A WAY TOO EARLY post-draft attempt to predict a 53 man roster & 10 man practice squad

[papillon]

The Steelers were so intent on grabbing guys with ball skills that I believe Holliman makes the 53 in some fashion. I think if he hits the PS that someone will make room for him on their 53 just because he can catch passes from the other team's quarterback. I don't know how you fit him on the roster since he really can't play STs, but I don't think he'll be a Steeler if he hits the PS, IMO.

Pappy

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ben Tate is not under contract

Other veteran RB's not currently under contract:

Steven Jackson
Pierre Thomas
Chris Johnson
Knowshon Moreno
Ahmad Bradshaw
Ray Rice
Peyton Hillis

[phillyesq]

Other veteran RB's not currently under contract:

Steven Jackson
Pierre Thomas
Chris Johnson
Knowshon Moreno
Ahmad Bradshaw
Ray Rice
Peyton Hillis

I'd like Thomas or even Moreno a lot more than DeAngelo as the backup / spot starter. If he was healthy, Bradhshaw would be a nice complimentary piece, too.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I always thought that Steven Jackson would be the perfect mentor for Le'Veon Bell. In his prime, SJax was a very similar back to what we have in Bell now. After 8 straight 1000+ yard seasons with the Rams, he hasn't been the same guy with the Falcons, averaging less than 4 yards per carry in each season in Atlanta, but he is still able to catch the ball out of the backfield and likely would be a team player if given the chance to be on a contending team for once.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Man, that list of CB's is awfully thin with not having the likes of Ike on there... I'm holding out hope that they might sign another FA CB this summer......

That depends on how the team is looking at it. If they believe that Cortez' problems last season were due to the injury that has just been made public, and they expect him to return as the promising player they believed he was at this time last year, then it is not as thin as we think it is.

[RuthlessBurgher]

That depends on how the team is looking at it. If they believe that Cortez' problems last season were due to the injury that has just been made public, and they expect him to return as the promising player they believed he was at this time last year, then it is not as thin as we think it is.

Yeah, all 5 corners I listed at least show some promise...Gay had his best year ever last season, Antwan Blake is ascending, both rookies have value, and it's possible that Cortez's issues last year may have had a lot to do with injury, since he was promising enough prior to last season to get himself a solid second contract with the team.

Defensive end, on the other hand, has two solid players in Heyward and Tuitt and then a who bunch of crapola behind them. God forbid if either of them get hurt. If that happened (knock on wood), I'd advocate moving McLendon to DE and starting McCullers at NT before starting any of our backup DE options.

[Discipline of Steel]

Yeah, all 5 corners I listed at least show some promise...Gay had his best year ever last season, Antwan Blake is ascending, both rookies have value, and it's possible that Cortez's issues last year may have had a lot to do with injury, since he was promising enough prior to last season to get himself a solid second contract with the team.

Defensive end, on the other hand, has two solid players in Heyward and Tuitt and then a who bunch of crapola behind them. God forbid if either of them get hurt. If that happened (knock on wood), I'd advocate moving McLendon to DE and starting McCullers at NT before starting any of our backup DE options.

I agree, and then the question becomes, why even have them as options.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Yeah, all 5 corners I listed at least show some promise...Gay had his best year ever last season, Antwan Blake is ascending, both rookies have value, and it's possible that Cortez's issues last year may have had a lot to do with injury, since he was promising enough prior to last season to get himself a solid second contract with the team.

Defensive end, on the other hand, has two solid players in Heyward and Tuitt and then a who bunch of crapola behind them. God forbid if either of them get hurt. If that happened (knock on wood), I'd advocate moving McLendon to DE and starting McCullers at NT before starting any of our backup DE options.

I agree on DE. That is why I would rather keep a developmental player around than Thomas. Of course, I think that most of us would not still have Thomas on the roster if we were GMs, so what do we know?

[RuthlessBurgher]

We are often wrong on players...I recall not being able to believe that they kept Suisham after his first full season with the team. Sure, when we signed him in the middle of the year as a replacement for Jeff Reed, he was a massive improvement for the last half of that year, but the next year when the full time job was his and his alone all season...he was God awful. A truly pathetic performance. Couldn't believe the team even considered asking him back again the following season. But they did, and he's been solid ever since, so what do I know?

[fordfixer]

We are often wrong on players...I recall not being able to believe that they kept Suisham after his first full season with the team. Sure, when we signed him in the middle of the year as a replacement for Jeff Reed, he was a massive improvement for the last half of that year, but the next year when the full time job was his and his alone all season...he was God awful. A truly pathetic performance. Couldn't believe the team even considered asking him back again the following season. But they did, and he's been solid ever since, so what do I know?

That a question we all have asked at one time or another. Just what does he know?

[RuthlessBurgher]

That a question we all have asked at one time or another. Just what does he know?

I know how to use Google Image Search and make endless movie references.

[pfelix73]

Yea, but 'what if' Cortez isn't the same player as they thought he was? You've got 2 rookies on the CB list, and Blake and Gay... Not sure if it's wise going into the season that thin at CB.

[Discipline of Steel]

We can only do so much...its the best group they could assemble at the position. We just have to hope their judgement is correct on some of these fellows and there are more blooms than busts.

[hawaiiansteel]

Yea, but 'what if' Cortez isn't the same player as they thought he was? You've got 2 rookies on the CB list, and Blake and Gay... Not sure if it's wise going into the season that thin at CB.

there's also B.W. Webb who was on our roster last year...

[pfelix73]

Looking at the FA list of CB's.. Sort of thin, but Aaron Ross is available and coming off an injury from last summer, maybe he'd be a reasonable pick up on the cheap.... just saying... would give us some depth at least... Former 1st round pick...