Ben Roethlisberger Down 15 Pounds
- Ben Roethlisberger is down approximately 15 pounds at Steelers camp, with Mark Kaboly of The Athletic noting the 15th-year quarterback weighs 250. Big Ben hinted at retirement following the 2016 season but reaffirmed his commitment to the Steelers after last season concluded. He’s now hinted at being interested in signing another Pittsburgh extension, with negotiations likely set for 2019 (his contract year).
Ramon Foster Will Not Require Surgery, To Miss Four To Five Weeks
Good news for Steelers fans. Left guard Ramon Foster, who was carted off the practice field yesterday, hyperextended his knee but did not suffer any ligament damage and will not require surgery, as Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). Kinkhabwala adds that Foster will miss four to five weeks but is expected to be ready for Week 1.
Ramon Foster Carted Off Field
- Ramon Foster has played more Steelers snaps than anyone since the 2009 season (h/t Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com), but he was carted off the practice field Saturday. During a full-contact workout, Stephon Tuitt rolled into Foster’s right leg, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter links). Mike Tomlin did not elaborate on the issue, only saying that the 10th-year guard is being evaluated for a “lower-body” injury, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (via Twitter). A Foster loss would represent a major setback for the Steelers. Foster’s a seven-season full-time starter and is in the final year of his deal. Ben Roethlisberger consoled the 32-year-old guard as he was carted away.
- Roethlisberger has shown up to camp in noticeably better shape, with La Canfora noting the Steelers expected their quarterback to show up prepared to earn one final blockbuster extension. Although a report surfaced about the Steelers and Roethlisberger were planning to discuss a re-up this offseason, the 15th-year quarterback said he didn’t want to do a deal before this season. But he’ll be set for a contract year in 2019.
- While the Steelers do, however, have a Chris Boswell extension slotted as a preseason priority, JLC adds the team shouldn’t be expected to make a Joe Haden-style addition before the season. Pittsburgh added the longtime Cleveland cornerback on a $9MM-per-year deal late last summer but holds barely $5MM in cap space presently. Boswell is entering a contract year.
Latest On Le’Veon Bell, Steelers
It doesn’t sound like the Steelers are expecting Le’Veon Bell to show for training camp. The franchise-tagged running back, like last year, may well report to his team after the preseason concludes.
The Steelers and Bell could not come to terms on an extension, again, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports Pittsburgh did offer more than the $10MM guaranteed that was reported last week. Bell did not believe the guaranteed money was sufficient, but La Canfora notes Pittsburgh’s proposal featured “exponentially greater” guarantee figures than $10MM.
This offer was part of a five-year, $70MM proposal, and JLC confirms the $45MM over three years — which would have topped Todd Gurley‘s since-agreed-to deal that will pay him $40MM through 2020 — component of the Steelers’ final offer.
However, a sense among Steelers brass was Bell would turn down any deal proposed, per La Canfora, because of the allure of free agency come March. This is a bold move on Bell’s part, due to his throwback workload (406 touches last season — in 15 games — the most a running back’s accumulated since Chris Johnson in 2009) and injury risk that comes with the Steelers’ brand of usage. But Gurley’s extension provides a clearer road map for a team looking to sign Bell.
La Canfora doesn’t believe the Steelers are expecting Bell to be back in 2019, though the 26-year-old back is expected to communicate with Mike Tomlin and likely new OC Randy Fichtner while he’s away from the team.
Last year, GM Kevin Colbert called for Bell to end his holdout and report in order to make necessary preparations for the season. This year, the longtime Steelers decision-maker isn’t as direct but remains insistent Bell showing up for camp will help him early in the season. Bell struggled out of the starting blocks in 2017, failing to exceed 100 yards from scrimmage in all three of the Steelers’ September games.
“Unfortunately, we have to go through it again,” Colbert said, via La Canfora. “The fortunate part is at the end we will have Le’Veon Bell on our team. Ideally, the earlier he gets here the better it will be for him and obviously for us, because I don’t think he got off to the kind of start (last season) he would have gotten off to had he worked for his team for a week or two, whatever that would have been.
“You just need that timing; you need that football conditioning. He’ll show up and be in great physical condition, but that can never equate to great football conditioning until they go through this.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/18
Here are today’s minor moves:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: WR Elijah Marks
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Malik Reaves
- Released: OL Bryce Harris
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Terrance Parks
Buffalo Bills
- Released: DL Tenny Palepoi
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Cam Serigne
- Released: DT Drew Iddings
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Mark Chapman
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Adonis Jennings, Kyle Lewis
Indianpolis Colts
- Signed: S Shamarko Thomas
- Waived: CB Juante Baldwin
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OL Donavon Clark
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Aaron Lacombe, WR Khadarel Lott, WR JoJo Natson
- Waived: WR LaQuvionte Gonzalez, WR Ricky Jeune
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Izaah Lunsford
- Waived: TE Kyle Carter, P Taylor Symmank
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived/injured: DB Trey Johnson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Josh Liddell, T Jerry Ugokwe
- Waived/Injured: DT Channing Ward
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Claude Pelon
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Prince Charles Iworah
- Waived/Injured: RB Keith Marshall
Steelers Re-Sign Eli Rogers
Eli Rogers is back in Pittsburgh. The Steelers re-signed the wide receiver to a one-year deal on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Rogers recently worked out for the Browns, Raiders, and Chiefs, but ultimately circled back to the Steelers with Wednesday’s deal. Rogers entered the league as a UDFA with the Steelers in 2015 and broke out in 2016 as he caught 48 passes for 593 yards and three scores in 13 games (eight starts). In 2017, however, Rogers slid down the depth chart following the selection of JuJu Smith-Schuster. Rogers had just 18 receptions for 149 yards last year, though he did chip in as a punt returner.
The Steelers have at least four wide receiver spots locked down with Antonio Brown, Smith-Schuster, third-round pick James Washington, and Darrius Heyward-Bey under contract. Rogers will compete for one of the final WR spots with the likes of Justin Hunter, Trey Griffey, and others.
Steelers Sign Rookie Terrell Edmunds
It’s a done deal. The Steelers have signed first-round pickTerrell Edmunds, according to Ed Bouchette of 93.7 FM (on Twitter). 
Per the terms of his slot at No. 28 overall, Edmunds will earn roughly $10.8MM over the course of his four-year deal. With Edmunds signed, there are now just six unsigned 2018 draft picks left in the NFL.
Edmunds played multiple positions at Virginia Tech and the Steelers plan on taking advantage of his versatility at the pro level. The Steelers will use him at strong safety, but he’ll also have some deep-middle responsibilities to help support Morgan Burnett.
Here’s the full rundown of the Steelers’ 2018 draft class:
- 1-28: Terrell Edmunds, S (Virginia Tech): Signed
- 2-60: James Washington, WR (Oklahoma State): Signed
- 3-76: Mason Rudolph, QB (Oklahoma State): Signed
- 3-92: Chukwuma Okorafor, T (Western Michigan): Signed
- 5-148: Marcus Allen, S (Penn State): Signed
- 5-165: Jaylen Samuels, RB (North Carolina State): Signed
- 7-246: Joshua Frazier, DT (Alabama): Signed
Only Seven Unsigned NFL Draft Picks Remain
The overwhelming majority of this year’s NFL draft picks have signed their rookies deals. As training camp gets started, only the following seven players are without contracts:
- Browns, 1-1: Baker Mayfield, QB (Oklahoma)
- Jets, 1-3: Sam Darnold, QB (USC)
- Browns, 1-4: Denzel Ward, CB (Ohio State)
- Bills, 1-7: Josh Allen, QB (Wyoming)
- Bears, 1-8: Roquan Smith, LB (Georgia)
- Steelers, 1-28: Terrell Edmunds, S (Virginia Tech)
- 49ers, 2-44: Dante Pettis, WR (Washington)
For Mayfield, Darnold, Ward, Allen, and Smith, the holdup is reportedly tied to offset language. Players with offset language who are cut before the end of their rookie contract have the remaining guaranteed money reduced by whatever they earns elsewhere. Without offset language, players get to double dip. Top 10 picks expect to complete their rookie contracts, but it’s an important issue for agents nonetheless. There’s no sign of real acrimony between any of the Top 10 picks and their respective teams, though Smith has been staying away from the Bears.
In Edmunds’ case, it’s likely that his agent is haggling over guarantees in the fourth year of his rookie contract. First-rounders selected near the end of the first round often don’t get the entirety of their fourth season base salary guaranteed, but that’s an area where agents can press for a bit extra in talks. Seahawks rookie running back Rashaad Penny took less in fourth-year guarantees than last year’s No. 27 overall pick, talks dragged for several other players near the back end of the round. Others, such as Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Jaguars defensive tackle Taven Bryan have signed, but the Virginia Tech product is still in limbo.
Pettis is believed to be in line for a significant role this season, so it would behoove the Niners to get a deal done sooner rather than later.
Steelers Eyeing Chris Boswell Extension?
- August extensions have been one of the Steelers‘ traditions over the years, and an unlikely candidate for a significant pay bump’s emerged. Chris Boswell joined the Steelers midway through the 2015 season, but his production last year (35-for-38 on field goals, four game-winning makes en route to the Pro Bowl) and contract-year status make him a prime preseason-extension candidate, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. The Steelers applied a second-round RFA tender (2.9MM) to Boswell this year, and Rutter believes it will take a guarantee in the $9MM-plus range to keep Boswell in Pittsburgh. Only two kickers — Stephen Gostkowski and Justin Tucker — received eight-figure guarantees, with the Bears’ Cody Parkey guarantee sitting in third.
- Despite a light investment at linebacker to replace Ryan Shazier, don’t automatically look for the Steelers to deploy Terrell Edmunds as a hybrid safety just yet, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes (subscription required). Kaboly expects the first-round pick to play in the William Gay role as a dime contributor as a rookie, with UFA linebacker add Jon Bostic or second-year man Tyler Matakevich replacing Shazier.