A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for March 14.
Manning Wants Belichick
Once rivals, Peyton Manning is now lobbying Bill Belichick to join his team. Speaking to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, Manning hopes Belichick will join his media company, Omaha Productions, and serve as analyst and commentator come the fall.
“If it comes to fruition, I think fans will be excited to see how incredibly brilliant Bill Belichick is when talking about football and how witty and funny he is,” Manning said, as transcribed by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
Losing out on head coaching chances after parting ways with New England, Belichick’s future is still uncertain. But it seems he’ll take a year off to do something before attempting a return to coaching in 2025.
Bleier’s One-Man Show
Rocky Bleier has gone from the football field to the theater stage. As shared by WINK News reporter Zach Oliveri, Bleier is bringing a one-man show to Naples, Fla., to discuss his life story. From serving and being severely injured in Vietnam, nearly ending his football career, to returning to the Steelers and helping form a dynasty.
“That’s the only thing I could ever ask for,” Bleier said. “That it maybe touched some people or maybe made a difference in how they perceive or want to get things accomplished.”
Bleier’s show will take place at Opera Naples on April 20 and 21.
Odell Beckham Jr. Released
Former Baltimore Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr. was one of several players released with post-June 1 designations, a list that includes now-Steelers QB Russell Wilson. ESPN’s Field Yates tweeted a list of players who received the same designation.
Procedural minutia aside, Beckham is done after one year in Baltimore. Billed as a big-time signing for more money than anticipated, Beckham’s impact was more muted. While he made plays downfield, averaging over 16 yards per catch, he ended the year with just 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Putting that in perspective, Nelson Agholor had more receptions and touchdowns than Beckham. Now 31 years old, he’ll try to catch on elsewhere for at least another season.
Beckham had just two grabs for 13 yards last season against Pittsburgh, inactive for the regular-season finale. He caught four passes across the team’s two playoff games. Drafted in 2014, it marked only the third postseason run he’d been a part of in his NFL career. Mike Tomlin’s yawns have proven to be accurate.
Wiggins’ Weight
One piece of draft news to pass along. As they usually are, the Steelers were out in full force at Clemson’s Thursday Pro Day. The team’s top prospect working out was CB Nate Wiggins. And good news, he’s packed on some pounds. Per ESPN’s Matt Miller, Wiggins weighed in at 182 pounds after tipping the scales at just 173 two weeks ago at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Miller says Wiggins was sick prior to his Combine workout yet still ran a 4.28 40.
Just north of 180 pounds is still light for a corner. But it puts Wiggins into a more “normal” range as opposed to 173, which would be an outlier for a top-round corner (though 164-pound Emmanuel Forbes was a first-round pick of the Washington Commanders a year ago).
