Post-Draft Depth Issues

[Steelerette]

The 2014 NFL Draft and the UDFA frenzy has come and gone. I can't think of anyone notable who would declare for the supp draft and it's so unlikely we'd take a stab anyways, so let's take a look at our roster and specifically at some places we still may want to address our depth. Here's who we have.

* = tryout

QB - probably 3
-Ben Roethlisberger
-Bruce Gradkowski
-Landry Jones
-Brendon Kay
-Mason Espinosa*
-Terrance Owens*


RB - probably 4
-Le'Veon Bell
-LeGarrette Blount
-Dri Archer
-Tauren Poole
-Alvester Alexander
-Miguel Maysonet
-Jordan Hall*


WR - 5 or 6
-Antonio Brown
-Markus Wheaton
-Lance Moore
-Martavis Bryant
-Derrius Heyward-Bey
-Derek Moye
-Justin Brown
-Jasper Collins
-Kashif Moore
-Danny Coale
-Lanear Simpson


TE - probably 3
-Heath Miller
-Matt Spaeth
-Rob Blanchflower
-David Paulson
-Eric Waters
-Michael Palmer


FB - probably 1
-Will Johnson


OT - 3 to 5
-Mike Adams
-Marcus Gilbert
-Kelvin Beachum
-Guy Whimper
-Kaycee Ike
-Will Simmons
-Adam Gress*
-Grant King*


OG - 3 to 5
-David DeCastro
-Ramon Foster
-Nik Embernate
-Wesley Johnson
-David Snow
-Bryant Browning
-Chris Elkins
-Christopher Hubbard


OC - probably 2
-Maurkice Pouncey
-Cody Wallace
-Vincent Jones*

_


PK - one
-Shaun Suisham


P - one
-Brad Wing
-Adam Podlesh
-Cody Webster*


LS - probably one
-Greg Warren
-Bryce Davis

_


DT - 2 or 3
-Steve McLendon
-Daniel McCullers
-Hebron Fangupo
-Al Lapuaho
-Mike Franklin*
-Jibreel Black*


DE - probably 4
-Cameron Heyward
-Stephon Tuitt
-Cam Thomas
-Nick Williams
-Brian Arnfelt
-Josh Mauro
-Ethan Hemer
-Roy Philon


OLB - probably 4
-Jason Worilds
-Jarvis Jones
-Arthur Moats
-Chris Carter
-Vic So'oto
-Howard Johnson


ILB - 4 or 5
-Lawrence Timmons
-Ryan Shazier
-Vince Williams
-Jordan Zumwalt
-Sean Spence
-Terence Garvin
-Kion Wilson
-Dan Molls
-Maalik Bomar*
-Delbert Tyler*
-Shane Gordon*
-Dorian Bell*

(Bomar, Gordon, and Bell are college OLBs but will certainly be ILB here... only place I can see them at OLB is as camp bodies not in actual gametime)


SS - 2 or 3
-Troy Polamalu
-Sharko Thomas
-Will Allen
-Jake Demadel


FS - 2
-Mike Mitchell
-Robert Golden
-Jordan Dangerfield
-Ross Ventrone


CB - probably 5
-Ike Taylor
-Cortez Allen
-William Gay
-Shaquille Richardson
-Antwon Blake
-Brice McCain
-Isaiah Green
-Devin Smith
-Devon Carrington*
-Lew Toler*
-Corey Brown*
-Cameron Truss*
-Najja Johnson*
-Dayonne Nunley*

[Steelerette]

QB - I think we're set. It has been suggested that Kay *might* surprise us and leap over Landry Jones, but that's digging into third string anyways.

RB - Here's one of the spots I feel we need to bring in one more guy in Free Agency. Let's see what shakes loose post June 1st and when roster cuts start happening. Bell, Blount, and Archer, but I don't think those other guys probably round things off like we want. I'd even be good with Felix Jones returning.

WR - Talk about going from famine to feast. We're going to have a bunch of guys, talented in their own right, fighting over zero or one roster spots. While we're relying on Wheaton, Bryant, and maybe Heyward-Bey, to work out, a little more than we'd like to be relying on that... we're good.

TE - Miller's the man for a couple more years. As much as Spaeth didn't really turn out to be worthy of his draft stock, over time he's turned into quite a nice blocker and a decent catcher, almost a shame about his injury last year... he's third string at worst. So we're pretty set with Paulson, Blanchflower, and Waters fighting over that last spot. As much as Finley would be an improvement, I don't think there's room to go after him unless he supplants Spaeth... but probably not because Finley's not really much of a blocker.

FB - nothing to say. Will be surprised to see anything happen.

OL - Wealth of talent here even though I'm really worried about tackle depth. But there's not much we can do there but put our faith in Munchak - if anyone can figure out the right LT and make the most out of Gilbert, Beachum, Adams, etc, it's him. I really can't envision us making any more moves here but I'd love to see tackle addressed high in 2015 draft.

Specialists - I'm good with Suisham. Worried about Punter, we have some competition but I wouldn't mind seeing some more, or let's see who gets cut this summer, etc. And, nothing against Greg Warren but it would be nice to have a lineman who could double as LS to have that roster spot. Ah well.

[Steelerette]

Now onto defense...

DL - we might have almost too much talent at DE now, even though the depth is a little worrisome because while good, lacks real NFL experience. That being the case, I can imagine bringing back Keisel to start and transition to Tuitt, but that's going to be at the expense of a very talented young man who probably won't make it to the practice squad. Tough decisions ahead. DT we're also going to have to part ways with some guys we probably don't want to, though I'm not sure any of them is the prototype size for a true NT. As fans do we have to put that idea to rest, or did we just not get who we wanted? Either way I can't imagine bringing anyone else in. Fangupo has good NT size but he has his work cut out for him if he wants to stick. McCullers is a beast, but can he play low enough? It's going to be an interesting camp for sure.

OLB - Another place where depth is a sore spot even though I'm happy with the projected starters Worilds and Jarvis. Moats should be just fine, Howard Jones has a lot of spunk and would have been drafted most years. Carter is okay. I can see us bringing back James Harrison here, to play situationally and mentor Jarvis, but that would mean there's only probably one roster spot left, to be fought over by Carter, Moats, and Howard Jones.

ILB - An embarrassment of riches... which is a very strange feeling for Steelers fans. Some tough decisions ahead.

Safety - Doing fine here. What we need is some Free Safety depth, though. It won't be the end of the world if we don't address it but then we do need to pray for Mitchell to stay healthy, and/or for one of the young kids to have a breakout offseason. SS is solid, look for Troy to have a nice season, and Shamarko seems about ready to take over, whenever the need will arise... hopefully not until Shazier has the system down, though. I can even see Spence vieing to play at this position a bit.

CB - My biggest worry. A much improved front seven will do wonders for extending Ike's career and helping along Allen's development, who looked very good at times last season, though not so good at others. Gay in the slot, okay I'll deal. He can actually be very good there. But then there's really no depth. We have to hope that Richardson or Blake, two guys Carnell Lake is a fan of, at least one of them develops nicely. A bonus of one of the other of the hodgepodge at the bottom of the roster work out. But this is one spot where I'd love to see an acquisition as the offseason develops, and unless a lot of things go right, it's going to have to be a high priority in next year's draft. We should though, be able to get by... as long as the injuries don't start mounting.

[Mojouw]

Don't want to quote because of length, but there has been a recent cut that may be really useful in addressing the RB position. Daryl Richardson, formerly of the Rams. Had a really nice rookie year and then kinda sucked last year. Some say it is because he stinks, other because he had turf toe all year and was never really right. Might look really nice as the change of pace guy from Bell and Blount.

For the rest of the chart, looks good, except some sort of "roll the dice on a high upside guy at corner that another team lost patience with" would be nice to find later in camp.

That and one guy on the roster with demonstrated bona fide pass rushing ability.

[Steelerette]

Yeah. I didn't pick and choose who to list, but instead listed everyone who's currently either on the steelers or is invited to camp. I didn't know Richardson was released, he would be a nice get to round out the roster, I do like Felix Jones to come back, but he's younger. I agree that it would be really nice to bring in a CB.

[Chidi29]

I still wouldn't call us having a great amount of talent at DE. Way I see it we have two players with the talent to start, Tuitt/Heyward, with a bunch of guys who are probably backups are best. One injury and we're in trouble. Arnfelt and Nick Williams still too huge unknowns and Thomas really isn't much of a five tech. Limited experience there.

[Steelerette]

Well I know we disagree on exactly how talented/potential our backup DEs are, but what you say is true that actual experience at the position is a very big concern. So what would you think about bringing back Keisel for one last go? I'm slightly in favor, I just hate that it means we'll miss out on one or two of these guys.

[bendsteel]

Well I know we disagree on exactly how talented/potential our backup DEs are, but what you say is true that actual experience at the position is a very big concern. So what would you think about bringing back Keisel for one last go? I'm slightly in favor, I just hate that it means we'll miss out on one or two of these guys.

Do we have any money at all to sign even a second/third tier FA? I have no idea where we are, but we gotta be pretty tight up on it right now assuming rookie signings. Thanks for all the info! It is appreciated.

[Chidi29]

I'm in favor of it too though I'm not sure how likely it will be. Takes pressure of Tuitt and helps us limit his snaps. Try and avoid that rookie wall. Would prefer not to ask him play 650-700 snaps we asked out of our ends last year.

I just don't like the odds that Arnfelt or Williams ever turn into much. Most of the time, those guys just don't pan out. I don't want to pin our hopes on something that is nothing more than a hope or a dream in Williams case, considering he's never played a meaningful down (and Arnfelt only has two). I don't want that to deter me from looking elsewhere. But yes, I know we disagree.

[ALLD]

I would keep Hebron Fangupo for depth just so the announcers can say his name.

[86WARD]

Don't want to quote because of length, but there has been a recent cut that may be really useful in addressing the RB position. Daryl Richardson, formerly of the Rams. Had a really nice rookie year and then kinda sucked last year. Some say it is because he stinks, other because he had turf toe all year and was never really right. Might look really nice as the change of pace guy from Bell and Blount.

For the rest of the chart, looks good, except some sort of "roll the dice on a high upside guy at corner that another team lost patience with" would be nice to find later in camp.

That and one guy on the roster with demonstrated bona fide pass rushing ability.

Richardson was claimed, almost instantly, by the Jets...