Tag Archives: Antoine Brooks

Steelers 2021 Preview: Roethlisberger’s Last Ride to be a Rough One?

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The wait will soon end.

Its been 245 days since the Steelers Hindenburg Rescues the Titanic playoff loss to the Browns and a lot has happened since then. Some of it completely predictable, some of it surprising:

Through it all, Kevin Colbert managed once again to perform the salary cap equivalent of the Loaves and the Fishes. Thanks to COVID-19 the Steelers were facing their worst salary cap situation since 2012 and 2013, yet Colbert managed to put together a roster on paper that is far stronger than anyone had a right to expect on the lonely January night when Roethlisberger and Pouncey commiserated on the sidelines.

But the time for measuring roster moves on paper has ended and the time for judgement rendered on the gridiron is about to begin.

So what can we expect?

J.J. Watt, Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Texans

J.J. Watt pressures Ben Roethlisberger in 2014. Photo Credit: Jason Bridge, USA Today

Roethlisberger’s Final Ride Likely a Rough One

Times like these force oneself to channel their inner Jesse Ventura and “Call it as I see it McMahon.” And the truth is that if this is Ben Roethlisberger’s last ride, it looks to be a rough one.

  • That’s not the call I want to make, but the one my eyes tell me I have to make.

Why?

First let’s consider what caused the Steeler once promising 2020 season to end in an unmitigated disaster:

  • Ben Roethlisberger inability to throw the long ball caught up with him.
  • The running game disappeared
  • Injuries ravaged the defense, neutering a dominant group

Word is that Ben Roethlisberger has recovered his long ball, but given his limited action in preseason we’ll simply have to wait to see if that comes true. The Steelers dumped Randy Fichtner and replaced him with Matt Canada, which should help. As for the defense and injuries, well let’s get to that.

When salary cap Armageddon loomed, the chief concerns for the Steelers were:

Can they preserve their pass rush?
Can they field a competitive secondary?
Can they rebuild the offensive line?

Let’s see where the Steelers stand on the eve of the 2021 season.

Pass Rush

So the Steelers lost Bud Dupree, but still have Alex Highsmith, resigned T.J. Watt and added Melvin Ingram. So, on paper that’s perhaps a net positive. However, Stephon Tuitt, who accounted for 11 sacks is beginning the season on injured reserve. And Tyson Alualu is also injured.

The Steelers should field a strong pass rush this year, but its doubtful they can field a better one.

Secondary

After years of being a liability, the Steelers secondary was finally a strength during the 2019 and 2020. Yet going into the 2021 off season, everyone expected a salary cap casualty to come out of the defensive backfield.

  • But few expected that casualty to be Steven Nelson instead of Joe Haden.

The Steelers plan was to go with Haden, Cameron Sutton, and James Pierre with Joe Haden and Antoine Brooks pushing as the 4th corner. Justin Layne got arrested and Brook got hurt. The Steelers sallied on during preseason, mixing and matching various configurations of their cornerbacks. Their final decision? They traded yet another draft pick for Ahkello Witherspoon.

Offensive Line

Let’s say this. No one can accuse the Steelers of standing pat on the offensive line. When the Steelers open against the Bills, Kelvin Dotson will be the only player working in the same place he was last season against the Giants.

  • But does change equal improvement?

That’s the bigger question. What isn’t a question is that this is another situation that did not evolve according to plan. Mike Tomlin’s idea was to start is experienced tackles Zach Banner and Chukwuma Okorafor on the right and left sides. But Banner got hurt and left tackle proved to be too much for Okorafor.

Dan Moore’s performance has elicited nothing but positive commentary since he was drafted in the third round, but rookies starting a left tackle in the NFL are rare.

As it stands, on opening day the Steelers will start 2 rookies on offensive line, one sophomore who literally looks like a “rising sophomore,” a veteran who was unemployed in late June and veteran who is back at right tackle after not being able to cut it on the left side.

It might work. But would you bet your 401(k) balance on it?

Wimp Out Disclaimer

After writing 753 of gloom and doom its now time for the “Wimp Out Disclaimer.”

The red and yellow flag flying above the Steelers offensive line, secondary and pass rush are real but so has Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin’s reaction to them. When it became clear that Banner’s injury issues weren’t going away and Okorafor struggled, the Steelers started working Dan Moore into the line up.

The first thought here was that Mike Tomlin was planning to use Moore the way he used Kelvin Beachum in 2013, roating him in on both sides to push both starters. But Tomlin didn’t do that. He made the change immediately.

You can see a similar pattern elsewhere, from signing Melvin Ingram, to trading for Joe Schobert, to trading for Witherspoon.

The fact that the Steelers brass felt they needed to make these moves is worrisome, but their willingness to act decisively is encouraging.

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Steelers Draft Tre Norwood, Cornerback, Safety, “Swiss Army Knife” in 7th Round

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With their first pick in the 7th round of the 2021 NFL Draft the Steelers bolstered their secondary by drafting cornerback/safety Tre Norwood, who played his college ball at Oklahoma.

The NFL’s draft site labeled Tre Norwood as a cornerback the Steelers announced him as a safety, but Mike Tomlin called him a “Swiss Army Knife/utility back/safety.”

  • The Sooners listed him as a “defensive back.”

Early in his career he played cornerback but gravitated to safety later in his career. As far as it concerns the Steelers, it really doesn’t matter – Pittsburgh is desperate for backups at both cornerback and safety.

Tre Norwood

Steelers 7th round pick Tre Norwood. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Tre Norwood Video Highlights

The 6 foot 192 pounder Norwood caught the attention of scouts thanks to his ball skills, as he intercepted 5 passes during the 2020 season, tying for 3rd national and leading the Big 12. Here’s a look at his highlight tape:

Looks good. He won’t find NFL quarterbacks throwing passes that are that easy to pick off, but he does know how to catch a ball.

How Tre Norwood Fits in with Steelers

The Steelers look to field a strong front four in their secondary, with Cameron Sutton, Joe Haden, Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The team is likewise high on James Pierre as a number 3 corner.

That latter of has proven nothing in 2 years in the NFL and Antoine Brooks is untested. But at the end of the day, Tre Norwood, the Swiss Army Knife, is a 7th round pick. 7th round picks can make a difference as rookies – just look at Kelvin Beachum in 2012. And in 1992 8th round pick Darren Perry won the starting job.

  • But the best case scenario for Tre Norwood is for him to contribute on special teams.

Hopefully, they’ll be no demand for his services in 2021 beyond that. Welcome to Steelers Nation Tre Norwood.

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Steelers 2021 Draft Needs @ Safety – Depth Unsafe beyond Minkah, Edmunds

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The Steelers spent countless years trying to shore up their secondary. So many years, in fact, it seemed like it would never happen.

  • That all changed in 2019 when the Steelers added the final piece to their complicated puzzle.

Unfortunately, after two seasons of some of the best secondary play the team had seen in a long time, there are now questions at cornerback, following the free-agent departure of Mike Hilton and the seemingly sudden release of Steven Nelson. But what about the safety position? Are there some questions that need to be answered in the form of a premium draft choice or two? We shall find out.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Willie Snead, Justin Tucker, Steelers vs Ravens

Minkah Fitzpatrick knocks the ball away from Wille Snead as Justin Tucker lays in the wood. Photo Credit: Patrick Smith, Getty Images via Fansided.com

 

Steelers Safety Depth Chart Entering the 2021 NFL Draft: The Starters

While he was certainly a surprise first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft (28th, overall), that hasn’t kept Terrell Edmunds out of the starting lineup. In-fact, Edmunds has started a total of 43 games at strong safety since his rookie season. While his production and progress haven’t always impressed, he’s been reliable, and it appears that he has steadily improved each and every season.

  • 2020 may have been Edmunds’ finest campaign, as he tallied two interceptions and eight passes defensed.

Maybe Edmunds’ progress can be attributed to the addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick at free safety. It’s no stretch to say that Fitzpatrick, a former first-round pick who was acquired in a trade with the Dolphins early in the 2019 season, is the Steelers’ most dynamic defensive back since Troy Polamalu. That’s certainly debatable. What isn’t debatable is that Fitzpatrick’s mere presence in the secondary forces opposing offenses to account for him on every play–just like they once did with Polamalu. Fitzpatrick has back-to-back First-Team All-Pro honors under his belt and is heading into his fourth season with the look of a man who will earn a huge payday sooner rather than later.

Steelers Safety Depth Chart Entering the 2021 NFL Draft: The Backups

Veteran Sean Davis recently signed with the Colts, while 2020 special teams captain, Jordan Dangerfield, remains unsigned. Pittsburgh inked a deal with Miles Killebrew, who spent his first five seasons with the Lions. Much like Dangerfield, Killebrew was more special teams contributor than he was safety in Detroit and registered zero defensive snaps in two of his past three seasons — including none a year ago. The Steelers also list Kilebrew as a linebacker.

Antoine Brooks  a sixth-round pick out of Maryland a season ago, only appeared in four games in 2020 and didn’t make much of an impression.

The Steelers 2020 Safety Draft Needs

steelers, draft, needs, priority, 2021 NFL DraftThis one is a bit tricky. Obviously, Edmunds and Fitzpatrick are locked in as starters for 2021. However, both have reached the points of their rookie deals where the Steelers must decide if they will pick up their fifth-year options. It seems likely that Pittsburgh will pick up both — that is almost a certainty with Fitzpatrick — but as of this writing, no announcement has been made about either player. 

  • Again, Fitzpatrick is destined for a huge, multi-year deal, and the Steelers will have a lot of work to do to get one done.

As for Edmunds, he isn’t going to cost them as much, but he’s not going to be cheap, either. I don’t think it’s a done deal that either or both will be Steelers through their second contracts. With Killebrew and Brooks mostly unknowns, and with former Penn State safety Marcus Allen playing more inside linebacker, these days, there could be room on the roster for another young safety. Draft need: Moderate

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Steelers Report Card for Win over Bengals: A’s (and not for effort) Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who saw his star pupil miss a full week of class due to sickness only to completely ace the exam on his first day back, here is the Steelers Report Card for the 2020 win over the Bengals at Heinz Field.

T.J. Watt, Joe Burrow, Steelers vs Bengals

T.J. Watt sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger missed the entire week of practice due to COVID-19 restrictions, but he hardly missed a beat against the Bengals. Roethlisberger wasn’t perfect. He’s improving on his long balls but can still improve more. But playing without a running game, Ben Roethlisberger led 7 scoring drives while going 4 four touchdown passes in 5 trips to the Red Zone. Grade: ASteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
James Conner had another rough day, rushing for just 36 yards on 13 carries. Benny Snell did well in garbage time gaining 12 yards on 3 carries. Conner did catch both passes that were thrown to him and did well in pass protection. The Bengals schemed to stop the run, Conner had little room to run before the Steelers gave up altogether. Grade: C-

Tight Ends
Eric Ebron caught two of six passes thrown his way although both catches converted 1st downs and put the Steelers in Bengals territory on scoring drives. Zach Gentry got on the field for 14 snaps. Neither of the tight ends helped much with the run blocking. Grade: B-

Wide Receivers
Diontae Johnson exploded for his first 100 yard game with Ben Roethlisberger, including a field flipper that set up his and the Steelers first touchdown. JuJu Smith-Schuster had 9 catches and kept the chains moving in short yardage situations while adding his own touchdown. After a quiet few weeks, Chase Claypool had 4 catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. James Washington had two catches for 30 yards. Grade: A

Maurkice Pouncey, Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Bengals

Maurkice Pouncey and Ben Roethlisberger. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Offensive Line
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Well, almost. Ben Roethlisberger was not sacked by the Bengals, although they did hit him 8 times. Still, Roethlisberger had time to throw. The Steelers run blocking is another question altogether as it was AOWL thought the game against Cincinnati. As the weather gets colder, the Steelers are going to need to be able to the ball. They’ve struggled to establish the run over the last two weeks against teams with weak rushing defenses. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
Tyson Alualu’s return helped the Steelers limit the Bengals rushing attack, although Bengals running backs had some success. Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt had “quiet” days in terms of the stat sheet but logged 77% and 78% of the snaps on a defense that gave up 10 points. Grade: B

Linebackers
Robert Spillane led Steelers linebackers in tackles and his sack helped force a field goal, following the fake punt. That fake punt was needed in part because of a Bud Dupree sack. Vince Williams did his damage with 4 bone crushing tackles. T.J. Watt logged 4 quarterback hits and registered two sacks helping kill 2 second quarter drives when the score was close and Joe Burrow was earning his “Introduction to the AFC North.” Grade: A

Secondary
There are a lot of stats that you can pull out of the secondary play, but one stands out: 0-13 on third downs. Terrell Edmunds led the team in tackles, followed by Minkah Fitzpatrick. Steven Nelson defensed 1 pass and otherwise his name was not heard much – which is a good thing. Marcus Allen and Antoine Brooks Jr. saw their first real playing time in the secondary. Grade: A

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect on 3 field goal and 3 extra point attempts. Jordan Berry boomed off punts. The Steelers kick and punt coverages shut down Cincinnati, clearly benefitting from Derek Watt’s presence. Ray-Ray McCloud gives the Steelers the type of return man weapon that they’ve lacked for a long, long time. The unit did get caught on a fake punt, but its impact was negligible. Still, the grade has to come down. Grade: A-

Coaching
For the past two weeks, Keith Butler’s defense has had to rely on big plays to provide big plays to deliver victory. There’s nothing wrong with that, but against the Bengals, the Steelers defense went back to basics.
Cincinnati did enjoy a little more success than the scoreboard suggests, but you can’t really sustain success when you fail to convert 3rd downs, and the Bengals failed at that 13 times.

The Bengals loaded up the line of scrimmage and dared Ben Roethlisberger to beat them and Big Ben beat them – badly. Let’s be clear, when your offense goes 4 of 5 in the Red Zone and outscores an opponent by 36 points a lot of things are going right.

  • Still, this is the third consecutive week the Steelers have failed to establish the run.

The Steelers tried, from various formations, including their “Jumbo” package and nothing worked. That’s got to be a concern for Randy Ficthner and Shaun Sarrett.

COVID-19 hit the Steelers hard, taking Vance McDonald from the lineup and preventing 4 other starters, including Ben Roethlisberger, from practicing. This came on the heels of a brutal 3 game road stretch. Had you come down from Mars, you’d have never of known that given the way the Steelers played this week, and that is a credit to Mike Tomlin. Grade: A-

Joe Haden, Steelers vs Bengals

Joe Haden after defending a pass. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
Sometimes quarterbacks decide to “pick on someone.” Joe Burrow made his decision early, targeting Tyler Boyd, Brandon Tate and A.J. Green – a legitimate offensive weapons who happened to be covered by the same man. Not only were none of them a factor in this game because of the corner covering them, but this cornerback also batted away 3 pass and for that Joe Haden wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2020 win over the Bengals at Heinz Field.

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Surprise! Turk Visits Ryan Switzer, Daniel McCullers as Steelers Make Initial Cuts

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What will perhaps go down as the most unusual cut down day in Steelers history began with a few surprises. The NFL required all teams to cut down to the 53 man roster limit by 4:00 pm on Saturday September 5th, and the Steelers cuts included two names that everyone knows.

First, the Steelers cut Ryan Switzer, who served as their primary kick and punt returner during 2018 and 2019 and who had an extremely close relationship with Ben Roethlisberger. Injuries limited Ryan Switzer’s effectiveness in 2019 and ultimately ended his season.

Ryan Switzer, Colin Dunlap, Steelers vs Tampa Bay

Cutting Ryan Switzer was the 1st Steelers surprise on cut down day, 2020.

Still, word out of Steelers training camp was that Ryan Switzer looked good, prompting Ed Bouchette of The Athletic to report that Switzer’s roster spot remained safe, while Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider leaned in that direction.

  • Say one thing about Daniel McCullers time in Pittsburgh, he has constantly surprised.

Going into the 2018 off season “D” seemed to indicate “disappointment” for Daniel McCullers time in Pittsburgh has his playing time regressed following his second year. Yet, the transition from John Mitchell to Karl Dunbar opened the door to a 2nd contract for Daniel McCullers, and although he didn’t play much more in 2018, he did well enough to get himself a third contract in 2019.

Daniel McCullers, Daniel McCullers Contract

Daniel McCullers closes in on RGIII in the 2016 season finale. Photo Credit: Joe Sargent, Getty Images via BTSC

Word in training camp was that Daniel McCullers had slimed down and was playing his best football yet.

  • Alas, his best wasn’t good enough, as the Steeler cut him.

The other Steelers initial cuts include:

Quarterback
Paxton Lynch

Running backs
Kerrith Whyte Jr.
Trey Edmunds
Wendell Smallwood

Wide Receivers
Saeed Blacknall
DeAndre Thompkins
Deon Cain
Amara Darboh

Offensive linemen
Christian DiLauro
John Keenoy
Derwin Gray
Anthony Coyle
Jarron Jones

Tight Ends
Kyle Markway
Kevin Rader

Defensive Linemen
Cavon Walker
Henry Mondeaux
Calvin Taylor

Linebackers
Tuzar Skipper
Jayrone Elliott

Defensive Backs
Trajan Bandy
John Battle
Antoine Brooks Jr

Special Teams
Punter Corliss Waitman and long snapper Liam McCullough

Of the group above, the only real surprise is the decision to cut Antoine Brooks Jr, the safety who was the Steelers 6th round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Maryland.

However, more surprises were to come…

…Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin were only getting started.

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Pittsburgh Terrapins er um, Steelers Draft Antoine Brooks Jr. in 6th Round of 2020 NFL Draft

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The Steelers drafted Antoine Brooks Jr. in the 6th round of the 2020 NFL Draft, bolstering their secondary depth by adding the safety from the University of Maryland. Antoine Brooks is the second Terrapin to make its way to Pittsburgh during the 2020 NFL Draft, as the Steelers also drafted Anthony McFarland Jr. in the 4th round.

A Lanham, Maryland native, Antoine Brooks stands at 5’11” and weighs in at 220 pounds. He played for the Terrapins for 4 years and played in 40 games during that time span. Brooks started as a linebacker and moved to safety, amassing 4 interceptions and 3.5 sacks.

  • Kevin Colbert confessed that the Steelers have been watching Brooks for two years, explaining:

He played a unique position at the University of Maryland that’s really relevant to today’s NFL in college football. He’s half a linebacker; he’s half a safety. He will be a safety on our defense with the ability to play in packages, because that’s what he’s done and he’s done well.

The Steelers have been searching for someone to play the position of “Dime linebacker” for the past several seasons, and had someone to fill that slot in the form of Mark Barron. However, Barron is gone. Could Brooks fit that bill? Steelers Senior Defensive Assistant/Secondary Teryl Austin explained that Brooks is:

He’s very, very physical. When you watch him, he has a very good feel for the game in terms of instincts and making quick decision and not being afraid to make a decision. That’s what you’re looking for in a guy back there.

However, when asked about whether Brooks would fill that hybrid linebacker-safety role, Austin hinted that Terrell Edmunds could shift into that role and explained, “We’ll get them in our jar, shake ’em up and see where they fit best.”

Antoine Brooks Video Highlights

Four years of NCAA experience gives a player a chance to put a lot on tape. Here’s a look at Antoine Brooks highlights:

You can certainly understand why Teryl Austin appreciates Brooks’ decisiveness. He won’t find NFL players going down quite as easily as they did on tape, but Antoine Brooks fundamentals appear sound.

Given that Jordan Dangerfield and Marcus Allen are the backups behind Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds, Antoine Brooks has a real shot at both a roster spot and, if he can play special teams, a helmet on game day.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Antoine Brooks.

 

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