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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Ok, the mini camps and OTA's are now over and we are just 8 days away from training camp opening in Latrobe for the Steelers. On April 24th, I took my first offseason guess at the 53 man roster and quite a bit has changed over 3 months. Willie Colon is out for the year and draft pick Chris Scott looks to miss much of if not all of camp with a foot injury. I replaced them with Jonathan Scott and Tony Hills respectively and added Doug Legursky as it is evident Maurkice Pouncey is destined to work at guard initially. Nick Eason was scratched to make room for Crezdon Butler, who I now think will make the roster and force the Steelers to carry 10 defensive backs. The Steelers will likely carry 2 defensive lineman on the practice squad and Eason is the odd man out here. I scratched rookie wide receiver Antonio Brown as I now feel he ends up on the practice squad and swapped Sean McHugh for David Johnson at TE/HB. I feel a healthy McHugh is a much better option. What a perfect time to throw out our best prediction of what the 53 man roster will look like. You will once again notice a 54 man roster below as Big Ben will start on the reserve suspended list and will not count as a roster spot. That means I have 54 on this list. Barring any more injuries or any other unforeseen circumstances, here is my pre-training camp guess at the final 53 man roster below. Do not get caught up in the order below as it is not a depth chart, just how I pieced them together. It will be fun to look back after final cuts to see exactly how close I came and what spurred any differences to my list. wish me luck.

UPDATE: Edited on July 29th to reflect the signing of Flozell Adams. I replaced Jonathan Scott with Adams as Scott is likely the odd man out with this move.

2010 Steelers 53 Man Roster Prediction

Hartwig, Justin	C
Legursky, Doug	C/G
Pouncey, Maurkice	G/C
Essex, Trai	G
Kemoeatu, Chris	G
Urbik, Kraig	G
Hills, Tony	T
Adams, Flozell	T
Foster, Ramon	T
Starks, Max	T
Burnett, Joe	CB
Butler, Crezdon	CB
Gay, William	CB
Lewis, Keenan	CB
McFadden, Bryant	CB
Taylor, Ike	CB
Allen, Will	S
Polamalu, Troy	SS
Clark, Ryan	FS
Mundy, Ryan	FS
Hampton, Casey	NT
Hoke, Chris	NT
Harris, Ra'Shon	DE
Hood, Ziggy	DE
Keisel, Brett	DE
Smith, Aaron	DE
Foote, Larry	ILB
Timmons, Lawrence	ILB
Farrior, James	ILB
Fox, Keyaron	ILB
Gibson, Thaddeus	OLB
Harrison, James	OLB
Woodley, LaMarr	OLB
Worilds, Jason	OLB
Batch, Charlie	QB
Dixon, Dennis	QB
Leftwich, Byron	QB
Roethlisberger, Ben	QB
Dwyer, Jonathan	RB
Mendenhall, Rashard	RB
Moore, Mewelde	RB
Redman, Isaac	RB
Summers, Frank	FB
McHugh, Sean	TE
Miller, Heath	TE
Spaeth, Matt	TE
Battle, Arnaz	WR
Randle El, Antwaan	WR
Sanders, Emmanuel	WR
Wallace, Mike	WR
Ward, Hines	WR
Warren, Greg	LS
Sepulveda, Dan	P
Reed, Jeff	K

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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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I Twittered a link on Saturday about how wide receiver Antwaan Randle El is ready for his second time playing in Pittsburgh. El was at his Sound Mind Sound Body Football Academy Saturday morning and said that Redskins owner Dan Snyder was too hands on with the team during his stay in Washington. El also was offered deals from Baltimore and New England, but chose to come back where he started instead.

Jim Wexell has a snapshot article on seventh-round draft pick Doug Worthington out of Ohio State. Worthington talks about how he is getting mentoring from fellow Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel, who was picked 242nd by the Steelers in 2002, the same place where Worthington was selected.

NFL.com Senior Analyst, Michael Lombardi reported on Sunday that the Steelers have no intentions of letting outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley walk away when his contract is up and that they just cannot get him signed right now. Lombardi points out that this is not an uncommon problem around the NFL with the uncertainty of the labor agreement looming. I posted nearly the same thoughts in an article on Woodley last week.

Cornerback Bryant McFadden is next up on the Ask The Steelers segment on Steelers.com. McFadden talks about his reaction to finding out about the trade back to Pittsburgh and how much he enjoys playing for defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

We came across Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster on Twitter last night and you can follow him @nomar73. Make sure to follow us as well @SteelersDepot. Foster appears to be working out with trainer Ted Borgerding of Ignition-OH training.

Many do not realize that Steelers offensive lineman Tony Hills replaced free agent lineman Jonathan Scott at left tackle when he left the University of Texas for the NFL. These two seem destined to be battling for the same roster spot as the Steelers start training camp the end of this month.

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Training camp gets closer and we continue on with our Steelers Training Camp Previews by position. This installment focuses in on the offensive line as I get you acquainted with the 2010 offensive line roster.

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: There are more questions than answers headed into the 2010 season in regards to the offensive line. The Steelers already have lost Willie Colon to an Achilles injury and the lack of quality draft picks at the position over the recent years could come back to haunt the Steelers this year. Rookie Maurkice Pouncey is a great pick, but is after all a rookie. He will likely be forced to earn his money quickly and hopefully will be under contract when camp starts as he can’t afford to miss any time. New offensive line coach Sean Kugler has been brought in to replace the jettisoned Larry Zierlein and has his hands full. This group will be expected to run block and run block well as the Steelers return more to the power running game in 2010.

Max Starks: Max started all 16 games at left tackle for the Steelers in 2009 and is now headed into his 7th season with the team. He will never be regarded as a top left tackle in the league, but does hold his own at times. A return to more of a smash mouth running game will be a welcome sight for him as well. With the recent injury to right tackle Willie Colon, it has been speculated that Starks could move to the right tackle spot if a suitable left tackle could be found via free agency. As it looks right now though, Starks will open up camp as the Steelers starting left tackle, but that could change quickly. Starks is still learning the position and new offensive line coach Sean Kugler might be able to get more out of him, especially in the running game.

Chris Kemoeatu: Kemo is probably the only lineman you can etch in stone right now at a guaranteed position at left guard. He was banged up for most of the 2009 season and missed the final 6 games of the season due to knee, arm and wrist problems. He is a massive force and if he can stay healthy should be able to improve the running game on the left side. He does have a temper and it can lead to unnecessary penalties at time. Chris should also benefit from a younger coach such as Kugler. The history of knee problems is starting to be a concern, but if he can improve his inside game and second level blocking, the Steelers should be able to run the ball well in 2010.

Justin Hartwig: The clock is certainly ticking on center Justin Hartwig. The drafting of Maurkice Pouncey out of Florida in the 1st round of the 2010 draft signaled the future for the Steelers at center. 2009 was not good production wise for the veteran either and while he started all 16 games for the Steelers at center, he was perhaps one of the weakest links on the line. He did have offseason shoulder surgery and has not been rushed along during the OTA and mini-camp sessions. Doug Legursky has been filling in as the No.1 center in his absence and as a wrote a few weeks ago, it is not unthinkable that Hartwig could be released if the Legursky can beat him out in training camp. Regardless, this will indeed be the final year that Justin wears the black and gold and hopefully if he stays, he can perform above his previous playing levels.

Maurkice Pouncey: Since the Achilles injury happened to right tackle Willie Colon, there has been a ton of speculation as to what the right side of the Steelers offensive line will look like with him out for the season. Maurkice Pouncey was drafted as the teams future center, but was first worked at right guard one the rookies got started. With Hartwig and Legursky still under contract, it allows them to take advantage of his versatility. By all reports, Pouncey has performed so well at right guard; he stood to beat out starter Trai Essex, even without the injury to Colon. Now that the Colon is indeed out, many scenarios include Essex moving to right tackle to fill the void left by Willie. Regardless of who lines up at right tackle, I think Pouncey will be the team’s day 1 starter at right guard. If not then it will happen at some point during the season. Pouncey has a ton of upside and how fast he can learn the game could be the only thing that slows him early in the season. He looks to be a leader and a mainstay of the Steelers offensive line for many years to come.

Trai Essex: The play of Essex at right guard in 2009 was not above the line as head coach Mike Tomlin likes to say. He is a converted left tackle and has struggled in the transition to right guard. As mentioned earlier, it is speculated that Essex will compete with a long list of players for the right tackle spot now that Colon is gone for the year. Another scenario is Essex moving back to left tackle and Starks moving to the right tackle spot, but I call this a long shot at best. For now I will list Essex as the Steelers starting right tackle, but no way should that be considered a lock. It is there for the taking and Essex will indeed have to earn it. Moving back to the tackle position may be a blessing for him as well. We shall see very quickly.

Jonathan Scott: I list the free agent signed Jonathan Scott next only because of the uncertainty at right tackle. Scott was brought over as a free agent from the Buffalo Bills where he played under new line coach Sean Kugler. Kugler must have seen enough in him at Buffalo for 2 season to even let this signing happen. Scott played in 10 games last year and started 8. He is considered a guy that can play both tackle spots, but should get a shot early in camp as a replacement for Colon at right tackle. If he does not win that spot, he will immediately be on the bubble and will have to earn a spot on the 53 man roster as a swing tackle. It can be feast or famine for him and he was only signed to a one year deal. We should see his fate decided early on by which unit he lines up with and on what side. In no way should he be considered a roster lock.

Tony Hills: Hills has disappointed since being drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft and has only seen playing time in one game in his second season after being inactive for every game as a rookie. On paper it seems he will be battling for a backup left tackle spot, but may get a shot at the right tackle spot as well. He will indeed be a challenge for coach Kugler and I would not hold my breath that he makes the roster. His chances of doing so have been aided in by the injuries to colon and rookie Chris Scott. Watch the early training camp reports on Hills as they better be glowing if he is to stick this year.

Ramon Foster: Foster made the Steelers roster in 2009 as an undrafted free agent after impressing the coaches in training camp last year. Foster played in 14 games last year and started four at left guard in place of the injured Chris Kemoeatu. With all of the shuffling last year on the line, it is hard to say where the best home for Foster might be. Signs point to him being a left side swing guard and tackle, but he might even be given a chance to compete in the mess at right tackle as well. I am pretty confident he makes the 53 man roster and would not be surprised to see him line up at any position on the line besides center. He is versatile and another year under his belt should help immensely.

Doug Legursky: Doug Legursky is a blue collar Steelers type player. He is willing to do anything to play and even lined up as the fullback and delivered a crushing block that ended in a Rashard Mendenhall touchdown last season against the San Diego Chargers. Legursky has been getting extended time as the first team center as starter Justin Hartwig recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. How Legursky plays when training camp opens could make Hartwig expendable as I mentioned earlier. A lot also depends I think on if second year guard Kraig Urbik can improve as well, but more on that later. Regardless of where he lines up, Legursky should have no problems making the 53 man roster, but strange things could happen just the same and could be a final 53 man cut down release as well.

Kraig Urbik: There is so much we do not know about what Urbik is or isn’t. The reports last season out of training camp were not flattering and the 3rd round pick out of Wisconsin was on the inactive list his entire rookie season. Early OTA reports have Urbik lining up as the second team center this offseason behind Legursky and he could be the biggest key to whether or not Hartwig is made expendable or not. Urbik played right guard and right tackle in college, so it figures he is competing as a right side swing guy as well as an emergency center. His progress in year 2 needs to be drastic or he could find himself without a job very quickly come week 1. Watch him closely during camp practices and pre-season games as to where he lines up and what unit he is on as it will help shed many of the unknowns about him. All we have to go on with Urbik is his 2009 preseason game tape and it was average at best.

Chris Scott: Scott was drafted by the Steelers as their first of three selections in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. He was projected to battle for a left side position, but all of that has been put on hold since he suffered a foot injury while working out at the University of Tennessee last month. Scott underwent surgery immediately and there has been conflicting reports on how long he will be sidelined. Some say October, while others say he may be ready in 8 more weeks. In all likelihood he will start the season on the PUP list, which is never good for any rookie at any position. Any camp time and pre-season game he misses hurts his chances of making the roster. The best case scenario right now for Chris is that he gets healthy fast and receives some playing during camp to get a practice squad spot or is placed on injured reserve by the Steelers and try again in 2011. We will find out soon enough about his status on day one of training camp.

Dorian Brooks: Dorian is an undrafted free agent from James Madison and is a bit undersized. He has been worked at the right guard spot in reserve duty during the OTA sessions and trying to get a few snaps in at center as well. Brooks is a converted defensive lineman and considered very athletic for his size. In the end though, his overall strength and lack of ideal size will make it very hard for him to make the roster. At best he will be auditioning for a practice squad spot, but I see that a long shot right now as well. For right now we shall call him a camp body.

Kyle Jolly: Jolly is another undrafted free agent lineman in camp and played left tackle in college at North Carolina. Kyle has done well to survive the first round of cuts as draft picks were signed, but will be hard pressed to make this roster as an undrafted free agent, like Foster did last year. Both he and Brooks will be the first roster casualties should any street free agent lineman be more to the Steelers liking. For now though, Jolly is another training camp body.

Likely Training Camp Depth Chart:
LT1 Max Starks LT2 Ramon Foster LT3 Tony Hills LT4 Chris Scott LT5 Kyle Jolly
LG1 Chris Kemoeatu LG2 Ramon Foster LG3 Doug Legursky LG4 Chris Scott
C1 Justin Hartwig C2 Doug Legursky C3 Maurkice Pouncey C4 Kraig Urbik
RG1 Maurkice Pouncey RG2 Trai Essex RG3 Kraig Urbik
RT1 Trai Essex RT2 Jonathan Scott RT3 Ramon Foster RT4 Tony Hills

Summation: As the Steelers offensive line goes in 2010, so will the Steelers go. Being down one veteran and one rookie is already making a suspect line even more suspect. Questions at center and right tackle add to the problems. New line coach Sean Kugler will earn his stripes real quick if this line can gel together quick enough for the Steelers to get through the Ben Roethlisberger suspension. The onus would seem to be on the running game hard and heavy at least for the first 4 weeks and teams might dare the Steelers to prove they can run against 8 and 9 man fronts and dare them to throw. Rookie Maurkice Pouncey will likely be a starter from the get go and previous draft picks Tony Hills and Kraig Urbik have to show the team they are not bust. This offensive line could see as many as three new starters depending on what free agents are available as cuts around the league take place. Keep your fingers crossed as it is sure to be a bumpy ride with this group.

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As it stands at this early stage, things do not look good for right tackle Willie Colon. Colon suffered a right Achilles injury today while working out at Steelers' headquarters. Colon left the facility on crutches and the ever important MRI results are now awaited. If he has indeed torn Achilles tendon, he will be lost for the season and might have played his final game in the black and gold.

If indeed he misses any time, the Steelers have several options. Jonathan Scott was signed as an unrestricted free agent from the Bills in the offseason where he started eight games under new offensive line coach, Sean Kugler, who coached in Buffalo last season. Another option is under performing Tony Hills, who has been reportedly working at right tackle during the Spring and Summer for the Steelers. Hills was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft and after initially being tried on the left side, has been given one last shot at making the team on the right side of the line.

Another obvious option is thanks to the fast progress rookie first round pick Maurkice Pouncey has made. Pouncey could indeed replace current right guard Trai Essex and Essex then could slide over to tackle, a position he is indeed familiar with. Essex played left tackle before moving to the right guard position. One final option, that is unlikely in my opinion, would be to move Max Starks back over to right tackle and allow Essex to play the left tackle spot or battle for the spot with Ramon Foster or the rookie Chris Scott from Tennessee. I do not think that scenario is likely as the left tackle position needs to protect the blindside of the quarterback and Starks has the experience there.

Make no mistake that Colon will be missed, if indeed he is gone for the year. Colon was regarded as the 3rd best tackle in league last year and the top ranked right tackle according to metrics kept by Pro Football Focus. Let us just hope it is not a season ending injury right now, but those are the options if indeed it is.

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As Ben Roethlisberger's version of the events that took place in Milledgeville, Ga hit our Twitter account yesterday, it really has not and will not help his cause in my opinion. I hope there is evidence of her falling and hitting her head on her on accord. Every day it seems a new twist comes out that does not help Ben's cause unlike the Nevada case where everything that came out discredited the accuser. A long way to go on this one.

The 20-year-old woman who has accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault plans on returning to Georgia College and State University next week according to WSBTV.

The son of new Steelers offensive line coach, Sean Kugler, has received eight scholarship offers to colleges to play football after he graduates high school. Robert Kugler is a 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end and will be moving with his family to Pittsburgh in April and will be attending North Allegheny High School.

We have updated our 2010 Steelers salary cap numbers to reflect the contracts of Antwaan Randle El, Ryan Clark, Will Allen, Arnaz Battle and Jonathan Scott. Randle El signed a three-year, $7 million contract that included a $900,000 signing bonus. Clark signed a four-year, $14 million contract that contains $5 million guaranteed, $3 million signing bonus and $3 million available through incentives. Allen signed a three-year, $4.4 million contract that included a $975,000 signing bonus. Battle signed a three-year, $3.9 million contract that included a $975,000 signing bonus and Scott signed a one-year, $545,000 contract.

A rumor that veteran center Hank Fraley has a planned visit to Pittsburgh is untrue according to a message from his agent Ralph Cindrich. Fraley was released by the Browns on Wednesday of last week and will visit the Rams today. Cindrich said the Steelers have called with interest, but no visit is scheduled at this point.

The AFC North offered up more free agent signings on Wednesday as the Bengals decided on signing receiver Antonio Bryant over Terrell Owens for four-years and $28 million deal. Also the Ravens resigned receiver Derrick Mason to a two-year, $8 million agreement. I have to be honest in saying that neither signing strikes fear in me as a Steelers fan.

If you bleed black and gold, the last few days have been a wild ride. It started with Steeler Nation headed into the yearly free agency drudgery of knowing that free safety Ryan Clark would likely be gone for good and all we would have to show for signings come April would be a Cedric Wilson/Shaun McDonald type player. You know, the same old stuff leading up to April's draft. March is usually an uneventful time for us Steelers fans, but this March is one that will be remembered for both good and bad. Midnight of free agency came and went Thursday with only the big name signings making waves. Ho hum, nothing strange there. Friday Steeler Nation was staring at another nightmare. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was being accused on Friday afternoon of sexual assault by a young woman in Georgia. The second such accusation in a calendar years time. The Roethlisberger news was trumping many free agent signings and had the Steelers back in the news for all the wrong reasons. Act 2 of the Roethlisberger saga will carry on for some time, but it was not the start to the new NFL season Steelers fans needed.

The weekend rolled around and we were treated to the news that 49ers free agent wide receiver Arnaz Battle would be visiting the South Side on Monday. Ah, our Cedric Wilson/Shaun McDonald type player would come early this year. Then the news that safety Will Allen may be in town on Monday as well. Ok, maybe some safety depth and special teams help there. By Sunday night, no one knew the flurry of things that would happen on Monday that can brighten a fan base. Not only were Battle and Allen signed to contracts. Reserve tackle Jonathan Scott was being brought in to fight for a depth spot on the offensive line and the name Larry Foote was surfacing again as being a long shot to come back to the Steelers. Monday was not looking bad at all as far as Steelers fans go.

In the evening on Monday is when the fireworks started. Free safety Ryan Clark had a change of heart while visiting the Dolphins and told his agent Joel Turner he wanted to go back home. Clark said get it done and Turner reached a 4 year deal with the Steelers that is cap friendly and averages $3.5 million a season. If this news wasn't good enough, the word came out at about the same time that receiver Antwaan Randle El would be coming back to the team that had drafted him as well. El will provide some veteran leadership and ensure that the Steelers have some receiver depth on the roster as well. The contract details are sketchy at this point, but early word is that it is just over the minimum and will not break the bank going forward. Even if Foote ends up not coming back, free agency has been successful thus far. The Steelers were staring at a gaping hole in the secondary and slew of young receivers behind veterans Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. Both holes have been quickly patched and the Steelers will now the luxury of drafting the best player available in the draft instead of feeling locked into one particular position.

The Roethlisberger thing will hopefully be worked out soon, with Big Ben being exonerated. Free agency has definitely help turn a few frowns upside down in Steeler Nation. I am 42 years young and I do not remember a day like Monday in several, several years as a Steeler fan. Without a doubt these few days will likely be forever etched in our brains going forward in Steelers lore. Let's hope it culminates in our 7th championship. Oh, I almost forgot. Hines Ward turned 34 on Monday and Steeler legends Franco Harris and Lynn Swann celebrated birthdays on Sunday. What a week.

The Steelers signed three unrestricted free agents, offensive tackle Jonathan Scott, wide receiver Arnaz Battle and safety Will Allen, to their roster today. Financial terms of all of the contracts were not disclosed, but both Battle and Allen received three year deals.

Scott was a fifth-round pick by Detroit in the 2006 draft out of Texas, Scott had six starts in 20 appearances over two seasons with the Lions and was signed to the Bills 53-man roster on December 18, 2008. Scott started eight games for the Bills last season.

Battle was originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He spent seven seasons with the 49ers and played in 88 career games as a wide receiver, kick returner and punt returner. For his career, Battle has 178 receptions for 2,150 yards and 11 touchdowns as a receiver. In 2009, he was the 49ers primary punt returner with 21 returns for 61 yards and added three kickoff returns for 68 yards.

Allen has played all six NFL seasons with Tampa Bay after being drafted by the Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. Allen made two starts in 2009 before being placed on the team’s Reserve/Injured List following Week 9. In his six seasons with the Buccaneers, Allen had 63 special teams tackles and was named the team’s special teams captain in 2008. He started 26 games in six years and had 174 career tackles and four interceptions.

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