Shuffling The Deck
Rooney demands changes in 2010
By Jerry DiPaola

On a cold morning in the winter of 1974, Art Rooney Jr. rushed into a restroom in the bowels of Three Rivers Stadium, threw up all over his nice, new shoes, straightened his tie, cleared his throat and went out and drafted a veritable wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Nerves? No question. And he was the owner's son.

Through careful preparation, cunning and a particular knack for talent procurement, Rooney helped build the team of the 1970s in the NFL with the greatest draft of all time. Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster played in and won four Super Bowls in six years for the Steelers.

Thirty-six years later, Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert is immersed among his videos, scouting reports and staff, trying to fill the holes on a team that has more than a few.

Nerves? Maybe a bit, but since joining the Steelers 10 years ago, Colbert always has been the picture of cool, quietly sure of himself and his methods.

And why not?

He helped win Super Bowls for coaches Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin with a series of successful first-round picks that include high-caliber players Plaxico Burress, Casey Hampton, Kendall Simmons, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, Lawrence Timmons and Rashard Mendenhall. All became starters not long after the Steelers called their names, and only Burress and Simmons are no longer with the team.

The 2010 draft-now scheduled over three days starting April 22-may have a different feel, however, and not just because the Steelers missed the playoffs in 2009. For one of the few times in franchise history, the team's top executive has publicly demanded better results.

Steelers president Art Rooney II said last month that the coaching staff needs to do a better job of developing players. That was not a direct hit on Colbert's staff, but coaches-for the most part-are victims to the talent available.

That's Colbert's area.

Drafts and teams also are judged on what happens after the first round, and the Steelers have a long list of failures among their early selections.

The team's second overall picks recently have included Limas Sweed (2008), Anthony Smith (2006), Ricardo Colclough (product of a trade-up in 2004) and Alonzo Jackson (2003). Third choices Bruce Davis (2008), Willie Reid (2006) and Mathias Nkwenti (2001) left the team with barely a contribution.

The Steelers can't afford a draft such as 2006 when only Holmes and Willie Colon among nine picks made a difference. They need depth and maybe a new starter or two. Rooney may have been thinking of 2008 when he referenced young players needing to develop more quickly. Of the seven players taken two years ago, only Mendenhall and, minimally, Dennis Dixon and Ryan Mundy have helped.

With one year remaining on his contract, Colbert-whether he feels it or not-has the pressure of getting the roster back in order.

Age has creeped up on the Steelers defense and grabbed it by the neck. It needs a couple of safeties, better cornerbacks and a linebacker to replace the 35-year-old James Farrior at some point in the near future. With a little better luck and decision-making, the draft can net some of those treasures.

The Steelers would be wise to address the secondary early in the draft, especially considering the question marks surrounding '09 third- and fifth-round cornerbacks Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett and free safety Ryan Clark's impending free agency.

The Steelers could sign a veteran defensive back, but the good ones cost too much money and the less expensive ones allow teams such as the Chiefs and Raiders to beat you through the air. The draft is a more reliable avenue to travel.

And, by the way, has anyone noticed that Polamalu-recovering from serious knee injuries-is entering his eighth season and Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed is talking retirement approaching his ninth?

Beyond that, Colbert has to think about putting the tools in place to revitalize the running game-another point mentioned by Rooney, who is suddenly and publicly speaking his mind and all but demanding quick fixes.

Which brings up the matter of the Steelers players getting ready to test free agency.

Running back Willie Parker is one of 11 whose contracts expire at the start of the signing period March 5. Parker, when healthy, appears capable of becoming a starter again, but the Steelers have one of those in Mendenhall. Parker can earn more money somewhere else.

Working in the shadow of an uncapped year, the Steelers will have no interest in entering a bidding war for free agents such as Hampton, Clark, Parker and kicker Jeff Reed. They can use the franchise tag on Hampton-even though he said a promise was made to him that it won't happen-but the cost will be $6 million this year, twice his 2009 salary. Reed's price tag under that scenario: $2.5 million.

That's a lot of money for a kicker who they can't trust in public and a 33-year-old defensive lineman with a history of weight issues. Yet, do the Steelers have a choice? There aren't a lot of all of available players who can match the unique skills of both players.

More than likely, the Steelers will allow a majority of their free agents to find better deals with other teams. All but guard Willie Colon and Parker are approaching at least their eighth seasons. Rooney will be careful about how much money he offers older players, especially if he has to grit his teeth, swallow hard and write big checks for Hampton and Reed.

The Steelers always will be playoff contenders because they have the great quarterback, who has the ability and tenacity to will them to several victories per season.

But unless they answer Rooney's call and make the younger players better-especially on the offensive line and in the secondary-the Steelers will struggle.

Dare we say it? You could be looking at the first back-to-back seasons without a playoff berth since the 1990s, which is how Colbert got his job in the first place.