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Bires: Sour Batch for Charlie
By: Mike Bires
Beaver County Times
[url="http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sports_details/article/1424/2010/august/30/bires-sour-batch-for-charlie.html"]http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sport ... arlie.html[/url]
Monday August 30, 2010 11:50 PM
The Steelers’ coaches say they have some tough decisions to make when finalizing their opening day roster. But really, the cuts won’t be that difficult (Hint: Charlie Batch should be among them).
Certainly, trimming five players today for the first mandatory cut-down date will be a breeze.
And on Saturday when the roster must be reduced to 53, those cuts shouldn’t be that hard either.
Here’s Times football writer Mike Bires’ guess on what the roster will look like Sept. 12 when the Steelers open the season against the Atlanta Falcons.
QUARTERBACKS (3)
Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich, Dennis Dixon
Sorry, Charlie Batch. You may stick around while Roethglisberger sits out on suspension. But when he returns, the Steelers won’t need four QBs.
RUNNING BACKS (4)
Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Isaac Redman, Frank Summers
For the past two years, Redman has been a preseason sensation. He was cut last year, but this time he sticks. Rookie Jonathan Dwyer looked good in Denver, but it’s too little too late for the former Georgia Tech star who missed several camp practices due to injury.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Antwaan Randle El, Arnaz Battle, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders
With Brown and Sanders, a pair of rookies, flashing potential in the passing game and kick-return game, they’re keepers. That means Stefan Logan loses his job as the kick return specialist. Battle stays because he’s an experienced veteran who’s also solid on special teams.
TIGHT ENDS (3)
Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, David Johnson
Johnson holds off Sean McHugh, who missed last season with a knee injury after playing on the Super Bowl team two seasons ago.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9)
Max Starks, Flozell Adams, Chris Kemoeatu, Trai Essex, Maurkice Pouncey, Doug Legursky, Jonathan Scott, Ramon Foster, Tony Hills
There’s no sense keeping Justin Hartwig, the starting center the past two years. With Pouncey looking so good so fast, there’s no need to pay Hartwig $2.080 million to be a backup. Hills, who hasn’t played in his first two years with the Steelers, came on strong late in camp and saved his job.
DEFENSIVE LINE (7)
Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood, Chris Hoke, Nick Eason and Doug Worthington
In a toss-up decision, Worthington makes the roster instead of Ra’Shon “Sunny” Harris, who’s had a lackluster preseason.
LINEBACKERS (
James Harrison, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley, Larry Foote, Jason Worilds, Patrick Bailey, Keyaron Fox
OK, so there are some tough cuts here. But perhaps fourth-round pick Thaddeus Gibson and fifth-round pick Stevenson Sylvester can make the practice squad. I’d keep Bailey because he’s been a strong special teams player.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (10)
Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, McFadden, Keenan Lewis, Joe Burnett, Will Allen, Ryan Mundy, William Gay and Anthony Madison
Madison, a cornerback, will never play on defense. But he’s just so good on special teams. So, he stays.
SPECIALISTS (3)
Jeff Reed, Daniel Sepulveda, Matt Stewart
Why would the Steelers bring in Stewart so late in the preseason? It could only mean that Stewart, who was signed on Aug. 23, will replace Greg Warren as the long snapper.
By: Mike Bires
Beaver County Times
[url="http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sports_details/article/1424/2010/august/30/bires-sour-batch-for-charlie.html"]http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sport ... arlie.html[/url]
Monday August 30, 2010 11:50 PM
The Steelers’ coaches say they have some tough decisions to make when finalizing their opening day roster. But really, the cuts won’t be that difficult (Hint: Charlie Batch should be among them).
Certainly, trimming five players today for the first mandatory cut-down date will be a breeze.
And on Saturday when the roster must be reduced to 53, those cuts shouldn’t be that hard either.
Here’s Times football writer Mike Bires’ guess on what the roster will look like Sept. 12 when the Steelers open the season against the Atlanta Falcons.
QUARTERBACKS (3)
Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich, Dennis Dixon
Sorry, Charlie Batch. You may stick around while Roethglisberger sits out on suspension. But when he returns, the Steelers won’t need four QBs.
RUNNING BACKS (4)
Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Isaac Redman, Frank Summers
For the past two years, Redman has been a preseason sensation. He was cut last year, but this time he sticks. Rookie Jonathan Dwyer looked good in Denver, but it’s too little too late for the former Georgia Tech star who missed several camp practices due to injury.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Antwaan Randle El, Arnaz Battle, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders
With Brown and Sanders, a pair of rookies, flashing potential in the passing game and kick-return game, they’re keepers. That means Stefan Logan loses his job as the kick return specialist. Battle stays because he’s an experienced veteran who’s also solid on special teams.
TIGHT ENDS (3)
Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, David Johnson
Johnson holds off Sean McHugh, who missed last season with a knee injury after playing on the Super Bowl team two seasons ago.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9)
Max Starks, Flozell Adams, Chris Kemoeatu, Trai Essex, Maurkice Pouncey, Doug Legursky, Jonathan Scott, Ramon Foster, Tony Hills
There’s no sense keeping Justin Hartwig, the starting center the past two years. With Pouncey looking so good so fast, there’s no need to pay Hartwig $2.080 million to be a backup. Hills, who hasn’t played in his first two years with the Steelers, came on strong late in camp and saved his job.
DEFENSIVE LINE (7)
Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood, Chris Hoke, Nick Eason and Doug Worthington
In a toss-up decision, Worthington makes the roster instead of Ra’Shon “Sunny” Harris, who’s had a lackluster preseason.
LINEBACKERS (
James Harrison, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley, Larry Foote, Jason Worilds, Patrick Bailey, Keyaron Fox
OK, so there are some tough cuts here. But perhaps fourth-round pick Thaddeus Gibson and fifth-round pick Stevenson Sylvester can make the practice squad. I’d keep Bailey because he’s been a strong special teams player.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (10)
Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, McFadden, Keenan Lewis, Joe Burnett, Will Allen, Ryan Mundy, William Gay and Anthony Madison
Madison, a cornerback, will never play on defense. But he’s just so good on special teams. So, he stays.
SPECIALISTS (3)
Jeff Reed, Daniel Sepulveda, Matt Stewart
Why would the Steelers bring in Stewart so late in the preseason? It could only mean that Stewart, who was signed on Aug. 23, will replace Greg Warren as the long snapper.
I'm totally with you on this! Those guys ain't goin nowhere. Bailey is one on his way out. Bailey was lackluster last season and has not stood out so far this pre-season. IMO he was a one season wonder.
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