The Pittsburgh Steelers selected nine players in the 2013 NFL draft and signed 15 more as undrafted free agents immediately after it concluded, and of those 24 total players, not a one of them plays tight end. Judging by the Steelers decision to not add to the position group over the course of the weekend, one can easily speculate that this bodes well for veteran tight end Heath Miller, who pulled off the torn ligament trifecta late last season in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Many had speculated that the Steelers would add a tight end at some point during the draft and some of Read more [...]

Now that big moves in free agency have been made and the 2013 NFL draft is behind us, the sports betting website Bovada has updated their odds to win Super Bowl XLVIII. The San Francisco 49ers are currently the favorites with 6/1 odds and behind them are the Denver Broncos at 15/2. A far as the AFC North goes, the Baltimore Ravens are 20/1 and behind them in the division sits the Pittsburgh Steelers at 25/1. Below is a look at all of the teams and their odds to win the Super Bowl this upcoming season. So, are theses odds about right for the Steelers? Too high? Too low? What about the Read more [...]

Early on Monday, an article in the upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated broke the news of NBA player Jason Collins announcing that he's gay, and as you can imagine, the story has created quite a buzz on the social media sites. Taking part in the buzz is Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace, who left the Pittsburgh Steelers via free agency earlier in the offseason after his rookie contract expired. 26-year-old receiver took to Twitter to say, "All these beautiful women in the world and guys wanna mess with other guys SMH…" Not soon after hitting the send button, Wallace deleted his Read more [...]

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN on Twitter, free agent tackle Winston Justice is visiting with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday and is also scheduled to visit with the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday. The Steelers did not draft an offensive lineman during the 2013 NFL draft, and even though they signed a handful of undrafted free agents afterwards, they still have question marks as far as depth goes on the offensive line. Justice, who started 12 games with the Indianapolis Colts last season, after spending his first six seasons in the league with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a right tackle Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers came to terms with free agent running back LaRod Stephens-Howling over the weekend and the contract details are as follows. The former seventh-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals signed a one-year qualifying contract with the Steelers that includes a base salary of 715,000 and a $65,000 signing bonus. Being as it was a qualifying contract, the discounted cap hit for Stephens-Howling will be $620,000 in 2013. The former Pittsburgh product figures to compete for a roster spot this season and will more than likely be a candidate to return kickoffs and play on special Read more [...]

Christopher DiMarino Before I get into my thoughts on the 2013 draft, I want to review the players that were signed this offseason. Looking at the completed picture, I can see how the moves in free agency directly led to what positions were addressed in the draft. I am actually very impressed with the  job that the Pittsburgh Steelers did in free agency for a normally dormant free agent team. The biggest resigning was Ramon Foster. Not only did it impact the draft, but we can see what the starting offensive line should look like this year. There are a few backups, but outside of Kelvin Beachum Read more [...]

Season 3, Episode 98 of The Terrible Podcast is up and co-host David Todd and I recap the 2013 draft of the Pittsburgh Steelers in this episode as we go pick by pick and discuss every player selected. In addition to talking about the new rookies, we also talk about the fallout from the draft and that includes talk about Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman and Plaxico Burress in addition. One of those two running backs might not make the 53 man roster now and the same goes for Burress. We also look at a few players at the cornerback position that will be battling for a roster spot. Thanks to the Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Florida State linebacker Vince Williams in the sixth-round of the 2013 NFL draft and below is my breakdown and grade of the pick. Measurables: Combine Invite: No, Height: 6006, Weight: 233, 40 Yrd Dash: 4.76, 20 Yrd Dash: 2.76, 10 Yrd Dash: 1.71, 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 22, Vertical Jump: 32 1/2, Broad Jump: 09'03", 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.67, 3-Cone Drill: 7.53 Breakdown: Williams has a thick build to him with think legs to match. The thing that sticks out the most when you watch him on film is the great closing speed that he possesses. He is great on a line, but does Read more [...]

According to the Youngstown State website, former Penguins tight end Will Shaw has agreed to an undrafted free agent tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers agreed to full contracts with 15 other undrafted free agents Saturday night as we previously reported. Shaw, who measured in at his pro day at 6020 and 242-pounds, was voted second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2012 after catching 35 passes for 429 yards and five touchdowns in his first full season as a tight end. In 2011, Shaw caught eight passes for 200 yards and had four touchdowns. He orginally played safety Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Samford defensive tackle Nick Williams in the seventh-round of the 2013 NFL draft and below is my breakdown and grade of the pick. Measurables: Combine Invite: Yes, Height: 6044, Weight: 309, 40 Yrd Dash: 4.84, 20 Yrd Dash: 2.80, 10 Yrd Dash: 1.70, 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 28, Vertical Jump: 33, Broad Jump: 09'03", 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.65, 3-Cone Drill: 7.55 Breakdown: For starters, Williams played a lot of 3-technique in a 4-3 defense at Stamford, and according to Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell, he will be 3-4, 5-technique defensive end project of his. Physically, Read more [...]

One of the two main arguments that I made for the Pittsburgh Steelers drafting North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft, should have fallen, was the fact that there is no solid depth on the teams offensive line. Cooper of course didn't fall, nor did Chance Warmack for that matter, so the same depth issue exists now that the draft is completed. The Steelers starting five is set, but the players that will make up the bottom end of the offensive line depth chart is anything but that. Currently, the sixth offensive lineman appears to Kelvin Beachum, the Steelers Read more [...]

A Pittsburgh Steelers team source reportedly told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the team "wouldn't touch" former Alabama running back Eddie Lacy in the 2013 NFL draft because his big toe "had been fused." This news makes the Steelers decision to draft Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell over Lacy, who had surgery last offseason to repair a turf-toe problem that had bothered him for a while, a little more understandable. Lacy wound up being the fourth overall running back selected in draft when the Green Bay Packers took him with the 61st overall selection later in round Read more [...]

Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft, there is now a decent chance that either Jonathan Dwyer or Isaac Redman won't make the final 53 man roster. Both Dwyer and Redman were restricted free agents this offseason and each signed one-year tenders worth $1.323 million, which are not guaranteed. There was a report on Saturday that suggested the Steelers were attempting to trade Dwyer during the draft, but that never came to fruition, as expected. The Steelers former sixth-round draft pick would likely be Read more [...]

Due to a trade on Saturday in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, their total rookie pool number increased another $2.6 million plus. With nine draft picks now to get under contract, the Steelers total rookie pool number should come in just shy of $30 million. As far as cap hit totals for the nine players selected, that should now total just over $5.6 million when the dust clears and all of the contracts are signed. Thanks in part to displacement, however, the Steelers do not need $5.6 million in cap space to accommodate their nine selections and 15 undrafted Read more [...]

By Jeremy Hritz The optimism following the 2013 NFL Draft is always electric. In a perfect 2013 NFL season, Jarvis Jones would lead the league in sacks, Le’Veon Bell would rush for 1500 yards, and Markus Wheaton would make Steelers fans even happier that Mike Wallace left for Miami. The reality is, however, nobody knows how these players will turn out, and whether or not they all will make the roster. The 2013 NFL Draft saw the Steelers address several areas of need, although Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert will have you believe that their picks fell according to their draft board. Jones Read more [...]

On Saturday, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake received two new pupils during the 2013 NFL draft in the form of safety Shamarko Thomas and cornerback Terry Hawthorne. Hawthorne, who the Steelers selected in the fifth round, will now compete for a roster spot and presumably push cornerback Curtis Brown, the Steelers third round pick in 2011. Lake was asked during his press conference where Brown fits right now in his plans after the selection of Hawthorne on Saturday. "We’re hoping that Curtis can turn the corner right now," said Lake, who is entering his third year coaching Read more [...]

Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler is one of my favorite coaches to listen to talk, but unfortunately we only get to hear from him just a few times a year. While talking Saturday about Florida State linebacker Vince Williams, whom the Steelers drafted in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft, the coach was not shy about telling how he was banging the table for another linebacker in the second round. "If they had done what I felt like doing we would have taken one in the second round," Butler said. "As I told them, last time we picked first and second with linebackers we won Read more [...]

The 2013 NFL draft has now come to an end and the Pittsburgh Steelers selected nine players in total. I will have my extended thoughts on the draft along with my grade on Sunday, but first, I wanted to give everyone a chance to cast their vote in a poll and yopur comments below. Tell us what players you liked specifically and what players you don't. In addition, tell us which players that were bypassed that you believe should have been drafted. We will have quite a bit to chew on now for the next several weeks and I will be breaking down the players more in depth in future post. Thanks Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Samford defensive end Nicholas Williams with their sevbenth and final pick in the 2013 NFL draft. John Mitchell audio: http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/0ap2000000152003/2013-Combine-workout-Nick-Williams Combine Invite: Yes Height: 6044 Weight: 309 40 Yrd Dash: 4.84 20 Yrd Dash: 2.80 10 Yrd Dash: 1.70 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 28 Vertical Jump: 33 Broad Jump: 09'03" 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.65 3-Cone Drill: 7.55 2011: Started all 11 games on the defensive line . . . tallied 23 tackles, including 17 solo stops . . . had three tackles for a loss . . . Read more [...]

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 NFL draft is now complete and there are nine new players that have joined the Steeler Nation family. All eight players are indeed on Twitter and below are the usernames and links to their respective Twitter pages. Round 1, Pick 17 Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia @SacManJones_29 Round 2, Pick 16 Le'Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State @L_Bell24 Round 3, Pick 17 Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State @twheat002 Round 4, Pick 14 Shamarko Thomas, SS, Syracuse @shamarko21ya Round 4, Pick 18 Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma @LandryJones12 Round 5, Pick 17 Terry Read more [...]