Steelers: Camp tour | 
Prisco
LATROBE, Pa. -- Observations from Steelers training camp:
1. The biggest worry for the Steelers is their offensive line. That is a group that didn't play well last season, and then lost veteran guard Alan Faneca in free agency. The positions of concern are center, left guard and right tackle. Look for free agent Justin Hartwig to start at center over Sean Mahan and Chris Kemoeatu, who is currently out with a biceps injury, to be left guard. Right tackle will be a battle between Willie Colon and a slimmed-down Max Starks. The Steelers have always prided themselves on having good lines, which is why the poor play in 2007 was so disconcerting. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sacked a league-high 47 times. Look for a bounce back season from the starting five in 2008.
2. Roethlisberger moved toward the top of the quarterback rankings last year when he threw 32 touchdown passes and had a passer rating of 104.1, second best in the league to Tom Brady. Roethlisberger's big season came despite poor offensive line play that made him run for his life a lot of the time. If the line plays better, Roethlisberger be even better.
3. With running back Willie Parker coming off a broken ankle, the Steelers used a first-round pick on Rashard Mendenhall from Illinois. He's more of a power runner than Parker and will offer a nice change of pace. Parker has proved a lot of doubters wrong regarding his ability to run inside the tackles, but Mendenhall is more of a grinder than the explosive Parker, who should still get his 20-25 carries a game.
4. With Hines Ward nearing the end of his career, look for third-year player Santonio Holmes to take over as the No. 1 receiver this season. Holmes has the deep speed to stretch a defense, which Ward does not. Rookie Limas Sweed will push Nate Washington for the No. 3 spot, but the early word is that Washington will hold onto the job for a while. Sweed is the bigger receiver that Roethlisberger said he wanted during the offseason. He had some nice plays during the day I watched him practice but was taken from the field late with what coach Mike Tomlin said was cramps.
5A. The Steelers have traditionally been good against the run and one of the reasons is nose tackle Casey Hampton. He normally plays at about 330, but came to camp about 30 pounds heavier. Hampton won't practice until he sheds some weight. The Steelers aren't the same team without Hampton in the middle of their defense. Asked if he was happy with Hampton's progress, Tomlin said, "I'll be happy when he's practicing."
5B. The team suffered a blow Tuesday when it was learned that second-year punter Daniel Sepulveda would be lost for the season with a torn ACL in his right, or plant, leg. It's the same knee he had reconstructed at Baylor. Sepulveda was outstanding as a situational punter as a rookie, although he averaged only 42.4 yards per punt. The Steelers signed Paul Ernster off waivers from the Detroit Lions. Steelers fans should look at the bright side if the punter is the only major injury, you're doing OK. After all, he's just a punter.
WilyGuy9 
