The Pittsburgh Steelers’ season is over, but if you think the news surrounding the black-and-gold is over — think again. For the drama-filled Steelers, things are just heating up, and this is where the daily links article comes in. You might have missed some key news, and we fill you in and give you the latest, and sometimes greatest, news surrounding the Steelers.
Today in the Black-and-gold links article we take a look at how the Steelers’ signal caller must be willing to spread the ball around if the team’s offense will thrive in 2019.
Let’s get to the news:
- Everyone knows Ben Roethlisberger led the NFL in interceptions in 2018, and many of them were forcing the ball to specific receivers. Especially Antonio Brown. For the offense to have success in 2019, it will be imperative Roethlisberger spreads the ball around more.
Carter’s Classroom: Ben must spread touches
By: Chris Carter, DKPittsburghSports
Randy Fichtner‘s first year as offensive coordinator increased the efficiency of the Steelers’ offense, even without Le’Veon Bell ever reporting to the team. His relationship with Ben Roethlisberger helped the quarterback spread the ball around to his teammates more than in recent seasons and lead the NFL in passing yardage.
But there’s still plenty of room for improvement in the offense as Roethlisberger also led the NFL in interceptions. We examine how the Steelers’ offense can continue to improve, as well as provide our final grades of the season for the quarterbacks — Roethlisberger and Dobbs:
The Steelers ranked sixth in points scored in 2018, their second highest rank since 1996. They also were the No. 1 red-zone scoring offense in the NFL. The closest the Steelers had ever gotten to being the top-ranked red zone offense with Roethlisberger was No. 4 in 2005.
To read more, click HERE
- Reports were swirling this entire offseason about Antonio Brown possibly going to the San Francisco 49ers next year via trade. However, at the NFL Scouting Combine, 49ers General Manager John Lynch denied having any conversation with the Steelers. It should be noted if he said he did have contact with Pittsburgh it could be construed as tampering. So, take that for what it’s worth.
Lynch: 49ers haven’t made play for Antonio Brown
The dot-connecting society has pegged the San Francisco 49ers as one of the top trade destinations for Antonio Brown.
For now, the Niners have made no play for the Pro Bowl receiver.
General manager John Lynch said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine that there have been no conversations between his organization and the Steelers regarding Brown.
”We have not. We have not,” Lynch said. “It’s funny the world we live in where one tweet from a player turns into interest. But, hey, that is the world we live in. I can tell you, like every team, we think the guy is a heck of a football player. But we have not had talks with the Steelers, I can tell you that.”
To read more, click HERE
- The NFL had a decision to make with Le’Veon Bell. They could say the transition tag would have been the sum of his last earned salary, or they could say it would be the equivalent of his last projected salary. They advised the Steelers it would cost them roughly $14.5M in salary cap space if they wanted to put the tag on the All-Pro Running Back. Did the league actually do the Steelers a favor?
Tim Benz: NFL did Steelers a $9.5M favor with Le’Veon Bell
By: Tim Benz, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The NFL may have done a $9.5 million favor for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And no one seemed to pick up on it.
When Kevin Colbert hosted his Q&A with local media members Feb. 20, he announced the team wouldn’t use the transition tag on running back Le’Veon Bell.
After a year-long contractual tug o’ war in 2018, that decision finally made Bell an unrestricted free agent.
Along the way in his comments, Colbert referenced that the price of the transition tag would’ve been $14.54 million.
In and of itself, that passing revelation was newsworthy.
To read more, click HERE
- Not to rub salt in a wound, but Steelers’ rivals the Baltimore Ravens had a player in hot water off the field recently. It seems running back Alex Collins was arrested following a car accident in Maryland recently.
Ravens RB Alex Collins arrested following car crash
By: Jeremy Bergman, NFL.com
Ravens running back Alex Collins was arrested Friday morning following a car crash in Owings Mills, Md., Baltimore County police confirmed to NFL.com.
Police responded to a call for a car crash on Dolfield Road at 6:48 a.m. local time. The location was roughly a mile away from the Ravens’ facility. During the course of their crash investigation, Collins was placed under arrest as a suspect.
No further information will be available until Collins, 24, is formally charged, which should occur Friday afternoon, police told NFL.com.
To read more, click HERE