1
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,880
Speaker 1: Big gain for the Penguinos tonight in Las Vegas, Pens

2
00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,160
Speaker 1: in the midst of their five game road trip right

3
00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:12,520
Speaker 1: now where they play five teams on this trip, Carolina

4
00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,760
Speaker 1: twice that will most likely be in the NHL playoffs,

5
00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:17,080
Speaker 1: So the.

6
00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:18,440
Speaker 2: Competition is stiff.

7
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,560
Speaker 3: But the Knights are perhaps the easiest that you're gonna

8
00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,079
Speaker 3: have to face on this trip.

9
00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,120
Speaker 2: And dare I say they're a little stinky.

10
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:29,600
Speaker 3: If you're looking at the way the Golden Knights have

11
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,440
Speaker 3: been playing for the past well over a month of

12
00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,080
Speaker 3: hockey extending before the Olympic break. So this is a

13
00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,839
Speaker 3: game that the Pittsburgh Penguins absolutely have to have. You

14
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,440
Speaker 3: look at those standings in the Eastern Conference, in the

15
00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,320
Speaker 3: Metropolitan Division, and you get anxiety, you start hyperventilating. It

16
00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,839
Speaker 3: is as toyt as they said it was gonna be

17
00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:50,080
Speaker 3: all year long.

18
00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,240
Speaker 2: So a big.

19
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,760
Speaker 3: Two points on the line for the Penguins tonight, need

20
00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,360
Speaker 3: a desperate effort from them to get the win. Vegas

21
00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:02,960
Speaker 3: has lost six of their last seven games, and they've

22
00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,480
Speaker 3: looked really crappy in that stretch as well, including getting

23
00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,520
Speaker 3: blasted by Pittsburgh five to nothing in Pittsburgh about a

24
00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,800
Speaker 3: weekend ago, So this is a big one for the

25
00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:17,240
Speaker 3: Pens and one that they absolutely have to have. How

26
00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,600
Speaker 3: many points is enough though, on this road trip do

27
00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,679
Speaker 3: you think to come back home and feel comfortable with

28
00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,880
Speaker 3: where the Pens are in the standings? Eight three, three, four,

29
00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:31,560
Speaker 3: one thirty nine Tommy Radio in Today for Mark Madden,

30
00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,440
Speaker 3: Tom Offerman, you got me all the way up until

31
00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,240
Speaker 3: six today. What a special treat for everybody, and especially

32
00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,760
Speaker 3: a special treat for me. But how many points out

33
00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,600
Speaker 3: on this road trip makes you feel comfortable? They already

34
00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,680
Speaker 3: got one in their back pocket against Carolina and that

35
00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,280
Speaker 3: was a big point to get down for too late.

36
00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,600
Speaker 3: You score two empty net goals, but Brian Rust really

37
00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,400
Speaker 3: just putting the team on his back and getting them

38
00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,280
Speaker 3: that point. Of course, you're losing the shootout, we'll get

39
00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,000
Speaker 3: to that in a second, but a big point to

40
00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,760
Speaker 3: start things off. I think Mark and I landed on.

41
00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,840
Speaker 3: You get about four points out of ten. That's not ideal,

42
00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,840
Speaker 3: but that's at least surviving against good competition. You win

43
00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,720
Speaker 3: a couple of games. You basically go two for three

44
00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,640
Speaker 3: out there. That's not bad. Two and three, I should say,

45
00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,040
Speaker 3: that's not terrible, that's doable. And you already have a

46
00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:24,960
Speaker 3: loser point in your back pocket, so maybe that can

47
00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,839
Speaker 3: be five. And if you get five out of ten,

48
00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,839
Speaker 3: I think you're in pretty decent shape. Although, like I said,

49
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,520
Speaker 3: the Islanders are not going away. They're barking up your backside.

50
00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,600
Speaker 3: The Blue Jackets are just not cooling down. You'd think that,

51
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,440
Speaker 3: like a team on a run in March Madness, they'd

52
00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,119
Speaker 3: cool off a little bit. Have not been the case

53
00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,160
Speaker 3: for the Blue Jackets. Since making the coaching change. They

54
00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,040
Speaker 3: continue to be playing some great hockey and making a

55
00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,079
Speaker 3: push for the playoffs, and not just creeping up on

56
00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:52,600
Speaker 3: the Penguins, but creeping up on the heels of the

57
00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,560
Speaker 3: wild card teams as well, the Bruins and the Red Wings,

58
00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,000
Speaker 3: who hold the last two spots of the playoffs, the

59
00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,880
Speaker 3: two wild card spots right now. So I think five

60
00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,480
Speaker 3: out of ten would make me feel real good and

61
00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,760
Speaker 3: get to tonight, get to three against the team that

62
00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,200
Speaker 3: is the worst that you're gonna face. Utah is a

63
00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,560
Speaker 3: winnable game as well. They're all winnable. Pengins are good.

64
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,359
Speaker 2: They're all winnable games because the Penguins are good.

65
00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:20,040
Speaker 3: But this one and the one against Utah seem like

66
00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:25,960
Speaker 3: the most winnable to me. Utah up and coming good

67
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:31,120
Speaker 3: goalie Logan Cooley shout out hometown kid, friend of the show.

68
00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:35,320
Speaker 3: That's a team that could be a bit of a

69
00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,880
Speaker 3: tricky test. They're playing good hockey right now too, but

70
00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,440
Speaker 3: Vegas is not. So this is a game that you

71
00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,320
Speaker 3: got to have. This is a team that you should

72
00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,880
Speaker 3: be able to pick off. And I said that all

73
00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,160
Speaker 3: five of the teams that they're gonna face Carolina twice

74
00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,880
Speaker 3: on this road trip will be in the playoffs most likely. Well,

75
00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:56,600
Speaker 3: Vegas is the one that you look at and go,

76
00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,920
Speaker 3: I don't know about that. Utah is in the first

77
00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,240
Speaker 3: wild card spot right now, but they're looking pretty comfortable.

78
00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,080
Speaker 3: And like I said, they're playing some good hockey. They're young,

79
00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:07,520
Speaker 3: they should be energized by being in this playoff race.

80
00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,640
Speaker 3: I bet they make a pretty decent push to the

81
00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:11,520
Speaker 3: finish line. They got a goaltending.

82
00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:13,480
Speaker 2: But Vegas.

83
00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:18,159
Speaker 3: You know, Seattle's kind of right there, the five points back,

84
00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,080
Speaker 3: but two games in hand, so you take care of business.

85
00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:22,680
Speaker 3: If you're the Crack and you're just a point behind

86
00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,760
Speaker 3: the Knights for that final spot in the Pacific Division,

87
00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,520
Speaker 3: and it's not a slam dunk that Vegas, who has

88
00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:35,919
Speaker 3: been just you know, really the most consistent, always go

89
00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,240
Speaker 3: to the playoffs, has come into the league and become

90
00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,159
Speaker 3: almost you don't want to call them a cornerstone because

91
00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,760
Speaker 3: they're so new, but they play like one. They are

92
00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,040
Speaker 3: a serious franchise. Every single year they're on the ropes

93
00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,360
Speaker 3: a bit. So does that go against the Penguins tonight?

94
00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,120
Speaker 3: Does Vegas wake up finally play a little bit more desperate,

95
00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:55,560
Speaker 3: show that they need to start getting into gear and

96
00:04:55,560 --> 00:05:00,440
Speaker 3: getting points. I don't know, but I think the Penguins

97
00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,320
Speaker 3: have a real good opportunity tonight to start this road

98
00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,280
Speaker 3: trip off with three out of a possible four points, and.

99
00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:07,040
Speaker 2: That's just huge.

100
00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:11,680
Speaker 3: Without sidding Gino, the Pens have hit the ice for

101
00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:19,080
Speaker 3: skate today. Quick little roster move, Alexander Alexeyoff. I think

102
00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:20,920
Speaker 3: that's how you pronounce it. We'll talk to Josh Joe

103
00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,720
Speaker 3: a little bit later and he'll straighten that out. He's

104
00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,320
Speaker 3: been recalled from Wilkes Barry Scranton. Ryan Graves goes back

105
00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:33,960
Speaker 3: to Wilkes on a conditioning loan, and Sidney Crosby, Sam

106
00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,560
Speaker 3: Gerard and if Genny Malcolm all on the ice today.

107
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,240
Speaker 3: No I don't think Crosby is going to play. You know,

108
00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,880
Speaker 3: Malkin's not going to play. Gerard would be a welcome

109
00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:46,040
Speaker 3: return to the lineup. I really liked what they did

110
00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,280
Speaker 3: when they shuffled the lines around and they got Gerard

111
00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,000
Speaker 3: away from La Tang. I thought Gerard played a much

112
00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,560
Speaker 3: better game before he of course got hurt, so would

113
00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,200
Speaker 3: obviously like to have him back in the fold. Won't

114
00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,919
Speaker 3: have Malcolm back, of course until the Colorado game. But

115
00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,880
Speaker 3: when it comes to sid and now he's skating again.

116
00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:04,000
Speaker 3: This is now the second time he skated with the

117
00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,279
Speaker 3: team on this trip. He skated before the Carolina game.

118
00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,320
Speaker 3: I think there is a lot of debate to be

119
00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,000
Speaker 3: had with something that Mark has put forward on the show.

120
00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,920
Speaker 3: Is this just something to kind of get the boys

121
00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,000
Speaker 3: going a little bit, a little carrot of hope being

122
00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,240
Speaker 3: dangled out in front of the Pittsburgh Penguins by having

123
00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,799
Speaker 3: Sidney Crosby on the trip, by having Sidney Crosby skate.

124
00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,600
Speaker 2: I just they come out initially.

125
00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,760
Speaker 3: With the month diagnosis, are at least a month diagnosis

126
00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:39,279
Speaker 3: four weeks Crosby outs, And as we keep doing Crosby

127
00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,440
Speaker 3: Watch It's funny, and keep saying, oh he's skating.

128
00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:42,599
Speaker 2: Now, Oh he went on the trip.

129
00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,640
Speaker 3: We're getting closer to that four weeks, we're getting closer

130
00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,080
Speaker 3: to that month. But it does seem like he's on

131
00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,560
Speaker 3: track to come back early, or at least that's kind

132
00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,120
Speaker 3: of what they want the boys to think, that he's

133
00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,760
Speaker 3: on track to come back early. Keep them just you know, Hey,

134
00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:58,960
Speaker 3: I'm here, I'm ready to go just a little bit longer.

135
00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,880
Speaker 3: Boys hold on a little bit long longer. But they

136
00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,480
Speaker 3: have played so well in his absence already. I mean,

137
00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,800
Speaker 3: they are passing that test as far as I'm concerned.

138
00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,960
Speaker 3: It's not been perfect. It's not been a Picasso. They

139
00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,840
Speaker 3: haven't gone on a tear. They've had some struggles, But

140
00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,560
Speaker 3: I really don't know if you could have asked for

141
00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,760
Speaker 3: much more from the Penguins without Crosby and then without

142
00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,800
Speaker 3: Malkin for the past three games. That's a ton of

143
00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:28,480
Speaker 3: firepower this year. Your top two scorers this year gone,

144
00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,920
Speaker 3: and I think they're doing a great job. Trifecta is

145
00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,559
Speaker 3: going to be about that today. Some of the guys

146
00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:40,160
Speaker 3: that stepped up big time for the Penguins and in

147
00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:44,960
Speaker 3: this absence of Crosby and now Gino just a spoiler though.

148
00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:51,520
Speaker 3: I mean, Brian Rust, that man has really shown why

149
00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,160
Speaker 3: he is a Penguin potential lifer and why he is

150
00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,960
Speaker 3: a true Penguin, as Mark always likes to say, in

151
00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,200
Speaker 3: this moment right here, because someone needed to step up,

152
00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,920
Speaker 3: and boy, I know they ended up losing in the shootout,

153
00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,720
Speaker 3: but he stepped up in a massive way against the

154
00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:11,200
Speaker 3: Carolina Hurricanes. And Tyler Kennedy was on the show yesterday

155
00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:16,000
Speaker 3: for his weekly appearance. He joined Tim Bens and he said,

156
00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,800
Speaker 3: this is someone Brian Russ, that could potentially have the

157
00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,360
Speaker 3: sea on his chest. You know, fast forward five years

158
00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,880
Speaker 3: from now when Sid and Gino and Tanger are gone

159
00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,840
Speaker 3: and he is playing like that right now in the

160
00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:36,199
Speaker 3: current captain's absence. So Monster Stick taps to Brian Rust.

161
00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,640
Speaker 3: He's been fantastic for the Penguins in Sid's absence. Hope

162
00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,440
Speaker 3: that keeps up tonight against Vegas. I mean, he put

163
00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,120
Speaker 3: the team on his back, especially in that third period

164
00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:50,520
Speaker 3: against the Hurricanes. Eight three, three, four, nine thirty nine

165
00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,880
Speaker 3: is the number to call. Eric Carlson too, has just

166
00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,840
Speaker 3: been so freaking brilliant for Pittsburgh. And you know, Ben Kendall,

167
00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:01,360
Speaker 3: I think I think he's feeling a little bit of

168
00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:03,760
Speaker 3: the pressure with sit out right now. It hasn't been

169
00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,480
Speaker 3: I don't think perfect by any stretch, but you got

170
00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,559
Speaker 3: to remind yourself he's an eighteen year old kid so often,

171
00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,240
Speaker 3: and that's just a sign of someone who's way ahead

172
00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:13,679
Speaker 3: of the curve where you got to go, what's going

173
00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,360
Speaker 3: on with him? Oh yeah, that's right, he's eighteen years old.

174
00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:19,640
Speaker 3: That's what's going on with him. But at least he

175
00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,880
Speaker 3: scored in the shootout. One in ten in shootouts. Now,

176
00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:28,119
Speaker 3: if you could have just gotten two to bounce your way,

177
00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,559
Speaker 3: if you could just be three and eight in shootouts,

178
00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:34,839
Speaker 3: I think we'd all feel a little bit better about

179
00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,560
Speaker 3: where they're at in the standings right now and their

180
00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:41,720
Speaker 3: playoff hopes. I mean, one in ten is as impressive

181
00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,120
Speaker 3: as ten and one. It's like you go on a

182
00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,120
Speaker 3: bad gambling streak. You lose twenty in a row. That's

183
00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,880
Speaker 3: almost as impressive in a perverse way as winning twenty

184
00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,400
Speaker 3: in a row. Like it should be impossible to be

185
00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,520
Speaker 3: ten and one in shootouts, It should be impossible to

186
00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,840
Speaker 3: be one in ten in shootouts, but they are one

187
00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:02,880
Speaker 3: in ten and again, just a couple more bouncing in

188
00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:03,440
Speaker 3: your direction.

189
00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:05,040
Speaker 2: Being bad at.

190
00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:09,360
Speaker 3: Shootouts, like three and eight is bad at shootouts, But

191
00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,120
Speaker 3: being bad at shootouts would be enough for this team.

192
00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:14,920
Speaker 2: And could you imagine where they'd be if they were

193
00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,720
Speaker 2: good at shootouts? Could you imagine where they'd be if

194
00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:19,840
Speaker 2: they were like seven and four.

195
00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,680
Speaker 3: They'd be barking up Carolina's tree and they'd be definitely

196
00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:31,439
Speaker 3: secure in the playoffs. Eight through three thirty nine is

197
00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,680
Speaker 3: the number to call. Please call in for lots of

198
00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:35,439
Speaker 3: Pen's talk today. It's such a big game, it's a

199
00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:39,120
Speaker 3: late game. You take a page out of Francisco Cervelli's book,

200
00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,600
Speaker 3: The Old Bucko and current manager of Team Italy. Get

201
00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,880
Speaker 3: the espresso shots flowing Tonight ten pm puck drop right

202
00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,720
Speaker 3: here on the X nine PM pre game with Staggy.

203
00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:49,000
Speaker 2: Make sure you're tuned into that.

204
00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:51,960
Speaker 3: When we come back, I want to talk about this

205
00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:53,559
Speaker 3: Cam Heyward situation a little bit.

206
00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:55,360
Speaker 2: We'll get into some Steelers.

207
00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,880
Speaker 3: Talk here, Free agencies running wild in the NFL, and

208
00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,280
Speaker 3: we got Brian Beckoe joining us a little bit later

209
00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:00,720
Speaker 3: in the hour.

210
00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,640
Speaker 2: It's Tom Opferman in for mark Man. One of five

211
00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:04,200
Speaker 2: ninety X.

212
00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,360
Speaker 3: Tom Aferman in for Mark Man today for the whole show.

213
00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,320
Speaker 3: I'm drinking a cherry coke right now. Try and give

214
00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:17,960
Speaker 3: you a little ASMR so good more of a wild

215
00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,120
Speaker 3: cherry PEPSI fan if I'm being honest with you. But hey,

216
00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,240
Speaker 3: I'll take whatever's in the fridge for free. Here at work,

217
00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:28,440
Speaker 3: eight nine is the number to call. We're gonna get

218
00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,720
Speaker 3: to Brian Baco in just a little bit. Cindy Crosby,

219
00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,920
Speaker 3: by the way, did not take did not partake in

220
00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,680
Speaker 3: line rushes today, so it looks like he will indeed

221
00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:40,280
Speaker 3: be out. I really wonder if this is the proverbial

222
00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:42,319
Speaker 3: carerot being dangled in front of the boys, and I'm

223
00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,200
Speaker 3: good with it. And I'm sure he's healthy enough to

224
00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,880
Speaker 3: get around a morning skate too. Don't think he's like

225
00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:49,880
Speaker 3: a tape me up. Put the brace on me. I

226
00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:51,960
Speaker 3: gotta get out there to do a couple laps for

227
00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:55,600
Speaker 3: the boys. Get him encourage here. But I think there's

228
00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,000
Speaker 3: a little bit of that at play here with Sid

229
00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:00,880
Speaker 3: Gerard was on the ice to start the skate and

230
00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:02,560
Speaker 3: then he left, so it doesn't look like he will

231
00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,719
Speaker 3: be back either for tonight's game. Wanted to get into

232
00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:07,720
Speaker 3: a little bit of Steelers talk though, before we welcome

233
00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:12,920
Speaker 3: Brian baco Aboard. In the next segment, Cam Hayward extension

234
00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,200
Speaker 3: comes down the pipe. A couple of days ago, and

235
00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,480
Speaker 3: as Tim and I talked about on the show yesterday,

236
00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,559
Speaker 3: and Tim put up a Twitter poll Tim bens from

237
00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:26,240
Speaker 3: the trib most people not a fan of the Cam

238
00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,600
Speaker 3: Hayward extension. In fact, as I recall from last looking

239
00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:31,040
Speaker 3: at it and have a computer in front of me

240
00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:32,240
Speaker 3: right now, I don't know why, I just don't look

241
00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,560
Speaker 3: at it currently, but I'm just too lazy to do that.

242
00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,959
Speaker 3: Fifty five percent said no, and then the rest said yes.

243
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:39,280
Speaker 3: I'm not going to do that math off the top

244
00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:41,199
Speaker 3: of my head real quick. It's forty five I can

245
00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:45,240
Speaker 3: do it. I, honest to God, don't know how you

246
00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,000
Speaker 3: can really have a problem with the Cam Hayward thing.

247
00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,080
Speaker 2: I get it if.

248
00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,120
Speaker 3: You're coming from the perspective of, oh man, he's just

249
00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,679
Speaker 3: whining so much. He's doing that stupid podcast. I'm with

250
00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,120
Speaker 3: you on that that podcast is stupid and he is

251
00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,319
Speaker 3: wanting a lot. But as far as this piece of

252
00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,839
Speaker 3: business is concerned, I really don't see any negative in it.

253
00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:05,920
Speaker 2: I just don't.

254
00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,600
Speaker 3: First and foremost, the Steelers saved five point five million

255
00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:11,120
Speaker 3: dollars in.

256
00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:12,000
Speaker 2: Cap space this year.

257
00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,160
Speaker 3: They literally saved money by doing this, So you can't

258
00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:17,760
Speaker 3: even pound the table and be like, what are you

259
00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:19,520
Speaker 3: doing giving all this money to Cam Heyward?

260
00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:20,640
Speaker 2: He's thirty seven years old.

261
00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,200
Speaker 3: I almost burped into the microphone there Cherry Coke, Remember

262
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:31,160
Speaker 3: a little gassie, a little carbonation there. But you saved

263
00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,480
Speaker 3: money on this. Now it's ten pointed out yesterday, and

264
00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:34,960
Speaker 3: I agree with him. That money might go right into

265
00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,320
Speaker 3: Aaron Rodgers's pocket, a nice little five point five million

266
00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,800
Speaker 3: dollar raise. But I just have no problem with that

267
00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:42,920
Speaker 3: he got a little more money this year. You keep

268
00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:44,720
Speaker 3: Cam happy. You get this out of the way on

269
00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:48,680
Speaker 3: March freaking tenth, whenever it was. You don't have this

270
00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,160
Speaker 3: whole off season of whining and complaining and oh I

271
00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,800
Speaker 3: might hold in at training camp and I gotta feed

272
00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,280
Speaker 3: my family because that was annoying.

273
00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,640
Speaker 2: I agree with you on that, But.

274
00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,480
Speaker 3: As far as this piece of business is concerned, I

275
00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,880
Speaker 3: don't see any reason why you should have a negative

276
00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,200
Speaker 3: thought about it. And then you might come at me

277
00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,040
Speaker 3: with the oh, you know he's gonna be thirty seven

278
00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:15,680
Speaker 3: years old. At what point do you turn the page?

279
00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,000
Speaker 3: At what point do you say enough's enough? As Mark

280
00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,080
Speaker 3: likes to say, and I love this phrase. The locker

281
00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:24,680
Speaker 3: room's turning into a museum. Okay, but that piece.

282
00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:26,480
Speaker 2: Of art on the wall still has a lot of

283
00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:27,560
Speaker 2: value to it.

284
00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:31,960
Speaker 3: It was a second team All Pro last year, Edwards,

285
00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,320
Speaker 3: He's a top four defensive tackle. I think you should

286
00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,960
Speaker 3: have been first team All Pro too. He arguably was

287
00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:41,040
Speaker 3: the best defensive tackle in football last year. And if

288
00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,640
Speaker 3: you're saying you don't think Cam Hayward should have gotten

289
00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,760
Speaker 3: this extension because of he whinds so much and you're

290
00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:49,760
Speaker 3: just giving the person who whined what he wants, just

291
00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,440
Speaker 3: bending the knee to him, I don't see it that

292
00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,320
Speaker 3: way at all. Sure he whined a lot, and maybe

293
00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:56,920
Speaker 3: that had to do with the Steelers getting this out

294
00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:57,960
Speaker 3: of the way early because they're.

295
00:14:57,840 --> 00:14:59,680
Speaker 2: Like, dude, this is such a headache. I don't want

296
00:14:59,720 --> 00:14:59,920
Speaker 2: to do this.

297
00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,240
Speaker 3: And my first season as head coach, if I'm Mike McCarthy, like,

298
00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:04,880
Speaker 3: let's just do it. I mean, he's a second team

299
00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:06,840
Speaker 3: All Pro, he earned it. Let's just let's just get

300
00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,360
Speaker 3: this done already. Maybe that was that play here with

301
00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,160
Speaker 3: the whining, but he didn't. He didn't just get the

302
00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,640
Speaker 3: contract because he was being loud and on his podcast

303
00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:15,040
Speaker 3: and they were like, I'll just take the money as

304
00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,160
Speaker 3: you can stop. He got it because he was one

305
00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,640
Speaker 3: of the best defensive tackles in football last year. He

306
00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:21,480
Speaker 3: went out and earned it with his play on the field.

307
00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:27,280
Speaker 3: And maybe that was a last gasp. Okay, it doesn't

308
00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,120
Speaker 3: really hurt you that much. If it indeed was a

309
00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,760
Speaker 3: last gasp, you just move on from him for twenty

310
00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,120
Speaker 3: twenty seven. That's not a guaranteed year in the contract.

311
00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:38,920
Speaker 3: Only twenty twenty six is. I just don't see any

312
00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,880
Speaker 3: drawbacks to this Cam Hayward extension. Maybe Brian Beko will

313
00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:44,600
Speaker 3: set me straight though when he joins US next.

314
00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:45,720
Speaker 2: He's up next.

315
00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:47,760
Speaker 3: Tom Opfermann in for Mark one of five ninety x

316
00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,680
Speaker 3: Tom offerman An in for Mark Madden quick AFC North.

317
00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,480
Speaker 3: Note the Bengals are signing defensive tackle Jonathan Allen to

318
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,760
Speaker 3: a two year deal worth a max of twenty eight

319
00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,640
Speaker 3: million dollars with incentives. Let's talk Steelers now with Brian

320
00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,560
Speaker 3: Baco from the Post Gazette. We'll get to Brian in

321
00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,160
Speaker 3: just the second little bit of an issue back in

322
00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,760
Speaker 3: the control room there. But it does look like the

323
00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,680
Speaker 3: Bengals getting some help on the defensive side of the

324
00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:18,200
Speaker 3: football with the signing of Jonathan Allen. So exit Trey

325
00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,560
Speaker 3: Hendrickson in comes Jonathan Allen. We were talking about Cam

326
00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:27,160
Speaker 3: Hayward in that last segment there, and what is really

327
00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:32,840
Speaker 3: telling to me in all of this is how much

328
00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:34,400
Speaker 3: Cam Hayward has kind of been turned on.

329
00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:35,280
Speaker 2: Huh.

330
00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:39,160
Speaker 3: When it comes to the Steelers fan base. I'm surprised

331
00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:44,400
Speaker 3: that more people aren't on board with this signing because

332
00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,320
Speaker 3: he was a second team All Pro last year. As

333
00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,960
Speaker 3: I laid out, you saved the money as far as

334
00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:56,200
Speaker 3: your payroll was concerned this year, and again, I just

335
00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,400
Speaker 3: I don't see the downside in this, but I think

336
00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,640
Speaker 3: it's telling kind of the damage that Cam Hayward's done

337
00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,480
Speaker 3: pr wise, his image as far as Steeler Nation is concerned,

338
00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,000
Speaker 3: because despite a great year on the field.

339
00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:11,920
Speaker 2: They don't want them back.

340
00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,000
Speaker 3: People didn't think that this was a good move for

341
00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,720
Speaker 3: the Steelers, and I don't think you can argue that

342
00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:18,720
Speaker 3: it wasn't anything but a.

343
00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,840
Speaker 2: Good move for your Pittsburgh Steelers.

344
00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,639
Speaker 3: Looks like we're having some trouble with the funds right

345
00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,040
Speaker 3: now with Baco, so we'll push Okay, we'll get him

346
00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:26,520
Speaker 3: in a second.

347
00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:27,000
Speaker 2: I heard.

348
00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:32,320
Speaker 3: But what's shocking to me with the Cam Hayward thing

349
00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:37,200
Speaker 3: again is you lay out all of the business related

350
00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:42,280
Speaker 3: aspects to the move and they all make sense for

351
00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:46,840
Speaker 3: the Steelers. It's all a positive. Yet a lot of

352
00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:50,399
Speaker 3: people not a fan of this, and it's peculiar to me.

353
00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,600
Speaker 3: I guess you are kicking the can down the road

354
00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,040
Speaker 3: as far as some dead cap money would be concerned.

355
00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,080
Speaker 2: But it's not gonna be that much.

356
00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:03,119
Speaker 3: It's not gonna be incredible, be tough to overcome. You

357
00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:07,200
Speaker 3: work a little cap magic there. So this is slam

358
00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,320
Speaker 3: dunk as far as I'm concerned. Don't see any drawback whatsoever.

359
00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,000
Speaker 3: Eight through three, four, one, two, n nine, thirty nine.

360
00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:14,800
Speaker 3: If you want to jump on board, we'll try to

361
00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:16,199
Speaker 3: get the back go in the next segment. Let's hit

362
00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,639
Speaker 3: the trifecta now, though, since we're waiting for him and

363
00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,199
Speaker 3: sponsored by Dannys Pizza and Hogi's family owned and operated

364
00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:27,240
Speaker 3: since nineteen sixty Route eighty eight in Bethel Park, I

365
00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,000
Speaker 3: want to talk about the penguins that have stepped up

366
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:34,480
Speaker 3: the most in Sydney Crosby's absence for today's trifecta number three.

367
00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,200
Speaker 3: I'm gonna put Anthony Mantha there, and a lot of

368
00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:38,720
Speaker 3: you might have him at number one, a lot of

369
00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:42,399
Speaker 3: you might have him at number two, But to me,

370
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,160
Speaker 3: he obviously belongs in the top three of this list.

371
00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,919
Speaker 3: A career year, career high in goals. Gonna get paid

372
00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,960
Speaker 3: this offseason. Maybe it's by the Penguins. We'll talk to

373
00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:56,520
Speaker 3: josh Oe a little bit later about that. But just

374
00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,200
Speaker 3: an unbelievable season and he has stepped up big time,

375
00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,600
Speaker 3: big goals. In that Boston game, he played out standing

376
00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:07,600
Speaker 3: against Carolina. Anthony Mantha has been just freaking fantastic in

377
00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,280
Speaker 3: the absence of Sidney Crosby. Number two, We're gonna go

378
00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:17,359
Speaker 3: with Brian Rust. To me, Brian Rust is again showing

379
00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:21,680
Speaker 3: why he is a true Penguin. He absolutely backpacked the

380
00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:26,680
Speaker 3: Penguins in that third period against Carolina, and without him,

381
00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:29,440
Speaker 3: I don't know where they're at right now because Raquel

382
00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:31,199
Speaker 3: ain't cutting it on that top line as far as

383
00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:35,760
Speaker 3: center is concerned. But Rust is playing extremely well. But

384
00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,960
Speaker 3: number one has to be Eric Carlson. That dude is

385
00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:43,120
Speaker 3: driving the bus. He has been the Norris Trophy winning

386
00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,879
Speaker 3: Eric Carlson for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and quite frankly, he

387
00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:48,720
Speaker 3: should be getting Norris votes this year. He won't because

388
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,520
Speaker 3: the league is gonna ignore that and they're not gonna

389
00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,360
Speaker 3: but he should be getting Norris Trophy votes. He's been

390
00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:58,480
Speaker 3: outstanding for Pittsburgh. And there was the question of what's

391
00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:00,520
Speaker 3: gonna look what is Eric Carlson's I'm going to look

392
00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,840
Speaker 3: like once he comes back from the Olympics from playing

393
00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,840
Speaker 3: for Team Sweden. Well he has answered that unequivocally. He

394
00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:10,000
Speaker 3: has played, maybe even better than he was before the

395
00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,480
Speaker 3: Olympic break coming back for Pittsburgh. I think he's put

396
00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,880
Speaker 3: a lot on his shoulders when it comes to replacing

397
00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:16,879
Speaker 3: Cid and now, of course replacing Malcoln.

398
00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:22,359
Speaker 2: That's a Hall of Famer. Two. Don't forget that. Eight

399
00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,120
Speaker 2: three thirty nine.

400
00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:27,440
Speaker 3: That's the trifecta again sponsored by Danny's Pizza and Hogies.

401
00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:28,359
Speaker 2: We'll try to get.

402
00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:30,639
Speaker 3: Brian Becko on the line next, Tom Off from an

403
00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:32,080
Speaker 3: Info mark Man one of five ninety X.

404
00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:33,639
Speaker 2: All right, let's try this again.

405
00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:35,720
Speaker 3: Joining us now from the post because that Tom Off

406
00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:37,840
Speaker 3: from an Info mark Man today on The mark Man Show.

407
00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,720
Speaker 3: He is Brian Batco. Brian before we get to some

408
00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:42,640
Speaker 3: of the moves the Steelers made in free agency. Let's

409
00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:44,840
Speaker 3: talk about some housekeeping they did a couple of days ago.

410
00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,600
Speaker 3: What are your thoughts on the Cam Hayward extension. Are

411
00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,679
Speaker 3: you surprised that more Steeler fans are kind of not

412
00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:50,399
Speaker 3: fans of it?

413
00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:54,920
Speaker 4: Hello? Tom? Not not really.

414
00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:58,800
Speaker 5: I mean I think this, I think the Cam Hayward contract,

415
00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:04,840
Speaker 5: the scuys, talk, saga details, all of it has almost

416
00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,879
Speaker 5: become like white noise to a lot of fans because

417
00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:12,920
Speaker 5: it's it's almost been like persistent for the last however

418
00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:17,720
Speaker 5: many years, but he's continued to play well, so right,

419
00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,320
Speaker 5: it's more of just like a like I said, it's

420
00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:22,760
Speaker 5: kind of just a static in the background that a

421
00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,600
Speaker 5: lot of people have been tuning out. And that's easy

422
00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,159
Speaker 5: to do as long as he's playing well. If he doesn't,

423
00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,399
Speaker 5: and then it'll become more of an issue. But I

424
00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,480
Speaker 5: think this is just a lot of people are saying,

425
00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:34,760
Speaker 5: all right, you know, I'm gonna keep watching Cam and

426
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:39,240
Speaker 5: appreciating him. When he retires, that'll be one thing. But

427
00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:41,960
Speaker 5: until then, I don't necessarily care too much about the

428
00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:42,840
Speaker 5: money matters.

429
00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,000
Speaker 3: I could see that, but from what I'm looking at,

430
00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:48,160
Speaker 3: it there's just no real negative. You know, you say,

431
00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,359
Speaker 3: five point five on the cap this year. He's a

432
00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,960
Speaker 3: second team All Pro last year, so his play certainly

433
00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,040
Speaker 3: warrants them making this move. The twenty twenty seven years

434
00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,760
Speaker 3: not guaranteed. And if you are in that camp Brian Off,

435
00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:01,320
Speaker 3: some of the it's like, I'm just sick and tired

436
00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:03,720
Speaker 3: of him whining and going on his podcast, what good

437
00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:05,280
Speaker 3: news they got this done on March tenth.

438
00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:06,840
Speaker 2: He won't do that this offseason.

439
00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:10,400
Speaker 5: Yeah, And that's the thing I don't necessarily I didn't

440
00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,879
Speaker 5: see a ton of negativity or pushback on it this

441
00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:14,560
Speaker 5: time around.

442
00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:15,400
Speaker 4: Maybe you did, but.

443
00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:18,720
Speaker 5: I just saw more like apathy, which I think is

444
00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,680
Speaker 5: probably what Cam once honestly, when he was going through

445
00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,399
Speaker 5: the whole thing last summer, much of it, you know,

446
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:28,840
Speaker 5: self inflicted, honestly, because that was his decision to sort

447
00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:29,520
Speaker 5: of bring up.

448
00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,040
Speaker 4: That battle and fight that battle.

449
00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,560
Speaker 5: I think he wanted people to sort of just leave

450
00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:39,800
Speaker 5: alone and understand where he's coming from and not worry

451
00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:44,879
Speaker 5: about his money. But that's never really a possibility when

452
00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,879
Speaker 5: you're into salary cap league, because the smartest, savviest fans

453
00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,320
Speaker 5: understand the best we can get on player X allows

454
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,520
Speaker 5: us to give more money to player why and make

455
00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,080
Speaker 5: our overall team better. But I think this I'm with you, Tom,

456
00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,760
Speaker 5: I think this is fair for both honestly.

457
00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,360
Speaker 3: Of the big three acquisitions that the Steelers have made

458
00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,800
Speaker 3: so far, Jamel Dean, Michael Pittman Junior, and Rico Dwdel,

459
00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:08,280
Speaker 3: which one is your favorite?

460
00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:10,320
Speaker 4: Probably Pittman.

461
00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,680
Speaker 5: I think it was one that had, you know, probably

462
00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:16,360
Speaker 5: took the most ingenuity from Omar Kahn to go through

463
00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:19,840
Speaker 5: the layers of dealing with another team. It's not a

464
00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:24,800
Speaker 5: free agent signing, so it doesn't hurt your compensatory pick formula.

465
00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:26,000
Speaker 4: I think it gives.

466
00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,320
Speaker 5: Them someone who not only do I think he can

467
00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:30,639
Speaker 5: still be productive at what is he twenty eight? I

468
00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:35,359
Speaker 5: believe you know, I think he's just a good sort

469
00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:39,119
Speaker 5: of voice to have in that room. There's not many

470
00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,600
Speaker 5: good non diva wide receivers out there in the NFL

471
00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:45,080
Speaker 5: in the Year of Our Lord twenty twenty six, but

472
00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:47,800
Speaker 5: I think Michael Pittman Junior is one of them and

473
00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,520
Speaker 5: has always had that reputation in Indy. One of his

474
00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,560
Speaker 5: first tweets on I guess it was Monday Afternoon, wasn't

475
00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,040
Speaker 5: even about himself coming to Pittsburgh. It was, you know,

476
00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,520
Speaker 5: given you know, dap up Alec Pierce for getting the

477
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,840
Speaker 5: huge payday from the Colts, which essentially is why is

478
00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:05,320
Speaker 5: the reason.

479
00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:06,240
Speaker 4: Why he had to leave town.

480
00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,040
Speaker 5: But yeah, I think this is a good move for

481
00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,000
Speaker 5: the Steelers and probably the one that I'm most on

482
00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:12,359
Speaker 5: board with.

483
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:14,679
Speaker 3: I agree with you, that's such a good angle to

484
00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,359
Speaker 3: look at the Pittman signing because of his non diva factor.

485
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,600
Speaker 3: Because Brian, if best case scenario happens for the Steelers

486
00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,320
Speaker 3: two years from now, maybe even halfway through next year,

487
00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:25,520
Speaker 3: he'll be your number three option as far as your

488
00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,199
Speaker 3: wide receiver room is concerned, and I want somebody that

489
00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:29,199
Speaker 3: could be willing to do that.

490
00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:34,320
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I think the one potential pond to Pittman now.

491
00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,600
Speaker 5: And you know, this can become circular logic because you know,

492
00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:39,440
Speaker 5: a bunch of guys are changing teams, and it's the

493
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:40,399
Speaker 5: same thing in the draft.

494
00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:41,760
Speaker 4: It's like, you're.

495
00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,120
Speaker 5: Happy to get you get a guy at twenty one overall,

496
00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,199
Speaker 5: and the angel on your shoulders like, oh yeah, I'm

497
00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:47,840
Speaker 5: so glad he was there, And the Devil's.

498
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:49,240
Speaker 4: Like, wait, why was he still there at twenty one overall?

499
00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,200
Speaker 5: Why didn't anyone take him before then, so you can always,

500
00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:56,520
Speaker 5: I guess, bring up the potential downside of Okay, the

501
00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:00,320
Speaker 5: Colts got barely anything for him, why wasn't that more

502
00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,320
Speaker 5: of a market. There might be some people out there

503
00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,960
Speaker 5: who think he's already sort of trending toward number three

504
00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:08,440
Speaker 5: receiver territory after Alec Pearce eclipsed him.

505
00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,879
Speaker 4: As decidedly as he did in Indy. But I'm not

506
00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:12,560
Speaker 4: in that camp.

507
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,320
Speaker 5: I still think he could play, especially because yeah, he's

508
00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,400
Speaker 5: getting up there in age. But you even go back

509
00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,399
Speaker 5: to like the pre draft profiles on Pittman Tom and

510
00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,520
Speaker 5: like he was never someone whose game was predicated on

511
00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,480
Speaker 5: sheer speed or taking the top off of defense, and

512
00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:29,320
Speaker 5: he was always a big, physical, good route runner, good hands,

513
00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,439
Speaker 5: willing to block all of that kind of stuff.

514
00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:33,600
Speaker 2: How do you think DK and Pittman are going to

515
00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:34,400
Speaker 2: compliment each other.

516
00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:37,760
Speaker 5: I think they'll compliment each other well, and that you know,

517
00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,439
Speaker 5: one of the areas where I was not impressed by

518
00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,200
Speaker 5: DK Metcalf last year was going up and winning those

519
00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:47,720
Speaker 5: fifty to fifty balls and kind of reliably making plays

520
00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,000
Speaker 5: like that, in addition to some of the concentration drops

521
00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:53,399
Speaker 5: that seemed to plague him at times. I think some

522
00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,800
Speaker 5: of those slanted over the middle that he inexplicably drops

523
00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,480
Speaker 5: and leaves you, you know, pounding the table in front

524
00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,600
Speaker 5: of you, or the hitting the seat back in front

525
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,879
Speaker 5: of you at Akroscher Stadium, or plays that Michael Pittman

526
00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,520
Speaker 5: Junior by and large is going to make. Now, Pittman

527
00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,679
Speaker 5: probably doesn't give you much juice after the catch, but

528
00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:13,080
Speaker 5: that might be DK's best trade at this stage. I mean,

529
00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:15,720
Speaker 5: I think as long as he's not going to fall

530
00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,320
Speaker 5: off a cliff athletically, which I'd be surprised by just

531
00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:20,760
Speaker 5: watching him last season, get the ball in his hands,

532
00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:22,919
Speaker 5: whether it's a crosser and he kind of takes at

533
00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,199
Speaker 5: the distance, or you know, even just to play like

534
00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,880
Speaker 5: we saw in Dublin against the Vikings, which was maybe

535
00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,159
Speaker 5: the best offensive play for the Steelers all season outside

536
00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:32,560
Speaker 5: of the Kenny Gainwell catch.

537
00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:37,200
Speaker 3: Now, I'm assuming you, like I would still attack wide

538
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,000
Speaker 3: receiver in the draft pretty aggressively, potentially using your first

539
00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:41,720
Speaker 3: round pick on it and maybe even taking two in

540
00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:42,160
Speaker 3: the draft.

541
00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,159
Speaker 2: Correct, Maybe I.

542
00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,640
Speaker 5: Don't know that I'm as well, here's the thing, because

543
00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,840
Speaker 5: I think as far as the first round pick, yeah,

544
00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,000
Speaker 5: I could get on board with that, depending on who's there.

545
00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,480
Speaker 5: But I also might want to use it on a guard.

546
00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:58,320
Speaker 5: I might want to use it on a safety. I

547
00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,879
Speaker 5: might want to use it on a best player available

548
00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,040
Speaker 5: that you don't expect to be there and is still there.

549
00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,920
Speaker 5: Because when it comes to receiver, you know, I think

550
00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,280
Speaker 5: there's good ones in pretty much every draft now, so

551
00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,720
Speaker 5: I'm not too worried about the whole scarcity aspect of it.

552
00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:13,120
Speaker 4: And oh, this is a good class, Like.

553
00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,639
Speaker 5: They're always good class, no doubt with the receivers in

554
00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,920
Speaker 5: the draft. And I'm, you know, reading between the lines,

555
00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,120
Speaker 5: I'm guessing you're not big on this guy. But say

556
00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:23,120
Speaker 5: you do take one in the first round, and if

557
00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:25,639
Speaker 5: you really lean into Tom's idea, take two.

558
00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:27,800
Speaker 4: Where does that leave Roman Wilson.

559
00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:29,960
Speaker 5: I mean you're you're just completely forgetting about the guy

560
00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:30,640
Speaker 5: pretty much?

561
00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:32,960
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, pretty much?

562
00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:34,840
Speaker 4: All right. I mean that'd be that'd.

563
00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,600
Speaker 5: Be a pretty uh, I guess ripping the band aida

564
00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:39,880
Speaker 5: type of moment for someone who was a third round

565
00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,760
Speaker 5: pick just two years ago. And you know the other

566
00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,280
Speaker 5: thing about Roman Wilson that, believe me, I get it.

567
00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,960
Speaker 5: It's pretty discouraging how little he's done to this point

568
00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:53,639
Speaker 5: in his Steeler's tenure with multiple different quarterbacks, you know,

569
00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,679
Speaker 5: just different opportunities, you know, different receivers around him. But

570
00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,159
Speaker 5: it's not like he's gone out there and had a

571
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:03,639
Speaker 5: bunch of drops or committing penalties or freaking out on

572
00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:05,560
Speaker 5: the sideline. He had the fumble against the Colts, but

573
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,160
Speaker 5: otherwise the guy just hasn't gotten many opportunities for whatever reason.

574
00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:11,680
Speaker 4: So maybe there's still something in there.

575
00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,879
Speaker 5: You have a front office that evaluated him from end

576
00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:18,879
Speaker 5: to end and decided less than two years ago that

577
00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:20,240
Speaker 5: he was worth a premium pick.

578
00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,560
Speaker 4: What could have gone wrong that much in the two years.

579
00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,600
Speaker 3: Since, Well, that is certainly going in his favor. This

580
00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:28,040
Speaker 3: wasn't a total regime change here in Pittsburgh where it's

581
00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,160
Speaker 3: a new front office, new head coaching staff. So even

582
00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:32,840
Speaker 3: though it's not a McCarthy guy, you're right, it is

583
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:36,520
Speaker 3: an Omar Khan, Andy Widel guy with Roman Wilson. The

584
00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,080
Speaker 3: Jamel Dean acquisition at cornerback. It's funny, it seems to

585
00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:41,960
Speaker 3: me like more people are talking about now the ripple

586
00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,160
Speaker 3: effect and what you do with Jalen Ramsey than the

587
00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,280
Speaker 3: actual acquisition of Jamel Dean. We will get to Ramsey

588
00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,280
Speaker 3: in a second here, But I loved Dean. He might

589
00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,080
Speaker 3: be my favorite signing because I think it allows them

590
00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,680
Speaker 3: to play pressman coverage with Joey Porter Junior thrives in

591
00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,720
Speaker 3: and they could be one of the better duos in

592
00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:57,800
Speaker 3: the league at cornerback.

593
00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,400
Speaker 5: I think it's a testament that not a ton of

594
00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:03,600
Speaker 5: people were talking about it because he's just he's just

595
00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:05,560
Speaker 5: what you said, he's just solid. I mean, he's just

596
00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,600
Speaker 5: been a dude, a productive, established guy down in the

597
00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:11,560
Speaker 5: NFC South, which unless it's a year that the AFC

598
00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:13,600
Speaker 5: North plays them, you don't really think a ton about

599
00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,640
Speaker 5: the Bucks, Falcons, Panthers, Saints in your day to day life,

600
00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:19,800
Speaker 5: at least not as much as you would about an

601
00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:20,640
Speaker 5: AFC North.

602
00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,360
Speaker 4: Team or even their AFC team.

603
00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,000
Speaker 5: But yeah, I mean, he's just down there making plays,

604
00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:28,000
Speaker 5: getting it done. Maybe it's a little worrisome that the

605
00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:29,640
Speaker 5: Bucks kind of said, all right, you know, we don't

606
00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,480
Speaker 5: really want to keep doing business with you into your thirties.

607
00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,320
Speaker 5: But then he, you know, he bet on himself and

608
00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:36,960
Speaker 5: he made Tempa look kind of dumb with the way

609
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,320
Speaker 5: he played this past season, So you know, I think

610
00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,680
Speaker 5: there are always questions about a guy transitioning from a

611
00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,720
Speaker 5: franchise he was with for a long time, going elsewhere,

612
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:51,320
Speaker 5: different scheme, different city, different division, all of that stuff.

613
00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:55,120
Speaker 5: And there are injury concerns in Dean's history as well,

614
00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,800
Speaker 5: But the way their contract is structured, I think even

615
00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:01,440
Speaker 5: if your worst fears come to pass, it's not gonna

616
00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:03,760
Speaker 5: hamstring you in the long term.

617
00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:04,520
Speaker 4: No pun intended.

618
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:05,120
Speaker 2: Now.

619
00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,800
Speaker 3: When it comes to Jalen Ramsey, I really like him

620
00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:11,080
Speaker 3: in the slot, Brian, but as the roster is currently constructed,

621
00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,000
Speaker 3: I feel like he'd almost have to play free safety

622
00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,680
Speaker 3: and Eccles would be your slot corner. You mentioned safety

623
00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:17,520
Speaker 3: would be a position you might flirt with with that

624
00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,800
Speaker 3: first round pick in the draft. I really wouldn't hate that,

625
00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:21,840
Speaker 3: even though I'm kind of in the wide receiver camp,

626
00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:23,960
Speaker 3: because I think if you can add a serious free

627
00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:27,360
Speaker 3: safety and get Ramsey into that slot position, that might

628
00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:28,080
Speaker 3: be where he's best.

629
00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:28,760
Speaker 2: Suited right now.

630
00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:31,760
Speaker 4: Agreed, But you're right.

631
00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,200
Speaker 5: You know, if the Browns were coming to town tomorrow,

632
00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:37,400
Speaker 5: you'd almost have to have Ramsey right at safety.

633
00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:40,440
Speaker 4: With Deshaun Elliott. There's really nobody else there, ye.

634
00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,800
Speaker 2: Savage, you can't do that, right, Savage? Is that kind

635
00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:43,200
Speaker 2: of player.

636
00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,480
Speaker 5: I don't think Darnell Savage is really much of anything

637
00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,080
Speaker 5: other than like a placeholder with you know, some experience

638
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:50,959
Speaker 5: at this stage of his career.

639
00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:52,120
Speaker 2: But yeah, I.

640
00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:55,200
Speaker 5: Think when it comes to uh to the secondary. I

641
00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:57,880
Speaker 5: wrote about this in my mail bag today, you could all,

642
00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,640
Speaker 5: if you want to be a Debbie Downer, you could

643
00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,200
Speaker 5: kind of make the case that they're sort of in

644
00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:05,280
Speaker 5: the same situation they were a year ago, where you've

645
00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:08,800
Speaker 5: got a high priced safety. It's just it's gone from

646
00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:12,000
Speaker 5: Minkea Fitzpatrick to Jalen Ramsey who hasn't really made a

647
00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:13,440
Speaker 5: lot of splash plays for you.

648
00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,240
Speaker 4: And I think we all sort of liked.

649
00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:20,480
Speaker 5: The trade in June because it stood to reason like, Yeah,

650
00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:22,080
Speaker 5: why are you gonna pay make if it's Patrick that

651
00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:24,200
Speaker 5: much money to kind of stand up there in the

652
00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:25,880
Speaker 5: post and keep a lid on it. You know, you

653
00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,520
Speaker 5: can pay one Thornhill less to do that. Well, the

654
00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,600
Speaker 5: packers figured out that they could just pick on one

655
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,880
Speaker 5: Thornhill and boom, there goes that plan. So you know,

656
00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:36,760
Speaker 5: I think they they're banking certainly on Joey Porter Junior

657
00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:40,360
Speaker 5: continuing to ascend, banking on Jamel Dean being an upgrade

658
00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:45,920
Speaker 5: over the final days of Darius Sleigh and you know,

659
00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,040
Speaker 5: Deshaun Elliott coming back healthier and being able to stay

660
00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:54,240
Speaker 5: healthy for more than but does at my point, my

661
00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:56,200
Speaker 5: overall point is they still need to tinker with.

662
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,080
Speaker 4: Some things I think on the back end.

663
00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:00,000
Speaker 5: And there are some guys who intrigued me in this draft.

664
00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:02,880
Speaker 5: I don't think Caleb Downs from Ohio State would fall

665
00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,760
Speaker 5: to twenty one, but if he did, never know that position.

666
00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,000
Speaker 5: But then the other guy, the other guy really like

667
00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,560
Speaker 5: is Dylan Thieneman from Oregon. You know, he tore it

668
00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,280
Speaker 5: up at the combine and just for one of those

669
00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:18,520
Speaker 5: weird Steelers vibes historic synergy things.

670
00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:21,160
Speaker 4: He is like the exact same.

671
00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:25,400
Speaker 5: Frame as Rod Woodson and Pieneman started his career at

672
00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:27,720
Speaker 5: Purdue before he transferred to the Ducks.

673
00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:30,800
Speaker 3: Talking to Brian Becko from the Post Gazette here on

674
00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:33,040
Speaker 3: the Mark Madden Show, I know Kenny g was the

675
00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:35,560
Speaker 3: team MVP last year, but I actually kind of feel

676
00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:37,720
Speaker 3: like Rico Dado might be a better fit, a better

677
00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:39,760
Speaker 3: compliment to Jalen Warren in the running back room.

678
00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:40,320
Speaker 2: What say you?

679
00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:42,200
Speaker 3: Yeah?

680
00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:44,640
Speaker 5: My only worry there is you know, bird in the

681
00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:46,480
Speaker 5: Handworth two in the bush, right, Like he said, we

682
00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:50,800
Speaker 5: already saw Gainwell with Aaron Rodgers. We saw him as

683
00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:53,320
Speaker 5: a compliment to Jalen Warren. It worked well, even if

684
00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:57,160
Speaker 5: they were kind of two similar pieces. That was my

685
00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,440
Speaker 5: concern with that acquisition from the beginning. But of course,

686
00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,960
Speaker 5: when they got Gamewell last year, he was a lot

687
00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,880
Speaker 5: cheaper than he is now, and a lot cheaper also

688
00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:07,680
Speaker 5: than Dowbell is now, which is why he was one

689
00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:10,480
Speaker 5: of the best acquisitions across the league a year ago.

690
00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,760
Speaker 5: So Gainwell is still a little bit younger, you know.

691
00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,320
Speaker 5: I think he's about to turn twenty seven, and Dowbell

692
00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:19,120
Speaker 5: we'll turn twenty eight here in a few months, but

693
00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:24,400
Speaker 5: that's relatively negligible there better pass Catcher, and I'll be

694
00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,040
Speaker 5: interested to see, like if the whole approach here, and

695
00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:30,680
Speaker 5: the thinking is, if we're bringing back Aaron Rodgers, let's

696
00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:32,800
Speaker 5: just you know, try to get the best supporting cast

697
00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:33,960
Speaker 5: possible to round him.

698
00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:37,680
Speaker 4: That would be a big plus in Gagwell's category. But yeah,

699
00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:38,400
Speaker 4: I mean doubtell.

700
00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:42,040
Speaker 5: He watches his runs from the last couple of seasons

701
00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:43,960
Speaker 5: and there's a lot to like there. Guys just fall

702
00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,600
Speaker 5: off of him and he sort of attacks defenders too

703
00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:50,120
Speaker 5: in a way that I don't think Kenny's really physically

704
00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:51,640
Speaker 5: capable of it his size.

705
00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:54,600
Speaker 3: Now that the Cam Heyward extension was done, do you

706
00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:56,920
Speaker 3: expect these Steelers to turn their attention to Joey Porter

707
00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:58,320
Speaker 3: Junior and get that done at some point in the

708
00:33:58,360 --> 00:33:59,160
Speaker 3: next couple months.

709
00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:01,720
Speaker 4: I think that's gonna be a tough one.

710
00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,080
Speaker 5: You know, next couple of months might not be realistic

711
00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:09,520
Speaker 5: based on the way he played last year. The cornerback market.

712
00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,280
Speaker 5: You know, the Steelers having a lot of other irons

713
00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:16,439
Speaker 5: in the fire in that draft class alone that one,

714
00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:18,360
Speaker 5: it wouldn't surprise me if they have to kind of

715
00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:20,839
Speaker 5: take that one up into uh, you know, training camp,

716
00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:23,320
Speaker 5: and you hope it doesn't drag on into the season

717
00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,719
Speaker 5: because then you get into the whole other the whole

718
00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:28,960
Speaker 5: discussion again, which you know nobody really likes to deal with.

719
00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:30,920
Speaker 2: Well, he's a candidate to do that. He's a caliber

720
00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:32,400
Speaker 2: of player that now would warrant that.

721
00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:33,600
Speaker 3: I know.

722
00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:35,920
Speaker 5: I think I think he has the leverage over the

723
00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:37,960
Speaker 5: Steelers in a lot of ways. Maybe maybe less so

724
00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:40,920
Speaker 5: now with the team coming in and a Santacey Amuel

725
00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:45,000
Speaker 5: coming back. Perhaps that was at least a slight consideration here,

726
00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,279
Speaker 5: but yeah, I think it would be great for all

727
00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:48,920
Speaker 5: sides if they can hammer that out.

728
00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:50,759
Speaker 4: It's just a matter of you know, a Mark Conning company.

729
00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:51,400
Speaker 4: They're gonna want to.

730
00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:54,040
Speaker 5: Get the best deal for their side, and Joey's gonna

731
00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:57,200
Speaker 5: want to maximize his earning power on his on his side,

732
00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:58,439
Speaker 5: So I just think it might take a while.

733
00:34:58,520 --> 00:34:59,840
Speaker 3: Well, what about some of those other irons in the

734
00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:03,440
Speaker 3: the Darnell Washington, Nick Herbig and Keanuventon all up as well,

735
00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:05,520
Speaker 3: they're entering their final season. To any of those guys

736
00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:12,080
Speaker 3: getting extension from GM, Bryan Backo.

737
00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:13,239
Speaker 5: Man, I mean the Darnell Washington one is is intriguing.

738
00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,480
Speaker 2: He saw the tight end money going around, right, I.

739
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:20,360
Speaker 5: Mean yeah, but he doesn't have the numbers right for

740
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:22,960
Speaker 5: some of those guys. Yeah, I mean he's gonna have

741
00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,480
Speaker 5: to more so stack himself up with some of the

742
00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:28,800
Speaker 5: better blocking tight ends who've gotten paid in recent years.

743
00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:31,280
Speaker 5: And you know, maybe the Steelers can save.

744
00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:31,960
Speaker 2: On that a little bit.

745
00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:34,080
Speaker 4: But you know Darnell, I mean, you've seen what he

746
00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:35,280
Speaker 4: does with the ball in his hands.

747
00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:38,400
Speaker 5: So his agent could say, now we'll take our chances

748
00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:40,919
Speaker 5: with somebody saying we want a six 't seven, three

749
00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,920
Speaker 5: hundred pound freak of nature who's one of one in

750
00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:46,240
Speaker 5: this league. You think you can go find another Darnell Washington,

751
00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:49,960
Speaker 5: go ahead, be my cast. So but yeah, I mean,

752
00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:54,000
Speaker 5: obviously the statistics aren't really there for him, and the

753
00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:57,120
Speaker 5: Mike McCarthy offense is traditionally not one that runs ton

754
00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,400
Speaker 5: a ton of you know, twelve personnel, So maybe something

755
00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:04,400
Speaker 5: has to give there. You know, these these guys Washington,

756
00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:07,600
Speaker 5: herbig Benton. I think the Steelers really like all of them.

757
00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:09,160
Speaker 5: But I wonder if there are also the types that

758
00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:11,520
Speaker 5: have been good enough in their careers that you're if

759
00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:13,520
Speaker 5: you're O mare Kahn, you're almost like, I have to listen.

760
00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:16,680
Speaker 5: I have to listen to offers from other teams if

761
00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:19,480
Speaker 5: they want to, you know, send me a crazy high pick,

762
00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:22,000
Speaker 5: you know, like a second rounder or something for one

763
00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,239
Speaker 5: of these guys, so that they can extend them in

764
00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:26,520
Speaker 5: a position of need. It's it's just it's a good

765
00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:28,440
Speaker 5: problem to have when you hit on a draft class

766
00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:28,640
Speaker 5: like that.

767
00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:31,640
Speaker 3: Now, other than Kenny g and he's already been replaced

768
00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:34,319
Speaker 3: by the Steelers, the big free agent loss has been

769
00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,400
Speaker 3: guard Isaac Ciamalho. You mentioned maybe attacking that in the

770
00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,759
Speaker 3: first round of the draft. How do you expect them

771
00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:41,520
Speaker 3: to replace Card Do you think they go draft or

772
00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:44,040
Speaker 3: do you think the incumbent Spencer Anderson just slides in there.

773
00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:47,880
Speaker 4: Uh No, I don't think Spencer Anderson will just slide

774
00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:48,160
Speaker 4: in there.

775
00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:50,319
Speaker 2: He can't, right, you have to at least test him.

776
00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:52,799
Speaker 2: He can't just have the j Yeah, I like.

777
00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,600
Speaker 5: I like Spencer Anderson, but I probably like him more

778
00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:58,520
Speaker 5: in the role that he's occupied as that sixth man

779
00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:01,800
Speaker 5: Swiss Army knife. Hey, if someone goes down at left guard,

780
00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:03,680
Speaker 5: plug him in. If someone goes down at right guard,

781
00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:05,279
Speaker 5: plug him in. Hey, even if you need to like

782
00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,719
Speaker 5: get through a game at right tackle, he could probably

783
00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:11,880
Speaker 5: you know, handle his own. So I like him in

784
00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:13,560
Speaker 5: that way, But I don't know if I like him

785
00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:18,600
Speaker 5: as the every week starter. Plus, you always are always

786
00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,760
Speaker 5: kind of trying to get a little bit younger, I think,

787
00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:23,240
Speaker 5: and I think this class actually has a decent amount

788
00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:26,279
Speaker 5: of guard options in it, so I think they'll also

789
00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,640
Speaker 5: sign one, probably someone who can play guard and center

790
00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:30,320
Speaker 5: that they're kind of missing that guy.

791
00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:31,919
Speaker 4: At this stage of the game.

792
00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:35,759
Speaker 5: But yeah, I think as far as that goes, you know,

793
00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:38,440
Speaker 5: that would make the most sense on the interior of

794
00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:39,560
Speaker 5: the offensive line, and.

795
00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:40,760
Speaker 4: You know, left tackle.

796
00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:42,960
Speaker 5: Is it as simple as Roderck Jones and Dylan Cook

797
00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,880
Speaker 5: two dogs for one bone? Maybe, but maybe the Steelers

798
00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:47,040
Speaker 5: have something else off their sleeve.

799
00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:50,000
Speaker 3: And finally, Brian, do you feel like it's almost a

800
00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:52,319
Speaker 3: certainty that Rogers is the starting quarterback Week one? And

801
00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:54,520
Speaker 3: if that is the case, how long do you think

802
00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:58,000
Speaker 3: this waiting game goes for this year? Yeah?

803
00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:00,600
Speaker 5: I think it's you know, certainty might feel a little strong,

804
00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:07,560
Speaker 5: but I'd be surprised if yeah, And it's it's really

805
00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:09,839
Speaker 5: just kind of a gut feeling. I mean, maybe even

806
00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:14,040
Speaker 5: higher than that, based on partially just the way he talked.

807
00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:17,440
Speaker 4: On the McAfee show. I don't know, I feel like

808
00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:18,880
Speaker 4: that whole thing would have had a different.

809
00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:21,960
Speaker 5: Tone if he was leaning toward calling it quits so

810
00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:24,840
Speaker 5: or even going somewhere else. And it doesn't seem like

811
00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:27,759
Speaker 5: there are other shooters for him, unless it's really being

812
00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:31,719
Speaker 5: kept under wraps well by those teams in Rogers camp.

813
00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:34,880
Speaker 4: So, and you know, I just think when you go

814
00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:35,359
Speaker 4: back to.

815
00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:39,520
Speaker 5: Last year, yes, that dragged on absurdly long, because even

816
00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:42,439
Speaker 5: when you say, if he's here for OTA's early June,

817
00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,399
Speaker 5: like or excuse me if he's here for Mini camp

818
00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:46,719
Speaker 5: again in early June, all he misses his OTAs.

819
00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,319
Speaker 4: On one hand, yeah, but on the other hand, there's

820
00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:49,879
Speaker 4: a lot of.

821
00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:53,360
Speaker 5: Stuff between now and then, and there's the the draft,

822
00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:56,920
Speaker 5: there's OTAs, and it affects your thinking and your operation.

823
00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,120
Speaker 5: There's free agency still for the dust to settle. It

824
00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,759
Speaker 5: just affects your thinking a lot as a team and

825
00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:05,000
Speaker 5: as an organization. And that's why this isn't really a

826
00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:09,399
Speaker 5: normal thing. Most teams know who their quarterback candidates are

827
00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:12,160
Speaker 5: at this stage of the calendar, if not have them

828
00:39:12,600 --> 00:39:15,319
Speaker 5: signed and under contract. But I think going back to

829
00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:18,600
Speaker 5: last year, the Steelers probably knew well before the general

830
00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,640
Speaker 5: public did that Rogers was was going to be there.

831
00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:23,840
Speaker 5: So maybe it's a situation like that again.

832
00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:26,600
Speaker 3: Brian, thanks so much for the time as always, really appreciated.

833
00:39:26,719 --> 00:39:28,480
Speaker 3: Look forward to reading you in the PG and we'll

834
00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:29,719
Speaker 3: hear on SNR as well.

835
00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:31,840
Speaker 4: No problem. Thanks Tom Seman.

836
00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:32,720
Speaker 2: It's Brian Beco.

837
00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:35,080
Speaker 3: You can listen to him every day on Steelers Nation

838
00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:38,480
Speaker 3: Radio and Steelers Audio Network doing Steelers Standard there with

839
00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:39,200
Speaker 3: Ed Troup.

840
00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:39,759
Speaker 2: Great guy.

841
00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:42,480
Speaker 3: We got a ton of great guys over on SNR,

842
00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:46,839
Speaker 3: including yours. Truly, when we come back, we're gonna get

843
00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:49,080
Speaker 3: into some more Steelers talk. I got a quick update

844
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,960
Speaker 3: from head coach Dan Mues after morning skate in Vegas

845
00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:56,560
Speaker 3: was completed. Eight three three four one two ninety nine

846
00:39:56,640 --> 00:39:57,959
Speaker 3: thirty nine is the number to call you.

847
00:39:57,960 --> 00:39:59,960
Speaker 2: You can call in, you can talk Steelers. I'm gonna

848
00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:01,560
Speaker 2: entertain it. I'm gonna be happy to do it.

849
00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:04,960
Speaker 3: I like the Steelers, Okay, I'll admit that it's a

850
00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:05,960
Speaker 3: safe space today.

851
00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:06,920
Speaker 2: Give me a call.

852
00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:08,800
Speaker 3: Let's talk some black and Gold. We'll get the Penguins

853
00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:10,120
Speaker 3: talk too as well. In the next hour, we got

854
00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:12,080
Speaker 3: Josh Yo. He said to join us back in thirty