When the Steelers report to Latrobe on tomorrow, so will begin several training camp battles that we will be keeping a close eye on. We have narrowed them down to six to match the six championships the Steelers have. They are as follows.

1. Quarterback - Byron Leftwich vs. Dennis Dixon - Mike Tomlin has let veteran Byron Leftwich receive most of the first team snaps since his re-acquisition from Tampa Bay. The Steelers will need a starter for at least 4 games with franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suspended to start the season and Leftwich looks to be the guy unless Dennis Dixon can force the Steelers hand with a strong camp. Dixon is also in his final year of his contract, so the motivation is definitely there to prove himself. Most of the Steeler Nation blogs and media would have you believe that Dixon should start, but none have good reasons why. Dixon has all of one start under his belt combined with several mediocre pre seasons games. Dixon also has admitted his leadership skills are not up to standards as well. Leftwich is what he is and that is a quarterback that has had some moderate successes in the NFL. Does this secure the job for him? Absolutely not as Leftwich could still lose the job and fall flat on his face. Dixon will have to show right out of the gate that he is the man that should lead the Steelers. Make no mistake that this is a battle, but a battle that could be over after week one of the pre season. Dixon does not have time on his side and must make good use of each and every snap to overtake the veteran Leftwich. My money is on Leftwich.

2. Right Tackle - Trai Essex vs. Jonathan Scott vs. Ramon Foster - The Achilles injury to Willie Colon opened up a huge hole on the right side of the Steelers offensive line. The only good thing is it happened early enough in the offseason so the Steelers could have a enough time to figure out a solution. Also in their favor has been the rapid development of rookie first round draft pick, Maurkice Pouncey, who was on course to beat out Trai Essex for the starting right guard spot. That now frees up Essex to see if he can win the right tackle spot instead and he will compete against free agent Jonathan Scott and second year undrafted free agent Ramon Foster. Scott played under new line coach Sean Kugler at Buffalo last year and Foster played mostly at left guard in 2009 when Chris Kemoeatu was out injured. There could even be another horse or two added to this battle should the Steelers decide to sign another street free agent, but as it appears right now, the Steelers want one of these three guys to win the job. If I were to handicap this battle, I give the advantage to Essex as to me his play and foot work seem better suited for tackle than guard plus he has games played under his belt on the right side. Scott and Foster could very well both stick on the roster as reserves and it would not be surprising to see either win the right tackle spot out right.

Update: The Steelers signed free agent tackle Flozell Adams a few hours after posting this. This now becomes a battle above for the backup right side swing spot as now either Adams or Max Starks wil play right tackle for sure. Scott is now on the roster bubble for sure with this move and Foster will likely compete for a right side back up roll.

3. Nickel Cornerback - William Gay vs. Joe Burnett vs. Keenan Lewis - Most want you to believe that the starting left cornerback job is up for grabs. That is just not true. The Steelers traded back for Bryant McFadden on draft day because of the play of William Gay in 2009. To think McFadden will not be the week one starting left corner is ludicrous. The Steelers drafted two cornerbacks in 2009 in the form of Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis. Burnett struggled as a rookie, while Lewis was never fully healthy with back problems. Veteran Deshea Townsend is now gone so it leaves Gay, Burnett and Lewis all to battle for the nickel corner spot. Gay has the inside track after playing the role almost exclusively through the 2008 championship season. Burnett started to show glimpses late in the 2009 season and will get his shot at the job. Lewis is more of a dark horse here as he truly is better merely as a left corner and just doesn't have the time in at the position. Watch this battle closely as it could get interesting. Right now I like Gay to rebound and win the job, but nothing with him is guaranteed.

4. Backup Running Back - Isaac Redman vs. Jonathan Dwyer - Nobody caused more stir in 2009 than undrafted free agent running back Isaac Redman. By the end of training camp last year, Steeler Nation had him penciled in as the next Jerome Bettis. Redman proved he can run in short yardage situations, but was slow to get up to speed on the things fans do not see. Redman bounced around to the active roster and practice squad and now will get a chance to compete against rookie six round draft pick Jonathan Dwyer. Although technically you could say Mewelde Moore is the backup running back to Rashard Mendenhall, we all know that Moore is not an every down back. He is a role player gifted in 3rd down sets and an established pass catcher. Should Mendenhall go down, the Steelers will need either Redman or Dwyer to step up to a more prominent 1st and 2nd down ball carrier role. Dwyer is handicapped by the type offense he played in college, where he was a fullback in Georgia Tech's triple-option offense. Both Redman and Dwyer are straight ahead runners and both are known to move piles in short yardage situations. Redman has the upper hand going into camp, primarily because of having a year in the offense already and improving on his blitz pickups. Dwyer should not be counted out though as this battle will have those in attendance at Latrobe high fiving for both players. I think both can make the roster, regardless of who runs 2nd or 3rd.

5. Reserve Tight End H-Back Fullback - Sean McHugh vs. David Johnson - It might not look much on paper, but this could be the 52nd or 53rd man on the 53 man roster. McHugh had 2009 end early in pre season with a knee problem. His injury allowed 2009 seventh round pick, David Johnson to make the roster. Johnson was not spectacular in the H-back role and merely average in the other phases of tight end play. His special teams play though was above average, but the overall play of the Steelers 2009 special teams unit was dismal as most remember. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians looks to use the fullback and or h-back more in the offense this year. Frank Summers is looking to secure a true fullback role, while McHugh and Johnson will battle for the H-back and 3rd tight end spot on the roster. Neither will be confused for Dan Kreider, but these two players will be out to crack skulls and adjust shoulder pads in camp. While neither is guaranteed a roster spot regardless of their battle, it will intensify training camp and make practices more physical. I think McHugh, if healthy, can win this battle and a spot on the roster. He is just plain better at this role than Johnson is in my opinion.

6. Return Men - Stefan Logan vs. Emmanuel Sanders vs. Antonio Brown vs. Joe Burnett vs. Antwaan Randle El vs. Mewelde Moore vs. Mike Wallace - If the Steelers were allowed to keep 54 men on the roster, this might make things a little easier. The roster limit remains at 53 and last years return specialist Stefan Logan owns a valuable roster spot. The smallish pinball type player only has one shot at making the 2010 roster once again at that is by standing head and shoulders above the completion in both kickoff and punt returns. New to the battle this year are rookie draft pick wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown. Both are accomplished return men in college with Brown being the better all around return man of the two. Sanders is almost certain to make the 53 man roster as the 4th or 5th receiver based on early reports. Brown is not a lock right now. Throw in cornerback Joe Burnett, who failed miserable in the 2009 pre season as a return man, the aging Antwaan Randle El and Mewelde Moore to keep everyone honest and you just do not have a ton of reps to go around to find the right guy. Let us not forget speedster Mike Wallace in this talk either although he will have enough on his plate adjusting to the number two receiving role with Santonio Holmes now gone. You still have to think he is an out lying option though. The real battle I believe will be between Logan and Sanders for the kick returning job. If Sanders can challenge Logan in output there, I think the punt return duties could be his as well. Logan needs to make himself uncut-able once again and that means he needs some big returns in the pre season. I think his one year flash is over as the Steelers need the roster spot very bad. Let us hope there are tons of opportunities to around in the pre season games. May the best hands and feet win.

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It is hard to imagine that the only active starting cornerback in the NFL to win two Super Bowls would finish his career in a uniform other than a Steelers one, but that is exactly what likely will happen with Ike Taylor. Taylor is entering the final year of a $23.75 million contract extension he signed in 2006 and regardless of his play in 2010, just will not be a priority next offseason for the Steelers. It is yet to be seen what type of tag if any will be included in a new NFL CBA, but the Steelers would likely not use it on Ike anyway.

A healthy, productive season by "Face Me Ike" will price him well out of the ball park for the Steelers as veteran free agent corners tend to strike it big in free agency over the several past seasons. There is no reason to expect that Taylor will not "get his" as they like to say. In his 7 years with the Steelers, Taylor has 9 interceptions, 88 passes defended and 415 tackles. He also set a Steelers franchise record by recording interceptions in 3 consecutive playoff games and on top of everything else, he has never missed a game due to an injury.

As I mentioned in the training camp preview of the Steelers cornerbacks, the move to youth at cornerback is in full swing for the Steelers. They drafted Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis in 2009 and hope to have found Taylor's future replacement at right cornerback in the form of 2010 5th round draft pick Crezdon Butler out of Clemson. Butler has impressed in the OTA sessions and will be scrutinized closely in training camp as he already has been receiving occasional reps with the first team defense when Ike needs a breather, according to reports.

Ike has a great relationship with the Steelers and even restructured his contract the previous two offseasons to help free up money for other players, but in the end this is a business. The Steelers have to try to find a way to lock up linebacker LaMarr Woodley as soon as possible and need to start over hauling a veteran, aging defense. Taylor will be the first player to suffer because of this new move to youth. While there are several unknown factors about how a new CBA or salary cap will look like, it is hard to imagine that either will help Taylor end his career as a Steeler.

Taylor was major cog in the Steelers two recent championships and it will be so hard to see him play elsewhere. Like it or not, it is a reality Steeler Nation needs to face. The only one that will be glad to see him go, will be Chad Ochocinco. Face it, Ike never kissed that baby!

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A week from tomorrow and the Steelers report to 2010 training camp in Latrobe. We have been previewing each position this month leading up to camp and this preview is dedicated to the cornerback position. Make sure to read our previous previews by following the links below.

Training Camp Preview – Safeties |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 Steelers play at cornerback in 2009 was not one to be remembered. The loss of Bryant McFadden to free agency left William Gay to the chance to show he was ready to start. He wasn’t and the poor depth mixed with youth gave Steeler Nation ulcers all season long. The corners just never could force the big play or turnover when they needed to and mixed with the injury of strong safety Troy Polamalu, made for an unappetizing, vulnerable secondary. The Steelers traded back for McFadden and added one rookie corner via the draft. Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett head into their second seasons with high expectations.

Ike Taylor: Ike had an average 2009 season overall coming off of superb 2007 and 2008 years. It seemed as if his focus in games was not always there and the loss of strong safety Troy Polamalu meant Taylor didn’t always have the extra safety blanket behind him in zone coverage’s. Taylor heads into the final year of his contract in 2010 and there were no talks this pasty offseason in extending him. Taylor is playing this year in hopes of getting himself one final payday and it might not be with the Steelers. He is not known for his hands as evident by his career interception total, but can cover the likes of Chad Ochocinco and other big name receivers when he decides he wants to. The best thing about Face Me Ike in 2010 is the future pay day over his head. He will also be relied upon to help mentor the young corners like Keenan Lewis and Crezdon Butler to get them more in tune with zone coverage’s defensive calls. A poor start in 2010 could see Taylor overtaken as the right cornerback if he is not careful. Much relies on the progress of the young guys, especially Butler who will discuss shortly. For now though, there is no reason to think Ike will not have a great year in what might very well be his last in the black and gold.

Bryant McFadden: After not addressing the corner position in the first two days of the 2010 draft, it was a sigh of relief to hear the deal announced on day three that brought back McFadden from his one year stay in Arizona. The Steelers allowed him to walk via free agency following the 2008 Super Bowl season and he just didn’t gel well in the Cardinals defensive scheme. His return more than likely signals the failed experiment of William Gay at left cornerback as McFadden should win the spot easily. While McFadden is not known as a shut down cover guy, he is strong and can force receivers off their routes and disrupt their timing. He fits well in zone type coverage’s and can hit and tackle. Getting the old band back together in the secondary, should do wonders for McFadden and the left cornerback position. It is good to have him back in the fold.

William Gay: Gay got the chance to start at left corner in 2009 and played well below the line in the process. He often times played too far off of receivers and was picked on quite often, especially late in games. His tackling is below par as well and will also be remembered as the guy that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson ran smack over at Heinz Field. Gay was a restricted free agent this offseason and tendered a one year deal to return and resume his role as the nickel cornerback. This is the role he played prior to getting the starting job last year and he must prove quickly he can cover in that position. There are no guarantees with William going forward as Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis could regulate him to a reserve role and special teams player. It would take a monstrous effort for Gay to start at nickel or even unseat McFadden throughout the year and it is pretty safe to assume that 2010 is it for Gay with the Steelers.

Joe Burnett: Burnett had a rough rookie season and could have single handedly won the game versus the Raiders had he not dropped a sure interception that hit him in the worst place, the hands. He did show signs late in the season of better understanding coverage’s in 2009, but for right now he seems to be the Steelers reserve nickel corner and special teams player. He might get a look at the punt return role, but likely will be something he just puts on his resume in an emergency situation. Burnett, like Gay, is under-sized and will battle to play in dime and nickel packages with Gay. He has progressed according to defensive backs coach, Ray Horton, and should improve this year.

Keenan Lewis: Lewis has made tremendous strides this offseason after a rookie year cut short by a back injury. He never could get his feet under him in 2009 and it delayed his progress. This year is a different story as Lewis is reportedly healthy and challenging for the spot behind McFadden at left corner. It should not be a tough spot to grab, but he has to show he understands the role and can be physical. There was talk he might get looks at free safety, but that talk has died down now, but it would not be surprising to see him get some practice looks at the position to show he can understand at play the position should emergency arise. Lewis is a big boy and will likely play a role on kick coverage’s as well. A great sophomore season would ease some concerns going forward for the Steelers future on the left side. Lewis seems up for the job and should easily make the roster.

Crezdon Butler: If you caught the NFL combine tape of Butler, it was not very impressive, but some players just do not look good in workouts, Butler seems to be that player. Thus far during the OTA sessions, he is turning heads and even getting some reps with the first team defense at right cornerback. If you want a true sleeper from the Steelers 2010 draft class, Butler is it. He has picked up the schemes and play book very fast, fits in very well in zone coverage’s and probably has the best hands in the secondary. The Steelers are hoping he is their shut down right corner of the future and can make Taylor not so much a priority to re-sign after this year. Butler is a rookie and will make rookie mistakes; he should make the roster, but at the very worst, be signed to the practice squad. He should be fun to watch at Latrobe, just not in drills.

David Pittman: Pittman, an ex-Raven is a journeyman cornerback trying to make the roster with his versatility. He has played both right and left corner spots as well as the nickel and has a huge traffic jam ahead of him to make the roster as the Steelers will likely keep 10 defensive backs with 4 of them being safeties. His best shot at making the roster will be to knock off Gay or Burnett for now and while not impossible, seems unlikely heading in to Latrobe. He could however play himself into the Steelers Rolodex, should a couple of key injuries take place. For now we consider Pittman a camp body.

Anthony Madison: I listed Madison here as well as with the safeties as I think he gets work at both corner and safety during camp. Everyone knows his biggest contribution is on special teams, but I think there is just no room on the 53 man roster for him.

Likely Training Camp Depth Chart:
RCB1 Ike Taylor RCB2 Crezdon Butler RCB3 Joe Burnett RCB4 David Pittman
LCB1 Bryant McFadden LCB2 William Gay LCB3 Keenan Lewis LB4 David Pittman
NCB1 William Gay NCB2 Joe Burnett NCB3 Crezdon Butler NCB4 David Pittman

Summation: The Steelers have begun the future shift to youth even with Taylor and McFadden starting at right and left corner respectively. Gay and Taylor are playing for their futures, while Burnett and Lewis must make huge strides in their second years. Butler could be the breath of fresh air in 2010, so watch him closely in camp. Overall the starting two corners and nickel are the same group that won the Super Bowl against the Cardinals. Although they have aged, the carrot is nicely positioned over their heads to get back to that level and make the secondary one that dares to be thrown on. If the defensive line can get good pressure and push this year, I have no worries about these corners. If they don’t get the pressure, any zone coverage unit can get picked apart with enough time. The corners must produce interceptions this year as it was a sorely missed stat line in 2009. You could even say non-existent.

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It looks like the Steelers are indeed done with contracts for the offseason and once the season starts, no new deals are likely to be done, especially with the cloudy NFL labor situation. To the best of my calculations, the Steelers have 25 of 81 players on the final year of their current contract. I did not prioritize them below, but it is not hard to pick out those that are high profile moving forward. Those players would be: LaMarr Woodley, Ike Taylor, Jeff Reed and Daniel Sepulveda in my opinion. Dennis Dixon, Willie Colon and Trai Essex are fringe at this point. I have included a blurb on each player in a contract year below.

QB Dennis Dixon: I wrote about Dennis just last week and so much depends on how camp and preseason goes. If he can't beat out Byron Leftwich to start the season, you have to wonder what the Steelers think about his future with the organization. He might stand to make more money via free agency as well. We will know much more over the next 5 weeks.

RB Mewelde Moore: Mewelde should not have a problem making the roster this year, but age, numbers and youth behind him will make Moore expendable after this season.

WR Tyler Grisham: He has to worry about making the 53 man roster this year before worrying about being in a contract year. Needs to have a perfect camp and preseason with limited reps in chance of perhaps even getting back to the practice squad.

TE Matt Spaeth: Do really expect me to write much on Matt. This is it for him after this one year tender.

T Willie Colon: Perhaps the most unluckiest guy on the roster right now. Was a restricted free agent because of no CBA and his future status revolves around being restricted or unrestricted as well. his agent thinks his time with Pittsburgh is over and the Achilles injury doesn't help the matter.

G/T Trai Essex: Trai will have to WOW everyone at a tackle position in order to be brought back. Hard to see where he has a future here.

T Tony Hills: Is in a battle with fellow Texas alum Jonathan Scott just to make the roster this year. Has bust tatooed all over him thus far.

C/G Doug Legursky: The Big Legursky might have a shot at getting resigned next offseason should he prove he can hold the swing job of center and guard. He has an outside chance of overtaking Justin Hartwig this year in camp. Everyone knows Pouncey is the future here, but good backup centers are hard to find.

T Jonathan Scott: Signed to a one year contract for a reason. Odds are against him being any more than a backup right tackle at this point.

DE Ra'Shon Harris: 7th rounder that slipped away to the Panthers only to return. With the defensive line aging, Sunny can play himself into another contract if he can make the 53 man roster in camp. Long shot of a future, but still has a chance.

NT Chris Hoke: Hoke will likely end his carrer in another uniform after this season. Steelers will likely draft the heir to Hampton at nose tackle next April.

LB Patrick Bailey: In a fight just to make the 53 man roster this year. Better special teams player than linebacker. End of the road for Patrick. Good thing he is getting a pilots liscense.

LB Keyaron Fox: Fox keeps proving folks wrong, but with the influx of linebackers it will be tough to stick after this season. Could play himself into a good payday from another team with a strong 2010 reserve role.

LB Andre Frazier: Much like Patrick Bailey, he must first make the 53 man squad this year. Odds and numbers are against him.

OLB LaMarr Woodley: Well documented that the 30% rule and no CBA are the reasons he does not have a new deal. It is hard to imagine the Steelers letting him walk. The new CBA will likely have some sort of tag the Steelers use on him in order to get a new deal done. Will be a bumpy ride and a big loss if indeed he is allowed to walk.

CB William Gay: On a one year tender right now and must show he can play corner or even nickel in the NFL. 2009 was hard to watch and he tends to write checks with his mouth that he can not cash on the field. Hard to imagine he will be signed again.

S Tuff Harris: 2010 camp body. No future here.

DB Anthony Madison: Special teams guy only. No future here.

S Ryan Mundy: 2010 holds the key. Needs a great year as a role player with Troy and Ryan ahead of him. Might be a guy tendered next year depending on how the CBA works out.

CB Ike Taylor: Outside of Woodley, Ike is the biggest name without attention headed into a contract year. No CBA certainly hurt things and his future might rest in the hands of Joe Burnett, Keenan Lewis and Crezdon Butler. As much as I would hate to see him go, it is not unthinkable right now.

KR Stefan Logan: What time does a clock strike midnight in Canada? I hope he only rented in Pittsburgh.

K Jeff Reed: Has to play under the one year tag now and will likely be allowed to test free agency next offseason. It will be hard to watch him kick in another uniform should that indeed happen. His price tag might just be too high for the Rooneys.

LS Matt Stewart: Battling veteran Greg Warren for the long snapper duties. Playing to be the first guy on speed dial should Warren tear his knee up yet again.

P Daniel Sepulveda: Needs to prove he indeed is the Robo punter. Future still cloudy right now. Punters are hard to judge year to year. Good chance he returns.

LS Greg Warren: I think you have to shoot veteran long snappers. Keeps getting injured, but keeps coming back. This might be it for him though.

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The kids attending Coach Mike Tomlin's youth football camp at Mars Area High School got a surprise visit from Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Wednesday. While it was most definitely a great PR move by Big Ben, he made it clear that it's his intention to be back next year as well. Little things like this will add up over time and restore his character to the fans and the team.

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Hines Ward chatted with NFL Total Access host Rich Eisen on Wednesday about his experience at NFL Broadcast Boot Camp and how the Steelers have taken to Big Ben. Ward though did say, "A lot of players really don't know the situation, other than what we hear in the news or the media," Ward said. "I think when he addresses the whole team going into training camp, we can all put it behind us and move forward." It sounds like Ward expects Roethlisberger to address the whole team going into training camp about the whole situation. Time will tell.

Erika Esola has a great article on second year cornerback Joe Burnett and his roots in Lake County Florida. Burnett also talks about the temptation he had to leave UCF a year earlier for the NFL, but opted to stay his senior year instead.

Steelers rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders gave a candid radio interview to the 93.7 The Fan Morning show on Wednesday. Sanders is chomping at the bit to be a key contributor for the Steelers and in the middle of daily five-hour workouts with the Steelers trainer. He really sounds excited and like a good kid. I can not wait to see how he does at training camp.

Steelers receiver Antwaan Randle El had some strong comments on the Redskins and their dealings with defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth. El claims they asked him about Haynesworth before signing him last season. You can listen to more below from the The Mike Wise Show.

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Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley has shown up on both Facebook and Twitter now. Make sure to follow him at both places and Steelers Depot as well on Twitter and Facebook, while you are it.

The Steelers 2009 season showed many holes that the Steelers need to address during the 2010 NFL draft. Below I will list I what I feel the draft needs are going into the draft. These are in no particular order and I will have my mock draft up pretty soon in the coming days.

Nose Tackle - Regardless if the Steelers decide to franchise Casey Hampton or not, the Steelers need a young 3-4 nose tackle in waiting. There are rumblings a future shift to a 4-3 defense may be coming in future years, but I do not see this happening while Dick LeBeau is still in charge of the defense. If one is drafted, you could see one that is a bit lighter and mobile that could transition into a 4-3 interior defensive tackle.

Inside Linebacker - James Farrior has definetly lost a step. A 3 down inside linebacker that has leadership qualities is needed badly. One that can play the pass as well as the run. A future captain for the defense could very well be drafted this year and play both inside and outside while delivering on special teams in his rookie year.

Cornerback - The Steelers drafred Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis in 2009. Burnett is still learning and Lewis barely saw the field. Neither showed qualities of being a shut down corner. William Gay and old man Deshea Townsend are both free agents and both are only fringe nickel corners at best if either are brought back.

Safety - Other than Troy Polamalu, the Steelers are weak at the both strong and free safety. Ryan Clark and Tyrone Carter are both free agents and even if Clark is brought back, father time has caught up with him. You could see both a strong and free safety addressed in the draft. Hopefully both are hitters who can make an instant impact on special teams.

Offensive Line - You can never have enough good offensive linemen. The Steelers have 4 of the 5 starters under contract and Ramon Foster proved he can be a swing guy. A left tackle that can play both sides early on would be a welcome sight. A center needs to be groomed for the future as well.

Running Back - Rashard Mendenhall showed he can fit the role of a 3 down running back, but with Willie Parker likely gone and Mewelde Moore being a 3rd down back only, it leaves the Steelers with a bulky Frank Summers and practice squaders Isaac Redman and Justin Vincent as the only true backups to Mendenhall. If Summers is groomed as a pure fullback, then the Steelers are even thinner at the position.

Right Defensive End - Brett Keisel will be 32 in mid September and Nick Eason is a free agent. A young right defensive end is needed to get groomed fast. Rookie Ziggy Hood is better suited on the left side, but regardless, the defensive line needs younger bodies.

Tight End - Matt Spaeth is a free agent and not a blocking tight end. Heath Miller will be the man for a while, but the other tight ends on the roster are mostly H-Backs. A true duel threat tight end that can both block and catch should be addressed. If nothing else for depth in case Miller were to go down or need a breather.

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NFL.com has started their 32 camp tour and has posted the schedule on the website. Thomas George will be reporting in from Latrobe on August 1st.

Dale Lolley chimed in with his Steelers over and under wins thoughts as well as his predictions on the Colts, Jets, Chargers and Broncos.

Steelers.com has posted part 3 of the Q & A with rookie cornerback, Joe Burnett. Burnett admits he has plenty of room for improvement in all facets of his game.

The Ravens signed former wide receiver Jayson Foster, on Tuesday. Foster was officially released by the Steelers on June 18th and had been on and off the practice squad.

Eagles long time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away on Tuesday. Johnson was one of the best defensive minds in the game. The Steelers were 1-2 versus Johnson during his tenure as the Eagles DC. He will forever be remembered by all true football fans.

Joe Paterno held is Big 10 press Conference on Monday and was funny as only Joe Pa can be. Fast forward to his comments about Twitter at the 13:00 mark, very entertaining. The video is below. Make sure to follow Steelers Depot on Tweedle-doo and Tweedle-dee as well.

"What do you guys call those things? Tweedle-doo? Tweedle-dee? I haven't got the slightest idea what you're looking at."

The Post-Gazette reports that the four Rooney brothers signed papers on Monday to sell all or part of their ownership in the Steelers to the new investment group headed by their brother Dan Rooney and his son Art. The closing of the deal should occur within two weeks or so.

Ben Roethlisberger's accuser never filed rape allegation with sheriff's office to investigate. This is just a money hungry bitch and you can't blame Ben canceling his press conference as to let the attorney do his work. The Steelers will not comment on this either and I do not blame them. Nothing to comment on.

Steelers.com has posted part 2 of the fan Q & A with rookie cornerback, Joe Burnett.

Joe Strupp, senior editor of the Editor & Publisher, discusses how the Pittsburgh papers offer contrasting coverage of the Roethlisberger sex assault lawsuit.

AFC North blogger, James Walker, has released his AFC North training camp preview on ESPN.

NFL Total Access examines the Steelers chances of repeating in 2009 in their 32 teams in 32 days segment.

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Mike Bires from the Beaver County Times recounts his recent trip to Rome and reports on the strong Steeler Nation in Italy.

Dale Lolley questions some Steeler player ratings in the new Madden 2010 video game. Oh boy, training camp can not get here soon enough.

Steelers.com has posted part 2 of the Q & A with rookie corner Joe Burnett and part 1 of the Q & A with rookie receiver, Mike Wallace.

Chris Steuber ranks the Steelers Top 10 prospects in his piece for Steel City Insiders. I found it hard to swallow that both Dennis Dixon and Limas Sweed are both ranked above William Gay and that Kraig Urbik is buried at number 9.

Shaquille O’Neal has challenged Ben Roethlisberger to a game of football. They both will be quarterbacking the Pittsburgh Colts semi-pro team on Friday for a reality show segment of "The Shaq Show". Should be entertaining.

Michael Fabiano of NFL.com has ranked the Steelers top-5 fantasy players and says Ben Roethlisberger is a borderline No. 1 or 2 fantasy quarterback. The biggest surprise is he ranks the Steelers defense behind Roethlisberger. I guess anyone can write for NFL.com these days.

Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes will be featured with actor Samuel L. Jackson in a series of commercials for the upcoming ESPY awards being taped tonight. Holmes and several other Steelers are nominated for ESPY awards, including Mike Tomlin for best coach/manager and linebacker James Harrison for best NFL player. Holmes is also doing more Reebok commercials after signing a multi-year deal with the shoe company last November.

Steelers team physician, Dr. Anthony Yates, is this year's winner of the Jerry "Hawk" Rhea award given by the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society.

Steelers.com has posted part one of the fan Q & A with rookie cornerback, Joe Burnett. Burnett was a fifth round selection of the Steelers in the 2009 NFL draft.

Former Steeler punter, Pat Brady, died Tuesday in Reno. Brady was named to the Steelers' 50th Anniversary Team in 1982 and to its 75th anniversary "Legends Team" in 2007.

The town of Bluefield, Va will honor William McGarvey “Bullet Bill” Dudley, the top overall pick in the 1942 NFL draft of Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 18. In his first pro game, Dudley he ran for a 55-yard touchdown and later was inducted into the Pro Football Hall in 1966.

Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has agreed to sign a six-year, $63 million contract with the Ravens on Wednesday. His deal is the most lucrative of any defensive player in NFL history. This contract can not make fellow linebacker, Ray Lewis, happy.