Depth on the O Line - can anyone summarize where we are so far?

[Oviedo]

Hopefully Adams recovers quickly and completely - first as a person, and second as a player.

There are still plenty of options available if the Steelers want to add another veteran. The Whimper signing still makes little sense. Of the available FA tackles, he seems to be the worst, and with Adams and Gilbert, it's all but guaranteed that the third tackle will play this year.

Whimper was probably the most affordable of who they were talking to. When you have no money you have to shop at Goodwill.

[SteelerMaine83]

I think they have seen enough to know that Foster can't play in space unless it is a complete emergency situation.

I think you hit it on the head, Ovi. I like Foster's effort but he is ugly in space. Only as a last option.

[NorthCoast]

Hopefully Adams recovers quickly and completely - first as a person, and second as a player.

There are still plenty of options available if the Steelers want to add another veteran. The Whimper signing still makes little sense. Of the available FA tackles, he seems to be the worst, and with Adams and Gilbert, it's all but guaranteed that the third tackle will play this year.

Agree on the Whimper signing, completely baffling why a team would pay ANY money to a turnstile tackle. If they wanted a warm body, at least go get a guy that is unproven. Whimper has already been proven he is incapable of playing the position. I would take anybody with possible upside vs someone with only downside.

[hawaiiansteel]

Without Adams, Backup Tackles Must Step Up For Steelers

Jun 1st, 2013 by Dominic Di Tolla



Although the former Buckeye is scheduled to return for training camp, losing him during an important “gelling period” definitely hurts Pittsburgh’s offensive line as they try to build continuity as a unit.

While the Steelers have turned to Max Starks in years past for their offensive tackle-needs, “Old Reliable” is now a member of the Chargers. With Starks gone, backups Guy Whimper and Kelvin Beachum will likely be forced to pick up the slack at right tackle.

At least to me, I believe that the team should give Beachum the lion’s-share of reps with the first-team while Adams is sidelined. While providing the former S.M.U. Mustang with second-team reps at center is extremely important for depth-purposes, Whimper has done little over his professional career to prove that he is more than a turnstile as an offensive tackle.

The 30 year-old was cut earlier this year by Jacksonville after two and a half miserable seasons with the team. In 2011, Whimper allowed 14.0 sacks in 15 total games, and he was benched for much of the 2012 campaign (six starts) due to poor play as well.

To his credit, Beachum played well at times at right tackle during his rookie campaign (five starts) after Adams went down with an ankle injury, and there is definitely no harm in sticking him there until Adams is ready to play. If the Steelers want to turn Kelvin into a “jack-of-all-trades guy” for their offensive line, then they might as well continue the process by having him fill in for their injured starter.

In addition to Whimper and Beachum, Pittsburgh untested and rookie backups like Joe Long, Mike Farrell or Mike Golic, Jr. could see more snaps over the following weeks as well. As I alluded to before though, this group is largely inexperienced as both Farrell and Golic, Jr. are 2013 UDFA’s, and Long spent the end of the 2012 campaign on Pittsburgh’s practice squad.

I truly hate to be a “Negative Nancy,” but I really wish the Steelers had the reliable Starks to plug in once again for security purposes. For now though, let’s hope that whomever the Steelers insert in Adams’ place can hold down the fort until he comes back healthy.

Most of all though, let’s be thankful that Adams not only survived his ordeal, but that he came away from it in one piece and can resume his career once he fully recovers.

[URL]http://nicepickcowher.com/2013/06/01/without-adams-backup-tackles-must-step-up-for-steelers/[/URL]

[Oviedo]

I think most teams carry 9 or 10 OL on the 53 man roster. We typically go 9 because o-linemen aren't very good special teams players (but we usually have an OL or two on the practice squad at all times as well). There are 5 starters (obviously) and usually 2 active gameday backups (usually utility guys who can play multiple positions...a C/G and G/T for instance), which would leave a couple of o-linemen amongst our gameday inactives.

I agree with what philly wrote earlier about the probable OL on the 53 man roster:

Starters:

Pouncey
DeCastro
Foster
Adams
Gilbert

Gameday backups:

Beachum
Whimper

On the 53 man roster, but usually inactive until injuries strike:

Malecki
Embernate

On the practice squad:

Long
Golic

Don't count Golic out. He has played both Center and Guard at a major program. He also appears to be able to play OT in a pinch. He has the position flexibility that Tomlin loves for the OL. I think he could make the team ahead of Embernate who seems like an OG only.

[hawaiiansteel]

Ed: Steelers Have Little Depth in O-Line

WEDNESDAY, 05 JUNE 2013 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

Good morning,

The Steelers believe they have a good, young offensive line that will be together for awhile, but what they do not have is depth, and Mike Adams’ injury makes that point again.

Yes, Kelvin Beachum did a nice job at right tackle for five games last season after the injuries to Marcus Gilbert (now the starting left tackle) and Adams, and he is a good alternative there. But he may be the only good alternative at tackle and guard, and there is no good alternative at center right now.

Last year, Ramon Foster was their backup guard with Willie Colon at left guard and David DeCastro at right guard. When DeCastro was hurt, Foster moved to right guard. When Colon was hurt, Maurkice Pouncey moved for one game to left guard and Doug Legursky started at center.

Colon and Legursky are no longer here and Foster is the starting left guard. Who backs up the guards? Beachum. But if he’s playing tackle, that means John Malecki is the next man up if a guard is hurt. Malecki, who spent the first 2 ˝ months of last season on the practice squad, has played in one NFL game – he came in as a substitute in the 2012 season finale against Cleveland at guard.

Malecki right now also is the backup center unless Beachum gets that technique down as well. Malecki is an undrafted player from Pitt who was on the practice squads at Cleveland and Tampa Bay as a rookie in 2010 and on those of the Redskins and Steelers in 2011. He was on the Steelers’ practice squad last year until Willie Colon’s injury.

The Steelers have had success with undrafted rookies, and Malecki may be the next one, but the point here is that they really have no experience or top prospects behind their starters in the offensive line.

Guy Whimper? He’s experienced, but not the kind that would make Ben Roethlisberger breathe easy. Whimper has not done well anywhere and Beachum was the first man up when Adams was hurt.

Here is the list of the rest of the offensive linemen on the Steelers’ 90-man roster:

Guards – Nik Embernate, Justin Cheadle, Chris Hubbard.
Tackles – Mike Golic, Jr., Mike Farrell, Joe Long.
Center – Joe Madsen.

That’s it. Legursky visited the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday. Chris Kemoeatu remains unsigned.

[URL]http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/121507-ed-steelers-have-little-depth-in-o-line[/URL]

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers Training Camp: Joe Long vs. Guy Whimper

By SteelCityRoller on Jun 12 2013



As the team wraps up its final organized team activities this week as they prepare for training camp, one of the most interesting position battles could be between two players no one wants on the field.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers open training camp in July, all eyes will be focused on the battles taking place at outside linebacker, running back and defensive line; however, one of the most important to the team's success could be waged with little notice.

New offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, Jr. will notice. To Bicknell, not only will it be one of the most important positional battles of the off-season; it's his job-one.

"We have to develop some backups. That's my biggest concern right now. I think the starting five will be fine; although, you know, especially the two tackles, they're a little bit untested. They've got to be able to last for a 16-game season. I think my big concern right now is developing some of these backups so that you're ready to at least have seven on game day and then the eighth if you need him."

Third-year player Marcus Gilbert and sophomore Mike Adams may be "untested", but they have been deemed worthy of holding down the starting spots; as evidenced by Max Starks employment by the San Diego Chargers after being one of the few offensive linemen - and Steelers, for that matter - not needing replacing in 2012 due to injury. Ramon Foster has gone from ultimate backup to full-time starter, and David DeCastro attempts to play a full season after having his rookie campaign cut short in the preseason, last year. Maurkice Pouncey remains the keystone which holds the whole unit together. Unfortunately, the knowns stop there.

Last year's seventh-round surprise Kelvin Beachum played respectably at right tackle for six games, after both Gilbert and Adams were each lost to their own ailments. This off-season, the team has been attempting to groom him for interior work, but the stabbing of Adams has found Beachum back at right tackle with the first-unit during practices. Whether Beachum finally hits the depth chart at guard, tackle or even center seems to be the bigger question than whether he will make the team.

The problem is, Beachum only makes six men. Bicknell is clearly looking for at least eight.

The only other veteran remaining from last year is guard John Malecki. The worrisome tackle positions are chocked full of talent even more untested than the team's two earmarked starters. The only "tested" man of the group is Guy Whimper, a free-agent tackle from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Everyone else is technically a rookie.

The battle to be man number seven could eventually be decided the players' ability to play left-tackle. The Steelers currently have four men who have proven capable of playing right tackle (Gilbert, Adams, Beachum and Foster), but only Gilbert has shown any potential for the left side.

Second year player, and brother of St. Louis Rams tackle Jake Long, Joe Long has been taking most of the second team reps at left tackle; although serious grading must be postponed until training camp, when helmets and pads are added to the short-driven ensemble. If Long is able to cement himself in behind Gilbert, the team may choose to let Whimper walk before the season. Granted, veteran experience is not something to take for granted; but the team is looking for production now, not potential or the past.

With Beachum and Foster both capable of moving out to right tackle in case of gameday emergencies, the Steelers may decide to keep reserve guards to support the intention of utilizing Beachum or Foster in such a role; leaving the tackle competition to be judged by left-side proficiency. Rookie Mike Golic Jr. has been taking snaps at tackle, but has experience in the interior from his Notre Dame days. The team also is looking forward to seeing what they have in Nik Embernate, although his best hope may be the practice squad.

If the Steelers are able to stay healthy this year, whether through luck or conditioning emphasis, the 2013 model could boast the best offensive line the team has enjoyed since their 2005 championship configuration. If Bicknell can develop the team's young backups, it could be one of the deepest groups of more than a decade.

[URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/6/12/4422346/steelers-training-camp-joe-long-vs-guy-whimper[/URL]

[SteelerOfDeVille]

here's to Joe beating Whimper out....