Steelers on the lookout for OLB/DE hybrid
James Harrison covered up a big problem last season, and that problem could actually be a structural one for a team that believes it can continue using OLB/DE hybrids as edge rushers in their nickel defense.
The nickel defense has become the base defense for the Steelers, who seemingly refuse to acknowledge that. They still consider themselves a base 3-4 defense, even though they use that 无毛视频渂ase无毛视频� only 25 percent of the time.
And a fraction of that 25 percent was used last year to shift into a 4-3 look with Stephon Tuitt as the flop defensive end, with either Harrison or Bud Dupree dropping off the line.
Will DC Keith Butler expand on that 4-3 with Cam Heyward back from injury? He may be tempted with the development of Javon Hargrave as an interior pass-rusher.
The bigger question is this: What happens when (if?) Harrison runs out of gas?
The man is now 39 years old. Last year he stepped in at midseason and the Steelers didn无毛视频檛 lose until New England. Dupree无毛视频檚 return off the PUP list helped that win streak, as did the promotion of rookie Sean Davis to a starting safety spot.
But the stats of the run defense say that Harrison deserves more of the credit.
Jarvis Jones无毛视频� last play as a starter 无毛视频� the meaningless Cleveland finale notwithstanding 无毛视频� was Ezekiel Elliott无毛视频檚 game-winning bolt through the right side of the Steelers无毛视频� defense, where Jones was not only pushed out of the way, but was playing the wrong technique. The coaches finally had enough of Jones, and Harrison replaced him the following week. Harrison wasn无毛视频檛 near the pass-rushing terror of his storied prime, but he was a beast in the run game.
In the 265-pound Harrison无毛视频檚 10 starts, the Steelers allowed 3.4 rushing yards per attempt and 68.7 rushing yards per game. In the 248-pound Jones无毛视频� nine starts, the Steelers allowed 5.4 rushing yards per attempt and 101.4 rushing yards per game.
Remember, Art Rooney II, in his January remarks, said that improving the pass rush is important, but it must be done while maintaining consistency against the run.
With that in mind, a 3-4 outside linebacker typically cannot do what Harrison does physically against the run out of that nickel front. As for his coverage responsibilities, Harrison satisfied those with the experience accrued from 14 seasons in the league.
无毛视频淗e understands the weakness of the defense,无毛视频� was how Butler explained it.
But, hey, even though Harrison possessed this understanding, Tom Brady possessed more of it, and dropping the defensive ends into coverage as often as the Steelers did in the AFC Championship game last season only came off as absurd game-planning.
So, with those guidelines, the Steelers next week presumably will make their second attempt to draft Harrison无毛视频檚 heir apparent. He must be able to rush the passer, take on offensive tackles to stop the run, and drop into coverage.
Good luck with all of that.
But these are the top candidates:
n Derek Barnett (6-3, 259) and Charles Harris (6-2戮, 253) are explosive pass-rushers built more like ends with some ability to drop. But they无毛视频檙e highly unlikely to fall to pick 30.
n Taco Charlton (6-5陆, 277) stood up at times, but that was just for looks. He doesn无毛视频檛 drop, nor does he play with enough passion.
n Takk McKinley (6-2, 250) is quite the specimen but has his drawbacks: A.) He might not be cleared medically (shoulder) until Sept 1, and the Steelers don无毛视频檛 want an injured player as the primary backup to a 39-year-old; and, B.) His agility times at the NFL Combine were the worst of all edge rushers, so dropping into coverage might not be possible.
n Carl Lawson (6-1戮, 261) is built like 无毛视频� and posted nearly the identical times and measurements as 无毛视频� LaMarr Woodley, who was drafted 46th in 2007. Lawson is so muscled up, and therefore stiff, that a return to his injury-plagued past is a legitimate concern.
n Derek Rivers (6-3陆, 248) of Youngstown State is agile enough (6.94 3-cone), fast enough (4.61 40) and strong enough (30 bench reps) to be that 无毛视频淪uperman无毛视频� who plays the run like a defensive end and drops into coverage like a linebacker. But Kevin Colbert has yet to draft a first-rounder out of a non D-I school.
n Jordan Willis (6-3戮, 255) worked his way into the conversation with stunning NFL Combine numbers, but the Steelers don无毛视频檛 need another left side-only DE who can无毛视频檛 turn the corner at the top of his pass-rush arc.
n Tarell Basham (6-3戮, 269) has late first-round potential as a pass-rusher, and the perfect last name for a pass-rusher, but cannot drop into coverage.
MY TAKE
My take is they should just draft a DE without regard for his ability to drop into coverage. My take is they should consider going to a 4-3 with Heyward back from injury and use Dupree as the primary coverage end. But my take is clouded by my prediction that Colbert will remain steadfast in his search for a pass-rusher whose No. 2 job is dropping into coverage as opposed to taking on tackles in the nickel and stopping the run.
That said, I doubt Barnett or Harris will fall to them in the first round, so I无毛视频檒l wait on a pass-rusher in the second round. My favorite is Lawson, for whom I would consider trading up. Rivers is right behind Lawson in my rankings. Otherwise, there are several mid-round pass-rush specialists the Steelers brought in for visits who无毛视频檒l have to carry them until their 无毛视频淪uperman无毛视频� does come along.
As for the rest of the defensive line, I expect a late-round rotational tackle to be added, and possibly a nose tackle to compete with Big Dan McCullers for a backup job.
VALUE BOARD
Second Round 无毛视频� Carl Lawson (DE), Auburn; Derek Rivers (DE), Youngstown State.
Third Round 无毛视频� Tanoh Kpassagnon (DE/DT), Villanova.
Fourth Round 无毛视频� Carroll Phillips (DE), Illinois; Hunter Dimick (DE), Utah.
Fifth Round 无毛视频� JoJo Mathis (DE), Washington; Keion Adams (DE), Western Michigan; Isaac Rochell (DT), Notre Dame; Treyvon Hester (DT), Toledo.
Sixth Round 无毛视频� Pita Taumoepenu (DE), Utah; Patrick Gamble (DT), Georgia Tech; Ryan Glasgow (NT), Michigan.
Seventh Round/UDFA 无毛视频� Francis Kallon (DT), Georgia Tech.