Baffling

Bob Smizik made good points on his Post-Gazette blog today: The Steelers' Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin, scouts, evaluators, et al, know more about what they're doing with respect to the NFL Draft than we do, and they have more at stake, namely their jobs and reputation, than we do, no matter how invested in the team we fans may be.

Still, we are not alone in being baffled by some of the choices the Steelers made during the 2010 draft. We like the Maurkice Pouncey first-round pick for reasons cited in Friday's post.

As we were watching the second round unfold, however, we were hoping the Steelers would grab Stanford running back Toby Gerhart -- but the Minnesota Vikings must have known the Steelers had their eye on Gerhart and made a trade to jump one spot in advance of the Steelers' 52nd pick overall to draft Gerhart. Nothing you can do about that.

Well, too bad, we thought -- but we have an unexpectedly nice consolation prize awaiting us in the person of Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate, who has "faster Hines Ward" written all over him.

But, no, the Steelers instead drafted Virginia Tech defensive end Jason Worilds, whom they intend to use on special teams while converting him to outside linebacker. That's a position he's never played, to our knowledge, so nobody knows how he will fare in pass coverage.

It seems iffy -- all-too iffy for a second-round pick, especially when you have a productive, big-time college player, Golden Tate, who is pro-ready and able to contribute immediately on punt returns and at wide receiver. Hopefully, the third-round choice, Emanuel Sanders (whom we like very much) will do just that. But, still ... Jason Worilds instead of Golden Tate. It's baffling. Best player available? We shall see.

The team drafted other eyebrow-raising projects in later rounds. As noted in prior posts, we would have liked to have seen them draft Northwestern QB Mike Kafka (who went to the Eagles with the 122nd pick overall in the 4th round -- after the Steelers took Thaddeus Gibson) -- never mind the QBs on the roster already.

Kudos to the Steelers, however, for grabbing Emmanuel Sanders and Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer, a power running back who was productive in college but had an unimpressive showing at the Combine. We presume Dwyer will battle Frank "The Tank" Summers for the short-yardage RB position. Dwyer cost only a sixth-round pick, but prior to his desultory workouts at the NFL Combine, nearly everybody expected him to be taken much higher in the draft.

The acquisition of Bryant MacFadden also cost little, but -- as Smizik also noted astutely -- you have to wonder why the Arizona Cardinals let him go (after just one season) for a measly fifth-round pick ... plus the Cardinals threw in a sixth-rounder to bid him adieu.

After watching the Packers' Aaron Rodgers light up the Cards' secondary for approximately 500 yards in the playoffs last year, maybe the Cardinals figured MacFadden wasn't the cornerback they thought he was, not that it was entirely his fault.

In a roundabout way, you could view the trade as Santonio Holmes for Bryant MacFadden -- the Steelers traded the fifth-rounder they got from the Jets for Holmes -- plus received a sixth-rounder, who turned out to be Central Michigan wide receiver Antonio Brown, who shows some decent promise for a guy from a mid-major school. Hey, somebody had to be catching all those passes from QB Dan Lefevour, who also could have been in a Steelers' uniform, easily. The Bears took Lefevour in the sixth round, which is where QB Tony Pike also was drafted, by the Carolina Panthers.

The Cardinals, in turn, used the fifth-rounder they acquired from the Steelers to draft Fordham QB John Skelton, 6'5", 243, who had some pretty good pre-draft buzz swirling around him for a small-college quarterback.

Speaking of cornerbacks, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would have rather seen the Steelers spend their fourth-round choice on IUP corner Akwasi Owusu-Ansah instead of Ohio State's Thaddeus Gibson, yet another defensive end-to-outside linebacker conversion project. The Steelers took Gibson with the 116th pick overall; the Cowboys grabbed Akwasi with the 126th pick overall.

We hope all the draftees and prospects turn into Pro Bowlers, but we'd feel better about this year's draft if management had made some different choices. In toto, we like Steelers' 2010 draftees Pouncey and Sanders, and we sorta like Tennessee tackle Chris Scott (fifth-rounder), Jonathan Dwyer, RB, and Antonio Brown, WR.

The others? Eh, not so much. We have the feeling the Steelers over-reached on some "project-type players" to add depth and possible future contributions. This is a team, after all, that missed the playoffs last season, was wracked by off-season turmoil and faces continuing controversy for as long as Ben Roethlisberger is on the roster. They need immediate help and an infusion of young talent.

There's still time to trade Roethlisberger, by the way. Some team's starting QB will go down with an injury between now and the trading deadline in early October, which just about coincides with Roethlisberger becoming eligible to return from his suspension.

This draft, though: It's baffling.

Maurkice Pouncey: A Good Pick, and There's Still Plenty of Time to Trade Ben Roethisberger

We approve.

Not that anyone cares, but Maurkice Pouncey was the player Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would have selected with the Steelers' first pick of the 2010 draft (No. 18 overall).

Plenty of reasons to like him: He's agile, mobile and hostile. He's big enough to take on the huge nose tackles in the league these days, particularly in the AFC North. He's only 20 years old, so he has plenty of upside.

As young as he is, though, he notched 39 starts at guard and center at Florida. He started at center and made the line calls for Florida's national championship team -- against big-time SEC opposition in addition to the national championship game -- and received excellent coaching while playing for the Gators. Plus, he could possbly step in immediately for the Steelers at right guard and play there for a year or two until Justin Hartwig moves on. Position flexibilty, my friends.

All in all, a good choice. For all the reasons cited above, JPPB would have taken Pouncey over Mike Iupati, the beast of a guard from Idaho. If some other team had selected Pouncey before he got to No. 18, we would have been happy with Iupati, even if he is considered to have some rough edges in his game, along with the fact that played at a relatively smaller school (compared to Florida) in what is considered a lesser conference.

Iupati's a beast, and the Steelers could use more of his brand of ferocity. And, oh by the way, isn't it interesting that San Francisco traded to jump one spot immediately ahead of the Steelers, so the 49ers could take Iupati. We believe, however, that the Steelers would have taken Pouncey even if Iupati was still on the board.

The other option -- besides over-reaching [arguably, or not] for Tim Tebow or Golden Tate -- would have been to draft Boise State's Kyle Wilson, cornerback, who went to the Jets at No. 25 -- and what a trio of corners the Jets now have, with Darrelle Reavis, Warren Cromartie and Kyle Wilson.

That's beside the point. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have no problem with taking Pouncey over Wilson at No. 18 -- you can't get everybody you want, and the Steelers were long-overdue for investing a No. 1 choice on the offensive line. After the Sean Mahan (ugh) and Justin Hartwig (ehh) stints, it's time we return to the decades-long tradition of having a great center, and, hopefully, Pouncey will be just that: Great.

As for addressing the cornerback position, which certainly needs to be reinforced, the Steelers either are counting on Keenan Lewis, William Gay and/or Joe Burnett to step up, or the management team has something else up it's sleeve.

Which brings us to the following point ...

Everybody assumes that because the Steelers did not trade Ben Roethisberger yesterday, the first day of the draft, that a trade will not happen at all.

Not necessarily.

Forget about getting a Top Ten pick in this year's draft -- it shouldn't have been a condition in the first place. The trade proposal outlined on this blog yesterday could still be executed today, the second day of the draft.

That proposal suggested trading Big Ben to Oakland in exchange for All-Pro corner Nnamdi Asomugah, the Raider's second-round pick (39th overall) this year, and one of Oakland's top three draft picks next year. Their 2011 number one choice would be ideal, of course. But if Oakland Al balks at surrendering next year's No. 1, then get him to agree on next year's No. 2 choice, plus the following year's No. 2 and/or No. 3 pick.

Those number two and three picks often prove invaluable. Example One: Look at how New England stockpiled no fewer than three No. 2 picks in this year's draft, as galling as it may be.

It's smart.

With Nnamdi Asomugah at one corner and Ike Taylor back to form (hopefully, with his head screwed on straight) at the other, suddenly the cornerback position is no longer the problem it was last year.

We won't have much of a quarterback, but it may be time to return to the running game, anyway.

For the Steelers, Asomugah is the linchpin in this deal. The draft picks coming back to Pittsburgh help to equalize/compensate for the fact that the Raiders would, finally, be acquiring a legitimate Franchise Quarterback.

Plus, with this proposed deal, the Steelers would gain the Raider's sweetly positioned No. 2 pick (No. 39 overall), with which they could pick up a fine player. Almost certainly not Golden Tate -- who will go before then -- but almost positively a player who should be more highly rated than the one the Steelers will select with their own No. 2 pick (No. 52 overall -- which, coincidentally, is where they picked Limas Sweed a couple years ago).

With that No. 52 overall pick, by the way, we would take Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, if he's on the board. He's fast, powerful and productive, and he's got a chip on his shoulder because he believes he is being racially profiled as a slow white running back. Well, for the Steelers, he would fill the gap we've had for a power back to change pace with Rashard Mendenhall and/or convert those third-and-two situations and fourth-and-ones. Move the chains; control the clock; rule time of possession. Once again.

So, the reality is this: A deal involving Roethisberger could still get done today or this evening. It could be a good deal, too, very good -- not a giveaway, not at all.

It probably won't happen, though -- makes too much sense.

Keep this in mind, too: Even if a Roethlisberger trade noes not happen during this weekend's draft, doesn't mean it won't happen before this year's trading deadline in early October.

A trade could still happen sometime between now and then -- which coincides, incidentally, with the approximate time when Ben should be coming off his suspension. Every year, at least one team's starting quarterback goes down with an injury in training camp, a preseason game or one of the first four regular-season games.

So-o-o-o ... we shall see.

Photo courtesy of Jim at FotoEverday.

Weighing In, Finally: Trade Ben for Nnamdi Asomugah and Draft Choices

One of the Cardinal Sins of authoring a blog is to let it go dormant. If the blog's author fails to post regularly -- nearly every day -- there's virtually no reason for anybody to read it.

GUILTY as charged, your honor. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls plead a massive mea culpa on that front, and not for lack of news regarding the Steelers, that's for sure.

In years past, in the weeks leading up to the draft, we were all over the pre-draft analysis, trade speculation, off-season moves, free-agent signings, off-field shenanigans, etcetera, ad nauseaum, ad infinitum.

Not this year. Been busy with other stuff, but the Steelers remain just as important to JPPB as ever.

Which brings us to ... well, all of the above.

THE story, of course, has been Ben Roethlisberger, and for all the wrong reasons. We've all heard all the arguments. Some people (apparently a distinct minority) say things like, "he hasn't been charged, he hasn't been arrested, nothing's been proven," blah, blah, blah.

Yeah, whatever. Those folks are entitled to their opinion. I've got mine.

Not to be moralistic or anything, but as the two-time Super Bowl Winning Quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Face of the Franchise and a major celebrity in his own right, Roethlisberger has got to realize he can do better than what he's been doing. As Terry Bradshaw said, he's got to realize he is held to a higher standard than other individuals, including most other players in the NFL.

As so many people have said, "Grow up." Instead of going to college bars and acting like an over-aged frat boy wearing a satan tee-shirt, show some class -- as if, say, oh, you had a $102 million dollar contract. Start acting like Daniel Craig as James Bond, put on some decent clothes, keep cool and act cool. Walk around with steely eyes and a steady demeanor. Go to some nicer places, for a change -- you can afford it.

Ben, just look at what the hell you've been doing? Look yourself in the mirror, man. Whaddaya see? Well, for one thing, when you wear a satanic tee-shirt, hmm, let's just quote a line from the action movie Four Brothers:

"When you keep knocking on the
devil's door, somebody's gonna answer!"

Clearly, Roethlisberger has been unable to resist putting himself in situations that can lead to trouble. The incident in Georgia lends credibility, warranted or not, to previously reported incidents and rumors. And who knows how many other unreported incidents are out there lurking, just waiting to emerge in the news or be exposed by TMZ or other sources, including, possibly the women themselves.

He's gone from "Big Ben" to "Pig Ben." People across the Internet blogs and message boards are calling him "Rapistberger" instead of "Roethlisberger." Formally charged or not, he's guilty in the court of public opinion.

He's brought shame and disgrace upon his poor parents, his entire family, his teammates, The Great City of Pittsburgh, the Rooneys and the Steelers team. My team. He's messing with my team, and I don't like it. He's messing with Steelers' Nation, and he's brought shame and disgrace upon all of us. They must be loving this in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Dallas, Oakland, New England and elsewhere across the NFL.

That's part of it. So many implications and questions are at play here. Moral questions, legal questions, lawsuit questions, image/PR-disaster questions and, finally, football questions. What happens going forward? Who knows?

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls agree with Post-Gazette columnist Gene Collier's assertion in last Sunday's newspaper is that the time is right for the Steelers to sever ties with Roethlisberger. One more incident will reduce his trade value to zero. Zero.

If Roethlisberger is not good enough to be the face of PLB Sports, the manufacturer of "Big Ben's Beef Jerky," (ugh) how is he good enough to represent The Steelers? ... a billion-dollar enterprise, the pride of our city, one of the most storied enterprises in the NFL and, oh by the way, my team.

My team. And everybody else's in Steeler Nation, including all those thousands of women with No. 7 jerseys. He's given all of us a black eye.

The Steelers cannot afford to wait. Right now, he is still tradeable. Al Davis, as crazy as he is, would take him. Davis embraces the bad-boy, renegade image, and Pig Ben would fit right in. The Oakland Raiders have been irrelevant for years, and Roethlisberger would put them back in the spotlight Davis craves so much.

Trade Roethlisberger for All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugah, this year's high-second pick, and next year's first-rounder. Or something.

Everybody -- even Al Davis -- knows Jamarcus Russell ain't gonna make it, Bruce Gradkowski just tore a pectoral muscle, and Oakland just signed Kyle Boller. Good luck with that. Bingo! Welcome to Oakland, Ben.

Besides, following the Sebastian Janikowski signing, Bay Area media reported that Davis was looking to move Nnamdi Asomugah because of his contract.

With Ben gone, the Steelers could easily absorb Nnamdi Asomugah's contract. Corner problem solved, at least on one side. Draft an offensive lineman (Maurkice Pouncey or Mike Iupati) at No. 18 -- offensive line shored up. Draft the best player available (Golden Tate? Kyle Wilson? Kareem Jackson?) with Oakland's high-second pick. Ditto our own second-round pick.

If possible, somewhere during the draft -- and if available -- try to pick up a power, short-yardage back (Toby Gerhardt from Stanford, for example) and, possibly, a quarterback such as Northwestern's Mike Kafka or Dan LeFevour, the QB from Central Michigan. It's a deep draft, and if there was ever a year to add depth and youth all across the roster, this is it.

Mark Bulger's out there (yeah, I know, he's done, so what). At this point, anything would be better than Ben, no matter the immediate consequences on-field.

It is getting near past the time to sever ties with Ben Roethlisberger. Get rid of him. Now.

Just in time for the draft.