Bumped from the comments section of the previous post. Most everyone seems to enjoy datruth4life's football thoughts and writing style, and some don't click through to the comments section of posts, so I thought I'd throw it on the main page for us to chew on. Hopefully 'datruth' will be around more in this frenetic upcoming month.
-Blitz-
- Look for Max Starks to be signed, sealed and delivered before free agency kicks off this Friday. The Steelers and Starks are close to a deal. And when Colbert, as conservative and tight-ass as he is about giving out info, says that Starks is more signable than Faneca and that he wants to remain in Pittsburgh, that means that something is pretty much in place. Besides Ben, this was the biggest signing for the team in free agency. Because ....
- It gives the team insurance against M. Smith's tricky back and allows the team to trade down from its 23rd spot to later in the first round, picking up an extra 3rd and 5th round pick. The target is Guard (and future LT) Branden Albert from UVa. He'd provide the competition that they want to give Chris K. next year as well as being groomed to be the future LT when M. Smith leaves. DT K. Balmer out of UNC is another possibility. A sleeper would be Johnathon Stewart out of Oregon. With only 6 picks, this is the year that K. Colbert will trade down and still get his man. Let's just hope that he can get a few of his men on Day Two of the draft this year as well.
- Colbert taked extensively about Pitt Tackle Otah at the combine. Translation, Otah won't be a Steeler. Colbert never talks about who the Steelers are REALLY interested in with their first pick. A young and green Tomlin went on and on about D. Revis this past year and the Jets traded up to snatch him one pick before the Steelers picked. Colbert would have taken Revis if he was there. Lesson learned by Tomlin. That won't happen this year. You will not hear the words "Branden Albert" out of the mouth of Colbert or Tomlin, I guarantee it.
- B, The third tight end on the roster this year will be Cody Body, the 6'8'', 264-pound tight end that the team hoped to stash on the practice squad for a year this past year before he was snapped up by the Redskins. This will give the Steelers a legitimate basketball team among its tight ends and will help keep Roethslisberger happy concerning his big receiver request. The guy does have some talent. If Spaeth improves this year, the team's tight ends could be a strength this year.
- It's open season on who'll be the Steelers kickoff and punt returner next year. A couple of guys in-house that they will look at will be Jeremy Bloom and Gerran Walker (Tomlin really likes this guy). Willie Reid will not make this team as a returner. If he does make this team, it will be as a fourth WR because Cedric Wilson won't be around by the final cut. The Steelers will keep a fourth WR making over $2M-plus over Colbert's dead body, and he's still breathing the last time I checked. DaTruth will give you guys a free agent gem returner that the Steelers have sniffed around before and could make another play for him this year -- Houston Texans WR and Returner Andre Davis. He took 3 back to the house last year, has good size and can still make big plays down the field. His price tag should also be reasonable. A college draft pick on the 2nd day that could return kickoffs and punts for the Steelers is WR-RT Eddie Royal from the Virginia Tech Hokies. DaTruth has seen him play for 4 years, and the dude is dangerous every time he touches the ball. Yeah, I know, he is 5'9'', 190 lbs, and is a Willie Reid look alike. The big difference is that along with his 4.3 that he just turned in today, he also threw up 225 pounds 24 times on the bench press -- leading all WRs. He also catches the ball -- in the offense as well as on returns. Just something to keep in the back of your mind.
- WR Matt Trannon is a very interesting signing for Colbert. He is a 6'6'', 235-lb. WR that played PF at Michigan State. He showed flashes at Michigan State, but was never able to put it all together. His ticket to make this team is special teams. Nope, not as a returner. But if he can lay a few people out on kickoffs and punt returns, he will have this team made. And keep Ben happy near the red zone.
- I expect the Steelers to go OL in the first round, and DT in the second. In the 3rd round, I think they need to go OLB, someone who can spot L. Woodley and J. Harrison and get to the QB. A sleeper is DE/OLB Cliff Avril from Purdue. Tomlin and Colbert spent a lot of time talking to the guy at the Senior Bowl. I haven't seen him play, so DaTruth doesn't know if he is a baller. However, both Colbert, Tomlin and all of Steelers Nation knows that unless this team gets a better pass rush, that none of our expectations going forward will be met this year.
- This team is a dynamite draft and a couple of good, cheap free agent signings from being back in the mix for the show. If healthy, that D could be legitimately no. 1 this year. For that to happen, L. Woodley, Timmons, R. McBean and the no. 2 draft pick at DT will have to become familiar names on game day for Steelers nation. Ryan Clark, we will never under-appreciate you again.
- I am interested to see what Tomlin does with special teams this year (He did didly this past year). He clearly wants HIS type of core people for special teams, so I want to see who he targets on the cheap for that as well as the team's second day picks to boost that area too. A player like practice squad LB Anthony Trucks could be one of them. I also think Andre Frazier and William Gay will be a part of that mix, too.
- That gasping you hear in the background is Dan Rooney clutching his chest and checkbook as he puts his John Doe on signing bonuses for Starks and Big Ben. If I'm Colbert, I'll try to get the old man to squeeze in B. McFadden while I'm at it. It's going to be a lot cheaper this offseason than it will be next year.
- Fast Willie, Gary Russell, Najeh Davenport, Carey Davis. Decent backfield. However, I'd love to add a stud to that mix. RB Johnathon Stewart or FB Owen Schmidt would look good as Steelers. A RB that could make this team strictly on special teams is practice squadder Justin Vincent from LSU. He was a beast in college on special teams when he wasn't in the tub. There will be about 3 spots on this team that will be claimed by pure-D Head Hunters on special teams. Young, fast, hungry and crazy. Nope, that's not how DaTruth like his women. Just my special team players.
- Once Ben gets his money, he has to step up to the plate and date a Brazilian super model. I mean, how can Tony Romo get the big money and fame and then go out and settle for wrapping up someoneelse's leftovers in Jessica Simpson? Man, that's like having the loot to get a Bentley or a Lamborghini and coming home with a 2008 Toyota Camry. A Camry's a good, decent buy, but one can do so much better. By the way, did I mention before that Tom Brady's girlfriend has 4 other younger sisters in Brazil that want to go into modeling too? That's where I'd start. Latina fever, Baby! Catch It!
- Could Tomlin be reunited with S Dwight Smith this offseason? If he does, let's hope it goes a lot better than the Mahan signing. Also, Notre Dame safety Tom Zibokowski wouldn't look half bad in the black and gold next year. He could be a lights out special teams player as well as someone who could return punts in a pinch. Maybe Colbert should use one of his second day draft throw aways on this guy, since he's known for throwing away plenty of second day picks anyway.
- T Jason Capizzi will take somebody's job this year. And before the year is done, Steelers fans will be grateful that Colbert found a way to get him back on this squad and in the team's offseason program.
--That's it for me, Steelers Nation. B, how did I do? Be blessed.