Katmandu: What's the story with Casey Hampton? Is he really 40 pounds over weight? How does he look to you, and when do you anticipate his return?

Ed Bouchette: Gerry Dulac reported today that Casey was 40 pounds above his assigned weight -- he's listed at 325 -- on July 27. I'm not good at guessing weight so I can't tell you what he weighs today. I think he'll miss the rest of this week, then possibly return next week.

trentonsteelerfan: Hey Ed, great column. Quick question. What's up with all the hamstring and groin injuries? Not enough stretching? Maybe the field?

Ed Bouchette: I don't know if there's a reason for all of them, other than perhaps the coach is being cautious. They're like sacks, they go and come in waves and I've seen it over many years at camp -- some times you get a bunch, sometimes only a few. This year they have a bunch.

MPM: Is Anthony Smith in danger of losing the backup free safety spot and his roster spot to Ryan Mundy?

Ed Bouchette: I don't think so. I believe Mundy is competing with Tyrone Carter.

Max: Good to see Kemo will be running with the first team. Do you think he will be great, or just adequate, given that it has taken this long to crack the starting lineup. Faneca was great, but they've struggled at right guard from time to time, the last three years.

Ed Bouchette: Chris K has started two games in three years. It's hard to predict he'll be great. I do know the coaches have a lot of confidence in his ability. It would have been nice to see him report without an injury, though.

Katmandu: In your opinion, who has looked the best returning kicks? I'm pulling for Jeremy Bloom, but haven't heard much of anything about this competition. What have you observed?

Ed Bouchette: Actually, they don't return -- they just catch the ball. So until Friday night, we won't know much, if then.

hinestheman: Ed, from what you have seen of Hartwig, do you think he will be an upgrade at center? Is he fully recovered from his injuries?

Ed Bouchette: Yes, he's fully recovered. Yes, I believe he'll be an upgrade because he played so well a few years ago at Tennessee before his injury in Carolina.

hinestheman: Ed, it seemed that this year, we had plenty of options in the return game.... What do you make of the signing of Drummond?

Ed Bouchette: Mike Tomlin seems desperate to find a return man who can hit it big and that's what Drummond did, back in 2004. There's nothing wrong with taking a look at someone else, as long as you keep an open mind. Drummond averaged 6.9 yards on 32 punt returns last season, half a yard more than Allen Rossum.

chooch79: Do you think we will we see the Pony backfield formation on Friday night?

Ed Bouchette: No, I don't. I think you'll see plenty of the young running backs and very little of Willie Parker.

jawsteeler: Are you as tired of hearing the name "Brett Favre" as the rest of the world outside of Wisconsin seems to be?

Ed Bouchette: Who?

redhook: How is the punt squad shaping up with Sepulveda out?

Ed Bouchette: The new punter, Paul Ernster, has gotten off some good punts in practice and some that have clanged. He's searching for consistency.

steelerfan423: Hi Ed, All of us up here in Erie love our Stillers. With all of the receivers in camp, who stays and who goes?

Ed Bouchette: The first four are easy -- Ward, Holmes, Washington, Sweed. After that, I would say Dallas Baker and Willie Reid are the leading contenders.

Art_Vandelay: Have you placed any calls into a North Carolina area code recently to inquire about a certain former coach's job status? Just wondering if he is leaving his options open to other teams.

Ed Bouchette: He's a free agent at the moment, not looking to make a team this year.

MAdesso: Ed, any word if the Steelers are in any talks or searches for more punters?

Ed Bouchette: They have some other ideas. One would be Mike Barr, who was in their previous 4 training camps and is without a team. They wanted to see Ernster up close and personal first because they know what Barr can -- and cannot -- do.

jawsteeler: Baring anything unforeseen, does Dixon get the most reps at QB in the first preseason game?

Ed Bouchette: He and William & Mary rookie Mike Potts will share the second-half duties, it's my understanding.

SteelCityNB: Ed, If Kemoeatu does win the starting LG job, who is more likely to be his back up: Essex, Mahan or Colon?

Ed Bouchette: This is going to be reaaaaaal interesting. Start with your starting five and then say you have two extra linemen on game days. Are they Sean Mahan, who can play guard and center? Trai Essex, who can play guard and tackle. Or $7 million Max Starks, who can play tackle?

MP34FB: Lost in the center battle seems to be Darnell Stapleton. Is he simply viewed as depth, or is he still turning heads?

Ed Bouchette: I think Stapleton is fighting for a roster spot.

Canadian_Steel: Hi Ed - Timmons looks to have impressed some people in camp, particularly in pass-rushing drills. Is he anywhere close to supplanting Foote inside, or is he still too raw?

Ed Bouchette: Oh, he's close, and I think the job will go to Timmons as long as he shows he knows the defense well enough.

Scott: Any chance Marvel Smith gets a new deal before the season starts?

Ed Bouchette: I don't think so, but you never know. I didn't think Kendall Simmons was going to get one next year.

MAdesso: Ed, who do you forsee returning punts for the Steelers in week one?

Ed Bouchette: Maybe they can bring back Bobby Walden. I think WAY too much attention is being paid to a punter, who contributes little to a team's won-loss record.

redhook: Will "Too Tall" Sweed (if he's 4th) be able to make a meaningful contribution this year? Or is Ben stuck with the shorties?

Ed Bouchette: It's up to him, but I wouldn't look for him to catch more than 25 passes, tops.

skot: Has anyone asked Tomlin about whether he is concerned he might be overworking James Harrison?

Ed Bouchette: I wrote that, but I did not advise Mike, no.

krzanowski: How is Ryan McBean looking? Is he a legitimate backup for Smith and Keisel?

Ed Bouchette: He's not looking like it as we hit the midway point of camp.

jawsteeler: How's Mendenhall handling Tomlin's ire over getting stuffed in the goal line drill?

Ed Bouchette: I don't know if he's even aware of it, but he seems like a mature kid, popular with his teammates and someone who would take such words by his coach and use them to his benefit on the field.

Troy: One of the NFL analyst suggested with everyone healthy and everything goes well the Steelers could win 12 games. With their schedule, do you believe this could happen?

Ed Bouchette: If everyone stays healthy and everything goes well even the Miami Dolphins could win the Super Bowl.

skot: Bigger concern: offensive line depth, defensive line depth?

Ed Bouchette: I don't think depth is a problem in the offensive line as much as it is cohesion and dominance. They need to dominate people, not just have depth. The opposite is true in the defensive line, they are outstanding, I believe, in their front three but their depth at end is iffy.

steelgold86: Now that Kemo is back, do you think there will be competition with him and Essex at LG?

Ed Bouchette: No, although if chris K. does not play up to expectations, that could change. Or, if his injury continues to cause him problems.

mg: Do you think Sean Mahan will make the team if Hartwig starts, or might this be a repeat of what happened with Okobi last year?

Ed Bouchette: I think he'll make it. If they keep 10, you start with the first five and then add Starks, Essex, Hills and Mahan. That's 9. Either Stapleton or a younger player make 10.

jawsteeler: If they hadn't banned Stick-um years ago, Ike Taylor's a Pro-Bowler, no?

Ed Bouchette: Remember, the receivers would be allowed to use it too.

jawsteeler: Think Fast Willie is still a bit gun shy about the leg until he takes a good hit?

Ed Bouchette: I don't think so, but I'd have to see him in real games first.

Canadian_Steel: Ed - Peter King mentioned that Larry Zeirlein takes a completely different approach with the O-line than Grimm did. Do you agree, and, if so, how are they different?

Ed Bouchette: As it's been explained to me, Zierlein stresses using technique more than did Grimm, who believed in the bottom line. Both approaches can work.

bigsnack: Is this a test of wills between Casey and Mike Tomlin?

Ed Bouchette: It sounds a little like that, doesn't it? To a point, I would say maybe, although Casey has really said nothing wrong and Mike hasn't really put it to him other than placing him on PUP. This is not, from what I can see, an open war.

yzguy431: Off topic: how would the Steelers handle a Favre-like scenario?

Ed Bouchette: Franco who? They would a) have released him, b) embraced him and let bygones be bygones. I believe they would have taken the latter approach.

OldSchoolPatriotFan: How many more years can Batch play? I say five total. Two as the second stringer then three as the third stringer. It will be sad to see him go actually.

Ed Bouchette: I would not look for Charlie Batch to be a third-stringer here. Also, let's not annoint Dixon as his replacement just yet, especially after watching him the first 10 days of camp. He is a rookie, however, and will get a chance to come out of it but other rookie QBs have been cut because they could not cut it in training camp.

jawsteeler: Do the players keep up with who's looking good/bad in other camps in down time, or do they even care?

Ed Bouchette: No. They will catch a preseason game if they have time, or glimpses of one, and some will be aware of the hot topics (Brett Favre), but many don't even know what's going on outside of Saint Vincent.

oldschool: Ed, is this truly the biggest "Big Snack" has been coming into camp, or is Tomlin making a statement?

Ed Bouchette: Perhaps both.

njohnston89: Ed, with all the focus being on Casey, and the other minor injuries, should anyone be worried about Troy?

Ed Bouchette: His injury is not major and he's experienced enough that missing 2 weeks of camp should not affect him, provided it does not linger or turn more serious -- and that's why they're keeping him sidelined for now.

njohnston89: What are the chances all of our draft picks make the final roster?

Ed Bouchette: Better than most years.

sharonguy: Won't Limas Sweed have to kind of re-learn how to catch the ball now that his vision has changed? He had no catches in the drills for receivers vs. d-backs.

Ed Bouchette: If you get glasses that improve your eyesight, do you have to re-learn how to read?

njohnston89: Off the training camp topic, how do you see the AFC North shaking out this year?

Ed Bouchette: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore.

hinestheman: Ed, our punter is lost of the season. Enough said on that subject. How badly does that hurt? and do you think of Ernster? His resume is less than impressive and that has me concerned. I know it's only a punter, but a blocked punt or a bad punt can be difference between making the playoffs or watching it on TV. Your take?

Ed Bouchette: Daniel Sepulveda ranked 5th in the AFC with a net average of 37.9. Todd Sauerbrun of Denver ranked 12th -- at 36.1. That's 1.8 yards difference per punt. Take, on average, 4 punts per game and that's a difference of fewer than 8 yards. Although I like Sepulveda's future in the NFL as a punter, I just don't think it's a big deal and never have.

b_g_till_i_m_d_c: Will Gary Russell ever be activated for a game, or are we just too deep at RB?

Ed Bouchette: That's going to be a tough one. After Parker and Mendenhall, you have Mewelde Moore and room for perhaps one more. Carey Davis, the only fullback, or Russell?

b_g_till_i_m_d_c: Is Carey Davis in danger of being cut?

Ed Bouchette: No, I don't think so.

Canadian_Steel: How has Woodley looked so far in camp? Can we expect big things from him opposite Harrison?

Ed Bouchette: He's looked pretty good and yes I believe you can expect big things from him.

so_cal_steeler_fan: Ed, it seems that with the Rooneys preoccupied with trying to resolve their ownership issues, none of the impending free agents are going to receive contract extensions before this season begins. Do you agree? And, if so, do the Steelers risk losing some veteran leadership in the form of James Farrior and Marvel Smith.

Ed Bouchette: I agree.