Markus Wheaton putting good use to those hands in mini-camp. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Swann. Stallworth. Lipps. Burress. Ward. Two of these five are in the Hall of Fame and a third (Ward) will surely join them someday. Even in their down years, the Steelers have always had a primary play maker at receiver. And while Hines Ward wasn’t a prototypical play maker, he was solid and reliable, always there to make the clutch catch or throw a TD in the Superbowl when needed. Now that the black and gold are in a transition period, who will step up to be the next great Steelers receiver?
In my opinion, last year made it difficult to assess what the team had at receiver. Todd Haley’s offense emphasized the short to intermediate passing game which was in direct contrast to the vertical attack under Bruce Arians. The team’s most recent deep threat deep threat, Mike Wallace spent the season sulking about his contract and dreaming of being everywhere else but Pittsburgh. Had he not been so selfish, he might’ve spent more time learning to run more precise routes and not dropping what at times were easily catchable passes.
Now that the me-first Wallace has departed for South Beach, it’s time to look at what the team has going forward. Antonio Brown is entrenched as the number one receiver on the depth chart, but is he truly a number one receiver? This will be the first year he doesn’t have Wallace on the opposite side drawing coverage away. Brown hasn’t shown to this point he’s worth double covering, moving a safety towards his thus opening the middle of the field for other targets. And while he adds a nice dimension to the return game (he was a Pro Bowl special teamer two years ago), I think that part of his role will lessen with the addition of players like La-Rod Stephens Howling, Markus Wheaton and Justin Brown. Antonio does have good hands but is also susceptible to dropping catchable passes as well, and while He doesn’t have elite speed, he does get decent separation. Preseason will tell us if he is truly a number one receiver.
As for the Steelers number two receiver Emmanuel Sanders, this season will basically be his audition to other teams to showcase his skills so he can make a killing in free agency next year. He almost escaped by signing a tender sheet to the Patriots and Steeler nation is divided on whether Pittsburgh was right or wrong to match the Pats’ offer. At least Sanders can keep the second receiver spot warm for now until someone else steps up to take it. Whether Sanders will have the same attitude this year as Wallace did last year remains to be seen, but he does have the potential to be a nice compliment to Brown so long as he can stay healthy. However magical things happen to players on the cusp of free agency and it wouldn’t shock me to see Sanders get through the season without missing a game.
I like ten year vet Jerricho Cotchery (although I did lose a fantasy football championship eight years back because of him), I think he’s a solid number three, a good slot receiver and can be clutch when called upon. As for Plaxico Burress, I am puzzled why the team retained him for this year, he did nothing to warrant a return and I think his time is up. The treads on his tires are gone at this juncture, he offers zip to the offense. If the team were smart, he’ll be gone by June 1st to thin out the ranks a little and allow a younger player to step in.
Which now brings us to the collection of rookies and 2nd year players, of which there are seven in total. Obviously, the most attention is focused on third round pick Markus Wheaton of Oregon State. I’m not over the top of him, but I like his speed and his hands and he seems to bring a good attitude to the team. He was overshadowed by higher profile receivers in the Pac-12 like Keenan Allen and Marquise Lee, but Wheaton is as good as Allen and near the level of Lee. I think he’ll easily pass Burress(if he’s not cut by camp) and maybe Cotchery on the depth chart and will make an impact on special teams as well. With Sanders all but certain to depart after this season, Wheaton has every opportunity to prove he’s capable of being a solid second receiver.
After Brown, Sanders, Cotchery and Wheaton, the battle for the fifth receiver spot in my opinion comes down to sixth round pick Justin Brown, and 2nd year players Derek Moye and David Gilreath. Gilreath was activated towards the end of the season but had no impact, while Moye saw no action at all.Moye has nice size and soft hands, runs nice routes and is willing to go up and get the ball in traffic. the biggest concerns about Moye are his thin frame and lack of experience. Gilreath is raw and doesn’t have the size Moye does, his body type is similar to that as Brown and Sanders which does nothing to separate him from the pack. As for the third player in the mix, I think Justin Brown has a chance to stick as the fifth wideout. I know many draft experts gave his selection a grade of D or worse, but I don’t think they did enough homework on him, focusing solely on his work at Oklahoma. Brown adds a nice dimension to the return game which he showed while at both Penn State and Oklahoma, and while he wasn’t the primary receiver at Oklahoma that he was in Happy Valley, he has some play making ability and has good hands and size as well. If he doesn’t make the 53 man squad, he is a surefire practice squad addition. As for the remaining undrafted free agents Kashif Moore, Reggie Dunn and J.D. Woods, I’d say don’t hold your breath guys.
The 2013 receiving corps for the Steelers is an unknown commodity at this point. If Todd Haley can loosen the reins a little and let these guys run, we’ll see what we have. For Wheaton and Justin Brown, they need to showcase their skills in the return game as well as in the passing game, and I’d love to see the entire group as a whole get a little tougher and nastier as blockers as well, in the vein of Hines Ward. Who these guys are depends on who the coaches will let them be as well as the type of player they are motivated to be. I’m very curious to see how this group pans out. Right now I see it being A.Brown, Sanders, Cotchery, Wheaton and J.Brown with Moye on the practice squad and Gilreath on speed dial. What do you think?

Huddle up!
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

Here we are Steeler Nation just 120 days and a little over 3 hours till the Steelers regular season kicks off.  So let’s take a look around and see what our boys are up to this week.

The PG reported that Steelers newly crowned #1 receiver Antonio Brown visited with the Clairton High School football team to celebrate their 4^th consecutive PIAA championship with an evening at Dave and Buster’s.  Brown was initially supposed to speak at the team’s banquet last month but didn’t show due to a scheduling conflict. Brown had spoken at Clairton’s elementary school before taking the high school boys to dinner and games for the evening.  Wanting to live up to his word by rescheduling with the team Brown said,

“I’m glad to be here.  It was important for me to go out to the school, talk to them.  I pride myself on being a big-time guy, being a man of my word.  Hopefully these kids had a great time, hopefully a better than it would have been before.”

I love to hear about stuff like this.  I love to hear about Steelers players going and hanging out with local kids, playing with them and being more than just a football player they see on TV or in the stadiums.  Although, when Antonio says he prides himself on being a big-time guy, I just hope he means big-time receiver too because he was not that receiver last season and he’s going to have to work extra hard to get Steeler Nation to forget that we’ve lost Mike Wallace to Miami.  Still good to see Brown carry on the tradition the Steelers have on being present in the community and charitable with their time.  Way to go buddy!

Speaking of time, Max Starks has a bunch of it on his hands with no contract and no team as of yet.  Mark Kaboly reports from the Tribune Review that the Steelers had a conversation with Starks before they eventually signed veteran OT Guy Whimper to a contract last week.  The common thought around was that Starks would eventually end up back with the Steelers just as he had the two previous seasons, coming in either after the season began or just before training camp.  Now it’s just not looking that way.

Starks met with San Diego this week but left Southern California without a contract according to Steelers Depot.  Starks is optimistic he will sign with a team soon but is looking to compete for a starting role wherever he lands.  While Starks is definitely getting up there in age it is worth noting that he played every Steelers offensive snap last season.

“After playing 100 percent of the snaps the previous year, I don’t think I am, at this point, ready to be a backup swing tackle just yet.  I have proven over the past couple of years that I am still starter-capable.” – Max Starks to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review

I hate to see Max go the same route the Steelers went with Harrison.  I still think the Harrison situation was handled poorly on both ends and it could have ended with Harrison in Black & Gold and both sides satisfied.  I realize that the Steelers are ready to have Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams starting at the tackle positions and that Starks still wants to start himself but depth at the O-line is never a bad thing.

What are your thoughts, Steeler Nation?  Do you like seeing Brown take a high school football team out to dinner?  What are your thoughts on Max Starks not returning to the Steelers?

My older sister Beth in the newspaper for rooting on the Super Steelers.

Also I want to take this opportunity to wish my big sister Beth a very happy birthday.  She’s been a part of Steeler Nation longer then me and here is the proof.  Hope you have a great birthday!

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December 30, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley (left) talks to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) on the sidelines against the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 24-10. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 NFL Draft is officially in the books. After mock drafts are put to shame, we all reflect on the additions each team has made. The Steelers did not disapoint, like usual. Jarvis Jones was dead on when he was quoted saying that he wouldn’t get past the Steelers. Like most mock drafts predicted, Jarvis Jones was a Steeler at the end of Day 1. From the selections of Le’Veon Bell, Markus Wheaton, Shamarko Thomas, Landry Jones, Terry Hawthorne, Justin Brown, Vince Williams, and Nick Williams, the Steelers added a variety of youth to their aging team. Here is an early look at the Pittsburgh Steelers offense 2013 starting lineup.

Tomlin has had varied levels of success with the draft. How will he go this year? Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

In the wake of the Steelers matching the Patriots offer sheet on Emmanuel Sanders and with the NFL Draft looming, pundits across the sports media world are left wondering what’s next for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Here is what a few reports have been posting about our Black & Gold:

Pro Football Talk has broken down the Steelers needs that are expected to be addressed with the upcoming draft.  Most notably running back.  The Steelers do not have a franchise RB on the roster right now and the time is ripe for them to pick one up similar to how they were in need of a franchise QB around the time of the ’04 draft.  No, there are no Jerome Bettis’ in this year’s draft, but the time is right for the Steelers to find their next star tailback.  Ben Roethlisberger is in the prime of his career, and for the first time in years the offensive line is not a priority or concern as they are the youngest group of the entire team.  They also note that with the signing of veteran backup QB Bruce Gradkowski and the fact that Charlie Batch or Byron Leftwich are still unsigned; the Steelers might be interested in picking up a late-round quarterback to be developed over the next few seasons as Ben’s backup.

John Harris of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review blames Tomlin’s drafts for the Steelers position right now.  The fact that the entire 2008 draft class is now gone makes that a pretty credible argument, but Tomlin’s 2010 draft class still remains strong with Pouncey, Antonio Brown, Jason Worilds, and Jonathan Dwyer still contributing to the team in big ways.  Harris also critique’s last year’s draft class which included players who are quite out of character for the Steelers organization.  Even before their recent incidents Chris Rainey and Alameda Ta’amu both had previous incidents during their college careers the Steelers should have been weary of.

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains how the Steelers decision to match the offer on Sanders could end up costing them in the long run.  The fact that the Steelers initially only tendered Sanders a third-round offer rather than a costlier offer tended to indicate that they didn’t think Sanders was worth that much.  Now they’ve contradicted themselves by matching the $2.5 million offer and must now try to sign Sanders to a deal most likely comparable to Antonio Brown’s deal in order for this move to pay out in the long run.

What are your thoughts, Steeler Nation?  What are the Steelers needs now that the Sanders mess is over with for the moment?

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Emmanuel Sanders Could Be On His Way To Foxboro. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

It was teased to us last month so it can’t come as a complete shock now that the New England Patriots have signed Emmanuel Sanders to a one year offer sheet today.  Per the terms of the CBA the Steelers now have 5 days to match the offer the Patriots set, otherwise they will receive the Patriots 3^rd round draft pick as compensation.  The Steelers are still tight on cap space and have already lost Mike Wallace to free agency.  The Patriots, on the other hand, have much more cap space but are low on draft picks thanks to bust deals to Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco in the past.  The Pats have lost WR’s Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd so there’s no shocker that they’re looking to improve their wide receiving corps with Sanders.  What’s the best move for the Steelers to make here?  Should they use up whatever cap space they may have left to match the offer and keep Sanders or cut their losses and stock pile some draft picks?

If you’re following this story in the national media right now you’d think Sanders was the second coming of Jerry Rice because the Patriots are involved in this deal.  Sanders has had three seasons with the Steelers and has struggled through some injury issues.  This past season was his first season playing all 16 games and his numbers aren’t quite as impressive as you’d think considering all the attention this offer is garnering.  Sanders had just 44 receptions for 626 yards and 1 touchdown.  He also had 3 fumbles with one lost fumble.  I’m not saying that Sanders is overrated, I’m just saying he’s not been the receiver he could be so far in his career.  Whether or not he will reach his ultimate potential in the black and gold remains to be seen.

It’s a shame that the “Young Money Crew” is all but gone considering that now Antonio Brown is the lone remaining member of the self-titled group.  I hate to see Sanders go because, like all of Steeler Nation, I’ve been continually frustrated with this offseason of Salary Cap Hell.  It’s just not that comforting to know that the wide receiving corps that used to consist of such talent will now consist of Brown, Burress, Cotchery and a rookie to be named later.  On the other hand, in this day and age a fast wide receiver can be one of the easiest positions to replace in the league.  I’m not saying that wide receivers are a dime a dozen, there are some definite playmakers out there, but it seems to me that I’d rather be looking for a new wide receiver than say a new linebacker, cornerback, safety, or defensive lineman.  What?  Oh yeah, that’s right.  Crap.

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