Steelers Draft Outlook
By Jerry DiPaola

Winning Super Bowl XL was nice and a testament to Steelers coach Bill Cowher's power to will his team to victory against difficult odds.

But it also created a mask around the team. Like everyone else in the National Football League, the Steelers are far from a complete work and need to use this off-season to continue to grow.

With the NFL Draft only a few weeks away, no one is asking of the Steelers: "What do you get the team that has everything?"

The Steelers have considerably less than everything and will need to restock the wide receiver and running back positions while looking to procure depth at linebacker and on the offensive line. Of course, it never hurts to add a cornerback or quarterback - or two- to the roster at least once a year.

The Steelers are far from a perfect team. Remember, they weren't even the best team in their own division during the regular season.

Of equal consideration, AFC North rivals have spent some of their bonus salary-cap space - courtesy of a new labor agreement - on necessary improvements. "I think the acquisition of good players lets the fans know we're trying to get the team better," Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel said.

Still, Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert and coach Bill Cowher will not be desperately looking to fill holes when the draft commences April 29. It's a slow, careful, reasoned approach that has made Colbert one of the top personnel executives in the NFL.

Keeping to a practice that has served the team well almost from the start of the free agency era, the Steelers used free agency this year to spackle cracks in the castle walls. As a result, there is no need to reach for a safety when a better player at another position might be available.

Although some observers were predicting the team would make no significant moves in free agency, the Steelers signed Washington Redskins safety Ryan Clarke to replace Chris Hope, and Seattle Seahawks defensive end Rodney Bailey to fill the hole on the bench left when Kimo von Oelhoffen signed with the New York Jets and Brett Keisel was re-signed and promoted to the starting lineup.

The Steelers also restructured the contracts of centers Jeff Hartings and Chukky Okobi, and re-signed cornerback Deshea Townsend and tight end Jerame Tuman to solidify those positions.

With the retirement of Jerome Bettis and the unwieldly nature of Duce Staley's contract, running back appeared to be a problem.

The solution was simple: The Steelers, in keeping with a recent practice that turned Dan Rooney's stomach not long ago, convinced Staley, who was already under contract, to accept less money. He will remain with the team and serve as the backup to Willie Parker, or an insurance policy in the event Parker is less productive in only his second season as a starter.

Now, the team can sit tight at No. 32-the last pick in the first round, the booby prize for winning the Super Bowl-and see which player falls in their laps.

Despite their machinations in free agency, the Steelers still could address those positions in the draft, especially the secondary where several top safeties may be available at the end of the first round.

They include South Carolina safety Ko Simpson, 6-foot, 200 pounds, who can be a presence against the run or the pass - in due time, of course. With the addition of Clarke, the Steelers can bring along a prospect such as Simpson at their pace, without the urgency of forcing a rookie onto a Super Bowl defense. Ohio State's Donte Whitner is another possibility.

Or, the team could look into the future to the day when Joey Porter is finally silenced and draft Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter, 6-3, 245, who is said to be a good fit for the 3-4 defense. With Porter and Clark Haggans, there would be no need to make Carpenter an immediate starter, but he could be a situational pass rusher early in his career and a productive starter later. Florida State linebacker Ernie Sims also could be a consideration.

Let's assume that the Indianapolis Colts aren't flush with joy over the possibility of making Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney the replacement for Edgerrin James. The Steelers could pluck Maroney and season him for the day when Staley is finally gone.

The one position that the Steelers did not address early in free agency is wide receiver, which has lost starters Plaxico Burress and Antwaan Randle El the past two off-seasons. Would anyone complain if Florida's Chad Jackson or Miami (Fla.)'s Sinorice Moss became the team's first wide receiver taken in the first round since Burress in 2000?

"If a guy like Antwaan hasn't been replaced (in free agency), you just look for those types of player or players (in the draft)," Colbert told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review last month. "In his case it might be more than one."

No matter what happens in the first round, Steelers fans should feel secure with Colbert in charge. Since taking Burress, Colbert has hit the jackpot with Casey Hampton, Troy Polamalu and Ben Roethlisberger. Kendall Simmons and Heath Miller are also starters.

Of course, before now, he never had to let 31 teams get in line ahead of him.

Jerry DiPaola is an assistant editor at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.