Could Cleveland interest in Deshaun Watson change…

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The Steelers used to own their division. Now, in the aftermath of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, they’re in danger of being left in the dust. It’s an important point to keep in mind when pondering whether the Steelers would make a play for Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Last week, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Steelers “ARE NOT interested” in Watson. The all-caps certainty suggests that the news came from someone whose position can’t be vetoed. Someone whose last name starts with an “R” and ends with a “Y”.

But that was last week. This week, Watson has avoided criminal charges. This week, teams are reportedly lining up to pursue him. This week, the Cleveland Browns are one of those teams.

What better way to get the Steelers into the fray than to force the Steelers to confront the possibility that the four Week One starters in the AFC North will be Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, and Mason Rudolph?

So if the Steelers aren’t interested in Watson, maybe they should be. And maybe the team source who said “ARE NOT” last week should at least shift to lower case, or at most drop the “not.” If they don’t consider a guy who may end up in Cleveland, the Steelers could be slipping into last place behind a pair of Ohio teams that the Steelers not long ago dominated.