It was neat.  It was one of those dreams you don't want to wake up from.  Anyhow, you all know how dreams are. Things can be really silly and way off base.  Anyhow, thought you'd be interested in how mine went, even if it was off base.  Kevin and I were in the office alone, and he trusted me unconditionally.  He was grooming me for a GM job down the road.

MR:   Kevin, can you explain the philosophy of the draft to me?  Need vs. Best Player Available?

KC:   (laughing) That's like nature vs. nurture.  It gets argued with no clear answer.

MR:  But you always come out every year at this time pounding your fist ensuring the media that we draft purely on BPA?

KC:  That's standard procedure.  It keeps the media off my back.  If I indicate the inclusion of need, I'll get pounded as to what those needs are.  Keep it as simple and as ambiguous as possible.  Drafting is a very, very tight-lipped procedure around here, around everywhere really.  Besides, why would I tip off our competitors by narrowing our focus?  Let them think the universe is our availability.  Don't give them any information whatsoever.

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More photos » Dave Martin - AP

Give to me, please. Or if not Mr. McClain, someone other than a cornerback in Round 1.

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Last week, we posted a roundup of what some of the early mock drafts have the Pittsburgh Steelers doing with the 18th pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.  Yes, there was some variability in what the 'draft gurus' believed the Steelers would and should do with their 1st Round pick this year. For instance, one site had the Steelers taking Clemson running back C.J. Spiller. Most though believed Pittsburgh would bolster their defense in round one, and amongst those who did, most identified the secondary as the area Pittsburgh would likely target. More specifically, the Steelers ought to draft a cornerback in the 1st Round if you go by the early consensus of draft niks. 

I totally disagree. Here's several reasons why.

1) Last time I checked, the Steelers drafted two cornerbacks last year - Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett. Granted, Lewis was a 3rd rounder and Burnett a 5th, but Lewis in particular has the physical tools to one day be a starter in this league. He just needs some time to learn the game at this level, much like the Steelers incumbent #1 CB Ike Taylor did earlier in his career. By drafting a cornerback in 2010 to play immediately, the Steelers would essentially be giving up on one of those two picks. How so? Well, Taylor's not going anywhere anytime soon. He'll turn 30 in May, but regardless of your opinion of him as an instinctive natural at the position, it's impossible to deny that Taylor is one of the most freakishly fit and durable specimens on the roster. So if it were Taylor and a 2010 1st rounder locking down the CB positions for the foreseeable future, that makes it difficult to work in Lewis and Burnett...not too mention....

2) William Gay. There was no tougher critic of William Gay than me all year. I definitely was disappointed to be 'right' about this one, but I worried 'on the record' here during last year's offseason that I thought the defense would suffer fairly dramatically by inserting him in to the slot once manned by Bryant McFadden. Nevertheless, Gay's struggles this year will pay dividends for the team next year. I'm positive he'll work harder than he has before in his life this offseason to improve his body and game for next year. Even though 'we're the Steelers' and have enjoyed frequent success for quite some time now, it's impossible to stay at the top year in and year out in this league due to the salary cap, and the demands it places on teams to continually work in less expensive, young talent. That means some down years from time to time, even for the best franchises. It would be foolish, I believe, to give up on Gay and not reap some dividends in future years for the losses the team incurred while working him in to the fold in 2010. 

3) It's impossible to really say just how much of a difference Troy Polamalu makes when he's out there and healthy. On the one hand, it's easy to argue that there are 11 guys out there and that no single player can or should be that much of a difference maker. On the other hand, the proof may just be in the pudding. When #43 plays, the Steelers win and make life awfully tough on opposing offenses. With Polamalu doing his thing, our cornerbacks have looked significantly better in years past than they have when he's shelved with an injury. 

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Now, it might be argued that the Steelers should consider finding another top shelf safety to play alongside Polamalu given his propensity for getting injured. I'd be amenable to that for sure, though I haven't yet scoured the draft boards closely enough to know who might be a good fit.

Getting a cornerback this year though in the 1st Round doesn't make sense to me. I'd instead look for a homerun pick at ILB or at nose tackle. James Farrior's replacement needs to be secured sooner rather than later. So does Casey Hampton's. I don't see that same immediate need at the cornerback position, particularly when you consider the fact that Pittsburgh plays in the AFC North where a high premium is placed on winning the battle at the line of scrimmage and fielding a physical team in the trenches. We know Baltimore's offensive line and running game is in good shape for the future; same with Cincinnati, and to a lesser degree, even Cleveland. 

So, I'd like to hear your thoughts and I'm sure I'll be expounding on some of these thoughts in the future weeks and months, but for now, this is my story and I'm sticking to it - let's see what the Steelers can do next year defensively if Polamalu's back healthy and our young DBs have had that much more time to develop. If we see the same problems rear their ugly head next year - namely, if #43 can't stay healthy again, and if guys like Gay, Lewis and Burnett struggle - then maybe it'd be time to invest heavily in getting a lockdown corner early on in the Draft. For now though, I believe Pittsburgh would be better served packaging a number of their mid round picks to move up in Round 1 and get a slam dunk pick like Rolando McClain, Gerald McCoy or even one of the prized offensive tackles of this year's Draft. 

Thanks to Swissvale for posting an outstanding Maginot Line reference about the defense in 2009.  He was spot on.  The Steelers have another Maginot Line going on these days, literally a line.  The defensive backfield is similar to the offensive line.

I have seen too many times now the notion that "the offensive problems were schematic and the defensive problems were personnel."  While such is a handy license for those who wish to bash the offense and exonerate the defense, this perfect little alibi is a gross miscalculation.  There are no personnel problems with the skill people on offense, but major personnel problems with the offensive line.  To lump the two together is erroneous.

Over the last seven NFL Drafts, every single aspect of the football team, except for the offensive line, has been gifted with at least one first-round draft choice.  The quarterback position (Big Ben) was given #11 overall (2004), the running back position (Mendy) was given #25 (2008), the wide receiver was given a middle first in 2006 (Tone) and middle second in 2008 (Limas).  Even the tight end (Heath) was granted a first rounder (2005).  On defense, the line was bolstered at the last draft with a number one (Ziggy), a guy who helped significantly to minimize the loss of Aaron Smith.  The linebackers were given both one and two in 2007 (Timmons and Woodley) and given a two in 2003 (Alonzo Jackson).  The defensive backfield was graced with a high number one (Troy in 2003), moving up in the draft to get him, plus two number two picks (Colclough in 2004 and McFadden in 2005).  Granted, not all of them panned out, but at least we tried.

While every phase was being bolstered by first-round franchise cornerstones, plus an extra smattering of number two picks for good measure, the offensive line has been given neither a one nor a two.  I am one who believes the offensive line is the most important part of a football team, right up there with the quarterback, and yet it has been given the least since 2002.  From 1998 to 2002, the Steelers drafted three offensive linemen in the one and two spots (Alan Faneca, Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons).  When all three were in their final year with Pittsburgh, Bruce Arians ran the ball more than any team in the NFL except two. People conveniently forget that the Steelers, under Pass Happy Arians, were a running football team in 2007, third in the league in rushing attempts.

Since 2007, actually during 2007, the wheels began falling off the offensive line, one by one.  The best of the bunch, Alan Faneca, took off for New York and joined three other first-round linemen.  Now let's see, that's four first-round offensive linemen for the Jets and how far did they go this year with a rookie quarterback?  Kendall and Marvel both suffered career-ending injuries.  Max Starks, in bizarre fashion, went from starting right tackle, to getting benched, to getting franchised, to starting left tackle.  Say what?  Sean Mahan was brought in to succeed Jeff Hartings, and succeed he did not.  That little experiment was dispatched for Justin Hartwig, whose current mediocrity improves the Mahan situation, but clearly ended the Steelers great lineage of superior NFL centers.

Meanwhile, our right tackle is a guy who everyone in the Nation, from Jim Wexell to my own little Maryrose, insists is a right guard.  Another guy out of position, Darnell Stapleton, a center who was called upon to play guard since no one else can do it, suffered a season-ending injury before the season began.  His replacement was a career back-up (Trai Essex), meaning that we are now relying on back-ups to back-ups.  And let's not forget that Chris Kemo went down, paving the way for an undrafted free agent to fill in that spot.  So while everyone is blaming the 2009 Defensive Stock Market Crash on the loss of Troy, the entire offensive line is going to hell in a handbasket.  Those injuries don't count?  On offense it's all schematic (Arians) problems?

In truth, the 2009 Steelers' defensive backfield was on par with the 2009 Steelers' offensive line, awful.  Losing Troy was like the line losing Faneca.  Trying to patch William Gay and Tyrone Carter and trying to keep Deshea young was painfully similar to the musical chairs and patchwork that the offensive line has been going through since 2006.  Making matters worse for the offensive line, they haven't had a decent coach since Russ Grimm.  Not only has the offensive line had major personnel problems, the guy leading them was a personnel problem himself.

The result is that the defensive backfield and offensive line cost the Steelers the 2009 season and is costing the Steelers a chance at dynasty.  The good news is that hopefully both of those entities have hit rock bottom and have already begun their ascent.  Troy will be coming back and Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett will be (hopefully) in that year-two surge.  One of those two young guys, or a 2010 draft pick, has got to step up and avoid the calamity of 2009.  On offense, the new line coach can assess what we have and beg for an injection of new talent.  Maybe we'll throw the new guy a bone and give him, finally ending the seven-year drought, a first-round and/or second-round lineman.

Teams Since 2003 Drafting O-Line in First and Second Rounds:

Five Players: 1 Team (SF)

Four Players: 2 Teams, including AFC North Baltimore who understands the importance of running in the Division

Three Players: 6 teams, including Cincy and Cleve, ditto like Baltimore

Two Players:  13 teams

One Player:  8 teams

Zero Players: 2 teams, Pittsburgh and Washington (great company)

Keep in mind, the above numbers do not include great players taken before 2003 who stayed healthy and on the team.  Guys like Matt Light, Jeff Saturday, and many others add to the quality of their lines in addition to high draft choices since 2003.  The Steelers high choices in that grouping, Alan Faneca, Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons, have all left the team due to free agency or career-injuries.  The above numbers would look even worse if you added all those guys.  That creates more urgency for the Steelers to re-commit to drafting high-choice linemen.

If Art Rooney II is sincere about running the football, and I believe he is, he needs to put his money where his mouth is.  We've already seen evidence by dispatching Larry Zierlein and bringing in Sean Kugler.  Now let's see more evidence on April 22.  There will be no excuse this year that "all the good ones are gone and we don't want to reach."  That won't hold water this year.  The Steelers pick 18^th and there are at least seven offensive lineman who are worthy of that spot.  Every aspect of the team, except one, has been given love since 2003.  Let's end that lone exception, and leave Washington behind as the only remaining team not to draft a first or second round offensive lineman since 2003.

More photos » Richard Shiro - AP

Would the Steelers really use their first round pick on a running back? (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)

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For the next two months just about everyone with the ability to punch keys on a keyboard will become draft experts and publish their very own mock draft. The Steelers enter the 2010 draft season with more question marks than normal and certainly their needs will be more clearly defined once the status of players like Casey Hampton, Ryan Clark and Willie Parker are resolved, but for now here's what the mockers are mocking.....

Draft Countdown: CJ Spiller (RB-Clemson) - One of the benefits of being a strong organization and consistent winner is that you can always have one eye on the future. Sure the Steelers have a need or two but for the most part their roster is in great shape and their rookies aren't forced to step into the starting lineup from day one. Lawrence Timmons, who is finally getting a chance to start this season after serving a two year apprenticeship, is a perfect example. A couple of years ago Pittsburgh used their first round pick on Rashard Mendenhall and it wouldn't hurt to bring in someone like Clemson's C.J. Spiller to replace the aging and injury-prone Willie Parker as the "Lightning" to Mendenhall's "Thunder". A versatile player with blazing speed who is capable of making an impact as a runner, receiver and return man, Spiller isn't an every down workhorse but he is an explosive playmaker that defenses must account for at all times. It's not an exaggeration to say that Spiller is a threat to take it the distance at any time from anywhere on the field and the success that fellow speed demon Chris Johnson is having in the NFL will surely work in Spiller's favor on Draft Day. Free safety might also be a need if Ryan Clark bolts as a free agent and don't be shocked if the Steelers follow their recent M.O. and just throw everyone another curve ball in the first round.

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More photos » Gene J. Puskar - AP

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We continue our assessment of the Pittsburgh Steelers roster with a look at the running backs. 

Other positional reviews: Tight Ends, Wide Receivers

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Rashard Mendenhall:

Age and 2009 Stats:  23 years old; 242 attempts, 1108 yards, 4.7 Y/A; 7 TDs; 25 receptions, 261 yards, 1 TD

Contract Status: Signed through 2011

2009 Analysis: There were plenty of disappointing developments throughout the course of the 2009 season for the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers. The play of 2nd year running back Rashard Mendenhall wasn't one of them. After missing almost all of his rookie year due to injury, Mendenhall proved this past year why the team drafted him in the 1st round of the 2008 draft. He ran hard, stayed healthy, and generally proved that he's more than capable of shouldering the load offensively if given the chance. Mendenhall also disaplyed a nice set of hands in the passing game, though I'd contend that his pass catching skills were under-utilized by Bruce Arians and the offense this past year - particularly when you consider the pass protection issues the team had and how more frequent use of screens and dumpoffs to him and/or the other running backs might have slowed down the pass rush from opposing teams. Anyway, Mendenhall's solid 2009 season makes it much easier for the organization to pencil him in as the future of the Steelers backfield for years to come.

2010 Outlook: With members of the Rooney clan promising the team will return to its smashmouth ways moving forward, and with a new offensive line coach that I feel will do a better job coaching up our big eaters up front, I'd imagine Mendenhall's carries will increase from the ~250 he got in 2009 to somewhere over 300 attempts in '10. If Mendenhall can continue to improve his ball security while spinning and fighting for extra yardage, I see no reason why he won't eclipse the 1,200-1,300 yard plateau next season.

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Willie Parker

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* First of all, congratulations to the winner of this weekend's Bill Cowher signed Terrible Towel. I'll err on the side of liberty and not disclose his name, but you were the only entrant to pick all four games correctly - not having to deal with tiebreakers really was quite a nice surprise, frankly. Anyway, nice job on the picks.

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More photos » Lynne Sladky - AP

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Our second positional breakdown (our first, tight ends, can be found here) brings us to a group that just might be the most interesting group on the entire Steelers' roster. Among the Steelers' wide receivers are two established veterans, including one who might go down as of the best ever at his position, and one exciting rookie. Together the team's top three receivers combined for over 3,100 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Hines Ward

Age and 2009 Stats: 33 years old (3/8/76) - 95 receptions for 1,167 yards (12.3 avg) and six touchdowns

Contract Status: Signed through 2013

2009 Analysis: Just like the Energizer Bunny, Hines keeps putting up productive season after productive season, but it doesn't stop there. Despite being well into his 30's Ward actually had arguably his best season since 2003. He also caught 69% of the passes thrown his way, one of the better numbers posted by wide receivers, and almost 60% of his receptions went for first downs. As we know though, Ward's game isn't just about catching first downs or touchdowns, he's still a dynamic leader on and off the field as well as a devastating blocker in the running game.

2010 Outlook: At some point Ward will slow down but back to back 1,000 yard seasons suggest that he's still got some gas in the tank. Considering that his game was never based on speed, it's reasonable to think that he's got another couple of productive seasons left, especially considering the chemistry and he and Ben Roethlisberger share.

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Hey, it's the offseason, so I'm taking a little liberty to stray off subject for a brief moment and share some of the books that I either enjoyed in 2009 or am currently reading here in the new year. There's nothing Steelers related in there only because I read Ruanaidh (the story of the Rooney family) and Steeler Nation (Jim Wexell's chronicles of the 2007 Steelers) when they were published in '08. Hopefully there's something that piques your interest in my list - either for yourself, or perhaps as a gift idea for someone else. Some of the books are older, while others are just published (as recently as a few weeks ago even), but all, I suppose, give a little glimpse in to who I am and what I enjoy thinking and talking about outside the world of Steelers football. As always, jump on in with your own suggestions if you're so inclined.

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Want a Bill Cowher signed Terrible Towel? If you do, now's the time to get it before he returns to the sidelines and potentially tarnishes your fond memories of him roaming the sidelines, chin jutting intimidatingly, scowl in full effect, spittle flying.

To win it, all you have to do is this:

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"You wanted to put your neck on the line for him."

-Jeff Cavender, former Boise State OL who worked with Sean Kugler in 2006

The big news in Steeler Land is the hiring of Sean Kugler to be the new offensive line coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He of course replaces Larry Zierlein, who was fired last week after three seasons in the Burgh. By now, you've surely read the cookie cutter briefs about Kugler's resume written over the course of the last few days by bloggers and other media outlets: he coached up Jason Peters in Buffalo to Pro Bowl status; and at Boise State, he helped future 1st round draft pick Ryan Clady get his technique catch up to his extraordinary natural physical abilities. 

If you just look at the NFL teams he's been involved with in the past - Buffalo most recently and Detroit earlier last decade - than you might think this was a bad hire. Buffalo did after all give up the fourth most sacks in the league last year (46) while posting mediocre records the three seasons he was there. And of course, no need to explain the Lions' mishaps all decade, including during the five seasons he was working under Matt Millen from '01-'05.

That's lazy analysis though. I won't waste time explaining why, but injuries and front office mismanagement had as much to do with the poor records of his teams than did anything else. For instance, Buffalo traded away their one stud along the line Jason Peters prior to this season, and started this year with two rookies at guard and two inexperienced projects at each tackle position.  So, is it really a surprise that Buffalo gave up 16 sacks in their first four games of the 2009 season? They only gave up 29 the remaining 12 contests, which really isn't awful. It's not good enough, but that's not what matters. What matters is the easily identifiable evidence that the unit improved as the season progressed.

Buffalo was also fairly solid running the football. Their 4.4 yards per carry as a team was the 8th best mark in the league, behind teams like Tennessee, New Orleans, New York Jets, Baltimore and Dallas. Not bad company to keep. The problem was Buffalo was playing from behind more often than not, forcing them to the air more than they probably would have liked. The result? A high number of sacks.

Anyway, I haven't sat down with the guy or phoned anybody who might now him personally in an attempt to get a better feel for Kluger as a person and coach. But I am pleased to have spent some time digging around to learn a bit more about the guy. And after doing so, I am 100% confident that the Rooneys, Mr. Colbert, et. al have done a great job with the hire. Many fans or writers might be disappointed to have not gotten a bigger 'name' who coached on Super Bowl winning teams, but that's not where the great ones are always plucked from. It's not where Noll, Cowher or Tomlin came from when they were hired by the Steelers. To think that our offensive line coach must come from a regular winner is fallacious reasoning. The Cleveland Browns and Notre Dame Fighting Irish went down that route with the hirings of Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis. How'd those turn out?

Point is, to me at least, we need a teacher in there coaching our OL. A gifted motivator and communicator; a tireless worker; someone who's spent their entire football life working with offensive linemen.  I suppose every positional coach matters on an NFL team - from the tight ends coach to the 'running game coordinator' -  but considering what's plagued the Steelers most frequently in recent years - i.e. inconsistent and/or downright shoddy offensive line play - hitting a homerun with this hiring carries extra importance.

I didn't learn anything too groundbreaking about Kugler during my research of this post, but I did dig up some things from years past that most certainly cast a very, very positive light on him as a person, teacher, motivator and hard  worker.

(He passes the eye-ball test, no?)

Click through the break and read on about Sean Kulger, the new offensive line coach of the six time Super Bowl champion Steelers, but my initial reaction is well done Rooneys, Mr. Colbert and whoever else was involved in the decision making process!

To begin, an overview of Mr. Kugler's resume.

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