No news was neither good nor bad news for tight end Mark Bruener, who remains with the Steelers as the first day passed in which NFL teams receive a salary-cap break to release certain veterans.
Bruener, the team's starting tight end since he was drafted in the first round in 1995, isn't a lock to play his ninth season with the Steelers. But, by not cutting him, the Steelers sent a message that they might not have decided his fate.
Team officials have said nothing to Bruener about it, nor have they discussed a possible renegotiation of his contract to bring his salary-cap figure down for 2003.
"They tell me when to show for meetings, and I go to meetings and I go to practice," said Bruener, who has participated in the Steelers' off-season workouts the past two weeks.
"They're going to make a decision on what they're going to do, and I can't control that.
"What I can control is how I prepare and my performance on the football field. I've been very, very fortunate as far as coming back from my injury, and I'm very excited about it. I'm very excited about the opportunity to help this team."
A knee injury that required microfracture surgery and other factors have clouded Bruener's status for next season.
The team can save $2,050,000 -- his 2003 salary -- under the cap this year by releasing him. The Steelers also gave tight end Jerame Tuman a $600,000 bonus to re-sign, and Buffalo free agent Jay Riemersma an $850,000 bonus to sign.
Coach Bill Cowher has not embraced the idea that Bruener will return the way he has with Jerome Bettis.
In March, Cowher said the draft might determine the fate of some players such as Bettis and Bruener. The Steelers did not draft a halfback or a tight end, but after the draft Cowher said, "Jerome is doing great. I think Jerome is going to prove some people wrong this year."
Cowher, though, declined to discuss Bruener's status and has not given a definitive outlook on Bruener's future.
"He's the head coach of this team and he decides who's going to be on the 53-man roster," Bruener said.
Cowher did not attend yesterday's sessions and Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, declined to give an update on Bruener.
The Steelers might want to see how Bruener's knee fares the next month or so, or they could bring him to training camp with the idea that he would have to prove he's healthy. They would save his full salary if they release him anytime before the season.
The Steelers were $1.36 million under the salary cap going into yesterday, and that's not enough room for them to sign their top two draft choices, so they will need to rework some contracts or make some cuts.
"I'm feeling great. I really am," Bruener said. I think I'm getting darned close [to full health], but we're not doing a lot out here. We're not hitting as much or pounding as much. The true test will come at training camp when you're in the grind."
Bruener received a $3 million signing bonus last year to extend his contract through 2006. If the Steelers release him now, he would count $600,000 against their cap this year and $1.8 million next year. Had they released him before June 1, he would have counted $2.4 million against their cap this year and nothing after that. If he remains on the team, he will count $2,650,000 against the cap.
NOTES -- Jeremy Conley's dream of playing for his hometown team ended five weeks after it began when the Steelers released him yesterday and signed a veteran offensive lineman. Conley, a receiver who played at Allderdice High School and Duquesne University, had been signed as an undrafted rookie. Calvin Collins, 29, takes his place on the roster. Collins is a six-year veteran who did not play last year but has starting experience at center and guard with the Falcons and Vikings, starting all 16 games for Atlanta in 2000. He also can long-snap. Collins is 6 feet 2 and 307 pounds and played at Texas A&M. The Houston Texans released him Sept. 1.
Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.
Bruener's status up in air 
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