September 16, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau (center) talks to the Steelers defensive backs on the sideline against the New York Jets during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past several seasons, the Steelers defense has often been criticized for their old age. Yet each year they finish in the top 5 in overall defense. This offseason, the Steelers continued saying goodbye to their elder defenseman. Earlier on, they said goodbye to James Harrison, due to his large salary that they couldn’t afford. While they did not technically cut Casey Hampton, they sealed his fate when they signed Steve McLendon to a three-year deal a few weeks back.

The Steelers have been known to find young talent to supplant their elder defenseman, so here is the predicted Steelers defensive starters for the 2013 season.

But enough of me rambling, because it is  “On To The Next One” readers as our boys in Black & Gold will face the Browns on Sunday afternoon.  Although the game might seem to be a tad “meaningless” and hard to get excited about for many in “Steeler Nation,” I look at this weekend’s contest as an important stage for some of Pittsburgh’s deserving and key backups to shine and earn some quality playing time.

Why Numerous Backups Should Play

For those of you in Steeler Nation sitting on your ivory towers’ who decry this idea and equate benching multiple starters automatically with losing, I can ask only two questions: “Why?” and “What Difference Does It Make to You?”

Think about it for a second.  The Steelers are playing Cleveland, a 5-10 team, on Pittsburgh’s home field.  Although the Browns have vastly improved this season, Cleveland is not on the same level as other 2012 juggernauts like Houston, Denver, or New England.  The Browns currently rank 20th in Pass Yards per Game (216.9), 25th in Rush Yards per Game (97.0), 27th in Pass Yards Allowed per Game, and 19th in Rush Yards Allowed per Game (130.5).  So while they are not pushovers by any means, they are still the same team that needed 8 Turnovers and a bad day by Pittsburgh’s 3rd String Quarterback just to beat the Steelers one month ago.

As far as playing multiple backups goes, Pittsburgh’s starting lineup on both sides of the ball has been littered with them all year.  Players like Will Allen, Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown, Josh Victorian, and Chris Carter have all seen significant amounts of snaps due to multiple starters going down at various points this year.  Most importantly though, the Steelers are and will be in a rebuilding phase over the next two to three years.  Thus, would it not behoove the franchise to see exactly what they have in terms of depth and future starters and evaluate how they perform in game situations before they go out and acquire more players?  So why I pray tell does it matter if some guys ride the pine? 

Finally, what sense does it make to see another important starter (cough*Heath Miller*cough) go down with a serious injury?  Especially in a game with zero postseason implications.  Losing a Pro Bowler like Miller was awful, but what happens if other starters suffer serious injuries this weekend as well?

Who Deserves More PT & Who Deserves More Pine

Worilds could benefit from more playing time. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Jason Worilds

What has LaMarr Woodley brought to the table all season besides an expanded waist line, assorted injuries, and the penchant to be single blocked by Right Tackles, Tight Ends, and some Running Backs?  It does no good to play the $61.5 Million Dollar Man in Week 17 when a perfectly healthy and capable Jason Worilds is ready to contribute off of the bench.  Worilds is actually ranked tied for 1st on the team in Sacks (5.0), and has flashed some solid pass-rushing ability this season in spot duty.  I say give the 3rd year guy another shot to start and prove himself even more.

Steve McLendon & Cameron Heyward

Do not get me wrong, Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel deserve to start and play on Sunday.  Each player has been a warrior for this franchise, and at the very least both deserve to start what could eventually be their final home games with the Steelers.  Nevertheless, both “Snack” and “The Beard” (along with Ziggy Hood) could stand to lose some reps at the expense of youngsters like Steve McLendon and Cameron Heyward (and possibly even Al Woods).

McLendon is the Nose Tackle of the future for Pittsburgh and has played some solid football for this team over his four year career.  Heyward, the team’s 2011 1st Round Draft Pick, will continue to have an increased role in the Defense in the future and also deserves more reps after an improved 2nd season.  The next two seasons will likely feature some serious restructuring in the trenches on the Defensive side of the ball.  Thus the more significant playing time that the backups and future starters receive in the present, the better I believe the team will be as they head into the future.

David Gilreath, Jerricho Cotchery, and Plaxico Burress

Like Woodley, why does Mike Wallace deserve a chance to start, let alone play in the Steelers’ final home contest?  Seriously, why?  Remember fans, this is a guy who refused to show up like a petulant child until the preseason was essentially over because of his lack of a long-term deal.  But not only did Wallace whine about his RFA status, he also admitted to a “lack of focus” during this season because of a “lack of targets.”  You know, despite the fact that he is on pace to set a career highs in Targets (119 currently).

With these things in mind, I certainly do not want to see #17 suiting up on Sunday afternoon.  I personally hope that veterans Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico Burress, and the young David Gilreath receive nods to play in Wallace’s place.  Although Cotchery and Burress are known entities as players, it might be wise for the Steelers to take an extended look at the speedy Gilreath to evaluate whether or not he is worth re-signing next season.

Final Thoughts

If you have not found out already, I just want to see only two things happen this weekend: the Steelers to win, and some backups to receive extended playing time.  Is it a bit of a “having one’s cake and eating it too” mentality?  Heck yes, but I say that it is high time give guys like Worilds, Heyward, McLendon, and Gilreath chances to contribute and prove themselves on Sunday afternoon.  Plus, it also should be a chance to let Woodley and Wallace know that they have not “cut” the proverbial “mustard” this year and do not deserve to play or suit up for the final home contest.

And hey, if Pittsburgh happens to drop Sunday’s game to the Brownies, does it really matter in the grand scheme of things?  Sure, some of you fans will whine because you can’t troll on message boards and poke fun at the long-suffering Cleveland fans and type phrases like  “SIXBURGH” or “FACTORY OF SADNESS.”  Sure, maybe Browns fans would have “bragging rights” over our collective fanbase the next nine months.  But guess what?  Those poor suckers have seen their team win only three games against the Steelers over the last 10 seasons!  Heaven forbid you have to go through an offseason in which Cleveland bested Pittsburgh twice during the regular season.  Does anybody remember most of the 1980’s or the 51-0 disaster on Opening Day of 1989?  It is just sports everybody, and for a solid organization like the Steelers, “next year” always brings hope.

I’m not one of those people who wants the Steelers to “win by losing.”  But I would rather see the franchise drafting at #14 with a better understanding of their personnel than at #17 with less understanding of their personnel in game situations.

So, I will say it again: “Give Some Steelers Backups Their Chances!”  And who knows?  They might surprise us as well.

Stats Courtesy of: Pro Football Reference.com and Team Rankings.com

Some good fortune in the Draft helped Pittsburgh land two potential OL starters (Mike Adams, David DeCastro) plus a DL contributor (Alameda Ta’amu).  Still, the Steelers lost a ton this offseason, mainly due to cap issues.  Replacing Hines Ward, James Farrior and other long-time vets will be just as hard in the locker room as on the field.  The Mike Wallace situation also could be a massive distraction this year. 

 

Grade:

Cookie Monster and Chris Burke like "C's," Dom does not. Image Courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Normally I understand how members of the media “pop-off” and say controversial things to gain more readers and stir the proverbial pot (cough*Warren Sapp*cough).  Yet in Burke’s case, I believe I need to put my “Two Cents” in and wonder aloud about his offseason grades.  So ready yourselves NPC readers, because today I would like discuss my issues with the “C” offseason grade given by Burke to the Steelers and why.

Introduction

To be completely fair to Burke, I believe that the criteria which he used to measure and grade each franchise and their specific successes/failures during the offseason was well-done and a fair way to grade each team’s offseason exploits, activities, and efforts to improve their franchise as a whole:

 

Our offseason grades take into account the 2012 draft grades, what’s occurred in Free Agency and trade markets, and any extraneous off-field circumstances (bounties and non-bounties alike).

While this is a completely sensible way to evaluate and grade team’s offseasons, I do not understand how Burke came up with a “C” grade for the Steelers if he actually followed the specific guidelines he laid out above.  In fact, some of the negatives Burke alluded when he discussed Pittsburgh’s 2012 offseason to might not even be considered huge losses or negatives at all if one looks at the structure of the Steelers’ roster entering 2012 and organization as a whole.  Don’t believe me, readers?  Let’s take a look and you can find come to your own conclusions:

Not-So Negatives

Loss of (Veteran) Players Might Not Be So Bad, and Leadership is All Over Roster

Larry Foote will be a key player in a leadership role this season. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Do the losses of Aaron Smith, James Farrior, and Hines Ward hurt to see as a life-long fan of this team?  Of course.  These guys were some of the most integral players in the franchise’s recent history, and three of the biggest reasons why the team won two Super Bowls.

But you know what?  Their releases are not what you would call important in terms of what they would bring to the table in 2012 from an “on-the-field” perspective.  And if you wanted to take things a step further, one could even argue that these moves were “addition by subtraction” in a salary cap and productivity senses to boot.

In case you did not notice Mr. Burke, Smith missed over 30 regular season games from 2009 to 2011, was a non-factor for the Defense last year, and spent too much time on the sidelines to help the Defense in any significant capacity.  As for Ward, his production on Offense declined so steadily last season that by December Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery had jumped ahead of him on the depth chart and his snaps decreased as the season progressed.  And Farrior, like Ward, was a shell of his former self last year, became an even bigger liability in pass coverage, and was thus a Two-Down player at best at this stage in his career.

As for the loss of the released veterans’ locker room presence,  Burke’s language suggests that they were the only veterans on the Steelers’ roster which led the team or mattered one iota.  Yet I must ask:  Do the names Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Larry Foote, Brett Keisel, LaMarr Woodley, Willie Colon, and Heath Miller ring any bells?  I am sure that a follower of professional football like you would have heard of a veteran Quarterback named Roethlisberger, right?

So as you can see, despite the fact that three of the team’s most important veterans are gone, the Steelers’ 2012 roster is not bereft of experienced players which can bring leadership to the youngsters this season and beyond.  Because of this, these talented and mature players which I alluded to above are more than qualified to become adequate team leaders and do exactly what Ward, Farrior, and Smith did over their careers’ in the Steel City: impart their wisdom on the young players and become professionals.  Thus, the franchise will likely not lose any sleep over the “leadership vacuum” being filled.

Mike Wallace Situation 

While the Wallace situation “could” have been a massive distraction, why would you even put it into the equation to measure your offseason grades?  With this in mind, I must ask one simple question: Is Wallace’s contract situation resolved?  No, wait, let me check, carry the two, oh no, it is not.  Has Training Camp started yet?  Oh, wait, no.  Heck, Wallace has not even sat out any preseason or regular season games as of right now.  So let us all just calm down before we get ahead of ourselves and start hitting the “panic button” and downgrade any significant progress in the matter at hand.

In fact, just after you published your “grades,” it was reported by Jason LaCanfora of CBS.Sports.com that Wallace and the Steelers are moving closer to agreeing upon a long-term deal.  There might even be a chance that Wallace will be ready to go for Training Camp next week.  Sure, learning a new Offense might be a bit tough on Wallace.  But if the Steelers can get him into Training Camp and signed within the month of July or even mid-August, it should be more than enough time for a Pro Bowler like Wallace to come in and at least have a decent grasp of the new system.  And while Wallace still needs to hone bits and pieces of his game (route-running, blocking, etc.), he still runs a 9 route better than most in the League.  Plus, Wallace and Big Ben have more than enough pass-catching weapons around them to help out while he adjusts accordingly to the new Offensive system.

Overlooked Positives

Steelers Used Free Agency Period Sensibly

Pope could be an under-the-radar pickup for the Steelers this season. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

To his credit, Burke actually highlighted the Steelers’ 2012 Draft as being one of the better ones in the League (A- Grade).  But anybody that has any sort of vague understanding of what the Steelers’ needs were entering the Draft would have to give Colbert and Co. credit for addressing their most dire of needs.  You know, from the Offensive Line (DeCastro, Adams, Kelvin Beachum), to the Inside Linebacker position (Sean Spence), to Nose Tackle depth (Ta’amu), and the 3rd-Down Back (Chris Rainey).  But what Burke (as well as the rest of the media) might have overlooked is how the Steelers found two solid yet unheralded Free Agents (Leonard Pope and Brandon Johnson) which addressed other needs on the team as well.

At least to me, performance in the trade and Free Agency market should not be based on how much one team spends, but on how they spend their money.  In fact, the two moves which the Steelers made during the Free Agency period should pay dividends this season in a couple of areas where Pittsburgh needs some help: blocking in the run game, a tall pass-catching option in the Red Zone, help on the Special Teams units, help in pass coverage from the Linebacker corps, and help on 3rd Downs to boot.

Were the moves to acquire Pope and Johnson “sexy” from a headline garnering standpoint?  No, but that is not in the Steelers’ “Baller on a Budget” and frugal yet savvy style.  Overall, the Steelers saw ways to improve their ball-club in Free Agency, worked it out financially, and made the moves accordingly.  No over-spending, no big-contracts doled out to outsiders with question-marks, and low-risk/decent-reward investments.

Have Young and Developing Depth Ready to Step-Up

While the Steelers’ purse strings may have been limited in the area of signing Free Agents, it likely would not have mattered because the team already has a great deal of young depth ready to step up and play on their roster this season.  And as I outlined months ago in this post, the Steelers have a youth movement (especially on Defense) to look forward to now and should be poised to strike as early as this season.

I mean, is it really Pittsburgh’s fault that they have players like Ziggy Hood, Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown, Steve McLendon Isaac Redman, David DeCastro, Mike Adams, and Cameron Heyward on their roster and ultimately believe they can step up this season and beyond?  No.  In fact, the eventual (and hopeful) development of these aforementioned players should be considered a huge plus for the organization because it required Colbert and Co. to not be pressed to look outside of their franchise for help at these specific positions.  But most importantly, the Steelers did not have to use the high-priced Free Agent market or any other means besides the Draft to help address these needs at all.

Will there be some “growing pains” in 2012 with these younger players?  Absolutely, and we should ready ourselves as Steelers fans to see some over the course of the season.  Yet what Pittsburgh’s Coaching Staff does and has done as good as if not better than all of the teams in the League over the last four decades has been developing talent to fill the shoes of departed players.  Just take a look at all the players which have stepped up during the last ten to fifteen years or so and subsequently replaced some of the departed talent on this franchise (especially on Defense).  Sure a few of the names might be changed this season, but the talent is ready and waiting to fill the void and should be put on display this season.

Final Thoughts

How a franchise which was given an “A-” 2012 Draft Grade, have had their most important players stay out of trouble, unloaded veteran and expendable players with huge contracts and/or diminishing/expendable skill-sets, possess more than enough experienced players on the roster to fill “leadership vacuum,” remedied a couple of extra needs in Free Agency, and have some developing depth ready to break-out in 2012 be given a “C” offseason grade by the very person which graded the Draft?

Even if one takes into account some questions which the Steelers face heading into the 2012 campaign (Safety depth, RB by Committee and Who Emerges, Wallace not being signed immediately), they cannot significantly or conceivably diminish the numerous positive things which this organization has done over the last six months to warrant just an “average” grade for their efforts.  Heck, if I wanted to, I could go into the number of different ways that Todd Haley will be an upgrade over Bruce Arians in the Offensive Coordinator department.  But for the sake of brevity I will leave that stone unturned for now.

I am not sure how you arrived at a “C” grade for the Steelers’ offseason Mr. Burke if you indeed evaluated Pittsburgh’s offseason by the criteria you outlined in your article, but hey, you are entitled to your opinion and I enjoy your work along with the work of the rest of the football writers on CNNSI.com.  But when you hand out these grades next time, you might want to try to follow your grading scale a bit more closely or pay attention to all of the offseason moves made by franchises.  Otherwise, people might be inclined to poke a few holes in your argument and raise some questions as to how and why you arrived at your conclusions.

What say you “Steeler Nation?”:  Does Burke have a point?  Is it a “C” offseason?  Am I full of hot-air?  Or is he?  Post your thoughts and grades below.

For all your Steelers news and discussions follow us on Twitter @nicepickcowherC, follow me on Twitter @DominicDiTolla, and like us on Facebook.

Hood’s drastic transformation could not come at a better time, as Cameron Heyward will be vying for a starting spot and extended playing time in the Steelers’ 5-Technique Rotation (Hood, Heyward, and Brett Keisel) in 2012.  To me, the fact that the Steelers have three talented Defensive Ends which will be jockeying for time on the field this season is nothing short of fantastic.  So today I figured would be a great opportunity to discuss my feelings on Ziggy Hood, their “go-to” 5-Technique rotation in general, and the sorts of things expected from this group this season.

Hood

Ziggy is working out to take his game to a new level. Will it work? Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

In terms of playing the run, Hood’s off-season work to strengthen and streamline his body can only help him against the run.  Hood’s 5-Technique position calls for him to have a 2-Gap responsibility in the run-game and at the very least hold at the point of attack if not more.  While Hood has done a decent enough job against the run in the Base-sets there has still been some room for improvement.  Because Hood has added strength and worked on his agility, it should help him against the double teams and man 2-Gaps better while trying to create a mess for the Linebackers to clean up in the run game.

What intrigues me the most is to see what the more athletic Ziggy can do rushing the passer.  Hood in my opinion is the best 5-Technique the Steelers have in terms of pass rushing ability at the moment.  That being said, if him and/or Keisel/Heyward and/or McLendon can provide a stout enough pass rush and at least push the pocket in Nickel and Dime sub-packages where only 2 of them are on the field, it will only give James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and whichever guys are getting to the Quarterback more leeway to run free and attack.

With 23 starts and four professional seasons under his belt, Hood is what I consider to be a veteran.  I am sure he knows better than anyone that he will be eligible for Free Agency in 2014 and strong showings in the next two seasons are vital for him to continue to contribute at the professional level and earn a new contract with Pittsburgh or elsewhere.  Thus, 2012 and 2013 are make or break for Ziggy, and it certainly appears that he wants to take his already developing game to the “next level.”

Heyward and Keisel

Hopefully Hood's and Heyward's collective emergence can help Keisel stay fresh this season. Mandatory credit: Vincent Pugliese-US PRESSWIRE

Before I continue, kudos must go to Colbert and Co. when they zeroed in on a “BPA+Need” selection in the form of Heyward last April.  I am sure they conversed with Defensive Line Coach John Mitchell and Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau at length and determined that Aaron Smith was likely on the tail end of one of the best and most unheralded careers of a 5-Technique Defensive End in the last two decades.

Moreover, I am sure that they saw that the addition of a player at a position of need, and where a 3rd year man like Ziggy Hood was the only experienced and significant depth was an added bonus as well.  And I am sure it did not hurt that Heyward had the ideal size (6’5″ 288 lbs.), skill-set, experience in a pro-style Defense with 3-4 elements (at Ohio State), and professional attitude to play the 5-Technique with the club.

I am sure that I am one of many which are extremely excited to see what Heyward can do in Year 2 of his professional career.  Cameron looked much further ahead development and scheme-wise than Hood was during his Rookie season, and that was without OTA’s and such because of last year’s lockout.  While Cameron started a bit slow, big things are expected from him this season, and Hood seems to already be feeling the heat.  As I discussed in the Defensive piece of my two “Breakout Players” posts from last month, Heyward is definitely somebody to keep our collective eyes on this season, and could shine as part of the 3-man rotation.

I know that I have discussed it at length before, but the biggest benefactor of all of Heyward’s continued development and Hood’s desire to step up his game is Brett Keisel.  At 34, Keisel still has some solid football left in him, and he made the Pro Bowl following the 2010 campaign.  But at 34, he is still getting a tad “long in the tooth” and keeping the wily veteran fresh will be a bonus for this Defense.  If Mitchell and LeBeau are comfortable with Heyward and Hood together in games and subbing “The Beard” out for spells at a time, Keisel will undoubtedly be quite fresh come December and January.  With a healthy “Beard” comes a happy Defensive Line and Defense as a whole come Playoff time.

Final Thoughts

I understand that these are only offseason workouts and that Hood is not actually kicking some tail out there against real live opponents yet.  Nevertheless, seeing Hood’s dedication to get better and outplay his competition is something to look forward to in Training Camp.  Hopefully this group can stay healthy and form a stout 3-man rotation at the position over the course of the year (4 if you count McLendon at 285 lbs. but 3 if he is at 325 lbs. and asked to man the Nose).  My ultimate hope and wish is that Hood and Heyward can step up their games enough to relieve Keisel whenever he needs a breather.  While “The Beard” may be one of those ostracized elderly Steelers Defenders that some in the media decry, he can still bring it.  If all three can contribute regularly and at a high level, good things will happen because not only will they be making plays, but the Linebackers and Defensive Backs will be free to do their jobs and more.  So as I stated previously, competition can breed success, and in my mind it could very well breed some great success along Pittsburgh’s Defensive front in 2012.

For all your Steelers news and discussions follow us on Twitter @nicepickcowherC, follow me on Twitter @DominicDiTolla, and like us on Facebook.

Will RB Issac Redman become a star in Todd Haley's offense? Mandatory Photo Credit nfl.com

Ch-ch-ch-changes…..

If you haven’t heard by now, the 2012 edition of your Pittsburgh Steelers is going to look very different than the team you have grown accustomed to seeing running out of the Heinz Field tunnel.  Besides the usual roster change-over that comes with any new NFL season, the Steelers have experienced the most significant personnel flux since the early 1990′s.  Much of the core of the Steelers veteran roster – Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, James Farrior, Chris Hoke – are all either retired or released.  CB William Gay departed for Pittsburgh-West and a reunion with many of his former teammates in the desert.  RB Rashard Mendenhall is going to miss much of – or all – of the 2012 season.  The player changes are drastic, but not the big story.

New offensive coordinator Todd Haley brings his monumentally different formula to the team after taking over for the “retired” Bruce Arians.  The national and local media has spent most of the past three months trying to stir up controversy between Haley and the Steelers $102 million quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.  The stories about the relationship (or lack thereof) between Haley and Big Ben dominated the headlines for most of the spring, soon followed by the stories of Roethlisberger and his frustration with the new Haley offense.  Nobody really knows what Todd Haley is bringing to the table outside of the South Side Complex.  When he was the offensive coordinator in Arizona, his passing offense was dominate, revolving around Pro Bowlers QB Kurt Warner, WR Larry Fitzgerald, and WR Anquan Boldin.  Once he took over as Head Coach in Kansas City, he rode the RB combination of Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles to the top rushing offense in football and an AFC West Title.  The talent level in Pittsburgh is on par with any that Haley has experienced in the past, so if he can find a way to combine both strategies in the Steelers new offense, the team could be a machine.

With so many changes, it is inevitable that a player or two will elevate themselves to star status in 2012.  The Steelers have many young, hungry players who would like nothing more than to become the next breakout star – echoing the 2011 season of WR Antonio Brown.  On the defensive side of the ball, old faithful is still plugging away in his 37th season of coaching in the NFL.  Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has lost a few players that were pivotal parts of his record-setting defense of the past seven years.  The loss of DE Aaron Smith was expected, as the veteran had lost the battle with injuries and was sure to retire.  The loss of ILB James Farrior was a surprise to many, and his departure leaves a hole at a key spot in the Steelers 3-4 defense.  That role will be played at the outset by 10th year ILB Larry Foote, who has worked in the LeBeau scheme for all but three of his NFL seasons.  There is no doubt that Foote can fill the role of Farrior on the field, although the team will gravely miss the leadership that Farrior offered.  Whether Foote can step up and be that leader is yet to be seen, but by all indications he has started the process this week with his shot back at NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp.  That is a good sign for the Steelers, who continue to act the part of a “Band of Brothers”, defending each other from criticism doled out by the media.

So who will be 2012′s breakout stars for the Pittsburgh Steelers?  The obvious first choice would be RB Issac Redman, who will have first crack at filling the starting role in the absence of RB Rashard Mendenhall.  Redman was been a great story for the Steelers, an undrafted free agent out of tiny Bowie State who clawed his way up the ladder and is now on the verge of becoming a star in the National Football League.  Redman showed what he is capable of in the Steelers 2011 AFC Wild Card playoff loss to Denver, when he rushed for 121 yards on just 17 carries.  The team seems to believe that Redman will be the answer to the loss of Mendenhall, but just in case he falters the team has a stable of backs ready for the call to arms – Jonathan Dwyer, John Clay, Baron Batch, and rookie Chris Rainey will all vie for carries should Redman not be able to carry the load.  At 6-foot and 230 lbs, Redman has the size and power to get the job done and he fits the prototypical idea of a Steelers running back.  With the Mendenhall injury still not entirely understood, it could be a full season of Redman in the backfield.  Could he end up being the next breakout star for the team?

Could WR Emmanuel Sanders emerge as a star in 2012?

Should the offense continue to be carried by the passing game, the Steelers already have two established stars in WR Mike Wallace and WR Antonio Brown.  Wallace has been AWOL from team activities over a contract dispute, so his presence with the team in 2012 is in doubt.  Brown, who set an NFL all-purpose yards record in 2011, is on his way to becoming the go-to guy for Ben Roethlisberger and after his Pro Bowl season he is already a star.  Next in line for a status upgrade is WR Emmanuel Sanders, who looks to be fully healthy and ready to take advantage of any opportunity the Wallace situation creates for him.  Sanders has all of the tools to be a star wide receiver, including the trust of his quarterback.  Should Mike Wallace and the Steelers not be able to come to terms, it would be Sanders taking over as the #2 WR in the Todd Haley offense.  Could Sanders be the next breakout star?

The organization added the element of speed – LOTS of speed – in the draft when they chose Florida RB Chris Rainey in the fifth round.  Rainey is a player in the mold of former Haley project Dexter McCluster, who electrified the Chiefs in 2010-2011 with his speed and hybrid ability.  Rainey is faster than McCluster and looks to be a better receiver, and will also add kick/punt return duties to his agenda with the Steelers.  Similar players in the NFL such as RB Darren Sproles, have been able to break the mold of the prototypical RB to become all-purpose stars.  If Rainey learns quickly and gains the trust of head coach Mike Tomlin, he could become an “X Factor” for the team in both the running and passing games.  Could Chris Rainey be the next breakout star for the black and gold?

On the defensive side of the ball, the loss of DE Aaron Smith has opened up a full-time starting spot for forth-year player Ziggy Hood.  Hood has shown flashes of reaching the potential he showed when the Steelers drafted him in the first round of the 2009 Draft.  Now a crafty veteran with experience playing the unique DE position in LeBeau’s defense, Hood has a chance to really make his mark in 2012.  He has shown the ability to be a good pass rusher in addition to the run-stopping duties that are paramount for any Steelers defensive lineman.  Over a full 16-game schedule, Hood could put up 8-10 sacks and close to 100 tackles.  Would that make Ziggy Hood a breakout star in 2012?

Lastly, we have the cornerback situation opposite veteran Ike Taylor.  The candidates for the starting slot left behind by William Gay are CB Keenan Lewis, CB Curtis Brown, and CB Cortez Allen.  All three of these players have traits found in successful NFL corners, including size and the ability to match up one-on-one with NFL receivers.  One of these players is going to be announced as the starter and have an opportunity to seal their fate with the Steelers.  Lewis would seem to be the favorite, heading into his forth season with the team.  However, Curtis Brown has looked impressive in his limited playing time and has the pedigree to become a true shutdown corner.  Finally, we have Cortez Allen – a small school player who is entering his second season and has as much raw athletic ability as any player on the roster.  While his learning curve is behind both Lewis and Brown due to his college career being played at The Citadel, Allen could surprise everyone and snag the starting spot with a great preseason.  Will one of these players become the breakout star for the 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers?

Is ILB Larry Foote ready to grasp his opportunity to lead the Steelers defense in 2012?

There are other possibilities, including first round pick OG David DeCastro, NT Alameda Ta’amu, DE Cameron Heyward, and ILB Stevenson Sylvester.  All of these players will see the field quite a bit in the preseason, with DeCastro taking his starting spot on the offensive line.  Ta’amu could end up starting as well if veteran NT Casey Hampton is unable to fully recover from his knee injury.  The huge rookie looks the part of a Steelers NT and eventually will take over as the starter.  Could that be as early as this season?  Both Heyward and Sylvester are expected to see increased reps with Smith and Farrior gone, and both have the talent to be starters at their positions.  Either one could end up breaking out in 2012 if the cards fall in their direction.

So what do you think, Steeler Nation?  Who is your choice for the 2012 breakout star of the Pittsburgh Steelers?  Cast your vote in the comments section below or share it with us on Twitter by using hashtag #2012SteelersBreakout.

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