Pittsburgh Steelers Offseason Summary and Grades

By Scott Carasik

Key Losses

FB Carey Davis G Darnell Stapleton DE Travis Kirschke CB Deshea Townsend S Tyrone Carter contracts expired

Trades

The Steelers traded WR Santonio Holmes to the Jets for 2010 5th round pick (#155 overall - traded to Cardinals)

The Steelers traded 5th round pick (#155 overall - used on QB John Skelton) to the Cardinals for CB Bryant McFadden and 6th round pick (#195 overall - used on WR Antonio Brown)

The Steelers traded 2010 7th round pick (#232 overall - traded to Broncos) to the Buccaneers for QB Byron Leftwich

Free Agency

Re-signed QB Charlie Batch TE Matt Spaeth OT Willie Colon NT Casey Hampton OLB Patrick Bailey CB William Gay FS Ryan Clark K Jeff Reed P Daniel Sepulveda

Signed WR Antwaan Randle El WR Arnaz Battle ILB Larry Foote S Will Allen

Signed as undrafted free agents FB Demetrius Taylor T Kyle Jolly G Dorian Brooks C A.J. Trump DT Cordarrow Thompson OLB Lindsey Witten S Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith S Justin Thornton

Draft Grade = B

18 Pittsburgh Steelers - C Maurkice Pouncey - 6'4-1/8" 304 - Florida

I love the idea of them taking this interior OL for the future. Pouncey is a beast who will start at Guard and later move to C. Grade: A

52 Pittsburgh Steelers - OLB Jason Worilds - 6'1-1/4" 254 - Virginia Tech

A bit of a reach but an excellent fit for the defense run in Pittsburgh. Worilds has the skills but injuries could prevent a great career. Grade: B

82 Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Emmanuel Sanders - 5'10-7/8" 196 - Southern Methodist

A pretty big reach here. Sanders is what they need at WR but won't live up to this billing. Grade: D

116 Pittsburgh Steelers - OLB Thaddeus Gibson - 6'2" 243 - Ohio State

A bit of a reach here, but fits the Steelers style of play. A hard hitting blitzer and will be loved by fans. Grade: C

151 Pittsburgh Steelers - OT Chris Scott - 6'4-1/8" 319 - Tennessee

They need someone to be a good all around depth pick on the OL. Scott is a great fit for the power scheme. Grade: A

164 Pittsburgh Steelers - CB Crezdon Butler - 5'11-3/4" 191 - Clemson

They just traded for Bryant McFadden. Butler is not worth the pick here but should help soon. Grade: C

166 Pittsburgh Steelers - LB Stephenson Sylvester - 6'2-1/8" 231 - Utah

They get a guy at his value and in a need spot. Hard to not like this pick. Grade: A

188 Pittsburgh Steelers - RB Jonathan Dwyer - 5'11-1/4" 229 - Georgia Tech

They steal the #30 overall player on my board here. Excellent value and a perfect fit for the Steelers. Grade: A+

195 Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Antonio Brown - 5'10-1/8" 186 - Central Michigan

They wanted someone who was better value here than Sanders in the 3rd. Good pick. Grade: B

242 Pittsburgh Steelers - DE Doug Worthington - 6'5-1/8" 292 - Ohio State

Getting depth at the DE spot is never a bad idea. Worthington fits well in the 5-tech. Grade: A

Overall Grade based on talent acquired and team needs met: A

They had a very solid draft and have turned into the 2008 re-union of their Sixburgh Steeler championship team. The QB situation seems very unstable now though with Roethlisberger being accused of rapes and murders left and right.

Projected Depth Chart heading into training camp:

QB - Ben Roethlisberger/Dennis Dixon/Byron Leftwich/Charlie Batch

RB - Rashard Mendenhall/Mewelde Moore/Jonathan Dwyer/Stefan Logan/Justin Vincent/Isaac Redman/Frank Summers

3DRB - Mewelde Moore/Stefan Logan

FB - Demetrius Taylor

WR Featured - Hines Ward/Arnaz Battle/Jason Chery/Brandon London

WR Possession - Mike Wallace/Antonio Brown/Limas Sweed

WR Slot - Antwan Randle-El/Emmanuel Sanders/Tyler Grisham

TE - Heath Miller/Matt Spaeth/Sean McHugh/Eugene Bright/David Johnson

LT - Max Starks/Tony Hills/Jonathan Scott/Kyle Jolly

LG - Chris Kemoeatu/Kraig Urbik/A.J. Trump

C - Justin Hartwig/Doug Legursky/Bradley Vierling

RG - Maurkice Pouncey/Trai Essex/Dorian Brooks

RT - Willie Colon/Chris Scott/Ramon Foster

LDE - Brett Keisel/Ziggy Hood/Ra'Shon Harris/Steve McLendon

NT - Casey Hampton/Chris Hoke/Scott Paxson/Cordarrow Thompson

RDE - Aaron Smith/Doug Worthington/Nick Eason

WOLB - James Harrison/Thaddeus Gibson/Lindsey Witten

WILB - Lawrence Timmons/Keyaron Fox/Stevenson Sylvester/Renauld Williams

SILB - James Farrior/Larry Foote/Patrick Bailey/Johnny Williams

SOLB - LaMarr Woodley/Jason Worilds/Andre Frazier/Derrick Doggett

LCB - Ike Taylor/William Gay/Joe Burnett/David Pittman

RCB - Bryant McFadden/Crezdon Butler/Keenan Lewis/Trae Williams

FS - Ryan Clark/Will Allen/Anthony Madison/Justin Thornton

SS - Troy Polamalu/Ryan Mundy/Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith/Tuff Harris

K - Jeff Reed/Piotr Czech

P - Dan Sepulveda/Adam Graessle

LS - Greg Warren/Jared Retkofsky

KR - Stefan Logan

PR - Stefan Logan

Starter is Bolded

Free Agent/Trade Acquisitions are Italicised

Draft picks are Underlined