STEEL CURTAIN RADIO

By:  Jason and Jayden – If it ain’t steel, it ain’t real

As we near the end of the NFL’s yearly Beefcake Beauty Contest, it’s the defensive backs that take center stage today. According to Steelers beat writer and Trib reporter Ken Laird, 59 Defensive Backs met with the press today at the Combine, including “Antwaun Reed of #pitt and D’Anton Lynn & Chaz Powell #pennstate.”
Now, on to players who may have an actual chance with the Steelers.
The Good ~
Shawn Zobel of http://draftheadquarters.com and @ShawnZobel_DHQ on Twitter, tweeted this today: “Dontari Poe of Memphis is now the leader at the 2012 Combine with 44 reps on bench.” He ultimately led the day and is now officially “Mr. Poe.” I want this man on my team. Now.
He’s from Memphis, by the way. Randy Fichtner coached at Memphis, by the way. We may have a connection to him, therefore, by the w…well, you get it.
One of the interviews with Steelers GM Kevin Colbert that hasn’t gotten any real replay dealt with how various positions, both offensively and defensively, are evaluated and utilized.
Speaking on success at finding a quality outside linebacker for the NFL level, Colbert said: “The challenge is usually in college football there’s not a lot of 3-4 defenses, so you don’t get to see those linebackers playing the position that you’re gonna project them to. So, there’s a lot of guesswork involved mainly with how they’ll be able to cover, because that’s one aspect you don’t get to see a lot of in the 4-3 defensive ends in college football.” Does that then create in you a greater respect for LaMarr Woodley? It does in me.
When asked about Ben, offensive line and the decision making that goes into this year’s draft, Colbert responded: “It’s a little different, ya know. It’s a little better on the interior, specifically at guard, which is unusual [compared to] how it has been in recent years. Tackles are still good, it’s not as deep as it has been, and center is not very deep at all.” Do you hear that, Peter Konz?
The subject of small school talent was next addressed, specifically offensive guard Amini Silatolu out of Midwestern State. The 6-3, 320-pounder from became MSU’s first consensus All-American after leading NCAA Division II’s top-ranked scoring and yardage offense. Silatolu also finished second in voting for the Gene Upshaw Award which is presented to the top performing lineman in all of NCAA Division II each season. He’s expected to be the first small college lineman selected in this year’s draft.
The problem, Colbert said, is that “any small school guy…they have to prove that they can do it at the next level because we can’t see them. They’re missing a step along the way. So, the further down the line you go in college football, division III, II, I-AA, the harder it is to prove that you’re worthy of NFL competition because you’re not at that level as you’re preparing for that next step.”
Based on those statements, getting a good-to-great offensive guard is essential. You have the talent in the draft and you have the need for that talent. Which actually touches on another potentially bad situation I’ll come back to later.
Colbert spoke on the defense as well, in particular the defensive line. He mentioned how important versatility is and said it’s “huge”, but that they have to be able to “play in the base defense first. But, if there’s other things that they can bring in from an athletic standpoint, that’s obviously a bonus.”
He went on to cite Brett Keisel as an example of one who, while being good in the base defense, has that aforementioned versatility because “he can also stand up and give some looks as an outside linebacker, or even stand up and rush from the inside. So, it gives the coaches a lot more flexibility in what they can do. Is it necessary? No. Is it a bonus? Yes.” Not pointing you out, Dontari Poe. Just looking in your general direction.

The Bad ~
The Steelers are facing a literal changing of the guard on the offensive line. Tackle also, in that Marcus Gilbert is presumably moving to left tackle to replace Max Starks who’s season ended due to injury again. There’s the issue: the loss of Starks affects quality/depth and experience.
There is Trai Essex who’ll likely be brought back, but no one else on the roster or practice squad is going to make anyone think of Joe Thomas or Ryan Clady. So, depth and quality are certainly affected.
Secondly is the experience at the left tackle position now that Gilbert is going to be there. Gilbert has little experience at left tackle, playing it only for approximately a half of a season in college. He played mainly right tackle before his senior year, even playing some guard. So, there will be some on-the-job training for Gilbert next season. Expect an increase in the running game and a lot of three and five step drops, in that case, to aid in Gilbert’s growth.
The Ugly…and somewhat hilarious ~
Cornerback prospect Janoris Jenkins has four kids already. Four. They’re ages are three, two, one year old and three months old. Joe Reedy, @joereedy on Twitter, stated: “Janoris Jenkins said he hasn’t smoked in a year.” Well, obviously! He’s been otherwise involved. Finally on the subject, Scott Brown of the Trib tweeted: “Janoris Jenkins has 4 kids and 3 arrests from his time at U of Fla. Some team will take a chance on talented CB. Won’t be the Steelers.” From your lips to God’s ears…
One last thing ~
Ken Laird of the Trib tweeted that Isaiah Pead from Cincinnati, who might be a Steelers running back possibility, ran a 4.41 in the 40 yard dash. Laird said that he would be great change of pace back in 4th round or so.

Steelers and 49ers GMs Talk Mike Wallace at NFL Combine.

By: Jason and Jaden

The NFL Combine is here and the Steelers brass was present and accounted for. Ken Laird, host of http://sportstalk.triblive.com and Steelers beat writer from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Scott Brown, also of the Trib, were on site to talk with Steelers GM Kevin Colbert.

Colbert talked candidly about what the Steelers are needing to do to get themselves salary cap healthy.

As of about 4:30 EST, the Steelers are almost at Cap Zero, down approximately $29.35 million in 2 weeks, now that Ben Roethlisberger has restructured. What needs to be remembered, though, is that this DOES NOT include the money that still is to be tendered to the exclusive rights (Steve McLendon, Isaac Redman and Jeremy Kapinos-and they have to take whatever is offered) and restricted free agents (Mike Wallace, Ryan Mundy, David Johnson, Ramon Foster, Keenan Lewis and Doug Legursky). That could take the Salary Cap/Rule of 51 number, especially once you consider whatever dead money (left-over prorated signing bonus money) that has to be added, to anywhere from $1.5 to $6.5 million. But, that’s definitely easier to handle now.

Now, these are just raw numbers, mind you. But Steelers GM Kevin Colbert did address such issues when he talked to the media this morning. Colbert said, after being asked about slashing salary cap space to make room for Wallace’s franchise number, “We want to make sure Mike can finish his career with the Steelers. I’m very confident that Mike wants to finish his career with the Steelers and play with a great quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger…. We think he’s only scratched the surface in what he can do.”

San Francisco 49ers GM Trent Baalke was on Sirius XM Radio this morning with Adam Schein and Rich Gamnon at the 2012 NFL Combine. Indirectly Baalke was asked about Steelers’ unrestricted free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace and the comments he made about his mind “wandering” toward playing for another team.

Schein acknowledged in his questioning that he knew Baalke couldn’t mention Wallace directly by name, as that would be “tampering”, but he did ask if that kind of deep threat receiver would be the kind he would be looking for in the offseason. Baalke said, “We’re looking for guys that can make plays. We feel that we have a couple that can and we’re looking for some more that can make plays. Obviously there’s guys in the league, that when they get the ball in their hand they can score, and I’m not going to talk about any particular player individual, but that’s what you’re looking for. You’re looking for a play maker at the position. Guys that can turn a 3-yard hitch into an 83-yard touchdown. The more of those guys you have, the better you can be offensively. So, we are always looking. We feel there are some players in free agency that fit that mold and we feel that the draft has some guys that fit that mold. So, we’re going to do everything we can to make the right decisions in that area.”

The 49ers have only the one first round draft pick in the upcoming NFL draft and that pick is the no. 30. They’re one of four teams that could look to sign Wallace to an offer sheet should he be tendered at a first round level.

By: Jason and Jayden – If it ain’t steel… http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/

Despite the title of the article, this won’t be a “doom and gloom” piece. I can only respect a man who is trying to get all he can from his abilities. Even in the form of money. Especially in the form of money. That having been said, I still think Mike Wallace stays in Pittsburgh and that a deal gets done by March 5th.

The Steelers restricted free agent Mike Wallace gave an interview today to Adam Schein and Jim Miller on Sirius XM NFL Radio and covered the main things on the minds of Steelers fans, most notably his pending free agency.

Mike Wallace, @Wallace17_daKid on Twitter, says his agent and the Steelers, basically, of course, Kevin Colbert and Omar Khan, have been working hard to get a deal done. Wallace says he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, but has to think about his family.

Hm…has to think about his family? Yeahhh…I’m not going to delve too deeply into that right now, because worms can be really difficult to get back in the can. Suffice it to say, people making $40,000 a year are ‘thinking about their families’ too. So, if he goes elsewhere for, say, $32 million over 4 years after the Steelers offered him $28 million over 4 years, that’s a difference of $8 million as opposed to $7 million per year. At that point you’re not thinking of your family, you’re thinking of your “boyz.” Because the only really difference that would make would be the ability to have your name engraved in gold on your Escalade instead of just having it gold-plated. Moving on…

To expand this, Wallace was asked if he thinks about the possibility of actually leaving the Steelers and signing somewhere else. Wallace said, “Well, the position that I am in, I’m always going to think about it sometimes because I have never been in this position before. So, it’s kind of hard to just not think about anything. So yeah, my mind wanders from time-to-time, but my heart is definitely in Pittsburgh. That’s where I would like to be at, but we all know that it’s a business and you have certain things that you have to handle. So if I have to go elsewhere, you know Pittsburgh will always be in my heart, but I have to do what I have to do.

Now, despite the poor grammar, I don’t really have a problem with what he said there. That could be translated to, “I really like my girlfriend a lot, but I’m out the door if Halle Berry comes knockin.” I ain’t mad atcha, brotha. Not with the way you put it here, at least. Like Michael Corleone said, “It’s just business, never personal.”

So, Wallace then was asked if the San Francisco 49ers or the New England Patriots would be two teams he’d consider signing with and he replied, “Most definitely. Those are two playoff caliber teams, Super Bowl caliber teams, and I think the right piece to those guys would put them over the top. All they need is that one more piece to any one of those puzzles I think on both sides of those teams. So most definitely they’re Super Bowl contending teams. So I would most definitely, if I were to go anywhere else, that would definitely be two teams because this is a situation of them being contenders. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere and leave the situation where I am at that has a great quarterback, a great organization and go somewhere where I don’t feel I can succeed.

When asked if a new deal is not done by the start of free agency, was his mentality one that he thought he would no longer be with the Steelers. Wallace said, “That’s the mentality that you almost have to take and look at it, but I definitely don’t want to look at it that way, because that is the team that drafted me, that’s the team that took a chance on me. So I would love to be there.”

Now, this I liked hearing. Because we want and love him, and it’s always nice to know such feelings are reciprocated.

Then, further on he and his agent currently being in talks with the Steelers about a new deal, Wallace said, “Yeah, they’re talking. But, I don’t know how far they are going to get right now, because you know the situation. I know that they are working trying to get it taken care of and get me done. I know I talk to my coaches and I talk to everybody and I’m positive about the situation. It’s just a situation that will have to play itself out. I know they’re working hard trying to take care of it, but I don’t know. We’ll see.”

An NFL.com article recently stated that league sources have told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora that there is “real concern” within the Steelers’ front office that they could lose Wallace. Ok, slow ya roll. Who are these sources? The only viable “source” in this situation is Kevin Colbert himself.

While Colbert did cite “serious cap issues” in an interview not too long ago. When the offseason began, the Steelers were about $23-$25 million over the salary cap, depending on who was reporting. Now that number is down to about $8 million over.

I’m no salary cap guru, but even I know that there are a few more restructures of players’ contracts coming and player cuts coming that will get that number below the salary cap. The cutting of Jonathan Scott, Chris Kemoeatu and Will Allen alone brings the cap number to zero, and probably even puts into the black.

Then add in/take away the money saved by Aaron Smith’s retirement, the money saved from the retirement, restructure or cutting of Hines Ward, and the restructure or cutting of James Farrior and Larry Foote, and you have a workable situation. Now there’s money for Wallace. You then also know exactly what you have in order to bring back a couple of the aforementioned players at the veteran minimum.

All of that, though, hinges on whether a workable deal can be mutually agreed upon by March 5th.

That raises the question then, “What if a deal can’t, though, get done by March 5th?”

That’s when the Steelers look seriously at using the Franchise Tag on Mike Wallace. As was covered in a previous blog post, that would mean paying him approximately $13 million with a salary cap hit of $9.4 million. This would carry along with it a first round tender. If someone presents an offer sheet to which Wallace would agree to sign, we’d actually receive that team’s first round pick, actually giving us two.

Add to that the, most likely, two seventh round compensatory picks they’re sure to receive and there are 10 draft picks for Kevin Colbert and Mile Tomlin over which to salivate.

That, my friends, is your worst-case scenario.

Remember also, in which round was Mike Wallace drafted? For that matter, in which round was Antonio Brown drafted? So, take a step back from the ledge and look and see that the horizon isn’t so cloudy after all. No need for “doom and gloom.” We simply have to wait and see how much money Mike Wallace needs for his family…and whether or not he’s opposed to gold-plating.