2014 Offseason Thread

[Ewa PGH Fan]

The articles that are being published (fansided, espn, nfl, BTSC, etc) are all forgetting the importance of revealing the timeframe where these offers landed. I don't know when exactly the offers were made to Finley, but I do know that they were sometime before the draft. Probably mid to late March. The fact that the offer "wasn't to his liking" means that the Steelers probably low balled the hell out of him while he was in town. What a lot of people don't know is that Finley's surgeon is part of the Steelers medical staff. So he was in Pittsburgh frequently this offseason. That right there probably tells me either A)Finley is using this link to boost offers from interested parties or B)He really did receive an offer but the Steelers were only looking for a cheap upgrade. That doesn't really tell me that they aren't happy with the depth behind Miller.

Also... Something to chew on... The Steelers were quietly linked with Finley at the beginning of free agency, but like other teams, it hasn't gone past the point of speculation... And these stories still haven't provided any sort of validity to these supposed offers other than Finley's claims. My guess is that soon we will be reading stories that the Steelers never offered Finley anything. If so... You heard it here first!

It is always/highly possible that these stories are comming from Finley and/or his agent just to increase his value. A team is always looking to improve their back ups if the price is right. A team should never be satisfied and always on the look out for an upgrade. That doesn't mean the Steelers aren't happy with their backup TEs if nothing better (upgrade at right price) becomes available.

Most of Finley's problem is that no team is gonna give him much over vet minimum until he proves his neck is healed. The fact that the Steelers had inside/first hand knowledge and probably still low balled him says a lot about the condition of Finley's neck.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

It is always/highly possible that these stories are comming from Finley and/or his agent just to increase his value. A team is always looking to improve their back ups if the price is right. A team should never be satisfied and always on the look out for an upgrade. That doesn't mean the Steelers aren't happy with their backup TEs if nothing better (upgrade at right price) becomes available.

Most of Finley's problem is that no team is gonna give him much over vet minimum until he proves his neck is healed. The fact that the Steelers had inside/first hand knowledge and probably still low balled him says a lot about the condition of Finley's neck.

Agreed on all accounts. He's crazy to think he will find anything more than the $10mil settlement. He is going to end up retiring.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Camp Preview:
Training camp preview for Pittsburgh Steelers - ESPN

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Offensive Tackle

ESPNs: Pittsburgh Steelers position preview: Offensive tackle - ESPN

Gone: Levi Brown & D'Anthony Batiste (cut during preseason LY)

Returning starters: Kelvin Beachum and Marcus Gilbert. Even though Beachum is listed as the starter, the LT position is still going to be up in the air come training camp. Expect Mike Adams to make a strong push for either OT position.

New Faces: Wesley Johnson. This rookie has everything you want intangibly and has great developmental value. However, like most rookies he has to make significant strength gains and perfect his technique. He is position-flexible being that he has played or worked at every position along the O-line, so his value is very high to the Steelers.

On the bubble: Guy Whimper & Wesley Johnson. These 2 are going to be battling for the 8th roster spot. Whimper has proven to be dependable, position-flexibile player. But Johnson brings the fresh blood, and could make a strong case for keeping him over Whimper.

Outlook:

It will be interesting to see where Adams gets to compete for a starting job at training camp. Beachum is not a prototypical left tackle but the 2012 seventh-round pick got the job done there last season. Adams has played considerably better at right tackle and Gilbert is going into the final year of his contract. Whoever is the odd man out at tackle as far as starting should give the Steelers a quality reserve there.

This is going to be a good position battle in camp. Adams has a lot to prove before he can take the job at either OT position. But like Mr. Brown said above, Gilbert is going into his final year of his contract so he has a lot to prove as well. There are going to be a lot of contracts to watch in the coming season, and Gilbert's value isn't very high on the priorities list. Giving Adams more game time experience at RT could help ease the transition if the Steelers were to part ways with Gilbert.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Guard

ESPNs: Pittsburgh Steelers: Position preview: Guard - ESPN

Gone: Nick Embernate, Justin Cheadle & Mike Golic Jr.

Returning starters: David DeCastro and Ramon Foster. Not a whole lot to say here. These 2 are entrenched with almost zero possibility of competition. They are entering the best years of an O-lineman's career where they show high level of performance. Lets just hope DeCastro doesn't lay another chop block into the back of someone's knee lol.

New faces: Wesley Johnson, Will Simmons, Bryant Browning and Chris Elkins. Johnson was drafted in the fifth-round. Simmons, Elkins & Browning were undrafted free agents.

On the bubble: All the new faces. Johnson's versatility will be the key if he makes the roster. There are already 2 position-flexible players in the interior of the line in Wallace & Snow. Johnson could be headed to the PS if he doesn't beat out Whimper.

Outlook:

The Steelers appear to be pretty set at guard with Cody Wallace, providing depth and DeCastro and Foster locked in as the starters. There is no reason to think that DeCastro won’t develop into a perennial Pro Bowler as Faneca, another first-round pick, did in the 2000s.

The Steelers are looking to return to their former ground & pound days. So this unit is going to have to be built to last. Depth is going to be key down the stretch as well since injuries are inevitable. I have very lofty expectations from the O-line this season.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

ESPN's Scott Brown projects the 2014 53-man roster:
Pittsburgh Steelers' projected roster - ESPN

I can agree with everything on this list. I question whether the Steelers will want 9 O-lineman though. I think they will go with 8 and let Whimper go. That roster spot could go towards the 6th WR, or even an additional LB. H-bey or Garvin would be my bet.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Center

ESPNs: Pittsburgh Steelers position preview: Center - ESPN

Gone: Fernando Velasco, Joe Madsen (cut last offseason)

New Faces: Wesley Johnson. As stated before, this drafted rookie has the versatility to play any position on the O-line.

Returning starter: Maurkice Pouncey. Steelers made him the highest paid Center in the NFL this offseason. Questions about durability still linger, but last season's injury was not his fault. Before that he only missed 2 games in 3 seasons. That's not concerning at all. Pouncey's leadership is very valuable to this group, and will do wonders for it this season. Expect Pouncey to return to great form and continue to improve his game.

On the bubble: David Snow. Snow & Wallace are heading into a head to head battle in latrobe. Snow will have to turn some heads in Latrobe because Wallace is pretty much sealed into backup duty. Versatility will also be key.

Outlook:

Velasco and Wallace did an admirable job of holding down the position last season, but Pouncey is one of the top centers in the NFL when healthy. His return should provide a big boost to a unit that allowed just seven sacks in the Steelers' final seven games in 2013 and came together in the second half of the season. Pouncey still has growth potential and should only get better while working with Munchak

Having Pouncey back is going to provide the gel that took the O-line over half a season LY to find. I expect big things from the O-line this season. The ground game & the passing game are going to be a great shape. As always, health is going to determine a lot.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Inside Linebacker

ESPNs: Position preview: Inside linebacker - Pittsburgh Steelers Blog - ESPN

Gone: Larry Foote (cap casualty), Stevenson Sylvester, Brian Rolle (cut last offseason), Alan Baxter (nabbed off PS LY)

New faces: Ryan Shazier. Drafted in the 1st round this year. There is a lot of potential with his athletic ability. 4.3 speed at ILB is almost unheard of (fastest LB in the draft since Urlacher). Lebeau has already been lining this kid up with Timmons for 1st team reps. He also had Shazier cover AB once during OTA's which only goes to show what sort of mad-genius plans Lebeau can uncover. Shazier has an opportunity to start this season, but it will take a lot of learning during training camp to get all of the schemes down, which is very difficult for a rookie to do. I expect Williams to start, but Lebeau will inject Shazier early and often in blitz/cover packages.

Returning starter: Lawrence Timmons. Recently dubbed by Bucky Brooks as one of the top 10 of ILBs in the NFL. Rankings aside, he is often overlooked and underrated. Timmons belongs in the Pro-Bowl.

On the bubble: Terence Garvin. Former UDFA standout has an uphill battle ahead of him. If Sean Spence's knee hold up in training camp then Garvin may be in a special teams battle for a roster spot. The team could go with Golden in the safety group (ranked top 3 by PFF for ST play last season), Heyward-Bey in the WR group, a DB (McCain/Blake/Green) or Garvin. Keith Butler recently stated that Garvin is a "starter" in this league. Quite a lot of praise for someone that is on the bubble. Shows how much depth there is at the position.

Outlook:

The Steelers turned a position that had been a bit of a question mark into a strength by drafting Shazier. The 6-1, 237-pounder improves their team speed and gives defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau a versatile playmaker that he can move around. Shazier, assuming he plays as well in pads as he did during offseason practices, will start alongside Timmons in the season opener and eventually assume the defensive playcalling duties. Vince Williams, who started 11 games last season at weakside inside linebacker, gives the Steelers a quality reserve. More depth could come from Spence if the former third-round pick makes it all the way back from a career-threatening knee injury

Coach Butler said it best: "We got inside linebackers out-the-butt" . This group is probably the most talented depth-wise as any in the NFL. It will be sad to see any of the guys go after the waves of cuts, but all of them have bright futures ahead of them regardless. Expect a more improved group this season, now that Williams has another full offseason under his belt and half a season of starter playing time.


Positions covered: QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, G, C, DE, NT

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Outside Linebacker

ESPNs: Position preview: Outside linebacker - Pittsburgh Steelers Blog - ESPN

Gone: LaMarr Woodley, Stevenson Sylvester, Jamal Westerman, Alan Robinson (traded for Felix LY), Marshall McFadden,

New faces: Arthur Moats, Jordan Zumwalt, Vic So'oto and Howard Jones. Moats & Zumwalt are position-flexible for any LB spot. So'oto & Jones are young and talented, both having the looks of another Steel City experiment. All 4 will provide much needed depth this offseason to a position with a lot of question marks.

Returning starters: Jason Worilds and Jarvis Jones. There is a lot of talent and promise with these 2, but still a lot to prove. This will be Worilds' first season as a starter, and the Steelers showed that they are entrenching him in a "prove it" season by slapping a transition tag on him this offseason. Many thought a deal would have been reached between the 2 parties before training camp started, but with Latrobe just around the corner it doesn't appear that a deal will be signed. Essentially they are putting Worilds in the driver's seat for his future. If he plays well then he may price himself out of Pittsburgh. Durability is still a major concern with Worilds. Jones is entering his 2nd year and should be vastly improved. LeBeau also moved Heyward to the right side so that should really open things up for Jones to show his abilities. The D will need consistency out of these 2.

On the bubble: Chris Carter. The Chris Carter experiment is in a make-or-break offseason. He is still young and talented, but he has yet to show anything exceptional. He has been a fairly solid ST contributor, but nothing more. He is likely to battle head to head with Zumwalt in training camp.

Outlook:

Significant improvement on defense hinges on the Steelers getting a consistent pass rush from their outside linebackers. They need Worilds to build on what he did in the second half of last season and for Jones to come into his own as a pass-rusher. Moats is a solid reserve but the Steelers don’t have much depth at outside linebacker. Fans would love for the Steelers to re-sign James Harrison but that is unlikely – at least before the start of training camp.

This group is much improved. A lot can be debated over the Woodley business, but in the end his production fell off and his health was an issue (not much upside to keeping him). Cutting ties with him has paved the way for the younger guys to finally show their worth. Still there are concerns with the 2 starters, but the answers should be revealed soon enough.




Positions covered: QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, G, C, DE, NT, ILB

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Polamalu on offseason:
Steelers Training Camp: Troy Polamalu saving his impressions for padded practices - Behind the Steel Curtain

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Cornerback

ESPNs: http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/7585/position-preview-cornerback

Gone: Curtis Brown, Josh Victorian, Terry Hawthorne, Demarcus Van Dyke, Ryan Steed (camp casualty), Buddy Jackson (camp casualty), Brandon Jones (signed to PS then released LY)

New faces: New faces: Brice McCain and Shaquille Richardson. McCain was a FA acquisition during the offseason who was signed to a low risk flier contract. He has the opportunity to prove himself worthy after failing to live up to his 2012 season in HOU. He has stated that he was playing injured and now he is back to full health. Richardson was a 5th Rd draft pick out of Arizona. DB coach Lake has coached this kid back in college, and recommended that Colbert take him in the draft. He has a lot of potential, but will need a few years to groom.

Returning starters: Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen. Ike Taylor took a paycut to stay with the team this year, and rightfully so. However way you see it, the fact is his play is in decline, and he wasn't worth the money he was about to be paid. He can certainly prove the team wrong and prove himself this season. Don't expect Lebeau to have him covering the WR1 much anymore, if at all. Allen finds himself in a make-or-break season seeing as how he is in his final contract year, and it is likely that he is at the top of the priority list. The coaches are going to want to test him early and often with more difficult matchups. The team decided to stick with Allen over Keenan Lewis in the '12 offseason, and it is time that he proves his worth.

On the bubble: Isaiah Green, and Devin Smith. These two are likely to battle it out for a special teams spot during camp with highly touted special team speedster Antwon Blake. Richardson could find himself on this list as well if he falls short of expectations during camp, and since he is PS eligible it could paint a target on his back for these 2 on the bubble. The team will likely stick with only 6 CB's. I project the 6 to be: Allen, Taylor, Gay, McCain, Richardson, & Blake.

Outlook:

This group will be closely scrutinized after the Steelers did little, at least on paper, to improve it. Taylor, who is 34, isn’t getting any younger, but he keeps himself in excellent shape and is plenty motivated after having to accept a pay cut to return to the Steelers. William Gay is a solid No. 3 cornerback who is essentially a starter with how often the Steelers employ their nickel defense. Antwon Blake is poised for a bigger role after playing primarily on special teams and McCain, 27, is young enough to bounce back after regressing last season in Houston. The Steelers need more interceptions from their cornerbacks, and Allen taking another step this season -- and staying healthy -- could go a long way toward the position producing more takeaways.

This group has a lot to prove, and nothing is secure right now (except for maybe Allen at CB1). Everything is up for grabs so anyone within the group could rise up the ranks. One thing is for sure though, Taylor is no longer the top dog no matter his physical conditioning standpoint. Like I said before, Allen is in a contract year so the coaches are going to give him the shot to prove he is worthy of taking the top of the depth chart. The entire organization & it's fanbase are going to be watching this group intensively after the team decided not to go with what was arguably their biggest need in the 1st round. I sure hope that Carnell Lake knew what he was talking about back in April & May.




Positions covered: QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, G, C, DE, NT, ILB, CB

 

[ATL96Steeler]

More good stuff from Face!

OLB...imo I think we're going to see a bit of change in the way this team challenges offenses...I think the last 2 or 3 years, it's been more of a reactionary DEF...not able to impose it's will on the offense and force them to react.

I'm hoping for more a sack by committee type effort, but Worilds and JJ still need to collapse the pocket from the edges and the DEs should be right there to take away the step up into the pocket...idk if they will be all the way there this year, but by 2015 this DEF could be a championship caliber again and for several years to come.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Safety

ESPNs: http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/7588/position-preview-safety

Gone: Ryan Clark

New faces: Mike Mitchell, and Jordan Dangerfield. per Scott Brown:

The Steelers moved quickly to get younger and faster on the back end of their defense, signing Mitchell to a five-year, $25 million contract on the first day of free agency. Mitchell, who turned 27 last month, enjoyed a breakout season with the Carolina Panthers after four mostly nondescript ones in Oakland. Mitchell intercepted four passes and notched 3.5 sacks while making 66 tackles for the Panthers in 2013. He should be a significant upgrade over Ryan Clark at free safety.

Steelers went against the norm and made a fairly large FA acquisition this offseason by signing Mitchell. The FO set up his contract as a low risk higher reward by backloading his contract. By doing this it give the Steelers a few seasons to decide whether he will be worth the back end of his contract. Smart thinking! It is arguable that Mitchell is nothing more than a product of a great front defense that he had in CAR. He has set his sights on great heights, and I am hopeful that he is more than what they thought of him in CAR. Also, a lot will depend on his on-field chemistry with Polamalu. We know that Polamalu's expertise is only as good as his FS allows him to be. Mitchell needs to learn the defense through & through, and fast! Lebeau has also stated that it could be possible to see Mitchell blitzing as well. Bottom line, he is younger and faster than Ryan Clark.

Returning starters: Troy Polamalu. For the first time in what feel like an eternity Polamalu played an entire season. He made a big to do over his change to a new rehabilitation specialist last offseason, and it sure paid off. His play may be in a bit of a decline, and realistically this may be his last season in PIT. Just last month Polamalu made a very rare offer to his heir-apparent Thomas to join him in offseason training. I think even Polamalu knows that he is entering his final season. Maybe we will get 2 more seasons out of him, but nothing is certain at this point. It will be a sad day to see him go, but he will retire a legend in the Steel City regardless. Expect to see Shmarko injected into starting duties (not just nickel packages) this season so that Lebeau can get a good look at his future talent.

On the bubble: Robert Golden, Ross Ventrone, and Jordan Dangerfield. These 2 are among those battling for a roster spot based on their special-teams play. Golden was rated in the top 3 of ST players last season by PFF. He has great value as a ST contributer, which will be nearly impossible to rise above for Ventrone & Dangerfield.

Outlook:

Age and the grind of 11 NFL seasons has caught up with Polamalu a little bit, but he is still a top-tier safety as well as one of the few proven playmakers that the Steelers have on defense. Mitchell should make Polamalu better and the addition of inside linebacker Ryan Shazier should free up Polamalu to play all over the field. Thomas is expected to make a big jump in his second season and he could overtake Allen as the No. 3 safety.

I've said it before, but now that Polamalu isn't likely to be playing anymore LB it should vastly improve their secondary. With the addition of Mitchell, it should be even more improved. Mitchell & Polamalu will likely be the key to the success of the secondary though, so here is to hoping for a full healthy season out of both!


Positions covered: QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, G, C, DE, NT, ILB, CB, S

That wraps up my offseason "beating of the dead horse"... Unless you guys want me to throw in a specialist preview lol. Thanks for tuning in, and thank god training camp starts Friday! See you guys there!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

More good stuff from Face!

OLB...imo I think we're going to see a bit of change in the way this team challenges offenses...I think the last 2 or 3 years, it's been more of a reactionary DEF...not able to impose it's will on the offense and force them to react.

I'm hoping for more a sack by committee type effort, but Worilds and JJ still need to collapse the pocket from the edges and the DEs should be right there to take away the step up into the pocket...idk if they will be all the way there this year, but by 2015 this DEF could be a championship caliber again and for several years to come.

Thanks ATL! I know it's all fairly repetitive, but I had nothing better to do lol. I reached an "offseason" of sorts with work so I've been sitting around with idle hands.

I couldn't agree more about the defense though. We should see better playmaking at every position, but like you said, it may take a full season for it to start really clicking as a unit. I have high hopes for this group! I just hope by next offseason they aren't scrambling to pick up a OLB or CB since the position may become very thin depending on the contracts of Allen & Worilds. Luckily the salary cap is expected to rise again.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yeah...we're in that tweener period, but camp is around the corner.

CB/S...I'm expecting a decent back 4, 5 or 6 this year...considering that Gay will already be on the field a ton...Shamarko imo will be the 6th DB, Troy will be able to play more wildcard on 1st down...line up all over...I'll be curious to see if Lebeau has Allen in more bump-run, but it's imperative now that he is re-signed long term.

I think it's safe to say they wanted Gilbert over Dennard...I liked Fuller, but felt CHI reached a little there. I want to see how some of these DBs that were left on the board (Jaylen Watkins, Cockrell, Breeland) in the 3rd round turn out.

I wasn't high on Johnathan Banks 2 years ago, but he's turned out to be a very good CB so far. The '15 crop is not looking stellar...not yet anyway.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I would agree about Gilbert lol, but I still wonder what Colbert would have done if Shazier & Gilbert were still on the board. I saw that Roberson was signed as a UDFA, which is crazy. And Watkins, Breeland & Cockrrell didn't go until the 4th round when we had almost all of them mocked in the 3rd. Just goes to show how deep the draft really was. Seems like quite a few players (around 5-10) that were mocked in our first rounds actually went in the 2nd in the real draft. Just go to show how biased fanbases can be on personnel priorities.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I would agree about Gilbert lol, but I still wonder what Colbert would have done if Shazier & Gilbert were still on the board. I saw that Roberson was signed as a UDFA, which is crazy. And Watkins, Breeland & Cockrrell didn't go until the 4th round when we had almost all of them mocked in the 3rd. Just goes to show how deep the draft really was. Seems like quite a few players (around 5-10) that were mocked in our first rounds actually went in the 2nd in the real draft. Just go to show how biased fanbases can be on personnel priorities.

Shazier/Gilbert...good question...not that he's an OLB, but I think the uncertainty of Worilds long term, and the thought of having a stud along side Timmons probably would've skewed him to the LB.

3rd round...I get it with Archer, but they took a risk there imo...I thought all 3 of those CBs mentioned were potential starters in 2 years...that's why I'm thinking the OFC has to be the catalyst this season...apparently they think this change of pace guy was going to have more impact than a rookie CB at that point in the draft.

I think he will, but it would've been nice to have a young guy with size ready to at least be the 3rd CB in 2015.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Interesting point on Archer. I can definitely understand taking the risk for just that reason. But I did stumble upon a picture on Archer's instagram that showed him fielding punts back in March or February with none other than Danny Smith standing 10 yards away from him. Makes me wonder if both Smith & Haley were wanting him because they were looking for upgrades. 2 birds with 1 stone is an easy argument to make.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Interesting point on Archer. I can definitely understand taking the risk for just that reason. But I did stumble upon a picture on Archer's instagram that showed him fielding punts back in March or February with none other than Danny Smith standing 10 yards away from him. Makes me wonder if both Smith & Haley were wanting him because they were looking for upgrades. 2 birds with 1 stone is an easy argument to make.

I thought on draft day the pick made more sense in terms of immediate impact, but it could very well have been a case of the loudest squeaky wheels (Smith/Haley) getting oiled 1st...2 birds with one stone indeed...lol.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Phase 7 - Training Camp - Day 1

Preview by Prisutta & Labriola: LIVE: The first practice of 2014 Training Camp

Player arrival: A) LIVE: Players arrive at Training Camp
B) Update: Players arrive for Training Camp

Taylor's moving day: Moving to Training Camp with Ike Taylor

Recap: A) LIVE: The first practice of 2014 Training Camp
B) Sights & Sounds: Training Camp Day 1

Interviews:
Ben: Ben on Day 1 of Training Camp
Tomlin: Coach Tomlin on Ben and Game of Thrones

Tomlin recap:
Tomlin: 'It was a good start for us today'

Roster change:
Steelers release ILB Kion Wilson, sign CB Lew Toler - Behind the Steel Curtain


First things first... For those of you that don't know, Day 1 of training camp is basically a conditioning test for the entire team. Pads don't come on until Monday. 2 players were put on the PUP list: Mike Mitchell & Adam Podlesh. Mitchell suffered a groin injury sometime last month and is likely to be out for the first week of training camp. No clue what happened to Podlesh. Obviously Mitchell's injury is of concern going into a crucial offseason camp. Hopefully he is back in the saddle soon.

I won't be able to post any videos until I get them uploaded to youtube. And I'll be summing up my thoughts on the entire camp when it comes to a close. Stay tuned!