Steelers 2013 Roster Analysis: Offensive Line

Steel Curtain Rising begins its analysis of the Steelers 2013 roster with the offensive line.

Starters:  Mike Adams, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Marcus Gilbert
Back ups: Kelvin Beachum, Guy Whimper, Cody Wallace

Strengths: The Steelers have invested heavily in their offensive line via premium draft picks. On paper, these men have the pedigree to grow into a dominat unit....

Weaknesses:   ...And that is also the groups greatest weakness. This is a young an inexperienced line. Expect growing pains. How severe will the growing pains be?

The Skinny:  Beyond the issue of growth, the Steelers have crossed their fingers in the hopes that the injury gods do not again rain their wrath down upon the Steelers offensive line, as they did in '08, '10,'11, and '12. Because if they do, this is a unit that has next to no depth as Willie Colon is in New York and Doug Legursky is in Buffalo. Max Starks is available, but the team has not been interested in renewing the love affair yet. An injury to Gilbert or Adams could change that fast.

Click here and scroll around to read analysis of other position areas on the Steelers 2013 Roster.

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Steelers Bolster Tight End Depth, Claim Michael Palmer Off of Waivers

The Steelers can remain mum about Matt Spaeth’s health for as long as they want, their actions indicated they are concerned. Before Matt Speath was carted off the field injured, the Steelers brought in tight end John Rabe.

• Apparently Rabe’s NFL dream, at least in Pittsburgh, as the team waived in.

The Steelers went to the waiver wire to bolster their tight end depth, claiming Michael Palmer off of waivers from the Seattle Seahawks, as reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.

Palmer entered the NFL in 2010 as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Atlanta Falcons. He played in 14 games in 2010, 16 games in 2011, and 13 games in 2012, starting in six games total. His best year receiving was 2011, when he caught 10 passes for 72 yards.

Michael Palmer’s Upside?

Although he only has 21 catches, but 3 of them are for touchdowns, with one in each of his years in the league. That’s a 21% catch-to-touchdown ratio.

While this statistic is likely little more than a statistical anomaly the Steelers picked up another player labeled “retread” whose numbers told a similar story.

His name is Yancey Thigpen. In 1992 during Bill Cowher’s rookie head coaching season, the Steelers signed Thigpen as a street free agent wide receiver at mid season after San Diego Chargers had cut him in camp.

After two seasons, Thigpen only had 10 NFL catches to his name. But three of them were for touchdowns.

• Two year’s later Thigpen broke John Stallworth’s single season receiving record.

Will Michael Palmer write a similar story with the Steelers?

• The odds are against it.

But as Ramon Foster’s agent advised him when he was an undrafted rookie free agent in 2009, “Pittsburgh is the land of opportunity.”

At tight end in addition to Palmer the Steelers count Heath Miller and David Johnson who are on the PUP list, Matt Spaeth of aggravated a knee injury, David Paulson, Jamie McCoy, Peter Tuitupou and Nathan Overbay whom they also signed today.

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Steelers Bad Luck with Offensive Line Injuries Continues: Nik Embernate Goes Down....

The Pittsburgh Steelers began their 2013 training camp with Steelers Nation crossing their fingers that dice would have memories – namely that the horrendously bad luck the team has endured with injuries to offensive lineman would end.

Its still early, but those hopes already appear to be in vain, as offensive lineman Nik Embernate of San Diego State went down at St. Vincents. Dan Gigler of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette described it form the scene:

UFA Embernate from SD St. carted off w/ serious potential leg injury
— Dan Gigler (@gigs412) August 1, 2013

During the Mike Tomlin era no position has been the subject for more turmoil for the Pittsburgh Steelers than offensive line. In and effort to change that, the Steelers have invested heavily in rebuilding their offensive line in the 2010, 2011, and 2012 NFL Drafts, with the picks of Maurkice Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert, Mike Adams, and David DeCastro.

• Alas, by mid-season 2012, Mike Tomlin again was forced to play plug and patch, and musical chairs on offensive line again became the norm as the team’s playoff chances faded away.

In spite of that, the Tomlin along with Kevin Colbert chose to risk the wrath of the injury gods and did not select a single offensive lineman with their 9 picks in the 2013 NFL Draft.

They did however, include quite a few offensive lineman in their 2013 undrafted rookie free agent class. For other franchises that might be a ho-hum observation, but not in Pittsburgh.

Kevin Colbert has had an uncanny knack for striking gold in the undrafted rookie free agent pool. And Colbert has done particularly well with undrafted rookie free agent offensive lineman, with Darnell Stapelton, Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster starting in Super Bowls for the Steelers.

While Mike Golic Jr. grabbed everyone’s attention when joined as rookie free agent, many felt that Nik Embernate had better long-term prospects.

If the reports of the injury’s severity are confirmed, those prospects might have to wait until another summer…..

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Steelers Free Agency 2013: Colbert's Salary Cap "Loaves and The Fishes"

The debate in Steelers Nation as Pittsburgh entered the 2013 off season was whether the Steelers were in “Salary Cap Hell” or merely “Salary Cap Purgatory.” No one on the roster not named Ben Roethlisberger appeared safe.

Now that the dust has settled, it is clear that while the Steelers have/had cap issues, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin pulled off the NFL Salary Cap equivalent of the “Loaves and the Fishes.”

• How’s that you ask? Read on young Padawan…. 

(Note Steel Curtain Rising has a strict “no politics, no religion” editorial policy but hopefully you will excuse this deviation as the metaphors are irresistible.)

“The times, they are a changing….”

It’s true that Steelers Nation has not experienced such off season roster upheaval since the 90’s. Back then, in the pre-Heinz Field days, free agent exoduses became an annual rite.

The process was agonizing. Tom Donahoe and Bill Cowher would draft and develop players, only to lose them as soon as they reached free agency.

What happened this off season is both similar and different. In the ‘90’s cash flow was the culprit, whereas during the Steelers 2013 off season it was lack of cap space, forcing Pittsburgh to swallow hard and cut contributors whose age, injury status, and cap values made them expendable.

Let’s look at how deeply the axe swung:

Steelers Salary Cap Casualties:
James Harrison, former NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Willie Colon, cut two years into a four year contract

Contracts Not Renewed by the Steelers:
Casey Hampton
Charlie Batch
Byron Leftwich

Steelers Players Poached in Free Agency:
Mike Wallace
Rashard Mendenhall
Keenan Lewis
Max Starks
Will Allen
Ryan Mundy
Doug Legrusky

Painful? Doubtless.

Consider this:  EVERY player that Pittsburgh lost in free agency, cut or declined to bring back started a game for the Steelers in 2013. Six of whom were full time starters.

In 2013 the Pittsburgh Steelers not only said good bye to a lot of talent, experience, and locker room leadership, but they also abandoned a fair amount of potential.

These loses will be felt. How badly? The answer to that question lies in what the Steelers did to compensate.

Steelers Free Agent Spending in 2013

The conventional wisdom is that the Pittsburgh Steelers are an inactive team in free agency. In the 2013 off season the Steelers were active, but many of Pittsburgh's free agent moves happened slightly below the radar.

Steelers ’07 Draft Class Revolving Door (former players reacquired):
William Gay
Matt Spaeth

Unrestricted Free Agents Resigned by the Steelers:
Ramon Foster
Larry Foote
Plaxico Burress
David Johnson
Greg Warren

Restricted Free Agents Resigned:
Emmanuel Sanders
Steve McLendon

Unrestricted Free Agents Retained via Tender for 2013:
Isaac Redman
Jonathan Dwyer

Steelers Free Agent Additions:
Brian Moorman
LaRod Stephens-Howling
Guy Whimper
Bruce Gradkowski

For a team supposedly on the precipice of Salary Cap disaster, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a lot of moves during the 2013 off season.

In pure quantitative terms, the Steelers came out ahead, signing/resigning 15 players while saying good bye, in one form or another, while losing 12.

• Quantity is one thing. What about quality? Did the Steelers come out ahead? 

That’s a more difficult question and one with a more nuanced answer.

Colbert and Tomlin’s Loaves and Fishes Salary Cap Miracle 

Measured in terms of raw football talent, it is impossible to argue that the Steelers weathered their most difficult free agency period since the Donahoe years and came out ahead.

Anyone who tells you that Plaxico Burress’ value to the offense is equal to or better than that of Mike Wallace is missing a few fries from his Happy Meal. Ditto any attempt to equate William Gay's value with that of Keenan Lewis.

• But success in the free agency era goes beyond questions of raw talent.

Yes, you need good players to win and great players are essential to winning big. This is true in any era. When asked about Steelers success, Dan Rooney’s stock response is “You have to start with the players.”

But success in the salary cap era doesn’t come down to who has the best talent, but who can get the most for their salary cap buck. And in that respect the Steelers have potentially positioned themselves to come out ahead.

• Take the Steelers situation at cornerback.

Without argument, the threesome of Ike Taylor, Keenan Lewis, and Cortez Allen beats the threesome of Taylor, Allen, and William Gay.

But the money the Steelers saved in not resigning Lewis didn’t just go to Gay. It allowed them to resign David Johnson and bring back Matt Spaeth. Now Johnson and Spaeth are marginal roster contributors to be sure. But that’s the point.

Assuming that Cortez Allen is the real deal and that Ike Taylor doesn’t slow a step, then the trio of Allen, Taylor, and Gay at CB combined with Speath, Johnson and David Paulson holding down the fort at tight end in Heath Miller’s absence arguably delivers more value for salary cap dollar than Keenan Lewis would have.

• The same can be said of Mike Wallace.

Had the Steelers really wanted to, they probably could have kept Mike Wallace.

But at what cost? Certainly Plaxio Burress wouldn’t have been resigned. Emmanuel Sanders either wouldn’t have been tendered or would have been allowed to go to New England. Either Jonathan Dwyer and/or Isaac Redman would have been gone too. AND LaRod Stephens-Howling probably never darkens any doors on the South Side either.

To go with a baseball analogy, Mike Wallace is a legitimate home run threat on any down and defenses must plan for. The Steelers will miss his contributions.

• But football is a team game, and the Steelers are calculating that they can make up for losing this home run threat with a series of base hitters.

Such strategies come with risks. Losing Ike Taylor for the year and fielding a Lewis/Allen corner tandem is quite different than fielding a Gay/Allen corner tandem. The same can be said for several other position areas, most notably offensive line and wide receiver.

• But making such calculated risks is part of life under the NFL’s salary cap. 

On paper Kevin Colbert has made a series of excellent “best bang for the salary cap buck” decisions. Soon Steelers Nation will know how those decisions play out on the field.

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Steelers Work Out Antoine Caldwell - Wither Doug Legursky?

Amid a flurry of visits from collegiate linebackers in advance of the 2013 NFL Draft the Steelers managed to work out another veteran free agent. Unlike visits from Ahmad Bradshaw or others by linebackers or safeties, this one came from a veteran who doesn’t play what is seen as a position of need.

• Yesterday the Steelers worked out former Houston Texan Antoine Caldwell, who played as a part time starter at center and guard for the Texans. 

Although Willie Colon has departed, the Steelers count on recently resigned Ramon Foster and their 2012 1st round draft pick David DeCastro at guard.

Clearly the Steelers are exploring ways to build their depth at guard, and in that sense Caldwell’s visit is a little curious. Doug Legursky, whom the Steelers developed from an unrestricted rookie free agent into a reliable back up center and/or sometimes starter at guard, remains unsigned.

Steel Curtain Rising’s Free Agent Focus, tagged Legursky as one player the Steelers could probably get back if it wanted back, however, the same was said about Will Allen and Ryan Mundy, both of whom now play for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, respectively.

Perhaps the Steelers are still considering Legursky, perhaps they’re just window shopping to get a feel for what’s in the market, perhaps they’re only planning to bring back Legursky but after the draft and want an insurance policy in case he signs elsewhere.

But clearly the Steelers are at least contemplating the possibility of an offensive line bench without Doug Legursky for the first time since 2009.

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Second Guessing the Steelers Decision to Cut Willie Colon

The news that the Pittsburgh Steelers have cut Willie Colon is now as old as it has been expected. Just because it was an anticipated move does mean that the decision to cut Colon was the right one.

To be certain, the case for cutting Willie Colon was strong. After all, Colon:

• Spent all of 2010 on injured reserve
• Had a 2011 season lasted all of one game
• Finished 2012 on, you guessed it, on injured reserve

Back of the envelop calculations show the Steelers paying Colon a million dollars per game played over the past three years. Clearly management is looking to cut its losses and move on.

However evidence indicates that the decision on the South Side may not have been as cut and dried as it appears.

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported that two weeks prior to free agency’s start, the Steelers assured Willie Colon’s agent Joe Linta that they had no plans to cut the guard. Of course the Steelers went out and cut Colon, just had been rumored late in the season.

• What happened? 

Steel Curtain Rising has no sources, but it’s not too hard to speculate:

• The Steelers expected to come to an agreement with James Harrison
• When they didn’t, the Steelers cut Harrison freeing up extra, unexpected cap space
• The extra cap space allowed them to resign Ramon Foster

Kevin Colbert had said that players like Ramon Foster would be allowed to test the market – but the Steelers signed him before free agency began. Foster’s signing make Colon expendable.

Cause for Buyer’s Remorse on Colon?

The case for cutting Colon was strong, however there were both football and business reasons for keeping him.

• First, when healthy, Colon was the Steelers best lineman. Guard was Willie Colon’s natural position, and after he settled in there he was the ass-kicker that the Steelers have been needing on the offensive line.

Beyond that, Colon was far from the only offensive lineman to be hit by the injury bug over the past several seasons. Even if the Steelers were projecting Ramon Foster and David DeCastro as their starter guards, Willie Colon had enough position flexibility to make him an option at both guard and tackle.

• Injuries have plagued the Steelers at offensive line since 2008 and the wisdom of carrying 6 starter capable offensive lineman into the regular season is self evident.

Another argument in favor of keeping Colon was the fact that he’d given the Steelers a home town discount, agreeing to take three million less to stay in Pittsburgh then the Chicago Bears were offering.

• How willing will others be to offer similar home town discounts in the future?

There's no way to know, but cutting another lineman two years into a long term deal isn't the way nurture the spirit that leads to hometown discounts.

Should The Steelers Have Taken Their Medicine? 

The Steelers designated Willie Colon as a post-June 1st cut. This allows him to sign with another team, but the Steelers are required to carry his salary against the salary cap until June first.

• In doing this they can split the dead money penalty between 2013 and 2014.

Perhaps this was a necessity. Perhaps the Steelers cap situation is so dire that they’ll need this money to sign their draft picks.

But given the massive restructurings Pittsburgh has been doing year in and year out, it is fair to ask if the Steelers wouldn’t have been wiser to simply take their medicine now, and absorb Colon’s dead-money hit in 2012.

At the end of the day, all of these are nothing more than academic questions – the Steelers cut Willie Colon and they are splitting the dead money hit over 2013 and 2014.

But from where Steel Curtain Rising sits, both moves appear to be mistakes.

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Wallace Departs - Larry Foote, Plaxico Burress & David Johnson Stay with Steelers

In the end, those who predicted that some other team would pay Mike Wallace the 10 million dollar a year that Pittsburgh wouldn’t were way, way off. That’s because the actual number end up at 13 million and the team in question was the Miami Dolphins, who out bid the Vikings, among other teams.

This contract was far greater than what the Steelers had offered Mike Wallace before his hold out and far more than what Antonio Brown got instead.

The Steelers will suffer without home run threat Mike Wallace, but Mike Wallace is no where near with the money Miami is paying him.

Steelers Far From Not Idle – Foote, Burress, and Johnson Return

While the Steelers never wade into to the free agent signing free for alls, they were  hardly idle back in Pittsburgh. 24 hours before free agency began, the Steelers came to terms with Ramon Foster who signed what is reported to be a 3 year 6 million dollar contract with between 900 and 800 thousand guaranteed.

Ramon Foster had been getting feelers from other teams and the Steelers acted quickly to keep him off the market, as they did with Larry Foote who’d been courted by Pittsburgh West aka the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers had been in talks with Larry Foote, and are desperately thin at inside linebacker, especially as Sean Spence’s season if not his entire career are in serious doubt at this point.

The Steelers also made what journalists were describing as a “surprise” move, by signing former Kevin Colbert first round pick Plaxico Burress to a one year deal for the league minimum. After the season ended, there’d been talk that Burress would be back, but as recently as Tuesday morning Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette claimed that any Burress signing would happen in June.

And late in the day it was reported that the Steelers agreed to terms with David Johnson, their fullback – tight end who was injured last year in preseason at the hands of Marcus Gilbert. With Heath Miller ailing, David Paulson and David Johnson now give the Steelers two healthy tight ends.

Colon Expected to be Cut

Even if the Steelers did turn a few heads by locking down a few of their own players to contracts, the exodus will continue as Rashard Mendenhall and Keenan Lewis are expected to receive offers from other teams.

• And so might Willie Colon. 

The Steelers ability to resign Ramon Foster makes Colon, who has finished the last three seasons in injured reserve and earned an average of a million dollars per game actually played, expendable.

The Steelers are expected to cut Willie Colon, but designating him as a post-June 1st cut, which will allow Colon to seek another offer while the Steelers can prorate the dead money impact on the salary cap over two years.

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Surprise! Steelers Sign Ramon Foster - Wither Willie Colon?

Lost in the wake of James Harrison’s release was the news that the Steelers were talking contract with unrestricted free agent Ramon Foster.

• Apparently, it wasn’t idle chatter

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette is reporting that the Steelers have agreed to a three year contact with Ramon Foster. Terms were not disclosed.

Ramon Foster joined the Steelers as a rookie free agent, saw starting duty toward the end of 2009, and entered the line up when the Steelers got spanked by the New England Patriots in 2010 and has started ever since.

Foster has not only proven to be a durable guard, but also has position flexibility, having started 3 games at tackle for the Steelers. Foster’s traditional position had been right guard, but the Steelers moved him to left guard late in the season when 2012 first round pick David DeCastro returned to the lineup.

Wither Willie Colon?

While the Steelers decision to sign Foster was a surprise, most quarters expected him to dip his toes into the free agent market, the immediate speculation was over what this meant for current starting guard Willie Colon.

Late in the season and for much of this off season myriad press reports indicated that the Steelers would part ways with the oft-injured Colon. Still, his agent Joe Linta has gone on record saying that the Steelers told him two weeks ago that they did not plan to release the guard.

That may be the case, but perhaps the Steelers do not plan to release James Harrison, and suddenly found themselves with more salary cap space than expected.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer Ed Bouchette stated on Twitter:

#Steelers cd designate Colon June 1 cut now so he cd sign elsewhere & team gains cap advantage but not until June 1. Counts on cap till then
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) March 11, 2013

No matter if #steelers do it now or designate it for June, Willie Colon will be cut. When they did not ask him foe a payout, it said it all.
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) March 11, 2013

Steelers Stock Piling Offensive Lineman?

While Ed Bouchette has sources and his logic is water tight sense, other possible explanations exist.

It is impossible to discuss the fiscal impact of Foster’s signing without knowing how much he is being paid. Only starter money could convince Foster to sign without testing the open market and conventional wisdom would dictate that the salary cap strapped Steelers could not enter the season carrying six starting offensive line salaries.

• However, the Steelers started 2008 with Max Starks sitting on the bench despite a salary of around 7 million.

Another point to consider is that of the Steelers offensive line, only Foster and Willie Colon have veteran salaries.  Maurkice Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert, Kelvin Beachum, David DeCastro, and Mike Adams are working on their rookie contracts.

• Given the horrendous injury issues the Steelers have suffered in recent seasons on the offensive line, stock piling offensive lineman is not too far fetched a scenario

Finally there is the salary cap itself. No one denies that the Steelers have salary cap issues, but it is possible that the restructurings, the release of Harrison, and the unexpected increase in the salary cap itself has left the Steelers with more space than reported in the press.

The wait will not be long. If the Steelers are going to cut Willie Colon, they’ll likely do so soon.

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Steelers Roll Dice, Only Offer Original Round Tenders to Restricted Free Agents

The Steelers are banking that dice don’t have memory, at least when it comes to restricted free agents. Facing salary cap pressures, the Steelers have given original round tenders to restricted free agents Steve McLendon, Jonathan Dwyer, Emmanuel Sanders and Isaac Redman. Pittsburgh has opted not to offer tenders to Stevenson Sylvester or Jeremy Kapinos, making both men unrestricted free agents.

By offering the men original round free agent tenders the Steelers both preserve their right to match any offer given to these players and the signing team will have to give up a draft pick from the round the player was taken in.

• In Jonathan Dwyer’s or Emmanuel Sanders case, that means any team signing him would essentially have to trade the Steelers their 6th round or 3rd round pick.

However, since both Isaac Redman and Steve McLendon were undrafted rookie free agents, the Steelers would get nothing should either man leave the team, although they still retain the right of first refusal.

Given that both men have ample experience, either man could garner attention, thereby putting the Steelers at risk of losing their project starting nose tackles and running backs. However, a year ago the Steelers made the same gamble last year with (then) restricted free agents Ramon Foster and Doug Legrusky, both of whom had starting experience, and neither man drew much interest from NFL teams.

The cases of Sylvester and Kapinos are more nebulous the Steelers could bring both men to camp, but clearly show no interest in paying either man more than the NFL veteran minimum.

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Steelers Talking with Ramon Foster

The news that the Pittsburgh Steelers have released James Harrison clouded over the fact that they were talking with Ramon Foster.

Ramon Foster has been one of the more intriguing of the Steelers unrestricted free agents. Nobody’s world beater, Foster has nonetheless showed himself to be an outstanding back up and solid if not spectacular starter. He also has position flexibility.

• When Steel Curtain Rising did its Free Agent Focus article on Ramon Foster, the conclusion was that Foster was unlikely to return.

However, Foster has indicated that the Steelers are in talks with him, and at least will attempt to make him an offer, although several teams are interested in talking with Foster.

Ramon Foster is one of Kevin Colbert's rookie free agent successes, and it would be nice to keep in Pittsburgh. The fact that the Steelers are talking with Foster, also perhaps indicates that they are planning on letting Willie Colon go. Willie Colon has three years remaining on his contract, but has finished each of the last three seasons in injured reserve.

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Steelers Free Agent Focus: Ramon Foster

Ramon Foster joined the club as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 rookie free agent class and since then has developed into another shining example of Kevin Colbert’s unrestricted rookie free agent success.

Foster got a baptism by fire, starting in the Steelers 2009 away loss to Baltimore Ravens on the night when Dennis Dixon was their lone starting quarterback, which was also the first time that season where no sacks were allowed. Foster would go on to start vs. Green Bay, Baltimore, and Miami that season.

In 2010 Foster began the season on the bench, but began starting vs. New England when Chris Kemoeatu was injured, and started the second half of the seasons and all of the post-season.

Despite that, he started 2011 on the bench, but injuries and Kemoeatu’s ineffectiveness led Foster to start 14 games that year.

The arrival of David DeCastro was supposed to relegate Foster back to the bench, but David DeCastro’s injury and Foster’s solid play kept him in the line up. He, along with Max Starks, were the only offensive lineman to start all 16 games, although Foster did do double duty at tackle.

Steelers Likely to Say Farewell to Foster

Under normal circumstances, with that pedigree, the Steelers would be looking to lock up Foster to a long term deal.

However, that is unlikely to happen. Like fellow unrestricted free agent Max Starks, Foster is likely to fall victim to the Steelers salary cap crunch. Unlike Max Starks, Foster is now breaking into his prime years as an athlete and his prime earning years.

He has far less incentive than Starks to offer a “home town discount,” and even if he were its hard to imagine that another team will not reward him far more lucratively that the Steelers can.

• Expect Ramon Foster to play in colors other than Black and Gold in 2013 and beyond

This is unfortunate, but most probably a mathematical necessity.

Scenario for the Fixing up the Steelers with Foster

There’s a big X Factor for Foster’s future with the franchise, and that comes by the name of Willie Colon.

Once Willie Colon successfully transitioned to guard he transformed the entire line. But he got injured, and finished his third straight year on IR. A decision by the Steelers to cut Colon would clear the way for Foster’s return.

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Mike Tomlin Suspends Mendenhall, Makes Statement

Fans throughout Steelers Nation questioned the team's commitment to winning in the wake of the shocking defeat to the Chargers.

Mike Tomlin has asked similar questions, but unlike the rest of the fan base, he's acted upon it.

Late on Tuesday word spread that the Steelers have suspended 2008 first round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall for "Conduct detrimental to the team." Specifically, Mendenhall did not show up at Heinz Field after he'd been told earlier in the week that he would not dress for the Chargers game.

Two fumbles and a poor performance vs. the Cleveland Browns led to Mendenhall's demotion to third string. Mendenhall said all of the right things and was visible on the sidelines of the Steelers victory over Baltimore.

But now Mendenhall's actions have spoken far louder than any words he might have uttered. Rashard Mendenhall had an obligation to be with his teammates for the Chargers game. First, he needed to show he is a "hand in the pile" type player, second he needed to offer support and advice to his fellow rushers.

But it goes beyond that. Even though Mendenhall had been told he would not dress for the game, there is a chance the Steelers might have needed him. Guys can and do get hurt in warm ups. That's how Bubby Brister earned his first start back in 1986. Jerome Bettis showed up for the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff game vs. Baltimore expecting to play, but the pain killing shot made his entire leg numb.

These things happen. Who knows? Had something like that happened, Mendenhall could dressed, gotten into the game, and won his starting job back. But he wasn't there for his team.

The chances of Mendenhall is a free agent resigning with the Steelers were slim to begin with. Now its fairly safe to say that he will not be a Pittsburgh Steeler in 2013.

Mike Tomlin made a statement in benching Mendenhall two weeks ago. Perhaps it might have been a little harsh, considering that neither Jonathan Dwyer nor Issac Redman had done much better in the debacle vs. Cleveland.

• But it was the right move then. 

Suspending Mendenhall now is even more right. This type of nonchalance contributed mightily to the loss vs. San Diego, and sending someone home without pay sends a strong signal that it will not be tolerated.

Willie Colon Out, DeCastro to Start

One first round pick begins exiting stage left, another steps into the spotlight. As Ivan Cole of Behind the Steel Curtain (full disclosure, I also write at BTSC) pointed out at the time, Willie Colon's pancaking of Vontaze Burfick during the Bengals game marked a turning point for the Steelers offensive line and its running game. From that moment the Steelers offensive line began to consistently win battles up front.

Unfortunately, Colon got injured in the loss to the Ravens, and the line has not been the same since, particularly the run blocking.

Colon started the San Diego game, but could not finish. Mike Tomlin confirmed that he'll have surgery this week. How he responds will determine whether or not he heads to IR for the third straight year.

In Colon's absence, the Steelers solution has been to start Doug Legursky at center and move Maurkice Pouncey to guard. That worked well in the victory over the Ravens. Not so much vs. the Chargers. But as Colon will be out for a while, to say the least, Mike Tomlin has discarded the band aid approach, and instead is starting rookie first round draft pick David DeCastro.

DeCastro was of course injured in preseason, and made his return to the active roster a few weeks ago. But he's only played special teams thus far.

Ramon Foster will shift over to left guard and DeCastro will start at right guard.

Its yet another incarnation of the Steelers offensive line in what has been an almost three year, non-stop musical chairs expirement.

The Steelers will need more from their offensive line if they're to prevail vs. Dallas.

Hopefully David DeCastro can bring it for them.

Allen and Lewis Injured Too....

It never rains but it pours. As in monsoon.

Both Keenan Lewis and Cortez Allen suffered hip flexors vs. the Cowboys. Lewis is expected to play but Allen is doubtful. That means that Curtis Brown, who did not play well last week, might start and that Josh Victoria and David Van Dyke will also likely see time in the secondary.

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Steelers vs. Jets Pre-Game: Harrison and Polamalu Out Injured

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense struggled mightly against Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos, with two of three units earning F’s on the Steelers Report Card.

This week they’ll face an inferior quarterback in Mark Sanchez, but they’ll also do it with out their twin Defensive Player of the year winners.

James Harrison, who is recovering from knee surgery, will miss a second consecutive game reports Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette, while Tory Polamalu will also sit out due to an injured calf.

Ryan Clark will rejoin the Steelers secondary, and Ryan Mundy is likely to get his second start. Ironically, Mundy got his first NFL start in Polamalu’s absence in a December match up the Steelers lost to the Jets.

Essex Whisked Away, Steelers Stand Pat on the Offensive Line

Even before Ramon Foster and Marcus Gilbert suffered injuries vs. the Broncos, everyone expected the Steelers to make a roster move and resign Trai Essex. Yours truly went so far as to predict that on Twitter.

However, Bruce Arians, who already “poached” Mewelde Moore invited another former Steeler into Hoosier territory. Essex accepted his offer, and is now a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

The Steelers still could have made an additional move to bolster their offensive line, which only counts eight offensive lineman on the active squad at the moment, at least one below their "normal."

But they didn’t. Remarks by Kevin Colbert in the recent edition of Steelers Digest indicate that they think highly of Kelvin Becham, and perhaps the Steelers made the calculation that none of the available street free agent offensive lineman would add enough value to their team to sacrifice depth and/or a young prospect.

Or perhaps they’re just banking on the law of averages to protect them from yet another offensive line injury….

Steelers vs. Jets Preview Video

I don’t pretend to follow other NFL teams closely enough to offer detailed pregame assessments, but in this case that is not needed.

Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain (full disclosure, I also write for BTSC) has put together an excellent 6 minute video breaking down the key match ups that will dominate the Steelers-Jets game.


This is only the latest in a series of SB Nation videos produced by Michael Bean. Check them out on You Tube – and the good news is that they’re using authorized NFL footage, so no worry that Goodell’s YouTube police will make them disappear.

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David DeCastro Injured vs. Bills

Just six plays into the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason match up vs. the Bills, first round pick David DeCastro was injured and carted off of the field. While no there's been no official word on his injury leaving the turf on a cart is never a good thing. He's being replaced in the line up by veteran Ramon Foster.

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Steelers Activate Max Starks, Waive John Clay

The Steelers are only one game into the 2012 preseason campaign, yet they remain active on the personnel front.  Only one day after placing David Johnson on the waived/injured list, the Steelers followed suit with John Clay.

According to the Post-Gazette, Clay had injured his hip and groin in practice after the game, and the Steelers apparently thought they needed a healthy body in camp so they replaced him with John Ford.

Should no team claim Clay, and none is likely to, his rights will revert back to the Steelers.

If fate should have it that John Clay's time as a Pittsburgh Steeler is over, he always memory of taking his first NFL carry for 10 yards AND a touchdown in the Steelers late season shut out of the St. Louis Rams last year.

Max Starks Returns (Again)

The Steelers also took Max Starks off of the Physically Unable to Preform list, which will allow him to practice with the team. Starks had been recuprerating from the ACL tear he suffered in the playoffs vs. Denver.

While the Steelers had planned to activate Starks at some point in mid-August, his presence is needed on the offensive line, where injuries are already forcing roster shuffling, with Marcus Gilbert getting work at left tackle and Ramon Foster getting work at right tackle.

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