Steelers Listening To Martavis Bryant Offers
The Steelers may not be actively shopping Martavis Bryant, but they’re listening to offers on the contract-year wide receiver, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports.
Bryant did not appear to be content with his situation last season, and trade buzz followed the deep threat for weeks leading up to the 2017 deadline. But Pittsburgh kept him in the fold, and as of February, the franchise wasn’t planning on trading him despite fielding calls on him.
Part of the holdup regarding a Bryant trade is the Steelers’ timeline and the teams that might impede them from reaching their goal. The Patriots and Ravens are teams that could need a receiver like Bryant, but Graziano notes the Steelers do not want to ship a talented player to rival franchises. They believe Bryant can help them in 2018, even if he may now be the fourth option in their offense, and will need a good offer to part with him.
Kevin Colbert discussed Bryant with other teams at the Combine, but nothing emerged from those reported discussions. So as of now, the two-time defending AFC North champions are set at wide receiver as they attempt to make good on their Super Bowl window — one largely dependent on the skill-position crew they’ve assembled. But with Pittsburgh needing more help on the defensive side of the ball, it would be understandable if the team listened on Bryant if it meant draft compensation to address bigger issues.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
Steelers Not Deterred By Leighton Vander Esch Neck Injury
The Steelers do not have concerns about a possible neck injury to Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter).
Reports had come in earlier during the draft process that Vander Esch had been medically flunked by several teams due to a neck injury. The Steelers brought in Vander Esch, who’s drawn comparisons to Brian Urlacher, earlier this month. The Steelers have taken a linebacker in the first round of four of the last five drafts but only two (Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt) will be able to play for the team in 2018.
NFL Draft analyst Tony Pauline reported earlier this month that he doesn’t expect Vander Esch to get past the Steelers at No. 28 if he’s still on the board.
Steelers Exercise Bud Dupree’s Option
The Steelers have exercised the fifth-year option on linebacker Bud Dupree, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Dupree’s option was considered likely to be exercised, but it was not a slam dunk decision. 
[RELATED: PFR’s 2019 Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Dupree, 25, had a career highs in sacks (6) and total tackles (40) last season. However, he missed more than half of 2016 with a groin injury and was inconsistent as a rookie. They now believe the former 2015 first-round pick is on track for a solid career, so they’ll extend his deal through 2019 with a salary of $9.2MM+ in the final year.
Dupree is slated to return as the Steelers’ starting left outside linebacker with T.J. Watt on the opposite side and Vince Williams and offseason pickup Jonathan Bostic in the middle. The Steelers could target an ILB in the draft to start ahead of Bostic, but Dupree’s spot is secure.
For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus have never been high on the Kentucky product. Last year, his 49.0 overall score ranked him as the eighth-worst qualified edge defender in the NFL.
Steelers Met With S Jessie Bates
- One of the top safeties available, Wake Forest product Jessie Bates spent time with Steelers brass over dinner during the pre-draft process, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Pittsburgh signed Morgan Burnett and plans to move Sean Davis to free safety, but Davis’ starting spot isn’t exactly secure. Pro Football Focus graded the 2016 second-rounder as the league’s worst full-time safety last season. Rating 30th on NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50 prospect list, Bates probably won’t be available by the time the Steelers’ second-round pick arrives.
Steelers LB Anthony Chickillo Signs RFA Tender
Anthony Chickillo will be back in Pittsburgh next season. Pro Football Talk reports that the outside linebacker has signed his $1.907MM restricted free agent tender with the Steelers (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Twitter).
The 2015 sixth-round pick out of Miami has spent his entire three-year career with the Steelers. He appeared in only seven games during his rookie campaign, but he played a much bigger role for the team in 2016, compiling 2.5 sacks. He appeared in a career-high 16 games (two starts) in 2017, collecting 19 tackles and three sacks. Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly fond of his performance last season, as his grade would have ranked him in the bottom-10 among edge defenders had he earned enough snaps.
Chickillo will presumably slide back into his rotational pass rusher role in 2018. The 25-year-old will also serve as insurance behind starting outside linebackers Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt.
Steelers LB Anthony Chickillo Signs Tender
Steelers linebacker Anthony Chickillo is officially back in the fold. The 25-year-old has inked his restricted tender, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter).
Chickillo, a 2015 sixth-round pick, appeared in seven games for the Steelers as a rookie but primarily contributed on special teams. In his sophomore year, he stepped into a larger role with the team. Chickillo has appeared in all but one of the club’s regular season games over the past two years and has tallied 38 total tackles and 5.5 sacks in that span.
In other Steelers news, running back Le’Veon Bell was a no-show (as expected) for the start of the team’s offseason program.
Le’Veon Bell Doesn’t Report For Steelers Workouts
Franchise-tagged running back Le’Veon Bell did not report for the beginning of the Steelers offseason workout program, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
Bell wasn’t expected to attend Pittsburgh’s workout sessions, which are voluntary, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be staying in shape. Per Fowler, Bell will workout “rigorously” on his own over the next several months in lieu of showing up at official team meetings.
Staying clear of team workouts is typically standard practice for franchise players who have yet to sign their tenders. After Lions defensive Ezekiel Ansah inked his tag on Tuesday, Bell now stands as the only tagged player who is not officially under contract.
The Steelers and Bell have until July to work out a long-term agreement, but negotiations — as they did in 2017, when Bell was also assigned the franchise tag — have lived of the brink of contentiousness. As of late March, contract talks were on hold, and it’s unclear if the two sides have resumed negotiations since. Bell has already said he has no plans to sit out the 2018 season, but he will likely stay away until the preseason is concluded.
Bell, of course, is arguably the most dynamic offensive weapon in the NFL. In 2017, the 26-year-old Bell led the league with 321 carries while posting 1,291 rushing yards and nine scores. He also totaled a whopping 85 receptions and 655 yards in the passing game.
Former Steelers LB James Harrison Retires
Former Steelers great James Harrison is calling it a career. The linebacker, who most recently suited up for the Patriots, announced on Instagram that he is retiring from football. 
Of course, we’ve been down this road before with Harrison. The linebacker also “retired” in 2014, only to return months later and play for another four seasons. This time, his announcement comes with the hashtag “#2ndAndFinalRetirement.” Harrison cites his family as the primary reason for his retirement, stating that he has “missed way too much for way too long.”
Earlier this month, Harrison indicated that he would wait until after the draft to sign with a team. It’s possible that the veteran, who will turn 40 in May, didn’t find the kind of interest that he was expecting.
Harrison leaves the game after a remarkable 17-season career. After going undrafted in 2002, the undersized linebacker hooked on with the Steelers and spent the bulk of his first two seasons on and off their practice squad. In between stints with Pittsburgh, he also spent time with the Ravens and the Rhein Fire of the NFL Europe.
Over time, Harrison developed into a key player for the Steelers, but it was not until 2007 that he became a full-fledged starter. In that season, he earned his first of five Pro Bowl appearances. The veteran would go on to win two Super Bowls with the Steelers as the anchor of their defense and secure two First-Team All-Pro nods.
Harrison spent the vast majority of his career in black and yellow, but also suited up for the Bengals in 2013 and wrapped up his career with the Patriots in 2017 when he was surprisingly cut late in the season by Pittsburgh.
We here at PFR wish Harrison the best in retirement.
Draft Notes: Key, Jackson, Kirk, Price, Patriots
Former LSU defensive end and top draft prospect Arden Key has told teams that he has been sober for more than a year, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes.
This is big news from a player who has been speculated to have off-the-field concerns. Key is supposedly being up front with the teams about his issues, which included taking a leave of absence from the Tigers for four months beginning in February 2017 for personal reasons. He will not disclose the reasoning for that absence with the media — which is his right — but is reportedly laying it all out in front of teams.
Rated as one of the top prospects before the start of the 2017 season, Key is now viewed mostly as a potential late-first-round pick, but more likely to go off the board on second day of the draft.
Noted pass rush coach Chuck Smith is a big fan of Key, saying he is a threat to challenge for double-digit sacks the moment he enters the league. His honesty with teams and ability to stay sober for more than a year could put teams more at ease about taking a shot on the talented pass rusher.
Here’s more surrounding the draft:
- Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk visited with the Steelers on Friday, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Kirk has also visited with the Seahawks and Panthers, a pair of teams in need of a receiver. The Steelers seem set at the position with Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster but have not been shy about adding to a loaded receiver position in the past.
- Former Cardinals head coach and quarterback guru Bruce Arians is a big fan of Louisville product Lamar Jackson, Bob McManaman of AZ Central writes. “I think Lamar puts the time in. He’s going to get better, and he just brings that unique ability to break the game open with his legs. Because he does it. He sits in there and flips it up the field,” Arians said. “He’s been in a pro-style offense. He’s more of a scrambler with designed runs. I don’t think I’d design runs for him. I would just let him, a la Russell Wilson, take what’s there, and whoosh, take off running.” The Cardinals could have interest in Jackson at the No. 15 spot in the upcoming draft.
- In a panel piece on ESPN, a host of writers tabbed left tackle as the position the team should focus on in the first round if everything were to fall perfectly. With the team owning the 23rd and 31st picks, New England could potentially address the position by taking Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey late in the first round. The tackle is rated by many pundits as the best at the position this year.
- Ohio State center/guard Billy Price had his NFL Combine medical recheck on Friday, Darren Wolfson of KSTP 5 News reports (Twitter link). He notes the potential first-round pick is expected to receive full clearance soon.