Fred Gibson?

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls sincerely hope all the Steelers' draftees and undrafted fee agents enjoy great success and help the Steelers win multiple Super Bowls.

Not all of them will. Many people are excited about the potential of wide receiver Martavis Bryant, the fourth-rounder out of Clemson. We hope he proves them right.

Fred Gibson, 6'4"
WR, Georgia, 4th round, 2005.
Cut at end of training camp

We hope he turns into A.J. Green. Bryant would do well, however, to read up on Steeler history and review the cautionary tale of Fred Gibson, another fourth-round wide receiver who was drafted by the Steelers in 2005, out of Georgia.

Like Bryant, Gibson was tall (6'4") and reputedly had the speed to be a deep threat. He was unpolished and, in training camp, struggled even getting off the line of scrimmage. What had come easily to him against SEC corners didn't work against NFL players and prospects. The game was played at a different speed, against corners who jammed, clung and battled. Formations, terminology and pass routes were much more complex. He dropped passes in practice and in preseason games.

Gibson never made it out of training camp. He was cut before the first regular season game.

We hope Bryant becomes an All-Pro, but he has a lot to learn. Good luck, Martavis. It's time to get serious about your game.

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.

Happy Mother's Day!

 Wishing all mothers
everywhere
love, thanks and happiness
on Mother's Day.

A young Brett Keisel?

UFA signee Josh Mauro, DE, Stanford, has a prospect profile on NFL.com that says, "draws comparisons to a young Brett Keisel." That sounds a bit lofty, but we shall see.

Mauro is one of two undrafted free agents the Steelers signed out of Stanford. The other is Devon Carrington, who was a reserve S/CB, and will get a chance to show what he can do on special teams in training camp, as will Mauro. That's were Keisel initially made his mark: special teams, specifically running down on kickoff coverage.

Other UFAs that may be worth keeping an eye on during the pre-season include: Chris Elkins, OL, Youngstown State; Brandon Kay, QB, Cincinnatti; and Kaycee Ike, OT, UAB, and Ethen Hemer, DE (6'6," 285), who put up 32 reps on the bench press at Wisconsin's pro day.

The Jury is Out

At least we now have a better idea how the Steelers' brain trust envisions the team, and their strategy for addressing its weaknesses.

The team's current depth chart listed currently on Steelers.com is likely to change. As of Sunday, it lists Brian Arnfeldt as the starter at right defensive end, Chris Carter as the starter at left outside linebacker, and Vince Williams as the starter at left inside linebacker. On offense, David Snow is listed as the starting center.

Arriving via the draft, linebacker Ryan Shazier is the big addition on defense, and he brings speed. The way for an offense to challenge a speed linebacker like that is to run right at him, so the Steelers also fortified the defensive line with Stephon Tuitt and space-filling nose tackle Daniel McCullers. They will help protect Shazier from smash-mouth formations that try to power through him, Jarvis Jones, Lawrence Timmons and Jason Worilds.

The secondary stays pretty much the same as last year, except for the addition of Mike Mitchell to succeed Ryan Clark at safety, and a bit more depth at corner with fifth-rounder Shaquille Richardson.

On offense, the combination of Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount makes for a power tandem that will get a change of pace with tiny scat-back Dri Archer. The Steelers will rely on Markus Wheaton to emerge as the No. 2 receiver opposite Antonio Brown. Depth is added along the offensive line with Wesley Johnson and at tight end with Rob Blanchflower.

Special teams will have a new punter (either Adam Podlesh or Brad Wing). Darius Heyward-Bey becomes one of the gunners on punt coverage. Dre Archer will compete for kick return duties.

Maybe somebody emerges as a surprise contributor from the crop of undrafted free agents.

Thumbs up on Rounds, Five, Six, Seven

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are bullish on Shaquille Richardson, Wesley Johnson, Jordan Zumwalt, Daniel McCullers and Rob Blanchflower.

It will be interesting to see if Johnson, McCullers and Richardson challenge early for serious playing time. Opportunities are there for the taking for all three.

Would you rather have Louis Nix or Shamarko Thomas?

To select speedy scatback Dri Archer in the third round, the Steelers used the 97th overall selection, which was a pick that was essentially at the top of the fourth round as one of many compensatory picks the NFL tacked onto the end of the third round.

The Steelers didn't have a real third-round pick this year. They dealt this year's third-rounder, which turned out to be No. 83 overall, to Cleveland during last year's draft, for the right to select 5'9" safety Shamarko Thomas.

Louis Nix or Shamarko Thomas? Who would you rather have?

Let's hope last year's trade of this year's third-round pick (83rd overall in 2014) for the right to draft Shamarko Thomas in last year's fourth round (111th overall in 2013) was worth it.

That 83rd selection this year? It turned into Louis Nix, the Notre Dame nose tackle who many people projected early on as being a potential first-round pick this year for the Steelers, early in this draft season.

For Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, Thomas will merit as much scrutiny this season as any player in the 2014 draft. He is in his second year, so more is expected of him, but that trade ... we didn't like it at the time, and we like it even less today. Thomas is listed at 5'9", 217. There's no other way to say it: He's short. And he doesn't appear to be especially rangy, which is something you'd like to see in your safeties.

If you buy Kevin Colbert's assertion that this year's draft is so deep, that second-round picks equate to first-round picks, third-rounders to second round, etc., that particular 2014 third-round pick that Colbert traded last year turned out to be very expensive. By that logic, Thomas is a second-round talent. By that logic, Dri Archer is a late-second/early-third talent.

Thomas has much to prove.

Joey Porter's hope the best for all the Steelers' picks. We hope all turn into Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers.

Knee-jerk reaction to the 4th-round pick ...

Thumbs down.

Martavis Bryant looks like a one-trick pony: Maybe he can highpoint the ball and be a red-zone target, eventually, in time. Maybe.

He's tall. He's got that going for him. However, he doesn't look like he gets off the line of scrimmage very cleanly. And he's been described as having "shaky hands." And there have been questions about focus. So, IF Mr. Throat Slash can get focused, get off the line of scrimmage, get open and actually catch the ball, maybe he'll help ... down the road at some point.

That sounds like a lot of "if."

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would have taken cornerback Pierre Desir instead of Bryant with the 118th overall pick.

Another corner still on the board was Walt Aikens. After the Steelers selected Bryant, Cleveland took Desir; Miami selected Aikens.

If the Steelers were intent on taking a receiver, we would have rather seen them take 6'2" Kevin Norwood over Bryant. Seattle ended up taking Norwood at No. 123 overall.

Pitt's Devin Street was available, too, and we know what he can do. He gets open and catches everything.

Joey Porter's hope the best for all the Steelers' picks. We hope all turn into Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers.

Dri Archer: Snap judgment, flash impression

Dri Archer is tiny. This pick has "Todd Haley" written all over it.

Did Archer get over-drafted? Guys like Archer may have a role in an NFL offense, but it's going to be limited. There's only so much he can do.

He's a scatback. When you bring somebody like that onto the field you're telling the defense pretty much what you plan to do. We presume the Steelers won't be counting on him to do much pass-protect blocking. If they do, he'll get run over.

Joey Porter's hope the best for all the Steelers' picks. We hope all turn into Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers.

Going Vertical

Ryan Shazier's vertical jump: 42 inches. A 42-inch vertical?!! Let's hope he jumps in front of some passes and actually intercepts them, or at least blocks more than a few.

Nothing Tuitt but to do it

We assume at least one person on the Steelers staff watched every single play of Stephon Tuitt's career. He has a "pedigree," to use another of Mike Tomlin's favorite words.

To our untrained eye, however, Tuitt's first step looks slow. What kind of explosion does he have? Does he bring a heavy hammer? Does he play with impact? Is he relentless?

At this point, too, we'd be interested to go back and watch the 2013 Alabama-Notre Dame BCS championship game in which Tuitt played and collected five tackles during Alabama's 42-14 rout.

Everybody knows Alabama's offensive line blew out Notre Dame's front seven. Post-game, linebacker Manti Te'o was in the spotlight because he was already high-profile and because he got run over, repeatedly, in that game.

Now, we'd be interested to learn more about how Tuitt, specifically, played in front of Te'o. At that point, Tuitt wasn't on most people's draft radar because he was an underclassman. But he started and was part of the unit that got overwhelmed by the Crimson Tide. Then he had off-season surgery for a hernia and was slow to round into form for Notre Dame's 2013 season.

We will be watching closely the development of all the Steelers draft this year, as always. Tuitt, being a second-rounder, will be scrutinized closely. Let's hope he is an immediate improvement on Ziggy Hood. If not, why draft him?

Joey Porter's hope the best for all the Steelers' picks. We hope all turn into Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers.

Comparisons to be Made

So much for Sean Spence. And Terrence Garvin.

Steeler Nation, meet your new hybrid safety/inside linebacker: Ryan Shazier.

This is a controversial, debatable choice for the No. 15 overall pick in the NFL draft. It is not a safe choice, although Shazier was productive at Ohio State, and he is athletic. There is concern he may be undersized.

As Mike Tomlin noted, however, Shazier is fast and can make plays "horizontally and vertically."  What that means, hopefully, is that Shazier will be able to cover the NFL's tall, fast tight ends running down the seam in the middle of the field, as well as track down fast running backs sideline-to-sideline, and run with the mobile quarterbacks becoming more prevalent in the league these days.

So, there is a case to be made for Shazier. Presumably, he will assume the role Troy Polamalu played so much last year: Close to the line of scrimmage, at the second level, disrupting lanes and also dropping back into coverage with tight ends, receivers and running backs; with the periodic burst up the middle on a pass rush.

For what it's worth (nothing, probably), in the one 40-yard dash highlight shown on the NFL Network after the pick was announced, Shazier blazed through the sprint -- but pulled up at the end with a hamstring problem. Uh-oh. Let's hope that's not a portent of things to come. If there's one thing we've learned about problematic hamstrings, it is that they can be persistent, recurring and take forever to heal. And they keep coming back. Don't they, Lammarr Woodley?

For the next few years, however, Steeler fans will be keeping an eye on the development not only of Shazier but of three players in particular who could have been drafted instead of him.

Those are:

Zack Martin, OL, Notre Dame, who went to the Cowboys with the very next pick, No. 16. As noted in our post early on Draft Day, if Odell Beckham, Jr. and Justin Gilbert were off the board, we'd identified Martin as the next guy we would have taken. In Dallas, by the way, some of the pre-draft media prognostications had projected Shazier going to the Cowboys at No. 16.

C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama, who went to Baltimore with the very next pick after Martin, at No, 17 overall. Mosley was a more heralded player than Shazier, although some concerns have been raised about his durability. The two inside linebackers are about the same size, but Shazier runs a faster 40-yard dash.

Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State, who went to Cincinnati, for crying out loud, at No. 25 overall. Mike Greenberg ("Mike and Mike") called Dennard the steal of the first round, and that he can flat out play, never mind the 40 time.

When the Steelers went on the clock, with Kyle Fuller, Justin Gilbert and Odell Beckham already off the board, we figured the Steelers would take nearly the full 10 minutes and probably trade down.  Shazier may have been available later in the first round; or maybe not. Jerry Jones in Dallas may very well have intended to draft him at No. 16.

The Steelers took hardly any time at all to turn in their card. For better or worse, this pick has "Mike Tomlin" written all over it.

Next up: Pick No. 46.

Draft Day, finally, and it's about time ...

What Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would like to see happen and what we think will happen are two different scenarios.

First, the latter.

What we think will happen is that a team leapfrogs the Steelers in the draft order and selects David Beckham Odell Beckham, Jr., wide receiver, LSU.

In fact, we wouldn't be at all surprised if two or even three teams leapfrog the Steelers, who have Dallas and then Baltimore right behind them in the draft sequence. Somebody's going to want to get in front of those two teams specifically, for whatever reasons they might have.

What we'd like to see happen is for the Steelers to stay put at No. 15 and select Beckham. This is a dynamic playmaker; a polished, pro-ready receiver; and we like him a little better even than the more heralded Mike Evans, WR, of Texas A'nM. We've held that impression ever since the NFL Combine. Last night on the NFL Network, former NFL general manager Charlie Casserly said more than a few scouts and pro personnel guys have been saying the same thing: Beckham's the more impressive, pro-ready receiver, right now, who brings more to the table than Evans.

While we acknowledge the desperate need for a good cornerback, we believe Beckham would make more of an impact than any of the top corners available.

A Trade Down: Very Possible
What we think will happen is the Steelers trade down, possibly with the Jets (who have 12 picks and hold the No. 18 spot overall). In this scenario, the Steelers will hope to get the best corner available, or possibly offensive tackle Zack Martin. They will then use their second-round pick on a receiver or to bulk up the defensive line. The third-round draft choice they get in return for trading down will help them to stock up at other positions of need in a very deep draft.

Besides the Jets, other trade partners might include:

• San Francisco, which has 11 picks, including No. 30 overall, two second-rounders (56 and 61), three third-rounders (77, 94 and 100, the last of which is a compensatory selection, which cannot be traded); 
• Denver, which has just seven picks but wants a top corner and/or linebacker Ryan Shazier and is in all-out, win-now mode; 
• Cleveland, with 12 picks, including No. 26 in the first round and two third-rounders (No. 71 and No. 83, which they got from the Steelers). The Steelers want a third-rounder this year, and No. 71 or thereabouts would be a good one to obtain. 

Other teams with lots of picks include: Atlanta, which has 10 picks, including No. 37 (second round) and No. 68 (third round); and Jacksonville, with 11 picks, including No. 39 and No. 70 overall.

Not so Far-fetched?
It's not impossible to envision a scenario where the Falcons or Jaguars trade down from their high number-one slots to lower in the first round (after No. 15), and then flip that lower first-round pick (plus another lower-round pick) back to the Steelers for the No. 15 slot.

Of the players widely projected to be available at No. 15, Joey Porters Pit Bulls like the following options for the Steelers, in the following order:

1. Odell Beckham, Jr. (WR, LSU)
2. Justin Gilbert (CB, Okla. St.)
3. Zack Martin (OL, Notre Dame)
4. Kyle Fuller (CB, VT)
5. Calvin Pryor (S, Louisville)
6. Anthony Barr (OLB, UCLA)

That's it, Fort Pitt. This year, let's get play-makers and impact players who will be real Steelers.

Three days out ...

For crying out loud, let's get this over already.  

We're not going to get much news worth talking about between now and Thursday evening, when the NFL Draft starts. Trades will happen on the clock, not beforehand, and teams are doing their final due diligence. They should know everything about every prospect by now.

The Steelers could possibly trade down from the No. 15 spot, mainly to pick up something close to the third-round pick they dealt to the Browns last year for the right to draft safety Shamarko Thomas.

If the Steelers do trade down, though, that almost certainly puts them below pick No. 20. If Kevin Colbert's assertion that the Steelers have identified 19 prospects as potential first-round selections for the team, then they would be settling for somebody who is not part of that group of 19.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls believe there is a big dropoff after the top three wide receivers (Watkins; Benjamin; Beckham).  All three of those guys won't make it past pick No. 19. Ditto for the top three corners (Gilbert; Dennard; Fuller); the top two safeties (Pryor and Clinton-Dix), and the top four offensive tackles.

Before the Steelers make a trade, they might want to remember the first-round draft-day trade a previous regime made in 1990. That's when the Steelers traded pick No. 17 overall to the Cowboys for pick No. 21, which the Steelers used on tight end Eric Green and a third-round pick (DT Craig Veasey). 

The Cowboys used the pick they got from the Steelers to select Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith.

Who Makes the Draft-day Decisions?

Thanks to Dave Bryan at Steelers Depot for the heads-up noting that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert are scheduled to hold a pre-draft news conference today at noon.

Our first thought upon reading this was they the two will reveal essentially nothing in brief statements, vague talk and empty platitudes. Dave Bryan suggests that some of the points discussed might cover the status of players such as Brett Keisel (still unsigned), Sean Spence and defensive end Nick Williams (comping off injuries).

We'd be interested in learning more about the draft-day decision-making process.  They'll never tell us, of course, but every once in a while a nugget slips out.

Before last December's game at Lambeau Field, we learned that the more Mike Tomlin talks about draft-day decisions, the more he makes it clear that they are his decisions.

"It was an easy decision for me."

-- Mike Tomlin

It was part of the following statement that Tomlin in response to a question about the decision to draft running back Le'Veon Bell with the 48th overall pick instead of Eddie Lacy, who went to to Green Bay with the 61st overall pick.  

“It was an easy decision for me. ... Probably it’s just a matter of preference. Just like I am sure Cincinnati went through the same discussions and thoughts when they took Giovani Bernard in front of both of them.”

Got that? No mention of Kevin Colbert or anybody else, including any of the Rooneys ....

"It was an easy decision for me."

And, since Tomlin mentioned Cincinnati's drafting of Giovanni Bernard, check out this excellent article by Geoff Hobson detailing the Bengals' process leading up to the drafting of Bernard.

By the way, Hobson notes that the Bengals had tight end Tyler Eiffert rated as the sixth-best layer on their draft board. They grabbed Eiffert at No. 21 overall, four spots after the Steelers drafted linebacker Jarvis Jones at 17th overall.

Who Makes the Decisions?
In 2008, was Tomlin's decision "an easy one" to draft Rashard Mendenhall over Matt Forte, Ray Rice or Chris Johnson?  There's not one player left on the Steelers' roster from that infamous, unfortunate draft class, nor are there any players remaining on the roster from the wasted 2009 draft class.

Was Tomlin also the one who made the decision to draft, say ... Alameda Ta'amu, Chris Rainey and, oh, take your pick? 

We'd like to know, but we never will.

Those draft-day decisions -- those failed drafts, the whiffs and misses -- are a large reason why the Steelers are coming off consecutive 8-8 seasons.

Not totally sold on the corners

The way the Steelers' defense is set up, the corners must "tackle the catch."

Perhaps more than any other NFL defensive scheme, Dick Lebeau's defense usually has the corners playing off the line of scrimmage, not jamming receivers at the line.

Because the scheme will allow short, quick passes, the corners had damn well better tackle the catch; in other words be right there when the ball arrives and tackle the receiver before he breaks free for significant yards-after-catch (yac) mileage.

Unless it's Denver's Demaryius Thomas catching the ball on a short crossing pattern and going 75 yards on a short pass from Tim Tebow to win a playoff game. Sore spot.

Say what yinz will about Ike Taylor, but generally he's been a solid tackler throughout his 19-year 11-year career.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are not totally sold on any of the top corners in this year's draft. The Steelers would either be reaching in a show of faith or settling from somebody they know is solid but limited.

Justin Gilbert: "A Pile Watcher"?
From nearly all reports, Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert, the top-rated corner in this year's NFL draft is not a solid tackler. He has speed and cover skills, but one NFL scout describer him as a "pile-watcher," and he is known to be a bit of a prima donna, somebody who trots up to the pile after the tackle is already made and strikes an aggressive stance like, "yeah, that's how it's done, punk."

Some people would say, "Deion Sanders didn't tackle either." But can anybody say with absolute conviction that Justin Gilbert is a shutdown/takeaway corner? One thing Gilbert has that the other top corners don't have is the ability to return kicks. But you can also get that from Odell Beckham, our top receiver likely to be available at No. 15.

If Gilbert is available and the Steelers draft him, they would do so knowing he doesn't have a history of tackling with the sort of stick-your-nose-in enthusiasm and skill they require.

Darqueze Dennard: A half-step slow?
Michigan State's Darqueze Dennard, by contrast, does all of that.  He tackles. No problem there.  Many draftniks have said he "looks" like a Steeler. He has swagger and confidence, which is what you want in a corner.

Our concern about Dennard is this: Is he a half-step (or a step) too slow? Does he have recover ability? Does his aggressiveness make him vulnerable to double-moves and mis-direction plays? Does he have enough long speed to keep up with NFL fly patterns and deep posts?  Does he have the quick-burst change-of-direction catch-up speed to close on turn-in routes and out patterns? Will he get burnt? Will his tendency to "grab-and-hold" receivers -- either because he can't run with them or because he's simply aggressive -- draw pass-interference penalties in the NFL?

Kyle Fuller:  Solid, but merely ordinary?
By some accounts, the other top-rated corner, Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller, is fundamentally sound and has generally good technique. His speed in the short-shuttle and cone drills is better than Dennard's. He is said to be a willing tackler. His coverage skills, instincts and anticipation appear to be solid. The NFL Network's Mike Mayock rates him as the top corner in the draft.  Fuller appears to be solid. But: Is he special? Or, is he just ordinary?

If you're drafting somebody at No. 15 overall, he'd better be special; extraordinary.

He'd better not be Chad Scott.

Help Wanted
The Steelers need help at the cornerback position, that's for sure. With 46 passing plays of 20 yards or more in 2013, including 12 pass plays of 40 yards or more, there is no question drafting a sure-thing, can't miss corner in the draft would make sense.

If only a sure-thing, can't-miss corner were available. Then again, how often is such a player coming out of college ever available?  At No. 15, however, the Steelers can't afford to miss.

And it can take a while for even the best college corners to fine-tune their craft in the NFL. Fans expecting immediate impact at the cornerback position may be disappointed.

Right now, we feel better about Beckham than any of the corners or other receivers.

With one week to go ...

Of the players widely projected to be available at No. 15, Joey Porters Pit Bulls like the following options for the Steelers, in about the following order:

1. Odell Beckham, Jr. (WR, LSU)
2. Calvin Pryor (S, Louisville)
3. Zack Martin (OL, Notre Dame)
4. Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State)
5. Anthony Barr (OLB, UCLA)

That's it, Fort Pitt.

Bring back the Block Numbers!

We're with Behind the Steel Curtain's Neal Coolong on his opinion that the Steelers should replace the current rounded numerals on the team uniforms (Chicago Bears-style) with the block numbers that were part of the definitive, classic Pittsburgh Steelers uniforms of the 1970s.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have never liked the rounded numbers. They look soft. We're not the Bears. We're the Steelers.

Bring back the block numbers!

Safety first?

In 2013, the Steelers' defense allowed 12 pass plays of 40 yards or more. Twelve! Among the 10 running plays that went for 15 yards or more, five popped for 48 yards or more. The 10 running plays of 15 yards or more averaged a whopping 40.9 yards per carry.*

With a stunning total of 46 passing plays of 20 yards or more allowed and the 10 runs of 15 yards or more allowed (including five for 48+), something was clearly amiss at each level of the defense: the front end, the linebackers, and the back end. There were repeated glaring breakdowns at all three levels.

The safeties are the proverbial last line of defense, and it was clear to any casual observer that something was lacking at the safety position last year.  Ryan Clark's gone, and new addition Mike Mitchell takes his place.

All three levels were addressed in the off-season to an extent, with the additions of defensive lineman Cam Thomas, linebacker Arthur Moats, and safety Mike Mitchell.

Will Mike Mitchell be enough?
Mitchell is expected to be the biggest contributor, but will he be enough at safety? Most people seem to believe the Steelers are set at safety for this year, with Mitchell, Troy Polamalu, Shamarko Thomas and veteran Will Allen.

Yeah, maybe, but let's keep in mind that the overall defensive schemes are shifting: We are likely to see much less of the base 3-4-4 set (with two safeties on the field) and many more mixed sets comprised of five and six and even seven defensive backs.

In today's NFL, cover prowess at safety is as important as hitting ability. As valuable as Kam Chancellor, a big hitter, is to Seattle's defense, Earl Thomas's anticipation, range and ability to cover is just as important, if not more so.

With that in mind, it's not far-fetched to think the Steelers may address safety at some point in the draft. Whether that makes sense in the first round (Calvin Pryor or Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix), in the second (Deone Buchanon; Jimmy Ward) or later on will have to be determined on draft day.

Cover Safety vs. Cover Corner
When No. 15 comes up, if either Calvin Pryor or Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix is on the board along with one of the top corners (Darqueze Dennard, Justin Gilbert, Kyle Fuller), don't be too surprised if the Steelers go with the safety instead of the corner. And we all know how desperately the Steelers need a corner ... and a wide receiver (Odell Beckham, Jr.), and a rush linebacker (Anthony Barr), and an offensive tackle (Zack Martin), and help on the defensive line (Louis Nix), and tight end, etc. Take your pick.

If, however, one of the top safeties available is better than any of the corners available at No. 15, the Steelers should take him. Of the two safeties generally considered the best in the draft, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like Pryor better than Clinton-Dix.

Again though, the Steelers have many needs, including corner; especially corner. Whether the team's braintrust considers a potentially great cover safety to be more valuable than a potentially very good cover corner -- or any other position -- well, it should be interesting to see how it shakes out in 10 days.

*Hat tip to Dave Bryan of Steelers Depot for these stats, 

and for highlighting the alarming number of "double 

explosive" plays allowed during 2013.

Pgh. Abides

"Our troubles are over, Dude." 

Pittsburgh Abides. At Arsenal Lanes, Sunday, April 27. 

More info here.

Shish kabobs aside ...

The Cambod-ican Kitchen

With two weeks to go until the NFL Draft, it is most definitely not cool that Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has the distraction of possibly being called to testify in the trial of Mike Adams the three idiots imbeciles thugs hapless losers morons men accused of attacking offensive tackle Mike Adams.

It's not cool that Mike Adams put Colbert in this position. Never mind that Adams got punched and stabbed, and, as such, is the victim. Adams's poor decision-making put him standing stupid and drunk at 3 a.m. outside the "Cambod-Ican Kitchen" on the South Side. And now Kevin Colbert is dragged into it during key preparation time for the draft. If that's not a "distraction," what is?

Nothing good happens after midnight, eh, Mike?  Was the restaurant's self-proclaimed "Cat on a Stick" worth it?

Then again, maybe Colbert's involvement at this point will have no effect on the Steelers' draft preparations and decision-making. After all, Mike Tomlin says he's the one who makes "easy draft-day decisions." Was it Tomlin's decision to draft Adams? Or was it Colbert's?

If Tomlin makes the easy draft-day decisions, who makes the difficult decisions?

This is getting old ...

Waiting for Godot the 2014 NFL Draft is getting very, very old.

Mike Florio nails it in a PFT post headlined, "Draft delay not good for NFL."

The talking heads at the NFL Network are running out of things to discuss. What? Did you think maybe they'd talk in-depth about their old pal Darren Sharper? Nope.

Well, there are a lot of other arrests to talk about, if they run out of things to say during this interminable wait for the NFL Draft.

The latest knucklehead to allegedly invite calamity is Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby, whom some were projecting as a strong candidate to be drafted by the Steelers at No. 15.  Now, thankfully, he's got to be out of the picture at No. 15. We didn't like him anyway.

Tick-tock ...

Just four years ago today, on April 23, 2010, the NFL was beginning the second day of the 2010 NFL draft.  The first round was already in the books. Quarterback Sam Bradford was the first overall selection, and people were generally applauding the Steelers for selecting University of Florida center Maurkice Pouncey with the 18th pick in the first round.

Today, April 23, 2014, we still have more than two weeks to go before the 2014 draft even begins, on Thursday, May 8th.  This is dragging out too long.  How many more mock drafts do we have to endure?  How much stock can we put into any more analysis?  Mel Kiper has already had nine mock drafts -- why should we have paid any attention to any of them?  Draft-day trades can happen, which throw any mock draft out the window.

Much of the discussion about "risers" and players whose "stock has fallen" is smokescreen-stuff meant to obfuscate teams' real draft-day inclinations. Or, maybe teams truly don't know.  Drafting is an inexact science, that's for sure.

Here we go, Steelers, here we go ... 
At No. 15, the Steelers could go in any number of directions, they have so many holes, but most prognosticators are predicting cornerback or wide receiver.

It should be pointed out three teams ahead of the Steelers also need to address those positions: The Rams (picks No. 2 and 13), the Bills (No. 9) and the Lions (No. 10) could pick corners. Or wide receivers.

It's unlikely the top-rated corner, Justin Gilbert, gets to No. 15, although that's where the NFL Network's highly respected Charles Davis projects him, and so do draftperts Rob Rang and Dane Brugler of CBS Sports.  All three of their (latest) mock drafts came out this week, and that's the first we've seen Gilbert dropping to the Steelers.

There is debate about whether the second-best corner is Darqueze Dennard or Kyle Fuller, Bradley Roby (no, thanks) or even Jason Verrett, who is 5'9" (like Hall of Famer Darrell Green, so don't discount him).

Not Exactly Narrowing It Down ...
At pick No. 15, good players will be available.

Of the ones who might be available, Joey Porters Pit Bulls like a handful that include (in no particular order): Odell Beckham, Jr. (WR, LSU); Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State; not likely to be available); Calvin Pryor (S, Louisville); Hasean Clinton-Dix (S, Alabama), Aaron Donald (DL, Pitt); Zack Martin (OL, Notre Dame); Anthony Barr (OLB, UCLA); and C.J. Mosley (LB, Alabama).  An argument could be made for each of them.

Those are probably the players, right now, who we feel good about for the Steelers at No. 15. Again, we have another two-plus weeks to sort this out, for crying out loud.

We also like a lot of other players projected to go a bit later (Jarvis Landry, Jordan Matthews, Deone Buchanon, Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Pierre Desir, Troy Niklas, etc.), and maybe one of those guys will still be available at pick No. 46 in the second round.

We don't like some other players often projected to go at or around No. 15 (Bradley Roby, Taylor Lewan, others). No matter.

An early run on QBs?
What's interesting in this year's draft is there could be a run on quarterbacks early, or there may not be.

We could see a lot of early draft-day decisions driven by teams making QB picks based on "marketing" decisions as much as football decisions: the Jaguars, possibly, with local QB Blake Bortles (UCF) at No. 3;  Cleveland, with QB Derek Carr or rock star Johnny Manziel at No. 4; Oakland, with either local favorite Carr (SJSU) or the celebrity Manziel at No. 5, and so on.

Really, it's not a great year for quarterbacks, so teams needing one may reach early. If so, that would leave more "position players" available for the Steelers at No. 15.

Whatever. Let's get to the draft already. This is getting old.

What's Left Unsaid ...

We'll find out soon enough.

But the following paragraph, below, caught our eye. It's from Adam Brandolph's article about the trial scheduled to start on Tuesday for three men accused of stabbing Steelers' tackle Mike Adams last June.

"Lawyers for the three men claim Adams lied about the incident — telling police the men tried to carjack him — because he was already on thin ice with the team after testing positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine before the 2012 draft. The lawyers said Adams had a blood alcohol content of 0.18 percent, more than twice the legal limit, when he parked his truck near the men, got out of his truck and started a fight."

That's it? That's their defense? The lawyers' defense argument will be that Mike Adams started a fight with three guys? ... at 3 a.m. on the South Side?

That doesn't sound even remotely credible. Surely they're going to claim something else, right? ... you can see where this is going, right?

As if anticipating the possible need for reputational damage control and trying to get in front of it, Steelers.com published a puff piece last week about Adams striving to "rebound" from being demoted last year.  Incredibly, Teresa Varley, who wrote the piece, mentioned not a word about Adams getting stabbed in the abdomen at 3 a.m on June 1 on the South Side.  Not a word, as if the incident and the injury had no effect on his lousy play early last season.

All of which begs the question, "What really happened that night?"

We'll learn soon enough. Or not.

"With the 15th pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers ... "

With the 15th pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers ... should pass on players with "red flags," question marks, lack of motivation, "character issues" and unresolved legal problems, criminal charges and general douchebaggery.

Just our opinion.

One player projected to go in the Top 15 is Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan, who still faces arraignment, on May 19th,  related to assault charges, including aggravated assault. Lewan's name has also been linked to consistently dirty play and other ugliness. No, thanks.

Less serious, but still a bit of a concern, is when we hear about reports like Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin "blew off" a meeting with an NFL coach because he was "tired." If Benjamin was that worn out from the job-interview process for a job that could pay millions of dollars, he and his agent shouldn't have scheduled the meeting.

Aside from that one reported incident, Benjamin looks like he could be a big-time receiver in the NFL, but his on-field film also shows a raw player who drops a few too many passes to merit being the 15th overall pick, in our opinion.

With so many other excellent receivers (and other players) available in this draft, the Steelers don't need to roll the dice on a player who is a developmental project with "upside." Not at wide receiver or any other position.  Not with the 15th pick; not after consecutive 8-8 seasons.

There is room for improvement on this team, that's for sure, and the 15th overall pick should be an immediate plug 'n play starter and immediate upgrade over the incumbent. Not just a guy, but an impact player. Sound reasonable?

Lots of players in this draft have had various issues, ranging from suspensions for "team violations" to  fairly serious legal problems, etc. The Steelers themselves have been bitten in recent years with wasted draft choices such as Alameda Ta'amu and Chris Rainey, who were later-round picks, but still wasted picks -- and a waste of time, money, and effort.

We can tolerate a certain amount of leeway, but there is no reason to spend the 15th overall pick (or any draft choice) on a guy with red flags, question marks, legal problems and "character issues."

Speaking of character issues, The Onion reports offers a story headlined "NFL Increasingly Worried About Character Issues of Fans." In an unrelated story, The Onion also report that "Dad Announces Plan to Honk When He's Out Front."

Not to get too excited ...

You knew the Steelers were going to bring in a veteran punter to compete with Brad Wing for the job this training camp. They did just that on Tuesday, with the signing of cancer survivor Adam Podlesh, who spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Bears after four years in Jacksonville. The Jaguars had made him a fourth-round draft choice (101st overall) in 2007, the same year the Steelers traded up to draft Daniel Sepulveda with a fourth-round pick (112th overall).

That trade and the selection of Sepulveda in the fourth round has always been a sore spot with Steelers' beat writer Ed Bouchette, as noted in a reader comment over at Behind the Steel Curtain:

__________________________________________________________

Another thing

In addition to whether he’s any good… the main downside to signing Podlesh is having to read Eddie B at the PPGcomplain about the Sepulveda draft pick. Again.

by EasyLikeSundayMorning on Apr 15, 2014 | 11:48 PM reply

__________________________________________________________

Podlesh has had some success in the NFL, however, and the Steelers' punting game last year was awful. The Steelers abruptly cut Drew Butler (now with the Bears, ironically enough) in 2013 training camp in favor of veteran Brian Moorman, whom they promptly cut in favor of Zoltan Mesko, who was dreadful and then was unceremoniously cut. Veteran punter Mat McBriar closed out the season. While McBriar had some good punts and one notable trick play, he was mostly, eh, not so great.

Adam Podlesh

Podlesh also had a bad year. As Neal Coolong at Behind the Steel Curtain notes, Podlesh ranked last in the NFL in punting (40.6 yard average; 37.9 net) last year, "so obviously the right move is to cut Zoltan Mesko, not re-sign Mat McBriar and hire the only punter in the league who failed to out-perform either of them."

There's hope, though, for Podlesh and also for Brad Wing, the other punter who will be in training camp.  Both have interesting stories.

At some point, we'll take a closer look at Wing, but if you want a bit more insight on Podlesh, read this piece and this article about his bout with cancer in 2011, and also this entry on Wikipedia, where you will learn he was a really fast runner on in the 200 meter and 400 meter events on his high school track team, posting the best times in New York State in those events. Who knew?

Either Podlesh or Wing may work out well and actually upgrade the Steelers' punting. There is room for improvement.

Low-risk, high reward? What's to lose?
The Steelers seem to be on a Pirates-like trend of signing scrap-heap, veteran cast-offs with some "pedigree" ( to use one of Mike Tomlin's favorite words) and hangers-on looking for one last chance at redemption. Hey, you never know.

In the Pirates' case over the past couple decades, they've had an ignoble history of signing such guys too numerous to mention. You might sign 25 broken-down players like, say, pitcher Jonathan Sanchez, who have lost their mojo and never get it back. But then you find a gem like pitcher Francisco Liriano, who had been written off but found new life in Pittsburgh.

Probably every NFL team does it, too. This off-season, the Steelers have made a couple of low-risk signings of "name veterans" who probably won't make much difference in the long run but are worth a shot to see what they've got.

From DVD to DHB
Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (DHB) no doubt signed with Pittsburgh hoping to finally fulfill his potential as a star receiver who was the seventh overall pick in the NFL draft not so long ago. The Steelers certainly also hope that, but may simply intend for him to fill the more limited role as a gunner on special teams. That's what he did toward the end for Indianapolis, and he did it well, too. There's nothing wrong with having an unstoppable gunner on punt coverage. The Steelers have gone from DVD (DeMarcus Van Dyke) to DHB (Darrius Heyward-Bey).

Give him a chance; see what he's got. The same goes for Adam Podlesh and Brad Wing. 

Free Pouncey?

What team doesn't over-value some of its own talent from time to time? Certainly the Steelers, yes, or they wouldn't be coming off consecutive 8-8 seasons and teetering on the the brink of sustained mediocrity and even irrelevance.

Derrmontti Dawson

Is Maurkice Pouncey as good as he thinks he is, or as good as the long-time Steelers' braintrust have seemed to think he is? Has Pouncey ever performed as well as he did during his 2010 rookie year, when the first-round draft choice earned a spot in the Pro Bowl?

With that rookie season, Pouncey gave Steeler Nation hope that the the team had found a worthy successor to the decades-long lineage of centers that included Hall of Famers Derrmonti Dawson and Mike Webster, and very good centers such as Jeff Hartings and Ray Mansfield.  Nobody's had better centers over the past five decades than the Steelers. It's a proud tradition.

In 2011, Pouncey notched a second Pro Bowl appearance and then, in 2012, was given a third, which surprised some. To the casual observer, it appeared his play had declined during both the 2011 and 2012 seasons, but you know how Pro Bowl selections are -- the incumbents keep getting named once they're in.

Maurkice Pouncey, about to be carted off with a
knee injury in the 2013 season opener, with Antonio Brown
offering words of encouragement 

Overvaluing Their Own Talent?
We've had the sense for some time now -- and this goes back three, four, years, at least, that this Steelers' management team overvalues much of its own talent. And we all know they've had, ahem, mixed success, at best, in the draft (see: 2008-09 drafts).

Management has shown misplaced faith in some players, held on to some others for too long, given others probably too much rope, and let some others go they probably should have kept. It's that way to some extent for most teams, but the most successful teams do less of that, of course, and make adjustments along the way.

Which brings us to the crossroads at the center position, brought to a head over the past few days by Cleveland's signing of Alex Mack to a $42-million contract that includes $18 million guaranteed over the first two years. As noted on Friday's post on this blog, what's bad for the Steelers, and other NFL teams, is the deal is overpriced and sets a new level of expectation for centers across the league.

Ray Mansfield, The 'Ol Ranger

Trade Possibilities?
Question No. 1: Might the Steelers entertain pre-draft (or draft-day) trade offers for Pouncey? With holes galore, cap space tight, and lacking a true third-round draft pick this year (not counting the compensatory selection at the end of the third round), trading Pouncey has to be a consideration.

Question No. 2:  Go ahead and scoff if you want, Steeler insiders, but would another team even be interested? That depends on how they rate Pouncey, how much he would cost, and whether he'd be an upgrade over what they have already or might get on the open market. It's basic Return on Investment (ROI).

The hard truth is, the Steelers might not get much value in return for Pouncey, who is coming off a season lost to a torn ACL/MCL knee injury, and going into the last year of his contract.

Nobody at Steelers' offices will say it publicly, of course, but many people think Pouncey is over-rated. Many more were put off by his association with alleged murderer Aaron Hernandez (including Pouncey's clueless "Free Hernandez" B.S.); antics like hosting dinner for the Miami offensive line the night before the Steelers lost to the Dolphins; and some of his Twitdiocy (Twitter Idiocy) over the past few years, including inane comments like, "I’m rich play for the steelers and have a awesome life!! Are u mad loser", which he posted shortly after the playoff loss in Denver.

Mike Webster,
Hall of Famer

Many in Steeler Nation would not be heartbroken to see Pouncey on another team.

We'd been thinking for a while now -- even before the Mack signing in Cleveland, that the Steelers may be able trade Pouncey, and that a third-round choice in return (along with, possibly, a conditional choice next year), might be a reasonable return for a 305-pound three-time Pro Bowler coming off injured reserve and facing the last year of his contract.

The excellent Neal Coolong over at Behind the Steel Curtain makes an excellent case for such a trade, and he even proposes a potential trade partner: the Jacksonville Jaguars, who lost out on Mack when the Browns retained his rights.

The Trouble: Other Teams See What We See
The trouble with expecting much return for Pouncey is that other teams also know his play was not stellar in 2011-12, despite being named to the Pro Bowl. He got pushed around too often. The whole line was a sore spot, and Pouncey, the linchpin, was a big part of it. Pro Football Focus rated Pouncey 25th among centers in 2012. You can take that sort of rating with a grain of salt, but we didn't need Pro Football Focus to tell us what we saw.

Then came the 2013 season opener in which Pouncey injured his ACL/MCL in the first game and was put on injured reserve. Fernando Velasco stepped in off the street and the line solidifed as the season progressed. While Velasco was not as mobile as Pouncey, he seemed to hold the point of attack and pass-protected better than Pouncey had been doing in 2011-12.

The partying Pouncey twins, wearing their
cute little "Free Hernandez" hats expressing support
of accused murderer Aaron Hernandez

Is There a Trade Market?
All of which brings us back to a potential trade market for Pouncey. If we fans can see the dropoff in performance before Pouncey got hurt, it's reasonable NFL talent evaluators also saw it.

Would the Jacksonville Jaguars, say, be willing to surrender a third-round draft choice for a player coming off an ACL injury, whose performance had arguably been so-so before the injury, and who is looking to receive a massive contract when his current one expires after this upcoming season?

The Steelers have salary cap issues and at least one possible replacement for Pouncey, if they decide to trade him. Cody Wallace would be that replacement, although the current Steelers' depth chart lists David Snow as the starting center.

Cody Wallace

Wallace played well in his limited playing time. Wallace is a career journeyman, but he showed mobility, ferocity and tenacity in his four starts. The Steelers re-signed Wallace to a new three-year contract this off-season, it's reasonable to think the team was hedging its bets in anticipation that they may have trouble signing Pouncey to an extension before he hits free agency after the 2014 season.

For all intents and purposes, the Steelers currently don't have a third-round pick. Conceivably, it's possible the Steelers could use Pouncey as a trade chip -- but only if other teams are willing to assign him the value the Steelers think he's worth. And that may be problematic -- if so many fans in Steeler Nation believe Pouncey is over-rated, so too must a number of scout and personnel people at other NFL teams.

Enter Mike Munchak
And that brings us full-circle to the question of to what extent the Steelers may over-value their own players. While the Steelers brain-trust in recent years may have been guilty of that, there is one key person new to the staff who brings a fresh perspective: Offensive line coach Mike Munchak, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman himself. He stated last week on Steelers.com that he will "have a chance to coach some young offensive linemen that I think can be really, really good."

We wonder which offensive linemen Munchak has in mind?

One footnote about Cody Wallace:  He hasn't had an easy path to get to this point, if the following excerpt from his page on Wikipedia is any indication:

"Wallace was raised by his paternal grandparents, since both his parents died when he was young. When he was 8, his father, aged 43, died in prison—which he was in for charges that include theft—due to liver failure and a ruptured esophagus, both caused by alcoholism. 

"His mother died of an unknown illness when he was 16, and was unable to take care of her two children many years before that. To feel his mother's presence, he wears her stud earrings. His older brother by two-and-a-half years has served four years in prison for drug charges. 

"Wallace stated: "Going through so much at a young age, it seems like I can handle more difficult situations maybe easier than most people. I just kind of look at everything in a little bigger picture."