View topic - Mewelde,Rashard KR duties. Mewelde,Santonio PR duties

[Hi5Steeler Profile]

Steelers' Reid, Drummond among final cuts
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, August 31, 2008

Before leaving the Steelers locker room after their final preseason game Thursday night, return specialist Eddie Drummond gave his playbook to an attendant.

When asked if he was turning it in, Drummond laughed and said, "No, I just don't want to carry it home."

As it turns out, the Pittsburgh native won't be carrying it anywhere.

Drummond, wide receiver Willie Reid and defensive end Ryan McBean were among the cuts the Steelers made Saturday as they pared their roster to 53 players. The team also placed quarterback Charlie Batch, recovering from a broken collarbone, on injured reserve, ending the Homestead native's season and possibly his career with the Steelers.

Dallas Baker beat out Reid, a third-round pick in the 2006 draft, for the final wide receiver spot on the roster. The Steelers, meanwhile, tabbed 12th-year veteran Mitch Berger to punt and hold for kicker Jeff Reed instead of Paul Ernster, who was waived.

The Steelers waived and reached injury settlements with two of their draft choices from this year, linebacker Mike Humpal (fifth) and safety Ryan Mundy (sixth). They did the same with veteran linebacker Arnold Harrison, who tore his ACL in the Steelers' 19-16 win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday.

There were no major surprises among the cuts made by the Steelers, who open the regular season next Sunday against the visiting Houston Texans.

They waived safety Grant Mason, who played five games for the Steelers in 2007, defensive tackle Scott Paxson, guard Matt Lentz, offensive tackle Jeremy Parquet, tight end Lee Vickers and running back Justin Vincent.

Also cut were undrafted rookie free agents such as linebacker Patrick Bailey, guard Doug Legursky, cornerback Roy Lewis, defensive end Jordan Reffett, wide receiver Micah Rucker, tight end Dezmond Sherrod and cornerback Travis Williams.

One undrafted rookie, outside linebacker Donovan Woods, made the team.

The Steelers will sign eight players to the practice squad today.

The most significant move made yesterday involved the 33-year-old Batch, who has been one of the top backup quarterbacks in the NFL and one of the most respected players in the Steelers locker room.

Batch, whose contract expires at the end of this season, had said at the end of training camp that he preferred not to go on injured reserve. But the play of Byron Leftwich and rookie fifth-round draft pick Dennis Dixon apparently gave the Steelers little choice.

Leftwich, a veteran who has started in the NFL, will serve as Ben Roethlisberger's backup. Dixon, meanwhile, showed enough promise that the Steelers decided they could not risk waiving him and then signing him to the practice squad.



Reid led the Steelers in receptions (nine) during the preseason, but he averaged just nine yards a catch and didn't figure into the team's plans as a return man.

Neither did Drummond, who made the Pro Bowl as a return specialist in 2004.

The Steelers apparently will go with Mewelde Moore and rookie first-round pick Rashard Mendenhall on kickoff returns and Moore as well as Santonio Holmes on punt returns.

By cutting Vickers and Sherrod, the Steelers have only two tight ends (Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth) on their roster. Offensive tackle Max Starks, however, has experience playing tight end in short-yardage situations.


Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.
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[trenches Profile]

I guess I'll give Moore a fair shake... in 2006 he was ranked 11th overall in punt return average (10.1 yd/r) behind Holmes (10.2 yd/r). He has 2 career PR TD's in 74 career attempts while Holmes has 1 TD in 26 attempts.

Compare that to Randle El -- 5 TD's in 241 career attempts with an 8.9 yd/r average. His best year was in 2003 where he scored 2 TD's and averaged 12.0 yd/r with 45 touches.

[Iron Gut Profile]

With respect to our return men, none of them showed anything during the preseason. That said, it was a problem in the past where our return men made actually catching the ball a heart stopping experience for everyone watching the game. If Moore and Mendenhall can cleany field the ball, then I say we are atleast a slight bit better than we have been the last couple seasons. I would like to see Moore live up to his past performance but this is also a function of the other 10 men on the field as well. The return team got to give these guys a fair chance to actually run with the ball a step or two. From what I've seen, the returns have not been well executed by the blockers.

[Hi5Steeler Profile]

DAMN STRAIGHT iron gut....it was a heart stopping experience watching both our kr guys and pr guys and all special teams.....


I think we will be solid in this respect now...and solid.....would have gotten many of our previous teams to the superbowl....

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

Okay Hi5... I have to call you out as a slacker here, sir.

This thing is titled "Mewelde,Rashard KR duties. Mewelde,Santonio PR duties". I read aaaaall of that and FINALLY came across "The Steelers apparently will go with Mewelde Moore and rookie first-round pick Rashard Mendenhall on kickoff returns and Moore as well as Santonio Holmes on punt returns." in the third-to-last sentence.

Kidding aside...

I guess I'll give Moore a fair shake... in 2006 he was ranked 11th overall in punt return average (10.1 yd/r) behind Holmes (10.2 yd/r). He has 2 career PR TD's in 74 career attempts

I'm with you on Moore sir. When he was brought in, two things were emphasized about him right off the bat :

1.) He'll be a serviceable third-down back.
2.) He's a consistent KR/PR.

I have faith that Tomlin and company know what they're doing having him being back there.

With respect to our return men, none of them showed anything during the preseason.

Everytime I talk to a Steelers fan about this (usually the same person) we always go back to playing the "What if" game with Jeremy Bloom. It's a shame he was bombarded with nothing but fair catch scenarios. I was at least glad to see he didn't try to catch the ball and make something out of nothing... Which leads me to my next agreeance:

That said, it was a problem in the past where our return men made actually catching the ball a heart stopping experience for everyone watching the game.

As a Stillers fan, nothing more needs to be said than "I whole-heartedly agree". Santonio's rookie season coupled with Chokelough... Even Randle El on occassion... My goodness gracious!
them us

I got to the point of thinking, "Ike Taylor works just FIIIINE for me on Madden, jack-asses! It's time for a friggin' change!!!"

I am pretty confident going into this season that we are not going to have to think about Moore, Mendenhall, or Holmes (this time around) dropping many balls. (* Bonus - Is it surprising or maybe even CONCERNING to anyone that the first letter of their last names spell "HMM"? Things that MAKE you go, "Hmmmmm." ;^P I keed. I keed.)

From what I've seen, the returns have not been well executed by the blockers.

This is something that excites me about Mendenhall, as long as I can keep his latter pre-season performance aside in my head long enough to do so. He has some raw explosiveness that makes me think of Adrian Peterson and Marion Barber III. That coupled with his quickness and ability to see holes open and close while adjusting on the run... The blocking on the return may not be as much so relevant as in years past. Time will only tell with this kid. Just hold onto the ball or I'm-a start up the Taylor lobbying. I keed. I keed again. (I'm sure the ladies will like his fumblin' gun-blins anyway even if it persists.)

DAMN STRAIGHT iron gut....it was a heart stopping experience watching both our kr guys and pr guys and all special teams.....

I think we will be solid in this respect now...and solid.....would have gotten many of our previous teams to the superbowl....

I started watching the Steelers quasi-religiously with my pops when I was 9 back in '89. Since then, I can think of 3 other Super Bowls that might/could have been if our special teams had:

1.) better coverage [way too many times in key games was field position surrendered due to ST]
2.) better returns [are we starting to see how IMPORTANT special teams is here, people!?!?!]
3.) better hands [see aforementioned suckage earlier in this post]

So in the spirit of "Mewelde,Rashard KR duties. Mewelde,Santonio PR duties", I will say that I'm excited about this decision and feel like it's going to add an extra element (bolster, if you will) our 'return game'.

Change of subject... What's with this Mitch Berger dude any-how? I mean... So Ernster shanked a punt or two I didn't see... Looks like Berger's kinda been out of work for the past couple years with an extreme drop in his average. What'd he look like in the pre-season? I don't remember paying him much attention but remember him being brought in when Sepulveda went down)

Ah well.

Here's to football!

[Y-Town Steel Profile]

I see Tomlin putting Mewelde back there for most punt returns. It's a role he's played in the past for the Dykings and did a fine job. Like everyone else already pointed out, just hold onto the effin ball.

When we need a big play on PR I see Homes getting the return duties. He's not a rook anymore, and don't forget he arguably did just as good if not better than Teddy Ginn when they shared duties at OSU. Best case scenario -- Steve Smith

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

I see Homes getting the return duties. He's not a rook anymore

I am willing to bet that it was the nerves of a 'rook' on the big stage that caused his not-so-sure handedness. Now, it shouldn't at all be an issue.

I'm just one of those chicken-littles that will either turn away or bite my nails the first 3-5 touches Santonio gets in return duties before being able to rest at-ease.

Realistically thinking... They're going to be juuuust fiiiiiine.

Here's to football!

[Hi5Steeler Profile]

quick take on berger ernster battle.

last game was the final contest of the two. first kick and berger hits 48 yds. ernster 24 out of bounds. horrific play and in a season game that could COST us the game.

second shot berger 42 yds? and ernster blew it again. two times in a row ernster made a mistake. you kickers and punters have to MOST especially be one thing. Consistant. you cant hand away freely half a field or more to the opposition.

Ernster is dangerous....berger may be old but he at least wont screw the pooch. hes the old cat that can still catch rats in the barn ....

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

That's a pretty fair assessment Hi5.

IIRC, Ernster was booming kicks throughout the pre-season up to that final game. I can certainly appreciate the consistency argument regarding the approach at special teams, ESPECIALLY when it can make or break a team in any given game.

I think everyone is entitled to a bad game, although if Berger has been proven more consistent, so be it. I can dig it.

I guess I really haven't paid TOO much attention to the punting as I'm still not over Sepulveda going down. He's from right up the road here and, being as he's from Texas, I was a D.S. homer immediately by default.

<sarcasm>
On a related note, I do miss chanting "Turkey Lurkey Loo. Turkey Lurkey Larkey... My favorite punter is Chris Gardocki."

Oh yeah... Berger's been blocked not once, or twice, but THRICE in his career. We all know how important 'never had a punt blocked' is regarding today's commentary world.
</sarcasm>

Here's to football!

[Nel Profile]

I have a feeling that Tomlin told the two punters that the decision on which one would make the team would derive from their performance in exhibition game 4 (it seemed to me to be that close up until then).

That would have put real pressure on them, and obviously Ernster choked.

Berger is steadier under pressure and that's the first thing you want in a punter.

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

That assumption makes plenty of sense to me, Nel.

I can dig it.