Bud Dupree: Good pick ... we hope

The selection of strongside/elephant linebacker Bud Dupree looks good at a glance -- or, more accurately, upon first reaction after four-and-a-half months of intense speculation, scrutiny and hand-wringing over who the Steelers might select with their first pick in this year's NFL Draft.

Dupree is the right size (6'4", 269), that's for sure, and has the requisite athleticism (4.56 in the 40-yard dash; 42-inch vertical jump at the Combine).

He says the right things and is said to be a high-character guy, and that is reassuring.

The video says he sets the edge, and that is something the Steelers desperately need on defense.

Crucially, he has experience dropping into coverage, and at his size, if he can cover at all, he should help with covering some of the bigger, more athletic tight ends (Gronk; etc.).

Dupree even has experience playing tight end himself, in high school, where he had 1,000 yards receiving. That suggests he can catch the ball, and interceptions are something the Steelers desperately need.

All good things.

The Steelers needed to bolster their pass rush.  Oddly, however, pass rushing is not considered the strongest part of Dupree's game. Various draft observers over the past few months also noted that it is worrisome that he tended to disappear for stretches at times during games; that his game was inconsistent; that it needs polished; and that he needs to be coached up.

As long as his head is right and he has a good motor, all of those potential negatives sound like they can be fixed with coaching and him being in the right environment (as in, being around James Harrison, Joey Porter, Keith Butler and Mike Tomlin).

We should also keep in mind that while Kentucky is in the SEC, it is by no mans a football powerhouse; in fact, football has always taken a distant back seat to basketball at Kentucky. Dupree was Kentucky's best player, by far, and thus would have been targeted for special attention by SEC opponents.

Tangent: How did the Bengals pass on Dupree ... ???
How the Bengals passed on this guy is a mystery.  It gives us hope Cincinnati maybe is reverting to its past historical pattern of lousy drafting following a solid run of productive drafts over the past several years.

In fact, looking at needs of various teams picking ahead of the Steelers, we figured it was an absolute no-brainer for the Bengals -- picking at No. 21, just ahead of Pittsburgh -- to pick a pass-rusher. The Bengals tallied an NFL-low 20 sacks last year.

Dupree would have made perfect sense for the Bengals. As a "local" kid playing for the University of Kentucky, he was right there for them -- and, it appears from initial news reports, the fact they passed on Dupree has angered their Kentucky fan base, which is a huge proportion of their overall fan base.

Granted, the Bengals fortified their front seven a bit during the off-season in free agency (Michael Johnson returns from to Cincinnati after a disappointing stint in Tampa Bay), but they still have a real need for muscle in their linebacking corps.  Of the top candidates still on the board when their pick came up -- Dupree, Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Shane Ray and Randy Gregory -- either Dupree or UCLA's Odighizuwa would have made perfect sense, and either Ray or Gregory would have made Bengals sense; i.e., flaky players with a history.

Yet the Bengals went offensive tackle with the selection of Texas A&M's Cedric Ogbuehi, who gave up seven sacks in 2014 and blew out in his knee in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 29th, meaning he may not even play in 2015.

Maybe the Bengals are thinking they won't be able to resign Andrew Whitworth to a contract extension. If that happens, we'd be happy to eventually have Whitworth on the Steelers. But we digress; that won't happen.

Enough of the Bengals. Back to the Steelers ...
With Dupree in Black 'n Gold, we can hope other good players at positions of need fall to them in subsequent rounds. The secondary must be addressed, obviously.  Nose tackle could be bolstered.

Of the first-round selections that followed No. 22, the only one that we might have been really interested in was Malcolm Brown, the Texas nose tackle who went to New England at pick No. 32.  We also liked UCLA's Odighizuwa, a lot, but the Steelers clearly liked Dupree better; and we don't have a major issue with that. We also wouldn't have objected if the Steelers had selected Connecticut's Byron Jones, the cornerback who went to Dallas.

The Jarvis Jones Question
One interesting thing about the Dupree selection: Yes, he will most likely play on the right side, in the  spot vacated by Jason Worilds.  But the selection of Dupree also may be seen as the team knowing it has to hedge its bet on Jarvis Jones.  So far, although Jones showed glimpses of playmaking ability, he has looked mostly underwhelming, and that may be an understatement. If the Steelers had faith in Jones, they may not have brought back James Harrison.

In the event Jarvis Jones doesn't pan out, however, and Harrison retires after the 2015 season, Dupree could move over to the left side.

Clearly, Dupree is being brought in to play right away, albeit on the side opposite of Jones/Harrison.  Arthur Moats resigned with the team in the hope he would get the starting job, and maybe he will start for a while at the beginning of the season.  But the position is earmarked for Dupree.

Other players currently in the mix for roster spots at outside linebacker are Shawn Lemon (CFL; Akron); Jordan Zumwalt (2014 practice squad; UCLA); Howard Jones (practice squad; Shepherd); Roosevelt Nix (futures contact; Kent State); and Shayon Greene (1st-year free agent; University of Miami).

They all have hopes, and so do we, and so do the Steelers -- particularly for Bud Dupree to become the fierce and tenacious presence on defense the team drafted him to be.

One afterthought ... 
It's a bit ironic, isn't it, that the Steelers passed on linebacker Shane Ray for a guy named "Bud."

With the very next pick after Pittsburgh's selection of Dupree, the Denver Broncos selected Shane Ray, who received a police citation for marijuana possession just three days ago.  Then again, marijuana is legal in Colorado, so maybe the Broncos figure it's no big deal.  Still, it is likely that Ray will start his pro career with one strike against him on the NFL's substance abuse scoreboard.

The Steelers got the right Bud.

Typical Preseason Opener

Sloppy, ragged, erratic and featuring players who won't be in the NFL on opening day, last night's glorified practice before 74,611 paying customers at MetLife Stadium was a drab mess. Ben Roethlisberger (1-2 passing) barely played, and Eli Manning didn't complete either of his two pass attempts.

The lone highlights of "consequence" for the Steelers were Dri Archer's 43-yard sprint with a screen pass on the opening series and Jarvis Jones's eight-yard sack of Manning.

Jarvis Jones sacks Eli Manning

We expect to see more of that sort of dash from Archer. As for Jones, it was good to get his first sack of calendar year 2014 out of the way. Nobody in authority in the Steelers' organization has said anything particularly derogatory about Jones's work during training camp, but nobody has said anything particularly noteworthy either.

The underlying current of thought is this: Jones can say all the right things, demonstrate that he works hard and show that he has a great attitude -- but he has to produce results on the field. He must prove he can make tackles and sack the quarterback.

As Craig Wolfley and Tunch Ilkin have said repeatedly about Jones: "Chuck Noll used to say, 'Don't give me somebody who's around the ball. I want a guy who's on the ball.'"

Jones also must show he is stronger, quicker and has better moves and technique than he showed last year.

On last night's pre-game radio show, Wolfley said, "I want to see Jones sack the quarterback. He's got to show he can do it on the field, not just want to do it. We saw flashes of that last preseason. But, then, during the regular season, next to nothing."

That's why it was encouraging to see Jones sack Manning. Now we need to see that sort of play consistently.

An interesting look at Jarvis Jones's struggles on the pass rush

Over at Steelers Depot, blogger-extraordinaire Alex Kozora offers an interesting look at Jarvis Jones and his techniques, or at least the patterns and tendencies shown last year, during his pass-rush approach to the quarterback. So far, Silverback he ain't. 

Based on his review, Kozora raises a valid question: Does Jones have the requisite raw talent to become a consistently successful pass-rushing threat?  Time will tell, and soon. Well worth a read. Check it out here.

Jones certainly has room for improvement, but as the 17th overall choice in the 2013 draft, much is expected of him, and soon.  Right now, for what it's worth (not much), the team's depth chart lists Chris Carter as the starter at one OLB position and Jason Worilds the other, with Jones as the backup to Worilds.

And if that's not enough to think about, there are goats at work in Polish Hill.

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.

Rebuilding the Linebacking Corps

"No, I didn't do my job there. I miss-fit it. I just miss-fit it. A miss-fit is not fit. No, I just didn't get over to my gap. I was supposed to be on his other shoulder. (The big plays) are very frustrating, but I don't know if surprised is a proper word for it."

That quote was from Troy Polamalu describing why he was late and out of position on Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas's 55-yard run in the fourth quarter of Miami's Dec. 8 win over the Steelers at Heinz Field.  

In his own words, Troy just "mis-fit it."
That's because Troy was a misfit at the linebacker position and would never have been playing there if the Steelers had anybody else to do it in 2013.

Enter Ryan Shazier, the 2014 first-round draft choice.  

Linebackers coach Keith Butler said something interesting about the selection of Shazier:

"We couldn't pass him up when he was there. There were a lot of guys that we liked at that spot, but they were all drafted. So, when he came, a guy with that type of speed, you can't pass him up. He's going to make us immediately faster on defense."

We can speculate on which players Butler was referring to who were already drafted, but we can guess they were cornerbacks Justin Gilbert and Kyle Fuller, pass-rushing linebacker Anthony Barr, and wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr.

Not to discount the need for a top-notch corner or wide receiver, but if the drafting of Ryan Shazier in the first round of the NFL draft caught most of Steeler Nation by surprise because linebacker didn't seem to be "a position of need," it's only evidence that most people have short memories. 

Where were the linebackers?
As painful as it is, however, let's not forget how how invisible the linebackers were throughout most of the season, most glaringly in the losses to Miami and at Oakland (Oct. 27).

The linebackers are supposed to be the backbone of this defense. Too often last season,however, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls screamed in dismay, "Where are the linebackers?"

Glaringly Obvious
Throughout 2013, the Steelers surrendered five running plays of 48 yards or more, 12 pass plays of 40 yards or more, and 10 running plays that went for 15 yards or more. The linebackers were a big part of those breakdowns.

It took Jason Worilds until the final half of last season, the final year of his first contract, to play well enough to win a one-year mega-contract that salvaged his Steelers' career for one more season, at least.  

The rest of the linebacking corps was spotty at best. Lawrence Timmons played like a monster in some games (17 tackles vs. Baltimore; 12 vs. Oakland, with a broken hand), but not so well in others. 

Jarvis Jones showed flashes and improved late in the season, but for the most past he looked small, played small and was a step or so late to the play on most occasions. Jones needs to improve dramatically this year.

Most glaringly, perhaps, the loss of veteran Larry Foote to injury in the first game necessitated the play of rookie sixth-rounder Vince Williams, who played like a rookie sixth-rounder. Williams has the makings of a thumper, but by November he had lost his short-lived opportunity to seize a full-time job because he was too slow and was out of position too often.

Just as crucially, Williams showed an inability to cover receivers -- a real problem in a passing league. There's a place in the league for Williams; he can be a solid player. But Williams lost playing time in some situations to the much faster Terence Garvin, who actually looked good in flashes, but more so to Troy Polamalu. And that took Polamalu away from what he does best.

And all of that led to the drafting of Ryan Shazier. Besides which, Justin Gilbert, Kyle Fuller, Anthony Barr and Odell Beckham were gone. Inside linebacker really was a crucial "need position" for this draft. It was, in fact, a position of glaring need. 

As if to underscore that point, the Steelers added ILB Jordan Zumwalt in this sixth round (same as Vince Williams). Presumably, Zumwalt will work on special teams and compete with Williams and Sean Spence for a backup linebacker spot. He has a shot.

Not to hand Shazier a job or anything, but he should start immediately. If he doesn't, we're right back to where we were at the end of last season.

Jarvis Landry Jarvis Jones Landry Jarvis Jones Landry Jarvis Jones Landry Jarvis Jones Landry

Lynn Chandnois, wide receiver,
Pittsburgh Steelers, circa 1955

Cornerback. Wide Receiver.  Wide Receiver.  Cornerback. Either/or.  In that order.  Should be. Probably. The Steelers' first two picks.

In the NFL Draft next month (why so late, anyway, Mr. Goodell?), at picks No. 15 overall and No. 46 overall, the Steelers will select a cornerback and wide receiver.

Let's get this out on the table right now: Both top-rated receivers will be gone. Sammy Watkins (South Carolina) and Mike Evans (Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University) will be off the board by pick No. 15.

LSU's Pro Day is tomorrow, Wednesday, April 9, and Steelers' coaches, scouts and Kevin Colbert will be there, in force. It's a deep draft for receivers, and the Tigers have two very good ones in Odell Beckham, Jr. (who is expected to be selected mid-first round) and Landry Jarvis Jones Jarvis Landry Jones Jarvis Landry,  who is projected as a second-rounder. LSU also has a pretty good quarterback, Zach Mettenberger, but the Steelers almost certainly won't be able to get him.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls really like both receivers. Both Beckham and Landry are playmakers, both have great hands, and both appear to be very polished. Having said that ... if the Steelers are able to draft Darqueze Dennard with overall pick number 15, they should probably take him.  The Steelers are long past due fortifying the corner position with high-end talent.

For no reason at all, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls suspect Dennard may turn out to be the better NFL player than Justin Gilbert (Oklahoma State), who is generally regarded the top-rated corner in this year's draft, although the NFL Network's Mike Mayock has Dennard rated No. 1, Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller No. 2, and Gilbert No. 3. Mayock seems to be the only one espousing that opinion, but there's a case to be made for Fuller to be in the top three.

We need a corner, but ... 
Mayock's opinion notwithstanding, there's a decent chance both Dennard and Gilbert will both be off the board by the time the Steelers pick. Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller might be a consideration, considering it's a deep draft for receivers, but we'd be more excited about getting Beckham than Fuller.  If the Steelers select a corner in the first round, Jarvis Landry would be a good option (if available) in the second round, as would Vanderbilt WR Jordan Matthews (if available).

Actually, it would be pretty cool if Jarvis Landry ends up with the Steelers. Then we'd have Jarvis Jones, Landry Jones, and Jarvis Landry.  It would make Bill Hillgrove's head spin, which would be awesome.

Then again, if all four players (Dennard, Gilbert, Watkins and Evans) are gone, the Steelers may well look at, yes, offensive tackle (although we don't think they will), or defensive line (Stephon Tuitt? Anthony Barr? Dee Ford? Louis Nix?).

So, with their first two picks, the Steelers will pick a receiver and a cornerback ... unless, that is, the Steelers address any of a multitude of other needs, such as offensive tackle (we're looking at you, Marcus Gilbert); or defensive line; or pass-rushing linebacker; or monster-sized, speedy pass-catching tight end.

Yeah, we're plugged in.

Back to Zach Mettenberger for a moment: There are plenty of question marks associated with Mettenberger, but after sustaining a torn ACL in November, the LSU QB  is gaining a lot of media attention this week as a "fast riser" in pre-draft talk. Previously projected as a third or fourth rounder, now he is likely to go early in the second round, with Arizona, New England, Oakland and Minnesota being discussed as possible landing spots. He might be a good fit in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers have other needs right now, including receiver, and simply don't have the luxury of a pick early in the second round. If he does well at LSU's Pro Day, Mettenberger may even get taken in the first round. If you think that's too high, take a look at some of the NFL-caliber passes he threw to Beckham and Landry in the receivers' highlight videos here (for Beckham) and here (for Landry), especially the throws at about the 23-second, 34-second, and 2:34 marks of the latter video.

If you watch either of those videos -- keeping in mind that YouTube highlight reels of college football players by nature show selective plays and can be highly misleading -- you'll see why so many scouts and observers are geeked about Beckham in particular (rated as one of the top 15-20 prospects overall), but also why Jarvis Landry is rated among the top 10 receivers.

Landry may not be quite as fast as Beckham, but some of his catches in the highlight reel are downright Lynn Swann-esque. And Landry was the guy LSU counted on  for first downs.  Neither of those guys is especially tall, but either one of them would look good in a Steelers uniform.

The Combine

It's a bit early to get too excited about what's been happening so far at the NFL Combine. The sort of superficial impressions athletes running around in the "Underwear Olympics" can be misleading.  Too many great athletes are so-so football players.

"Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane" is an aphorism famously used to describe such players.

Initial impressions:

• We wonder about the Steelers' process at the Combine. Last year, they did not interview linebacker Jarvis Jones at the Combine. Kevin Colbert said it was because the Steelers thought Jones wouldn't drop to them at No. 17. Wouldn't you want to interview all potential first-rounders? Just in case? Maybe there's not enough time, but then again, we are talking about your first-rounder -- the potential linchpin of your team for years to come, and a multi-million dollar investment.

• Johnny Manziel looks small, but that was apparent before the Combine. Gut instinct says he will have a tough time staying healthy on a consistent basis. On the other hand, Fran Tarkenton had an extremely lengthy career, albeit in the pre-steroid, pre-HGH era. Still, we're skeptical about Manziel.

• Jimmy Haslam, owner of the Cleveland Browns, uses a flip phone. A shot of him in the skybox over the weekend clearly showed him flipping open a feature phone and, apparently, either not getting a signal or dismissing a message or call, as he flipped it closed again in what seemed to be annoyance. How did the Rooneys ever allow him to buy into their operation? No wonder they put up no resistance to him buying the Browns. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls almost feel sorry for Cleveland fans, some of whom are good people. Haslam creates the impression of a not-too-bright, fast-talking scammer-buffoon who somehow finagled his way into a possibly bogus fortune. Maybe he's not the best owner in the NFL. It won't be long before he threatens to move the team. London's calling.

• We won't be surprised if "Johnny Football" Manziel ends up in Cleveland. That would be interesting.

• By all accounts, Michael Sam got an A-plus for how he conducted himself in the news conference. It's just the first step on a long, tough road ahead for him.

• Wide receiver Michael Evans caught everything and impressed everybody. He's big and fast. Lots of other impressive wide receivers showed their stuff, too. It's a deep draft for wide receivers.

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.

Back to Work -- Training Camp

Enough of the summer hiatus. Time to get back to work.

Before we talk about the Steelers, how about Baltimore tight end Dennis Pitta's season-ending knee injury on the second day of camp? Pitta was probably Joe Flacco's go-to receiver as much as anybody, along with Anquan Boldin, and now both are gone -- along with a whole lot of other players from last year's Super Bowl winning team.

Before Pitta's injury, we were convinced Baltimore would be every bit as formidable as they were during last year's late-season run.  Now, we're not so sure, although they will be helped by the addition of defensive end Elvis Dumervil, safety Michael Huff and cornerback Lardarius Webb, who returns from injured reserve. Still, the loss of Pitta could really hurt them.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have always liked Pitta. He's fast, smooth in his routes and has excellent hands. When he came out of Brigham Young, we thought he'd look good in a Steeler uniform and were disappointed that Baltimore drafted him, and not the Steelers.  Last off-season, we made the argument the Steelers should sign Pitta as a restricted free agent -- as much to hurt Baltimore as to help the Black 'n Gold at tight end, a position with quantity but some question of quality in the wake of Heath Miller's devastating knee injuries (ACL, MCL, PCL).

Now, with Pitta's season-ending hip injury suffered during drills on Saturday, the Ravens will be without their No. 1 tight end. They have another good one in Ed Dickson, but Pitta was better all-around, more reliable and more clutch.

As for the Steelers at tight end, well, questions remain.  Which brings us to the draft.

Heath Miller's knee injuries raise the question of when and whether he will return to full effectiveness. In the first round, the Steelers passed on Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eiffert and instead selected pass-rushing linebacker Jarvis Jones out of Georgia, despite medical questions (spinal stenosis) and a 4.92 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.  That 4.92 40 time, by the way, is the same run by fourth-round QB Landry Jones, a pocket statue who had all of 15 yards rushing last year at Oklahoma.

Having said that, our feeling is that Jones and most of the other Steelers' 2013 draft picks bring a tough edge to the team that was sorely missing toughness and leadership last year.  Jarvis Jones, Le'Veon Bell, Marcus Wheaton, Shamarko Thomas, Vince Williams -- all have reputations for toughness, and at this point, the Steelers need all the toughness they can get.  Maybe some of those guys will turn into team leaders, too.

Zach Ertz

At the very least, let's hope Jarvis Jones can cover Tyler Eiffert, who was snapped up by division rival Cincinnati in the first round.  In our book, Jones and Eiffert will be linked for years to come. Who will be the better player?

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls will also be following with interest the NFL career of Stanford tight end Zach Ertz, whom we suspect may be every bit as good as Eiffert, if not better.  As stated before the draft, we could have seen the Steelers trading down in the first round and selecting Ertz, who went to Philadelphia with the third pick of the second round (No. 35 overall).

Such a move, of course, would have left the Steelers without Jones and with a major lack of depth at the critical outside-linebacker position formerly manned by James Harrison, also now with the Bengals. Another option we thought might make sense for the Steelers in the first round was Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who went to the Vikings with the 25th overall pick. Rhodes has reportedly been a standout so far in Vikings camp.

Naturally, we hope Jarvis Jones succeeds in a major way. We hope he will be every bit as successful as he was at Georgia during his final season, when he led the college nation in sacks, forced fumbles and tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The Steelers need him to succeed in a big way.

We love, absolutely love, running back Le'Veon Bell -- loved him before the draft and hoped the Steelers would take him. When they announced his name in the second round, we did a big Yeah!, and then immediately wondered if they might have been able to get him later -- he'd been projected as a third or fourth rounder. Maybe, just maybe, he was overdrafted?  Possibly. Still, we're glad they landed him.

One of the many very good things about this guy: Le'Veon Bell doesn't fumble.  Bell had zero fumbles in three years at Michigan State. Not one. Nyet. Nada. None. Ze-Ro.

He starts Game One and solidifies a running game that was awful last year. We have no idea why the Steelers retained Jonathan Dwyer in the off-season.  Dwyer recently said he's lost 25-30 pounds in the past month or so -- which would have put him at 260-265 lbs. at about the time of OTAs.  Really.

To draft Bell, however, the Steelers passed on two other players we would have loved to see in Black 'n Gold -- SMU's 6'8" defensive end Margus Hunt (went to the Bengals, Round 2, pick number 53 overall) and Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown (to the Ravens, number 54 overall, at 6'0", 241).

Margus Hunt's the guy we really hated to see get away -- he would have been perfect for the Steelers -- and Brown looks like he'll be a perfect fit in Baltimore. It is a bit worrisome that both Hunt and Brown went to our top two rivals in the division.  Hunt, especially, seems like he could be a special force for years to come, and if he blocks field goals or extra points that keep the Steelers out of the playoffs ... we won't be happy. We're keeping our fingers crossed Hunt and/or Brown won't be Steelers nemeses for years to come.

On the other hand, we have high hopes for the Steelers' sixth-round pick, linebacker Vince Williams (Florida St., No. 206 overall, 6'0", 247). Maybe Williams will have every bit as good a career as Arthur Brown. Or not. We shall see. Our feeling is that Williams is going to be a good one, and possibly very good.

As for the Steelers' third-round pick -- wide receiver Marcus Wheaton -- absolutely loved him before the draft and were elated the Steelers got him. He's a perfect fit here, and they got him in the perfect spot. He'll be terrific.

Speaking of wide receivers, our feeling before the draft was the Steelers made a mistake in April by retaining wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders instead of letting him go to New England in return for a third-round draft choice (91st overall).

We were hoping WVU wide receiver Stedman Bailey would be available and sure enough, he was. Bailey went to St. Louis with the 92nd pick overall (the very next pick after the pick the Steelers would have gotten from New England, which, interestingly passed on Bailey).  Intuition says Bailey would have made a perfect Steeler. We would have had both Wheaton and Bailey, and both would be under contract for four years. As it stands now, Sanders can become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

As for the fourth-round picks, we love the toughness safety Shamarko Thomas brings, but we're concerned about his height (5'9"?).  Might he have trouble covering the likes of Eiffert, Dickson, A.J. Green, Torrey Smith, etc.?

The other fourth-round pick, QB Landry Jones out of Oklahoma, eh, we have concerns about him.  The Steelers are long past due drafting a good young quarterback. But we're not sure Jones is the guy. Certainly we hope Jones leads the Steelers to the Super Bowl many times and cements his place in the Hall of Fame. We have doubts, however, and we also have concerns that Big Ben will last a full season -- ever.

Before the draft, we made the case for drafting Duke QB Sean Renfree, who went to Atlanta in Round 7, 249th overall.  Too bad.

Another college player we had our eye on as a potential draft pick was Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor, who went in the fifth round to Bruce Arians's Arizona Cardinals.  Taylor had a lousy Combine but compiled 4,300 yards and 40 touchdowns during his career at Stanford.

Well, you can't get everybody you want, and we'll trust the Steelers know more about what they're doing than we do..  

That's it, Fort Pitt.

The Steelers Should Trade Down

This is the year the Steelers should trade down.

We say that, of course, almost every year. But this year, yeah, this year ...

The Steelers should trade down. They have so many holes to fill that they would do well to add as many draft picks as they can.

On the other hand, the last time they had the 17th overall pick in the draft, Emmitt Smith was on the board. It was 1990. They traded down.

You know how that turned out. In exchange for the rights to Smith, a Hall of Famer and the NFL's all-time leading rusher, the Steelers secured the rights to Eric Green TE, Liberty, with the 21st pick overall, and Craig Veasey, DE, Houston, with the 81st overall pick, the last of the third round. Oops.

Fast-forward to April 2013. Should the Steelers stay put at No. 17?  Well, maybe. If, by some miracle, Lane Johnson, T, Oklahoma, is still available at No. 17, the Steelers should take him. Same with Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina. Both will probably be off the board.

If those two are gone, trade down.

Trade partner? The San Francisco 49ers have 14 draft picks (fourteen!) and want Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia, who just might make it to No. 17.  Probably not. In any case, the Niners are going to trade some of those 14 picks, which include two seconds, two thirds, two fourths and seven picks from rounds five through seven.

See if they'll bite: Our first-rounder (No. 17 overall) for their own first-round pick (31st overall), the higher of  their two seconds, and a third-rounder in 2014. They may go for it.

A trade with the 49ers would drop the Steelers 14 picks. They'd miss the opportunity to draft 14 players.  Not to say the Steelers will draft a tight end with their first pick, but is there that much difference between tight ends Tyler Eiffert and Zach Ertz?  We'd rather have Ertz anyway, although Eiffert will get drafted before him -- maybe by the Bears at No. 20.

That's just an example. We're just suggesting the Steelers should be able to find good players later in the draft.  They might not get Tavon Austin or Keenan Allen (WR, Cal), but with more picks later in the draft, they might be able to get a receiver like DeAndre Hopkins (Clemson), Stedman Bailey (WVU), Markus Wheaton (Oregon State) and, later, Zach Rogers (Tenn.). Any of them would help, presumably.

We're not going to like seeing Hopkins, Bailey, Wheaton or Rogers go to other teams. Those four are among our favorite players in this draft. Well, you can't get 'em all.

Another favorite, a bit later in the draft, would be running back Le'Veon Bell (Michigan State).  He'd also look good in Black 'n Gold.

As would defensive end Margus Hunt (SMU), yet another favorite, and a guy who some people project to go late-first round, possibly to the 49ers or ... the Ravens. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have been pushing for the Steelers to draft Hunt and convert him to inside linebacker, and wouldn't it be sweet to snatch him with the pick immediately before Baltimore's? He will be off the board when the Steelers's second-round selection comes around.

Speaking of linebackers, none of the highly rated 3-4 linebackers available this year look like a sure thing. We wouldn't take any of them at No. 17.  Not Jarvis Jones (spinal stenosis, a 4.92 40).  Not Barkevious Mingo (great athlete, but maddeningly erratic production at LSU). Not DaMontre Moore (a lousy Combine and a lousy Pro Day). Not Ezekial Ansah (very raw and inexperienced).

Kansas State's Arthur Brown plays inside linebacker. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like The Crazy World of Arthur Brown much better than any of those aforementioned linebackers, and we also like Brown much better than the higher-rated inside linebackers, Alec Ogletree (off-field issues, including a DUI the week before the Combine); Manti Te'o (small and slow; imaginary girlfriend) and Kevin Minter (a bit stiff, slow).

Other Potential Trade Parters
Besides the 49ers, another team with a lot of picks is the Minnesota Vikings, but they need to stockpile talent, too, just like the Steelers.

Guess who else has a lot of draft picks? The Baltimore Ravens. We can rule them out as a potential trade partner.