In a preparation for the start of training camp and subsequently the kickoff of football season we're taking a look at what should be hotly contested position battles. Yesterday we looked at the #2 corner back spot that should be up for grabs between Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden, but today we switch gears to the offensive side of the ball. Heading into the draft, the top three spots at the wide receiver position looked nearly set in stone with Ward and Holmes as the 1 and 1a and Nate Washington as the third option. April 26th might have thrown a monkey wrench into the depth chart at wide receiver though when Limas Sweed fell to the Steelers in the second round. While it may be hard for rookie wideouts to make an immediate impact, Sweed should keep Washington looking over his shoulder.

The Incumbent Starter: Nate Washington wasn't supposed to make it in this league. He was undrafted out of tiny Tiffin University, in fact he's the first Tiffin alumni to play in the modern era of the NFL. He's had an up and down career during his three seasons in the league. He's often criticized for having bad hands and at times his maddening inconsistency will lead to him making an acrobatic catch followed by a routine dropped pass. To his credit though, he's got the speed to stretch defenses (10 receptions of 30+ yards in last two seasons) and he's still incredibly young (soon to be 25) for a guy with three years of experience (played in 33 games and added 6 starts). Inconsistency isn't uncommon in young players and Nate showed signs of becoming a better player in 2007, even though he caught fewer than the previous season. His catch percentage actually went up in 2007 from 2006 so hopefully he's growing into a more consistent player. Plus, Nate has the motivation of being in a contract year. He signed a one year tender this offseason and if he gets relegated to the 4th receiver, whatever contract hopes he might have had, could be gone quickly.

The Challlenger: The Steelers got a stroke of luck when Limas Sweed fell into their laps at the 53rd overall pick. Sweed struggled with a wrist injury his senior season and it prevented him from playing in the Senior Bowl, but that could end up being a blessing in disguise for the Steelers. Had Sweed played his senior season he'd likely have continued to improve on his career numbers and would have jumped to the top of the prospective wide receivers in the draft. He's a tall, athletic, complete wide receiver who could end up being the go-to receiver once Ward hangs it up. He doesn't have elite speed but he works the middle of the field, has excellent body control, great leaping ability and has knack for making the big play when his team needs it most. He's also a willing blocker for a receiver just out of college and with work from player/coach Hines Ward, Sweed could grow into a great blocker given his size (6'4 212). Sweed could be an immediate threat in the red zone and his sticky hands could be more valuable on third down situations than Washington's inconsistent nature.

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We know that Coach Tomlin preferred to play veterans over promising rookies last year but Nate doesn't really fit the definition of an accomplished, reliable veteran. Washington does have the advantage of knowing the offense inside and out and he's already developed chemistry with Big Ben, but he'll have to have a career year if he wants to hold off Sweed. No one has been a bigger defender of Nate Washington than myself, but even I can read the writing on the wall at this point.
Teams don't draft second rounders to sit in waiting for three or four years. Sweed may not seriously push Washington until the middle of the season or so, but it'll happen eventually. With Washington only being under contract for one more season, they should have even more motivation to get Sweed into the mix early and often. Thoughts/Predictions/Concerns? Is Washington on a one year audition for other teams or will Pittsburgh try and bring him back? Who will end up with the better season?

Blitz is extremely busy right now as he prepares for his move to the great northwest so he asked me to fill-in for a bit and cover some possible training camp battles.  We'll have to tread water until our leader returns.

The Steelers are in an extremely fortunate position heading into this season since they only lost two starters from 2007. One of them will be missed (Faneca) and only time will tell if his replacement will be able to adequately fill his shoes. The other (Haggans) seems more like addition by subtraction, and I think we all agree that his replacement will be a better player very soon if not immediately. While it's conceivable that all other starters will remain the same, there should be some hotly contested battles in training camp at linebacker, cornerback and various spots along the offensive line. I figured we'd get started with the potential battle between long-time veteran Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden.

The Incumbent Starter: If you looked up 'savy veteran' in the dictionary, there would be Deshea Townsend's smiling face. Not blessed with blazing speed, superior athleticism or great size he instead gets by on heart, will and shear determination. He's entering his 11th year, the past four as a starter, and has posted seven seasons with multiple interceptions and four seasons with double digit pass defenses. He's also an accomplished pass rusher and has posted multiple sacks in five seasons. The Steelers have drafted McFadden and the recently departed Ricardo Colclough, both 2nd rounders, in an attempt to replace Townsend but so far he's held off both youngsters. He's not a flashy or dynamic player that strikes fear in opposing offenses, but year in and year out he's gets the job done. The story line for the past couple of years has been something like 'he's got the slow down sometime' but instead he posted a career highs in passes defended and close to a career high in tackles. Not only is he productive on the field, he's also a team leader and tied with Hines Ward as the longest tenured Steeler. 

The Challenger: If Bryant McFadden was a baseball player he'd be described as "toolsy." He's got the speed (4.41), athleticism (39 1/2 inch vertical and 11 feet 3 inch broad jump) and size (6'0 190) to be a fantastic player, but he's yet to put it all together and make his mark in the NFL. One of the knocks on him coming out of Florida State was that he didn't always play up to his measureables and that he had a problem with nagging injuries. He got off to a quick start though in Pittsburgh playing in the final thirteen games of his rookie season and saved his best for the playoffs when his pass breakups against Reggie Wayne and the Colts saved the game. He would continue to progress in 2006 by playing in all 16 games and won a starting job towards the end of the season. He'd finish that season with career highs in every category including tackles, pass breakups and interceptions. McFadden couldn't parlay that success into a starting job in 2007 though, as new coach Mike Tomlin chose consistency over potential and went with Ike Taylor and Townsend as starters. A high ankle sprain and then subsequent sprain of the opposite ankle cost McFadden five games in the middle of the season. He's not leaving anything to chance this off season though as he, along with teammates Taylor, James Farrior and Santonio Holmes, spent time training in Florida with former track coach Tom Shaw in an effort to be even quicker and more explosive in 2008.

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Bottom Line:  Last year Tomlin went with veteran experience over younger potential but in 2008 he'll go with whichever player performs the best leading up to the season. Townsend has fought off younger more gifted players for the past four or five seasons, but this could be the year that youth finally overtakes the veteran. McFadden, in my opinion, took his potential starting spot for granted in 2007 and it cost him an entire season. Now he's got one last chance to prove he's a legitimate starter in the league before he hits free agency. He's made no secret of his desire to not only win a starting spot but also land a lucrative free agent deal, either from the Steelers or another team. Having a highly motivated McFadden and solid Ike Taylor could give the Steelers the best starting corners to occupy Steel Town in quite some time. Townsend will still excel in the slot as a nickel back and could even see time at safety if Ryan Clark isn't healthy. Ultimately we won't know exactly how this battle will play out until September the 7th when the Texans come to town, but for now it should be an exciting competition. Thoughts/Predictions/Concerns???