SteelBlitz Steelers Blog

When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected safety Shamarko Thomas in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, it was clear that he would be groomed to be the heir apparent to take over for Steelers veterans Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu. Clark and Polamalu still have what it takes to be a defensive threat for the Steelers, but even they see the necessity to teach Thomas the tricks of the trade. “Troy and I have asked for years for a guy to mentor,” Clark told Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  “Some players feel like they can play forever. We understand it is not going to be that way. We want to see somebody take it over and do well.” Thomas, a 5’9″ safety, has shown that he has the mentality of a linebacker and the speed to cover the field.  Like Clark and Polamalu, Thomas has shown the ability...

Back in 2011 LaMarr Woodley was on pace to, at least, be considered for the NFL’s defensive player of the year award. Through eight games Woodley had nine sacks including two sacks of Tom Brady in a week 8 match-up. However, late in the third quarter Woodley came off the edge after Brady and came up lame with a hamstring injury. A video of the play can be seen here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d8239d5d1/Woodley-injured In 2012, Woodley battled another hamstring injury as well as other injuries that plagued his entire season and he finished with only four sacks. After the season Woodley was called out by many fans and members of the media as well as an anonymous player/coach on the team. Heading into the off-season Woodley pledged to work hard and come into training camp ready to go and in better shape to help him stay healthy in 2013. According to multiple reports he has...

The Pittsburgh Steelers had there second day of mandatory minicamp yesterday and some interesting notes came out of yesterday’s practice. According to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tackle Mike Adams was at the Steelers facilities on Wednesday. That’s the first time he has been back since being stabbed during an attempted carjacking two weeks ago. Adams is supposed to be with the team for training camp, but he still has a long recovery from 33 staples needed to close his wounds. Linebacker Stevenson Sylvester is on his last leg in Pittsburgh and everyone knows it. Kaboly says that linebacker coach Keith Butler even said as much during the NFL Draft in April. However, Sylvester is now going to have to make an impression from a different position as he has been moved from inside linebacker to outside linebacker. “I am just doing whatever they tell me,” Sylvester said. “If...

The first day of a three day minicamp for the Pittsburgh Steelers was today. According to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review everyone was in attendance except for rookie Markus Wheaton. Wheaton was expected to be absent from minicamp as his college schedule at Oregon State does not allow him participate. A few former players were on hand for practice today: Mike Tomczak, Jason Gildon, Rod Woodson and Rod Rutherford. Woodson is interning with the Steelers this off-season and will be back with the team during training camp. Jonathan Dwyer told Kaboly that he isn’t worried about being criticized for “tapping out” last season. “I guess it was because mine was more visible and I put my hand on top of my head,” Dwyer said. “Some guys just run out. I am the one who visually does it so you can see it. I am not a selfish guy. I am not going to...

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is wasting no time getting himself ready for the 2013 NFL season. On June 5, Roethlisberger had a minor surgical repair to his right knee.  According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger feels well enough to shed his crutches and play,  if only he could, as early as Sunday. Roethlisberger told Bouchette, “According to Doc (Dr. James Bradley), the surgery went really well, my knee is in great shape. They took care of the little problem. It had been bothering me a little bit last year and we just decided now is the time to take care of it.” Regardless of his anticipation to play and his desire to be leading first-team reps during mandatory minicamp that began today, Roethlisberger would be wise to wait until he’s given the all-clear by Steelers coaches and Dr. Bradley. Bradley, according to Roethlisberger, is “pleasantly surprised...

Last season the Pittsburgh Steelers chose to only carry four receivers on their roster. In March, Mike Wallace, who served as the team’s number one receiver in 2012, left on the first day of free agency to sign with the Miami Dolphins. Then during the 2013 NFL Draft the Steelers drafted two wide receivers, which begs the questions: who gets a roster spot and who finds themselves on the outside looking in when the final cuts are made? As the 2013 season gets closer (we are 3 months away from the first NFL Sunday) there are three players that seem locked in for roster spots at the receiver position. Antonio Brown is supposed to be the Steelers new number one receiver taking over for Wallace. Behind Brown will be Emmanuel Sanders, who is stepping into the starting line-up for the first time in his NFL career. The Steelers also have...

In the post draft void that includes OTAs and mini-camp there is plenty of time to project, worry, ponder, over analyze, and basically doom the Steelers in our worrisome minds for the 2013 season. Many fans were disappointed with the draft selections, those that actively follow the OTAs may also see disappointment in the performance and player caliber on the field. One area of particular concern is the Offensive Line. Lack of starter talent at the Tackle position is most concerning, adding insult to injury; there is no apparent depth either. Many talking heads and fans alike associate the Offensive Line with dismal 2012 season and accurately predict that the 2013 season equally rests solely in the hands of this year’s line prospects. The stabbing of Mike Adams reminds us that for whatever reason, the Steelers are plagued with players that miss reps, games, and force the Steelers to throw...

The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost some strong veteran players over the past few seasons. Having lost those players means that the team now needs to rely on some youngsters to step up and replace their production. If that doesn’t happen the Steelers may be in for more struggles during the 2013 seasons. However, there are six young, or fairly young, players on the roster that are poised to have breakout seasons. David DeCastro: Last off-season there was a lot of talk about how good David DeCastro was going to be at right guard for the Steelers. He played well during training camp and the pre-season, but a knee injury in the last pre-season game stopped him in his tracks. Thanks to a new NFL rule that allows teams to bring one players off of injured reserve he still played in four games during his rookie season and started three, but...

If there is one position where we would all like to see the Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of depth at it is probably offensive line. Recent injury issues have forced multiple back-ups into the starting line-up and having players capable of stepping in and playing at a high level along the line will be important in 2013 if those trends continue. For that reason I believed the Steelers would look to bring back center/guard Doug Legursky. However, Legursky, yesterday, signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills to compete for their starting left guard position. If he had returned to the Steelers he would have been their back-up center and a reserve guard. “I’ve had a starting season at guard,” Legursky said. “I’ve played just as much guard as I have center, but whatever they need me to do, right, left, center, fullback, tackle, just throw me in there and I’ll...

Veteran corner-back Justin King has been placed on injured reserve for the Pittsburgh Steelers after battling hamstring issues during the team activities to this point. King was a long-shot at best to make the roster in the first place, but this is a loss of veteran depth at a position that doesn’t have much left. We have signed undrafted rookie free agent CB Nigel Malone from Kansas State and placed CB Justin King on the Reserve/Injured List. — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) June 6, 2013 As for Nigel Malone, he transferred to Kansas State from a junior college in 2011. Draft scouts had him listed as a player who could excel in a zone coverage scheme and label him as a corner who doesn’t shy away from contact. However, he was not seen as an elite prospect because he is only 5’10″ and 185 pounds and isn’t the fastest player on...

According to Adam Schefter quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a minor scope on his right knee today. This is a simple procedure that is done to clean up the knee and get it ready for activity. Seven years ago Roethlisberger had the same procedure done on his left knee and he has had no complications since. Doctors operated on Ben Roethlisberger’s right meniscus. Same procedure done on left knee 7 years ago – knee perfect since. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 5, 2013 … The rehab timetable for this surgery is generally around 4-6 weeks. Goal for Steelers in doing it now was to have Ben ready for camp. — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 5, 2013 Roethlisberger will be unable to workout for a while following this surgery, but he should be back in plenty of time for training camp. This off-season Roethlisberger began working out earlier than in the past...

According to Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review inside linebacker Larry Foote doesn’t think that Jarvis Jones will start for the Steelers as a rookie. There has been some talk of Jones starting in place of James Harrison this season, but given the Steelers history with rookie defenders it seems more likely that Jason Worilds will start opposite LaMarr Woodley in 2013. “It’s going to be difficult (for Jones to start immediately), especially outside,” Foote said. “There is so much technique, (knowing) where you’ve got to line up, inside or outside. The fortunate thing is they (Jones’ Georgia Bulldogs) played a 3-4. … I’ve seen a lot (of players) come in as rookies and not have a clue, but you can tell he’s been around our type of football.” Jones may not start right away as a rookie, but he could still see playing time as a situational pass rusher....

According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette a warrant has been put out on the third man of the attack on Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Mike Adams. Two other men, Dquay Means, 26, and Michael Paranay, 25, both of Hazelwood, have already been arrested in the case. Pittsburgh police this morning released the identity of the third man as 26-year-old Jerrell Whitlock also of Hazelwood. As for Mr. Means he is a rising rapper and has signed with Wiz Khalifa’s music label, which is becoming one of the bigger labels in rap. Means also appeared in the music video for Khalifa’s Pittsburgh based hit song “Black and Yellow.” For those who don’t recognize Mean’s name his rapper name is Quay Meanz. Pittsburgh police wrote a criminal complaint for Adams on the case. According to that report Adams left Cambod-Ican Kitchen at 17th and East Carson streets around 3 a.m....

Last year Steve McLendon looked very good in the snaps he got at nose tackle behind Casey Hampton. The Pittsburgh Steelers must agree because they let Hampton, who has held down that position since 2001, to walk this off-season and are going to replace him with McLendon as the starter in 2013. McLendon can also play defensive end and he is hoping that versatility will allow him to stay on the field for all three-downs while on defense. According to an interview with Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review McLendon is hoping that his job as the Steelers nose tackle will be a full-time gig on defense. ”I tell them not to take that pass rush from me because I can do that, I can rush the passer. I tell (defensive line coach John Mitchell) that all the time, but he won’t let me,” McLendon said. Kaboly also mentions that head...

Week 8: Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders Date/Time: Sunday October 27, 2013 at 4:05 PM ET Location: O.Co Coliseum; Oakland, California Raiders 2012 record: 4-12 Steelers 2012 record: 8-8 Head-To-Head Record: 9-11 Raiders   Offensive Rankings: Passing: Raiders: 8th Steelers: 14th Rushing: Raiders: 28th Steelers: 26th Overall: Raiders: 18th Steelers: 21st   Defensive Rankings: Passing: Raiders: 20th Steelers: 1st Rushing: Raiders: 18th Steelers: 2nd Overall: Raiders: 18th Steelers: 1st   Offseason Additions: Raiders: S Usama Young, CB Tracy Porter, CB Mike Jenkins Steelers: TE Matt Spaeth, CB William Gay, QB Bruce Gradkowski   Key Draft Picks: Raiders: CB D.J. Hayden, OT Menelik Watson, OLB Sio Moore Steelers: LB Jarvis Jones, RB Le’Veon Bell, WR Markus Wheaton   Overview: Last year the Pittsburgh Steelers were upset in the third week of the season by the Oakland Raiders, who only won three other games during the 2012 season. That game was just another let down against the Raiders, who always seem to cause problems for the Steelers; especially when the teams face off in Oakland. Perhaps...