Sorry to everyone for the generic title.  There were so many good puns I could have used, I just couldn’t decide on one.  These were the finalists:

Sweed Redemption

The Sweed Science

Sweed ‘N Low

The Sweed Smell of Success

Sweed Child of Mine

From “San Antonio” to Sweed-en:  The Story of the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp Wide Receiver Battle (by Jim O’Brien)

(Also in the running were Sweed Home Alabama and Sweed Georgia Brown, which could have worked if Limas had grown up in either state.)

Anyway, the early word from training camp is that Limas Sweed, the Steelers’ promising second-year wideout, is lighting up the practice fields.  Various reports have noted that Sweed looks more fluid than a year ago, and has a better grasp of the offense. 

Generally, he looks more like the guy who put up big numbers at Texas and less like the guy who often times looked lost as a rookie. 

Sweed is probably the most intriguing young player in Steelers camp this year.  His progress, along with that of fellow second-year player Rashard Mendenhall, will be followed closely by everyone who cares about the team. 

The Steelers were quietly thrilled last year after the draft because they picked up Mendenhall with the 23rd pick and Sweed—who was predicted by some to go in the first round—with the 53rd overall pick.

We didn’t see much of either player in 2008.  Mendenhall played in just four games and carried the rock only 19 times before his season was ended by a ferocious Ray Lewis hit.  Sweed didn’t play until Week Seven and finished the year with 1/3 as many fumbles (two) as catches (six). 

The defining moment of his rookie season came in the AFC Championship Game against Baltimore.  With less than a minute left in the second quarter and the Steelers clinging to a 13-7 lead, Ben Roethlisberger escaped a rush and launched a picture-perfect deep ball to Sweed, who had broken wide open on the sideline near the 10-yard line.

Of course we all know what happened next.  Sweed bobbled the ball, stumbled, and tipped the ball again before ball and receiver hit the turf separately.

Sweed remained sprawled out on the field for a few moments, but was able to walk off without any apparent injury.  For this he received a nationally-televised earful from coach Mike Tomlin.

There was a picture in the Trib a couple days later—not all that different from the photo above—that captured the play perfectly.  His eyes are not focused on the ball.  His stride is awkward at best.  He is starting to squeeze the ball before it gets into his hands.  He’s already stumbling. 

If the Steelers would have lost that game, he would have been crucified by the fans and media alike, and there is a chance he wouldn’t even be a Steeler today.

To his credit, Sweed made up for the blunder just three plays later with a crushing downfield block.  He may have also regained his confidence with that play; he caught a key 14-yard pass on third down early in the fourth quarter and finished with two catches for 20 yards while replacing an ailing Hines Ward.

There’s no doubt that Limas has the skill set to play in the NFL.  He’s big, he’s fast, he can catch, and he was a star at the highest level of college football.  His disappointing rookie year may have been more of a mental challenge than anything else. 

He was an outstanding player for the University of Texas.  In 2005, his clutch TD with less than a minute left against Ohio State won the game and preserved the Longhorn’s undefeated season.  He had a productive career despite injuries, and broke a few of Roy Williams’ receiving records (strangely enough, Limas is one of the few guys around who have both a National Championship ring from college and a Super Bowl ring).

If you look around the NFL, there are plenty of receivers who were stars in college but have struggled to adapt to the pro game. 

Dwayne Jarrett, who set all kinds of records at USC, has trouble getting on the field for the Carolina Panthers. 

Mario Manningham, so terrific at Michigan, is barely cracking the New York Giants depth chart.  Teneessee’s Robert Meachem has only 12 catches in two injury-plagued years with the Saints. 

There is even a good example in Pittsburgh’s locker room—Dallas Baker, a stud at Florida who was nicknamed “The Touchdown Maker” but has yet to catch on in the NFL.

Sweed’s early progress in camp is encouraging, as the WR competition is basically wide-open after Ward and Santonio Holmes.  Sweed will be battling with Baker—an interesting player who I think could have a major impact if or when he gets some playing time—as well as rookie Mike Wallace and veteran Shaun McDonald for the third and fourth wide receiver spots.

It should be a breakout season for Limas.  His good buddy Charlie Brown thinks so as well.