Could a player really go from spending two of his first three seasons on injured reserve, and sparsely playing in between, to becoming a starter in his fourth season—a contract year? That is what Jerald Hawkins is hoping to prove this year with the Pittsburgh Steelers now that the right tackle position is up for grabs.
That vacancy was created, of course, when the Steelers drafted long-time starter Marcus Gilbert, who spent most of the past two years on the shelf with injuries of his own, to the Arizona Cardinals for a draft pick in the sixth round later this month.