Stephon Tuitt Played Through Torn Biceps in 2017
- Steelers defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt played with a torn bicep during the 2017 season, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (Twitter link). Tuitt made clear that he’s fully healthy now, saying the injury “is back healed again and strong and I can’t wait to stick people in the mouth with it.” Tuitt was signed to a $60MM extension before last season, and will be counted on to play a big role this year.
Steelers Sign Rookie QB Mason Rudolph
Mason Rudolph is officially a member of the Steelers. On Wednesday, the Steelers agreed to terms with the third-round quarterback on his rookie deal. 
Rookie contracts are mostly a formality these days, but contracts for third-round picks tend to be a bit trickier thanks to flexibility regarding offset language. Regardless, the Steelers hammered out their deal with the Oklahoma State well in advance of mandatory training camp sessions.
The Steelers are hopeful that Rudolph can develop into their quarterback of the future after Ben Roethlisberger retires. For his part, Roethlisberger isn’t necessarily enthused about the team selecting a QB high in the draft this year.
“I was surprised when they took a quarterback because I thought that maybe in the third round, you know you can get some really good football players that can help this team now,” Roethlisberger said. “Nothing against Mason; I think he’s a great football player. I don’t know him personally, but I’m sure he’s a great kid. I just don’t know how backing up or being a third [string] — well, who knows where he’s going to fall on the depth chart — helps us win now.”
For now, Rudolph projects as the team’s No. 3 QB, behind Big Ben and Landry Jones. Last year’s fourth round pick Joshua Dobbs is also fighting for a spot on the roster.
The deal with Rudolph leaves first-round pick Terrell Edmunds as the last remaining unsigned Steelers draft selection.
Draft Pick Signings: 5/22/18
Here are Tuesday’s draft pick signings:
- Third-round tackle Chukwuma Okorafor (pick No. 92) signed his four-year Steelers contract. Out of Western Michigan, Okorafor could be in line for a swing role this season. And Chris Hubbard showed how valuable that could be, with Marcus Gilbert having struggled with injuries and a suspension in recent years.
- The Browns followed suit by inking third-round defensive lineman Chad Thomas (pick No. 67 out of Miami) and fourth-round wideout Antonio Callaway (No. 105), Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets. A Florida product, Calloway has already been mentioned as a player who could put pressure on 2016 first-round pick Corey Coleman.
Le’Veon Bell To Skip OTAs
In a long-expected move, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell will reportedly not attend organized team activities which begin on Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. 
Again, this is not a shocker. Once Pittsburgh franchised the star running back for a second straight season it was anticipated that he would not be showing up as he seeks a new deal. The two sides have until July to reach a long-term contract.
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. In 2017, Bell reportedly turned down a contract offer that included $42MM in the first three years of the deal. If he remains on the franchise tag, Bell could earn $14.5MM in 2018.
In an interview with Fowler in March, Bell said: “We’re not coming to a number we both agree on — they are too low, or I guess they feel I’m too high. I’m playing for strictly my value to the team. That’s what I’m asking. I don’t think I should settle for anything less than what I’m valued at.”
Bell has been among the league’s best backs since entering the NFL in 2013. He has three 1,000-yard rushing campaigns to his name and has also added 312 receptions. The three-time Pro Bowl back and two-time First Team All-Pro will undoubtedly be looking for a top-of-the-line contract that exceeds the $41.25MM over five seasons that Devonta Freeman is currently earning.
Steelers Likely To Re-Sign Eli Rogers
- Free agent wideout Eli Rogers is likely to re-sign with the Steelers as soon as he’s healthy, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Rogers tore his ACL in January before being non-tendered by Pittsburgh, so it could some time before he regains full use of his knee. Although the Steelers should have more targets up for grabs after trading Martavis Bryant to the Raiders, second-round pick James Washington would be standing in Rogers’ way if he’s re-upped. Rogers, 25, managed 48 receptions from the slot in 2016, but came back to earth with just 16 catches a season ago.
Tepper Consulted Steelers Brass About Panthers
David Tepper‘s $2.275 billion Panthers purchase price was not the high bid during this process. Albert Breer of SI.com reports Ben Navarro‘s bid came in closer to Jerry Richardson‘s desired $2.6 billion price. But NFL owners had long preferred Tepper, a part-owner of the Steelers, to Navarro. Richardson wanted the team to go to a Carolinian, and Navarro is a Charleston, S.C., native. However, Tepper was able to make his bid mostly in cash, whereas Navarro had to bring in partners some in the league’s power structure found unsatisfactory. The NFL “didn’t trust his money,” Breer writes, paving the way for Tepper. A credit card company mogul, Navarro encountered scrutiny from other owners, to the point he had to hire a PR firm to navigate obstacles during this high-profile pursuit. Additionally, fellow bidder Michael Rubin assembled a group of potential buyers that turned off some owners, Breer reports.
- Tepper will try to run the Panthers like the Steelers; he’s unlikely to change Carolina’s football operations at this point. In preparation for this entrance into the franchise-ownership game, Tepper consulted Steelers GM Kevin Colbert and VP of football and business administration Omar Khan about Panthers GM Marty Hurney and HC Ron Rivera. And Breer reports the Pittsburgh execs were staunch supporters of both Carolina decision-makers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/14/18
Today’s minor moves (so far):
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DT Siupeli Anau, WR C.J. Duncan, LB Airius Moore, OL Greg Pyke
- Waived: CB Elijah Battle, LB Mike Needham, OL Austin Olsen, WR Jonah Trinnaman
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DE Da’Sean Downey
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: FB Zach Olstad
- Waived/Injured: RB Aaron Green
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Bug Howard, C Kyle Friend, T/G Quinterrius Eatmon, DE Karter Schult
- Waived/Injured: CB Zack Sanchez
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Matt Fleming, DB John Franklin, DB Tyrin Holloway, OL Jeremi Hall, OL Matt McCants
- Waived: OL Travis Averill, OL Cameron Lee, LB Howard Jones, LB Nyles Morgan
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DT Chris Okoye, C Brand Lundblade, S Tyrice Beverette
- Waived: LB Oni Omoile, TE Scott Orndoff, CB Robenson Therezie
Cleveland Browns
- Signed DB Tigie Sankoh, QB Brogan Roback
Denver Broncos
- Waived: NT Lowell Lotulelei (Lotulelei is retiring, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, on Twitter)
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Deontez Alexander, TE Marcus Lucas, CB Josh Okonye
- Waived: WR Kyle Lewis
- Waived/Injured: TE Brandon Barnes
Houston Texans
- Placed on Reserve-Retired list: K.J. Malone
- Signed: T Kendell Calhoun, DE Nick Thurman
- Waived: WR Montay Crockett
- Waived/failure to disclose physical condition designation: DE Jalen Wilkerson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: OT Jared Machorro
- Waived: C Anthony Fabiano
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Zach Conque, LB Manase Hungalu, OL Brandon Smith
- Waived: OL Avery Gennesy
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: QB Luis Perez
New England Patriots
- Signed: P Corey Bojorquez
- Waived/NFI: WR Darren Andrews
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OT Michael Ola
- Waived: LB Adam Bighill, OL Daronte Bouldin, S Rickey Jefferson, Bradley Sylve
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: S Dallin Leavitt, LS Drew Scott
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR/KR Tim Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: G/T R.J. Prince
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Clayton Wilson
Washington Redskins
- Signed: C Casey Dunn, LB Vontae Diggs, WR Darvin Kidsy
- Waived: WR Mikah Holder, C Sean Welsh
Poll: Will Mason Rudolph Log The Most Playing Time Of Rookie QBs in 2018?
Though teams spent high-value picks on quarterbacks in 2018, not every quarterback will be in a position to take over a starting role in 2018, though each seemingly has a decent possibility at finding the field in their rookie year. Along with the Browns selecting Mayfield, the Jets selected Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick, the Bills took Josh Allen with the No. 7 overall pick, the Cardinals took Josh Rosen with the No. 10 overall pick and the Ravens selected Lamar Jackson with the No. 32 overall pick. The Steelers also selected Mason Rudolph in the third round of the draft.
Each quarterback has a roadblock to finding playing time in 2018. The Browns acquired quarterback Tyrod Taylor via trade, the Jets re-signed Josh McCown and added Teddy Bridgewater, the Cardinals signed Sam Bradford and the Bills traded for A.J. McCarron. The Steelers have Ben Roethlisberger entrenched in the starting role, though he’s missed eight games over the last three seasons.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/18
Today’s minor moves:
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: T Michael Ola
New York Giants
- Signed: Chris Lewis-Harris
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OL R.J. Prince
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Ruben Holcomb, CB Mark Myers
- Waived: S Josh Liddell, WR Devin Lucien, DE Antonio Simmons
Steelers Sign WR James Washington
The Steelers have signed their second-round pick (No. 60 overall) wide receiver James Washington to a four-year deal, Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams reports. 
During the draft, the team sent receiver Martavis Bryant to the Raiders, so the Steelers were looking to fill the void left by the big-play, but often troubled receiver. They found their guy in Washington. The team will hope its recent run of selecting wide receivers continues with the college star, who joins Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster in a loaded aerial attack.
At Oklahoma State, the electric receiver set a new school record and finished second in Big 12 history with 4,472 career receiving yards. He added 39 receiving touchdowns during his career and claimed the prestigious Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver as a senior in 2017.
Washington said he is ready to step in and replace Bryant as the team’s go-to option on deep balls. “It all comes down to who wants it more, and nine times out of 10, I guarantee you I want it more,” Washington said.
The quarterback he achieved those eye-popping numbers with won’t be far away, either, after Pittsburgh selected Mason Rudolph in the following round as the potential successor to longtime signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger.