Steeler Nation loves running backs.

By now we’ve all heard Tomlin’s comments regarding the criticism of their free agent moves so far from the owner’s meetings in Phoenix.  Tomlin expressed unconditional confidence in his team regardless of the pieces added or still missing stating,

“That’s March talk.  I’ll see you in the stadiums in the fall.”

I’m a sucker for a good Tomlinism and I’ve been known to be the Tomlin apologist and defender of the NPC staff.  I think he’s a great coach and he’s capable of leading this team to many more Super Bowls.  Unfortunately, my confidence is wavering a scooch after the disappointing 8-8 season, the comments of several players regarding the status of the locker room during last season, and the decisions made so far in regards to the departure of key members of the team.  By far my biggest concern for March and the fall that I’d like Tomlin to address is who in the hell is supposed to the running the ball for the Steelers come September?

I, for one, am going to be the last one on Earth to admit the Steelers are rebuilding right now.  I refuse to admit it, I’m in complete denial and I’ll own up to that.  I don’t want it to be true.  I feel like having Ben Roethlisberger under center means you don’t rebuild, you reload.  Unfortunately, with the salary cap limitations and lack of depth at certain positions now it’s not as easy to reload as it sounds.  As much as I feel that letting James Harrison walk away was a mistake, specifically since no other team has signed him yet signifying the market for a LB with a history of injuries and being on the wrong side of 30 isn’t as lucrative as he and his agent might have thought it was, I somehow have more confidence in our defense than our offense.  I think last season showed that our defense, with the players still signed under contract, are capable of making the necessary plays to keep the team in games in which they can win late in the season.  Our offense, on the other hand, ran like a car with no engine most in part to the lackluster rushing game put on by the trio of Mendenhall, Redman, and Dwyer.  Mendenhall is gone and I have no problem with that.  He quit on the team last year and he has no business being a part of this team, and he’s an average back at best anyway.  The fact that at this point we have Redman, Dwyer, and Baron Batch to run the ball so far for the 2013 season makes me want to refill my anti-anxiety medication.

I have to believe the Steelers are still planning to add a running back to the roster before camp opens at the end of July.  At this point, only Dwyer has signed his tender and will remain on the roster for at least another season.  Last season I was all for Dwyer getting the start when he ran all over Cincy and Washington in back to back games.  Then he never ran for more than 60 yards a game the remainder of the season and when he was in games, tapped his helmet signifying he wanted to come off of the field so many times you’d think he was playing some odd game of Simon Says during the game.  I don’t know now if Dwyer has what it takes to be the starting back for the Steelers and taking the majority of the reps.  Dwyer ended the season with the most rushing yards (623) of all the backs on the team.

There has been some speculation that the Steelers are interested in signing former New York Giants FA RB Ahmad Bradshaw, although he hasn’t officially visited the team and no proposed deal is in place.  Bradshaw has ok numbers, kind of similar to Mendenhall’s career numbers with a couple of 1,000+ yard season and some injury issues mixed in as well.  As Dom stated in an earlier post, Bradshaw could be a steal salary-wise considering when you’re still unsigned in the third week of free agency, you can’t really command a big salary anymore.  Bradshaw is a six year veteran and could very well help out with that “leadership problem” the Steelers seemed to have last season, you can only speculate that could have been traced back in part  to their most tenured RB Mendenhall and his pouting fits regarding playing time.  Bradshaw could provide to the running back corps the same kind of thing that Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico provided to the wide receivers.

Former Alabama running back Eddie Lacy has been in draft discussions for the Steelers, however he’s currently nursing a hamstring injury that is keeping him idle for Alabama’s Pro-Day and also kept him out of the NFL’s scouting combine in February.  Most draft experts are predicting the Steelers will go either defensive line or linebacker with their pick at #17 overall and address their offensive needs in the later rounds but you never know what’s going to happen come draft day.  Addressing the running back needs has to be a priority in either the draft or the remainder of free agency.

Tomlin himself expressed earlier this month that the need to add a running back to the squad is imperative.  The free agency market right now isn’t great for running backs.  Bradshaw is probably one of the best names out there right now and the Steelers have already met and turned down Beanie Wells and haven’t had any other visits since.  Running the Steelers offense without a tried and true starting running back is not going to work.  I have a mountain of faith in Ben Roethlisberger, but I know he’s at his best when he has a running game to compliment his talents.  Hell, Steeler Nation needs a running back.  We’re not happy unless we’re rushing for over 100+ yards a game no matter how successful the offense might be in the air.  It’s in our DNA; we crave sandwiches with fresh cut fries on them and rushing yards and touchdowns.    My confidence in Tomlin this season will in part depend on his and Colbert’s ability to land an actual running back to benefit this team.

Follow me on Twitter @Kimmy_KimKimM and follow all of NPC’s posts @NicePickCowerC and Like us on Facebook

Burress staying in Pittsburgh. Tomlin still has holes to fill on the roster. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

What We Learned This Week in the NFL Offseason:

• Steelers active in Free Agency
• Wes Welker defects from Patriots to join Manning in Denver
• Mass Exodus from Baltimore as Ravens can’t afford anyone but Flacco
• Emmanuel Sanders visits New England but leaves without offer sheet
• Steelers lose more players to free agency
• Tomlin speaks on state of Steelers

The free agency period is open for business and there is plenty of moving and shaking involved, even with the Steelers.  The team usually remains relatively quiet during the free agency period, typically re-signing their own players but no splash signings to speak of.  Within the first week of free agency the Steelers re-signed Ramon Foster, Greg Warren, Larry Foote, Plaxico Burress and signed Pittsburgh native back up QB Bruce Gradkowski.  In addition the Steelers welcomed back TE Matt Spaeth from the Browns, whose re-signing is pending a physical.  The signing of Gradkowski likely means either Charlie Batch’s or Byron Leftwich’s time is done in Pittsburgh.  I’d lean towards Leftwich not getting signed back as he’s spent more time on the IR the past few years than Willie Colon, who incidentally was signed by the Jets this week as well.

In moves across the league remember that time when Tom Brady restructured and took a “pay cut” so that the Patriots could make some big signings during the offseason?  Yeah apparently that didn’t work out too well for them seeing as how they couldn’t come to terms with their leading receiver, Wes Welker.  Welker now joins Peyton Manning and what has become a very dangerous receiving corps in Denver.  Too bad they can’t play against their own secondary every game or they’d run away with the Super Bowl hands down.  Also the Baltimore Ravens seem to be closely following the 2003 Florida Marlins offseason handbook and starters are jumping ship like beads on a Mardi Gras float.  After they traded their top WR Anquan Boldin to the 49ers for a stick of Double Mint Gum and some Chuck-E-Cheese tokens they watched starter after starter sign contracts with other teams.  The Ravens not only have to look for the next Ray Lewis in their linebacking corps but will also be faced with replacing Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe along with safety Bernard Pollard.  Not to mention the fact that longtime safety Ed Reed is in the process of being courted by the Houston Texans.  The Ratbirds fell into this whole after offering Joe Flacco the biggest contract in the NFL and having relatively no space left under the cap to resign the rest of the players undoubtedly feeling underpaid as Super Bowl Champions.  Basically they Ratbirds will consist of Flacco, his eyebrow, Suggs, and the kid from the Blind Side.  Good luck with that guys.

Last week Emmanuel Sanders made news after word broke that he was in New England visiting the Patriots.  Sanders is a restricted free agent whom the Steelers offered a tender to before the free agency period started.  Sanders himself cleared up some confusion that was circulating as to if he had signed/not signed/was going to sign/ with the Pats by saying he had not been offered anything.  If Sanders does receive an offer sheet by the April 19^th deadline, the Steelers would have a week to match or beat their offer or they will receive that team’s 3^rd round draft pick as compensation for losing Sanders.  Steeler Nation is all a flutter awaiting the outcome similarly to last year when we were wondering if anyone would offer up their 1^st round pick for Mike Wallace.  I realize losing Wallace is a blow to the receiving corps but I’m not understanding why the collective Nation is stressing the outcome of a wide receiver that had only 626 receiving yards and 1 touchdown last season.  If Sanders choses the same path that Wallace just went down and thinks he’s due a big payday for his potential rather than his numbers, then I’m not sure we’re losing a whole lot there.  Let’s just see how this one plays out before stressing out, shall we?

Speaking of Wallace, the free agency period was barely a few hours old and his massive contract with the Miami Dolphins was already signed signifying the first of three Steelers to defect in the first three days of free agency.  Next was Rashard Mendenhall to the Arizona Cardinals and then Keenan Lewis signed with his hometown team the New Orleans Saints last week.  That wipes out the entire 2008 draft class for the Steelers.  Willie Colon also signed with the Jets last week after being released by the Steelers.  The departure of Wallace will hurt, his talents can’t really be replaced even if that’s hard to admit.  Mendenhall, on the other hand, was part of a lackluster rushing game last season and topped it off by quitting on his own teammates by punking out and pulling a “no show” for a game he wasn’t slated to play in.  See ya later buddy, I’m sure you can do plenty of dancing at the line of scrimmage for 1 yard gains in AZ.  Keenan Lewis showed signs of promise at the CB position opposite Ike Taylor last year and his efforts will certainly be missed.  Cortez Allen had an amazing end of the season and will most likely have the starting position opposite Taylor to start the 2013 season.  Can’t really hold it against Wallace and Lewis if they wanted to leave Pittsburgh.  Aside from all the Plaxico’s and Foote’s in the world who have left the Steel City only to return and never want to leave again, there are some that just don’t get it.  Best of luck to Wallace and Lewis, here’s hoping that Tannehill can stay upright long enough to hit Wallace downfield and Lewis can effectively matchup against Julio Jones twice a season.

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and GM Kevin Colbert are in Arizona this week for the owner’s meetings and took some time to talk about the recent departures from the roster.  Both expressed sentiments that there is no need for panic and even Colbert reminded us that we lost players that were a part of an 8-8 team, therefore we were bound to make some kind of changes.  Tomlin said that Worilds would be first in line to take over for the loss of James Harrison, adding that

“We’ll see what Jason Worilds is capable of doing.”

I think we’ll have to see what Tomlin and Colbert are capable of doing too.  They have a big challenge, not only with the upcoming draft and trying to fill some of these holes, but also with maintaining a team that should be re-tooling to compete for a Super Bowl each year and not be losing key players that can’t be replaced.  I agree with Colbert that after the disappointing season the Steelers had, changes were due to come about.  I just hope that the right changes are being made and the right players are being brought in.  On the other hand, you can argue that if Ben doesn’t throw that interception against Cincy we’re in the playoffs and then who knows what could have happened so you have to put yourself in a position to do better next year, not worse.

Follow me on Twitter @Kimmy_KimKimM and follow all of NPC’s posts @NicePickCowherC and Like us on Facebook

Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Former Pittsburgh Steelers Rashard Mendenhall is heading to Arizona to play for the Cardinals and buddy Bruce Arians.  He’s inked a one year deal with the Cards, and I fully believe that will cost him his career.  Shortly after Mendenhall’s move was announced through the Twitt’o'sphere, white smoke began to spew forth from the chimney at the Vatican announcing a new pope had been selected.  Much like that chimney, Mendenhall’s career is about to go up in smoke as well in 2013.

White smoke from the Vatican on Wednesday.

How desperate was Mendenhall to get out of Dodge?  Apparently enough to sign just a one year deal for a team that struggled all over the place offensively.  It’s doubtful that with Airans at the helm that the offense will take a huge leap out of the nether regions of obscurity.  Arians may make that team better, but it’s going to take a couple of years before that happens – well after Mendenhall’s one year is up, and the team needs more than a semi good ‘featured’ back to right the ship.  Don’t expect an extension from them – even with a great season in 2013.

One year deals are usually reserved for the ‘Over 30′ crowd who are proven vets.  It’s the traditional ‘I was good for the last ten seasons, still have some gas in the tank, and still want to play football’ kind of signing.  Whether Mendenhall really wanted to be reunited with Bruce Arians is a moot point when you consider the big risk v. medium reward in Mendenhall’s decision.  Mendenhall is still young, and if he was productive enough of a back, he should have at least received a multi year deal from some team out there.  Did he take the first offer on the table?  Seems like it considering we are just two days into free agency signings and there weren’t many RB’s up for grabs.  

Mendenhall is taking a risk with the 2013 season being his last attempt to define himself as a starter and one who’s worth the money and attitude.  The only way he is rewarded is if he has a phenomenal season in ‘Zona and another team nabs him in 2014.  At age 29 going on 30 at that point, Mendenhall will be on the verge of that Club 30 I was talking about.  Will he even get a huge long term contract?  Doubtful.  I don’t know what he’s expecting to do or have happen while in Arizona.  Sure he gets to keep playing football, but for how long?  Arizona is not a running team and will have difficulties adjusting to Arians offense at first – assuming he’s either calling the plays or hires someone who will call similar schemes.

I’m seeing a 500-700 yard year out of Mendy, and that’s a far cry from what he’ll need to get the nice long term contract the Club 30 desires – especially at the running back position.  He’ll likely turn into a 3rd down running back like former Steelers RB Mewelde Moore did after he came from the Vikings.  That’s low on the depth charts and doesn’t equal a big pay check or long term deals.

This deal with ‘Zona could be the beginning of the end for Mendy.  Come to think of it…. If the latest trends hold true in a couple of years, Steeler fans should expect to see Mendenhall back in a Steelers uniform as a 3rd down running back in 2015.  No surprises there.

Follow me on Twitter @NicePickCowherC and Like us on Facebook

Download the new FanSided iOS App!

Thanks for the memories Debo! Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

What We Learned This Week in the NFL Offseason:

• Steelers release James Harrison
• Broncos reportedly have interest in Mendenhall
• Free Agency looming without any big deals on horizon for Pittsburgh

Quite possibly the worst part of each NFL offseason involves the inevitable release of players you’d never expect to be released from their teams.  Last offseason the Steelers voluntarily parted ways with Hines Ward, James Farrior, and Aaron Smith.  This offseason, facing another salary cap struggle, the Steelers released 2008 DPOY James Harrison after negotiations for a new contract failed.  As a fan, you have to prepare yourself each season for shakeups.  You have to come to the realization that the 53 man roster will never be exactly the same from one season to the next.  As a Steeler fan, you have to have confidence that the offseason moves will only improve the team.  As much as we all saw this coming as far as the reports and talks of the negotiations, I can honestly say that I was surprised the Steelers actually released Harrison.  I just can’t imagine being Kevin Colbert and saying, “No thank you James Harrison, you go play for another team now.”

Personally, I don’t agree with the release of James Harrison.  I don’t think he falls into the category Ward, Farrior, and Smith fell into last season when the coaching staff pretty much wrote them off of being contributors on the field and the front office justified cutting them from the salary cap based on that.  The James Harrison situation was a different one.  I realize that I may not be a financial wizard that fully understands the salary cap issues the Steelers seem to fall into each and every year and I can accept that at almost 35 Harrison might not exactly be worth the $6.5 million cap hit he was going to cost, but when it couldn’t be more obvious that a player still has what it takes to not only contribute, but also excel in his position why not try to keep him?  Reports are that Harrison and his agent turned down a Steelers offer that would have given him about a 30% pay cut but had the opportunity to repay him the entire amount he would have originally earned in incentives.  I can’t fault Harrison for turning that down.  Sure he’s taking a gamble thinking that another team will pay him that much, but a player of his status who keeps himself in top physical condition every year is entitled to his salary.  I hope his gamble pays off for him, I honestly do.  I realize that the Steelers more often than not have been known for releasing players at the right time and have always had, especially in the LB position, a tradition of stars emerging when given the chance to replace a former legend.  Everyone raise your hand if you think Jason Worilds is that guy.

Speaking of the looming free agency and roster shake ups, the Denver Broncos have reportedly shown interest in UFA Rashard Mendenhall.  When Steelers GM Kevin Colbert spoke at the NFL Combine last month he was asked if the Steelers RB of the future was currently on the roster and he only included Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer into that discussion.  Both Redman and Dwyer are RFA’s and have already been offered tenders.  I’m not sure if there’s anyone in Steeler Nation that’s going to be as emotional with the departure of Rashard Mendenhall as James Harrison.  The last couple of seasons rushing game for the Steelers ran more like a car with no engine than the rushing game we all know and love.  The Steelers do not have an every down back on the team right now and I’d like to think that they might have the capabilities to get one this offseason, but like always the Steelers are not expected to make any kind of noise during free agency.

I have a gripe with Kevin Colbert on the free agency front.  I realize we’ve all heralded him for his abilities to restructure contracts and work the salary cap jigsaw puzzle that seems to befuddle the team each offseason, but isn’t it kinda his fault the Steelers get themselves into the salary cap hell they get into each year?  What’s with creating all these contracts that need restructuring so many times?  And if you have to part ways with a James Harrison in the name of salary cap efficiency, what are you going to offer in return?  What can the fans expect the team to look like at the start of training camp?  I cannot buy into the Steelers having anything resembling a rebuilding year while Ben Roethlisberger is still under center and in fact about to enter the prime years of his career.  If the Steelers are not reloading the team each offseason with the objective to compete for the Super Bowl each year, they’re doing themselves, their franchise quarterback, and their fans a disservice.

Follow me on Twitter @Kimmy_KimKimM and follow all of NPC’s posts @NicePickCowherC and Like us on Facebook

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and his hat toured ESPN studios to discuss the locker room drama.

I’m taking a short break from my series of things which are ruining the NFL to weigh in on the dumpster fire that’s going on with the Steelers right now.  By now we’ve all heard the comments from the still unnamed Steelers player who called LaMarr Woodley out for being a scooch too hefty and not as productive this past season.  As uncharacteristic as that is, an anonymous quote from a Steeler bashing another Steeler, the fallout seems even worse.  The Steelers 2012 locker room has been exposed for having a lack of leadership, personal agendas, and overall dysfunction.  How did the Steelers turn into the New York Jets?  Can this be fixed?

The biggest excuse that was given as the reasoning behind why the 2012 Steelers were predicted to finish 3^rd in the AFC North was the void left in leadership positions without longtime Steelers Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, and James Farrior in the locker room.  That and they’re all old, which it seems like the Steelers have been called old for the past 5 years.  I and I know I wasn’t the only one, downplayed the “leadership issue” at the start of the season.  I never thought for one minute that a team that still had Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, and Heath Miller would have any issues with leadership.  I never thought they’d have issues in the locker room at all.  I thought that the whole idea was blown completely out of proportion because Ward, Smith and Farrior collectively hadn’t been on the field the past seasons due to injury or other reasons so how could their absence from the locker room cause any problems? Apparently I was all wrong.

Another cause of how this mess could have happened could be attributed to what Antonio Brown said this week was “certain” players being called out midseason for their contract issues citing Troy Polamalu as addressing other players by saying,

“It’s not about money or contract issues; it’s all about being together.”

Brown also stated the locker room was “different” than previous years.  While Antonio Brown was still unwilling to name names in referencing who was being called out for focusing on their contract issues it doesn’t take a detective to figure out that Mike Wallace’s hold out and impending realization that he’d be gone to free agency to the highest bidder at the end of the season, along with his uncharacteristic disappointing play, played a big part in the locker room dysfunction for the Steelers.  Think about the last time a high profile wide receiver for the Steelers held out during training camp for a long term contract.  Hines Ward held out in the summer of 2005 for a long term deal to allow him to retire as a Steeler and the Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XL that following February, as quite possibly one of the closest-knit teams the franchise ever had thanks to the collective effort to get “The Bus” back to Detroit to retire a champion.  This season we had Mike Wallace, part of the “Young Money Crew” holding out of signing his RFA tender during almost the entire training camp and therefore forfeiting his opportunity to negotiate with the Steelers for a long term deal considering the fact that the Steelers have a long standing rule of not negotiating contracts once the regular season begins.  Wallace reports to the team just before the season starts and has his worst statistical season of his career, partly due to not being targeted with the lack of deep balls thrown, but still not the kind of performance you’d think someone who thought they were underpaid would put forth.  Makes you wonder if he wasn’t targeted in the beginning of the season because he just wasn’t acclimated to Haley’s offense in time?  Was Wallace too concerned the entire season about his money that he never properly learned the new offensive scheme and therefore didn’t perform well enough in practice to have his number called in game situations?  Wallace reportedly turned down an estimated $50 million offer from the Steelers and I think he’s part of the reason the locker room was a mess this year.  The Steelers do not have a history of bringing their contract disputes into the locker room with them, that’s just not the way.  Call Woodley out all you want for getting fat and not performing after he got his contract but he sure as hell out performed his previous contract and never caused any kind of distractions while he was awaiting his deal.  It’s pretty clear that Wallace made “getting his money” a bigger priority than the team’s objectives.  Fortunately, if you can really call it that, Steeler Nation won’t have to worry about the Mike Wallace distraction for 2013 because even before free agency opens up he’s as good as gone.  If he turned down $50 million to stay with the Steelers and teams like the Miami Dolphins are willing to throw as much as $60 million at him, you can pretty much replace your #17 jerseys now.

So what’s a bigger problem for the Steelers, the fact that an anonymous player called Woodley out or the cavalcade of players going on talk shows now to talk about how crappy everyone was in the locker room this year?  Just this week Ryan Clark, Larry Foote, and Antonio Brown have all come out to talk about the locker room dysfunction.  First Clark called the anonymous player “a coward” on the NFL Network.  Then Larry Foote suggested that it might have been a coach rather than a player who made the comments, and Antonio Brown was all over ESPN on Wednesday to describe all the issues the Steelers had.  What the hell?  Who’s going on Dr. Phil then?  How did it get to this level in the first place?  I think when you’re the Pittsburgh Steelers and you finish 8-8 and miss the playoffs there are bound to be some issues that arise.  It’s way easier for the players to be a “brotherhood” when you’re winning than when you’re losing.

Ryan Clark takes part in the Steelers dysfunctional locker room world tour visiting the NFL Network.

Can the problems all be traced back to the head coach?  I have to admit I often defend the criticism of Mike Tomlin when it’s stated that he’s got a lack of control over the team, particularly when he’s compared to Bill Cowher, but this kind of unrest can only lead back to the head coach.  Tomlin either didn’t put the right message in the right player’s hands or didn’t give the players the direction they needed.  In some ways the Steelers are as old as people claim they are but in other positions they are relatively young, and quite possibly immature.  The “next man up” mantra has served the Steelers well for many seasons but this season not so much because the next man was often unprepared to fill the shoes of his predecessor.  The Steelers running back situation in it of itself was a dumpster fire this season and you had Rashard Mendenhall getting suspended one game for failing to show up for a game he wasn’t dressing for.  Tomlin was widely criticized for benching RB after RB during the monstrosity of a game that was Week 12 in Cleveland where everybody and their mother was putting the piggy on the ground but was he trying to start a fire in an otherwise ineffective group?  When you think of the Steelers lacking leadership, not only can you blame it on the head coach but you might as well blame it on the players you most expected to have stepped up in those leadership positions.  Ryan Clark is a very outspoken member of the team and did seem to step into a leadership role this season, his comments on the NFL network regarding the anonymous player ripping Woodley,
“That shows that this team that is normally close, you had the Joey Porters, the Alan Fanecas, just down the line, leader after leader, this team was close-knit.  It shows there is a fracture in that.  I think that is the most disappointing thing about that coming out.”

Kevin Colbert addressed the media on Thursday while attending the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.  He addressed the situation regarding anonymous sources,

“Whether you win a Super Bowl or finish 8-8, there is no 100 percent harmonious locker room.  I don’t care where it is.  I think it’s more likely to happen when you go 8-8, but quite honestly, I’m not concerned about our locker room.  Coach Tomlin and I have had the opportunity to speak to our players, sometimes more than once, since the season ended.  We have a very good finger on the pulse of where we stand from a team standpoint.  We’re comfortable with that.”

Bottom line is the Steelers having locker room issues like these is about as common as ESPN’s NHL coverage so it’s going to be blown out of proportion no matter what is going on but you’d think that some of these problems are going to take care of themselves.  The players’ comments basically point to Mike Wallace and Rashard Mendenhall being the biggest distractions in the locker room and neither are likely to be wearing the Black & Gold in 2013.  Ron Cook, of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, who initially reported the anonymous quotes, has said that the comments were made by more than one player and several coaches and not at all intended to demean or ridicule him but rather fire him up.  When it comes down to it, LaMarr Woodley’s gut was not the sole reason the Steelers went 8-8 last season and we all know that.  His lack of production and injury problems have definitely contributed to the Steelers pass rush being listed on milk cartons along with missing children but definitely wasn’t the only reason the Steelers missed the playoffs this year.  I feel like the Steelers need to straighten these issues out immediately, well as immediate as they can without even the 2013 roster being anywhere near set, but the very people making the comments bashing the anonymous player and describing the problems in the locker room are the ones that need to step up.  Antonio Brown might want to focus more on not putting the piggy on the ground and maybe not run backwards 20 yards into the endzone since he’s likely the Steelers #1 receiver now.  Steeler Nation expects a lot from their team and we know they expect a lot from each other.  There’s a simple solution to all of this drama and in lies in the immortal words of the dearly departed Crazy Al Davis; Just win Baby.

What are your thoughts, Steeler Nation?  Are you worried about the Steelers locker room problems spilling over into 2013?

Follow me on Twitter @Kimmy_KimKimM and follow all of NPC’s posts @NicePickCowerC and Like us on Facebook