Asked and Answered: April 12 – Steelers.com
Let’s get to it:

PATRICK GILHOOLY FROM WHITBY, ONTARIO, CANADA:
DeAngelo Williams’ performance last year was an essential part of the offense. He played extremely well in the absence of Le’Veon Bell and would have earned a starting role with almost any other team in the league. It’s almost a waste to have him backing up Bell. But what about setting up Bell to be used as a wide receiver on a part-time basis? We all know he has good hands. That’s one of the reasons he is so dangerous as a running back. He puts up a lot of all-purpose yards. What do you think? Is this a possibility, or is there a rule against it?

ANSWER: I think that while there is no rule against taking an All-Pro running back and using him as a wide receiver, there should be a law against it. I’m on record as being completely in favor of utilizing Le’Veon Bell’s receiving skills as a weapon in the passing game, but I’m thinking that’s not what is being suggested here. In my mind, Bell has the potential to post a season in which he rushes for 1,000 yards and catches passes for 1,000 yards, but I’m thinking that’s not what is being suggested here. My belief is this is one of those “let’s take a great player and move him to another position to create room on the field for someone who isn’t as good as the guy we’re moving” ideas. Right?

MARK WEBER FROM PATERSON, NJ:
Could the Steelers select a quarterback in the later rounds of the draft such as Jake Coker, who they would have time to develop?

ANSWER: Could they? Yes. Should they? Absolutely not, in my opinion.

DEREK ROOKER FROM BRANDON, MS:
When a veteran player renegotiates his contract in an effort to help the team with cap space, I’ve noticed sometimes the money “given up” by the player is turned into a bonus instead of straight salary. If said player earns the bonus will the amount of bonus eventually be reapplied to the cap? Love your column.

ANSWER: When a player re-does his contract to help a team’s salary cap, the typical procedure involved has a hunk of his salary turned into a signing bonus or a roster bonus. That money typically is paid to the player immediately, and then it’s spread out over the duration of the contract to lessen the immediate hit on the team’s salary cap. The kinds of bonuses involved in such salary cap machinations aren’t performance-based, but are more in the line of a sure thing, so that the player is taking no risk to help the team.

JEREMY JAMES FROM CARY, NC:
With Antonio Brown being the best receiver in the game and his contract coming up soon, do you see a scenario where the Steelers trade him in order to get some compensation for him? We have a lot of high-priced players, and I would love to keep Antonio, but I could see a team offering a king’s ransom in the form of draft picks in a trade for him. What would the Steelers need in a trade to make it happen?

ANSWER: Here is the reality: Antonio Brown has two seasons left on his current contract, and then there is a tool available to the Steelers called the franchise tag. That’s three more years, and after those three years, Brown will be approaching a season in which he will be 31 years old. The best thing for Brown and the Steelers is to work things out on a long-term deal, and that’s what I expect is going to happen.

KELLY JOHNSON FROM TOOELE, UT:
Which opposing team of the Super Bowl era has consistently been the biggest challenge for the Steelers?

ANSWER: The Super Bowl era began in the late-1960s, and so we’re talking about a span of 50 years. The only way to look at this question is by separating it into different eras because of the ebb and flow of the fortunes of even the best NFL franchises. Over the course of those 50 years, the Steelers have been challenged at various times by the Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns (don’t laugh), New England Patriots, and the Houston Oilers. But judging from the Steelers’ all-time series records against all NFL teams, the Denver Broncos have shown themselves to be consistently difficult. All-time against the Broncos, the Steelers are 6-7 at home and 5-12-1 on the road. The Steelers are 3-5 vs. the Broncos in the playoffs.

GARY LLEWELLYN FROM DAYTONA BEACH, FL:
I’ve noticed that Ben Roethlisberger’s weight has been listed at 241 his entire career with the Steelers.  But, it seems to me that he’s gotten much heavier in recent years.  He looks at least 20 pounds heavier now than he did, say, in Super Bowl XL. Would the team “hide” his true weight?

ANSWER: You do understand that there is no NFL rule about the listing of players’ heights and weights, and how often those must be updated, or anything like that, right? There’s no law about that, either, not even in the South. Fudging heights and weights have been going on in sports for generations, and my suspicion is that’s something unlikely to change. A player weighs too much when his weight inhibits his ability to perform, and at that point it really doesn’t matter what the actual number is. In 2005, the season that ended with the Steelers winning Super Bowl XL, Casey Hampton was listed at 320 pounds, Jerome Bettis at 255. Think those numbers were accurate? Me neither. Do you think it mattered? Me neither.

THOMAS ANDERSON FROM KNOXVILLE, TN:
No question, just a comment. I love Asked and Answered, the wit and insight is great, and it’s a column I always anticipate reading. What really puts it over the top, though, is the biting sarcasm with which you deal with many of the more, uh, interesting questions. Seriously, it reminds me of home.

ANSWER: Sounds like you grew up in my neighborhood.

CARLOS ARVIZU FROM MEXICO CITY, MEXICO:
I love the way Asked and Answered is so informative. My question is how is the “games started” statistic determined? With all the different personnel packages, what happens if in the first offensive play there is no running back or just one wide receiver?

ANSWER: “Games started” is a very simple statistic. The 11 players on the field for the first offensive play are given a “start,” as are the 11 players on the field for the first defensive play. The positions those 11 play are irrelevant.

JIM MILLER FROM TULSA OK:
Thanks for the chats on Mondays, and for Asked and Answered every Tuesday and Thursday. I’ve enjoyed picking the best Steelers players in Rounds 8 & Later through Round 5 of the #UltimateDraft series currently appearing on Steelers.com. Round 4 and Round 3 each have one Hall of Fame player to choose from in John Stallworth and Mel Blount. After that, Round 2 and Round 1 each have multiple Hall of Fame players to choose from, including Jack Lambert and Jack Ham in Round 2, and Troy Polamalu, Rod Woodson, Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, and Joe Greene in Round 1. Who will you vote for in these?

ANSWER: The more meaningful question is: for whom will you be voting?

SCOTT SIRKO FROM JOHNSTOWN, PA:
I was wondering whatever happened to LaRod Stephens-Howling? Very fast and great talent. I was wondering if he’s still playing?

ANSWER: Stephens-Howling has been out of football since tearing his ACL in 2013, which was his one season with the Steelers after entering the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals.

STEVE MAGEE FROM DUNCANNON, PA:
Who is responsible for deciding which player jerseys are produced for market? Is it the team, the jersey manufacturer, the NFL, or maybe a combination of these? I ask because I want a Mike Webster jersey, and it’s not possible unless I go out of country.

ANSWER: Nike makes current player jerseys based on what the retailers order, and the minimum number that must be ordered for those to be offered is 144 units per player. Retired players (or the player’s estate in the case of Mike Webster) would be approached for their rights by Mitchell & Ness, which has an agreement with the NFL and the NFLPA to produce retired players jerseys. And as another factor, the player has the rights to their name AND number on the jersey of any team they played for. In the case of retired players, the size of the order required to produce that jersey might be higher to cover the guarantee to the player (or his estate), and also the NFL and NFLPA. Some players cannot generate enough dollars to cover any guarantee, while others ask too much to make financial sense to the manufacturer. The list of retired Steelers players currently offered by Mitchell & Ness: Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris; Joe Greene; and Jerome Bettis.

PETE GAYDOSZ FROM WINFIELD, WV:
Because of Ryan Shazier‘s inability to stay healthy, and our needs at safety, why don’t the Steelers play him there in a similar role to Troy Polamalu’s? Shazier has the necessary skills and speed that could make him an All-Pro, while keeping him healthy and on the field.

ANSWER: I thought this issue had evolved into parody, but I guess not. See below.

MARK JOHNSON FROM KANE, PA:
Looking for a long, fast, tough, cornerback? Why not Ryan Shazier. I think he could be a shutdown corner and hit like a brick wall. At this position he may stay healthy all season, or am I just dreaming?

ANSWER: If not dreaming, certainly hallucinating.

WADE SVENDSBYE FROM LIBBY, MT:
With Ben losing 15 pounds, Don’t you think he should move to safety? That way he could play both sides of the ball. I’m sure he is A LOT faster now.

ANSWER: Love it. But I actually may be leaning toward taking advantage of that development to incorporate more zone-read quarterback keepers into the offense. This way, the offense won’t have to abandon the idea if Tim Tebow’s political career takes off. Besides, Ryan Shazier is the guy at safety. Or maybe cornerback.

BILL MOESLEIN FROM BOYNTON BEACH, FL:
Who picks the questions that are to be answered?

ANSWERS: Someone who doesn’t like me very much?

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