Ed Bouchette: Good afternoon, let's begin
Adam T: Are teams required to be truthful/transparent about concussion protocol? If so, either you’re wrong about Green or Tomlin/Steelers may be in trouble with Lord Goodell, right?
Ed Bouchette: I can tell you with confidence that we are not wrong, that Ladarius Green is in concussion protocol. What coaches tell us and what they tell the league often are in conflict.
dave: Do the Steelers think they were misled by Green about his concussion/headaches?
Ed Bouchette: I'm not sure, but I would guess no. Otherwise I would think he would have tried to hide them now as well if that were the case. He has money riding on this too.
Adam: What options does Harrison really have to avoid suspension? He has to interview right?
Ed Bouchette: Yes, he has to interview. if he does not cooperate, he will get the Tom Brady treatment.
Ryan H.: Has anybody in the secondary caught your attention or do you think we gonna have the same issues as last season
Ed Bouchette: The issues could be more pronounced than last year.
Guest: Will Artie Burns be the starter in game 1?
Ed Bouchette: I do not believe that is likely. It will be William Gay and Ross Cockrell.
aron dubois: Any unknown guys doing well in camp
Ed Bouchette: Yes, I believe backup DE Ricardo Mathews is doing well, as he did in the first preseason game. He signed as a free agent from the Chargers, a much better signing than was Cam Thomas from that team.
kjacksonpgh: Ed, with Keith Butler’s defense being simplified do you see at least our first 3 picks potentially able to get playing time sooner rather than later?
Ed Bouchette: It has nothing to do with the style of defense they play and everything to do with opportunities and their own talent. There are more opportunities on this defense for a rookie to break in than there were in, say, 2010.
Krugerrand: Do you think Harrison could mount an appeal process that would drag through the full season, or as Brady's precedent made that impossible?
Ed Bouchette: I'm not sure what there is to appeal. They want to interview him, not really suspend him. It's probably time for him to agree to that.
Guest: Are the Steelers close to a contract extension with any of their upcoming UFAs?
Ed Bouchette: It does not sound like it. They have until Sept. 12, by their own policy. I still think David DeCastro will get done, but maybe no one else.
Biff: will run defense improve this season w/ Tuit in Yr2, Shazier in Yr3 and Big Dan replacing McClendon?
Ed Bouchette: It should, but I would not automatically put Daniel McCullers in the starting lineup. Rookie Javon Hargrave may still win that job.
Adam: Can the Steelers keep Green on the PUP for as long as 6 weeks into the season without putting him on IR or making a corresponding roster decision?
Ed Bouchette: They can keep him on PUP all year long if they want, as long as he still is deemed physically unable.
TK: What did you think of Doran Grant's play last week? I thought there was some good and some bad.
Ed Bouchette: Certainly the good would have been that interception. I do not remember much bad, although I believe he did not get a checked call when his blitz was supposed to be called off and he blitzed anyway. Vets have done that.
dave: Do you think they'll be looking for another TE before the season starts?
Ed Bouchette: I'm not sure where you would find a competent tight end better than what they have at this point.
Adam: Do you think Heyward Bey gets more snaps this year than Coates? He seems to be the true wild card of the recieving corps.
Ed Bouchette: If that happens, it would mean that Coates has not developed as they had hoped.
Adam: Was Harrison's splash play on the first series an indication he is still elite or should I write it off as a preseason game?
Ed Bouchette: We can write a lot of things off to a preseason game, and sometimes we should, but plays like that also should not be dismissed merely because they occur in the preseason against the other team's first unit. He also broke up a pass in the flat with a big hit.
Krugerrand: followup - could the NFLPA argue that the NFL is violating the negotiated illegal substance policy by trying to use interviews to determine drug use rather than using drug testing?
Ed Bouchette: I have never seen that as the intent. All they said was they wanted to interview them. How they think they might anything other than "no" to their questions in those interviews is what I don't understand. The NFL is merely trying to exert its power over the players, but the players would seem to have little choice here. They negotiated away those rights in 2011.
Ron: They're losing (and lost) prime Ben years. Why can't they fix the secondary? What they are doing isn't working.
Ed Bouchette: They tried and so far have failed. I'm not sure why they cannot find competent cornerbacks besides William Gay.
Adam: Why are they allowing Timmons to play for 15 mil this year? Is it simply to take back leverage in negotiations next offseason?
Ed Bouchette: That is his cap number, not his salary, which is closer to $9 million. So even if they cut him, he would count nearly $6 M against their cap. Also, maybe they think more highly of him than others do. There also is this -- the roster is at 90. It will have to be whittled down to 53.
IVAN: If they cut Ladarius Green, how much money do they have to pay him?
Ed Bouchette: He received a $4.75 million signing bonus. He would get no more. I would doubt they will cut him. If he remains injured, they would have a case of recouping that signing bonus.
Adam: Why do retired players count as dead money when it was their choice to do so? Do we have any dead money for Heath for example or Polamalu last year?
Ed Bouchette: I assume that agreement took place between the club and player before he retired. Otherwise, the player could just wait to be cut instead. Heath Miller counts $3 million against their cap this season.
Then there is Cortez Allen, who did not retire but was released. He counts $4 million against them this season.
Scott: Is the leagues decision to interview Harrison based exclusively on the Al Jazeera report? Al Jazeera hasn't been very credible in the past so why trouble those players over an unreliable source?
Ed Bouchette: It would appear to be, yes. Why? Because the NFL can.
Adam: How has Hargrave performed so far in camp/preseason?
Ed Bouchette: He looks better and better. I think he may win that job.
Jay: I believe that the LB drug related issue was predictable based upon the company he was keeping as reported by the PG Staff. Snoop Dog is a notorious smoker and everybody around him partakes. My thought is that nobody should have been surprised. Thoughts?
Ed Bouchette: You of course are referring to Martavis Bryant. I too was surprised he was hanging out with the Dogg.
Herman: What are the chances of finding a decent QB Backiup? I have very little faith in Landry Jones.
Ed Bouchette: You might have little faith, but the Steelers will stick with him.
Adam: Can the Steelers generate enough pressure to mitgate their weakness in the secondary?
Ed Bouchette: They did so last season when their 48 sacks ranked 3rd in the league. There's no reason to believe they cannot do that again.
Poochie: Hi Ed: I just watched the Concussion movie for the first time over the weekend. I was surprised how much it centered around the Pittsburgh Steelers/City of Pittsburgh. What are your thoughts on the movie and did you ever discuss same with the Rooney organization?
Ed Bouchette: There were so many reported factual errors in that movie that I have decided not to watch it.
Leo Lee: All of this complaining about the secondary, you can't have all pro's at every spot! It used to be the o-line, then the recievers, now it's the secondary. It's the NFL and parity will win out. It's a wonder some do not grasp this concept.
Ed Bouchette: Precisely. Every team has its weaknesses and the Steelers' biggest is its secondary. They still are No. 2 odds-on favorites from the AFC to reach the Super Bowl.
Theon: Hi Ed, would Troy consider coming back for a season as a hybrid LB/SS type? Obviously they could use the help
Ed Bouchette: I do not believe there is an invitation forthcoming for him from the team.
Ryan H.: do you think dupree missing so much time is gonna hurt our OLB production during the season
Ed Bouchette: No, because he played last season. He has time to round into form before the real season begins.
Awana: If you were Steelers decision maker would you pick up the first decent CB released by another team say for financial reasons?
Ed Bouchette: I believe they will be looking at every cornerback who becomes available.
Adam: Is Brown going to accept his contract this year or is he under the impression a big deal is imminent?
Ed Bouchette: If he thinks he will get an entirely new contract instead of another $2 million advance, he is being poorly advised.
NYSteeler: Any indication as to when the NFL will decide on Bell's appeal? The delay only hurts the team's preparation. Can't imagine that is acceptable. Thoughts?
Ed Bouchette: The NFL moves in mysterious ways and this is a great example of it. They had since March to schedule the appeal. Maybe the line is just very long at the appeals desk.
JohnB: Now a days can teams afford to spend much time and have to develop a player a la James Harrison who was cut multiple times, played Special teams before reaching his true potential?
Ed Bouchette: Actually, they do, with a 10-man practice squad and 90 players on the off-season roster until cutdown dates just before the season. There may be more opportunities for players such as Harrison to stick around and show improvement enough to make it.
There just aren't many James Harrisons around.
Adam: Do the Steelers expect to have Bryant back next season? Gordon and Pryor could make for the most interesting WR duo in the league.
Ed Bouchette: They will bring him back, provided there are no further issues or suspensions.
Ed Bouchette: Thanks for another great chat. See you next Tuesday.
Follow Ed Bouchette on Twitter @EdBouchette.
First Published: August 16, 2016, 4:31 p.m.
Updated: August 16, 2016, 6:21 p.m.
