Steelers Today - A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

This is part 2 of a series on the Pittsburgh Steelers off-season challenges.  In part 1, we discussed the Steelers’ safeties.    In this installment, we are going to take a look at the Steelers’ cornerbacks.

The cornerback position was definitely a weak link in the defense.  Quarterbacks feasted on the Steelers cornerbacks all season.  Moreover, much ado was made about the fact that the Steelers cornerbacks had not accumulated a single interception for most of the season.  In fact, their first interception didn’t occur until the very last game of the season.  That is an almost unheard of statistic in the NFL.

The Steelers’ interception total was 25th in the NFL last season.  The prior season, they had 20 interceptions and were 6th in the NFL.

The Steelers’ defense went from being #1 against the pass in 2008 to #16 in 2009.  That’s a big drop.  They went from giving up 23 passes of 20+ yards in 2008 (best in the NFL) to giving up 46 of them in 2009 (15th in the NFL).

As I mentioned in part 1 of this series, a defensive backfield is an interdependent unit.  Each piece relies on the others.  If one component is out of place, the others have to compensate, which takes them out of place as well.

It is obvious that Troy Polamalu’s injuries had a significant impact on the secondary.  I already showed that Ryan Clark actually had a very good season in Troy’s absence.  But the cornerbacks weren’t so lucky.

Ike Taylor had his worst season since becoming a starter.  He had fewer total tackles than he’s ever had.  He had his lowest number of passes defensed, and he tied for his lowest interception total.  All in all, it wasn’t a good season for Ike.

But Ike has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL for some time now.  He has regularly matched up against the best receivers in the NFL and held his own.  I am not prepared to write off Ike Taylor just yet.

William Gay, on the other hand, is a different story.  Gay seemed to be targeted on a weekly basis by opposing quarterbacks.  He got burned so often, I started thinking that he was microwave popcorn.  He was the first starting cornerback for the Steelers to record no interceptions in a very long time.

Gay’s number of passes defensed was much lower than what Deshea Townsend averaged back when he was the starter.  Moreover, his number of tackles was much higher.  This was indicative of the fact that receivers were catching far more passes against Gay, so he was getting more opportunities to make tackles.

Going into 2010, Gay is going to have to improve his performance, or he will have to be removed from the starting line-up.

What should the Steelers do?

The Steelers aren’t likely to make any major changes through free agency.  It’s not their style.  Besides, Dunta Robinson has already been signed by the Atlanta Falcons.  Lito Sheppard is still out there, but the Steelers won’t sign him.  The Patriots’ Leigh Bodden would also be an upgrade, but the Steelers won’t sign him either.  None of the other free agents are particularly interesting.

The Steelers spent two draft picks last season on cornerbacks, so it is hard to imagine them taking one in the first round this year.  However, if there is one thing that I’ve learned about the Steelers, it’s that it is impossible to guess what they will do in the draft.

Should the Steelers decide to select a cornerback, there are a few that might be attractive in the draft.  A handful of them might even be able to step in and contribute right away.

Joe Haden (Florida) - Haden is widely considered to be the best cornerback in the draft.  He ran a slower than expected time at the NFL Scouting Combine, and has dropped on some draft boards.  This might actually make it possible for Haden to still be available when the Steelers make their selection at pick #18.  If he is available, the Steelers should definitely consider taking him.

Kyle Wilson (Boise State) - Wilson is not good enough to be taken at pick #18, but if he is still available in the second round, he would be a nice pick for the Steelers.  Wilson’s ball skills are not stellar, but he is a very good athlete who is very capable in run support (which is important in the Steelers’ system).

Patrick Robinson (Florida State) - Like Wilson, Robinson is not good enough to be selected at pick #18, but he would be a nice second round selection.  Robinson is a gifted athlete who has relied on his athleticism, and has not put enough time into developing proper technique.  That worked at the college level, but may not work in the NFL.  Robinson is athletic enough to shadow most NFL receivers.  He is probably the most “boom or bust” cornerback in the draft.

Perrish Cox (Oklahoma State) - Cox is a talented athlete with nice size and speed.  Like the previous 2 cornerbacks mentioned, he would be a second round consideration, but not a first rounder.  Cox led the NCAA with 19 passes defensed, but character issues may scare the Steelers away (Cox was suspended from the Cotton Bowl for missing curfew).

Personally, I believe that the biggest impact in the Steelers’ defensive backfield is going to be due to improvement by last year’s draft picks.  Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis both have a lot of potential.  They will each have a full year in Dick LeBeau’s system under their belts, and should be much more capable of contributing than they were last year.

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July 29, 2009
By Donald Starver

This is Part 4 in a series.  If you haven’t read the previous installments, please click below:

Part 1:  Defensive linemen

Part 2:  Linebackers

Part 3:  Safeties

The final defensive position to look at is cornerback.

If we look at Mike Tomlin’s history as head coach, we see that he has always come out of training camp with 6 cornerbacks on the roster.  Five of those cornerbacks were usually worked into the actual defensive rotation, while  one was kept strictly as a special teams player.

In 2007, Allen Rossum was listed as a cornerback, but he never actually lined up at the position.  He was exclusively a return man on special teams.  In 2008, Anthony Madison played a similar role.  While he didn’t return punts or kickoffs, he was nevertheless relegated to special teams play only.

With that in mind, let’s assume that the Steelers will come out of this year’s training camp with 6 cornerbacks, one of whom will be primarily a special teams player.

Now that we’ve established that, let’s take a look at the candidates and determine who is likely to make the 53-man roster.

Ike Taylor - I absolutely love Ike Taylor.  I think he is possibly the most under-rated cornerback in the entire NFL.  Every week he has to face the opposition’s #1 receiver, and yet how often does he get burned?  Not very.

Last season Ike had to go against Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Plaxico Burress, Chad Johnson, Andre Johnson, Braylon Edwards, and Larry Fitzgerald.  None of those receivers came out on the winning side of that match-up.  Ike just doesn’t get beat.  Period.

The only reason that Ike isn’t a multi-time Pro Bowler is that Ike’s hands have a permanent coating of the world’s most powerful lubricant.  Ike just can’t catch.  And unfortunately, cornerbacks tend to be judged based on their interceptions, not their passes defensed.

I guess Ike will just have to be satisfied collecting Super Bowl rings rather than Pro Bowl appearances.

That’s my long-winded way of saying that Ike is going to make the team.

William Gay - Bryant McFadden departed after the Super Bowl to play for the Steelers West.  However, the impact of his departure will barely be felt due to the presence of William Gay. Gay was already splitting time with McFadden, so replacing him full-time should be relatively easy.

Gay’s place on the roster is assured.  Nevertheless, I still haven’t forgiven him for wearing Arizona Cardinals colors and a NY Yankees cap to the Steelers’ Super Bowl victory parade.  What was up with that?

Deshea Townsend - If memory serves me correctly, when Deshea Townsend joined the Steelers, Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, and J.T. Thomas were still on the team.  I could be wrong, but it certainly seems like he has been on the team that long.

Now 34 years old, and in his 12th year in the NFL, Townsend is almost guaranteed to emerge from training camp as no worse than the #4 cornerback on the roster.

If Townsend were to learn to play the free safety position, he could make himself even more valuable to the Steelers and extend his career even more.  I’ve always said that Deshea’s skills were perfect for playing free safety.

Keenan Lewis - The third round pick out of Oregon State is almost a mirror image of Ike Taylor.  While he doesn’t have Taylor’s superhuman athleticism,  he does have his long, lean build.

Lewis’ skills are going to need honing, but with wide receivers getting bigger and bigger, his size is a valuable asset.  If he can show a grasp of Dick LeBeau’s playbook, and prove that he is a willing participant in run support, he should be able to snag a spot on the roster.

Keiwan Ratliff - Ratliff was signed this off-season as a free agent from the Indianapolis Colts.  Ratliff brings experience to a team that can use another dependable veteran in the defensive backfield.

While Ratliff has return skills, I believe that Joe Burnett, Mike Wallace, and Stefan Logans are going to be given first crack at winning the return positions.  Thus, Ratliff is going to have to make the team based purely on his skills as a cornerback.  I’m betting that he is going to do exactly that.

Roy Lewis - After spending 2008 on the practice squad, Lewis should be ready to compete for a roster spot in 2009.  Unfortunately, I don’t believe that his knowledge of the Steelers’ playbook is going to be enough to offset his height disadvantage versus Keenan Lewis, his experience disadvantage versus Keiwan Ratliff, or the return capabilities of Joe Burnett.  Sorry Roy.  It was nice knowing you.

Anthony Madison - Madison always enters Steelers training camp as an underdog.  Yet somehow he always seems to stick around.  He will enter training camp as an underdog again this year.  Unfortunately, I don’t think he is going to be able to hold off newcomer Keiwan Ratliff.  Ratliff is bigger and more experienced than Madison.

Madison has been used almost exclusively on special teams.  That was fine, because Coach Tomlin always carries a cornerback on the roster exclusively for special teams.  However, this year that position is going to go to……..

Joe Burnett - The fifth round pick out of Central Florida is going to be the 6th cornerback on the Steelers’ 2009 roster.  Burnett is an absolutely electrifying punt returner.  He will add a dimension to the Steelers’ return game that has been missing for a very long time.

While Burnett’s greatest impact will be as a punt returner, he can also return kicks, and has surprisingly good ball skills as a cornerback.  He is UCF’s all-time leader in interceptions.  He is not as physical as the Steelers like their cornerbacks to be, but once he gets sees the priority that Dick LeBeau places on run support, he will have to become more physical.

So there you have it.  I believe that Ike Taylor, William Gay, Keiwan Ratliff, Deshea Townsend, and Keenan Lewis will be the Steelers 5 cornerbacks, and Joe Burnett will earn the 6th position as a punt returner.

So what do you fans think?  Agree?  Disagree?  Your comments are welcome.  Tell me what you agree with or where you think the flaws in my argument are.  Who do you think will be the Steelers’ 6 cornerbacks coming out of training camp?

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Buzz up!

April 26, 2009
By Donald Starver

With their third pick in the 3rd round, the Steelers selected Keenan Lewis.  Lewis is a 6’1, 198 pound cornerback out of Oregon State.

Like Mike Wallace before him, this pick comes as a surprise.  Few scouting reports had Lewis rated this high.  Most had him listed as being between the 12 - 30th best cornerback in this draft.

Lewis has exceptional size for a cornerback, and I’m sure that is what attracted the Steelers to him.  Lewis is a solid defender who benefits from having played in the pass-happy PAC-10.

Best in bump and run coverage, Lewis likes to get his hands on receivers and use his long arms to jam them.

He is good in run support,  though he sometimes avoids contact.  He tends to duck his head when tackling, so he misses some tackles that he should probably make.  Nevertheless, he is a willing participant in run coverage, and can be coached in this area at the next level.

Because of his height and long arms, Lewis gets his hands on a lot of passes.  He reads and reacts quickly.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fcoBGwovZU

On the negative side, Lewis is a long-legged strider who doesn’t change directions quickly.  He lacks great athleticism and has only average speed.  He doesn’t have soft hands, and sometimes drops interceptions.

A solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl probably helped raise Lewis’ stock.

When you look at Lewis’ size and athletic attributes, he almost projects better as a safety than as a cornerback.  It will be interesting to see how the Steelers choose to utilize him, since safety is also a team need.

To read about the Steelers’ previous pick, click here.

To read about the Steelers’ next pick, click here.

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April 24, 2009
By Donald Starver

Steelers Today has hooked up with 31 other NFL bloggers from around the country to do a bloggers’ mock draft. All 32 NFL teams are represented in the mock draft.

The mock draft is sponsored by Cleveland Browns blog No Logo Needed. For more details on the bloggers’ mock draft, click here.

To recap, the picks to date have gone as follows.  You can click on each pick to read the blogger’s rationale for the selection.

Round 1

33. Detroit Lions, James Laurinaitis, LB (OSU)
34. New England Patriots (from Kansas City) Connor Barwin, LB (Cincinnati)
35. St. Louis Rams, Brian Robiske, WR (OSU)
36. Cleveland Browns, William Moore, S (Missouri)
37. Seattle Seahawks, Robert Ayers, DL (Tennessee)
38. Cincinnati Bengals, Brandon Pettigrew, TE (Oklahoma State)
39. Jacksonville Jaguars, Ron Brace, DT (Boston College)
40. Oakland Raiders, Michael Johnson, DE (Georgia Tech)
41. Green Bay Packers, William Beatty, OT (Connecticut)
42. Buffalo Bills, Max Unger, G/C (Oregon)
43. San Francisco 49ers, Josh Freeman, QB (Kansas State)
44. Miami Dolphins (from Washington), Darius Butler, CB (UConn)
45. New York Giants (from New Orleans), Marcus Freeman, OLB (Ohio State)
46. Houston Texans, Tyrone McKenzie, OLB (South Florida)
47. New England Patriots (from San Diego), Evander Hood, DT (Missouri)
48. Denver Broncos, Cody Brown, OLB (UConn)
49. Chicago Bears, Duke Robinson, OG (Oklahoma)
50. Cleveland Browns (from Tampa Bay), Eric Wood, C, Louisville
51. Dallas Cowboys, Patrick Chung, S (Oregon)
52. New York Jets, Donald Brown, RB (UConn)
53. Philadelphia Eagles, Jared Cook, TE (South Carolina)
54. Minnesota Vikings, Phil Leadholt, OT (Oklahoma)
55. Atlanta Falcons, Shawn Nelson, TE (Southern Miss)
56. Miami Dolphins, Sean Smith, CB (Utah)
57. Baltimore Ravens, Victor Harris, CB (VA Tech)
58. New England Patriots, Louis Delmas, S (Western Michigan)
59. Carolina Panthers, Alphonso Smith, CB (Wake Forest)
60. New York Giants, Shonn Green, RB (Iowa)
61. Baltimore Colts, LeSean McCoy, RB (Pitt)
62. Tennessee Titans, Derrick Williams, WR (Penn State)
63. Arizona Cardinals, Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond

With the 64th pick in the 2009 bloggers’ mock draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select…….

Steelers fans have been burning up message boards expressing their desire to see the Steelers select a player from San Jose State.  Unfortunately, that player was Jarron Gilbert, and not Coye Francies.

I looked hard at Gilbert.  honestly, I did.  Moreover, when the Steelers signed former Colts’ CB Keiwan Ratliff today, I almost backed away from this selection.  However, Ratliff was only signed to a one year deal, and Francies is too good to pass up.

Some fans will say “Coye Who?”.  Francies started his career at a junior college before transfering to Oregon State. Unfortunately, he was kicked off the Oregon State team due to an off-field issue.  Since transferring to San Jose State, Francies has been a model citizen and a team captain.  His coaches have nothing but positive things to say about him.

Francies had outstanding performances in both the East-West Shrine game and in the Senior Bowl.  He’s tall, fast, and very athletic.  He is a bit light for his height, but he has the frame to put on weight.  More importantly, he plays very physical, and likes to deliver hits.  He is definitely the most under-rated CB in the draft, and now he is a Pittsburgh Steeler.

I know that Steelers fans are going to disagree with this pick, so let me know your thoughts.  Frankly, I predict that once fans look into Francies, they’ll find that he is a hidden gem.

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April 5, 2009
By Donald Starver

Note:  This is part 5 in a series.  If you haven’t already read the previous chapters, please click the appropriate link below:

Part 1 (3-4 basics) 

Part 2 (The nose tackle)

Part 3 (The 3-4 defensive end)

Part 4 (The 3-4 linebackers)

In part 5 of our series on the 3-4 defense and how it affects the Steelers’ draft, we will talk about the final component of the 3-4 defense; the secondary.

The secondary consists of 4 positions; the right and left cornerbacks, the strong safety and the free safety.  These positions are known collectively as defensive backs.

The role of the defensive backs in a 3-4 and a 4-3 are basically the same.  Their jobs are to defend against pass plays, and to tackle any runners who might get past the defensive linemen and linebackers.

Based on the situation, the team may bring in a fifth defensive back (the nickel back ).  In other situations, they may bring in a 6th defensive back (the dime back).  There are even situations when a team might bring seven or even eight defensive backs onto the field (like a game-ending ”hail Mary” pass play).  However, these situations are unusual.

Depending on the scheme, the roles of the defensive backs may vary.  For example, some teams play their cornerbacks in primarily man-to-man coverage.  Others may mix in some zone coverage.  Some defenses require their cornerbacks to line up close to the line and jam the receivers as they start their routes.  Others, like the Steelers, tend to play off the line and give receivers lots of cussion.

The Steelers require their defensive backs to play a more integral role in run support than most teams do.  In fact, a cornerback who is not strong in run support probably won’t fare well in Dick LeBeau’s system.

The cornerback is the player who is primarily responsible for guarding the wide receiver.  He has to be able to run stride-for-stride with the fastest receivers, and therefore, they are usually the fastest players on the defense.

The typical cornerback is about 5’10″ tall.  However, as more tall receivers like Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, and Plaxico Burress emerge, as well as receivers with incredible leaping ability like Larry Fitzgerald, teams will need to find taller cornerbacks to defend them.  The Steelers’ Ike Taylor may be the new prototype, as he has the height, speed, and leaping ability to guard almost any wide receiver in the NFL.

The strong safety usually plays on the tight end’s side of the offensive formation (the “strong” side).  That is why he is called a “strong” safety.  The strong safety is usually the bigger and stronger of the two safeties.  He is also often the slower of the two.  He is often charged with guarding the tight end or any running  back who may leave the backfield.

A good strong safety will often be like a small linebacker on the field.  He will be excellent in run support, and is often known for delivering vicious hits.

The free safety is usually smaller and faster than the strong safety.  He typically lines up further back from the line of scrimmage than the strong safety.  He is usually the last line of defense in the defensive backfield.  He must have the speed and instincts to read long pass plays, and to quickly close the gap between himself and the receiver.  The free safety must also be able to play man-to-man on a wide receiver if the opponent utilizes a third wide receiver.

Interestingly, when you look at what is required of the free safety versus the strong safety, one might argue that former Steeler Anthony Smith was more of a strong safety than a free safety.  However, with Troy Polamalu entrenched at the strong safety position, the Steelers were forced to use Smith as a free safety.  He repeatedly failed to be the “last line of defense” against the New England Patriots, and that ultimately cost him his job.

Looking at this year’s draft class, there are a number of good cornerbacks in the draft, but few top notch safeties.  In fact, safety may be the weakest position in the draft.  There are no elite safeties in this draft, and there may be no safeties taken in the first round.

Cornerbacks:

Malcolm Jenkins (6’0″, 194 lbs.), Ohio State.  Jenkins it probably the top cornerback in the draft.  He has good size, plays a very physical game, and is good in both pass coverage and run support.  He has Pro Bowl potential.

Alphonso Smith (5′ 8 7/8″, 193 lbs.), Wake Forest.  Smith probably has the best coverage skills in the draft.  He has great hands, and rarely gets beat.  However, Smith’s small stature may prevent him from ever being a #1 corner. 

Vontae Davis (6’0″, 205 lbs.), Illinois.  Incredible physical specimen.  Has size, strength, and speed that few cornerbacks can match.  However, Davis’ mental attitude has been questioned.  He has had problems with coaches, and talks non-stop trash.

D.J. Moore (5’10″, 182 lbs.), Vanderbilt.  Moore has great ball skills, but he is slight of build.  Does not play physical, and needs to improve his tackling.  Will probably be more of a #2 corner.  Probably not a good fit for the Steelers’ system, where physicality and run support are mandatory.

Sean Smith (6’2″, 215 lbs.), Utah.  Rare size with long arms.  He lacks top end speed, but has the height to match up against bigger receivers.  He is a converted wide receiver who is still somewhat raw at the CB position.  Teams will fall in love with his size, but his skills need development.

Darius Butler (5’10″, 178 lbs.), Connecticut.  Outstanding athlete who was very impressive at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.  He has a thin frame, and struggles to break free from blocks.  He failed to get a single interception his senior year, and that will make some teams wary.  He has the ability to return kicks.  That will work in his favor.

Safeties:

As we mentioned earlier, there are no elite safeties in this draft.  However, here are some of the best that are available.

Louis Delmas (5’11″, 196 lbs.), Western Michigan.  Aggressive hitter with all the skills necessary to cover tight ends or running backs.  Plays much faster than his timed speed.  Played against questionable competition, but a good showing at the Senior Bowl may have made him the first safety to come off the board during the draft.

Rashad Johnson (5’11″, 195 lbs.), Alabama.  Played well in college, but lacks the ideal size for a safety.  Looks more like a cornerback.  Is a smart player who was a leader on his team. 

William Moore (6’0″, 223 lbs.), Missouri.  A big, physical playmaker who is great in run support.  Lacks top level speed, which will probably work against him.  He bites on fakes far too often.  He will need coaching at the next level.

The Steelers’ primary need is for a #2 cornerback to replace Bryant McFadden.  William Gay is already on the roster, but finding an upgrade to him won’t be difficult.    Vontae Davis would look good in black and gold, but his character issues will probably make the Steelers reject him if he is available.  Sean Smith has great physical tools, and would benefit greatly from Mike Tomlin’s DB teaching skills.

At the safety position, the Steelers need to find a replacement for Ryan Clark, who is getting older.   Louis Delmas is likely to be available at #32, but probably won’t last to #64.

To read the other installments in this series, click below:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

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