Melbourne a Fertile Ground for Steelers Punters

Good morning,

The Steelers seem to have fallen in love with punters from Australia. They added another one this week when they signed Jordan Berry. Brad Wing was their punter last year. He too is from Melbourne.

Mat McBriar, who punted for them in 2013, also is from Melbourne.

Australians have been punting in the NFL for quite some time now, but nothing like this where two Melbourne natives compete on the same team for the punting job.

“I don’t think it will be the last time we see two Aussies on the same roster that will be fighting it out,’’ Australian punting coach Nathan Chapman told The Australian newspaper. “This is the way it is there. It is the nature of the business.’’

More on the subject here.

--- The Steelers now have three punters on their roster, including Richie Leone, signed after the 2014 season. Look for one to leave either before or right after OTAs and minicamp. But then, you can never have enough punters. At least it appears they will not trade up in the fourth round to draft one this year.

--- Onto your questions in Ask Ed:

--- YOU: I really enjoy your chat and question forums. I have two that go back to the Steelers past. First, any insights on how Art Rooney Jr. and his scouting department lost their "touch." I know they picked higher with all the success, but they did so in 1974 as well. How could they come up with so many Aaron Jones, Daryl Sims, John Rientra's so many years in a row? Second, there's no doubt that Bradshaw was the guy for the 70's Steelers, but I always thought Terry Hanratty could have been successful in the right system for him. Do you agree, or was the Rat overrated?

--- ED: Those drafts were more than Art Rooney Jr. Chuck Noll had a big say in them, and the final say. For example, it was Noll who wanted to draft Gabe Rivera instead of Dan Marino. Think the Steelers’ fate throughout the 1980s might have changed if they had drafted Marino? I don’t know that a lot changed, except that it actually began in the 1970s when they drafted players such as Greg Hawthorne and Zack Valentine 1-2 in 1979.

They did hit some. I thought Mark Malone might have been a better quarterback had he not severely injured his knee early-on. Louis Lipps (1984) was a good choice. But there is no denying that they had some real clunkers in the first round in the 1980s, even after Dan Rooney fired his brother after the 1985 season. So, many of those you mention like John Rienstra, Aaron Jones and others like the double No. 1s in 1989, Tim Worley and Tom Ricketts, were not of Art Rooney’s doing. Remember, that Chuck Noll still reigned supreme over the draft during that era.

And, no, I don’t think they would have won four Super Bowls with Terry Hanratty. Plus, he had his shot in 1974 and could not hold onto it.

--- YOU: What is your Top 5 ranking for the best Steelers books of all time? I say Gary Pomerantz’s Their Life’s Work is one of the best because it not only covered the players in their glory days but also chronicled their lives’ ups and downs post-NFL.

ED: I would put Gary’s book right up there, expertly written and researched. I think you still have to start with Three Bricks Shy of a Load, by Roy Blount Jr. The massive tome “Rooney,’’ by Rob Ruck et. al. is the ultimate biography on The Chief. Lost Sundays by Sam Toperoff is a unique take on a writer who followed the Steelers terrible season of 1988. The two books by Dan Rooney and Art Rooney Jr. published in this century give some good inside details and provide their take on things. I wrote a book that I won’t put in the top five but also contains some insight into the family, on the latter seasons under Chuck Noll and the new Bill Cowher era, from 1993, Dawn of a New Steel Age. I also eagerly await the biography that is due out this year on Chuck Noll by Michael MacCambridge, who has been working on it for several years.

--- YOU: Troy was one of the best I've ever seen, so perhaps that's why I'm in denial about his swift decline over the past two years. Are you surprised the Steelers judge Will Allen to be a better player than Troy Polamalu at the same position, at roughly the same age (Troy turns 34 this spring, while Will turns 33). One they invite back -- the other they ask to retire. Were Troy's total skills that diminished?

ED: What made Troy Polamalu great was his instinctiveness, his quickness, his speed. He lost two of the three. Also, more goes into a decision such as that. Would Troy have come back to play behind Shamarko Thomas? Would he have accepted the one-year, minimum deal that Will Allen received? Would it be right to even ask him to accept all of that? I think the right move was made in both instances.

--- YOU: I saw the video and story of James Harrison working out with a medicine ball with Ryan Shazier, Vince Williams and Robert Golden. I noted that Jarvis Jones was not listed and was wondering if he’s still working out with James Harrison.

ED: I do not know if he is still there, but he was.

--- YOU: While I agree improving the pass rush will make the defense better faster than acquiring a good cover cornerback, at least the Steelers have viable starters and some younger guys with potential to develop into good players at OLB (Jarvis Jones, James Harrison, Arthur Moats, Howard Jones and Shawn Lemon). The current CBs on the roster are weaker than the current OLBs on the roster in terms of immediate starter capability, long-term potential and depth. Agree or not?

ED: I agree to a point. How does Cortez Allen compare to Jarvis Jones? I would say that at least Allen showed once upon a time in the NFL that he is a player. William Gay can play. I still think it is a tossup between both positions.

--- YOU: While I generally stay away from players switching position (ex: futile Q&A on the Steelers LBs), the one switch that may work on draft day is moving McClendon to DE if Shelton is available with no CB / Strong side OLB graded higher. There is good precedent in Kimo and the Steelers could upgrade 2 positions (NT, DE) by doing so and save Thomas’ cap $$. Thoughts?

ED: The Steelers have their starting defensive ends in Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt. What makes you think Steve McLendon would be an upgrade at defensive end over either?