Well, I’ve taken a bit of a break from posting to sit back and enjoy the playoffs, and enjoy them I did. But the Superbowl is fast approaching and with all the Brees vs. Manning hype all over the place, it feels like the right time to talk about something other than a high-flying offense.
And what’s farther from a high-flying offense than the 2009 Steelers defensive line? We’ve got a lot of time to kill between now and training camp, so one of the things we’ll look at will be the Steelers team by position. We’ll look at how well they did and how well they’re poised to do in 2010. Jump.
Aaron Smith
Wasn’t missed this year nearly as much as he was in the past. In fact, I might go so far as to say he could be a bit overrated. I know what you’re thinking, “What? Aaron Smith is clearly the single most UNDERrated player in modern football!” Yeah, well, everyone is starting to think that and I think we all might be giving this 33 year old end a little too much credit.
Don’t misunderstand. Aaron Smith plays like a championship and his solid blocker-eating runner-swallowing style is not be overlooked. But the fact of the matter is that he’s 33 years old and the 2009 Steelers didn’t look as lost without him as previous versions of the team did.
Prediction: He’ll probably injure a shoulder or something every year from now until he retires. He’ll be solid when he’s in though.
Casey Hampton
Big Snack is a bit of an issue right now. His contract is up, he doesn’t want the franchise tag (not that whether he wants it makes a huge difference), and he still leaves several questions as a player. He’s had questions about his work ethic. Like the rest of the D-line, he’s not getting any younger. He’s not an every-down player. The Steelers don’t have much of a repuation for signing aging veterans to big deals (you want to point out Farrior, but then you remember Porter, Faneca, Burress, etc.).
Prediction: The only way I see Casey coming back is under the fanchise tag, and only if they don’t think they have a suitable replacement yet.
Brett Keisel
The Diesel had his second best season in 2009, statistically, and of the 3 starting linemen I think he’s the most likely to keep up his play. It’s weird to look at his stats though, because Keisel isn’t meant to get any stats. All he does is absorb offensive linemen to let the LBs wreak havoc. It’s a job he does well, and at 31, he’s still probably got a few more years left in him. Not a ton, but he is the least troubling player on the line right now.
Prediction: He just recently signed a contract extension, so he’s pretty clearly in the Steelers’ future plans.
Nick Eason
There isn’t a ton to say about Nick Eason. He’s a backup defensive end who plays well enough when called upon.
Prediction: He’ll be a backup defensive end who will play well enough when called upon.
Chris Hoke
Another aging lineman, Chris Hoke has been a consistently dependable NT behind Casey Hampton his whole career. With Hoke on the roster, I would normally think the Steelers could afford to let Hampton walk, develop Ziggy Hood or a new rookie for a season or so, and move on traditionally. The problem with that is that Hoke is 33, older than Hampton (though probably in better shape).
Prediction: If Hampton walks, Hoke takes over as the starter. Otherwise, he’ll spend another year as a backup.
Evander “Ziggy” Hood
Didn’t do much in his rookie year. A play here and there, but as is typically the Steeler way, he didn’t see much of the field as a rookie, letting the established veterans play in front of him. At times I questioned how good he really was after seeing a few D-Line injuries and no extra time for Hood, but it isn’t my place to tell Tomlin he’s doing things wrong. Can’t say much about him yet other than he was a first round draft pick, and the Steelers rarely miss in the first round.
Prediction: Again, a lot of this hinges on the Hampton situation. Could Ziggy get some time at NT? Will he move to #2 on the depth chart in the event that Smith or Keisel goes down? That’s going to be a situation to watch in training camp. Sooner or later though, he’ll be on the field.
Travis Kirschke
Kirschke has two distinct honors. Being the only person with “rschk” anywhere in his name and being the oldest person that plays football for the Pittsburgh Steelers (Well, Joey Galloway is technically a Steeler right now but who cares about Joey Galloway?). Kirschke is pretty much the #3 DE on the roster, but at age 35 it’s hard to think he’ll be able to keep going. I could be reading too much into this age thing overall, but Kirschke is legitimately old for a professional athlete. The dude was on a team with Barry Sanders. It’s now 2010.
Prediction: One more year at most before Ziggy Hood takes his spot on the depth chart and Kirschke becomes expendable.
That about wraps up anyone that matters on the defensive line (Sorry Steve McLendon, Ra’Shon Harris, and Scott Paxson). With the exception of Hood, it’s an older bunch (the next youngest is Eason at 29), and the unit is going to need some fresh bodies pretty soon. Aaron Smith looks fairly injury prone lately, and Casey Hampton’s heart might explode at any given second. The line is stable for now, but it could easily get out of hand, and that would throw off the whole defense.
Expect the front office to address this come draft time, especially if Hampton walks.
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