Steelers Release S J.J. Wilcox
The Steelers have released safety J.J. Wilcox, according to a team announcement. The move will save the team $3.125MM while leaving $675K on the cap in dead money. 
Wilcox’s spot was rumored to be in jeopardy throughout the offseason due to his salary. When the Steelers selected two safeties over the weekend (and signed one UDFA safety on Sunday), that all but confirmed the buzz. At one point in time, the Steelers appeared to consider retaining Wilcox at a reduced rate, but that option is no longer on the table.
Wilcox, 27, appeared in 12 games in his first season for Pittsburgh last year. The former third round pick was initially set to play out the 2017 season with the Buccaneers, but they shipped him to the Steelers after signing T.J. Ward in September. The Bucs may be a club to keep an eye on as Wilcox looks for his next deal.
Steelers Had First-Round Grade On Mason Rudolph
- The Steelers moved up from pick No. 79 to No. 76 in order to draft quarterback Mason Rudolph, and Pittsburgh actually had a first-round grade on the ex-Oklahoma State signal-caller, general manager Kevin Colbert told reporters, including Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). Rudolph could conceivably serve as Ben Roethlisberger‘s backup during the former’s rookie campaign, and his presence on the Steelers’ roster will force the club to make a decision on its depth chart. Pittsburgh only figures to keep three quarterbacks on its squad, meaning one of Landry Jones or 2017 third-rounder Josh Dobbs will almost certainly be cut.
- The Bengals may have had their eye on Rudolph, as head coach Marvin Lewis said Cincinnati was considering selecting a quarterback in Round 3 before the Steelers jumped ahead of them, according to Paul Dehner of the Cincinnati Enquirer (all Twitter links). Additionally, the Bengals thought about packaging their three late seventh-round picks to move up in the round for Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside, but he ended up slipping to Cincinnati at No. 249.
Steelers, 13 UDFAs Agree To Terms
The Steelers are now the second club to announce their crop of 2018 undrafted college free agents:
- Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, LB (Toledo)
- Parker Cothren, DT (Penn State)
- Jarvion Franklin, RB (Western Michigan)
- Greg Gilmore, DE (LSU)
- Quadree Henderson, WR (Pittsburgh)
- Trey Johnson, CB (Villanova)
- Pharoah McKever, TE (North Carolina State)
- Patrick Morris, C (TCU)
- Ikenna Nwokeji, OL (Elon)
- Chris Schleuger, G (UAB)
- Jamar Summers , CB (UCONN)
- Matthew Thomas, LB (Florida State)
- Kendal Vickers, DE (Tennessee)
Draft Notes: Steelers, Hurst, Guice, Bears
It’s been a busy couple of days here at Pro Football Talk, and that’s partly due to a record-breaking number of trades. As ESPN’s Jenna Laine tweets, there were 14 trades yesterday, the highest Day 2 total since the draft expanded to three days. There have also been 21 total trades through the first 48 hours, which is also the most since 2010.
Let’s check out some more draft notes from around the NFL…
- The Steelers were targeting Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans with their first-round pick, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter). When he was taken by the Titans with the 22nd pick, Pittsburgh shifted their focus to another position, selecting safety Terrell Edmunds. As Dulac notes, the team ultimately didn’t rate the remaining linebackers high enough to dedicate a first-rounder at the position.
- Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. hasn’t fallen down draft boards solely because of injuries. Rather, as Yahoo’s Charles Robinson tweets, the prospect’s tape “was a little more up and down than expected.” While the player showed flashes of brilliance, he also had some glaring “empty stretches.” Meanwhile, Jason La Canfora attributes Hurst’s fall to medical reasons, as the reporter tweets that teams are concerned about the defensive lineman’s heart condition. This concern has caused the player to completely fall off some teams’ draft boards.
- Meanwhile, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport provides insight into why LSU running back Derrius Guice is sliding (Twitter link). The player has been described as “immature” and “high-maintenance,” and his visits did not go well, according to the reporter.
- The Bears selected Memphis wideout Anthony Miller midway through the second round yesterday, but it sounds like they had their eye on a receiver in the first round. ESPN’s Vaughn McClure tweets that Chicago tried to trade up for Alabama wideout Calvin Ridley, who was selected 26th overall by the Falcons.
Steelers Trade Up To Seahawks’ No. 76 Spot
It’s possible the Steelers have located their quarterback of the future. At least, they’re making a reasonable investment in one.
The Steelers have traded up to the No. 76 draft slot and selected Mason Rudolph. The Seahawks are trading down to allow for this to occur. Seattle will acquire Pittsburgh’s No. 79 choice and a seventh-rounder, No. 220, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Viewed by many as the sixth-best quarterback prospect in this year’s prospect pool, Rudolph is the sixth QB selected. He’s also the first passer the Steelers have chosen in the first three rounds since Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Pittsburgh used a 2017 fifth-rounder on Joshua Dobbs and still has Landry Jones on the roster.
The 6-foot-5 Rudolph put up monster numbers last season with Oklahoma State — 4,904 air yards, 37 touchdown passes and a 65 percent completion rate — and represents a move by the AFC North champions to install a possible Roethlisberger successor. Rudolph started for three seasons in Stillwater, Okla., operating in a passer-friendly system. He figures to have plenty of time to learn the pro game.
Unlike last offseason, Pittsburgh’s 15th-year starter did not publicly consider retirement. He’s now indicated he wants to play multiple additional seasons. Rudolph figures to be a longer-lens investment and could usurp Jones and Dobbs in Pittsburgh’s passing pecking order in the months to come.
Patriots Notes: Brown, Evans, Ragnow
Some news on a potential Patriots trade target + more out of New England:
- The Patriots will have to do their medical homework on tackle Trent Brown before pulling off a trade for him with the 49ers. Brown was terribly out of shape at minicamp and San Francisco has reservations about him coming off of shoulder surgery, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (on Twitter) hears. The Niners’ concerns over Brown prompted them to select Mike McGlinchey with the No. 9 pick.
- The Patriots had interest in linebacker Rashaan Evans at the No. 23 pick and the Steelers were looking to trade up to get the Alabama product, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com tweets. Ultimately, the Titans gave up a fourth-round pick to move up three spots and leapfrog two AFC rivals. Tennessee also received a sixth-round pick in that swap.
- The Patriots also had Frank Ragnow as a top target at No. 23 overall and tried to move up to get him, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press hears. The Bengals also had the Arkansas center as a top target, but the Lions pounced on the opportunity to take him at No. 20 overall.
Steelers Trade Martavis Bryant To Raiders
Martavis Bryant‘s tenure in Pittsburgh has come to an end. The Steelers announced that they have traded the wideout to the Raiders for a third-round pick (No. 79).
The 2014 fourth-round pick had spent his entire four-year career with the organization. His tenure was tumultuous, as he missed the entire 2016 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The 26-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance during his brief career, including a rookie campaign where he caught eight touchdowns. He had another solid season in 2017, catching 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns.
Unfortunately for Bryant, a trade doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll see a bigger role. Rather, the wideout will slot in behind Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson on the Raiders’ depth chart, and he’ll compete with Seth Roberts to be the team’s third wideout.
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.