2018 Position Previews

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Inside Linebacker

Gone: Ryan Shazier (PUP/IR), Sean Spence, Arthur Moats (OLB/ILB), Steven Johnson, Austin Gearing

Returning Starters: Vince Williams. Many people seem to think that V-Will isn't a quality starter, which is bullshit. His numbers don't lie. His pass rush productivity was phenomenal last season. He rushed the passer on 20% of passing snaps (4th highest at the position) and turned those opportunities into 7 sacks & 18 pressures which was 1st among all ILBs in the NFL. And for those that are concerned about his ability to cover the pass? Well he finished as the 4th lowest passer rating among ILBs when targeted in coverage. Case closed. He finished the '17 season as the 17th highest rated ILB in the NFL. That's fringe top 1/4 of the league! I've been a huge fan of his since he was drafted. Not only is he reliable, but he plays with a fiery tenacity & passion that few linebackers in the league can match. His athletic ability may be somewhat limited in comparison to, say, Shazier, but there's no doubt in my mind that V-Will is maximizing himself. And he is just getting into the prime of his career. I'm excited to see him continue to flourish.

Returning Depth: Tyler Matakevich, L.J. Fort, Matt Galambos, Keith Kelsey. Matakevich (Dirty Red) may not be the most athletic or fastest LB, but he is one of the most intelligent & fundamentally sound players on the team. He will likely be the primary backup to both ILB positions, as well as being a ST's ace. Considering the usage he has seen last season, he's a very underrated gem on this team. Fort enters his 4th offseason with the Steelers. Last year I thought he may have been the better choice over Dirty Red to round out the ILB depth chart, but the coaches knew better. Fort has a limited ceiling, but he brings a lot of experience & ST abilities to the table. He is sound insurance should anyone get injured. Galambos stuck around last year on PS for a reason. He's basically a Dirty Red clone. He flashed solid potential in the preseason & I expect that to continue this year. He has as good a chance as any to crack the 53. Kelsey stuck around on the PS as well and he brings more athleticism to the group. But he is still considered a raw product. Would like to see him step up in camp.

New Faces: Jon Bostic, Matthew Thomas. Bostic was a fairly unheralded FA acquisition this year. It was met with quit a bit of skepticism, but the fact remains that he is being viewed as a potential starter. Known for his aggressive playing style & athleticism, he checks a lot of boxes but the concern over his pass coverage skills are an issue. There's a lot of talk about 3 Safety packages that Butler could use this season so we may not see Bostic on the field much during passing downs. We'll have to wait & see how that unfolds. During OTAs Bostic played behind Matakevich, but I don't expect that to last. Bostic's experience & superior athleticism over Dirty Red will push him up the depth chart. Thomas is bringing a lot of hype with him to camp. Widely considered a draft snub, this UDFA signing has shown the ability to make a lot of plays during his college career at FSU. One of the problems was that he also showed the ability to miss them as well. He's 6'3" & slightly undersized, but he has the athleticism to match with some of the best in the league. Some scouts even compared him to Bobby Wagner. There were reports that he was summoned to work with the team's strength & conditioning coach to help him bulk up this offseason. If he can survive camp, I really like his chances of making the 53.

On the Bubble: Matakevich, Fort, Galambos, Kelsey & Thomas. The team will likely keep 4 ILBs, and I think barring injury only 2 spots are up for grabs. Dirty Red has the leading edge in the group and I don't expect he'll give up his spot. That leaves a 4-way battle for the final spot. Thomas has by far the superior athleticism of the group so if he can match potential with sound football, then he'll win out.

Outlook: The Steelers, questionably so, gave us fans something to worry about this offseason when they passed on big fish in FA, as well as missing out on the top 3-4 ILBs they viewed as 1st Rd picks in the draft (Smith, Evans, & LVE). They also seemingly showed no interest in vet Mychal Kendricks when Philly tossed him to the curb back in May/June. Only insurance they gave the team was a journeyman & borderline starter in Bostic. It's debatable that the FA pool wouldn't have helped in the areas that the Steelers needed, or that the cap numbers didn't permit some of the signings. But the concern remains. Expectations are undoubtedly high given whom is being replaced, Ryan Shazier. Which will indeed result in disappointment from the fans. It's unfair for anyone to expect a replacement to match the all-pro abilities of Shazier, but such is life in the NFL. NFL fans are a relentless & emotional bunch. If Butler can figure out a way to shore up his pass defense with subpackages rather than relying on the likes of Bostic, then I think this defense will be just fine. Bostic's talents are best used between the tackles so he will need to be used properly. Tackling has also been a big issue for this defense, which has plagued them for years. I'm in "wait & see" mode with this group.

The position I most wanted to hear your thoughts..Best write up thus far and spot on.

FWIW Bostic has a good rep on tackling...but I don't expect to see him in nickel much. Dirty Red has been getting almost as many reps with the "ones" as Bostic...shows what the staff thinks of him. Matthew Thomas has apparently looked good in camp early...Much like you, I'm in wait and see mode here.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Outside Linebacker

Gone: James Harrison, Arthur Moats (OLB/ILB)

Returning Starters: Bud Dupree & TJ Watt. The team opted to pickup Dupree's 5th year option, meaning they are betting big on him rising to his potential. There's a lot of debate as to whether we have seen his ceiling or not, but no matter the case he simply hasn't materialized into the beast they need him to be. The OLB position has drastically changed under Butler so its not as if he isn't producing to the new demands. He's a serviceable player capable of covering a lot of ground and has done well dropping into coverage, which seems to happen quite a lot in Butler's schemes. According to NFL's S&S, the steelers dropped Dupree into coverage roughly 75% of the time. Crazy! But the most damning stat to Dupree's name is that on 354 pass-rushing snaps last year, he produced just 40 total pressures, and has only 83 career pressures since he entered the league in 2015. The career number is obviously skewed by his injury history, but 2017 was supposed to be the year he shined and he didn't. Sure he doubled his career numbers from 2 seasons in just 1 season, but that 2017 stat is not a stellar number by any means. He has made it very difficult to be optimistic about his future. To me he looks like an overpaid journeyman right now. I hope he proves me wrong. There have been reports of Butler rotating Dupree to the ROLB spot to see if that helps, but I don't know if that will be permanent or just a rotation to give the defense different looks. Watt's rookie season was special and breathes new hope into the position. The potential he possesses is ridiculous. He was considered a raw prospect coming out of Wisconsin, and he won the starting position in 1 offseason from none other than James Harrison. And he graded out very well during the regular season. His 73.5 PFF coverage grade ranked 7th at the position. And against the run? I haven't found the year-end result, but through 10 weeks he had a 9.7% run stop percentage. The only edge defender with a better run stop percentage through 10 weeks of their rookie season over the last 5 years was Khalil Mack. The scariest part for other teams is that Watt still has a LOT of room to grow.

Returning Depth: Anthony Chickillo, Keion Adams, Farrington Huguenin. Chickillo got resigned to a 1 year deal and is the primary depth piece on the roster. With Moats gone, it will be Chick's job to backup both positions. The coaches must have liked Adams a lot in camp last year considering he was kept on IR. As history has shown, there's never a guarantee that a 7th Rd pick does that as a rookie. Most teams cut ties. Adams has a great opportunity to make the squad, but he remains a raw product until proven otherwise. We can't get too carried away with optimism given that he's still only a 7th Rd pick. Huguenin made his mark last offseason and got the opportunity to stick around on the PS. Coaches have raved about his work ethic & athleticism. He's one of my dark horse candidates to make the 53 this year.

New Faces: Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, Darnelle Leslie. "Ola" is another athletic & raw project to join the offseason ranks. In his senior season at Toledo he amassed 8.5 sacks. And from what I have seen from game film, those sacks were the results of good straight up pass rushing skills. Good hand work, good rips, counter moves, speed & power. He has a good skillet in the rushing department. His footwork is a bit too choppy though, which he had been able to overcome with his superior athleticism to smaller school O-lineman. At the NFL level he will need to learn a lot in a small time frame to refine his skills enough to make a mark. As I said in the DE preview, Leslie is listed as a DE but has too small of a frame to be considered as such in Butler's scheme. He would have had to put on 30+ lbs to be considered a D-lineman. The OLB group is where I think he lines up. He did play OLB at Monmouth so it only makes sense. Even then he's still a tad undersized at 236 lbs. He could use 14-20 lbs if he wants to stick around. Leslie does present some decent pass edge skills in that he is a natural pass rusher that can get into the backfield with consistency. At Monmouth he racked up 36 TFLs & 15 sacks, and that was without playing his Junior season which was lost to a Jones fracture (toe/foot). He flashed enough at his pro day to earn himself 2 tryouts in the NFL, to which he turned into a very rare contract with Dallas. He's a tenacious rusher that attacks the pocket well. Beat writers in DAL said he was particularly difficult to block when on the move. He has a great feel for how to rush the passer & did a nice job of fighting down the line to get to ball carriers. He lasted the entire camp in DAL before getting cut on the finall cutdowns to 53. He did not receive any PS offers so he went and played in the CFL for the BC Lions. Should be interesting to see if he generates any noise in camp.

On the Bubble: Chickillo, Adams, Huguenin, Adeniyi & Leslie. Given Chick's experience I find it hard to imagine he would be unseated, but I've been surprised before. He also brings solid ST play to the table. At worst I think he loses the primary backup role but still stays on the team. It would take a lot of effort for any of the bottom 3 to rise above him so I imagine this will boil down to 3 dogs & 1 remaining bone or maybe even 2 if they can prove themselves on ST. Could come down to Huguenin, Leslie & Adeniyi vying for 1 final spot. Or it could be Adams, Leslie & Adeniyi. We shall see.

Outlook: On paper this position might be the thinnest on the entire team. After the top 2-3 players there is nothing but unproven talent. The starters are relatively unproven in 1 way or another, but do have a lot of hype & a lot to prove. And the depth pieces are either journeymen types or simply unproven as well. There could be 2-3 spots up for grabs which might not get decided on until preseason rolls around.

With the DL they have, the Steelers have been able to produce a formidable DEF w/o fire breathers on the edge...TJ showed promise of being a fire breather...reportedly moving to LOLB, I'd like to see another step in that direction...Dupree, at this point just give us what you did LY...anything more is a bonus....the scary part about this unit is they don't yet have that guy that's ready in case of injury or to push Dupree for snaps...Chick is manning the role, but serviceable at best imo.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Cornerback

Gone: William Gay, Ross Cockrell (traded to NYG for conditional pick), Senquez Golson, Greg Ducre, Antonio Crawford, Brandon Dixon, JaCorey Shepard

Returning Starters: Artie Burns, Joe Haden, Mike Hilton. For all the flack that Burns gets, he graded out at 80.8 in PFF as the 43rd rated CB which they consider "above average". There have been a lot of growing pains with Artie, and his biggest problem is consistency. He can flash all-pro talent in 1 game, and then disappear for 1 game. In other words he presented us with plenty of moments which made us want to slam our heads into a wall. He has a unique ability to be very good, yet also being a bonehead that misses calls or takes chances that look really ugly. Last season in the 1st 4 weeks of play he was rated as the 3rd best CB in the league, ahead of many all-pros. And he was heavily targeted to boot. After that was a onslaught of poor games until he bounced back down the stretch. After the regular season he had improved his overall coverage grade from 76.8 in his rookie season to 81.4. Will he continue the upward trend in year 3? I hope so. Joe Haden delivered a mixed bag prior to his leg fracture. According to PFF, 2017 was one of his best years of his career even though it was relatively nondescript. In man coverage he flashed his pro bowl abilities, but in zones he lacked eye discipline & wanted to jump the underneath route too often. He's not the youthful athlete anymore with limited speed but he does bring a lot of experience to the table, so he's a good fit for Butler's schemes. They just need better reliability out of him. Here's a nasty stat to chew on, Haden finished with a 79.2 grade which was good enough for 51st in PFF at the position right in front of none other than Ross Cockrell. If you are being graded closely to the likes of Ross Cockrell then you need to do better Joe. He still has something left in the tank and has been working his ass off this offseason. I'm hopeful for good results. Hilton was a revelation last season. Not only was he a great slot cover CB, he had an uncanny ability to make splash plays. His 15 total QB pressure finished tied for 1st at the CB position. In coverage he finished with a 61.1 passer rating allowed in the slot, which was 2nd best at the position. He finished the year with 6 PDs, 2 INTs, 1 FF, & 4 sacks. That's impressive production from a slot CB that only played roughly 60% of the total defensive snaps. They need to get him more reps out there.

Returning Depth: Cameron Sutton, Coty Sensabaugh, Brian Allen, Deshaun Phillips. Sutton will likely be the 4th CB on the depth chart behind the starters. He can play inside or outside, and is even being toyed with at safety. There were also reports that he was fielding returns on ST. His versatility could be a big key to this defense if he can carve out a role, or better, put pressure on Burns & Haden. Coaches said he was incredibly savvy in regards to football IQ, and he was a quick-study. If he can stay healthy then I expect to hear good things from camp. Sensabaugh had a rough go of things last season. He made 4 starts last season when he took over the featured outside role after Haden got injured. He was effectively benched during 2 of those games, and should have been a 3rd against GB. He got routinely abused against GB, CIN, & BAL. It was only against the flabbergasted Titans on his first start that he looked impressive. After the BAL game he did not play another snap for the remainder of the season. It was Sutton that came back from injury & held down the spot until Haden came back. Sens was inactive for the final 2 games of the reg season as well as the playoff loss. Not really sure I see much interest in keeping him around at his cap number, but he survived the cuts when Mitchell, Gay & Golden got the axe so who knows. Allen is still a project and could be expected to provide depth at CB this year as well as being a key member of ST. It was a bummer that we didn't get to see Phillips in action last year when Sens was stinking it up. But I think that had something to do with Sutton's return. If the Steelers keep 6 CBs, then Phillips could be their guy since he's an experienced & cheaper option that Sens. Don't forget the Steelers traded with the Redskins to acquire him, which tells us all we need to know about how they view him as a prospect. I think this is the year he makes his mark.

New Faces: Jamar Summers, & Trey Johnson. Summers was a 3.5 year starter, full-time from soph to senior seasons at UConn. He amassed 182 tackles, 12 INTs. He split time between corner & safety though, which tailed off his production towards the end of his collegiate career. He has good speed & playmaking ability but lacks physicality. He's a tad undersized at 5'10" but he's a smart player who rarely looked lost or out of position in his game film. His length may hurt his recovery times at the NFL level. When watching Johnson's film the first thing that jumped out at me was his vertical leaping ability & how he times his jumps to meet the ball at its highest point. He plays much much bigger than his 5'11" height. Like Summers, he too showed the versatility in playing both corner & safety. My biggest concern with him is his tackling. He's a drag tackler which will earn him a bus pass at the NFL level.

On the Bubble: Sensabaugh, Allen, Phillips, Summers, & Johnson. It's a crowded depth chart at the CB position and the team is likely keeping 6 of them. With 4 of the spots likely spoken for, that leaves 2 from this group that need to flash some ability in preseason as well as show up on ST. My leading candidates are Allen & Phillips, but I have a suspicion that will change.

Outlook: On paper the position seems to have a plethora of talent, but it doesn't seem to materialize on the field with much consistency. It's always the big games where they seem to let us down rather than rise up. The secondary has been considered a sad state of affairs for going on a half decade now, but at least is starting to show some promise. The secondary benefits immensely from the front 7 dominating in the trenches. If they can establish the communication & chemistry to match it, then this should be a top 5 unit.

Time for this group to step up...Burns, next level, Haden, availability...Hilton, sustain...I've been high on Sutton...time to show it.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

@FaCe-LeE-uS ...I must've been out of town when this hit...outstanding work!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

@FaCe-LeE-uS ...I must've been out of town when this hit...outstanding work!

I figured you were in France, right? Bad timing on the thread, but I wanted to wait til closer to camp because there's always bound to be a surprising acquisition that I want to account for. This year I think only the loss of Bryce Harris & addition of Malik Reaves was missed because of the timing. But I say bad timing because I look forward to discussing these position groups with you heading into camp each year. Or at least you're typically one of the few that always replies to my camp nuttiness! Glad you enjoyed it!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I figured you were in France, right? Bad timing on the thread, but I wanted to wait til closer to camp because there's always bound to be a surprising acquisition that I want to account for. This year I think only the loss of Bryce Harris & addition of Malik Reaves was missed because of the timing. But I say bad timing because I look forward to discussing these position groups with you heading into camp each year. Or at least you're typically one of the few that always replies to my camp nuttiness! Glad you enjoyed it!

That's right...had a blast! Actually flew back to PIT and connected to ATL...US customs was a pain in the ass, half hour + to pay a few bucks duty...but fortunately it was a smaller airport...we made the connection to ATL.

I look forward to this write up and it seems to get better every year. I always pickup a few players I might not have known about other wise.

Sent you a few pics.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

Face,

For what it's worth, whether I say it or not, I enjoy these write ups every year as well!!! They are also very useful to me since I don't live in PA anymore and can't keep up on all the offseason moves. Keep up the great work.

 

[Psych-Ward]

That I do! That I do! Glad someone appreciates it!

 

[Psych-Ward]

Position Preview: Quarterback

Gone: Zach Mettenberger, Nick Schuessler, Bart Houston

Returning Starters: Ben Roethlisberger. There was a media circus surrounding Ben's comments this offseason when he appeared to be very opposed to the Rudolph pick in the draft. He had a point, but the Steelers are a perennial contender for a reason. They restock when it seems least likely to do so. It is debatable that Ben is in the twilight of his career, but he showed no signs of slowing last year down the stretch. Expect a solid year.

Returning Depth: Landry Jones, Joshua Dobbs.

New Faces: Mason Rudolph. 3rd Rd pick with a lot of hype surrounding him. He had a stellar collegiate career and was being touted as a top 5 pick at the position for most of his senior year. His draft day fall to the 3rd round was huge, and time will tell what to make of it. The future looks bright for the kid.

On the Bubble: Jones & Dobbs. With the investment in Rudolph, that pins Jones & Dobbs in a head to head matchup in camp. Only 1 will stay. Dobbs has a steep hill to climb if he wants to unseat Jones.

Outlook: New OC is giving the keys to the Ferrari to Ben. I expect Ben to have a great year, but it may take a few games to find his groove. Brutal schedule this season so they can't really afford to stumble out the gate like they typically do. It will be interesting to see how Rudolph does in the preseason. I'm hoping he gets every opportunity to win the QB2 spot.

Only thing that you could add is, will the love affair between Tomlin and Dirty Laundry continue....our will this be his end......

Other than that, it's Ben's offence

 

[Psych-Ward]

Position Preview: Running Back

Gone: Terrell Watson, Knile Davis, Trey Williams

Returning Starters: Le’Veon Bell & Roosevelt Nix (FB/RB). Bell & PIT failed to reach common ground on a contract so he will once again play on the franchise tag in what appears to be his final year with the Steelers. He plans to repeat last offseason by skipping training camp and preseason. He will still be the day 1 starter, but I'm curious to see if he struggles in the first few weeks again. Nix is coming off a pro bowl season so I'm expecting nothing but great things from him. Very underrated FB in the NFL.

Returning Depth: James Conner, Stevan Ridley, Fitzgerald Toussaint. Conner appears to have undergone a big transformation this offseason. He bulked up. I'm very curious to see how much of a share of the offense he gets. With this being Bell's final year I have to wonder if they try to transition the offense to Conner in some capacity. Even in "win now" mode he should get a better share than in '17. Ridley was a late addition last season and helped out down the stretch in December. They waited until April this offseason to resign him so they must have good reason to keep him around. Toussaint is a great locker room & PS guy to have in the fold. He'll likely continue that role & only get called up in emergency situations.

New Faces: Jaylen Samuels, Jarvion Franklin, James Summers. Samuels was a jack-of-all-trades type gadget player in college. He set the NC state record for career receptions and ranked 2nd in school history in total touchdowns. He played RB, TE & WR. Franklin went to WMU out of the Chicago area. Finished his freshman season as the 1st-ever MAC rookie of the year & offensive player of the year. He shattered the school career rushing mark, and finished 2nd in scoring. He also finished 5th all-time in MAC rushing. His subpar combine hurt his draft stock & thus went undrafted. Could have a sleeper there. Summers went undrafted in 2017 to Arizona. He played QB & RB at ECU.

On the Bubble: Ridley, Samuels, Toussaint, Franklin, Summers. It appears to be a head to head matchup between Ridley & Samuels for the RB3 position. Position flexibility is a huge plus so Samuels might have the edge there. But Ridley has a lot of experience and given Samuels' TE flexibility (could take Grimble's spot), it could give them reason to keep Ridley around.

Outlook: Bell is once again betting big on himself to produce a career year so that he can cash in once FA opens up next spring. The holdout doesn't inspire confidence, but I think we can safely set out expectations as a repeat of 2017. It will be interesting to see if they give him 400+ touches again. I think Conner eats into that. Also worth noting, if Fichtner rolls out the no-huddle it could open up a lot more touches for guys like Conner & Samuels.

Be great when we get past the bell drama.....
Hoping Connor gets work if he is to become the next in line.

 

[Psych-Ward]

Position Preview: Wide Receiver

Gone: Martavis Bryant (traded to OAK), Eli Rogers, Cobi Hamilton, Demarcus Ayers, Sammie Coates, Canaan Severin

Returning Starters: Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster. AB continues to be one of the best players in the NFL. No reason to expect anything less at this point. Madden Curse be damned! Juju is coming off a stellar rookie season and appears to have put the work in this offseason to continue that success. With Bryant out of the way it appears he has secured the #2 spot.

Returning Depth: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Justin Hunter, Marcus Tucker, Justin Thomas. DHB continues to defy the odds and is a well-establish ST-ace. He's a great vet leader type guy and will be difficult for anyone to unseat. There has been a lot of hype surrounding Hunter. Another strong camp should vault him into the Bryant-vacancy discussion. Tucker proved to be a valuable asset on the PS last year. He's strong candidate to take over the slot WR void. Thomas has been an ongoing project. He's a converted QB and is incredibly smart. He won over the coaches in a short time period and is vying for the slot position as well.

New Faces: James Washington, Quadree Henderson, Damoun Patterson, Tevin Jones, Trey Griffey. Washington was their 3rd Rd pick. He was one of the best deep ball WRs in the NCAA last year. And he has come to the same team as his collegiate QB, Mason Rudolph. He has already had strong rookie & OTA camps so I expect some buzz at TC. Henderson was a ST demon at Pitt, and carved out a unique role in the offense as a motion/counter/reverse type runner. He has decent hands so he should push for the slot role as well. Patterson is a small school kid from Youngstown. His numbers didn't put him in the media spotlight, but that had more to do with bouncing around different schools & playing in rub-heavy/traditional offenses that limited his usage. When teams got him the ball, he produced. He has solid ST value as he worked as a cover/gunner guy on kickoffs & punts. He's a smooth route-runner with good hands so keep an eye on him in camp. Jones signed as a UDFA with the Texans back in '15. He spent that year on PS, then signed with KC the following year. He only had 1 catch in the regular season, and it was a short reception that he turned into a 68yd TD. Big play ability, but limited experience as a WR & STer. Griffey, son of HOFer Ken Griffey Jr, was a smaller volume WR in Arizona. He was primarily a RZ target with great vertical catching ability.

On the Bubble: DHB, Hunter, Tucker, Thomas, Henderson, Patterson, Jones, Griffey. 8 guys and probably 3-4 bones. DHB & Hunter seem like locks but are replaceable. The rest are slot-hopefuls and a few that need to carve out a ST role.

Outlook: Clearly the team has focused on retooling their depth, not only to fill the voids but also for ST purposes. Seems like they are looking for the next DHB type role players, as well as the ongoing search for the return guy capable of getting AB off punts. With AB leading the corps this group will remain one of the best in the NFL. JuJu & Washington are sure-handed possession guys but are capable of taking the top off a defense. Seems like both are very capable of being lined up in various positions X/Y/Z which gives the offense a lot of different looks. Bryant & Rogers leave a void, but I'm confident they will find their replacements. There's an outside shot that Rogers resigns as well.

I think Juju's numbers do a bit, sophomore slump and teams now having footage on him. I think talent and heart wise he'll overcome this.....with Eli back, he's got something to prove if he wants to stay with this unit.

 

[Psych-Ward]

Position Preview: Tight End

Gone: Jake McGee (IR - hurt in OTAs), Phazahn Odom

Returning starters: Vance McDonald. Hearing great things about him this offseason. Finally healthy and has been working like a madman to get himself in better shape. He has high hopes this year to make a huge impact.

Returning Depth: Jesse James, Xavier Grimble. Jesse James continues to prove that he's a well-rounded player with decent hands. He never quite took hold of the void that Heath left, but hes a capable player. Grimble has been kept around for his hybrid/playmaking ability. He's a solid role player with good RZ potential. He's a hard worker but still fairly raw route runner with subpar blocking ability. When used correctly he can help the offense.

New Faces: Ryan Malleck, Pharoah McKever, & Christian Scotland-Williamson. Malleck isn't really a new face since he had a brief stint with the Steelers last offseason, but he was a recent FA acquisition when McGee got hurt in OTAs. Former UDFA signed with NYG. Bounced around the BAL & HOU PS's, and has only been on an active roster once (last December). McKever appears to be another raw playmaker, sort of like Phazahn Odom was last offseason. Mainly used as an in-line route-runner TE (hybrid) at FIU (FL Int), he still found himself blocking even in pass-protection. He has a unique build with a tall frame. As a blocker he used his length & frame really well, and even with a limited route tree he was a load to bring down. He reminds me of a raw Eric Ebron. CSW is a former rugby star that was signed through the NFL's International Pathway Program which enables a team to add & keep 1 addition PS spot. Currently listed as a TE, he could very well transition to O-line with his 6'9 270-lb frame.

On the Bubble: James, Grimble, Malleck, McKever. Before McGee got hurt I was predicting a head to head battle between him & James. That speaks more of McGee's ability than to whether I think James is replaceable or not. James is a serviceable guy that should be locked in this year. That leaves 1 possible spot. As mentioned in the RB preview, Samuels has TE experience and could carve out a role. Not to mention Rosie Nix has that ability as well. They could opt to only keep 2 TEs on the roster, but I am predicting 3. CSW will end up on the PS as part of that additional PS spot granted to the IPP.

Outlook: If McDonald can stay healthy then he will do damage. He proved to be a valuable asset in his limited starts last year. I think James is a solid backup but he's not the playmaker that McDonald is. I'd like to see Grimble continue to step up and find a better role, but we'll have to wait & see how the offense looks under the new OC.

Have to say, disappointment in JJ....it was his job to lose and he lost it. McDonald fills it nicely but still wouldn't mind JJ stepping his game up. Wonder if the telegraphing the run with the two tight end sets are now gone!!!!

Pittsburgh Dad-----and Jessie James caught that ball!!!!

 

[Psych-Ward]

Position Preview: Offensive Tackle

Gone: Jerald Hawkins (IR - hurt in OTAs), Chris Hubbard, Brian Mihalik, Keavon Milton, Ikenna Nwokeji

Returning Starters: Marcus Gilbert, Alejandro Villanueva. Gilbert is looking to redeem himself after his suspension last season robbed him of a pro-bowl/all-pro season. He is still a top 3 RT in the league and he's hungry to prove himself. AVill is starting to look more & more like an established starter. There are times he looks lost going up against the smaller pass-rushers, but he can hold his own against the vast majority of the league. Gotta remember that he has only been playing the position for 4 years now which is pretty incredible. He'll be 30 years old this year, so we may already see his ceiling though.

Returning Depth: Matt Feiler. This man was kept around as a 9th O-lineman last season for a reason. The coaches see something in him. Whether that be for replacing Hubbard as the utility guy capable of filling in anywhere, or simply grooming him to take over at one of the OT spots down the road. I think Hawkins was seen as the future of the position but he can't seem to stay healthy. Another season lost for him, but makes me even more glad they protected Feiler on the 53 last season. I think we'll see why this year. Feiler will likely have a lot of chances to step in this season.

New Faces: Chukwuma Okorafor, Bryce Harris, Jake Rodgers, Joseph Cheek, Larson Graham. "Chuks" Okorafor was the Steelers' 2nd selection in the 3rd Rd. Considered a raw project, Chuks brings depth to an apparently thin OT group. I'll defer to Munch because he talkeda bout him extensively after the draft. Munch considers him a top prospect at the position, which speaks volumes coming from a HOFer & well-established O-line coach. Harris is an NFL vet that they acquired just last month. Former UDFA of ATL, he's been a journeyman for most of his career spending time with JAX, MIA, SF, & most recently NO. He has 4 career starts & appeared in 37 games. Rodgers is another guy to keep an eye on this offseason. His acquisition this offseason flew far under the radar after the Steelers quietly claimed him off waivers from the Texans. There is a lot that works in Rodgers' favor... First is that Hawkins is lost for the season to injury. 2nd is that the Steelers liked him enough last year to have him on the PS for a good portion of the season. 3rd, which is huge, is that he plays both OG & both OT positions. Unfortunately, all this hype came before the draft selection Chuks came aboard. After Cheek went Undrafted he signed with the Saints but ended up on HOU's PS, and then KC's PS. He played college ball at Texas A&M during the Manziel era. Despite his size he played mostly at OG. Graham is the prototypical O-lineman that Munch seems to love. He's smart, efficient, good athleticism, and plays with a nasty disposition. He played for the Dukes (who play on Art J Rooney Field) and accumulated 46 starts at RT & named NEC All-2nd team for 3 straight seasons.

On the Bubble: Feiler, Rodgers, Cheek, Graham. I think Feiler is the only guy in danger of losing his spot to any of these reserve/futures guys. IMO Rodgers is the only guy that I could see pushing for that spot. Ideally the Steelers will try to keep at least 3 of these guys (2 on PS).

Outlook: This group looks solid on the surface. They have established starters with serviceable depth. The loss of Hawkins was a bummer, but we will have to see what Munch can do with Chuks & Feiler before we hit the panic button if Gil or AVill go down to injury.

Position Preview: Guard

Gone: Chris Hubbard, Ethan Cooper

Returning Starters: David DeCastro, Ramon Foster. DeCastro is top 2 at his position easy. He's a stud. Foster is still a reliable vet but will be 33 this season.

Returning Depth: BJ Finney, Matt Feiler. Signed to a 1 year contract extension this offseason, Finney is likely the heir of the LG position once Foster departs. It would be a shame if they lost Finney to FA if Foster sticks around. He's a solid starter when given the chance, but he will likely play backup to both G & C for at least 1 more season.

New Faces: RJ Prince, Jake Rodgers, Chris Schleuger. Prince appears to be another position flexible guy. He was listed as OT on the rookie minicamp roster but most of his time has come at G. He's an athletic prospect with good baseline traits. I talked about Rodgers in the OT preview. Schleuger comes from a smaller school at UAB. He was one of several UDFA O-lineman brought in to fill out their (necessary) 15 for training camp. They currently have 16 O-lineman which is good news for vets needing rest at camp. Schleuger did play LT at UAB, but he's undersized and will likely rotate inside. He plays with good pad level but is fairly limited athlete. Sort of a waist-bender in pass-pro that can fall off, and also gets too tall with meager hand technique. Appears to be nothing more than a camp body.

On the Bubble: Prince, Rodgers, Schleuger. All 3 are battling for a PS spot most likely. It would take an injury to Finney to open the door on the 53 unless one of them shines in camp. And with Foster's contract up after this season, they could be looking to groom someone & keep them around.

Outlook: Same nucleus with this group means we shouldn't expect any dropoff in play. This unit is as good as they come in the NFL.

Position Preview: Center

Gone: Chris Hubbard,

Returning Starters: Maurkice Pouncey. The captain of the O-line & 9-yr vet is still playing at a high level at 29 years old. Haven't seen any dropoff in play so there's no reason to expect otherwise. He has managed to stay healthy these last 2 years so fingers crossed he can continue to stay that way.

Returning Depth: B.J. Finney (C/G), Matt Feiler. Although I never saw Feiler take snaps at C, I heard he got some experience at camp.

New Faces: Jake Rodgers, RJ Prince, Chris Schleuger. All 3 have been mentioned before and none of which appear to have any experience at C. But if they want a chance to stick around then position flexibility is the name of the game.

On the Bubble: Rodgers, Prince, Schleuger.

Outlook: Much of the success of the O-line as a unit hinges on their captain, Pouncey. It never quite seems the same without him in there. Finney is a serviceable guy at C, but he's better suited as a road grader G. The position seems in good hands.

O-Line......
How many teams can say they have the same all pro line 2-3 years in a row!!!!!

Outfuckinstanding!!!!!

 

[Psych-Ward]

Position Preview: Cornerback

Gone: William Gay, Ross Cockrell (traded to NYG for conditional pick), Senquez Golson, Greg Ducre, Antonio Crawford, Brandon Dixon, JaCorey Shepard

Returning Starters: Artie Burns, Joe Haden, Mike Hilton. For all the flack that Burns gets, he graded out at 80.8 in PFF as the 43rd rated CB which they consider "above average". There have been a lot of growing pains with Artie, and his biggest problem is consistency. He can flash all-pro talent in 1 game, and then disappear for 1 game. In other words he presented us with plenty of moments which made us want to slam our heads into a wall. He has a unique ability to be very good, yet also being a bonehead that misses calls or takes chances that look really ugly. Last season in the 1st 4 weeks of play he was rated as the 3rd best CB in the league, ahead of many all-pros. And he was heavily targeted to boot. After that was a onslaught of poor games until he bounced back down the stretch. After the regular season he had improved his overall coverage grade from 76.8 in his rookie season to 81.4. Will he continue the upward trend in year 3? I hope so. Joe Haden delivered a mixed bag prior to his leg fracture. According to PFF, 2017 was one of his best years of his career even though it was relatively nondescript. In man coverage he flashed his pro bowl abilities, but in zones he lacked eye discipline & wanted to jump the underneath route too often. He's not the youthful athlete anymore with limited speed but he does bring a lot of experience to the table, so he's a good fit for Butler's schemes. They just need better reliability out of him. Here's a nasty stat to chew on, Haden finished with a 79.2 grade which was good enough for 51st in PFF at the position right in front of none other than Ross Cockrell. If you are being graded closely to the likes of Ross Cockrell then you need to do better Joe. He still has something left in the tank and has been working his ass off this offseason. I'm hopeful for good results. Hilton was a revelation last season. Not only was he a great slot cover CB, he had an uncanny ability to make splash plays. His 15 total QB pressure finished tied for 1st at the CB position. In coverage he finished with a 61.1 passer rating allowed in the slot, which was 2nd best at the position. He finished the year with 6 PDs, 2 INTs, 1 FF, & 4 sacks. That's impressive production from a slot CB that only played roughly 60% of the total defensive snaps. They need to get him more reps out there.

Returning Depth: Cameron Sutton, Coty Sensabaugh, Brian Allen, Deshaun Phillips. Sutton will likely be the 4th CB on the depth chart behind the starters. He can play inside or outside, and is even being toyed with at safety. There were also reports that he was fielding returns on ST. His versatility could be a big key to this defense if he can carve out a role, or better, put pressure on Burns & Haden. Coaches said he was incredibly savvy in regards to football IQ, and he was a quick-study. If he can stay healthy then I expect to hear good things from camp. Sensabaugh had a rough go of things last season. He made 4 starts last season when he took over the featured outside role after Haden got injured. He was effectively benched during 2 of those games, and should have been a 3rd against GB. He got routinely abused against GB, CIN, & BAL. It was only against the flabbergasted Titans on his first start that he looked impressive. After the BAL game he did not play another snap for the remainder of the season. It was Sutton that came back from injury & held down the spot until Haden came back. Sens was inactive for the final 2 games of the reg season as well as the playoff loss. Not really sure I see much interest in keeping him around at his cap number, but he survived the cuts when Mitchell, Gay & Golden got the axe so who knows. Allen is still a project and could be expected to provide depth at CB this year as well as being a key member of ST. It was a bummer that we didn't get to see Phillips in action last year when Sens was stinking it up. But I think that had something to do with Sutton's return. If the Steelers keep 6 CBs, then Phillips could be their guy since he's an experienced & cheaper option that Sens. Don't forget the Steelers traded with the Redskins to acquire him, which tells us all we need to know about how they view him as a prospect. I think this is the year he makes his mark.

New Faces: Jamar Summers, & Trey Johnson. Summers was a 3.5 year starter, full-time from soph to senior seasons at UConn. He amassed 182 tackles, 12 INTs. He split time between corner & safety though, which tailed off his production towards the end of his collegiate career. He has good speed & playmaking ability but lacks physicality. He's a tad undersized at 5'10" but he's a smart player who rarely looked lost or out of position in his game film. His length may hurt his recovery times at the NFL level. When watching Johnson's film the first thing that jumped out at me was his vertical leaping ability & how he times his jumps to meet the ball at its highest point. He plays much much bigger than his 5'11" height. Like Summers, he too showed the versatility in playing both corner & safety. My biggest concern with him is his tackling. He's a drag tackler which will earn him a bus pass at the NFL level.

On the Bubble: Sensabaugh, Allen, Phillips, Summers, & Johnson. It's a crowded depth chart at the CB position and the team is likely keeping 6 of them. With 4 of the spots likely spoken for, that leaves 2 from this group that need to flash some ability in preseason as well as show up on ST. My leading candidates are Allen & Phillips, but I have a suspicion that will change.

Outlook: On paper the position seems to have a plethora of talent, but it doesn't seem to materialize on the field with much consistency. It's always the big games where they seem to let us down rather than rise up. The secondary has been considered a sad state of affairs for going on a half decade now, but at least is starting to show some promise. The secondary benefits immensely from the front 7 dominating in the trenches. If they can establish the communication & chemistry to match it, then this should be a top 5 unit.

All eyes Ares going to be on defense again this year......
If you would of told me that Pittsburgh's D will be suspect 3 years in a row.....I'd I've told you your full of Shit, yet here we are.
Seems they area still struggling to find an identity, and with the loss of Shazier it's going to be that much harder. I don't foresee them putting a bandaid on Shazier's position until he returns, so it'll end up being a plug and play in the middle. The secondary, they can't do anything but get better......right???? They hopefully get the return from Haden they hoped for last year before he went down, and he's a good team leader for the younger DBs.

 

[SteelersPride]

there was speculation that Edmunds may be used at LB, has there been anything yet to back that up

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

there was speculation that Edmunds may be used at LB, has there been anything yet to back that up

Not much evidence to support it yet, but they have been dealing with quite a few injuries on the back end so Edmunds has been playing exclusively at safety. They’ve even been giving reps to Sutton & Hilton at safety.

 

[SteelersPride]

Not much evidence to support it yet, but they have been dealing with quite a few injuries on the back end so Edmunds has been playing exclusively at safety. They’ve even been giving reps to Sutton & Hilton at safety.

yuck

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

yuck

I’m not really sure why since they have a plethora of safeties. I haven’t heard about any injuries to Berhe, Allen, Dangerfield, or Golden

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

DBs lining up at LB... They finally gave us a glimpse of it @SteelersPride

Steelers unveil a new seven DB quarters package

Extra DBs





The Steelers are sending defensive backs all over the field and depth chart. Mike Hilton and Cameron Sutton are nickel corners and dime backers, in addition to working as safeties. Terrell Edmunds has lined up over the slot. Marcus Allen was touted by Tomlin for parallel versatility and debuted with the first-team defense Wednesday.

He stayed there, in a seven-defensive back set on Thursday as the Steelers backfield remained strange and fascinating.

A pair of the personnel combinations:

• Artie Burns, Joe Haden, Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, Nat Berhe and Terrell Edmunds behind a front five of Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Bud Dupree, Anthony Chickillo, Vince Williams and Cameron Heyward
• No inside linebackers among: Artie Burns, Joe Haden, Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, Nat Berhe, Terrell Edmunds and Marcus Allen behind Tyson Alualu and Javon Hargrave with Chickillo and Dupree rounding out the front.

Pittsburgh circled back to the latter toward the end of the period. For those keeping score that's 7 DBs, 2 OLBs and 2 DL.

Hilton would go on to practice as a safety later in the session.

"He's a good tackler," Tomlin said.

 

[SteelersPride]

DBs lining up at LB... They finally gave us a glimpse of it @SteelersPride

Steelers unveil a new seven DB quarters package

i knew it! i hope it works out