As the Steelers rapidly approach the roster trim down moment of 4pm on Saturday, we take our final look at the team and break down the secondary. This unit is often maligned for their shortcomings in the passing game despite having future Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu and longtime veteran Ike Taylor.  There are several players vying for just a few spots and this is how I see it breaking down.

The two starting cornerbacks will be Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen. Taylor is playing in what most likely will be his final year. He’s long been the teams’ top corner and he enters this season as that guy again.  He’s clearly lost a step over the years and it may be a tall task to ask him to guard guys like AJ Green and Torrey Smith but he’s going to be given the first shot to do so. 

Cortez Allen will be the second corner on the field and he’s a bit of a bi polar figure when he’s out there. At times he looks great, capable of covering anyone anywhere. Other times he looks like he couldn’t cover my four year old. He’s playing for a new contract so it’s do or die time for him.

William Gay will be the nickel back and is capable of getting the job done in that position. He’s certainly not a guy that the black and gold want starting full time as he often gets burned deep but he’ll be the next man up should either Taylor or Allen go down.

Rookie Shaquille Richardson will be the fourth cornerback. I’m hopeful he gets a good bit of playing time because he appears to be the future of this unit and any experience he can gain will only help his development.

The team also has Antwon Blake, Isaiah Green, Brice McCain, Dayonne Nunley, and B.W. Webb manning spots currently. I don’t anticipate any of them will be on the team come 4pm Saturday.

The safeties are pretty obvious. Troy Polamalu is still the starter at Strong Safety and is in great shape. Polamalu should be here for two more years and I think he’s going to play at a high level in both of those seasons. He’s one of the best to ever suit up and he’s still capable of making jaw dropping plays.

Newly signed Mike Mitchell will replace Ryan Clark at the free safety position. He’s an upgrade over Clark and will be a high impact play making ball hawk. The team will surely benefit from adding him to this roster.

Will Allen is back for another season and is a top of the line reserve, capable of starting if needed. Allen makes plays and is a great asset to have on the team.

Shamarko Thomas enters his second year and he looked very good through camp and pre season. The man they call “headache” can put on some of the best hits you’ll ever see. He’s not far away from being an every down player for this team and he’ll get more action this year and show you exactly why the Steelers  like him so much.

Robert Golden is a guy that may make the squad but he’s a fringe player. If the team elects to keep an additional offensive or defensive lineman, Golden could be the odd man out.

Ross Ventrose will not make the squad.

No matter how you break it down, this portion of the team is much improved in the safety department and very deep there too but they have some weaknesses at corner that could get exposed against the potent offenses the Steelers have to face this season. This unit will rely heavily on the linebackers making the big plays at the line and behind the line in order to help hinder the opposing passing attack.

Ah, yes, the linebackers. The position has been the staple of the Steelers 3-4 defense for many years.  When you think of Steeler football, historically you think of the defense first and within the defense you think of the linebackers. Guys like Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Kevin Green, Greg Lloyd and Joey Porter have all played the position wearing the black and gold.  You need to be a special player to man that position in Pittsburgh and the team thinks they may again have a group special enough to carry the torch of honor. 

Coaching the unit will be one of the all-time Steeler greats, Joey Porter. Porter has already brought an intensity and fire to this unit that would motivate anyone to get out there and make a hit. He’s chest bumping guys for big hits and riding them for their mistakes. Porter coaches like he played, with a fire and competitiveness that is unique and special.  Vince Williams stated that “When we talk to him, it’s like talking to someone who’s playing with you right now”. He added how special it is to be able to learn from a guy who’s accomplished as much as Porter has at the linebacker position right here in Pittsburgh.

The team will expect a lot out of this unit, specifically being able to create the much needed turnovers the defense has lacked the past few seasons.

The Left Outside Linebacker job is officially Jason Worilds’.  Worilds did leave the pre-season game vs. the Eagles with a knee injury and we’ll see how serious it is but if he’s healthy, this job is all his. He’s playing on the one year transition tag after his fantastic play last season allowed the Steelers to part ways with LaMarr Woodley. Worilds will be expected to lead the team in sacks and bring his aggressive play each and every down.

Backing up Worilds for the LOLB position will be Chris Carter. Carter is a very strong backup, capable of spelling Worilds on certain downs but he’s really not a guy the team wants starting, something they very well could be facing if Worilds is hurt for an extended period of time. If that’s the case, James Harrison is available and signing him could be a real option.

Vic So’oto is also on the team currently at the LOLB position but he’s just holding a preseason spot, he will not be retained.

The Left Inside Linebacker spot is going to be held by first round selection Ryan Shazier. Shazier can stuff the run and drop back into pass coverage; something the team doesn’t feel Vince Williams can do well enough to be the every down guy here. Shazier will certainly have a learning curve but he looks like a guy who can be impactful right away.

Vince Williams will be his backup and is very capable of starting. He played pretty well last year as a rookie and has enough upside that he could be an asset for many years to come.  Still being a young guy, Williams noted “I still try to stay close to LT (Lawrence Timmons)” in order to continue to grow and learn the position.

Sean Spence and Dan Molls are also battling for spots on this roster at LILB. Molls won’t make the squad but Spence has a chance. Many people would like to see what he can bring to the table and I think he’ll be one of the last guys kept.

The Right Inside Linebacker spot will be manned by Lawrence Timmons. Timmons will need to be the leader of this young unit and of the defense in general. Timmons has quietly led the team in tackles over the past few years and is one of the best inside linebackers in the business. He’ll lead by example and he’ll get the job done. He is the most important player on the defensive side of the ball and is often overlooked because he doesn’t run his mouth or showboat.  Timmons is poised to have a huge year.

Behind Timmons are 2^nd year player Terence Garvin and rookie Jordan Zumwalt.  While I believe both have a chance to make the team, I think it’s unlikely that they, along with Spence will make it. Someone has to be the odd man out in this rotation and right now it looks like it’s Zumwalt.  Zumwalt will more than likely be retained as a practice squad player however.
 

At Right Outside Linebacker, Jarvis Jones is the man at the top. Jones disappointed in his rookie season and didn’t deliver what many thought he would. With Joey Porter as his coach and a year of experience under his belt, it’s time for Jones to show why he was the teams number one draft choice last season. There will be a lot of expectations on this young man and he’s got the talent to live up to them but the team doesn’t have the time to wait around. He must make strides now.

Behind Jones are Arthur Moats and rookie Howard Jones. Moats has always been serviceable and I believe he’ll make the squad. Howard Jones appears to be the odd man out here but has a shot at being a practice squad player.

Overall this unit is extremely young with the only real experienced and accomplished player being Lawrence Timmons. Despite that, this is the most important unit on the defense and they will be asked to carry the load of getting to the quarterback and forcing turnovers. As this unit goes, so will the Steelers season.

The defense has been somewhat of a weakness over the past two seasons and as a result the team finished with consecutive 8-8 records. It’s time for this side of the ball to step up and it all starts with the defensive line.

The team did a lot of overhauling with this particular unit in the offseason and some familiar faces such as Brett Keisel and Ziggy Hood are no longer here. The line will need to stuff the holes and prevent the run this season, something they couldn’t do in 2013 when they finished 21^st in the league, allowing 1,849 yards on the ground.

The defensive ends will be led by Cam Heyward, who had a breakout 2013 and is primed to take the next step in 2014. He’s the next super star on this defense that is in need of a new, young one. Heyward, who started thirteen games last season, put up 59 tackles, five sacks and even deflected seven passes.

The other starter at defensive end will be a battle between 2^nd year player Nick Williams, rookie Stephon Tuitt and Cam Thomas, signed in free agency. 

I believe that Stephon Tuitt will eventually be the guy but the opener will see Cam Thomas play in that spot. Thomas is unique in that he can play both end and defensive tackle if necessary so he’s certainly valuable.  Nick Williams will be a great reserve and can start in a pinch as well. 

The team has three other ends on the roster in rookies Ethan Hemer and Josh Mauro along with second year player Brian Arnfelt. There is a very slim chance that one of these guys will make the 53 man roster but it’s more likely that none will make the team and one will be kept on the practice squad. That is really going to come down to how they play in the pre season games and who may seem to have some potential for the team to use them in practice situations.

The defensive tackle spot will be occupied by Steve McLendon again.  McClendon started 10 games last year and recorded a solid 33 tackles.  He’s getting better with each season and it’s going to be on him to really lead the way in stuffing the run.

Pushing McLendon for time will be rookie Daniel McCullers. The 6 7’ 352 pound tackles has a lot of upside and has been impressive in camp thus far. He will be a huge asset for the black and gold in obvious running downs and goal line situations and there is very strong chance that he takes over for McLendon somewhere in the middle of the season as the starter. At the very least, McCullers is the future starter and he’ll gain a lot of playing experience in 2014.

Hebron Fangupo will be a guy that’s kept around to play tackle as well. Fangupo can come in to provide guys a breather and is talented enough to play a series at a time, if needed.

Additionally, as mentioned, Cam Thomas could be a guy that plays the tackle spot and he may see time there on certain downs or if all goes well at the defensive end spot with Stephon Tuitt, Thomas could move into a more prevalent role at tackle.

Al Lapuaho and Roy Philon currently occupy roster spots as defensive tackles but they will not make the team when it’s all said and done. 

No matter how it plays out, it’s essential that this unit improves dramatically over last years’ version. The Steelers defense has always been known for stuffing the run and it’s a must for this unit to succeed in doing their job so the guys playing behind them can succeed doing theirs.

I fully expect an improvement from that 21^st ranking last season and wouldn’t be shocked to see the run defense get back into the top ten. Cam Heyward is the leader of this crew and as he goes, they’ll go.

As we finish up our look at the offensive side of the ball, we dig into the offensive line. The past few years have seen this unit get ridiculed weekly for their shortcomings, for their failure to protect Big Ben and for their inability to create sufficient holes for the running game. 

The coaching brass decided it was time to bring in a new coach, one with experience and one they felt could turn the unit around. So they went out and hired ex Titans head coach Mike Munchak. Munchak has already dug his claws in deep with this unit and plans to shape them up or ship them out. He’s instituting cut blocking as part of the scheme and these guys will either do their job or sit.

The first question  is how many linemen should the team keep? In my opinion, they should keep no less than 8 on the active roster and probably have another 1 or 2 available via the practice squad if necessary. Lineman are hard to come by and can get hurt easily, see Maurkice Pouncey last year.  It’s necessary the team carries as many as possible.

The startling line will be led by Pouncey as he’s returning from missing all but the first half of the first game last season and is sporting a brand new six year 48 million dollar contract. As the center and an All Pro, he must lead the way and keep the troops together.

The left side of the line should see Kelvim Beachum at Tackle and David Decastro at guard. Both players are entering their third season and have gotten better and better each year. They are primed to take the next step into becoming an all star duo on Roetlisbergers’ blind side. 

The right side should see veteran Ramon Foster at the guard position and Marcus Gilbert manning the tackle position. 

The bench may be the most important part of the unit as these guys need to be ready at a moment’s notice.  Cody Wallace is guaranteed to make the team as he’s versatile and can play both guard and center, something that is difficult to find. Guy whimper at the tackle position should return for another season and I believe you’ll see third year man Mike Adams round out the top eight. Adams should have been the starting right tackle by now and his progress has been nothing short of disappointing. He’ll really need to prove his worth or it will be his last year in the black and gold.

Should the team choose to keep a ninth man, the battle will rage between guards Bryant Browning, Chris Hubbard and Will Simmons along with tackles Chris Elkins, Wesley Johnson and Emmanuel McCray.

I believe that any two of these guys could be kept on the practice squad but none will make the 53 man roster out of the gates. 

This unit may be the most improved on the team and could finally even be described as a strength vs. a hindrance. If they can accomplish the things they are capable of, keeping Big Ben upright, opening holes for the running game and generally allowing the offense to move the ball downfield, the Pittsburgh Steelers could go a long way this year.

The Steelers appear to be loaded with depth at the pass catching positions as they currently hold six tight ends and eleven wide receivers on their roster.  As the team progresses through camp and the pre-season; those numbers will dwindle and the dust will settle on who’s going to be ranked where.  In the meantime; there are  some very interesting battles going on for various spots amongst both units and how they play out will be determined on the field. 

Tight end is always a very important position in the Todd haley offense and the number one tight end is of course Heath Miller.  Miller looks as healthy as ever and has a great opportunity to go back to the 2012 form that saw him grab over 70 balls for a career high 816 yards and eight touchdowns. Miller can do it all and is still one of the best Tight Ends in all of football.

The number two spot will be more interesting as it looks to be a battle between Matt Spaeth and David Paulson. Spaeth missed last season but if he can remain healthy, he should win the number two job.  He’s tall, can catch the ball well and is a decent pass and run blocker. His experience gives him the edge. 

That leaves David Paulson as the number three tight end which should see him play a role more as a blocking end with the occasional reception. Paulson does have talent and played in all 16 games for the black and gold last season. He certainly has an outside chance of grabbing that second spot.

The fourth and in all likelihood final Tight End spot will come down to a battle between rookies Rob Blanchflower and Eric Waters and veteran Michael Palmer.  Palmer was on the team last season and has 22 career receptions but I believe he’s the first man eliminated from this list and will be part of the teams’ first round of cuts.  The two rookies will battle for that final spot and the edge will ultimately go to Blanchflower. The team drafted him in round seven this past May and I believe they look at him as a good developmental player.  There is potential the team could keep Waters in that same vain but more likely that he’ll be put on the practice squad.

Like Tight End, wide receiver has their clear number one guy and that’s Antonio Brown. Brown is the team’s best and most athletic receiver and will be Big Ben’s number one target. Brown, now entering his fifth season is coming off an historic year in which he set career bests with 110 catches, 1,499 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. It would be shocking if he didn’t have a year similar to 2013 and there is certainly potential for him to go beyond last years’ performance as well. He has the ability to go across the middle, stretch the field and most certainly grab a ball in the bubble screen.  He made everyone forget about Mike Wallace and he’s fast approaching Hines Ward level numbers.

The second wide receiver spot is going to be a battle between second year man Markus Wheaton, rookie Martavis Bryant and newly signed veterans Lance Moore and Darrius Heyward Bey.  All indications are the team wants the job to go to Markus Wheaton so it’s certainly his to lose. He didn’t show us anything in 2013 so he’s essentially starting fresh in 2014. Wheaton has good hands, he’s a burner and he can stretch the field but I don’t think he’s going to land the job.  He seems too inconsistent and injury prone to be a second option for Roethlisberger.

My money is on rookie Martavis Bryant. He’s the tallest receiver on the team outside of Derek Moye, he’s got very good hands and it’s not as hard for rookie wide receivers to learn an offensive system. They simply need to know how to run their routes and he can do that. Bryant reminds me of a young Plaxico Burress and it makes far more sense to have that tall, possession receiver as the number two vs. having another burner across from Antonio Brown.

Heyward Bey and Moore absolutely have the potential to grab that second spot and certainly have more experience than anyone else on the team but I don’t think they were necessarily brought in to be the second option for Big Ben but rather to lend depth to the unit as well as help lead the group of young guys.

The three through five spots will be between Wheaton, Heyward Bey and Moore and I think they may even interchange based on matchups.  Wheaton and Heyward Bey are the speed guys and Moore is the possession guy so it will all be situational between these three. From a depth chart perspective the rankings will probably shake out with Wheaton being the third guy, Moore the four and Heyward Bey the five.  Each one of them will play a significant role in the offense however.

The biggest question left is whether or not the team will keep a sixth guy? Typically based on other position needs; the team only keeps five receivers so it looks like it might be tough luck for Derek Moye, Danny Coale, Justin Brown, CJ Goodwin, Kashif Moore and Lanear Sampson.  A few of these guys may get a practice squad spot and maybe one of them will surprise everyone and steal away the fifth receiver spot from one of the vets but it seems very unlikely. Never the less, keep your eye on Justin Brown and CJ Goodwin as they have the best chance of unseating one of the guys in front of them for that fifth job. They too are the most likely to be retained on the practice squad, if nothing else.

While both Tight End and Wide Receiver have clear number one players, the rest of the depth chart must be played out throughout camp and into the pre-season.   Jobs are won and lost in “the trenches” as Mike Tomlin says; so by the third pre-season game, we’ll know exactly how this depth chart will shake out and who’s “in” and who’s “out”.