Will this be the year Willie Reid stops sucking up a roster spot? Historically the Steelers have carried five wide receivers on their roster. The flunker, I mean flanker, from Florida State was supposed to be our new Antwaan Randle El in the kicking game when ARE bolted for the Redskins a few years ago. Willie was a high draft pick and hasn't shown me bubkiss yet. He is either hurt, or just plain ineffective. With the signing of Mewelde Moore and the drafting of Mendenhall - we have more options to look at for the return game. Also, Jeremy Bloom may blossom after a full camp given the shot. He's a burner, but much like Reid will be a liability in the passing game. It's a damn shame we can;t return a punt or a kick worth a squat since before ARE's last year. Maybe it's time to have open competition and have every starter and backup with any kind of experience catching kicks back there. If Parker were more durable, I'd even consider that. Can you imagine shortening the field by 8 more yards after every change of possession? Anyway, with all the bodies in camp, let's look at who your opening day WRs will be - in order:
1. Santonio Holmes - yes, Hines is the heart and soul of the team since Bettis retired, but this is going to be Santonio's breakout year.....as long as he keep his clothes on.
2. Hines Ward - Nuff said.
3. Nate Washington - coming along fine. Needs to squeeze more balls. No comments, you know what I meant.
4. Limas Sweed - a 2nd round pick is not getting cut.....he will be on the team.
5. As far as I can tell, this spot is open to either Jeremy Bloom or Dallas Baker. Baker is 6-3 206 and already has time on the practice squad. Bloom is a burner who returns kicks for a living. Since Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth are already monster targets and Sweed was added to the mix, I wouldn't be surprised if Bloom makes the team. However - with the Passing Game getting more important every year, maybe they'll keep 6. Who knows? I see another monster rookie on the roster by the name of Micah Rucker out of Eastern Illinois. Dude is 6'6" 221. They gave him Weegie Thompson's old #87. I can see a play on the 2 yard line consisting of Miller, Spaeth, Sweed, Baker and Rucker. Doesn't matter, Benny'll get sacked.
1 comment:
I still have hopes for Willie Reid but this year's training camp is his last chance.
Jeremy Bloom? Puhlease. Dude should be hitting the slopes, downing some cold ones, and shagging the ski bunnies. Football ain't his bag. If he makes the team it will be proof of how far the Steelers have fallen.
Dallas Baker was a great college player but unless the Magic Hands Fairy visited him last spring he's a longshot to make the squad.
I'm putting my money on Limas Sweed. I hope the broken wrist does not impact his play. Certainly at #2 he'll be on the active roster. But he may be the kick returner we're looking for.
Would be nice if Sepulveda didn't give up another extra 8 yards on the kicking end too. What happened to the 46 yard kicks we saw last August? Combined with the shitass return game, that's 16 yards lost on every 2 changes of possesion!
But as usual, Fan & I are just blowing June smoke. With an offensive line resembling the turnstiles at the New Jersey Transit Authority, all this doesn't matter.
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