Rooney, Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert. Now, add to that, one more player may be leaving.

“I have NOT been offered anything. Balls out of my court. All I can do is continue to grind and trust the {Man} above. He has the plan for me...," restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders said on his Facebook account. “If they do offer then I will have a HUGE decision to make. But that's not the case right now. The Pats are interested and it's just that at this point.” (Brackets ours)

Sanders isn't yet a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers free agency sieve, an exodus that has seen playmakers on both sides of the ball depart for other locales, but he still could be. In other words, New England is weighing options regarding their wide receiver (Brandon Lloyd) and draft picks (five) issues. By placing a $1.323 million tender on Sanders, the Steelers have the right to match any offer from the Patriots. The Steelers would also get their 2013 third-round draft pick (91) as compensation if they lose him.

If Sanders does go to New England, the Steelers would be left with Antonio Brown as the only remaining member of the "Young Money Crew" that was supposed to do so much. Instead, the only wide receivers on the roster with game experience would be Plaxico Burress, who will be 36 next season, and Jerricho Cotchery, who has been underutilized (just 33 receptions) in two seasons with the Steelers. That just wouldn't be enough.

A Sanders departure would mean losing a more-than-solid slot man who caught 44 passes and led the Steelers with a 14.2 yards-per-catch average. According to stats.com, Sanders was tied for 17th in the league last year with a '70.5 Clutch Reception Percentage (minimum 40 Total Receptions).' He's an above average blocker and route runner.

Unfortunately, as Neil McCauley said, "there's a flip side to that coin." Sanders has had problems staying healthy. After leaving Super Bowl XLV against the Packers early with a foot injury, he followed that up by having surgery on both feet to repair fractures. Sanders also suffered from fumbling issues in 2012. His was one of the eight fumbles in the Steelers' piss-poor performance in the eight-turnover Cleveland Browns game at Cleveland 20-14 loss. He fumbled twice overall last season and lost both of them.

Regardless, another loss of a playmaker could ultimately be crippling for the Steelers next season. They're in a strong AFC North division that just so happens to have the NFL champions. The margin for error in this draft infinitesimal. There will be no grading on a curve. Only 21 (22 if Sanders stays) out of the last 59 players drafted, spanning the Bill Cowher and Tomlin eras, are still with the team, and none from the 2008 draft class. So the need for playmakers and core players is prodigious.

Ones who would replace such game-changing players as Mike Wallace and Sanders, James Harrison and Keenan Lewis. (UPDATE: One who could provide such help is former Denver Broncos OLB and free agent Elvis Dumervil. With the Steelers having approximately $8 million space under the Salary Cap, this is at least feasible. There is also interest in former Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw. But the Steelers already have one AB, and Bradshaw's injury history dictates he should only be signed at the veteran minimum and if he comes with his own insurance policy.)

Lewis had a fairly lockdown-like season where he had 71 tackles, 23 passes defended and only allowed three touchdown passes. I personally have been enamored of Lewis since all of the buzz in Training Camp his rookie season. He finally showed what his potential could be in 2011 when playing as a Nickel defensive back.

Lewis then emerged in 2012 and was a great compliment to Ike Taylor. To show how much faith the coaches had in Lewis, they allowed then-starter William Gay to leave, cementing Lewis as the starter. Also, Taylor used to take the opponent's No. 1 receiver. The emergence of Lewis, however, allowed him to roam the right side most of the season.

Whether you feel that Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert and company were wrong in letting Lewis go or not, the Steelers definitely took a step back and made a mistake not even offering a contract, to listen to Lewis tell it, to four-year veteran: "I will miss my steelers fans, but they didn't offer me a deal. Sean Payton believe in me. I love him as a coach. Made me feel comfortable. I love that man. He is a king. I respect him so much!" - http://tinyurl.com/ctzcr6v

Not even making an offer to him means they like what they see in second-year cornerback Cortez Allen, who locked down Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski in 2011 (his rookie season), and forced six turnovers in three games at thw end of 2012 (his second season). Fine, but the loss of Lewis also means the loss of a quality Nickel/slot defensive back. Unless you count William Gay. Regardless, his value hasn't gone unnoticed, neither by the coaches nor the national media as Pro Football Focus has Allen ranked as the second-most undervalued player the Steelers have. - http://tinyurl.com/bvwx6ov

Regardless, the quartet of Curtis Brown, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Josh Victorian, Justin King and Robert Golden (who could be moved to safety) are all put on notice and their learning curve just shortened greatly. While it wasn't by any means an embarrassment of riches, it is most definitely an unknown commodity now.

So, whether you stand on the side of Lewis being an 'emerging star' or a 'one-hit wonder', his loss hurts the Steelers secondary, and as Kevin Colbert said, 'players who once looked unavailable in free agency, unaffordable, suddenly become available.'

The loss of Harrison, though, doesn't hurt...as in opponents won't get hurt as much when playing the Steelers. Harrison put out more lights than The Clapper and put more men to sleep than Ambien. The Steelers will miss his ferocity, toughness and playmaking. The depth behind him being suspect at best.

The one that the Steelers would miss the least is Sanders.

Sure, from a depth standpoint it's a major loss, especially when coupled with Wallace taking his talents to South Beach. However, with Sanders never completely living up to the potential expected, it is entirely possible the Steelers don't match the Patriots' offer. After all, it would result in a third-round pick and the erstwhile "Young Money Crew" were all taken in the third round or later: Wallace and Sanders were both third-rounders and Brown went in the sixth.

The Steelers' brass has certainly had to make some difficult, albeit bewildering at times, decisions this offseason. I have faith in them, but it isn't blind faith. When the last of Chuck Noll's players finally left, Cowher had losing seasons - is the same coming for Tomlin? Though I don't believe that to be the case, reverse several turnovers or get more of their own and 8-8 could have been 11-5, it is still a possibility.

Usually the seeds they plant are in fine soil, but this offseason has yet to yield any fine fruit. If much more is allowed to happen, if any more players are cut or are allowed to walk, Steeler Nation all may end up drinking the bitter wine of sour grapes.

~

TIDBITS: PLAYERS GAINED:

Larry Foote - ILB = three years ($5.5 million, $2.5 million guaranteed)

Plaxico Burress - WR = one year veteran-minimum deal ($940,000)

Greg Warren - LS = one year veteran-minimum deal ($840,000)

Bruce Gradkowski - QB = three years (details yet unrevealed)

David Johnson - TE = one year (details yet unrevealed)

William Gay - CB = three years ($4.5 million)

Isaac Redman - RB = RFA tender ($1.323 million)

Jonathan Dwyer - RB = RFA tender ($1.323 million)

Baron Batch - RB = ERFA tender ($555,000)

DeMarcus Van Dyke - CB = ERFA tender ($555,000)

Ramon Foster - OL = three years ($6 million)

Matt Spaeth - TE = Mark Kaboly reports the Steelers' third-round pick in 2007 appears set to rejoin the organization if he passes a physical Monday.


~

PLAYERS LOST:

Mike Wallace - WR = UFA, New team: Miami Dolphins - five-year deal ($60 million)

Keenan Lewis - CB = UFA, New team: New Orleans Saints - five-year deal ($26 million)

Rashard Mendenhall - RB = UFA, New team: Arizona Cardinals - one-year deal ($2.5 million)

Ryan Mundy - S = UFA (New York Giants)

Willie Colon - OL = June 1st release designation; New York Jets - one-year deal ($1.2 million deal)

James Harrison - OLB = No team yet; Cap savings of $5.1 million

Does The Steelers Signing Of William Gay Mean The End Of Keenan Lewis?

William Gay has officially signed with the Steelers again. According to the tweet from beat writer Gerry Dulac above, it is a three-year deal, though the exact terms were not disclosed. It has been intimated, however, that the terms do benefit the team. Gay will be no more than a Nickel/Dime defensive back and will probably see special teams duty, so there's no need to question the team's ardor toward signing free agent Keenan Lewis. Or is there?

ESPN brought out today that, though he started fewer than half of the 80 games he played while in Black and Gold, Gay has played in 96 consecutive regular-season games since being drafted, the longest active streak among cornerbacks. And when Gay left before last season, we expressed the fact that Gay's leaving was a loss:

"Make no mistake, William Gay's departure is a loss. Not only is there now the possible need to replace a cornerback, but the Nickel position as well. He started at the left cornerback spot for the Steelers last year from week two on after Bryant McFadden was benched following the week one loss to the Ravens. Then, when the Steelers would switch to Nickel and Dime packages, Gay would move inside to the slot and Keenan Lewis would come in as the left corner.

Gay made more plays last year than people choose to remember. He's not a starting NFL by any means, no, but the Steelers will still feel the loss, especially at the Nickel.

That said, he was only beaten in a game-changing way twice all regular season, one of which arguably was caused by Ryan Clark being late over the top, and his 2011 regular season stats were on par with Ike Taylor's. The loss is real: he provided experience and depth, he was very good in the Nickel and he knows LeBeau's system.

At the same time, though, this is far from a major loss. There is good young talent at the position behind him in Pittsburgh. Even if he had stayed on a veteran minimum or qualifying contract offer, he still would have been the third or fourth defensive back in Pittsburgh next season." - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-loss-of-william-gay-means-for.html

Now that he's been brought back, one would think he's still in the position of the third or fourth option, putting Curtis Brown, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Josh Victorian on notice. Unfortunately, though, two sources say that it may be the end for Keenan Lewis after all. As Steelers beat writer Dale Lolley put it in his post regarding the signing: "Gay was solid in the slot for the Steelers in 2011 before leaving for Arizona, and that's likely where he'll be asked to play in 2013. That means Cortez Allen will move into the starting lineup on the outside opposite Ike Taylor, though the Steelers will likely call it an open battle between Allen, Gay and Curtis Brown heading to training camp....It also means that the Steelers will now likely let Keenan Lewis walk..." - http://nflfromthesidelines.blogspot.com/2013/03/gay-signing-means-lewis-likely-gone.html

The general consensus of those covering the team is that this sounds Lewis' death knell, as Jim Wexell tweeted here:



It's the classic "cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia" debate, because If It Ain't Steel believes that all efforts to keep Lewis should be made. If he leaves of his own volition, so be it. It's his decision. Do, however, make any and all attempts to retain the man who was one of the two best defensive players on the team last season. A secondary of he and Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen in the slot, and then having Tez take over for Ike after he leaves next season, would seem to be ideal. Silly me, I thought depth was a good thing. Gay said that Taylor personally called general manager Kevin Colbert urging him to bring Gay back. Hopefully someone else will call Colbert and urge him to find a way to keep Lewis.

UPDATE: Behind The Steel Curtain is reporting the deal Gay signed is supposedly around $4.5 million with an approximate $500,000 signing bonus.

Is William Gay Coming Back To The Steelers?

That was the tweet sent by former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay Sunday evening. A tweet that caused an immediate stir and mixed emotions amongst Steelers fans. Does it mean, though, that he's returning to the Black and Gold?

According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Jerrold Colton, Gay's agent, said that there is interest in the Steelers but would not say whether Gay has come to contract terms with the team yet." - http://tinyurl.com/d3n5lrb

According to Gay, he will be in Pittsburgh on Monday, most likely meaning that he'll be at the team's South Side facility. One of his next tweets confirmed this:



Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review made a good point on his Twitter (@MarkKaboly_Trib) account when he tweeted this: "It's not like #Steelers aren't interested in bringing back Keenan Lewis now, but they sure are covering bases just in case Lewis does leave."

Gay, 28, does know the defense and is referred to by head coach Mike Tomlin as "big play Willie Gay." He recorded 60 tackles, six passes defensed, and two interceptions for the Arizona Cardinals last season, but still graded out as one of the worst corners in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

If Gay does come back, whether unrestricted free agent Keenan Lewis is signed or not, he would only be used in Nickel and Dime packages on the slot receivers. Gay would be inexpensive and he didn't have a bad season his final year with the Steelers. Also, if brought back, it'd provide a bonus for the Steelers in that they should receive a compensatory pick, most likely a seventh-round pick, for him after his departure in 2011. BloggingTheBeast.com posted their projections a month ago regarding the NFL's compensatory picks. - http://tinyurl.com/cmzbw62

Despite popular belief, the NFL does define its basis for compensatory picks. NFL.com explains them this way:
"Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.

"The number of picks a team receives equals the net loss of compensatory free agents up to a maximum of four. Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula."

So, despite our previously predicting he'd wind up in Cleveland, the possibility of his being signed by the Steelers does exist. It's the probability that is up in the air.

The Possibility Of Keeping Keenan Lewis; Roethlisberger Takes Control Of Team

This is arguably the most critical offseason the Pittsburgh Steelers may have faced under general manager Kevin Colbert. Several contract/Salary Cap issues, free agent issues, age issues and questions of leadership. How things are handled in the coming weeks will determine the direction of the team.

One of those issues that will be coming to a head as of March 12th centers around starting left cornerback Keenan Lewis. Lewis started all 16 games last season and showed that he has the ability to be a top-level cornerback in the league. His taking on the opponent's top receiver after right cornerback Ike Taylor broke his right ankle in Week 13, helped to prove that.

Lewis' 2011 campaign was heady enough to allow the coaches to part ways with veterans Bryant McFadden and William Gay. He then shined last season as a starter for the Steelers, recording 71 tackles, forcing a fumble and was second amongst cornerbacks with 23 passed defended. A season that garnered the attention of his peers as well: http://tinyurl.com/b879b76

This helps to make the unrestricted free agent highly sought after if and when he's allowed to test the free agency waters. Lewis has said, though, that he's "hoping" to be back with the Steelers after excelling last season, per Gerry Dulac, who also said last month that the team "almost certainly" plans to re-sign the 26-year old four-year pro.

What are the possible numbers of Lewis' eventual contract? Taking some data from last season's top free agent cornerbacks and projections from this offseason and we can formulate an idea.

Since Richard Sherman said that Lewis was one of the top three cornerbacks this season, let's look at the top three 2012 free agency CB signings:

Lardarius Webb (Ravens) - six years, $52.74 million, $10 million signing bonus;

Cortland Finnegan (Rams) - five years, $50 million, $27 million guaranteed, $5 million signing bonus;

Brandon Carr (Cowboys) - five years, $50 million, $25.5 million guaranteed, $10 million signing bonus.

If we only go by those numbers, an asking price of five years, $50 million and a $10 million signing bonus wouldn't be out of the question. Fortunately, a rich CB free agent market headed by names like Sean Smith, Charles Woodson, Aqib Talib and Derek Cox keeps Lewis' price down and allows us to surmise a contract possibly anywhere from $35 to $45 million. - http://www.footballsfuture.com/2013/fa/db.html

The recently increased salary cap for the upcoming season, which will add an extra $2.4 million per team taking it to $123 million, aids the Steelers in being able to work a deal with impending free agent.

Does this solidify the chances of signing Lewis, though. No. As Colbert stated after the season ended, all free agents would be allowed to test the waters. With Lewis gaining the attention he has, let's hope those waters don't flow out off the three rivers.

~

Locker room schism? What locker room schism? Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took control of the situation Thursday and told us that no disunity exists with the team.

"For anybody to say there are locker room issues or leadership issues are completely off base. I believe that's the frustration. I believe that it's frustration of last year, I honestly do," the 31-year old QB said.

"Obviously, last year was frustrating for all of us, and when you're frustrated and the season doesn't go the way you want it to and things don't go the way you want them to, things are said. I know all too well, after the Dallas game I was frustrated and said some things."

He's correct there. Is this team in "total disarray" if they take care of business against the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns or the very Cowboys Big Ben mentioned? Take care of just two of those and they would've been a 10-6 team in the playoffs.

Big Ben continued, saying "The important thing to know is, there are no issues in our locker room. There are no issues with LaMarr. There are no issues on our team.

"The big thing for us is to move forward. Last year was last year, it was 8-8. We're not happy about it. There are frustrations, but you know what? We're done with it. We're moving forward and we're moving into this year...with whoever's here, we're looking to move forward. And we know Woodley's going to be here and we know Woodley's going to be ready to go as we all are going to be."

Ok, Ben, Sr. just proved himself the leader of this team. - http://tinyurl.com/avzmkj3

~

TIDBITS: As a related point in the Keenan Lewis part of the discussion, the aforementioned William Gay was released from the Arizona Cardinals on Friday. and that release caused some to question whether the Steelers may bring him back to add depth behind Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. Most likely not.

Gay was an unrestricted free agent last offseason and looked to greener pastures when he signed a two-year, $4.9 million contract with the Cardinals. Their defensive coordinator last season was former Steelers defensive backs coach Ray Horton, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns.

Though anything is possible with him knowing the Steelers coaches and system, the more likely landing spot for Gay would be the Browns.

~

As a non-related point to the Big Ben part of the discussion, quarterback Charlie Batch evidently doesn't listen to LL Cool J, because he said he wants to "come back."

"My plan is to come back, and I haven't heard anything differently from the organization," Uncle Charlie said. "And I think when you leave out of there at the end-of-the-year meetings, you know one way or the other. And they didn't tell me that they didn't want me back. So I think that's a good sign."

So James Todd was right, don't call it a comeback. You've been here for years. And since the Steelers only have two QBs under contract, Big Ben and recent signee John Parker Wilson, Uncle Charlie might just might be on the sidelines again as the QB coach-in-waiting.

Will the team bring Jerrod Johnson and Byron Leftwich back to camp to compete for spots also? They had four QBs last season before Johnson was finally let go. The same could happen this summer. Just which four, though?

Taking A Look At Three Important Steelers Free Agents; Larry Foote Willing To Take Less; Steelers Sign Six

With the Pittsburgh Steelers season now officially over, like head coach Mike Tomlin said, it's time to "wrap a bow" around it.

In his season-concluding press conference, Tomlin praised and thanked many players for their efforts all season, but was realistic about why they were 8-8 and blatantly said that "we didn't like it." - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/12/31/time-to-wrap-a-bow-around-the-season/

Not only did the players receive their press time, but the coaches did also. He was honest about what his offensive and defensive coordinators, Todd Haley and Dick LeBeau, did over the course of the season, admitting that they did not perform as well as they could have at various points. To say the least.

In doing so, he gave thumbs up to LeBeau, saying that "he's a special guy." Tomlin noted that the defense started slowly, but rounded into form as the season progressed. The defense once again ended the season as the No. 1 ranked unit.

But we'll save looking back for future articles. For now, let's take a quick look at what is currently transpiring and what it could mean for the future, i.e. free agency.

According to the Steelers website, there are 24 free agents, and 26 in total. The Unrestricted are: Will Allen, Charlie Batch, Plaxico Burress, Larry Foote, Ramon Foster, Casey Hampton, Brandon Johnson, David Johnson, Byron Leftwich, Doug Legursky, Justin King, Keenan Lewis, Rashard Mendenhall, Ryan Mundy, Leonard Pope, Max Starks, Mike Wallace and Greg Warren.

The Restricted are: Jonathan Dwyer, Jeremy Kapinos, Steve McLendon, Isaac Redman, Stevenson Sylvester and Emmanuel Sanders. - http://tinyurl.com/bc27am3

The two not mentioned are Exclusive Rights are: Baron Batch and DeMarcus Van Dyke. - http://rotoworld.com

Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently took the 18 unrestricted free agents and offered his predictions on who would be in a Steelers uniform next season. - http://tinyurl.com/amu6lus

Amongst his predictions were "Gone" votes for three of the more important UFAs: wide receiver Plaxico Burress, right guard Ramon Foster and cornerback Keenan Lewis. But, are all hopelessly gone? No. There is the possibility of seeing two of them come back.

Burress came to the Steelers late in the season and only had a handful of catches. Being that he saw only limited time, and that he was inactive half the time, was a reason that Dejan Kovacevic, also of the Trib, thinks Plax's value would be held down enough so that he could be back next season. - http://tinyurl.com/ax6kslu

The one who may be the biggest enigma is Foster. The good news is that he became much more valuable when showing that he not only was very good at his position, but by showing his versatility when playing right tackle and left guard.

The bad news is that he became much more valuable when showing that he not only was very good at his position, but by showing his versatility when playing right tackle and left guard.

That value could bring him a multi-year contract in free agency, if he decides to test the waters. Waters that Kaboly speculates could bring him somewhere in the range of $13 million over four years with an approximate $3.5 million signing bonus. - http://tinyurl.com/adkx2dp

Though Foster did say in his season-ending interview that he'd like to be back because of the potential on this offensive line, he realizes that this is still a business. - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/12/31/foster-likes-potential-on-the-line/

Lewis, one of the Steelers' most important UFAs, was involved in a bit of controversy Tuesday when it was reported that he wanted out of Pittsburgh. He then took to the social media airwaves to clear up his future intentions with the team.

He posted this to his personal Twitter (@KeenanLewis23) account: "I just want to clear this up: I never said anything about @steelers making a mistake by not signing me last season. I love the Rooneys, Organization & fans. I only stayed that my agent will handle the contract talks."

He said further: “I was misquoted by a reporter saying it was a mistake not to give me a contract last year. Try to make my image look bad, but here Wat it is, I'm not money greedy, I had my exit meeting today and it went great. I know we in the right direction as far as a contract, I believe strongly I would be apart of Steeler Nation next season. To do a three peat as the number one pass defense period. Here we go."

The reporter in question Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Trib Total Media. He had reported that “Keenan Lewis plans to test free agency. He told #Steelers "they made a mistake" by not offering multi-year deal before 2012 season.”

Robinson is a quality reporter, one whom If It Ain't Steel often uses as a reference, so there was assuredly some miscommunication with he and Lewis' agent. Nonetheless, it's a good sign that Lewis is looking at this positively, because the Steelers will need him. He ended his season with 71 tackles, 23 pass defenses and a forced fumble.

As Dale Lolley of the Observer-Reporter of Washington (Pa.) tweeted from his Twitter (@dlolleyor) account: "I'll be shocked if the #Steelers don't make a serious play to keep Keenan Lewis. Played outstanding this year and is perfect fit for scheme."

So will we, Lolley, because he is a major key to the Steelers secondary going forward. With Ike Taylor getting older and Curtis Brown not yet developing, Lewis and Cortez Allen may be the two most important cornerbacks right now as the Steelers prepare the offseason roster for the 2013 season.

~

Speaking of the offseason roster, the Steelers announced that they've signed former New England Patriots safety Ross Ventrone (per Mark Kaboly, his brother, Ray, is a safety for the Browns), offensive linemen Joe Long (whose older brother is Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl tackle Jake Long) and Justin Cheadle, wide receivers Derek Moye and Bert Reed, and cornerback Isaiah Green to Reserves/Futures contracts, with the last five all spending time on the Steelers practice squad this season.

~

Another UFA the Steelers may look to for a veteran presence in the 2013 season, especially to help mentor 2012 draft pick inside linebacker Sean Spence, is Larry Foote. Foote was on 93.7 The Fan Wednesday and said that to do that, he'd be willing to take less to stay in Pittsburgh: http://tinyurl.com/amx7u3b

~

TIDBITS: Kaboly had an interesting...well, tidbit about Ross Ventrone whom the Steelers signed. He said that Ventrone "was either signed, promoted or released 30 times in 32 months since being undrafted in 2010."

~

Another important UFA is Will Allen who really stepped up this season and showed he's more than just a special teams player. What does he think about his future in Black and Gold?

Allen said he wants to be back next year, because "it is a hard place to leave. Even if they let you go it is a hard place to leave."

Steelers Look For History To Repeat Itself Against Chargers

In case you missed the news, not that it's been mentioned all week or anything, the San Diego Chargers are 0-14 against the Steelers in Pittsburgh during regular season.

That and a $1.50 will get you a coffee at Starbucks.

We say that because what happened in years past has no bearing what happens this year. Remember: that same franchise is also 2-1 against the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the playoffs. Ask Tim McKyer about that.

That said, it's the former history that the Steelers (7-5) want repeated, not the latter. This version of the Chargers (4-8) does have its issues, but don't expect them to just lay down and concede victory, either.

The Chargers have weapons to throw at the Steelers and have the ability to turn back missiles launched their way as well. Despite having lost seven of their last eight games, they've been in each game into the fourth quarter and have lost by less than a touchdown on the average (6.6 points). ColdHardFacts.com breaks down the last game even further in a recent column that you can find here: http://tinyurl.com/arpoatx

Keeping that in consideration, the main thing that will be on the minds of every Steelers fan when the offense is on the field is "Protect Big Ben." One way to do that is to be able to run the football. That won't be overly easy.

The Chargers are the NFL's seventh ranked run defense and they're tied for fifth in run average per carry (3.8 YPC). The Chargers defense is ranked ninth overall.

Nevertheless, establishing the run to keep the Chargers honest in their attack is prudent. The less Big Ben has to endure, the better. To aid in this, he will be wearing a special "compression vest" that will have a layer of Kevlar to help to absorb hits to his clavicle/shoulder areas. (photo courtesy Will Graves-Associated Press)

Per Pro Football Talk, the Steelers asked Unequal Technologies to create the protective vest for Big Ben to wear in order to protect his injured right shoulder. The vest will include Concussion Reduction Technology (CRT) padding already in some NFL helmets. - http://tinyurl.com/aoeu852

Even so, the Chargers aren't exactly sacking the quarterback at a record pace this year. They have sacked the QB even fewer times than the Steelers have, doing so only 23 times. Shaun Phillips leads them with seven so far on the season.

When passing, the Steelers will have all of Young Money, aka the Bugatti Boys, aka "the boo boo crew" to throw to again. One of whom caused a bit of a stir in an interview with Ralph Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Mike Wallace had some...interesting comments regarding his inclusion in the offense and his production. He referenced his drops as an issue he's well aware of.

"I've never been a guy who dropped balls or just lose focus," Wallace told Paulk. "The first three years, I was always involved, so you just warmed up in games and were just into it.

"But when you don't get the ball for two-and-half quarters, you lose focus," Wallace continued. "But that's the type of offense this is. We're spreading it around, so you're not going to get as many targets. When you get them, you have to make the best of them." - http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3090560-85/wallace-yards-ball#axzz2EPi2Xplb

O...kayyy... Really?

Granted, Wallace was labeled as a co-starter (i.e. "demoted") by coach Mike Tomlin last week. Wallace did start against the Ravens, yes, but his snaps were significantly down compared to other games, per Mark Kaboly. Also, he's had just six targets over the last five games.

And as he pointed out, the Steelers wide receiver snaps vs. Ravens went as follows: Antonio Brown, 52; Emmanuel Sanders, 49; and Wallace, 41. - http://tinyurl.com/as58cl9

Does that equal fewer targets on the whole, though? Let's break down the key points of his assertion and see what's real.

1) "Focus" is a 'you' problem first of all. Faithful readers to If It Ain't Steel know that we've talked about this before. If he isn't involved early, he can become disinterested. Now, he's admitted it.

2) The "dropped balls" is much more of a problem this year as, I do believe, he's now credited with eight. He has 52 catches so far on the season. So, if he catches those other eight, he would have 60 by now, i.e. the total he had in 2010.

3) How can he say he's not getting "as many targets" when he's actually getting targeted more often? Look at the actual numbers:

Targets -
2010: 100 in 16 games (6.25 avg per gm)
2011: 113 in 16 games (7.06 avg per gm)
2012: 93 in 12 games (7.75 avg per gm)

Receptions -
2010: 60 in 16 games (3.75 avg per gm)
2011: 72 in 16 games (4.5 avg per gm)
2012: 52 in 12 games (4.33 avg per gm)

Now, help me with this, how is he less involved? He's currently on pace for 69 receptions. Not only that, but he could also attain a career high in receptions if he caught more of the passes where he was targeted.

That being the case, expect him to be looked for early in the game to appease him and to keep him from falling asleep at halftime. Either that or expect the team to buy stock in 5-Hour Energy.

With Willie Colon saying he "felt real good," and being listed as Probable on the Friday report (he says he's a game-time decision), that's added help against those rushers so Big Ben can gets Wallace those targets, and for pushing the run game that will be led once again by Jonathan Dwyer.

"He obviously is being tested, but he passed that first test. Now he has to come out and back it up," Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said of Dwyer. Most of the questions naturally were about the return of Big Ben, but he did address his running back. - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/12/06/coordinators-corner-haley-lebeau-4/

“The older guys, we keep telling the younger guys about this. They’ve got to believe, they’ve got to understand how important these games are to us. We’ve just got to get a ticket.” - Steelers inside linebacker Larry Foote

Cam Heyward and Steve McLendon are two of those "younger guys." They saw more snaps against the Ravens last week and it needs to continue. They are proving themselves to as effective, and sometimes more so, as the "older guys" they're subbing in for throughout the game. This will continue to be necessary so that the Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel won't be so banged up heading into the playoffs.

No time like the present.

In the Chargers loss last Sunday to the Cincinnati Bengals, they lost starting right tackle Jeromey Clary (knee), left guard Tyronne Green (hamstring) and left tackle Mike Harris (high ankle sprain). Head coach Norv Turner said on Monday that he doesn’t expect any of those players to be able to go this Sunday.

He was right, don't expect any of them. The Chargers Friday injury/practice report said, among others, that Clary is out, Green is doubtful and that Harris is questionable. And if Harris does play, he'll be very limited.

To offset all the injuries, three different offensive linemen were signed off of their practice squad or off of the street during the week.

Maybe it's the chicken I have thawing in the sink, but I can literally smell blood in the water.

Steelers offensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will definitely dial up schemes designed to exploit those mismatches and get after Philip Rivers early.

"Yeah, that's what we do," quipped LeBeau. "I never answer any questions about game plan."

He did answer questions about his players, though, and what he expects of them. Specifically Troy Polamalu and James Harrison.

"Troy's instincts are so great and that's something you don't lose," LeBeau said. "From the first snap that he went in there, you could tell it was Troy in there. He's just a special player. We're happy to have him back."

Of his other former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, LeBeau said that he believes that the Silverback has 'turned the corner' and that "he's been getting better every week," but that he's finally "playing at a very high level."

It was Deebo's strip sack that fueled the comeback victory over the Ravens last Sunday, and he knows he'll need to continue his heroic play this week.

Despite having an offensive line decimates by injuries, the Silverback knows not to assume they'll just lie down for the Steelers. The sacks that Rivers has endured, 36 so far this year, has affected his overall play, resulting in poor numbers for Rivers.

Deebo, when asked about Rivers' poor numbers, said, "I'm not worried about that. I hope they get lower. That's not my problem."

Yes, sir, Mr. Harrison.

Deebo has always been that way, though. He has no regard for the opposing players and teams. He's judge, jury and executioner on the field when healthy. And, like LeBeau said, he's getting back there. - http://tinyurl.com/ac3oa2x

The other aspect of the defense that LeBeau spoke of, though, was the secondary and what to expect with Ike Taylor out for a couple of weeks.

Ike, who has never missed a game under LeBeau, had 32 tackles, 13 pass defenses and one interception in the 12 games prior to his injury.

Cortez Allen replaced Ike and, after giving up a long pass interference penalty and a 28-yard touchdown to Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin, settled down and played well having five tackles and three pass defenses.

Curtis Brown, who had a tackle and a pass defense against the Ravens, now becomes the third cornerback. In the nickel packages he'll stay outside and 'Tez Allen will move inside to his normal slot position as he has the most experience in it.

The other side of that coin is a player should be in Pro Bowl consideration: Keenan Lewis.

Lewis has recorded 57 total tackles and is one of the top cornerbacks in the league in passes defended with 19. He is only allowing an approximate 53% completion ratio on passes thrown his way.

He predicted back in May that he'd make the Pro Bowl, but having no interceptions may hurt his bid. Still, he's locking down one side of the field.

All of those men will be needed against the tall receivers of the Chargers. If they close the back door, though, and Deebo and Jason Worilds, who now leads the team in sacks with five, can bust down the front door, the Steelers could find themselves repeating history again.

~

TIDBITS: Practice/Injury reports: Steelers - Mike Adams, Ike Taylor and LaMarr Woodley are out; Leftwich is questionable; Antonio Brown, Drew Butler (illness), Ryan Clark, Willie Colon, Jerricho Cotchery, Will Johnson, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger, Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace are probable.

Chargers - Donald Butler, Eddie Royal and Jeromey Clary are out; Tyronne Green is doubtful; and Mike Harris is questionable.

~

Love for the big guy:
"Ben Roethlisberger is not only one of the best quarterbacks, but one of the best players, in the NFL. Having him back changes the mindset of all the players and gives them confidence. It gives the coaches confidence in what they’re trying to do in calling and designing plays.

“The one thing about Ben Roethlisberger that people don’t pay enough attention to is that he’s a terrific thrower of the football. When there’s a play to be made by throwing it down the field, he makes it. It always gets lost when people talk about these quarterbacks in the NFL. He may not put up the numbers of Drew Brees or Tom Brady but he takes advantage of every opportunity that’s presented to him." - Phil Simms

"He's awesome. He's a comeback quarterback, he's our leader, he's our field general -- he's everything....It's December football and we're trying to clinch a spot. With him back, our odds are good." - Willie Colon

"Ben's one of the best players on our team and one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Whenever we get him back that's good for us." - Heath Miller

~

Charlie Batch is completely embarrassed after almost losing to Joe Flacco. - http://www.theonion.com/articles/charlie-batch-totally-embarrassed-after-almost-los,30634/

Decline of the Steelers Defense: Is Dick LeBeau to Blame or the Personnel?

Contributing writer, Larry Sayre

I know that some will be curious at first about the title and theme of an article about the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL in 2011.

It's true, though. There are noticeable chinks in the armor of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. There were signs of rust in the Steel Curtain that could be seen as far back as 2008, but definite corrosion had set in starting in 2010.

I know the arguments: the 2008, 2010 and 2011 teams were all 12-4 and had the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 1 ranked defenses. Two of those were Super Bowl teams, including a Super Bowl winner. Though they lost in the first game of last season's playoffs, it can be argued that the loss of five starters to injury or ailment, not to mention a hobbled quarterback, were key reasons for that loss.

Mark Twain is credited with the quote: "There are three types of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics. And those stats have lied, to some degree, with the Steelers defense of late.

The poor performance we saw in Sunday's loss to the Oakland Raiders prove some numbers don't lie, though. Meaning the numbers of missed sacks, missed tackles and the many missed assignments. The defensive players talked about some of these after the game. -http://tinyurl.com/d9op85h

Ryan Clark said the lack of performance "wasn't from a lack of trying." LaMarr Woodley admitted that they got pressure a few times, but that it wasn't enough. The Steelers did actually have nine pressures, along with Woodley's sack, against the Raiders, with Foote and Keisel leading the way with three each. Like Woodley said, though, it wasn't enough.

It isn't enough when the Seattle Seahawks recorded nine sacks, not pressures, sacks, against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. In fact, the Seahawks had more sacks in the first half of that game than the Steelers have in three full games this season (8-5).

That used to be the Steelers forte: a rock-hard, fearsome defense that punished quarterbacks, and teams in general, when they faced the Men of Steel. They led the league or were top three in the league in sacks six times in the 10 years from 2001-2010:
2001 .................. 55
2002 .................. 50
2003 .................. 35
2004 .................. 41
2005 .................. 47
2006 .................. 39
2007 .................. 36
2008 .................. 51
2009 .................. 47
2010 .................. 48

That's the crux of this article: the defense isn't feared as it has been even in the recent past, nor does it cause the chaotic confusion it once did. A confusion that is the driving force behind the 3-4 scheme defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau uses. Raiders wide receiver Derek Hagan even said the Steelers were doing pretty much the "same thing they did six, seven years ago..." Carson Palmer all but said as much as well. - http://t.co/lxs2hxI9

This begs the question then: Is it execution of the personnel, quality of personnel or is it just time for a change in coordinators?

Look, it hurts to even ask the third part of that question, let alone write an article on it. LeBeau is tremendously respected and is one of the best all time at what he does. Few have achieved more in football than Dick LeBeau, as a player, as a coach and as a man. Who doesn't love Coach Dad?

Still, it's a subject that needs to be addressed based on what has been seen in the three games this season, on how last season ended and on how certain trends have developed. The word "predictable" has now even been used in connection with Lebeau and his schemes. - http://tinyurl.com/bpepgoz

First of all, be honest, did you see any real adjustments on Sunday to what Palmer and the Raiders offense were doing in the second half?

Considering the defense hadn't gotten any significant pressure from a four-man front before, was there any sense in rushing only four on third-and-10 late in the game?

We've questioned Lawrence Timmons' play in previous articles and ask now if there was any logic to what he was doing all day. We didn't see any creative ways to get a pass rush off the right side from Chris Carter or Jason Worilds. (I checked the tape, they were actually there.) Nor did we see much of anything from the middle, such as the crossfire blitz we suggested in the Raiders preview blog. Did you?

There is other evidence. Let's go back a ways, though, in order to see the genesis of it more clearly.

Everyone remembers the same big plays from Super Bowl 43: James Harrison's Super Bowl record 100-yard interception return and the 82-yard (really 92) drive that ended with the Immaculate Reception II. If you also remember, it was Woodley's strip sack that ended SB 43 and saved the game after a near collapse that started late in the second half after a 20-7 lead.

There were signs even in that game, though, of the issues regarding LeBeau's tendencies.

To be as succinct as possible regarding the game, Arizona had about 15 yards of total offense after the first quarter. They had about 127 yards of offense in the second, most of which came on one drive. They had about a 142 yards in total offense in the first half, 91 came on one drive. Only seven points were given up in the first half. The defense had done an outstanding job to that point.

The 11:30 mark of the 4th is when it went downhill fast. If I remember correctly that is when we started to drop the safeties back, giving a much bigger cushion. Troy Polamalu was rolling over into coverage on Larry Fitzgerald. Polamalu's playing deeper allowed Fitzgerald to get open underneath. It allowed the Cardinals to get momentum and confidence.

That was evidenced by the go ahead touchdown to Fitzgerald when both safeties were very deep. This is an example of what can be bothersome with LeBeau.

The Steelers had been executing a great game plan. Why call off the dogs? Why change what was working? It almost cost the Steelers a Lombardi.

We don't look at the 2009 season itself as an indictment considering that the special teams unit surrendered so many returns that influenced games that year. Nonetheless, the bend-but-don't-break defensive philosophy LeBeau tends to employ late in games, the calling off of the dogs mentality, often comes too quickly. It allows the other team's offense to gain confidence and get into a groove.

It was still seen enough times in '09 to mention it, nonetheless, the Chiefs and Raiders games to name a couple. Though, many times they had been playing very well up to that point, LeBeau started playing passive in those situations which resulted in losses. They basically played to protect a lead, not to plunge the dagger deeper and win.

Super Bowl 45 is obviously on the list of example, but was a little different. It wasn't so much a collapse as it was the Green Bay Packers just exploiting a weak secondary all game. Most Steelers fans knew that would be an issue and it was. It could have been worse, actually. The Packers receivers dropped several balls, including a few that would have been big gains.

What was most bothersome, though, was after the Steelers had stormed back and made it a 28-25 ball game with just over seven minutes left, the defense gave up a huge clock killing field goal drive. The Steelers didn't get the ball back till the 2:07 mark. The defense just couldn't get off the field. Like they couldn't Sunday against the Raiders.

Two straight Steelers' Super Bowls where the defense does not show up late in the fourth quarter when needed most.

Especially now with this last example being presented, was this completely a coaching/scheme issue? Could it be instead a personnel or execution problem? After all, LeBeau has shown the ability to change his attack given the circumstances, as was evidenced in the New England Patriots game last year in 2011. And no one is going to present an argument convincing enough to make believable that LeBeau suddenly forgot how to run a defense.

So we don't think LeBeau necessarily needs to be replaced. He simply needs to get out of this comfort zone, especially at the end of ballgames. His defense was No. 1 in total defense/yards per game at 282.1, in passing yards at 180.4, in passing yards per attempt at 5.6 and in points per game at 15.1. Excellent!

That leads us to the execution of the schemes by the players on the whole.

Without a healthy James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley together most of the year, though, the pass rush was hindered. As has been seen, it hindered the secondary tremendously. Consistent pressure leads to creating more turnovers. Two things the Steelers have severely lacked of late.

Such players as Keenan Lewis and Cortez Allen seemed to emerge. Tez was a big part of the success in the aforementioned Patriots game. He locked down on their tight ends, Gronkowski specifically. Ike Taylor had a very good year as well.

They haven't been stellar this year, though. The Steelers haven't had a true lockdown cornerback since Rod Woodson, nor as elite a corner/safety combination since Woodson and Carnell Lake. All due respect to Ike, he is NOT an elite cornerback. And the youth of Lewis, Tez and Curtis Brown have yet to truly distinguish themselves and give Steeler Nation that warm and fuzzy feeling.

The pass defense is something that can be helped with the return of a healthy Polamalu. Helped, not fixed. - http://t.co/sdwtrKcx

Neither have the youth in the linebacking corps. Worilds, Carter and, to a lesser degree, Stevenson Sylvester haven't yet emerged as a replacement for the aging James Harrison and the retired James Farrior. A linebacking corps that was responsible for allowing 99.8 rushing yards per game last season (only No. 8 last season) and 4.0 yards per attempt (No. 9 last season).

This season has been no different. In some ways it's actually worse. Though, we may see Sylvester after the bye against the Philadelphia Eagles, we won't see Harrison. - http://t.co/sa00Iahz

Certain cognoscenti even have suggested or surmised that Harrison might even be put on IR. Either way, we shouldn't see him before the Tennessee Titans game. That way he'd have a built-in bye week to see if the knee will have been able to respond after actual game time.

If either of two of the last four NFL Defensive Players of the Year returns the defense will be helped. Again though, helped, not fixed. It needs more. To quote Lance Williams of Steel Curtain Radio, the young guys have to become the guys.

The Steelers historically have always been great against the run. Not lately, though. They need help at inside linebacker also. This is where the loss of one of those young guys, Sean Spence, to IR really hurts. Hurts more than the loss of guard David DeCastro. A lot more. Spence was the draft pick who was brought in to be the hybrid linebacker, the one who could rush, tackle as well as cover tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. Not immediately, but as the season went along he was expected to contribute.

Pointedly, there are two obvious differences from years past to now that smack directly at those linebackers: (1) they are giving away pre-snap reads on blitzes, as alluded to in the Carson Palmer article by Mark Kaboly. And (2) they don't seem to audible out of defensive alignments or assignments as in the past. Like we've written several times this season already, they're caught out of position too often.

Sylvester will be back soon and should help in this area. Spence won't. It hurts a lot more.

Lastly, if it is the players, are they simply not of the caliber that Steeler Nation is used to seeing? Kevin Colbert is known for having a keen eye for talent, but no one is perfect. It's at least feasible that the majority of this crop of talent is that in name only.

If that is the case, it might behoove LeBeau and company to borrow from Art Rooney II and "tweak" things some. Maybe try some defensive changes that suit the personnel. Persuade LeBeau to use more 4-3 (Woodley did play defensive end at Michigan after all) or 4-2-5 alignments. It isn't as if the 3-4 doesn't work, as the Arizona Cardinals under former Steelers assistant Ray Horton, use it quite effectively. They have the players for it, though.

As an extra element to consider regarding the 3-4, the Chicago Bears are the absolute last team to never have used it in some form. With so many teams using it part-time or as their base defense, the element of surprise or at least unfamiliararity is gone. For a deeper look at it, please review an article we wrote on it last year. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2011/10/3-4-vs-4-3-defense-is-it-time-for.html

That being the case, use Steve McLendon to attack more - Hampton clearly isn't getting it done as it is. Use Cameron Heyward more as well to help spell Brett Keisel and to get more comfortable with the defense and more experience in it. The standard is supposed to be the standard, right?

The point is that they need to either be more flexible with their schemes, LeBeau's defense is very complex as it is, draft better players or execute better. The first among those would seem to be execution. - http://tinyurl.com/9g33t72

All things considered, the Steelers defense isn't doomed for the doldrums of the NFL anytime soon. The issues they have are not truly problems yet, especially with two, possibly three, players coming back in the next few weeks. They will, though, be forced to find some way to at most instill that fear once again or at least slow down their opponents when it counts most. Neither of which they have been able to do in a long time.

OTAs Give An Insight Into New Steelers Offense; Harrison Slams Goodell...Again

The Pittsburgh media did a great job during the first week of OTAs. One of the first among these was Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He was all over the place with quotes, observations and videos of the practices. Follow him on Twitter at @MarkKaboly_Trib.

Some of the things we found out was that Big Ben didn't practice yesterday, he was in just a t-shirt in fact. No Harrison, Ike or Cotchery either.

The aforementioned Mark Kaboly said that Keenan Lewis told him that he will make Pro Bowl this year. Lofty goal for someone who isn't even guaranteed a starting position. I like the confidence, though.

Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert says don't count him out at left tackle just yet. He called it his "dream" position. Per Kaboly, the exact quote from Gilbert was: "I'm not counting it out 100% that they aren't going to move me over to left. That's my dream. My passion."

Gilbert went on to talk about other positions on the offensive line when he said of Colon at left guard: "He can be one of the best guards in NFL. He's a strong, powerful guy that can anchor down." Strong words, but I believe that he just may be right. The false starts aside, Colon was one the better right tackles in the NFL before his injuries. I've believed he could move inside for a couple of years now as well. Let's hope he proves Gilbert and I correct.

Worilds has a bandage wrapping his left hand and hasn't practiced in three days. Hopefully it's a temporary thing. Rashard Mendenhall, though, has been seen working out on the sidelines and on the bike preparing himself and rehabilitating. He was quoted as saying he plans to be ready by week one.

Um...no. No, he won't. I love the drive, but recovery time for this injury is nine months. Especially for a player who depends on his speed and cutback abilities. He's a dynamic runner and being able to slash is an important part of his game. He's not a plodder who just busts forward down after down and occasionally flashes his one move. Simply put, week one won't happen. Baron Batch, yes. Mendy, no. Expect him to be on the PUP list to start the season.

As can be found on steelers.com, Big Ben said of Haley's new offense, "I tried to tell (them) don't get frustrated because I know you're used to getting a lot more balls, but this is how it was my rookie year. I know what one guy does and I go to him. If he's not open, I start scrambling."

Big Ben excels at that. But Todd Haley is trying to get Big Ben to play more from the pocket.

"I know that I'm supposed to get rid of the ball, stay in the pocket and not get hit. I guess I better learn where the protections are coming from so I don't get hit", he said with a chuckle.

Those words may give pause to many in Steeler Nation that the Steelers are taking away what Big Ben does best. But it's May, and it makes sense for the team to be focusing on the fundamentals of the offense and on Ben staying in the pocket. Trust me, when the games start, he'll be Big Ben again. We just need a little less John Wayne.

Speaking further on the new offense,  we are starting to see certain elements of it come into focus. There are a few things to which we can probably look forward, such as:

The beloved Counter Pike/Trap/Pull and other POWER RUNNING PLAYS will stay intact with Haley at the helm. In fact, with more athleticism at the guard spots you can bet on it. As I said in a previous blog also, expect both sides to pull. Ergo, more BALANCE. Gradually the new offense will morph to the point where it won't be the predictable beast we saw last year.

Also expect to see more use of a FULLBACK or H-BACK in the offense as David "DJ" Johnson and WVU grad Will Johnson are both listed as fullbacks now and are attending the running back meetings. So running-back-by-committee and Pony backfield formations will probably be seen with backs like Baron Batch and/or Chris Rainey present to go along with Isaac Redman. Bruce Arians from time-to-time said that it was possible that a Pony formation would be used, but I barely remember it. But, no matter, he's "retired" anyway.

More PLAY ACTION and NO-HUDDLE will seemingly be used in this offense also. Big Ben is an accurate passer when using either play action or the no-huddle, and Ben said it will be used more this season. Plus, if you establish running game early, you can use the play action later much more effectively.

Isaac Redman said that they would be THROWING MORE TO THE RUNNING BACKS also. He, himself, is a capable pass receiver and both Batch and Rainey showed that ability in college. Big Ben needs to check down to his backs more anyway, which will lessen the sacks he takes.

All-in-all it seems the Steelers are enjoying getting back to work and learning the new offense which, let's face it, needed an injection of new ideas and a fresh approach. The offense could always do more: if Big Ben had 250 yards passing, you know he could've passed for 300 yards; if the running backs ran for 75 yards, you know they could've run for over 100 yards. So now we can look forward to the next set of OTAs to see what other new things we find out.

~

James Harrison is back in the news, but not because of the OTAs. Last year Harrison trashed Roger Goodell, among others, in an interview last year. He initially said he was taken out of context, then apologized and said his comments were way out of line. Despite the apology he obviously seems to still have a certain degree of vitriol for Goodell. It seems he agrees with Jonathan Vilma’s contention that Goodell was out of line in his public comments about the Saints’ bountygate. Harrison thinks Vilma’s attempt to sue Goodell for defamation is a win-win situation, whether successful or not.

“If he loses, it shows Goodell does have too much power,” Harrison told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “and if he wins, it opens up the floodgates.”

Harrison said he believes the players shouldn’t have signed off on the CBA last year unless Goodell's power had been attenuated. When the CBA was signed
last summer, the Steelers players/organization voted 78-6 against it-the only team to do so.

Well, whether right or wrong, the only thing we can be sure of is that Goodell can't fine Deebo for saying what he did. (Can he?)

~

For you gambling degenerates: Post Gazette Blog: Vegas: Steelers' 2012 over/under -- 10 wins http://t.co/fCkWw4mi

Keenan Lewis Will Have To Battle For Cornerback Position

It was thought by many that, in the event that he decided to sign somewhere else, William Gay's departure from Pittsburgh would inevitably give Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis a prime opportunity to step into the favorite's role as starter.

Up until Tuesday that still seemed to be the case. That is until Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told the press around him at the NFL Meetings in Palm Beach, Florida that something else should be expected.

"We're going to give all those men an opportunity to earn the position", Tomlin said.

Those men are Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown who it seems will battle for the starting cornerback position opposite Ike Taylor. Though Lewis will go into offseason practices with the slight edge because he's been in the Steelers' system longer, this is nonetheless a little different from what many suspected would be the case.

But it might just be that this was precipitated by Lewis himself.

Lewis has had a bit of a roller coaster-like career in his first three seasons with the Steelers. Drafted in the third round out of Oregon State in 2009, Lewis was considered to be a possible early contributor for the Steelers. Unfortunately for Lewis, inconsistent play, injuries, and his own negative attitude all got in the way of his emerging as a starter or starter-in-waiting for the Steelers.

In 2009, Lewis sustained a back injury which hindered any real progress and limited him to a total of just four games his rookie season.

In 2010, Lewis was expected to turn the corner and start contributing at a higher level. He played in only nine games and blew his biggest chance to earn more playing time in a preseason game in Denver. With Bryant McFadden sidelined due to injury, Lewis played badly, committed idiotic penalties, and even attacked a defenseless mirror in the locker room after the game. Tomlin and the coaching staff relegated him to special teams the majority of the rest of the year.

Lewis' window of opportunity seemed to be almost closed heading into 2011. He faced what looked like stiff competition from both Crezdon Butler and Donovan Warren, but was eventually able to fight both of them off and make the 53-man roster.

Now he'll be battling again.

Usually, the biggest jump is from the first season into the second, but with Lewis it took until the third before appreciable maturation was seen. Now he has nipping at his heels two promising young cornerbacks who want the position as much as he does. One of whom, Allen, saw the field on defense quite often in the second half of the season as he was in on a lot of Nickel and Dime packages.

So, just as things begin to click for Lewis and he plays the best football of his young career, he finds himself now fighting for the job for which he should've been the front runner.

Overall, this is neither a negative thing for the Steelers, healthy competition edifies and solidifies, nor for Lewis. Because of his play in 2011 he's laid a solid foundation to be built upon going into 2012.

Again, that experience and emergence should be the fuel he needs to give him a slight edge for the position over his competitors. If he wants it badly enough and is willing to fight for it.

What The Loss of William Gay Means For Steelers Secondary

When the news came down Sunday morning that William Gay had decided to leave the Steelers for the Arizona Cardinals, it didn't really come as any big surprise. Not even to Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert.

″We knew that was a possibility,″ Kevin Colbert said today. ″His representatives had been in contact with us. We were aware of his trips and that he was going to get offers and he got an offer that he took.″ 

It was actually William Gay himself who broke the news of leaving when he declared from his personal Twitter account: "@williamgay22: I'm #Birdgang now west coast". 

In Arizona, as I alluded to in a previous blog post, he will be reunited with Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton and assistant defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend. 

Make no mistake, William Gay's departure is a loss. Not only is there now the possible need to replace a cornerback, but the Nickel position as well. He started at the left cornerback spot for the Steelers last year from week two on after Bryant McFadden was benched following the week one loss to the Ravens. Then, when the Steelers would switch to Nickel and Dime packages, Gay would move inside to the slot and Keenan Lewis would come in as the left corner.

Gay made more plays last year than people choose to remember. He's not a starting NFL by any means, no, but the Steelers will still feel the loss, especially at the Nickel. 

That said, he was only beaten in a game-changing way twice all regular season, one of which arguably was caused by Ryan Clark being late over the top, and his 2011 regular season stats were on par with Ike Taylor's. The loss is real: he provided experience and depth, he was very good in the Nickel and he knows LeBeau's system.

At the same time, though, this is far from a major loss. There is good young talent at the position behind him in Pittsburgh. Even if he had stayed on a veteran minimum or qualifying contract offer, he still would have been the third or fourth defensive back in Pittsburgh next season. 

Is there a need to draft a corner to add to this young talent? Maybe, but the Steelers won't go against the norm and get someone via free agency. We may already, in fact, have what we need in Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith and/or Myron Rolle. They may be able to step up at safety and negate the need for an extra cornerback/Nickel defensive back.

Nonetheless, there should be healthy competition at cornerback to compliment Ike Taylor with Keenan Lewis being the leader in the clubhouse. Lewis has more defensive snaps, seeing game action to the tune of about 400 snaps last season. 

Also based on last year's game packages and total snaps, I'd expect to see Cortez Allen being the nickel corner Keenan Lewis starting opposite Ike since it was Allen who was used in the Dime, though not a true Dime, packages.  

Curtis Brown hardly saw action at all on defense in his rookie campaign. He does seem to hold the eye of the coaching staff, though, as Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest says that they are high on Brown and Allen both. Both showed promise, but Allen seemed to wedge himself in a little tighter in that he would line up inside on slot receivers and tight ends. 

Though the loss of William Gay is palpable, it isn't a loss that will completely hamstring the Steelers. The Steelers have young talent that, though very short on experience, is very long on talent and potential.

~

Steelers unrestricted free agent tackle Max Starks was on Sirius XM on Friday and expressed interest in coming back to the Steelers. Alex Marvez reported via his Twitter account, @alexmarvez, that Starks was recovering from his ACL tear suffered against the Denver Broncos.

His tweet read, "T Max Starks - who looks physically great despite having ACL surgery during the season -- is on @SiriusXMNFL #Steelers" 

At one point during the interview in question he was asked if there was a chance that he would return to the Steelers in 2012 and he replied, "I mean it's a potential. One of the biggest things is that for myself, there's been expressed interest, but once again it all stems off of my ACL recovery....It's my intent that I have the opportunity to go back there, but I know the reality is that I'm not going to get a legitimate look until June for my knee." 

Showing his desire to remain a Steeler is real, he further said, "I say 'us' and 'ours' when I'm talking about the Steelers, speaking from that past tense, but that's been my whole entire career, I was eight years there, so that's all I know."

~

The Denver Broncos brought in and are currently hosting Steelers unrestricted free agent quarterback Dennis Dixon.

Dixon has appeared in four games for the Steelers, making three career starts. He has a 2-1 record with one touchdown and two interceptions. If signed, he would battle Caleb Hanie for backup role.