Are the Pittsburgh Steelers Really Getting Old?
All the big media outlets are doing their previews for the 2012 NFL season and a trend that keeps emerging is that the Pittsburgh Steelers are an old football team. I hadn’t really contemplated the notion, so I decided to really take a look at it and here’s what I found.
Quarterbacks-Ben Rothlisberger is 30, but in terms of quarterback years, this is the peak of his career arc. Most NFL quarterbacks have their best seasons during this 3 or 4 year stretch. His backups are Byron Leftwich who’s 32 and a lost cause, and Charlie Batch who’s 37 and needs to go, and in the mix are Jerrod Johnson who’s only 24.
Running backs-It’s hard to say who’s going to be the primary ball carrier for the Steelers this season week to week, but looking at the bodies on the roster you have Rashard Mendenhall(25), Isaac Redman(27), Baron Batch(24), Jonathan Dwyer(23), and Chris Rainey(24). Hardly an old group.
Wide Receivers-If we assume Mike Wallace reports to camp, the depth chart could shake out something like this. Wallace(26), Antonio Brown(24), Jerricho Cotchery(30), Emmanuel Sanders(25), Toney Clemons(23), and Maruis Maze(23). Is this group old?
Tight Ends-This is a group that is under productive, but I’m not sure they would be considered old. Heath Miller(29) is the starter, Weslye Saunders(23), Leonard Pope(28) and Justin Peele(32).
Offensive Line-How “old” this group is depends greatly on how you look at it. Center Maurkice Pouncey is 23, and guard David DeCastro is 22. Willie Colon is 29, and tackles Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert are 22 and 24 respectively. This unit is the future and it’s young. Other prominent players include guard Doug Legursky(26), Ramon Foster(26), and elder statesman Max Starks who’s 30.
Defensive Line-Much is said about the ages of Casey Hampton(34) and Brett Keisel(33), but Hampton isn’t starting, 26 year old Steve McClendon is. And his backup is rookie Alameda Ta’amu who’s 21. Ends Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward are 25 and 23, and no other defensive lineman on the preseason roster is over 26.
Linebackers-Another area that critics point to in terms of age. James Harrison is 34 and Larry Foote is 32, and I think both days are numbered with the Steelers. LaMarry Woodley is only 27, and Lawrence Timmons is 26. Youth among the depth as well with Chris Carter(23), Stevenson Sylvester(24), and Sean Spence only 22.
Defensive Backs-Starters Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor are 31 and 32, and other safety Ryan Clark is 32, so I concede that this group needs youth in a hurry. The other starting corner Keenan Lewis is 26, and behind him are some other young players, but in terms of safety, the depth is Ryan Mundy and Will Allen who are 27 and 30.
As I look at this, there are really only 2 spots on this entire roster, maybe 3 that critics can look at and make the case this team is old. That’s backup quarterback and in the defensive secondary and possibly at linebacker. So, can we please all stop with this “the Steelers are old” talk? It just doesn’t add up.
Buy Pittsburgh Steelers Tickets | Buy Pittsburgh Steelers Apparel
One Rant to “Are the Pittsburgh Steelers Really Getting Old?”
Leave a Rant
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
I wanted to write a quick comment in order to appreciate you for some of the amazing guidelines you are posting on this website. My time-consuming internet research has at the end of the day been honored with really good information to exchange with my close friends. I would tell you that most of us visitors are truly endowed to dwell in a very good community with many special people with valuable concepts. I feel somewhat lucky to have discovered the website and look forward to really more enjoyable moments reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.