The Steelers official site has given us all we need to know in terms of what players were shown the door today:
The Steelers finalized their regular season roster today when they released 11 players to reach the NFL’s 53-man limit.
The following players were released by the Steelers: LB Patrick Bailey, CB Joe Burnett, S Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith, WR Tyler Grisham, DE Sunny Harris, C Justin Hartwig, WR Stefan Logan, DT Steve McLendon, FB Frank Summers, OG Kraig Urbik and DT Doug Worthington.
The Steelers’ 53-man roster includes three quarterbacks, four running backs, three tight ends, six wide receivers, nine offensive linemen, six defensive linemen, nine linebackers, 10 defensive backs, one kicker, one punter and one long snapper.
Can’t say that any of these are much of a shock, Burnett, Hartwig, Logan and Summers are the biggest surprises if there are any. Summers was supposed to be that fullback the team wanted to help open holes, but it just didn’t happen.
The hardest cut had to be Justin Hartwig, but with Maurkice Pouncey taking the starting center job out of nowhere, cutting Hartwig and his $3 mil was the only answer left.
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DrGeorge
September 5, 2010 at 9:23 am
Many of these 11 players are good enough to make other teams, and a few of them will be back with the Steelers on the practice squad if they make it through waivers.
What is more significant in this story is the number of rookies retained on the roster of 53 and the age of the defensive line. Even without the crisis at QB, the personnel on the final roster does not auger well for a run at the playoffs. No guys, I am not being pessimistic; I am being realistic.
The failure over the last three drafts to sign a premier LT on offense and find future replacements for our aging defensive line has come home to roost this season and will carry over into next year’s draft. Even though many of the roster names are the same, this edition of the Steelers is not as good as the team Tomlin inherited. The analysis is exactly the same as it was last year at this time. It took a herculean effort last year to struggle to 9-7. This roster does not look capable of even that much. To win with diminished talent is the true test of coaching, and Tomlin’s task this year will be far more challenging than last year or the year that he won the Super Bowl. We all wish him well, but keep the Excedrin handy.
jay
September 5, 2010 at 2:23 pm
I’m wondering if your assessment of the D-line is exclusively allocated to the age of the said group or a perceived decline in production?!? If it is the former, then I respectfully disagree with you, Dr. George; as age alone is by no means an exclusive barometer in which to measure a unit’s abilities (or lack thereof). However, if it is the latter, then we may have something to worry about as declination of skill (i.e., strength, speed, etc.) gives rise to a unit’s demise. I am not ready to announce Hampton, Keisel, and Smith (not to mention YOUNGSTER Hood) as dead just yet. I ned to see a few games (i.e., first 4-6 maybe even 8 or so games) of this 2010 season and witness it with my own eyes before I, or anyone for that matter, should write off the D-Line. Do I think we need an infusion of young talent on the D-Line? Hell yes! But to speculate or even assess that ALL 3 OF THEM have unwittingly made it to the proverbial bucket list is a little alarmist. I will not eat these words if they do falter because I am not currently predicting that they will shine; simply forewarning against premature appraisals. Is it possible that their play will reflect their age? Sure…But New York (Jets) has an aged D-Line as does San Diego (with the exception of Luis Castillo and Cam Thomas) and Aubrayo Franklin and the rest of the 49er D-Line isn’t exactly teeming with young talent.
DrGeorge
September 6, 2010 at 10:24 am
Your point is well taken, Jay, as always. The demerits of aging defensive linemen don’t show up in two ways: injuries and fatigue late in the season. The human body is not a standard product, and the joints and muscles wear out at different rates in different people. Conditioning helps. But the wear and tear is inexorable, not to mention declining testosterone and muscle elasticity.
We’ll see what happens, Jay. I hope to heaven you are right.