Pittsburgh Steelers: NFL Offseason Report Card

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Pittsburgh Steelers
2009 Draft Grade: B-

Free Agent/Non Draft: D-

Total Grade: C-

Overall Needs:
•Offensive Tackle
•Defensive End
•Wide Receiver
•Guard
•Running Back
•Inside Linebacker

Draft Picks:
Rd / Sel# / Name / Pos. / School
1) 32 Evander “Ziggy” Hood DL Missouri
3) 79 Kraig Urbik OG Wisconsin
3) 84 Mike Wallace WR Mississippi
3) 96 Keenan Lewis CB Oregon State
5) 168 Joe Burnett CB Central Florida
5) 169 Frank Summers RB UNLV
6) 205 Ra’Shon Harris DT Oregon
7) 226 A.Q. Shipley C Penn State
7) 241 David Johnson TE Arkansas State

Arrivals: Old Team
CB Keiwan Ratliff (FA) Indianapolis

Departures: New Team
LB Larry Foote (released)
RB Verron Haynes (FA) Atlanta
QB Byron Leftwich (FA) Tampa Bay
CB Bryant McFadden (FA) Green Bay
RB Gary Russell (FA) Oakland
G Kendall Simmons (FA)
S Anthony Smith (FA) Green Bay
OT Marvel Smith (FA) San Francisco
TE Lee Vickers (FA) NY Giants
WR Nate Washington (FA) Tennessee

Offseason Analysis:

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted a defensive end for the first time in 20 years in the first round. They chose Evand “Ziggy” Hod of Missouri, who was also the first DL drafted by the Steelers in the first three rounds since Casey Hampton in 2001. Hood will be a 3-4 end in Pittsburgh.

In the third round, they took a need where they selected Kraig Urbik from Wisconsin adds depth or could compete for a starting job at right guard. In their other third round pick, they took speedy Mike Wallace, out of Ole Miss. He has 4.3 speed and will immediately help out on the return unit. Their final third-round pick was big corner Keenan Lewis, who replaces starter Bryant McFadden, who was lost in free agency.

In the fifth round, they added another corner and kick returner in Joe Burnett from Central Florida. Frank “the Tank” Summers, a short-yardage back out of UNLV, can also play fullback and block if needed. In the sixth, they took DT Ra’Shon “Sonny” harris, another 3-4 defensive end, who can also back up at nose tackle.  They added depth in the seventh round with the selections of C A.Q. Shipley at center and TE David Johnson at tight end.

The Steelers are usually not involved in free agency. They end up losing more than they gain and they still are one of the best franchises in the NFL. They lose linemen Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons on the offensive line, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing considering how poorly they passed blocked last year.

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