The NFL is not going to be holding the draft at Radio City Music Hall next year. According to ProFootballTalk, the venue that has become synonymous with the NFL draft has no availability next April or May. So, the league is exploring other venues in NYC, and is also considering holding the event in other cities.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh is one of the cities in the mix to host the draft in 2015.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/474937072793309184

With other larger markets in play, Pittsburgh may seem like somewhat of a long shot to play host next year. While that may be the case, the city has the venues to easily pull it off.

Radio City Music Hall has a seating capacity of 6,000. Consol Energy Center holds approximately 18,000. The Petersen Events Center can hold over 12,000, and the Convention Center has more than adequate space for the event. While not a very likely option, the event could also be held outdoors at Heinz Field.

The draft has actually been held in Pittsburgh twice already. Once in 1947 at the Fort Pitt Hotel which was demolished in 1967, and then again in 1948 at Hotel Schenley (which would later become the William Pitt Union).

Team President Art Rooney II made his opinion known last year regarding the draft coming to Pittsburgh. “Sure, I’d like to see the draft move around (to other cities), and I would love to see it come to Pittsburgh some time,” Art II said last June. “It’s a great event and attracts tremendous fan interest. It would be a fun event for Pittsburgh to host, and I think our city could do a great job with it.”

With draft interest rising every year, and viewership at an all time high, the NFL will be in a seller’s market when courting potential hosts. The first round of the 2014 draft saw a 28% increase in viewers from the previous year. The NFL Network and ESPN had a combined 32 million viewers according to Nielsen. With that number projected to go up in the future, there will be no shortage of cities vying to play host. We’ll have to wait until the end of this month to find out where next year’s draft will be held.

Ike Taylor has arrived to OTA’s according to various media reports from the practice facility. It’s not uncommon for Ike to arrive after the training activities are well underway. Taylor, who is coming into his 12th NFL season, has been working more on explosiveness in his offseason training.

The veteran cornerback typically spends much of his offseason training with renowned sports trainer Tom Shaw down in Florida. “I am working more on explosiveness,” said Taylor via the Steelers website. “Coach Shaw has gone back to the old school New Orleans workouts, you have to pass out before you come and talk to him. We drink the water, but we are going all the way in. I have been at my best when we had that mindset in the offseason. I said coach put me to the breaking point.”

Back to OTA’s, Dri Archer is also back to practice after missing most of last week due to the NFLPA Premier event. As I mentioned last week, his absence was mandatory. Most rookies would rather be with their team during that time.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is absent today from OTA’s, reportedly due to a family matter which required his attention. Troy Polamalu and Jordan Zumwalt are the other two players who are absent. Zumwalt will not be back with the team until after UCLA’s finals conclude. He’ll be back again when minicamp convenes.

Jason Worilds and Nick Williams are rehabbing today according to Scout.com writer Jim Wexell. Williams for his knee, and Worilds for his leg that he hurt a week ago. According to Worilds at the time, it was just cramping. According to a beat reporter at the scene, it looked like a hamstring injury. Clearly it wasn’t just cramping.