Training camp has quickly approached with players reporting this Friday to the comfortable confines of St. Vincent College for the 48th season. This season like the rest has numerous storylines that we’ll be covering throughout camp. But one of the most interesting ones are camp battles and the 2013 Steelers are in no shortage of those. A look to get you ready for the official start of football season.
OLB: Jason Worilds/Jarvis Jones
One of the big two Steelers’ fans will be watching throughout. Worilds is the veteran against the rookie Jones and usually, that gives the former a distinct advantage. No rookie has started for Dick LeBeau since Kendrell Bell in 2001.
Worilds, however, hasn’t put on the best show in a Pittsburgh uniform. He fought the injury bug in 2011 and was only average last season with five sacks. He’s shown to be a decent pass rusher with a good first step but is average at best against the run and does not nearly possess the strength of the man he’s trying to replace, James Harrison.
Jones’ college tape suggests a much better run defender with a ton of upper body strength and ability to shed blocks. Even though he wasn’t a dynamic athlete at Georgia, he was a playmaker racking up 24.5 TFL and 14.5 sacks.
The other advantage Jones has is experience in the Bulldogs’ 3-4 defense. Linebackers coach Keith Butler has talked about the transition of a defensive end to outside linebacker. From playing with your hand down to standing up and aligning against different alignments based on formation. Jones stood up at Georgia and should have a smaller learning curve.
Prediction: Jarvis Jones wins the battle out of camp and doesn’t look back.
RB: Le’Veon Bell/Jonathan Dwyer/Isaac Redman
The other notable battle. Nothing is settled in the backfield and the only “lock” to make the team is Bell. Dwyer and Redman split carries but neither were consistently impressive. Redman seems to work best when used sparingly, using his fresh legs and downhill style to chip away at already tired defenses. Dwyer churned out a couple impressive games but still profiles as more of a plodder who only gets what is blocked and can’t do much in the open field.
The team’s likely switch to a zone blocking scheme would have a negative impact on both. Both backs are best in man schemes and a heavy dose of Power O.
Enter Bell, the rookie. Impressive numbers at Michigan State with nearly 1800 yards his final year at MSU. He’s more well-rounded than most rookie backs and may be the best fit of the three in a ZBS with tremendous vision. Still, he comes with question marks documented in our draft recap back in April.
Bell tries to bounce too many plays when he should be getting square with the line and running downhill. He’s similar to Dwyer and Redman, lacking a second gear in the open field.
The battle isn’t just about the starter either. The losers will be fighting for a backup role and a spot on the roster. There is a good chance the team does not have all three backs come Week One because they’re cut from a similar mold.
Don’t forget about LaRod Stephens-Howling, a niche player who is an asset out of the backfield and in the return game, a huge boost to his value. Baron Batch is an ineffective runner but has provided ample effort on punt coverage. Tiny Curtis McNeal is also on the roster and although the rookie out of USC’s chances for carries seem slim, no one can be discounted.
Prediction: Bell wins the starting job. Redman as his backup. Stephens-Howling as insurance and handles return duty with Baron Batch being a pure special teamer. Dwyer is cut.
P: Drew Butler/Brian Moorman
We noted Moorman’s potential to win this battle a few weeks ago. Butler struggled in his rookie year, finishing 27th in yards per punt. Moorman’s better days are behind him but if Butler doesn’t show marked improvement in camp, it would not be surprising to see the former Bill snag the job.
Prediction: Veteran Moorman isn’t fazed by the competition. Butler, who hasn’t had a true competition yet because of Jeremy Kapinos’ injury, struggles and gets cut.
#3/4 WR: Jerricho Cotchery/Markus Wheaton/Plaxico Burress
Cotchery would seem to have a leg up on the competition heading into camp but there are no guarantees. He only caught 17 passes but will see more permanent playing time with Mike Wallace’s departure if he wins the slot job.. The ex-Jet also showed himself to be very valuable as a run blocker and started a few games when the Steelers’ were in power sets.
Wheaton has lots of upside but missing OTAs because of graduation rules will prove costly (see Rams’ running back Isaiah Pead from last year). He may only be used as a bit part his rookie year on offense, focusing primarily on special teams as a return man and gunner.
After re-signing a one year deal, Burress is back in the fold. Seeing only a handful of snaps last season, it’s hard to gauge where he’s at. Clearly, at a level much lower than he was a few years ago with the Jets but could provide situational value (think fade in red zone).
Other names at receiver to keep an eye out for include rookies Justin Brown and Reggie Dunn, David Gilreath, Kashif Moore, and JD Woods.
Prediction: Cotchery wins the battle fairly easily. Burress claims the #4 job. Wheaton isn’t active until half-way through the season and spends the year on special teams.
TE: David Paulson/David Johnson/Matt Spaeth
This is of course, assuming Heath Miller is unavailable Week One. Even if Miller returns, there will be a battle for the #2 role.
Paulson has been relatively unimpressive as a blocker and receiver but does have versatility in an H-Back role. David Johnson is moving back to tight end and recovering from a torn ACL that forced him to miss all of last season. He’s an excellent blocker but essentially a glorified lineman. Spaeth is back for a second stint with the Black ‘n Gold, wearing #87 this time around. Like Johnson, he’s become a valuable blocker but never much of a receiver.
Prediction: Spaeth reclaims his spot as the #2 TE or starter if Miller is out.
Kick/Punt Return Man: Antonio Brown/Emmanuel Sanders/LaRod Stephens-Howling/Markus Wheaton/David Gilreath/Reggie Dunn
Feels like everyone this side of Najeh Davenport is listed.
Chris Rainey is gone following an arrest, leaving kick return duties wide open. Antonio Brown was the team’s punt returner in 2012 but it’s possible the team will take him off to focus on being the #1 receiver.
Sanders returned nine kicks for Pittsburgh but like Brown, may be asked to focus on just receiver as he slides into a full-time role.
Howling got less opportunities to return kicks the last two years in Arizona but was one of the better ones in 2010, leading the league in return yards and finding the end zone twice.
Wheaton seldom saw return time at Oregon State but again, may focus on special teams his rookie year as he gets adjusted to the league.
Gilreath got looks as a return man in last year’s camp and even a tiny bit at receiver throughout the year. But there are no guarantees of him making the squad.
Dunn has tantalized fans with his highlight reel and four kickoff return touchdowns in ten tries last year at Utah. Clearly a number he won’t match again and he’ll have to prove he is valuable somewhere other than returns (gunner, jammer, kick coverage) to secure a spot. The team won’t run another Stefan Logan experiment.
Prediction: As noted above, Howling will handle kick return duties. Trust and good-decision making comes before pure ability to Mike Tomlin on punt returns, putting Brown back in that role in 2013. His numbers would have looked a whole lot better too if it wasn’t for holds bringing back big returns.
Photo Credit: Flickr.com/RJ Schmidt
