Steelers Source

I am working my way up from the back of the defense and part 2 of my training camp series is on linebackers. The contestants (and there are plenty) in Latrobe this year are:

Last year when the Steelers cut down to their final 53 man roster, then kept 8 linebackers, so a fair number of players listed above are not going to see the regular season. The no brainers are James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley on the outside. The starters at inside linebacker is a little more interesting. I am hoping that this year is really the coming out party for Lawrence Timmons. At the other inside spot there were plenty of screams last season, your truly included, that James Farrior had lost too much speed and could not play on third down any longer. That has to also be on the mind of the Steelers and was in large part the reason for bringing Larry Foote back. I’m going to give Foote the starting nod, and while he’ll make the roster, I wouldn’t be stunned to see this as Farrior’s last year.

For those who are counting that is 5 of 8 spots on the roster filled. Considering their draft positions, it is pretty much a lock that Jason Worilds and Thaddeus Gibson are going to make the team. I see the last spot as a competition between Keyaron Fox, Andre Frazier, and Stevenson Sylvester, with Fox getting the nod. A very real possibility is that the Steelers will put either Worilds or Gibson on the roster as a defensive end and thereby be able to keep Fox plus one.

Where is My Corner?

Totally frustrated is about all that I can come up with. Recapping the picks from Rounds 2 through the selection the Steelers just made through Round 4:

• Round 2 – Jason Worilds (DE), Virginia Tech. In the Steelers formula which has served them well for decades, Worilds is an undersized defensive end that will be converted to outside linebacker.
• Round 3 - Emmanuel Sanders (WR), Southern Methodist University. On the smallish side, Sanders would most likely play a 3rd reciever in the Steelers offense.
• Round 4 – Thaddeus Gibson (DE), Ohio State. Anyone see a pattern here?

I’m totally on board with going offensive line and wide receiver, but 2 “project” linebackers in the first 4 picks is inexplicable. Particularly as the Steelers are weaker on the inside than the outside at linebacker. Sean Lee (Penn State), Brandon Spikes (Florida), and Navorro Bowman (Penn State) are all sitting there and have actually played linebacker. Should have gone wide reciever anyway, with freakin’ Golden Tate (Notre Dame) available.

Go to the third round. Major run on cornerbacks at the top of the round. Oh, maybe we should have not gone project pick in Round 2….  If you want a third receiver, Jordan Shipley from Texas is still sitting there, but no we go to the small guy, from a lousy conference, with questionable hands.

Round four, retarded.