39-year old head coach Mike Tomlin has gotten his Steelers to the Super Bowl twice in his first four years in the NFL.  They lost last year to the Packers and they won the Super Bowl in 2008 against the Cardinals.  The Steelers were a very solid 12-4 last year but they didn’t achieve their yearly goal of winning the Super Bowl.  The Steelers are now 43-21 (67.2%) during the regular season in Tomlin’s first four years in charge.  He is also 5-2 (71.4%) in the post-season already in his career, which is pretty impressive.  The only thing that can stop the Steelers now is age or injuries.

24-year old Rashard Mendenhall is going to be the main man in the running game for the Steelers once again in 2011.  Mendenhall played in 16 games (all starts) for the Steelers last year and he carried the ball 324 times for 1,273 yards (3.9 ypc) with 13 TD runs.  He also caught 23 passes for 167 yards (7.3 avg) last year.  The Steelers will likely look to run the ball at least as much as they did last season and that’s good news for Mendenhall.  He has now played in 36 games (29 starts) in his first three years with the Steelers and he has carried the ball 585 times for 2,439 yards (4.2 ypc) with 20 TD runs.  Mendenhall has also caught 50 passes for 445 yards (8.9 avg) with 1 TD grab in his NFL career so far.

As a rookie in 2009, 26-year old Isaac Redman only played in 1 game for the Steelers and he didn’t touch the ball.  He moved up the depth chart in 2010 and he played in all 16 games for the Steelers in which he carried the ball 53 times for 247 yards (4.7 ypc) with 0 TD carries.  He also caught 9 passes for 72 yards (8.0 avg) with 2 TD grabs last year.  Redman will likely get more carries in 2011 as the Steelers will be watching Mendenhall’s workload a tad more this year.

29-year old Mewelde Moore is a very solid #3 RB for the Steelers.  He played in 15 games (0 starts) for the Steelers last year and he carried the ball 33 times for 99 yards (3.0 ypc).  He also caught 26 passes for 205 yards (7.9 avg) last year.  Moore should get a little more P.T. in 2011 just like Redman.  Moore has played in 101 games (15 starts) in his first 7 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 472 times for 2,090 yards (4.4 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  He has also caught 203 passes for 1,771 yards (8.7 avg) with 6 TD grabs in his NFL career so far.

22-year old Jonathan Dwyer played in 1 game (0 starts) as a rookie for the Steelers last season and he carried the ball 9 times for 28 yards (3.1 ypc).  Dwyer is going to have a hard time moving up the depth chart unless the Steelers suffer some injuries at RB.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS RBS IN 2011:  B

The Pittsburgh Steelers have 4 QBs on the roster with starting experience.  It all starts with 29-year old Ben Roethlisberger.  Roethlisberger played in 12 games (all starts) for the Steelers last year and he completed 240 of 389 passes (61.7%) for 3,200 yards with 17 TD passes and 5 INTs (97.0 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 33 times for 176 yards (5.3 ypc) with 2 TD runs last year.  It will be interesting to see if getting married will make “Big Ben” softer on the field.  That is one thing the Steelers couldn’t afford as his toughness is what makes him a great QB.  He takes more hits than any QB in the league and that’s because he holds the ball until the last second before throwing it, giving his WRs time to get open down the field.  Roethlisberger has now played in 99 games (98 starts) in his first seven years in his NFL career and he has completed 1,766 of 2,800 passes (63.1%) for 22,502 yards with 144 TD passes and 86 INTs (92.5 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 261 times for 874 yards (3.3 ypc) with 14 TD run in his career.  Roethlisberger is 69-29 (70.4%) during the regular season as the Steelers’ starting QB.

31-year old Byron Leftwich will be the Steelers’ #2 QB if he can stay healthy in 2011.  Leftwich played in 1 game (0 starts) for the Steelers last year and he completed 5 of 7 passes (71.4%) for 42 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs (86.6 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 6 times for 6 yards (1.0 ypc) last year.  Leftwich has now played in 56 games (49 starts) in his first 8 years in the NFL and he has completed 905 of 1,552 passes (58.3%) for 10,260 yards with 58 TD passes and 41 INTs (79.7 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 136 times for 384 yards (2.8 ypc) with 9 TD runs so far in his career.  He is 24-25 (49%) as a starting QB in the NFL during the regular season.

36-year old Charlie Batch will likely be the #3 QB in 2011 for  the Steelers.  Batch played in 3 games (2 starts) for the Steelers last year and he completed 29 of 49 passes (59.2%) for 352 yards with 3 TD passes and 3 INTs (76.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 7 times for 30 yards (4.3 ypc) last year.  Batch has now played in 75 games (52 starts) in his first 12 years in the NFL and he has completed 848 of 1,510 passes (56.2%) for 10,402 yards with 60 TD passes and 47 INTs (77.9 QB Rating).  Batch also has carried the ball 169 times for 639 yards (3.8 ypc) with 6 TD runs so far in his career.  Batch is 23-29 (44.2%) as a starting QB during the regular season.

26-year old Dennis Dixon has pissed off the front office of the Steelers for demanding a trade recently.  That has put him on the roster bubble now.  Dixon played in 2 games (both starts) for the Steelers last year and he completed 22 of 32 passes (68.8%) for 254 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT (79.4 QB Rating).  Dixon also carried the ball 5 times for 32 yards (6.4 ypc) last year.  He has now played in 4 games (3 starts) in his first three years with the Steelers and he has completed 35 of 59 passes (59.3%) for 402 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs (71.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 10 times for 56 yards (5.6 ypc) with 1 TD run so far in his NFL career.   Dixon is 2-1 (66.7%) as the Steelers starting QB during the regular season.  Dixon has by far the most athletic ability of the Steelers’ four QBs but he needs to tone down about P.T. or he’s going to be looking for a new job.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS QBS IN 2011:  A

29-year old WR/RB Stefan Logan will likely be the Steelers’ kickoff return man once again in 2010.  He played in 16 games for the Steelers last season and he returned 55 kickoffs for 1,466 yards (26.7 avg).  Logan has good speed and a lot of moves so the Steelers hope he gives the offense solid starting position in 2010.

31-year old WR Antwaan Randle El is the backup plan.  He played in 16 games for the Redskins last season but he didn’t return any kickoffs.  He has played in 127 games in his NFL career and he has returned 79 kickoffs for 1,759 yards (22.3 avg) with 1 TD return. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  B

The Steelers have already lost their best O-Lineman (Willie Colon) for the season and the line wasn’t that good with him.  LT Max Starks is a solid run blocker but he has issues with speed rushers which will lead to quite a few hits in the back for Steelers’ QBs in 2010.  LG Chris Kemoeatu is a solid run blocker because he’s so strong but he needs to improve his pass blocking.  Center Justin Hartwig has been terrible his last two seasons as a pass blocker giving up 14 total sacks.  If he doesn’t improve soon rookie 1st round pick Maurkice Pouncey could bounce him out of a starting job soon.  It seems more likely that Pouncey will battle Trai Essex for the starting RG guard job in 2010.  Essex started all 16 games for the Steelers last season but that doesn’t mean he’ll start over Pouncey.  RT will be manned by Flozell Adams who is a much better run blocker than a pass blocker at this point in his career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS O-LINE in 2010:  D+

The Steelers lost to the Chiefs, Browns and Raiders down the stretch last season and it cost them a chance to defend their Super Bowl Championship.  The Steelers were a very disappointing 9-7 (56.3%) last season as they missed the playoffs.  Tomlin has a regular season record of 31-17 (64.6%) in his three years with the Steelers.  The Steelers are 3-1 (75%) in the post season under Tomlin and he earned a Super Bowl ring in 2008.  Tomlin is a solid football coach but he will be tested this season playing at least 4 games without Ben Roethlisberger and the whole season without Santonio Holmes (he was traded to the Jets).

31-year old kicker Jeff Reed might get drunk and arrested once in a while but he’s still a solid kicker.  Reed played in 16 games for the Steelers last season and he connected on 27 of 31 field goals (87.1%).  He also made all 41 of his extra point attempts last season to finish with 122 points.  Reed has now played in 118 games with the Steelers and he has made 189 of 227 field goals (83.3%).  He has also made 288 of 291 extra points in his career and he has scored 855 points for the Steelers.  As long as he can stay out of jail, I see Reed having another solid year for the Steelers in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS KICKERS in 2010:  A

The Steelers pretty much gave Santonio Holmes away ditching him for a fifth round pick (to the Jets).  That’s a shame because he was one of the best receivers on the team.  34-year old Hines Ward will be the #1 WR for the Steelers despite his advancing age.  Ward played in 16 games (all starts) for the Steelers last season and he caught 95 passes for 1,167 yards (12.3 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  He has now played in 186 games (166 starts) in his 12 years with the Steelers and he has caught 895 passes for 10,947 yards (12.2 avg) with 78 TD grabs.  He also has carried the ball 56 times for 430 yards (7.7 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  Ward has made it to 4 Pro Bowls with the Steelers.  Ward still has something left in the gas tank and he will be needed more than ever this season without Holmes around.  He still is a outstanding blocker downfield.

23-year old Mike Wallace burst onto the scene for the Steelers as a rookie last season because of his speed.  He played in 16 games (4 starts) for the Steelers last year and he caught 39 passes for 756 yards (19.4 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  Wallace will have to step his game up even more in 2010 as he will be moving into Santonio Holmes’ old starting role.  That means he will be guarded by starting corners instead of nickel and dime backs.

30-year old Antwaan Randle El is back for a second tour of duty with the Steelers.  He played in 16 games (3 starts) for the Redskins last season and he caught 50 passes for 530 yards (10.6 avg) with no TDs.  Randle El has now played in 127 games (71 starts) in his 8 years in the NFL and he has caught 348 passes for 4,214 yards (12.1 avg) with 15 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 78 times for 436 yards (5.6 ypc) in his career.  When the Steelers want to get tricky they could always let Randle El toss a deep pass.  He has completed 20 of 25 passes (80%) for 281 yards with 4 TD passes and 0 INTs (153.1 QB Rating).  Randle El will likely serve as the Steelers’ #3 WR in 2010.

The Steelers have high hopes for 3rd round pick Emmanuel Sanders out of SMU.  He is a tad on the small side at 5’11″, 180 pounds but he’s a speed burner.  The Steelers hope he can stretch defenses when he’s on the field.

30-year old Arnaz Battle will be around in 2010.  He is a solid #4 or #5 WR who also helps out on special teams.  Battle played in 15 games (0 starts) for the 49ers last season and he caught 5 passes for 40 yards (8.0 avg).  Battle has now played in 88 games (38 starts) in his 7 years in the NFL and he has caught 178 passes for 2,150 yards (12.1 avg) with 11 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 22 times for 77 yards (3.5 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.

6th round pick Antonio Brown out of Central Michigan is a longshot to make the Steelers.  Like Sanders, he’s a small guy at 5’10″, 186 pounds.  He will have to bring his A-game to training camp if he wants to make the Steelers.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS WRs in 2010:  B

The Steelers finally realized what they had in 27-year old TE Heath Miller in 2009 and they went to him a lot in the passing game.  Look for that to be the same case in 2010.  Miller played in 16 games (all starts) for the Steelers last season and he caught 76 passes for 789 yards (10.4 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  He has now played in 78 games (76 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 244 passes for 2,721 yards (11.2 avg) with 27 TD grabs.  Miller has great hands and the ability to get down the field and for those reasons I expect him to make the Pro Bowl in 2010.

26-year old Matt Spaeth is a run blocker who is also a nice Red Zone target because of his size.  He played in 16 games (8 starts) for the Steelers last season and he caught 5 passes for 25 yards (5.0 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Spaeth has now played in 46 games (26 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 27 passes for 195 yards (7.2 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  Look for Spaeth to have another solid year in 2010 for the Steelers.

22-year old David Johnson will be #3 in line for the Steelers at TE in 2010.  He played in 15 games (3 starts) as a rookie last season for the Steelers and he caught 2 passes for 9 yards (4.5 avg).

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS TEs in 2010:  A

28-year old Sean McHugh and 24-year old Frank Summers will duke it out in training camp for the starting job at fullback.  McHugh is a converted TE who didn’t get into any games last season.  He has played in 40 games (17 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 23 passes for 301 yards (13.1 avg).  Summers is more of a blocker so he may have the edge on McHugh.  Summers played in 2 games (1 start) for the Steelers as a rookie last season but he didn’t get to touch the ball.  The fullback job for the Steelers is basically a blocking gig.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STEELERS FBs in 2010:  D-