Steelers News: Roethlisberger, Tomlin, Bell

The Steelers draft picks have been signed and the offseason workout program is about to wrap up before the long break prior to training camp.

Steelers season never truly ends for Steeler Nation so while the team starts to put in the work to prepare for the 2016 NFL season we’ll be busy looking for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Friday, June 17^th.

Nothing but net

Western PA is a buzz this week with the Penguins Stanley Cup victory parade, the U.S. Open being held at Oakmont and Steelers minicamp wrapping up. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is a huge golf fanatic and was probably stoked to do a cross-sport promotion with golfer Jim Furyk.

https://twitter.com/steelers/status/743460382967103488

The two headed to Heinz Field for kind of a recreation of the old Michael Jordan and Larry Bird Big Mac commercial where they played horse, each taking turns with trick shots all around the stadium. I’m guessing that at the end Ben and Jim went for Primanti’s instead of Big Macs though.

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Stay in shape

The Steelers departed the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex just prior to a rainstorm on Thursday afternoon for their summer vacations for the next six weeks before they’re to report to Saint Vincent College for training camp.

Teresa Varley has Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s words of wisdom for his group as they officially wrap up their offseason workout program.

"“It’s been a great camp. It’s been a great offseason. By that I mean the guys worked hard. They came in, in relatively good shape, and it’s improving. I watched it improve in front of my eyes. The next five weeks prior to Latrobe are going to be big. That’s one of the things we stress, in terms of leaving them with. What they do from here on is probably going to define them from a conditioning standpoint in 2016. That’s the one thing they can control. They have no control over what we ask them to do, but they do have great control over their overall readiness. So we challenge them in that area. I look forward to watching them work to that. Next move for us is Latrobe.” – Mike Tomlin"

First things first

Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell will be a free agent in 2017, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reminds us. While the Steelers are in the process of contract negotiations with offensive guard David DeCastro, Bell informs that the new contract for him takes a backseat to his knee injury recovery.

Bell spent the majority of OTAs rehabbing in Miami and did not participate in group drills during minicamp. His knee still isn’t medically cleared since tearing his MCL and PCL in Week 8 last season. Bell will return to Miami to continue to work on his knee and getting into playing shape.

Next: Steelers get Pouncey back in line

The Steelers could potentially franchise tag him at the end of the season to prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.