The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
KEN MAULDIN FROM CLYDE, TX: "Let's get to it." With the 21st pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, Bob Labriola selects?
ANSWER: The 1969 version of Joe Greene. By that I mean an interior defensive lineman who is stout against the run, contributes to the pass rush, and is a leader, an example, and is passionate about winning.
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JIMMY CRUZ FROM TERRACE, CA: I like the job our Steelers have done in drafting to strengthen the offensive line. I believe we're going to be solid up front, and with adding DK Metcalf I think Mason Rudolph is capable enough as our starter. What are your thoughts on Rudolph?
ANSWER: I thought it was a smart signing, a solid addition during free agency to bring Mason Rudolph back to Pittsburgh. Rudolph is familiar with the Steelers, the Steelers are familiar with Rudolph, and what that means is there doesn't have to be a get-to-know-you period. Also, Rudolph is a proven professional and has been a good teammate wherever he has played, and I also cannot see a situation where he would balk at helping/mentoring any of the other quarterbacks who end up on the depth chart by the time the offseason program begins in earnest.
RAY MARSHALL FROM LANCASTER, PA: Wondering if you know if Jack Lambert was in attendance at the Mel Blount Youth Home benefit celebration of the Super Bowl IX team?
ANSWER: After looking at the photos from the event that were posted on Steelers.com, I did not see Jack Lambert in any of them.
WILLIAM H. KUKLAR FROM GULFPORT, MS: Our Steelers currently have 78 players on their roster, not counting Jeremiah Moon, who I believe does not count on the roster. We also have 6 draft choices currently, and that would leave us with 6 open roster spots. Is this normal for this time of year? Also how much draft salary cap money is needed to sign those picks?
ANSWER: On the roster currently posted on Steelers.com, the Steelers have 75 players under contract including Jeremiah Moon. Offseason rosters have a 90-man limit, and draft choices do not count toward that limit until they sign their contracts. The amount of salary cap space that can be used to sign those picks will be determined by the NFL once the draft is over, because trading up and/or back in rounds could affect the total number of picks. The Steelers have plenty of ability to maneuver between now and the start of training camp based on those roster numbers.
CHRIS FULLER FROM MILFORD, KS: When players are placed on injured reserve, are they allowed to travel with the team and be on the sideline to support the team? I preach it to kids all the time to be at the games to support the team even if they are injured and can't play. I was just wondering if the NFL has the same mentality.
ANSWER: It's folly to compare youth sports to professional sports in that respect. The NFL has strict rules governing how many people are allowed to be in the bench area during games, and having spots taken up by injured players instead of medical personnel, as an example, just doesn't make a whole lot of practical sense.
WILLIAM PALAICH FROM CLERMONT, FL: Which team will be considered the home team in Ireland and how does it work for season ticketholders when your team is the home team?
ANSWER: The Steelers are the designated home team for this season's game in Dublin, and the team's season ticketholders will be billed only for the games played at Acrisure Stadium.
EDWARD BONTRAGER FROM McKEE, KY: I cannot remember a year like this when the Steelers have been the most talked about team nationally leading up to the draft on April 24-26. All of this arguing is giving me massive anxiety for Thursday night. Can you help me get re-centered please?
ANSWER: Stay off social media. That's what works for me.
JEFF BANKOVICH FROM ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP, PA: I see the Steelers are signing a number of players to one- and two-year contracts. By doing this, are these players guaranteed a roster spot, or do they still have to prove themselves during training camp?
ANSWER: Some players – such as certain veteran, proven starters – might be guaranteed some money, but roster spots are not guaranteed.
NICHOLAS PELCHAR FROM PURCELLVILLE, VA: If the Steelers really want Jaxson Dart, and he is on the board at No. 21 overall, then wouldn't it make sense to trade back to a team picking in the Nos. 28-to-32 range if they give up their second-round pick. What do you say?
ANSWER: I do not believe that a team picking late in the first round – 28th overall to 32nd overall – would be willing to give up a second-round pick to move up to 21st overall.
CARLOS ROURA FROM LAKE FOREST, CA: Like every draft, there has been lots of talk about the quarterbacks. This year sounds a lot like 2022 when we drafted Kenny Pickett in that it seems to me to not be a good draft class for quarterbacks and the first-round QB rankings and their issues vary from week to week. Looking back, what happened to the quarterback who went to the Titans in 2022 who the talking heads said we were going to draft?
ANSWER: Malik Willis was a No. 3 pick (86th overall) by Tennessee in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he spent his first two seasons as a backup for the Titans and 2024 as a backup in Green Bay. In his three NFL seasons, Willis has appeared in 18 games, with 5 starts, and he completed 75-of-120 (62.5 percent) for 900 yards, with 3 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and a rating of 83.3. Still on his rookie contract, Willis is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2025 season.
THAD SPREG FROM MAKAKILO, HI: What would happen if a team offered a $2 million incentive to each player if the team won the Super Bowl, and then that team did it?
ANSWER: With 53 players on the roster, that team would be on the hook to pay out $106 million in incentive bonuses that then most likely would count on the next year's salary cap. Which is why that would never happen.
