Stillers 2007 Positional Outlook

A snapshot at each position on the final 53-man roster, with a rating from 1-5, factoring in talent, NFL experience, and depth.�

QB:�� With Ben Roth healthy as a horse, compared to coming off the cycle injury and the appendectomy at this time last year, and with Batch quite capably backing him up, this is an enormous strength for the Stillers.�� 3rd string St. Pierre isn�t the next Bart Starr, but he knows the system and the veteran WRs, and there are a lot worse 3rd stringers around the league.����� Rating = 5.

RB:�� Parker is in his prime and is poised to be even more of a threat catching the ball.�� Daven is a solid backup that can both run and catch the pill.� Youngsters Carey Davis and Gary Russell are green, but RB is, by far, the easiest position for a youngster to excel at in the NFL.��� 4.�

FB:� Kreider is the premier FB in the entire NFL.�� Davis serves as his backup.�� Davis is obviously green, but Kreider�s durability along with Arians reducing the FB�s role makes Davis� lack of experience a rather meager concern.� 4+.��

WR:�� Ward and Holmes give the Stillers a dangerous starting duo, arguably better than any starting duo since Plex Buress left.� Wilson is an experienced, highly capable #3.� Nate Wash started preseason slowly but came on and is a very decent #4.�� #5 man Reid is the big question mark based on doing nothing last season and doing little this preseason.�� 4.�

TE:�� Miller has blossomed into a top tier TE.�� Rookie Matt Speath shows some promise with his size and skills, although he is obviously green and unproven.�� Veteran Jerame Tuman somehow made the team yet again and drags down the overall rating of this crew.�� 3.�

OL:�� The starting line of Smith, Crybaby Alan, Mahan, Simmons, and Colon/Starks is talented and, except for Colon, quite heavy with NFL experience.�� Looking around the league, there aren�t a lot of O-lines with the pedigree and experience of this crew.�� The depth is a bit thin, although again, O-line depth around the NFL is seemingly at an all-time low.�� Chris Kemo backs up at guard, and rookie Darnell Stapleton backs up at center, although if Mahan goes down, Simmons would likely shift to center and Kemo inserted at RG.� Trai Essex was given ample opportunity to win the starting tackle job and faltered, but he�s an okay backup.����� 4.

DL:��� Hampton, Smith, and Keisel lead this gang.� This, quite obviously, is a very strong 3-some with few peers in the league.� Hoke and Kirschke provide solid veteran depth.�� Woodley, as a tweener, will serve at times as a push-rushing DE, and his size and skills are exciting indeed.��� Rookie Nick Eason backs up at NT.�� I was pleased the team found a way to keep Ryan "Steely" McBean on the prac squad.�� He is raw but has some skills.�� 3+.�

LB:�� Farrior is the veteran leader, flanked by fellow vets Foote, Haggans, and Harrison.�� Highly touted rookies Woodley and Timmons should see PT in spot duty, and I believe Woodley -- a stud in the making -- will emerge more and more as the season goes on.�� Timmons has been tasked by Tomlin (smartly enough, for versatility purposes) to learn the ILB chores as well.�� Kreiwaldt is essentially a spec teamer and Marq Cooper probably won�t dress on Sundays.��� 3, although as the season progresses and Woodley gets more PT & experience, this should actually be a 4.�

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DB:�� Pola and Tony Smith (assuming Smith starts) give the Stillers perhaps the most athletic safety tandem in the history of the franchise.� Ike, having moved out of Cowhard�s ridiculous doghouse, seems to be doing fine under Tomlin, and Townsend fought off the challenge from McFadden, who will still see plenty of PT in the nickel.�� Carter and Clark provide solid veteran depth at safety, and rookie Wil Gay showed some nice flashes in preseason.� Ric Colclough remains an enigma of sorts, although perhaps he too could flourish under Tomlin.�� Allen Rossum was acquired primarily to bolster the return game; until later in the season he won�t see PT in the secondary.��� 4

Kicking:� Rookie punter Dan Sepulveda showed some promise, though he also had a couple hideous shanks.�� Reed has proven to be a solid, if not unspectacular, placekicker.�� 3.�

Kick return:�� This was a major problem area last season and many warts still exist.� Reid, expected to be THE man, struggled at times.� Rossum will likely see some work in the return game, unless the numbers situation on Sundays prevents Tomlin from dressing him.�� Wilson and even Holmes will be pressed into duty if Reid/Rossum struggle, although Tomlin has asserted that he wants Holmes to concentrate on receiving only and supposedly will not return kicks.��� I have to think, however, that Tomlin will not let fumbling and bumbling go on all too long before he inserts whomever can get the job done.�� 2.�

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Synopsis:� All in all, this is a rock-solid roster with plenty of depth, talent, and experience.�� It was that way last year as well, but poor leadership -- as usually happens with poor leadership -- plunged it into the abyss.� �Barring injury, this is going to be a tough, very competitive playoff team.�