2013 Steelers: Who's In and Who's Out

Happy New Year, PF readers.  I'd like to ring in the new year by continuing MP's discussion of "The 2013 Steelers: The Reconstruction".  Let me weigh in with my two cents worth on who stays, and who goes.

RETURNING FOR 2013:

1. Keenan Lewis.  Although nickel back Cortez Allen showed us a lot in late December, I still think the Steelers' brass will make every attempt to bring Lewis back.  Considering that he led the NFL in passes defended per game, Lewis will be an extremely attractive figure to both the Steelers and other NFL teams looking for a starting corner.  Should the deal not get done, look for the Steelers to pencil in Allen opposite Ike Taylor and potentially snare a corner in the early rounds of the draft, or possibly a veteran in free agency.
2. Larry Foote.  The Steelers want to get younger on defense, but Foote can still contribute and isn't looking to leave Pittsburgh for a second time.  I look for Foote to take a considerable pay cut and split time on the field with youngster Sean Spence.
3. James Harrison.  I'm stuck on the fence with this one.  The Steelers must soon make critical decisions on both Harrison and his primary backup, Jason Worilds.  Clearly, Worilds on his best day will never perform at the level of Harrison in his prime years,...but those prime years are behind us now, and it may be time to jettison the silverback.  I think the team would be selling themselves short if Worilds was not given a full season as a true evaluation period.  Harrison's rebirth in December is probably weighing on the minds of Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert, as they may wonder what one last hurrah with a healthy 92 could mean.
4. Ramon Foster.  Although starting guard Foster will never be mistaken for Alan Faneca, he did manage to play all of 2012 injury free, a nearly impossible feat for a Steeler offensive lineman.  Considering that converted guard Willie Colon has finished the last three seasons on the IR, I like Foster as a returnee to provide stability to a corps that seems to be forever locked in flux mode.
5. Casey Hampton, Charlie Batch, Max Starks.  I lumped these three together.  See #2 - Foote, Larry.  These guys have no desire to go elsewhere.  Restructures, less money, etc.  2013 should be the last season for Hampton, with much less playing time as inside guy Steve McClendon is more than capable.  For Starks, you might as well keep riding the pony until it ends up at the glue factory.  One can argue that Mad Max was the most solid lineman in 2012.  For Batch, another season at the league minimum as the #3 won't be hurting anyone.

SO LONG, FAREWELL, SEE YA AT THE REUNION PICNIC:

1. Rashard Mendenhall.  Is it just me, or does Tomlin waffle back and forth on the value of the marquis runner?  At mid-season after the big victory in NYC, the team seemed content with the tailback by committee idea.  By season's end, as the offense stunk and the team limped to an 8-8 finish, we then heard Tomlin pining for a go-to guy.  Mendenhall was that go-to guy, the franchise runner like Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker before him.  Unlike Bettis and Parker, Mendenhall never truly entrenched himself as that game changer kind of guy.  His off the field tweets, comments, and shenanigans didn't help his cause either.  The Steelers could use a featured back once again, but #34 ain't that guy.
2. Mike Wallace.  What?  Give up on the fleet of foot, Larry Fitzgerald-East guy?  This entry is the most troubling of all, as Mike Wallace is clearly the best player listed in today's post, but also the most unrealistic in terms of his actual worth.  I've said it ad nauseum, Mike Wallace isn't worth $11 million a season.  In fact, after watching his drops and gaffes during the 2012 campaign, I will now suggest that Wallace isn't worth what he could have signed for last summer.  Setting all this aside, Wallace has blazing, scary, downfield speed, and he will shape any offense that he lines up in. The Steelers know that, and worse, he knows that.  Someone will overpay for Wallace in 2013, but it probably won't be a Rooney.
3. Byron Leftwich.  Despite his hulking frame, Leftwich has once again displayed an inability to remain healthy when called upon.  The fact that he broke his own ribs falling down, untouched, in the end zone, should sum it all up.  With Big Ben Roethlisberger now north of 30, the Steelers need a 2nd string QB who can make two to four starts a year and keep the team competitive in the process.  Look for the Steelers to snare a former starter in free agency.  Considering that a Ben replacement will most likely be pursued with a high draft pick in the 2016-2018 time frame, I don't think that supplanting Leftwich with a mid or late round rookie makes a lot of sense here.

SYNOPSIS: I only show two starters leaving, but factor in the reduced roles of guys like Foote and Hampton, and I think you'll see that 2013 will be a much different team.  2012 was a season of frustration for Steeler Nation.  With the veteran leadership that was jettisoned a year ago, coupled with the Wallace contract drama, as well as the pre-training camp health status of Mendenhall, Hampton, Harrison, and Brett Keisel, one can make a serious argument that the season was doomed from the get go. In the end, a handful of close games swung the Steelers' season from good to mediocre.  This is not a team in decline, but it will need better performances from it's stars if 2013 is to be any different.  One note of promise: the last three Steeler teams to not make the playoffs were followed by teams that won the AFC North the next year!

Heinz Field Showcasing New Benapalooza Apparel

A quick thanks to A Dawg for leaking us a preview of the new Benapalooza men's wear line that will soon be available in the 'Burgh. Well done A Dawg, now can you find me that Matt Cooke assassin tee shirt?



QUICK HITTERS:

• Milledgeville officials are now forecasting two to three weeks for the initial investigation to wrap up. After that, the decision of whether to pursue formal charges will be made.
• So the question has been raised: what happens if Randle El doesn't crack the top three wideout slots (which he probably won't), and he doesn't beat out Stefan Logan in the return game? Ed Bouchette raised an even more intriguing question: with all these receivers under contract, what happens if a super undervalued wideout slips in the draft? Do they pass him up, or draft him knowing that El or Battle will then most likely be cut?
• As the clock ticks, I continue to recalibrate my odds of a Fast Willie signing. As of press time, I'm saying 70/30 that the team extends a legitimate contract offer for FWP to return as a reserve.
• The word on the street is that Larry Foote should be seeing plenty of playing time in 2010. The potential to start over Farrior has been mentioned numerous times in last few days.

Ready for Some Foote-Ball?

On a day in which Steeler Nation continues to sit on pins and needles, methodically hitting the refresh button at Google News, and reading yet another scathing, albeit anonymous and uncredited account of Big Ben's crude and barbaric exploits, the front office guys again direct attention back up north by inking another former standout (and PittsburghFan favorite) Larry Foote. The Foote deal was labeled as depth, but methinks that #50 is going to see plenty of field duty this season.

With Foote's signing, the Steelers have now brought in five unrestricted free agents (most likely an all time team record), while retaining the services of vets Ryan Clark, Jeff Reed, and Casey Hampton. With a first round tender to oft criticized tackle and Ben-a-polooza member, Willie Colon, and a fourth round tender to punter extraordinaire, Daniel Sepulveda, the team now appears to have made all of it's noteworthy moves prior to the April draft. I suppose that means all team news now belongs to Milledgeville, Georgia.

QUICK HITTERS:

• Thru the help of that news generator, aka, the internet, we now have learned that Ben is not only a rapist, but a racist, a sexist, an alcoholic, and above all else, a poor tipper! Oh, and he is despised by his team, and nearly the entire city. Certainly, within the next few days, some teen girl somewhere will link Ben to Al Qaeda.
• Was Randle El serious when he said that he will compete for the #3 wideout? Hmmm, did anyone tell him about Mike Wallace?
• With Fast Willie Parker's agent drumming up next to no interest in the former standout, one must consider if a bargain deal can be struck to return the aging thoroughbred to the Heinz Field stable.

Off On The Right Foote

As predicted by PF's very own correspondent, JD McNugent, the Steelers' are intimating interest in re-signing standout inside linebacker Larry Foote. Footie, always a favorite of mine, is a run gobbler who would add considerable strength to a linebacking corps that had it's ups and downs last season. This news brings intrigue to us armchair GMs. Should this move pan out, where and how would Foote be deployed? Depth is the key issue with the Steelers' linebackers, but I would suppose that Foote is still looking to start. Should that be the case, I would imagine he would sign elsewhere, although regaining a starting job here would not necessarily be out of the question. The issue of James Farrior's age and declined performance in 2009 is a concern. I still believe that the potential of moving Lawrence Timmons over to Farrior's buck spot still exists, thereby, in theory creating a need at the mack, Footie's former position. Additionally, there is concern at the depth of the outside positions, holes that could also be plugged by Timmons.

Again, no breath being held, but it would be nice to move my #50 jersey back into Sunday circulation.

even my cat loved me in my #50

The Definition of Solid

A sad note has been struck on an otherwise joyous sports week, as the Steelers have announced the impending parting of ways with standout inside linebacker, Larry Foote. Foote, a favorite of mine, and of many of my readers, has expedited the severance process by asking for an unconditional release. Bottom line here is that Foote wants to play every down, or at least more than he played in 2008, when he split duty with the emerging Lawrence Timmons. The Steelers' top brass offered no protestations to Foote's request, as the financial writing was on the wall that he needed either a pay cut or a bus ticket. Such is life in the world of player personnel management in Steeltown.

Steeler Nation not only loses a great runner stopper, but an all out gamer. Not many played with more dedication and intensity than #50. As MP stated, "the definition of solid". Here are some quick hitters to summarize just what type of asset will be exiting the North Shore complex:

• 80 starts in 80 games since 2004, serving as co-anchor to the NFL's #1 rush defense over that period.


• Hasn't missed a game since rookie year of 2002.


• 406 tackles and 14.5 sacks since becoming starter.


• Logged key interception of Jake Plummer in 2005 AFC Championship Game.


• Funded the funeral of a Detroit youth that he had never even met.


• 2 Superbowl rings.