Final Cut

[SteelCrazy]

According to Mook Williams, agent of OLB/DE Adrian Robinson, his client has made the 53.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I thought Robinson earned it. Also among the UDFA's, I think Drew Butler earned it, Robert Golden earned it, and possibly even Ryan Lee to fill in the spot that was opened when DeCastro was injured.

[aggiebones]

I see a final safe, but not a final cut list.
Have they released it? We can't keep all those camp favorites, Ruthless. Too many UDFAs that look good against backups.

[steelfin]

It was posted on Steelers.com about 15 minutes ago...

The Steelers have placed rookie linebacker Sean Spence on their Reserve/Injured List and released 21 others, reducing their roster to the league-mandated 53 players, the team announced today.
Spence suffered a left knee injury in the Steelers’ preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers and will miss the 2012 season.
Two veterans that have spent time with the Steelers who were released today are offensive lineman Trai Essex and punter Jeremy Kapinos (Waived/Injured List). Essex has played in 76 career games for Pittsburgh (28 starts) while Kapinos has been the team’s punter for most of the past two seasons.
The other 19 players released include defensive backs Damon Cromartie-Smith, Terrence Frederick and Josh Victorian, linebackers Brandon Hicks and Marshall McFadden, defensive linemen Corbin Bryant, Igbinosun Ikponmwosa and Jake Stoller, quarterback Jerrod Johnson, running back DuJuan Harris, wide receivers Tyler Beiler, Toney Clemons, David Gilreath, Marquis Maze and Derrick Williams, and offensive linemen Ryan Lee, John Malecki and Chris Scott.

[flippy]

It was posted on Steelers.com about 15 minutes ago...

The Steelers have placed rookie linebacker Sean Spence on their Reserve/Injured List and released 21 others, reducing their roster to the league-mandated 53 players, the team announced today.
Spence suffered a left knee injury in the Steelers’ preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers and will miss the 2012 season.
Two veterans that have spent time with the Steelers who were released today are offensive lineman Trai Essex and punter Jeremy Kapinos (Waived/Injured List). Essex has played in 76 career games for Pittsburgh (28 starts) while Kapinos has been the team’s punter for most of the past two seasons.
The other 19 players released include defensive backs Damon Cromartie-Smith, Terrence Frederick and Josh Victorian, linebackers Brandon Hicks and Marshall McFadden, defensive linemen Corbin Bryant, Igbinosun Ikponmwosa and Jake Stoller, quarterback Jerrod Johnson, running back DuJuan Harris, wide receivers Tyler Beiler, Toney Clemons, David Gilreath, Marquis Maze and Derrick Williams, and offensive linemen Ryan Lee, John Malecki and Chris Scott.

I'm surprised and glad they let Essex go. He deserved it.

I'm also surprised they kept both Lefty and Batch.

I'm still surprised we're still stuck with Sushi.

And I feel bad for Lee and Victorian who played well enough to deserve a spot.

I'm also a little surprised by Gilreath although I don't think he's that good and wasn't worthy of a spot.

[Slapstick]

It looks like the Steelers are keeping only 4 WRs...which makes complete sense to me at this point...

They will never use 5 WRs at the same time...not with Rainey and Miller on the roster...

Sign two young guys with upside (Clemons and Maze?) to the PS and let them develop for a year in order to compete for a roster spot next year...

Sign Johnson to the PS and let him develop as well...

Round out the PS with Frederick, Victorian, Bryant, Ikponmwosa and Ryan Lee...

[SteelCrazy]

According to Steelers.com this is the final roster, but there are 54 names. Who doesnt belong?

76 Adams, Mike OT 6-7 323 22 R Ohio State
28 Allen, Cortez CB 6-1 196 23 2 The Citadel
26 Allen, Will S 6-1 200 30 9 Ohio State
20 Batch, Baron RB 5-10 210 24 2 Texas Tech
16 Batch, Charlie QB 6-2 216 37 15 Eastern Michigan
68 Beachum, Kelvin OG 6-3 303 23 R SMU
84 Brown, Antonio WR 5-10 186 24 3 Central Michigan
31 Brown, Curtis DB 6-0 185 23 2 Texas
9 Butler, Drew P 6-1 204 23 R Georgia
54 Carter, Chris LB 6-1 248 23 2 Fresno State
25 Clark, Ryan FS 5-11 205 32 11 Louisiana State
74 Colon, Willie T 6-3 315 29 7 Hofstra
89 Cotchery, Jerricho WR 6-1 200 30 9 North Carolina State
66 DeCastro, David OG 6-5 316 22 R Stanford
27 Dwyer, Jonathan RB 5-11 229 23 3 Georgia Tech
50 Foote, Larry LB 6-1 239 32 11 Michigan
73 Foster, Ramon G 6-6 325 26 4 Tennessee
77 Gilbert, Marcus T 6-6 330 24 2 Florida
30 Golden, Robert S 5-11 202 21 R Arizona
98 Hampton, Casey NT 6-1 325 34 12 Texas
92 Harrison, James OLB 6-0 242 34 9 Kent State
97 Heyward, Cameron DE 6-5 288 23 2 Ohio State
96 Hood, Ziggy DE 6-3 300 25 4 Missouri
48 Johnson, Brandon LB 6-5 245 29 6 Louisville
46 Johnson, Will FB 6-2 238 22 1 West Virginia
99 Keisel, Brett DE 6-5 285 33 11 Brigham Young
4 Leftwich, Byron QB 6-5 250 32 10 Marshall
64 Legursky, Doug G 6-1 315 26 4 Marshall
23 Lewis, Keenan CB 6-0 208 26 4 Oregon State
90 McLendon, Steve DT 6-4 280 26 3 Troy
34 Mendenhall, Rashard RB 5-10 225 25 5 Illinois
83 Miller, Heath TE 6-5 256 29 8 Virginia
29 Mundy, Ryan FS 6-1 209 27 4 West Virginia
48 Paulson, David TE 6-4 246 23 R Oregon
43 Polamalu, Troy SS 5-10 207 31 10 USC
45 Pope, Leonard TE 6-8 264 28 7 Georgia
53 Pouncey, Maurkice C/G 6-4 304 23 3 Florida
22 Rainey, Chris RB 5-9 180 24 R Florida
33 Redman, Isaac RB 6-0 230 27 3 Bowie State
46 Robinson, Adrian LB 6-1 250 22 R Temple
7 Roethlisberger, Ben QB 6-5 241 30 9 Miami (Ohio)
88 Sanders, Emmanuel WR 5-11 180 25 3 SMU
82 Saunders, Weslye TE 6-5 270 23 2 South Carolina
78 Starks, Max T 6-8 345 30 8 Florida
6 Suisham, Shaun K 6-0 200 30 8 Bowling Green State
55 Sylvester, Stevenson ILB 6-2 231 24 3 Utah
95 Ta'amu, Alameda NT 6-3 348 22 R Washington
24 Taylor, Ike CB 6-2 195 32 10 Louisiana-Lafayette
94 Timmons, Lawrence LB 6-1 234 26 6 Florida State
17 Wallace, Mike WR 6-0 199 26 4 Mississippi
60 Warren, Greg LS 6-3 252 30 8 North Carolina
56 Woodley, LaMarr OLB 6-2 265 27 6 Michigan
65 Woods, Al DE 6-4 307 25 3 Louisiana State
93 Worilds, Jason

[pittpete]

. Even harder to comprehend: Instead, the Steelers kept 7th-round C-OG Kelvin Beachum (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1273549/kelvin-beachum), noticeable only for resembling departed OG Chris Kemoeatu (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/414430/chris-kemoeatu) in his proclivity to attract penalty flags

[DukieBoy]

Ryan Lee will play somewhere in this league. I thought he showed nasty and hustle play to the whistle, and was superior to Beachum.

[DukieBoy]

Think Pope will last until Saunders clears his suspension, then be waived ???

BTW, Saunders may be the 54th on that list above.

[Slapstick]

According to Steelers.com this is the final roster, but there are 54 names. Who doesnt belong?

82 Saunders, Weslye TE 6-5 270 23 2 South Carolina


Roster exemption for the first 4 weeks...

[squidkid]

chuck batch out, johnson in
beachum out, ryan lee in

[BigRob]

I'm surprised and glad they let Essex go. He deserved it.



Won't last long, being reported that Essex will be back once Decastro is placed on the IR on Tuesday.

[Steel Life]

Or how about Paulson? Does he only stick around until Saunders comes back? I hope that Lee & Victorian make it to the PS.

[hawaiiansteel]

Or how about Paulson? Does he only stick around until Saunders comes back? I hope that Lee & Victorian make it to the PS.

either Paulson or Pope will be released when Saunders is activated after the first 4 games.

both Lee & Victorian will make it to the PS...

[Djfan]

I hope that Johnson to the PS trick works.

[papillon]

I hope that Johnson to the PS trick works.

Not happening IMO, he's almost as good as a couple of potential starters, he won't stay on our PS very long, especially in a league where QBs are valuable and get injured regularly. They should have cut Batch (no one is going to sign him) and kept Johnson. Then in a pinch if they don't think Johnson is ready, simply pick up the phone call Charlie and he's at the stadium 15 minutes later.

Pappy

[ikestops85]

Letting JJ go and keeping Batch is the one move I really dislike. Now, the one move I want them to make is sign Forbath and cut Sushi.

[Oviedo]

Letting JJ go and keeping Batch is the one move I really dislike. Now, the one move I want them to make is sign Forbath and cut Sushi.

Yes to this!!!!!

[phillyesq]

Not happening IMO, he's almost as good as a couple of potential starters, he won't stay on our PS very long, especially in a league where QBs are valuable and get injured regularly. They should have cut Batch (no one is going to sign him) and kept Johnson. Then in a pinch if they don't think Johnson is ready, simply pick up the phone call Charlie and he's at the stadium 15 minutes later.

Pappy

I doubt that JJ is signed to the practice squad or by another team. Guys like Mike Kafka have been released as well and, while young, are more polished and more ready than JJ.

[NorthCoast]

I'm surprised and glad they let Essex go. He deserved it.

I'm also surprised they kept both Lefty and Batch.

I'm still surprised we're still stuck with Sushi.

And I feel bad for Lee and Victorian who played well enough to deserve a spot.

I'm also a little surprised by Gilreath although I don't think he's that good and wasn't worthy of a spot.

Shouldn't be a total surprise about Sushi. His contract is guaranteed so there was little chance the Steelers would cut him, .... unless he totally lost it.

[NorthCoast]

It looks like the Steelers are keeping only 4 WRs...which makes complete sense to me at this point...

They will never use 5 WRs at the same time...not with Rainey and Miller on the roster...

Sign two young guys with upside (Clemons and Maze?) to the PS and let them develop for a year in order to compete for a roster spot next year...

Sign Johnson to the PS and let him develop as well...

Round out the PS with Frederick, Victorian, Bryant, Ikponmwosa and Ryan Lee...

Looking at Haley's offense with KC last season, RBs were targeted as receivers about 10% of the time, which is about the amount you might expect with a 4th or 5th WR.

[NJ-STEELER]

I doubt that JJ is signed to the practice squad or by another team. Guys like Mike Kafka have been released as well and, while young, are more polished and more ready than JJ.............

$$

[lloydroid]

Does Curtis Brown deserve to make this team? Every time I looked up he was getting fried deep. Put that guy on the field and who ever he is covering should run a fly route and toast him.

[NJ-STEELER]

I'd say his play last year saved a spot on the roster this year

But. Ur right. He needs to improve from his rough preseason

[Slapstick]

Does Curtis Brown deserve to make this team? Every time I looked up he was getting fried deep. Put that guy on the field and who ever he is covering should run a fly route and toast him.

Brown is worth it for special teams (fumble recovery the other night, for example) and can improve in coverage...

[Steelerphile]

Brown is worth it for special teams (fumble recovery the other night, for example) and can improve in coverage...

No way would I cut Curtis Brown. He is one the most athletic DBs on the roster. He has good size and excellent athletic ability. He was an awesome ST player last year. A few blown coverages in the preseason shouldn't make them give up on him.

[hawaiiansteel]

Ed: Cutting Wasn't the Problem, Stopping Was

MONDAY, 03 SEPTEMBER 2012 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

Good morning,

I love the smell of the start of the regular season in the morning.

The clock keeps ticking on contract negotiations between the Steelers and Mike Wallace. As I’ve written here since the spring, I think he will play this season at $2.7 million and sign elsewhere in 2013. That’s life, as Antonio Brown might say. It also would continue their streak of never having two highly paid wide receivers, at least not on my watch (I have no idea what Swann and Stallworth were paid).

Next year, they will just have to dig deep into the draft and pluck one out on the third or sixth round.

Some stuff and your questions (remember to send me questions at platefloor@aol.com ):

--- Nice touch by Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert to visit the high school game of Bill Stewart’s son, as reported in the PG by Jenn Menendez. They had Friday night off and spent it in Morgantown as a tribute to the late WVU coach, who died suddenly in May.

--- After all was said (and repeated) and done, none of the Steelers’ cuts was a real surprise unless they don’t bring Trai Essex back. Really, who did they waive that surprised you? Chris Scott? Marshall McFadden, giving them no McFaddens on the team this year? Jeremy Kapinos? Nope, not a one, not even Jerrod Johnson. As Chuck Noll might say (I love quoting the old coach, who should have a book The Sayings of Chairman Charles): “Cutting isn’t the problem, stopping is.’’ And that was back in the day of 47-man rosters, not 53 plus eight.

--- YOU: Will/Can Al Woods play DE and NT? Also, Do you watch/like Hard Knocks?
ME: I haven’t seen Woods play nose tackle, and they have three of those on the roster anyway. As for Hard Knocks, no I do not. Unless the Steelers do it, which they never will, I’m not interested. I do watch Newsroom and Boardwalk Empire on the same channel, though. And, of course, I make the occasional appearance on Auction Kings.

--- YOU: Do you think Dwyer has a chance to get 20-25 carries week one, establish himself as a workhorse back, and hold on to the job for the entire season?
ME: I don’t think any one back will carry that often because I think they will split up the carries. However, if one back is more effective than another, they will learn more toward him. That could be Jonathan Dwyer, it could be Isaac Redman, it could be Rashard Mendenhall when he returns. One thing about this offensive coordinator, he’s not going to have favorites, he’s going to go with what works best.

--- YOU: Just a Steelers fan from NJ wondering two things;
1.) What are our chances of seeing Rashard Mendenhall this season?
2.) Do you have a Twitter? So I can follow the teams news a little more closely.
ME: Yes, I believe Mendenhall could appear in October, although he may not be the same Mendenhall we’ve seen in the past because of the surgery to his knee. My Twitter is @EdBouchette.

--- YOU: I know there aren’t enough practice snaps to go around to typically warrant keeping a 4th QB on the practice squad, but Johnson seemed to show more promise than any of the young QBs the Steelers have taken from Tee Martin to Dennis Dixon. Johnson seemed to have the size, skills and pedigree (he was slated to start ahead of Ryan Tannehill before getting injured), to eventually be a quality No. 2, at least. Am I putting too much stock in his preseason performance? It seems the Steelers should have tried to find a way to keep him. Batch will be 38 in December and is the 3rd string QB. Was it really worth keeping him, especially considering no other team was likely to sign him? He lives in Pittsburgh and is always a phone call away. Why not either go with 2 QBs (Ben and Byron) and sign Jerrod Johnson to the practice squad as the scout team QB, or simply put Johnson on the 53 man roster. If either Ben or Byron get injured, you can call Charlie and re-sign him. It will be interesting to see if Batch is even active on game day. If not, keeping him makes even less sense.
ME: I liked Johnson as well, but the Steelers coaches must not have thought as highly of him or they would have found a way to keep him. You don’t cut good, young quarterbacks, so they must not have seen his future as brightly. Dennis Dixon once was thought of highly too, but they did not re-sign him and he is now on Baltimore’s practice squad, although I do not know how he’s still eligible for that. Charlie Batch brings more to the table than just a third-string quarterback. He’s been there, won that, and he’s also a valuable asset to Ben Roethlisberger.

--- YOU: When they put D.DeCastro on IR, for the 53rd man, U'r saying T.Essex. I'm thinking more a CB or WR, only b/cuz the CB/WR could/can play on STs. W/ C.Rainey being quote a 5th WR, I'm thinking a 5th CB is more important, ecsp. w/ C.Brown dinged.
ME: Its jst my opnion that the Stlrs will put Trai E. on 53 bec they have jst 8 Olmen.

--- YOU: When's Mendenhall's current contract up? Given all the young depth
behind him, and his having had a second, serious injury, I could
imagine things eventually becoming interesting. I do not envy NFL
running backs.
ME: This is the final year of his contract. I don’t know what you mean by interesting, but if you mean there’s a chance he won’t be here in 2013, I agree.

--- YOU: Diccicco was cut by the Bears--will the Steelers take a look at him, at least for special teams--of course Buffalo might come into play here. =
ME: They pour over all the cuts, sometimes they bring them in for workouts and once in a great while they will sign one. I would not expect that to be the case here.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/117872-ed-cutting-wasnt-the-problem-stopping-was