Pittsburgh Steelers Roster Battles Few and Far Between

Rarely does an NFL team have little roster turnover from year to year. 

In Pittsburgh, however, it's become more of a trend.

Of the team's 22 Super Bowl XLIII starters, only two have departed in the ensuing offseason. 

That lack of turnover might make for a boring training camp devoid of position battles, but it is an unparalleled blessing for a team trying to win back to back championships.

There are a few intriguing spots up for grabs, however. Here's a look at the Steelers' principle position battles and the competitors. I've ranked these in order of importance to the team's overall performance.

Cornerback: Deshea Townsend vs. William Gay

A year after the Steelers proved that their secondary was indeed up to the task, they have to replace starter Bryant McFadden.

On paper, it sounds pretty scary.

In reality, McFadden only started a handful of regular season games in 2008 and is far from irreplaceable in the Steelers' lineup.

While McFadden was nursing an arm injury, both Townsend and Gay stepped up their game. Now, they will compete to replace him on a more permanent basis.

Townsend is used to competing.  Now in his 12th year, he has competed for either a starting spot or a nickel spot in each of the past four seasons.  While he has certainly lost much of his speed, Townsend still has exceptional coverage skills and a knack for making the big play.

Gay is in his third season and has proved to be great on special teams and in his opportunities on defense.  He stepped up in a big way while McFadden was out last year and also made several key plays during the team's run in the playoffs. 

Gay isn't physically threatening, but makes up for that with good speed, instincts, and coverage skill.

Edge: Gay gets the edge thanks to his youth and speed.  Otherwise, this is a pretty even match. 

Townsend plays his best football in the nickel formation, so it makes sense to leave him there and insert Gay as the starter opposite Ike Taylor.  He won't embarrass in coverage and will make the same plays Townsend would without getting burned deep.

Slot Receiver: Limas Sweed vs. Shaun McDonald and Martin Nance

With Nate Washington departing to the rival Titans, Pittsburgh is once again in need of a reliable third option at wide receiver. 

Washington was a good receiver and certainly better than most small college prospects, but he had a propensity for dropping passes.  The biggest issue following his departure is finding a dependable replacement from a group of questionable characters.

The job is likely Sweed's to lose.  He was the team's second round draft choice and fourth receiver last season, so he will be given every chance to move up a spot on the depth chart. Sweed has great speed and height, both assets in the Steelers' offensive scheme.  The Steelers need a tall receiver in the mix, so Sweed makes the most sense.

Sweed must prove he has good concentration and catching ability, both shown to be lacking against the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.  He runs decent routes, but could stand to improve there as well.

McDonald was signed after the draft as competition for Sweed and Nance.  McDonald has been a slot receiver before in Detroit and St. Louis, so his experience certainly gives him an edge over his competition.

McDonald lacks size and speed, so his biggest assets are his hands.  He rarely drops passes and is a dependable if unspectacular receiver.  Coming in late, he is at a disadvantage with picking up the offense. How well he does this before the preseason will determine his status as a serious competitor.

Nance is an unknown.  A MAC product from Ben Roethlisberger's alma mater, he has never playing in a professional game and until his name surfaced in this competition was unknown to most sports analysts.  Nance has good size, but his route running and hands are questionable.  He also lacks game experience.

Edge: Sweed has the edge.  If he performs well in the preseason, it won't matter what the other two receivers do.  If he fails, look for McDonald's game experience to thrust him into the role.

Goal-Line Running Back: Mewelde Moore vs. Rashard Mendenhall vs. Frank Summers

With the release of Gary Russell, the Steelers are officially looking for help in the jumbo package.  Barring a late addition, three players will vie for carries in goal to go situations.

The Steelers were woeful inside the five yard line running the football.  The team failed to score on countless fourth and goal situations from inside the one yard line.  That can't happen again in 2009.

The Steelers drafted Summers as a possible solution.  At 230 pounds, Frank "The Tank" will be the Steelers biggest back.  He is built similar to Jerome Bettis with a low center of gravity and good, driving feet.  He's raw, but is undoubtedly a better option than Russell, who tended to lose his feet and get driven backward.

Moore played admirably as a fill in for starting tailback Willie Parker last season, but was no better than Russell inside the five yard line.  Moore lacks the size to push the pile, so he is less than ideal in close quarters and up the middle.  He also does not run with power, instead using quickness to make plays.

Mendenhall had an abbreviated debut last year, breaking his shoulder in a collision with Ray Lewis in his first game action in the NFL.  Mendenhall is certainly a powerfully built back, but does not run with authority in between the tackles.  If he discovers how to harness his power, he will likely be the team's choice at the goal line.

Edge: It's hard to say whether Mendenhall or Summers has the bigger edge in this battle.  Summers is the prototypical power back.  Mendenhall is more versatile.  The Steelers do occasionally run play fakes near the goal line.  In that case, Mendenhall's catching ability would place him in front of the competition.

Backup Quarterback: Charlie Batch vs. Dennis Dixon

Rarely do NFL teams dress three quarterbacks.  With Ben Roethlisberger's style of play, it might be wise to do so.  The question then is who goes in first if Big Ben goes down.

Batch is a seasoned NFL veteran with 12 years of experience.  He knows the offense and has shown an ability to execute it in Ben's absence.  Batch lacks mobility, arm strength, and big play ability, but is an accurate, serviceable option.

But Batch has shown a propensity to be injured in recent seasons.  His return this year was questionable, but necessitated by the departure of backup Byron Leftwich.

Dixon was drafted last year in the fifth round.  He has exceptional mobility and also shows a strong arm and average accuracy that should improve with experience.  Dixon also has an injury history, but he gives the Steelers the "slash" potential that has been lacking since the departure of Antwaan Randle El.

Edge: It's unlikely the team will dress three quarterbacks during the regular season, so the Steelers have to decide which way they want to go.  Batch is more likely to win the job thanks to his experience in the system, but don't discount Dixon. 

If the Steelers choose to go with a more versatile offense utilizing more trick plays, Dixon would be an incredible asset.

Fullback: Sean McHugh vs. Carey Davis

Last year, the Steelers seemed to get away from the traditional fullback role.  This year they will likely continue to go with more of an H-Back look.  Who fills that role comes down to two players who each have important talents.

McHugh seemed to take over the role as the 2008 season progressed.  Acquired from Detroit before the start of the regular season, McHugh is a steady player who has no standout talent.  He's a better blocker than Davis, however, and played more often on first and second down.

Davis is a good receiver out of the backfield, but lacks versatility and exceptional  blocking skills. He's a one trick pony, which precipitated his departure from the regular lineup.  If his blocking improves, he should see more playing time.

Edge: McHugh has the edge thanks to versatility, but both players will likely see playing time depending on how the Steelers structure their offensive packages.  If McHugh can improve his catching, he could gain a stranglehold on the job.

Kickoff/Punt Returners: Open Competition

The Steelers are always on the lookout for a better option in the return game.  The team lacks a return threat, using Santonio Holmes in important game situations on punts and Mewelde Moore on kickoffs.

The Steelers could change returners yet again in 2009.  The most likely scenario would be to make Holmes the permanent punt returner and use Moore and Rashard Mendenhall on kickoffs.

The team could also mix in any of several rookies.  There really is no edge here, only an open competition for what is realistically three spots.  The likelihood is that Mike Tomlin will utilize many different players in these roles throughout the season.