Ed Bouchette: Good afternoon, let's begin

Dave: Ed, saw over weekend that coach Lake attended a fantasy camp and admitted Steelers would have taken Jackson over Burns. Why would he admit this now? Also he said that Boykin had a hip problem which is why he keeps getting released. Any truth to all this?

Ed Bouchette: Yes, to both. I and Gerry Dulac have been writing and saying since the day of the draft that the Steelers were prepared to draft Jackson right until the Bengals drafted him in the spot before them.

I also heard recently the same thing about Boykin, that he had hip problems that might end his career.

Kevin in Punxsy: The new LT the Steelers signed ( I think his name is Harris) recently stated that the LT job is his to keep or lose. Would you agree with his statement?

Ed Bouchette: His name is Ryan Harris, who started every game at left tackle for the world champs last year. No, I do not agree with his statement but it is a positive for him and them that he thinks that way. It will be a competition between Harris and Villanueva.

Guest: Why is it taking so long for Pitt to sign 1st rd pick?

Ed Bouchette: I'm not sure but it really does not matter. He is practicing with the team right now.

Ray: Happy Tuesday, Ed. How much do you know about Cockrell's time with the Bills? Was he released because of an abundance of bodies at the position? Or did he play himself out of consideration?

Ed Bouchette: I never really checked into his time with the Bills but he was a fourth-round draft pick that saw action as a rookie and then was released before his second season, which seems kind of odd. Maybe it was payback for the Bills claiming guard Kraig Urbik when the Steelers released him.

Kevin in Punxsy: When A Brown came to the OTAs, he and Burns went at it and it was written about. Since then I haven't read anything about them going head to head. Your comments, please.

Ed Bouchette: It was written about that first day because it was the first time they went at it and it was Antonio Brown's first day at spring practice after his dalliance with dancing. It is the spring. They wear no pads. If we wrote about all the matchups going on out there, it would be both boring and, for the most part, not telling at all.

This time of the year, it's all about the stories, not necessarily how players are doing in these drills.

Dave: Cant tell much by football in shorts but who are some players that stood out as being in better shape this year from last that you think may be primed to take that next step?

Ed Bouchette: I think Sammie Coates is high on the list.

hector: Hi Ed, would Plaxico come back as some sort of team ambassador/assistant WR coach? or has he burned his bridge?

Ed Bouchette: He burned no bridges here. I've never though of him as a budding coach but you never know. They need no more ambassadors with Dan Rooney here.

Paul: Does Bryants one year suspension count towards his 5 year rookie contract? With his talent would you assume the Steelers will let him play out the whole contract and hope he has his life in order after this latest suspension? The rookie contract isn't difficult to swallow salary cap wise. Obviously one more set back would likely be the end of his tenure.

Ed Bouchette: Martavis Bryant signed a 4-year contract. This would have been his third year. However, it does not count and they do not pay him. So, if he returns to play in 2017, that will be his third year and 2018 would be his fourth. He does not count against the cap this year and they will not release him this year because there is no need to do that. he is on a suspended list and does not count in any way on their roster or on their cap.

Renal: Man, if they could do that 08 draft over again. What was your personal relationship with Mendenhall and Sweed?

Ed Bouchette: I covered them like I would any other player. Some people forget that Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 1,108 yards in his second season, 1,273 in his third and 928 in his fourth. He was not a bust, just maybe somewhat disappointing for them.

Reedboat: It's been written that Pouncey's weight is down. True? If so should it get back to be where it was before injury?

Ed Bouchette: I think it should be wherever he and the Steelers think it best for him to weigh.

Taz: When Kevin Colbert and Omar Khan aren't writing up contracts in the summer, what else are they doing? I can understand cap challenges, but I don't understand the delays with some seemingly destined actions, such as DeCastro's contract, a final Timmons contract, and Artie Burns's deal. I don't anticipate Bell to get a contract until some franchise tag business is worked out next summer.

Ed Bouchette: What is your rush? It's June 7. They will get done what they want to get done -- and the players want to get done -- before anything HAS to get done.

GjSteel: Hi Ed, who from the Rooney family impresses you to be the next Rooney to be part of the football braintrust?

Ed Bouchette: Dan Rooney, eldest son of Art II, grandson of Hall of Famer Dan Rooney

Guest: I saw Troy Polamalu in a new Head & Shoulders commercial. He seemed to be passing the NFL shampoo spokesperson baton to Odell Beckham. Not that I really care about that, but it was interesting to see Polamalu again. He seems to have almost disappeared since retirement was forced upon him.

Ed Bouchette: That probably means that Troy has another life that he's living.

Ryan: Hi Ed, great chat as always. Question about how Dan got control of the Steelers from his father Art. I know his brother Art was very involved and he has other brothers/sisters. How did he get sole control?

Ed Bouchette: His father named him president, long after his father kept giving him more to do with the team, including the hiring and firing of coaches, and he proved especially adept at it all.

Adam: Do you think Wheaton will establish himself as the clear number 2 or will Coates challenge him for that spot?

Ed Bouchette: Wheaton established himself last year as No. 2, so I see no reason he cannot do it again.

Ed Bouchette: But that's why they call it "competition"

Neil: Are they planning on bringing Legursky back? I think he is an excellent back-up center for a good price.

Ed Bouchette: No, I think that ran its course.

Neil: What's the deal with McCuller's motivation? He seems meek. It seems like if he got mean, he could be unstoppable!

Ed Bouchette: If you ever talked to Dermontti Dawson, you might describe him in a similar way and he is in the Hall of Fame because he played the game at such a high level. It does not require being mean.

Adam: Are the Steelers taking a wait and see approach with Bell? In my opinion, he should play out his contract this year. Then the Steelers can either give him his big contract or use the tag on him. Theres no reason to raise his cap number now.

Ed Bouchette: You could see it happen that way. Actually, it remains one of the more intriguing decisions they face this year.

GjSteel: Ed do you have a story about Muhammad Ali ..have you met him?

Ed Bouchette: I never met him and I kick myself for not driving the 45 minutes to his training camp in Deer Lake, Pa., from where I grew up. He made an appearance in a Super Bowl press room once about 20 years ago to watch a heavyweight title fight on the closed circuit TV we had in that room. I watched Ali the whole time and never looked at the TV.

He received a standing ovation from the media in that room when he stood up and left.

Guest: You mentioned Carlton Haselrig recently. What prompted the Steelers to draft a guy who'd never played football? And how did he get so good at it so quickly?

Ed Bouchette: That's a long story. He played in h.s. at Johnstown but not in college because Pitt-Johntown did not field a team. He was such a good wrestler that several teams worked him out, including the Steelers.

They drafted him in the 12th and final round and first put him at nose tackle, where it would seem to be a natural spot for a wrestler. Chuck Noll, though, then moved him to guard and he was outstanding at it until other things took over his life.

Adam: According to PFF through ESPN, the Steelers have the fourth best roster in the league. Where would YOU rank them?

Ed Bouchette: Well, they were second in the AFC North last year.

This year, they seem to be the darlings of the oddsmakers in the AFC.

I'd say that's about right.

Ed Bouchette: Thanks for another great chat. See you next Tuesday, our final chat before the one leading up to training camp.

First Published: June 7, 2016, 1:45 p.m.
Updated: June 7, 2016, 6:11 p.m.