As we already know, players like Aaron Smith, James Farrior, Hines Ward, James Harrison, Mike Wallace and Keenan Lewis are no longer employed by the “Black & Gold.”  Plus, it doesn’t appear that Max Starks and Casey Hampton will be back this fall unless injuries or poor play strike at their specific positions either.

While some are inclined to think that the “worst” of the “roster purges” ended a couple of months ago, I believe that the Steelers could be in for an enormous “roster overhaul” when the spring of 2014 gets underway.

Don’t believe me?

Just keep the following in mind when the 2013 regular season ends.

Unrestricted Free Agents (2014)

Ziggy Hood

I for one wished that the Steelers would have tried to trade their 2009 1st Round pick at some point over the last year and a half.  Unfortunately, the time has passed for Pittsburgh to find a willing trade partner for Hood, because no team will want to trade for a player who is set to reach UFA status once the 2013 season ends.

I cannot say that I blame Ziggy fully for his struggles and inconsistent play since he became a full-time starter in 2011, especially because I maintain that he is playing out-of-position in the first place.

Hood’s ability to gap-shoot and play in a single-gap scheme makes him a better fit as a 3-technique in a 4-3 scheme, the position he played in college at the University of Missouri.  Ziggy is far less suited to succeed as a 2-gap defensive end in Pittsburgh’s 3-4, and he could be deemed expendable when his contract expires if he fails to show signs of improvement during the upcoming year.

Hood will likely need a monster performance during this year to warrant any sort of long-term deal next spring, and I do not believe that Colbert & Co. will want to offer him one if he plays at the level he has over the last few years.  Who knows though?  If Hood does not garner any lucrative offers from other teams on the open market next spring though, he might be worth bringing back on the cheap.  Plus, the Steelers could be hurting for depth at the defensive end position.

Brett Keisel

Whenever it happens, I will truly hate to see “The Beard’s” tenure in Pittsburgh come to a close.  But unless the Steelers and Keisel agree to a veteran minimum deal or none of the developmental prospects can show improvement during this season, 2013 might be Brett’s final season with the Steelers.

Keisel is one of a number of late-round success stories coached up by defensive line coach John Mitchell, and has been a lynch-pin along the Steelers’ defensive front since he assumed a starting gig back in 2006.  To his credit, Keisel performed well last year and logged 4.5 sacks to go along with 46 tackles.

Unfortunately, Keisel’s contract is set to expire next spring, and Pittsburgh’s brass might be unwilling to re-up the soon-to-be 35 year old to another deal if the team needs to save some cap-space to re-sign players like Maurkice Pouncey.  Granted, the Steelers could bring “The Beard” back for another go-around if they have zero faith in Ziggy Hood or Cameron Heyward.  But Keisel could very well retire or end up wearing a different uniform by the time the 2013 campaign begins.

Jason Worilds

Worilds has flashed potential during his three-year career (5.0 sacks last season), so maybe a full-time starting gig will allow him to “learn on the job” and entrench himself as the full-time solution at outside linebacker.  At this point in his career though, Jason is more of an “unknown entity” than a “known entity,” and it hasn’t helped his development that he rode the “pine pony” behind James Harrison and LaMarr “Stay Puft Marshmallow Man” Woodley either.

Jason however will finally receive his best chance to start on a regular basis this year with Harrison in Cincinnati.  Still, the team did select Jarvis Jones with their 1st round pick in last month’s draft.  And while I believe that Jones will likely be forced to rot on the bench by the coaching staff, I am sure that he will nevertheless be ready to compete for playing time with Worilds on the weak-side.

I for one am hopeful that Worilds can realize his potential this year and that the Steelers will ink him to a long-term deal.  Woodley has been nothing short of invisible since he signed his lucrative deal back in 2011, so the more depth at the position, the better.  The only depth behind Jason at the moment is Jones, 2011 5th round pick Chris Carter, and 2012 UDFA Adrian Robinson.  Plus, if Woodley goes down with a bum hamstring again or cannot keep his weight in check, Worilds might just be asked to step in on the strong-side next year.

Sadly, a strong performance by Worilds could put Pittsburgh’s brass in a bit of a “Catch-22″ come next spring though.  If the former Hokie performs well in his first extended audition though, then the Steelers might not be able to afford him when he hits the open market (i.e. Keenan Lewis) if offers begin to pour in for him to head elsewhere.

Ryan Clark

Clark’s current deal ends after the 2013 season. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Make no mistake, Ryan Clark has performed way beyond the expectations many placed upon him when he was signed as a free agent before the 2006 season.  Clark has been a model of stability on Pittsburgh’s back-end, earned a Pro Bowl berth after the 2011 season, and has been very solid compliment to Troy Polamalu over the last seven years.

Clark’s current deal though, the same one he signed after the 2009 season, is set to expire at the end of this year.  And while Robert Golden (and possibly even Shamarko Thomas) is another year or two away from being an “every-down player,” it makes little to no sense to keep a soon to be 35 year-old safety with declining ball-skills and a liability regarding concussions and helmet-to-helmet hits.

Then again, Clark might be able to find a deal elsewhere on the open market like James Harrison did so the Steelers won’t have to go through the trouble of negotiating with him.  Regardless of what happens, I will definitely intrigued to see what Pittsburgh’s brass do with the veteran safety when the upcoming regular season ends.

Emmanuel Sanders & Jerricho Cotchery

I’m not banking on Emmanuel Sanders to sticking around past the 2013 season.  In fact, I believe that it was a bone-headed move to not let him walk to New England in the first place.  The team needed (and still need) draft picks and cap space, the idea that they will be renting an injury-prone receiver for one-year is ridiculous.

Now that Manny will be starting at split end, he is likely to receive as many chances as possible to shine this fall if he can stay healthy.  While numerous fans and analysts bagged on the Steelers for bringing Sanders back for the 2013 campaign, the former S.M.U. Mustang did manage to set career-highs in catches (44) and in receiving yards (626) last fall.

The Patriots were obviously interested in acquiring him this past offseason, and I am sure that the market for his services will increase if he can continue to improve.  So, unless Manny plays poorly, gets hurt, or actually gives the Steelers a “hometown discount,” then I do not believe that Pittsburgh’s cap-strapped front office will be able to afford to re-up him beyond this year to a long-term deal.

On the other hand, Jerricho Cotchery (and even Plaxico Buress) knew that it would be difficult for him to earn a new contract beyond the upcoming season when Colbert & Co. selected Markus Wheaton and Justin Brown in the 3rd and 6th rounds during last month’s draft.

When he has received the chance to contribute during his two-year stint with Pittsburgh, Cotchery has performed well in the slot as a pass-catcher and a blocker.  Overall, Jerricho has recorded 33 catches for 442 yards and 2 touchdowns, and his experience and leadership could pay huge dividends for some of the younger players at the position.

But as I alluded to before, the Steelers didn’t just draft Wheaton and Brown to simply ride the pine.  Thus, if the rookies do prove to be capable pass-catchers and the front office can somehow extend Emmanuel Sanders, then Cotchery will be looking for a new team next spring or even before the regular season begins.

Isaac Redman & Jonathan Dwyer

I lumped Dwyer and Redman together because I believe that one of these two might be able to stay on Pittsburgh’s roster past this season, but not both of them.  The selection of Le”Veon Bell basically guarantees that the Steelers are “all in” when it comes to Bell as a “3-down back,” and that one or both of the situational “battering rams” will be sent packing once the 2013 campaign comes to a close.

Last season, both Redman and Dwyer had prime chances to seize the starting running back role.  Sadly, neither player proved that they were anything more than “situational backs.”  Redman and Dwyer were unable to put up a string of consistent performances, and a battered offensive line did not help them gain any traction as well.  The two only combined to rush for 1,033 yards on 266 carries and only 4 touchdowns.  Worst of all, both backs rushed for less than 3.9 (3.88) yards per carry on the year!

I certainly would not blame Colbert & Co. if they allowed Redman and Dwyer to walk if neither player showed any improvement this year.  Plus, I have a hard time believing that the franchise will keep both backs beyond this year, especially because Dwyer and Redman possess such similar skill-sets.  So while depth at such an important position like running back is nice, don’t be surprised if neither “battering ram” is on the roster past the spring of 2014.

Can LaMarr Woodley become a defensive leader in 2012?

A quick inventory of players who will NOT be in Latrobe this summer for the 2012 edition of Camp Tomlin:

- The franchises all-time leading receiver, and spiritual leader of the offense for the past six years.

- A starting middle linebacker who had earned the Captain patch by leading the defense into battle for the past decade.

- Two long-time defensive linemen who were leaders in the locker room and respected unconditionally by every player that has come through Pittsburgh during their tenures.

That, my black and gold minded minions, is what we call in the business “Leadership”.

The Steelers off season isn’t even over yet, and already the team is heading into 2012 with a major gap in leadership – a tangible quality that no NFL team wins without.  While it doesn’t show up in stat lines or your fantasy football box score, leadership counts in a league where the roster is populated by 52 young men with a ton of money and very little life experience.  Without leadership, you can have all the talent in the world and achieve absolutely nothing (see Jets, New York 2011).  Players like Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, Chris Hoke, and James Farrior led on and off the field.  They ensured that players gave their all in every practice, treated each other with respect, followed the game plan, and most importantly they mentored your players who needed to be looked after.  There is a reason why James Farrior was the man to pump up the team before they headed out of that Heinz Field tunnel on Sunday – respect.  Farrior had earned that right by proving to the coaching staff and ownership that he was able to bring the defense group together into one cohesive unit.  Do you ever wonder why teams like the Washington Redskins always seem to have so much talent, yet they never win anything?  It’s because football is a team sport, and the strongest link in the chain is the most important one of all.  Teams like the Redskins have too many guys pulling chains in every which direction, never together.  The players the Steelers have lost this off season were some of the best leaders this franchise has ever seen, and to replace them will require numerous men to step up and take the reins as vocal and spiritual leaders of the most successful professional football franchise in NFL history.  It is not an easy task, and very few current players have the swagger and overall team respect to forge ahead as the new leaders of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On offense, its very simple.  Ben Roethlisberger is a future Hall of Fame quarterback who has been to the brink of losing it all and rebounded to reclaim the love and respect of his peers.  With Hines Ward gone, he is the unquestioned leader of the offense, and frankly, the entire team.  Roethlisberger is now two years removed form his social issues, and has continued to develop into the type of man the Rooney family wants representing their team.  “Big Ben” has done everything short of play with a broken neck, he is a tireless competitor who will never allow injuries to keep him out of a game, even though he spends most weeks getting thrown around like a sack of potatoes.  Ben Roethlisberger is now the “face” of the Steelers, a position he has earned through hard work and persistence.  Coach Tomlin knows that he has a leader in his quarterback, and he will be calling on him to keep the troops in line this season.

On defense, things are a bit trickier.  Most fans would say that Troy Polamalu is a fine example of a leader, but despite the fact that he is the best player on the field – when he is on the field – Polamalu is a man of few words.  Let’s just say that the chances of seeing #43 leading the pre-game rally in the tunnel is pretty slim.  Polamalu leads by example on the field, and off the field.  He is a deeply religious man who values his family over anything the game of football could ever bring him, which are the reasons that he is beloved by so many.  However, as a leader in the locker room – the soft-spoken safety may have trouble getting his point across.  Better we leave Troy to the issue at hand- scaring the snot out of opposing quarterbacks and slot receivers going over the middle.

Ike Taylor would be a candidate based on seniority.  Ike has been with the Steelers since 2003, and has been a starter since 2005.  He re-signed with the team last year when he probably could have taken a more lucrative deal elsewhere, and he has earned a reputation as one of the best cover corners in the league by people who obviously do not watch enough Steelers football.  Ike Taylor is not a leader, he is a great player who will follow a great leader and probably be better for it.  Lawrence Timmons is a beast, easily the best athlete on the defense and a scary human being to see running at you full speed.  He is also a laid-back type of locker room guy, with no patience for the “Ra-Ra” energy a defensive leader needs to have (think Ray Lewis – unfortunately).  Casey Hampton has had opportunities to step up as a leader before, and never fully embraced it then.  I would assume he is happy with his current role of speaking softly and eating opposing running backs for mid-game light snacks.  James Harrison is a player that is respected by all, but he is a tad bit on the not-so shall we say…..sane side.  There is also the matter of his ongoing battle with the NFL over decapitating opposing players to contend with.  Better to leave Harrison alone.  Ryan Clark is a leader, outspoken and brash, with a tendency to hit first, think later (here’s looking at you Willis McGahee).  Clark has become a vocal leader for the team and could very well be the guy who replaces James Farrior as the leader of the defense.  Additionally, Clark plays free safety – a position that is integral to most of the plays in the Dick LeBeau bag of tricks.  Could Ryan Clark emerge as the next defensive captain of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Last but not least, I give you my choice.  The Michigan Monster, the man with the stomp, the Steelers most intimidating defensive player.  LaMarr Woodley has embraced Steeler Nation, he has been one of the most consistent forces on the Steelers defense, and he has in his possession a Super Bowl ring.  All prerequisites for anyone who wants to be the Steelers defensive captain.  Woodley is entering his sixth season with the team, and is signed through 2017.  By the time his career comes to an end, he should be a lifetime Steeler, just like Ward, Smith, and Hoke.   Woodley is an outside linebacker, a position that is the calling-card for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  He is a shining example of a player who works hard in the community as well as on the field, and is a good role model for younger players.  The time is right for LaMarr Woodley to become the new leader of the Steelers defense.

From Bradshaw t0 Franco to Swann to Lambert to Hoge to Ilkin to Gildon to Porter to Ward to Smith to Farrior and now to Woodley.  The tradition of leadership in the Pittsburgh Steelers organization continues in 2012.  We may see some younger players – Antonio Brown, Keenan Lewis, Maurkice Pouncey – emerge as leaders in the future, but for 2012 this Steelers team will rely on the leadership of Ben Roethlisberger and LaMarr Woodley to lead them to the promise land.  With much more off season to go before the trip to Latrobe, anything can happen.  However, the Steelers should feel pretty good about having these players wearing the C patch – at least theoretically – this season.

Get all of your Steelers news daily here at www.nicepickcowher.com.

Follow NPC on Twitter @nicepickcowherc

Follow NPC on Facebook at The Official Nice Pick Cowher Facebook Page

Follow Jeff Snedden on Twitter @jeffsnedden

Follow Jeff Snedden on Facebook at the Jeff Snedden Facebook Page

Steelers WR Mike Wallace

The Mike Wallace situation became slightly more interesting this week, as rumors of the speedy wide receiver’s demands hit the internet.  On a day when the collective eyes of Steeler Nation were still wiping their tears from the Hines Ward retirement presser, it was reported by Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee that Wallace is seeking a contract that eclipses the one signed by all-world WR Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals last summer.  As the window for restricted free agency begins to close in on one month, Wallace may have essentially priced himself out of any chance for a long-term deal this year.  The teams that have been rumored as chasing Wallace – San Fransisco, New England, Denver, and Cincinnati – all have the cap flexibility to add such a contract if they wanted, even after all four clubs took part in the free agency smorgasbord this week.  The problem for Wallace is that while he may think he is on par with Fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson, his stat line says otherwise.

Wallace is a dream for an NFL quarterback, and a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.  His speed changes the game, and forces defenses to accommodate his presence by overloading his side of the field or dedicating their top defender to isolate Wallace.  There is no doubt that he has changed the Steelers offense in his three seasons in Pittsburgh, but a complete player he is not.  The big play is the calling card for Wallace, the over the top, down the sideline, burn the defense for a 50+ yard TD play.  Where he lacks skills is in the intermediate passing game, as his size – or lack thereof – does not allow for him to play the one on one match-up game in the endzone or in tough third-down situations.  He is not quite a one trick pony, but compared to a Fitzgerald or Megatron, their league he is not in.

Wallace is set to make $2.74million in 2012 by accepting the Steelers first-round tender offer.  He will become an unrestricted free agent after 2012 and if he excels again this season, he will be much more likely to pull in the type of offer he is looking for.  The Steelers have made it clear that they want nothing else but to sign Wallace long-term, and keep him in Pittsburgh to be the key asset in their newly-rebuilt receiver corps.  The Steelers could be in deep trouble if Wallace does get an unmatchable offer, as with the retirement of Hines Ward and the pending departure of free agent Jerricho Cotchery, the team is left with Pro Bowler Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders – who has yet to prove he can stay on the field for a full season – as their 1-2 punch at WR.  With Wallace in tow, the Steelers will continue to have one of the better receiver combinations in football, and by far the best in the AFC North.

Now it is up to Wallace to either accept reality for what it is, or to continue pushing for the offer he wants that may never come.  The unfortunate end result could be a disgruntled Mike Wallace showing up to Latrobe unhappy with his salary.  In this crazy NFL offseason, anything is possible, and Wallace may still end up getting a deal from a desperate team with a ton of cap room.  If that happens, the Steelers will have no choice but to let him walk, and accept a first round pick as a consolation prize.  A fine article posted yesterday here at NPC detailed the Steelers wide receiver draft potential, which you can read here.  If Wallace walks, it will be up to GM Kevin Colbert to work his mid-round magic once more and find another solid wide receiver to keep the Steelers passing game afloat under new Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley.

Wallace led the Steelers last season with 1,193 receiving yards and scored eight touchdowns.  His impact on games seemed to wain during the second half of the season, when teams began to double-cover him more often and allow Antonio Brown to rack up the receptions.  For his career with the Steelers, Wallace has amassed 3,206 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns, while averaging 18.7 YPC.  He also has been utilized on end around plays that totaled 15 rushes for 144 yards during his Steelers career.

For your daily dose of Pittsburgh Steelers news and updates, visit Nice Pick, Cowher.  You can also follow NPC on Twitter at @nicepickcowher. 

You can follow Jeff Snedden on Twitter at @jeffsnedden.

While the investigation down in Georgia continues, the Pittsburgh Steelers have thankfully made some news which doesn’t involve the sexual predator standing behind center.  In a surprising departure from their usual method of doing business, the front office has gone on an unprecedented wave of free agent spending in the past twenty-four hours. While none of these acquisitions are either marquee players or pricey big ticket items, it’s still a notable change from pretty much every other off-season when the team would wait until the market had dried up and then picked through whatever leftovers they could find.

The most notable signing is that of Ryan Clark.  I’ll admit to not expecting him back once he hit the open market but it appears he had a change of heart (or the money he was expecting to be offered wasn’t there after all).   He has accepted a four year, $14 million contract which is far from the $6 million he would’ve made had the Steelers placed one of their tags on him.  So it looks like they got him for the price they wanted all along.

While I don’t believe Clark is anything more than average, it’s hard to take issue with this move.  I would’ve let him walk if his contract demands were ludicrous but at $3 million a year he’s almost a bargain.  There aren’t any decent replacements available via free agency and Ryan Mundy has shown he’s not starter quality.  Meanwhile, even if the Steelers are able to take one of the top safeties in this year’s draft, rookies never see significant playing time for Dick LeBeau.

The Steelers also signed another safety, Will Allen.   Allen spent his entire six year career with Tampa Bay, where he was originally under the tutelage of secondary coach Mike Tomlin.  Allen started sporadically for the Bucs, entering last season as the starter before losing the final half of the year to a hand injury.  Allen will probably serve as the primary back-up to Clark with his greatest value coming on special teams.   Allen is fantastic coverage “gunner” who was even selected as a first alternate to the Pro Bowl for his special teams work.   Maybe we’ll actually be able to cover kicks this season.

Another newcomer to the Steelers is WR Arnaz Battle.  Battle had five receptions last season for the 49ers and a grand total of 11 touchdowns over his eight year career.  The key number when it comes to Battle is his height:  6’1.  The Steelers always want to have at least one large target among the WR corps and it looks like Battle is going to be that guy.  The obvious message you can read into this is that the days of Limas Sweed dropping passes in the black and gold appear to be rapidly coming to an end.

Finally, the Steelers have also re-signed our long lost gadget play specialist, Antwaan Randle El.   After throwing the game winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XL, Randle El cashed in on his sudden fame by accepting a $31 million contract from the buffoon out in Washington D.C.    Despite leading the ‘Skins in yardage and catches last year, Randle El was cut as part of a team wide housecleaning by new head coach Mike Shanahan.  Although he started for the Steelers, Randle El was always best used as a third down possession-type receiver and as a return man.   Stefan Logan did well on kick returns but had problems as a punt returner so I’d imagine Randle El will be given those duties next season.

And, hey, he was a starting quarterback back in college where he was the first player in Division I history to pass for 40 career touchdowns and score 40 career rushing touchdowns.  If worst comes to worst, maybe he can move back.

]]> http://nicepickcowher.com/2010/03/09/ryan-clark-stays-randle-el-returns/feed/ 2 http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/07/30/heath-milla-making-mad-scrilla/ http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/07/30/heath-milla-making-mad-scrilla/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:08:29 +0000 chris http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/07/30/heath-milla-making-mad-scrilla/ While the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to be the biggest laughingstock in all of baseball, the Pittsburgh Steelers once again show why they are the NFL’s most elite franchise. On a day when the Pirates traded a nine year defensive wizard and a multiple time All-Star for a bunch of guys nobody has ever heard of [...]

Heath Milla Making Mad Scrilla - Nice Pick, Cowher - Nice Pick, Cowher - A Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

While the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to be the biggest laughingstock in all of baseball, the Pittsburgh Steelers once again show why they are the NFL’s most elite franchise.

On a day when the Pirates traded a nine year defensive wizard and a multiple time All-Star for a bunch of guys nobody has ever heard of and nor they ever will, the Steelers were busy locking up one of their best players for the foreseeable future. Yeah, I know they’re different leagues and different sports but this pretty much sums up why one team is a first-class organization with a winning tradition and the other is an embarrassment to the championship city of Pittsburgh.

Heath Miller has agreed to a 6 year $35.5 million contract extension. That comes with a signing bonus of $12.5 million. The hefty bonus would indicate that only a small portion of that 6 year contract is guaranteed money. Still, Miller has been a solid top five TE when it comes to both blocking and pass catching so it’s a fair deal for both parties.

This also greatly ends any fear that the NFL’s uncapped year after next season will signal the dismantling of the Steelers. Miller’s extension means the only notable free agents the Steelers will have to worry about losing in 2010 are Fat Boy Hampton, Ryan Clark, and Fast Willie Parker.  All good players but even losing all three would hardly be a crippling blow to this team.

The Steelers have once again showed us how a successful team gets it done. Of course all they have to do is look across to glorious PNC Park for a textbook example of what not to do.

]]>