What to Expect from Each Pittsburgh Steelers Starter in 2013

With the start of the regular season less than two weeks away, it is time to look at each Pittsburgh Steelers starter and set a bar for them. 

For now, we will operate under the assumption that the starters currently listed on the Steelers’ official website will be the same guys starting during Week 1. Considering there are still a few unresolved position battles being waged, do not be surprised if that is not the case. 

As always, take these expectations with a grain of salt. A lot can change in a short period of time due to injuries, guys stepping up or factors that no one can see coming. 

Some bars are set much higher than others. Example: I expect much more from Ben Roethlisberger than, say, any running back on the roster.

As it stands, these are your 2013 Pittsburgh Steelers starters. If nothing else, it is going to be fascinating watching how Pittsburgh performs this year.

QB: Ben Roethlisberger

Not surprisingly, the success or failure of Pittsburgh’s offense rests on Big Ben’s enormous shoulders.

That 8-8 record and the public feud with offensive coordinator Todd Haley has made people forget that Big Ben was putting up MVP-caliber numbers midway through last season before he got injured.

There is no reason to believe Big Ben’s abilities or numbers will see a particular decline in 2013. His ability to make something out of nothing is legendary, and his receivers are still talented enough to help him extend plays. 

The only concern for Big Ben is, as always, his health. The man takes a lot of hits as he keeps plays alive. His porous offensive line probably will not be able to help him much in that regard. 

Big Ben is the Steelers' offense until a running back steps up to make his life easier. Until then, Big Ben is the most important player on Pittsburgh's roster. 

RB: Isaac Redman

I have absolutely no idea why Redman is listed as the Steelers' starting running back. Hopefully that will not be the case come Week 1. 

Redman definitely has talent. He can power his way through defenses and can even serve as an occasional receiving threat (just ask the 2010 Ravens). 

But under no circumstances should he be Pittsburgh’s starting running back. Actually, no running back on the Steelers’ roster really deserves to be starting.

If I had to pick one, it would probably be Jonathan Dwyer only because he has shown enough flashes of talent that he has earned the right to prove he can be a consistent featured back.

Do not be surprised, though, if new acquisition Felix Jones makes a case for himself as a starter. The man has a history of injuries, but he also has more experience and basic running smarts than any other Steelers running back.

Then there is Le'Veon Bell, who will probably be the starter whenever he recovers from that foot sprain. The Steelers appear to be leaning in that direction, though not particularly strongly.

The moral of this story, though: The running back situation is still a mess. Set the bar low and hope to be pleasantly surprised with this unit.

WR1: Emmanuel Sanders

Considering how much effort it took for the Steelers to keep him, Sanders’ bar is set pretty high for 2013.

Pittsburgh had to match an offer sheet from the New England Patriots in order to keep Sanders around. You usually do not see the Steelers shelling out money to keep important players (see: Keenan Lewis).

Sanders certainly has the tools to be a big factor in Pittsburgh’s offense. He is a solid route-runner and has great chemistry with Big Ben. This is also a contract year for him, so you know he will be trying his hardest this year to make sure he gets paid following the season. 

Sanders is also listed as the team’s kick returner, replacing the disappointing Chris Rainey. As long he stays out of trouble with the law, he will automatically be a better option than Rainey ever was.

WR2: Antonio Brown

Brown has some fast shoes to fill, but he is more than capable of being the team’s top receiving option.

Mike Wallace took his talents to Miami this offseason and can have fun dropping passes from Ryan Tannehill. Brown is expected to ably replace his speed and big-play abilities. 

He has the route-running skills and the work ethic Wallace lacked. Plus, the man can shake it Dancing With the Stars-style.

For whatever reason, Brown is also listed as Pittsburgh’s punt returner. Something tells me the Steelers might not want their top receiver tiring out or potentially getting clobbered on special teams plays, so rookie Markus Wheaton might take over for him there.

Set Brown’s bar high as well. This is not the strongest group of wide receivers that has ever suited up in black and gold, but it is more than good enough to get the job done.

TE: David Paulson

In this case, I am going to have to deviate from the website’s depth chart and go with reality because the website seems a little optimistic about Matt Spaeth’s health.

Spaeth is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks with a foot injury. Heath Miller has been out for forever, though he could be ready to play in September. 

That leaves the starting job to second-year man David Paulson. He has talent, but in this case it might be better to set the bar low and hope to be pleasantly surprised by any production he can provide.

He has shown good hands and an ability to help Big Ben extend plays during the preseason, which is a positive sign. Hopefully he can keep that up, though I would not count on him becoming an elite tight end any time soon.

Make no mistake here: Miller is Pittsburgh’s starter at tight end. Once he gets back to full health, he will go back to being one of Big Ben’s favorite targets.

FB: Will Johnson

Johnson has quietly climbed Pittsburgh's depth chart and solidified himself as an invaluable member of the offense.

He can block like a champ and can even serve as a passing option out of the backfield. Any fullback with that much versatility has a place for himself in the NFL. 

There really is not that much to see about Johnson, mostly because of how invisible the fullback position ha become in the modern NFL. If Johnson can block and maybe be the recipient of a few play-action passes, he will do all that can be expected of a fullback. 

So set Johnson's bar moderately high. There is no reason to expect a decline in his abilities this early in his NFL career. 

LT: Mike Adams

The second-year lineman has had some bad luck in his short NFL career.

He was injured on and off last year and had a lot of trouble protecting Big Ben when healthy. This summer, he spent time recovering from a stab wound.

In three preseason games, he has been part of a unit that has racked up a sad amount of penalties and has, as usual, had trouble keep Big Ben off the turf.

To top it all off, Mike Adams is a natural right tackle. The coaches switched him with former left tackle Marcus Gilbert in an attempt to build position flexibility.

While a commendable effort, it does not appear to be making much of a difference thus far. Set the bar low and just hope Adams can protect Big Ben’s blind side enough that he can survive the season. 

LG: Ramon Foster

Foster is probably the most underrated guy on Pittsburgh’s offensive line.

After coming to Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent, Foster worked his way up the depth chart until he landed his current starting job. He is one of the few Steelers offensive linemen who seems to consistently do his job without drawing a penalty every time. 

As the oldest member of Pittsburgh’s offensive line, he brings experience and a highly touted work ethic to a unit that really needs some leadership.

Set the bar for him higher than his fellow linemen. If all goes well, Foster can help whip this young group of linemen into shape.

C: Maurkice Pouncey

Pouncey has been to the Pro Bowl every season since he entered the league in 2010. Like Foster, he is not considered a liability on Pittsburgh's offensive line. 

The man is a big body that knows how to block other big bodies. Aside from the occasional unnecessary penalty, he has been pretty consistent at center for the Steelers. 

His off-the-field decision-making skills have been under the microscope this offseason after he was spotted wearing a "Free Hernandez" hat. Associating himself with a man who was indicted for murder was not Pouncey's brightest move.

To be fair, he and Aaron Hernandez were teammates at the University of Florida and he quickly apologized for the hat. So there is no reason to believe antics like this will continue to be an issue. 

Pouncey's bar is set pretty high, too. He should continue to be a strength on this "meh" Steelers offensive line. 

RG: David DeCastro

After suffering catastrophic injuries that kept him out of commission for most of last season, DeCastro is healthy and hoping to turn things around in 2013. 

Pittsburgh drafted him 24th overall in 2012 and expected big things from the big body out of Stanford. Those expectations have not waned at all going into his first real season with the Steelers. 

The only thing to worry about with DeCastro is his durability. The injuries that sidelined him last year were pretty gruesome. As long as he stays on the field, he should be a big plus for the Steelers.

For now, keep the bar reasonably high. The interior of DeCastro, Foster and Pouncey should be strong for Pittsburgh this year.

The tackles, on the other hand...

RT: Marcus Gilbert

Like Adams, Gilbert is out of position. And like Adams, acclimating to his new lot in life has come with its share of speed bumps. 

Gilbert has to prove that he is not as slow-footed and balance-challenged as many think he is. Remember, this is the guy who fell on DeCastro last year and sidelined him for most of last season.

There is room for hope with Gilbert. According to SB Nation analysis, this preseason has shown that Gilbert has marginally improved as a pass-blocker. 

He will have to show that over 16 games for Steelers nation to be satisfied. Set Gilbert's bar low and hope he can prove the haters wrong. 

LDE: Ziggy Hood

The Steelers are clearly running out of patience with Hood. The fact they have not extended his contract means the coaching staff is giving him one more year to prove he is worth keeping around. 

It is not like Hood has played poorly during his five seasons in Pittsburgh. Ever since he became a consistent Steelers starter in 2010, he has played well in the Steelers' system and has been part of some incredible defenses. 

Pro Football Focus (h/t Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) summed up the reason Hood is on thin ice with Pittsburgh and its fans:

"

What on earth is going on with Ziggy Hood? If there was no one else to turn to, you may understand the Steelers reluctance to bench him, but Cameron Heyward looks like he has the ability to be a high quality end. At least his run defense was a little better down the stretch, but this looks almost like a team hoping a clear first-round bust can be disguised by playing time.

"

A lot of Steelers faithful agree that Cameron Heyward deserves more of a chance, and they feel Hood is standing in his way. Yet another reason Hood needs to prove he is worth a first-round pick in a convincing fashion. 

Hood's bar is set low for now, but that is only because of how down Steelers nation appears to be on him. Expect another season of moderate success that still will not be good enough to appease the masses. 

NT: Steve McLendon

McLendon has the daunting task of taking over for legendary Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton. This might not be the smoothest passing of the torch ever attempted. 

Not that McLendon is destined to fail. He has been with the Steelers for four years and has the experience to make a difference right away. 

The problem is he has a very small chance of erasing memories of Hampton this season. The man was a fixture in the center of Pittsburgh's front line for years. Unless McLendon can become the next Geno Atkins or Ndamukong Suh, his first season as a Steelers starter will probably be seen as a disappointment. 

Fortunately for him, he has talent and nothing resembling competition behind him. His bar can be set reasonably high as long as you are not expecting him to replicate Hampton's production right away. 

RDE: Brett Keisel

Keisel is Pittsburgh's resident cowboy, hailing from Greybull, Wyoming. I would be scared if I saw the huge man with the mountain man beard trying to hit me as hard as he can. 

Keisel has been a force for the Steelers during his tenure in Pittsburgh. He may be another year older, but the beard is just as thick and ready to devour anyone in its path. 

His sense of humor appears to be completely intact. He showed up to the first day of training camp in a black and gold dump truck wearing a "Da Beard" shirt and told CBS Pittsburgh's Abbey Way:

"

Since it’s kind of a construction zone here I brought my hard hat. We are constructing our team. We are excited about this year. I think everyone has written us off but we feel like we can construct, hopefully, a championship team.

"

Those sound like the words of a man with confidence. Set the bar high for Keisel. As long as that beard remains intact, he will be just fine. 

LOLB: LaMarr Woodley

Woodley came into training camp slim, healthy and ready to pick up where he left off before injuries hampered his production over the last few seasons. 

With James Harrison gone, the Steelers need Woodley to be dominant again. Judging by the way he has been harassing opposing quarterbacks all preseason, it looks like Woodley the beast is back. 

Safety Ryan Clark told Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer Alan Robinson that he believes Woodley looks better than ever:

"

He's as slim as we've ever seen him. I've never seen him look so good…He was very committed, committed to his diet, committed to his training.

"

Set Woodley's bar high. By the end of the season, he should easily remind people why he is considered one of the best outside linebackers in the NFL. 

LILB: Larry Foote

It seems like Foote has been a Steeler for as long as anyone can remember. Aside from a brief stint with the Detroit Lions, he has been a fixture in black and gold for a long time. 

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, Foote has started 157 regular-season games with the Steelers. That is good enough for third on the all-time list of Steelers linebackers, with Foote only trailing Jason Gildon (158) and David Little (179). 

That means Foote has been ridiculously durable throughout his career. He has never been the flashiest or most dominant linebacker, but he is always around and usually manages to get the job done. 

The Steelers certainly felt that way, as they signed Foote to a three-year contract extension this offseason. He told Dulac that money is not what keeps the old legs chugging along:

"

When you get toward the end and you see it coming, that alone just drives you. I made enough money, had enough success. I don't want to hang them up just yet. That's what motivates me in the morning.

"

I love that attitude. As much as I love Foote's contributions to the Steelers, this might be the year when he loses a step due to his age. Not that he will stop being productive, but do not be surprised if he takes fewer snaps and sees a decrease in his numbers.

So set that bar to reasonable levels purely because of Foote's age. Otherwise, he should continue his career as one of the most underrated Steeler linebackers ever. 

RILB: Lawrence Timmons

Timmons stepped up in a big way last year as he took over James Farrior's leadership role on Pittsburgh's defense. He also emerged as Pittsburgh's most lethal defensive weapon and possibly the best player on the team not named Ben Roethsliberger.

The man is simply a beast. He can drop back in pass coverage, stop the run and get to the quarterback like a boss. I have nothing bad to say about Timmons' game. 

Of course, his knack for big hits and plays really speaks for itself, as evidenced by the above video. 

Best part: Timmons is only getting better as he takes over even more of the leadership responsibilities in Pittsburgh's defense. So set his bar high and expect more forced fumbles and bone-crunching hits from him in 2013.

ROLB: Jason Worilds

Worilds is coming into a tough situation. Not only does he have rookie linebacker Jarvis Jones trying to take playing time from him, but he also has to replace all-time Steelers great James Harrison. 

With Woodley entrenched as a starter, Jones and Worilds have been fighting each other all summer for playing time. Both have shown starter potential, thus making choosing between them difficult for coach Mike Tomlin.

According to Steelers Depot's Matthew Marczi, the Steelers appear to be trying a three-man linebacker rotation. Chances are as the season progresses, Woodley will get more time than the other two and thus force Jones and Worilds to earn a starting position. 

The Steelers have a history of going with veterans over rookies, so Worilds will probably see more playing time early at least. If his health or his abilities falter, Jones could replace him in an instant.

Place Worilds' bar at cautiously optimistic levels. It will be tough for him to live up to Harrison's legacy no matter what, but there is also reason to believe competition from Jones will keep him on his toes and the better for it. 

LCB: Cortez Allen

I'll admit it: I have absolutely no idea what to expect from Allen in 2013. There really is not enough of a sample size to make any educated predictions. 

The Steelers clearly have a lot of faith in Allen. They chose to let Keenan Lewis walk, leaving Allen his starting cornerback job. So far, he has done nothing to lose that faith, though he has done nothing to particularly impress either.

In fact, Allen sat out most of the preseason with a knee injury. He made his preseason debut last Saturday against the Chiefs, and SB Nation's Christopher Carter seemed to think that he looked pretty solid.

So the jury is still out on Allen. Wait a regular-season game or two or three to come to any conclusions of any value about him. 

One thing is for sure, though: It would be tough for him to worse look than William Gay. 

FS: Ryan Clark

Clark, like Timmons, is one of a few Steelers players who can be counted on to do their jobs without many questions surrounding them. He has been and will continue to be a professional and semi-elite safety. 

Clark hits hard and sticks to wide receivers like glue. He is the safest bet in Pittsburgh's secondary right now, mostly because of how inconsistent Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu have been known to be. 

The things that could get Clark in trouble are his aggressive play style and, possibly, his mouth. He has been vocal this offseason about his opposition to the league's crackdown on big hits.

He had this to say to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo about how difficult it will be for defensive players to adapt in the modern NFL: 

"

The guys know there is no way possible [to] get fined if [they] go low. It will be one or the other. Guys will hit up high and maybe risk getting a concussion or hurting a shoulder. When you get hit low, the season is going to be over. If they decide to change this rule, they might as well put flags on because you'll give a guy who is 200 pounds, like myself, a two-foot area to stop a guy who is 240 or 250 running at full speed. They might as well just take us off the field and see how many points you can score on offense in 60 minutes.

"

Clark is more than capable of adapting to the new rules, but his words may put him on Roger Goodell's bad side. Do not be surprised if he is fined a few times in 2013.

Otherwise, set his bar high. Considering the only time he would have to travel to Denver might be in the playoffs this season, he should have no problems staying on the field and playing at his typically high level.

SS: Troy Polamalu

Polamalu has been plagued by injuries and has noticeably lost a step over the last few seasons. If all goes well, those problems will cease to exist in 2013.

The Tasmanian Devil is only three years removed from the 2010 season, when he played well enough to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors. He has looked like his old self so far this preseason, which is certainly encouraging. 

Clark certainly seems to pleased with his teammate's work this offseason. He told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette: 

"

He looks good, man. He's healthy, he's been able to practice every day ... He's running well, his weight is down. I think that is what's the most important thing, him being in position to stay healthy.

"

If Polamalu can play at even 75 percent of the level he reached in 2010, he will again be one of the NFL's most dominant defensive forces. The instincts are still there; now we just have to see if his body is up to par.

Plus, and maybe this is just me, I would be terrified if I saw that hair coming at me. It is not quite as fearsome as Keisel's beard, but it is a close second. 

So set Polamalu's bar at cautiously optimistic. Hopefully he can stay healthy and become a factor again. 

RCB: Ike Taylor

Taylor is as frustrating a player as there is in the NFL. Sometimes he looks like a Darelle Revis-level shutdown cornerback, and other times he looks like Rahim Moore trying to cover Jacoby Jones. 

He is always given the task of shutting down the opposing team's best receiver, so I guess we should cut him some slack. But that does not excuse the moments when he loses his mind. 

Taylor has been known to draw a lot of pass interference penalties. Even when the coverage is tight, you almost never see Taylor come up with an interception. 

Personally, I can live with the inconsistency. Pittsburgh's pass defense may not be as strong as its run-stopping unit, but it has still been strong enough to earn the Steelers the title of NFL's best defense again and again. 

It is also hard to penalize a guy too harshly who graduated from Swaggin' University. Like Terrell Suggs' Ball So Hard University, you learn lessons at Swaggin' University that you just cannot get anywhere else.

So for Taylor, set the bar low and hope for the best. Just take the good with the bad and pray there is more good. Sometimes, that is all an NFL fan can do.