Let's put all the individual player pimping aside for a minute and try to take a position by position look at exactly how crucial the need for top talent infusion is at each position.
The Overall Need is on a 10 point scale and represents how essential I feel it is to pick a player at this position in one of the first 2 rounds this year.
CB (Under contract through) Age
Ike Taylor (2010) 29
Willie Gay (2010) 25
Joe Burnett (2011) 23
Keenan Lewis (2011) 23
Anthony Madison (2010) 28
Trai Williams (2010) 25
Age certainly isn't an issue here, but quality and contract length sure are. Ike Taylor is a very capable starter, but is only under contract one more year and is as far from a playmaker as you'll ever see a CB be. Beyond him, well...who knows. Willie Gay was a 5th round pick...should he really be counted on to be a starter? No. Same goes for Burnett. Keenan Lewis is the best bet to be the starter, but no one really knows how his development is going except for the coaches. Someone needs to be drafted very early and that player needs to see significant time and be ready to go if Ike Taylor moves on after his contract is up.
Overall Need - 10
FS
Ryan Clark (2013) 30
Will Allen (2012) 27
Ryan Mundy (2010) 25
This position is pretty set. Clark will be the starter for the next three years and Allen should be a solid insurance policy. Hopefully it was just Clark trying to make up for having Ty Carter next to him instead of Troy that made him look bad last year.
Overall Need - 4
SS
Troy Polamalu (2011) 28
Tuff Harris (2010) 27
Troy is the best in the game, and Harris is probably of no use. I'd figure Allen would be the first in at both FS and SS if anyone goes down this year. A good backup SS is needed, but you don't draft backups in rounds 1 and 2. Troy only has 2 years left on his contract but I expect him to be the absolute priority when his time comes for another contract and he will get one. I also don't think it's right to spend a high draft pick as an insurance policy against injury - that's why you have guys like Will Allen around to fill in as needed.
Overall Need - 2
How would you all rate the need at these positions as far as picking them in the first two rounds this year?
[url="http://www.steelers.com/team/roster.html"]http://www.steelers.com/team/roster.html[/url]
[url="http://www.steelersdepot.com/2009/12/20"]http://www.steelersdepot.com/2009/12/20[/url] ... -contract/
Bookmarks