They do a writeup of all the teams. Something to read in a slow period of time before training camp... not that I agree with everything they have written.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
INSIDE SLANT
Steelers ring in camp with Bell on board for 2017
The biggest story of the Pittsburgh Steelers offseason got some closure -- for this year, at
least -- when star running back Le'Veon Bell declined a long-term contract and decided to play
the 2017 season on the $12.12 million franchise tag. The next decision for Bell is whether
he'll report to training camp and be with his teammates during the preseason. Until he signs his
franchise tender -- he hadn't by Tuesday afternoon -- he is under no obligation to come to camp.
The risk, of course, is Bell is out $12.12 million if he sustains an injury while training on his
own. But while it's true Bell will have $12.12 million guaranteed when he signs the tender, it's
also true an injury in camp could potentially cost him much more. For instance, if the
Steelers did not use the tag on him again next year and he hit free agency, his earning power
would be much diminished if he suffers another major injury. Bell would just be cutting down on
the risk by not showing up to camp for a while. Whatever Bell decides, the issue
theoretically shouldn't be a hindrance to the team this season. Once Bell reports he'll be a
professional and do his job to the best of his ability. It's in his best interests to do that.
Even with Bell on the books for $12.12 million this year, the Steelers have $15.5 million in
salary cap space to sign other veterans. The Steelers want to extend defensive end Stephon Tuitt,
who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. They've also expressed an interest in
signing left tackle Alejandro Villanueva to a long-term deal. Villanueva is an exclusive
rights free agent and is under team control for two more years. Like Bell, Villanueva still
hasn't signed his tender. Unlike Bell, Villanueva showed up for OTAs and minicamp. It would be
far from ideal for the star running back and the left tackle to be no-shows for training camp,
but it's not like either player has much choice. They have to report before the regular season
begins unless they want to forfeit paychecks. Even with potential distractions looming, the
Steelers should enter the season as strong contenders in the AFC. Bell will be joined by
receivers Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant to form a dynamic trio for quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger. The offense should be among the best in the NFL. The big question for the
Steelers as they get set to enter training camp is whether the defense will be up to the task.
TOP THREE TRAINING CAMP GOALS
--Test the rookie. Figure out if rookie T.J. Watt is ready, and if he is, let him get his feet
wet as the starter at right outside linebacker. The Steelers played veteran James Harrison fewer
than 50 percent of the snaps for the first half of the season and then turned him loose in the
second half and the playoffs. If Watt is ready to start, it doesn't mean he has to play the
majority of the snaps. It just means the Steelers can see what they have while not taxing the 39-
year old Harrison early in the season. At the midway point, or later, the coaches can figure out
if they want to ride one as the full-time starter or split time. --Get Cam Sutton ready. The
Steelers desperately need a cornerback capable of playing in man coverage. They used a thirdround
pick on Sutton, and they need to get him as many snaps as possible to figure out if he can
eventually supplant Will Gay at slot corner or Ross Cockrell at outside corner. Sutton might not
earn a starting job in camp, but the Steelers can figure out if he will be an option later in the
season by getting him plenty of exposure this summer. --Sort out receiver rotation. The
Steelers' deepest position group is at receiver, where they have eight or nine players vying for
five or six spots on the 53-man roster. Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, JuJu SmithSchuster
and Eli Rogers will make the team, barring injury or suspension. That leaves likely two
spots for the following players: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Sammie Coates, Justin Hunter, Demarcus Ayers and Cobi Hamilton. Coates, Heyward-Bey,Hamilton and Ayers were on the active roster at times last season and all four finished the season there. Hunter was brought in as a free agent.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Receiver Martavis Bryant has a beef with Ben Roethlisberger, and he decided to take it to a
reporter rather than his quarterback. Bryant revealed to ESPN he was upset with Roethlisberger
for some quotes the quarterback gave the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last summer. Among the things
Roethlisberger said about Bryant was he was disappointed and felt Bryant had lied to him.
Bryant didn't reveal what about the quotes bothered him, but he wanted to have a "man-to-man"
talk with Roethlisberger.
TOP SUMMER BATTLE
--It's not for a starting job, but the Steelers want to find out if Knile Davis or James
Conner will be the primary backup to starting running back Le'Veon Bell. It's been an important
job in the past because of Bell's injury and suspension history. DeAngelo Williams had the job
the past two seasons, but the Steelers decided not to re-sign him. Conner was drafted in the
third round and figures to have that role at some point, but he missed almost all of OTAs and
minicamp with a hamstring injury. Davis is a four-year veteran and hasn't played much the past
two seasons, but he looked good in the spring. The Steelers consider him a legitimate contender
for the backup job entering camp.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Ben Roethlisberger. Backups -- Landry Jones, Josh Dobbs, Bart
Houston.
Roethlisberger turned 35 in March but remains among the top quarterbacks in the league.
Roethlisberger finished 11th in the NFL in quarterback rating, but he threw 29 touchdowns (sixthmost
in the league). He figures to be much better this season with Martavis Bryant back in the
fold. Jones has been an adequate fill-in when Roethlisberger has been injured the past two
seasons, and the Steelers rewarded him with a two-year contract to remain the backup. Dobbs was
drafted in the fourth round and will learn behind the two veterans as a rookie.
RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Le'Veon Bell. Backups -- Knile Davis, James Conner, Fitzgerald
Toussaint, Terrell Watson, Tre Williams.
Bell is a weapon for the Steelers as a runner or receiver. He averaged an unreal 146.5 yards
per game over the final six regular-season and the first two playoff games. For the season, Bell
had 1,268 rushing yards. But he's almost as effective as a receiver out of the backfield,
contributing 75 receptions for 616 yards. The Steelers are high on Conner and they believe Davis
has a chance to rejuvenate his career after he fell out of favor in Kansas City. Toussaint has
been on the roster for most of the past two seasons, but he might have a hard time making the 53-
man roster if the trio ahead of him on the depth chart remains healthy. TIGHT ENDS: Starter --
Jesse James. Backups -- Xavier Grimble, David Johnson, Phazahn Odom, Scott Orndoff.
James stepped in last season and performed well after Ladarius Green was injured. With the
Steelers releasing Green in the spring with a failed physical designation, James will assume the
starter's role again. He started 13 times last season and caught 39 passes for 338 yards. He also
has improved as a blocker. Grimble had 11 receptions for 118 yards in his first NFL season. He is
more of a receiving tight end than an inline
blocker. Johnson returns on another one-year deal and will serve as the H-back.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Eli Rogers. Backups -- JuJu SmithSchuster,
Sammie Coates, Darrius HeywardBey,
Demarcus Ayers, Justin Hamilton, Cobi Hamilton.
If Brown and Bryant are healthy all season, the Steelers should have one of the top receiving
corps in the league. Brown has strung together four consecutive 100-catch seasons and is showing
no signs of slowing down. Bryant returns after a one-year drug suspension, but he was in great
shape this spring and the year off didn't appear to hamper him. Bryant had 76 receptions for
1,314 yards in his first two NFL seasons. Rogers proved to be effective in the slot last season,
but Smith-Schuster could challenge him for some playing time as a big-bodied possession receiver.
There also is a strong possibility offensive coordinator Todd Haley goes to more four-receiver
sets to take advantage of the talent at his disposal.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Alejandro Villanueva, LG Ramon Foster, C Maurkice Pouncey, RG David DeCastro, RT Marcus Gilbert.
Backups -- T Jerald Hawkins, C/G B.J. Finney, C/G Chris Hubbard, T Matt Feiler, C Mike Matthews,
T Jake Rodgers, T Brian Mihalik, T Keavon Milton, C Kyle Friend, G Ethan Cooper.
This is one of the best offensive lines in the league, led by Pouncey and DeCastro. Foster is
coming off his best season, and Gilbert is one of the most underrated right tackles in the
league. The Steelers have some strong backups, too. Finney has capably filled as a reserve center
or guard, and Hubbard has done the same at tackle and guard. The Steelers even use him as an
extra tight end every once in a while.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LE Cameron Heyward, NT Javon Hargrave, RE Stephon Tuitt.
Backups -- DE Tyson Alualu, DE L.T. Walton, DE Nelson Adams, DE Christian Brown, DE Lavon Hooks,
DE Francis Kallon, DE Johnny Maxey, NT Daniel McCullers, NT Roy Philon.
The Steelers have a strong starting trio, but this is not the deepest position group on the
roster. Heyward and Tuitt are a couple of impactful defensive ends, and Hargrave played well as a
rookie last season. Alualu was brought in to shore up the depth behind the starters. The former
first-round pick of the Jaguars is looking to rejuvenate his career with the Steelers. Walton
grew into an effective reserve last season. This is a big year for McCullers. He is in the final
year of his rookie contract and could get pushed for a roster spot by a younger player.
LINEBACKERS: Starters -- ROLB James Harrison, ILB Ryan Shazier, ILB Vince Williams, LOLB Bud
Dupree. Backups -- OLB T.J. Watt, OLB Anthony Chickillo, OLB Arthur Moats, OLB Keion Adams, OLB
Farrington Huguenin, ILB Tyler Matakevich, ILB L.J. Fort, ILB Matt Galambos.
The Steelers used their first-round pick on Watt because they want a better pass rush from the
outside. Watt demonstrated a good grasp of the playbook in the spring and could challenge
Harrison for the starting job. Either way, both figure to play in a rotation, at least in the
beginning of the year. Dupree is the starter on the other side, and the Steelers need a big year
from him. He missed half of last season with a sports hernia. If the former first-round pick can
stay healthy all season he has the best chance among the outside linebackers to crack double
digits in sacks. On the inside, Shazier made the Pro Bowl last season and is one of the top
inside backers in the game when healthy. Williams takes over for Timmons at the other inside
spot. He might not be an every-down player like Timmons was for the Steelers, but the coaches
like his ability as a run-stopper. The Steelers have decent depth on the outside with veterans
Moats and Chickillo, but their inside depth is questionable. This is one spot where a veteran
could be added after other teams cut their rosters to 53 players in September.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Artie Burns, RCB Ross Cockrell, FS Mike Mitchell, SS Sean Davis. Backups -
- CB Will Gay, CB Coty Sensabaugh, CB Senquez Golson, CB Brian Allen, CB Brandon Dixon, CB Greg
Ducre, CB Mike Hilton, S Robert Golden, S Jordan Dangerfield, S Jacob Hagen, S Damion Stafford, S
Terrish Webb.
This is the area in which the Steelers have to improve the most. The secondary performed
better, but Tom Brady proved there are miles to go. The Steelers drafted Sutton to compete for a
starting job, whether that's at slot corner or the outside corner where Ross Cockrell is
currently. The Steelers showed their hand this spring when they offered Cockrell the lowest
tender possible as a restricted free agent. Burns is their top corner and played fairly well for
a rookie. He needs to take another step in his development, as does second-year safety Sean
Davis, who also played better in the second half of last season. The most veteran player in the
secondary is Mike Mitchell, who is entering the fourth season of a five-year contract. He is the
leader of a young group that has to develop on the fly.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Chris Boswell, PJordan Berry, LS Colin Holba, KOR Knile Davis, PR Antonio Brown. Boswell has been one of the league's most accurate kickers since entering the league in 2015, and he's been especially clutch in the playoffs, going 15 for 15. Davis was signed to jump-start a struggling kick return game.
He was effective in that role when he was with the Chiefs. Holba takes over for Greg Warren, who
had been the team's long snapper since 2005.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
INSIDE SLANT
Steelers ring in camp with Bell on board for 2017
The biggest story of the Pittsburgh Steelers offseason got some closure -- for this year, at
least -- when star running back Le'Veon Bell declined a long-term contract and decided to play
the 2017 season on the $12.12 million franchise tag. The next decision for Bell is whether
he'll report to training camp and be with his teammates during the preseason. Until he signs his
franchise tender -- he hadn't by Tuesday afternoon -- he is under no obligation to come to camp.
The risk, of course, is Bell is out $12.12 million if he sustains an injury while training on his
own. But while it's true Bell will have $12.12 million guaranteed when he signs the tender, it's
also true an injury in camp could potentially cost him much more. For instance, if the
Steelers did not use the tag on him again next year and he hit free agency, his earning power
would be much diminished if he suffers another major injury. Bell would just be cutting down on
the risk by not showing up to camp for a while. Whatever Bell decides, the issue
theoretically shouldn't be a hindrance to the team this season. Once Bell reports he'll be a
professional and do his job to the best of his ability. It's in his best interests to do that.
Even with Bell on the books for $12.12 million this year, the Steelers have $15.5 million in
salary cap space to sign other veterans. The Steelers want to extend defensive end Stephon Tuitt,
who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. They've also expressed an interest in
signing left tackle Alejandro Villanueva to a long-term deal. Villanueva is an exclusive
rights free agent and is under team control for two more years. Like Bell, Villanueva still
hasn't signed his tender. Unlike Bell, Villanueva showed up for OTAs and minicamp. It would be
far from ideal for the star running back and the left tackle to be no-shows for training camp,
but it's not like either player has much choice. They have to report before the regular season
begins unless they want to forfeit paychecks. Even with potential distractions looming, the
Steelers should enter the season as strong contenders in the AFC. Bell will be joined by
receivers Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant to form a dynamic trio for quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger. The offense should be among the best in the NFL. The big question for the
Steelers as they get set to enter training camp is whether the defense will be up to the task.
TOP THREE TRAINING CAMP GOALS
--Test the rookie. Figure out if rookie T.J. Watt is ready, and if he is, let him get his feet
wet as the starter at right outside linebacker. The Steelers played veteran James Harrison fewer
than 50 percent of the snaps for the first half of the season and then turned him loose in the
second half and the playoffs. If Watt is ready to start, it doesn't mean he has to play the
majority of the snaps. It just means the Steelers can see what they have while not taxing the 39-
year old Harrison early in the season. At the midway point, or later, the coaches can figure out
if they want to ride one as the full-time starter or split time. --Get Cam Sutton ready. The
Steelers desperately need a cornerback capable of playing in man coverage. They used a thirdround
pick on Sutton, and they need to get him as many snaps as possible to figure out if he can
eventually supplant Will Gay at slot corner or Ross Cockrell at outside corner. Sutton might not
earn a starting job in camp, but the Steelers can figure out if he will be an option later in the
season by getting him plenty of exposure this summer. --Sort out receiver rotation. The
Steelers' deepest position group is at receiver, where they have eight or nine players vying for
five or six spots on the 53-man roster. Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, JuJu SmithSchuster
and Eli Rogers will make the team, barring injury or suspension. That leaves likely two
spots for the following players: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Sammie Coates, Justin Hunter, Demarcus Ayers and Cobi Hamilton. Coates, Heyward-Bey,Hamilton and Ayers were on the active roster at times last season and all four finished the season there. Hunter was brought in as a free agent.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Receiver Martavis Bryant has a beef with Ben Roethlisberger, and he decided to take it to a
reporter rather than his quarterback. Bryant revealed to ESPN he was upset with Roethlisberger
for some quotes the quarterback gave the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last summer. Among the things
Roethlisberger said about Bryant was he was disappointed and felt Bryant had lied to him.
Bryant didn't reveal what about the quotes bothered him, but he wanted to have a "man-to-man"
talk with Roethlisberger.
TOP SUMMER BATTLE
--It's not for a starting job, but the Steelers want to find out if Knile Davis or James
Conner will be the primary backup to starting running back Le'Veon Bell. It's been an important
job in the past because of Bell's injury and suspension history. DeAngelo Williams had the job
the past two seasons, but the Steelers decided not to re-sign him. Conner was drafted in the
third round and figures to have that role at some point, but he missed almost all of OTAs and
minicamp with a hamstring injury. Davis is a four-year veteran and hasn't played much the past
two seasons, but he looked good in the spring. The Steelers consider him a legitimate contender
for the backup job entering camp.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Ben Roethlisberger. Backups -- Landry Jones, Josh Dobbs, Bart
Houston.
Roethlisberger turned 35 in March but remains among the top quarterbacks in the league.
Roethlisberger finished 11th in the NFL in quarterback rating, but he threw 29 touchdowns (sixthmost
in the league). He figures to be much better this season with Martavis Bryant back in the
fold. Jones has been an adequate fill-in when Roethlisberger has been injured the past two
seasons, and the Steelers rewarded him with a two-year contract to remain the backup. Dobbs was
drafted in the fourth round and will learn behind the two veterans as a rookie.
RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Le'Veon Bell. Backups -- Knile Davis, James Conner, Fitzgerald
Toussaint, Terrell Watson, Tre Williams.
Bell is a weapon for the Steelers as a runner or receiver. He averaged an unreal 146.5 yards
per game over the final six regular-season and the first two playoff games. For the season, Bell
had 1,268 rushing yards. But he's almost as effective as a receiver out of the backfield,
contributing 75 receptions for 616 yards. The Steelers are high on Conner and they believe Davis
has a chance to rejuvenate his career after he fell out of favor in Kansas City. Toussaint has
been on the roster for most of the past two seasons, but he might have a hard time making the 53-
man roster if the trio ahead of him on the depth chart remains healthy. TIGHT ENDS: Starter --
Jesse James. Backups -- Xavier Grimble, David Johnson, Phazahn Odom, Scott Orndoff.
James stepped in last season and performed well after Ladarius Green was injured. With the
Steelers releasing Green in the spring with a failed physical designation, James will assume the
starter's role again. He started 13 times last season and caught 39 passes for 338 yards. He also
has improved as a blocker. Grimble had 11 receptions for 118 yards in his first NFL season. He is
more of a receiving tight end than an inline
blocker. Johnson returns on another one-year deal and will serve as the H-back.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Eli Rogers. Backups -- JuJu SmithSchuster,
Sammie Coates, Darrius HeywardBey,
Demarcus Ayers, Justin Hamilton, Cobi Hamilton.
If Brown and Bryant are healthy all season, the Steelers should have one of the top receiving
corps in the league. Brown has strung together four consecutive 100-catch seasons and is showing
no signs of slowing down. Bryant returns after a one-year drug suspension, but he was in great
shape this spring and the year off didn't appear to hamper him. Bryant had 76 receptions for
1,314 yards in his first two NFL seasons. Rogers proved to be effective in the slot last season,
but Smith-Schuster could challenge him for some playing time as a big-bodied possession receiver.
There also is a strong possibility offensive coordinator Todd Haley goes to more four-receiver
sets to take advantage of the talent at his disposal.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Alejandro Villanueva, LG Ramon Foster, C Maurkice Pouncey, RG David DeCastro, RT Marcus Gilbert.
Backups -- T Jerald Hawkins, C/G B.J. Finney, C/G Chris Hubbard, T Matt Feiler, C Mike Matthews,
T Jake Rodgers, T Brian Mihalik, T Keavon Milton, C Kyle Friend, G Ethan Cooper.
This is one of the best offensive lines in the league, led by Pouncey and DeCastro. Foster is
coming off his best season, and Gilbert is one of the most underrated right tackles in the
league. The Steelers have some strong backups, too. Finney has capably filled as a reserve center
or guard, and Hubbard has done the same at tackle and guard. The Steelers even use him as an
extra tight end every once in a while.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LE Cameron Heyward, NT Javon Hargrave, RE Stephon Tuitt.
Backups -- DE Tyson Alualu, DE L.T. Walton, DE Nelson Adams, DE Christian Brown, DE Lavon Hooks,
DE Francis Kallon, DE Johnny Maxey, NT Daniel McCullers, NT Roy Philon.
The Steelers have a strong starting trio, but this is not the deepest position group on the
roster. Heyward and Tuitt are a couple of impactful defensive ends, and Hargrave played well as a
rookie last season. Alualu was brought in to shore up the depth behind the starters. The former
first-round pick of the Jaguars is looking to rejuvenate his career with the Steelers. Walton
grew into an effective reserve last season. This is a big year for McCullers. He is in the final
year of his rookie contract and could get pushed for a roster spot by a younger player.
LINEBACKERS: Starters -- ROLB James Harrison, ILB Ryan Shazier, ILB Vince Williams, LOLB Bud
Dupree. Backups -- OLB T.J. Watt, OLB Anthony Chickillo, OLB Arthur Moats, OLB Keion Adams, OLB
Farrington Huguenin, ILB Tyler Matakevich, ILB L.J. Fort, ILB Matt Galambos.
The Steelers used their first-round pick on Watt because they want a better pass rush from the
outside. Watt demonstrated a good grasp of the playbook in the spring and could challenge
Harrison for the starting job. Either way, both figure to play in a rotation, at least in the
beginning of the year. Dupree is the starter on the other side, and the Steelers need a big year
from him. He missed half of last season with a sports hernia. If the former first-round pick can
stay healthy all season he has the best chance among the outside linebackers to crack double
digits in sacks. On the inside, Shazier made the Pro Bowl last season and is one of the top
inside backers in the game when healthy. Williams takes over for Timmons at the other inside
spot. He might not be an every-down player like Timmons was for the Steelers, but the coaches
like his ability as a run-stopper. The Steelers have decent depth on the outside with veterans
Moats and Chickillo, but their inside depth is questionable. This is one spot where a veteran
could be added after other teams cut their rosters to 53 players in September.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Artie Burns, RCB Ross Cockrell, FS Mike Mitchell, SS Sean Davis. Backups -
- CB Will Gay, CB Coty Sensabaugh, CB Senquez Golson, CB Brian Allen, CB Brandon Dixon, CB Greg
Ducre, CB Mike Hilton, S Robert Golden, S Jordan Dangerfield, S Jacob Hagen, S Damion Stafford, S
Terrish Webb.
This is the area in which the Steelers have to improve the most. The secondary performed
better, but Tom Brady proved there are miles to go. The Steelers drafted Sutton to compete for a
starting job, whether that's at slot corner or the outside corner where Ross Cockrell is
currently. The Steelers showed their hand this spring when they offered Cockrell the lowest
tender possible as a restricted free agent. Burns is their top corner and played fairly well for
a rookie. He needs to take another step in his development, as does second-year safety Sean
Davis, who also played better in the second half of last season. The most veteran player in the
secondary is Mike Mitchell, who is entering the fourth season of a five-year contract. He is the
leader of a young group that has to develop on the fly.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Chris Boswell, PJordan Berry, LS Colin Holba, KOR Knile Davis, PR Antonio Brown. Boswell has been one of the league's most accurate kickers since entering the league in 2015, and he's been especially clutch in the playoffs, going 15 for 15. Davis was signed to jump-start a struggling kick return game.
He was effective in that role when he was with the Chiefs. Holba takes over for Greg Warren, who
had been the team's long snapper since 2005.
Last edited:
