Steelers camp
Question: Is team just reaching its prime or past it? PITTSBURGH – Big changes were expected in a Pittsburgh Steelers secondary that was one of the NFL’s best two seasons ago and one of its worst last year.
And there were changes: All the defensive backs got a year older.
So much for an overhaul. Except for the addition of rookie safety Troy Polamalu, the Steelers’ secondary is nearly the same as it’s been for three years.
The question as training camp opens Friday is whether all that experience is a liability or an asset.
Cornerbacks Dewayne Washington and Chad Scott, who were targeted so frequently, return as starters. So do the top two free safeties, starter Brent Alexander and backup Chris Hope.
The only key figure missing from a secondary that allowed more than 300 yards passing in each of the Steelers’ last three games is strong safety Lee Flowers. Singled out for his inability to cover downfield in man-to-man situations, he was allowed to sign with Denver.
Polamalu, the Steelers’ first-round draft choice, is almost certain to replace Flowers, although Mike Logan goes into camp listed as the starter.
It’s certainly not the shake-up anticipated following a season that saw the Steelers slip from No. 4 in pass defense to No. 20, but contract issues all but prevented that. Washington and Scott each signed $20 million-plus contracts that included substantial bonuses only two years ago, and casting off either one would have resulted in a huge salary cap hit.
As a result, coach Bill Cowher heads to camp hoping an offseason of schematic adjustments and the addition of a young and talented defender can prevent the repeated breakdowns that marked last season.
Consider some grim figures from last season: 403 yards passing by Oakland’s Rich Gannon, 294 yards by Atlanta’s Michael Vick, 336 yards by Baltimore’s Jeff Blake, 429 yards by Cleveland’s Kelly Holcomb, 338 yards by Tennessee’s Steve McNair.
Or these figures: eight games of 30 or more points allowed, compared to zero in 2001. As a result, a Steelers defense that was No. 1 overall in 2001 dropped to No. 7 even while being the best in the league against the run.
However, the numbers of most concern to the Steelers report to St. Vincent College in Latrobe are these: nine regulars and two other key contributors are 30 or older.
That means the window of opportunity may close soon on this current group of Steelers, following losses in the AFC championship game in the 2001 season and the divisional playoffs last season. Among the plus-30 group are quarterback Tommy Maddox, running back Jerome Bettis, tight ends Mark Bruener and Jay Riemersma, center Jeff Hartings, Washington and Alexander. Scott will be 29 when the season starts.
What the Steelers don’t know is whether they’ve reached their prime years or are past their prime.
“This is a veteran team, but I don’t think it’s an old team,” Cowher said.
The players must report by 6 p.m. toay, but won’t work out until Sunday, the first day camp is open to the public.
The running drills Cowher traditionally uses to open camp will be Saturday.
BRAXTON RELEASED – Former University of Pittsburgh wide receiver Lamar Slade, the younger brother of former NFL linebacker Chris Slade, was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, while former West Virginia Wide receiver Phil Braxton was released.
Lamar Slade (6-4, 215 pounds), was second among the Panthers’ receivers last year with 48 catches for 649 yards and four touchdowns. At Pitt, he had 93 catches for 1,083 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Braxton (6-3, 200 pounds) was WVU’s second-leading receiver last season with 20 catches for 379 yards and two touchdowns.
Braxton, who mostly played on special teams, had 55 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns during his career with the Mountaineers.