... were entering an unusual transition. They were coming off a disappointing 8-8 season after winning their fifth Super Bowl the previous season. More importantly, the Bill Cowher era came to an end and the Mike Tomlin era began. There was much speculation as to what direction that Tomlin would take the Steelers. Pittsburgh released punter Chris Gardocki. Starting center Jeff Hartings retired and was replaced with Sean Mahan. While this was a major transaction it paled in comparison with the release of team leader and All-Pro linebacker Joey Porter. The Steelers didn’t just take a linebacker to replace Porter, they spent their top two selections on linebackers. It has been three years since Tomlin’s first draft and the players ...

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