There’s always so much to talk about when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the inquiries surrounding the black-and-gold are definitely ever-evolving, especially this week with the Ben Roethlisberger agreeing to a new contract to stay in the Steel City. It seems like the musical theme of this week’s Fact or Fiction could be ‘The Search is Over’ by Survivor. Here’s a sample of...
“I was living for a dream. Loving for a moment. Taking on the world. That was just my style. Now I look into your eyes, I can see forever. The search is over. You were with me all the while.”
You can ponder the significance or wonder whether they are really related here. Or maybe I just wanted an excuse to listen to some great 80s ballads. But anyhow, there is surely a lot to wonder about. BTSC tries to answer some of the poignant wonderings ahead of time. Take a gander at some bold statements on this and more as we label them as fact or fiction.
Are we on point? Only time will tell.
The Steelers quarterback room seems to be set already
Fiction
Ben Roethlisberger is officially signed, sealed and essentially delivered to the Steelers in 2021, Mason Rudolph has one more year on his rookie deal and Dwayne Haskins has arrived in the Steel City for another chance to prove himself as an NFL quarterback. It would seem that the quarterback room is set. But what if the Steelers decide on drafting a quarterback in the 2021 Draft? Rumors are swirling that Kyle Trask may me a target in the second or third round and there’s that slim possibility that the black-and-gold trade up to get a blue chip QB. Other things can happen too, like the next fact or fiction scenario.
The Steelers should trade Mason Rudolph
Fiction
Fans are always pinpointing players that the Steelers should trade. Usually it’s a non-starter. If they aren’t starting, you have to wonder what value they have to other teams. In some cases, a backup could be dealt to another team and start. But that is rare. As for Mason Rudolph, why trade him? There’s more value in having No. 2 as a No. 2, then getting a sixth-round pick for him. Like it or not, Rudolph is capable enough to guide the Steelers should Ben go down. The team is better off breaking the glass in case of emergency on Rudolph than not having him at all.
The return of Devin Bush could offset the potential loss of Bud Dupree in Free Agency
Fact
When Devin Bush went down against the Cleveland Browns, the defense lost a major force in the middle of the field. When Bud Dupree and Bush’s replacement, Robert Spillane, were injured, the defense suffered even more. Dupree is likely gone for good when free agency begins, but No. 55’s recovery is said to be on schedule. Having both players on the field in 2021 would be ideal, but it just doesn’t seem possible. With Alex Highsmith getting valuable playing time and the presumed starter at ROLB beside Bush, the team still has the possibility of thriving.
If an “insider” says that the Steelers are going to do something, take it as gospel
Fiction
There should be a stat or metric assigned to insiders called SAP, Scoop Accuracy Percentage. When Jason La Canfora, Aditi Kinkhabwala, John Clayton, Ian Rappaport etc. file a report that a team is going to make a move or a player will sign with a certain team, it should be documented and assigned to their Twitter profile. If Clayton is right 85% of the time, he should get credit for it. As should it be known if Rappaport’s scoops hit only 36% of the time. Reporters and insiders are always trying to get the story out there before everybody else, but I’d rather it be right than first. When Clayton predicted that Joe Haden and Vince Williams could be released because of cap issues, Haden tweeted out his reply of, “I predict they don’t”. There have been so many other instances of these insiders being wrong. Don’t believe everything that you hear or read.
J.J. Watt going to Arizona is a win for Steelers fans
Fact
Steelers fans wanted J.J. Watt. I get it. I did too. There were some reports that the eldest Watt brother considered wearing black-and-gold before ultimately deciding on depositing nearly $15 million of Bidwell bucks to play in the Valley of the Sun. Watt playing for the Steelers was really a pipe dream. It wasn’t just the fact that the cap room didn’t make it possible, it was that the prospect of J.J. fit more of a luxury and not a need. Watt was heavily rumored to end up in Cleveland, Tennessee or Buffalo. That would have been unpleasant for the Steelers, especially if the pass rushing extraordinaire ended up in brown-and orange. The next best thing to having J.J. what is having J.J. Watt in the NFC.
Check out the Fact or Fiction podcast to learn even more about these topics, and their status, heading into this week’s game and listen for more on the player below.