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2011 NFL Offseason: Pittsburgh Steelers

Draft Grades, Season Previews, Offseason Needs, Free Agents

Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Year: 12-4) - Buy Tickets

2011 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
TE John Gilmore.
Early Draft Picks:
DE/DT Cameron Heyward, OT Marcus Gilbert, CB Curtis Brown, CB Cortez Allen, DE/OLB Chris Carter.
Offseason Losses:
WR/KR Antwaan Randle El, TE Matt Spaeth, OT Max Starks, OT Flozell Adams, DE/DT Nick Eason.

2011 Pittsburgh Steelers Offense:
Ben Roethlisberger is going to get killed one of these days. Not literally killed, obviously, but his offensive line has done a great disservice to the longevity of his career. Roethlisberger has taken 274 sacks in his 7-year Steelers tenure thus far, which is really saying something because he's escaped many more sacks with his great pocket elusiveness.

Roethlisberger was sacked 41 times in 2010, and the offensive line as a whole surrendered 52, tied for second in the NFL behind only Chicago (60). Unfortunately, that number probably won't improve this season.

Left tackle Max Starks, who missed half the year with a neck injury, showed up training camp close to 400 pounds and was subsequently cut. Jonathan Scott, guilty of 11 penalties and six sacks in 2010, will start in Starks' place again. On the other side, right tackle Willie Colon was retained for a 5-year, $29 million contract. Colon is one of the top players at his position when healthy, but that's not the case because he's coming off a torn Achilles. Colon could struggle at the beginning of the year, though an Achilles isn't as big a deal for linemen, so he could be close to 100 percent come playoff time.

The interior of Pittsburgh's front isn't any better. Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey is great, but the two guards are a huge liability. Ramon Foster surrendered seven sacks in 2010, which is a ridiculous amount for someone at his position. Chris Kemoeatu, meanwhile, has been on the active/PUP list because of arthritis and bone fragments in his knee. Look for tight end Heath Miller to help frequently.

Roethlisberger's long-term health is a huge concern, but he'll continue to thrive in the present. Big Ben will use his trademark pocket awareness to once again elude would-be sacks and find his receivers downfield. With Hines Ward aging and turning into a reality TV star like Chad Ochocinco, Mike Wallace is Big Ben's clear-cut No. 1 wideout. Wallace generated 1,257 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on just 60 receptions in his second NFL season, maintaining a ridiculous 21.0 yards-per-catch average. Wallace's ridiculous speed makes him extremely difficult to cover, as opposing defenses discovered last year.

With Ward losing interest in football, a new No. 2 target could be Emmanuel Sanders, who made some noise at the end of the 2010 campaign when he caught seven balls for 78 yards against the Jets. Sanders is coming off foot surgery, unfortunately, and may take a while to pass Ward.

If Roethlisberger didn't have a strong rushing attack to lean on, he'd be in even more trouble. Rashard Mendenhall is very ignorant in some aspects of life, but he's a hell of a running back. He rushed for 1,274 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. His YPC was down from 4.6 in 2009 to 3.9 in 2010, but Colon's return should help raise that average.

2011 Pittsburgh Steelers Defense:
Though the Steelers can't stop defenses from sacking Ben Roethlisberger, their defense can at least generate a great pass rush of its own. Pittsburgh finished second in sacks last year with 56, falling one short of Green Bay's 57.

It'll be interesting to see if the Steelers can come close to matching that figure in 2011. It'll be a challenge because rush linebacker James Harrison is a 33-year-old coming off two back surgeries. Back problems tend to linger, and Harrison is getting up there in age. A severe decline is possible, so his running mate LaMarr Woodley will have to pick up the slack. Woodley notched 10 sacks last season, earning himself a well-deserved 6-year, $61.5 million contract.

If Harrison struggles across from Woodley, defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau may not hesitate to use second-year Jason Worilds more often. Pittsburgh's coaching staff is very high on Worilds, who possesses tremendous upside.

The interior of Pittsburgh's linebacking corps faces a similar situation to the Woodley-Harrison dynamic. One player is young and at the top of his game; Lawrence Timmons is an elite inside linebacker. The other is an aging veteran coming off a great year but could be due for a big decline. James Farrior had a Pro Bowl-caliber campaign, but turns 37 in January.

The rest of the Steelers' front seven is loaded. The starting ends are reliable veterans Aaron Smith and Brett Kiesel, but Pittsburgh has a pair of first-rounders, Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward, waiting in the wings. Nose tackle Casey Hampton is not the player he once was, but he can still stuff the run somewhat effectively for two downs.

It seems like the Steelers have needed cornerback help for years, and that's the case yet again despite the fact that they re-signed Ike Taylor to a 4-year deal. Taylor is talented but inconsistent, though he's much better than Bryant McFadden, who allowed six touchdowns and a completion percentage of 67.5 in 2010. It'd be great if one of the young corners could step up, but Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen are two rookies handicapped by a brief offseason, while Keenan Lewis has been a huge disappointment in his two-year pro career.

Pittsburgh's pass defense rests on Troy Polamalu's shoulders, or rather his Achilles. Polamalu was having a great 2010 campaign until he suffered an injury there, and then went on to struggle mightily in the playoffs. Polamalu reportedly hasn't been 100 percent at training camp, which isn't a surprise. If Polamalu plays poorly, it'll also affect free safety Ryan Clark, who was abysmal in the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl.

2011 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule and Intangibles:
Excluding New England, no one in the AFC has a better road record than Pittsburgh since 1996; the Steelers are 66-54 as visitors in that time frame. They're not bad at home either (87-36-1).

The Steelers' special teams were brutal in 2009, allowing four special-teams scores. The team gave up only one in 2010, while Antonio Brown took a kickoff return to the house. They were really bad on punt returns though.

Pittsburgh canned Jeff "Jersey Shore" Reed, replacing him with Shaun Suisham, who hit 14-of-15 attempts, including 8-of-9 from 40-49. He didn't try a 50-yarder, but maybe that's a good thing because he's 3-of-8 from that distance in his career.

Daniel Sepulveda has three ACL tears in his professional career, but the Steelers re-signed him, so they must think his knees can hold up. Sepulveda is a good punter when healthy.

The Steelers have a really easy schedule for a first-place team. Cupcake foes include Seattle, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Arizona, Kansas City, San Francisco, and of course, Cincinnati twice.

2011 Pittsburgh Steelers Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks	Offensive Line	Secondary
Running Backs	Defensive Line	Special Teams
Receivers	Linebackers	Coaching

2011 Pittsburgh Steelers Analysis: The Steelers have the talent, depth and easy schedule to make another trip to the Super Bowl. It's only a question of motivation. Super Bowl losers have fared extremely poorly the following year during the past decade. Even the Colts, who won a Lombardi before, barely beat out a mediocre Jaguars team for the AFC South title in 2010.

Pittsburgh will almost certainly make the playoffs, but making it all the way to Indianapolis will be more challenging than it was last year, especially if Troy Polamalu isn't healthy.

Projection: 12-4 (1st in AFC North)

2011 Fantasy Football Rankings

More 2011 NFL Season Previews

*** 2011 NFL DRAFT GRADES, OFFSEASON NEEDS BELOW COMMENT BOARD ***

People are idiots 04-28-2012 04:47 pm xxx.xxx.xxx4.36 (total posts: 4)

I'm not denying that and if the ACL injury affects his game he shouldn't come back. I'm talking about people calling him a bust or saying he was never good to begin with. The guy's numbers say otherwise.

Brewskybrah 04-28-2012 04:45 pm xxx.xxx.xxx2.24 (total posts: 3)

Hey, People are idiots, Mendenhall had a bad injury. He might be done for. He's not a power back, and he may lose a step. Don't expect a new contract for him. For the sake of this upcoming season, I hope he recovers. Maybe the O-line will be a help, but I don't think he's an elite back under even the best circumstances. Bye, Bye after this year.

People are idiots 04-28-2012 04:38 pm xxx.xxx.xxx4.36 (total posts: 4)

Mendenhall almost had his 3rd straight 1000 yard season and would have if it were for injuries. He had double digit touchdowns in 2010. People are so freaking stupid and I hate some people in this town because they always have to complain about something. Mendenhall played behind a horrible offensive line and every time he'd get there someone would be in his face. Redman only looked better because he is better suited for a terrible offensive line. And Moore is not on the roster anymore!

Kevin 04-28-2012 04:13 pm xxx.xxx.xxx20.8 (total posts: 2)

I really want to beat people's skulls in with a phone book when I see them say Mendenhall isn't a good player. On what planet are you from where you have to delude yourself into saying that? Sure, Redman can pound out yards, but he's also TERRRIBLE in the passing game. Mendenhall, on the other-hand, is an all-around back.

And the Steelers are killing this draft. It should go without saying, but I didn't expect this draft to go this well for 'em.

Bill 04-28-2012 04:11 pm xxx.xxx.xxx5.89 (total posts: 2)

So far I think the Steelers have hit several areas of weakness: OLine, Dline & LB. Rainey is a wild card. If they use him like Sproles he could be very interesting.

2 players that intrigue me are Polk & Dennard. But the problem is that they have made some dumb mistakes. Dennard would be a stud if they grabbed him here.

As for RB, what about Steven Jackson? He only has a few years left. The problem is cost, but the way Rams have drafted running help it sure looks like he will be shown the door.

Steve 04-28-2012 03:54 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.145 (total posts: 3)

True, and I think with Rainey they get the big play threat. I just don't see any point of them drafting another RB. Maybe find another Willie Parker in the undrafted area of things, but definitely not draft someone.

And I guess it will just be a waiting game to see what Batch can do in place of Moore.

@Steve 04-28-2012 03:50 pm xxx.xxx.xxx7.48 (total posts: 5)

I do like Redman. He can be a great starter. But, you can rely on having a team of backs who don't provide that big play threat. Look at Darren Sproles. If Rainey can do half of what he did last year it would be a great pick. Big play running backs change games, and Pittsburgh hasn't had that in a while.

We have fast receivers who can take it the distance on any play. Adding a running back who can do that only helps the passing game.

Batch was having a tremendous training camp, but can you really depend on someone who tore his ACL to be a huge threat? I think he can do well, but he doesn't have the speed Rainey has.

I like the idea of having Mendenahll, Redman, Batch and Rainey on the depth chart to start the year. And, who knows, maybe Dwyer and Clay can turn into something, but they belong on the practice squad. Moore can be let go at this point with Batch healthy.

Steve 04-28-2012 03:40 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.145 (total posts: 3)

I agree on all of your assessment on Mendenhall... he was a waste of a first round pick. Horrible player

Redman however... will average over four yards a carry and do a great job as a starter. May not be a big play threat, but for this year at least, he will be good enough.

I agree on just about everything else, except Baron Batch. He was having a great training camp last year before the injury and could be more than just a third down back.

We have more glaring needs to fill than grab a 35th back-up quality RB. If we need to re-address that area, we will do it next year.

@Steve 04-28-2012 03:32 pm xxx.xxx.xxx7.48 (total posts: 5)

Mendenhall hasn't produced and last year it looked like he regressed more than anything. Granted the line didn't help much, but he still didn't look great. Pair that with his injuries and a contract year and you have a bad combo moving forward.

Redman is nice but, he's not a big play threat.

Dwyer and Clay are backups at this point.

Moore and Batch are third down backs who can block and catch short passes.

Rainey can provide a big play threat on passing downs and contribute as a returner. The Steelers lack a fast game changing RB and he may help. Good pick, good value.

Midlo3 04-28-2012 03:23 pm xxx.xxx.xxx09.5 (total posts: 4)

It's a little to late to get him now, but the Steelers need to find a way to get Alfonzo Dennard. The bar fight has knocked hm down really far, but the drop has to stop eventually.

He's great in zone, he's physical, and he can shut down receivers.

Steve 04-28-2012 03:21 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.145 (total posts: 3)

No way on earth does Pittsburgh need another RB now... They have Redman who will be a better starter than the fumbling, spinning Mendenhall, Baron Batch, Mewelde Moore, Jonathan Dwyer, John Clay, and now Rainey... no way do we need another RB in the stable!

Brandon 04-28-2012 03:14 pm xxx.xxx.xxx7.48 (total posts: 5)

Well I posted earlier hoping for Lamar Miller, but we didn't get him. But, I'm really happy we got a highly-graded NT.

I couldn't be happier with Chris Rainey as a consolation prize. The guy is explosive. Walt seemed to agree about my Willie Parker comment.

chief fan101 04-28-2012 03:12 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.178 (total posts: 1)

2013 draft kc trades pioli to pittsburgh 4 their gm

Chiefs fan 04-28-2012 01:59 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.113 (total posts: 1)

This is coming from a Chiefs fan. I knew Pittsburgh had one of the best owners in the NFL, but I didn't know they were this good! This is a dream draft for steel fans. Excellent job.

JAMESH 04-28-2012 01:41 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.253 (total posts: 1)

Spence was taken to become a SS. Remember Carnell Lake was a LB in college.

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2011 NFL Draft Grades:

No one should be surprised that the Steelers just had a brilliant draft. There's a reason why they contend for the Super Bowl every year.

Two areas Pittsburgh needed to address were the offensive line and defensive backfield. Kevin Colbert found upgrades for both fairly early with solid value selections. Meanwhile, Cameron Heyward and Ziggy Hood figure to be a formidable duo on the defensive front for years to come.

While many teams spent Draft Weekend trading up like crazy, and using countless selections on dime-a-dozen running backs and blocking tight ends, the Steelers just patiently waited each round and plucked one of the top talents off the board.

Overall 2011 NFL Draft Grade given on 5/1/11: A+

2011 NFL Draft Individual Grades:

31. Cameron Heyward, DE/DT, Ohio State
This is a typical Steelers pick. They're bolstering their defense with one of the top players available. He doesn't fill an immediate need, but will definitely be starting for the team in a year or two. (Pick Grade: B)

63. Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida
The Steelers almost had to make this pick. They need to protect Ben Roethlisberger. Marcus Gilbert fits their blocking scheme, and he's arguably one of the top tackles available. (Pick Grade: B)

95. Curtis Brown, CB, Texas
I had Curtis Brown to the Steelers in the second round of my mock re-draft, so I love this pick. Brown provides tremendous value and fills a huge need for them. He's also a great fit for Mike Tomlin's defensive scheme. That's why the Steelers were very interested in Brown this offseason. (Pick Grade: A)

128. Cortez Allen, CB, The Citadel
Another solid cornerback selection for the Steelers. Cortez Allen fits the range at the bottom of the Round 4, and he figures to improve the secondary sometime in the near future. (Pick Grade: B)

162. Chris Carter, DE/OLB, Fresno State
Kevin Colbert continues to dominate the 2011 NFL Draft. Chris Carter could have gone as high as the bottom of the second round, so this is a major steal. Carter won't contribute right away, but he could step in once James Harrison moves on. (Pick Grade: A)

196. Keith Williams, G, Nebraska
Another quality pick. The Steelers have to keep adding solid offensive linemen to the roster, and Keith Williams fits the range. (Pick Grade: B)

232. Baron Batch, RB, Texas Tech
The Steelers were expected to find a change-of-pace back behind Rashard Mendenhall. Baron Batch qualifies, but there were better prospects available. (Pick Grade: C)

Season Summary:
I was really high on the Steelers prior to this season - until Ben Roethlisberger's sexual assault charge. I bumped Pittsburgh out of Super Bowl (and playoff) consideration because I didn't know how Roethlisberger would respond. Well, give Big Ben credit. Despite the distraction and subsequent suspension, he led his team to its third Super Bowl appearance in six years.

Offseason Moves:

Steelers sign WR Jerricho Cotchery

Steelers re-sign DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley

Steelers sign TE John Gilmore

Steelers re-sign NT Chris Hoke

Steelers re-sign RB Mewelde Moore

Steelers re-sign CB William Gay

Steelers re-sign P Daniel Sepulveda

Steelers cut OT Flozell Adams

Steelers re-sign OT Willie Colon

Cardinals sign DE/DT Nick Eason

Steelers re-sign OT Jonathan Scott

Bears sign TE Matt Spaeth

Steelers cut WR/PR Antwaan Randle El

Steelers cut OT Max Starks

Steelers sign K Shaun Suisham

Steelers re-sign CB Ike Taylor

Steelers sign TE Weslye Saunders

Steelers tender QB Dennis Dixon

Steelers tender OT Tony Hills

Steelers franchise DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley

Offseason Needs:

Right Guard: Pittsburgh needs to protect Ben Roethlisberger. If he keeps getting hit like this, he won't last much longer. Mike Pouncey could be the pick at the bottom of the first round in the 2011 NFL Draft. He'd look great next to his brother, Maurkice. Drafted Keith Williams
Offensive Tackle: Max Starks has been cut. Willie Colon is a free agent. The Steelers might spend their first-round pick this April on someone like Gabe Carimi or Derek Sherrod. Re-signed Willie Colon; drafted Marcus Gilbert
Cornerback: I think Steeler fans have seen enough of Bryant McFadden. The team's second-round selection could be used to address this position. Re-signed Ike Taylor; drafted Curis Brown and Cortez Allen
Nose Tackle: Casey Hampton turns 34 in September. A successor could be found in Rounds 3-5.
Inside Linebacker: James Farrior just had a great year, but he turned 36 in January. He won't last much longer, so a Round 3-5 selection could be used as a future replacement.
Punter: Free agent Daniel Sepulveda just had his third knee surgery. Re-signed Daniel Sepulveda

2011 NFL Free Agent Signings:

Jerricho Cotchery, WR, Jets. Age: 29.
Signed with Steelers (1 year)

Jerricho Cotchery is a very good slot receiver when healthy. The problem is that he's coming off back surgery. He's reportedly healthy, but back injuries tend to linger and re-surface. Cotchery is a risk.
Weslye Saunders, TE, South Carolina. Age: 22. -- Signed with Steelers
John Gilmore, TE, Buccaneers. Age: 31. -- Signed with Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agents:

Salary Cap: No cap.

LaMarr Woodley, DE/OLB, Steelers. Age: 26.
Re-signed with Steelers (6 years, $61.5 million)

One of the top pass-rushers in the NFL, LaMarr Woodley has 35 sacks in the past three years.
Willie Colon, OT, Steelers. Age: 28.
Re-signed with Steelers (5 years, $29 million)

Willie Colon missed the entire 2010 season with a torn Achilles, but his recovery apparently has gone pretty well. Colon is an outstanding, Pro Bowl-caliber right tackle, so Ben Roethlisberger would love to have him back.
Ike Taylor, CB, Steelers. Age: 31.
Re-signed with Steelers (4 years)

Ike Taylor had a poor 2009 season, but did a great job bouncing back this year. Taylor surrendered only one touchdown in 2010.
Max Starks, OT, Steelers. Age: 29.
Max Starks is a starting-quality left tackle. Well, he was before he ballooned up to 400 pounds. Starks lost his job because he wasn't able to work out after suffering a neck injury.
Daniel Sepulveda, P, Steelers. Age: 27.
Re-signed with Steelers

Daniel Sepulveda averaged 45.5 yards per punt, but tore his right ACL for the third time in December.
Flozell Adams, OT, Steelers. Age: 36.
William Gay, CB, Steelers. Age: 26. -- Re-signed with Steelers (1 year)
Jonathan Scott, OT, Steelers. Age: 28. -- Re-signed with Steelers
Nick Eason, DE/DT, Steelers. Age: 31. -- Signed with Cardinals (2 years)
Chris Hoke, NT, Steelers. Age: 35. -- Re-signed with Steelers
Matt Spaeth, TE, Steelers. Age: 26. -- Signed with Bears
Ryan Mundy, S, Steelers. Age: 26.
Dennis Dixon (RFA), QB, Steelers. Age: 26. -- Tendered by Steelers
Trai Essex, G, Steelers. Age: 28.
Doug Legursky, G, Steelers. Age: 25.
Mewelde Moore, RB, Steelers. Age: 29. -- Re-signed with Steelers
Anthony Madison, CB, Steelers. Age: 29.
Tony Hills (RFA), OT, Steelers. Age: 26. -- Tendered by Steelers
Antwaan Randle El, WR/KR, Steelers. Age: 32.
Keyaron Fox, ILB, Steelers. Age: 29.
Jeremy Kapinos (RFA), P, Steelers. Age: 27.

2011 NFL Free Agent Rankings Coming Soon

Divisional Rival History:
Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco is 0-6 against Ben Roethlisberger.
Cincinnati Bengals: The road team has inexplicably claimed eight of the past 11 meetings. Go figure.
Cleveland Browns: Pittsburgh has won 20 of 21 against Cleveland.

Features to be Posted This Offseason:

2011 NFL Draft Grades (Pick-by-Pick NFL Draft Grades as well - Live on Draft Day!)
Detailed season preview
Fantasy football projections
Positional rankings
Daily updates on free-agent signings

More 2011 NFL Offseason Pages:

DAL / NYG / PHI / WAS /
CHI / DET / GB / MIN /
ATL / CAR / NO / TB /
ARZ / SEA / SF / STL /
BUF / MIA / NE / NYJ /
BAL / CIN / CLE / PIT /
HOU / IND / JAX / TEN /
DEN / KC / OAK / SD /

2011 NFL Offseason Pages

2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22

2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 22

2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 21

Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20

NFL Picks - Feb. 3

2011 NFL Offseason: Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Grades, Season Previews, Offseason Needs, Free Agents