2016 Position Previews

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

whats our cap we should consider one year deals for cromartie AND hall

Last I heard they were around $2.8mil under. I wouldn't get my hopes up for anyone to come in and play much though. We know that much from last year's Boykin situation.

 

[SteelersPride]

i know, but if we can get someone cheap, boykin obv had issues, but we need help now....

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Offensive Tackle

Gone: Kelvin Beachum, Mike Adams, Kevin Whimpy

Returning Starters: Marcus Gilbert. Gilbert had a strong '15 season, and was widely considered a snub from the pro bowl. Gilbert was once questioned as the future of the RT position, but is now considered one of the best in the business. Decided not to put AVill on here. More on that below.

Returning Depth: Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler. AVill filled in admirably when Beachum went down last season. He showed great promise and is an early favorite to win the LT position. Still needs work, but he's essentially entering year 2 so he's got a lot of room to grow. Feiler spent last year on PIT's PS. He's a two-time first-team All-PSAC East out of Bloomsburg. Outstanding size at 6'6" 330. Good upper-body strength but he's not a natural bender. Limited mobility, explosion and balance.

New Faces: Ryan Harris, Jerald Hawkins, Brian Mihalik. Harris spent last season as the starter for the Broncos after pro-bowler Ryan Clady went down for the year. He has quite the extensive injury history, which is worrisome. 3 back surgeries (dating as far back as his college days at Notre Dame), toe surgery (landed him on IR in 2009), and a bum ankle (sidelined him for a few games in 2010). His injuries plagued his career in which he played for the Broncos on 3 separate stints, while also playing for the Eagles, Texans & Chiefs in between. However he resurrected his career last season playing a full 16 games. My belief is he is a decent backup option. Doubt he will take the job from AVill but he's the main competition for now. Lets hope that the Steelers didn't jump the gun and overpay him ($3.9mil). Hawkins was the Steelers' 4th round selection out of LSU where he was a 3-yr starter. He started at right tackle his first two years before switching to left for his junior year. Good size, mobility, and technique. But is still considered a project by many draft scouts. He will need a year or 2 to groom before competing for a starting gig. Mihalik is an interesting project, as in he played DE at Boston College, and was drafted by the Eagles to play that position. Despite having zero experience at the OT position, the Steelers chose to move him there. Interested to hear why, but so far I have come up with nothing. The team had similar success with AVill who made the same transition. Both players stand at 6'9", were released by the Eagles before being signed, and both men had no experience as an offensive lineman before being switched to tackle. Quite the coincidence.

On the Bubble: Hawkins, Mihalik, Feiler. These 3 are possibly battling for 1 open spot if the team decides to carry 4 OT's.

Outlook: This position has solid depth. I am excited to see how AVill grows this season, not to mention if Gilbert finally makes the pro bowl. The LT position is AVill's job to lose. Harris should be a quality backup option should either OT miss any time. Not sure what to expect out of Hawkins yet, but the initial reports have been good.

According to the early reports I've seen, I think Harris has been running with the 1st team and AVill with the 2nd. At this point, idk what that means, but at the very least the coaches want to get a look at Harris with the 1st unit.

I think 8 might be the head count for OL this yr...seems like they ran with 8 LY as well...with Hawkins having played both sides...he looks like a good swing OT candidate.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Center

Gone: Collin Rahrig (C/G), Reese Dismukes (C/G)

Returning Starters: Maurkice Pouncey. Returning from yet another injury that took away his entire '15 season. He seems very motivated and pissed off about his injuries. He spent a lot more time this offseason strengthening his legs. Let's hope he can stay healthy because when he's out there, he's one of the best Centers in the league.

Returning Depth: Cody Wallace (C/G), Chris Hubbard (C/G), B.J. Finney (C/G). See the returning depth portion for the Guards position above.

New Faces: Quinton Schooley. Great breakdown by SteelerDepot: 2016 Steelers' UDFA Scouting Reports: NC State C Quinton Schooley - Steelers Depot

On the Bubble: Wallace, Hubbard, Finney, Schooley. I seriously doubt Wallace is in any sort of jeopardy of losing his spot. I think it would take an injury to force him out. These players are battling for backup positions at both C & G. Position flexibility is the name of the game!

Outlook: The O-line will receive a huge boost by having their captain Pouncey back. So long as health permits, this unit is in for another great season.

Stay healthy Pouncey!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Defensive End

Gone: Cam Thomas, Clifton Geathers, Ethan Hemer, Joe Kruger, Dominique Davis, Matt Conrath

Returning Starters: Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt. Heyward is one of the more highly regarded interior lineman in the NFL. He is a leader and a driving force for this defense. Remarkably consistent and is fantastic at disrupting passing lanes. Tuitt had an underrated coming out party last season by finishing 2nd on the team in sacks with 6.5. Who finished first? Heyward. The combination of these 2 guys is deadly. If they can continue to get better then this could be one of the best DE combos in the league.

Returning Depth: LT Walton (DE/DT), Caushaud Lyons. Walton is an impressive athlete, but still is considered a bit raw. He impressed enough to win a spot on the 53 though, and had a full year to learn last season. Not sure what to expect form him, but the hope is to get Heyward & Tuitt more rest this season. Don't know a whole lot about Lyons other than he did enough to impress the coaches and get a PS spot last season.

New Faces: Ricardo Matthews, Johnny Maxey, Giorgio Newberry. Matthews was a FA acquisition who played the last couple years for the Chargers. Prior to that he was drafted by the Colts in '10 and played there for 3 years. Don't know much about him other than he's a serviceable player. Should be able to contribute in some form or another. Maxey (UDFA) is probably the most unknown out of the group considering he comes from a private school called Mars Hill, which is part of Division II's South Atlantic Conference. In his final season there he racked up 82 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries in only 11 games played. It earned him 2nd-team All-Conference Honors in the SAC. One scout was quoted "Maxey is massive and agile as he executed that attribute during his short shuttles. He demonstrated great footwork with the ability to get off the ball, he is surely a NFL star waiting to happen.” Could be an exciting player to watch. Newberry is another UDFA, but played in a much bigger division for FSU. Widely considered a project considering he doesn't have a position of focus. He was moved from DE to DT to TE back to OT. Not enough juice to rush from edge and not enough strength play inside. Steelers list him as a DE. Not sure what to expect from him.

On the Bubble: Matthews, Walton, Lyons, Maxey, Newberry. All are relatively unknowns at this point. Hard to guess who has the upper hand, but if experience has anything to do with it then Matthews & Walton are early favorites. Position flexibility between DE & DT is a huge plus for these guys if they can master both positions.

Outlook: I can't remember the statistic off the top of my head, but last season Heyward & Tuitt combined to eat up ~90% of defensive snaps. That's far too much. I know they are great players, but you can tell that snap count hurts them in the 4th quarter. Coaches need to get more players in there to keep those 2 fresh. Dominating in the trenches will open up all kinds of attacks for the 2nd & 3rd tier that Butler will want to deploy since he has one of the fastest LBer corps in the league. I expect another great season from this group.

Some interesting depth newcomers.

I haven't heard the early reports on Matthews, but he supposedly has experience at DT which is a plus. Reportedly liked his tape, but I'm curious to think what coach Mitch thinks of him now. Walton needs to factor this season.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Defensive Tackle / Nose Tackle

Gone: Steve McLendon, Cam Thomas (DE/DT), Clifton Geathers (DE/DT)

Returning Starters: Nobody. McLendon's departure opens the door for an open competition.

Returning Depth: Dan McCullers, LT Walton (DE/DT). Big Dan is the favorite to win the starting gig. He is still incredibly massive, but has since cut 15-20lbs off his original 352lb frame. He still has troubles with technique, but fortunately for him his size makes him impossible to move no matter who tries. As noted above in the DE's position, Walton is still relatively unknown. He will be someone to keep an eye on during preseason. Not sure if he will make much of an impact at the DT position though unless injuries occur.

New Faces: Javon Hargrave, Lavon Hooks, Roy Philon (DE/DT), Devaunte Sigler. Hargrave was selected in the 3rd Rd of the 2016 draft. He dominated his level of competition in CFB at SC St. Surprising foot quickness & burst with good rushing moves. He has a great motor and displays plus effort with his willingness to pursue around the field. I know ATL has been high on this kid all offseason. Will be great if he can make an impact early on. Hooks is big bodied DT standing at 6'3" 312lbs. He bounced around 4-5 different schools in college, one of them being Ole Miss. He went undrafted last season but got picked up by the Packers before getting cut. Philon played in all 4 preseason games for the Steelers back in 2014 before getting cut on the final day. He has spent time with the Bears and Lions since, appearing in 3 preseason games for Detroit last season. Sigler played college ball at Jax St. He has the size (6'3" 300), motor and strength to get him into a camp, but he will need to become much better with his technique. He may not even get the chance as he was already put on PUP because his conditioning test wasn't passed to Tomlin's standards. Somethin about an ankle or knee he has been rehabbing. Supposedly he passed the test, but Tomlin didn't like what he saw.

On the Bubble: Hooks, Philon, Sigler. These guys will have to battle with the DE's for a roster spot. Position flexibility is a must.

Outlook: McCullers & Hargrave look to be in a head to head battle for the job. But with Butler's continuously changing schemes, we could see more 4-man fronts. We know they have wanted to make that transition for some time but we have only seen glimpses of it, and now they might have the personnel to accomplish it more. I have faith that McCullers will step up and make a good impact. Hargrave could figure in to rotate for subpackage roles or relieve McCullers. That's the hope anyways. We will have to wait and see how these guys do in TC.

I think this position will be the key to this team taking another step towards the SB...granted...a true NT is only on the field 30% of the snaps, but I think they have finally found the right mix of personnel...a run stopping guy in base, and a penetrating guy in nickel so the.

Like you said, McCullers is really hard for one man to move...as long as he's gained more knowledge about how teams want to block him, and he can keep his pad level down, he can be a force vs the run...the ILBs should free to flow behind him and arguably the best 3-4 DE tandem in the league.

Then on passing downs they have a talent in Hargrave...ready made talent for penetrating and causing havoc in the backfield. Still a rookie so I have to temper my enthusiasm but so far in camp...his quickness and strength is evident.

I think the DEF got better with that pick....I do think they have the goods to play more 4 man DL fronts. We'll have to see how Butler goes about it this...stay blitz heavy, or can he rely on his bigs more this season in pass rush.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

whats our cap we should consider one year deals for cromartie AND hall

Without an extension for Decastro, and or Timmons, I don't think they have the money to go after Hall (whom CIN might be looking to bring back themselves....Cromartie has experience, but I see the need more in the slot than outside.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Guard

Gone: Collin Rahrig (C/G), Reese Dismukes (C/G), Miles Dieffenbach

Returning Starters: David DeCastro, Ramon Foster. DeCastro is a candidate for a contract this offseason. Still in the works, but could happen soon. He earned his first pro bowl last season and was 1st team All Pro IIRC. He continuously gets better year after year. Foster is a decent starting option, but I am still of the opinion that he is one of the weakspots on the O-line. He's capable, and is seen as a strong leader in the huddle & lockerroom, but I still think his position could be upgraded. But that might come at the expense of cohesion. He has played with this group since 2009. He has seen and done it all.

Returning Depth: Cody Wallace (C/G), Chris Hubbard (C/G), B.J. Finney (C/G). Wallace has filled in admirably for Pouncey these past few years. He played a full season last year at Center. While he's not the most technically sound or athletic lineman out there, he is still serviceable and has a great amount of experience. Hubbard has also seen limited rotation snaps (3-5 per game) to spell Foster. He has been with the team since '13. So far nobody has been able to take the job from him. Finney is a camp favorite, and has a great shot at winning that position.

New Faces: Cole Manhart. Decorated Division II tackle prospect who had to move inside to have any shot in the NFL. He is athletic enough for a zone scheme, but scouts had grave concerns about his ability to drop anchor and handle power from the inside. Bottom line he's a very fluid athlete with good feet. He can pull with ease.

On the Bubble: Hubbard, Finney & Manhart. All 3 are battling for 1 position. Hubbard is the resident holder of that position, so its his job to lose.

Outlook: I was right about DeCastro being in for a pro bowl season LY. I have no reason to suspect any dropoff in play for this season. He gets better every year, so expect that to continue. The O-line is a very cohesive unit. No matter who might be the weakest link, the group performs well together. Ben was the least pressured QB last season according to PFF. That's a great stat to hang their hats on.

With Pouncey, I actually think the interior of the OL is the strongest part...yeah, they can't pull Foster as much as DeCastro, he's not as athletic, but he's adapted well to the blocking scheme and I know Ben was happy to see him signed...he's been the most durable OL on the squad...as you said, we know what Wallace brings...big insurance....curious to see what the headcount will be...overall...8 or 9.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Inside Linebacker

Gone: Sean Spence, Terrence Garvin.

Returning Starters: Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier. LT is entering what could be a swan song year. His cap hit is astronomical (~$15) and the team is in a bind on what they can do. Basically at this point they are intending to eat that hit. After seeing a noticeable dropoff in play last season, not to mention his position is being phased out of the defense more in favor of more DBs, it is worth questioning whether LT will be signed to an extension. Nonetheless I still consider him to be a valuable asset. He is a trustworthy LB & a vet captain of the D, but probably not worth the current price. Shazier is entering what is widely being considered his breakout season. Big expectations loom for Shazier to make the leap towards being a superstar. He definitely has freakish potential, but the question is... is he built for it? Injuries have so far played a major role in his young career. I've got high hopes for the kid.

Returning Depth: Vince Williams, L.J. Fort, Jordan Zumwalt (ILB/OLB), Arthur Moats (primarily OLB). V-Will is still Mr. Dependable. Still cannot say enough about this kid's fierce competitiveness. Love the fire & passion that he brings to field, but not necessarily his mouth. Should the team decide to let LT walk after this year, V-Will is a much cheaper alternative that is more than capable of filling the void. Fort spent the beginning of last season on the PS before being promoted to the active roster in late December to fill the ST void that Nix left after being placed on IR. I've said it before, but Fort is another high motor & intensity player that could surprise a lot of people this season. Now that Spence & Garvin are gone, he has a great shot at making the 53, especially for ST purposes. Zumwalt is still trying to find a home on this team. He has spent the previous couple seasons on IR, so we haven't seen much action from him. In very limited preseason play we did see flashes of why they drafted him. I'd love to see him stick around, but the window of opportunity is closing fast. I only listed Moats in here because he does have experience at the position. He's the "break-glass-in-case-of-emergency" fill-in.

New Faces: Steven Johnson, Travis Feeney, Tyler Matakevich. Steven Johnson was originally a UDFA for the Broncos back in '12. He made the 53 & started in 7 games that year. Quite the impressive feat for a UDFA. He became a valuable rotation & ST player during his 3 years in Denver. In '15 he played for the Titans where he was mainly used on ST, but played in all 16 games. Should be a valuable depth contributor to pair with V-Will. Travis Feeney played CFB at Washington where he started at OLB. He has a great motor, but is undersized for an OLB at the NFL level so I believe he will make the transition inside. Sort of like the tweener that Garvin was. So far the team has been trying him out in subpackages during camp to experiment with him. Matakevich played CFB at Temple where he became known as a film-study junkie. He is quite the intelligent player, and plays with a huge chip on his shoulder because of many years of being overlooked. His teammates have already nicknamed him "Dirty Red" during TC. He won the 2015 Bronco Nagurski Award and was a 3x 1st-team All-American Athletic Conference pick. He wasn't the biggest player on the field but was usually among the most productive. He was a 4-year starter and accumulated over 100 tackles in EACH season. There's a lot to like about this kid.

On the Bubble: Johnson, Feeney, Matakevich, Fort, Zumwalt. The team carried 5 ILB's last season. So by my count, there will only be 2 open spots for these 5 to battle for. Johnson seems like the early bet to take 1 of those spots. For both Feeney & Matakevich to make the roster they would need to make their presence felt on ST. If not, likely only 1 of the 2 will make it. Zumwalt has the opportunity to equate into that discussion as well.

Outlook: Even with the departure of Spence & Garvin, the team made the right moves this offseason to keep this position with plenty of depth. I expect Shazier to have a huge season this year, and hopefully they can squeeze some life out of Timmons before making the decision to keep him around or cut him loose. Nevertheless, this position is primed for a great year.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Tight End

Gone: Heath Miller (retired), Matt Spaeth (failed physical), Will Johnson (FB/RB/TE), Rob Blanchflower, Cameron Clear, Michael Egnew

Returning starters: Nobody. Can't really consider Jesse James a returning starter, but he's the closest they have to it.

Returning Depth: Jesse James, Xavier Grimble, Jesse James looked like a well rounded TE option last season. He's still young, and there's a lot of pressure on him to step up this season to fill the HUGE void left by Miller & Spaeth's departure. There's a lot to be excited about with James. Grimble also bring a lot of playmaking ability to the table. He's a hybrid type TE. So far in camp he has been making a decent impression.

New Faces: Ladarius Green, David Johnson, Paul Lang, Mandel Dixon. All eyes will be on Ladarius Green this season. Touted as one of the best (sneaky) offseason acquisitions per NFL or ESPN (can't remember which one). Unfortunately we will have to wait to see this new toy in the offense as he has started TC on PUP as he rehabs his ankle surgery from last season. He was ready for camp, but Tomlin decided to take the safe approach. Green was quoted as not being necessarily happy about being placed on PUP, but agrees with the coaches' decision. David Johnson comes back to the Steelers after a brief stint in San Diego the past 2 seasons. He brings a solid blocking presence to the group. If you recall, Arians deployed him as a FB during the 2011 season. Not sure he is still as position flexible as he used to be, but I'm glad to have another veteran presence within this young group. Paul Lang had a decent career at Michigan State. He looks to be cut from the same cloth as Heath Miller size-wise. Good hands, but needs work on his route running & blocking. Dixon is a versatile player that has experience at both TE & RB. Sort of like a Will Johnson type gadget player. Word is he suffered an injury during TC already, so he may be on the chop block.

On the Bubble: Grimble, Johnson, Dixon & Lang. All 4 are fighting for 1 position. Early favorite is David Johnson based off of experience alone. Doubt Dixon & Lang will even make the PS, but Grimble is someone to keep your eyes on.

Outlook: Position looks to be a little shaky this year. Really hoped that Spaeth would have recovered from his offseason surgery, but clearly he didn't. Hence why David Johnson was signed. Like I said, there going to be a lot of pressure on Jesse James to provide stability. We still don't know exactly what to expect from Ladarius Green, but hopefully he will provide a good boost to this offense.

UPDATE!

The team has waived/injured Mandel Dixon and signed TE Jake Phillips.

Steelers.com quote:
"Phillips, an undrafted rookie free agent out of UNLV, saw action in 50 games. He recorded 55 receptions for 536 yards with three receiving touchdowns throughout his college career. Phillips will wear No. 49."

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Outside Linebacker

Gone: Howard Jones, Shawn Lemon, Shayon Green

Returning Starters: Bud Dupree. It's hard to list anyone on the starting block seeing as how Butler & Tomlin prefer a rotation. But I think Dupree has the most snaps to gain based off of his performance. We know the ceilings of the rest of the players. Dupree had an excellent rookie campaign and looks primed to make the leap in his 2nd year.

Returning Depth: James Harrison, Jarvis Jones, Arthur Moats, Anthony Chickillo, Jordan Zumwalt (ILB/OLB). Harrison continues to prove that age means nothing. He may not be the 3-down impact player that he once was, but when used in a rotation (primarily for pass rush) he is still just as disruptive. JJ is the better coverage OLB so he sees plenty of work. Sad to say but I think we have seen JJ's ceiling and it is what it is. He isn't the impact player that he was drafted to be, but he is still a decent OLB. We talked about his contract situation and I think the Steelers made the right call. Moats is another OLB that we know his ceilings but he is a serviceable backup. Generates a decent pass rush and solid in run support. Chickillo was last year's camp darling and made a solid impact on ST (couple FF's). I've been reading puff pieces on the kid and he sounds like he worked his ass off to get into great shape this offseason. I'm excited to see if he can escalate his game. Read the ILB preview for more details on Zumwalt.

New Faces: Travis Feeney, Mike Reilly. As stated in the ILB preview, it's still fairly uncertain whether Feeney will play outside or inside. Read the ILB preview for more details on him. Reilly comes from Tomlin's alma matter, William & Mary. He played at DE but often played upright. His playing style & smaller size made the transition to OLB a no-brainer. He made waves his senior year by continuously destroying his competition in the FCS. He was signed as a UDFA by the Browns last year before being a last-cutdown casualty. In early January of this year the Cardinal scooped him up before being waived to make room in May. Not sure where the Steelers have been using him yet, but he's most likely with Porter's group (OLB).

On the Bubble: Feeney, Zumwalt & Reilly. All 3 will battle for ST roster spots. Chickillo would be the only person in semi-danger of losing a roster spot, but I doubt that would happen.

Outlook: Not as much competition at this position as years past, but the top 4 are pretty entrenched for at least this season. Harrison is in it for the ring, and if it doesn't happen this year then who knows whether he can continue to defy father time. For this season this position is stable. But the future is the opposite. JJ is in a contract year and Harrison is on the verge of retiring (again). Should JJ have a great season and price himself out of the burgh then OLB will be back on top of the draft radar or possibly even a FA.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Cornerback

Gone: Brandon Boykin, Antwan Blake, BW Webb, Kevin Fogg

Returning Starters: William Gay. Gay continues to be one of the only bright spots in a very blemished group. He may not be among the best in the NFL, but he is a savvy vet and continuously finds a way to come up big for this unit.

Returning Depth: Ross Cockrell, Senquez Golson, Doran Grant. Cockrell is a young guy that the Steelers scooped up last offseason after the Bills sent him packing. He is a young & athletic corner with lots of room to grow. The coaches didn't take long to take a liking to him as he saw a lot of playing time early on & all throughout last season. He has the size & speed to become a great CB. He is the early favorite and will likely start opposite Gay. Golson could have been put in the new faces category because he red-shirted his rookie season on IR after a torn labrum sidelined him last offseason. Unfortunately we will have to wait another couple of months before we can see him play as he reportedly suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot which will sideline him upwards of 12 weeks. Quite the frustrating blow to a player that the coaches have been raving about all offseason. He was slated to be the starter as the slot CB. Rumors of Grant being transitioned to safety were abundant early in the offseason but Coach Lake put them to rest by saying he has no idea why they started in the first place. They intend to keep him in the CB group, but Lake did acknowledge that he could "probably" make that transition if necessary. Grant started last season on the PS before being promoted to the active roster in November. He played on ST, but failed to make much of an impact. The door has swung wide open for him to display his skills now that Golson is injured.

New Faces: Artie Burns, Sean Davis, Al-Hajj Shabazz, Donald Washington, Kevin White. The long awaited CB in the 1st round has finally happened when the Steelers took Artie Burns @25th overall in the 2016 draft. He features great size & speed with a solid set of hands to boot. Think of an Ike Taylor that can actually catch! lol. Problem is that Burns thrived in press coverage, something that the Steelers rarely do. His college tape didn't do him many favors when he was seen playing off the line. He was a puzzling draft pick considering that fact alone, but maybe Butler & Lake will let him play on the line. The good thing about him is that he is young and very athletic. With the right coaches around him he could be molded to play whatever scheme they desire. Time will tell. I know Sean Davis was drafted to be a safety, but he has to be put in this category for the fact that he is already eating up Senquez Golson's reps at slot CB in training camp. The coaches have since been lauding his position flexibility. He made waves during the Senior Bowl practices & game where his hard nose hitting was on full display. His college tape at CB wasn't anything special, but he has a great nose for the ball. Last season was his first at CB, and he only made that transition out of necessity when Maryland lost some of their CB's to injury. He is a better fit at safety, and will need time to grow as a CB if they want him to play that position because he is still very raw with his technique. Shabazz played CFB at West Chester University where, in his senior year, he led the team with 5 INTs and 11 pass breakups, while compiling 40 tackles. He had brief stints with the Colts (UDFA) & Buccaneers last year. He has a good frame and length (6'2" 200) with an ability to make plays on throws underneath. Questions have loomed about his technique and physicality. Another raw project for the fold. Donald Washington was drafted by the Chiefs in the 4th Rd back in 09 (an awesome draft year for the Stillers if you recall lol), He was drafted as a strong safety but has seen time at CB. After getting cut in 2011 he went on a 3 year hiatus from football before playing in the CFL in 2014. After getting released in 2015 he made another shot at the NFL. He didn't gain any attention until rookie tryouts of this season when he caught the coaches' attention. He is 30 years old and on the latter end of his career, but lets hope the coaches saw something useful in him. White was a 2nd-team All-Big 12 selection in 2014, and helped bolster a TCU pass defense that was among the best in the nation (often lined up on the WR1). He signed as a UDFA for the Falcons last season but failed to make the 53. Overall he has the ball skills and size (5'9" 185) to excel as a slot CB. However, his short arms and lackluster speed could make him a bit of a liability in coverage.

On the Bubble: Grant, Shabazz, Washington, White. Since Golson is injured that could open the door for possible 2 out of this group to make the team. Luckily for them Davis probably won't factor into the CB head count. We will have to wait and see what the roster cutdowns look like before they make any decisions on the number of CBs they want to carry.

Outlook: This position looked primed to make a big step forward, however that image took a sizeable hit after Golson was injured. I still think they are in decent shape considering they have Cockrell who could take a big step forward this season, and they have injected youth into the position with Burns & Davis. Should be interesting to see how quickly those young guys transition to the NFL. The faster they can make an impact the better. We know Butler & Tomlin have been working hard to simplify the coverage schemes, so that will help quicken that transition. Gay & Cockrell will likely be the starters, and that is a solid grouping. The slot CB is still yet to be decided. Davis is eating up those reps so far, but there is a lot of TC & preseason left before that spot is solidified. Should be a fun position to keep an eye on. And lets hope that Golson returns to the field faster than what is being predicted.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Inside Linebacker

Gone: Sean Spence, Terrence Garvin.

Returning Starters: Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier. LT is entering what could be a swan song year. His cap hit is astronomical (~$15) and the team is in a bind on what they can do. Basically at this point they are intending to eat that hit. After seeing a noticeable dropoff in play last season, not to mention his position is being phased out of the defense more in favor of more DBs, it is worth questioning whether LT will be signed to an extension. Nonetheless I still consider him to be a valuable asset. He is a trustworthy LB & a vet captain of the D, but probably not worth the current price. Shazier is entering what is widely being considered his breakout season. Big expectations loom for Shazier to make the leap towards being a superstar. He definitely has freakish potential, but the question is... is he built for it? Injuries have so far played a major role in his young career. I've got high hopes for the kid.

Returning Depth: Vince Williams, L.J. Fort, Jordan Zumwalt (ILB/OLB), Arthur Moats (primarily OLB). V-Will is still Mr. Dependable. Still cannot say enough about this kid's fierce competitiveness. Love the fire & passion that he brings to field, but not necessarily his mouth. Should the team decide to let LT walk after this year, V-Will is a much cheaper alternative that is more than capable of filling the void. Fort spent the beginning of last season on the PS before being promoted to the active roster in late December to fill the ST void that Nix left after being placed on IR. I've said it before, but Fort is another high motor & intensity player that could surprise a lot of people this season. Now that Spence & Garvin are gone, he has a great shot at making the 53, especially for ST purposes. Zumwalt is still trying to find a home on this team. He has spent the previous couple seasons on IR, so we haven't seen much action from him. In very limited preseason play we did see flashes of why they drafted him. I'd love to see him stick around, but the window of opportunity is closing fast. I only listed Moats in here because he does have experience at the position. He's the "break-glass-in-case-of-emergency" fill-in.

New Faces: Steven Johnson, Travis Feeney, Tyler Matakevich. Steven Johnson was originally a UDFA for the Broncos back in '12. He made the 53 & started in 7 games that year. Quite the impressive feat for a UDFA. He became a valuable rotation & ST player during his 3 years in Denver. In '15 he played for the Titans where he was mainly used on ST, but played in all 16 games. Should be a valuable depth contributor to pair with V-Will. Travis Feeney played CFB at Washington where he started at OLB. He has a great motor, but is undersized for an OLB at the NFL level so I believe he will make the transition inside. Sort of like the tweener that Garvin was. So far the team has been trying him out in subpackages during camp to experiment with him. Matakevich played CFB at Temple where he became known as a film-study junkie. He is quite the intelligent player, and plays with a huge chip on his shoulder because of many years of being overlooked. His teammates have already nicknamed him "Dirty Red" during TC. He won the 2015 Bronco Nagurski Award and was a 3x 1st-team All-American Athletic Conference pick. He wasn't the biggest player on the field but was usually among the most productive. He was a 4-year starter and accumulated over 100 tackles in EACH season. There's a lot to like about this kid.

On the Bubble: Johnson, Feeney, Matakevich, Fort, Zumwalt. The team carried 5 ILB's last season. So by my count, there will only be 2 open spots for these 5 to battle for. Johnson seems like the early bet to take 1 of those spots. For both Feeney & Matakevich to make the roster they would need to make their presence felt on ST. If not, likely only 1 of the 2 will make it. Zumwalt has the opportunity to equate into that discussion as well.

Outlook: Even with the departure of Spence & Garvin, the team made the right moves this offseason to keep this position with plenty of depth. I expect Shazier to have a huge season this year, and hopefully they can squeeze some life out of Timmons before making the decision to keep him around or cut him loose. Nevertheless, this position is primed for a great year.

Great write up.

My thoughts...as much as I'm a Timmons fan, I think he comes back in '17 as a $3mil player or he doesn't come back. As you said, the traditional Buck LB position is losing value in the NFL if you can't cover....Reggie Ragland, Bama LB was considered to be a top 20 player...drafted in the 2nd rd. The benchmark ILB in the league imo is Luke Keughley from CAR...he can fill the hole in run support and cover a TE 30 yds downfield.

In terms of run support...Idt VW gives you everything Timmons does...but neither are great in coverage. Traditional nickel would normally take the NT off in lieu of the 3rd CB. Sean Davis, rookie S is the odds on favorite to take Golson's spot in the slot...couple with Hargrave becoming a factor for snaps in nickel, that gives them the big nickel look they seem to be after. We'll have to see how it plays out this season, but I'm not expecting Timmons to play a ton on 3rd down this season.

Interested to see how the back up roles unfold, but I have a feeling Matakevich will make this team.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Outside Linebacker

Gone: Howard Jones, Shawn Lemon, Shayon Green

Returning Starters: Bud Dupree. It's hard to list anyone on the starting block seeing as how Butler & Tomlin prefer a rotation. But I think Dupree has the most snaps to gain based off of his performance. We know the ceilings of the rest of the players. Dupree had an excellent rookie campaign and looks primed to make the leap in his 2nd year.

Returning Depth: James Harrison, Jarvis Jones, Arthur Moats, Anthony Chickillo, Jordan Zumwalt (ILB/OLB). Harrison continues to prove that age means nothing. He may not be the 3-down impact player that he once was, but when used in a rotation (primarily for pass rush) he is still just as disruptive. JJ is the better coverage OLB so he sees plenty of work. Sad to say but I think we have seen JJ's ceiling and it is what it is. He isn't the impact player that he was drafted to be, but he is still a decent OLB. We talked about his contract situation and I think the Steelers made the right call. Moats is another OLB that we know his ceilings but he is a serviceable backup. Generates a decent pass rush and solid in run support. Chickillo was last year's camp darling and made a solid impact on ST (couple FF's). I've been reading puff pieces on the kid and he sounds like he worked his ass off to get into great shape this offseason. I'm excited to see if he can escalate his game. Read the ILB preview for more details on Zumwalt.

New Faces: Travis Feeney, Mike Reilly. As stated in the ILB preview, it's still fairly uncertain whether Feeney will play outside or inside. Read the ILB preview for more details on him. Reilly comes from Tomlin's alma matter, William & Mary. He played at DE but often played upright. His playing style & smaller size made the transition to OLB a no-brainer. He made waves his senior year by continuously destroying his competition in the FCS. He was signed as a UDFA by the Browns last year before being a last-cutdown casualty. In early January of this year the Cardinal scooped him up before being waived to make room in May. Not sure where the Steelers have been using him yet, but he's most likely with Porter's group (OLB).

On the Bubble: Feeney, Zumwalt & Reilly. All 3 will battle for ST roster spots. Chickillo would be the only person in semi-danger of losing a roster spot, but I doubt that would happen.

Outlook: Not as much competition at this position as years past, but the top 4 are pretty entrenched for at least this season. Harrison is in it for the ring, and if it doesn't happen this year then who knows whether he can continue to defy father time. For this season this position is stable. But the future is the opposite. JJ is in a contract year and Harrison is on the verge of retiring (again). Should JJ have a great season and price himself out of the burgh then OLB will be back on top of the draft radar or possibly even a FA.

The OLB position is really about rotation and depth.

I agree, Dupree will take the lionshare of snaps on the left side. JJ will probably take the most on the right side, but we know they didn't bring Harrison back to watch...the snap count needs to favor the younger player to keep Deebo fresh for the whole season, but it's should be pretty close to 55/45....this season will obviously determine whether Jones is back next year....I have a feeling he needs to be in the 4 to 6 sack range to keep his roster spot.

Chickillo...I was debating this player last week with a fella that thinks Chick is a better option than Jones and he will be a factor this season. I only asked what has he seen to make him believe that. Said he has better "get off" and "sets the edge" better in run support. A converted smallish DE...lost some weight...should be in the 250ish range this season. I'm anxious to see what Chick can bring this yr.

Feeney...a classic 4-3 DE build, but this kid has some wheels...haven't heard much from him in camp yet, but the speed factor should make him a ST baller.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Position Preview: Cornerback

Gone: Brandon Boykin, Antwan Blake, BW Webb, Kevin Fogg

Returning Starters: William Gay. Gay continues to be one of the only bright spots in a very blemished group. He may not be among the best in the NFL, but he is a savvy vet and continuously finds a way to come up big for this unit.

Returning Depth: Ross Cockrell, Senquez Golson, Doran Grant. Cockrell is a young guy that the Steelers scooped up last offseason after the Bills sent him packing. He is a young & athletic corner with lots of room to grow. The coaches didn't take long to take a liking to him as he saw a lot of playing time early on & all throughout last season. He has the size & speed to become a great CB. He is the early favorite and will likely start opposite Gay. Golson could have been put in the new faces category because he red-shirted his rookie season on IR after a torn labrum sidelined him last offseason. Unfortunately we will have to wait another couple of months before we can see him play as he reportedly suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot which will sideline him upwards of 12 weeks. Quite the frustrating blow to a player that the coaches have been raving about all offseason. He was slated to be the starter as the slot CB. Rumors of Grant being transitioned to safety were abundant early in the offseason but Coach Lake put them to rest by saying he has no idea why they started in the first place. They intend to keep him in the CB group, but Lake did acknowledge that he could "probably" make that transition if necessary. Grant started last season on the PS before being promoted to the active roster in November. He played on ST, but failed to make much of an impact. The door has swung wide open for him to display his skills now that Golson is injured.

New Faces: Artie Burns, Sean Davis, Al-Hajj Shabazz, Donald Washington, Kevin White. The long awaited CB in the 1st round has finally happened when the Steelers took Artie Burns @25th overall in the 2016 draft. He features great size & speed with a solid set of hands to boot. Think of an Ike Taylor that can actually catch! lol. Problem is that Burns thrived in press coverage, something that the Steelers rarely do. His college tape didn't do him many favors when he was seen playing off the line. He was a puzzling draft pick considering that fact alone, but maybe Butler & Lake will let him play on the line. The good thing about him is that he is young and very athletic. With the right coaches around him he could be molded to play whatever scheme they desire. Time will tell. I know Sean Davis was drafted to be a safety, but he has to be put in this category for the fact that he is already eating up Senquez Golson's reps at slot CB in training camp. The coaches have since been lauding his position flexibility. He made waves during the Senior Bowl practices & game where his hard nose hitting was on full display. His college tape at CB wasn't anything special, but he has a great nose for the ball. Last season was his first at CB, and he only made that transition out of necessity when Maryland lost some of their CB's to injury. He is a better fit at safety, and will need time to grow as a CB if they want him to play that position because he is still very raw with his technique. Shabazz played CFB at West Chester University where, in his senior year, he led the team with 5 INTs and 11 pass breakups, while compiling 40 tackles. He had brief stints with the Colts (UDFA) & Buccaneers last year. He has a good frame and length (6'2" 200) with an ability to make plays on throws underneath. Questions have loomed about his technique and physicality. Another raw project for the fold. Donald Washington was drafted by the Chiefs in the 4th Rd back in 09 (an awesome draft year for the Stillers if you recall lol), He was drafted as a strong safety but has seen time at CB. After getting cut in 2011 he went on a 3 year hiatus from football before playing in the CFL in 2014. After getting released in 2015 he made another shot at the NFL. He didn't gain any attention until rookie tryouts of this season when he caught the coaches' attention. He is 30 years old and on the latter end of his career, but lets hope the coaches saw something useful in him. White was a 2nd-team All-Big 12 selection in 2014, and helped bolster a TCU pass defense that was among the best in the nation (often lined up on the WR1). He signed as a UDFA for the Falcons last season but failed to make the 53. Overall he has the ball skills and size (5'9" 185) to excel as a slot CB. However, his short arms and lackluster speed could make him a bit of a liability in coverage.

On the Bubble: Grant, Shabazz, Washington, White. Since Golson is injured that could open the door for possible 2 out of this group to make the team. Luckily for them Davis probably won't factor into the CB head count. We will have to wait and see what the roster cutdowns look like before they make any decisions on the number of CBs they want to carry.

Outlook: This position looked primed to make a big step forward, however that image took a sizeable hit after Golson was injured. I still think they are in decent shape considering they have Cockrell who could take a big step forward this season, and they have injected youth into the position with Burns & Davis. Should be interesting to see how quickly those young guys transition to the NFL. The faster they can make an impact the better. We know Butler & Tomlin have been working hard to simplify the coverage schemes, so that will help quicken that transition. Gay & Cockrell will likely be the starters, and that is a solid grouping. The slot CB is still yet to be decided. Davis is eating up those reps so far, but there is a lot of TC & preseason left before that spot is solidified. Should be a fun position to keep an eye on. And lets hope that Golson returns to the field faster than what is being predicted.

Another solid write up!

Burns has been a polarizing figure in Steeler Nation. Some scouts felt he was a 3rd rd pick, and some feel he has the tools to be a standout CB, but will need time. Even though he's a jr with only 1 season of significant snaps, I'm fine with the pick...I don't think WJ3 would've started, nor Apple...Burns has strong upside...might see snaps as a CB4, but I'm focusing him being a '17 starter.

Considering that Golson has come up lame again, the door is wide open for CB3, but if Gay's comments carry any weight...he's staying outside, along with Cockrell. Apparently Burns is viewed as an outside guy...maybe he's not ready to move Gay inside. In the meantime...Sean Davis is taking snaps as the slot CB...so far with pretty good results from what I'm hearing....he might stick there, might not, but I'm expecting him to play more than Burns.

 

[Psych-Ward]

UPDATE!

The team has waived/injured Mandel Dixon and signed TE Jake Phillips.

Steelers.com quote:
"Phillips, an undrafted rookie free agent out of UNLV, saw action in 50 games. He recorded 55 receptions for 536 yards with three receiving touchdowns throughout his college career. Phillips will wear No. 49."

Better get ready to re-evaluate the Tight End spot.......

Steelers TE Ladarius Green considering retirement


NBC Sports says Steelers may consider cutting Ladarius Green

 

[SteelersPride]

holy shit landry jones through a b e a u tiful ball

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Sorry I haven't gotten around to finishing these reviews... My baby was born on Tuesday morning, so I've been completely tied up. @ATL96Steeler or anyone else, feel free to do the Safety position preview... Doubt I will have the time to get it done.

Thanks in advance!

 

[SteelersPride]

Sorry I haven't gotten around to finishing these reviews... My baby was born on Tuesday morning, so I've been completely tied up. @ATL96Steeler or anyone else, feel free to do the Safety position preview... Doubt I will have the time to get it done.

Thanks in advance!

i was wondering where u been, congrats buddy!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

i was wondering where u been, congrats buddy!

Thanks dude!

The struggle is real! Conveniently, the baby has his days & nights mixed up. So my main priorities as of late have been trying to find time to catch up on my own sleep schedule.