Steelers Were Also Concerned About Hightower's Health
The Jets‘ decision to withdraw their mammoth Dont’a Hightower offer after the linebacker’s physical may not represent an isolated view of where the linebacker is at in his career. Entering his sixth season, Hightower is viewed as a risk physically, and Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com notes his Patriots contract illustrates this (video link via CSNNE.com). Breer notes the four-year, $35.5MM (base value) contract contains more per-game roster bonuses than any other Patriot performer’s while also including sizable incentives based on playing time and potential Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors. He adds the Steelers shared the Jets’ concern about Hightower’s health, with Gang Green worrying Hightower wouldn’t last three or four more seasons. Hightower has missed 11 regular-season games the past three years.
Ben Roethlisberger Leaning Towards 2017 Return
When reports that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was mulling retirement surfaced back in January, no one really expected No. 7 to hang up the cleats. Just one week later, we learned that club officials expected the face of their franchise to return, and that was the last public report on the matter. Everyone, it seemed, just assumed that Big Ben would be back in 2017.
But as Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk observes, Roethlisberger himself has yet to formally declare his intent to return this season, though it appears as if that could be coming soon. Roethlisberger spoke at the Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend conference at Liberty University on Friday, and he was asked if he’s going to play in 2017. He replied, “I’m leaning towards it” (article via Dale Lolley of the Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter).
Roethlisberger has missed a combined six games because of injuries over the past two seasons, but his production has remained strong. He’s now fresh off his fifth Pro Bowl season, in which he completed 64.4% of his 509 passing attempts, amassed 3,819 yards on 7.5 YPA, and tossed 29 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. Pittsburgh has regularly been a league superpower since it drafted Roethlisberger 11th overall in 2004, having finished with no fewer than eight wins during any of his 13 seasons and gone to the playoffs nine times. Two of those postseason trips have culminated in Super Bowl victories, the latest of which came at the conclusion of the 2009 campaign.
Backup signal-caller Landry Jones recently signed a two-year deal with the Steelers, but the team seems intent on selecting a quarterback in the 2017 draft, which they have not done since they drafted Jones in 2013. This year’s crop of QBs, however, is considered to be rather weak, so it is unclear if Pittsburgh will really be able to find Roethlisberger’s heir apparent in 2017.
Roethlisberger has three years remaining on the contract extension he signed in 2015. He’d owe the Steelers $18.6MM if he were to walk away.
Steelers Made Minimal Effort To Re-Sign Jarvis Jones
- While the Steelers has “mild interest” in re-signing linebacker Jarvis Jones, the club never made a real effort to retain the former first-round pick before he inked a one-year deal with the Cardinals on Monday, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Jones, 27, never lived up to his draft billing, but did provide solid run defense over 35 starts in Pittsburgh. The Steelers will now roll with Arthur Moats and Anthony Chickillo behind James Harrison and Bud Dupree on the edge.
Darrelle Revis Open To Playing For Steelers
Free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis told reporters playing for the Steelers would be a “dream come true,” Penn Live’s Jacob Klinger tweets. Revis is a Pennsylvania native and attended the University of Pittsburgh.
Although Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported last week the Steelers are not interested in signing Revis, that was prior to all charges stemming from a February altercation being dropped. It’s possible Pittsburgh wasn’t mulling a run at Revis due to the off-field concerns that surrounded him at the time, and if that’s the case, perhaps the club has changed its tune. If the Steelers’ stance was based on Revis’ level of play, then they’re probably still not interested.
Revis, 31, ranks as PFR’s No. 4 free agent corner at the moment, and while he’s certainly not the shutdown corner he was in days gone by, Revis is still a viable starting option. He graded out as the league’s No. 64 corner in 2016, per Pro Football Focus, which would place him right at the tail end of acceptable play. However, one general manager recently told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News he wouldn’t go after the veteran cornerback even if he agreed to play “for free.”
Steelers To Sign WR Justin Hunter
The Steelers have signed wide receiver Justin Hunter, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The former second-round pick has yet to justify his draft status but the Steelers are apparently intrigued by his athleticism and speed. 
The Steelers now have eight wide receivers under contract (Antonio Brown, Cobi Hamilton, Eli Rogers, Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Demarcus Ayers, Canaan Severin, and Hunter), so something has got to give. Hunter probably has only a little bit of guaranteed cash on his deal or perhaps no guarantee, so it’s not a given that he’ll make the 53-man roster.
The Patriots were linked to Hunter last week, but they might have backed off their pursuit after installing Brandin Cooks at the top of their WR depth chart. Hunter closed out the year with the Bills, but we didn’t hear any word of them trying to retain him.
Latest On Dont’a Hightower
Linebacker Dont’a Hightower is slated to choose between three offers today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He’s deciding between the Steelers, Jets, and Patriots, though that’s not necessarily in order. Those close to the situation still believe he’ll remain in New England. 
The Jets, apparently, have offered “far and away” more money than anyone else. Still, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, he doesn’t seem inclined to accept Gang Green’s offer. The Jets have offered more than $12MM per season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report hears (on Twitter).
The Steelers reportedly told Hightower their offer to him would disappear if he left town without signing on the dotted line. Hightower, it seems, is either still in Pittsburgh, or the Steelers were making an empty threat to coax him into signing.
All along, the expectation has been that Hightower would circle back to the defending champs. Still, money talks and this will probably be the largest deal the 27-year-old ever signs. Soon, we’ll know the verdict.
Jets Have Largest Offer To Dont’a Hightower
The Jets are likely offering the largest contract to free agent linebacker Dont’a Hightower, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, who says Hightower will sign with New York if he’s “looking for the biggest financial score.” Gang Green is willing to hand Hightower a “blockbuster contract,” per Cimini, while Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets the Jets have “far and away the most money on the table.”
Still, Hightower “doesn’t seem inclined” to accept the Jets’ offer, per La Canfora (Twitter link), which would jibe with reports indicating rival clubs expect Hightower to re-sign with the Patriots. If Hightower does sign with New York, the Jets would likely release long-time middle linebacker David Harris, paving the way for Hightower and 2016 first-round pick Darron Lee to play together in the club’s 3-4 scheme.
The Steelers are also involved in the Hightower sweepstakes, but Pittsburgh reportedly told Hightower its offer to him would disappear if he leaves town without signing on a dotted line. Hightower’s meeting with the Steelers has concluded, but it’s not readily clear if he’s left Pittsburgh, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link) Hightower is still in talks with the Steelers, Jets, and Patriots.
The Titans, meanwhile, are out on Hightower, as general manager Jon Robinson says his club never even met with Hightower.
Latest On Steelers, Dont’a Hightower
The Steelers have made an offer to free agent linebacker Dont’a Hightower, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, they don’t want Hightower to use their proposal for leverage with the Patriots. He has been told that if he gets on the plane to leave Pittsburgh without agreeing to terms, the offer will be off the table. 
Hightower has been making the free agent rounds, but it certainly sounds like his goal is to return to the Patriots. After Hightower spoke with the Jets and Titans, both teams were skeptical about his willingness to actually leave New England, though the Jets still sound quite interested. The Jets may be willing to drive up the price on the rival Patriots, but the Steelers want no part of that game. They’ve made their offer to Hightower and if he does not quickly accept, they’ll redirect that cap space in another direction.
Adding a superstar like Hightower would certainly lessen the blow of Lawrence Timmons leaving for the Dolphins. Soon, we should know whether Hightower will shock everyone and join up with Pittsburgh.
Five Teams In On Nickell Robey-Coleman
In addition to the Vikings, the Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans are also showing interest in defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. Robey-Coleman has found a healthy market ever since being discarded by the Bills earlier this month. 
Last year, the slot cornerback earned a higher grade from Pro Football Focus than teammates Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby. All in all, he graded out as PFF’s No. 33 overall corner. He was set to make just $2.1MM this season, but Buffalo instead decided to cut him and save $1.65MM against the cap.
The Steelers had interest in Davon House before he signed with the Packers on Tuesday, so they are still in the market for help at corner. The Vikings are also a logical landing spot. They remain in pursuit of defensive back Lardarius Webb, but it’s possible that he could return to the Ravens on a cheaper deal.
Steelers Host WR Justin Hunter On Visit
Wide receiver Justin Hunter visited the Steelers on Monday, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The team also met with former Green Bay linebacker Jayrone Elliott. 
Hunter, a former second-round pick, has never lived up to expectations. The Titans’ old regime believed that he had the upside and talent to be a bonafide WR1 in the NFL. The new regime, led by GM Jon Robinson, cut him loose in September. From there, Hunter had stints with the Dolphins and Bills. In 13 games, he amassed ten catches for 189 yards and four touchdowns.
The Steelers presently have seven wide receivers under contract: Antonio Brown, Cobi Hamilton, Eli Rogers, Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Demarcus Ayers, and Canaan Severin. That’s a solid top five, so it’s possible that the Steelers are eyeing Hunter as a practice squad candidate. If that’s the case, then any potential deal between the Steelers and Hunter would probably take a while to go down. Before signing a taxi squad deal, Hunter will likely exhaust all other 53-man roster opportunities.
The Patriots were linked to Hunter last week, but it’s unclear if they’re still interested following the acquisition of Brandin Cooks.