Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

[MadSteel]

By James Walker

Remember Limas Sweed?

He was a former second-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers who joined the team in 2008 with high expectations. But for the past three seasons, Sweed has experienced disappointments and injuries, and now he's the forgotten man among Pittsburgh's wide receivers.

Sweed has gone from a high-profile draft pick to a player who enters training camp this summer on the roster bubble. At best, Sweed is currently sixth on the depth chart behind receivers Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown and Antwaan Randle El. Pittsburgh also could add more competition once free agency begins.

The numbers game could be too much for Sweed. He has the talent, size and speed to make plays. But early issues catching the ball and not making the most of opportunities have put Sweed on a very hot seat. He's also in the final year of his rookie contract, which makes it easier for Pittsburgh to cut ties.

Can Sweed help the Steelers in 2011? A lot would have to go right.

For starters, Sweed needs to light up the preseason to begin earning the trust of his coaches and teammates. Sweed also needs to prove he is recovered from last year's Achilles injury and may need an injury or two at receiver to provide another quality opportunity. But it is clear Sweed is down to his final chance in Pittsburgh.

[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/28263/can-limas-sweed-help-the-steelers"]http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_ ... e-steelers[/url]

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

I'm cheering for him...

[Oviedo]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

I'm really pulling for Sweed to succeed. He is exactly what we need oppostite Wallace a big target who has enough speed to get deep and draw some of the over the top coverage away from Wallace.

Hines, ARE, Sanders and Brown are essentially all the same WR...best suited for the slot. Sweed offers a completely different dimension if he can perform. I for one will continue to show some faith until it all plays out in camp.

[Notleadpoisoned]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

I'd love to see Sweed contribute this season as well, however, how many solid NFL WR's spent their first 3 seasons in the league doing absolutely nothing before breaking out in their 4th year? It can't be too many.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

God I hope so. If he becomes who they hope he was..You have to love the WR group for the next several years.

[aggiebones]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

He NEVER had great hands. He is big and has some speed. But he always had such great separation in college because Vince Young was terrorizing defenses at QB. I've said this many times and I watched him in college alot. He had alot of single coverage with teams fearing a running game. He then got hurt his senior year after Young left. So he was a bit of a question mark with teams. Big he was big and pretty fast. But as we know that measurement doesn't mean jack crap if you can't catch under duress. He was worth a flier in the second when we got him, but he has not panned out and he is NOT going to magically start catching the ball like a 5 year veteran(or whatever he is) should. Time to move on. Obviously throw him out there as camp fodder and see if magic strikes. But NOONE in their right mind would use a second rounder on him today. He's not even worth a 7th rounder if was 'hypothetically' to be placed in a Supplemental draft this year.

[feltdizz]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

He NEVER had great hands. He is big and has some speed. But he always had such great separation in college because Vince Young was terrorizing defenses at QB. I've said this many times and I watched him in college alot. He had alot of single coverage with teams fearing a running game. He then got hurt his senior year after Young left. So he was a bit of a question mark with teams. Big he was big and pretty fast. But as we know that measurement doesn't mean jack crap if you can't catch under duress. He was worth a flier in the second when we got him, but he has not panned out and he is NOT going to magically start catching the ball like a 5 year veteran(or whatever he is) should. Time to move on. Obviously throw him out there as camp fodder and see if magic strikes. But NOONE in their right mind would use a second rounder on him today. He's not even worth a 7th rounder if was 'hypothetically' to be placed in a Supplemental draft this year.

unfortunately I agree... I remember hearing the knock about the ball getting into his body and not using his hands.

When he caught that clutch 3rd down pass against the Ravens in the playoffs he damn near went into a fetal position to secure the ball.

Regardless of how great his camp is and his preseason once the lights are on I fear the worst. I wouldn't trust him on game day. Sucks because he has all the tools but lacks the mental fortitude to hold onto those easy balls.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

I'd love to see Sweed contribute this season as well, however, how many solid NFL WR's spent their first 3 seasons in the league doing absolutely nothing before breaking out in their 4th year? It can't be too many.

The only ones that I can think of off the top of my head is Jimmy Smith (the WR who played for the Jaguars, not the CB recently selected by the Ravens) and his teammate in Jacksonville, Keenan McCardell.

Jimmy Smith, like Limas Sweed, was also selected in the 2nd round. In his first two seasons with Dallas (1992-1993), he played in 7 games (0 starts) and had no catches. He was out of football in 1994. He signed with Jacksonville in 1995, playing in all 16 games (starting 4 of them) and had 22 catchers for 288 yards and 3 TD's. He then went on to have 1000+ yard seasons in 9 out of the next 10 years, finishing his career with 862 catches for 12,287 yards and 67 TD's.

McCardell did not play in any games for the Redskins during his rookie season. He played in 2 games (0 starts) in his second season (now with the Browns) and had 1 catch for 8 yards. In year 3, he played in 6 games (starting 3) and had 13 catches for 234 yards and 4 TD's. In year 4, he played in 13 games (starting 3) and had 10 catches for 182 yards and 0 TD's. Then he had 1000+ yards in 5 out of the next 9 season (and the seasons in which he did not have 1000+ yards were no slouches either: 56-709-4, 64-892-6, 78-891-5, and 61-670-6...plus one more solid season late in his career when he was in San Diego: 70-917-9 in 2005). He finished his career with 883 catches for 11,373 yards and 63 TD's.

Hopefully Limas Sweed doesn't get cut, go to Jacksonville, and flourish there like Smith and McCardell.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

Thigpen wasn't drafted as high (90 SD as to Sweed's 53) but his career started out like he was going nowhere. He made a living on ST after he came to Pittsburgh and eventually got his shot. Sweed hasn't done anything as of yet. I'm pulling for him but I don't include him in any scenario until he proves otherwise.

[Oviedo]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

I'd love to see Sweed contribute this season as well, however, how many solid NFL WR's spent their first 3 seasons in the league doing absolutely nothing before breaking out in their 4th year? It can't be too many.

The only ones that I can think of off the top of my head is Jimmy Smith (the WR who played for the Jaguars, not the CB recently selected by the Ravens) and his teammate in Jacksonville, Keenan McCardell.

Jimmy Smith, like Limas Sweed, was also selected in the 2nd round. In his first two seasons with Dallas (1992-1993), he played in 7 games (0 starts) and had no catches. He was out of football in 1994. He signed with Jacksonville in 1995, playing in all 16 games (starting 4 of them) and had 22 catchers for 288 yards and 3 TD's. He then went on to have 1000+ yard seasons in 9 out of the next 10 years, finishing his career with 862 catches for 12,287 yards and 67 TD's.

McCardell did not play in any games for the Redskins during his rookie season. He played in 2 games (0 starts) in his second season (now with the Browns) and had 1 catch for 8 yards. In year 3, he played in 6 games (starting 3) and had 13 catches for 234 yards and 4 TD's. In year 4, he played in 13 games (starting 3) and had 10 catches for 182 yards and 0 TD's. Then he had 1000+ yards in 5 out of the next 9 season (and the seasons in which he did not have 1000+ yards were no slouches either: 56-709-4, 64-892-6, 78-891-5, and 61-670-6...plus one more solid season late in his career when he was in San Diego: 70-917-9 in 2005). He finished his career with 883 catches for 11,373 yards and 63 TD's.

Hopefully Limas Sweed doesn't get cut, go to Jacksonville, and flourish there like Smith and McCardell.

Add Mike Williams from the Seahawks to that list too.

[papillon]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

[youtube:3by1lip1]S8UQ2cZuHxw[/youtube:3by1lip1]


I find it hard to believe that the guy who is making almost every catch in this video with his hands has a propensity to allow the ball to get into his body. Sweed either high points every catch, snatches the ball out of the air with his hands or one hands the catch and there's one all hands catch with the defender is interfering by hanging on him.

I don't know if he'll ever be anything in the NFL or not, but his hands won't be what holds him back, IMO. There are some sick catches in this video.

Pappy

[Ben210]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

and not making the most of opportunities

All 2 of them?

[jj28west]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

Ed Mccaffrey is another one that comes out of nowhere from San Fran to be productive in Denver. Wonder if he hung out with Romanowski because his arms looked ridiculously oversize for his body type.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

Several other good suggestions, fellas. The common thread, though, is that all of these guys...Smith, McCardell, Thigpen, Williams, and McCaffery...all had to go to another team to ultimately experience success.

[feltdizz]

Re: Can Limas Sweed help the Steelers?

[youtube:15vmyifd]S8UQ2cZuHxw[/youtube:15vmyifd]


I find it hard to believe that the guy who is making almost every catch in this video with his hands has a propensity to allow the ball to get into his body. Sweed either high points every catch, snatches the ball out of the air with his hands or one hands the catch and there's one all hands catch with the defender is interfering by hanging on him.

I don't know if he'll ever be anything in the NFL or not, but his hands won't be what holds him back, IMO. There are some sick catches in this video.

Pappy

Highlight films always show the good....


From NFL Combine report

Has had a history of concentration problems which prevents him from getting proper position to make the catch...Must do a better job of looking the ball in and securing it before trying to run with it (leads to dropped balls)...Has good leaping ability, but shows poor timing and arm extension trying to battle for jump balls (left 20 of 39 passes thrown to him behind in 2007)...