Steelers Confident In Sweed

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t try to prevent wide receiver Nate Washington from leaving the team via free agency to the Tennessee Titans, and they aren’t expected to draft a wide receiver in the first round. According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the presence of former University of Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed on the roster is a major reason why the Steelers aren’t concerned about their wide receiver depth behind starters Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. The Steelers are banking on Sweed making big strides during his second NFL season. [Editor’s note: Apparently, “big strides” means “holding onto a ball that lands in his hands.”] Sweed caught just six passes as a rookie, and he had a notable dropped deep ball against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC title game on a play where he could have scored a touchdown. After the drop, though, Sweed rebounded with a crushing block on cornerback Corey Ivy and caught a key third-down pass later in the game. “That’s me,” Sweed said. “I’m not going to go in the tank and I said I wasn’t going to go in the tank. Something happened that’s bad, it is what it is. Let’s come back and let’s see what I can do on the next play. That was my mentality. I want to show what I had.” Sweed’s size (6'4", 217 pounds) and athleticism are intriguing to the Steelers. Of course, potential is one thing. Production is another altogether. While Sweed was conducting an interview, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin offered some advice. “Don’t talk too much,’' Tomlin told Sweed. “Under promise, over-deliver.’'