Larger text
Smaller text
Print
E-mail
Steelers Mahan defends starting spot
Free safety: Ryan Clark vs. Anthony Smith. Clark, who missed most of last season with a serious illness, looks great physically, and Smith looks like he's still interested in making the big hit more than anything else.
Right tackle: Willie Colon vs. Max Starks. All indications point to Colon holding onto the starting job even though the Steelers have to pay Starks almost $6.9 million this season.
Cornerback: Deshea Townsend vs. Bryant McFadden. McFadden, who is trying to supplant Townsend at the corner spot opposite Ike Taylor, was hampered early in camp by a minor groin pull.
Inside linebacker: Larry Foote vs. Lawrence Timmons. Timmons likely will be the Steelers' top reserve at inside and outside linebacker and will play a lot this season but doesn't figure to start.
Sean Mahan and Justin Hartwig
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review
Scott Brown is the Steelers beat writer. He can be reached via e-mail. Also check out Brown's blog
"I figured either way it would be a good idea to have footage for years down the road that my kids could look at some day," Hartwig said.
The people who have filmed him for more than a year aren't the only ones watching Hartwig closely.
The seventh-year veteran is locked into the Steelers' most significant training camp competition, one that takes center stage today when the Philadelphia Eagles visit Heinz Field for a 7:30 p.m. preseason game.
Hartwig is trying to unseat incumbent Sean Mahan at a position that fell well short of the standard of excellence established by past Steelers centers such as Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings.
Mahan, who started every game at center last season for the Steelers, will play with the first-team offense against the Eagles. Hartwig, the team's biggest free-agent signing this offseason, will work with the starters Thursday, when the Steelers play the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.
"I think that will give us more of an indication of (how) this thing is going to go," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of the first two preseason games. "I think both guys have shown some good things thus far in camp."
Mahan and Hartwig said the coaches haven't told them much about the competition that Tomlin called "hotly contested."
What doesn't have to be said is that the Steelers need better play from the center position this season.
The 6-foot-3, 301-pound Mahan was physically overpowered at times in 2007, and his struggles contributed to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger getting sacked 47 times in 15 regular-season games.
"There were good things and bad things, as always," Mahan said of his play last season.
Mahan, who signed with the Steelers in March 2007, became a lightning rod for fan criticism last season, but offensive line coach Larry Zierlein said he played better than people think.
"We're not listening to the fans," Zierlein said. "Sean did fine for us last year."
Mahan said he worked on improving his strength as well as polishing his blocking techniques during the offseason.
Hartwig, for his part, said he hasn't felt this good physically since he helped anchor the Tennessee Titans' offensive line from 2003-05 before signing with the Carolina Panthers in 2006.
He battled groin and hip injuries his first season in Carolina. The 6-4, 312-pounder said he spent so much time rehabilitating prior to last season that he wasn't nearly as strong as he had been in previous years.
Hartwig still started 15 games for the Panthers in 2007, but Carolina released him after the season, in part because it had taken highly touted center Ryan Khalil in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
"I feel like I've got my size and my strength back right now because I've had a whole offseason to get stronger," Hartwig said. "My body feels good right now, and that is key for me."
