The Steelers formula for success for many years has been simple. Draft well, re-sign quality free agents and add a low profile free agent or two during free agency for extra depth. That very formula has resulted in 3 Super Bowl appearances over the last 6 seasons with 2 of those appearances ending with the Steelers 5th and 6th championships. The Steelers usually like to bring their draft picks along slow, especially on the defensive side of the ball, because of the complexities of the Dick LeBeau defense. On the offensive side, it is a little bit easier for draft picks to contribute a little Read more [...]

The NFL combine is now over and we start the countdown to the 2011 NFL draft in April. Without a doubt, cornerbacks and offensive linemen look to be a high priority for the Steelers this go around. It would not be surprising to see two of each drafted this year. Being as these two positions are perhaps the biggest need, I thought it would be fun to look back at the cornerbacks and offensive linemen drafted by the Steelers in the Kevin Colbert era that started back in 2000. Below are the 26 players that fit that description and some quick notes on each. Year Round Overall Player POS College 2010 1 18 Maurkice Read more [...]

Some big notes from last night as punter Daniel Sepulveda is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. We have the video of the Heath Miller hit here as well as the Ben Roethlisberger hit to the nose here. Like them or not, Gerry Dulac of the Post Gazette has his report card from the game last night and looks to be a little kind in a few grades. Mike Tomlin talked to Rich Eisen and Warren Sapp of the NFL Network live earlier in the day and Tomlin told them he is pretty much tired of talking about all the hits. This of course was prior to all the hits Sunday night. He also has Read more [...]

The Steelers have a chance to go 3-1 in November and move one step closer a playoff birth as well as stay in stride with the Ravens who they face next week. The Steelers can not look past the 2-8 Bills who have won their last 2 games. The Steelers face a tough December and must make sure they put this one in the win column. Below are what we deem to be 7 keys to the game for the Steelers to beat the Bills in week 12. Urbik Under Attack - The Bills will be without starting right guard Eric Wood on Sunday and that means Kraig Urbik will get his first carrer start against the Steelers who drafted Read more [...]

Hines Ward as you can imagine is questioning the discipline of Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour. Ward pondered on his TV show, what the discipline would of been had Seymour decked Tom Brady or Peyton Manning like he did Ben Roethlisberger this past Sunday. Scott Brown wrote about how right tackle Flozell Adams is fitting in with the other linemen and how he has been a stabilizing influence thus far. Bills guard and former Steelers third round pick Kraig Urbik joined Seibel and Starkey Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan to discuss his teams game this Sunday in which they host the Steelers. [phpbay]steelers Read more [...]

My podcast partner David Todd from The Hammer Speaks was on the Craig Wolfley podcast yesterday. Make sure to give it a listen along with our episode 1 of The Terrible Podcast. We will be hopefully doing 3 podcast a week of 30 minutes each. Tunch & Wolf also had quite a few guest on their radio show yesterday as Antonio Brown, LaMarr Woodley and Bryant McFadden all were on for interviews on Monday. Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders talked to 93.7 The Fan beat reporter Jon Burton about his break out performance he had Sunday against the Raiders. [phpbay]Steelers mini helmet, 3, "", ""[/phpbay] Raiders Read more [...]

PPG beat writer Ed Bouchette takes a shot at the terms of the Ben Roethlisberger suspension, calling it counter productive because he is being forced to stay away from the team. We agree, he needs his teammates now. The Steelers announced the 8 man practice squad this morning and there were no new surprises really. It is good to see that Steve McLendon is back healthy. Three of the players the Steelers cut on Saturday were claimed by other teams off of waivers Sunday as the Buffalo Bills signed guard Kraig Urbik off of waivers, the Detroit Lions claimed returner Stefan Logan and the Tennessee Read more [...]

The Steelers reached their 53 man roster limit today when they released 11 players and placed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on the reserve/suspended list. The following released were: LB Patrick Bailey, CB Joe Burnett, S Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, WR Tyler Grisham, DE Sunny Harris, C Justin Hartwig, WR Stefan Logan, DT Steve McLendon, FB Frank Summers, OG Kraig Urbik and DT Doug Worthington. The Steelers will now look to put together their 8 man practice squad after players clear waivers. Players released over the last two days that are eligible for 2010 Practice squad are  Worthington, Urbik, Read more [...]

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 Read more [...]

Various reports are surfacing that the Steelers have given veteran center Justin Hartwig permission to seek a trade or be released. Hartwig was passed on the depth chart by rookie first round draft pick Maurkice Pouncey and has worked as the 2nd team center in the 3rd and 4th preseason games against the Broncos and the Panthers. Before the start of the 2009 season, Hartwig signed a four-year, $10 million contract that included a $2.1 million signing bonus. If a team were to trade for Hartwig they would inherit the contract or get Hartwig to agree to restructure prior to a trade. Hartwig signed Read more [...]

Oh how things can change so quickly. One play of the preseason even. As it stands right now, it looks like Byron Leftwich has some MCL damage. Early reports say it is torn, but that is not confirmed. This 53 man roster prediction of mine assumes he will be placed on IR. If not, I get one mulligan before the cuts are made Saturday. Here is the 53 man prediction from last week and I will note the changes and why I made them. First I added Kraig Urbik back because I feel he has improved greatly over the last 2 weeks. This takes me from 9 to 10 lineman. The next change is the releasing of Joe Burnett Read more [...]

The Steelers beat the Carolina Panthers 19-3 in the 4th and final preseason game of the 2010 season, but may have lost quarterback Byron Leftwich in the process. Below are my notes and nuggets I kept on the game along with my observations. I have much more coming on this game and am working through the night. These are initial reactions of mine as I am about to watch the game a second time and begin working up tape selections. Below are the notes I compiled throughout the game. remember these are initial reactions one time through the game. Byron Leftwich injury looked like a whip to the knee. Read more [...]

A reader emailed me this afternoon and wanted to know of the 75 players on the active roster, which ones are eligible to be signed to the practice squad and what constitutes eligibility. First we go to the NFL rules on this: What makes a player eligible for an NFL practice squad? (a) The practice squad shall consist of the following players, provided that they have not served more than two previous seasons on a Practice Squad: (i) players who do not have an Accrued Season of NFL experience; and (ii) free agent players who were on the Active List for fewer than nine regular season games during Read more [...]

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 Read more [...]

Attached is the preseason Broncos game Steelers offensive player participation chart for all plays on offense and does not include penalties considered no plays. You can follow along play by play with the gamebook here. The thing that jumps out the most this week is that veteran Justin Hartwig received so many snaps in relief of Maurkice Pouncey and Doug Legursky received no snaps at center and all snaps at right guard in relief of Trai Essex. It makes you think that both Hartwig and Legursky might both make the 53 man roster. Ramon Foster and Kraig Urbik rotated series at the end at left guard Read more [...]