Combine Weekend: Steelers Friday Night Five Questions

Happy Friday, and I hope yinz are doing well.

We’re in the middle of draft season with the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in full swing. Steelers Depot is well-represented in Indianapolis this weekend with three members of our team there to interview prospects: Jonathan Heitritter, Ross McCorkle, and Joe Clark. Be sure to follow them for all the latest information on what the Steelers are doing.

Once the Combine wraps up, we’ll turn our attention to the upcoming Pro Day circuit, free agency, and the new league year. The Super Bowl may be over, but the NFL is as busy as ever.

Any other news that comes in along the way, we’ll be sure to pass along.

A reminder that the contest portion of our Friday Five is over. These questions are now just for fun. Congrats to our winner and thanks to everyone who participated.

Peace and love, peace and love!

1 – Will Cam Heyward be a Steeler in 2025? 

2 – On a scale of 1-10, how concerned are you about the Steelers’ low marks on the NFLPA player report card? 

3 – Do you support the NFL potentially (and likely) banning the “hip-drop” tackle? 

4 – If you could pick anyone, who would love to see replace Bill Hillgrove as the team’s play-by-play announcer? 

5 – Will the Steelers draft a DL within the top three rounds of April’s draft?

Recap of 2023 Pre-Combine Weekend Friday Night Five Questions

Question 1: Patrick Peterson will earn a $3 million bonus if he is on the Steelers’ roster on the third day of the 2024 league year that begins March 13. The Steelers could save $6,850,000 in cash and cap space by releasing him. However, the newly announced salary cap is $10 million more than the projections, and Peterson would have to be replaced along with, potentially, Levi Wallace and James Pierre, who are pending unrestricted free agents. Steelers Depot respondents were evenly split on whether the Steelers should retain Peterson. He no longer has elite skills but has demonstrated versatility and leadership in the locker room.

Question 2: It proved difficult for respondents to narrow their choice to just one of the 321 players invited to this year’s Combine whom they are most excited to watch. But three emerged as the favorites. Oregon center Jackson Powers-Booth led the way. He was followed by West Virginia center Zach Frazier and Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.  

Question 3: Surprisingly, Mason Rudolph received the most mentions among respondents’ favorite memory of the Steelers’ 2023 season. One specific was play singled out: his 86-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens on the Steelers’ second offensive play of the game against Cincinnati in Week 16. The playoff game against the Buffalo Bills finished a distant second.

Question 4: Steelers Depot respondents prefer signing a free agent punter over drafting one by more than a two-to-one margin. The majority believe a quality replacement can be found in free agency since draft choices are so precious to building the rest of the roster.

Question 5: Steelers Depot respondents strongly believe that the Steelers are NOT Super Bowl contenders even if they acquire any available quarterback. The consensus is that Omar Khan must continue to strengthen the overall roster for the Steelers to become a viable postseason contender. The vote on this question was over a seven-to-one margin.

Here are the consensus answers of Steelers Depot respondents compared to the correct answers:

 We appreciate everyone responding to the Friday Night Five Questions! Keep doing what you do.