Draft picks will create competitive job battles in training camp
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers went into the weekend with 10 draft picks and came out of it with nine new players, all of whom will get a big check when they sign their first professional contract. This is, don’t forget, the same team that beat Seattle in Super Bowl XL. As a team without any gaping holes to fill and limited roster spots available, nobody thought the Steelers would come out of the weekend with more than, say, seven draft picks.
It looked like that would be the case when the team sent its first, third and fourth round picks to the Giants to move up in the first round to select wide receiver Santonio Holmes, but the club then dealt its second rounder for a pair of third rounders.
“We had a chance to go up and we did that to get Santonio Holmes,” Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert said. “We weren’t really trying to trade our second-round pick, but Minnesota came to us with a pretty good offer to move up into our spot.”
Steelers coach Bill Cowher said the Steelers were content to pick Syracuse safety Anthony Smith at the bottom of the second round, but felt confident he would last into the third. They were right and picked Smith and got Willie Reid with the extra pick they got from the Vikings.
There was speculation most of Sunday that the Steelers were working on a trade with Atlanta for running back T.J. Duckett.
Give up a few picks, get a veteran player.
It all sounded great, but the trade never materialized and the Steelers ended up with nine drafted players. Running backs coach Dick Hoak gave some credibility to the trade-for-Duckett rumors, but stopped short of confirming them.
“They don’t pay me enough to answer those types of questions,” Hoak said at the end.
Cowher was less forthcoming when asked about the trade rumors.
“We did acquire a running back, Cedric Humes,” the coach said after Humes was picked in the seventh round. Cowher repeated that answer when asked about efforts to acquire a veteran running back.
The team had picks to dangle for Duckett, but held onto them and came out of the draft with nine drafted players. Colbert said they would target about 12 undrafted rookie free agents to be signed later Sunday.
The tricky part of coming out of the draft with nine picks, you would think, is trying to find roster spots on a Super Bowl winning team for them and maybe a free agent or two.
Well, not exactly. The key is finding nine good football players to fill the nine draft picks at your disposal, according to defensive line coach John Mitchell. After that, it is up to the players, old or new, to perform.
It’s all about competition and the Steelers feel comfortable that they created plenty of that with this draft class. Of course, they always feel that way at this time of the year.
“I tell guys when they come here, don’t count the numbers,” Mitchell said. “I have been here with coach (Cowher) for a long time and he has never let a good football player go. So if this guy comes in and plays the way we think he is capable of playing, we will find a spot for him. You never are going to let a good football player go.
“There are 45 positions and we are looking for 45 good football players.”
It turned out to be the kind of draft that gave coach Bill Cowher the willies.
No, really, Cowher came out of it with two more willies, as in wide receiver Willie Reid of Florida State and guard Willie Colon of Hofstra. Add those to Fast Willie Parker and the Steelers must lead the league in guys named Willie.
In any case, the Steelers believe they came out of the draft with plenty of good players who will provide plenty of good competition once training camp gets underway in late July.
Sports editor Mike Ciarochi may be reached at mciarochi@heraldstandard.com