29-year old kicker Jeff Reed had a career year last season for the Steelers as he only missed 2 kicks all season long.  It was an incredible feat as Reed has had big time issues kicking at Heinz Field in the past.  That makes me think that last season was a fluke for him.  Reed played in all 16 games for the Steelers last season and he made 23 of 25 field goals (92%).  Reed also nailed all 44 of his extra points last season.  Still, Reed has never been close to as good as he was last season and I have a hard time believing that he has found the light.  Reed has now played in 86 NFL games and he has made 135 of 165 field goals (81.8%).  Reed has also made 211 of 213 extra points (99.1%) in his career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  C+

The Steelers have two solid TEs and they should start using them more in the offense.  25-year old Heath Miller has excellent hands and the speed to get down the seam and make big plays.  But, the Steelers don’t use him enough.  With the line troubles the Steelers will likely have this season it would be smart to target Miller on the short stuff.  Miller played in 16 games for the Steelers last season and he caught 47 passes for 566 yards (12.0 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  Look for Miller to have about the same numbers this season for the Steelers.  Miller has now played in 48 games in his NFL career and he has caught 120 passes for 1,418 yards (11.8 avg) with 18 TD grabs.

6′7″, 270 pound Matt Spaeth is a good blocker and the Steelers look for him when they get near the goal line because of his size.  Spaeth played in 14 games as a rookie last season and he caught 5 passes for 34 yards (6.8 avg) with an amazing 3 TD grabs.  Look for him to at least double his catches this season.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  A-

There might be a changing of the guard at WR for the Steelers’ as Santonio Holmes might be the go to guy instead of Hines Ward.  The 24-year old Holmes has blazing speed which is something the Steelers’ don’t have a lot of in the WR corps.  Holmes played in 13 games for the Steelers last season and he caught 52 passes for 942 yards (18.1 avg) with 8 TD grabs.  He also carried the football 5 times for 17 yards (3.4 ypc) last season.  Look for Holmes to have a great season if he can just stay healthy.  Holmes has now played in 29 games in his NFL career and he has caught 101 passes for 1,766 yards (17.5 avg) with 10 TD grabs.  He has also carried the football 6 times for 30 yards (5.0 ypc) in his career.

32-year old Hines Ward appears to be slowing down with age and he’s having a hard time staying healthy.  Still, he’s one of the toughest players in the NFL almost crossing the line into dirty play.  But, he makes big plays whenever the Steelers’ need them.  Ward played in 13 games for the Steelers last season and he caught 71 passes for 732 yards (10.3 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 11 yards (3.7 ypc) last season.  Look for the Steelers’ to lessen Ward’s workload in 2008 with the idea of keeping him healthy.  Ward has now played in 154 games in his NFL career and he has caught 719 passes for 8,737 yards (12.2 avg) with 65 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 55 times for 426 yards (7.7 ypc) with 1 TD run.

24-year old Nate Washington will likely be the #3 WR on the Steelers when the season starts but it’s up to him to keep the job.  He played in 16 games for the Steelers last season and he caught 29 passes for 450 yards (15.5 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Look for him to have numbers like he did last season if he can hold off rookie Limas Sweed for the #3 job on the Steelers.  Washington has now played in 33 games in his NFL career and he has caught 64 passes for 1,074 yards (16.8 avg) with 9 TD grabs.

The Steelers were very happy to see 6′4″, 212 pound Limas Sweed slide to them in the NFL Draft.  He was injured last season and that caused his draft stock to fall but no one questions his ability.  Sweed played in only 6 games (all starts) at Texas last season and he caught 19 passes for 306 yards (16.1 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Look for Sweed to give the Steelers the big target they have been missing since Plaxico Burress signed with the Giants.  Sweed finished up at Texas having played in 43 games (39 starts) and he caught 124 passes for 1,915 yards (15.4 avg) with 20 TD grabs.

5′10″, 186 pound Willie Ried has never turned into the player the Steelers hoped he would and he will likely have a hard time making the team.  He played in 6 games for the Steelers last season and he caught 4 passes for 54 yards (13.5 avg).  He will have to make the team with special teams play or his time could be up in Pittsburgh.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR 2008 SEASON:  A

Carey Davis has an important job for the Steelers as the starting fullback.  His main job is blocking despite being a little small for the job at 5′10″, 225 pounds.  Davis played in all 16 games for the Steelers last season (7 starts) and he carried the ball 17 times for 68 yards (4.0 ypc).  He also caught 12 passes for 49 yards (4.1 avg) last year.  Davis is essentially a halfback playing fullback but that gives the Steelers an even more explosive offense.

If anything happens to Davis the Steelers would turn to rookie fullback Billy Latsko out of Florida.  Latsko also is a tad small for the job at 5′10″, 230 pounds.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  C+

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a solid running game last season but they weren’t satisfied so they signed Mewelde Moore and drafted Rashard Mendenhall in the first round of the NFL Draft.  But, Willie Parker will likely still be the main running back for the Steelers this season.  He didn’t play near as well in 2007 as he had in the past so that led to the drafting of Mendenhall.  Parker’s game is outside the tackle box as he is very, very fast.  His weakness sometimes is running between the tackles and he’s not as good of a receiver as he should be.  Parker played in 15 games (all starts) last season for the Steelers and he carried the ball 321 times for 1,316 yards (4.1 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 23 passes for 164 yards (7.1 avg).  Look for a lighter workload keeping Parker fresh and healthy this season.  Parker has now played in 54 games (46 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 945 times for 4,198 yards (4.4 ypc) with 19 TD runs.  He has also caught 75 passes for 620 yards (8.3 avg) with 4 TD grabs.

The Steelers were doing cartwheels when RB Rashard Mendenhall fell into their laps in the first round.  He perfectly fits into the Steelers’ power running game.  He’s big, fast and he can catch the football.   In essence, he can do it all.  Look for him to eventually replace Parker in the near future as the feature back……maybe even during his rookie season.  If nothing less, Mendenhall will get the ball near the goal line which was a problem last season for the Steelers.  Mendenhall started 13 games for Illinois last season and he carried the ball 262 times for 1,681 yards (6.4 ypc) with 17 TD runs.  He also caught 34 passes for 318 yards (9.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Mendenhall has a huge upside.

Mewelde Moore is the perfect #3 type running back as he is fast and he’s a good receiver.  Moore might be the third down back for the Steelers this season.  He played in 12 games (0 starts) for the Vikings last season and he carried the ball 20 times for 113 yards (5.6 ypc).  He also caught 6 passes for 48 yards (8.0 avg).  Look for Moore to get more playing time on offense this season than he did last year in Minnesota.  Moore has now played in 54 games (11 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 264 times for 1,285 yards (4.9 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also has caught 116 passes for 1,093 yards (9.4 avg) with 3 TD grabs.

Najeh Davenport is still around to provide some muscle off the bench.  He also caught some long passes from Ben Roethlisberger last season as he just would go deep when Ben was scrambling.  Davenport played in 15 games (1 start) last season for the Steelers and he carried the ball 107 times for 499 yards (4.7 ypc) with 5 TD runs.  He also caught 18 passes for 184 yards (10.2 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Davenport won’t get as much playing time as he did last season but he still will produce when called upon.  Davenport has now played in 67 games (3 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 384 times for 1,788 yards (4.7 ypc) with 13 TD runs.  He also has caught 50 passes for 484 yards (9.7 avg) with 3 TD grabs.

Gary Russell is still around but he will be fighting an uphill battle to make the Steelers’ roster based on the 4 guys ahead of him on the depth chart.  Russell played in 3 games (0 starts) for the Steelers last season as a rookie and he carried the ball 7 times for 21 yards (3.0 ypc).  He did not catch a pass last season.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  A