Five Steelers Storylines to Watch at NFL Combine
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are off to the NFL Combine, and there are plenty of headlines - maybe more than usual - to watch as they spend a week in Indianapolis.
In years past, the Steelers were doing their homework on every great prospect. Most times, they didn't make much noise prior to the NFL Combine, and it was tough to gauge what major news was going to come out of the week with the head coach and general manager spending time at Lucas Oil Stadium.
This year feels different. The team is moving quicker than they have in a long time, they already have holes - and have created holes - they'll likely try to fill in the NFL Draft, and maybe, just maybe, there will be a quarterback trade that takes place.
Here's what to watch for when monitoring the Steelers at the NFL Combine.
Which O-Line Are They Talking To?
The Steelers are going to meet with offensive tackles and centers during the NFL Combine week. That's a given. But what players they talk to will have a good indication on which direction they're going with their early picks.
If they are only talking to the top two or three centers in the draft class, you could imagine they're going to use a first or second-round pick to replace Mason Cole. If they are all-in on offensive tackles with first-round potential, maybe they're looking elsewhere for a center - or willing to wait.
Jackson Powers-Johnson and Zach Frazier are the key indicators here. If they're the names Pittsburgh has spoken to, and really only those names, you know what the Steelers are aiming for early.
Justin Fields Trade
There are reports that the Bears could be looking to put a trade into place at the NFL Combine, moving on from Justin Fields before free agency begins. The Steelers have been the favorite to land the former first-round pick all offseason, and it's hard to believe Omar Khan doesn't at least talk to Ryan Poole in Indianapolis.
Fields headlines will be all over the place during Combine week, and the Steelers will likely be in the mix. How real things get will be something - and maybe the biggest thing - to watch.
The QB Class
What about the rest of the quarterbacks being talked about at the NFL Combine? The Steelers could look at the draft class for a third, or maybe even second option behind Kenny Pickett (and maybe Fields?). But what round of quarterbacks they're talking to will help us get an understanding of how early or late they're thinking of selecting one.
If Bo Nix and J.J. McCarthy are sitting down with Tomlin and company, maybe that's something worth watching. If it's only late-round options speaking with Pittsburgh, or no quarterbacks at all, maybe they're not as in on this batch of passers as some of the mock drafts say they are.
First-Round CB?
Cornerback remains a hot topic of conversation, and is in the mix with tackle and center as potential first-round picks for the Steelers. Who they have their eyes on, and really who impresses during the drills, will be what most Steelers fans have their eyes on.
Is Kool-Aid McKinstry an option? Is Cooper DeJean heating up enough to land in Pittsburgh? Are they looking at every first-round cornerback option, or just a few? And how late are they scouting into the draft to find even more options.
The cornerback class is probably going to be the most exciting when it comes to the Steelers and the NFL Combine. Something to keep your eyes and ears on throughout the week.
Where Do the Rest of the Positions Fall?
What about defensive line? Wide receiver? Punter?
The Steelers have other positions of need that they will be looking to add to during the NFL Draft. But unlike cornerback and offensive line, they may be looking for more of the mid-to-late-round options instead.
That's what'll get interesting. This week could give us a clear indication of when they'll be looking to add to different positions, outside of the big three. Maybe they're a lot higher on defensive tackles than we believed they were. Maybe punter isn't even on their list, and they're only looking at veterans after the Pressley Harvin era.
Maybe wide receiver is a first-round option and no one knows it. All of this will be discovered at the Combine, and by the time we leave, there will be very few secrets left for the Steelers to hide.
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