Pittsburgh Steelers offseason

• Non

  

  B-Mac is indeed #20 again
  
  Keenan Lewis is now #23
  
  Pouncey is #53
  
  who could forget Bryan Hinkle?
  
  
  
  
  also, Leftwich ran with the first team offense today in the Steelers mini-camp. Dixon No. 2 and Batch No. 3.
• Non

  

  just in the few glimpses they showed of Pouncey in one-on-one drills he looks very quick
• thavoice

  ^^As many an analyst and coach has said.....they "all look good" in OTA's without any pads...
• Non

  

  true and a lot of times the veterans don't participate or they go half speed
  
  it's more for the youngsters
• thavoice

  The vets dont need to come in and impress druing the spring OTA's. Team knows what they can do and the vets know what counts is when you put those pads on and go full out.
  
  You really cannot tell a whole lot until the preseason games start. Even in TC the vets arent fully cranked up and the young pups are. When the whistle blows during the games and they look good...that is when I even start to pay attention.
  
  Hell..i c it each summer with the baseball team i help coach...the kids who are at their first practice after playing JV in the spring are all ears, hustling like crazy in the first practice. The older kids..who have been around us longer and been starters and such....not saying they loaf...but they know when it is time to pick it up...and when it is time to methodically get the necessities done.
• Non

  

  http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10121/1054795-66.stm
  
  Sweed talks about switching numbers and returning to the team after being placed on the injured reserve for a non-injury related illness
  
  clearly it was in the neighborhood of depression but he says "it's water under the bridge" now
  
  it's not that I don't root for the kid, he seems like he's really trying to make it, but ultimately the issue is with his hands
  
  just catch the ball when you're wide open
• thavoice

  The issue I have Non is this.........i dont know if you read the weekly chats with Bouchette in the PPG. He doesnt openly come out and say that Sweed drops passes in practice, but he has said on a number of occasions when asked...that Limas 'practices like he plays".
  
  Hell..I hope he does start catching the ball......this team could always need another guy the QB can count on.....but as a fan i am about.......winning.
• Non

  

  he actually has a good combination of height and speed
  
  he's 6'4 and can be a vertical threat
  
  but you can't be inconsistent catching the ball and play in the NFL
  
  the QB has to have trust in you, if you're going to be on the field when it counts
  
  I can't see him magically changing that around, you see Ike Taylor on defense and he always has problems hanging onto the ball, it's tough to all of a sudden have great hands
• thavoice

  wh oknows...maybe it is mental.
  
  but we cannot allow a player too much time to get over a mental thiing...cannot send him to the minors to get right....
• Non

  

  Just for the record, there are 20 active Steelers players who have two Super Bowl rings with the team.
  
  Ben Roethlisberger
  Charlie Batch
  Hines Ward
  Heath Miller
  Trai Essex
  Chris Kemoeatu
  Max Starks
  Casey Hampton
  Aaron Smith
  Brett Keisel
  Chris Hoke
  James Farrior
  Larry Foote
  James Harrison
  Andre Frazier
  Ike Taylor
  Bryant McFadden
  Troy Polamalu
  Jeff Reed
  Greg Warren
• Al Capone

  Post-Gazette is reporting Limas Sweed suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury in todays mini camp practice. Looks like he could be done for the year.
• thavoice

  Huh. Guess then we wont need to discuss if he can contribute then.
• Pick6

  

  What do you guys think of Leftwitch taking first team snaps?
• j_crazy

  

  sounds like the burghs minicamp was better than Miami's. the kid they drafted to replace ginn on punt returns muffed 9 of the 11 punts kicked to him in one of the drills.
• thavoice

  Pick6 wrote: What do you guys think of Leftwitch taking first team snaps?

  The way MT described it, and I buy the explanation, is that he has been gone from the team for a season so he wanted him to get reacquainted right away with the offense and team because he would be behind compared to Batch and Dixon who have been with these guys and offense before.
  
  
  ...and it also gives MT a quick look to see what BL has left....
  
  It will be a battle who starts games 1-4. I think Batch is the odd man out and itll be Dixon or BL.....and if BL has anything left..i think it will be him. I see MT wanting a vet to lead the team till BR is back.
• Non

  

  Rookie WR Antonio Brown and second year CB Keenan Lewis got into a scuffle during Tuesday's workout.
  
  Bouchette says Brown has "spunk"
  
  Just looking at this brief highlight video, what jumps out is his speed and ability to cut in stride. Definitely looks like a possible return man and somebody that can be used on endaround plays.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U172KCi1mks&feature=related