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From the sidelines

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In a sitdown today with select members of the Pittsburgh media, Steelers president Art Rooney II had plenty to say about the direction of the team. But his main point of focus was that the Steelers need to get better in the secondary.

That’s significant.

In the past, when Rooney has identified an area where the Steelers needed to get better, they have not only addressed it, they have made a concerted effort to do so.

So while Steelers fans come out with the mantra that the team will just move forward with what its got in the secondary, that just won’t be the case.

Certainly, the front office and coaching staff would have worked to improve the secondary regardless of whether Rooney publicly said it needed to happen or not. They aren’t dummies, after all. They could see that it was the one area of weakness that needed to be addressed moving forward.

And they tried to do so last season, drafting Senquez Golson in the second round and Doran Grant in the fourth. But neither corner was a contributor in 2015, Golson because of injuries and Grant because he’s more likely suited to move to safety, which could happen this offseason.

But they also put stock in Cortez Allen bouncing back from back-to-back poor seasons and Antwon Blake taking a big step forward. Neither happened.

Allen won’t be with the team in 2016. He’ll be released and Blake proved to be a guy who’s better suited for a role as a backup and special teams player.

The Steelers still aren’t going to break the bank when it comes to free agency. But don’t be surprised if they make a play at bringing in at least one veteran cornerback or safety to help shore up the secondary.

@ Rooney also said he’s still interested in bringing a Super Bowl to Pittsburgh and that the team remains intrigued about the possibility of playing a regular season game oversees in the next few years, with Mexico being a distinct possibility.

“I think that’s coming in the next few years,” said Rooney. “Hopefully we will be one of the teams chosen to go down there.”

@ Rooney said he doesn’t see the league changing the new PAT rule, adding he believes kicking a 33-yard PAT has made things more interesting.

“There were a few more missed extra points in terms of the kickers, but nothing dramatic,” Rooney said. “I think it really encouraged people to go for two a little more often and that makes it a little more interesting.”

The Steelers led the league last year, going 7-11 on two-point conversions and head coach Mike Tomlin, when trailing 20-13 late in a playoff game at Denver, told his offense before it went back onto the field that he was going for two if they scored.

That would have been interesting to be sure.

@ Rooney said the team has no time frame on when it might look at reworking the contract of wide receiver Antonio Brown, who is scheduled to make $6.25 million in 2016, making him one of the game’s most underpaid stars.

Brown has two years remaining on his current contract and the Steelers moved $2 million of his 2016 salary to 2015 to bump up Brown’s pay.

Despite leading the league in recetions in each of the past two seasons, Brown ranks 12th among receivers in terms of 2016 compensation. Julio Jones, with whom he tied for the league lead in receptions in 2015, will earn more than twice what Brown will next season.

@ Rooney said he has no concerns regarding the health of center Maurkice Pouncey, who has missed all but one game in two of the past three seasons.

“We are looking forward to Maurkice coming back and being healthy and continuing to be a major contributor,” Rooney said.

@ The Steelers took a decent amount of heat when they signed Mike Vick as a free agent with backup Bruce Gradkowski was placed on injured reserve.

Vick, of course, served a prison sentence for his part in a dogfighting scheme. That led to protests throughout the season outside Heinz Field.

“I certainly understand the opinion of some people who are dog lovers and have a hard time getting over that,” Rooney said. “I understand that and respect that opinion. We felt like Mike had done his time and he came here and conducted himself the way you would hope a player does.”

@ The Steelers, like nearly every NFL team, have had issues with players being suspended for marijuana use. Last season, that meant playing two games without Le’Veon Bell and four without Martavis Bryant.

While Rooney admitted that opinions nationwide are changing in regards to marijuana use, he would not predict any changes in the NFL’s view of the recreational drug.

“Whether that’s something that gets addressed is really a collective bargaining agreement issue for us,” Rooney said. “We would have to address it in that context, and if something like that happens, it’s probably a little down the road still.”

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