Steelers News: With the first wave of Free Agency over, attention now turns to the NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season is officially over. After finishing the year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, has another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how the attention of football fans everywhere has turned from Free Agency to the 2020 NFL Draft.

Let’s get to the news:

• The Pittsburgh Steelers were more active than most expected when it pertains to the first week of NFL Free Agency, but now the attention slowly diverts to the 2020 NFL Draft.

In 2nd week, free agency taking backseat to draft preparation for Steelers

By: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

After being active in the first week of free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers have turned to preparations for the NFL Draft next month.

In a video interview with the team’s website, general manager Kevin Colbert said the Steelers are on “pause” in the free agency process.

The Steelers agreed to terms with fullback Derek Watt, tight end Eric Ebron and guard/center Stefen Wisniewski. They also executed a trade with the Baltimore Ravens to acquire defensive end Chris Wormley.

“Can we still do some things further down the road? Sure,” Colbert said. “In the short term, I would say we’re temporarily — I don’t want to say we’re out of business, but we’re satisfied with where we are at this point.

“We’ll continue to address it as it continues to unwind and we get deeper into our draft meetings.”

Colbert said if the predraft meetings determine the Steelers won’t get a player at a specific position, they will revisit free agency to fill that void.

As a result of the signings, Colbert said “we’re up against it pretty good,” in reference to the $198.3 million salary cap.

“We made a lot of anticipated moves that we wanted to make.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Another former assistant coach from the 70s Steelers has passed away.

3 assistant coaches from 1970s Super Steelers die inside a 3-month span

By: Jerry Dipaola, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

One man helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win four Super Bowls before leading Michigan State to two Big Ten titles.

Another was the only coach hired twice by Chuck Noll.

And the third coached Pro Football Hall of Fame linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert during his four championship seasons in Pittsburgh.

Three former Steelers assistants — George Perles, Dan Radakovich and Woody Widenhofer — died within 76 days of each other in the first three months of 2020.

Perles, who was coach and athletic director at Michigan State, died Jan. 7 in East Lansing, Mich. He was 85.

Radakovich, a Duquesne native who spent 13 seasons on the staff at Robert Morris and is a member of its Hall of Fame, died Feb. 20 in Moon. He was 84.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Tampa Bay news is touting Jameis Winston to the Steelers...uh oh.

Tampa Bay radio host endorses Jameis Winston to Steelers, dismisses Antonio Brown to Bucs with Tom Brady

By: Tim Benz, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

No move during free agency was as big of a deal as Tom Brady going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so we talked to Jay Recher of WDAE Radio about how it transpired.

It sounds like it was a slow boil that started in January.

“We’ve been talking about this for about two and half months now, just throwing it out there,” Recher said. “We went from 0% to 5% to 10% to 20-30%. Then in the last two weeks or so we said, ‘Wow! The Bucs are a legit contender, aren’t they?’”

Recher says part of the pull for Brady to Tampa — aside from the weather, no state income tax and the allure of throwing to standout receivers such as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin — might have been the notion of playing for head coach Bruce Arians.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• BTSC articles you might have missed...

The Steelers make the Derek Watt signing official

How Eric Ebron will transform the Steelers’ offense

The best and worst signings by the Steelers, per PFF

Grading the trade acquisition of Chris Wormley

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