No sooner had training camp opened than the Steelers faced questions about the health of star running back Willie Parker and star safety Troy Polamalu and the girth of nose tackle Casey Hampton.
Entering his second season, Mike Tomlin knows his team won't get far without its best runner, fiercest tackler and biggest run stopper. But there are other concerns, some even as big as the massive Hampton, who is sitting out drills to run laps in an effort to get down to Tomlin's mandated weight.
1. The offensive line: The Steelers have lost Pro Bowl center Jeff Hartings (retirement) and Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca (free agency) from the line that helped pave the way for their Super Bowl XL victory. Replacements Chris Kemoeatu and Justin Hartwig are a big step down from Hartings and Faneca, although Hartwig is an upgrade from last year's center, Sean Mahan. Willie Colon and Max Starks are battling it out at right tackle, and with Trai Essex behind Marvel Smith on the left side, the tackle spots are deep and well-manned. Not so at guard, where an injury could be devastating.
2. Backfield depth. The Steelers say Parker is fine, and that no one should read anything into their decision to draft Rashard Mendenall. But Parker has more than 600 carries over the past two years and the best part of his game, outside speed, is a question mark as he recovers from a broken leg. Najeh Davenport is gone, so if Parker goes down again the most experienced backup is return specialist Mewelde Moore.
3. The passing game. It's no secret that Ben Roethlisberger likes to air it out, and one theory holds that Limas Sweed's arrival with the team's second-round pick could be a sign that the Steelers plan to throw more this season, particularly in light of Parker's workload. The last time they became a passing team, there were disastrous results, with Tommy Maddox paying the price. Big Ben's job is safe, but you have to wonder of Tomlin's will be should the Steelers go pass happy with unhappy results.
-- John Dudley