Tomlin Says Kelvin Beachum Threatening Starters; Le'veon Bell Injury Less Severe than Feared

Trai Essex held down a roster spot, and a lifeline to the NFL, with his ability to be the 6th offensive lineman. But that took time, as Essex was drafted as a tackle in 2009, only moving to guard full time in 2009, and didn’t see action at center until 2011.

• Steelers 2012 7th round draft pick Kelvin Beachum is threatening to do it all in just his sophomore season.

During training camp Beachum has practiced at all five offensive line positions. And while that versatility is golden as the Steelers depth at offensive line remains precarious, Mike Tomlin is not ruling out giving Beachum a shot at starting at either right or left tackle.

As the Steelers head into their third preseason game vs. the Kansas City Cheifs, if nothing else Tomlin's words should serve as a wake up call to incumbent starters Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams.

Bell’s Injury Less Severe than Feared

The Steelers got some good news on the injury front, as reports that 2nd round pick Le’veon Bell’s foot injury is less severe than feared. Bell has sprained ligaments in his foot, including apparently the lisfranc ligaments, but he is progressing rapidly and will not need surgery.

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Steelers Prudent on DeCastro IR Decision

When word filtered out that David DeCastro had in fact not injured his ACL, Steelers Nation celebrated.

The much ballyhooed rookie who inexplicably fell to the Steelers in the 2012 NFL Draft might be available for part of the 2012 season afterall, but….

Yes, there was a big but. The Steelers are a team that’s ailing, already carrying a number of players on its opening day roster who cannot or should not be playing (Steveonson Sylvester, Ryan Clark, Rashard Mendenhall, you can probably add Jason Worilds to that list too.)

Just in time the NFLPA seemed to step forward to the rescue, approving a new rule that would allow a team to place one designated player on injured reserve list and then activate him after week 8 of the season.

Rules stipulate that the designated player must be on the team’s 53 man roster when final cuts are due into the league office. But after all others clear waivers, teams can make their roster moves.

The Steelers dutifully trimmed roster to 53 men, and Trai Essex, veteran jack of all trades offensive lineman, was one of those who got a visit from The Turk.

No one expected another team to sign Essex, and everyone expected the Steelers to place DeCastro on IR and them resign Essex as soon as they could.

So far the Steelers have done nothing….

Experience, Economics Temper Steelers Decision Making

There’s little doubt that the Steelers want David DeCastro available to them by mid-season. It would be immeasurably good for the rookie to get some reps this year, and past history suggests that the Steelers will need a healthy lineman to step in.

The Steelers haven’t moved yet for two simple reasons.

They’ve been there, done that.

Knock on wood, this hasn’t been an issue for some time, but the Steelers have lost key starters on week 1 more than once. In 1995 it was Rod Woodson (and Neil O’Donnell.) In 1996 it was Greg Lloyd. In 2009 it was Troy Polamalu.

If David DeCastro can fully recover by mid-season then there’s a real chance he can contribute. But DeCastro at the end of the day is a rookie. And there are other Steelers whom the Steelers could lose and want to bring back who player bigger roles with the team.

The second motive is purely economic.

If Trai Essex is on Pittsburgh’s roster on opening day, then Steelers are on the hook for his entire salary for the full year. The Steelers have a complicated salary cap situation and they need every inch of flexibility they can get with it.

Signing Essex next week gives them the ability to cut him later (if need be) without tying up money to someone who is no longer on the team.

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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.

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Steelers Cut Jonathan Scott

One day after resigning veteran offensive tackle Max Starks the Steelers made another move by cutting reserve tackle Jonathan Scott.

Johnathan Scott was part of the Steelers 2010 Free Agent Signing Spree that included the returns of Antwann Randel El and Larry Foote. Scott brought on to be a back up but injuries forced him into the starting line up.

Scott struggled, mightily at times, during the regular season, but stepped up his game impressively during the playoffs and Super Bowl XLV. The Steelers thought so highly of his progress that he began the 2011 season as the starter.

That changed fast, however, as he was unable to protect Ben Roethlisberger's blind side, and the team quickly moved to bring back Max Starks. Scott continued to receive action however, as repeated injuries forced the Steelers to play musical chairs on offensive line.

The Steelers likely waived Scott now, a week before training camp, to give him a chance to sign on elsewhere. The move also potentially opens up a roster spot for either Chris Scott, the Steelers 5th pick from the 2010 NFL Draft and/or Kyle Jolly, an undrafted rookie Free Agent who from 2010 who has spent the last two years on the practice squad. Trai Essex, who can play tackle, also remains on their roster.

Alan Robinson of the Tribune Review reported that the move will save the Steelers 1.7 million dollars against the salary cap - funds that could be used towards a long-term deal with restricted free agent Mike Wallace.

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Steelers Send Message With Decision to Resign Max Starks

The Steelers sent a message in the first two rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft: 

• The era of “Plug and Patch” offensive line building in Pittsburgh is over.

Mike Tomlin’s offensive staff quickly confirmed this move after drafting DavidDiCastro and Mike Adams when they called Willie Colon to inform him that theoft-rumored shift to guard was going to become real.

The Steelers shifted Colonbecause they’re projecting Mike Adams to start at right tackle.

Today in resigning Max Starks the Steelers sent another unequivocal message: 

• You have to earn your role as a starter when you’re a Pittsburgh Steeler

The latter message was just as important as the former. Mike Adams brings more than his fair share of baggage to the NFL – Adamsknocked himself off the Steelers draft board with a positive drug test at the NFL scouting combine.

Adams worked himself back into the Mike Tomin and Kevin Colbert’s good graces, and they rewarded him by giving him a chance.

But when news of Colon’s shift to guard was accompanied by confirmation that Marcus Gilbert would remain at right tackle the idea that the Steelers braintrust might be giving Adam’s more than a chance wasn’t so outlandish.

Afterall, the only two people he’d have to beat out were Trai Essex and Jonathan Scott – both mean whose track record at the left tackle position is checkered – to be charitable.

But with Max Starks on the roster, the Steelers have brought in a veteran whom Adams will have to push himself to beat. They’re also giving themselves the luxury of allowing Adamsto grow into the position.

Steelers Sign Starks - an Annual Off Season Rite

Perhaps when I launched Steel Curtain Rising in January of 2008 I it never occurred to me to  write up a batch of generic articles to cover typical, recurring, events.

One such story could have been "Steelers Resign Max Starks." 

That would have come in handy as hardly a year has passed without Max Starks putting ink to paper with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

• In 2008 Max Starks signed the Steelers transition tender, and began the year as the NFL's most expensive back up offensive lineman.
• When disaster ended Marvel Smith's careear vs. Jacksonville Max Starks stepped in and saved the Steelers season.
• In 2009 the Steelers named Starks as their franchise player and he signed a four year deal with him during training camp.  

That four year contract got cut short, however as Starks injured his neck during 2010 and had to finish the season on IR.

The Steelers "Resign Max Stark" yarn took an unexpected twist in 2011 as Starks, after weighing in at over 400 pounds at Ben Roethlisberger's wedding, was cutas soon as the lockout ended.

When WillieColon went down after the Debacle in Baltimore, many fans expected the Steelers to rush to the Red Phone to resign Starks (or perhaps Flozell Adams who actually offered his services to the Steelers -- for a price.)

• The Steelers swore off that option and initially committed themselves to filling their needs in house.

That plan lasted all of 3 games when it became crystal clear that Jonathan Scott was not a 16 game starter at left tackle. Discretion is that better part of valor, and the Steelers turned to Max Starks, initially thinking he would provide depth, but Starks started immediately -- and the Steelers offensive line improved as a result.

Starks appears to be happy with the Steelers, Alan Robinson of the Tribune Review indicated that Atlantawas interested in signing him, despite the fact that the Steelers never seemed to have made up their collective mind on him.

However rumor is that Starks was never high on Bruce Arianslist, and that of course is a moot point now. Welcome back to Steelers Nation Max (again).

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The Puzzle and Promise of Moving Willie Colon to Guard

The Steelers have ended the speculation they created by taking David DeCastro and Mike Adams with their first two picks in the 2012 NFL Draft. Willie Colon’s move to guard completes a sea-change in the Steelers offensive line building approach.

• The move is as welcome as it is necessary.

For too long “plug and patch” have been the watch words of the Steelers offensive line philosophy. For a time, Pittsburgh defied gravity by winning one Super Bowl and appearing in another despite sub-standard offensive lines and record numbers sacks allowed.

Even if you control for Ben Roethlisberger retaining the ball too long, 2011 was the season when the Road Runner glanced downward and Big Ben took the fall.

Lacking both depth and talent, injuries forced the Steelers to use an estimated 22 different offensive line configurations in 2011. Only weeks after committing their young offensive lineman, the Steelers reversed courseand recalled Max Starks just over a month after waving him.

The Steelers 2012 offensive line will have a very different look.

Instead of featuring undrafted rookie free agents Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster and journey men veterans like Jonathan Scott and Trai Essex, they’re set to start two firsts, two seconds, and a fourth round draft pick.

• Hear! Hear! Cried the man whose been calling for more stability on the offensive line.

 Sounds good on paper, but is moving Colon to guard really the right thing to do? The answer remains nebulous.

The Pros of Moving Colonto Guard

The Steelers drafted Willie Colon as a tackle but rumors that he was a natural guard have always followed him. 

• Position shift rumors are staples of football. 

In the 80’s and 90’s WMAL/WTEM sports radio guru Ken Beatrice never tired of insisting to Steelers Nation expats in Washington that the Steelers needed to move cornerbacks Delton Hall and Chad Scott to safety. Steelers Digest even chimed in, reporting that unnamed Steelers coaches regarded Scott as a safety playing corner.

I’ll leave it to others to definitively rate Colon’s performance as a tackle and simply say that if he was a good tackle he was never going to be a dominate one.

If the Steelers think the Colon can be a better guard that Legursky and Foster, then they should make the move.

Fear never motivates Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert’s. To wit, they informed Colon of the switch as soon as they drafted Adams. 

• Precedent supports their decision to do it now.

In 1998, Bill Cowher tried Jamain Stephens, Paul Wiggins, and Chris Conrad at right tackle throughout training camp. All three fell woefully short, and it wasn't until the fourth preseason game that Cowher settled on his line moving Will Wolford from left guard to left tackle and shifting Justin Strzelczykfrom left to right tackle.

With Alan Fanenca working himself into the line up that arrangement worked fairly well, but the Steelers offensive line started slow out of the gate and never really caught up.

So if moving Colonnow gives them their best chance to field fielding their five best lineman from the get go, then more power to them.

The Puzzling Aspect to Colon's Move to Guard

"But Tomlin refuses to anoint rookies. Believes in a way that it ruins them for the rest of their careers…." – Bob Labriola, Steelers Digest, 9/4/10, explaining why Mike Tomlin delayed naming Maurkice Pouncey as his starter.

There’s a flip side to moving Colon to guard and doing it now, and it has nothing to do with his ability to beat out Legursky or Foster.

Who plays left tackle?

At first, everyone assumed that Marcus Gilbert would move to from right to left tackle, a shift for which he’d been groomed.

Not so, reports Ed Bouchette on PG Plus. Gilbert will stayat right tackle.

That leaves four options on the left side:

• Giving it another go with Jonathan Scott
• Bringing back Max Starks
• Offering Trai Essex his shot
• Starting rookie Mike Adams

Jonathan Scott or Trai Essex will begin training camp at the top of the depth cart. The Steelers don’t arrive at St. Vincent’s with rookies penciled in as starters. Not under Chuck Noll, not under Bill Cowher, not under Mike Tomlin.

• Trai Essex is a fine 6th lineman who can play all five positions. But Essex isn’t a long-term starter. Period.

But Jonathan Scott is not and will never be the Steelers answer as a starting tackle. Yes, he performed above expectations, at times, in late 2010 in relief of Max Starks. Likewise, he held his own in spot duty late in 2011.

But he was so overwhelmed in early 2011 that the Steelers wasted little time in going to the red phone to Max Starks after the Trashing in Texas.

Max Starks is kind of like a fire in an Irish peat bog. The Steelers keep trying to put him out (why? well that’s another question) but he keeps returning. Assuming he recovers from his ACL tear, Starks could help this team.

But the Steelers salary cap problems make Stark’s return unlikely, as a recent Tribune-Review article confirmed.

• That leaves rookie Mike Adams.

Again, I don’t know enough to project whether Adams talent makes him a viable candidate to start in 2012. Others such as Dale Lolley argue that he’s not ready.

But Adam’s talent is not the only variable to consider.

His off the field issues are well documented, and Kevin Colbert readily admitted he went out on a limb for Adams. And even without the baggage, Adams is a rookie, and Tomlin is loathe to anoint rookies.

In moving Willie Colon and keeping Gilbert at right tackle, the Steelers have paved the way for Adams to claim the starting job at left tackle.

Giving a young rookie such a baptism by fire can force him to mature fast and force him to take command of his career. 

• Or it can set him up to fall flat on his face.

Is that really a risk you want to take with the position charged with protecting your 100 million dollar quarterback’s blind side?

It says here that Mike Tomlin, Todd Haley, and Sean Kugler know more about offensive line and football character than I do.

They wouldn’t attempt this without thinking they can succeed. But it’s going to be interesting to see how they fit this piece into their puzzle. 

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A Triumpth of "Position Flexibility" - Steelers Sign Trai Essex and Doug Legursky

You and I call it versatility.

Dictonary.com defines versatility it as: capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to anotherof various tasks, fields of endeavor.

Mike Tomlin simply calls it “Position flexibility.” The concept is simple, and ultimately a fundamental differentiator in the salary cap era:

• The more positions you can play, the more you contribute, the bigger bang a team gets for its salary cap buck it invests in you

No one will ever accuse Trai Essex or Doug Legursky for being world-class athletes or even elite offensive lineman. But both men have position flexibility.

The Steelers picked Trai Essex in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft and since that time he’s played in 75 games. So far so good.

• But normally, you project and expect a third round pick to develop into a stable starter.

Essex has failed to do that multiple times in his seven seasons with the Steelers. Before you write Essex off as a bust, the man entered the 2011 season capable of playing both tackle and both guard positons and in 2012 he added center to his bag of tricks when injures sidelined Doug Legursky and Maurkice Pouncy.

That’s a boast few NFL athletes can make, and its undoubtedly the reason why the Steelers signed Essex to a one year deal which bind him to the team for 8 years.

Doug Legursky Signs Restricted Free Agent Tender

Unlike Trai Essex, Doug Legursky’s phone did not ring on draft day. The Steelers signed him as an unrestricted rookie free agent in 2008. After spending the 2008 season on the practice squad, Legursky made the team in 2009 as a back up lineman.

Legursky saw some action at guard in 2009.

In 2010 he continued to practice at guard but also picked up center, and in the process helped make Justin Hartwig expendable. That year he started at guard a few times during the season and when injuries felled Maurkice Pouncey in the AFC Championship game, Legursky found himself starting at center in Super Bowl XLV.

Last season, Legursky started at both guard positions and also spent time starting at center.

Oh, and Legursky has also been known to line up at fullback on occasion.

• That my friends, is position flexibility.

Today Legursky followed in Ramon Foster’s footsteps and signed his restricted free agent tender, binding him to the team for one more season.

The Steelers took a mild risk with Legursky, as they would have received nothing in compensation had a team signed him. But in the end their patience paid off because at 25 going on 26, Legursky’s still got some upside in him.

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Max Starks Saved the Steelers Season in 2008. Can He Do It Again?

Prelude: October 5th 2008, Jacksonville Florida. Max Starks had entered the 2008 season as the Steelers transition player carrying a 6.85 salary. And he wasn't even starting.

During the second half the prime time epic that defined the Pittsburgh Steelers 2008 regular season, starting left tackle Marvel Smith went down to injury....

...and in came, not Max Starks, but rather Trai Essex. The Steelers after paying him the average of the other top ten tackles in the league and calling him "starter capable" still didn't think enough of Max Starks to name him as the number 3 tackle.

Trai Essex barely slowed the Jaguar defenders who sacked Ben Roethlisberger 3 times that night and subjected him to numerous after the throw hits. All Max Starks could do was to stand there and watch....

Crisis on the Steelers Offensive Line, 2011 Edition

Four games into the 2011 season and the Pittsburgh Steelers have made an abrupt "About Face." After the team lost Willie Colon in the Debacle in Baltimore many in Steelers Nation expected the Pittsburgh to hit the red phone to either Starks or Flozell Adams. After all, the team had been rumored to be interested in bringing both men back well before Colon's injury.

Mike Tomlin instead made a commitment to starting rookie Marcus Gilbert, and in doing so the team seemed to be indicating that they were turning away from the "Patch and Pray" offensive line building strategy in favor of a more methodical approach.

Steel Curtain Rising applauded them for the more deliberate strategy.

Fear rarely motivates the decision making of Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert and they stuck to the plan even as the line play became more and more of a glaring liability after the Shut Out of Seattle and Escape from Indy game.

Such steadfastness is admirable, but knowing when to stand your ground and knowing when to stand down is something that separates organizations like the Packers and the Steelers from the Bengals and the Rams.

The Steelers demonstrated that today when the resigned Max Starks, waving rookie Chris Scott to make room for him on the roster.

Max Starks and the Steelers, Then and Now

Making the move all the more interesting is the fact that Max Starks rejoined the Steelers on October 5th, three years to the day that his predecessor’s career ended in injury.

The coaches 2008 experiment with Trai Essex as the starting left tackle lasted all of a few quarters. By the next week in Cincinnati, Max Starks started at left tackle where he went on to start 34 more games, including Super Bowl XLIII.

It is fair to say that Max Starks entered the 2008 season as an overpaid afterthought and ended up saving the season.

Can he do it again? Is it fair for Steelers Nation even to expect him to?

The answer remains far from clear. Starks weight ballooned during the off season, and he finished 2010 on injured reserve with a neck injury – the same type of injury that ultimately ended Marvel Smith’s career.

But the fact is that the offensive line did play better with Starks in the lineup in 2010, as Jim Wexell calculated that Ben Roethlisberger got sacked twice as often with Jonathan Scott starting at left tackle.

The Steelers themselves don’t seem to be clear on Starks role. During his PG Plus chat Gerry Dulac indicated that Starks would “only provide depth” and later indicated that Starks might not even be dressing were it not for the rash of injuries on the offensive line.

That at least, we’ll assume, is the word Dulac got before mid-day. But the end of the day Ed Bouchette took to PG Plus to inform readers that Max Starks took about half of the snaps with the starting unit.

That could mean many things, of course.

In the final analysis the Steelers have plenty of other issues besides the offensive line bedeviling them a quarter of the way into 2011. (How about two critical errors by the place kicking unit in four games?)

Even before his most recent injury no one would ever confuse Max Starks for Tony Boselli. So any messianic aura that accompies Starks’ return is sorely misplaced. If Max Starks can't be a savior for the line, he can bring it some much needed stability.

As the injuries have mounted and Ben Roethlisberger has taken more and more hits fans have wondered aloud “Isn’t there at least a chance that Starks [or Adams] would be better?”

Management has asked itself this question and their answer is obvious. Welcome back Max.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Texans

Translated into scholastic terms the Steelers recent offensive line building strategy has been the football equivalent of “craming pulling all-nighters.” In light of the Trashing in Texas, this Steelers report card carries a tone of “I warned you.” As usual, no other report cards were consulted.

Quarterback
It is not easy to throw from your back. Still, Ben Roethlisberger missed some open receivers on plays the Steelers needed to have and according to Dale Lolley, Ben had check downs open on some of the sacks he took. He also had a couple of three turnovers nullified by penalties. Grade: C-

Running Backs
So it isn’t just the poor run blocking. Mewelde Moore and Isaac Redman gave the offense a real shot in the arm when it needed it. Mendenhall has only been effective when reach the line of scrimmage. Grade: C+

Wide Receivers
Mike Wallace made a brilliant play that got called back on a taunting penalty – the Steelers can’t have this. Antonio Brown showed some fancy footwork. Overall the receivers were “above the line” but that alone was not enough. Grade: B-

Offensive line
No one on the line is playing well. No one. Maurkice Pouncey perhaps played a little better this week, but he’s still way below last year’s standard. And Pouncey's penalty took the Steelers out of scoring distance. Trai Essex left no doubt as to why he got zero interest in the free agent market, and Marcus Gilbert seemed to break off his blocks just as his man was getting to Ben or else he simply got beat physically. If the Steelers don’t have the worst offensive line in football, show me who does. Grade: F-

Defensive Line
Differing theories abound as to the Steelers sudden vulnerable to the run. What is clear is that the Texans ran inside, run outside, ran around and over the Steelers defensive line and none of the lineman could cope. Injuries or no, Aaron Smith’s continuing claim to a roster spot remains tenious at best, but Cameron Heyward and Ziggy Hood got plenty of snaps and they did not help. Grade: F

Linebackers
Why is it that James Harrison, he of 33 years of age and back surgery, appears to be the only noticeable player in the group? Age may be catching up with James Farrior, but what about Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley? The Steelers invested over 100 million dollars in these youngsters and neither has delivered. Grade: F

Secondary
Troy Polamalu was all over the place as usual, but his angles were off and Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain has suggested this arises for his desire to avoid fines. Keenan Lewis made a nice pass defense, William Gay and Ike Taylor looked good. Still, four games into the season, the secondary has produced ZERO turnovers. As bad as the rest of the team played, one turnover could have made the difference in Houston. Grade: C-

Special Teams
The Steelers had some nice punt returns although some work on when to field and when to fair catch is needed. But what is it with the blocked kick? In four games this is the second time one of the place kicking units has suffered a total breakdown. This cannot continue. Grade: D

Coaching
Perhaps the NFL’s new rules on dangerous hits have neutered the Steelers defense. Perhaps the mandated reduction of physicality in practice has had a similar effect on both the defense and the offensive line. It is difficult to argue with Mike Tomlin’s assessment that the Steelers problems trace back to the fundamentals – blocking and tackling. Except why would one say that about a defending conference champion? Either way the Steelers have been caught totally flatfooted by the NFL in 2011. Grade: F

Unsung Hero
David Johnson’s presence in the backfield helped get the running game going in the second half although it did nothing to help the pass protection. Either way Gerry Dulac gave him a nod in The Post-Gazette's Two Minute Drill.

The Steelers coverage units have played well this year, and yesterday they were led by rookie corner Curtis Brown who made three special teams tackles and forced a fumble which the Texans recovered. Age is an issue for the Steelers defense, and signs of hope from the youth are welcome, and for that Curtis Brown is Steel Curtain Rising’s Unsung Hero of the week.

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Keenan Lewis - Fighting for a Roster Spot, Fighting History

For as much as popular pro football culture bemoans preseason football, this part of the NFL calendar is laden with opportunity.



And perhaps no Steeler has more on the line than Keenan Lewis.



To win Lombardi Number Seven, the Steelers must improve their secondary. Bryant McFadden and William Gay are known commodities. While serviceable, neither man has much, if any, upside.



Lewis' slate is a little less cluttered.



Injuries kept Keenan Lewis on the bench in 2009. But Lewis vaulted past Joe Burnett last summer and earned himself a preseason start…



…And then fell flat on his face against Denver, getting torched so badly he had to be pulled from the game only to break a sign in a temper tantrum.



Lewis wasn’t seen much for the rest of 2010, and what little Steelers Nation saw was not good.



Nonetheless, Mike Tomlin, seldom one to coddle, gave Lewis a vote of confidence in the off season, explaining that Lewis “needed snaps” to get better.



And now Tomlin is giving Lewis his shot.



History as a Guide?



- History teaches everything including the future.

Lamartine



Conventional NFL wisdom holds that a player makes the biggest leap between his rookie and sophomore seasons.



The Steelers history validates this. Leon Searcy, Troy Polamalu, Ziggy Hood, and Chad Brown played sparingly as rookies only to snatch strangle holds on starting spots in their second years.



In contrast, as Brett Keisel and James Harrison illustrate, late picks often undergo multi-year apprenticeships emerge later as starters.



But what of third round picks? What’s their typical development path?



If the history of the Steelers 3rd round draft picks since 1987 serves as any guide, Lewis has little hope.



The vast majority of Steelers third round picks’ career trajectory was clear by the time they entered their third training camp.



Going into year three most of the Steelers 3rd round picks were locked into bumbling towards ‘busthood’, flashing and fading, settling into supporting roles or sprinting towards stardom, with only a few reversing course.



Bumbling Towards ‘Busthood’



Chuck Lanza’s, ’88, final NFL play was the faulty snap that ended the ’89 Steelers shot at their own Mile High Miracle. Craig Veasey, 3b ’91, Chris Conrad, 3a ’98, and Steven Conley, ’96, all played spot roles in their first two years before getting their walking papers. Kris Farris, 3b ’99, never played a down in Pittsburgh. Paul Wiggins, ’97, dressed just once his rookie season and got cut next summer.



Anthony Smith’s, 3a ’06, big words and little actions ensured that his third year with the Steelers was his last. Willie Reid, 3b ’06, played all of seven games in two seasons. Bruce Davis, ’08, was one-and-done after he couldn’t contribute on special teams.



Flashing and Fading



Charles Lockett, ’87, and Derek Hill, ’89, both started games in their first two years but were out of football thereafter. Bam Morris, ’94, looked liked a 3rd round steal until drug problems sent him packing. Amos Zereoue, 3c ’99, played little in ’99 and ’00 and, although he did improve, he was never able or willing to fulfill his potential. Matt Spaeth, ‘07 caught what little the Steelers threw his way in his first two years then saw his progress level off in ’09 and ’10.



Settling into Supporting Roles



Guys like Jon Witman, ’96, and Kendrick Clancy, ’00, both established themselves as role players going into year 3. Much the same can be said of Andre Hastings, ’93, who did the same as a part-time starter/slot receiver and effective punt returner. Entering his third year Max Starks, ’04, had shown himself to be the serviceable, if not solid starter. Likewise, going into year three, the skinny on Trai Essex, ’05, was that he was a marginal “sixth” lineman.



Sprinting Towards Stardom



Guys like Neil O’Donnell, 3a ’90, Ernie Mills, ’91, and Chris Hope perhaps weren’t “stars” but all three were growing into their upsides when they began their 3rd summer at Latrobe.



By his third training camp Joel Steed, ’92, was the anchor of the Steelers of the 90’s defense. Jason Gildon, ’94, was embarking on the first of 8 straight starting seasons. Hines Ward, 3b ’98, started his third season on the bench behind Troy Edwards, but Hines was clearly a keeper. Finally, by the time he entered his third season, Joey Porter clearly wasn’t going to merely live up to the Steelers Linebacker Legacy, he would add to it.



Reversing Course



Brendan Stai, ’95, helped turn around the season for the Steelers and played well in both ’96 and ’97, but his play dropped off after that.



Hank Poteat, 3b. ’00, and Mike Vrabel, 3b.’97, for different reasons both had difficulty defining their roles with the Steelers, but both went on to contribute elsewhere.



Define History or Be Defined by History



- You must always know the past, for there is no real Was, there is only Is.

William Faulkner



What does all of this mean for Keenan Lewis?



Ask Mike Tomlin he’d probably be less poetic than Faulkner but he’d likely explain that “Keenan’s story is about Keenan. The stories of other 3rd round picks are irrelevant.”



The Steelers-Eagles preseason game wasn’t shown in Buenos Aires (surprise), so I can offer no analysis of my own, but here’s what others say:



Tony DeFeo of Behind the Steel Curtain offered this:

I focused my attention on Keenan Lewis most of the night, and I have to say, he really impressed me with his coverage ability.

Mark Kalboy of the Tribune Review said:

Give Keenan Lewis credit for not being overwhelmed against the Eagles. Now, he had just as many bad plays as good ones, but he never gave up the big play and seemingly was in the right spot the majority of the time. That’s a positive sign for this kid.

In Yoda-speak, one should caution, “One successfully preseason game does not a career turnaround make.”



Keenan Lewis cannot change the past, but he make his own history in the future, starting now. It looks like he took a first step towards that the other night against Philly.



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Steelers Resign Trai Essex

Throughout the preseason there has been a lot of speculation that the Pittsburgh Steelers would welcome back one of their departed offensive lineman.



They surprised Steelers Nation today by doing just that.



Early in the day Ed Bouchette reported on PG Plus that Trai Essex stopped by the South Side to pick up his AFC Championship ring. While Bouchette did not rule anything out, his post made it pretty clear nothing else was afoot.



As it turns out, Bouchette was wrong, as the Steelers resigned veteran tackle/guard/tight end? Trai Essex to a one year deal. To make room for Essex, the Steelers waived unrestricted rookie free agent Nevin McCaskill.



Prior to Essex's return, it was widely expected that the Steelers would either bring back Max Starks and Flozell Adams, both of whom they waived ealier this summer in salary cap moves.



Essex is a lesser player than both Starks and Adams, but he does bring versitility, or as Mike Tomlin likes to say, "position flexibility." Essex can step in at either tackle or guard position, and last year lined up as a blocking tight end on a number of occasions. Indeed, Ed Bouchette has even suggested that the Steelers resign Essex and use him as the number two tight end.



With the Steelers offensive line in a state of flux, it will be interesting to see if this is the final move that they make.



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