The Steelers will begin the next phase of their OTAs this week, with more veteran players getting mixed in with their rookie class.
How many of those veterans will show up remains to be seen. The NFLPA has advised its players to not show up at these voluntary workouts because of "COVID-19 concerns." At least that is the excuse the union is using.
The reality is that the more established veterans just don't want these voluntary offseason workouts. Haven't for years.
But the established veterans don't need these workouts. The other 75 players -- each team has 90 players on its roster right now -- do. At least if they want to get a leg up or have a chance to make a good impression.
We'll see how many veteran Steelers players show up. I don't expect, for example, to see Ben Roethlisberger as a regular attendee. Or Cam Heyward. Or Joe Haden.
In fact, for some of those players, Mike Tomlin might even tell them they don't necessarily have to come. All they would be doing is taking snaps away from young players with which Tomlin and his staff want to spend more working.
But you'd better believe that players such as Cam Sutton, or Zach Banner, or Chuks Okorafor or B.J. Finney are going to be there.
Back when OTAs first started in the early part of the century, most of the time, Bill Cowher wouldn't even come out to watch his coaching staff run OTAs from the balcony overlooking the practice field at the UPMC-Rooney Sports Complex.
Tomlin is on the field watching everything, up close and personal.
The NFLPA is doing its membership a disservice by telling them to not show up at these events. After all, the NFLPA signed off on the league having OTAs when it agreed to the new CBA last spring. If it didn't want them, that was its chance to get rid of them.
Don't try to do it using the pandemic as an excuse. And don't tell kids or young players trying to win or keep a job to not show up.
That's just not realistic.
To quote Jerry Glanville, the NFL stands for "Not For Long." You can be passed over very quickly if you're player 40 through 53 on a roster.
• The things that pass as "breaking news" on network TV continue to amaze me.
Over the weekend, it was "breaking news" that "the Patriots have had internal discussions" about the possibility of trying to acquire Julio Jones.
Here's the thing, every team in the league has had internal discussions about acquiring Jones from the Falcons, who have to trade him to be able to sign their rookie draft class. And every other player who is or might become available via trade or free agency.
That's how things work.
So, sure, the Steelers have discussed the possibility of trading for Jones. They've had discussions about the possibility of signing Morgan Moses, who was released last week by Washington.
To not do so would be a dereliction of duty.
Now, whether you make those moves or not depends on your roster and cap situation. But every team at least considers the possibility. That, my friends, is not "breaking news."
• I wrote last week the Steelers should seriously consider signing Moses.
He could immediately be plugged in at right tackle and allow the Steelers to slide Banner over to left tackle to battle Okorafor for the left tackle spot.
Suddenly, the Steelers offensive line would look at a lot more formidable.
That seems to be the biggest question surrounding this team. It's why every time I see offseason power rankings, the Steelers are down the list. But not as far down the list as they were on Peter King's rankings released Sunday night.
King had the Steelers 19th -- as low as I've seen them anywhere. And the line was the big reason.
The Steelers feel better about their line than the national pundits. After all, the line wasn't good in 2020 and the team won 12 games.
The addition of Najee Harris makes the Steelers a better team and improves the line -- right now. But adding Moses would complete that makeover.
I'd also consider adding another veteran running back to the mix -- a player of being Harris' primary backup. Maybe Benny Snell can handle that role -- maybe. Maybe it's Kalen Ballage -- maybe. But I have doubts about that.
To me, those issues are much bigger than who the third outside linebacker or fifth cornerback will be.
I've seen the Steelers scheme things up defensively to win with the likes of Anthony Chickillo as their third outside linebacker and Antwaan Blake in their starting lineup at cornerback.
There are enough stars on defense to make that work. But adding a starting right tackle and a running back to take the ball if something happens to Harris are a must -- at least to me.
• Richard Sherman said last week that he's still waiting for the Steelers to give him a call.
He should continue waiting. And waiting. And waiting.
In fact, here's hoping Sherman hasn't put all of his eggs in the basket of playing for the Steelers this season.
He just turned 33. And while he's not washed up just yet, Sherman is primarily a zone cornerback. It's what he does.
The Steelers are one of the most man-heavy teams in the NFL. This isn't five years ago when they were primarily a zone team. Sherman would have been a nice fit in 2015. He isn't in 2021, not unless the Steelers are prepared to go back to playing a lot more zone defense.
If they want to make that transition, by all means, give Sherman a call. But my guess is that won't be the case.
• To the point about young guys showing up at OTAs, is it realistic for Mason Rudolph to not show up at these sessions?
Dwayne Haskins will be there. So will Josh Dobbs. What kind of message would it send to the coaching staff if Rudolph didn't show up?
The Steelers have three quarterbacks vying for two spots.
Haskins has to show up. He's trying to make an impression on a new coaching staff. Dobbs will be battling him directly for a roster spot. And Rudolph knows the job of the No. 2 is never all that secure. He saw what happened with Landry Jones.
So, yes, I expect all three quarterbacks to show up at every voluntary session. That's just how this works.