What to get for the team that has (almost) everything:� Xmas, NFL style is approaching.� FA starts in a couple weeks and the draft will arrive with April�s songbirds and extension filings.� I didn�t see many games this season; I�m sure you all have more first hand knowledge of the Stillers 2001 resurrection.� I did get back in-country to see the playoffs; those games form the basis for the following observations.� The purpose here is to lay the groundwork for the kind of FA/draft prospect rating charts that I cobbled up last winter.�

The Stillers� problems on ST coverage demonstrate an absolute lack of speed and athleticism among the D-side reserves.� Some of the defensive starters can run but that�s not true for the backups.� The stats in the table below, taken from Steelers Digest, list the primary coverage contributors. Since I figure that solo tackles best denote playmaking ability, the players are ordered on that basis.� (10) Players each with (1) solo were omitted from this list.�

Excluding Logan, the top soloists are older, slow defenders, definitely not developmental types.� (8) D-side backups are listed here; (1) has speed, (7) don�t.������� Amoz, Toy and Logan are the only players on this list with above average speed; of those, Logan is the only defensive player.� The ST coverage guys didn�t do the job but that�s not because they were young and dumb.� Excluding Poteat and Haggans, all the D-side guys had at least (4) years in the league. �That�s plenty of experience; IMO, those players knew what to do but just couldn�t get it done. �The bottom line is that the Stillers have got to get better athletes for their D-side reserves, especially at OLB and CB.

Recent reports have it that the Stillers are prioritizing Gildon and are willing let Holmes hit the market.� Too bad, I�d hoped that we�d seen the last of the 3-4 here but that�s not likely now.� Whatever; assuming that the Stillers are able to re-sign Gildon, they ought to consider moving both Haggans and Kurpeikis inside.� If Fiala is an UFA, and I think he is, there is room both.� For sure, Haggans has shown some ability defending the run but this man hasn�t flashed the athleticism required of an impact 3-4 OLB.� Last spring, I�d projected Kurpeikis as a contender to back-up Holmes; like Haggans, Justin is a tough heady player but no great athlete, at least by NFL standards.�

If one or both of those guys move in, the Stillers could draft a couple OLB prospects.� Generally, those types have better open field ability than inside guys, especially 2-down run-stuffers.� This could help on ST and, obviously, some kind of help is needed there.� �

The Pats victory in New Orleans demonstrates the need for speed at the safety position.� New England mixed coverage but, in general, the CB pressed and the safeties came to hit.� CB are usually the best athletes in any defensive secondary but in New England that is not true.� Tebucky Jones is the best pure athlete in that group with Law and Milloy just up the track.� On the other hand, Otis Smith was 37 on game day; never a burner, Smith just can�t be getting any faster.� Maybe, Otis had to press because he couldn�t run with the Rams WR; he, and Law, could press because the NE safety tandem has the pure speed to help over the top.� Of course Scott Shields demonstrated that speed means jack if you can�t tackle but at least in NO, those Pat safeties dropped every receiver they hit.

It�s different in Stillertown.� Neither Alex nor Lethon run well; Flowers plays great in the box, he is probably the finest run support safety in the league but he is hideously whiff-prone in space.� Alex makes a contribution far beyond his ability as an individual; when he moved in at FS, every player in the secondary got better. �That said, Alex has problems in space too and I just don�t see either Stiller starter making the plays that Milloy and Jones did.� This, combined with the Stillers consistent failure to deal with receiving TE, convinces me that the safety position is the weakest link�

Three OL starters have their contracts up after 2002.� Those men are Gandy, Faneca and Tylski.� Of the eight 2001 rookies, three were OL. Those men are Nkwenti, Okobi and Vincent.� Maybe those guys are the future but better the Stillers extend Faneca now (along with Porter and Smith).� Gandy has emerged as a leader on that unit but Wayne is getting up there in years.� Hopefully, Nkwenti will be ready by 2003 because, drafting #30 this year, the Stillers have little shot at a prime time LOT.� That�s not true at ROG; Tylski is a gamer but does get overmatched.� If Vincent isn�t the guy, there should be several road-graders available when the Stillers draft in the 1^st.

With Edwards on the expansion list, the Stillers have thinned out their WR corps.� If Toy gets taken, Bobby Shaw is in the driver�s seat in his dealings with the FO.� I�m no Shaw fan; bonehead that he is, I�d still rather see Toy in the slot.� This could happen; Jermaine Lewis is unprotected and he is an �established player who does the same things as Edwards.� Houston may spurn the mighty Toy for Lewis; even so, I doubt that the Stillers will take him back.� Toy seems to be an emotional guy and losing out to Cushing in the last guy dangled derby can�t have helped his attitude.�

Next time:� An early round by round draft board projection with equivalent FA.