Steelers Draft Needs: Time to Hit the Safety Valve

Previous NFL Drafts of the Kevin Colbert-Mike Tomlin era have seen the Pittsburgh Steelers focus on defensive lineman (2009 and 2011), offensive lineman (2010-2012), cornerbacks (2011), and wide receivers (2010).

But there has been one area of need that the Steelers have consistently ignored, albeit often times due to circumstances beyond their control. And that position is Safety.

• The Steelers must address their needs at Safety in the 2013 NFL Draft

With a healthy Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu the Steelers probably still boast the NFL’s best starting safety tandem even with both men on the wrong side of thirty.

• But that later reality is something the Steelers no longer have the luxury of ignoring. 

The Steelers had seemed to be grooming a safety in the form of Lee Flowers or Myron Bell in recent seasons. That safety was Ryan Mundy. It would be wrong to scapegoat Mundy for the woes that bedeviled the Steelers defense in early 2012, but things only began to get righted when they benched Mundy.

The fact that Mundy got beaten out by thirtysomething Will Allen did not bode well for his future in Pittsburgh.

• But that’s an academic question now as both Mundy and Allen have new homes in the NFC East.

That leaves the Steelers with Robert Golden, an undrafted rookie free agent from 2012, and Damon Cromartie-Smith.

Neither man has seen much action and both will have to fight for roster spots under the hot summer sun at St. Vincents in Latrobe.

(They also have someone named Ross Ventrone under a futures contract who doesn't even have a jeresy number assigned to him, no doubt to keep him from showing up on Joe Flacco's scouting reports.)

• The Steelers need an injection of youth and talent at safety, and this is not simply a long term need.

As Tim Gleason, aka “Mary Rose” from Behind the Steel Curtain has written, Troy Polamalu is like a European sports car – an ultimate driving machine when not in the shop.

In years past Polamalu’s health ran hot and cold. Healthy in 2006, not so healthy in 2007. Healthy in 2008, injured for all but a sliver of 2009.

But that too has changed. Polamalu stayed healthy for the bulk of 2010, helping seal victory with any number of dramatic, just in time interceptions. Yet, he was injured for the playoffs when the Steelers could have used his heroics.

2012 told an opposite tale. Polamalu started off hurt, when the Steelers needed him, but finished the season in strong, and appeared to just be returning to form for the playoffs, which of course the Steelers missed.

Who knows? Perhaps Polamalu will find a way stay healthy, and perhaps he and Ryan Clark can defy Father Time the way, say Darrell Green or for that matter Rod Woodson did. That would be great.

• But the Steelers can't count on that, and drafting a safety who can come in and immediately work himself into 3rd and 4th down packages not a want but a need.

The Steelers need to address safety in the 2013 NFL Draft, they need to do it early. And this is one pick they need to get right.

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Cowboys Lasso Stelers Safety Will Allen

Jerry Jones is a man who knows what he wants and goes out and gets it. When Will Allen traveled out to Dallas the word was that the Cowboys were merely “Window Shopping.”

• Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett apparently liked what they saw.

The Dallas Cowboys became the latest NFL team to poach a member from the Pittsburgh Steelers, this time wresting away Will Allen, who had severed as a back up safety since 2010.

Allen came to the Steelers from Tampa Bay in after the 2009 season, where he’d worked with Mike Tomlin. Allen played little in 2010 and 2011, but started seven games for Pittsburgh in Troy Polamalu’s absence, and was a noticeable upgrade from Ryan Mundy, whom the Steelers lost to the New York Giants.

Will Allen figured to be one free agent the Steelers could keep if they’d wanted him – perhaps they didn’t.

• The loss of Allen is far from critical, but it does rob the Steelers of their only experienced back up at safety. 

Now behind Polamalu and Ryan Clark the Steelers can only count Robert Golden and Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith, who have a total of 21 NFL games between them – the bulk of come from Golden playing special teams.

The Steelers knew they needed to inject youth into the depth chart at safety entering the off season. Allen’s defection to Dallas only reinforces that.

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Cowboys Court Steelers Safety Will Allen

When free agency opened the Pittsburgh Steelers moved quickly to resign current players Ramon Foster, Plaxico Burress, David Johnson, former players William Gay and Matt Spaeth, and outsider Bruce Gradkowski.

• But since making those early moves the franchise has shifted into low gear.

The cap strapped Steelers strategy at this point is to see what they can get in the coming NFL Draft and sign players afterwards, and that includes resigning some of their own players who remain on the open market. (Charlie Batch is one such player.)

However, by working out reserve safety Will Allen, the Dallas Cowboys put the Steelers on notice yesterday that not everyone the Steelers assumed would be available will be there.

The Steelers already lost an “we can probably get him back because we assume that no one else wants him” type free agent when Ryan Mundy signed with the New York Giants.

Will Allen was a similar type player, having played very little during his time in Pittsburgh, save for the 2012 season when he replaced the younger Mundy – to the defense’s benefit.

As the Dallas Morning News makes clear, the Cowboys couldn’t sign Allen now if they wanted to as the team is more cap strapped than the Steelers. But they wouldn’t bring him in for a workout if they were not interested.

Now, no serious Steelers commentator is going to write “Steelers Lose Will Allen. Super Bowl Window Now Shut.” But with that said, Allen is the only veteran safety with experience in Dick LeBeau’s system backing up Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark.

Dale Lolley, the only Pittsburgh journalist to report Allen’s visit, ironically, or perhaps not so ironically, has the Steelers picking safety Kenny Vacarro from Texas in the first round of the coming 2013 NFL Draft.

Regardless of whether it comes in the first round or later, the Steelers must get younger at safety in the coming NFL draft.

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Steelers Lose Lewis to Saints, Mundy to Giants

Now it starts to hurt. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost Mike Wallace and Rashard Mendenhall in rapid succession on days one and two of free agency. Both moves hurt the team, but both were expected.

• Day three brought the defections of Keenan Lewis to the New Orleans Saints and Ryan Mundy to the New York Giants. 

Keenan Lewis’ departure was some what expected, particularly after the Steelers resigned William Gay, after William Gay’s release from Pittsburgh West, aka the Arizona Cardinals.

But it Keenan Lewis defection nonetheless hurts and hurts badly. After languishing deep down the Steelers bench in 2009 and 2010, and looking almost every part the misfit, Keenan Lewis blossomed under the tutelage of Carnell Lake.

In 2011 he rose to third down back and in 2012 he became a starter and with each week he seemed to surpass himself in his ability to defend passes. Indeed, by year’s end Lewis led the league in passes defensed.

• This is normally the kind of player the Steelers would lock up to a long term deal

But circumstances are not quite normal, Art Rooney II’s protests to the contrary.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in salary cap purgatory and are trying to avoid salary cap hell – a situation where management would be required to essentially liquate the team to stay under the cap, and their ability to offer long term, big bonus deals is limited.

By all accounts Keenan Lewis’ contract in New Orleans was not break the bank level. But the Steelers are already projecting Cortez Allen as next year’s starter and hence the team’s next big investment at corner. On the opposite side the team has big money invested in Ike Taylor, who is aging.

In a perfect world they’d lock Lewis down with an eye towards starting him and Allen in 2014 or 2015.

Instead, the Steelers calculate that the trio of Allen, Gay and Taylor can give them more bang for their salary cap buck in 2013 while hoping for the best after that.

What Mundy's Move Means

Ryan Mundy’s decision to sign with the New York Giants was a minor surprise, but as mentioned in our free agent focus article on Ryan Mundy, its perhaps time for the Steelers to cut their losses with Mundy, who saw himself demoted behind veteran Will Allen.

The move nonetheless robs the Steelers of the final member of their 2008 Draft Class, something which Steel Curtain Rising will be focusing on in the near future.

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Steelers Insurance Policy at Safety aka Will Allen Paid Dividends in 2012 - What Comes Next?

The Steelers secondary finished 2009 as a shell shocked unit unable to stop or make a big play. When something similar happened in 2002 the Steelers brass responded by maneuvering to bring in Troy Polamalu in the 2003 NFL Draft.

• In the winter of 2010 Mike Tomlin responded by dipping back into the secondary he’d coached down in Tampa Bay and signing safety Will Allen.

For two seasons the decision to bring Will Allen in as part of their mini-2010 free agent signing spree looked like one of the league’s all time ho-hum free agent moves. For two years Allen did little more than play special teams and do some limited spot duty at safety.

Allen remained an insurance policy as the Steelers focused on developing Ryan Mundy as Polamalu and Ryan Clark’s understudy. In any number of fan-based salary cap discussions during the 2012 off season, Allen was universally considered expendable.

However, you take out insurance policies to guard against unplanned events. And in 2012 the unplanned event was the dead end that Ryan Mundy reached in his development. (Click here for the Steelers 2013 Free Agent Focus article on Ryan Mundy.)

With Troy Polamalu ailing and Ryan Mundy wailing (sorry, couldn’t resist), Will Allen stepped in to start 7 games and in the process stabilized the Steelers secondary.

Although he wears 26, no one would ever confuse Will Allen’s ability to make the impact of a Deshea Townsend let alone that of Rod Woodson, but the Steelers defense got better as the season wore on, and Allen’s steady hand helped that.

• His best game, statistically, came vs. Washington where he defended 3 passes in an effort that shut down Robert Griffin III.

Now Allen is a free agent and he’ll be 31 before training camp. What should the Steelers do?

• Ideally they’d replace Allen with a younger player with the potential to develop into a starter. The Pittsburgh Steelers must inject youth at safety. 

But that doesn’t mean that Allen won’t have a place on the 2013 Steelers. He’s not likely to field a lot of offers on the free agent market, and the Steelers likely have the luxury of making off season personnel moves at back up safety on their timetable.

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Perhaps Steelers, Free Agent Ryan Mundy Should Cut Losses

Unrestricted free agent Ryan Mundy entered the NFL as the 6th round pick in the Steelers now maligned 2008 draft class.

Shortly before the season started Mundy was an injured-waived but returned via the practice squad in November. Mundy had a strong training camp in 2009, played well in preseason and looked good on special teams during the regular season.

• Ryan Mundy appeared to have enough upside that with Ryan Clark testing the free agent waters in 2010, there was some talk that the Steelers might just slot Mundy in as a replacement.

Clark of course resigned with the Steelers, but Mundy’s role with the defense grew and he did well in his first start vs. the New York Jets (yes, he did bite on one play allowing the Jets to advance but the Jets managed to thoroughly outfox the Steelers that day.)

Going into the 2011 season no one thought that Ryan Mundy would ever earn a place along side Donnie Shell, Carnell Lake, or Troy Polamalu, but he did look like he was growing into a Myron Bell or Lee Flowers type of player.

That assessment held throughout the regular season, as Mundy continued to excel on special teams and get more snaps in the secondary, including his first interception in a defensive struggle vs. Kansas City.

Steelers 2012 Season: Ryan Mundy’s Development Stalls

Ryan Mundy started in Ryan Clark’s place during the Steelers 2011 Wild Card game vs. Denver.

On paper, Mundy had a great game, leading the team with 7 tackles and forcing two fumbles. But he was also part of a defense that gave up 20 points to a Tim Tebow in single quarter and ultimately could not stop him in over time.

Pinning all of that on Mundy would be grossly unfair. Innumerable players left Invesco Field on the injured cart, and the ones able to play (such as Mike Wallace) left a lot of plays on the gridiron. But...

• ...The Steelers returned to Denver for opening day 2012 and failed to hold on to a fourth quarter lead. Again not Ryan Mundy’s fault. But…

....Two weeks later, the Steelers traveled to Oakland to take on the Raiders. Mundy gained national attention with his helmet-to-helmet hit to Darrius Heyward Bey. The contest was notable because it was yet another game where the Steelers saw a fourth quarter lead slip away. Clearly, Mundy was far from the only one at fault, but….

• ….Mike Tomlin had apparently seen enough. When Troy Polamalu was out for an extended period during the mid season, it was Will Allen and not Ryan Mundy who started in his place.

And while Ryan Mundy shouldn’t be unjustly singled out as a scapegoat for the early inconsistencies of the Steelers defense, the fact is the unit improved with him on the bench.

Does Ryan Mundy Have a Future in Pittsburgh?

No one is going to flash dollars at Ryan Mundy. As the hit on Darrius Heyward Bey shows, Ryan Mundy in many respects has developed into a Myron Bell-Lee Flowers type of safety.

• And that could be part of Mundy's problem. 

The NFL’s increased focus on player safety, protecting the defenseless receiver and reducing helmet-to-helmet hits is making an endangered species safeties who roam the middle in search of the coveted “kill hit.”

The Steelers invested several years in developing Ryan Mundy and it would be a shame to see their investment go to waste, but there’s also the real possibility Mundy's development has reached a ceiling.

The Steelers can likely bring Mundy back if they want him back, but if they get the chance they might just be wiser cut their losses and inject youth into the position.

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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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Steelers 2008 Draft Serves as Cautionary Tale for 2012...

Christmas came early at the South Side. And we’re not talking about the Christmas in April volunteer effort.

No, Santa Claus really did visit the Steelers.

To start, he allowed a high first round pick to fall throughout the entire first round of the draft, until he landed right at the Steelers feet.

For an encore, he allowed another pick whom many scouts had graded as first round talent to fall all the way to the bottom of the second round, where again, the Steelers snapped him right up.

Not be outdone, old St. Nick did it again, allowing another player to fall to the Steelers in the fifth round who shouldn’t have been there. Some people are already calling it the steal of the draft.

Sound familiar?

This is of course the narrative that many are affixing to the Steelers haul in the 2012 NFL Draft. Hopefully, they’re right.

But recent history provides a cautionary tale. Because everything that is being said about the Steelers 2012 draft was said, almost word for word, about their 2008 draft.

You remember, the 2008 draft that pundits such as John Harris implored the Steelers to avoid?

In 2008 Rashard Mendenhall was one of the players that the Steelers decided they would not pass on if he fell to them. Yet fall Mendenhall did, and viola, he was a Steeler.

The same process repeated itself with Limas Sweed. Many had Sweed rated as an otherwise first round pick with the only knock against him an ailing wrist. Sweed fell and the Steelers got him.

While no one was quite calling Dennis Dixon “the steal of the draft,” many said that were it not for injuries suffered during his final year in college, he too had talent worth of a first or second rounder.

Days after the 2008 NFL Draft, many rushed to declare the Steelers a success. Peter Bean of Behind the Steel Curtain (full disclosure, I also write for BTSC) went so far as to declare the Steelers 2008 effort as “The Best Steelers Draft in Years.” He explained his view this way:

And this year, unlike several of recent past, our Steelers drafted tremendous football players who didn't necessarily fit the fans' ideas concerning pressing needs. Pittsburgh's brass probably didn't plan the draft out the way it eventually wound up, but when the draft unfolded as it did, they took advantage.

That's good drafting, and the Pittsburgh Steelers should be - in my opinion - on any short list of teams which performed best on draft day.

Four years later, any assessment of the Steelers 2008 effort must carry a decidedly different tone.

Rating the Steelers 2008 Draft

• 1st Round, Rashard Mendenhall, RB

Mendenhall has been generally been a good running back who has flashed greatness. Were better players on the board passed over? Perhaps, but Mendenhall was a good pick.

• 2nd Round, Limas Sweed, WR

Sweed was best known his drops in the divisional playoffs vs. San Diego and in the AFC Championship game. Injuries and mental health issues made him an early camp casualty in 2011. Bust.

• 3rd Round, Bruce Davis, LB

Bruce Davis dressed for 5 games and recorded no stats for the Steelers. Total Bust

• 4th Round, Tony Hills, OT

Hills held a clipboard in 2008 and 2009, got a taste of action in 2010, but even Sean Kugler was unable to help him. Bust.

• 5th Round, Dennis Dixon, QB

Dixon had his shot at the big time in 2010. He did “OK” but Charlie Batch earned credit for carrying the Steelers in Ben’s absence. If its true that the Steelers did get decent value from Dixon, its also true that they didn’t get a groomable backup.

• 6a Round, Mike Humpal, LB

Got cut in camp. Bust.

• 6b Round, Ryan Mundy, Safety

Mundy made the practice squad and has since developed into a serviceable back up.

That’s one quality starter at a crucial skill position, a solid back up, and a spot role player rounded out by four busts.

Steelers 2008 Draft vs. Steelers 2012 Draft….

There are important differences between the two drafts. Neither running back nor wide receiver were urgent needs in 2008, yet when players fell to them, the Steelers took them. That’s called sticking to your board.

The same thing happened in 2012, but this time the falling players also coincided with the Steelers needs.

And while any objective analysis must render Limas Sweed as a total bust, many forget that what made those drops so spectacular was the fact that he had totally burned the secondaries covering him.
In other words, Steelers scouts correctly evaluated Sweed in terms of talent. But that’s why Sweed remains such a cautionary tale.

The NFL Draft is as much an art as it is a science.

Every draft pick comes with an X-Factor.

In 1991, the Pittsburgh Steelers had Huey Richardson rated highly. So did many other NFL teams. Yet he was so bad that Bill Cowher traded Richardson to the Redskins before his second season and the Redskins cut him shortly thereafter.

Steelers Nation is excited about the arrival of David DeCastro, Mike Adams, Sean Spence, Alameda Ta'amu, and Chris Rainey.

And so they should be. Each man represents a huge potential shot in the arm at an area of need. The key there is “potential.”

The 2012 draft could go down as one of the best in Steelers history. Or it could go down like the 2008 draft, where the team hit on a few players, but missed on many more.

In 3 or 4 years we’ll know.

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Steelers Draf Needs at Cornerback and Safety

Having discussed the Steelers draft needs at tight end and quarterback, running back and wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker, we now turn our attention to the secondary.

Steelers Needs at Cornerback

Just 365 days ago anyone registering a pulse within Steelers Nation knew one thing:

• Super Bowl XLV had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Steelers cornerbacks were the franchises Achilles heel

To that end, large factions of Steelers Nation were clamoring for the Steelers management to exhaust all possible means in securing a top corner in the draft.

My, what a difference a year makes.

The Steelers of course did not attempt to move heaven and earth to secure a corner waiting until the third to grab Curtis Brown and the fourth to get Cortez Allen.

Despite the fact that these two gentleman played sparingly, the clamor to grab a corner at all costs has died down.

A big reason for that is what Ivan Cole of Behind the Steel Curtain has termed “The Lake Effect.” Carnell Lake joined the Steelers staff as secondary coach in 2011 and the improvement in the unit has been dramatic.

As positive as that the Lake Effect has been, any predraft assessment of the Steelers needs at corner must take into account the fact that its chief beneficiary, William Gay, is now in Pittsburgh West.

In the same vein, Keenan Lewis will be a restricted free agent next year. And while both Brown and Allen defined expectations and got onto the field in sub-packages, assuming that one or both men will develop into quality starters remains a leap.

And it should be said, Ike Taylor, coming off his best season as a pro (the Denver debacle notwithstanding) isn’t getting any younger.

All of which is to say that cornerback remains an area of need for the Steelers, and one which they could do well to continue to address in the draft, should a quality player present himself.

• Priority of Cornerback for the Steelers in the 2012 NFL Draft: Medium/High

Steelers Needs at Safety

Troy Polamalu, Ryan, Clark, Ryan Mundy, and Will Allen. What you see is what you get with the Steelers at safety, and it does make for some pretty pleasant window shopping.

Troy Polamalu is of course one of the amazing, few, non-quarterbacks in each generation who can change a game with his own play.

Ryan Clark doesn’t get his just due at safety. Consider that Polamalu played much of 2011 up near or at the line of scrimmage and the Steelers pass defense still improved, and then you begin to get an idea of what Clark is worth to the team.

Ryan Mundy, member of the much maligned 2008 Steelers draft class, has emerged from a practice squad player to competent back up NFL safety who reminds me of Lee Flowers in a lot of ways.

Allen joined the team during the 2010 free agent signing spree. Allen hasn’t played much, and is seen as a likely candidate to go should the team need to free up salary cap space.

But Allen’s job is safe for the now, if for no other reason than the Steelers have no one else to play at safety….

Which brings us to safety, the Steelers, and the draft. Few are talking about it as a position of need, but they should be. (God, you hate to agree with John Harris, but give the man credit, he’s right.)

Clark, while his play continues to be solid, is aging. And as Hines Ward showed last year, when they reach their mid-30’s players can lose it from one year to the next.

Steelers Nation breathed a collective sigh of relief last year when Polamalu passed the entire year without major injury. That’s good. But Polamalu has also passed the 30, and that fact coupled with his daredevil style of playing all but ensures that the contract he signed last year with the Steelers will be his last.

If Mundy is in fact on the Lee Flowers track that’s not a bad thing – but Lee Flowers was no Ryan Clark or Troy Polamalu. And regardless Mundy will be an unrestricted free agent in 2013.

Safety is a position which the Steelers must address in the draft and it wouldn’t hurt for them to do it early.

• Priority of Safety for the Steelers in the 2012 NFL Draft: High/Medium

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Steelers Gamble to Gain Flexibility in the Free Agent Market

The Steelers placed their tenders to Mike Wallace and other restricted free agents today, and in doing so they gave themselves some breathing room, while also opening themselves to come considerable risks.

The Steelers offered Mike Wallace a first round tender, in a move that was widely expected. The move ensures that the Steelers would get a first round pick should anyone sign Wallace – the Steelers would likewise get the chance to match any offer for Wallace.

However, Wallace was the only Steeler to get a high tender.

Over the weekend Steel Curtain Rising speculated, based on Ed Bouchette’s predictions in PG Plus, that the Steelers would offer their starting guards 2nd round tenders.

• They did not, only offering them the original round tenders.

In doing so they opened themselves to some significant risk. As Doug Legrusky and Ramon Foster were both undrafted rookie free agents, the Steelers would get nothing in return if they left, although they would retain the right to match any offer.

• This move entails some real risk, if for no other reason than the Steelers have NO other guards on their roster, in the wake of the departure of Chris Kemoeatu.

While neither Legursky nor Foster strike fear in the hearts of opposing defensive line and linebackers coaches the way Alan Fanaca and Will Wolford once did, both men have shown they belong in the NFL.

The Steelers apparent motive in taking this risk is to preserve precious salary cap space. The Steelers are about in the middle of the pack in terms of salary cap space, but to get there they’ve had to defer a lot of salary to future years, a move that could come back to haunt them.

The Steelers are clearly trying to keep their options open, either to match an offer to Mike Wallace, secure him to a long term deal, or give themselves the ability to sign other free agents.

The Steelers, as expected, tender Keenan Lewis, Ryan Mundy, and David Johnson, so they can match offers for any of those men and will get compensation should any of them leave.

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Steelers 2012 Free Agent Focus

The Pittsburgh Steelers are poised to enter one of the trickest free agent signing periods since the current system began in 1993.

• They’ve got 20 free agents of one variety or another from the 2011 roster, and that's after recently purging it of six players and losing another to retirement.

All of that, and they still remain only 8 to 14 million dollars under the salary cap, depending on whose numbers you believe.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents (3)

RB Isaac Redman
DT Steve McLendon
P Jeremy Kapinos

Restricted Free Agents (7)

WR Mike Wallace
TE David Johnson
OT Jamon Meredith
OL Ramon Foster
OL Doug Legursky
CB Keenan Lewis
S Ryan Mundy

Unrestricted Free Agents (10)

QB Charlie Batch
QB Dennis Dixon
QB Byron Leftwich
RB Mewelde Moore
WR Jerricho Cotchery
OT Max Starks
OL Trai Essex
CB William Gay
CB Anthony Madison
P Daniel Sepulveda

Tough Decisions Await the Steelers

A world of scarcity is a world of choices, or so Dr. Peter Meenan, my Economics 102 teacher taught us.

• For the Steelers, salary cap space is scare and they need to make some tough choices.

As Ed Bouchette pointed out in the Post-Gazette last week the Steelers will likely tender Mike Wallace high enough so that they can get a first round pick if they lose him. And, as Bouchette pointed out in PG Plus today, they’ve got little to no choice but to give Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster second round tenders.

Right there that eats up 6.5 million dollars of the Steelers salary cap space. If they’ve currently got 12 or 14 million of cap space, they have some breathing room, but not a lot.

If they’re only 8 or 10 million under the cap, they have very little room to maneuver.

• Consider that the Steelers have already tendered their Exclusive Rights Free agents Issac Redman and Steve McLendon for 1.8 million dollars total.

Assuming that the Steelers tender Keenan Lewis, Ryan Mundy, and David Johnson, which would allow them right of first refusal or a third, 6th, or 7th round draft pick in return for losing them, the Steelers would commit another 3.78 million dollars in salary cap space.

Total all of that up, and the Steelers will have committed 12.08 million dollars to without even thinking of resigning Jerricho Cotchery, William Gay, Byron Leftwich and/or Charlie Batch; or sign their draft picks.

Kevin Colbert and Omar Kahn could still make a few moves. Will Allen could be cut. The Steelers could renegotiate more contracts, although questions abound as to whether deferred to much salary to future years.

Disclaimer....

Steel Curtain Rising has no access to any inside information nor intimate knowledge of the mechanics of the NFL salary cap. What you see above has been gleamed from public sources and the calculations are over the back of an envelop variety.

• So perhaps the Steelers will find a way to do more with less.

Nonethless, it is safe to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 roster will look quite different from the 2011 edition. In other words, Hines Ward, James Farrior, Chris Kemoeatu, Aaron Smith and Bryant McFadden are far from the only familiar faces that will be missing.

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The Steelers Report Card vs. the Chiefs

From the grade book of a teacher who watched the Steelers escape from Arrowhead and issues a report card replete with the stinking feeling that his star students are coasting when they should be putting the pedal to the metal. Here goes the Steelers report card for their Escape from Arrowhead.

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger’s performance on the touchdown pass was something to behold – how many other quarterbacks can make that play? And can you imagine Brady/Rodgers/Brees throwing a block to save a botched reverse the way he did? Those positive must be weighed against an ugly, costly interception, piss poor third down conversion rate, and a costly miscue with the punt team. Grade: C+

Running Backs
When the Steelers running backs had holes, they hit them and made things happen. When they didn’t, they were stuck. The group did not get much help from its offensive line, but they made up for it with their performance on check downs. That said, Mewelde Moore’s fumble drops the grade for the whole group. Grade: B-

Wide Receivers
Another great game by Antonio Brown. The rest of the receiving corps however did not distinguish itself, although it was certainly nice to see Hines Ward come down with one of the team’s 3 third down conversions. Mike Wallace dropped a touchdown and appears to have problems with double coverage deep. Health Miller had a nice catch but also at least one drop. Give the Kansas City secondary credit, but this team needed more plays form its receivers than it got, Weslye Saunders outstanding TD not withstanding. Grade: C+

Offensive Line
Steel Curtain Rising commented on the fact that a stealer performance by the offensive line vs. the Ravens was wasted. Since then the group has played as if it were wasted. Another sub-par performance from the line. Roethlisberger’s fancy footwork saved innumerable sacks he had no protection. Holding penalties either put the Steelers in into holes or nullified positive gains. Run blocking was “inconsistent” to say the least. Line play has steadily improved since Max Starks return. It has steadily slid since the Raven’s game. Sean Kugler must reverse this trend. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
The Chief’s game plan was going to be simple: Run and dare the Steelers to stop them. The Chiefs pounded the ball 34 times yet failed to crack the century mark. The stat sheet might say that Casey Hampton only had one tackle – but he was a force. Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward and Steve McLendon all got into the action. Brett Keisel also recovered another fumble. Grade: B+

Linebackers
Jason Worlids got his first NFL sack and seemed to applying pressure registering 4 QB hits. James Harrison did well in run coverage, but failed to be a force in the pass rush. Lawrence Timmons and James Farrior also played well in run coverage. All those are good things, but the Steelers needed more pressure on Plako than they got. Grade: B.

Secondary
Troy Polamalu must learn to be smarter about making tackles. ESPN is already questioning whether he should consider retirement. Ryan Mundy was all over the field leading the team in tackles and recording an interception. Ike Taylor got an interception and had his hands on another. Keenan Lewis also joined the club.

The fact the Plako moved the ball effectively during his final drive is reason to frown. However, the fact the Chief’s final drive meant anything says a lot more about the Steelers offensive impotence than it does the secondary. For the second straight game, the Steelers secondary made a pick to stop a last-gasp drive. Grade: A-

Special Teams
Emmanuel Sanders averaged 25 yards and change returning kicks last year. Against KC it was closer to 18. KC also got some punt return yardage. Holding penalties forced the offense to start with its back to the end zone on a night when it needed help from specials teams, not hindrance. The Chiefs also telegraphed, then converted a fake punt. All of these negatives are partially modified by Shaun Suisham’s making a 49 yarder that no one in Steelers Nation figured he could make. His difference making kick brings an otherwise dismal grade up to respectability. Grade: B-

Coaching
Two penalties for 12 men on the field. A botched 4th down conversion opportunity with a wasted time out to boot. The Kansas City rush defense looking like the 85 Bears for portions of the game. Holding penalties, false start penalties. You name it, the Steelers were out of sorts whereas the Chiefs played with the passion, if not always the execution, of a team contending for the top spot in the AFC. Dick LeBeau’s unit did him proud, but Mike Tomlin, Bruce Arians, and Al Everest have all had far better “days at the office.” Grade: D

Unsung Hero
The quality and quantity of the depth chart at corner was the raging concern of Steelers Nation during the 2011 season. Nary a word was uttered with respect to the depth at safety behind Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark. And perhaps their was good reason for it. All season long the Steelers number 3 safety has quietly assumed a role as the defenses unofficial 12th starter. The starting role became official vs. the Chiefs, and Ryan Mundy distinguished himself smartly, and for that he wins the Steelers Unsung Hero award.

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Steelers Escape Arrowhead with 13-9 Victory

Two years ago it was against Kansas City that the Steelers late-season meltdown became official. If you’ve blotted it out of your memory, here’s a refresher:

• Give up the opening kickoff for a TD,
• Sacrifice scoring opportunities with turnovers that KC turns into points,
• Squander numerous chances to put the game away

Ultimately the Steelers committed the cardinal sin of a would-be contender giving an inferior team a Reason the Believe and allowing them to transform that into an upset.

Fortunately, this time the outcome was different, but if this latest trip to Arrowhead didn’t signal another melt down, if this is any indication of how the Steelers play on the road, Steelers Nation had better double down on the Rosary Beads praying for Baltimore to slip.

Hail to Haley and Yes, Tyler Plako

Saying that “aside from four turnovers, the quarterback played really well” is kind of like saying “aside from everything else, Mrs. Lincoln enjoyed the play.” Plako did play poorly.

But in spite of that Plako maintained his poise, and watching him in the huddle at barking out orders at the line of scrimmage, he gave every impression of a quarterback who was still leading his team.

Todd Haley also deserves cudos. Michael Bean of Behind the Steel Curtain is right to call out Haley (and Plako) for their poor clock management at the end, but that error aside, Haley coached a good game.

From the very outset, the Chiefs looked like a team that it believed in itself, and played as if it had a chance to win. 4-6 teams don’t do that too often, and Haley gets the credit.

But Haley’s cudos go beyond the old “well, they played with a lot of energy and enthusiasm” hat on the head.

The Chiefs played aggressive, opportunistic defense. They dominated on third downs, making the Steelers offense look amateur. Say what you want, but the Kansas City Chiefs were in the game until the final gun, and they can thank their defense for that.

An Offensive Pittsburgh Performance

What was that? The Steelers offense is supposed to be developing into an elite NFL unit, won with an All Pro Quarterback with an arsenal that he couldn’t have dream of even a few short years ago.

Instead, the offense Steelers looked as lost and baffled as they have since the days of Joe Walton. That may sound harsh, but the Steelers converted all of 3 of 11 third downs. Worse the offense turned the ball over twice in scoring situations.

ESPN’s stat sheet says that the Steelers only committed 6 penalties between the offense and defense. Numbers don’t lie nor does that obscure the fact that holding and false start calls either nullified important gains or regularly put the Steelers offense in the hole.

Sloppy does not even begin to define the Steelers performance when the had the ball against Kansas City – offensive is the only apt term.

Strutting Instead of Sputtering

Two years ago the “shaky” was the word to describe the Steelers secondary that walked into Arrowhead Stadium.

The unit had had its ups and downs, but clearly wasn’t the same without Troy Polamalu, whom they’d lost the week before in a home loss to Cincinnati. A shell-shocked Steelers secondary left Arrowhead that afternoon, a shadow of its former self.

My what a difference two years makes.

The Steelers defense wasn’t flawless in Kansas City. The Chiefs converted a few too many third downs for my tastes, and they failed to get consistent pressure on Plako.

But those were minor blemishes on an otherwise outstanding, mostly Polamaluless, performance.

Everyone knew the Chiefs were going to run the ball. The only question was, would the Steelers be able to stop them?

Kansas City did have some success on the ground with their top three rushers ripping off 9 and 8 yard runs. But the Chiefs pounded it 34 times yet could not break the century mark. Those long runs were off set by the sight of Casey Hampton and company pancaking numerous rushes at the line of scrimmage.

The real stars of the game were of course the Steelers secondary. Yes, the Chiefs receivers made some nice catches, Yes, this was Tyler Plako throwing the ball and not Joe Flacco let alone Tom Brady.

But the once-turnover starved Steelers secondary came away with three picks. In short, Ike Taylor, Keenan Lewis, and Ryan Mundy did what they were supposed to do – come up with big plays against an inferior opponent.

And ultimately that was the difference in this ball game.

Steelers Must Bring Their ‘A’ Game Every Week Now

Five games await the 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are capable of beating everyone of these opponents. By the same token, if the Steelers come out with a performance like they did vs. the Chiefs, everyone of these opponents is capable of beating them.

The AFC North crown is probably out of reach for the Steelers, but with the Bengals breathing down their neck, a Wild Card is no certainty.

The lesson from Kansas City is clear: The Steelers must bring their ‘A’ Game every week, against every opponent.

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Steelers Defeat Panthers 33-17 to End Preseason

Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Rashard Mendenhall, James Harrison, James Farrior, Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton and Bryant McFadden did not play the Steelers final preseason against Carolina, but in the end they didn’t need them.



It never pays to put too much stock into preseason, but the Steelers second-line players dispatched the Carolina Panthers with relative ease tonight to the tune of 33-17.



The Steelers-Panthers preseason game of course was not show in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but a quick look at the stat sheet indicates that a couple of people had a pretty good night:

• Jonathan Dwyer ripped off 88 yards, including a 50 TD, on 13 carries



• Emmanuel Sanders caught 4 balls for 60 yards in his first preseason action – a good sign



• Arnz Battle caught four balls, which will help him make a case for a roster spot



• Monte Ivy led the team in tackles, and registered a sack



• Jason Worilds also recorded a sack



• Steve McClendon – believed to be in a position battle with Chris Hoke, also recorded a sack



• Keenan Lewis also defensed a pass

Tyler Grisham only caught one pass for ten yards, which while bad for him might just allow the Steelers to keep him on the practice squad.



The most important news is that on injuries are apparent.



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