The 2013 Pittsburgh Steelers have an abundance of young talent on the roster. However, veteran leadership with proven track records would be a welcomed addition to training camp. The Steelers definitely have some questions heading into camp which is right around the corner as to who is going to start. While I am a firm believer of promoting from within, it’s never a bad idea to have depth at pivotal positions. The Steelers will open up training camp with over $4 Million in salary cap space available.
Ziggy Hood was drafted by the Steelers 32nd overall in the 2009 NFL Draft and hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations as a first round pick and would be a bit risky to sign him to an extension at this point. To add even more pressure to perform, Hood is in the final year of his contract. The Steelers are pretty thin at the defensive line position so bringing in some competition into camp may not be a bad idea. John Abraham finished last season with 32 tackles, 10 sacks and six forced fumbles, which would be a welcomed addition to the Steelers front line. Abraham would without question be an upgrade over an underachieving Hood and a concrete addition to Brett Keisel. The Steelers do not have unlimited funds at the moment, however at this point in his career, Abraham has the money. He wants to win.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have done a lot of good things this offseason. However, one position that has been left blatantly overlooked has been the gleaming hole at tight end. Matt Spaeth is a solid blocking tight end, but is not a threat in the passing game as he finished last season with six receptions for 28 yards and one touchdown. Dallas Clark is a solid option at the tight end position who finished last season with 435 yards, 47 receptions, and four touchdowns. Clark should be brought in by the Steelers to give Big Ben a viable target with great hands. Heath Miller is still an animal, however he is still recuperating from a serious knee injury suffered in late December and doesn’t look like he will be ready to go at the start of the season.
Markus Wheaton has all the tools to be an amazing talent for the Steelers for years to come and it’s his job at the slot position to lose going into training camp. That being said, a guy like Brandon Lloyd who finished last season with 74 receptions good for 900 plus yards and four touchdowns would only push Wheaton harder in camp.
Cortez Allen is a fast, physical cornerback as he put that on display during the 2012 season as he finished strong with 38 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. However, The Steelers should also look at cornerback depth with William Gay back in the fold as he is coming off an abysmal 2012 season and in 37 starts with the Steelers, Gay has three career interceptions. Jason Allen was the 16th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and is able to play safety or cornerback at the NFL level which gives the Steelers more flexibility. For his career, Allen has 247 tackles, 15 interceptions, and one forced fumble.
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to have solid NFL Drafts year in and year out which allows them to promote from within the system. The Steelers rarely bring in free agents before training camp unless of course due to injuries. That being said, it might not be a bad idea to “Shake it up” a bit this year and bring in a few veterans with proven track records.
