Beachum: "I want to be great"

[Psycho Ward 86]

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Beachum-I-want-to-be-great/0fa39608-ef1f-4b17-8835-71bdcc65b4bf

Tackle Kelvin Beachum talks about his season and his plan for what is ahead this offseason.

It had been less than 24 hours since the 2013 season had ended and Kelvin Beachum sat by himself in the player’s lounge just off the Steelers locker room watching game film.

He didn’t have to. It wasn’t required, wasn’t part of the postseason wrap-up for the players. But to get to where he wants to be, he knew it was a step in the right direction, using every opportunity to evaluate his own play.

“I want to be great. Simply put,” said Beachum. “I don’t want to just be a guy wearing a jersey. I don’t want to just be a Steeler who has come through here. I want to make an impact. I want to be influential.”

Beachum hit the weight room after watching film, and did so the next day as well, and so on. And it will continue as the offseason keeps rolling along. It’s typical of the approach he takes to a game he loves playing.

[Steelman]

Beachum might be the savior of this draft, allowing us to not have to reach for a sub-par OT so we can instead address multiple defensive positions.

[Psycho Ward 86]

If Dennard, Mike Evans, Clinton-Dix, and Sammy Watkins are off the board by the time we pick, I still wouldnt have much of a problem getting a guy like Cyrus Koundijo or Greg Robinson or the other side.

[Shoes]

This guy is a Gem!

[zulater]

Nice article. I think Kelvin will be our starting LT for the rest of this decade and beyond. He's already become a good pass blocker. After settling in as the starting left tackle he really stabilized that position. By the end of the season his play was at least as good as that of Max Starks the year before imo. As a run blocker he needs to get stronger, but that's coming. To me Beachum is a modern day Wayne Gandy. Wont ever be All Pro, wont ever be the road grader type that you can run behind 20 snaps a game. But will quietly and relatively cheaply supply you with solid "above the line" play that's essential from that all important position. Another thing I've noticed about Kelvin, he doesn't get beat on the same move twice, he doesn't wear down, his play in the 4th quarter is usually as strong or stronger than the rest of the game. And he rarely takes penalties. He knows how to use his hands without letting them get outside his frame.

Gilbert is another matter however. He improved as the season went on, but not nearly enough. In my opinion in a 32 team league Gilbert is a bottom 1/4 starter. I'd place him somewhere around 25-28 among his peers. ( and that's probably being generous)

On the other hand based on his late season play I'd put Beachum right in the middle among starting left tackles. 14-16 area.

Rounding out the line I'd put Foster in the 8-12 range of left guards, DeCastro 5-8 among right guards.

And last and certainly not least a healthy Pouncey 1-5 among centers. Yeah I know the rap that Profootballphoney's put on him, placing him in the middle of the league among his peers. They're wrong. Well partially anyway. In 2012 admittedly he was up and down, but not until the rest of the line got decimated by injuries. Prior to Willie Colon going down he was playing as good as any center in the league. But after Colon went down the Steelers played musical guards, even going so far as to start Pouncey a game at left guard ( with Legurskey starting at center) and Pouncey's play the rest of the way suffered. I think he was trying to do too much to help his fellow interior lineman and it dragged down his play. For example Foster had settled in nicely as the right guard through the first 8 games of 12, but after Colon's injury when they shuffled him over to left guard his play immediately fell off. Listening to Wolf and Tunch describe it, when you switch sides on the line everything goes backwards, so instead of reacting off the snap you're thinking, and that momentary lapse gets you beat on your assignment as often as not. So this season starting off at left guard from day one of the first OTA's and staying there Foster became a very good left guard. for the season as a whole in 2013 I would say Foster was the Steelers best left guard since Faneca circa 2005. Anyway long story short on Pouncey's 2012 season, for the last half of that season the guard's on either side of him were playing below average, and it dragged down his play. If we go into 14 healthy that wont be an issue and his play should return to peak level dependent only on the level of his own recovery.

Getting back to Beachum, what's really remarkable is how well he adapted to left tackle after basically being worked all across the line including 3rd TE through OTA's and training camp. Talk about trial by fire! This is why I think with an offseason of film and conditioning and presumably concentrating on one position he'll come back and even be better next season. His ceiling is higher than most think. I believe he can be a top 10 left tackle as early as next season.

Damn I ran on a little here didn't I? :chuckle:

Oh well to finish up. I'm very excited about this line going into next season. Yeah we've heard that before, but this time is different imo. To wit, going into the 2013 season you were projecting a starting left tackle who didn't possess a single NFL start. (Adams) Contrast that with Beachum and more than half a season of quality NFL starts at the position, and you're way ahead from the get go there.


Then take DeCastro, who was was still a babe in the woods coming into this season, and his play steadily improved. I also think his early season play was adversely affected by his take out chop block on Pouncey.( emotionally) But that's all behind him now. He's proved himself as a starter going into 14 I think he's an emerging All Pro caliber guard.

So way ahead there again.

I already explained about Foster's adjustment to left guard, so that's a position of strength and stability going into 14.

Another plus for the future.

Pouncey of course is all about the recovery from the injury. Since the injury happened early in the season I'm betting that he'll be at full health right from the start of the season, and with above average guard play around him I think he'll really flourish and play at All Pro level. Again the level of your play can be adversely or positively affected by those immediately around you. He was dragged down by circumstance and surrounding talent in 12, in 14 his play should be elevated by those around him.

Another huge plus for 14.

Then finally we have Gilbert. Sorry can't polish that turd. We can only hope that an open competition between Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbride from the first OTA on, winner take all, will bring out a starting caliber right tackle in one or the other. Hey at least Gilbert was durable this year, starting all 16 games. But still he's a below average starter, and I think he always will be. Same with Adams, who could very well end up cut before the Steelers break camp next summer.

Call this one even from last year to next. :noidea:

Oh well four out of five above average starters on one Steelers offensive line aint too shabby. :applaudit:

Last thing, I expect the Steelers to keep Cody Wallace and doubt you'll see Velasco back.

[Steelman]

Zu, I think you meant Marcus Gilbert. :wink02:

[zulater]

Zu, I think you meant Marcus Gilbert. :wink02:

Duly noted and corrected. Thanks for pointing it out. :hatsoff:

I was in a twitter argument much of last week with John Steigerwald that involved Kevin Gilbride ( in relation to how he supposedly ruined Kordell as per Steigy's assertions) so that name was kind of stuck in my mind! :doh: :chuckle:

Of course having said what i did about the line, what will likely happen is after the last preseason game the line will go out to dinner somewhere, Gilbert will get up to go to the john, trip over Adams, and then proceed to wipe out the rest of the line, save him and Adams. :heh:

[Steeldude]

Lol...there are people still blaming OCs for Kordell's inability to play QB in the NFL?

[blackngldblood]

Lol...there are people still blaming OCs for Kordell's inability to play QB in the NFL?

I'm not sure how I feel about Steigerwald. He has some good stuff sometimes, but he seems to dislike Bell a ton. I just don't get it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[Dwinsgames]

sure glad he didn't say " I wanna be serviceable "

not sure what anyone would expect him to say ...

but it is good to hear he is working already towards improvement

[steelreserve]

If Dennard, Mike Evans, Clinton-Dix, and Sammy Watkins are off the board by the time we pick, I still wouldnt have much of a problem getting a guy like Cyrus Koundijo or Greg Robinson or the other side.

There is a problem with that ... the fact that we'd be using ANOTHER high pick on a lineman and continuing to let everything else go. We've got four of the five spots filled with #1 and #2 draft picks, and that really needs to be enough. Hopefully getting rid of the O-Line coach that was producing zero player development will help us see the kind of results we're supposed to from that kind of massive investment.

[Count Steeler]

Beachum was a 7th round pick. Give me somebody with his work ethic and smarts. All we really need is a RT, so let's not burn another high draft pick. Let's look for the Flozell Adams of this year's FA, or let's hope Mike Adams wakes up. I don't think Gilbert has it. Pouncey had to kick his ass in gear his first year here, now his ass may not be able to be fixed.

[GBMelBlount]

Oh well four out of five above average starters on one Steelers offensive line aint too shabby. :applaudit:



Let's hope they can help establish a legitimate run game. It's been a while.

- - - Updated - - -


There is a problem with that ... the fact that we'd be using ANOTHER high pick on a lineman and continuing to let everything else go. We've got four of the five spots filled with #1 and #2 draft picks, and that really needs to be enough. Hopefully getting rid of the O-Line coach that was producing zero player development will help us see the kind of results we're supposed to from that kind of massive investment.

I agree. There is an opportunity cost. 4 of our last 8 picks in the first two rounds have been offensive line if I am not mistaken...and that is at the expense of other positions (and defense).

[SteelerFanInStl]

I think that Adams is the answer at RT. Gilbert has pretty much proven that he isn't. He could be a decent backup though.

Hopefully Beachum will continue with that attitude throughout his career. I like it and I like what I've seen of him. Hopefully he'll continue to improve.

[cold-hard-steel]

I'm for Kelvin all the way .
if kelvin can put in some extra time in the weight room , why can not others ?



pouncey is only proving to be injury prone at a young age . Not good for an o/l that needs some stability .

[ALLD]

I wonder if Gilbert and Adams rolled out of bed thinking they want to play like steaming piles of dog crap?

[GBMelBlount]

I wonder if Gilbert and Adams rolled out of bed thinking they want to play like steaming piles of dog crap?

My guess is they roll out of bed thinking.."where's my joint?" lol.