Steelers Cut QB Zach Mettenberger
Zach Mettenberger is out of a job. The Steelers announced on Monday afternoon that the quarterback has been released. 
Mettenberger has been shown the door following the team’s selection of Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs in the fourth round. As a senior, Dobbs turned in his finest season yet, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He completed 63% of his throwns, his best showing as a full-time starter.
Mettenberger, a former sixth-round pick of the Titans, cycled through three different teams in the 2016 offseason. After being dropped by the Titans, he was claimed by the Chargers. In late August, the Bolts waived him, allowing the Steelers to claim him. He did not see the field for Pittsburgh in 2016 and we have not seen him throw a live action pass since late in the 2015 season with Tennessee.
The Steelers now have a three players on the QB depth chart: Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, and Dobbs.
Steelers Sign Nine Undrafted Free Agents
The Steelers have locked up nine undrafted college free agents following the conclusion of the draft, the club announced. Here’s a list of the newest Pittsburgh players:
- Nelson Adams, DT (Mississippi State)
- Christian Brown, DT (West Virginia)
- Ethan Cooper, G (Indiana-Pennsylvania)
- Francis Kellen, DE (Georgia Tech)
- Keith Kelsey, LB (Louisville)
- Scott Orndoff, TE (Pittsburgh)
- Nick Schuessler, QB (Clemson)
- Rushel Shell, RB (West Virginia)
- Terrish Webb, DB (Pittsburgh)
Steelers Won't Sign Keenan Lewis
- A Steelers/Keenan Lewis reunion does not look to be in the works. A visit to Pittsburgh concluded with Lewis leaving the team’s facility. As Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette puts it (Twitter link), the cornerback doesn’t have “any further interest” in a Steelers deal. That is somewhat interesting since the soon-to-be 31-year-old Lewis hasn’t played in the NFL since 2015 and hasn’t played a season without major injury trouble since 2014. But it appears the former Steelers and Saints corner will continue his comeback hopes elsewhere.
Keenan Lewis Visits Steelers
Could Keenan Lewis be returning to Pittsburgh? According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter), the Steelers are “taking a look” at their former cornerback. The 31-year-old was reportedly seen at the team’s facility this morning.
Lewis, a 2009 third-round pick, spent the first four seasons of his career in Pittsburgh. After serving as a reserve through his first few seasons, he started all 16 games for the Steelers in 2012, compiling 71 tackles and one forced fumble. He ended up signing a five-year, $26.3MM deal with New Orleans during the 2013 offseason, and he started all 32 games for the Saints in 2013 and 2014. However, over the past two seasons, he’s only appeared in six games.
If Lewis does indeed rejoin the Steelers, he’ll be joining a cornerback corps that includes Ross Cockrell, Artie Burns, William Gay, Senquez Golson, Cameron Sutton, Coty Sensabaugh, and Al-Hajj Shabazz.
Extra Points: Redskins, Allen, Steelers
The Redskins are high on Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Redskins currently own the No. 17 pick in the draft, so they’ll likely need to move up to get him. Then again, Allen might not make it out of the top five.
Here’s more news before the draft gets underway:
- Washington defensive backs Kevin King and Budda Baker are on the Steelers‘ “radar”, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh has used early picks on secondary help over the past few seasons, as Artie Burns, Sean Davis, and Senquez Golson have all been added to the defensive backfield since 2015. Golson, however, hasn’t been able to get on the field due to injuries, and the Steelers could use more help in the back end. King would give the club a physical corner to play outside, while Baker can play deep safety and the slot.
- Some folks in the Dolphins organization are really high on linebacker Haason Reddick, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears. His fans in Miami believe that he can be a great weakside linebacker right off of the bat and they like his explosive pass rush skills.
- An official from one team tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that Gareon Conley will go in the first round.
- Colts defensive lineman David Parry will avoid jail time after reaching a plea agreement this week, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star writes. Originally, he was facing felony charges stemming from a February arrest in Arizona. It remains to be seen whether he’ll face team or league punishment.
Details On Martavis Bryant's Reinstatement
- As part of Martavis Bryant‘s conditional reinstatement, he’s not allowed to participate in Steelers‘ practices or preseason games until he’s located a treating clinician, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. When he’s right, Bryant is one of the more dynamic wide receivers in the NFL, but the league wants to ensure that he’s heading down the correct path. Having been handed a one-year ban in 2016, Bryant will now undergo regular drug tests as he works his way back into the NFL’s — and Pittsburgh’s — good graces.
Steelers’ Martavis Bryant Gets Reinstated
Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant has been conditionally reinstated by the NFL, according to a press release from the Steelers. Bryant may join the Steelers at the training facility and participate in meetings, conditioning work and similar activities. “Once arrangements have been confirmed regarding Bryant’s clinical resources in Pittsburgh,” he will be permitted to participate in preseason practices and games, paving the way for him to suit up in Week 1 of the regular season.
“We appreciate that he has taken the necessary steps in an effort to get his personal life in order. We also understand this is just the beginning as he works to return to the team and meet all of the conditions of his reinstatement,” GM Kevin Colbert said in the press release.
The conditions of Bryant’s reinstatement are not yet known, but drug tests will surely be a part of his regimen. At some point during the season, he’ll receive full reinstatement if everything checks out.
Bryant had been suspended since March 2016 for multiple failed drug tests. The 25-year-old has looked great when on the field, but he has appeared in only 21 regular season games since entering the league in 2014. If he can stay on track, Bryant has the ability to become the team’s top option at wide receiver after Antonio Brown.
PFR’s 2017 Live NFL Mock Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, and Pro Football Rumors is back with its second mock draft of the year. While our initial mock attempted to project what will happen in Round 1, we’ve taken a different approach for mock draft 2.0.
PFR editor Zach Links and I conducted this live mock draft on Tuesday morning, rotating picks and breaking down what we would do were we in charge of these selections. We posted each pick on Twitter, followed by a short explanation of our thought process on this page.
Here’s the complete mock:
1. Cleveland Browns (Zach) – Myles Garrett, LB, Texas A&M
I suspect this is the easiest pick either one of us will make all day. Garrett is the best pure talent in this year’s draft and the Browns would be foolish to go in any other direction at the top of the draft.
2. San Francisco 49ers (Dallas) – Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Reports that the 49ers are considering a quarterback with the second overall selection stand out as a potential smokescreen, and instead San Francisco uses the No. 2 pick to bolster its defense. Hooker, who recently earned a full medical clearance following combine rechecks, has been commonly linked to the Chargers as a perfect fit for Los Angeles defensive coordinator Gus Bradley‘s scheme. But the 49ers are running the same defensive look as the Chargers under new DC Robert Saleh, and Hooker would give the team a centerfielder with the upside of an Earl Thomas. San Francisco’s plan to convert nickel cornerback Jimmie Ward to safety won’t stop it from adding Hooker, who is possibly the draft’s No. 2 overall prospect.
3. Chicago Bears (Zach) – Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
Dallas’ bold pick left my Bears with a golden opportunity. The Bears could go safety or cornerback in this scenario, but the talent of Thomas is too good to pass up. Thomas can be used on both the inside and outside of the Bears’ defensive line and I see him as one of the safest talents on the board.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (Dallas) – Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
No, we didn’t forget the Jaguars used a top-five pick on Jalen Ramsey in 2016 and then handed a $67.5MM contract to A.J. Bouye in free agency last month. But one of Ramsey’s key selling points last year was his versatility: while he’s a shutdown corner at his best, Ramsey can man the slot, cover tight ends, and dabble at safety. As such, adding Conley doesn’t mean Jacksonville is facing cornerback overload, especially given that NFL clubs are in the nickel more than two-thirds of the time. Conley is viewed as a safer prospect than his Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore, and he’d give the Jaguars a Broncos-like secondary.
5. Tennessee Titans (Zach) – Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans, arguably, get the best cornerback available in the draft even though they are the second team to address the position. No, we don’t have a ton of film to go on for Lattimore, but his combine numbers indicate that he could be a megastar. Few teams in the NFL would have a young cornerback duo like the Titans if they can pair Logan Ryan with Lattimore.
6. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with Jets) (Dallas) – Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
In need of a franchise quarterback, the Browns send the No. 12 and No. 52 pick to the Jets in exchange for No. 6 with the intention of drafting Trubisky. It’s a slight overpay for Cleveland (at least, based on Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, which is likely what the Browns front offices uses), but it does the deal anyway to land a long-term option under center. Given that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is reportedly pressing the club to select a quarterback early — and the fact the Cleveland may still be considering Trubisky with the first overall selection — landing the UNC signal-caller at No. 5 for the cost of a mid-second-round pick is a move the Browns can’t pass up.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (Zach) – Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
In this scenario, it seems like Allen’s subpar workouts have led to a bit of a drop. His size (6’3″) is a bit of a concern, but he has the ability to be an effective defensive end while spending some time on the inside as well. Allen would look great lining up on the opposite end of Joey Bosa.
8. Carolina Panthers (Dallas) – Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Sitting at pick No. 8, the Panthers certainly have options. General manager Dave Gettleman & Co. could go after a running back like Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey, bring in a young edge rusher to play alongside veterans like Charles Johnson and Julius Peppers, or even reach for an offensive tackle given Michael Oher‘s health questions. With Ted Ginn Jr. and Corey Brown having defected via free agency, the Panthers need another wideout to pair with Kelvin Benjamin. Enter Davis, who topped 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (Zach) – Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster’s stock, by all accounts, is slipping after he turned in a diluted urine sample and got into an argument with a hospital worker at the combine. However, with other teams in the market for an inside linebacker (like the Jets at No. 12, for example), it would be somewhat risky to trade down into the teens and expect Foster to still be there. The Bengals have been willing to overlook character concerns in the past, so I see no reason why they can’t do the same here and land the Alabama star.
10. Buffalo Bills (Dallas) – Jamal Adams, S, LSU
While the Bills gave Jordan Poyer a four-year deal with $6MM in guarantees earlier this offseason, I’m still not convinced Buffalo views him as a definite starter. Those questions come to the forefront with Adams still on the board, and the Bills don’t hesitate to take the LSU defensive back. With ex-Packer Micah Hyde also in the fold, Buffalo can field one of the more diverse and flexible safety tandems in the league. Adams is viewed as a leader in the locker room, and has been favorably compared to former Cowboys All Pro Darren Woodson by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
Steelers Exercise Ryan Shazier’s Option
The Steelers have exercised their fifth-year option on linebacker Ryan Shazier, a source tells Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). The Steelers technically had until May 3 to make the call, but they didn’t see any point in delaying. 
There was no real question that the Steelers would trigger Shazier’s fifth-year option. The 24-year-old (25 in September) has been a key cog in the Steelers’ defense for the past two seasons, starting 24 of 25 regular season games played. He had roughly identical production in 2015 and 2016, tallying 87 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in each campaign.
For his work, Pro Football Focus ranked Shazier as the 32nd best linebacker in the NFL last year, tying him with Mark Barron of the Rams and Danny Trevathan of the Bears. His 78.4 overall score was a career high. With his arrow pointing up, the Steelers will retain their rights to him through at least 2018.
Bryant Uncertainty Could Compel Steelers To Draft WR
- Steelers WR Martavis Bryant is expected to be reinstated and to contribute in a big way to the Steelers’ passing attack in 2017, but given that he missed all of the 2016 season and has yet to actually be reinstated, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com believes Pittsburgh will approach this week’s draft as if Bryant is not in the mix. The team’s first-round pick is too late to land one of this year’s top WR prospects, but Fowler names Zay Jones, Chris Godwin, and Josh Reynolds as potential fits.