No controversial Steelers news is good news, but also a little boring

As it pertains to the Steelers and things to write about, I’ve been suffering from a bit of writer’s block the past week or so.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a handful of topics that I know I can turn into articles, but I’m trying to spread them out so as not to run out of things to say weeks before the start of training camp.

The fear of running out of ideas is always part of the writing process, and I’m sure I’ll be just fine. I just wish that, while spreading out the handful of ideas I have floating around in my cranium, the Steelers would help out with some sizzling news — something we all could sink our teeth into.

I mean, I guess there have been some nice little nuggets recently, such as Ben Roethlisberger perhaps not being all that comfortable with the selection of Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

That provided writers, radio hosts and journalists with some juicy material — and boy did we squeeze every last ounce of juice out of it.

Thankfully, the Steelers will begin OTAs this week, and we can probably count on Roethlisberger providing more of that juicy material. But knowing our Big Ben, the material will likely be in the form of over-the-top praise for Rudolph and how he wants to be the greatest mentor in the history of proven, veteran quarterbacks who’ve had prodigies thrust upon them.

Speaking of OTAs, superstar running back Le’Veon Bell likely won’t be attending, at least that’s what he said in March, when the Steelers irritated Bell by using the franchise tag to make him a non-free agent for the second year in a row.

”I’m going to be in the facility Week 1. It’s going to be a rerun of last year. I’m not going to (training) camp. I’m not doing nothing else extra, OTAs, none of that.”

As you can see by that quote, Bell will be around for Week 1 just like he was last year. However, his absence from off-season activities — including this week’s OTAs — should provide enough coal for the online/social media rage machine, which will thankfully give me some material to write about.

I’m thinking an article entitled “Le’Veon Bell Owes the Steelers and Their Fans Nothing Until Week 1” should be enough to get some fans mad at me on Facebook (especially that guy who writes in all caps, and that other guy who always calls me a sheep).

But at this point, isn’t everything involving Bell and his ongoing contract negotiations with the Steelers old news?

Unless Bell defaces a billboard featuring team president Art Rooney II by spray painting “$15 million” over his face, how juicy could any news about this seemingly endless situation be?

Other than Ben and Bell, the only real controversy involving the Steelers this off-season has to do with them not winning the Super Bowl last year. But, come on, with the exceptions of the 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 2006 and 2009 off-seasons, that’s been an ongoing controversy for more than four decades.

Oh well, I guess this kind of off-season non-news is what happens when you start making character a huge part of the reason why you draft someone.

I mean, think about it, the most outspoken and dynamic recent Steelers draft pick is receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and his biggest transgression is maybe being a little too happy with life?

Heck, Pittsburgh just drafted an offensive lineman that is maybe a little too nice for his own good.

These new Steelers, they’re really making it hard to write trolling articles in the off-season.

Doesn’t James Harrison have some participation trophies he’d like to give back to his kids’ little league coach or something?

Oh, right, he’s not a Steeler anymore.

Darn!