Kevin Colbert knows there are free agents out there that the Steelers still need to secure.
Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Steelers have some veterans who are UFA’s and still need to be signed.  After April 1st, I figured whoever wasn’t signed wouldn’t be until after the draft.  Those who are left are considered back ups, oh excuse me, starters in waiting.  With the Steelers having a habit of not starting many of their first year players, many of them fall to the roll of backup.  And, as Kevin Colbert alluded to during Monday’s pre-draft conference, if the draft doesn’t go well for the Steelers with regards to the offensive and defensive lines, then a few friendly faces will still probably have jobs come summer time.

Colbert spoke specifically about Max Starks and Casey Hampton during that presser on Monday.  Most of Steeler Nation figured that Casey Hampton’s fate was sealed after the Steelers signed Steve McLendon to a three year extension following his visit to Green Bay. But with no logical backup other than 2nd year (and really still a rookie) man Alameda Ta’amu, the Steelers will need either a draft pick or re-sign Hampton.  I think the Steelers will go after a D-lineman between rounds 3-5.  Whether they target a NT is yet to be scene, and I would be surprised if they did.  But, will the Steelers have a large enough carrot for Hampton – literally and figuratively speaking.  At the end of the season, Hampton felt like he had a bunch of good football left in him.  Who knows what that translates into dollars and cents’wise for the Steelers.

Max Starks WILL be signed.  The Steelers more than likely won’t draft an offensive lineman this season after going two in a row last season.  David DeCastro will essentially be replaying his rookie season, but signs looked good when he came back from his knee injury near the end of the 2012 campaign.  Mike Adams had a rather up and down season in 2012 at left tackle.  It’s obvious that his footwork and technique need to improve if he wants to block for Big Ben’s blindside.  Marcus Gilbert can share time with Adams at left tackle, but as fellow staff writer Nick Kelly pointed out in his break down of these two tackles, Gilbert is really built for the right side.  The Steelers won’t go after another LT prospect in the draft.  So, until Adams can truly prove himself to be a effective left tackle, the Steelers will need a trustworthy mentor and backup.  The question is ‘When?’  Will Big Ben need to wear another #78 jersey during mini-camps until the big man is signed?  Or, will the Steelers realize that the charade is unnecessary this year and sign Starks so that he can actually be fully prepared by participating in workouts and camp?

What say you Steeler Nation?  Do the Steelers sign Hampton or Starks or both?

This could have been Silver Back’s last walk out of the tunnel at Heinz Field as a Steeler.
Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

We are only a short time away before NFL teams start slashing and burning their rosters in order to make room for the salary cap restrictions in 2013.  Some teams are far better off than others – like the Ravens who have $15.1 million in cap space or the Bengals who have a whopping $55.1 million to spare… and oh yeah, the Browns have around $48 million to spare.  The Steelers are reported to be $10.8 million in the whole.  That leaves almost zero room to negotiate for free agent contracts – which the Steelers aren’t really keen in doing anyways.

With a cap that is deep in the red, the team will need to dump a ton of dead weight and restructure contracts.  What complicates matters even more is that the team needs to try and sign over 24 free agents…. that is if they choose to sign certain ones.  Offense or defense, the Steelers are hard pressed with some critical decisions for some positional players.  For the purpose of this post, I’m including free agents the Steelers could just choose to walk away from without making realistic offers.

James Harrison:  With the recent news that Harrison will not take less money (but will restructure the length) to help the team out, the team could say thanks for the years of service but don’t let the door hit your Silver Back on the way out. With the knee, the slow recovery, and the fact that your franchise player (Big Ben) will more than likely restructure and take a little pay cut you don’t have very much leverage in negotiations.  Harrison is owed $10 million in 2013 (6.5 salary and bonuses).  Harrison knows he can go elsewhere and still get good money.  Will he get the $10 million he’s owed?  I’m not convinced, but he’s smart enough (as is his agent) to not back away from an opportunity to get the most value he can out of  a contract.  The Steelers will more than likely say goodbye in a move that was unexpected at the beginning of the season.

Willie Colon: Colon is owed quite a bit of cash next season, and his knack for getting injured and being one of the slower linemen will hurt his chances in the supposed new zone blocking scheme the offense may try out in 2013.  There are a few linemen waiting in the wings to get their shot full time, and the team has the roster to make some moves to make the ‘perfect fit.’  Kelvin Beachum played really well near the end of the season and shook up the potential of making a permanent spot for himself.  Will the Steelers get rid of him first, or hang on as long as the can?

Rashard Mendenhall:  Mendenhall is a FA this offseason who is probably hoping the Steelers panic and jump the gun on offering a beefy contract early.  I doubt this will happen.  The question is will the Steelers offer the slumping and predictable running back a realistic deal?  The Steelers certainly could roll the dice with Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman and hope for a solid draft pick this year in hopes that one of them will strike pay dirt for the offense and the running game.

Casey Hampton: The other FA that I think the Steelers will have no problems in parting ways with is Casey Hampton.  No hard feelings here – football is a business after all.  Hampton had a superb year in 2012, but he wants that final big paycheck before he rides off into that big lunch buffet sunset.  The Steelers are in no position to offer a realistic large contract that Hampton can ummm…. sink his teeth into.  With the emergence of Cameron Heyward and Steve McLendon, the Steelers have them as options – as long as Brett Keisel stays healthy in his final year or two.  Hampton’s a gonner – it’s just a matter of when.

ZiggyHood: Hood’s release is not that far from reality.  A poor 2012 season and the emergence of the younger guys could put him in jeopardy. He’s owed $2 million in 2013, which would help open the coffers to maintain players like Keenan Lewis, Will Allen, or Emmanuel Sanders.  Some may see this as a long shot, but I see it more as a matter of when the Steelers let go of a younger player who’s stalled heavily in development and production.

The day is approaching soon, so who are the Steelers going to dump first?

The Steelers have 24 free agents, restricted and unrestricted combined, to deal with this offseason.  Some of them are bigger names and larger contributors, and others hardly took snaps in 2012.  Today, I’ll focus on the defensive side of the ball, starting with the defensive line and the linebackers.

Defensive Line:

NT Casey Hampton (Age: 35, Yrs: 12) UFA

Big Snack will be feasting somewhere else in the NFL in 2013. Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Hampton was just featured in one of my other posts about Steelers that are ‘on the block.’  Injury plagued of late and lacking the ability to take up two defenders like in his younger years, Hampton is not as affective as he used to be at the nose.  In those younger years, Hampton allowed lanes to open for blitzing linebackers to get to the ball carrier or put pressure on the QB for passing attempts prior to third downs.  He was never a good third down option for the pass rush and was frequently subbed out in those packages.  The evolution of the supporting cast on defense does not allow for such progressions anymore, and the team needs to have a nose that can play all three downs and bust up plays that allows pressure on the QB.  Steve McLendon is doing such things when he is present.  Prior to Alameda Ta’amu’s bust of a season after he himself got busted on the South Side, Ta’amu was the future at nose.  That may not be the case any more, so there is a case to pursue Casey.  What is unknown is how stingy Hampton will be about how much he feels he should get paid at age 35. My gut tells me he wants a multi year deal that gets him through age 37.  However, I don’t feel the Steelers would want him more than a year to help with a fuller transitional period.  They will throw a deal at Hampton for a one year $2 million deal, but that’s it.  I don’t think Hampton will bite, and so we will probably find him on a more defensive sapped team looking for a nose or interior lineman.  No Deal

 DL/NT Steve McLendon (Age: 26 Yrs: 3) RFA

McLendon will need to step into the NT role as Hampton exits and the Steelers look for a more permanent solution. Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Kind of a bummer when your two depth charted NT’s are up for free agency.  However, McLendon is a restricted, so the Steelers have options with him.  McLendon has grown into his role over the last three seasons, and really picked up the pace this past season.  McLendon played in all 16 games this season and racked up two sacks in that limited roll of spelling Hampton.  McLendon is certainly smaller than Hampton, but gives the Steelers option of having a consistent pass rusher in the interior.  He is strong and physical at the line, and handles his own.  The Steelers could allow McLendon to sign on another team and take a draft pick for him, but I doubt it will come to that.  I really don’t think they will let McClendon get much in the way of offers either.  If they let him go or get too pricey for their own cap room, they are screwed and are forced to go with Ta’amu after he spent most of the season on the practice squad post-arrest.  I’m going to guess the Steelers will offer him something to the tune of $6 million over four years with a $2 million signing bonus over those four years as well.  That might just get him to bite, and he will count about a million less than Hampton would be if under his current pay grade against the cap.  Sign’m

Linebackers:

LB Larry Foote (Age: 32 Yrs: 11) UFA

Foote’s pursuit in the open field leaves too many guys open and not enough tackles. Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Foote has been a Steeler for ten of those eleven seasons.  He spent on season with the Lions back in ’09.  He had problems being the lone MLB in a 4-3 scheme, and it just didn’t work out for Larry and his hometown boys in Detroit.  Foote found his way back on the Steelers roster in 2010 after the Steelers did some shuffling with the linebacker depth chart.  They needed a strong veteran presence at the inside, and Foote fit the bill.  However, Foote’s most glaring flaw is his pursuit, and that is killing the Steelers defense on critical third downs or when Foote is in a zone as the spy on the RB or TE.    It’s pretty bad sometimes and is becoming quite the liability when the Steelers D desperately needs to get off the field.  It’s a shame Sean Spence went on the IR so early.  It probably wouldn’t be a very difficult decision to let Larry go if the Steelers had a ‘for sure’ replacement.  But they don’t… at least at the inside.  Foote was due $3 million plus a $600k signing bonus in 2012.  I believe his stock has gone down in the past two seasons since signing with Pittsburgh, but I don’t think the Steelers can realistically offer him anything less than $3 million.  With more defenses evolving to a 3-4, Foote has more options than he did three years ago.  I think he’ll test the waters and get snagged by another team out West like Arizona (shocker!) or San Diego.  No Deal

LB Stevenson Sylvester (Age: 24  Yrs: 3) RFA

Sylvester will need to bump from special teams to filling in on that ILB position next to Timmons in 2013. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Sylvester’s stock slipped badly in his senior year of college.  That made him somewhat a steal in the 2010 draft, and the Steelers have groomed him the last three seasons.  The Steelers will certainly offer him a contract as the draft pick option is of lesser value for the team.  Sylvester is still another year long project, but he will have to step it up because (as I just said) the Steelers probably won’t retain Foote.  Without knowing how well Spence will come back from his injury and play in his ‘second’ year, the Steelers will need to retain Sylvester.  He’s shown some strong play over the last two seasons, and I think he has the potential to step up.  He certainly is faster than Foote, which would help in the pursuit department.  I think the Steelers will offer him somewhere around a three year $3 million contract, which is double what he made in 2012.  Sign’m

LB Brandon Johnson (Age: 29  Yrs: 7) UFA

Brandon Johnson is another linebacker who needs to crack out of special teams and contribute on defense when signed for a new deal. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Johnson found himself on special teams immediately for the Steelers and even found some snap counts on defense.  He certainly did not have a season that would turn many heads from other teams, so the Steelers are safe in offering Johnson a mediocre offer – which they will make an offer.  The special teams core is thin and the linebacker core even thinner.  The Steelers will need to retain some of the vets like Johnson who are multi-faceted and have an opportunity to step up into bigger roles.  Until the Steelers get a big draft prospect in LB (aside from Spence), they will be bargain hunting like this for a few more seasons.  I think the Steelers will offer up about two years and $1.5 million.  Look to Johnson to be smart and take it.  Sign’m

So to recap, I think the Steelers will sign McLendon, Sylvester, and Johnson.  They’ll let Hampton and Foote walk.  The legacy guys are on their way out, and it will be a very different roster over the next few years.  Kevin Colbert has stated that no one is safe and no one will be franchised this year.  Expect more to go than stay this offseason.

Check back later in the week for a free agency breakdown for the corners and safeties.

5. S Troy Polamalu (Age: 31, Yrs: 9)

Steeler fans didn’t see many of these this past season. Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

With a longer than usual recovery from his calf injury, Polamalu sat out most of the season in 2012.  For weeks, analysts brought up the ‘Polamalu Factor’ – showing the Steelers record with Polamalu in the lineup and their record without.  And, while the advantage always tipped towards the Steelers favor when Polamalu was in the lineup over his nine years in the league, 2012 showed that the Steelers can survive without Polamalu.  Last season they went 5-4 in his absence and 3-4 while he was in the lineup.  The passing defense was still rated #1 during that time, and the turnover ratio neither worsened or improved with him missing or active.  The man who is consistently referred to as the ‘X-Factor’ on this defense is no longer the big impact player he once was.  Much like Ed Reed who is waning in his golden years, Polamalu’s contributions a less ‘splashy’ and more of a liability.  Numerous fans, including readers here, have called for his removal from the team before it becomes ‘too late,’ and the team pays full salary for a safety who is way past his days of what he was hired to do.  Quite frankly, I’m on the fence about Troy.  I’ve seen him since his days at USC and enjoy watching that quite mannered man go bat crazy on the field when he launches himself at a player.  But that type of nostalgia does not bring home wins.  I think his time of being the impact player he once was is over, but I don’t think the Steelers will release him just yet.  He has two more years on his contract, and with the safety positions being one of the weaker ones in the backup department for the Steelers, I don’t think the team will get rid of him until they have a few viable replacements.  I look to see the Steelers draft a very physical safety in this years draft (and/or move Curtis Brown there).  The Steelers may opt to release Troy in his last year so they avoid paying all that cash.  And I seriously doubt we will see any kind of extension (even a one year deal) past 2014.  But for now in 2013 expect him to hit the field.  Status: Keep’m

4. LB James Harrison (Age: 34, Yrs: 10)

Silver Back is getting rough around the edges, but is worth keeping around. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Silver Back is quickly showing that he is in his golden years in the NFL.  He’s been plagued with injury ever since coming off his phenomenal seasons in ’07 and ’08.  This season was evident of how age can really extend the recovery period.  Even though Harrison returned early in the season from his knee surgery from last season, it took almost all season long to fully recover.  NBC and Cris Collinsworth did a great video breakdown of Harrison’s angle of attack during a Sunday Night game, and you could clearly see the difference between his early return in 2012 and stock footage from 2011.  It wasn’t the same, and it was clearly affecting his ability to get around the edge.  The Steelers don’t have too many options when it comes to replacing guys like Harrison on the outside.  With Jason Worilds as the only option behind LaMarr Woodley and Harrison for the outside, the Steelers need to beef up their LB core.  That will probably come with the draft, but as Steeler fans know, it takes time to get the young’ins acclimated to Dick LeBeau’s defense.  Harrison is signed through 2014 and has a heft price tag coming up in 2013 and 2014.  The Steelers will more than likely restructure his contract to get him through those two seasons.  I don’t think they will be letting him go until that contract is up.  He is still valuable when he’s on the field, and is still one of the hardest hitting LB’s in the league.  He does not shy away from that, and the Steelers will need every bit of intimidation factor they can get until they can drastically lower the age of the defense.  Status: Restructure and Keep’m

3. DL Ziggy Hood (Age: 25, Yrs: 3)

Ziggy Hood may not have to worry much about having to wear ugly Steeler throwbacks in 2013. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Things looked oh-so-promising in 2011 for Hood.  In just his second season (2010), he saw 13 games but with not very many snaps.  In 2011, Hood saw action in all 16 games and was becoming a bigger factor on the defensive line for the Steelers – potentially becoming the full time replacement for Aaron Smith.  But, in 2012 Hood’s presence began to waiver.  Even though he racked up as many sacks in ’12 (3) as he did in his second season, his ability to apply pressure and stop the run were almost non existant.  2nd year man Cameron Heyward put the spotlight on Hood’s inability to help in the run.  Watching tape, Heyward sealed lanes and took up space more effectively than Hood, and allowed the linebackers to become the inside run stuffers they were meant to be.  Hood is signed through 2014 when he becomes a free agent.  He will count almost $2.5 million against the cap in ’13, and I think the Steelers will use him to get more room to sign guys like Keenan Lewis to free agent contracts.  Status: Release

2. DL Brett Keisel (Age: 34, Yrs: 10)

The Beard will have more chances to become ‘The Archer’ in 2013 Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Brett Keisel is another defenseman who is signed through 2013.  At age 34, Keisel will be one of the oldest on a defense that is trying to bring the median age down a bit.  Keisel suffered a knee sprain near the end of the season, but will not require surgery.  He is actually coming off of one of his better seasons with 4.5 sacks.  Those sacks all came in the final eight games of the season where Keisel seemed to show he had one more gear left.  Keisel also had 40 QB pressures, which is twice as many more than any other player on the roster.  The Beard will count a whopping $4.5 million against the cap in ’13, which is the same amount in ’12.  Keisel isn’t quite done contributing for the Steelers even though he will turn 35 at the beginning of the 2013 season.  I expect the Steelers to either ignore his cap hit or restructure in some manner to make a little more room.  If the team gets rid of Hood and are reliant on Cam and McLendon, then they absolutely need to keep Keisel.  Status: Keep’m

1. Casey Hampton (Age: 35, Yrs: 12) UFA

Big Snack will be feasting somewhere else in the NFL in 2013. Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Yeah I’m cheating on this one.  Hampton is an unrestricted free agent so the Steelers technically don’t have an option to ‘release.’  But he is realistic in the team trying to retain him and keep him from staying on the market too long.  Hampton is like any other Steeler that gets to be his age – they love the game, they love playing football, and will do it for just about any other team.  Unlike Hines, who retired after not getting any early hits in free agency after being released by the Steelers, Hampton is for realzies when it comes to wanting to play and BELIEVING he can still hang with the ummm… ‘big boys.’  Big Snack is certainly wavering in his final years as a nose tackle.  One of the best to enter the NFL, Hampton has been plagued by injuries from his weight and snap counts recently.  The Steelers restructured Hampton in 2012 and paid out $2.8 mil plus a $2 mil signing bonus.  Hampton will probably want something similar in a one or two year deal.  I don’t think the Steelers will really opt to pursue Hampton – at least by his expectations.  I think the Steelers will offer him a one year deal somewhere to the tune of $2 million with no bonus but maybe some incentives for performance.  That will help the cap, and keep a veteran on while McLendon begins to settle in as the new NT.  But, I don’t think that Hampton will like that deal and pursue other offers.  So long Big Snack – the Old Country Buffets of Pittsburgh survived and thank you for your business.  Status: Soon to be gone

To recap, that’s Polamalu, Harrison, and Keisel staying with Hood and Hampton gone.  What are your thoughts, Steeler Nation?

Jenkins is one of the Draft’s most talented NT’s. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

John Jenkins, Nose Tackle, Georgia

The Steelers need to upgrade their Defense across the board, and that has more to do with age than it does talent.  While Manti Te’o is a decent pick here, seeing as the Steelers run with two interior linebackers, nose tackle Casey Hampton is one of the oldest players on the defense, and Jonathan Jenkins is a vastly underrated prospect.  Either Te’o, who like my colleague Josh Sanchez says as well, will fall in this draft and Pittsburgh could use either one.

Hill mocked Jenkins to the Steelers in his last installment, and he has also decided to do so yet again this week.  Jenkins is a fine player, make no mistake.  Yet when one looks at Pittsburgh’s current depth chart at the Nose Tackle position, the idea of the franchise actually going in that direction in Round 1 would be truly asinine.  Heck, even if Hampton is cut/retires this offseason, the Steelers would still have THREE Nose Tackles at their disposal heading into Draft Day: Steve McLendon, Alameda Ta’amu, and the newly acquired Hebron Fangupo.

First of all, why Hill again omitted Steve McLendon from his discussion of the Steelers’ Nose Tackles, I do not know.  But it would have been a good idea to include McLendon in Hill’s analysis, especially when #90 is considered to be the team’s starter at the position next year.  I for one am excited to see more of McLendon in 2013 as he played well in spurts this part year.  On any other team, McLendon would have received more playing time over the course of 2012.  Sadly, because Rookies seem to always give way to veterans in spite of how effective both players are, McLendon had to ride the pine behind “Big Snack” for most of the 2013 campaign.  McLendon has been groomed over the last four seasons to be Hampton’s heir apparent, and the starting gig should be his to lose next year.

In addition to McLendon, the Steelers will likely have their 2012 4th Round selection, Ta’amu, competing with their newly signed 2012 Rookie waiver acquisition, Fangupo, for the top backup job at the Nose next year.  Although both were inactive for most of the season, Ta’amu and Fangupo possess enough talent to become solid backup options in their second seasons, and will likely be given every opportunity to play second-fiddle to McLendon in 2013

Ta’amu will be looking to build off of his tumultuous Rookie year, and will hopefully be able to realize the potential Pittsburgh’s brass saw in him when they traded up in the 4th Round to select him last April.  Hopefully Alameda will be able to work past his recent run-in with the law, because his ability to eat space in the trenches is terrific.   Like Ta’amu, I am also interested to see how Fangupo performs next year because he had gained some experience as a 5-Technique Defensive End in college at Brigham Young.  Although the competition will not inspire big headlines, the competition between Ta’amu and Fangupo for playing time/roster spot behind McLendon will be something to watch for this Summer.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the acquisition of another Nose Tackle would make little to no sense for a team like the Steelers.  Larry Foote and Keenan Lewis will be Unrestricted Free Agents this offseason, Ryan Clark along with Brett Keisel and Ziggy Hood will be set to become UFA’s after the 2013 campaign, and James Harrison will be due two more big paydays over the final years of his current contract.  Then when one factors in how ineffective LaMarr Woodley has been over the last two years, plus all of Troy Polamalu’s recent injuries, it is pretty evident that Nose Tackle depth is the least of Pittsburgh’s numerous Defensive problems from a personnel perspective.

Overall, the Steelers will need an Inside Linebacker, an Outside Linebacker, help at both Safety spots, and the addition of another Cornerback would not hurt one bit.  At #17, or wherever they end up selecting in Round 1 this April, Pittsburgh is sure to find a play-maker at either of those five positions before they add a 4th Nose Tackle to their roster.  Thus, it would be truly asinine if G.M. Kevin Colbert actually wasted such an important pick on a 4th Nose Tackle, especially when the beleaguered Steelers’ Defense has so many holes and depth issues at other positions.

I would much rather see McLendon get his shot to start in 2013, the two youngsters duke it out for backup reps all offseason long, and the Steelers take an impact player at another Defensive position in Round 1. But hey, that’s just my take on the whole situation.

How about you readers?  Should the Steelers take a Nose Tackle in Round 1?  Should they take one at all?  You know where I stand on the situation, now it’s your turn to chime in with your thoughts and musings.