Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

Cut ARE, he brings nothing to the table IMHO.
8 receptions on the year..

I hope I have to eat my words, but I doubt it

Mike Wallace has 14 catches and Heath Miller has 15. Numbers tend to drop a bit when you have to play your #3 and #4 QB's in the first 4 games.

I'd much rather drop our #5 WR Battle than our #3 WR Randle El. Arnaz was brought in for special teams, but I don't think he is even a top 5 special teams coverage guy on our team right now (we've got Fox, Madison, Allen, Sylvester, Worilds, etc. who have had more of an impact on coverage teams than Battle).

[Steelerphile]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

They should really face reality and IR Aaron Smith. He had all off-season to heal from the surgery last year and in the 6th game he reinjures himself. Now he'll have a couple months to heal, and I don't think he will be healed by then and that if he tried to play he would be limited or reinjure himself again.

Rod Woodson was a young player when he had his knee injury. Smith is in the twilight of his career. Big difference. No way would I cut Tony Hills. My most likely candidates would be Batch or Madison.

[buckeyehoppy]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

The truth of the matter is that when you can only have 45 active for any game, having a ST guy is a luxury unless they are off-the-charts good in the ST role.

Face it... is Arnaz Battle really all that and a bagga chips? He's a luxury that I'd prefer not cost the job of someone like Hills or Gibson or Butler or anyone we've drafted or invested a truckload of time in.

If Smitty really can be good to go, I'd say Battle would be the one shown the door.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

Tomlin’s Decision Not to IR Aaron Smith Right Now Is Unorthodox But Makes Sense

Posted on October 27, 2010 by ted


Head coach Mike Tomlin surprised fans of Steeler Nation and its press corps at his Tuesday press conference by announcing the team had no immediate plans to place veteran defensive end Aaron Smith on the season-ending injured reserve list despite Smith undergoing surgery on Monday for a torn triceps tendon suffered in Sunday’s win at Miami.

Typically, a 34-year-old, 3-4 defensive lineman who suffers a torn triceps in the sixth game of the season is automatically placed on IR to open up a spot on the 53-man roster for someone else. This is why the well-respected and connected Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, along with most other local and national media outlets, all reported that Smith was likely gone for the season on Sunday evening or Monday.

However, I see Tomlin’s logic. In a best-case scenario, Smith is back on the field toward the end of the regular season. He sees some spot duty and then arguably the best 3-4 end in the NFL is back in the starting lineup for the Steelers’ defense in the postseason, where he would provide a huge boost even he is not at full health.

Moreover, my guess is Smith told Tomlin that he would do everything in his power to play again this season, knowing this may be his best and last chance at winning a third Super Bowl ring.

If Smith is not progressing at a rate that would put him back on the field this season, he can be placed on IR at any time, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster.

The problem is that now Pittsburgh only has five other defensive linemen on its current roster, which includes the team’s other starting end, Brett Keisel, who missed Sunday’s game against Miami with an injured hamstring and is questionable for this week’s showdown at defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans.

The finesse Saints are the type of team Pittsburgh could dress just five defensive linemen to face, but can they do so if one is questionable entering the game?

Even if they do not re-sign Steve McLendon from the practice squad to the regular-season roster this week, Pittsburgh will likely have to do so in the next couple of weeks just to have a two-deep active depth chart on the defensive line, something even more a necessity since four of the five remaining defensive linemen on the roster are over 30.

However, the expected addition of McLendon would mean that three of the Steelers’ six defensive linemen (Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke and McLendon) will have seen all or nearly all of their NFL career snaps at nose tackle, although Hoke and McLendon will likely get many reps at defensive end over the rest of the season.

Assuming Smith is not placed on IR, I see the Steelers only with two real roster options to create a spot for McLendon. Completely discard those who mention releasing QB Byron Leftwich or WR Arnaz Battle as real possibilities.

Leftwich may still be No. 3 on the Steelers’ depth chart at QB (we do not know), but the organization believes he is their long-term answer as Ben Roethlisberger’s top reserve, a position Leftwich occupied on the 2008 Super Bowl championship squad after spending most of his career as a starter with the Jaguars.

Plus, release Leftwich now with the hope of signing him later, and he may well be starting for Arizona next week. He is certainly better than either of the Cardinals’ current options at QB.

Battle and S Will Allen were signed to upgrade the Steelers’ special teams units, which were among the worst in NFL history last season at covering kicks. Even though Battle is the team’s No. 5 WR and Allen the No. 4 safety, both have been standouts on Pittsburgh’s vastly improved special teams units, with Battle on three different units and Allen on four. Battle is too valuable to this team to release.

That leaves just two more options. As usual, the Steelers could release veteran QB Charlie Batch to make room for McLendon. However, the problem is that this would not be just releasing Batch a week or two, but rather possibly until very late in the season. Didn’t Batch earn a spot on the 53-man roster due to his on-field performance while Roethlisberger was suspended?

Moreover, Batch may still be the Steelers’ No. 2 QB right now (the team will not list an official, updated depth chart at QB) and provides a steady, cerebral sideline influence for Roethlisberger. Batch, like Battle, may be too valuable to release, although he is still a high probability to be released if someone must go.

A better option would be releasing fourth-team, rookie tailback Jonathan Dwyer, who is essentially redshirting this season. (Dwyer, along with Leftwich and rookie defensive back Crezdon Butler are the only three Steelers not to have seen game action this fall.)

Dwyer was a late sixth-round pick who made the team due to strong performance toward the end of preseason after disappointing by showing up to Latrobe out of shape and not playing well early in training camp. He is raw, and does not catch or block very well at this point despite having played fullback in a triple option at offense at Georgia Tech.

Release Dwyer and there is a strong bet the Steelers can re-sign him to the practice squad for the rest of the year and then sign him back to the roster afterward.

In addition, Dwyer was kept on the roster for his potential to develop into a power back, although 230-pound tailbacks who run a 4.6 in the 40 are easily signed in pro football. In the time since Dwyer was kept on the roster, starting tailback Reshard Mendenhall has emerged as a durable and complete franchise tailback, while No. 2 RB Isaac Redman has emerged as the goal-line, short-yardage, power back and situational fullback. All were running back duties that many projected for Dwyer before the season.

I see a spot for another tailback in the rotation for 2011 after no effort is made to re-sign current No. 3 man Mewelde Moree. But that player will be one with more speed and/or shiftiness, and better receiving skills than Dwyer.

Considering their age throughout the roster, the Steelers should be thinking Super Bowl for 2011 and they appear to be doing so with the decision not to place Smith on IR at this point.

The Steelers, however, need to add an extra defensive linemen to the roster ASAP if Smith is not going to be placed on IR any time soon, must keep Batch on the 53-man roster, and should therefore release Dwyer, with hopes of resigning him to the practice squad.

[url="http://www.steelerslounge.com/2010/10/tomlins-decision-ir-aaron-smith-unorthodox-sense/"]http://www.steelerslounge.com/2010/10/t ... dox-sense/[/url]

[Oviedo]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

They should really face reality and IR Aaron Smith. He had all off-season to heal from the surgery last year and in the 6th game he reinjures himself. Now he'll have a couple months to heal, and I don't think he will be healed by then and that if he tried to play he would be limited or reinjure himself again.

Rod Woodson was a young player when he had his knee injury. Smith is in the twilight of his career. Big difference. No way would I cut Tony Hills. My most likely candidates would be Batch or Madison.

I have to agree that I would not play this game about waiting for Smith to heal. Even if he heals how much functional strength will he have in the surgically repaired arm? At best he'll come back and be playing with one and a half arms.

[phillyesq]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

They should really face reality and IR Aaron Smith. He had all off-season to heal from the surgery last year and in the 6th game he reinjures himself. Now he'll have a couple months to heal, and I don't think he will be healed by then and that if he tried to play he would be limited or reinjure himself again.

Rod Woodson was a young player when he had his knee injury. Smith is in the twilight of his career. Big difference. No way would I cut Tony Hills. My most likely candidates would be Batch or Madison.

I have to agree that I would not play this game about waiting for Smith to heal. Even if he heals how much functional strength will he have in the surgically repaired arm? At best he'll come back and be playing with one and a half arms.

Rather than play armchair physician, I'd defer to the team's doctors.

I'd also take Aaron Smith with one and a half arms over most 3-4 defensive ends, especially when the only cost is somebody who is one of the last few men on the roster. Aaron Smith can make a significant positive difference for this team; I don't think the same can be said for a lot of the guys that were discussed.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

I respectfully disagree with several points in this article.

- Keeping Batch through the first four weeks was the "reward" for him earning the spot. Beyond that we have to do what is best for the team as a whole. I don't keep him only because he earned a spot for 4 weeks.

- Battle is a fine ST player but hardly a standout. IMO we have many players who are playing well on ST and several of them (Worilds, Sanders/Brown, Sylvester, Allen) were not on last years awful unit so you can't point to Battle as the reason they are improved. And while we are at it, why the need to point out that Battle plays on three units? He nevers sees the field otherwise, I'd expect him to play on four units! Allen occasionally plays on D and plays four units of ST. If he played fewer than three ST units then his last name should either be Reed or Sepulveda.

- Between Lefty and Batch I don't care who is listed as number 2 and 3, if I had to choose one to lead the team into the playoffs there isn't even a seconds hesitation. If we need to rely on Batch as a long term answer then we may as well pack it in as fast as a Cowboys fan.

- While there may not be a lineup to snatch up Dwyer, I can see him being picked up off of our PS. A team like Denver who has had troubles at RB and watched Dwyer rip them in the pre season, a team like NE or Seattle who is one injury away from calling up Maurice Clarrett. If we remove Dwyer from the roster then he will not last. Not that I think that he is going to be a star, but I am not prepared to let him go for nothing at this point when there are other options.

- If Batch is no longer on the roster, is there a rule banning him from the sidelines? If not then he is able to fulfill his advisory function

[Oviedo]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

The truth of the matter is that when you can only have 45 active for any game, having a ST guy is a luxury unless they are off-the-charts good in the ST role.

Face it... is Arnaz Battle really all that and a bagga chips? He's a luxury that I'd prefer not cost the job of someone like Hills or Gibson or Butler or anyone we've drafted or invested a truckload of time in.

If Smitty really can be good to go, I'd say Battle would be the one shown the door.

I'd ask the same "bagga chips" question about Anthony Madison. If there are injuries among WRs Battle would actually play. If there are injuries among CBs do you think Madison would play? If so you haven't seen him play CB.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

They should really face reality and IR Aaron Smith. He had all off-season to heal from the surgery last year and in the 6th game he reinjures himself. Now he'll have a couple months to heal, and I don't think he will be healed by then and that if he tried to play he would be limited or reinjure himself again.

Rod Woodson was a young player when he had his knee injury. Smith is in the twilight of his career. Big difference. No way would I cut Tony Hills. My most likely candidates would be Batch or Madison.

Rod wasn't as old as Smith is when he came back from his injury, but he wasn't exactly all that young either. He was drafted in 1987, and SBXXX was on 1-28-96.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

I think the Packers could snap up Dwyer if we cut him (since Ryan Grant went down they realized that Brandon Jackson sucks, John Kuhn is a fullback, and James Starks will likely need more seasoning after missing all of training camp and the first 6 weeks of the season on the PUP list). They swiped Kuhn away from us once upon a time, and I could see them doing the same thing with Dwyer now that the trade deadline has passed and they don't have other options for obtaining another RB.

My vote is for Battle (a #5 WR who was brought in for special teams but has been underwhelming in that area so far...dumping Battle has the extra added benefit of allowing the team to dress both Sanders and Brown each week).

If they let Batch go, I wouldn't have a problem with it. As a vested veteran, he is guaranteed his entire yearly salary anyway, so that is his reward for his performance in Ben's stead earlier this season. If we needed to call him back if Ben or Byron was injured, he'd likely still be available.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

Ed: Doesn't Look Good for Keisel

THURSDAY, 28 OCTOBER 2010 15:50 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE


It looks as if we might see both Ziggy Hood AND Nick Eason start at defensive end against the Saints on Sunday. Brett Keisel did not practice again and, in fact, was gone from the building this afternoon, not even at practice. It does not look good that he will play on Sunday.

The good news is that laMarr Woodley went through a full practice and so did Flozell Adams.

The Steelers still have not made a move to replace Aaron Smith. That surely means that someone on the practice squad will be added to the 53-man roster, probably on Saturday, almost surely Steve McLendon But they have to release someone to make room on the roster for McLendon.

Who will that be? Charlie Batch. Nope. Anyone released from now until the end of the season, even a vested veteran, has to go through waivers. Previously, vested veterans such as Batch were released, period. If another team offered them a contract, they could decline.

But if Batch were released, another team could claim him and he would have no choice to either go with that team or retire. The Steelers, then, would be taking a chance by releasing Batch that they would lose him. They’ll have to take that chance with someone else instead.

[url="http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports-town/steelers/105992-ed-doesnt-look-good-for-keisel"]http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/inde ... for-keisel[/url]

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

Smith return contingent on Steelers staying healthy

October 28th, 2010


Aaron Smith was a welcome sight to his teammates and coaches Thursday at the Steelers’ practice facility.

They could have done without seeing the veteran defensive end’s left arm in a sling.

“He’s one tough son of a gun and he’ll get back quicker than most people would,” Steelers defensive coordinator D!ck LeBeau said.

The question is will Smith return in time to help the Steelers this season?

Smith and the Steelers actually got good news when it was discovered that he had only partially torn the tricep in his left arm.

And no one doubts that if anyone can make it back sooner rather than later from his third major injury in the last four years it is Smith, who is as tough as they come.

But there are other factors to consider when weighing the likelihood of Smith playing again this season.

Perhaps the most significant is the health of the rest of the Steelers on the 53-man roster.

If the Steelers experience a rash or noteworthy number of injuries in the coming weeks, they may not have the luxury of holding onto a roster spot for a player who may not suit up again this season.

“Hopefully things work out and we don’t have to put him on (injured reserve) due to other injuries,” Steelers inside linebacker and defensive co-captain James Farrior said. "We’re just hoping and praying that everything works out and we get him at the end of the season.”

Said LeBeau, “It’s one of the downsides of this business, seeing people you love get injured but it happens to every team practically every week. Aaron will triumph it in the end.”

[url="http://blog.triblive.com/view-from-the-press-box/2010/10/28/smith-return-contingent-on-steelers-staying-healthy/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter"]http://blog.triblive.com/view-from-the- ... um=twitter[/url]

[frankthetank1]

Re: Tough roster decision looming for Steelers

they should cut battle. madison is a better ST player than battle is. the steelers also have sanders and brown who are already better than battle and ARE. it would be nice to have sanders and brown both active every game