15 Ways for the Steelers to Spice Up Their Season

Bold moves aren't always the style for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who prefer to tweak slightly and build piece by piece. In a league that moves at lightning speed, they tend to be consistently progressive and productive.

Bold moves, however, can make or break a season. The Steelers are coming off of a loss in Super Bowl XLV that stunned the franchise and a fan base that always expects its team to finish at the very top of the league. Maybe it's time for some bold moves to spice up the season and help the Steelers bring home their seventh Lombardi trophy.

Here's a look at 15 possible moves for the Steelers that are bold, spicy and exciting. I've ranked these from least bold to most bold to give some idea of how important each move could be for the team.

15. More Carries for Isaac Redman

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Rashard Mendenhall is the team's feature back. There's no arguing or changing that. But the Steelers have quite the stable of talent at the position. Isaac Redman, Mewelde Moore and even Jonathan Dwyer have been effective when called upon.

Mendenhall had another solid year in 2010, but he had a lot of games where he just was not effective. In some games, he was not even effective against poor run defenses. Sometimes, it looked like he just needed a rest. He seemed to fade down the stretch in some ways. That can't happen again.

Why Change?

Redman has been downright good this preseason. He has shown some great slashing ability and looks able to carry a much bigger load than he did last year. If he can translate that into the regular season, he needs to get more touches even if the Steelers plan to throw more often.

Mendenhall could probably use more of a tandem system to his advantage. He'll still get plenty of carries because the Steelers love to run the ball late in games, but he would be more fresh thanks to work by Redman. Using them in tandem would also allow them to keep them both on the field at once, adding another dimension of unpredictability to the team.

14. Trade Dennis Dixon

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The Steelers just lost their number two quarterback, Byron Leftwich, to a broken arm. He's done for the year most likely unless the team can waive him injured, pass him through waivers and retain his rights while he rehabs the arm.

While Leftwich is out, the backup job has seemingly fallen to Dennis Dixon, the young, athletic, former start at Oregon. Also a possibility is longtime Steelers backup and fan favorite Charlie Batch, who helped save the season last year by replacing an injured Dixon during Ben Roethlisberger's suspension and leading the team to a 3-1 start.

Why Change?

This is bold and risky. If Batch is out of gas, which has been a concern so far in the preseason and training camp, he might flop if Ben Roethlisberger gets hurt. Roethlisberger has yet to make it through a full season without some kind of injury, minor or major, and it doesn't seem to be the year for that to change with a suspect offensive line.

The Steelers could, however, recoup something by trading Dixon now. He's already made it clear he wants to start. Miami is certainly in the market for quarterback talent and could consider Dixon an upgrade over Chad Henne and Matt Moore. If he stays and backs up Roethlisberger, the Steelers will get nothing when he leaves after the season in free agency. They might as well get something for their efforts.

13. Defensive Ends in Rotation

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This might be the last year for veteran defensive end Aaron Smith. He's been around for a long time and he's been one of the most under-appreciated players in the NFL. The 3-4 defensive scheme isn't always kind to ends because their job is to open holes for rushing linebackers. Smith has done that and helped make the careers of guys like Lamarr Woodley, Jason Gildon and Clark Haggans (to name a few).

On the other side, veteran Brett Keisel has developed from a seventh-round draft pick into one of the best defensive ends in the league. He's another quietly productive guy who doesn't get any press nationally. He's helped make James Harrison and Joey Porter the forces of nature that they have been.

Why Change?

With all of that success, why change? It's simple. Smith and Keisel are older. Smith has an injury history that's getting worse each year. Keisel missed a chunk of last season as well. It's time to find a way to keep these guys fresh so that they're able to contribute in the playoffs, when teams need to be as healthy as possible.

Add to that the fact that the team has two young, talented studs at the position in Cameron Heyward and Ziggy Hood. Both players look like the future of the defensive end position and both should be able to contribute this year. Hood was stellar after Smith went down and Heyward has looked very good so far in the preseason. Both should get playing time this year and could form a great rotation with Keisel and Smith.

12. Gadget Plays Return

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The Steelers ran more gadget plays in 2010 than they've run previously during Bruce Arians' tenure as offensive coordinator. Arians runs one of the most vanilla offenses in the NFL, a bland system that is spiced up more than anything by the backyard style of Ben Roethlisberger.

The important things to note are that Antwaan Randle El is gone and that the trick plays the team ran in 2010, whether or not they involved Randle El, worked most of the time and often lead to gobs of yardage being gained. That kind of offensive output will help the team win games if it's secondary can't keep up with every quarterback.

Why Change?

I'm actually thinking that the departure of Randle El might help the team's chances on trick plays. He was a lightning rod for attention in that regard because he often ran those plays exclusively last year. With Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown grabbing the receiving headlines, Randle El's playing time was nearly non-existent.

I'd like to see the halfback pass return. Rashard Mendenhall or Isaac Redman would shock the world if they reared back and lobbed a pass at a teammate. The team also needs to utilize their game-breaking speed a receiver and run more single and double reverses. Those kinds of plays cross up defenses and make them unable to defend consistently against the regular formations and plays.

11. Find a Tall Receiver

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The Steelers made one of their first offseason moves after the Super Bowl when they acquired Wes Lyons, a former standout at West Virginia known for his 6'8" height and related talent for mismatches. Lyons had been getting some looks late in the team's preseason games, but he hasn't had much of a chance to do anything groundbreaking.

The team has a ton of talent at receiver that we've talked about already, but they don't have a tall guy who can go up and get a pass that no one else can get their hands on. They don't have a guy who's tailor-made for a fade pass into the corner of the end zone. They don't have a young possession-type receiver.

Why Change?

This is a roster spot the could be freed up with some other moves I'll be suggesting. The team is going to have trouble keeping all of this receiving talent. Arnaz Battle has been impressive in the preseason. Jerricho Cotchery has been too aside from nagging injury concerns. Lyons, or a player like him, could be a valuable piece even if he spends the year on the practice squad instead of Tyler Grisham.

Ben Roethlisberger has been lobbying for a tall receiver since Plaxico Burress left for New York and handgun fame before the 2005 season. The Steelers tried to respond with Limas Sweed, but that didn't pan out. Lyons might not either, but his size is hard to ignore and near-impossible to match up against for a defense. Sometimes a guy like that plays a special role once or twice a game and wins that game for his team.

10. Spell James Harrison with Jason Worilds at Times

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James Harrison is the centerpiece of the team's linebacker corps. He's also one of the most-recognized players in the NFL thanks to his ability to knock quarterbacks silly. He's put together one of the most surprising and successful careers for a Steelers defender, emerging as an undrafted free agent who bounced around for years and becoming a perennial Pro Bowler.

But Harrison is on the wrong side of 30 and is coming off of offseason back surgery for an injury that likely will nag him the entire season. The Steelers need Harrison healthy and on the field to maintain their prowess against the run and against the AFC's elite slate of quarterbacks.

Why Change?

Back injuries are scary. They've ended careers. Harrison isn't young. That's a bad combination. Worilds is young and looked good in limited work last season. He notched two sacks and recovered a fumble as a rookie, a sign he's picking up the team's complex defense quickly.

I'm not saying Harrison needs replaced. Nothing would be farther from the truth. I'm saying the Worilds needs to get some time, especially on late-game passing downs. It goes along with the trend of keeping James Farrior and the team's defensive ends fresh and healthy. The team needs Harrison's big hits, especially in the playoffs. If he's got a nagging injury, they need to let Worilds take some of the burden.

9. Bring Back Flozell Adams

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Adams was a surprising reclamation project for offensive line coach Sean Kugler in 2010. He was thought to be at the end of the line and nothing more than a placeholder for a younger tackle, but emerged as one of the team's most consistent linemen and proved that he wasn't washed up after a distinguished career in Dallas.

But the team released him when he declined a big pay cut to help them solve their cap issues and he's remained a free agent since then. The team is struggling with injuries yet again on the offensive line and is working to replace tackle Max Starks, who was cut in favor of Jonathan Scott and rookie Marcus Gilbert.

Why Change?

I'm not saying that Gilbert won't blossom into a great tackle. I'm also not saying he will. I am saying he's not likely to be a starting-caliber left tackle on a championship team in his first season in the NFL. Let's not even pretend Jonathan Scott is a real starter. He's a placeholder, pressed into duty because the team had no one else with experience.

I'm also not going to pretend Adams is the perfect solution for the Steelers. He is, however, available, knows the offense and has played left tackle successfully before (Scott hasn't done that). The Steelers want to win the Super Bowl. Left tackle might be the difference. They certainly don't want Ben Roethlisberger hurt. Starting Scott there is almost asking for it.

8. Put Stevenson Sylvester on the Field More

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Wearing the number of Pittsburgh Steelers' legend Joey Porter, Stevenson Sylvester burst onto the scene last year as a promising rookie who might someday replace long-time inside linebacker James Farrior. He was impressive as a rookie while notching 14 tackles and a forced fumble.

But Farrior isn't going anywhere. The team gave him a big contract extension before last season and intends to let him, like many other veterans, write his own career ending in Black and Gold. Sylvester should be the top backup this year if he can unseat Larry Foote.

Why Change?

Sylvester is only going to get better if he plays more often. There's no way the team sits down their budding star Lawrence Timmons, so Farrior will need to get more time off the field. He's the defensive captain and is a huge part of the team's leadership, but he's older and might start losing a step or two anytime.

So far in the preseason, Sylvester has only been mildly impressive, but I think he'd be much better if he was getting consistent work with the first two units. If he splits time with Farrior, even in an uneven rotation, he'll learn more and blossom into a star much more quickly. The team has the talent around him to risk it. It's time to see the guy play.

7. More Five Receiver Sets

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The Steelers have used a lot more three-receiver sets in the last few years under Bruce Arians, who has opened up the previously run-oriented offense despite continued criticism of the play calling. The Steelers have accumulated a wealth of talent at receiver of the past two seasons with Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown joining veteran Hines Ward.

Why Change?

Why not? The Steelers have four receivers who could probably start for more than half of the teams in the NFL. They also have some interesting talent in Jerricho Cotchery and Arnaz Battle. Ben Roethlisberger seems to thrive in a wide open offense. The reasons are almost endless.

The Steelers need to do more with four and five receivers on the field. Most teams aren't going to be able to defense the various talents of the team's receivers and also will have a very difficult time with having speedsters Wallace, Sanders and Brown on the field at the same time.

6. Go Get a New Kicker Named Josh Jasper

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The Steelers have Shaun Suisham and Swayze Waters on the roster. Suisham was surprisingly successful replacing the quixotic and tiresome Jeff Reed. Waters has a strong leg and is probably helped by the fact that he's a relative unknown, which has usually been good for Pittsburgh kickers.

The new kickoff rules mask the biggest weakness Suisham possesses: his leg strength. The problem is that Suisham has a bad history before 2010 and there's no guarantee he can keep up his successful work over a full season in the league's most difficult stadium for kickers. Waters hasn't shown enough accuracy in the preseason to merit a roster spot or the responsibility of being the team's kicker.

Why Change?

Beyond the shortcomings of the players, the Steelers need to find a long-term answer at the position. Since Gary Anderson and Norm Johnson, the last "long-time" kickers, were in town, the team has gone through Kris Brown, Todd Peterson, Reed and Suisham. None have stuck for long.

A guy like Josh Jasper could change that. He's got a strong, accurate leg. Kickers aren't usually drafted (ten in the last six years), so Jasper didn't pass through because he's not talented. He is the kind of kicker a team in the rough AFC North needs. It's time to try something new and see if they can find someone who can have the longevity of Anderson.

5. Start Taking a Look at Steve McLendon as a Piece of the Future

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Casey Hampton signed a new, three-year contract worth $21 million after the 2009 season. Next year will be the final year of that deal and there's no guarantee that Hampton can or would be brought back once it's over. He's been a sturdy piece of this team for over a decade and has been one of the best 3-4 defensive tackles in the game during that time.

He's up there in years, however, and the team has yet to move on finding a real replacement for him. They've got little-known Steve McLendon behind him right now. McLendon has filled in admirably at times and might be playing Chris Hoke out of the top backup job. It was surprising to see a third defensive tackle make the team, but that's an indication of how the team might view McLendon.

Why Change?

This isn't so much a change on the field this year as it is a change in philosophy. The big change would be cutting the veteran Hoke, who's backed up Hampton for years, and going with youth and potential. I'm not saying McLendon will ever be Hampton, but he could be a solid player.

The Steelers figure to go through a turnover on their defensive line in the coming three to five years. They've got replacements at the ends, perhaps McLendon, who's been promising so far, can be that guy for the middle. There may be a method to the team's lack of attention to the position in the last two drafts, particularly with the amount of talent at defensive tackle this past draft.

4. Cut Mewelde Moore Loose

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Moore is slated to be the team's third down back again this year after a short flirtation with the open market that netted no reported offers. Moore has carved out a nice niche in Pittsburgh, so it's no real surprise that he chose to return rather than try for a backup role elsewhere.

He's been largely a non-factor in the preseason and hasn't been very impressive in his opportunities. This is nothing new for Moore, but the team has some other talented players vying for carries now and Moore could be quietly battling for time with Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman.

Why Change?

We've already talked about giving Redman more work. Why not make him the third down back, give Dwyer some time as a spare part who can give Redman and Rashard Mendenhall a rest and set Moore loose and utilize the roster spot to keep another talented young guy around.

Redman has shown the ability to catch passes in the flat and through the middle, so he already can do everything that the team depends on Moore for during a normal game. He's a better runner by far and also has youth on his side. That sounds to me like the recipe for a roster move that just needs to happen.

3. Trust in Youth, Cut William Gay

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William Gay is the team's likely nickel back. He's filled that role in 2010 and 2008, sandwiched around a year as a starter in which he could have set records for bad plays. Gay just is not an NFL-caliber corner and he's even more of a liability in a defense that needs good corner play to avoid being burned in a quarterback-driven conference.

The team has young talent in Keenan Lewis, who had a strong preseason. They also have two rookies who need a longer look in Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. The early returns on these players are mixed, but they are certainly more positive that the consistent returns on Gay. The team already cut Crezdon Butler. They need to stop the mistakes at corner immediately.

Why Change?

The first half against Atlanta convinced me that this needed to happen. I watched Matt Ryan pick on Gay almost exclusively. He didn't even stray from this strategy when Lewis was injured and Butler stepped into his place. He didn't need to stray from it because Gay was giving up catch after catch and failing to make play after play.

The team would likely be better with one of the rookies at the nickel position, but could have a future starter in Lewis there in 2010. Lewis is more athletic, makes more plays and provides more consistently tight coverage than Gay has ever done. Their concurrent stints as starters this preseason has developed into a fine competition which Gay has trailed in from the moment things began.

2. Ben Roethlisberger, Offensive Coordinator

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Roethlisberger has a lot of freedom when it comes to what plays get run during a game, but Bruce Arians, the team's long-embattled coordinator, calls the plays in the beginnings. Roethlisberger then has the opportunity to change it at the line with an audible.

The problem with this system is that Roethlisberger can only use the players he already has on the field when he audibles. If he doesn't have the personnel to match up with a defense, he has to burn a time out to make changes.

Why Change?

In the old days, quarterbacks did the bulk of the play calling with coordinators either not in existence or mostly playing the role of consultant. Those days have long since passed. No quarterback today calls the majority of the plays. The last Steelers player to do it regularly was Neil O'Donnell in the early 1990s.

Ben Roethlisberger is one of the more intelligent guys in the NFL. It's obvious when he checks to something different and it almost always has a positive result. If Arians assumes a consulting role and allows Roethlisberger to run the show, the Steelers offense could become even more explosive than they already have the potential to be.

1. Move Hines Ward to the Slot

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Hines Ward is and has been the team's starter at wide receiver for more than a decade. He's played across from stars like Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes and busts like Troy Edwards. He's the most consistent thread in the offense and he's one of the greatest players in the history of his position.

Ward is finally slowing down in his 13th season, but he still has some records to set and would obviously like to add a third ring to his hand. The team has accumulated a lot of potential replacements, particularly in Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders, who emerged as rookies last year to become favorite targets.

Why Change?

This is a big one. It has implications beyond just a reordering of the depth chart after so many years of consistency. It also represents the admission by player and organization that the decline is happening. Ward had an off year last year and is starting to show the wear and tear of being one of the most physical offensive players in NFL history.

Sanders and Brown offer more big-play potential, youth and speed at this point. Ward could extend his career by a few years by coming off the field on running plays and two-receiver sets. His blocking is valuable, but he's done a good job of teaching the younger players to block. An offense with Sanders/Brown and Mike Wallace on the field during play action is bound to be very explosive.