Baron Batch, Stevenson Sylvester Headline Steelers First Cuts

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 roster began to take shape today, and the list of cuts contain some familiar faces including Stevenson Sylvester and Baron Batch.

Baron Batch’s shot at making the roster figured to suffer a blow when the Steelers traded linebacker Adrian Robinson for Felix Jones; yet the absence of Adrian Robinson should have helped Sylvester’s case, at least on paper.

Reality turns out to be something different.

Also getting a visit from the Turk were:

• offensive tackles D’Anthony Batiste, Mike Farrell, 
• wide receivers David Gilreath and wide receiver Tyler Shaw, J.D. Woods
• cornerback Ryan Steed, 
• tight end Peter Tuitupou, 
• quarterback John Parker Wilson, 
• running back Jeremy Wright. 

Van Dyke, Spence Highlight Steelers Injury Moves

The Steelers have placed linebacker Sean Spence on the team’s Reserve/Physically Unable To Perform (PUP) List. Per NFL rules, this action bars Spence from even practicing with the team for 6 weeks, after which the Steelers have 3 weeks to activate him or place him on injured reserve.

Offensive lineman Justin Cheadle who was recently injured found himself on the waived/injured list as did DeMarcus Van Dyke. The only real difference here is that as both players were injured, the Steelers must reach an injury settlement with them.

Steelers seventh round draft pick Nick Williams, whose best shot was the practice squad, was also placed on injured reserve ending his rookie season before it ever began in a move that bolsters Al Woods and Alameda Ta'amu’s chances of making the final roster.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Le'Veon Bell Suffers Lisfranc Injury, Wreaking Havoc with Steelers 2013 Early Season Roster

It seems like the Steelers 2012 Draft Class has set an unwelcome precedent in the form of preseason injury. The Steelers first and third round picks David DeCastro and Sean Spence saw their rookie season’s ruined by injuries suffered in preseason games.

Now the same is threatening to happen to Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers 2nd round pick from the 2013 NFL draft who, without so much as a preseason touch, found himself listed as a co-starter along side Issac Redman.

Early in the day the Steeler announced that they were seeking a second opinion on Bell’s MRI and today Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Tweeted this news:

Jay Glazier reporting steelers believe Bell has Lisfranc but hope no surgery needed. TE Matt Spaeth had surgery for Lisfranc, out 8-10 wks
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) August 21, 2013

The fact that the source of the news is Jay Glazer is important, as Glazer is reported to have a close friendship with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. The early word is that Bell will not need surgery, unlike tight end Matt Spaeth. Spaeth also suffered a Lisfranc injury and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.

Move Impacts the Steelers Early Season Roster

Even if Bell is able to make a return to health to salvage something of his rookie year, his injury already will have an adverse impact on the Steelers early season roster.

If a player goes in injured reserve prior to the season, he is lost for the year. For that reason the Steelers are not putting Spaeth on IR nor are they likely to add Bell.

But that means they’ll have to carry both men on their opening day 53 man roster. Last year the Steelers opened the year with James Harrison and Rashard Mendenhall on their active roster, but neither man could play.

The move will also make for interesting roster choices. Rumor has it that either Jonathan Dwyer or Redman would be cut (which would have been a mistake), now both will likely stay. LaRod Stephens-Howling will likely stay. That leaves four running backs with Bell, not including full back Will Johnson.

Baron Batch would seem to be the odd man out, but his value as a special teams player and a blocker who can help protect Ben Roethlisberger behind what has been a leaky offensive line could make him hard to part with….

Suffice to say Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson has a lot on his mind….

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Watch Tower: Analyzing Press Coverage of the Steelers 2013 Draft

The 2013 NFL Draft is in the history books. The Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 Draft Class has been revealed, and Shamarko Thomas is the first to be signed.

The NFL Draft is a veritable media bonanza, and 2013 was no exception, give the Watch Tower plenty of materials to shine its light on. Let’s take it from the top.

Steelers Draft Board vs. Steelers Needs

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2013 with a draft needs matrix that was wide and deep. Factor in the egg that the franchise laid with their 2008 Draft class, plus the need to re-arm while Ben Roethlisberger still has prime years of play, and health, remaining and getting the 2013 Draft right was imperative for the Pittsburgh Steelers?

• How did such imperatives impact the Steelers as the draft unfolded?

Well, it depends on which journalist’s rendition you’re reading.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, concluded that the Steelers managed to walk the tightrope arguing:

The Steelers have long maintained they stick to their draft board, taking the player with the highest grade and not reaching to fill any position. And general manager Kevin Colbert reaffirmed that stance Saturday when the three-day NFL draft came to a close. 

But, after drafting nine players and addressing each of their biggest needs in the first four rounds, the Steelers did a deft job of sticking to the board and filling positions with players who have a chance to help make up for some of their significant losses. Whether luck or coincidence, it seemed to work. [Emphasis in the original]

That’s a reasonable conclusion, but hardly a universal one among the Pittsburgh Pro Football Writers chapter.

Allan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review took the opposite tack, observing:

This is the draft in which the oh-so-traditional, oh-so-reliable Steelers Way wasn't the Steelers' way at all.

The Steelers insisted they stuck with the tried and true and drafted the best available player with their nine picks in seven rounds. But it appears to be anything but coincidental that in a draft in which their needs for an outside linebacker, running back, wide receiver and safety were as glaring as fuschia lipstick, the first four players they drafted were an outside linebacker (Jarvis Jones), running back (Le'Veon Bell), wide receiver (Markus Wheaton) and safety (Shamarko Thomas).

Who is right? Perhaps both and perhaps neither.

The fact is that the Steelers needs were so diverse, that they could have remained faithful to their draft board and filled their needs.

Revving Up the Steelers Running Game

The Steelers once-vaunted running game hasn’t been the same since Willie Parker’s injury in the 2008 season. The issue has gotten the attention of everyone in the franchise from Art Rooney II on down so it was no surpise when the Steelers drafted running back Le’von Bell in the second round.

The move, did however, prompt an interesting comment from Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who contended that:

The Steelers wanted to improve their running game in 2012, then they did a strange thing: They did absolutely nothing to help the rushing attack and, in fact, reduced their chances of running the ball better heading into last season. [Emphasis added.]

Regular readers know that the Watch Tower’s purpose isn’t to slam writers who voice dissenting opinions (although that does happen, at times) but the Watch Tower does hold writers accountable to the facts.

On a simplistic level, Bouchette is right. The Steelers did neither used a premium pick to draft a running back in the 2012 NFL Draft nor did they sign one in free agency.

• But does that mean “They did absolutely nothing” to boost the fortunes of the running game?

No, not by a long shot.

In fact, the Steelers made several moves that aimed at least in part at beefing up their running game:

• Drafting David DeCastro in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft
• Drafting Mike Adams in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft
• Moving Willie Colon from tackle to guard
• Selecting Chris Rainey in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft

Granted, of the four moves, only moving Colon to guard yielded any benefit in 2012 and then only for a short time. But two major draft picks, one minor pick, and one position change is far cry from “absolutely nothing.”

Beating a Dead Silverback

The ghost of James Harrison loomed large over the Steelers draft, in the eyes of the Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook who argued that the Steelers “dug themselves into a hole” prior to the draft.

It all goes back to the botched negotiations with linebacker James Harrison. Both sides allowed personal feelings to get in the way of a business deal that would have benefited each party.

When the Steelers parted ways with James Harrison, Cook made a strong plea that James Harrison is still enough of a game-changer that you keep on your team no matter what. That’s an excellent argument.

But to say that the Steelers “botched” the negotiations stretches credibility. If anything, the Steelers were willing to offer too much money. To say that pride prevented Pittsburgh from taking Harrison back, belies the calculated low-cost moves the Steelers made with money they saved from Harrison.

The “Source” and Sean Spence’s Injury

One of the Watch Tower’s chief mission’s is to get at the nut’s and bolts of how stories about the Steelers come to live, and the situation of Sean Spence provided an excellent opportunity.

The biggest potential scoop on draft day came not from the Post-Gazette, Tribune Review, or even ESPN, but from Behind the Steel Curtain’s editor Neal Coolong, who dropped this bomb:

The Steelers have been oddly quiet about Spence's status heading into the 2013 season.
As it turns out, there's a specific reason for that.

A source close to the team is saying the Steelers are optimistic Spence can play in 2013, but not enough to publicly discuss it. They are targeting Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti - a player who's coming off a knee injury of his own.

When all was said and done, the Steelers passed on Michael Mauti and Steelers Linebackers coach Kevin Butler said it would be “miraculous” if Spence made full recovery.

• Both developments it would seem, would amount to a big black eye for BTSC, right? 

Not so fast.

Only a few days after Butler’s pronouncement, Mike Tomlin offered a very different take on the prognosis for the linebacker the Steelers took in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, topping off his retort with a classic Tomlinism:

All the rehab is going to according to plan. No news there. I did hear the opinion regarding Spence. My opinion differs. I think he'll have a full recovery. But now you have two opinions, neither of which are expert medical opinions, so do with it what you will

Kevin Colbert also spoke on the Spence’s health, seemingly taking a middle position telling a conference call of Steelers season ticket holders:

When you have as serious a knee injury as he unfortunately had, it sometimes is a very long process. Sometimes it takes over a year to fully rehabilitate. But the good thing is we are seeing signs of progress, albeit small steps. But it is progress.

Clearly, there is a legitimate diversity of opinion on the South Side with respect to the Sean Spence’s prospects for a recovery and clearly that diversity lends some legitimacy to BTSC's reporting.

(Full disclosure: I also write for BTSC and correspond frequently with the editor but I neither have access to nor knowledge of the source in question.)

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Would a Steelers off season be complete without stories on Max Starks contract or lack thereof situation? Stories on Max Starks contract situation have provided bloggers and professional press pundits with legitimate copy every spring since 2008 and 2013 is no exception, except that it might be the last time this is true.

The Pittsburgh Steelers of course signed free agent Guy Whimper, a veteran offensive tackle who brings a decidedly mediocre track record to Pittsburgh. The move was significant because the Steelers lack depth on the line, and as Ed Bouchette explained:

By signing Whimper, the Steelers likely are indicating that they are moving on without Max Starks, an unrestricted free agent who has yet to sign with any team. 

Concluding that Guy Whimper's arrival spells Max Starks exist are a logical conclusion on Bouchette’s part. But the problem was that it was only part of the story.

Mark Kalboy of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review took the extra, but hardly extraordinary, step of calling Max Starks and getting him on the record to confirm that his days in Pittsburgh were likely done:

Let me say this, (Starks and the Steelers) had a conversation prior (to the Whimper signing), and that decision (to sign Whimper) was made after our conversation.
Now it wasn't said directly to me, but you kind of take that as an indication of what they are thinking. It is not so much on my part as more of them wanting to move on.

Kaloby went on to explain that Starks neither seems himself as a back nor as someone who should play for backup money.

Put bluntly, Bouchette got badly out hustled on this story by Kalboy.

Bouchette Delivers on Greene Retirement

After throwing Bouchette under a bus not once but twice, it is only appropriate that he get his just due on the Joe Greene story.

Bouchette’s coverage of Joe Greene's retirement was overall very good, both in the regular PG and PG Plus (no, PG Plus has not decided to take my money, I got a free view there). He managed to cover something that other missed:

Noll hired him to coach his defensive line in 1987 and, after five years of doing so, Greene was a finalist to succeed Noll after the coach's retirement following the 1991 season. But when the job went to Bill Cowher, and the new coach did not keep Greene on his staff.

"When Chuck retired and I basically got fired, that was definitely emotional," Greene recalled.

Many forget that Greene was a strong candidate to replace Chuck Noll, and his non-selection drew very little coverage at the time, and was seldom discussed after his return to the team during the Cowher-Colbert era.

Kudos to Bouchette for getting Greene on the record on one of the under reported stories in Steelers history.

Thanks for visiting. To read more analysis of the media that cover the Steelers, click here to read more from Steel Curtain Rising's Watch Tower.

Read More

Linebackers Jarvis Jones, James Collins, Khaseem Greene; Safeties Meeks and Thomas Visit Steelers Prior to the NFL Draft

James Harrison is gone and won’t be back. Jason Worilds remains and unknown commodity. Larry Foote is sticking around, but isn’t getting any younger, and Sean Spence’s career, let alone the 2013 season is in doubt. LaMarr Woodley has had his last two season wrecked by injuries…

…And at this point 62.5% of the Steelers known collegiate visits in advance of the 2013 NFL Draft have been linebackers.

• OK. The Steelers are only in day two of their pre-draft visits so treat this number like the April batting average it is.

But the Steelers began their pre draft visits with a trio that included John Simon of OSU and Vince Williams of FSU and day two brought Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, as Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported on Twitter.

Georgia OLB Jarvus Jones visiting #Steelers today.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) April 2, 2013

Jarvis Jones is a junior who began his college career at USC and finished it at Georgia. During his sophomore and junior seasons with the Bulldogs, Jones posted 13.5 and 14.5 sack seasons, respectively. During his junior year Jones also had one interception which he returned for 21 yards, four passes defensed, and was credited with 7 forced fumbles.

With performance like this Jones was considered a potential top five pick, however as Michael Uhlhorn of Behind the Steel Curtain informs, Jones’ stock has dropped due to reports that he has spinal stenosis, which could potentially shorten his career.

• Several mock drafts have projected Jones falling to the Steelers at number 17, but mock drafts are about as reliable as…. April batting averages.

Regardless, the Steelers being sure to do their due diligence should Jones be available when their time on the clock begins during first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Collins and Green Attempt to Keep Up with Jones

Jones however wasn’t the only linebacker to visit the South Side, as he was joined by James Collins from Southern Mississippi and Khaseem Greene from Rutgers. According to Dale Lolley, the Steelers are projecting Collins as a potential outside linebacker and Green as a potential inside linebacker.

Staying on the Safe Side

The Steelers also vetted two more college prospects at another position of need, bringing in safeties Jonathn Meeks from Clemson and Philip Thomas from Fresno State. Again, according to Lolley, the Steelers are projecting Meeks as a late round pick and while Thomas could go as early as the second.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Steelers Cut Essex, Kapinos 14 Others

The Pittsburgh Steelers trimed their roster today to get within the NFL designated 53 man limit, with veteran offensive lineman Trai Essex and punter Justin Kapinos leading the list of cuts.

Charlie Batch, assumed by many to be on his way out, was spared the ax.

As expected, third round draft pick Sean Spence, who tore two ligaments in the Steelers preseason finale vs. Carolina, was placed on injured reserve.

It is possible that first round pick David DeCastro will be placed on the injured reserve list, making use of the new rule that allows teams to bring back one player from IR after the first eight weeks of the season.

Sound that move materialize, it is widely expected that Trai Essex will return to the Steelers, yet it would not be surprising if the Steelers were to look to the waiver wire to bolster their ailing linebacker corps.

Among those waived included 7th round picks wide receiver Toney Clemons and cornerback Terrence Frederick. DeJuan Harris, a running back the Steelers picked up on waivers only a few days ago, also got a visit from The Turk.

The rest of the Steelers cuts include:

Quarterback Jerrod Johnson,
Safety Damon Cromartie-Smith,
Cornerback Josh Victorian,
Linebackers Brandon Hicks and Marshall McFadden,
Defensive lineman Corbin Bryant, Ikponmwosa Igbinosun and Jake Stoller,
Wide receivers Derrick Williams, Marquis Maze, Tyler Beiler, and David Gilreath
Offensive linemen Ryan Lee and John Malecki

Damon Cromartie-Smith spent time on the Steelers practice squad last year but was beaten out by Robert Golden. Derrick Williams and David Gilreath both had their moments in preseason, but the Steelers opted to go with only 4 wide receivers. Corbin Bryant also had a strong preseason and will likely return via the practice squad.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Sean Spence Injures Knee, Steelers Defeat Panthers

The Pittsburgh Steelers improved their preseason record to 3-1 last night at the expense of the Carolina Panthers, but the victory came at an awful price.

For a second straight game, the Steelers lost another top draft pick to a serious knee injury when third round draft pick Sean Spence went down while struggling to make a play. Spence had been having a strong game, and looked to see playing time in ailing linebacking corps with Stevenson Sylvester, James Harrison, and Jason Worilds all in various stages of recovery from injury.

Reports differ as to how serious Spence's injury is, but by all account he will likely go on injured reserve, ending his season.

Sean Spence Not Alone?

Unfortunately, Sean Spence is not alone on the injured list, as Courtney Brown left the game with an knee injury and Robert Golden also was reported to have a hamstring injury, per Mike Tomlin's post game press conference.

Cut Down Day is Here

The Steelers must trim their roster to 53 men today. Coaches may protest to the contrary, but today's final choices may just as likely come down to a question of "Who is healthier" as opposed to "Who is moree talented."

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Steelers 2012 Training Camp Imperative: Develop Talent

Finally, it is time to strap on the pads.

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 training camp has commenced. Players have completed the run test. Now real football can begin.

The advent of free agency and the internet have transformed NFL football into a year-round phenomena. While all those free agent trackers, mock drafts, mini-camps and OTA’s are great for providing fans with their continuous fix of NFL football, in the end they're all meaningless.

• Lump free agent signings and draft choices in that category too.

Yes, that’s right. By themselves those decisions represent nothing more than potential and opportunity costs.

As Steelers standard bearer Mike Tomlin is fond of saying, “I am not a fan of football in shorts.”

Since 1967, before anyone in Pittsburgh had even heard the name “Chuck Noll,” the fields of St. Vincent’s have served as the crucible where men have alternatively made or broken their dreams.

This summer promises to be no different for the 85 plus young men who come to Latrobe seeking to realize or extend their shot at membership in the elite few who can say they played in the NFL.

But there is a difference for the franchise, an important difference:

• Developing the current draft class is more important now than it has been in previous summers.

Training Camp Reveals You a Lot, Often Times Quickly

Training camp doesn't provide a perfect guide by any means.

Thaddeus Gibson drew rave reviews in the summer of ’10 only to be gone by October

But if every camp has its flash in the pan, each camp also confirms the rise or decline of half dozen or so rookies. Exchanging pre-draft hype for shoulder pads and three point stances  tends to have that effect.

Huey Richardson broke his nose in non-contact drills during his rookie camp and found himself dispatched to the Redskins in a fire-sale trade one summer later.

In contrast, Joe Greene showed up late and overweight his first summer at St. Vincents, yet tossed veteran Ray Mansfield aside like a rag doll and crushed the on coming back in Chuck Noll’s infamous “Oklahoma drill.”

Four summers later, Ray Mansfield himself watched rookie Mike Webster excel in the same drill, and told the coaches and he thought he’d just met his successor.

Players have moments like these over the next three weeks. The Steelers however, need more players to have Greene and Mansfield moments as opposed to Richardson moments.

Why This Camp Is Different for the Steelers

Developing young talent is of course an important goal in every camp. But this year is different for the Steelers. Understanding why requires both looking back and forward.

The Pittsburgh Steelers recent run of success has made them the envy of just about every NFL team save for perhaps New England and New York. They’ve switched coaches, restructured ownership, battled off season issues, held their offensive line together with bubble gum and duct tape for seemingly seasons on end.

• Yet they continue to win.

Dan Rooney, Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin should rightfully be proud of that achievement.

But that very accomplishment has obscured an inconvenient truth.

The Steelers have had some bad drafts of late.

A team need not turn in a grade ‘A’ draft every year to remain a contender. But it can only afford so many mistakes.

• Willie Colon will be the lone representative of the 2006 draft
• Of the 2008 draft, only Ryan Mundy and Rashard Mendenhall remain

A team seldom suffers an immediate impact from a bad draft. Instead, the impact surfaces in succeeding years. The consequences might remain obscured to the untrained eye.

Think the Steelers brought back Randle El and Larry Foote out of sentimentality or signed Will Allen in 2010 simply to take advantage of the uncapped year?

Not a chance. You can directly tie those moves to the failures of Bruce Davis, Limas Sweed, and Anthony Smith.

A poor draft can also have a ripple effect on draft conducted a few years in the future. Attentive readers will remember that Steel Curtain Rising began 2010 training camp with a similar column.

I don't like recycling columns, but the point was valid then is even more valid today.

Consider this - If Tony Hills had developed even a competent tackle, maybe the Steelers use this year’s second round pick to shore up an aging safety corps.

Yes, this summer is different for the Steelers, and they themselves implicitly acknowledge that.

Mike Tomlin himself has said that David DeCastro and Mike Adams must prove themselves as 2 of the team’s top five lineman to start.

• That’s the policy of a head coach who wins Super Bowls.

But make no mistake about it. The Steelers are counting on DeCastro starting almost immediately and Mike Adams starting shortly there after. And while they might not be “counting” on Alameda Ta’amu this year, their short term plans for him are clear.

• The Steelers have never a rookie class figure so prominently into their plans for an upcoming season.

While it’s certainly conceivable that the Steelers can climb the Stairway to Seven without immediate contributions from their 2012 draft class, the imperative goes beyond this season.

The Steelers top three play makers, arguably, are James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and Ben Roethlisberger. All three are on the wrong side of 30.

The big 3-0 isn’t quite the milestone that screams “decline” that it was a generation ago thanks to advanced training and nutrition techniques. But it does indicate that these men have logged more seasons in the past than they will in the future.

• And the Steelers Super Bowl window is held open on the shoulders of these men.

The Steelers coaches probably can’t do anything extra to ensure that David DeCastro, Mike Adams, Sean Spence, Alameda Ta’amu, ChrisRainey, Toney Clemons, David Paulson, Terrence Fredrick, and Kelvin Beachum realize their potential. These coaches will play their normal role of nurture while the “nature” side of player development runs its course. 

It’s a deliberate process, but one that remains decidedly and art and not a science, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have more than usual riding on its outcome.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or, click here to follow us on Twitter @SteelCurtainRis.

Read More

Steelers Sign Sean Spence

And then there was one. The Pittsburgh Steelers came to terms today with third round draft pick Sean Spence, leaving first round pick David DeCastro is their lone unsigned pick from the 2012 NFL Draft.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, nor has their been word on negotiations with DeCastro, although no delays are expected.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to follow us on Twitter @SteelCurtainRis.

Read More

Only Daivd DeCastro and Sean Spence Remain Unsigned

And then there were two.

With the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement paving the way, the Steelers are signing their draft picks at a quick pace. The Steelers first moved to sign Alameda Ta’amu, Chris Rainey and Toney Clemons. Then they inked second round pick Mike Adams followed by seventh round picks David Paulson, Terrence Fredrick and Kevin Beachum.

Now only first round pick David DeCastro and third roundpick Sean Spence remain unsigned. But expect that to change soon.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to follow us on Twitter @SteelCurtainRis.

Read More

Steelers Draft Sean Spence in 3rd Round

The Steelers concluded the second night of the 2012 NFL Draft by addressing another area of need when they selected Miami linebacker Sean Spence in the third round.

Spence played outside linebacker for the Hurricanes, but the Steelers are projecting him it inside linebacker.

With James Farrior gone, Larry Foote is penciled in as the Steelers starter. Stevenson Sylvester, who joined the Steelers via the 5^thround of the 2010 NFL draft, will also get a chance to compete for playing time.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or, click here to follow us on Twitter @SteelCurtainRis.

Read More