Ed Bouchette: Good afternoon, let's begin
kjacksonpgh: ED, The Steelers have not had very much success drafting CB's in any round in the past 10 years. With a CB heavy draft do you think it is possible that there luck will change?
Ed Bouchette: It better and they will need one to help immediately.
BrianVB: Good afternoon Ed. Is it your gut feeling that if S Thomas can stay healthy one of the safety positions will be his to lose? Please tell me I don't have to replace my wife's
#29 jersey!
Ed Bouchette: Shamarko Thomas right now should be penciled in as a starting safety so, yes, it's his job to lose although I don't see anyone capable of taking it away from him at the moment.
Tony S: Hey Ed. What is the biggest misconception do you think fans seem to have about the NFL draft?
Ed Bouchette: That those mock drafts in January through March really mean anything.
kjacksonpgh: Ed, would you say this was a make or break year for Jarvis Jones?
Ed Bouchette: And with him, make or break for the Steelers defense
Matt: How involved is Dan Rooney these days?
Ed Bouchette: I just saw him and chatted with him in the office yesterday. He is there daily.
Caps on: Do you think the Steelers undervalued how important and effective Ike Taylor was? Seems like they think they can draft anyone late and he will be solid.
Ed Bouchette: I don't think that is the case. I just think that when they were drafting late in the first round, which seems to be annually, all the good ones were gone who were rated as first-rounders, so they went elsewhere.
Troy B: Chances Cam Thomas and Landry Jones make the roster after it's all said and done? Seems like most anyone would be better candidates.
Ed Bouchette: You have to have someone to replace them. Cam Thomas is one of not very many defensive linemen with experience.
Francis: Hi Ed! I feel like the most important question for the team (and one no one is really talking about) is who is going to play SS for them next year? It's assumed Shamarko but they made a pretty strong statement not having him play at all last year...
Ed Bouchette: He was hurt for much of it, and they were not going to bench Troy Polamalu.
Theo: How's come they think they're set at NT - defense hasn't been the same since 2012 once Hampton was gone, it's obviously the lynchpin of their defense, thoughts?
Ed Bouchette: You cannot bring back that Casey Hampton.
Tship: Ed thanks for another chat, not that I think they will but if the Steelers pick a Gregorey or the CB from Florida State that just got A DUI do those players already have a strike against them with the leagues substance abuse policy?
Ed Bouchette: yes.
Kenny: Hey Ed, Do the Steelers like Josh Harris enough not to take a flyer on a RB in the draft?
Ed Bouchette: I think you will see them draft a running back somewhere, probably on Saturday.
TD: Who the last first round draft pick that started year one and didn't miss significant time to injury? Are we cursed?
Ed Bouchette: Maurkice Pouncey, 2010
Guest: Who's their biggest draft bust since you've been covering them? Huey Richardson?
Ed Bouchette: One of many. Tom Ricketts. Darryl Sims, John Rienstra, Aaron Jones, Tim Worley, Jamain Stephens -- all failed first-round picks. Some say Troy Edwards but at least he had a few productive seasons.
Frito: Hi Ed, great chat as always - how could they have swung and missed so badly at OLB since 2011? Woodley should be in his prime and Jarvis should be killing it, obviously not the case, who in your opinion gets the blame?
Ed Bouchette: LaMarr Woodley had a bunch of productive years before injuries set in. Jarvis Jones was hurt last year and should not have played as a rookie.
Guest: Pouncey missed the most important game that year though right?
Ed Bouchette: Super Bowl
Matt: With Tomlin's less than stellar experience when traveling to long away games, was it Tomlin's or Rooney's idea to petition NFL for back to back games on West Coast? Any precedence of NFL approving such requests?
Ed Bouchette: Probably a joint discussion. I don't see it happening or else they will be flooded with requests, not just from east going west but vice versa
esoluke: I thought Carnell Lake did a great job at first coaching some of the younger d-backs... but maybe not so much last year. Or does coaching not matter as much as talent?
Ed Bouchette: talent always matters more than coaching.
Guest: Do you think the Steelers have completeley removed Marcus Peters from their draft board?
Ed Bouchette: I'd be surprised if he were ever on it.
Scott in Dallas: Good day Sir! Why are the Steelers not as willing to move around the draft as other teams, especially with respect to trading down and accumulating more picks? If the draft is a crap shoot why not try to have more shots?
Ed Bouchette: They have moved. Just because you move does not mean you are making the right choice.
Ed Bouchette: Case in point last season: Cleveland.
Ryan: I read a lot about cornerbacks fitting or not fitting a particular system. What would make a cornerback "fit" in the Steeler system (other than being better than what the team already has)
Ed Bouchette: The Steelers always have looked for cornerbacks who also are good against the run. I'm not so sure that will matter as much today.
Bishop: Landon Collins a good pick if he is there ?
Ed Bouchette: Sure.
Joe Hadgkiss: Hello Ed, with a presumed focus on defense in the draft, any chance the Steelers could trade up if a guy they really like is at, lets say picks 12-17?
Ed Bouchette: The other reader questioned why they don't move down to pick up more players. If you move up, you'll lose potential players. I do not see them giving away a draft choice or two to move up in the first round this year.
David: after LT who is the best linbacker on the roster today?
Ed Bouchette: That is to be determined. Based on performance, James Harrison.
kjacksonpgh: Ed, was the reason for Shamarko Thomas not having much playing time do to him being injured or just outplayed by others? Is there another reason he could not find any playing time?
Ed Bouchette: He had a hamstring injury, sat out awhile, it healed and then he hurt the other hamstring. I don't think those two injuries ever really allowed him to compete at the position.
James: Is it possible the coaches are higher on the OLB depth like they were last year on the CB depth? Last year they praised Blake and McCain when we did not get a CB in draft or FA after many said it was a position they must address.
Ed Bouchette: If they are higher on their OLB depth than they must just truly be high.
Kelso: Will the NFL decide on Bell's punishment before the draft?
Ed Bouchette: I think it's neck and neck, what will come first, announcement on Deflategate or Bell.
Latrobe Guy: Hi Ed. Thanks for the chats. Before J. Jones was hurt last year he looked like he had made improvement and was starting to understand his role in the defense. Why all the "he's a bust" talk when he cannot help breaking his wrist and not being able to play? Give him a real chance!
Ed Bouchette: Because people like to judge quickly. Instant analysis, like a mock draft in January.
AZ Brian: What do you think about the year that Sean Spence had?
Ed Bouchette: Remarkable considering where he came from.
John: You recently reported on the big question marks for the Steelers D this year. I agree, and am questioning the team's inactions on addressing some of their glaring holes. Do you think the team brass has faith in some of the young talent developing this year, or was the lack of signings simply a cap issue? The least that they could have done was to pay McCain a paltry $2.5 mil. for CB depth, don't you think?
Ed Bouchette: I thought it was a mistake not re-signing him. Was it too much? It depends on how desperate you are and if you look at that position, they would seem to be desperate.
AZ Brian: I know the Steelers love the OLB position but the secondary has been neglected for far too long. If you are Kevin Colbert in Chicago on the last day of April, who do you select?
Ed Bouchette: Truly, it depends on who is left. They are extremely thin at both positions.
The real TD: Are suprised the league hasn't done more to help player developement in the offseason? How much time does a guy Landry get in practice during season? Is the extra point really a bigger issue?
Ed Bouchette: I'm not sure what they can do in the offseason to develop Landry Jones. It's not like they can send him to the Dominican League to work on his deep ball.
rick: Any way troy is still on on the team next year?
Ed Bouchette: I'll never say never, but it sure does not seem as though he will be.
Dimitrios: In looking at the last several drafts for the Steelers it seems as though they have missed on CB more than other positions. Any idea why that might be?? Do you know if they are taking a different approach this year??
Ed Bouchette: The different approach might be to take one in the first round, which they have not done since Chad Scott in 1997. They did draft Ricardo Colclough in the second round in 2004, paying for their luck with Ben Roethlisberger in the first round.
Guest: How many more Tom Bradys or Antonio Browns would we see if the NFL had a player developement program in the offseason?
Ed Bouchette: There always are going to be those sixth-rounders who come on and those first-rounders who fall flat. Drafting is not a science, it's all opinion.
Guest: Why can't the HOF game count as 1 of the 4 preseason games instead of being a 5th? Just more risk of injury for a useless game.
Ed Bouchette: I agree that someone should give up a home game to play in that but then they'd lose the gate from the home game and I do not know any team willing to do that.
Ed Bouchette: Thanks for another great chat. See you next Tuesday.
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