UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACK: Starter -- Ben Roethlisberger. Backups -- Charlie Batch, Dennis Dixon, Mike Potts.

Roethlisberger bounced back from a poor 2006 to have his best season, individually. His 104.1 passer rating was second in the NFL and both that and his 32 touchdown passes set Steelers records. That's three out of four outstanding seasons for this 26-year-old and the only poor one came after serious physical mishaps. It's no wonder they gave him a new eight-year contract worth $102 million in March. Coordinator Bruce Arians likely will put even more responsibility on Roethlisberger's shoulders this season after allowing him to have a say in the gameplan, to reject certain plays and to call all the protection adjustments at the line last year. One area of concern: Roethlisberger was sacked 47 times in 2007 and 46 in 2006. Some of it is his fault because he does not get rid of the ball in time, or fails to throw it away. They are working with him to change that.

Batch is a good, solid veteran behind Roethlisberger, but they hope to groom rookie Dixon to replace him in 2009.

RUNNING BACKS: Starters -- RB Willie Parker, FB Carey Davis. Backups -- Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Gary Russell, Justin Vincent, FB Billy Latsko.

The combination of Parker and Mendenhall in the backfield has many in Pittsburgh drooling. The Steelers had no intentions of drafting a back that high until Mendenhall fell to them and now they're tinkering with what to do with two such backs.

Arians said he will experiment with a "Pony" backfield, using both at the same time. Parker led the NFL in rushing until his right fibula was broken in the 15th game of the season. He's long been healed and practiced in the spring. He's rushed for more than 1,200 yards in three straight seasons and gives them a big-play capability at that position. And now he also has some expert relief in Mendenhall to keep him fresh. Mendenhall also could help them run on the goal line, which was severely limited in 2007, when they managed just nine rushing touchdowns, two by Parker. Signing Moore as a UFA gives them a strong, well-rounded third-down back who can block, run and catch. They've gone away from the fullback position -- Carey Davis is nothing like the pure blocking talent of Dan Kreider, who did not re-sign with them after the season.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Heath Miller. Backups -- Matt Spaeth, Jon Dekker, Cody Boyd, Dezmond Sherrod.

Miller is one of their more reliable targets and at 6-5 one of their more effective. His 47 receptions were third on the team and only five behind wide receiver Santonio Holmes; he has forced the Steelers to look more to their tight end as a receiver the past few years. He also caught seven touchdown passes. Miller is their best receiving tight end since Eric Green in the early 1990s and he also can block, one reason he does not have higher receiving totals. At 6-7, Matt Spaeth is an imposing target and as a rookie he caught three touchdowns in his first four receptions by Oct. 21 even though he missed two games. He then disappeared as a target the rest of the way and caught just one more pass. He could become more effective as he develops and can be split out as well. The Steelers like to use two tight ends and each can catch, but Spaeth is sorely lacking as a blocker.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- FL Hines Ward, SE Santonio Holmes. Backups -- Nate Washington, Limas Sweed, Willie Reid, Dallas Baker, Jeremy Bloom, Matt Trannon, Gerran Walker, Kevin Marion, Micah Rucker.

The addition of Sweed makes this group well-rounded because at 6-4, he's the tall receiver Roethlisberger begged for in the offseason. Sweed will compete with Washington to become No. 3 receiver. Ward, 32, hasn't lost much. He never was a blazer anyway and he remains a tough, go-to possession receiver who blocks like a fullback. He makes the tough catches over the middle and led the team with 71 receptions despite missing three games with knee problems. Holmes was the NFL's best deep threat, statistically, when he averaged 18.1 yards a catch last season, his second as a pro. He led the Steelers with 942 yards and eight touchdown receptions. Washington averaged 15.5 yards on 29 receptions and caught five touchdowns, lining up primarily in the slot.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters -- LT Marvel Smith, LG Chris Kemoeatu, C Justin Hartwig, RG Kendall Simmons, RT Willie Colon. Backups -- T Max Starks, T Trai Essex, G/C Sean Mahan, G/C Darnell Stapleton, T Tony Hills, T Jason Capizzi, T Jeremy Parquet, G Matt Lentz.

There will be at least two, possibly three changes to a starting line that did not perform well in 2007. Kemoeatu has the unenviable task of replacing seven-time Pro Bowler Alan Faneca. Hartwig, signed after Carolina released him, should become the third starting center in the past three seasons, replacing the ineffective Mahan. And it's possible that Starks could get his job back after losing out to Colon last summer. The line helped contribute to Ben Roethlisberger's 47 sacks, second-most ever by a Steelers quarterback. They had the NFL's leading rusher through 14 games but that was more the individual effort by Willie Parker than it was big holes for him in the run game. Rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall's style should help there. Smith should be better after back surgery that removed a disk pressed on a nerve that caused him pain, numbness and to finally miss the last two games.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters -- LE Aaron Smith, RE Brett Keisel, NT Casey Hampton. Backups -- E Travis Kirschke, NT Chris Hoke, E Nick Eason, E Ryan McBean, T Scott Paxson, E Jordan Reffett, T Kyle Clement, E/T Martavius Prince.

An aging group of starters and backups got no help in the draft, even though Mike Tomlin said they needed to get bigger and stronger in the pits. So the same cast returns. It's a good one to start with Pro Bowler Hampton and perhaps the best 3-4 end in the business in Smith. Keisel is athletic and puts heat on the quarterback, but he has to start bringing passers down as well. The line missed Smith late in the season and in their playoff loss when he went on IR with a torn biceps. He should be OK this season. Hampton concentrated on losing weight in the spring and it will be telling at what condition he is in when he reports to camp. The backups are even older than the starters -- the top six are 30 and up. Hoke is a strong backup for Hampton but the ends are bigger problems. McBean broke a foot in the spring, delaying his attempts to compete for one of the top backup jobs.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- LOLB LaMarr Woodley, ROLB James Harrison, ILB Larry Foote, ILB James Farrior. Backups -- ILB Lawrence Timmons, OLB Andre Frazier, OLB Butch Davis, ILB Mike Humpal, OLB Keyaron Fox, OLB Arnold Harrison, Patrick Bailey, Donovan Woods, Anthony Trucks.

There could be a 50 percent change in the starters with Woodley definitely ticketed to replace the departed Clark Haggans and Timmons likely to knock off Foote during a training camp competition. Woodley is an excellent pass rusher and showed in limited play that he also has good range and can cover. Timmons has the best burst of a Steelers linebacker since Kendrell Bell and they hope he has more longevity. Harrison, 30, enters his second season as a starter after a wonderful debut -- his 8.5 sacks led the defense, he made the Pro Bowl and was voted the team MVP. At 33, Farrior had one of his best seasons with a career-high six sacks, the team lead in tackles and No. 2 in QB pressures. While still going strong, this could be his last season with the Steelers as he enters his contract year.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- RCB Deshea Townsend, LCB Ike Taylor, SS Troy Polamalu, FS Ryan Clark. Backups -- CB Bryant McFadden, S Anthony Smith, CB William Gay, CB Anthony Madison, S Tyrone Carter, S Ryan Mundy, S Grant Mason, CB Roy Lewis, CB Travis Williams.

The Steelers are adequate in the secondary, which has been the norm for them, and did little to enhance themselves in the offseason. Clark is back running as the top free safety after losing a spleen and missing half of last season. Taylor and Townsend are decent, but won't make a Pro Bowl any time soon. Townsend is steady and continues to hold off McFadden. Taylor can make big plays, but will also give them up. Polamalu returned this spring to train with Todd Marinovich in L.A. after a season full of injuries -- torn rib cartilage and a knee -- and did not perform to his level of proficiency, even though he made another Pro Bowl.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Jeff Reed, P Daniel Sepulveda, LS Greg Warren, KR Mewelde Moore, PR Santonio Holmes.

The Steelers were terrible on special teams except for Reed and their rookie punter Sepulveda last season. This occurred even though Tomlin hired two coaches for the job and set aside extra practice time at training camp. Their return game also stunk and Allen Rossum, acquired for a draft pick, was released, meaning the two return jobs are open, although Moore and Holmes are the front-runners to return kicks and punts. Sepulveda has a big leg, good hangtime and is adept at sticking punts inside the 20, but he failed on a couple of clutch, late-game punts that could have helped them win games. Reed had his best season in 2007. He missed only two of 25 field goal attempts -- one from 65 yards in Denver, and the other a 44-yarder in the mud in Heinz Field.

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