Alameda Ta'amu Pleads Guilty, Tries to Make Amends

Pittsburgh Steelers reserve nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu pleaded guilty yesterday to three counts of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and driving while under the influence.

In return for his guilty plea Ta’amu was sentenced to 18 months probation, four days in DUI housing, and 150 hours of community service. Ta’amu was found not guilty of fleeing and evading in a drunken rampage on Pittsburgh’s South Side that saw Ta’amu damage four cars injuring one passenger and nearly run over four police officers on foot.

Ta’amu Apologies, Attempts to Make Good

After receiving the verdict Ta’amu offered to make amends stating:

I know what I've done is wrong. I'd do anything to make it right. What I did affected my whole family. I've got to keep learning from my mistakes. So far, I think I've done a good job of staying away [from alcohol].

The Steelers initial response to Ta’amu offense was to suspend him, although the team waived him during the season. He was resigned to the regular season roster for the season’s final game.

The Steelers drafted Ta’amu in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, trading up to get one of the last pure nose tackles on the board. Immediately after making that move, pundits rushed to project him as Casey Hampton’s successor, but such enthusiasm cooled when Ta’amu looked lost in training camp and struggled in preseason.

The Steelers have made it clear that Ta’amu, should he make the team, will remain on a short leash, as the team as already parted ways with its 5th round draft pick from 2012, Chris Rainey, for his own off season legal issues.

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NCAA Linebackers Flock to South Side, Wexell's Work on Mauti Reminds of Greg Lloyd

NCAA linebackers are officially in vogue on the South Side of Pittsburgh. As of Wednesday April 4th the Pittsburgh Steelers had exhausted 10 of their allotted 30 visits from collegiate prospects college visits in advance of the 2013 NFL Draft.

• And thus far linebackers have comprised 70% of the college football players that the Steelers have entertained. 

This 70% might be an April batting average, but if it is it’s a late April batting average, although as Dale Lolley indicates, the Steelers are know for their pre draft subterfuge and postulates that the high number of linebackers being vetted suggests that the Steelers are thinking “Anything but linebacker” in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

• The two prospects who made pre draft visits with the Steelers yesterday were and linebacker Malliciah Goodman of Clemson and Penn State inside linebacker Michael Mauti.

Jim Wexell, free lance journalist, author, and publisher of the Steel City Insider, wrote a compelling piece about Michael Mauti, comparing him to other great Penn State linebackers such as former Steeler and NFL Hall of Famer Jack Ham.

Wexell’s article discusses the hurdles that Mauti faces because of the three ACL surgeries he has undergone in his NFL career. While multiple ACL surgeries would and should be regarded as a liability for any NFL prospect, in reading Wexell’s article, I could not but help think of Greg Lloyd.

Most fans remember that the end of Greg Lloyd’s career was barred by patella injuries, followed by a severe sprained ankle and then a staph infection. This is all true. But what many fans forget is that injuries also plagued the beginning of Lloyd’s, leading Jerry Olsavsky to observe once that Greg Lloyd had played most of his career with his knees “stapled together.”

The Steelers should not get sentimental should Michale Mauti be available in mid or late rounds, but the franchise does have a precedent for successful linebackers who began their careers with ACL issues.

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Steelers Sign Stevenson Sylvester; Workout Howling and Gooden

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered free agency both salary cap strapped and dangerously thin at inside linebacker. And with one bold* roll of the dice they helped shore up depth at inside linebacker while (probably) saving themselves at least 500,000 dollars in the process, when the resigned unrestricted free agent Stevenson Sylvester. (*Ok, that’s “bold” with a very lower case “b”)

The Steelers drafted Sylvester in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL draft and could have secured right of first refusal or compensation in the form of a 5th round pick by offering Sylvester a restricted free agent tender of 1.33 million.

However, the Steelers opted not to offer Sylvester any tender making him an unrestricted free agent, allowing him to sign with a team of his choosing. But as obersved here in the free agent focus on Sylvester, no one was going to offer Stevenson Sylvester big money.

Sylvester had a strong rookie season looking good on special teams, but struggled with spot duty in 2011 and saw his 2012 season hobbled by injuries. The reality is that Sylvester will likely have to fight for a roster spot in training camp, especially of the Steelers end up making linebacker a priority in the 2013 NFL Draft as their pre-draft visits indicate.

Nonetheless, the Steelers now have a body at inside linebacker with experience in a Dick LeBeau defense to back up Lawrence Timmons and Larry Foote, which is something they could not say 48 hours ago.

Free Agent Running Back, Linebacker also Pay Visits

The Steelers also entertained former Pitt running back LaRod Stephens-Howling who most recently played for Pittsburgh West (aka the Arizona Cardinals) and former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavares Gooden.

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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.

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Steelers Work Out Antoine Caldwell - Wither Doug Legursky?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Steelers Begin Pre-Draft Visits with Christine Michael, John Simon, and Vince Williams,

April 1st might be April Fools Day but the Steelers devoted no time to goofing off as they began to evaluate prospects for the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft.

While other NFL teams have already been hosting college prospects for pre-draft visits, Monday April 1st was the Steelers first foray and they invited in three players in for interviews.

Those players were:

• Christine Michael, a running back from Texas A&M
• John Simon, a linebacker from Ohio State
• Vince Williams, another linebacker from Florida State

According to Dale Lolley, who was the first and thus far only major Pittsburgh writer to break the news, John Simon has good size for a 3-4 outside linebacker and as an OSU Buckeye he would be immediately familiar with the Steelers system.

Lolley also suggested that the Steelers would consider Vince Williams as more of an inside linebacker prospect.

Michael saw limited playing time as a senior because of injuries, but rushed for 34 touchdowns in four years at Texas A&M, according to ESPN.

At running back and at both linebacker slots Pittsburgh is dangerously thin, so its no surprise that the Steelers first pre draft visits would involve players that could meet those areas of need.

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Isaac Redman Signs Tender with New Orleans; Steelers to Trade for Darrelle Revis

Already reeling for the losses of Mike Wallace, Keenan Lewis, Rashard Mendenhall and perhaps worse yet Will Allen and Ryan Mundy, Steelers Nation woke up to another fine April 1st to the news that they have yet another hole to fill.

Behind the Steel Curtain is reporting that the AFL’s New Orleans Voodo has signed restricted free agent Isaac Redman to a two year tender worth an estimated 3 million dollars. The Steelers have 7 days to match the offer.

Given that this would mark the first interleague transaction since the days of the USFL, it is unknown what conversation the Steelers would get should they lose Redman. Baron Batch and Jonathan Dwyer are the only running backs the Steelers have under contract, although the Steelers recently worked out New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw.

• The Steelers are not standing by idly, however.

The Steelers are apparently angling to trade New York Jets stand out cornerback   Darrelle Revis in another story broken by Behind the Steel Curtain.

La Toalla Terrible (that's Terrible Towel in Spanish) offers occasional insights into the sometimes surreal and subline underbelly of Steelers Nation. If you're up for even more of La Toalla's ridiculous ramblings, click here. 

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