Speaker 1: Welcome back. I'm Dale Lollie. He is Matt Williamson and
Speaker 1: this is the Drive, our number two here on the
Speaker 1: Steelers Nation Radio and.
Speaker 2: Matt five days a week now.
Speaker 1: But you saying, you know, if if we're gonna have
Speaker 1: music playing over top of the show, which was happening
Speaker 1: live in the live version, is if you're listening to
Speaker 1: this recording and you hear us talking about music being
Speaker 1: that's not going to happen on the recording.
Speaker 2: Apparently even clarify that more. I know a lot of
Speaker 2: you tuned in at for you know cut time. Yeah,
Speaker 2: probably a high traffic time. But you'll hear our thoughts
Speaker 2: on the podcast without Ozzie and Jerk that was only
Speaker 2: on the live.
Speaker 1: Yes, if you don't want to hear what Steve Perry's
Speaker 1: thoughts were, uh, the cutdowns at least should have they
Speaker 1: they at least could have played long way to the
Speaker 1: top on on DV. You know they're going to play
Speaker 1: over top of us.
Speaker 2: I think we need to explain that because the Drive
Speaker 2: is growing so fast and you can should continue to
Speaker 2: spread the word.
Speaker 1: If you were not a original listener, that you.
Speaker 2: Don't get that reference. That is basically the theme song
Speaker 2: to the drive until the bagpipes come on.
Speaker 1: Yeah, right, we always had the way for the bagpipes
Speaker 1: to come on.
Speaker 2: Which is pretty deep into the song by the way.
Speaker 1: Well, the way the thing was cut though, it was
Speaker 1: like it was like a thirty second clip of long
Speaker 1: way to the top, and then you went to the bagpipes.
Speaker 2: Bit hard and then Matt and Dale boom right right
Speaker 2: in your face like this, like angus.
Speaker 1: I missed that.
Speaker 2: I missed that too. Yeah, that was good stuff. So
Speaker 2: the whole music would be our friend. You can live
Speaker 2: with AUSI or bagpipes or whatever. But okay, there we go.
Speaker 1: So looking at the Steelers roster now as compared to
Speaker 1: what it was last year at this.
Speaker 2: Time, it's gonna be better. I mean, if we go
Speaker 2: position by position, I'm sure most of the time we
Speaker 2: will pick now.
Speaker 1: So quarterback, nothing changes.
Speaker 2: Nothing changes, but it's better right you.
Speaker 1: Pick it has twelve or thirteen games under his belt.
Speaker 2: I mean, is an analyst. I feel much better about
Speaker 2: Pickett now than three or six five days ago.
Speaker 1: Yeah, no question, I'm still shocked his over unders. If
Speaker 1: you look at the those kinds of sites, it's like
Speaker 1: thirty two hundred yards and eighteen and a half touchdowns.
Speaker 2: Really low, ridiculously low. I mean almost has to get
Speaker 2: hurt for that to happen. Yeah, I mean almost had
Speaker 2: or get benched.
Speaker 1: Which isn't going to happen, right right, running back, and.
Speaker 2: I don't feel less about Mason or Trubisky. No, I
Speaker 2: mean at all, No, not at all the same dudes.
Speaker 1: Yeah, running back. Last year, at this time it was
Speaker 1: Najee Harris, Benny Snell, Jalen Warren and Derek Watt. Remember
Speaker 1: this time last year, we don't really know what Jalen
Speaker 1: Warren was. We know much more about Jalen Warren now
Speaker 1: than we did a year ago at this time.
Speaker 2: Agreed Snell has a little bit of value as a
Speaker 2: special teamer, right, Watt has value as a special teamer.
Speaker 2: But we didn't put Hayward in that conversation. I'd rather
Speaker 2: have Hayward than what Yeah, but Kimott will count Hayward twice.
Speaker 1: McFarlane will gives you a little bit of more of
Speaker 1: a dynamic playmaker.
Speaker 2: This is probably more of a next week conversation. But
Speaker 2: I wonder who the inactives are, and.
Speaker 1: Don't start that, I know, But Todd thing you sued
Speaker 1: to drive me nuts on the pregame show. Let's guess
Speaker 1: the inactives why they're inactive. I don't care who's going
Speaker 1: to be.
Speaker 2: That gets relevant for McFarland though. I mean, like we
Speaker 2: watched all the practices of camp and he was heavily involved. Yeah,
Speaker 2: like I think they want him on game day.
Speaker 1: They would they wouldn't they would.
Speaker 2: Like that whether that can just don't know right.
Speaker 1: That becomes the issue. A wide receiver a year ago
Speaker 1: was Deontay Johnson, Chase Claypool, George Pickens, Calvin Austen, who
Speaker 1: then went on Ir Gunner, Al Chefsky, Miles Boyke, and
Speaker 1: Stephen Simms say.
Speaker 2: I like this group so much better. But when we
Speaker 2: do these things, I do my best to remember what
Speaker 2: one year ago Matt thought. You know, like I like
Speaker 2: Alan Robinson right now, but when we do this a
Speaker 2: year from now, I might be like, why did I
Speaker 2: like Alan Robinson so much? You know, my thoughts on
Speaker 2: Claypool then versus my thoughts on Robinson now are probably similar.
Speaker 2: It doesn't mean one's not going to work out and
Speaker 2: one is. But you definitely feel better about Pickens. I mean,
Speaker 2: an know more about.
Speaker 1: See I feel better about Robinson versus Clay Pill to
Speaker 1: me is night and day Robinson. I know now, Robinson's
Speaker 1: been a guy, He's been a thirteen hundred yard receiver,
Speaker 1: he's been one hundred catch guy. And he's not that
Speaker 1: guy now.
Speaker 2: But we didn't hate Claypool a year ago.
Speaker 1: We didn't.
Speaker 2: I mean I was knowing what I know now.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but he wasn't coming off a great he was
Speaker 1: coming off a bad year last year. Two years ago
Speaker 1: it was.
Speaker 2: And Austin is on the roster now and wasn't there.
Speaker 1: It wasn't then.
Speaker 3: Ye.
Speaker 1: Huge. I feel actually feel better about Gunner Rolf Chewsky
Speaker 1: now than I did a year ago.
Speaker 2: Okay, I never loved Sims either, And yeah, he's just fine.
Speaker 1: And Boyken is a special team guy. He's hey, we're
Speaker 1: bay maybe better like he is really good? He should
Speaker 1: he should be in the running for a Pro Bowl. Uh,
Speaker 1: special teams guy this year?
Speaker 2: Yes? Yes, yes, yes, he might be their best special teamer.
Speaker 1: I think he is maybe, it's yeah, I mean those
Speaker 1: guys are either they're they're smart, they understand what they're
Speaker 1: supposed to do and tough. Miles Boykin on the outside
Speaker 1: isn't fair.
Speaker 2: No, I mean little five nine guys trying to jam
Speaker 2: him on punts and.
Speaker 1: Good luck with that.
Speaker 2: He beats them up. Yeah, and he gets sound feel fast.
Speaker 1: He's everything on special teams that Chase Claypool was supposed
Speaker 1: to be when they drafted him.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and more, yeah and more. Yeah. I don't
Speaker 2: think Alan Robins is gonna be a boss, That's all
Speaker 2: I'm saying.
Speaker 1: No, I just think he's a He is more. He's
Speaker 1: much more accomplished at that at this point in his
Speaker 1: career than Chase Claypol maybe ever will be.
Speaker 2: Oh, Claypole will never have an Alan Robinson career. No,
Speaker 2: but also.
Speaker 1: He's never gonna have a single Alan Robinson season season.
Speaker 2: Yeah. But if Robinson ends up with the season was
Speaker 2: a three or four hundred yard guy and replaced by
Speaker 2: Austin these things happened, they do him as possible.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Tight end is Pat Friarmouth is Zach Gentry and
Speaker 1: Connor Hayward a year ago. Well, now you've saw about
Speaker 1: Gentry four.
Speaker 2: And of course now Washington ball with Hayward now than then. Yeah.
Speaker 2: I mean a lot of these guys were rookies year ago. Remember,
Speaker 2: they were the youngest offense in the League, and they
Speaker 2: just told you what they think of Washington versus Gentry. Yeah,
Speaker 2: Washington is a lot more upside too.
Speaker 1: The offensive line group a year ago at this time,
Speaker 1: Mason Cole, Kevin Dotson, Kendrick Green, James Daniels, Chucks a
Speaker 1: corps for Jesse Davis, j C. Hassenauer.
Speaker 2: Left guard was not still a competition, but you weren't
Speaker 2: set at left guard.
Speaker 1: But yeah, that was Kevin Dotson beating out Dendrick Green
Speaker 1: for the starting left guard job. And that line actually
Speaker 1: got better as the season went on, it did. How
Speaker 1: much better is it going to be now with Isaac
Speaker 1: Samlo in there and these guys all having another year's
Speaker 1: experience playing together.
Speaker 2: Let alone the Herbigs of the world, and you have
Speaker 2: a early to mid first round pick just sitting there, Marinatean,
Speaker 2: you know, and someday he's gonna be a delicious steak,
Speaker 2: you know.
Speaker 1: Yeah. So I mean that way better.
Speaker 2: I think, way better. Yeah better, because frankly, the end
Speaker 2: of season O line was much better than the three
Speaker 2: sixty five day line. Yeah, so they got better.
Speaker 1: That was still the biggest question mark going into last season.
Speaker 1: I mean, I in the first half of the season
Speaker 1: did nothing to like, Oh that's better. No.
Speaker 2: The biggest fear one year ago to the day was
Speaker 2: we're not going to know if Picket's good or not
Speaker 2: because he can't because they can't block form, you know,
Speaker 2: like we won't even get a proper evaluation of the
Speaker 2: first round pick because the blocking will be a chambles.
Speaker 1: Yeah. On the defensive line last year, at this time,
Speaker 1: it was Tyson Ilululu, Cam Hayward, Larry Ogan, Jobi, Chris Warmly,
Speaker 1: Isaiah louder Milk, Montrevius Adams, de Marvin Leel.
Speaker 2: To be fair, I was I didn't see Ilululu's crash
Speaker 2: coming at this point last year, Nor did I you know,
Speaker 2: I thought he was a solid starter, good player.
Speaker 1: Normally was coming off a seven sack season.
Speaker 2: Normally was impressive. You know, you're excited about lel. But
Speaker 2: this group's better, Yeah, of course, And who knows. I
Speaker 2: mean hate to say it, but what if Cam falls
Speaker 2: off this year? Then you'd have to revisit that thought.
Speaker 2: But as it stands right now, I don't I see that.
Speaker 1: I don't see that he plays such a He's like
Speaker 1: he's I said this before, he's that old guy that
Speaker 1: you play at the gym who's got the old man
Speaker 1: game that he can't figure out how he got those
Speaker 1: shots off, but he does it every time the ball
Speaker 1: goes up and he gets the rebound because he's perfectly
Speaker 1: places himself. He can't jump a lick, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 1: He just knows how to play the game.
Speaker 2: But the only thing I don't like about that analogy
Speaker 2: is the old man game isn't always the best player
Speaker 2: on the court, and Cam still the best player court. Well, yeah,
Speaker 2: he's still shock dunking on your head. Well there's finer points.
Speaker 1: There's that. An outside linebacker a year ago, at this time,
Speaker 1: it was TJ.
Speaker 2: Watt was coming off Defense Player of the Year.
Speaker 1: But Alex Highsmith, who's coming off a six sacks season.
Speaker 2: I mean it was a I won't say question mark
Speaker 2: or a concern, but he was not as proven as
Speaker 2: he is down.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Derek Tuska and maliek Reid, and I.
Speaker 2: Remember when they traded for Reid. I thought this wasn't
Speaker 2: a bad.
Speaker 1: No, he had done some things in Denver.
Speaker 2: It wasn't a seventh round pick. They gave hump, you know,
Speaker 2: and he didn't work out great. But Tuska wouldn't even
Speaker 2: sniff this roster right now.
Speaker 1: No, nor would Reed, nor would read either one of
Speaker 1: those guys are making this rush.
Speaker 2: No, maybe Reid would have convinced you to keep five. Maybe,
Speaker 2: but none of them cracked the top four, so clearly
Speaker 2: much better it.
Speaker 1: Inside linebacker it was Devin Bush, Miles Jack, Robert Splaine,
Speaker 1: Mark Robinson, and then they after they placed Demante kz
Speaker 1: on Ir, they signed back Marcus Allen.
Speaker 2: Okay, as a course special I mean say one about Allen,
Speaker 2: but he had value as a teamer. I had hoped
Speaker 2: for Jack one year ago. I mean, if I'm being fair,
Speaker 2: I thought Bush had a chance to rebound his career.
Speaker 2: I don't know if he got a cup by Seattle
Speaker 2: there not, but there's a lot of rumors he was
Speaker 2: going to But clearly I'll take this version over what
Speaker 2: we knew happened last year. Yeah, I mean Elaine was
Speaker 2: never for me.
Speaker 1: Yeah, he was should what he should have been was
Speaker 1: a core special teams guy, not somebody who's playing every
Speaker 1: snap late in the year.
Speaker 2: Like yeah, And none of this will go to play.
Speaker 2: I mean most of us won't go to plan come
Speaker 2: Week twelve thirteen this upcoming year. But if Blaine's are
Speaker 2: every down linebacker. You've got issues. Yeah, and they had.
Speaker 1: Issued like if if if land and Roberts is that guy.
Speaker 1: If a Landon Roberts is week fourteen, is playing one
Speaker 1: hundred percent of the snaps, it's a much better situation
Speaker 1: than Roberts Blaine playing one hundred percent.
Speaker 2: And it's not ideal either way.
Speaker 1: No, it's not.
Speaker 2: That's all that. It's not what you want at the
Speaker 2: end of August. That's not. But it's better than Blaine
Speaker 2: playing every down.
Speaker 1: At cornerbacks and Mark Robinson, he's had a year under
Speaker 1: his belt. Yeah. At cornerback a year ago, at this
Speaker 1: time it was Cam Sutton, a Kello Weatherspoon, Levi Wallace,
Speaker 1: James Pierre, Arthur Mallett.
Speaker 2: I didn't dislike Spoon on the team. I'm just trying
Speaker 2: to think how I thought then. I've always been a
Speaker 2: Sutton guy.
Speaker 1: If you remember when they opened the season, it was
Speaker 1: Sutton and Witherspoon who were the starters. Witherspoon or Wallace
Speaker 1: was coming off the bench, and then James Pierre barely
Speaker 1: played it all and Arthur Mallett was the nickel at
Speaker 1: Sutton changed.
Speaker 2: I still like this group better but of all the
Speaker 2: guys we've brought up from that roster, I'd love that
Speaker 2: Sutton would be still be here. And I'm not saying
Speaker 2: that they screwed that up. I mean I like their
Speaker 2: approach that they took, and the money Sutton got was
Speaker 2: pretty high. But if you could add one dude, it's gone,
Speaker 2: it would be him.
Speaker 1: Well, there were some other things in play there as well.
Speaker 1: They just it wasn't gonna happen, and it wasn't wasn't
Speaker 1: because yeah, it wasn't because Cam Sutton. They didn't want
Speaker 1: Cam Sutton. Cam Sutton had other things going on in
Speaker 1: his life that he wanted to be in Detroit, in Detroit,
Speaker 1: so player though, Yeah, at safety you were to go
Speaker 1: at this time, it was makea Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmonds, Trey Norwood,
Speaker 1: Miles Killerbrew and demonte Kz.
Speaker 2: My twenty twenty two thoughts on Edmunds were greater than
Speaker 2: my twenty twenty three thoughts on Neil. Yeah, so it's
Speaker 2: kind of a wash.
Speaker 1: Kind I mean really, I mean really, all you really
Speaker 1: did there was trade out Edmunds and Norwood for Kean.
Speaker 2: O'Neil and sort of Riley.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I guess Riley factors in there.
Speaker 2: A little bit.
Speaker 1: But I feel better about Mekea Fitzpatrick than I maybe
Speaker 1: ever be four Like he was kind of remember a
Speaker 1: year ago at this time, he didn't make He wasn't
Speaker 1: all prony and didn't make the Pro Bowl in twenty.
Speaker 2: Two A great player.
Speaker 1: I thought he's a great player, but he didn't have
Speaker 1: quite as good as he was coming off an injury
Speaker 1: plague season a little bit.
Speaker 2: I mean, now I think he's considered the top safety
Speaker 2: and the best safety and that was up for conversation
Speaker 2: or yeah, okay, like he is clearly the number one guy.
Speaker 2: Now he's number one. I mean he's ahead of Darwin
Speaker 2: and yeah, yeah Simmons and those guys.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I feel like, remember at this time last year,
Speaker 1: Casey was hurt the KZ make the final. He did,
Speaker 1: and then they placed him on IR and he missed
Speaker 1: so they could bring him back.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so he was a spot Like in this day
Speaker 2: last year, we knew he was not going to play
Speaker 2: for a while.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we didn't know how long that was going to be.
Speaker 2: So okay, no, I think it is better.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and then the specialists are the specialist.
Speaker 2: And I hope Boz has a better year. Yeah. I
Speaker 2: was looking at this yesterday, start working with my stat
Speaker 2: pack and stuff. I didn't really, I mean, I think
Speaker 2: he missed five games. I was thinking it was like three. No,
Speaker 2: it was forgot that part.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it was. It was troublesome. And like I said,
Speaker 1: they missed more field goals than any other team in
Speaker 1: the league. They also attempted more field goals than any
Speaker 1: other team in the league.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you'd like to see more shots, yeah, yeah, more touchdowns.
Speaker 1: Are more touchdowns, and don't rely so much on the kickers.
Speaker 1: But when you do send the kicker out there, you'd
Speaker 1: like to see Boswell get back to his ninety percent.
Speaker 2: I think they were like seventy eight last year. Yeah percent.
Speaker 2: If you're at ninety, well that's I don't know, twelve
Speaker 2: significant points.
Speaker 1: Yeah whatever, it is, right, significant. So that was the
Speaker 1: roster from last year compared to the roster from this year.
Speaker 1: We think it's better.
Speaker 2: We think it's better. I think most years you'll think
Speaker 2: it's better.
Speaker 1: Than last you should. But if you're a Rams doon't. Yeah,
Speaker 1: if you're the Arizona Cardinals right now, you don't.
Speaker 2: It doesn't, right, right, Brady? I mean, yeah, So the
Speaker 2: way that this team is structured. It's trending that way,
Speaker 2: but that's the goal. I mean, that's when you're young
Speaker 2: and you're not losing. They're not set to lose a
Speaker 2: ton of free agents after the year, and maybe Ogan,
Speaker 2: Jobie and Robinson we look back and we're like, maybe
Speaker 2: they were shot ye, but then you replace him with
Speaker 2: Benton and Austin. You know, it's not like this.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, we're gonna take a break. He is Matt Williamson.
Speaker 1: I am Dale, Lollie. You're listening to the Drive here
Speaker 1: on Steelers Nation Radio. We'll be back with more right after.
Speaker 3: This, the four to seven home of the Black and
Speaker 3: Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1: Welcome back. I am Dale, Lollie. He is Matt Williamson.
Speaker 1: This is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio. And Matt,
Speaker 1: we mentioned that we talked a little bit about the
Speaker 1: Jonathan Taylor sticking with the Colts. That's going to remain
Speaker 1: on the pup list. That means he misses the first
Speaker 1: four weeks of the regular season, no matter, no matter what,
Speaker 1: even if he gets traded. Now, Christian Wilkins ended his
Speaker 1: hold in with the Dolphins, so he's now back at practice.
Speaker 1: But two significant guys have not ended their holdouts. And
Speaker 1: these are holdouts Bosa and in Jones and Chris Jones.
Speaker 2: From the Chiefs, who they might be the two best
Speaker 2: defensive players on the planet right now. I mean they're
Speaker 2: in the conversation. I mean there's seven or eight, including
Speaker 2: a guy that plays here, that are elite, elite players,
Speaker 2: and those are two of them. And Bosa just has
Speaker 2: he's been franchised, so he's not paying fines.
Speaker 1: I didn't think he was franchise.
Speaker 2: He's not franchise's on his rookie deal. So it's not
Speaker 2: the same as Jones.
Speaker 1: They can waive those the fines. Yeah, but Chris Jones
Speaker 1: is racking up.
Speaker 2: He's just racking fifty dollars, yeah, and doesn't seem super
Speaker 2: worried about it. And it's come out and said I
Speaker 2: might wait till week eight. I guess we kate's the
Speaker 2: magic number for getting in a crude season. Yeah, okay, I.
Speaker 1: Don't know if he likes football, Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 2: I think this is his last time to cash out.
Speaker 1: I mean, he's got a big deal a couple But
Speaker 1: the reason I.
Speaker 2: Say he's already been paid, yeah, both the reason.
Speaker 1: I say I don't know if he likes football is
Speaker 1: because when you watch him play, he turns it on off.
Speaker 1: He doesn't.
Speaker 2: That's why he wasn't the first round.
Speaker 1: The motor doesn't go all the time when he goes
Speaker 1: it's great.
Speaker 2: It's great, it's great, great, great.
Speaker 1: So when he does stuff like that, it leads me
Speaker 1: to believe that maybe he just doesn't like football. He's
Speaker 1: just good at it, and so he plays it and
Speaker 1: does it.
Speaker 2: I see what you're saying. And I don't have a
Speaker 2: rebuttal for that, because he was a phenomenal player at
Speaker 2: what Mississsippi State, Yeah, and was a great tester and
Speaker 2: is a rare player and went to the second round
Speaker 2: for that reason. And I'm not say he's a bad
Speaker 2: character guy, but a little.
Speaker 1: Saying that either, I'm just saying if he loves football, I.
Speaker 2: Don't know if he's camp Hayward. You know, right, A
Speaker 2: little known thing about the Chiefs. I'm not picking on
Speaker 2: the Chiefs. They will take guys that have some questions.
Speaker 2: You know, Harry Kill was not on everyone's draft board,
Speaker 2: and Kareem Hunt, and there's a lot of examples, and
Speaker 2: they make it work good for them some times. In
Speaker 2: the league win a lot of Super Bowls, but they
Speaker 2: win a.
Speaker 1: Lot of Super Bowls with Patrick Mahomes. But they weren't
Speaker 1: winning super Bowls when they were bringing in Kareem Hunt
Speaker 1: before they had Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 2: But that's a stick key subject, just for how much
Speaker 2: do you pay Jones? Because the way I understand it,
Speaker 2: there's a couple outlier contracts in the NFL right now.
Speaker 2: Deshaun Watson, which ninety the teams would not have signed,
Speaker 2: Christian Watson, or Christian McCaffrey, which is a good contract.
Speaker 2: But McCaffrey and Aaron Donald are outlier contracts compared to
Speaker 2: everyone else at their position. Aaron Donald because he's maybe
Speaker 2: the best FENS player ever lived, or certainly in the conversation,
Speaker 2: and McCaffrey because he's much more than Henry Barkley now
Speaker 2: Jacobs at the running back position, because he's truly, truly,
Speaker 2: truly a weapon. So no one has a problem with
Speaker 2: Donald unlike Watson. No one has a problem with Donald
Speaker 2: and McCaffrey's contract. But if I'm Chris Jones, I want
Speaker 2: Donald's contract, and I don't think you're gonna.
Speaker 1: Here's the thing, So Chris Jones signed his four year,
Speaker 1: eighty million dollar deal, and.
Speaker 2: He was like ties basically in the league before.
Speaker 1: The twenty I think it was before the twenty twenty
Speaker 1: one season. There was recent I mean it's not yeah,
Speaker 1: he's got well he no, it's before they so he's
Speaker 1: got two years left on this. He signed for this
Speaker 1: year and then he's an underrestricted the year after this year.
Speaker 1: So he signed that in twenty twenty, So they gave
Speaker 1: him twenty million dollars a year before he was really
Speaker 1: this is the this is my problem and ascending.
Speaker 2: It's kind of he got the same deal as like
Speaker 2: Simmons and Quinn Williams. Ascending really good Dexter Lawrence defensive
Speaker 2: tackle that is on the verge of greatness or slamming
Speaker 2: down the door of greatness. But he's under contract.
Speaker 1: Like he is under contract, and that's why kind of
Speaker 1: a gutsy move. That's why they can then find him.
Speaker 1: I mean, if you look at it his first season
Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, two sacks, played five hundred and seventy three snaps.
Speaker 2: Yeah, as a second round pick rookie. Yeah, he's Keanu
Speaker 2: Benton come into the Chiefs.
Speaker 1: Started eleven out of sixteen games, and next season twenty seventeen,
Speaker 1: started seven out of sixteen games at six and a
Speaker 1: half secks. Then he final you know, twenty eighteen he
Speaker 1: bus started fifteen and a half.
Speaker 2: Sacks, fifteen and a half wow.
Speaker 1: Forty tackles. That was eighteen twenty nineteen. Uh, he plays
Speaker 1: six hundred and fifty six npts. He missed three games
Speaker 1: and then they gave him the four you know, the
Speaker 1: big the big contract. I mean they he's gotten paid.
Speaker 1: It's not like they're not paying you know. See, this
Speaker 1: is what I get it. You want a new contract
Speaker 1: because you're you're up after this year. But I think
Speaker 1: sometimes you have to read the tea leaves as well
Speaker 1: and say, well, okay, here's the problem. Kelsey's contract with
Speaker 1: them is not.
Speaker 2: Huge, That's what was gonna say.
Speaker 1: But it's but it's he's he's taking below market value.
Speaker 1: Mahomes is actually taking now what is below market value?
Speaker 1: But you want to break the bank.
Speaker 2: That's what I was going to say. This is like
Speaker 2: Richard Seymour or Will Fork saying, I see Tom Brady's
Speaker 2: taking eighty cents on the dollar, and Gronk could hold
Speaker 2: out to no end too. But I'm not going to
Speaker 2: play that game, and they have every right to. You know, hey,
Speaker 2: I'm ever gonna just smudge a man's earning potential, but
Speaker 2: that has to rub the organization wrong.
Speaker 1: He took home twenty three point six million dollars last year.
Speaker 2: He had an eighteen under contract.
Speaker 1: He took an eighteen point one million dollar roster bonus
Speaker 1: last year. Like, it's not like they, it's not like they,
Speaker 1: they're not paying him. He made he's made good money
Speaker 1: on this deal and he's This was not the Aaron
Speaker 1: Donald situation where he was making book kiss.
Speaker 2: This is Austin Eckler who had nothing in his career
Speaker 2: and says, finally, I wanted a couple bucks around my way,
Speaker 2: and it's against the Chief's way if there is such
Speaker 2: a thing, because Mahomes now he wasn't when he signed
Speaker 2: his deal, but he is now as underpaid as you
Speaker 2: possibly can be, much like Brady was, and he understands that,
Speaker 2: and he's got side deals and he's doing just fine. Yeah,
Speaker 2: don't get me wrong, but Kelsey. Kelsey could say to
Speaker 2: the Chiefs, I want to be the highest paid wide
Speaker 2: receiver in the league, because that's exactly what.
Speaker 1: He is, and there would be an argument for that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, there's a strong argument for that.
Speaker 1: It's a Jimmy Graham argument. Jimmy Graham tried to argue
Speaker 1: that when he got a franchise.
Speaker 2: Tag, And with all respect to Jimmy Graham, Kelsey's way
Speaker 2: one hundred times better. He's like the most important pass
Speaker 2: catcher in the.
Speaker 1: League and certainly the most important pass catcher on the Chiefs.
Speaker 2: And what if Kelsey last year went day after they
Speaker 2: trade Tyreek, It's okay, Well, then I won thirty million
Speaker 2: a year. I want to be the highest paid pass
Speaker 2: catcher on the planet. He had every right to do that,
Speaker 2: just like Jones has every right to say I want
Speaker 2: to be the highest paid defensive player in the league
Speaker 2: right now. They don't win super Bowls without those two right,
Speaker 2: all respect homes.
Speaker 1: And he has a base salary this year of nineteen
Speaker 1: point five million dollars. Again, he is not like, I
Speaker 1: get it when you look at in the other contracts
Speaker 1: that have been signed in the off season with some
Speaker 1: of these defensive tackles.
Speaker 2: But.
Speaker 1: Nineteen and a half million dollars is not no, nothing
Speaker 1: to sneeze.
Speaker 2: I see both sides. He looks at it like I
Speaker 2: could cash in massively here and maybe get a Donald
Speaker 2: contract or ninety percent of it, which is still the
Speaker 2: second highest paid defensi player in the league. But meanwhile,
Speaker 2: the Chiefs are like, yeah, but you're not playing the
Speaker 2: same way our other dudes are. You know, we're trying
Speaker 2: to win you know, super Bowls here. So where I'm
Speaker 2: going with that is, could he get traded?
Speaker 1: No, because it's a nineteen and a half million dollar
Speaker 1: cap hit for whoever takes aim On forever takes a month.
Speaker 1: They got to fit nineteen and a half million dollars
Speaker 1: under their cap right now. And the problem is you
Speaker 1: then have to give him a new contract. He's already
Speaker 1: twenty nine years old. You're gonna be paying him thirty
Speaker 1: thirty plus in his thirties. In his thirties, Like that
Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. That's bad business.
Speaker 2: It might not end soon, though, is my point. I
Speaker 2: get both sides.
Speaker 1: The more pressing matter is that the Steelers play the
Speaker 1: San Francisco forty nine Ers in less than two weeks.
Speaker 1: And a few weeks ago, John Lynch came out and said, oh,
Speaker 1: this isn't a big deal. It takes a veteran guy
Speaker 1: like like like Nick Bosa, a couple of weeks to
Speaker 1: get ready for the regular season. Well, we're within that
Speaker 1: window now.
Speaker 2: Well, just to keep it Steeler centric, I don't believe
Speaker 2: there's any way even if they sign. If our phone
Speaker 2: blows up right now, Nick Bosa signs a record setting deal,
Speaker 2: he's not gonna play every snap in Week one. Nope,
Speaker 2: no way, no. I mean, he didn't played football. I mean,
Speaker 2: he's a tremendous player. He'll be a third down rusher
Speaker 2: at acting shore on Week one.
Speaker 1: Assuming that he's if he's in pads.
Speaker 2: If he's in pads, and I don't know it's a
Speaker 2: done deal that he'll be in pads, and he's I
Speaker 2: don't know if he's our most important player, but he's
Speaker 2: the defensive player. He's Yeah, he's TJ. Watt. I mean,
Speaker 2: we saw the Steelers without TJ. Watt. They're a very
Speaker 2: low blitz team because they pay hardgrave and they have
Speaker 2: both you know, and they keep drafting Delyman. I mean,
Speaker 2: so he's essential to one of the best defenses in
Speaker 2: the league, and he's one of the best defensive players.
Speaker 2: But at the more at this point on August twenty ninth,
Speaker 2: I don't believe there's a scenario where he's a eighty
Speaker 2: five percent snap guy in week one.
Speaker 1: No, and so Ian Rappaport yesterday on the Pat McAfee
Speaker 1: show said, they're not They're not even close yet. I
Speaker 1: don't think there's a sense that they're close at all.
Speaker 1: I don't get a sense that anything is imminent with that,
Speaker 1: but at least there it sounds like there's been some
Speaker 1: level of conversation, like he hadn't even been talking about
Speaker 1: a new contract.
Speaker 2: And there's not a lot of rush on Bo's perspective.
Speaker 1: I just think it's the perfect setup for the Steelers,
Speaker 1: like you're gonna you're gonna play them. Okay, we know
Speaker 1: the forty nine Ers have their stars on office. You know, McCaffrey, Kittle,
Speaker 1: they may have the most receiver. Yeah, are are great. Yeah,
Speaker 1: the left tackle is great Warner, But if you take
Speaker 1: Bose off that defense, rights, we saw what the Steelers
Speaker 1: defense looked like last year without TJ. Wat it's the
Speaker 1: same thing.
Speaker 2: I think it's apples to apples. Yeah, I really think
Speaker 2: that's the perfect example. So when the schedule came out,
Speaker 2: of course, we did a show and we said, ooh,
Speaker 2: the Niners. We knew were going to be a tough matchup,
Speaker 2: but I want to play him as early as possible. Ooh,
Speaker 2: we get him in week one? Who knows even who
Speaker 2: their quarterback is going to be. But now this we
Speaker 2: didn't know at that time was going to be looming.
Speaker 2: Still we assumed that both will be under contract, nobody
Speaker 2: sits out, but now he's not going to be a
Speaker 2: full time player. And I would have to go look
Speaker 2: at their snapcounts, but I know Trent Williams has not
Speaker 2: played a snap yet. I don't think Kittle has. Party's
Speaker 2: played very very little. And we saw what the Bengals
Speaker 2: looked like in Week one with all those dudes resting
Speaker 2: to say, there was rust and there was an appendectomy
Speaker 2: to Burrow, but the rest of the line and chasing.
Speaker 1: It's not like Party's coming back just off of something minor.
Speaker 2: He elbow surgery, right, because is he going to be
Speaker 2: comfortable throwing the ball thirty forty times.
Speaker 1: With t J. Watt and Alex Hismith barn down?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean, if you remember the Bengals game, what
Speaker 2: they sacked Burrow six times? And was it eight? I
Speaker 2: knew it was eight number.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they turned him over five times.
Speaker 2: And they beat the third out of them. Yeah, I mean,
Speaker 2: I know the ball comes out quick in San Francisco,
Speaker 2: but I would be concerned with early rust if I'm
Speaker 2: the Niners, no matter who you're playing.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and again if if your defense people talk about, well,
Speaker 1: you know they won't. You know. Brouck Purty was six
Speaker 1: and oh as the starter last year with the league's
Speaker 1: number one defense and stars all over the field.
Speaker 2: Absolutely like it. He was best skill guys in the league.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it wasn't like he was asked to do a ton.
Speaker 1: Now he did fine.
Speaker 2: He was wait past he played well.
Speaker 1: But when you have the league's best defense back, they
Speaker 1: were the number one defense in scoring and yards allowed.
Speaker 2: Oh and just about every member too. Yeah except for
Speaker 2: Sack if they brushed the passer.
Speaker 1: Well, but if you don't have that dude coming off
Speaker 1: the edge, you're a much different team to play.
Speaker 2: Very much so, so we have plenty of time to
Speaker 2: talk Niners. But the last twenty four hours I've been
Speaker 2: digging in heavy this game, and we've referenced football siders
Speaker 2: for years. Well, they don't exist anymore. If you had
Speaker 2: football siders, I went to there to go get some information.
Speaker 2: It doesn't exist anymore. But Aaron Shotts has taken his
Speaker 2: DVOA elsewhere.
Speaker 1: And taking his DVOA and went home.
Speaker 2: They take football and get out of here. They played
Speaker 2: the easies schedule in the league last year with them
Speaker 2: and the Eagles. Now, I'm not taking away anything that
Speaker 2: the Niners did last year, but they had particularly party,
Speaker 2: had as easy a path as any quarterback can have.
Speaker 2: I mean, it just was. Now he may prove to
Speaker 2: be great. They think he is. They know Shanahan knows
Speaker 2: way more about quarterbacks than me, But I don't think
Speaker 2: he's out of the woods as a player.
Speaker 1: No, I don't think anything. They've also lost their last
Speaker 1: two trips to the Eastern Eastern time zone.
Speaker 2: Did that yeah, I mean I know the Philadelphia situation,
Speaker 2: but they didn't have a quarterback.
Speaker 1: But they had a quarterback.
Speaker 2: He played, Yeah, didn't finish.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they were still getting beaten when he was in
Speaker 1: the game. I mean, and now.
Speaker 2: Lance isn't a Niner. Yeah, you know, so are. They're
Speaker 2: in a precarious situation.
Speaker 1: I just think it's fascinating. I also, yeah, they don't
Speaker 1: have a kicker. I also know that. Again, I've been
Speaker 1: a reporter for thirty plus years. When your star player
Speaker 1: like that is sitting out and he's not around teammates
Speaker 1: are getting asked about it constantly. Like that's why to me,
Speaker 1: I think the hold ends take some of that pressure off.
Speaker 2: As long as it's comfortable when you're not being a
Speaker 2: jag off, like right.
Speaker 1: Like the guys everybody sees them. Okay, you see him
Speaker 1: off to the side, he's working with the trainer, he's doing
Speaker 1: he's doing individual drills. He's just not doing anything on
Speaker 1: the field.
Speaker 2: As long as he's not sitting at lunch with his
Speaker 2: buddies going I hate the Steelers aren't get out here.
Speaker 1: You In situations like this with holdouts, which I've also
Speaker 1: covered these in the past, the teammates were asked about
Speaker 1: it constantly. Hey, you have you talked to Nick? Have
Speaker 1: you talked to you know? What's where's Nick at right now?
Speaker 1: I mean that was the big deal with leve On
Speaker 1: Bell when he was holding out. Like the other players
Speaker 1: on the on the froster, we're tired of talking about
Speaker 1: it all the time, like being asked about it all
Speaker 1: We're doing our job as reporters asking about that stuff
Speaker 1: because people want to know what's the situation is. I mean,
Speaker 1: so they got to bear, They got to bear the
Speaker 1: brunt of it, and he's not there.
Speaker 2: And you know better than I would, But my hunch
Speaker 2: is Eric Armstead, Fred Warner, et cetera. Yeah, they're talking
Speaker 2: to Nick. He's their friend. Nick wants to know how
Speaker 2: the defense looks, how things are going, but they don't
Speaker 2: know a thing about his contract or when he's showing up.
Speaker 2: You think Fred Warner has any input on the whether
Speaker 2: Nick Bosa side.
Speaker 1: And that was again going back to the Levy On
Speaker 1: Bell situation. That was when the teammates finally got ticked
Speaker 1: at Levy On when he had been telling them that
Speaker 1: he was going to come back at a certain date.
Speaker 1: It was like this date, Labor Day, weekend, and then
Speaker 1: didn't and then there was you know again, then it
Speaker 1: carried over into the regular season and people thought, well,
Speaker 1: he's going to be in this time or that time
Speaker 1: or that time, and those deadlines kept passing, and he
Speaker 1: kept telling me about it, and then you're a little
Speaker 1: more your tone changes with the reporters, I'm sure too. Yeah, yes,
Speaker 1: I've been asked about it for two months and my my,
Speaker 1: you know, conversation back to the microphone in my face
Speaker 1: is well, you know, we're blah blah blah, and deep
Speaker 1: down you're like level be.
Speaker 2: Here Labor day.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we supported me. We want him to get paid
Speaker 1: as much as we know how important.
Speaker 2: He is doing the same thing. Maybe I understand, But
Speaker 2: then he's not.
Speaker 1: Here Labor Day and then you feel like he lied
Speaker 1: to you.
Speaker 2: And then the reporter asked the same question and your
Speaker 2: tone's a little different. I mean that's the way the
Speaker 2: world is.
Speaker 1: So I'm just I'm fascinated by this. I'll be very
Speaker 1: you know, interested to see does he sign this weekend?
Speaker 1: Does he sign sometime next week? If you remember TJ
Speaker 1: wants situation and he held in, he held in, didn't
Speaker 1: sign his contract to think until the day before maybe
Speaker 1: to that Friday.
Speaker 2: Wasn't that late? I know he played.
Speaker 1: It was late in the week when he signed that
Speaker 1: new deal with the Steelers and then played in the
Speaker 1: game and played.
Speaker 2: Well, you know is not gonna stink.
Speaker 1: No, No, he's still but you're getting Nick Bosa seventy
Speaker 1: five percent of what he typically.
Speaker 2: He's not quite in football shape. I mean he's working
Speaker 2: out like crazy. He's a tremendous work ethic, tremendous player.
Speaker 2: But i'd rather play him in Week one than we.
Speaker 1: Yeah, when he's a little winded, and you know, does
Speaker 1: it just it's all very things are setting up well
Speaker 1: it is for the Steelers in this game.
Speaker 2: So one thing I like to do with our show
Speaker 2: in my own mind is what if this was forty
Speaker 2: nine Ers Nation Radio. I think what I would be saying,
Speaker 2: if I could be as impartial as possible, is we'll
Speaker 2: still win the division. We're still a really good team.
Speaker 2: This is still a super Bowl contender. But the season
Speaker 2: might start slow. Yeah, yeah, I mean I don't think
Speaker 2: they'll be at their best in Week one. Quarterback outside,
Speaker 2: you know, edge guy Trent Williams, kicker, kicker, I mean
Speaker 2: just they haven't played a lot of snaps and McCaffrey
Speaker 2: hasn't seen the field yet.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I'm sure he's going to be great, you know, but
Speaker 2: they just aren't probably their tip top shape.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's it's all going to be very interesting.
Speaker 1: And I think the Steelers are coming out of the
Speaker 1: preseason for whatever whatever the preseason means, They're hot, They're
Speaker 1: they're flying high.
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, I mean, how could you not be confident
Speaker 2: and thrilled you're at right now?
Speaker 1: The key is and I heard several guys talk about
Speaker 1: this this week, and I think Allan Robinson said it
Speaker 1: after the game. We don't want to peak too early.
Speaker 2: I was. I didn't say this on the air, but like,
Speaker 2: I want to play the first game as soon as possible. Yeah,
Speaker 2: I don't want the seventeen days off. I'm sure.
Speaker 1: I asked Alex Highsmith about that after the game, and
Speaker 1: I'm like, is this like you guys, would you rather
Speaker 1: be playing next week? He's like, Ah, we get some
Speaker 1: guys who are a little nicked up right now, let's
Speaker 1: get healthy. Seventeen dayloff. We can we can deal with
Speaker 1: that and we'll be you know, we'll be healthy. We
Speaker 1: know we're good, We'll be fine.
Speaker 2: I mean, I'm sure Alan Robinson and Cam Hayward and
Speaker 2: the older dudes are like, seventeen games to days is great.
Speaker 2: You'd be quiet there. But I bet collectively they're chomping
Speaker 2: for week one. Oh yeah, I'm like, oh, let's the
Speaker 2: lay week one as long as possible.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, he is. Matt Williamson, I am dale. LOLLI you're
Speaker 1: listening to the drive. You're on Steelers Nation Radio. Weren't
Speaker 1: take a break. We'll be back to finish up the
Speaker 1: show right after this, He's.
Speaker 3: The Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on your
Speaker 3: twenty four to seven home of the Black and Gold
Speaker 3: Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 1: Welcome back on Dale Lolli. He is Matt Williamson and
Speaker 1: this is the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and Matt.
Speaker 1: The big news from the last couple of days is
Speaker 1: the Steelers trade Kevin Dotson to the Rams. Today they
Speaker 1: trade Kendrick Green to the Houston Texans. And people might
Speaker 1: look at that and say, why would those teams want
Speaker 1: those two players.
Speaker 2: I think that's a good perspective. I can tell you
Speaker 2: exactly why they want that.
Speaker 1: So here here's the Rams offensive line. I believe this
Speaker 1: is updated now. Since everything this is right off of their.
Speaker 2: Website, I'll know their starters they're dealing.
Speaker 1: With, right, So it left tackle. They've got Joe Noteboom,
Speaker 1: Alaric Jackson, and Rob Having Stevenstein, Yeah, along with Waram McLendon.
Speaker 1: Their interior guys Steve Avilla Okay.
Speaker 2: His early pick, but he's right, yeah.
Speaker 1: Tremaine Ankorum, Zach Thomas, and then the centers of Brian
Speaker 1: Allen and Coleman Shelton.
Speaker 2: Dotson might start.
Speaker 1: He might start.
Speaker 2: I mean they really have four starters. Al in the center, Avelia,
Speaker 2: who's a really good prospect, that was their first pick,
Speaker 2: us an early second. Usually those guys are plug and play,
Speaker 2: but who knows. No, Boom and Havenstein are okay, but
Speaker 2: they were hurt all last year too. And the depth
Speaker 2: guys you mentioned there, I know nothing about. Yeah, I mean, so.
Speaker 1: Dots Tremaine Anchorm, I know anything about.
Speaker 2: The first time I ever heard his name, and he's
Speaker 2: the starter right now.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, so Dotson very well may start.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean he's a starting guard for them. So
Speaker 2: the price they paid for that is pretty minimal. It
Speaker 2: doesn't mean he's a superstar, but he's in the mix
Speaker 2: now to start. That's where that team is. Yeah, Houston's
Speaker 2: lines much better, and I give them credit that they
Speaker 2: have put a lot of resources in that line. You know,
Speaker 2: they extended both tackles. They had a first round pick
Speaker 2: guard last year early draft picks. Center traded for Shaq Mason.
Speaker 2: But center is still a problem for them. If you
Speaker 2: look at their line, think green to the center.
Speaker 1: Laramie Tunsell and Titus Howard are the tackles they're paying
Speaker 1: both of those.
Speaker 2: Guess because they gave him both good money.
Speaker 1: Inside, it's Kenyan Green who struggled last.
Speaker 2: Year Brookie year, but his first round pick, he's going
Speaker 2: to start.
Speaker 1: They bring in Shack Mason, good Va, Juice Scruggs is
Speaker 1: currently the starter at center, and then the only guy
Speaker 1: behind those guys on the interior is Jared Patterson and
Speaker 1: now Kendrick Green.
Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, I didn't know what the interior depth was like,
Speaker 2: but obviously it's worrisome. Yeah, I mean Green's gonna make
Speaker 2: that team. Dawson's gonna make that team, maybe start. I
Speaker 2: don't think Green's a starter for them, but.
Speaker 1: They have no backup plan that he's any of those
Speaker 1: three spots.
Speaker 2: I assume he's the swing guy on the inside.
Speaker 1: I would think so.
Speaker 2: I think of him as a guardian center. I don't
Speaker 2: know what their thoughts are, but either way, for a
Speaker 2: future pick, that's worth it for them. Yeah, you got
Speaker 2: a third overall pick at quarterback you don't want. That's
Speaker 2: why they've dedicated so much this line, you know. I
Speaker 2: mean they're going to run the ball and try to
Speaker 2: keep Stroud sort of upright in his rookie year. You
Speaker 2: don't want to ruin him if it costs you a
Speaker 2: future six, who cares.
Speaker 1: I might add that the Steelers, well they play both
Speaker 1: of these teams this year.
Speaker 2: Good. I think that Texan line is good, but I
Speaker 2: don't think the Texans are good, right, you know, the
Speaker 2: other things around them aren't great, but the depth is horrendous.
Speaker 2: That's Week four, right.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think so, yeah, week four. I mean we'll see.
Speaker 1: So you look at that, and they have a rookie quarterback,
Speaker 1: and they were a rookie quarterback that they The Rams,
Speaker 1: on the other hand, have a veteran quarterback, but a
Speaker 1: really bad.
Speaker 2: Line, a really bad line, and their veteran quarterback has
Speaker 2: gotten I mean, he didn't finish last year, he has
Speaker 2: an extensive injury history and age situation. So put yourself
Speaker 2: in these guys shoes. I mean, it's good for Omar
Speaker 2: in the front office for getting what they did out
Speaker 2: of them. But I can pretty much promise those weren't
Speaker 2: the only two teams that were kicking the tires on these.
Speaker 1: Guys without a doubt. I mean, there's a lot of
Speaker 1: offensive lines out there that were really, really trouble. I mean,
Speaker 1: the Patriots traded for two offensive tackles in the last
Speaker 1: three days.
Speaker 2: So earlier in the show, you talked about the Steelers
Speaker 2: OH line from two years ago, how only Shukes and
Speaker 2: Dan Moore are back. Well this time two years ago,
Speaker 2: the Steelers would have traded a future six for Kevin Dotson.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I mean.
Speaker 1: Man and the same version, someone who's coming off of
Speaker 1: back to back seasons.
Speaker 2: With starting experience. R It's still young, it isn't expensive.
Speaker 2: Like it's nice to be on the other.
Speaker 1: Side of that, without a doubt, without a dot I
Speaker 1: think that just shows you where this team is at
Speaker 1: right now as compared to two years ago.
Speaker 2: Yeah, if we were doing Texans Nation Radio, you and
Speaker 2: I would be like, we really like Kendrick Green coming
Speaker 2: out Illinois. Boy, he's had a tough go of it,
Speaker 2: but maybe you know, hardly gave anything up for him.
Speaker 2: Maybe he'll come in here and be an upgrade and
Speaker 2: help and same thing with the Rams.
Speaker 1: Yeah again, if if Kenyan Green struggles again.
Speaker 2: This year, for that he's a starting guard for him. Perhaps,
Speaker 2: I mean he said it earlier. I think they had
Speaker 2: the worst center play in the league last year at Houston. Yeah,
Speaker 2: do you want the worst center play in the league?
Speaker 1: For And honestly, I mean if you if you look
Speaker 1: at their offensive line, a mid round center and Scruggs.
Speaker 1: I don't know that that solves.
Speaker 2: The problem, right, who knows.
Speaker 1: I like the prospect, but I like Ken you I
Speaker 1: like and Green is a prospect.
Speaker 2: Frankly, I thought Scruggs was even overdraft. I think he
Speaker 2: was a third rounder. Yeah, and who knows. They may
Speaker 2: adore him. He might be a really good player. And
Speaker 2: I'm not saying Green's the answer, but they need to
Speaker 2: take cracks at the apple.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so the other teams are doing with uh went
Speaker 2: in doubt add more offensive lineman and free agency or
Speaker 2: you know, like le Raven Clark will probably end up
Speaker 2: somewhere somewhere. I mean, yeah, you know, uh.
Speaker 1: Just looking here at that forty nine Ers starting offensive.
Speaker 2: Line, there's a lot of no names.
Speaker 1: Trent Williams at left tackle, you know who he is.
Speaker 1: He's also thirty five years old?
Speaker 2: Is he thirty five? Yeah?
Speaker 1: Left guard is Aaron Banks, his second round pick in
Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, which.
Speaker 2: Was a really weird fit because he's like three thirty five.
Speaker 1: And usually they they want to move guys. Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 2: Never understood that pick, and he's not really fit in.
Speaker 1: Well, the center is Jake Brendle.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the center to right tackle position is worrisome.
Speaker 1: Right guard is Spencer Buford at Burford and then Colton
Speaker 1: mckivitz at right tackle. He was a fifth round pick
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty twenty.
Speaker 2: Again, if this was forty nine or Nation Radio, we
Speaker 2: would like those three more than you. And I don't
Speaker 2: know if we would, you know, like you watch them
Speaker 2: every day like they're okay.
Speaker 1: You know, I don't know if I would, But I mean,
Speaker 1: like the backup center's Keith is mil I like Keith
Speaker 1: is mill Is, a late round guy a couple of
Speaker 1: years ago.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but and there's a little hubris there that Shanahan
Speaker 2: thinks his scheme can overcome that stuff. You know, Miami's
Speaker 2: sort of doing the same thing. And I was very critical,
Speaker 2: not even knowing. When the Steelers played the Niners on
Speaker 2: draft Day, they had three third round picks, a fair
Speaker 2: amount of like force and fifths, no line drafts, and
Speaker 2: they take a kicker in the first pick. I know,
Speaker 2: they never first round or second rounder, but they didn't.
Speaker 2: They weren't void of picks. Take a guard, yeah, anything,
Speaker 2: I might say you're gonna starting left tackle in the
Speaker 2: third round, but take a guard center always those guys, Yeah,
Speaker 2: I just understand that at all.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we're you know, Spencer Gleic, Spencer Anderson sitting out
Speaker 1: there in the seventh round.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Again, he's been for them absolutely or.
Speaker 2: For any of those three lines we talked about. The
Speaker 2: Rams would love that Spencer Anderson right now.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: With Dylan Cook.
Speaker 1: Where Dylan Cook who was out there as a street
Speaker 1: free agent after the season.
Speaker 2: Stalers keep Dylan Cook because one of these teams would
Speaker 2: have taken him to.
Speaker 1: A heartbeat without a doubt pre season of them.
Speaker 2: Yep.
Speaker 1: Uh, So that's going to do it for the show today.
Speaker 1: We appreciate everybody. It was an interesting show today. We
Speaker 1: kind of DJed a little bit, We kind of talked
Speaker 1: to a lot. We broke some news. I hope if
Speaker 1: people could hear.
Speaker 2: It all kinds of good stuff. I hope you guys
Speaker 2: listen to podcast. To the podcast version is you have
Speaker 2: no idea what we're talking about.
Speaker 1: Anyways. Uh, that's going to do it for today's show.
Speaker 1: So for my partner Matt Williamson, for Brian Lamartine here
Speaker 1: on site, well, keeping us on the air. Is not
Speaker 1: that everybody could hear everything, not that it was Brian's
Speaker 1: fault either. I'm Dane Lollie. We thank you for listening
Speaker 1: to this edition of The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3: Black and Gold Football Lives Here twenty four seven. You're
Speaker 3: listening to SNR