Nick Eason signs with Arizona

[BlitzburghRockCity]

From our friends over at CBS Sportsline:


In another move regarding the Steelers, longtime backup DL Nick Eason signed with Pittsburgh West – the Arizona Cardinals – according to ESPN. For Steelers, the drafting of DE Cameron Heyward , who may well officially sign soon, and the improvement of DE Ziggy Hood made Eason expendable. (http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=ae36d061f3ec4464616e8ae15bf7a9b7)
This shouldn't be a shock to any of us, if a player leaves the Steelers they automatically go to Pittsburgh west and join Whisenhunt, Horton, and the rest of the former black 'n gold down there.

With the emergence of Ziggy Hood and the drafting of Cam Heyward, this was inevitable either now or later in preseason.

[Rampage]

I'm not surprised given the acquisition of Heyward. I liked Eason as a backup and wish him luck in Pittsburgh West.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Yeah he's been a decent backup, nothing spectacular and certainly nothing you'd keep on the roster over 2 #1 draft picks over the last few years.

I'm finally getting excited again about the Steelers defensive line. For years they've had busted draft picks and nobody's backing up the starting 3 and the struggles were painfully evident when someone went down with an injury.

Now with Hood and Heyward in the mix, the rotation for the defensive line is solid.

[Rampage]

Yeah he's been a decent backup, nothing spectacular and certainly nothing you'd keep on the roster over 2 #1 draft picks over the last few years.

I'm finally getting excited again about the Steelers defensive line. For years they've had busted draft picks and nobody's backing up the starting 3 and the struggles were painfully evident when someone went down with an injury.

Now with Hood and Heyward in the mix, the rotation for the defensive line is solid.

I am gaining confidence in both end positions. Heyward looks like a great run stopping DE in the mold of Smith and I like Hood's ability to pressure the QB. I am very concerned with the NT position. Hampton is getting up there and has one, maybe two seasons of play left in him. I've always liked Hoke, but he is older as well. The team really needs to consider going after an NT early in the draft in the next couple years.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Hoke isn't technically under contract right now either. He's expected to come back but right now he's a UFA. That leave McClendon as the main NT backup right now, so that is definitely a concern. 6'4" 280 lbs. 2nd year out of Troy St.