What did the Steelers see in Jarvis Jones?

Last year, his first in the NFL, rookie linebacker Jarvis Jones accomplished little and showed less.

It makes you wonder what the Steelers saw in him. They didn't meet with him at the NFL Combine, and when his Pro Day came up at the University of Georgia, he ran an abysmal 4.92 40-yard dash. Still, the Steelers made him their No. 1 draft pick (No. 17 overall).

Jarvis Jones, No. 95

Last year, Jones showed basically one pass-rush move. He couldn't bull-rush many blockers. He didn't hold the edge consistently on run plays, and he had trouble shedding blocks. He struggles with outside contain. He's not especially strong. And he's slow.

Seriously, what did the Steelers see in this guy? Last year, Jarvis Jones showed so little he might as well have been Landry Jones.

Let's hope he's better this year. To be fair, the Steelers' defense is notoriously difficult for rookies to learn. He says the game has slowed for him now that has a full NFL season under his belt, and we hope so. Steeler Nation is counting on him, although today's depth chart lists nondescript veteran backup Chris Carter as the starter at left outside linebacker, with Jones as the backup to Jason Worilds on the right side.

Most people expect Jones will be handed a starting job, much like Mike Adams was handed the starting left tackle job last summer.  A first-rounder should be making an impact by the time his second year starts. Let's hope Jones justifies the investment the Steelers have made in him.

We hope he succeeds, but if he falls flat this year, well, it makes you wonder what the Steelers were thinking when they drafted him instead of a couple of other players still on the board.

Eric Reid, rookie Pro Bowler, drafted No. 18 overall
in 2013, one pick after Jarvis Jones

LSU safety Eric Reid went to San Francisco with the very next pick (No. 17 overall), and Reid made the Pro Bowl his rookie season. Reid had 77 tackles, 11 breakups, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Jones was in on 40 tackles and one sack.

Two picks after Reid, the Bears selected guard Kyle Long, and he went to the Pro Bowl. Tight end Tyler Eiffert was on the board, too, and he went to Cincinnati with pick No. 21.

Considering Reid went to the Pro Bowl, however, and was selected immediately after Jones ... well, if Jarvis Jones doesn't pick up his game early this season, Steeler Nation may be clamoring for Howard Jones at linebacker instead of Jarvis Jones.

NFL teams cannot miss on No. 1 draft choices. It's too soon to put the "bust" label on Jones, but the pressure will be on him this year.

It may be early, but it's later than you might think.

ALL HAIL THE RETURN OF JOEY PORTER!!!

Joey Porter and  friends

It's a great day in Pittsburgh. Joey Porter returns, and the Browns suck. Spectacularly. The Browns are a "constantly churning clown car." But we knew that. Enough about the Clowns.

In Pittsburgh, it's not just a great day, it's a glorious day. And Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have faithfully kept the candle burning, Peezy. Welcome back. And if your dogs Tina and Nemo are still with you, they're welcome, too, although not likely by the local equine population, keeping in mind they killed a horse. Which, naturally, inspired this blog in 2006. Not that we condone that sort of thing, although we must admit "A Letter From Joey Porter's Pit Bull" by The Mighty MJD (Matthew J. Darnell) is damn funny.

The Steelers announced on Tuesday that Joey Porter will join the coaching staff as a defensive assistant, a role that generally involves grunt work and film review. We guarantee, however, that Mike Tomlin isn't bringing in the former Pro Bowler to do grunt work. Joey Porter's coming in to kick some ass.

Joey Porter will bring with him the fire and intensity the Steelers have been sorely lacking the past few years. He can't help himself. That's who he is.

What's more, Joey Porter will bring the Voice of Reason, just as as he did in his heyday. Remember when he called out Jerame Stevens before the Super Bowl? The Voice of Reason. Remember when he called the Indianapolis Colts soft? The Voice of Reason. Remember when he stood up to the Baltimore Ravens, on any number of occasions? The Voice of Reason. As crazy as he may have sounded at times, Joey Porter made sense when it mattered most. For better or worse, he routinely set the tone ... raucously, outrageously and honestly.

Joey Porter is a veritable statesman.  And the Steelers need his wisdom as much as they need his passion. They also need his experience and expertise teaching linebackers to play the position.

His job, presumably will be to tutor the young linebackers, starting with 2013 first-rounder Jarvis Jones, 2013 sixth-rounder Vince Williams, 2014 first-rounder C.J. Mosley (Alabama) and 2014 fourth-rounder Michael Sam (Missouri).

Yeah, that Michael Sam. And why not?

The facile, NFL-politically correct answer to that question is Sam is a "tweener" as an undersized defensive end.  According to the Missouri Tigers website, Sam is listed at 6'2", 255, which is three inches taller and about the same weight as another undersized defensive end who has had some success in the NFL: Elvis Dumervil, not that anybody is comparing the two players. It's worth making the point, however, that similarly sized defensive players can make an impact in the NFL.

The Steelers themselves have a history of drafting undersized defensive ends and turning them into linebackers. It worked well for Joey Porter himself; not so well in the case of Chris Carter (6'1", 248), among others.

By all accounts, Sam's brief trial at linebacker during the Senior Bowl practice week did not go especially well. He may be better off to stay at defensive end. He might be a better fit for a team with a scheme that feature smaller defensive ends. The Steelers' defensive ends are at least 290 pounds.

Sam could hardly have accomplished more in college or piled up more accolades. He was a unanimous First-Team All-American, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and his own teammates named him Team MVP after a season in which the Tigers went 12-2 and won the Cotton Bowl.  

Oh, and there's that other issue that shall go unnamed, but ... For what it's worth, his teammates selected Sam as Team MVP after the season and long after he came out in a team meeting in spring camp.

One thing that scouts shouldn't question is his "character." He made the announcement knowing full well what he's in for, and that took courage and character. He'll be taunted, threatened, jeeered, ridiculed, teased, jibed, goaded, drawn into fights, and degraded. He knows that.

Michael Sam will be the center of attention at the NFL Combine and on Draft Day, just like Mante Te'a was last year. It will be interesting to see where Sam ends up in the NFL. Let's hope for his sake it is not Cleveland.

Links:

ESPN:  "Joey Porter Will Turn Up the Volume"

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls (Feb. 13, 2010):  "Good Luck, Peezy"

Gene Collier: "NFL Trying to Find the Right Words Dealing With Michael Sam Situation"

Frank Bruni (The New York Times):  "Panic in the Locker Room!"

Kissing Suzy Kolber: "Steelers Bring Back Joey Porter to Teach the Way of Peezy"

Behind the Steel Curtain:  "C.J. Mosley Doesn't Have Many Weaknesses"

Lots of Story Lines Today

The big news in Steeler Nation this week is the placement of linebacker LaMarr Woodley on injured reserve, ending his season and possibly his career in Pittsburgh. Jarvis Jones will start, and it is unclear who will be the top back-up. Maybe veteran Chris Carter, but Terance Garvin may see some snaps although he is listed on the depth chart as an inside linebacker.

Whether Woodley remains a Steeler after this season became a topic of some increasingly robust discussion over the past couple weeks. Over the past few days, especially, speculation grew that Woodley could be gone after this season. The Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac indicates that is a pretty much a foregone conclusion. That's a question that will sort itself out after the season.

Meanwhile, in Packer Land ...
In Wisconsin, there is considerable angst over the status of quarterback Aaron Rodgers' medical clearance for a possible return to action after being out for the past six weeks with a broken collarbone. Rodgers is one of the best in the game, but if he's not medically cleared to play, he won't play. Simple as that.

Back-up Matt Flynn, who was on the street as a waived player just a few weeks ago, has led the Packers the two straight wins following four losses and a tie by Green Bay in its previous five games. Last Sunday in Dallas, the Packers scored 34 points in the second half to rally from a 23-point halftime deficit to defeat the Cowboys and place themselves right in the thick of the NFC North playoff race.

It was a rousing win, and the Packers hope to ride that momentum this week. If they win their final two games (Steelers and Bears), they'll make the playoffs.

Bell and Lacy
A story line this week will be the respective performances of running backs Le'Veon Bell and Eddie Lacy. The Steelers drafted Bell (Michigan State) 48th overall in the second round instead of Lacy (Alabama), who went to the Packers 61st overall in the second round.

After battling early-season injuries, Bell has looked solid for the Steelers.

• Bell has 43 catches for 388 yards and 646 yards rushing on 96 carries. 

• Lacy has 31 catches for 236 yards and 1,028 yards rushing on 248 carries and is in a leading candidate for offensive rookie of the year. He had 141 yards rushing last Sunday vs. the Cowboys. 

At yesterday's news conference, Mike Tomlin said the decision to draft Bell over Lacy was "an easy one for me."  

It's very early in their respective careers, and way too early for second-guessing. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like Bell a lot and wanted the Steelers to draft him -- but we also were surprised the Steelers took him in the second round. He'd been projected to go later (third or even fourth round), so selecting him in the second round seemed a bit of an over-reach. They believe in him, though, and we'd love to see him succeed. Both he and Lacy appear to be good players.

Who's better? Just enjoy the show on Sunday.