Mailbag: Talking the worst-case draft day scenario for the Steelers

The NFL offseason is about to get a jolt when the 2018 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday April 26th in Dallas, but in the meantime fans have questions and they deserve answers. I recently put out a tweet on our official Twitter account, if you don’t follow us...you should (@btsteelcurtain), asking for questions.

Received several, and chose the best of the best for this article. Time to dust off the old mailbag, this thing hasn’t been opened in a while!

Here goes nothin’...

From: Vino (@Nite_Mode)
Question: Worst-case scenario for the Steelers during draft day 1?

Answer: In my opinion, a lot would have to happen for the Steelers to reach this worst case scenario. There are so many options for the team after signing Jon Bostic and Morgan Burnett. If the safeties are gone, the team should have options at inside linebacker, and vice versa. Not to mention if they wanted to take a quarterback, there could be someone they like available there too. Since the team always goes Best Player Available (BPA), there are other positions, like defensive line, the team could target on Day 1 too.

With that said, in my opinion the worst-case scenario would be if the main prospects the team is targeting are gone, forcing them to have to take a player better suited for the second round, in the first.

Think about Rashaan Evans, Leighton Vander Esch, Jordan Reid and other first round prospects all off the board. What would they do then? Here lies the rub with this scenario.

Again, I doubt this actually happens, considering all of the options they will have, but this would certainly be the worst-case scenario.

From: Carlos (@ca_salsv)
Question: Will you go insane if after round 3 the Steelers have drafted OLB, WR and an ILB, in that order?

Answer: Would I go insane? No, insane is pretty intense, but I would be stunned. If the Steelers were to draft those positions in that order. Fans should realize they very well could go a completely different route in the first round, than what people expect them to do, but I’m not sure that route would lead them to a OLB. If I were to pick a stunner position the team could possibly target with their first pick, it would have to be wide receiver or running back. The team could certainly make this move, but will they? That is the question.

Other than that, if the Steelers can claim a safety and an inside linebacker in the first three rounds, the other pick could go wherever is necessary, but I’ve followed this team long enough to know they will take the BPA when it is their turn to pick at No. 28.

From: Isaac Aguilera (@agulera_isaac2)
Question: How likely is it that [Le’Veon] Bell will remain a Steeler next season (2019)?

Answer: If I were to put a percentage on it, I would say 40-percent. The team absolutely could go against the grain and sign Bell to a long-term deal, but the truth is that will be extremely difficult. If they don’t get a deal done, Bell will likely walk. After all this time, I still only put about a 40-percent chance the two parties ever agree to a new deal, and that number could be generous, but that was my thinking when it came to the likelihood of Bell being in the black-and-gold after the 2018 season.

One can hope the two sides come to a deal, but I just don’t see it happening.

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I thank everyone for their questions, and hope you follow us on Twitter (@btsteelcurtain), for the best black-and-gold news around.