Ed Bouchette: Good afternoon, let's begin
Alan: Despite his past off the field issues, do you think the Steelers will offer Bell a multi year contract? He's obviously a special talent.
Ed Bouchette: There's really been only one off-field issue and that was his smoking marijuana. Yes, I believe they will offer him a deal, but it may take the franchise tag to keep him.
Hector: Hi Ed, Is the AFC Championship race wide open with no real favorite? NE, OAK & Pitt have great offenses with suspect Defenses & KC and Denver are the opposite? Is it anybody's to win?
Ed Bouchette: I think it is New England's to lose
Scott in Dallas: Leveon Bell: 1. Have to Franchise Tag. 2: Trade him for a 2nd round pick and...? 3. Sign Adrian Peterson when the Vikings cut him?
Ed Bouchette: Nope. I value Bell more than Peterson, first off, and why would you take only a second-round pick if you have already signed him.
Franchise tag and keep him.
Ryno: Your thoughts on Kelvin Sheppard trying to turn Bell into a PEZ dispenser? And will the league fine him for it?
Ed Bouchette: If they do not fine him, it will be another case of the hypocrites on Park Ave.
Bobby: Was the Jarvis Jones pick a total whiff or was it a case of a player who was never healthy enough to develop ala Kendrell Bell?
Ed Bouchette: Bell became a later whiff, by the way.
Jones isn't a true whiff because he has played four year (although not much in his second because of injury), and because they did not miss with him because virtually everyone else had him rated right where he was drafted. He just has not developed and you can blame him or them but it is obvious in his fourth season that he isn't close to what they thought they were getting.
I gave him a pass after his second season because of the wrist injury, which I believe also bothered him last season. Not now.
Adam: Are you concerned about Bell's workload? He has yet to be healthy for a playoff run and we need him in Jan.
Ed Bouchette: No. Those injuries had nothing to do with his workload. They could have occurred had he carried just 5 times a game.
Big City: With his recent rebirth, is Timmons going to get another $15M next year?
Ed Bouchette: No, I don't think he will get a big contract, but they may try to keep him.
Gary: If the Steelers have a top defensive lineman drop to them in the next draft, would they consider switching back to a 4-3 base defense? How big of a change is that? Could their existing linebackers make that transition?
Ed Bouchette: No, I do not believe Bud Dupree, Chickillo (a DT in college), Moats, Harrison or J Jones would be anything close to ideal 4-3 outside linebackers. Shazier and Timmons might be the only ones.
Scott in Dallas: Can you see the Steelers getting through the Patriots if they meet in the playoffs? Brady would kill them right?
Ed Bouchette: Well, he didn't exactly kill them this year, even with Ben Roethlisberger out.
NC Fan: The metrics have Ross Cockrell as the worst CB in the league. Why is he still on the field???
Ed Bouchette: I'm not sure what metrics you are talking about.
Guest: Speaking of Timmons and next year, is Vince Williams playing less than you expected? I sort of thought they'd try to work him in more, to groom him. But I guess Timmons and Shazier are playing too well right now.
Ed Bouchette: Yes, I thought Williams would play more but, yes, Timmons' play has improved greatly.
Adam: What will the Steelers do if Harrison decides to retire? How have they been so bad at finding pass rushers?
Ed Bouchette: They would have Dupree, Chickillo and Moats and maybe re-sign Jones or draft another one. Lot more 3-4 defenses these days looking at those "tweener" college defensive ends who can convert to 3-4 OLB. More competition and it's not as easy finding them in the third and fourth round as they used to.
Ryno: Did Porter really see double digit sacks from Jarvis Jones this season, or was it more like hoping?
Ed Bouchette: He told me in the summer he thought both "could" reach double digits, he did not predict it.
Big City: Does Colbert finally take heat for whiffing on J. Jones
Ed Bouchette: All GM's whiff here and there. It's not a perfect science. Maybe a pick such as Antonio Brown or Le'Veon Bell offsets that, huh?
WAROnTheRock: Could we be looking at yet another draft (2017) in which the first pick is OLB?
Ed Bouchette: I would not discount that.
JamesinNYC: Do you think of bringing Harrison back? I know he is old/ but so was Jack LaLanne when he pulled the boat at 70. Sorry he was the only one I could compare Harrison too.
Ed Bouchette: Junior Seau might be another.
If he keeps playing as he has and he wants to return, I'd sign him.
Guest: I know it's still early, but getting three good defensive starters in one draft would be impressive. They've all showed promise, so how good can Burns, Davis and Hargrave ultimately get? Can they all be Pro Bowl-caliber in the next few years?
Ed Bouchette: Why limit them? Of course, they could all be Pro Bowl-calibre. However, Hargrave is unlikely to ever make it because nose tackles do not play enough in modern defenses.
joe d: do you think hargrave will play sunday?
Ed Bouchette: He is in concussion protocol. That thing can go either way and there is no telling right now.
Kevin in Punxsy: After stating that the Steelers could not work with a 5-man OLB core, Tomlin played all 5 on Sunday. He seems to be full of (*****).
Ed Bouchette: Moats played only 8 defensive snaps and Jones only 12. You really going to nit-pick on that?
Scott in Dallas: IF M. Bryant is able to get his head on straight and return to the team, will they let him?
Ed Bouchette: Yes, I believe they will. Why not?
Jeff: Who has better chance of winning next three games...Steelers or the Ravens?
Ed Bouchette: Ravens seem to have the tougher road, starting Sunday in New England. They also have to play at Heinz Field. They will be yunderdogs in both.
Big City: Is R. Cockrell the only option at CB? How embarrassing. Is it an indictment of Tomlin or Colbert?
Ed Bouchette: I'm not sure what you mean. He was drafted in the fourth round by Buffalo, which cut him a year later. The Steelers picked him up for nothing and he worked his way into the starting lineup and, I think, has become a competent cornerback. That's not an indictment, that's a notch on their belts.
Adam: I did some playing around with ESPN's playoff machine and it looks like this week's game is mostly meaningless as long as we win the 3 divisional games to end the season. There is no way to beat a tiebreaker with Bmore if we dont also tie their division record. Do you think we can go 5-1 in the division?
Ed Bouchette: As you mention, I believe they have to go 5-1, which means beating Baltimore and Cincinnati.
Mike: Hi Ed, good day. the DLINE improve a lot in the last 2 games. Do you think the DLINE can be competitive against the Dallas OLINE?
Ed Bouchette: You trying to look ahead to a possible Super Bowl matchup?
GSK: Hi Ed, it appears Timmons is not old and slow to me do you see him as a every down linebacker?
Ed Bouchette: Yes, which he always has been ever since he became a starter.
FlaFan: Hi Ed, Both TEs, after missing easy catches, caught some balls, especially L Green. Can they be depended on to help the passing game?
Ed Bouchette: I believe they already have. Lot of receivers drop passes -- you just don't want it to happen very often.
Adam: What does Harrison attribute to his health and longevity at the position? How does a 38 year old keep playing at such a high level?
Ed Bouchette: He has a phenomenal workout routine that includes acupuncture and all kinds of other maneuvers to take care of his body.
Guest: Are Ladarius Green's headaches no longer a concern? Is he at no more risk than anyone else for concussions, etc.?
Ed Bouchette: I can't answer the risk question but the headaches have disappeared, obviously, or he would not be playing.
GjSteel: Hi Ed, we have had problems with the Buffalo team...and they have played solid this year...what do you think is our biggest obstacle to beating them this weekend?
Ed Bouchette: Buffalo is a difficult place to play, maybe the windiest in the league. However, the Steelers have won their past 3 games there and have beaten the Bills 5 straight overall. The biggest obstacle is Shady McCoy; they must stop him, or at least slow him down.
Adam: Do you think this newly found defensive force can stand up to the running game in Buffalo?
Ed Bouchette: That is the question of the week. They have not seen a good run attack in the past 3 games. They will see the No. 1 run game Sunday, on the road.
GSK: Hi Ed, looks like a good chance of a snow game in Buffalo on Sunday...do you think that favors either team?
Ed Bouchette: While you would think it would favor the team that runs the best, the Steelers can do both and I don't know if Buffalo has the talent to throw much in the snow so the Bills would have to lean more on the run while the Steelers could mix it up.
Edward: Does 3-1 win the AFC North for the Steelers? Do they beat Baltimore at Heinz?
Ed Bouchette: They are going to have to beat the Ravens, I believe, in order to win the division. If they lose and both teams go 3-1, the Ravens win the division.
Clark, The: How are Coates injured fingers? It would be nice to have him stretch the field again...
Ed Bouchette: I believe the first broken one, the index, has healed. The ring finger still had a splint last week.
Aaron: Will Green's snapcount surpass Jesse's in the coming weeks?
Ed Bouchette: The Steelers use a lot of 2 TE, but I could see Green getting more, yes, especially if the No. 2 WR does not develop
Latrobe Guy: Ed, what do you see as the biggest concern the Steelers would have with the Bills Sunday?
Ed Bouchette: Shady McCoy
Adam: Wow Ed poor taste with the Seau comment. You know he passed right?
Ed Bouchette: So, we cannot praise dead people? What's wrong with you?
I thought Lincoln was a great president too. So there.
JJ: A few new looks on D last week. By design or necessity due to injury?
Ed Bouchette: They've been showing different things all year, as I wrote last week, including that 5-linebacker, 0-cornerback formation.
Doug: It seems they miss Heath's blocking a lot. He used to spring Bell for his longer runs. Or has Bell lost a half step?
Ed Bouchette: None of their tight ends can block as well as Heath Miller.
Adam: If the Steelers had one play to pick up 5 yards and Bell and Brown were double covered, who would Ben feel the most confident throwing it to?
Ed Bouchette: Eli Rogers would be my guess.
Ed Bouchette: Thank you for another great chat. See you next Tuesday.
First Published: December 6, 2016, 2:11 p.m.
Updated: December 6, 2016, 10:50 p.m.
