Now that the Steelers' 2016-17 season is over, their immediate focus will be where to invest money and draft picks.
But for Carter's Classroom, we are going to spend the next month evaluating the talent at each position group. That will give us a clear picture of what positions might be important to address this offseason before the NFL Scouting Combine in late February. After the Combine, we'll start digging into the upcoming draft class and the prospective candidates the Steelers should consider for their positions of need.
Our first focus will be the offensive line, a unit that was the Steelers' most dependable.
Not only did the offensive line plow the road for an incredible season by Le'Veon Bell, but it also was superb in pass protection for the majority of the season. While Bell was one of only two NFL running backs who averaged over 100 rushing yards per game, Ben Roethlisberger was only sacked 17 times throughout the season. The only two quarterbacks who started for a majority of their season who were sacked less were Tom Brady and Derek Carr.
Before we get into breaking down each player, I'll explain my system for these evaluations. Each player has his own strengths and weaknesses that play into how the Steelers' scheme performs. The discussion will evaluate both sides of that equation for each player, then point out their value considering their skills, age and contract situation.
MAURKICE POUNCEY
Maurkice Pouncey is the smallest but arguably the group's best player. He became the cornerstone of the group's rebuild when selected in the first round of the 2010 draft.
Strengths: Pouncey has always been known as an extremely mobile center who can get to multiple points of the defense and make key blocks. That mobility is something the Steelers have treasured at the center position since the days of Dermontti Dawson. Several of the Steelers' key running plays feature Pouncey either advancing to the second level of a defense quickly, or pulling to be a lead blocker on a run outside the tackles.
Having a center who can be a trap blocker can be a key element to confusing and freezing linebackers and safeties who try to evaluate what an offense is doing. Typically, defenders watching the offensive line base their decision on which gaps to cover based on the movement of the guards. Normally when a guard pulls to the left or right, if you follow that player, you'll find where the play is going.
With Pouncey, it forces a new level of analytics and reading that allow for more time for the offensive line to get to their assignments and for Bell to pick which hole he'll attack. Pouncey has also shown to be a student of the game, rarely, if ever, blowing his assignments based on misunderstanding his role in both a running play or a pass protection scheme.
Weaknesses: The biggest knock on Pouncey might have to do with his size, as he struggles to deal with bigger-bodied defensive tackles on his own. We saw this when he faced Fletcher Cox of the Eagles, Ndamukong Suh in the Steelers' first matchup against the Dolphins and Brandon Williams of the Ravens, among others.
Take a look at this play as he faces the Patriots' Alan Branch during the regular season. Branch is only moved by a chip from David DeCastro, but otherwise controls his position at the line of scrimmage and closes the gap on Bell at the point of attack:
Pouncey is not only unable to drive Branch of this spot, but also fails to force him to one way or the other. Doing so would've allowed Bell to make a stronger commitment to which hole he could've attacked.
Another weakness I noticed in Pouncey's performance this season was his failure to finish blocks on defenders in the second level on certain occasions. There were multiple times this season that Bell and the rest of the Steelers had the defense completely dominated, but for one player that Pouncey was unable to finish off. While it was not devastating to the Steelers, Pouncey finishing such a block could have lead to longer scoring plays for Bell.
Value: That being said, if those are the biggest problems the Steelers have with Pouncey, Mike Tomlin will gladly deal with that. The center position requires a player who is always aware of what is going on in the game and can recognize what the defense is doing.
While interior pressure did creep in on Roethlisberger at points during the season, it was not due to a miscommunication of who should be protecting the A-gaps within the offensive line. Not having that problem may seem like such a basic thing, but it's one of those overlooked luxuries that fans can take for granted in determining how good a player is on the interior of the offensive line.
Pouncey's cap number is scheduled to hit over $11 million for next season, making him one of the most expensive Steelers to keep, behind only Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. When it comes to establishing a powerful run game for the Steelers and protecting the health of Roethlisberger, however that's a wise investment for the Steelers and one which they should look to keep around after his contract expires in 2019.
DAVID DECASTRO
When I said Pouncey was arguably the Steelers' best offensive linemen, that's because he's getting some competition from DeCastro, who was drafted two years after Pouncey and has become just as important to the Steelers' success at the line of scrimmage as their All-Pro center.
Strengths: DeCastro has a little over 10 pounds on Pouncey, and is the mauler of this group when it comes to beating up huge defensive tackles on the interior. He's not as mobile as Pouncey, but he's every bit the big pulling guard you want coming down the line to either trap an outside rusher or lead block for Bell.
What I like about DeCastro is his tenacity throughout the game and his eagerness to fight at every level for his teammates. We've seen his antics before when he's gone after elite players like the Panthers' Luke Kuechly for late hits on his players, as well as moments he has singled out Vontaze Burfict to make a point of pancaking him into the end zone.
But what DeCastro brings to the table that only a few specific elite players in the NFL can is his amazing strength at the point of attack that allows him to control even the best of the NFL's defensive tackles in key spots.
Take this play in the Steelers' victory over the Ravens, for example, when he went one-on-one with their top-tier defensive tackle, Brandon Williams (98) right where the Steelers were looking to run the ball. Notice how DeCastro gets his hands inside of Williams right at the beginning of the play and controls him just long enough for Bell to squeeze through the hole:
Williams ends up only being able to throw up his arms in protest, looking for a flag for holding to be his saving grace on the play. But holding is almost never called on an offensive linemen who grabs the inside of your jersey and controls you there. In fact most coaches teach their linemen to grab that part of the jersey as they look to control a defensive player.
This is what DeCastro brings to the table that the Steelers' need against teams like the Ravens that still invest in huge defensive linemen who can completely dismantle a running play if left unchecked.
Also, if you're looking for an example of one of those downfield blocks that I mentioned that Pouncey missed, take a look at his whiff on C.J. Mosley (57) and see how that miss leads to the eventual tackle of Bell. If Mosley is at least occupied for another second or two, Bell gets a chance to regain his balance and has about 8 yards to figure out what he wants to do with a lonely Ravens defensive back.
Weaknesses: There were no glaring weaknesses I saw from DeCastro, only instances in which he was unable to win against premier NFL talent like Suh or Cox. He had his good moments against key defensive tackles as well, but one of my biggest takeaways from how the Steelers were routed by the Eagles was how much of a problem Cox posed to both Pouncey and DeCastro.
Value: DeCastro and Pouncey are both a hand-in-hand duo of vital importance to the success of the Steelers' offense these days. They're a mean one-two punch that play off each other extremely well and are extremely fun to watch when they're rolling.
DeCastro's cap number will hit just a tad under Pouncey's for 2017, but will also be worth over $11 million towards their salary cap. Still a necessary investment for the Steelers moving forward, as their team looks to protect Roethlisberger in his final years and open up huge holes for Bell in his prime. Both DeCastro and Pouncey are irreplaceable fits for this offense.
MARCUS GILBERT
Gilbert was the second major addition when added in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He was the Steelers' rookie of the year and became a player who has been largely unsung in the success of the team, despite how integral he has been.
Strengths: Gilbert has made his name with the Steelers through being an elite pass protector for Roethlisberger. He's huge, but that doesn't stop him from having quick feet and he doesn't overly rely on his size to do his job for him, as some larger offensive tackles tend to do.
Many have tried to beat Gilbert with inside moves, stunts and pass rushing techniques that require defenders to work through him while he has his hands engaged. That rarely leads to much, if anything, that gets to Roethlisberger to disrupt his passing game.
That's why teams sometimes resort to trying to use speed rushers to counter Gilbert's strength and use of his hands with a fast player off the edge that might be able to get around him rather than rush through him.
But as you can see on this play, that's not going to be an easy road to success either against Gilbert. Watch how he deals with the pass rusher on this play against the Bengals:
Notice how Gilbert's first step with his right foot is so quick that his foot is down before his opponent has even crossed the line of scrimmage. That's what is called the anchor step which allows the offensive tackle to establish his foundation to be able to make a play on whatever type of rush his opponent may take.
Gilbert's feet are quick, choppy and light, just as textbook as anyone could ask, and he takes the speed rusher out of the play by ushering him past Roethlisberger, effectively making him a non-factor.
This has been nothing unexpected from Gilbert however, as he has put on feats like this for multiple years now. During the 2015 regular season, he did not yield a single sack throughout the year on Roethlisberger.
In the team's two meetings with the Broncos, Gilbert managed to keep Von Miller from a sack in either game, and didn't even allow him to make a tackle in the playoff game. That's with Miller, the NFL's premier pass rusher, lining up against Gilbert all game long both times and having one victory. Gilbert continued that kind of play this season.
Weaknesses: Gilbert's one weakness is that he is the one offensive linemen on the Steelers' roster that is not good at pulling down the line and isn't often as aggressive as he could be in the Steelers' ground attack. While he's extremely reliable in pass protection, he's not elite in being the key blocker to set up a running play.
However he can be a contributor and has made key blocks for Bell on the edge, it's not at the level which the Steelers' rely on DeCastro or Pouncey. But if that's the worst you can say about an offensive tackle, you've got a pretty good player.
Value: Gilbert is among the top paid Steelers going into 2017 with a cap number around $7.3 million, making him a solidified part of the offense until his contract expires in 2019. While the Steelers may need to sacrifice him or Pouncey when it comes to re-signing players that season, Gilbert's worth is on-par with that of any other player that could be considered indispensable for the time being.
Typically left tackles are the most highly regarded players on an offensive line as the protect a quarterback's blindside, but Gilbert's made a place for himself in the prime of his career as the guy that Roethlisberger can rely on to keep his right side clean and eliminate a team's left outside linebacker, a position where often teams place their best edge rusher.
RAMON FOSTER
Foster is the oldest of the group, another undrafted player on this offensive line who has become a regular contributor. He's a player that has become both an aged-veteran leader for a team that has become increasingly younger in their roster in recent seasons, while also being a reliable player at the point of attack.
Strengths: Foster doesn't have the speed and explosiveness of Pouncey for an interior lineman, but like DeCastro he can be a key contributor at the point of attack in a ground scheme. Foster, having entered the league in 2009, has had a lot of time to develop his skills and it shows in the fundamentals he displays in each game.
Take a look at how he throws a key block to keep the backside of this hole open for Bell against the Giants:
Foster's block is started with his quick first three steps that allow him to cross the face of the Giants' defensive tackle and establish a foundation that allows him to control his opponent long enough for Bell's cutback.
Any left guard able to pull and set lead/trap blocks on defenders and win battles on the interior to open holes for the running game is someone a team would be happy to have. His consistent execution with basic techniques, solid hand placement and footwork allow him to be the good player that he is.
But a left guard that you never had to spend a draft pick to receive doing that makes it that much more valuable of a contribution to this offense. Foster is also a key communicator at the line of scrimmage of adjusted assignments and keeping the silent snap count with the rest of the line as Roethlisberger calls out his audibles and hot routes in road games.
Weaknesses: Foster's biggest slight might be his age. At 31, he's still kicking and every bit the contributor that he has been in recent years, but the Steelers need a guy who can continuously move to different spots of the defense with pulling down the line or accelerating to the second level if left uncovered, and Foster may not be the best at that as he continues to age in the NFL.
Outside of that, the only slight on Foster is that sometimes he doesn't hit with enough explosiveness on his trap blocks that could help clear out space for runs outside of the tackle position. Not a big concern, but one the Steelers notice.
Value: Foster may come at the best value on the line with how reliable he is and how team-friendly his contract sits. He's only taking up a little under $3.6 million in cap space and is signed through 2018. If his age starts to show, I'm sure both he and the Steelers will be in communication to act accordingly, but his current contract poses no major hit to their salary cap situation moving forward.
Having a guy that can be a reliably solid contributor who doesn't greatly impact your salary cap is something you normally can only get out of successful rookies stuck in their initial contracts. Having that from a seasoned veteran is a blessing.
ALEJANDRO VILLANUEVA
Villanueva, another undrafted member, isn't the powerhouse that Pouncey, Gilbert or DeCastro are and he does not have the technical expertise of Foster, but he has turned himself into a consistent starter at left tackle.
Strengths: Villanueva's key attributes are his size and his ability to use it in his favor. The Steelers' previous left tackle, Kelvin Beachum, was more technically sound, but often lost against longer and larger edge rushers who could use their reach to work around him. Villanueva, at 6-foot-9, does not exhibit that problem.
Defenders facing him often have to do their best to find ways to avoid engaging Villanueva as he has developed the reputation that once he gets his hands on a player, he's can control them throughout the duration of a play.
What Villanueva has added to the left tackle position is also his mobility, which allows him to also become a pulling offensive lineman who traps outside linebackers and defensive ends on running plays to the opposite side of the field.
The tackle position shares a similarity in the center position that it is not one which linebackers and safeties typically read to try to figure out where a play is going. So when Villanueva pulls instead of Foster or DeCastro, it often gives the rest of the offensive time more time to work as defenders hesitate while they try to recognize the play the Steelers are running.
Watch how that worked against the Ravens at Heinz Field:
While Villanueva does a good job in his block on Elvis Dumervil (58) what he does just in being a reliable lineman that the Steelers can call upon to pull down the line is of equal importance.
Look at both Zachary Orr (54) and Mosley (57) of the Ravens on this play and how both of them are slow in reacting to the flow of this play. These are the two leading tacklers of the Ravens' defense and are both frozen in their tracks because they are unable to identify what exactly the Steelers are doing.
That's an asset the Steelers can look to exploit among their many other facets of weaponry on offense. It throws off the timing and dependability which defenses place on their inside linebackers and floating safeties to be able to make plays in these spaces.
Weaknesses: The biggest disappointment for Villanueva in 2016 was his slow start. Back when he first earned the starting spot in 2015, the Steelers saw him progress from being a liability on the offensive line to becoming another contributor in the group by the time they were in the playoffs.
Unfortunately that did not carry over into the start of the 2016 season, as Villanueva showed lapses in both his assignments and in his fundamentals early on in the year. But like 2015, those rough edges started to smooth out by the end of the season and he became another cog in the Steelers' machine by November.
Value: Villanueva was the cheapest starter on the offensive line, only taking up $525,000 in cap space. But with his contract ending this season, he is set to become a free agent should the Steelers not extend him.
Villanueva has proven to be a solid player the Steelers can rely on, but he isn't a high-cost commodity. He should not command a huge deal that takes up a great deal of cap space for the Steelers to keep should they choose to make him an offer.
However, he is 28 years old, which is around the age that most NFL veterans look to make their last real payday contract in the league. That could lead to Villanueva wanting more for him and his family. However, considering he bounced around the league for years before he found a dependable starting job in with the Steelers, he may be happy to give them a team-friendly contract so long as he's signed for the next three to four years.
If the Steelers can manage to do that, that would be a minor, but significant victory in their salary cap questions during the offseason.
While left tackle is an important position, there are so many other younger playmakers on this roster which are going to command bigger cap responsibilities for this team soon, which means the Steelers shouldn't look to make significant sacrifices in their salary cap to a position where they haven't needed to make a significant monetary investment in some time.
CHRIS HUBBARD
Hubbard, another undrafted member to this offensive line, became a solid contributor in a very unique way that added to Todd Haley's scheme for the offense.
After the season ending injury to Ryan Harris, the Steelers looked thin at the tackle position and Hubbard had to step in while Harris and Gilbert were hurt. Once Gilbert returned, Hubbard still saw game time as the Steelers switched to heavier formations with him as an added tackle on the line of scrimmage.
Strengths: Hubbard's biggest utility was his ability to be placed at either the tackle position or his natural spot, guard. When the Steelers were short on wide receivers, Haley found a very different way to address their personnel problem by adding Hubbard to the mix.
Hubbard became an extra big body on the edge who could take on linebackers and defensive backs at the point of attack for the ground game. While he's the lightest of all the linemen, he still packs a punch when he fires off the line of scrimmage.
Watch how he helps Gilbert set the edge with his chip block on the defensive end, and then seals off Giants' veteran linebacker, Kelvin Sheppard (91) to clear a hole for Bell:
This became a new wrinkle for the Steelers' offense that helped carry them through their nine-game win streak. Hubbard's utility was an unexpected but welcomed addition to the offense.
Weaknesses: What's ironic about the play we selected to highlight Hubbard's effectiveness is that it also gives insight into his weaknesses as well. Look at how he fires off the line and attacks Gilbert's man.
He lunges towards the target rather than attacking from a solid foundation. You can also tell this by how close his feet get together as he accelerates. That's what linemen coaches refer to as "tight-roping," a metaphor to describe when linemen give up their firm base of having wide feet and as they try to accelerate. Typically the only time a lineman can afford to do this is when he pulls on a trap, as he can expect to not be hit while running behind the rest of his offensive line.
While it works for Hubbard here, a solid shot from a linebacker would most likely have sent him tumbling and could have blown up the play. Not saying that he made a grave mistake, but it's a sign why he's a backup for this team and that he has work to do.
Value: Hubbard's 2016 contract put him just at a $600,000 hit to the Steelers' salary cap. Like Villanueva, he is unsigned going into 2017 and will either be a free agent or accept a new cheap deal from the Steelers to stay on the team.
While Hubbard deserves credit for the contributions he gave as an extra wrinkle in the offense, the Steelers might feel more content with Harris coming back or the potential development of a second year Jerald Hawkins possibly assuming that role in 2017; as Hubbard's role was not one which the Steelers would be doomed without.
B.J. FINNEY
Finney might have been the nicest surprise to the Steelers' offense this season. He filled in nicely in multiple games as a backup for Foster and not only avoided becoming a liability, but became a true asset to the Steelers' offense when he played.
Anytime you can say that about an undrafted rookie, you know there's a lot of good things to discuss about that guy.
Strengths: Finney saw limited time thanks to the health of the offensive line for most of the season, but when he did, he was explosive. His three starts early in the season showed the Steelers did not have to relinquish their reliance on the left guard position in their scheme.
Finney is typically a center, but he moves like a solid guard as you can see him on this play:
Finney stones the outside linebacker, establishing the edge for Bell to run past for the huge gain. This wasn't a one-time thing either, as Finney was proficient at pulling blocks to either side of the line and solid at the point of attack when remaining at his position.
Weaknesses: Rookie mistakes were still a factor in Finney's play. There were times he looked confused about his assignment and when asked to play center he had communication issues with Roethlisberger, at times snapping the ball too early and not being nearly as good at recognizing impending defensive schemes as Pouncey.
Still, these are all things that can be learned and developed over time as Finney is fresh out of college and on a cheap rookie contract.
Value: That being said, with his cheap contract, Finney could not have come at a better time for the Steelers. Their normal utility inside lineman, Cody Wallace finished the season on injured reserve and took up around $1.3 million in cap space with his contract ending this year.
This gives the Steelers more options with their depth on the offensive line, as now Wallace will not be in a position where the Steelers see him as the only possible replacement should either of their guards or center go down to injury.
It also could be good news that a possible successor for the line's oldest member, Foster, could be in the works. Foster's current contract would have him at 33 before the Steelers needed to re-sign him. If Finney continues to develop, it would give the Steelers options moving forward about what to do and what investments could be made on their line.
OVERVIEW
The Steelers have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. It's been developed through careful and patient picking from Kevin Colbert and the tutelage of Mike Munchak.
The key pieces to this unit are in their prime and look to be contributors to this team as it looks to make it over the hump for a second Super Bowl victory under Tomlin, and the first for this group.
Both proficient at running the ball and protecting the passer, it's probably the one group the Steelers do not have to worry about investing much into during this offseason, outside of re-signing Villanueva to a cap-friendly deal and making sure that one or two depth players are considered in either keeping or replacing Wallace and Hubbard for cheap.
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