Shamarko Thomas participates in rookie mini-camp.
Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday, the Steelers signed their first rookie from the 2013 draft.  The 111th pick overall, Shamarko Thomas, inked a four year deal with the team.  The rest of the rookies are yet to be signed, but the team felt they could get Thomas in the books with the last bit of funds they had in the salary cap coffers.

Don’t get your panties in a bunch about the Steelers signing a 4th rounder first – and if you are a troll to talk smack about it, so help me God.  Just about every other team in the NFL are signing their deeper round picks first, then they will turn their attentions to the earlier picks.  The Steelers are a little strapped for cash.  For now.  There’s no denying that.  But, come June 1st, the team will get $5.5 million back from the release of Willie Colon.  The way the current (newer) CBA works allows teams (and fans) to refrain from scrambling and panicing about getting that first rounder in the books.  The new normal is for the late rounders to go first and then the higher of the first rounders to go next.  That will then dictate salary bumps for each pick after that.  The team WILL sign all of their rookies from the draft, and even some UDFA, and even some of the leftover UFA’s that haven’t been given an offer by other teams.

I do like, however, that Thomas is the first guy to sign.  I consider him and Wheaton to be the two rookies to really pay attention to this summer.  I think both will make big impacts on this team in the immediate future.  Thomas may not play on defense right away because Polamalu and Clark should be healthy and ready to go.  However, he’s already made a good impression on special teams along with another rookie, Vince Williams.  New special teams coach, Danny Smith, wants a hard hitting and turnover creating special teams group – and Thomas and Williams are perfect for that role.  Lord knows the Steelers need all the help they can get in that area.

Be it a Polamalu wig or just a plain old hat, you can show New Era what kind of Steeler fan you are to be the face of the franchise. Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

There aren’t enough contests in the world is my feeling, especially since I never come up a winner.  Here’s a pretty cool opportunity from New Era.

New Era is the 0fficial on-field headwear of the NFL and they are teaming up with the NFL to launch the “Back to Football Photo Day” contest. So what this means is that Steeler fans will now have the chance to join the ranks of Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu to also become THE face of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Essentially, you need to take a bunch of pictures of yourself showing how you “speak with your cap.”  You don’t need an NFL team hat to take the pics either.  Sounds like it can be anything that fits on your head.  Although, if it were up to me, anyone wearing a damn Steely McBeam foam hat in their submission would be automatically disqualified.  Sideways, backwards, flexed at the brim, or flat brimmed – show what ya got.

So what is on the line for all this effort? 32 fans (1 per team) will ultimately be chosen and win a complimentary trip to New York City for two. The winners will enjoy a four-day VIP experience and will be professionally styled in their favorite team’s looks for a New Era photo shoot that may be used for a year-long advertisement and promotional campaign.  That’s pretty sweet.  So be sure to take some picks of your best headwear and break the servers of New Era with all your hat pics.

Show the pride of Steeler Nation!

Here’s the link! 

Guy Whimper takes on the Texans Brooks Reed.
Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Steelers on Monday added more depth to their offensive line by signing ex-Jag (the team not the personality) OT Guy Whimper to the roster.  Whimper will add veteran, but young, depth behind third year Marcus Gilbert and second year Mike Adams.  Whimper was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Giants back in 2006.  He played in 30 games (started zero) in three seasons with the Giants before signing with the Jaguars.  There, he played in 37 games and started 22 of them (15 of 15 in 2011) before dealing with some knee issues.

No question Whimper adds depth for the Steelers at the line.  At 6′-5″, 315lbs, and decent footwork, Whimper should have the size and ability to fill in for either the right or left side.  With the Jags drafting OT Luke Joeckel as their first round (2nd overall) pick, LJ will either start or be 2nd on the charts, thus kicking Whimper to the curb.  The question that comes to mine mind and probably many others in Steeler Nation is – What does this mean for Max Starks?

Starks is still an un-signed free agent.  Most assumed that the Steelers would play coy with Starks and sign him after June 1st.  That way he could fully participate in camp, unlike in seasons past where he was brought in as the regular season began.  But the Whimper signing could mean that Stark leaves the Steelers in much the same fashion as Guy’s name indicates – with a whimper.  By far the best lineman for the offense last season, and quite frankly playing some of the best football in his career, Starks may not even be a second thought in the minds of the Steelers brass.

There they go again, acting like they know how to run a football team.  Of course my sarcastic remark is my way dealing with the pain of never seeing that bug burly #78 on the field.  Oh, I’m sure we’ll see a #78 on the field come this summer – Big Ben will make sure of that.  But I fear we won’t see the real man in the jersey come the start of the 2013 season.  I wonder how Whimper will feel while Big Ben makes his annual appeal?

Le’Veon Bell struts into the endzone. Photo Credit USA Today.

Le’Veon Bell has yet to carry the football for the Pittsburgh Steelers, yet there is a lot of buzz around the young running back and his ability (or potentially lack thereof) to be the featured back.  With the addition of Bell, there are four backs on the roster – Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman, Baron Batch and Bell.  And with Bell’s addition, the thought of getting another back through free agency (like Amahd Bradshaw) is pretty much over.  It’s obvious that there will be quite the competition at running back, but who will be the featured back not only in Week 1 but for the entirety of the season?

Speed

None of these backs are exceptionally fast like previous Steeler backs, such as Willie Parker or even Mendenhall.  All of these backs are pretty much listed as ‘fat backs’ – a little extra junk in the trunk or consisting of a frame built for power over speed.  But if we are to look at all four backs and consider the ability to pull away from pursuing defenders, then Dwyer has the edge.  His 40 clocked in at 4.48 s.  With all of these guys still particularly young, we can assume that their times have not changed over the last four years as our comparator.  Bell came in at 4.6 and is slower than the others.

Advantage: Dwyer

Power

The days of Jerome Bettis are good and gone.  Unfortunately for every RB post the Bettis-era, they have had to come under that scrutiny and comparison of being as powerful a back as Bettis.  None have met that challenge appointed by Steeler Nation, so it’s hard not to say that most backs since Bettis have been a disappointment in that department.  So how do these four rank on our power meter?  My measuring stick is mainly the ability to break tackles and getting those precious yards after first contact.  Batch is weakest in this department.  He did not rack up many yards after contact and always seemed to go down in a dead stop heap when hit by defensemen.  Redman and Dwyer, at least in size, appear that they would be evenly matched.  But, power and yards after contact were his brightest spots last season.  Dwyer constantly fought for every single inch on the field.  At times he would drag a defender or two with him.  Or, he would bowl one linebacker and then another and then take out a safety for extra measure before getting dragged down from behind by pursuing linemen.  Quite frankly it gave a spark to the run game and helped him get the starting role after Redman struggled right out of the gate.  We have yet to see how Bell will perform in the NFL in the Power category.  He is taller than your average back which could be a problem in lowering that shoulder into opposing defenders as well as being and easier target to hit with that taller frame.  His 230lbs. should help him muscle his way, but he’s going to have to be good at technique to overtake would be tacklers

Advantage: Dwyer

Footwork

If Mendenhall were still with the team, he certainly would be at the bottom of this category.  His twinkle toe habit was costly and usually hurt momentum of any ground game being established.  North/South is important, but the East/West is key, especially in a zone blocking scheme – once blocks are set the back needs to recognize the hole quickly and make the right cut.  Redman and Dwyer are powerful backs, but also possess the ability to cut well.  However, Redman seemed to find ways to sneak through a small hole more often than the others last season.  Bell is again criticized for his larger frame and is noted as struggling with his vision to recognize a lineman starting a push for a hole in the line.  He often would run up behind his lead blocker instead of making a cut to get around and break it down field.

Advantage: Redman

Brain Moorman is (for now) a Pittsburgh Steeler. Photo Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

See what I did there?

On Tuesday, the Steelers signed punter Brian Moorman onto the roster.  If you haven’t noticed, the Steelers have gone through three punters in the last three seasons.  Daniel Sepulvida started it off with his year after year injury plague.  Then the Steelers moved to Jason Kapinos, who did an ok season but had a pretty poor average – but was it really his fault with such poor coverage teams?  Kapinos was injured most of training camp, so the Steelers went with pedigree and had Drew Butler punt the ball away.  Butler too had less than a stellar year (43.8 yd average, 37.8 net).

It’s tough to be a Steelers kicker or punter.  The coverage teams can be down right awful at times that it’s enough to make you want to rip a paper towel dispenser off the bathroom wall.  Don’t let the stats deceive either.  Butler, though his average is under 45 yards, found himself punting close to the 50 yd line often when Steelers drives would stall out.  So, of course his average would be a little skewed.

Nevertheless, the Steelers feel that competition is a good thing, and in this case necessary.  Moorman spent 12 years with the Bills before being released in 2012.  Coincidentally, he beat out Sepulvida when they both auditioned for the Cowboys last season.  Moorman had a very good season with the ‘Boys.  He averaged almost 45 yds per punt and had 22 punts land inside the 20 with only 3 touchbacks.  Those numbers are comprable to Butler’s, so I’m guessing the Steelers just don’t want the assumption to fall on Butler that the starting job is his.