- The Steelers plan to host Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster next week, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Foster has some off-field concerns and injury issues, but he’s still the best off-ball linebacker in this year’s class, so he probably won’t be around when Pittsburgh comes on the clock at No. 30 barring a draft-day all. The Steelers already boast one of the league’s best inside linebackers in Ryan Shazier, while Vince Williams is projected to replace Lawrence Timmons, who signed with Miami.
Steelers chairman Dan Rooney has passed away at the age of 84, the team announced on Thursday afternoon. He leaves behind a resoundingly positive legacy as one of the NFL’s most beloved owners. 
Rooney was the son of Art Rooney, the founder of the franchise. As Judy Battista of NFL.com writes, Rooney’s entire life from birth centered around the Steelers. He worked as a ball boy for the team as a teenager, signed players to contracts as a college student, and even found his way to ticket and ad sales. Before ascending to the top, Rooney worked in every possible facet of the organization.
The Steelers hired Chuck Noll largely because of Rooney’s influence and he also pushed his football operations department to draft Ben Roethlisberger. In addition to revolutionizing the Steelers, he also had a profound effect on the league as a whole. The “Rooney Rule” ensures that black coaching candidates get a fair shake in the interviewing process and commissioners Pete Rozelle, Paul Tagliabue, and Roger Goodell all leaned on him for advice along the way.
We here at Pro Football Rumors extend our condolences to the Rooney family.
- With their first-rounder, No. 30, the Steelers plan to select the best defensive back available, says Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (video link). That could be Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers, whom GM Kevin Colbert “loves,” according to Kinkhabwala. Head coach Mike Tomlin said last month that the Steelers need DBs capable of playing man coverage, noting that New England quarterback Tom Brady roasted their secondary in January’s AFC championship game.
Is Ben Roethlisberger pushing the Steelers to take a tight end in this year’s draft? According to Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com, Big Ben was at the team’s headquarters within the last two weeks and pushed coach Mike Tomlin to get him “some more help” in the form of a tight end. Meanwhile, in a statement to Pro Football Talk, Roethlisberger issued something of a denial: 
“The report of me lobbying to draft a tight end or pass catcher is wrong. Coaches and teammates know I love the guys we have and always believe we can win. I trust the organization to do their best selecting players to help us, and and every year they tell me generally the positions they are exploring, but I have not lobbied or demanded we add a tight end or pass catcher or any other position through the draft or free agency.”
Last year, the Steelers thought they landed themselves a star tight end when they signed Ladarius Green in free agency. Unfortunately, injuries and possibly post-concussion symptoms kept him from doing much. Jesse James did alright in the starting role, but he’s far from an elite option.
Tight ends O.J. Howard and David Njoku are considered to be big-time talents, but they’ll probably both be off the board when the Steelers pick at No. 30 overall. With later picks, the Steelers could consider tight ends like Gerald Everett, Evan Engram, and Jake Butt.
The jump from basketball to football may not be easy, but Mo Alie-Cox has plenty of believers in the NFL. The former Virginia Commonwealth University forward is already slated to visit the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Jets, Colts, Seahawks, and Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. More teams could request to meet with the 6’7″ athlete, Rapoport adds. 
Alie-Cox held an open audition for NFL teams recently and it seems like more than half the league had scouts in attendance. In addition to the aforementioned clubs, reps from the Bears, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings, 49ers, Browns, Patriots, Redskins, and Steelers were in the house (via Lane Casadonte of WTVR on Twitter).
Despite his lack of gridiron experience, teams are intrigued by Alie-Cox’s combination of size and athleticism. He is looking to play tight end and follow in the footsteps of Tony Gonzalez, Julius Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, and other TE standouts with basketball backgrounds. At the same time, he is open to playing other positions and he took requests from scouts to perform drills that were suited for different roles.
What really sets Alie-Cox apart from other young NFL hopefuls is that he is not draft eligible and, therefore, can be signed as a free agent. A team that is really high on the hoopster could see this as an opportunity to effectively acquire a late-round draft pick for nothing.
- Alabama edge rusher Tim Williams visited the Steelers on Tuesday, according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Based on pure talent alone, Williams could be a top-10 talent after posting 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons in Tuscaloosa. But some scouts wouldn’t be surprised if he falls out of the first round due to his off-field baggage, which include failed drug tests and September gun charge. The Steelers are looking for another young pass presence given that James Harrison is entering his age-39 campaign.
Here’s a rundown of the latest NFL Draft news:
- Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is visiting the 49ers on Monday and Tuesday before meeting with the Cardinals on Wednesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Niners, of course, own the No. 2 overall pick and the Cards are at No. 13.
- The Bills worked out UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky on Sunday, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Owner Terry Pegula was there, along with head coach Sean McDermott. In our mock draft from last week, Dallas Robinson has the Bills passing on Trubisky in order to take a wide receiver.
- The Texans worked out Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson on Friday before flying to the 49ers over the weekend. Next up is a Panthers workout on Tuesday (Twitter link via Rapoport). Carolina has already met with Robinson, so this could be a sign of serious interest. The Panthers own the No. 8 overall pick.
- Safety Jamal Adams, who had a strong showing at LSU’s Pro Day, is visiting the Panthers today (Monday), Rapoport tweets. Rapoport wonders aloud whether he’ll be available at No. 8.
- Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman has workouts for Steelers, Bills, Chiefs, and Patriots, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- Now that Lawrence Timmons has departed the Steelers for Miami, Vince Williams projects to start at inside linebacker for Pittsburgh alongside Ryan Shazier. Of course, the Steelers did pursue Dont’a Hightower in free agency, and as Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, the team’s draft strategy will say a lot about Williams’ future with the club. If the Steelers select an inside linebacker in the first three rounds of the draft — and this year’s class of inside linebackers is very thin — then that would suggest that their faith in Williams is rather shaky.
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- Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs visited the Steelers on Monday and will also meet with the Chiefs, relays Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Dobbs, who was a two-year starter with the Volunteers, could go as high as the second or third round, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. (via Mike Griffith of SEC Country).
No surprise here, but Ben Roethlisberger is returning for another season. The Steelers quarterback has confirmed that he will be taking the field for the Steelers in 2017. 
“Informed the team I am looking forward to my 14th season. Steeler Nation will get my absolute best!,” (Twitter link).
Roethlisberger, 35, mulled retirement earlier this offseason, but the recent expectation has been that he would return for his 14th campaign. Roethlisberger has missed six games over the last two seasons, but he has still been producing at a high level. In 2016, he earned his fifth career (and third consecutive) Pro Bowl nod. In 2016, he completed 64.4% of his passes for 3,819 yards and 29 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. The Steelers went 10-4 in games with Big Ben under center.
Roethlisberger has three years remaining on the contract extension he signed in 2015. He’ll turn 37 in the final year of that deal.