Falling:



Ronald Fields, defensive lineman, Denver:



Fields was arrested in Houston last weekend for carrying a gun. He faces misdemeanor charges. It has not been a great offseason for Fields. First, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan (the man responsible for bringing Fields to Denver last year) surprisingly left Denver. Then, the Broncos brought in a new starting defensive line and now this. Fields is expected to be a rotational player this season. Still, this development doesn’t help his already falling star in Denver.



Rising:



Ryan Mathews, running back, San Diego:



The Chargers were very pleased what they saw of Mathews in their rookie minicamp. It reinforced the team’s decision to trade several picks to move from No. 28 to No. 12 to get Mathews last month. San Diego loves the way Mathews moved around the field. They think he will be an instant factor in both the running and receiving games.

Falling



Competition for the left guard spot in Green Bay: When the dust settled from the Packers’ 2009 season, there was some sense that left guard Daryn Colledge’s left guard position could be turned over. Colledge hadn’t played well enough to guarantee a starting role in 2010, and he sat out the early part of the offseason program after refusing to sign his restricted free-agent tender. The Packers were looking for a place to play promising backup T.J. Lang, and they also would like to find a place for center/guard Jason Spitz if he returns healthy from a back injury. But this week, two revelations diminished that sense of competition — at least for the time being. Colledge signed his tender and Lang was revealed to have undergone surgery on his left wrist, putting him on the sideline until training camp. That turn of events could give Colledge enough time to lay important groundwork during organized team activities to retain the starting job in 2010.



Rising



Chicago’s reputation in the Cutler-Orton swap: Those who wanted to take a short-term view of the Jay Cutler-Kyle Orton trade last season noted the Bears probably wouldn’t have done much worse with Orton at quarterback in 2010. But any notion that Denver had stumbled into a steal should be alleviated by now. The Broncos have done nothing this offseason but collect quarterbacks, including a draft-day trade for future starter Tim Tebow. It’s clear the Broncos want no part of a future with Kyle Orton as their starter. Despite his struggles last season, Cutler remains the Bears’ starter for the foreseeable future.

Baltimore star linebacker Ray Lewis has taken issue with the way Florida quarterback Tim Tebow — whom Denver traded three picks to select at No. 25 — was given special help to prepare for the draft.



Lewis, while appearing on Colin Cowherd’s show on ESPN radio, said Tebow received pre-draft help few other prospects have enjoyed.



“The thing I was more shocked by, is you see all the people who were willing to help him,” Lewis responded. “I don’t know many people who were willing to help other athletes like that. Jon Gruden loved him to death. You see all these people who took out their personal time to really work with him and make this big issue, big issue, big issue. I don’t know why he was any different than anyone else. Every young child has that dream, that same dream that Tebow had. So I don’t know why he was bigger … than any of the other guys.



“He went to a big program, and, yes, he might be a favorable person, but nobody else in the league, definitely not veteran players, see themselves differently than any other player.



The Broncos visit Baltimore on Oct.10. Lewis indicated he plans to treat Tebow like any other quarterback.



“The target is always simple,” Lewis said. “You play this game for one reason. You play this game to find people’s weaknesses. If he is going to be a target … basically he plays the quarterback position, so, from my position, the target is just hit him in the mouth and keep rolling.”



Meanwhile, Denver coach Josh McDaniels continued to show his enthusiasm over the chance to coach Tebow. He told the Denver Post, Tebow has “it.”



“I think the thing about Tim is what everybody calls the ‘it’. There are those kind of people that have that ‘it,’” McDaniels said. “When Tom (Brady) came to us in 2001, I wasn’t on the offensive side of the ball, but I can remember the feeling in the building was that he had something that nobody else had … and how strongly he felt that ultimately he would be a great player. It was obviously apparent in subsequent seasons.”



What do I think about all of this?



I think Tebow is even a more polarizing figure that I had thought he was on the night he was drafted two weeks ago. It is going to be fascinating to see how his NFL career develops. It is clear the NFL world is watching.

Now that most of the signing, releasing and trading and all of the drafting is complete in the AFC West, we now have a better feel for the talent in the division.



Once again, there has been major change. Let’s catch up with an early projection for our preseason all-AFC West team.



We have a few ground rules: Rookies are eligible. We’re using a 3-4 defense because three teams in the division use the 3-4 as its base and Oakland will use the 3-4 more this year. We took some liberties at some positions. For example, we aren’t taking a fullback but we are using the two best running backs.



Without further ado, here is our all-AFC West team as it stands now:



OFFENSE



Quarterback



Philip Rivers, San Diego



Why: It wasn’t even close. Rivers is a premier player in the NFL. He’s the best player in the division, and, at 28, is getting better.



Running backs



Jamaal Charles, Kansas City



Thomas Jones, Kansas City



Why: The Chiefs have the two best running backs in the division. It’s a strong division for running backs, but the Chiefs have something special. This is the strength of the team. Charles is a third-year game-breaker and Jones, who will be 32 this summer, is a savvy veteran who ran for more than 1,400 yards last season. This is a powerful combination.



Receivers



Vincent Jackson, San Diego



Malcom Floyd, San Diego



Why: With Brandon Marshall traded to Miami, Jackson is by far the best receiver in the division. He is big and fast and has great hands. He’s a rising star. I had a difficult time deciding on my second receiver. The division has several intriguing receivers including Dwayne Bowe, Chaz Schilens, Louis Murphy and Eddie Royal. But all of these other players are big question marks heading into the season. Floyd seems like the safest bet.



Tight end



Antonio Gates, San Diego



Why: This was another easy one. Gates is at the top of his game. He is coming off a season in which he had 79 catches and a career-high 1,157 yards. Gates turns 30 next month, but he is one of the best tight ends in the league.



Left tackle



Ryan Clady, Denver



Why: Clady is one of the best left tackles in the NFL as he enters his third season. Of course, it will be interesting to see how he bounces back from a partially torn patella tendon injury that required surgery. He was injured while playing basketball. The Broncos hope Clady can return by the start of the season.



Left guard



Kris Dielman, San Diego



Why: A strong, steady force. A quiet player who is one of the best in the business.



Center



Nick Hardwick, San Diego



Why: Hardwick had battled injuries, but he remains at the top of his game. He needs to stay healthy. The Chargers’ offense misses him when he is out. He is a stout anchor.



Right guard



Chris Kuper, Denver



Why: Kuper is an underrated player. He is a mauler who will help make Denver’s transition from a zone-blocking scheme to a more traditional unit easier.



Right tackle



Ryan Harris, Denver



Why: The Broncos’ offense went south when Harris suffered a toe injury last year. He’s big and athletic. He and Clady make great bookend tackles.



DEFENSE



Defensive end



Richard Seymour, Oakland



Why: Seymour can still be a top player. He is versatile and plays with a mean streak. When he’s on, he’s a terror.



Nose tackle



Jamal Williams, Denver



Why: This was a tough one, because there are few established nose tackles in the division. There is talk that Glenn Dorsey may play the position in Kansas City, but we’ll have to see how that works. Although Williams is declining and he missed all but one game last season, the first-year Bronco and former Charger All-Pro has to be considered the best nose tackle in the division at this point



Defensive end



Luis Castillo, San Diego



Why: Castillo is a good, steady player. He doesn’t get a lot of numbers. But he is a solid player.



Outside linebacker



Elvis Dumervil, Denver



Why: Dumervil is just scratching the surface of his ability. He led the NFL with 17 sacks last season. He’s a star.



Shawne Merriman, San Diego



Why: People get on Merriman because his sack numbers have dropped. But he is always around the play. Expect him to have a strong year in 2010 as he continues to improve from a 2008 knee injury.



Inside linebacker



D.J. Williams, Denver



Why: Williams is a very good player. He is smart and athletic. He makes a defense better.



Rolando McClain, Oakland



Why: I’m taking a shot here. I could go with San Diego’s Stephen Cooper or even young, exciting Charger Brandon Siler. But I just have a feeling McClain is going to be an instant star. He has all the intangibles. He had Oakland’s playbook sent to him the morning after he was drafted. I think he is going to be special.



Cornerback



Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland



Why: Best in the biz. Period.



Champ Bailey, Denver



Why: Hall of Famer. Period.



Safety



Brian Dawkins, Denver



Why: I was impressed with how well Dawkins played last year, his first in the division. Dawkins may be 36, but he is still a big-league playmaker.



Eric Berry, Kansas City



Why: Like McClain, I’m taking a flier here. But I expect Berry, the No.5 draft pick in the draft, to make an instant impact. The Chiefs are going to unleash him right away.



Special teams:



Punter



Shane Lechler, Oakland



Why: This was a tough call. San Diego’s Mike Scifres is an unbelievable punter just like Lechler. But a slight edge goes to Lechler because he is just so powerful.



Kicker



Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland



Why: Another tough, tough call. I gave Janikowski a slight edge over San Diego’s Nate Kaeding. Truthfully, I gave Janikowski the edge because Kaeding struggled in his last game. Janikowski seems to be getting better.



Returner



Darren Sproles, San Diego



Why: Not a tough call at all. Sproles is magic in the open field. He can return a kick for a touchdown any time he touches the ball.

The blockbuster contract extension San Francisco gave Patrick Willis will be duly noted in Denver and San Diego.

Merriman

Dumervil

The 49ers extended the contract of Willis for five years. The tackling machine will make $50 million with $29 million guaranteed.



AFC West standout linebackers Elvis Dumervil and Shawne Merriman are also looking for new deals. Both players are restricted free agents who have not yet signed their 2010 tenders. Still, neither player is likely going anywhere in 2010.



But both will want major deals. It’s doubtful either player will get what Willis scored. Still, Willis’ contract will likely increase the price tag of the league’s better linebackers.



Earlier this spring, Denver coach Josh McDaniels acknowledged the importance of Dumervil and expressed an interest in keeping Dumervil. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dumervil is given a huge deal at some point before he is set to become an unrestricted free agent next winter.



Dumervil flourished in the 3-4 defense in Denver last season. Dumervil, 26, led the NFL with 17 sacks in 2009. He has 43 sacks in four NFL seasons.



Merriman, 25, will also likely get a big deal in the next year. I don’t expect San Diego to give him a big contract before this season. I think San Diego wants to see Merriman make continued progress from his 2008 knee surgery. If the Chargers don’t want to pay Merriman by 2011, some team will.



Top-flight linebackers are expensive. The price tag went up Tuesday with Willis’ deal.

Kurt Warner’s retirement did more than stir debate over which NFC West team should win the division in 2010.



It also begs a separate, related question: Which NFC West team has the best quarterback?



And by best quarterback, let’s focus on the best for this season, not for a player’s career. All those touchdown passes Matt Hasselbeck threw from 2003 to 2007 will probably land him a spot in the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor, but they mean less for the sake of this conversation — unless you expect him to recapture past form while playing behind an improved line and within a superior scheme. Likewise, all those interceptions the 49ers’ Alex Smith threw in 2005 mean little — unless you expect him to improbably revert to rookie form.



“If healthy, which is a huge ‘if,’ I think you still need to give this honor to Hasselbeck,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.



For now.



“My hunch is that if you asked me this again about halfway through the season, I would probably pick Smith,” Williamson said. “I still have a fair amount of hope for him and his supporting cast should now make his job much easier. The great unknown for the big picture is [new Seahawks backup] Charlie Whitehurst, though, and who knows? Maybe he comes in midway through the season and really lights it up.”



In which case Hasselbeck wouldn’t be the best quarterback on his team, let alone the division.



Figuring out what Hasselbeck has left requires projecting how well the Seahawks’ new offensive coordinator, Jeremy Bates, and new line coach, Alex Gibbs, can utilize scheme to shield the quarterback from big hits. Jay Cutler took only 11 sacks in 16 starts for Denver in 2008 when the Broncos were running the scheme Bates has brought to Seattle (Bates was the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach at the time). This is Bates’ first year as a coordinator, however, and his head coach is Pete Carroll, who built his reputation on defense, not Mike Shanahan.



Hasselbeck had thrown 14 touchdown passes with eight interceptions through Week 14 last season. He then threw three touchdown passes with nine interceptions over the final three games of the season. He played hurt most of the season, suffering damaged ribs in Week 2 and a shoulder injury later.



Those injuries can work in Hasselbeck’s favor for the sake of this discussion — imagine what he might do if healthy — or they can serve as more evidence he’s winding down as his 35th birthday nears. Hasselbeck has 22 touchdowns, 27 interceptions and a 6-15 record as a starter over the past two seasons.



Smith finished last season with 18 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 5-5 starting record.



The Cardinals’ Matt Leinart nearly won his only start last season, losing only when the Titans put together a 99-yard touchdown drive to end the game, but he was erratic in mop-up duty the rest of the season. The team even went back to Warner after Leinart and the offense struggled to hold a big lead at Chicago. Leinart has 14 touchdowns and 20 interceptions for his career. He has one start over the past two seasons and 17 for his career. The Cardinals went 4-2 over his final six starts as a rookie in 2006. They went 7-4 over an 11-start period spanning the 2006 and 2007 seasons, but Warner helped win some of those games.



“I can’t even see putting [Rams rookie] Sam Bradford in the conversation just yet and really, Matt Leinart has done zero as well — but at least has had an opportunity in the NFL already,” Williamson said. “For the long term, surely I would want the Bradford, but overall, this isn’t a real illustrious group!”



That, as much as anything, explains why it’s tough to select a consensus favorite to win the division this season.

Tim Tebow wore a Denver uniform for the first time Friday as the team began a three-day rookie minicamp.

Tebow

The team’s mandatory minicamp will be held next month. Courtesy of Denver’s PR department, here is some of what Tebow had to say after his first workout in Denver:



On his excitement going into the first practice



“(I was) very antsy to get out here and get practicing. Once I have to leave again and then won’t be able to come back until (May) 17th, I’ll get antsy again then but I’m just so excited for when I can get out here and be a full-time Denver Bronco.”



On the altitude



“You can definitely feel a difference. I had been working really hard so I felt like I was in decent shape but you can definitely feel a difference — even from training in Florida, you can feel a difference — you just can’t get as much air.”



On the cold weather



“It’s not too bad. It’s great. It’s a good change of pace.”



On learning the Broncos’ offense



“It’s great, just being able to study it and even though I don’t know a lot of it, I’ve been able to study the other quarterbacks and watch them go through it and watch different quarterbacks that Coach McDaniels has coached — it’s a great offense and it really is exciting to now be in it.”



On what makes Denver’s offense stand out



“It’s just so versatile. They do such a great job of picking up protections and it all starts there. The run game is great, great play action and they even spread it out and do a lot of great things out of the spread. It’s such a versatile offense, you can’t just pinpoint one thing and I think that’s what makes an offense great.”

The post-draft power rankings are out, and I’ve got one of the four ballots.



Keep in mind we’re building off rankings at the conclusion of the regular season. While we didn’t have official rankings after the playoffs, I did a ballot then which you can find here.



Teams from the AFC South ranked highest on average, same as they did to close last season (although their average ranking fell from 13.6 to 14.3). Teams from the NFC West ranked 21.5 on average, lower than teams from any other division.



Here’s how I voted in this round of rankings, with a note on each. (The parenthetical number is where I ranked the team in the last official vote):



1) New Orleans (1) – The champs stay on top until they prove unworthy of it.



2) Indianapolis (2) – I expect they pick up where they left off, but have O-line questions.



3) Minnesota (3) – Vikings were far better late in ‘09 than I expected, so they get their due now.



4) Baltimore (9) – I firmly believe the Ravens have had the best offseason of anyone.



5) N.Y. Jets (5) – Trip to the AFC title game moved them a lot in my eyes.



6) Green Bay (6) – I probably like Packers more than I should.



7) Dallas (7) – Will lose attention to Saints and Vikes in the NFC, and that may be a good thing.



Atlanta (15) – The Falcons were my preseason Super Bowl pick last year, and may be again.



9) San Diego (8) – It’s getting tiring rating them high, and then being disappointed every year.



10) Arizona (4) – Life post-Kurt Warner is going to be a bigger test for them than some think.



11) New England (11) – The Patriots need to prove themselves again to me.



12) Philadelphia (10) – Eagles have lots of turnover, but that’s not necessarily bad.



13) Cincinnati (12) – Can’t see a repeat of last year and Bengals were bypassed by Baltimore.



14) Houston (13) – Big question remains: Can they win in the division?



15) San Francisco (21) – Huge opportunity in wide-open division; going to be a popular dark horse.



16) Tennessee (16) – Replacing a ton of leadership and could have a holdout situation with Johnson.



17) Pittsburgh (14) – Too much turmoil thanks to Big Ben, not enough offensive line.



18) N.Y. Giants (19) – Too many question in the secondary and at linebacker.



19) Denver (17) – Not a fan of the tear down of everything Shanahan, firing of Nolan.



20) Carolina (18) – Not nearly as excited about Matt Moore at QB as they are.



21) Miami (20) – Probably on the rise in a tough division with Brandon Marshall in the fold.



22) Chicago (22) – I just don’t see Mike Martz and Jay Cutler as a good marriage.



23) Jacksonville (23) – Stuck with an average QB, young team in a strong division.



24) Oakland (24) – Going to be moving up this list and messing things up for a lot of opponents.



25) Seattle (25) – While Seahawks have done well, Carroll has a lot of roster rebuilding still ahead.



26) Buffalo (26) – Hard to find anything to get excited about here, unfortunately.



27) Cleveland (27) – Just don’t see them close to Baltimore’s level; Holmgren needs time.



28) Washington (28) – Mishmash of old running backs among my chief concerns.



29) Kansas City (29) – I don’t have big faith in Matt Cassell yet; new coordinators are intriguing.



30) Tampa Bay (30) – Still wonder if Morris is in over his head.



31) Detroit (31) – Bad division to make a lot of progress in.



32) St. Louis (32) – Sam Bradford is a start, but finish is a long way off.

Ken Herock’s business is preparing prospects for NFL interviews.



He’s not interested in 40-yard dash times or bench press repetitions. His mission is training college kids to make an impression when it’s time to shake hands with general managers, scouts and head coaches before the draft.



The former NFL personnel director grooms them to be ready for anything because no subject is off the table — not even questions about whether your mother is a hooker.



“I don’t feel there are any topics off-limits,” Herock said Thursday afternoon. “If anybody thinks they’re off-limits, put yourself in the eyes of an employer that’s going to hire a 21-year-old and pay him $15 million or $20 million.”



Herock finds nary a problem with the controversial question Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland posed to Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant in a pre-draft interview.



Ireland asked if Bryant’s mother was a prostitute. She has served 18 months in prison for selling crack and had admitted to abusing PCP, cocaine and marijuana.



“If somebody just comes out and says ‘We hear your mom’s a prostitute. Can you explain that situation to me?’ I don’t think there’s anything offensive asking that question,” Herock said.



Herock has serious credentials on the matter. He played as an AFL tight end for six seasons and has been a personnel executive for the Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers.



For the past nine years Herock has trained players to make a golden first impression on NFL personnel evaluators in pre-draft interviews. Herock has worked with more than 600 players. A dozen, including University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson and Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain, were selected in the first round last week.



“I deal with this constantly,” Herock said. “I have players whose parents are on drugs, are in jail, abandoned them, kicked them out of the house. I have to make sure my player is prepared to handle that in the right way when they’re asked.



“I’m addressing these issues beforehand so they know how to answer every issue that’s brought up to them.”



Ireland’s question to Bryant was revealed in a Yahoo! Sports column Tuesday. Ireland called Bryant to apologize after the story was published, and the Dolphins released a statement on Ireland’s behalf.



On Wednesday, the NFL Players Association issued a statement critical of Ireland, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross issued a statement to say the club would conduct an internal review and the NFL admonished Ireland’s question as crude.



“What’s this big issue about? Big deal,” Herock said. “I would want to know those things, and how do you find out unless you ask?



“But it sounded offensive, asking that question the way it was asked. Maybe he came on real strong, but before I would ask that question, I would know for sure that she was. I wouldn’t go on any hearsay. I don’t think it’s offensive to ask that if there was truth to it, but before I asked, I would make sure there was validity.”



Another former NFL executive doesn’t wonder why the question is such a big story. What puzzles him is why pre-draft interviews have gotten to be so consequential in the first place.



“I can never remember us or anybody else turning down a player based on a good interview,” said Larry Lacewell, the Dallas Cowboys scouting director for 13 years.



Lacewell’s tenure spanned from Jimmy Johnson to Bill Parcells. Ireland worked as a national scout under Lacewell for four seasons.



“We didn’t take a player just because he had a good interview, and we sure as hell didn’t turn one down because of a bad interview,” Lacewell said. “These kids either come in there nervous and scared or like trained dogs.



“If you had depended on [11-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman] Larry Allen for an interview, you might not have hired him as a janitor. I’d love to hear from a team that didn’t draft Larry Allen because he couldn’t talk.”



Bryant was considered the best receiver in this year’s draft, but some believed he slid because he interviewed poorly.



As it would turn out, the Dolphins filled their need at receiver by acquiring Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos and traded out of their original draft position at No. 12. The Cowboys drafted Bryant with the 24th overall pick.



“There’s a certain way to ask questions, and I think [Ireland] asked with the wrong approach,” Herock said. “But I would have prepared my player to answer that question to where it wouldn’t be offensive to him.



“They already know about his family. They just want to see how he reacts and how he’s going to explain it and how he’s going to handle it.



“I don’t think that question was out of line.”

Wesley Hitt/Getty ImagesTwo public relations experts agree: It will be difficult, but not impossible, to repair the image of Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

The comments about suspended Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continue to fill our AFC North inbox:

• James Elias from Denver, Colo., writes: Roethlisberger cannot be trusted to do what is right for the Steelers. He is extremely immature and egocentric, not to mention sleazy. He considers himself first, second, and always. The Steelers are not to be considered.
• Scott from Marshalltown, Iowa, writes: It’s safe to say I’ve lost quite a bit of respect for Ben over the last couple of months. As my team’s quarterback, I certainly still want to see him succeed and will cheer for him in that context. But as a person I have a more tainted view of him than before.
• Pete Ellenzweig from Portland, Ore., writes: Ben has a proven track record of poor judgment and questionable behavior. The Steelers gave Roethlisberger a long-term contract worth over $100 million. All they have asked in return is that he lead on the field, act responsibly in public and uphold the good reputation of the organization. Ben has failed two of these three expectations miserably. Self-gratification matters more to Ben than being a professional and a role model. It’s time for Roethlisberger to leave town!

It’s safe to say Roethlisberger has an image problem not only in Pittsburgh, but nationally.



Two sexual assault allegations in less than a year has brought concern, anger and disappointment towards Roethlisberger from the Steelers, the NFL and football fans from around the country. Endorsement opportunities are dwindling as he’s become the latest poster child for unruly off-the-field behavior.



As Roethlisberger serves his 4-to-6-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, it will be key for him to begin taking the proper steps to reclaim his image. But how?



“He really needs to be honest, and he needs to be contrite,” said Chris Rosica, who owns one of the nation’s top PR firms and also authored “The Authentic Brand” on crisis management. “He needs to talk about what he learned from the situation and then his actions need to be consistent with that.”



Based out of New Jersey, Rosica Public Relations has represented various companies, entertainers and athletes for 30 years. According to company founder Rosica, Roethlisberger’s current image situation is difficult but not impossible to restore.



“I’ve seen worse,” Rosica said.



George Regan, chairman of Regan Communications Group in Boston, agrees.



Regan’s PR firm was recently rated the seventh largest in the nation and has worked with major corporations such as Dunkin Donuts and Bank of America, as well as sports clients such as the New England Patriots and Boston Celtics.



Recent examples in sports, Regan says, shows all hope is not lost for Roethlisberger — as long as he’s willing to take the proper steps.



“If Michael Vick can come back, if Marv Albert can come back, then ‘Big Ben’ can come back,” Regan explained. “Don’t forget, the American public loves forgiveness.”



Both image specialists agree that the biggest roadblock, in fact, might be Roethlisberger himself.



The two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback hasn’t been charged with a crime. But repeat allegations of a similar nature demonstrate a lack of sound judgment and inability to learn from prior mistakes. Roethlisberger also made a pair of public statements in recent weeks that didn’t necessarily resonate well with the general public.



Although Regan and Rosica have never represented Roethlisberger, both wondered how difficult the quarterback might be to work with based on his recent actions and body language.



“I don’t know him, but from watching him I’m not so sure he takes advice,” Regan said. “That is the [first step] to sign onto the program.”



Added Rosica: “The only way to help somebody come through a crisis situation is if they’re willing to take the counsel. The only time we’ve not been able to help someone is if they said ‘I don’t want to do this, and I don’t want to do that.’ Those are the people we can’t help.”



In terms of solutions, it is important for Roethlisberger show genuine remorse for his actions. Both experts believe a common mistake athletes and other high-profile people often make is overlooking the American public’s ability to acknowledge and judge sincerity. So far, it appears Roethlisberger is falling short in that department.



Rosica suggested Roethlisberger mentor young athletes at the collegiate or high school level on how to avoid the same pitfalls. That way, Roethlisberger is making a difference in society while at the same time discussing and helping his own road to recovery.



“He needs to get involved, give back, and make sure that it’s authentic,” Rosica advised. “He needs to really have his heart in it, so he’s not just doing it for the sake of doing it.”



Regan added that if he represented Roethlisberger, he would suggest at least one exclusive interview with a media entity. This is a PR strategy often used by athletes, including most recently golf superstar Tiger Woods.



“Ben’s got to do something dramatic. He’s got to show that he’s a human being,” Regan said. “[Football] is not enough. ”



The Steelers will open their full-squad minicamp Friday without Roethlisberger for the first time in years. As he goes through an NFL-mandated behavior program for his actions and a subsequent suspension, Roethlisberger should have ample time for self-reflection.