Pittsburgh Steelers Must Address These 6 Big In-House Questions for 2011

With the NFL's long, possibly damaging lockout due to finally end in the next few days, each team is starting to get back into the mindset of a normal offseason. The hitch is that this offseason will be mere weeks long instead of several months.

As the Pittsburgh Steelers turn their attention toward free agents and draft pick contracts, several burning in-house questions surround some of the team's star players.

Here's a look at the six most important in-house questions that need answering during the 2011 season.

Can Keenan Lewis Be a Consistent Contributor?

Keenan Lewis was drafted in 2009 with the hope that he would develop into a consistent contributor on defense and possibly bloom into a steady starter the same way Ike Taylor had done several years earlier.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, that hasn’t happened. Lewis has been penalty and mistake-prone in his time with the Steelers and, despite noted weaknesses at the position, has failed to crack the lineup on a consistent basis.

2011 will likely be Lewis’ last chance to make an impact. The team made a statement by drafting two new corners this year. If Lewis can’t become the player Pittsburgh envisioned, the team will probably cut ties with him.

Will Rashard Mendenhall Turn the Corner?

Rashard Mendenhall has put up back-to-back seasons of more than 1,000 yards, but there are still many doubters out there. Mendenhall hasn’t helped himself by becoming a lightning rod for controversy during this offseason.

Masked by his 1,200-yard season in 2010 was the fact that, more often than not, Mendenhall was ineffective for long stretches. Several of his 100-yard games were made by a big run or two, not by steady contribution.

If Mendenhall is to truly blossom into an elite, Pro Bowl back, he needs to be consistent. He has some great intangibles like toughness and the ability to keep his feet moving after contact. The problem seems to be that he just lapses from time to time.

The hope is that an improved offensive line will help, but part of the improvement has to come from Mendenhall himself. He must become a more disciplined runner.

Is Troy Polamalu in Decline?

This is a tough question to ask, but it’s time to ask it. When healthy, Troy Polamalu is one of the greatest players of his generation. The problem lately has been that he can’t stay healthy.

It happens to every player at some point in his career, regardless of sport. The tough style of play catches up, and injuries start to mount. Polamalu seems to be nearing that point.

The question right now is whether or not he can rebound. He was great in 2010 after missing most of the 2009 season, but he still spent a long stretch at the end of the year on the bench due to injury and was largely ineffective in the playoffs and Super Bowl.

A lot of the defense’s success hinges on Polamalu being disruptive. If he can’t do that anymore, the team has to look long and hard at what it can do to prevent itself from being breached.

Does Hines Ward Have Something Left in the Tank?

Ward has been a rock for over a decade now. He’s a consistent player who rarely gets hurt despite a rough playing style and who can always be counted on for a big catch.

In short, he was Wes Welker before Wes Welker existed in the NFL. But Ward is now in his mid 30s, in his 13th NFL season and coming off his least productive year in a decade or more.

The question now is whether or not 2010 was an anomaly. If it was, then Ward may have a few more years left before he really hits a wall. If it was a sign of the coming end, he may only make it another year or two.

Ward will likely be gradually phased out of the team’s starting receiver spots in the next couple of years if Emmanuel Sanders continues to blossom. Mike Wallace has already become Ben Roethlisberger’s top target, so Ward may see his playing time diminish if he continues to put up pedestrian numbers while Wallace and Sanders grow into stars.

Will Aaron Smith Be Overtaken by Ziggy Hood?

Aaron Smith, like Hines Ward, has been a stalwart member of the team for more than a decade now. He’s been one of the most unsung heroes in the league and is one of the best defensive ends the team has had since the 1970s.

But Smith is unquestionably nearing the end. He’s been injured virtually every season since 2007 and is now facing stiff competition from two youngsters recently drafted by the team (Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward).

Hood stepped in last season when Smith was injured and had an excellent season. He proved he could be a consistent contributor on defense and could open the holes for LaMarr Woodley and the other linebackers.

Hood made a case to be placed into a platoon with the now-healthy Smith, but he could overtake him permanently if the veteran continues to get hurt. The wild card here is Heyward, who could also work his way into the rotation as he learns the defense. The end spots figure to get very, very crowded now.

Are the Young Receivers for Real?

Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown were drafted last year to help provide depth and to hopefully emerge as offensive weapons in a year or two. The team had high hopes but probably saw those hopes surpassed by the stellar performance of both players.

Brown had the first impact and was followed swiftly by the more impressive Sanders, who became a favorite clutch target of Ben Roethlisberger and showed an aptitude for speed, elusiveness and good hands. Already scary good, Sanders will be even better after another year of seasoning.

Brown became a weapon in the clutch too and could see his playing time increase if Antwaan Randle El is let go or if Hines Ward declines further. He’s also a return man, which might be where we see the biggest impact from him this year.

If 2010 wasn’t a mirage, the Steelers will have two fantastic weapons for many years to come. While it’s likely that both players will be solid NFL contributors, their sophomore seasons are likely to be very telling.