Pick 53:
We�re approaching two weeks camp time; of course, that�s too soon to pick the final roster but some things do jump out.
(10) O-line:� Hartings� knee problem, combined with Simmons� diabetes will almost surely require the Steelers to carry (10) O-linemen.� That�s (6) interior players and (4) OT.� It�s a pretty good bet that Calvin Collins will join the (5) returning interior types.� Between �97 and �00, Collins had 53 starts in 61 games for Atlanta; in �97, he made the NFL all-rook team as an OC; in �98, he moved to LOG to help Jamal Anderson to 1846 yards rushing and Chris Chandler to a top YPA mark (you may remember that Atlanta was a SB team that year).� Collins� career has been in decline for a couple seasons now but, at 29, he�s young enough to come back some, and experienced enough to help.� Burr and Nkwenti will battle for the 4th OT slot; my marker stays on Nkwenti.�
(3) TE:� The Steelers will carry three, those being Reimersma, Breuner and Tuman.� Matt Cushing will be back home on stand-by.
(5) RB:� The Steelers will carry five but after Amoz, Bettis and Kreider, the others are anyone�s guess.� IMO, Wall is falling off the pace; cutting Fu would clear some operational $ for the season but unless Haynes shows more than he did last year, I don�t see that happening.� Pick two from: Fu, Haynes and Ours.
(5) WR:� The top four are apparent; the 5th will come down to the veteran Chris Doering, first year player Khori Ivy or one of the UFDA, say, Lightning Leonard Scott.� More or less, Reimersma brings what Doering provides which is to say good hands and limited speed though, considering Mays� youth, a vet back-up might the way to go.� Betting on the come, Scott is the guy but the rook pool may dictate otherwise (see closing).�
(3) QB:� T-Max, Batch and Frenchy.
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That�s (26) on the O-side, leaving (24) or (25) defenders, depending on whether or not someone (Collins or Reimersma?) can displace Schneck.� So:
(6) D-line:� The Steelers had (7) last year but generally activated no more than (5).� Presuming that the nickel will be a co-base this season, this unit will be further de-emphasized, numbers-wise anyway.� It�s reasonable to presume that Hampton, Smith, KVO, Bailey and Keisel make it; Clancy and Issa will battle for the final spot.
(8-9) LB:�� Six from last season including Porter, Bell, Farrior, Gildon, Haggans and Foote; add Jackson and Kriewaldt for (8).� James Harrison lacks the frame to play the 34 but he has everything needed to excel on the coverage teams. That so, Harrison will compete for one ST with, say, the 10th DB.� To my recollection, the Steelers have carried (15) Front 7 players; if that is so, the number here is (9).
(9-10) DB:� The top (4) CB are locked in: Scott, DW, DT and Ike.� The top (4) safeties are locked in too: Troy, Logan, Alex and Hope.� Of the remaining, we�re hearing good news on Iwuoma and UFDA CB Nashville Dyer.� The others competing for the 10th spot are Erik Totten and Ahmad Faison; considering that the PS are showing a lot of heavy nickel (3 safeties) early, (5) S on the final roster is not out of the question.� While Dyer and/or Faison may have some top-end advantage over their most direct competitors, either or both could be caught in that numbers game generated by the rookie pool.
Presuming that the top 4 picks make the team, then the rookie cap limits the remainder from this class to either 2 active or 1 active and 3 practice squad or 5 practice squad.� The last proposition is the least likely; considering the others, the candidates appear to be: Walls, Dyer, Faison and, say, Leon Scott.� Of those, Dyer is making the best showing now but he�s up against the best competition too, in Chidi.� If both those CB make it, there�s little room for Faison (the Steelers could carry (11) DB but only if Schneck goes and they stick to (8) LB).� So, it�s Harrison vs. Faison (and either CB vs. Faison too) on ST and whoever vs. Schneck for long snapper.� This suggests that LL Scott falls out at WR, leaving Ivy or Doering as #5.��
IMO, Dyer has the wheel just now and so the (3) PS players will be selected from Scott, Faison (or Totten again), DE David Upchurch and RB Dante Brown.� Of course, this all is subject to change, once they actually play a game.