Steelers might be looking at a youth movement in 2013

By Alan Robinson

In late December, the Steelers infrequently find themselves out of the playoffs — as they did last season. In mid-May, however, they're almost always considered to be one of the teams to beat.

Not this May.

As the Steelers resume practicing this week for the first time since they ended a disappointing 2012 season by losing five of their final seven games, they're regarded as one of those question mark teams that could be good again but also might be starting an uncharacteristic downslide.

“One of the favorite sayings in the NFL is, ‘We know Pittsburgh is going to be good,' ” NFL Network analyst Charles Davis said. “But as sit here right now, Pittsburgh might be behind Baltimore and Cincinnati, and that's not normal. This is different.”

So is the Steelers' depth chart as they begin organized team activities Tuesday. And it's not just because the team is missing familiar names such as James Harrison, Casey Hampton, Mike Wallace, Keenan Lewis, Rashard Mendenhall, Max Starks, Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich.

While names on paper mean nothing with the season four months away, the depth chart might include more rookies in more prominent roles than perhaps on any of their teams since the super drafts of the 1970s.

Davis said the Steelers might eventually rely more on rookies than any other team, an abrupt change of pace from the Steelers Way.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/4033608-74/depth-steelers-season#ixzz2Tke0vdcm

If they ready to play play them I don't see why our rookies have to wait 2-3 years because they have to learn a system while other rookies get to play right away. I think that more than anything the coaches mentality has to change. Bottom line, the coaches have to trust the rookies