Huddle up guys!
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

Good Morning Steeler Nation!  If that may be too perky for your taste at this hour you might want to take another sip of your coffee.  There’s plenty to be excited about as a Steelers fan now that the dust has settled from the draft.  There are offseason workouts, minicamp, and training camp just around the corner.  Can almost smell that freshly cut grass at Saint Vincent’s huh?  This morning the mood is hopeful from the local media outlets regarding the Steelers draft picks and their abilities to contribute in the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, on the South Side, the Steelers have already begun Phase II of the offseason workouts per Teresa Varley of steelers.com.  This phase of the workouts includes position meetings between players and coaches for the first time this year.  Players will get their first opportunity of the season to get into the playbook along with the coaches in those position meetings.  Veteran CB Ike Taylor, who normally works out on his own in Florida, joined the group to encourage the younger players to get in gear for the OTA’s which will begin May21.

“It’s good for them to get a feel for each other on the field, get to know each other and see how they move.  You can do that stuff early, do it now.  When you get on the field for the OTA’s, coaches will be telling you what to do, but this is a stepping stone.  You want to know what to do without the coaches telling you.  It shows the coaches you are willing and capable and you are being responsible.”

Ed Bouchette of the PG breaks down the “New Young Money Crew” that were drafted this weekend in Markus Wheaton and Justin Brown in the third and sixth rounds respectively.  The drafting of the wide receivers was identical to the 2010 draft in which they picked up Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown.  Between the group of the new and the old, Ben Roethlisberger might just have some new and dare I say better options on offense this season.  This might provide a more productive offense than the “dink and dunk” that Ben lovingly criticized last season but also produced MVP-like numbers for him before his shoulder injury sidelined him.

Alan Robinson of the Trib explains how some of this year’s Steelers draft class could be entering training camp with a chance to start at their respective positions.  The number one overall pick Jarvis Jones will most likely enter camp as a “starter in waiting” behind Jason Worilds.  Just how well Jones competes in camp and preseason might determine how long he has to wait.  The only confidence this coaching staff has exhibited, in my opinion, in Worilds as the heir apparent to James Harrison is the fact that they dug in their heels and refused to give Harrison a chance to come back after initial talks failed and Harrison’s test of the market failed as well.  Handing over the linebacker tradition to Worilds by default, if you ask me.  Le’Veon Bell also looks to be a draft pick with a better opportunity to start as a rookie than the remaining class, explains Robinson.  Because the running back corps is, um, well let’s just say it is what it is, I agree with Robinson on this one.  I’d say that any of the RB’s that enter camp have the opportunity to separate themselves from the herd and emerge as the starter, just all about the work they’re going to put into it.  Mike Tomlin explained that all players must earn their jobs, but we all know what opportunities lie out there.

“I think it’s a daunting task for rookies to start in any system and play and perform well.  But we’re not going to close the door on anyone earning an opportunity.”

What do you think, Steeler Nation?  Who out of the draft class do you think can start right away?

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 Number 1 pick Jarvis Jones. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

What We Learned This Week in the NFL Offseason:

• 2013 NFL Draft concludes
• New York Jets pick Geno Smith and release Tim Tebow
• Packers sign Aaron Rodgers to giant contract extension
• Steelers finish up draft weekend by signing undrafted free agents

Each year the NFL Draft becomes a bigger and bigger spectacle.  Maybe because each year we’ve somehow grown hungrier and hungrier for even the tiniest bit of NFL action by April.  Whatever the reason, NFL junkies were full by Sunday night after seven rounds of solid picks, surprising picks, unpredictable trades, and Roger Goodell bro-hugs.  With the No. 1 pick overall the Kansas City Chiefs made OT Eric Fisher from Central Michigan the answer to many a trivia question for years to come.  Andy Reid made his first non-barbeque related move in Kansas City by drafting the tackle and hoping the unsexy pick proves to be a smart one.  Other notable picks from the weekend included the Miami Dolphins moving up nine spots to nap DE Dion Jordan, San Diego picking Manti Te’o in the second round, and USC QB Matt Barkley free falling to the fourth round and getting nabbed by Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Undoubtedly there has to be a Brady Quinn in every draft now, a player who is projected to be picked early and shows up in his pretty new suit with his Mom, girlfriend, cousins, neighbors, and anyone else who wanted to take in the joy of getting drafted into the NFL and then just sits there round after round not being called and getting more depressing by the minute.  This year’s Brady Quinn was WVU’s Geno Smith, who was rewarded for his patience for not being called in the first round of the draft by being picked up by the Jets in the second round.  Poor guy.  Immediately following the pick-up of Smith speculation of the Jets moving Mark Sanchez surfaced but this morning it was Tim Tebow who got his walking papers.  The Tim Tebow Experiment in New York has come to an end and they were so nice they did it to him at a time where he most likely won’t get picked up by another team since we just had this thing called a draft this weekend where teams typically address all their needs and wants, if that could happen anyway seeing as how his “talents” weren’t exactly showcased in New York aside from that one shirtless jog in the rain he did.  Even with a new GM the Jets are still a train-wreck and I’d strongly suggest avoiding all ESPN coverage until further notice.  There’s no telling how low they’ll reach to continue to keep Tebow in their continuous coverage.  Best of luck Timmy, here’s hoping you find a nice place in Canada to play someday.

The Green Bay Packers made Aaron Rodgers the highest paid quarterback in ever yesterday when they signed him to a five-year $110 million contract extension.  Rodgers got an NFL record breaking $62.5 million guaranteed, blowing Joe Flacco’s deal right out of the water.  Apparently Rodgers’ cap-number should stay relatively manageable for the life of the deal for the Packers, never going over $21 million.  The Packers just resigned Clay Matthews to an extension last month, and apparently had made re-signing Rodgers a priority after that.  Rodgers and Flacco now join Drew Brees to have the biggest contracts of quarterbacks with just one Super Bowl victory.  If only this kind of money was floating around in Trent Dilfer’s time.

Your Pittsburgh Steelers concluded the 2013 NFL Draft weekend by adding 15 undrafted free agents to their nine draft picks.  The Steelers made LB Jarvis Jones out of Georgia their No. 1 overall pick when Jones was still available to them at their #17 spot.  In the second round the Steelers went offense by drafting Michigan State RB Le’Veon Bell.  Some criticized this pick as Bell is another “big back” and Alabama’s Eddie Lacy was still on the board at the time.  It’s been reported that the Steelers were not comfortable with Lacy’s toe injury he is nursing and were not convinced he’d be ready in time to risk the pick on him.  I’m a sucker for a big back in Black & Gold with good feet.  I sure as hell hope that Bell fits into this category.

The Steelers then went on to address needs at wide receiver, defensive back and even quarterback with the later rounds of the draft.  I’m not quite sure how I feel about the Landry Jones pick in round four still, to be honest with you.  I’m also a sucker for Charlie Batch.  I totally understand the move to sign a Bruce Gradkowski to a long term deal hopefully solidifying the backup QB spot for a while and I get that you need to start thinking about the future when Ben is not able to perform at a top level anymore but I can’t imagine the roster without Charlie Batch on it and that’s how it’s looking now that they’ve drafted Jones.    In the undrafted free agent pool the most notable player the Steelers picked up was Mike Golic Jr OL from Notre Dame and son of ESPN Radio Host Mike Golic.  Below is the complete list of draft picks and undrafted free agents from steelers.com.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2013 DRAFT PICKS

* Acquired 14^th pick (111^th overall) in the fourth round via a trade with the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers traded their 2014 third-round selection in return for the 111^th overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft.

** Compensatory selection

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2013 ROOKIE FREE AGENTS

What are your thoughts on the draft weekend as a whole, Steeler Nation?

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Landry Jones Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Want to get me going on a Monday morning (highly caffeinated, or not)?  Feel like pressing my buttons, setting me off on rants and tangents? Yeah? Then, ask me how I feel about the Steelers commitment or competency of late in developing our own talent, a literal foundational hallmark of this Organization since 1970.  Long ago, I drank the Steelers kool-aid on how we run our business; it’s the best run organization in the NFL, and one of the best in all of professional sports for this very reason – Draft and Develop.  Six, yes count them, six Lombardi Trophies are in large part a testimony to this approach.  Typically, I have granted license to the Steeler brass that they know best, and in Colbert & Company I trust.  But are the Pittsburgh Steelers as an organization now failing in our time honored ability, and uber-winning formula, to Draft and Develop?

For years now, Pittsburgh has limped along when Ben Roethlisberger has been knocked out of games.  The Organization seems to refuse to develop a competent Backup Quarterback.  I’m not sure where some fans perspective makes it perfectly fine that when Big Ben Roethlisberger is lost to injury (notice no “if” but “when” – Ben has only played one full season his entire NFL career), we have to rely on Dick LeBeau’s Defense to Win the game, and a dry-rotting quarterback (or two!) as backup to not lose the game.  Had the Steelers as an organization taken the necessary, and seemingly required by any other team in the League, steps towards developing a competent backup, the end results to everyone else’s hard work for several seasons would have been quite different.  Had this happened, Pittsburgh would not have missed the 2012 Playoffs. It was beyond time to draft a competent Quarterback as backup; their eventuality as replacement for Big Ben is irrelevant.

A Quarterback Quandary: Backing Up Big Ben

Let’s sanitize your comments before we get really going with this here: I am, and have been, a big fan of Charlie Batch.  Charlie has been a great teammate and leader in Pittsburgh, and has in fact won us some ball games when we desperately needed his help.  Further, once upon a time I was also more than fine with Byron Leftwich as our intended go-to guy as a backup quarterback.  But, that was once upon a time; at some point, all fantasy stories for children transform into adult realities, and we grow out of them.  The Pittsburgh Steelers have been spoiled by the ultimate warrior in Ben Roethlisberger, who I would commit to anyone asking is the toughest guy in the NFL.  As such, there seems to be a high degree of complacency in ensuring that when Big Ben goes down, Pittsburgh doesn’t go down with him.  As 2012 showed us live and in Technicolor, we are woefully troubled, crippled and paralyzed by this lack of, or refusal towards, developing a competent Backup Quarterback.  A 2008 selection in Dennis Dixon led to nothing more than the former leading Heisman Trophy candidate taking about as many reps as I have since high school (which would be, none).  For several years we listened to NFL pundits expecting Dixon’s talent potential to be lost to another team, a few of which felt he could likely start for – I’m not sure I buy into a starting role, but Dixon’s skill sets could have been utilized in games and they never were (sans one Monday Night Football game versus the Ravens).

To make matters worse, “developing” a competent backup in this league is in large part, unnecessary.  Enter Brian Hoyer – I am still beyond ability to comment, here publicly or otherwise privately in my own home, in an acceptable and professional manner as to how and why the Steelers wanted Hoyer so badly as backup QB, only to never get him signed while they had him in Pittsburgh last year.  This is one of the most idiotic things I’ve watched us do, literally forcing us into having to “waste” a draft selection on a Quarterback.  Had they competently dealt with this issue by signing Hoyer, it would actually have been totally unnecessary to, and completely validating the argument not to, “waste” invaluable draft picks to finally alleviate an oozing sore at backup quarterback in Steel Town.  Instead, we not only had to use one of the draft picks for a Quarterback, we end up trading away future picks to get one.  Insert, large-fonted text, bold, question marks and exclamation points.

Within the newly constructed CBA, this would give the Steelers 4-5 years to develop a “potential” replacement for Big Ben right about the time we can start expecting this to be not just a plausible issue, but a reality. Further, “grooming” a highly competent QB as backup pays dividends even if this hard to think about topic is actually a reality; as many team’s have smartly used to their advantage, a well-developed quality backup QB can bring worth beyond its weight in gold in trade value with other teams, either for additional picks or in dire emergency, bringing in immediate skills to deal with open issues on the roster.  Translation = drafting developmental quarterbacks brings a high degree of return; either they develop and perform for your own team, or they become exceptional bargaining chips to add additional, needed talent at any given time.

Quite confident that the Steelers would make a quarterback selection this year to finally address the issue, I do want to positively affirm that we actually did do the right thing and draft one.  Second, I could (and at some point probably will) delve into whether the Steelers actually made the “right” choice in Landry Jones.  We have seen well-taken commentary and opinion on the Steelers actually “wasting” a draft pick by even taking one at all.  As much as we’ve needed and wanted a backup quarterback to develop, I never imagined the Steelers would “waste” not merely a pick in this year’s draft, but trade away a valuable 3rd Round pick in 2014 to the Miami Dolphins to do it. For the life of me, I just can’t make sense of trading away picks to take a Landry Jones, when you could have taken a Zac Dysert (as John Elway and his staff did) or a Tyler Bray (what with arguably the strongest arm in the entire draft, who went undrafted). For the price of a phone call to a QB to welcome them to the team, this situation could for the next few years be resolved.  Instead, we went after Landry as if we expect him to Start in a year’s worth of work; trading away 3rd Round Draft picks for a backup quarterback now in the 4th Round (his talent ability aside), is incredulous.

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This can be a volatile topic in Steeler Nation, so what does Steeler Nation actually have to say – have the Pittsburgh Steelers competently drafted and developed at the invaluable position of Backup Quarterback?

From Steelers West back home to the Burgh. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Draft Shmaft.  We don’t need no stinkin draft to add to our roster, which is apparently very contradictory to what Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said in several radio interviews last week, but hey who’s counting?  Well we have all you can handle draft coverage here on NPC so I figured I’d take the opportunity for this morning’s huddle to see what the experts are saying about the Steelers latest non-draft acquisition.  Yesterday the Steelers agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent running back LaRod Stephens-Howling.  The Steelers picked up the former 7^th round pick from Pitt, a Johnstown native, to a one year deal with no financials reported yet.

Ed Bouchette of the PPG says the Steelers will mostly look at Stephens-Howling to contribute on Special Teams.  He’s had three career kickoff return TD’s but no punt returns.  In the same article Ed states that the Steelers would still consider signing former Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw, but that would depend on the draft.  Now that the Steelers have added Le’Veon Bell to the roster in their second round pick, you have to think the Bradshaw ship has sailed.

With five running backs in the stable for the Steelers you have to figure that someone is going to be the odd man out when the roster is finally cut down to 53 before we kick off against Tennessee.  The running backs right now consist of Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman, Baron Batch, LaRod Stephens-Howling, and Le’Veon Bell.

What are your thoughts, Steeler Nation?  What did you think of the non-draft pick up right in the middle of the draft?  Who do you think gets left behind?

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The 2013 NFL Draft is Here. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

It has come down to this; after a week long trek on adrenaline, I’ve donned Big Ben’s #7 jersey in honor of what I hope to be the beginnings of a march to Super Bowl Seven for Pittsburgh.  To get there, however, we have to endure this thing called The NFL Draft before we can head to training camp.

YOU READY?! WE READY!!!

The jitters, the anticipation, the excitement…  It’s all there for us on NFL Draft Day, with your own depth charts, player profiles and Mock Draft cards already filled out.  Confident in yours? Tear it up, toss it out.  Here’s how the Pittsburgh Steelers handle their 8 total Selections in the 2013 NFL DRAFT!!!

THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2013 DRAFT SELECTIONS

• 1st Round, #17th Pick =  JARVIS JONES (LB) – GEORGIA