Steelers: What’s up with Brett Keisel?

The Steelers defense is definitely going through a changing of the guard, a transition, a rebuilding, whatever you want to call it there will be some different faces on this squad and not just in training camp.

We’ve seen Dick “Coach Dad” LeBeau resign from his position as defensive coordinator for the Steelers, a position he had held for the past eleven years. We’ve seen the retirements of iconic players like Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor and we saw Brett Keisel get unceremoniously cut from the team in late January.

Feels like we’ve been down this road before with Keisel, though. He was released last offseason and signed during the preseason whilst on route to Arizona for a workout. He’s had plenty of opportunity to sign with another team by now but all that isn’t likely to happen until training camp at the earliest.

There’s always the possibility that there will be an injury or the Steelers will find the need for defensive line depth and call on Da Beard one more time.

Once Dick LeBeau joined the Tennessee Titans coaching staff there was initial thought that the Steelers LeBeau faithful would follow him there but that didn’t happen either. Taylor and Polamalu chose retirement rather than putting on a different uniform and James Harrison is back again for another season with the Steelers.

That leaves Brett Keisel teamless and open to many scenarios. One scenario could lead him back to Steelers training camp in a retirement ceremony similar to the one his mentor, Aaron Smith, had at Latrobe High School along with Joey Porter, Willie Parker and Marvel Smith. I could see Keisel saving his retirement for something like that.

I can also see the possibility that he’s not signed with another team because he has an agreement with the Steelers to keep rehabbing his triceps injury and keep the phone lines open for when camp starts and they can see what they have and what they don’t have on the defensive line.

The Steelers have Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt firmly planted on the ends of the defensive line. They have Clifton Geathers and Cam Thomas battling for a backup role and rookie L.T. Walton who is unknown at this point.

A veteran and experienced Keisel could be a better option than whatever the hell that was from Cam Thomas last year and who knows how well Geathers and Walton can fit in. On the other hand, the team can’t complete this transition to a younger and faster defense if they keep re-signing aging players.

Keisel hasn’t left the Pittsburgh area. He’s signed up to chair the 27^th Annual Gatorade/Steelers 5K Race, Fitness Walk and Kids’ Kickoff Run on Labor Day at Heinz Field along with former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch.

So many scenarios to consider for Keisel; does he retire at Training Camp like Aaron Smith did or does he stick around and wait for the phone to ring if the Steelers need him this season?

What are your thoughts, Steeler Nation? What do you think the immediate future holds for Brett Keisel?

Next: Steelers Morning Huddle

More from Still Curtain

Home/Steelers News