FanPost

A Look at the Steelers post the start of Free Agency

I look at the Steelers today, after they released James Harrison and Willie Colon, plus not showing any interest in Stevenson Sylvester etc.I wonder when are they going to release Casey Hampton, I see no need for him on the team unless they expect someone to pick up McLendon which I hope doesn't happen. I count 25 solid starters on the team, 10 older players that need to be eventually replaced; Ben, Foote, Plaxico, Keisel, Troy, Ryan Clark, Miller, Ike, Cotchery, and Woodley...I threw Ben in because he has done 10 years in the league and is over 30 and Woodley at 28 because of his lack of dedication to fitness. From the roster posted on the team website, I count 22 players that we can do without or they can play and make no real impact on the team in regard to playing D or O, not counting special teams here. Offence: I see the OL and kicking game as the strength of the team, with the OL I am still including Starks, along with Gilbert, Adams, Pouncey, DaCastro, Foster, Beachum and I am assuming they will sign Legursky. This line is young and could be a good line for years to come. I won't talk about the kickers much Suisham had a good year and Butler will probably get better this year. We surely do need better backups to Ben than we had, so they signed Gradkowski and I truly believe that kid Johnson they had in camp last year could be developed into a good QB, he was a bit erratic with his throws but a big strong kid to work with. There is the key work with not just having two old end of the line players. At WR we resigned Plaxico but I don;t know how much he will help when we are backed up as opposed to the ability of Wallace to stretch the field and keep safeties back, redzone I can see him helping. Brown is a good receiver and we'll see if he gets to great, Sanders is good and we'll see what he can do this year and then we have Cotchery who should have been on the field more last year. We need to draft someone with speed here or get Nate Washington back from the Titans, he still is fast and still under 30...heard they might want to get rid of him. We desparately need to draft a good RB, other teams seem to get them in the lowere rounds but I don't think we have that type of success, but we need someone who can be more dynamic at the position than Dwyer, Batch or Redmond. At TE we need to draft someone and I have been hearing a lot about the kid from Colorado Nick Kasa...he could be a good late round player to draft. Johnson is back this year from his knee Injury last year and that could help blocking wise but if Heath is out a while our passing game will suffer. I didn't like us letting Wesley Saunders go last year, he had some potential to be a good receiving TE. Defence: If Lewis stays (hear only the Saints so far interested), we'll have a very good CB crop and someone ready to take Ike's spot when he leaves which could be next year or two. I really do hope they can sign Lewis, and I hope they can develop DVD with that speed he has. We need to eventually replace both Troy and Ryan Clark and this should be addressed in the first two rounds this year. The DL is young but I can only say I like the play of McLendon and he only played limited snaps last year, but everything I saw was great, he is explosive and strong..he reminds me of Darnell Dockett from Arizona when I see him play. Keisel had the best year of all of them last year at 34...Hood can't get off blocks and get to the QB, and Heyward is big and nasty but not getting it done yet. This group scares me a bit and I wouldn't mind them drafting someone in the lower rounds to fit here. Last but not least is the LB position, the one position where the Steelers used have people just coming out of the woodwork...well that has stopped, someone turned off the tap. Timmons is the only solid player we have there right now...Foote has been a good player but he is really done and Woodley we have to see if he is injured again or not fit. Worlids will get his shot this year at ROL...I belive we have to draft two guys here if possible. I would love to get either Arthur Brown out of Kansas State or Jones from Georgia at 17.

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