Steelers Remain Quiet as NFL Combine Approaches
Just a week removed from the Super Bowl, the NFL has already provided us with story-lines to keep us blabbing through the upcoming NFL Combine here in a few weeks. Whether it be the departure of Philip Rivers from the Los Angeles Chargers, the mysterious ways of Tom Brady or the overall future of Cam Newton, speculation has made itself comfortable early in 2020.
The same sentiment cannot be carried for the Pittsburgh Steelers, an organization historically known for keeping their plans so under wraps that only the secret service could rival them.
Although silent, there's no denying the next few months are pivotal in the team's quest to acquire a seventh Lombardi Trophy. With limited cap space and draft capital, every button pushed by general manager Kevin Colbert will carry extra significance in 2020.
With the league year starting on March 18, the team cannot officially make any moves until then. However, team president Art Rooney II revealed the Steelers may dip into free agency to acquire either a running back or wide receiver.
Other than the small snippet of information Rooney shared, the Steelers have kept their cards close to themselves, leaving little to be assumed about their thoughts/opinions on everything from the NFL Draft to potential players leaving in free agency (although I took my best try at guessing who stays and who goes).
How secretive have the Steelers been? While reporting in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, one of my goals was to carefully note who team scouts were speaking and meeting with. Through practices and outside activities, I watched all team personnel like a hawk.
Pittsburgh didn't send a single scout on the field after practice to speak with players.
With no first-round pick, the team hasn't (secretly, of course) fallen in love with any top prospects in the upcoming draft, whereas last year's love affair with Devin Bush was the worst-kept secret in the league. Not picking until pick 49 has assisted in masking plans purely due to the unknown nature of the prior 48 picks.
Unfortunately, free agency will be no less difficult to gauge for the Steelers, especially when the team's draft plans solely depend on who stays or goes during that time period.
Big decisions loom in Pittsburgh, and it appears the only people privy to such information are locked in the confines of the front office with no contact to the outside world.
The Steelers wouldn't have it any other way.