Steelers Contracts, Draft Possibilities, Rules Changes

The NFL offseason is underway and as we prepare to evaluate combines, free agency, and the draft Steelers season never truly ends. We’ll be busy looking around for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Wednesday, Feb. 25^th.

Are the Steelers dragging their feet?

Bob Labriola answered some fans’ questions on a multitude of topics, one of them being the contract extension negotiations currently going on between the team and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Labriola was asked if the team was dragging their feet or having second thoughts about re-signing Roethlisberger and that is why the contract hasn’t been finalized yet. Labriola explained that the process isn’t as easy as it may seem.

"“There are no second thoughts. These kinds of contracts are complicated things, to the degree of getting the player what he wants while also structuring things in a manner that allows the team the flexibility to sign other players, both on their own roster and free agents. This contract extension will get done, because both sides want the same outcome. And trust me; there is no other direction to go at quarterback. Steelers fans will come to understand that Ben Roethlisberger is a once-in-a-generation quarterback, and they are going to miss him terribly once he retires.” – Bob Labriola"

More than likely, the contract will get done before the start of the new league year on March 10^th, so that the Steelers can lower Ben’s cap hit by giving him some kind of huge signing bonus and moving all that money around as it’s typically done. Colbert kind of tipped the team’s hand by admitting that he thinks Ben’s best years are still ahead of him, so what could be happening now is the team is trying to figure out how they’re going to pay him what he’s worth but still having a cap-friendly contract.

What’s it gonna be?

ESPN’s Scott Brown and Todd McShay discuss the Steelers draft options following the NFL Scouting Combine. Michigan State’s Trae Waynes turned in an outstanding performance during the Combine, running a 4.31 40-yard dash and possibly speeding out of the Steelers’ reach. Even our own draft guru, Dom has the Steelers taking Waynes in his 3.0 version of the 2015 Mock Draft, but still wondered if he’d be available at the No. 22 pick even before the Combine.

McShay isn’t ruling out the possibility that the Steelers could still have an opportunity to grab Waynes, but warns that the Vikings, Saints, and Dolphins all picking before the Steelers are teams that could snatch him up first. What the team ultimately ends up doing at the No. 22 pick will have a lot more to do with who is still available than zeroing in on a particular position.

Possible Rule Changes

It’s that time of the year again when the NFL Competition Committee gets together and sees how much more they can screw with the game. Around the NFL’s Dan Hanzus explains that one possible rule change, stemming from the Lions’ controversial playoff loss to the Cowboys, is changing the defensive pass interference penalty to a 15-yard penalty instead of a spot foul.

That would definitely be a game changer as what would a player like Joe Flacco, who lives and dies with the “heave and hope,” do without the possibility of getting into scoring range by virtue of a yellow flag rather than an actual football play? Should be interesting to see what they come up with this year.

Next: Steelers Draft Do-Over Wishes

More from Still Curtain

Home/Steelers News