Let's get to it:
DENNY NEVO FROM ERIE, PA: When is the last day that the Steelers can put a restricted tag on Jaylen Warren?
ANSWER: Before the start of the new league year, which officially begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12, teams with pending free agents must decide whether to issue tenders tied to compensation for those players with 3 accrued NFL seasons. For the Steelers, their only restricted free agent is RB Jaylen Warren. This offseason the NFL set the first-round compensation tender at $7.458 million on a 1-year contract; for second-round compensation, the tender is $5.346 million; for original-round compensation, the tender is $3.406 million; and for right of first refusal, the tender is $3.263 million. The last day a restricted free agent can present a signed offer sheet to his original team is April 18. On Monday, the Steelers did tender restricted free agent Jaylen Warren, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that it was at the second-round compensation level.
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DAVID LEWELLEN FROM GLENDALE, WI: We tend to think of the great Steelers teams of the 1970s as one roster that was completed after the 1974 draft, but of course there must have been turnover as years went by. In your opinion, who was the most significant contributor to the 1978-79 teams who was not on the team in 1974-75?
ANSWER: I would go with OLB Robin Cole, who came to the Steelers as a No. 1 pick in 1977, over TE Bennie Cunningham, who joined the team as a No. 1 pick in 1976. Cole was drafted to follow Andy Russell, who retired after the 1976 season, and he started 5 of the 6 games in the 1978 and 1979 playoffs, including Super Bowl XIII and Super Bowl XIV. In that 35-31 win over Dallas, Cole was credited with 8 tackles; and in the 31-19 win over the Rams, he was credited with 7 tackles and 1 sack.
CHRIS HANN SR. FROM SARASOTA, FL: Reports have Javon Hargrave set to be released by the San Francisco 49ers. You have mentioned in previous answers that we need to emphasize the defensive line this offseason. Do you think it's possible for a return? Do you think it was a mistake to let him go in the first place?
ANSWER: Javon Hargrave turned 32 in February, and if he checks out medically, and could be added at a reasonable price, and provided his signing isn't viewed as a good-enough move to bolster the defensive line this offseason, he would be a nice addition. As for the 2020 offseason when Hargrave left as an unrestricted free agent, the Steelers didn't "let him go." At the time, the Steelers were committed to significant contracts for Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt, and with Tyson Alualu on the roster and capable of playing NT, they couldn't come close to matching what the Philadelphia Eagles ended up paying.
DAVE GRACE FROM MCKEES MILLS, NB, CANADA: Why have some International Game dates been announced but others have not, i.e., the Steelers in Dublin.
ANSWER: Because the NFL works at its own pace. At the latest, the date and time and opponent for the Steelers game in Dublin will be known when the league releases its entire 2025 regular season schedule, which last year happened on May 16.
JASON GODFREY FROM ENOREE, SC: With the new league year approaching I have a question on salaries. If a player has "guaranteed money" in his contract, when does that get paid? Is it a lump sum, or is it paid like weekly game checks in that the total is divided up?
ANSWER: That detail usually is included in the terms of the contract. The sides can negotiate to pay the guaranteed money in one lump sum at the time of signing, or a signing bonus can be paid in installments over the life of the contract, or something totally different as long as both sides agree to it in the contract. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to that.
KEN MAULDIN FROM CLYDE, TX: What was the purpose of signing Skylar Thompson? He's obviously a medium-to-longshot to even make the team. I understand there were no quarterbacks on the roster, but do the Steelers need a quarterback on hand to just throw balls to prospective receivers until the other quarterbacks we sign show up?
ANSWER: Which "other quarterbacks" are you talking about exactly? I'm not going to predict that Skylar Thompson will be the starter for the regular season opener, but the guy signed a non-guaranteed contract for the NFL minimum, and he has some regular season experience at the position. As of this writing, Justin Fields reportedly has agreed to terms with the New York Jets, and there was nothing concrete reported about Russell Wilson. The Steelers quarterback position appears to be in flux for the second straight offseason, and adding a guy with some regular season experience at a minimum salary before free agency opened was a solid business move. The roster limit in the offseason is 90 players. There's a long way to go until the Steelers have to make a decision on Thompson's roster spot – and in case you forgot, the offseason roster limit is 90 players. Why are you complaining about that now?
LORI STULMANIS FROM FEASTERVILLE, PA: In reference to the Steelers' situation at quarterback and now that the Combine is over, do you think the team is considering drafting one? If so, how do you feel about Notre Dame's Riley Leonard? He seems to have the talent and values that might possibly make him a good fit in Pittsburgh.
ANSWER: When it comes to the Steelers quarterback situation, as of this writing I believe pretty much everything is on the table. As far as the draft, I would be stunned if the Steelers committed the multiple No. 1 picks that would be required to trade up high enough in the first round to be able to pick one of the top guys at the position. But I would be a fool to eliminate the possibility that they might pick one at some point in this draft. As for Riley Leonard, I have seen exactly one game of his college career at Notre Dame, and based on an admittedly miniscule sample size, my thought was not knowing whether his playing style would translate into the NFL.
JARED CARSON FROM GIBSONIA, PA: What are the chances that the Steelers make a splash in free agency and sign a veteran OT who can start? Broderick Jones hasn't impressed. Troy Fautanu is an unknown coming off an injury. If the team is going to stick with this offense and is in a win-now mode, it seems like OT is a priority position along with DL and WRs.
ANSWER: The Steelers knew that in Broderick Jones they were drafting a young, raw player with limited college game experience. But they also saw him as having the potential to develop into a long-time starting left tackle in the NFL. Jones hasn't been able to play left tackle for a full season yet, and the reason Jones had to play right tackle for the last two years was because Dan Moore Jr. couldn't. When Troy Fautanu was drafted last April, the plan was to move Jones to his natural position and play Fautanu on the right side. But then Fautanu's knee injury happened. When a team trades up in the first round to draft a guy it knew was raw, two seasons isn't a long enough period to start shopping for a replacement in free agency. Broderick Jones is going to get at least another chance. Maybe two.
