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Steelers mainstay Ike Taylor discusses 2014 expectations, paycut and more
Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor is back for a 12th training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., and the veteran cover man finds himself the oldest member of the Steelers roster. The team’s long-time top cornerback, Taylor struggled in 2013 and had to take a significant pay cut in order to protect his roster spot and return to the only NFL home he’s ever had. He wasn’t happy about the salary hit, but he’s in an optimistic frame of mind early in camp, feels great physically, and believes the Steelers defense is ready to reassert itself in the AFC North.
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SI.com’s Don Banks chatted with the always-quotable Steeler (who is entering the final year of his contract) Wednesday at St. Vincent, Pittsburgh's picturesque summer home in the Laurel Highlands:
SI.com: Whether you like it or not, at 34 you’re now one of the elder statesmen on this team. That can happen fast in the NFL, but what’s it like realizing so much roster turnover has occurred in Pittsburgh in recent years?
Taylor: “Yeah, I am one of the old guys. Nobody’s been here all that long except me, Troy [Polamalu], Ben [Roethlisberger] and Earl, aka Heath Miller. Every time I call him Earl, nobody knows who I’m talking about. Other than that, man, that’s about it. But it’s a good feeling. It’s a good atmosphere. It’s good being around young guys, man.
“And I always compare it to what coach LeBeau [soon-to-be 77-year-old defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau] is doing. Coach LeBeau has been in the league either playing or coaching for over 50 some years, and … now I see why he’s done it so long. It’s a good atmosphere being around young people. It keeps you really young. When you’re around a lot of people your age, you all tend to not do as much as you did when you’re young. So it’s like a refreshment. It’s like a dessert when you have young guys around.’’
SI.com: We’ve heard a lot about the aging Steelers defense in recent years, but is that really accurate any more with guys like Cameron Heyward, Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt added to the mix?
Taylor: “It’s really only myself and Troy on defense. And if you want do the average out, I’m sure it’s going to average mid-20s on defense. This year they have to let go of that label, the aging defense thing. Maybe last year we had five or six guys over the age of 30. But this year there’s no reason why we should hear about the aging defense. If you want to say I’m old, I’ll take that, but as far as the defense-wise, no. Doesn’t apply any more.’’
SI.com: The Steelers have gone 8-8 and missed the playoffs the past two seasons. A third consecutive non-playoff season would not be received well, and it’s been since 1969-71 that Pittsburgh went three years in a row without a winning record. Does that add a world of pressure to 2014?
Taylor: “It’s not accepted and that’s as it should be. We’re not cool going 8-8. Especially going 8-8 twice. But we’ve had an organization that has been successful for so many years, and you’re going to have down years. Do you want it? No. Do you accept it? Hell no. But at the same time, it just comes with life, you know? We’ve been a few games out of the playoffs, but we messed last season up. We messed that one game up that kept us out of the playoffs.
“We can say, ‘Oh, if somebody would have made a field goal, oh, if somebody would have made a catch.’ We had 16 games of opportunities, to make a push and get in the playoffs. What I like about this organization is we don’t blame nobody but ourselves.’’
SI.com: What did going 6-2 in the season’s second half tell you about the potential for this team in 2014?
Taylor: “We’re almost there. We’re almost there. We woke up, but too late. Kept hitting the snooze button too many times and woke up too late.’’
SI.com: Does first-round pick Ryan Shazier look like an early impact rookie at inside linebacker?
Taylor: “Yeah, I think he can. But the only reason why he can is it’s [defensive end] Cam Heyward’s fourth year, it’s [nose tackle] Steve McLendon’s fourth year and it’s Cam Thomas’, the other Cam, fourth year. Them guys working together are going to be monsters, and it all starts up front on the defensive line. That’s why I think Shazier is going to be successful as a rookie.’’
SI.com: Players call taking a pay cut a “haircut,’’ but the pay cut you accepted in order to return to Pittsburgh was a full-scale buzz job (with his base salary being reduced from $7 million to $2.5 million). Does it still hurt?
Taylor: “Yeah. But I took it. I still signed that deal. I couldn’t see myself going anywhere else. I couldn’t. I couldn’t. As much as I was pissed off about it, I couldn’t see myself playing anywhere else. But I think we’ve got to win the Super Bowl for me to shake it. We’ve got to win the Super Bowl for me to completely shake it.
“I talked to [ex-Steelers linebacker and current defensive assistant] Joey Porter before all this happened, and he said, ‘Hey, put your pride aside, man.’ Because I knew if I talked to Joey he was going to keep it 100 [percent honest] with me. He wasn’t going to sugarcoat it. He said, ‘If I would have it [free agency] to do all over again I would have stayed in Pittsburgh [rather than sign with Miami in 2007].’
“The money’s cool, but the atmosphere, the love you get, plus the Rooneys, the coaching staff, our locker room, man you don’t get that everywhere. The grass isn’t always greener. Hopefully I’ll be in position where I’ll never see the other side of the grass, but if I do, oh well. But I’m Pittsburgher. I’m a yinzer. I’m a Steeler.’’
Note: A “yinzer’’ is a local nickname for hard-core Pittsburgh residents.
PLAYERS TO WATCH IN TRAINING CAMP
NFL Players to Watch in Training Camp
The Cardinals' Round 2 pick 2011 has played all of five NFL games -- a knee injury sidelined him during his rookie year and a shoulder injury in 2012. So, this looks like a make-or-break campaign for him, with Rashard Mendenhall and rookies Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington vying for carries. Does the once-promising Williams have any value to add to Arizona's rebuilding project?
The Falcons released Tyson Clabo to save some money, and they're still working on the plan to replace him at right tackle. Holmes, a massive 6-foot-5, 330-pounder might be the best option, even though he barely saw the field in his rookie season. He'll have competition from 2010 third-rounder Mike Johnson.
The post-Ray Lewis era in Baltimore will continue in earnest at camp, and Brown, a talented rookie, has the task of replacing the legendary linebacker. Despite recording 100 tackles each of his final two seasons at Kansas State, Brown fell all the way to Baltimore's pick at No. 56. He will be out to prove that the rest of the NFL made a mistake passing on him.
Granted, the quarterback everyone really wants to see in Buffalo is rookie E.J. Manuel. For now, however, Kolb is penciled in as the Bills' starter, so this is his job to lose in August. Remember, Kolb paced the Cardinals to a 4-0 record out of the chute last season, including wins over Seattle and at New England, before the wheels fell off.
The Panthers flat out have to improve in the secondary, and that quest will start at strong safety, where Haruki Nakamura tanked last season. Mitchell, a nine-game starter over four years in Oakland, may never be a Pro Bowler but he should represent an upgrade on Nakamura. Seventh-round pick D.J. Campbell, out of Cal, might be in the mix, too.
Like with Arthur Brown in Baltimore, Williams will be tasked with filling massive shoes here. In Williams' case, the man he replaces is Brian Urlacher. All Urlacher did was alter the way the middle linebacker position was played, league-wide, over 13 seasons. But Urlacher's play slipped late in his career, so Williams could make the drop-off negligible.
Take your pick between Jones and Mohamed Sanu, the two players who again will scrap for the Bengals' No. 2 receiver spot. Neither did much during his rookie season -- Sanu, the 2012 third-rounder, had just 16 catches; Jones, a fifth-rounder and the starter down the stretch, tallied only 18. The Bengals need way more than that, opposite A.J. Green, for this offense to soar.
Will Sheard be one of the Browns' starting outside linebackers come Week 1? (Paul Kruger is locked in as the other.) Or will he be trade bait, with Cleveland dropping highly-touted rookie Barkevious Mingo into the lineup? Some of that decision will rest on how Mingo performs in camp, but Sheard can solidify his spot with a strong performance.
It's been well-documented how the Cowboys surprised the league by reaching for Frederick in Round 1 of April's draft. What many may be overlooking, though, is just how important Frederick will be to the team's 2013 success (or lack thereof). Dallas needs the rookie to thrive immediately at center, while helping to revive an O-line that slumped last season.
The 27-year-old Knighton endured a frustrating and disappointing 2012 in Jacksonville, only to land a two-year contract from the Broncos in the offseason. He's expected to be part of an upgraded interior of Denver's defensive line, which also includes rookie Sylvester Williams. Knighton's two best seasons with the Jags (2010, '11) came under current Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
The Lions had high hopes for Bentley in his rookie season, but he missed 12 games because of injury and made little impact when he was on the field. In Year Two, Bentley will find rookie Darius Slay fighting him for a starting spot. Even if Bentley loses that matchup, the Lions will need him to contribute ... or they'll start planning a future without him.
A whopping 17 Packers caught passes last season, and it is no secret that Aaron Rodgers loves to spread the football around. Green Bay has a terrific top three at receiver, in Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and James Jones. Minus Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, though, they will be anxious to find that reliable fourth option. Enter Boykin.
The Texans' 2012 third-round pick never cracked the starting lineup during a complete letdown of a rookie season. He has slimmed down this summer, in hopes of making amends for his early woes. And the Texans are counting on him to provide a boost a right guard, a spot where they struggled throughout last year.
Considering Fleener's successful run with Andrew Luck at Stanford, you can't blame the Colts for thinking Fleener would be an immediate-impact offensive weapon last season. Not quite. He struggled with injuries and finished with 26 receptions. The bar ought to be much higher than that for his second season, provided he can stay healthy.
The Jaguars have designated rookie Denard Robinson as their "Offensive Weapon" in recent weeks. Cyprien could be the team's main defensive weapon. The second-round pick out of Florida International has terrific range and brings the hammer on tackles. Jacksonville will spend camp determining how best to utilize him.
Kansas City is rock solid at three of four linebacker spots, with Tamba Hali, Justin Houston and Derrick Johnson. The second ILB job could fall to Jordan, who played for Andy Reid in Philadelphia and followed his coach to Kansas City as a free agent. Even an average showing from Jordan would give the Chiefs one of the league's best LB units.
Reggie Bush totaled nearly 1,300 yards out of the Dolphins' backfield last season, so he left a void by departing for Detroit. Miller is first in line to pick up the slack, and he has a chance to bust out in his second NFL season. An upgraded passing attack, with Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson, should help free up some space.
An obvious choice for the Vikings. Ponder has a couple of new playthings at receiver: Cordarrelle Patterson and Greg Jennings. He also has legitimate competition behind him, in veteran Matt Cassel. The Vikings do not believe last year's playoff bid was a fluke, but to repeat or improve on that showing, they need Ponder to progress.
The undrafted rookie from Nevada has assumed the mantle of "fantasy football sleeper" following the Patriots' release of Aaron Hernandez. Sudfeld struggled with injuries in college, but he caught 45 passes and scored eight times last year. At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, he has the athleticism and size to confound defenses.
Wilson has one start to his credit in his two NFL seasons. That's probably going to change in 2013, now that Victor Butler has been sidelined for the year with an ACL tear. Butler's injury opens the door for Wilson to claim a starting spot in the Saints' new 3-4 defense -- a scheme that plays into his abilities as a pass-rusher.
The Giants' staff talked up Randle following mini-camp, and the second-year LSU product looks to be the team's No. 3 receiver behind Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. If he proves up to the task, he might receive a promotion to No. 2 next season -- with the Giants allowing Nicks to venture out into the free-agent market.
Yes, yes, Mark Sanchez vs. Geno Smith will be the camp battle that's in the headlines more than any other one. But the Jets' defense must step up, too, starting with the pass rush. It generated only 30 sacks in 2012, 25th in the league. Barnes, meanwhile, had an 11-sack showing for San Diego in 2011, so Rex Ryan will give him a chance.
A surprise pick at No. 12 overall this year, Hayden has all the skills to be a terrific cornerback at the NFL level. The question: Will the health scare he had in college hold him back? Hayden suffered a near-fatal vein rupture during practice, then needed follow-up surgery in May to clean out scar tissue.
Yet another rookie on the list. Wolff saw time with the first-team defense during OTAs and, with Kenny Phillips coming back from an injury and Philadelphia's other options at safety (Patrick Chung, Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman) somewhat underwhelming, the productive Wolff might win Chip Kelly's approval going into Week 1.
Brown averaged 67.5 catches between the 2011 and '12 seasons, so there's a nice base from which to build. He needs to crank it up a notch or two this year, because he'll likely be the Steelers' No. 1 wide receiver with Mike Wallace now in Miami. Continuing to develop a rapport with Ben Roethlisberger over the coming weeks will be key.
The window for Mathews to prove he can be a No. 1 back is closing in San Diego. He's been unable to stay healthy, including last year when he missed four games and barely topped 700 yards rushing. The Chargers brought in Danny Woodhead to ease Mathews' burden a bit, but they still would love the light to go on for their No. 1 back.
To say that Jenkins disappointed in his rookie season would be a colossal understatement. A first-round pick in 2012, Jenkins caught exactly zero passes during his initial go-round in San Francisco. That won't cut it this year, with Michael Crabtree out of the 49ers' lineup because of an Achilles tear.
Chris Clemons is working his way back from the postseason ACL injury he suffered against Washington, so Avril, signed as a free agent, should find his way into the starting lineup. Avril totaled 20.5 sacks over the past two years for Detroit. He could roll past that pace in 2013, if he adjusts to the Seahawks' scheme.
Which Jake Long did the Rams sign to a four-year, $34 million contract: the dominating former No. 1 overall pick, who made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2008-11? Or the oft-injured, sluggish tackle who looked to be getting worse weekly? We'll know more by the end of camp ... and St. Louis will be praying it has a new anchor for its line.
This is more of a "When will he be ready?" question than anything. The Buccaneers are hoping their big-money, free-agent will be ready for Week 1 and cleared for full workouts sometime during camp. Tampa Bay believes Revis can be the same player he was before his torn ACL, but until he gets out there, no one knows for sure.
The Titans signed Walker, formerly of the 49ers, to take Jared Cook's starting job at tight end. The two have totally different games, with Walker excelling as a blocker -- he was a huge part of San Francisco's success in the pistol offense last season. Tennessee will toss him some passes. His bigger impact, though, will be leading the way for Chris Johnson.
That other key Redskin coming back from injury. (Well, one of them -- TE Fred Davis is another.) Orakpo suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in Week 2 last season, but all reports from the nation's capital are that he's rarin' to go in 2013. If he returns to form, the Redskins' defense again will have its 1-2 punch of Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan.
Senior NFL writer Don Banks joined SI in 2000 after 10 years on the beat covering the Vikings and Buccaneers. His Snap Judgments cap off every Sunday of every NFL season.