Ben Roethlisberger Discusses Future
Both the Texans and No. 1 wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins would like to reach a long-term deal this summer, and odds are that it will happen, suggests John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Hopkins, due to make $7.9MM as a fifth-year option player this season, became all the more important to the Texans’ cause for 2017 after No. 2 receiver Will Fuller suffered a broken collarbone Wednesday. Fuller’s multi-month absence could mean even more opportunities for Hopkins, who easily led the Texans in both targets and receptions in each of the previous two seasons. Despite having to catch passes from middling or worse quarterbacks throughout his career, Hopkins has a history of terrific production. Thanks to his output thus far, the 25-year-old looks poised to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid wideouts in the coming weeks.
More from the AFC:
- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is keeping all options on the table beyond 2017, including retirement and playing a few more years. “I hope (to play multiple future seasons), but I’m only going to focus on this year,” Roethlisberger revealed Wednesday (via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review). Whether the 35-year-old sticks around will depend somewhat on how much of a beating his offensive line allows him to take this season. “If those guys up front are playing as well as they have been playing, getting sacked (a career-low) 17 times in (2016) — it might keep me around a little longer,” he said.
- With 2015 first-round pick Phillip Dorsett and free agent signing Kamar Aiken, the Colts have a pair of notable receivers behind starters T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief. However, the unheralded Chester Rogers has emerged as Indy’s likely No. 3 wideout, according to Kevin Bowen of the team’s website. As an undrafted rookie last year, Rogers accrued 34 targets and 19 catches in 14 games (two starts), and he averaged 14.4 yards per catch. Both Dorsett and Aiken bettered Rogers’ counting stats in 2016, but the second-year man has nonetheless turned into a “virtual 12th starter for the Colts,” writes Bowen.
- Defensive tackle Roy Miller‘s contract with the Chiefs is a one-year, $1.4MM pact that could be worth up to $2.5MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The deal includes $300K in guarantees.
Details On Alejandro Villanueva's Deal
- Alejandro Villanueva‘s new four-year, $24MM deal with the Steelers has base salaries of $1.5MM, $3MM, $5MM, and $5MM, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The remaining $9.5MM in the deal comes in the form of signing and roster bonuses.
Latest On Ryan Shazier, Stephon Tuitt Talks
The Steelers will not reach an extension agreement with linebacker Ryan Shazier this summer, but could still negotiate a long-term deal with defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
That Shazier is unlikely to be extended prior to the regular season doesn’t come as a major surprise, as Pittsburgh controls the 24-year-old through the 2018 season thanks to his fifth-year option. Thus far, not a single 2014 first-round pick has agreed to a new deal, as clubs apparently don’t feel an urgency to act given that they have talented players under contract at cheap prices for at least two more seasons.
Shazier, notably, isn’t a fan of the fifth-year option, as he’ll earn only $1.716MM in 2017 and $8.718MM in 2018 before becoming an unrestricted free agent. While Shazier may not be able to match the $12.5MM annual salary recently scored by Browns linebacker Jamie Collins, he should be able to clear the $10MM threshold. Shazier, a 2016 Pro Bowler, graded as the league’s No. 31 linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus, earning excellent marks in run defense and as a pass-rusher. Health is question for the former Ohio State Buckeye, as Shazier has never played a full 16-game slate.
Unlike Shazier, Tuitt doesn’t have to worry about a fifth-year option given that he was selected in the second round of the 2014 draft. Tuitt posted four sacks a season ago while grading as PFF’s No. 20 interior defender, and will earn $1.049MM next year before hitting the open market. The going rate for non-Muhammad Wilkerson/J.J. Watt 3-4 defensive ends is around $10MM annually, and given his age (24), Tuitt could reach or surpass that mark.
Steelers Work Out An RB
- The Steelers are looking for depth at running back while Le’Veon Bell stays away from the team. On Tuesday morning, Pittsburgh auditioned former Louisville running back Brandon Radcliff, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Steelers Sign Malik Golden
- With Daimion Stafford mulling retirement, the Steelers announced that they’ve signed another safety, 2017 undrafted free agent Malik Golden.
Ben Roethlisberger Could Retire After 2017
The Steelers and their fans should savor the 2017 season because it could prove to be the end of the line for Ben Roethlisberger. The future Hall of Fame quarterback told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette that he may retire after the season. Roethlisberger also revealed that his wife wants him to call it a career sooner than later.
“I feel if I commit to anything past right now, I’m cheating now,” he said. “I’m looking forward to this season, and I’m going to give it everything I have and afterwards we’ll sit down and do some [thinking] again.”
The 35-year-old Roethlisberger mulled retirement after last season, so it’s not surprising that it’s on the table for 2018. Interestingly, though, it seems a recent study heavily linking football players to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is influencing the 14th-year man’s thinking.
Roethlisberger noted that “being healthy” and “being able to play catch with my kids,” are important, adding, “I feel good mentally, I know this new study that came out that 90 percent [of NFL] players’ brains who were studied had CTE.”
The study actually found CTE in 99 percent of deceased NFL players’ brains that were donated to scientific research, which played a part in former Ravens center John Urschel‘s decision to hang up his cleats Thursday at the age of 26.
If Roethlisberger joins Urschel in retirement next year, it would mark the end of a fruitful era of Steelers football. Since using a first-round pick on Roethlisberger in 2004, the Steelers have made nine trips to the playoffs and racked up three Super Bowl appearances, two of which ended with them raising the Lombardi Trophy. Roethlisberger has been the driving force behind that success, and he’s now coming off a season in which he earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod. Overall, he appeared in 14 games for the 11-win club last year and threw 29 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. The Steelers made it to their fifth AFC title game of Roethlisberger’s tenure, but the Patriots vanquished them, 36-17.
Daimion Stafford Mulling Retirement
Steelers safety Daimion Stafford is considering retirement, head coach Mike Tomlin announced on Friday (Twitter link via Mark Kaboly of DKPittsburghSports.com).
The 26-year-old Stafford is the same age as former Ravens center John Urschel, who surprisingly elected to hang up his cleats Thursday. Urschel’s decision came thanks in part to an alarming medical study showing that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was found in 99 percent of deceased NFL players’ brains that were donated to scientific research, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. It’s unknown, however, if the study is affecting Stafford’s thought process.
If he does walk away from football, Stafford will do so without ever having played a down for the Steelers. He signed with Pittsburgh in May after spending the first four years of his career in Tennessee, where he only started in eight of 62 appearances. Stafford saw an uptick in playing time last year, though, as he logged a career-best six starts and combined for 855 snaps (614 on defense, 221 on special teams). He accumulated 51 tackles, an interception and a sack along the way.
Stafford will function as a reserve with the Steelers if he continues his career, accompanying Robert Golden and Jordan Dangerfield as depth behind starting safeties Mike Mitchell and Sean Davis.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin’s Contract Vests
Mike Tomlin is now under contract as the Steelers head coach through 2019, as his contract has vested based on wins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport indicates Pittsburgh has had discussions about a longer deal for Tomlin, and Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports an extension could be announced soon (Twitter link).
Bouchette suggested earlier this week that Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert could be in line for new contracts. Colbert is the more pressing situation, as his current deal expires after the 2018 draft. Tomlin, one of only three Pittsburgh head coaches since 1969, could still land a new pact, but given that he’s now locked in for three more seasons, his status is a bit less imperative.
Tomlin, 45, has been extremely successful in his 10 seasons as the Steelers head coach, as the club has earned seven postseason appearances during his decade-long run. Pittsburgh has never finished with fewer than eight wins during Tomlin’s reign. Overall, Tomlin has posted a 103-57 regular season record and owns one Super Bowl and two AFC Championship titles.
Steelers Notes: Bryant, Bell
- Although the league conditionally reinstated Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant from a year-plus suspension in April, it still hasn’t cleared him to participate in training camp. General manager Kevin Colbert addressed the situation Thursday, stating: “Upon his conditional reinstatement in April, Martavis Bryant was made aware it was only the beginning of a process toward a return to being a full contributing member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. We have been informed by the NFL that Martavis is still in the process of being fully reinstated. Until that time, Martavis will be permitted to take part in off-the-field team activities at training camp, but he will not be permitted to practice or play in any games.”
- As expected, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell did not show up at training camp Thursday, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com was among those to report. The franchise-tagged star has not signed his $12.12MM tender, meaning he’s under no obligation to attend camp. Bell could follow in the footsteps of Chiefs safety Eric Berry and not report until the regular season is on the verge of beginning. That’s what Berry did last summer when he was unhappy with the fact that he had to play the season under the tag in lieu of a multiyear contract.
Steelers, Villanueva Agree To Extension
Alejandro Villanueva has himself a new deal. The Steelers offensive tackle has agreed to a fresh four-year deal with the Steelers, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
The four-year deal is worth $24MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), with $14MM over the first two years. It’s a big step up considering that he was slated for a $615K salary this year as an exclusive rights free agent, but it’s still a team-friendly deal on the whole when considering Villanueva’s talent level. The top ten tackles in the league are making five figures per year and Villanueva effectively added three seasons at an average of $7.8MM. Villanueva may not be a top ten talent at the position, but he’s not far off and he’s just entering his prime years. The tackle turns 29 in September.
Villanueva waited to sign his ERFA tender this offseason in hopes that he could hammer out a long-term extension with Pittsburgh instead. Even though he wasn’t eligible to reach the open market until 2018, the Steelers opted to do right by one of its most important offensive linemen while also securing him for years to come.
Since debuting in 2015, Villanueva has appeared in 32 straight games, including 26 starts. He started every Steelers game last year and was the only member of its offense to play on all 1,083 of the unit’s snaps.
Last year, he was the 24th best offensive tackle in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.