1 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: on you home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 3 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Drive. I'm Dale Lolly here with Matt 4 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 1: Williamson and Matt. It's a lovely Monday here in Pittsburgh. 5 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: We're awaiting the big snow showing about to hit. Uh. 6 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: This this winner has been is We've had snow consistently 7 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: on the ground for at least two weeks, and we 8 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: keep getting more and lots of it right, having a 9 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: hard time where to put it on my driveway and 10 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: stuff like that. I'm at it. Last year I pulled 11 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: my snowblower out once. Right this year, I mean it's 12 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: been pretty insisted. I turned my when my when my 13 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: father died, my mom asked me if I wanted his 14 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: snowblower because he had this monster snowblower and she can't 15 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: handle herself, so she got a smaller one. She's like, 16 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: do you want this snowblower? And I'm looking at him 17 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: like I'll never Like I never shovel like once a year. 18 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: This week has been every you know, I'm shoveling like 19 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: three or four times a day. Yeah, that's the thing 20 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: is you gotta keep up with it too, like you 21 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: to get the first layer episodes doesn't compound and ice 22 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: coming tonight and all this good stuff. But kids have 23 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: been home a lot too, and on top of going 24 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: back to school, then they get all the snow. That's 25 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: the other that's the other thing about it is like 26 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: now because they've got the they've got the the the 27 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: so easy to leave them. Yeah, everything is in place. 28 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: They just said, we're just gonna cancel today. We we'll 29 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: do it. We'll do online learning today. Exactly. It's all 30 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: the time. But yeah, we're gonta school tomorrow day. I'm like, 31 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: I doubt it didn't seem like you'd ever go. So yeah, 32 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: So lots of that. But that's what we're dealing with 33 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: here in Pittsburgh. The Steelers meanwhile, dealing with trying to 34 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: get and figure out what exactly the salary cap is 35 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: going to look like. That feels like the biggest news 36 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: right now in the league. It absolutely is quarterback movement 37 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: as well. And last week, uh Super Bowl weekend there 38 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: we had that there was a tweet from Adam Schefter, 39 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:21,959 Speaker 1: looks like the salary cap is gonna come in and 40 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: a hundred eighty million. This after everybody else WNNA say well, 41 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 1: it looks like it's gonna be a hundred and eighty 42 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 1: five million, And I kept saying, hey, tap the brakes 43 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: on this, there's still more to come on this. They 44 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: played every game over the weekend. There were a couple 45 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: of different stories here in the last three or four 46 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: days that seemed to to tend to lean towards Okay, 47 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: this thing is gonna be higher than what we thought 48 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: it was. The first the first shoot to drop was 49 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: a story by CNBC. Of course, now c NBC UH 50 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: NBC is tied in with NBC obviously, so an NBC 51 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: is one of the big partners with the Sunday night football. Yeah, 52 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: with the TV deal, there might not be a coincidence 53 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 1: going on here. So the headline on the story said, 54 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: the NFL wants to finalize new TV deals before setting 55 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: salary cap in March. So I've been saying all along 56 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: they want to get these these TV deals done before 57 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: they set the salary cap because they can borrow from 58 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: future years. You know what's coming and kind of deal right, right, 59 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: and so not to mention, I mean, I don't know 60 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: this exact the road, you know, ratio or whatever. But 61 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: TV money is way bigger than the fans. Oh it's 62 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: it's two thirds. It's probably two thirds of what they 63 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 1: bring somewhere in that right in that range. If if 64 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: the TV, if these TV deals get done, it could 65 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: be even bigger. I mean you're talking about a major 66 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: This is where most this is where most of their 67 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: money comes from. And people aren't stopping to watch NFL. 68 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: I mean I would think if you're less likely to 69 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: leave your house, you might watch more games. Yeah, and 70 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: here's the thing, um, like people said, well, it's the 71 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: super Bowl was down nine persus. The ratings were down 72 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: nine percent this year. It was a blowout. How many 73 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: people watching the second half? How many people watch that 74 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: entire game other than yeah, you and me and you 75 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: know some other sick. So if you look at that though, Uh, 76 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: this comes from Peter King's Monday Morning quarterback today. Um, 77 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: the NBA Finals this past year, their ratings were down, 78 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: so it's a drop in the bucket. When the NFL 79 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: games this year, we're still easily the most watched thing 80 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: on TV every every week. Think, I mean I'm really 81 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 1: talking about with about the things I don't know, but 82 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: there's just so many more options of things to watch. Absolutely, 83 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: that's part of it. You know, stranger things or whatever. 84 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: You know. The one thing that the NFL has has 85 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: kind of gotten to jump on here as opposed to 86 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: some of the other, um major sports, is this online streaming. Yeah. Uh, 87 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: the NFL's streaming numbers. Uh. For the Super Bowl, five 88 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: point seven million people watched the Super Bowl streaming line. 89 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: Five point seven million. That's a lot of people. Like 90 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: even if you told people five years ago five point 91 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: seven million people we're gonna walk around on their phone 92 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: watching the Super Bowl, No, they're not right. That's that 93 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: was up from last year. That's a huge number. That's 94 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: a huge number. A lot of people. A lot of 95 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: people are cutting the cord on their cable TV. They're 96 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: just going with because you can get the smart TV 97 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: and just watch all your stuff. I don't need the 98 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: packages or whatever. I'm just gonna pick and use what 99 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: I watched. So you're seeing. What you're seeing now is 100 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: like Amazon jumping into hey, we want to we want 101 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: to broadcast NFL games. Yeah right, right, there were some 102 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: games like that, right, So they're now they're now getting 103 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: more involved with this as well. So you know, part 104 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 1: of this story with with this, uh, the TV no 105 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: part of the story. Part of the story with the NFL. 106 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: This new deal could reach as high as one hundred 107 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: billion dollars. That's billion with a B. Yeah, that's there's 108 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: thirty two teams, you know, do the do the math on. 109 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: That doesn't mean it's all profits, right, But they're giving 110 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: you money to show your games like they're playing. They're 111 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: paying mostly like they're paying their people. You're not paying 112 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: the guys who come in and broadcast the games you're 113 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: not playing. That's what they're doing, right exactly. And it's 114 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: not like I buy this good it goes up in value, 115 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 1: I sell more. I'm doing it no matter what. You're 116 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: gonna give us a big check to do it, basically, right, 117 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: it's a little different than others. So if this deal 118 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: comes in the other interesting thing about this is right now, 119 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 1: what they're talking about is whether they want to do 120 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: a ten year deal, which would be the hundred billion dollars, 121 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: or if they want to do a seven year deal, 122 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: which would be fourteen billion dollars per years, opposed to 123 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: the ten billion dollars per year that they're doing now, 124 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: or they could do an eight year deal at twelve 125 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: billion per year. Wow, I mean the remarkable numbers obviously. 126 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess the thought processes, where were we 127 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: going to be years from now? Do we want to 128 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 1: do a shorter one or a longer one? Could the 129 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 1: viewership go down dramatically by then? It's hard to predict 130 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: the future to see that. He down right, right. I mean, 131 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: I'm sure there was a point in baseball history where 132 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: they thought they were king and unbeatable, But I mean, 133 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: my whole life, football has been king. Yeah, I'm old. 134 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: I mean it's Football's really Football became the most washpot 135 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: really in the early sixties. Is that about? When I 136 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: start him? When when they went when they started being 137 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: broadcast on television on a regular base, because it's it's 138 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: it's a perfectly made for TV event, of course, of course, 139 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: And I don't see fandom dropping at all. I mean, 140 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: I think just watching like my son in that generation, 141 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: he's a sealer fan, of course, but he's a little 142 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: bit different dad than most I would imagine in that regard. 143 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: A lot of kids his age are fans of players 144 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: more than the back of the jersey instead of the 145 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: front of the jersey. That doesn't mean you watch lass, right, 146 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: you know you might watch more. Actually yeah you might. 147 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: And they like their fantasy teams and they want to 148 00:07:55,760 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: see my home fantasy football online game. Ham. Yeah, wait 149 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: till they get the gambling games. That's the thing about 150 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: football because it sets up perfectly for that stuff, because 151 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: you know though, how hey, you got one game on 152 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: Thursday night, Okay, I'll watch it, and I'm gonna put 153 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: a buck on it. Yeah, you know, and I got 154 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: a fantasy player watching. I got one game on Monday night, 155 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: and oh yeah, that's the bit. You know, watch that 156 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: when there's a game sund in it, you know, watch 157 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: that one. You know. It's just the way it goes. Um. 158 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: I mean even the most casual fan probably has a 159 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: fantasy player in that game and is interested in putting 160 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: twenty bucks on it to make it interesting, you know 161 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: what I mean, Because it's good entertainment. I mean, that's 162 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 1: the beauty of it. Correct me if I'm wrong. The 163 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: league hasn't seen a lot of revenue from betting yet, right, No, 164 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: but it's common and in a big way. Tidal wave. 165 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, So I mean, if they get this TV 166 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: deal done, that's why they're waiting on putting out a 167 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: cap number. I'm sure that's why Dak Prescott's not signed, 168 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: and that's why teams are waiting, people wondering why, hey, 169 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: why are the Steelers not making it? Why haven't you know, 170 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: why haven't they done anything with Ben yet? Because they 171 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: want to see what the cap comes in, and you 172 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: know that that has a trade for Deshaun Watson. Perhaps 173 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: you better know what the cap is, right, you know, 174 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: and all these things, even if it's Sam Donald, you know, 175 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: so the way this could affect things, you know, if 176 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: if you look at it from a Steeler standpoint, the 177 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: retirements of Marquise Pouncy and McDonald. McDonald freed up a 178 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: bunch of salary cap right just in itself. Um so 179 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: as you look for that, I mean, just I bet 180 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 1: there's a handful of handshake deals out there. Sam Donald's 181 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: going to the Colts for a second round pick. But 182 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: let's see what the number is first, you know, like 183 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: the compensation might be agreed upon out there already. You know, 184 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: although that stuff typically leaks out, it does, it does 185 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: so right now this according to spot track, Uh, they've 186 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: got the adjusted salary cap right now, or the Steelers 187 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: adjusted seller cap because that factors in the carry over 188 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: money from last year. They had about four million dollars 189 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: that they carry Yeah, they didn't have to use um. 190 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: Right now they're estimating that the Steelers are about fifteen 191 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: point five million over the cap. Is that they were 192 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 1: thirty million over the cap before the retirements of Pouency 193 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: and McDonald. So you've you've already cut that number largely 194 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: in half and half. And that's anything without doing anything, 195 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: you know. And and two positions that well they were 196 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 1: they weren't what they used to be, right, but you 197 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 1: have to address him. You had to address those and 198 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: and so um players, you know. So if you look 199 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: at it, and I've been playing around with this, um, 200 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 1: if you get Roethlisberger's numbers down to let's say twenty 201 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: eight million, that's got at the Drew Brees deal you 202 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 1: were presenting last week, right, that's if you that's if 203 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: you go to roethlisbergers, Hey, we're gonna give you the 204 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,079 Speaker 1: nineteen million dollars that you would have gotten this year 205 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: with the with the roster bonus and your salary. We're 206 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: going to give that to you is signing bonus and 207 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: extend you over over three or two more years. That 208 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: knocks him down to twenty seven between twenty seven and 209 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: twenty eight million dollars. I put twenty eight million in 210 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 1: here just to stay on the high, Okay, pleasantly surprised otherwise, Okay, 211 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: Well that knocks you down to being only two point 212 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: three million dollars over the cap. Which cap are you 213 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: even going off of? That's going right now? That's say 214 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: that's five million, okay, which I'm not so sure it 215 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: won't be even higher than that. It might be based 216 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: on that TV deal. I trust Adam Schefter more than 217 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: all the national reports put together parts because I know 218 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: him and I think he's really good at what he does. 219 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: But I don't think it's gonna be under you know, 220 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: I disagree with them on that he does better than 221 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: I do. I'm just a hunch. So then if you 222 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: restruct your stuff onto it his deal, because he's signed through, 223 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: that saves you another an additional three point nine million. 224 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: Now you're now you're under the cap. Now you got 225 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,559 Speaker 1: money to play with. Now if you restructure Cam Heyward 226 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: who's signed through, that frees up another two point five 227 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: six eight million dollars. Well, now you've got four point 228 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: two million dollars under the cap. And folks don't forget. 229 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I know we have a lot of new listeners, 230 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: so some people might not have heard this a week 231 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: or two ago. The Steelers have tons of cap space 232 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: next year. Yes, you know what, they can make these 233 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: moves without without as in other years, by pushing the 234 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: you know, the bills forward, so to speak. Now there's 235 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: only two other guys that they can restructure because they've 236 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: they've only got seventeen guys in their contract a year 237 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: from now, a year from them, so they can restructure 238 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: Chris Boswell. Let's go ahead and do that because Boswell 239 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: is going to be on our team. He's had one 240 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:27,839 Speaker 1: bad year and he happened to have a groin injury 241 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 1: that year and stuff too. I mean, I have full 242 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: faith in bos Restructuring him saves you just over one 243 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: million dollars. So now you're at five point to seven 244 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: million dollars under the cap, and and that's five cap, right, 245 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: how about we restructure. The other guy that we can 246 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: restructure is Derek Watt. Fine, what is that gonna save? 247 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: That saves me three thousand dollars? Okay, it's something that 248 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: puts me at five point six million dollars in cap 249 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: in cap space, that's enough right there, if if I 250 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,559 Speaker 1: do nothing else to sign my my raft class and 251 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: go into next season. We want to do more than that, 252 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: all right, Let's uh, let's say we cut then Vince 253 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: Vince william I think that's a move that has to happen, 254 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: and I think he's been a good player. That saves 255 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: US four million dollars. Now we got nine point six 256 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,319 Speaker 1: five million dollars under the cap. Bad, I mean, when's 257 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: the last are any of those moves? Like? Whoa, we 258 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: can't do that right right? Right? That's not cutting Joe 259 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: Hayden or Nelson or you know, like like some people 260 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: have brought up. Um, I know it's not a huge saving, 261 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: but we even talked about on Friday, what if you 262 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: expect to extend what DJ that gets you you could 263 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 1: do You could do that too. You can save as 264 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: much as a million dollars if you do that, depending 265 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: on how you structure that. I don't know what the 266 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: downside of doing that is. It's only a million, but 267 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: still tis a million. Yeah, Now you're over ten million 268 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:48,079 Speaker 1: in cap space, and if you sign Ban or Sutton whoever, 269 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: you could backload those contracts that they don't kill you 270 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: this year or two. I mean that's I'm sure that's 271 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 1: the realistically. I mean, if you wanted to, you could. 272 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: You could do some things like you could extend Derik Ebron. 273 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: I don't think that's crazy. He's only twenty eight. Say 274 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: he's young. He is usually a time when you're when 275 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: you're tight ends. It's like twenty seven point to start 276 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: between and thirty two is when they is when they 277 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: hit their peak. So you know, as long as you 278 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: know what he is and you're not asking him to 279 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 1: block defensive tackles and defensive line his cap hit right 280 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: now is eight point five million. If you can lower 281 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: that to say two or three million, again, you just 282 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: say five million dollars off your cap. I haven't thought 283 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: about him. I'm all for that. I mean, realistically, Steven 284 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: Nelson signed through two. He's twenty eight years old. You 285 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: could add a couple of years onto his deal and 286 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: lower his numbers. He's coming as he comes into four 287 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: teen point four plus. The beauty of those type of 288 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: moves is the next couple of years you assume he's 289 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: gonna be with the team and play well, you know, 290 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: maybe he starts to client. I mean, football is not 291 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: not for long, obviously, but at least when you see 292 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: the big hurdle coming of three years from now, he's 293 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: doing a lot you can at least prepare for. And 294 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: I'm not saying I'm not saying you give these guys 295 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: for a four year deal, you extend them, you extend 296 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: them another year, and then all of a sudden you're 297 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: looking at the two thousand twenty three roster and saying, 298 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 1: we don't have to be more than twelve guys on rocket. 299 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: You know, you got guys locked up, and you at 300 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: least know they'll be here. You may look at him 301 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: and say, we better draft a corner in two thousand, Yeah, 302 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: because his plays dropping or whatever, or you know, we 303 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: gotta prepare for life without him. But by then, hopefully 304 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: well laugh at the COVID stuff and stadiums are full, 305 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: and you know, salary caps are plentiful and all those 306 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: things too, which I would think isn't crazy. But we 307 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: just got We just got the nine point six million 308 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: dollars in cap space without cutting. With cutting, the only 309 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: guy we cut was Mince Williams, and frankly, he may 310 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: go through the league and call you back and say, hey, 311 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: can I play for a million next year? You just 312 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: when you when you do that to him, you go 313 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: to them, save Vince. We'd like to we'd like to 314 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: drop your salary or knock your salary down to the 315 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: veteran minimum. You've already pocketed this much um signing bonus 316 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 1: and all that stuff from us. We'd like to have 317 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: you back, but your thirty two years old. Yeah, you 318 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: know we need to get younger and faster there. And 319 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: you know he would understand the way the world wards, 320 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 1: you know other Or would you like to test the 321 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: free agent market? And if you test the free agent 322 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: market and you don't find something you like, we'd like 323 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: to have you back. Yeah. And frankly, I think you 324 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: could call Williamson to neither one of those guys who 325 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: get scooped up at the first day of free agency 326 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: or anything, and or life would be fine without them too. 327 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, I mean you can. You can move 328 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: on without those guys. But again, people thinking saying that 329 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: this Steeler salary cap situation is dire. Dire is a 330 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: strong word. I mean I even bet the Saints and 331 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: Eagles and teams that we've kind of wow they're in 332 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: big trouble. It's like, get the point where they're trading 333 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: Fletcher Cox and things. Now you're gonna be in many cases, 334 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: you're gonna they're gonna be kicking the can down the road, 335 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: even more so than the story. We're only kicking again. 336 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: We're talking about kicking the can down the road a 337 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: little bit here with Roethlisberger to it, Hayward. But the 338 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: beauty is that road is so much wider and nice. Absolutely, Yeah, 339 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: there's a lot of room on that road, you know. 340 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: I mean, that's the beauty of it is. And hopefully 341 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 1: you keep drafting wonderful players by the way, you know, 342 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:17,479 Speaker 1: with with Roethlisberger perhaps coming off the books after the season, Yeah, 343 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: you know, you're not paying a quarterback. You're not paying 344 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: a quarterback, or you can pay one if you choose 345 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,640 Speaker 1: to pay one. And potentially who's to say, but maybe 346 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: their first round pick a year from now was a 347 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 1: quarterback and you have a cheap quarterback room for four years. 348 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: I mean, like that's an option post Ben. And it's 349 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: also not crazy talk. I mean, I kind of doubt 350 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: this will happen, but Ben could have an awesome year 351 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: and say, let's try one more. Yeah, okay, well you're 352 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: under contract. Yeah, I mean that's possible. So I you know, 353 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 1: I look at this and I know, you know, when 354 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 1: we've talked to Labs last week. You know, you know, 355 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,880 Speaker 1: Bob likes living his fears. He'll be the first tell 356 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: you he's not on the Browns h Happiness Committee or whatever. 357 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: He is not on the happiness committee whatsoever. But even 358 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,120 Speaker 1: at that that number, that got our cap number down 359 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: to one, that's not bad. So even if the cap 360 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 1: comes in at one eighty, we just made enough moves 361 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 1: right there that we're even Steve that we're that we're okay, 362 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 1: it's gonna come in from what we're going going back 363 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 1: to the what we were talking about initially here, Yeah, 364 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: what if it's back then, what if it's even if 365 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: it's just what it was this year. That's what I 366 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: said right in that neighborhood. Okay, now you're talking about 367 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: the prix. Now you potentially could do that, but you 368 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: could certainly you know, re sign camp Sutton, do do 369 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: some of these other moves we've talked about already. Maybe 370 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,199 Speaker 1: even grab a center off the market, the veteran you know, 371 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: and help your team. So I mean, folks, that's really 372 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: the thing. I'm sure a lot of people are on 373 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:45,919 Speaker 1: the edge of their seat here here about Ben or 374 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: things around the league. But if that numbers over, I 375 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: think would be fine. We probably would have taken that 376 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: a month ago. But if it's close to two hundred, 377 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: your team's gonna be pretty good shape on starting, you know, 378 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: an opening day. That's why to me, um, you know, 379 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: when I see all these dire predictions about the Steelers, 380 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 1: I'm like, you don't even know what you have, no idea, 381 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,640 Speaker 1: what's the game is gonna look like? Right right right, 382 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: You're just looking at well, they're gonna lose. Like everybody 383 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: wants to say, well, the Steelers are gonna lose these guys, 384 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 1: but nobody else in the league is gonna lose anybody. 385 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:19,399 Speaker 1: That's what I was about to say. Like, if you 386 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: pull up all the caps spots, I mean, the Saints 387 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: and the Eagles stand out dramatically, and yes, I think 388 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: more than ever, the Patriots, the Colts, some of these 389 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: teams that have money are gonna get some bargains on 390 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: players that they probably maybe but they they're gonna be 391 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 1: bidding for a lot of the same like they're gonna 392 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:36,439 Speaker 1: fight each other. Yeah, they're gonna be bidding for the 393 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: same quarterbacks. And it's not like this is a great 394 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: you know. But there's ten teams in bad financial trouble 395 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:45,880 Speaker 1: just on paper, the Steelers being one of them. There's 396 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 1: twenty that on the surface don't have a lot to spend. 397 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: You really think twenty teams aren't gonna be ad the 398 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: players that they'll add the players that they want to 399 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 1: add or keep the guys that keeps. Yeah, that that's 400 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: usually how they goes. Um. You know, so the dire 401 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: predictions that oh my god, the Steelers should rebuild, they should. 402 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: You know, they get it. Like, I mean again, I'm 403 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: looking at this roster and the only guy I'm losing Okay, yeah, 404 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: I'm losing. I'm gonna lose Bud Dupree, I'm gonna lose 405 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: Jujue Smith Schuster. But your first two picks last year 406 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: were to prepare for that. You knew that. You knew 407 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 1: that they've prepared for. Um, you know your offensive line 408 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 1: needs to be rebuilt. Yeah, this isn't shocking news to 409 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: the front office either. You know, you know they planned 410 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 1: for that. You know you're gonna lose James Connor. That's fine. 411 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:32,919 Speaker 1: These are these are all you can get better at 412 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 1: those positions. You've drafted running backs every year, you know, 413 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean you're super happy with them. No, 414 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 1: but it's I always bring up this is your thing. 415 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: That's the thing the front officers can't deal with, you know, 416 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: the we didn't see this coming at all. This is 417 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: a sledgehammer to our our whole. Yeah, this young star 418 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 1: player is dyet. Look at look what happened with with 419 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 1: the forty niners when they lost both of those talented 420 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: inside backers back in. You know, there's a million bottomed down. 421 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: I mean, it was like that defense got bad. And 422 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,719 Speaker 1: it's different than losing Nick Bosa for the year, Derwin 423 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: James for the year, because he's coming back. He's still 424 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: part of our big picture thinking this house that we've built. 425 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: But career ending stuff is right, and we did didn't 426 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 1: prepare for it, and we're not a spot to deal 427 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: with it. That's what really hurts teams. COVID hurts teams. 428 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 1: But at least they're all playing with the same They're 429 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: all playing the same game, right, you know, the deck 430 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: is the deck is the same, it's the same. They've 431 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: all got the same fifty two cards as opposed to 432 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: I'm playing. You know, if jokers like I lose, I 433 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 1: lose it. Guy like Ryan Shays here and all of 434 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 1: a sudden, I don't have any aces, an aces, right, 435 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: I gotta try. I'm playing you, and if you've got 436 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 1: an ace, I'd lose. We don't play war. And I 437 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,400 Speaker 1: just got to hope that kings keep popping up art, 438 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: you know, right, Yeah, I mean that's that's what even 439 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:47,959 Speaker 1: the best gms can't deal with. It takes a year 440 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 1: or two to recover, let alone if it's a quarterback. 441 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:54,160 Speaker 1: I mean, if you're draft and Marcus Russell and think 442 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: that's your foundation to your team and you have no 443 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:58,360 Speaker 1: backup plan, you know, those type of things, I mean, 444 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: those are the things that kill you. Yeah. And the 445 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: interesting thing about it was I was reading on ESPN 446 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: over the weekend and they made their offseason predictions on 447 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: you know what. They're experts and I'm using air quotes here. 448 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: They're experts are with all respect to ESPN, there's three 449 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:18,880 Speaker 1: or four of those experts that I read it. Just 450 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: just because they work for ESPN does not make them 451 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 1: an expert. I used to be that guy so I 452 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 1: tread lightly there, and some people probably thought the same 453 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: about me. But there's three or four of those experts 454 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: I like the other ones I could I just bypassed there. 455 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: So they did a little thing here. What teams will 456 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: make the playoffs in one? Didn't make it this year? Yeah? Right? 457 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: Teams won't be in the playoffs that were in it 458 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: this year? Who's the worst, the first, who's the yeah, 459 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: those those kind of things. Yeah. Uh, And they've got 460 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: like eight different people on here. Okay, what which team 461 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: made the playoffs in twenty that won't make it in one? Steve, 462 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: the Steelers are not mentioned in their folks, It's the Bears, Washington, 463 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 1: the Saints, the sat are good. Yeah, that's a division. 464 00:22:57,480 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: The Bears, the Bears, and Washing. Like everybody talked about 465 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: some these NFC NFC teams, nobody's mentioned in Steelers. You 466 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: need to take a look around the a f C. 467 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: Who's making the big move next year in the a 468 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:11,400 Speaker 1: f C. Have mixed feelings about that, because I said, 469 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: I think if we sat here and talked about all 470 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 1: sixteen a f C teams, I probably would have the 471 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: Steelers in my top seven for likely to go to 472 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 1: the playoffs right yere and a lot of that. And 473 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: I bet these experts feel the same way as because 474 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: even when disaster strikes or eight eight, you know, they 475 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: they find a way to win win these games. When 476 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:35,439 Speaker 1: you look at some of the other teams that made it, 477 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: who's Indianapolis quarterback? Tennessee could be taking this down Tennessee. 478 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: Tennessee could lose their top two of their top three 479 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: pass catchers. The defense is still a mess, and they 480 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,680 Speaker 1: lost their offensive coordinator. Um, you know, but my trepidation 481 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: is the young quarterbacks in the a f C are awesome. 482 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: I'm including Trevor Lawrence probably over the Jets. But Trevor 483 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: Lawrence is gonna be playing for Jacksonville. It's there more 484 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: than just a quarterback away. The the Jets are more 485 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: than just a quarterback away. So could a team like 486 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: the Chargers make the playoffs? Just playoffs next? You're sure, 487 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: absolutely right? But they also have to play the Chiefs 488 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,719 Speaker 1: a couple of times. You know. It's like, you know, 489 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 1: so nobody has it super easy. So a new coach 490 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 1: is younger than um, you know, I'm looking at and 491 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: I'm saying, okay, well, you know, let's I don't know 492 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: who the who the quarterback is going to be for 493 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,719 Speaker 1: the Charger or the for the for the Colts, they 494 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:32,840 Speaker 1: have a great they can have a great roster. People 495 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: of the teams are picking to go to the playoffs. 496 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: So the teams who who didn't make the playoffs this 497 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: year you think are gonna make it? And a couple 498 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: of people mentioned the Patriots. Who's the quarterback? Right? That's 499 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 1: the whole I trust the organization, right, kind of like 500 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: the Steeler thing. But their roster is so bad and 501 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: they don't have a quarterback, you know, right, And Belichick's 502 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 1: drafting has not been poor, to be honest, right, So 503 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,360 Speaker 1: I don't know that they're just there one one year 504 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: away from no. No. But the Bills were built differently. 505 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 1: But that was kind of my example, Like we didn't 506 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: see Josh Allen comming like, but the Bills were a playoffs. 507 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: Bills are a playoff team of year. I said they were. 508 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: They had a foundation that they weren't what if two 509 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: was really good next year? Okay? Well they I mean 510 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: they had a foundation. They still you know when you 511 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,719 Speaker 1: look at their record, they played a super easy schedule 512 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:25,199 Speaker 1: last year. They did, and they took advantage of that, 513 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: but still like their point differential and yards were played 514 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: differential aren't that great. I mean they kind of got 515 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: by on special teams and turnovers and those things aren't. Yeah, 516 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: those things aren't something that carries over from year to year. 517 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: But they have two first round picks. Could Could the 518 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 1: Browns take a step back? No doubt. I mean I'm 519 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: not betting they will, but they certainly could. I mean 520 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: they got to replace like seven defensive players, yes, and 521 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,120 Speaker 1: do you trust Baker and they weren't. They weren't good 522 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: defensive players, but you still have to replace them. Just yeah, 523 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: just because you're just because you're replacing these guys, doesn't 524 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: mean you're get better there sure, Um, you know, I 525 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 1: look at the rightbacks. My point though, was quarterbacks do 526 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 1: change the world. And is Baker is Baker quarterback? Though? 527 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: That does that? See, I don't know that he is, 528 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: but I think one day Burrow Lawrence those guys will 529 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: be That's fine. But yeah, Burrows no nowhere near that 530 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 1: that level yet. Either roster is worse. So again I 531 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: look at and said, you tell them, you're gonna tell 532 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 1: me that the Steelers are one of the best seven 533 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:29,640 Speaker 1: teams in the A f C. No, I bet I'll 534 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: bet they I bet they are. I mean, just off 535 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: the top of my head, I think I picked him 536 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 1: to win the South. Yes, as it stands right this minute, 537 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: just with the quarterback on certainty and Tennessee, I think 538 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: it's gonna be worse than the last year. Jackson's already 539 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: Houston might pick firsts overall. You know, they're they're horrendous 540 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,399 Speaker 1: without Watson and then and they would be the second 541 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: best team in the in the a f C East. Yes, 542 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: those are better. They might be this Miami might be better. 543 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: We may change maybeing after the draft and free agency, 544 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: but to it has to be good. Um, they'd be 545 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: in the converse he being the conversation in the West, 546 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: to be the second best team in the West. Yes, yes, 547 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: I think they're better than what the Raiders can get to. 548 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:11,919 Speaker 1: I think the Chargers have a really high ceiling, but 549 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 1: they haven't proven that they can still. You know, Ferst, 550 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,639 Speaker 1: I love Derwin James, you can't prove you can stay healthy, 551 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,360 Speaker 1: and it's a problem. I mean, there's rumors we're talking 552 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: about the podcast today, the latest rumors with Watson, which 553 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: I don't know if he's going anywhere I don't think 554 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: he is. But Denver has been mentioned. If denvergot Watson, 555 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: I would fear the Broncos, and if I were the Chiefs, 556 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 1: I would hate to see Watson go to that. But 557 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 1: what would they have to give up? A lot? A lot? 558 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 1: And that that's the problem with trading for him, is 559 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 1: it hamstrings you for the future's Bradley Chubb after be 560 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,639 Speaker 1: part of that deal, or Sutton or because they're not 561 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 1: thet or you know. So, I'm sitting there picturing Watson 562 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: throw into all those young dudes with Munch coached up, 563 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,640 Speaker 1: the old line, Fangio in charge of the defense. He'll 564 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 1: figure it out. Then they're dangerous that they won't have 565 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: all those things. I just don't see. First of all, 566 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: I don't see them trading him. Secondly, I don't them 567 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 1: trading if you if you do trade him, you don't 568 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,679 Speaker 1: trade him to the FC. You try to trade him 569 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: to the NFC so you only have to see him 570 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: once every four years. I think he could be a Niner. Yeah, 571 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 1: and they would just go all in. They trade Jimmy 572 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 1: for a second, give you everything they can for him, 573 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: but that might cost you, Nick Bosta, it's he's not 574 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: gonna be cheat yeah, um, but yeah, so I think 575 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: the people who are I think there's a lot of 576 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: people jumping the gun on this salary cap stuff. We'll 577 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 1: find happens every year though, like as soon as the 578 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: season ends typically though, you look at it and it 579 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: always goes up at least ten million, right right, And 580 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: people don't think that's strictly about it. But I think 581 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: many Steeler fans out there and probably a lot of 582 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: our listeners that have real lives and don't think about 583 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: this twenty four hours a day like we do. The 584 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: end the season ends, it's on a bad note, as 585 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: thirty one teams are, and then you see the list 586 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: of free agents and go, bam, we're screwed. And then 587 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: Poualty retires, Advance retires, and it's like, we got nothing left. 588 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: It's gonna be we're gonna be terrible for that ten years. Well, 589 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: it's not much different than last year or the year before, 590 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 1: or you know, I mean the guys in charge of 591 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 1: a handling the situation for a long time they have, 592 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 1: but that's gonna do it for this segment of the drive. 593 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: So for my partner Matt Williamson, for Jacob here on site. 594 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: I'm Dale Lolly. We thank you for listening to the 595 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio.