Strawberry Sweed and the rest of Big Ben’s giants

By Kyle Chrise  |   Tuesday, June 24, 2008  |  Comments( 16 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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If your 6-foot-5, $102 million quarterback asks for a big target in the offseason, you'd better think big. Really big. That’s exactly what the Pittsburgh Steelers did this offseason when QB Ben Roethlisberger requested some sky walkers. When Pittsburgh heads to training camp, Big Ben will have four wide receivers who are 6-3 or taller. But who will stand head and shoulders above the rest to earn a coveted spot on the roster?

The player from this bunch who’s most anticipated to not only make the team but also make an impact on the field is Pittsburgh's rookie second-round draft pick, Limas Sweed. The 6-4 Sweed, a former Texas Longhorn, was already one of the program's all-time great receivers going into 2007. But in a preseason practice last year, Sweed hurt a ligament in his wrist. The injury bothered him all season, limiting him to six games; in the end, he racked up 19 catches for 306 yards and three touchdowns.

The injury is probably what caused Sweed to slip into Pittsburgh’s hands with the 53rd overall pick. Sweed says the wrist is now healed, though, and he feels like he did when he caught a dozen touchdowns as a junior at Texas.

Sweed doesn’t just bring his height to the table. He has exceptional speed and can really leap high to snatch the ball out of the air. Sweed is also very strong for a receiver, which he’ll need when battling defensive backs at a pro level. He also seems to have the right attitude to fit in with the Steelers.

"His passion for the game shows through the minute he walks into the building," said head coach Mike Tomlin.

Sweed’s teammates have dubbed him “Real Country” because of his rural upbringing, but “Strawberry” may be a better fit. Sweed told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he was once flipped over a railing and fell into a large vat of strawberry ice cream while working at a creamery as a teenager. If he wants to be showered in sweet success as a pro, he’ll have to learn the Steelers’ playbook and take on defenses that will show him things he never saw in Texas.

One of the big men who will be giving Sweed a run for his money is second-year receiver Dallas Baker. 2008 could be a boom-or-bust year for the 6-3 Baker, an ex-Florida Gator, and he shouldn’t be ignored in the position battle. The Steelers drafted Baker in the seventh round last year (No. 227 overall), but he didn’t make the 53-man roster as a rookie; rather, he turned heads by regularly making plays on the practice squad.

Baker hasn’t missed any practice or conditioning session this offseason. He’s also added five pounds of muscle to his body, and he spent his own time studying film with the Steelers’ receivers coach. Both Tomlin and Roethlisberger have praised the giant steps Baker is making. But he still has a long way to go; after all making plays in practice is a lot different than making plays in the game. And Baker’s lack of high-end speed and quickness will put him at a disadvantage to his faster teammates.

As big as Sweed and Baker are, they won’t even be the tallest receivers at training camp. A pair of 6-6 giants will also be trying to turn heads. Matt Trannon will fight for a spot on Pittsburgh's roster after spending 2007 on various practice squads. The former Michigan State Spartan will have to show he can take a hit if wants to make the team. Meanwhile, Micah Rucker -- who was first-team all-Ohio Valley at Eastern Illinois last season -- signed with the Steelers as a rookie free agent, and he brings 4.4 speed.

The bottom line is that 11 receivers are entering camp for the Steelers, who could choose to keep up to six on their roster. Three spots are already reserved for established veterans Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington (who made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2005). Many would assume Sweed would nab a fourth spot. That leaves the three other big guys battling for the final two positions with four other receivers. That could all change if Pittsburgh decides to keep three tight ends (speaking of giants, four of the five TEs going to camp are 6-5 or taller). But even if the high hopes are dashed for the rest of these tall targets, you can’t say the Steelers didn’t try to reach for the stars.
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About Kyle Chrise

Like a modern-day Moses, Kyle was found drifting down the Monongahela River, wrapped in a Terrible Towel, next to what was then Three Rivers Stadium. Found and raised by the stadium's grounds crew, Chrise lived and breathed Steelers football. As a youngster, he earned the trust of new head coach ...
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