SCB Steelers Quick Hitters: The “Pending Doom” Edition

March 15, 2021

Good Monday to you Steelers fans.

Wednesday is the first day of the new League year. That means today is when the NFL’s “legal tampering” is allowed to begin. While I hope that I am 100% wrong, I believe the pending doom that is JuJu Smith-Schuster going elsewhere is much closer to reality. Late last week you saw reports saying the Steelers were “talking contract” with JuJu. This is not accurate. Any time the team has a player heading into free agency that they would like to retain (and one that seems to want to stay), they tell said player to go out and see what the offers are and then come back to them. The same thing is happening with Bud Dupree as well. If you want to call that “contract negotiations” be my guest but that’s not really what it is. Do I want JuJu (and Bud) to remain in Pittsburgh? Damn right I do but I also understand the financials. Do I believe they both want to stay in Pittsburgh? Yes, I really do believe they would both like to stay. But if I understand the money side of this then I guarantee you they do as well. Like I said, I’m not looking forward to what is likely coming and it could be as soon as today.

Tweet of the Day… Not sure how I would classify this tweet from JuJu.

No matter what happens this week, if I’m back or if I’m somewhere else, just know that I will never see Pittsburgh as just 4 yrs of my life, but a part of who I am. I’ll always carry that tough, blue collar spirit for the rest of my life. I LOVE YOU PITTSBURGH #412 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/BIJCUDNbQQ

— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) March 14, 2021

Due Diligence

While the Steelers haven’t been linked to any big name free agents, shocker I know, they will bring back free agent guard/center B.J. Finney on a one-year deal. As a guard, he provided huge depth for the Steelers and in games he started, the running game was often better or more successful. As a center, I was not nearly as impressed. Being that he’s back on a one-year deal it’s possible he’s not even on the roster come the beginning of September. If he’s the Steelers’ starting center on opening day then I have huge concerns. For now, he’s a guy with experience and familiarity with the team. Ray Ray McCloud will also return. His usage on offense dwindled as the season went on and his punt and kick returns were typically solid. He always gives you the feeling he’s about to break one and hopefully this season that happens.

Pro Days

Last week at the Pro Day for the University of Oklahoma, center Creed Humphrey has an exceptional outing. Seen largely as a second or third round selection, I have to believe he solidified second round status easily if not maybe even first round. The good news is that this could be someone the Steelers are highly interested in. The bad news is that there are other teams who are just as interested… Army, Middle Tennessee State, Vanderbilt and Kent State. Of those four, I’d lay my money on the Steelers being at Kent State. They love the MAC schools.