In the week leading up to the NFL Draft, it was clear Steelers fans were feeling particularly on edge.

Hey, no first-round pick for the first time since 1967 will do that to you.

So, instead of fretting over what was going to happen in the first round, Black and Gold nation decided to funnel its anxiety toward the rumor mill.

Specifically, some pretty wild speculation about Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Leonard Fournette.

Ritchie hates the idea of Antonio Brown going to the Baltimore Ravens. Their quarterback, Lamar Jackson, endorsed that idea earlier in the week.

“AB to the Ravens? Hell no, please. It was bad enough when he teamed up with Tom Brady for one game and was phenomenal. No way I want the dude with Lamar Jackson, unless you think he could make the Ravens implode. In that case HELL YES I want him to go to the Ravens.”

Ritchie, I think he’d be phenomenal with the Ravens. And I think he’d eventually make them implode.

It’s just a matter of how long it would take before things happen.

Based on his recent experience with the Raiders and the Patriots, that timeline is somewhere between two weeks and a month.

“MrMojoRising724” isn’t fond of the much-ballyhooed idea of the Steelers potentially trading for Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette.

Fournette, is a Steeler type of back or is this another Conner ? Injury prone, do you risk that ?

— David Gagliano (@MrMojoRising724) April 21, 2020

Geez. “MrMojoRising” sure has “changed the mood from glad to sadness,” hasn’t he?

Like what I did there?

Mojo, I think we have a different definition of risk. Apparently, the Jaguars are only asking for a third-day pick in return for a little more than a $4 million cap hit. That doesn’t sound like much risk to me.

And the answer to your other question is … “yes.”

Yes. Fournette is a Steelers kind of running back. Yes. He’s injury prone. Between James Conner and Le’Veon Bell, I’d argue you can’t have one without the other anymore.

“BiasedSportsGod” is less diplomatic.

Hard pass on Fournette. He’s a top 10 RB, but toxic. I’m permanently over that in the Steelers locker room.

— Mel Kiper’s Hindsight (@BiasedSportsGod) April 21, 2020

Well, no argument here. I’m over that, too. I’d also prefer the team get over 3.7 yards per carry, though.

Bradley wasn’t a fan of the column I wrote about those trade rumors that had JuJu Smith-Schuster heading to San Francisco.

Its called you guys are BORED. Must be nice having a job just running with any story no matter what. You guys are "essential"?

— bradley pinkerston (@A_Ray_93) April 23, 2020

1. I’m not bored, Bradley. Very busy actually. Never slowed down during the pandemic.

2. No. The government hasn’t tabbed me essential. But after they read this column and see how I need to correct opinions like yours, they might change their minds.

3. It wasn’t our story that “we ran with no matter what.” It was just an opinion piece responding to the idea.

Anything else I can clear up for you? Or will that be all? Seems like this job is becoming more “essential” all the time.

Wayne actually prefers that the JuJu trade talk was closer to truth.

Trade him. He will leave anyway for a bigger market where he can continue to brand himself. I don’t believe the familiarity angle means all that much. Especially after missing an entire year.

— Wayne Wickline (@wayne_wickline) April 23, 2020

I’ll disagree on both counts, Wayne. I don’t think the Steelers want to welcome back Ben Roethlisberger with an entirely new deck of cards.

As far as Smith-Schuster leaving via free agency? Yes, that will likely happen. But not for “branding purposes.”

In football, the Steelers are a huge national brand. Smith-Schuster can brand himself, his dog and his bike as much as he wants. It means nothing if he is not a football player.

You can do worse in that business than having the Steelers logo behind you. That’s for sure.

Bill replied to my column about the Steelers’ draft strategy. He doesn’t want a running back, wide receiver or a linebacker.

“The Oline is in desperate need. All are getting old. If you don’t protect Ben (Roethlisberger), all else is irrelevant. With all the skill players available, a ready to play lineman should be available.”

I agree with the premise that the offensive line is starting to look old. And Bill is right. Better pass protection will be needed this season. Run blocking as well.

But “desperate need”? That’s a bit extreme. In fact, I’d argue that no offensive lineman drafted in Round 2 would be a lock to start.

Drafting someone of that high quality for next year? That sounds good. Let me just say, though, that you might get that kind of player next year more easily when you have a first-round pick.

And a more obvious hole to fill.

Randy tweeted me in response to my interview with Dr. Louis Falo. He’s the Pitt doctor on the cutting edge of a potential coronavirus vaccine. And he sounded optimistic about the prospect of football being played in the fall.

What's the hurry? Stay home and relax.

— Randy Diffendal (@randy_diffendal) April 20, 2020

Until September?

One of the reported side effects of covid-19 is that it dulls your senses of taste and smell.

It also apparently impacts one’s sense of sarcasm. Because I‘ve had so many ridiculous things said to me via Twitter over the last two months, I don’t know who is kidding anymore.

Randy, I’m going to assume you’re kidding. Just to make me feel better.

Forget sports. Ralph doesn’t even want the vaccine.

Would he be referring to a vaccine like the flu vaccine that is typically only 20% successful every year? It’s all about money! They will mandate everyone get a CORONA VIRUS vaccine and you can’t sue the pharma company if you are injured from it. No thanks!

— Ralph (@Pensfan668771) April 20, 2020

Um, Ralph? If the vaccine comes out and you don’t want yours, feel free to pass it my way. I’ll take seconds.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---