Steelers know they can't get draft wrong
PITTSBURGH — In 10 seasons overseeing the Pittsburgh Steelers' draft, director of football operations Kevin Colbert hasn't struck out yet on a first-round draft pick. His best choices include Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger and Casey Hampton.
In one of their most important drafts in decades, the Steelers badly need Colbert to hit paydirt with every pick. And that's not all they need. They also must take advantage of what appears to be one of the deepest drafts in years to get some quick-to-develop players.
This is the year the Steelers can't get the draft wrong.
With a getting-older defense, an offensive line that needs upgrading, a secondary that could use a cornerback right now and an opening at backup running back, the Steelers have far more urgent needs than usual for a team that prefers to draft players who aren't needed to start immediately.
This draft is different, too, because the Steelers are dealing with major off-field issues. The NFL hit Roethlisberger with a six-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy and former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes was traded for a fifth-round draft pick because the team couldn't tolerate his off-the-field behavior any longer.
"We're a 9-7 team and we have to be better than that," Colbert said. "The off-field stuff made it a challenging offseason and it's going to remain a challenging offseason for us, but really what happened in '09 is more of our concern with this draft. We have to remedy 9-7."
They're drafting much higher — No. 18 in the first round — than last season, when they owned the final pick after winning the Super Bowl. The question, of course, is which problem area gets addressed first.
Despite having four seasons of 10-plus victories in the last six seasons, the Steelers have more positions in need of soon-to-arrive help than they have in a long time. Among them:
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Right guard. Trai Essex was an upgrade over Super Bowl starter Darnell Stapleton but could be replaced by an early round draft pick.•
Right tackle. Willie Colon might be their best starting offensive linemen but is unsigned past this season.•
Cornerback. William Gay struggled at the end of last season and there is a dearth of backups. Deshea Townsend, a 12-season veteran and one of the most tenured players in club history, was not brought back.•
The aging defense. Aaron Smith will be 35 next season, Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton will be 33. And there's no long-term replacement at inside linebacker for 35-year-old James Farrior, long one of the NFL's most valuable defensive players. The Steelers brought back former starter Larry Foote, but he'll be 30 when the season starts.•
Running back. Willie Parker, no longer a starter, left for the Redskins, leaving no proven backup behind Rashard Mendenhall.Given the offensive line's ongoing problems and those in the secondary, possible first-round draft picks include Idaho guard Mike Iupati, Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson and Florida offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey.But the Steelers draft low enough that a surprise pick or two among the top 17 could change their pick or the direction they take. Colbert believes this is the deepest draft in a long time — "There is depth everywhere," he said — and there will be NFL-ready talent well beyond the first couple of rounds.
