John Beale, Post-Gazette Alan Faneca: Steelers' Pro Bowl offensive guard could be traded. Click photo for larger image. Related articles Second sight is required on Day 2 of NFL draft Steelers want city to delay vote on casino master plan

The Steelers are more likely to make a trade and move down the ladder in the first round from their No. 15 position than move up. Or so they say.

Kevin Colbert, the team's director of football operations, also said they would consider trading players -- and that presumably would include unhappy guard Alan Faneca.

"Sure, we're open to everything," Colbert said. "You never say never on any given situation. If you say you wouldn't do it and then all of a sudden someone proposes something crazy, you have to consider it."

Colbert was asked specifically if that could include Faneca, a six-time Pro Bowl guard who is unhappy with the financial terms left on the final year of his contract. There have been rumors the Cardinals would like to acquire Faneca from the Steelers and reunite him with offensive line coach Russ Grimm and new Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt.

	Related articles The Post-Gazette counts down to the NFL draft Saturday-Sunday Sunday: What do the Steelers need? Also, we take a look at the draft as a whole and rate its top prospects. Monday: Character. It's in the news and it's becoming a bigger part of scouting ... because it's in the news. Tuesday: Day 2 of the draft is often more important than Day 1. How does a team get ready for Sunday? Wednesday: Local colleges figure to produce a number of early picks, including a couple of first-rounders. Thursday: Ed Bouchette recounts some of the historic moments in Steelers draft history. Friday: Mike Tomlin is a 4-3 defense man coming to a 3-4 team. So what's the big difference? Plenty. Saturday: Who will the Steelers take? Ed Bouchette makes his prediction. Also, he mock drafts the first round.

"We touch base with every team," Colbert said. "We never get into a specific name; most teams don't, unless they come out publicly and say that. You never mention a player's name unless you're sure that player's not going to be with you, because if that player's name gets out in trade talks and you don't trade him, now you have a problem on your hands."

Colbert said picking up extra draft choices in a trade to move down in the first round is enticing.

"It's less likely we'll go up from the 15th position because it's very expensive to get up into that top echelon,'' Colbert said. "Trading down could be an option for us. This is probably a good draft where more picks midway through is probably a good thing because there are a lot of good players that are going to be available in those 3-4 round areas. That could be interesting to us."

The Steelers have nine draft choices on Saturday and Sunday -- one in each round and compensatory picks in rounds four and five.

Other tidbits from yesterday's news conference that centered around the draft with Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin:

Colbert said a player who plays any position but quarterback and tight end is a possibility to be drafted by the Steelers in the first round.

The Steelers have 74 players on their roster; they are permitted to have 84 in training camp. With nine draft choices -- and possibly one or two more through trades -- and more free agent rookies to come after that, it seems a considerable number of current roster players will be released.

Colbert and former coach Bill Cowher held a philosophy of not commenting on individual prospects before the draft. Yesterday, Tomlin evaluated Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis when asked to do so. "He would be somebody that I would be interested in. He is definitely a viable guy. I don't think that his name would be too far down on any of the 32 boards." When someone then asked Tomlin to evaluate Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny, Colbert interrupted and said, "No, you got your one."

Halfback Verron Haynes, released by the team in March with a knee injury, continues to rehab at team headquarters. "His goal is to be available for training camp," Colbert said. "Coach told him and we reaffirmed that if he keeps working and comes back healthy, we want him back on this team because Verron is a big part of what we do."