Now or Never Time?

As a Steeler fan, it is easy to get used to our team being a perennial powerhouse. It seems as if the Steelers rarely go through periods of re-building because of their uncanny ability to draft and develop players that are ready to become playmakers conveniently before the “big-named” players are ready to cash in on their large contracts. Well, I believe the time has come where several years (2002 to present) of poor late-round drafting are starting to catch up with the Steelers. After this season, the Steelers have many key free agents that the team may not be able to re-sign; and the lack of talented depth will be more evident than ever.

Here is my 2009 position by position outlook:

Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger and Dennis Dixon are the only 2 quarterbacks on the payroll for next season. Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch are both free agents and may seek the opportunity to compete for a starting position somewhere else. Dennis Dixon’s lack of game experience is a bona fide concern and the Steelers will have to find a backup QB that is capable of winning games if Roethlisberger experiences a serious injury.

Wide Reciever: Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, and Limas Sweed will be returning. Nate Washington is a free agent and may be able to cash in with another team after posting a solid 600+ yard season. The impact of losing Washington should be minimal as Sweed should be ready to take on a bigger role in 2009.

Running Back: Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, and Gary Russell will all be back next season. There is a log jam at running back and I wouldn’t be surprised is the Steelers try to trade Parker for a draft pick in the coming off-season. Mendenhall was drafted in the first round in 2008 and will be expected to contribute in 2009. Mewelde Moore a few years younger than Parker and is a proven running back with considerably more versatility than Parker. Parker’s trade value has decreased this season though, because of injuries and a few lackluster performances. Solid play by Parker in the playoffs could be beneficial for increasing his value. Mendenhall, Moore, and Russell would be a fantastic backfield next season.

Offensive Line: If you think the line is a concern this season, just wait until next season! Chris Kemoeatu, Max Starks, Willie Colon, Trai Essex, and Marvel Smith are all free agents. The only offensive linemen signed through next season are Kendall Simmons, Justin Hartwig, Darnell Stapleton, Jeremy Parquet, and Tony Hills. None of the returning offensive linemen are game changers and the line is in need of an overhaul this off-season. Expect the line to be addressed in the draft and in free agency.

Tight End: Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth will be returning. They are one of the best TE tandems in the league right now. As for the third tight end, Sean McHugh has proven to be very valuable as a lead blocker in the power running game and may have bought himself some extra time in Pittsburgh.

Fullback: Carey Davis is a free agent and I believe he is the most worthless player on the Steelers roster since the “sidelines in sweatpants” version of Duce Staley. Sean McHugh has been far more productive as a hybrid blocking fullback/tight end this season. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Steelers draft or sign a free agent to fill the void at fullback. The Steelers haven’t had a real power running game since Dan Kreider was leading the way and I’d love to see the team find somebody in his mold.

Defensive Line: The defensive line concerns me as much as the offensive line. Though this group is playing at a high level, they are beginning to age and there is absolutely no depth behind them. Next season Aaron Smith will be 33 and Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel will be 31. If you think they’re getting old, you should see the depth: Travis Kirshke will be 35 and Chris Hoke will be 33. Free agent, Orpheus Roye, will be 36. Thankfully, the youngest member of the defensive line unit (Nick Eason) will be 29! The defensive line will have to be a point of focus for the front office going into the 2009 season. Future starters will have to be drafted or signed in free agency during the off season.

Linebacker: Two-time Steelers MVP and the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, James Harrison, is going to be a free agent in 2010. Harrison is going to be 31 years old and his agent will likely try to talk him into going after a large contract. Harrison is still being paid a minimal contract and you can’t blame the guy for wanting to be paid what he is worth. This off-season should be interesting and I would not be shocked is Harrison is a hold-out going into next season. Given the Steelers history of not offering large contracts to players over the age of 30, I’m not sure what is going to happen.

Lamarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons are going to be a fierce tandem for years to come. James Farrior just signed a 5 year deal that will enable him to retire a Steeler and Larry Foote will be back for the final season of his contract. Bruce Davis was drafted to be groomed into a productive Steeler linebacker, but a little bit of depth may be necessary. No matter what, the Steelers are going to have a very solid linebacking corps again next season. Hopefully James Harrison will be part of the group.

Cornerback: Ike Taylor is finally playing up to his abilities and is proving that he is one of the better cover cornerbacks in the NFL. However, his counterpart, Bryant McFadden, is a free agent after this season. McFadden came on strong this season after losing a pre-season battle with Deshea Townsend. McFadden may command more money than the Steelers are able to pay and it wouldn’t be shocking if he is wearing a different uniform next season. Deshea Townsend is going to be 35 next season and is not a viable option to be a starting corner. William Gay played very well when he was forced to start a few games this year and could be a starting corner next season. Signing McFadden would be the best possible scenario, but the Steelers may lack depth at cornerback going into next season.

Safety: I’m concerned about the safety position going into next season. Polamalu is still on the top of his game and will be 29 next season. Ryan Clark, however, is entering the last year of his contract and he will be 30 next season. Anthony Smith was drafted to fill the void at free safety, but has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff and likely won’t be with the team next season as he is in the final year of his contract. Tyrone Carter will be 33 and he likely won’t be in the team’s long term plans either. The safety position will also have to be addressed in the off-season.

Kicker/Punter: Jeff Reed will return next season and Daniel Sepulveda will return from the injured reserve next season. We realized how important the punter is to a football team this season and it will be a relief to have Sepulveda healthy next season.

Special Teams: The only reason I am mentioning special teams is because of the horrid return game the Steelers have had this season. The Steelers ranked 29th in kick return average and tied for last place in punt return average. The Steelers never effectively replaced Antwaan Randle El in the return game and will have to find a return threat in the off season. The Steelers have won a plethora of games by winning the field position battle and the team could certainly use a little help in the return game.

Going into the 2009 season, there are more questions than answers. I believe that if the Steelers are going to make a Super Bowl run this season, it may be now or never time. Free agency will be hitting Pittsburgh hard this off-season. The off-season should be busy and we can only hope that open positions can be adequately filled or upgraded. I expect to see many new faces wearing black and gold next season and Mike Tomlin’s coaching abilities should be more prevalent next season than his first two seasons.