Nate Washington gets open, and he has a rapport with Big Ben. But, bad drops will relegate him to no better than third string.
Cedrick Wilson is solid. He gets open and has sure hands. But, that is about it; there is no "upside" to Wilson. Furthermore, on several plays, I have seen him complain to the referees about ticky-tack fouls, instead of fighting off defenders for the ball. Sure, he might have been interfered with, but he should catch the ball anyway...and then complain.
Quincy Morgan always seems to make one crucial catch per game...but, nothing consistent. I think he needs a breakout game in the next few weeks in order to make this team.
Sean Morey is not going to make this team as a receiver. That said, his impact on special teams is crucial. Then again, Chidi Iwuoma is ahead of Morey on the hunt for the "specialist" roll. Ergo, depending on what Morgan and Iwuoma do, Morey could be at home in a few weeks.
Lee Mays was last seen boarding a flight for San Diego.
Overall, this is a very talented bunch of receivers. I could see Reid and Holmes battling for playing time (now) and for catches (for years to come). In short, Reid and Holmes will be a tandem to be reckoned with for the next decade. Hence, no matter which one starts, the other should be the third receiver.
3) Running Back
I will say it here first: Duce Staley is the odd-man out.
For some reason, every one has assumed that Duce will automatically take over the roll that Jerome Bettis played last season: change of pace and goal-line back. But, I am here to say that Verron Haynes will earn that job by the end of training camp. Verron has some of the softest hands I have ever seen; his pass-catching ability alone puts puts him way ahead of Duce. But, even if we compare just running ability, Verron is quicker, cuts better, and runs with more power.
So, the battle is not between Duce and Verron for second string and/or goal-line back; the battle is between Duce Staley and Cedric Humes for third string. Furthermore, in a time when the Steelers need money to re-sign Ike Taylor, the money from Duce's big contract would come in handy. Logic and deductive reasoning point to Staley being traded or cut in favor of the cheaper, younger, and healthier Humes.
Recap
When you head to your local sports bar this weekend, you can arrive
late; the first quarter is probably nothing more than a lot of runs up the middle mixed with a dose of no pass-rush. But, as soon as the
second teams come in, put down the potato skins and keep an eye on
Anthony Smith (#27), Willie Reid (#15), Santonio Holmes (#10), and
Cedric Humes (#30). Those will be some players that you should become familiar with over the next few weeks...and, in turn, the next few years.