Pgh quietly assembled strong WR unit

[thumper]

In what looked like a thin unit after Nate leaving, the Steelers actually have a stacked group of players at WR with a lot of potential.

Hines Ward - re-signed. Getting old, but is a stellar football player and sets the tone with his big plays and blocks. Any football team would love to have this guy.

Holmes - After a shaky start and mid 2008 season, he came on like gang busters in the post season including Super Bowl MVP performance. He has matured and emerged as the big play maker he was thought to be coming out of OSU.

Sweed - Sucked as a rookie. News flash: All rookie WRs suck except for Moss and Harrison. Everyone else stinks as a rookie, so there is still plenty of hope that Sweed can produce. He did show he can get behind CBs, now if he can only catch. All signs point towards him being fired up to become a quality player. I bet my 2 bucks he pans out just fine.

That's the obvious, now what is the rest of the story

Shaun McDonald - Had 79 catches in 2007on a super crap Detroit team. Only had 35 grabs last year but we are talking about a 0-16 team here. He has plenty of talent and will really shine on a good team with a good QB. This guy makes the rookies merely icing on the cake, if they actually do anything as rookies (which is highly unlikely).

Mike Wallace - A burner. Won't likely get many passes thrown his way, or even be on the field much as a WR, but will get the chance to fill the return spot, which Pgh is in serious need. 4.3 speed will be a welcome site.

I believe out top 4 WRs will prove to be among the best WR units in the NFL. Who woulda thought that midway through last season, where Pgh looked kind of weak at the position, with Holmes looking like crap, Nate dropping balls, and then considering that we lost Nate.

[X-Terminator]

I can't believe you just typed that post. I mean, it's all...positive and stuff. No whining whatsoever.

Someone else is using your account - that has to be it!

[thumper]

Originally Posted by X-Terminator

I can't believe you just typed that post. I mean, it's all...positive and stuff. No whining whatsoever.

Someone else is using your account - that has to be it!

Don't assume....you know what they say about that. Pigeon-holing is assuming.

[Kaeg]

Originally Posted by X-Terminator

I can't believe you just typed that post. I mean, it's all...positive and stuff. No whining whatsoever.

Someone else is using your account - that has to be it!

I gotta admit: I was kinda thinking a little that way too. (Sorry)

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

No surprises here. WR is the least important position on a football team, but we already had Ward, Holmes, Sweed.

Somehow adding average players like McDonald, Nance and a rookie Wallace suddenly calms those who thought the sky is falling.

Where is the pic of that cat??

[AllD]

Not to mention Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth. Lots of people to throw at. OL coming back as a unit.

If we stay healthy we should be favored to repeat.

[55BaileyFan]

I think it is a pretty good unit but lets be honest here, realistically after your first three receivers it's cake.

Think of it this way, on any given play Ben will have Ward, Holmes, Sweed, Miller or Spaeth, Parker or Moore to throw to and occasionally there will be Mendenhall and McHugh.

The fourth or fifth reciever becomes that less important. You could put Bryan Clark there and it would be cake...who is that you are wondering? EXACTLY....cake.

To be serious they look good. You add McDonald and Wallace and you forget people like Nate whats his name...

[msafford]

Originally Posted by El-Gonzo Jackson

No surprises here. WR is the least important position on a football team, but we already had Ward, Holmes, Sweed.

Somehow adding average players like McDonald, Nance and a rookie Wallace suddenly calms those who thought the sky is falling.

Where is the pic of that cat??

Is this what you wanted?

[ShutDown24]

Ward is Ward.

Holmes has been a little inconsistent but we all know what he is capable of.

Sweed still has the upside.

McDonald is better than people give him credit for.

Wallace (In my opinion) is going to turn into an excellent wide out. He'll obviously need to develop first though.

All in all I think we have a very good group of receivers, not great. However, I think this group has potential to be great if everything falls right.

[SteelerFanStuckInBaltimor]

Originally Posted by thumper

In what looked like a thin unit after Nate leaving, the Steelers actually have a stacked group of players at WR with a lot of potential.

Hines Ward - re-signed. Getting old, but is a stellar football player and sets the tone with his big plays and blocks. Any football team would love to have this guy.

Holmes - After a shaky start and mid 2008 season, he came on like gang busters in the post season including Super Bowl MVP performance. He has matured and emerged as the big play maker he was thought to be coming out of OSU.

Sweed - Sucked as a rookie. News flash: All rookie WRs suck except for Moss and Harrison. Everyone else stinks as a rookie, so there is still plenty of hope that Sweed can produce. He did show he can get behind CBs, now if he can only catch. All signs point towards him being fired up to become a quality player. I bet my 2 bucks he pans out just fine.

That's the obvious, now what is the rest of the story

Shaun McDonald - Had 79 catches in 2007on a super crap Detroit team. Only had 35 grabs last year but we are talking about a 0-16 team here. He has plenty of talent and will really shine on a good team with a good QB. This guy makes the rookies merely icing on the cake, if they actually do anything as rookies (which is highly unlikely).

Mike Wallace - A burner. Won't likely get many passes thrown his way, or even be on the field much as a WR, but will get the chance to fill the return spot, which Pgh is in serious need. 4.3 speed will be a welcome site.

I believe out top 4 WRs will prove to be among the best WR units in the NFL. Who woulda thought that midway through last season, where Pgh looked kind of weak at the position, with Holmes looking like crap, Nate dropping balls, and then considering that we lost Nate.

Excellent point - and one that is ignored too often here. Sooooooooo many people call Sweed a bust - but remember, Lynn Swann had 11 catches his rookie year, John Stallworth had 16.

Carolina's Steve Smith had 10, T.O. had 35 catches with Steve Young as his QB, and even Jerry Rice had only 49, with Joe Montana passing the rock to him...

Let's give Sweed a chance... he has the skills, IMHO, to be special.