The Steelers released 10 players from their preseason roster today in an effort to get down to the NFL’s 53-man limit for the regular season. None of the players released were surprising cuts as TE Eugene Bright, G Dorian Brooks, T Kyle Jolly, WR Brandon London, TE Sean McHugh, DT Scott Paxson, LS Matt Stewart, S Justin Thornton, RB Justin Vincent and LB Renauld Williams were all released. Although no official word yet, reports surfaced that Kraig Urbik was told he would be released and veteran C Justin Hartwig has been given permission to seek a trade or be released. The Steelers must release 11 additional players by 6 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 4).
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The Steelers trimmed down to 75 players on Tuesday morning and now will need to cut 21 more by September 4th. Why 21 and not 22 you ask? This is because quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be moved to the reserve/suspended list, so technically that will not be a cut. I have listed 10 players that will likely be seeing the Turk soon and 16 players who could be considered on the bubble right now in my opinion. None of these are locked in stone mind you and this list is for entertainment purposes only, so no one get your feelings hurt until the cuts are made as ANYTHING can happen in these final days before cut downs have to filed with the league. These are in no particular order either.
Turk Appointments:
LB Renauld Williams - Really has played well in the middle and if injuries happen during the year, I could indeed see Renauld getting a phone call to come back. Would not be surprised if he got a chance elsewhere or he may return to the CFL.
RB Justin Vincent - Justin seems like he has been with us forever. Almost like a yearly Summer intern.
NT Scott Paxson - See Justin Vincent.
TE/FB Sean McHugh - I thought McHugh would challenge David Johnson for the 3rd tight end spot, but the film shows that Johnson is clearly the better of the two.
WR Brandon London - London has bounced around the NFL and the bounce will continue. He is a male model, so perhaps GQ is better suited for him.
T Kyle Jolly - Undrafted free agent who only received a handful of snaps in preseason. Might a practice squad candidate.
TE Eugene Bright - Another tight end body that would look good on the practice squad. Bright is not afraid to to the dirty blocking work.
G/C Dorian Brooks - Converted defensive lineman that has begun center training and could be headed to the practice squad and will be helped if Justin Hartwig and Kraig Urbik are indeed released.
S Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith - He made a nice hit in the Detroit preseason game causing a fumble in the redzone. Other than that, he has been very quiet. Could be another one headed to the practice squad.
S Justin Thornton - Merely a camp body and has an outside shot at a practice squad spot.
Bubble Boys
LDE Doug Worthington - Late round draft pick that appears closer to the practice squad than the active roster. He has been in the last rotation at left defensive end.
G/C Kraig Urbik - Urbik is likely the 54th or 55th player right now. He has made progress this preseason, but it may be too late. If veteran Justin Hartwig is cut, it really improves his chances. This could go either way and he could be battling Ramon Foster as well.
ILB Stevenson Sylvester - It will be surprising if he does not make it, but I am not willing to list him as a lock. Good athlete and very smart.
RB/FB Frank Summers - Under performed since being drafted. If he makes it, I hope he is renting in Pittsburgh and not buying.
LS Matt Stewart - He can get down field better than Greg Warren, but the snaps need to be right first. His inconsistency, might be his down fall despite having two good knees.
DB Anthony Madison - Has been playing all over in the secondary at every position again and is a special teams warrior. If he makes it, it is because of his special teams resume.
OLB Patrick Bailey - Bailey has stuck all this time because of his special teams play. His play at outside linebacker has not improved and the Steelers have numbers now on special teams and both outside linebacking spots.
KR Stefan Logan - If he makes it, it is because the Steelers do not trust rookie Antonio Brown to do the job. It is that simple. If cut, Logan will surface elsewhere as a kick returner.
WR Arnaz Battle - The rookie wide receivers took a step back against the Broncos and that helps Arnaz. He and Tyler Grisham are likely battling each other as well. I think he is just inside the bubble, but his face is pressed against it.
CB Joe Burnett - Joe really has not gotten that many snaps in preseason and that is worrisome. He really has been used as a back up nickel back and seems to fallen from grace. Rookie Crezdon Butler has more position flexibility and is one week away perhaps from bumping the 2009 draft pick.
CB Crezdon Butler - Great closing speed and great hands. Closing in on the 53rd spot very quickly. Butler will get a long look against Carolina. If he does not make the cut, he may not clear waivers to the practice squad.
RB Jonathan Dwyer - The jury is still out. Was Sunday night against Denver enough? Still struggles in important areas other than carrying the ball. He really is better suited for an early practice squad spot. It will be close with him for sure and I will not be surprised either way it goes with him.
G/T Ramon Foster - Hard to believe he is on my list, but I would not bet my house on him being a lock. He is more inside the bubble than outside and has the hand up on Urbik. I hate to put him on the list, but it is, what it is. Should make it.
RDE Ra'Shon Sunny Harris - Sunny has gotten his ass kicked by old man Nick Eason this offseason and has been working behind Eason as the 3rd right defensive end. I do not like his chances right now.
C Justin Hartwig - Passed by rookie Maurkice Pouncey on the depth chart and despite playing guard 25 years ago, is not as flexible as Doug Legursky. The Steelers are likely dangling him as trade bait, but his contract is not appealing and teams know he will likely be cut.
WR Tyler Grisham - All he does is continue to make coaches have a tough time cutting him. He would look great on the practice squad again, but could be a 53rd player on many teams roster. Battling Arnaz Battle and is not as good on special teams. It will be close with him.
DT Steve McLendon - Really the only decision with Steve is if he gets cut or gets put on injured reserve. He has missed almost all of camp with a knee injury.
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The Steelers have until 4:00 PM Tuesday to get their preseason roster trimmed down to 75 players from 80. I am listing 5 players I believe could be the first 5 out the door in Tuesday roster cuts. Two players they could move to injured reserve are DT Steve McClendon (knee) and T Chris Scott, but I think they want to place Scott on reserve PUP to start the season and McClendon gets another week to get healthy before they make a decision. Below are my 5 and reasons.
LB Brandon Renkart - Renkart was signed as a body when linebacker Andre Frazier was placed on injured reserve. He has no chance at making the 53 man roster and not a talent for the practice squad. Merely was a camp body.
WR Brandon London - Tallest receiver on the team, but has gotten almost zero work on offense in preseason. Merely a practice receiver and not even needed for the practice squad.
T Kyle Jolly - Jolly was signed as an undrafted free agent and has will likely be beat out by Dorian Brooks as a practice squad offensive lineman.
DB David Pittman - Pittman was a free agent signed defensive back that has bounced around a lot. Has not looked overly great late in preseason games in limited action. If not gone now, will be next week. Zero chance to make the roster.
S Justin Thornton - Another undrafted free agent that has not looked great during limited times in preseason games. Camp safety is all he was.
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Latrobe is coming quick and today we focus on the wide receiver position in our Steelers 2010 training camp preview.
Training Camp Preview – Defensive Line |Training Camp Preview – Safeties |Training Camp Preview – Linebackers | Training Camp Preview – Offensive Line | Training Camp Preview – Tight Ends | Training Camp Preview – Wide Receivers | Training Camp Preview – Running Backs | Training Camp Preview – Quarterbacks
Overview: The wide receiver position received quite a shakeup during the offseason as Santonio Holmes was traded prior to the draft to the New York Jets and former Steelers receiver Antwaan Randle El was brought back after being released by the Washington Redskins. Throw in the fact that the Steelers also spent 2 draft picks on receivers and also signed Arnaz Battle via free agency, you can see how the position shuffled quite a bit.
Hines Ward: Trying to tell Steeler Nation how important Hines Ward is to the Steelers is like preaching to the choir every Sunday in church. Ward enters his 13th season in NFL and is coming off one of his best seasons in 2009. He is a team leader, role model and teacher all rolled into one. With age comes the nagging injuries and Ward has been slowed this offseason with bad hamstrings. It is not expected to be serious, but you can bet he will be brought along slowly early in camp and will not see much time in the pre-season as well. Ward continues to be a vicious blocker and that will be needed more than ever in a season that figures to see the Steelers return more to the run. While 90 catches is not out the question for Ward in 2010, it is highly unlikely. The biggest key is staying healthy and contributing in key situations. Ward remains a dangerous red zone threat as well. His production in 2010 will depend mostly on how well second year receiver Mike Wallace can adapt to the No.2 receiver position left vacated when Holmes was traded. While Hines is signed through the 2013 season, it would not be out of the question for 2010 to be his final season, especially if the Steelers were to win their 7th Lombardi Trophy. Realistically though, Ward will play in 2011 barring a lockout.
Mike Wallace: Wallace did exactly what was expected of him as a rookie in 2009 and caught 39 balls for 756 yards and 6 touchdowns. He certainly eased the loss of Nate Washington via free agency and only got better as the year wore on. In 2010 the responsibilities of Wallace will expand even more as he will be saddled with filling the shoes of Santonio Holmes. Wallace will now be faced with tougher coverage and will need to be spot on with his route running, especially across the middle and in the short passing game. In addition, Wallace will need to improve on his blocking, a pre-requisite for any Steeler wide receiver. Wallace also will be looked upon to mentor both of the rookie wide receivers as well in 2010. As one if not both look to be paired with him for the next several years. If things indeed go well, Wallace could have a Pro-Bowl type year. Even in a run first offense, he should get his looks and is able to take any reception all the way to the house for a score. He will play a major role in getting the Steelers back to the playoffs in 2010.
Antwaan Randle El: After a short stay in Washington, Randle El is coming back to Pittsburgh to the delight of Steeler fans everywhere. While it was a lot to expect him to be a number one receiver in the league, he makes a fantastic number 3 as he did with the Steelers prior to him leaving via free agency. He knows the system and exactly what his role on this team is. His athleticism also brings back several options to the Steelers play book and he knows every receiver position on the field. El signed a three year contract with the Steelers in March and has a great chance of playing out the entire deal if he stays healthy and productive. He too will be relied upon to tutor the rookies as well as making sure he pushes Mike Wallace ahead of him on the depth chart. 40 catches is not out of the question for El and I expect many of his catches to help move the chains in 2010.
Arnaz Battle: At around the same time the Steelers signed back Randle El, Arnaz Battle was signed via free agency from the 49ers. At 30 years old he has his work ahead of him to make the 53 man roster, but is a jack of all trades type reciver. He will have to be able to contribute on special teams and show he can handle returns if called upon in the kicking game. He is considered a good blocker and that will be to his advantage early on. At the start of camp, Battle will look to make himself the number 4 on the depth chart by standing head and toes over both rookies and Tyler Grisham. It is not unthinkable that Battle could be a final cut down casualty as well although not likely. He is this years Shaun McDonald so to speak and hopefully will not be relied upon too much in 2010. Any contribution he can make to special teams will be considered golden.
Tyler Grisham: Grisham turned quite a few heads during training camp last year after being signed as an undrafted free agent. He reportedly caught everything thrown to him in practices and impressed enough to earn a spot on the practice squad for most of the year. He finally got called to the active roster in December and caught his first NFL pass in week 16 versus Baltimore and also dropped another in the same game. The Steelers will certainly keep at least 5 receivers on the 53 man roster this year and there is an outside chance they could keep 6. Grisham must beat out Arnaz Battle and both rookies by a long shot to make this roster. He is not much of a special teams player and his blocking is suspect, so in all likelihood his future in the NFL depends on his pre-season play. I have a feeling though that Grisham will be on another team come week 1 of the NFL season.
Emmanuel Sanders: The Steelers drafted Sanders in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL draft in hopes of catching lighting in a bottle again as they did with Mike Wallace. Sanders played for June Jones, a former NFL head coach, at SMU but looks to make the transition from a slot receiver to an outside receiver spot in the NFL. By all accounts Sanders has done well in shorts this offseason, but the true test will come in Latrobe when the hitting starts. The Steelers have enough invested in Sanders that he should make the 53 man roster as he will also look to contribute on special teams as a return man. He is fast and needs to learn the little details of the game such as reading coverages as well as blocking. Barring injury, Sanders will likely be a guy that starts the season on the weekly inactive list, but could buck for a gameday hat very quickly. Anything over 30 catches in 2010 for Sanders means he progressed fastly enough to push Randle El out of his spot or an injury has occurred. Sanders will be brought along slowly otherwise.
Antonio Brown: In addition to Sanders, the Steelers also drafted small school receiver Antonio Brown in the 6th round of the 2010 NFL draft. Brown was a quarterback before earning a scholarship with Central Michigan as a walk on receiver. Like most smallish receivers, he is a burner and also an accomplished return man. Brown accounted for touchdowns five different ways during his college career via receiving, rushing, passing, kick return and punt return. He too has had a good Spring and Summer as well for the Steelers, but remains a long shot to make the 53 man roster although it is not out of the question. Look for Brown to get lots of late time in preseason games at the slot position as well as returning kicks. He will likely be a prospect for the Steelers 2010 practice squad, but could make himself un-cuttable if he has an outstanding camp. He is what he is and that is a sixth round, small school wide receiver prospect. He should be fun to watch at Latrobe regardless.
Brandon London: At 6-4, Brandon London is the tallest wide receiver on the team now that Limas Sweed was placed on injured reserve. He has spent time with the Giants and Dolphins, but never really has shown enough to stick. He heads into Latrobe with the task of trying get enough reps to get a chance on another NFL team. He is the son of Mike London, currently the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. London is a camp body right now and it will take a minor miracle to make the Steelers 53 man roster.
Isaiah Williams: Isaiah Williams is another tall receiver and was signed when Limas Sweed was placed on injured reserve. Williams spent the 2009 pre-season with the Ravens after going undrafted and played his college ball at Maryland. At best he is auditioning for a practice squad spot and should only be considered a camp body for now. In all likelihood he will be one of the first players cut when the Steelers need to get down to 75 players on the first cut down deadline.
Likely Training Camp Depth Chart:
WR1 Hines Ward
WR2 Mike Wallace
WR3 Antwaan Randle El
WR4 Arnaz Battle
WR5 Emmanuel Sanders
WR6 Tyler Grisham
WR7 Antonio Brown
WR8 Brandon London
WR9 Isaiah Williams
Summation: The Steelers have a great mix of veterans and youngsters on this roster, but the biggest question is how well Wallace can do replacing Holmes. Wallace had a fantastic season as the #3 guy, but jumping into the role of Holmes is no easy task. If Ward and El stay healthy, the group should fair well. I would not expect the type numbers the top 3 put up in 2009 because the absence of Ben Roethlisberger early on will force the Steelers into more of a ball control, run first offense. Sanders will be fun to watch compete for the number 4 or 5 spot and it is not unthinkable that 6 of the top 7 on the depth chart could make the 53 man roster. Hopefully the Steelers can bring Sanders and Brown along slowly and even stash the later on the practice squad. Ward is the unquestioned leader of this group and the team and needs to stay healthy and involved if the Steelers make a run for number 7. As it stands right now, I like the looks of the future of this group as well.
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The Steelers signed free agent wide receiver Brandon London to a futures contract this past week. London has spent time with both the Giants and Dolphins since graduating from Massachusetts and will be competing at training camp for one of 4 or 5 receiver spots on the 2010 roster. Steelers Depot caught up with Brandon and he was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us.
Steelers Depot: Not many people know that your father is the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. How is having a coach for a father? Does it make you more coachable than most players? What advice has he given you since your release from the Dolphins?
Brandon London: Having a father as a coach is a tremendous asset and a huge advantage. Some kids take advantage of it and some choose another path in life. My dad used to workout and do all kind of drills with me since before I could remember. He's taught me how to break down film and most importantly he's helped me develop a winner's attitude! I think that's the biggest trait I'm grateful of. That attitude has made me work very hard over the years just to get my foot in the door, and it helped me get through the 09' season since I watched it from a T.V. instead of being on the field. It was pretty discouraging at times and a lot of people would have gave up football as a whole and moved on. I used it as motivation.
Steelers Depot: What did you learn most in your time with both the Giants and Dolphins that you think will help you make the Steelers 53 man roster in 2010?
Brandon London: When I was with the Giants, I got to pick the brain of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer. Those two are very good receivers similar in body length and body type as I am. I re-learned how to use my body when running routes, and keeping a defender off me when the ball is coming. In the NFL its the little things that turn into a big play. Plaxico would always pull me to the side and have some sort of tip waiting for me when I finished running the scout team routes and he would always make me get on the Jugs Machine after practice to make me strengthen my hands. Without his guidance I don't think I would have strengthen my skills as fast as the way I did. I owe him a lot! With the Dolphins I learned that you shouldn't take a day of football for granted, everyday can be your last day!
Steelers Depot: At 6-4, it would mean you would currently be one of the tallest receivers on the Steelers roster next to Limas Sweed. The Steelers have been looking for a big receiver ever since Plaxico Burress left and Sweed has disappointed up until now. Do you feel your height gives you an advantage in your game and is your strongest asset?
Brandon London: I'd be lying if I didn't say it was definitely a strong point of my game. I like being a guy you can throw the ball up to in the red-zone and go after it. Being a tall receiver you're almost like a 'get outta jail free card.' You can help a quarterback get out of sticky situations sometimes!
Steelers Depot: You were described as an excellent special teams player while with the Dolphins. Undoubtedly you know the Steelers need help in this area as well and it could be the difference in you making the roster as a #4 or #5 receiver. Is special teams a mindset with you? Are you mostly used as a gunner?
Brandon London: I look at special teams as a 'place at the table.' If you excel on special teams then its only going to help you get playing time at natural position. You can only dress a certain number of guys on game day, so if you dress 5 Wr's, two of them are going to have to have some sort of special team value to them. That's just the way the game is. My mindset is make the 53 anyway I can. If I had to I'd kick, punt and/or Long Snap(even though I can't do either) just to make the 53 man roster. I just want to play ball and be a part of something!
Steelers Depot: You once mentioned in an online chat that your weaknesses were getting in and out of your breaks faster and your on the field strength. How have these two areas of your game coming along. Do you still consider them weaknesses?
Brandon London: No not at all, from the time I said that during the interview to now I have worked my butt off to turn that weakness into a strength. I owe a lot to my old Dolphins Receiver Coach Karl Dorrell because he would put us through a lot of drills during practice that really helped me grasp the concept of staying low in the break and exploding out of it! On top of that, working with Jeff Sanders who runs Athletic Edge Sports Performance in Boca Raton, FL and my current trainer E.J Barthel who runs ETS in Teterboro, NJ, they've helped strengthen my legs and I have become a more explosive athlete.
Steelers Depot: Where will you be working out in the offseason?
Brandon London: Right now I'm working with E.J Barthel at ETS in Teterboro, NJ as I mentioned before. I want to get to Pittsburgh soon and begin working with Coach Giemont so he can assess me and see what areas I need to develop at and get better at before we start off-season workouts. I have heard great things about him and I am very anxious to work with him.
Steelers Depot: Once again Brandon, thanks for your time and all of Steeler Nation looks forward to seeing you at training camp in Latrobe. We wish you the best of luck in 2010 and can not wait to see your contributions.
Brandon London: Thanks!
Below are a few videos I dug up on Brandon London from his early NFL days.
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The Steelers signed former University of Pittsburgh punter Adam Graessle and wide receiver Brandon London to their offseason roster on Tuesday. Graessle, who punted at Pitt from 2003-06, was released by the Green Bay Packers before the start of training camp in 2009 and later played in the United Football League with California. London appeared in 14 games with the Miami Dolphins in 2008 but was released before the start of the season. London played at Massachusetts in college.
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