The Steelers took their 007 approach to the draft to new heights yesterday. Coach Bill Cowher and Kevin Colbert, the team's director of football operations, spent 50 minutes at a news conference without mentioning the full name of one college player they might draft.
In fact, the only college players they mentioned were quarterback David Carr, who will be drafted by Houston with the first pick, and two Pitt players they identified only as "Antonio" and "R.J."
The Steelers have gone undercover for the draft Saturday and Sunday. Requests to speak with Colbert, Cowher, the assistant coaches or scouts about the draft have been routinely turned away in recent weeks. The news conference yesterday was the media's only chance to speak to anyone in the organization about the draft.
Colbert did say the team will begin negotiations with six players whose contracts will expire after 2002. They include three restricted free agents who did not sign elsewhere as the deadline expired yesterday. They are linebacker Joey Porter, defensive end Aaron Smith and halfback Amos Zereoue. Their rights now belong to the Steelers for at least one more year.
Three others Colbert targeted for talks on new contract are tackle Wayne Gandy, All-Pro guard Alan Faneca and strong safety Lee Flowers. All three have one year left on their contracts.
"Those negotiations will be an ongoing thing," Colbert said. "We don't know how quick or how long it will take. But, that will be the process as we go through the remainder of this off-season and training camp, possibly."
Colbert said the Steelers hope to have new contracts for all of them before the start of the season.
As for the draft, there was plenty of "best football player" available tossed around yesterday. The Steelers draft 30th, or third from the bottom, and with virtually all of their starting jobs locked up, they will use this draft to build for the future rather than seek immediate help. Last season, their first two picks wound up starting and contributing significantly to their defense -- nose tackle Casey Hampton and linebacker Kendrell Bell.
That's not likely to happen this year.
"With this many starters coming back, you don't really see a glaring hole right now," Colbert said.
He and Cowher shed little light even on what positions might be more important to them. At one point, Colbert said the team could make a trade to move up in the first round. Later he said, "I think we're in a situation now where we're going to sit tight and see what falls to us because of all the variables involved with picking that low."
Said Cowher: "It gives us flexibility to sit there and look at this and not feel like we have to draft for need. ... There is not going to be a lot of pressure [for a rookie] to have to step in and perform right now, as I think in the past a lot of players have been penciled in, more or less."
Less is what Cowher and Colbert fed the masses yesterday about the draft. Their strategy, since Colbert joined the Steelers two years ago, has been the less said the better because they do not want other teams to have any idea what they are thinking.
The trade for Kendrell Bell last season is a good example of why they take that approach. Had another team with similar interests known the Steelers wanted to move up from the 50th pick (in the second round) to the 39th to draft Bell, that team might have tried to move higher.
Of course, keeping secrets about Danny Farmer did not help them in the long run in 2000. Farmer, a fourth-round draft choice, was cut before the season.
Cowher did say the team would have four quarterbacks in training camp, which means they will draft one or sign a rookie or veteran free agent.
"We certainly feel good about our quarterback situation," Cowher said.
Colbert went out on a limb and said, "I think there is a pretty good group of safeties.
"There is a decent group of corners. The linebackers are kind of so-so. There is never enough defensive linemen. So, I think there are some good players to be had."
Just don't ask who.
NOTES -- Cowher said Bell will not switch positions at inside linebacker. There had been talk that Bell would move to Earl Holmes' spot as the strong-side linebacker. ... With Bobby Shaw gone as a free agent to Jacksonville, the Steelers are considering moving Hines Ward to Shaw's slot position when they play three wide receivers and use Troy Edwards on the outside in that formation. ... The Steelers' exhibition schedule has been changed again. Originally set to open Aug. 12 against the Jets in Heinz Field, that game has been moved to Thursday night Aug. 8 and will be broadcast on ESPN. The start of training camp has also been moved up to July 24. Their game against Minnesota has been moved from Friday night Aug. 30 to Thursday night Aug. 29 at Heinz Field so it will not conflict with high school football.
Cowher, Colbert keep Steelers' draft interests close to the vest 
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