1 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 2 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: Home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio. Welcome 3 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: to the Drive. I'm Dale Lolly here with Matt Williamson. 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: He's got his uh cured coffees stacked up over there. 5 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: There's a story behind that. You had none yesterday, You've 6 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: got twenty seven of them today. Thought of me, Callen, 7 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: thought of me. I brought some from home. It's been 8 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: a little shortage around here, little shortage. I'm glad to 9 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: these early starts coffee. So I'm down in like three 10 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: diet cokes before we uh start to show. You gotta 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 1: get the gotta get the caffeine level of the proper road. Absolutely. 12 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: I don't operate best first thing in the morning, so 13 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: this is instrumental to my success. Typically, if I'm getting 14 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: up this early, I'm going out to kill something, yes, 15 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: I value, or maybe even hit the links perhaps something 16 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: like that. Yeah, yeah, Not to get up and do work. 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: Yeah I don't. Well, you're chatting with you about football. Yeah, 18 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: I think we can handle it. Typically we do this 19 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: much later at night though, that's for sure, that's for sure, 20 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: And that's when I do my best work. Um, some stuff. Yeah, 21 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: we get some stuff the stealers will put on the 22 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: pads today. Uh, it'll be the first time in pads. 23 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: We should see some backs on backers. We should see 24 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: uh with some live tackling. We should see all kinds 25 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: of good stuff. Yeah. I mean they've been in camping 26 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: now a while to not be doing much. And I 27 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,479 Speaker 1: mean the rules of the rules. I mean, everyone's dealing 28 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: with the same thing. But it seems like a long 29 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: acclamation period considering that they got a game. Yeah, it 30 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: really is. I asked Mike Tomlin about that the other day, 31 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: as you know, because he the guy that likes to 32 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: have his team get physical and practice and practices and 33 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: training camp. And he's like, well, you know, the rules 34 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: are the rules. Everybody's working under the same rules. Deal 35 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: with it, right, But deep down he's saying, come on, man, 36 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: I mean typically they would have been tackling, not the 37 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: last three days. Yeah, right, right, And depending how far 38 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: you go back, sometimes since day one. And you know, 39 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna understand the it doesn't have to happen right away, 40 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,119 Speaker 1: but it just doesn't seem a bit extreme. It makes 41 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: it tough on the guys trying to make it a 42 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: name for themselves. The young guys. I mean, again Cam Heyward, 43 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: it doesn't change his outlook on things or his season 44 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: or any of those type of things in my opinion, 45 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: but especially after last year, but no preseason, super shortened camp, 46 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: some of these young guys, how do you find the 47 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: James Harrison, Mike Hilton types? You know? And even the fifth, six, 48 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: seventh round picks sometimes they don't have enough time. You know, 49 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: last year, if you're a position coach and you know 50 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: you draft a uh tackle in round two, a guard 51 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: in round seven, you gotta get that tackle ready to 52 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: play on game day. And the round seven guys I 53 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: saw there was a tweet from I believe it was 54 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: Gil Brandt and and he said, um, I think they 55 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: were like nine guys in the a OF and maybe 56 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: seven in the NFC or vice versa. There weren't many 57 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: drafted players from last year who weren't on rosters this year. 58 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: Well that's why, that's why you drafted the guy. You're 59 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: not gonna cut him to keep an undrafted guy who 60 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: you haven't seen playing a game. Yeah, And that's who 61 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: it really hurt was the undrafted guys, without question. I mean, 62 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: even if you're a fifth six, seventh round pick. You're 63 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: gonna get the benefit of the doubt. You didn't have 64 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,959 Speaker 1: enough chance to screw it up, right, right, Yeah, that's true. 65 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 1: I do like the fact that they have bigger practice 66 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: squads though, so at least a lot of those well 67 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: that helped too, like around you know, but I mean 68 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: you really had to stink or do something wrong. I mean, 69 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: you have no special teams in preseason. I mean, that's 70 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: a huge way to make an impact is let me 71 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: run down on the punt team, let me do all 72 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: those type of things, and you would you only do 73 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: it in practice. Special teams in practice isn't close to Yeah, 74 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: I mean you have to show that they desire to 75 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: run down there like your hair is on fire, tackle someone, 76 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: not screw up the assignment, and right yeah, I mean 77 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: Al Davis and some of these guys made their bones 78 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: doing that, you know. Uh. Cynthia Freeland, a friend of 79 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: the show, has put out a her one of her 80 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: game theories here, and it's projecting the most improved players 81 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: on each a f C and NFC team. That's interesting. 82 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: I haven't seen that. And for the Steelers, that guy 83 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: is Devin Bush and I just wanted to read what 84 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: she what Cynthia wrote about Devin Busher. Um, he said 85 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: in his rookie season in two thousand nineteen, Bushes impacting 86 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: coverage was almost immediate. Computer vision shows he was able 87 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: to limit catches and yards after the catch at the 88 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: fifth best rate. That thing here, I didn't recognize that, 89 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 1: but I mean that's also a new technology from them, 90 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: and that he started entering this high level of production 91 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: about two games into the season. Okay, yeah, his rookie year. Uh. 92 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 1: The average for off ball linebackers drafted in the first 93 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: three rounds since two thousand five is about five games 94 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 1: before they are consistent and we can determine who they 95 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: are with any statistical relevance. Given the changes to the 96 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: Steelers defenses soft season, it seems more. It seems more 97 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: will be asked to Bush in his return to the 98 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: field after missing eleven games in and there are great 99 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: indicators that he will be able to deliver. That's not 100 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: what Steeler fans think about Devon Busche. I guess this 101 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: is a bigger He wasn't very good in coverage his 102 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: first two years, right, That's that's what I hear a lot. Well, 103 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: he needs to get better in coverage. My take on 104 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,720 Speaker 1: it was, and this goes back to his Michigan days. 105 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: I was always impressed with his man coverage skills, particularly 106 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: against running backs, and I thought that really went up 107 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 1: a level last year. Barkley comes to mind. Early in 108 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: the year, you know that running back receiving production, even 109 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: some good receiving backs last year, it wasn't happening. And 110 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: I think he was the biggest culprit there. And he 111 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: played a lot of man coverage against backs, you know 112 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: where Edmunds often get the tight end. And it's not 113 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 1: every snap, but there's a rule of thumb um And 114 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: even early on, I thought he was a lot better 115 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: man coverage than zone, which is what he did in college. 116 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: And you know, I mean that's not a strict thing. 117 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: And sometimes the zones it's hard to tell exactly what 118 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: his job. For example that there was against Denver last year. Uh, 119 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: there was a touchdown that was given up to know 120 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: a fan, Yeah, okay, he came, he ran across her 121 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: and he would Bush was not supposed to be the 122 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: guy who had him. Yeah, but Busch was the closest 123 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 1: guy to him. So everybody, a lot of fans what 124 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 1: Bush got beat by fan for a touchdown. It wasn't 125 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 1: his guy. From what I remember, you probably remember the 126 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: play better than I was. Two. I mean fans running 127 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: full speed across the formation and he's a first round pick. 128 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: I mean to running the four four and hitting him 129 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: and stride and if Bush isn't running, I mean, if 130 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: he has to pick him up in his zone. It's 131 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: not like it's the first I've ever had in football's 132 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: history either, But I mean that's a tough play, especially 133 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 1: if you're making up for somebody else. I'm not making 134 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: excuses for him. Um. His height worries me a little 135 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: in coverage and a little bit overall. Um, But I 136 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: do think he's the obvious candidate to be the breakout player. 137 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: It goes back to the too. You know a lot 138 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: of times what we've talked about in coverage, you don't 139 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: know how many times you see the You see the 140 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: ones where the guy gives up the catch. What you 141 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,119 Speaker 1: don't see is that how many times the quarterback looks 142 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: in that guy's direction and doesn't throw the ball because 143 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: because the coverage is good, right, absolutely, I don't know 144 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: if that will ever happen, And it's more of a 145 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: quarterback stat than a coverage stat. But I would love 146 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: to know the throws that should be made that aren't 147 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: your guys the primary target and the quarterback doesn't throw 148 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: it because you've got him blanketed. Yeah, I mean, because 149 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: these guys have progression reads. You know this this play 150 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: is designed to go from one to two to three, 151 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: and if you took one away, you more than did 152 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: exactly exactly, no question about it. Um. Do you why 153 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: you think still I forget how you phrased it there 154 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: that stealer Nations a little down on Bush or do 155 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: you think it's because they gave so much up to 156 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: get them? Yeah? I think there's some of that. Well, 157 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: he's you know, he wasn't worth it moving up that 158 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: much toge I can hear that. That's a totally different 159 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: story because they gave up a lot. And I mean 160 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: you and I have often talked that if they stuck 161 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: at twenty, I think it was they probably take Darnell Savage, 162 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: and I might rather have Darnell Savage. I mean, but 163 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: then they don't make the trade for Fitzpatrick. And then 164 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: if they have runches here, they don't do any of it. 165 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: You know, it's it's all. It's the butterfly thing too, 166 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: and you did more picks, and you know you so 167 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:38,719 Speaker 1: obviously it would be a lot different. But I don't 168 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: think you can look at it that way. I mean, 169 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: I guess you could say, after his first contract, was 170 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: it worth the price to trade up? I think it's 171 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: too early to do it now, but I have no 172 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: reason to games. Yeah, and in a demanding position from 173 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: the get go, asked a lot every down players a 174 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: rook and look at the guys that are drafted similarly. 175 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: Devin White, contrary to popular belief, still struggles. I mean, 176 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:07,319 Speaker 1: I know they won the Super Bowl and he flies 177 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: in the field. Roquan Smith just really started stepping up. 178 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 1: You know, like if you look at first round linebackers 179 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: the last three years, nobody's blowing your doors off immediately, 180 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: even I mean Edmonds and Buffalo. He's coming along well, 181 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: but not He's not the star of that I was 182 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: gonna be. I thought to be better by now, to 183 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: be honest with you, Umm, looking here at his his 184 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: advanced stats his rookie year, he gave up He was 185 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: targeted sixty eight times in sixteen games. You give up 186 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: forty six completions, that's a sixty almost sixty eight percent 187 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: completion percentage. And you might say, well, that's that's really bad. 188 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,719 Speaker 1: Depends you look at the yards per target. At six 189 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: point four yards per target, you're gonna give those up. 190 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 1: See that's what I was saying there, thinking is that 191 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: these are NFL dot com stats, right, these are from 192 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 1: Pro Football Reference, Okay, because I was curious on those completions. 193 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: We often talk about football outsiders success rate. I wonder 194 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: how many were successful plays for the offense. Because if 195 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: it's third and eight and you give up a six 196 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: yard pass, you did your job. You know, if you 197 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: check down, or you know, you dump it off the 198 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,079 Speaker 1: Barkley and you come up and tackle him for a 199 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: two yard game on first and ten, defense take that 200 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:19,599 Speaker 1: all day long. Well, here's what I look at. He 201 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: gave up forty six catches, but the yards after the 202 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: catch were two four yards, So he's getting he's getting 203 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: the guy in the ground as soon as he as 204 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: he catches him. Last year, he gave up fourteen completions 205 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: in twenty two attempts. That's a sixty three point six 206 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: completion percentage. The A dot was a little bit deeper, 207 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: six point nine yards um. I'm sorry, uh probably yeah, 208 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: six point nine yards um. The yards after catch on 209 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: fourteen catches, he gave up fifty six yards after the catch. 210 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 1: He's getting the guy on the you know, yeah, you're 211 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: gonna give up. And in some of those yards after 212 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: the catch are the dump off to the running back 213 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: where he's got a head of steam coming to the 214 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: line of scrimmage and you're getting out to the tackle him. Yeah. 215 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: You know, as a linebacker, those stats I think need 216 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: to be taken with more contacts, especially in such a 217 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,719 Speaker 1: small area because frankly, he could miss one tackle and 218 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: someone runs thirty yards down the field and yeah, yeah, 219 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 1: but I mean again, if it's third and eight, pass 220 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: rush is coming hard, they dump into her back, you know, 221 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: Bush gets them down six yards, you know, pass the 222 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: line of scrimmage. All's well, Yeah, here's the He gave 223 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: up five touchdowns as a rookie in coverage last year. 224 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: In five games, he gave up one and that would 225 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 1: have been the fan touchdown that he wasn't I was 226 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: actually gonna say that, And and the yards after catch 227 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 1: on the fan one too. Yeah. Coverage stats are still 228 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: tricky to me. They really are, because you don't know 229 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: whose responsibility necessarily it was. I was we were telling 230 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: a story and I can't remember the player. Um, Mike 231 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: Pursuito was telling the story about how he can't he's 232 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: watching a show or something in and uh. One of 233 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: the guys said, you know this this player. Every time 234 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:06,959 Speaker 1: he was near the guy he gave up and gave 235 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: up a touchdown. He would be all demonstrative talking to 236 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: his teammates and made it look like he was yelling 237 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 1: at them because he you know, they blew the coverage 238 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: or something. What he was really saying. He'd be all 239 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: demonstrative and say, man, I really blew that coverage there. 240 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, guys. But the average fans look at him. Yeah, 241 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: I look at him blaming everybody else because you don't know, 242 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 1: you don't know. Yeah, I mean, I wasn't a twenty 243 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 1: year veteran scout, you know, I only give it a 244 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: year for the Browns. But I remember watching a lot 245 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: of high school or college tape saying I'm not sure 246 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: whose responsibility that is. And I still think the most 247 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 1: veteran football guy some coverages, you're not sure unless you've 248 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: made the play call yourself or sitting there with the playbook, 249 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And the thing that screws 250 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: you up is if one of the eleven doesn't do 251 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: their job well, then it doesn't look like the coverage 252 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: that you think it is correct. Like I can't read 253 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: the puzzle if they're missing two pieces, you know. I 254 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: remember I got into uh. I wrote something one time 255 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: is about after a preseason game, and I wrote my 256 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: thoughts about the game, and Robert Golden jump me about it. 257 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: Robert he was playing strong safety that day, and they 258 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: were playing a lot of cover too, and there were 259 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: a lot of catches right in front of Robert Golden 260 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: there in the cover two. And I said, you know, 261 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: he didn't you know, he didn't. I didn't think he 262 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: played very well. And yeah, he came at me. And 263 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: it's what are my responsibilities there? I said, you know, 264 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: you're playing cover too, you can't let the guy get 265 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: by you. He just yeah, so you know, and he's 266 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 1: you know, so they didn't get behind him. They didn't 267 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 1: get behind him. I said, but you're allowed to make 268 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: a play in football too, you can't. You know, you 269 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: get they get they hit you like eight times on 270 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: the same you know. Yeah, You're like, yeah, you're allowed 271 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: to make a play on those things. Yeah, I get it. 272 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: That's not necessarily your responsibility. The linebackers have to get yeah, 273 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: or but I blame them too. Of course it was 274 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: a weakness in the defense, nonetheless. And the other thing 275 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,319 Speaker 1: we don't know too, And it always goes to quarterbacks 276 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 1: or well, what were you coached to do? You know, 277 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: like play breaks down, chuck it away and or don't 278 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: force it, you know, the situational football, you know, so 279 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: if you're taking to coaching, whether the coaching is right 280 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: or wrong, it's hard to blame the player. Yeah, you know, 281 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: it's it's all these things are why you know, you 282 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: do so much work in the scouting world. You know, 283 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: you gotta find out the answers. Like he keeps making 284 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: the same mistake, but so does the all the other 285 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: receivers on the same team, you know what I mean, Like, 286 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: maybe that's what they're being told to do. But Sentia 287 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: picking Devon Bush there, that's who we want still just 288 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: twenty three years old. Yeah, we've watched this up before. 289 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 1: I think everyone listening should want Bush to be the 290 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: guy that takes the biggest step forward. Yeah, I mean, 291 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: there are some other guys there as you look at 292 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,520 Speaker 1: Cam Sutton, you know, or Alex high Smith or things 293 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: of that nature. But Devon Bush was drafted to be 294 00:14:57,760 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: a stall That's what I mean. Like I could say 295 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: Justin Lane could go from a two to a tend 296 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: and how great would that be? But I mean, realistically, 297 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: who could be the pro bowler? You know that without 298 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: being too far fetched. I mean, yeah, it'd be great 299 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: if Dwayne Haskins was the best quarterback in the league, 300 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: that would be great. But yeah, I don't think that's 301 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: probably just realistically. I mean when you look at some 302 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: of the other guys on this list, and we'll go 303 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: over some of the other ones here. Yeah, in the 304 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: next segment, Um, he's he's the guy that you that 305 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: you look at and say, he's got to take that 306 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: next step forward. Yeah, it's year three, it's got to happen. Yeah, Unfortunately, 307 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: it's put up our shut up time. You know. It 308 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: kind of goes back to what we've talked about with 309 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 1: the quarterback position. Some of the young quarterbacks running you're 310 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: going going into the year three, the expectations are that 311 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: you become you're either a star or not, and then 312 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: if if not, then they're gonna move on for you. Well, 313 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: the steer I want to hear about injuries and certaumstance 314 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: and all these things. Yeah, the people making decisions zone 315 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: of the job security either right, Yeah, so you gotta 316 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: be you know, year three of a five year deal, 317 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: you better be. You better we can impact living up 318 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: to it. Yeah, he is Matt Williamson. I'm Dale Loally. 319 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio. 320 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: We're gonna take a break and we come back. We'll 321 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: hit the rest of Cynthia's list there right after this 322 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: your tunes about Drive on Home of the Black and 323 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 1: Goals Steelers Nation Radio. Welcome back. I'm Dale Lally here 324 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: with Matt Williamson and Matt Um. He's when we were 325 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: talking about Cynthia Freeland put out a projecting the most 326 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: improved player on each a FC team. This is according 327 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: to her computer models. This is not just an opinion. 328 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: This is who she who her computer is spitting out 329 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: is the best guy she has. It must have a 330 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: massive computer. We're a tiny one. Yeah, I mean she's 331 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: good at using she does what she's doing. They do 332 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: a lot of separation things now and you know the 333 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: if they gauge where the players hips are an opponent 334 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: as opposed to the coverage guy, how far away they are, 335 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: things like that, so kind of good stuff. Yeah, that's crazy. 336 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: Uh So for the Ravens, it's Chuck Clark. Hm, he's 337 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: a pretty good player already. He doesn't still the weak 338 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: spot of their defense. So the safeties are not they're 339 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 1: not dominant players. Yeah, I mean, he's they don't have 340 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: an ed Read. They don't have a Earl Thomas. Yeah, 341 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 1: they don't have Earl Thomas. They don't have me. That's 342 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: always what they've had there, even when they had Wettle. 343 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:30,640 Speaker 1: That's a good point. I didn't think of Wettle. Yeah. 344 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 1: I mean I think that's why they put up with 345 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: Earl Thomas's nonsense for as long as they did. And 346 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: that could be their first round pick next year. And 347 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: the more I think about the deep middle guy, because 348 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: Clark's are strong, they blitz him a lot. He's a 349 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,439 Speaker 1: really good blitzer. Gave him money. I didn't know much 350 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: about him when he became a starter there. He didn't 351 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: really enter the league with a lot of pedigree, or 352 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: I didn't. He slipped my radar a little bit. But 353 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: he's been a quality player for him. Yeah, I don't. 354 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: The one thing I guess I kind of disagree with 355 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: on is I don't know how much better he can 356 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 1: get though. Yeah, he's twenty six. I think he's kind 357 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 1: of maybe reached a quality starter. But you're gonna take 358 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,679 Speaker 1: another step. If that's what the article is all about. Uh. 359 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: For the Bills, it's Zack Moss. Oh, I agree on 360 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: that one. In my dynasty leagues, I've been picking him 361 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: up for dirt cheap um, I've been drafted in fantasy cheap. 362 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: He he was injured a lot rookie running backs and 363 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,400 Speaker 1: then he I think he had COVID for two weeks 364 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: or something to the spotty season for Yeah, So I 365 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: think they have been bigger hopes for him. You and 366 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: I liked him coming out. Yeah. He averaged four yards 367 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: to carry between the tackles last season and four point 368 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: five yards per carry outside the tackles. Devin Singletary average 369 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: three point one yards inside the tackles and five point 370 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:48,120 Speaker 1: two yards outside. Moss is just a lot sturred, consistent guy. 371 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: They play so many with four receiver sets, you know 372 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,439 Speaker 1: they're gonna get light defenses. He's also really good in 373 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 1: protection yeah, yeah, Yeah. For the Bengals, it's Tee Higgins. 374 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: Hmm makes sense. I mean you might maybe the numbers 375 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: don't reflect it because there's a lot of mouse to 376 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 1: feed there in the passing game all of a sudden. 377 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: But he's a really good player. Yeah. If he's a 378 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 1: one A for you for his career, you're pretty happy. Yeah. 379 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: And nobody on their defense is ready to I don't 380 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: think here's nobody there. You would hope so, but I 381 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: don't have a name there for the Browns, and I 382 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: don't know how they projected this Grant Delpitt. And she 383 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: actually says, of all my AC picks, delpot is the 384 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: biggest true projection. I mean he didn't play at all. 385 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: I'm just saying, I mean he has nowhere to go 386 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: but up obviously, since he has not no body of work. 387 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: I guess he's a high pedigree guy. But he wasn't 388 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: very good as last year at L s U. Right, 389 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: I don't say going into his final year at L 390 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: s U if it was like this time in the 391 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: draft process, Oh he's a top ten pick, he's the 392 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: best safety, and then he really struggled. So it's been 393 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: what two years since he's been a high quality guy. Really, 394 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,200 Speaker 1: I guess it's been three yeah, right since he was 395 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 1: at his best. I don't know, I don't. I don't 396 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: know who I picked, but I don't. And he was 397 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: playing in a very talented secondary, you know. Oh yeah, 398 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: it lsu right, I mean, without question. For the Broncos, 399 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: it's Jerry Judy. Yeah, I mean he had drops, but 400 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 1: he also was really hurt by the quarterback drops him 401 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:21,640 Speaker 1: goes back to Deonte Johnson. Drops don't bother me that much. 402 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:27,439 Speaker 1: For the Houston Texans, it is Justin Reid. Mhm. I 403 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: bet that wasn't easy to pick. That's a tough team 404 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: to come up with. Yeah, a positive guy. He's a 405 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: good player though. Yeah. Safety for the Colts, Carson Wentz. 406 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 1: He's got nowhere to go. But yeah, I mean, I 407 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: guess it could get worse. But I mean I think 408 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 1: his job is safe too. I mean, there's nobody looming 409 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:51,399 Speaker 1: there that if he struggles to get benched, I mean, 410 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: they're gonna sink or swim with them. I do expect 411 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,640 Speaker 1: him to be better. I mean, he's not gonna get 412 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: hit like he did last year in Philly, But is 413 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: he gonna hold the football like he didn't feel he's 414 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: trying to play hero ball. Yeah, that's it. That's his 415 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 1: biggest problem question. You know, he's the talent, is there? 416 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: We I thought he played maybe his best game of 417 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: last season against the Steelers. Yeah, yeah, he did. We 418 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 1: had the best pass rush they faced. He made some 419 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,360 Speaker 1: great throws in that game. But man, he just makes 420 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: he'll he'll do that and in the same game make 421 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: three dumb plays. Yeah, and that offensive line of Philly 422 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: has been abused by injuries the last couple of years 423 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: because when it's right, it's a lot of good players, 424 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: and maybe you got a little too comfortable behind the 425 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: good line, and then he's trying to make up for 426 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 1: it too much with the bad line. There's a lot 427 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: of bad habits though, that they need to coach out 428 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 1: of him. Yeah. Well, we'll see, and I guess it's 429 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: a good pick, but we'll see. Here's the thing that 430 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: Indianapolis doesn't have great receivers. They don't have a they 431 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: don't have a true number one pit. You know, we 432 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: both like Pittman coming out. He might have been my pick, 433 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: to be honest with you, a step forward, but there's 434 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: no number one. Do they have a they've got a 435 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: bunch of twos and threes, and even the tight ends 436 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 1: are okay. But they use a lot of people, and 437 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 1: there's bring this up a lot like Kyler Murray. They 438 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: gave him DeAndre Hopkins, Josh Allen, they gave him Stefon Diggs. 439 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 1: Like I know not there's not thirty two of those 440 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: type of receivers out there, but boy, if you had, 441 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: if you could add one high quality starting receiver, go 442 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: to guy, boy, it would help some of these quarterbacks. 443 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 1: For Jackson Villis Laviska Senault. I agree. I think a 444 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: lot of people look at him like he's a quarterrel Patterson, 445 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: Percy Harvin. I think he's more of a route runner, 446 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 1: you know, give him a slant, take it to the 447 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: house type guy. I mean, I think he's much more 448 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: than just a gadget dude. For the Chiefs, it is 449 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: Clyde Edwards Hilaire. It's a good one, Yeah, he had 450 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 1: some struggles. Um. For the Raiders is Henry Ruggs. Probably 451 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: another good one. I mean, I think it's it's too 452 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 1: early just to say the Raiders are dumb. They should 453 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,199 Speaker 1: have taken Judy or lamb Ruggs as a bust, you know. 454 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: I mean, if if Rugs would have went in that draft, 455 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: you'd say okay, So you know it was up in 456 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: downs rookie year. But there's still immense talent that what happens. 457 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, you know he's going to be spotty. 458 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: He's probably his whole career in production wise for the Chargers. 459 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: It's justin Herbert. And she said, this one feels like cheating. Um, 460 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: but can you read the verbage I would have put 461 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: on there? Derwin James, that's a good one, just because 462 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: he's capable of the Yeah, but we haven't seen it 463 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: in two years. It's late in his career. But I 464 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:37,880 Speaker 1: think Mike Williams is in for a big year. She said, 465 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 1: this one feels like cheating, but the Foe rules of 466 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: this article allow her but to qualify, so I'll take it. 467 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:45,439 Speaker 1: At this time last season, we didn't know when Herbert 468 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:47,880 Speaker 1: would start, and there were questions about how he'd fair 469 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: under pressure. His response a cool one thousand passing yards 470 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: and nine touchdowns under pressure, both of which led the NFL. 471 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: Herbert's ability to produce under pressure is a strong signal 472 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: for this seasons but potential, and it drives his values 473 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: to QB eleven right now. Note this could and likely 474 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: will change his camp in preseason, involved in the involved 475 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: the roster in playbook, a new coach means new plays, 476 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 1: so look out for fantasy in Folk come late to 477 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: mid August. It does seem a little bit like cheating. 478 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: I mean, is he gonna take another step forward? I mean, 479 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,120 Speaker 1: if he is, then he's like a top five quarterback. 480 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: What we've typically seen from the second year quarterbacks after 481 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: a breakout season is a bit of a regression generally speaking. Yeah, right, 482 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,880 Speaker 1: his protection will be a lot better. But his numbers 483 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: in under pressure were awesome, as you mentioned, But they 484 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: weren't awesome in the Cleeve pocket. They were good. They 485 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: weren't blow you away. Not that not that it's better 486 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: that he's running around for his life. I think they'll 487 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 1: be happy to have Matt Feiler. But I think you know, 488 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 1: opponents have now had an entire offseason to sit and study. Okay, 489 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: here's what Justin Herbert does well, here's what he doesn't 490 00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: do well, And you're gonna throw new things at him, 491 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,199 Speaker 1: gonna throw new things at him. And again, there was 492 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 1: like three games I think it was Miami Detroit in 493 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:06,439 Speaker 1: New England. That has to go back and look at 494 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: their schedule. They were all Blichick disciples, and he was 495 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: confused in all of them. So he's gonna see a 496 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,719 Speaker 1: lot of what they did, you know. And I'm sure 497 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: he's working on that too. From Miami, it's Mike KISSICKI 498 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: m hm. He's a perfect candidate at this stage of 499 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:23,439 Speaker 1: his career to be that break, breakout tight end. I 500 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: just don't know the target share with Wattle, will Fuller. 501 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: Davante Parker's good. He hasn't done anywhere, he hasn't gone anywhere. 502 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: I mean, they got four out and four guys now, Like, 503 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: I don't know if he's for me for fantasy, but 504 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: I mean he could take a step forward as a player. Boy, 505 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: I disagree with her one for the Patriots. She has 506 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: Nelson Aguilar. Mm. I think he's reached his peak. He's 507 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: twenty eight years old. He is what he is at 508 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: this point. There's a lot of candidates for them I 509 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: would take, Like, I really like Josh Josh coming out. Yeah, 510 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:58,360 Speaker 1: one of those guys defensive players there. There's some other 511 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: receivers that I would take off that team. Uh yeah, 512 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: you know, I don't know that that to me, I 513 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: think I've really warmed up to Jacoby Myers. Yeah, I 514 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: think he's the best receiver they have. Aguilar is weird 515 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: to me because I didn't like him coming out of 516 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: school because I thought he was not explosive and fast 517 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 1: enough to be ted Ginn and I didn't think he 518 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: was physical or quick enough to be a pure slot. 519 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: So he's and I was right to be honest with 520 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: you for the first couple of years, and then did 521 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: Gruden's credit, he used them pretty much exclusively as a 522 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: deep threat last year and it worked out well. And 523 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:32,439 Speaker 1: I think that's what he is, and that's what the 524 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: Patriots will probably do with them. But I think it's 525 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: already he is what he is already. I mean, I 526 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: think we saw the best of him in in Vegas 527 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 1: last year. Um, for the Jets, it's Quinn and Williams. 528 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 1: I think he's a total superstar. Yea and the Roberts Salah, 529 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 1: go get him attacking front four defense will be great 530 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,360 Speaker 1: for him. Yeah. For the Titans, it's Anthony fer Ser. 531 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 1: That's gonna all be all about our opportunity. Yeah, he's 532 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 1: not a bad athlete. Yeah, he's gonna get every snap 533 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: they were a very very heavy twelve personnel team last 534 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 1: year with John New and Ferkser, and now I would 535 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: assume they'll play more eleven and always keep those two 536 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: receivers on the field, but maybe Josh Reynolds as well 537 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: and play less you know, double tight end sets, which 538 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: would make sense because they lost one. But that doesn't 539 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: hurt Ferk Sir, I mean I think he's okay. Yeah, 540 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 1: for the Cardinals at Sizaiah Simmons, that it's all. I mean, 541 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:34,679 Speaker 1: he's a year younger than Bush, but it's almost put up, 542 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: shut up, the same age. He's the same age, younger. Yeah, 543 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: you're a year a draft year younger. Uh. For the Falcons, 544 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: it's a j Terrell took him in the first round 545 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: and he wasn't terrible, but you know they passed on 546 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 1: Ceedee Lamb and he took you know. For the Panthers, 547 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: Sam Donald, I mean, she's predicting these guys to take 548 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:59,120 Speaker 1: a step forward, and that's who you want to take 549 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 1: a step forward. I think he'll be better in that situation. 550 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 1: The weapons are better. He's out of New York where 551 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,720 Speaker 1: he was that you know, you were the third overall 552 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 1: pick in the draft, like yeah. I think they're well 553 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 1: coached team too, and it's very much like the Went 554 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:17,359 Speaker 1: situation for the Bears. It's cool Commet m m M. 555 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:20,399 Speaker 1: I don't disagree with that. He played more and more 556 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 1: the season went on. Um, you don't remember, like Cole 557 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 1: Commet and Notre Dame was a two sport athlete and 558 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: now he's just concentrated on football for the second year. 559 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: You know, rookie tight ends, you can't expect the ton 560 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 1: from no. I think that's a good one for the 561 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,919 Speaker 1: Cowboys at Seedee Lamb. Yeah, we've talked about him a time, 562 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 1: and him and Dak together we're tearing it up. And 563 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: then Dak went down for the Lions. It's chef of Cuda. 564 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: He had a really rough rookie year. I mean, almost 565 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: all the rookie corners did. They had no pass rush 566 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: pass rush and you know right, yeah, that's a good 567 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: one too for the Packers. It's for Shawn Gary. Yeah, 568 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: he's flashed more than I thought. I know you and 569 00:28:58,040 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: I were hard on him coming out of Michigan because 570 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 1: there's production. Another one of those guys that had no 571 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:05,720 Speaker 1: production to production. But he's flashing and he's not even 572 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: like counted on for a ton of snaps with them. 573 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: I mean they have the quote Smith Brothers and you know, 574 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 1: a good defensive line. This one's interesting. For the Rams, 575 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: Matthew Stafford little late to break out three years old. Again, 576 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: that's a little bit of a cheat. For the Vikings 577 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: is IRV Smith. I agree with that. He's still and 578 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: so he's younger than people think. He's a pretty decent blocker. Um, 579 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 1: that's another team that he's not really competing with the 580 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: third receiver. I mean he's the third receiver there the 581 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: other real heavy twelve personnel team, which works fine with him. Uh. 582 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 1: For the Saints, it's Adam Troutman, especially the Thomas injury. 583 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: For the Giants at Xavier McKinney, Yeah, he didn't play 584 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 1: much as a rookie, was good, probably like the second 585 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 1: or third pick in the second round old For the 586 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,720 Speaker 1: Eagles is Dallas Goddard. That kind of seems like cheating 587 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: a little bit. Yeah, it doesn't. I don't know if 588 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: anyone's biting on taking Earth's off their hands, but I 589 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: think Goddard's already kind of broken out for the Yeah, 590 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: for the forty Niners, Javon Kinlaw. They need him to. Yeah, 591 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: you know, we kind of talked about Quentin Williams and 592 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: that style of defense when he traded Buckner and they 593 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: go draftkin Law. He flashed a little, but they need 594 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: him to they need him. Yeah. For the Seahawks, it's 595 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 1: Jordan Brooks. Yeah, that was an odd pick. kJ writes, gone, 596 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: Brooks will be a full time player. Um, but he 597 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: flashed as well. And kJ Rachel isn't signed in the 598 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: Tampa Bay is Carlton Davis m good player? Good player 599 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: doesn't get enough credit on a you know, star studded team. 600 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: And then for Washington it's your guy, Antonio Gibson. Mm hmm, 601 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: I agree. I mean he's very volatile. He could be 602 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: a home runner, he could be forget about him and 603 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: think of what if. But I think he's his whole 604 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: key is you gotta get m Kissic out of the past. 605 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:02,719 Speaker 1: But the Memphis coaches look can the day. Yeah, they 606 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,239 Speaker 1: keep pumping out these backs, you know, gain well and 607 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 1: at least they use those guys. I mean, I get 608 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 1: a game was a good player. Paulard was good right, 609 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,360 Speaker 1: all right, But this guy, every time he touched the ball, 610 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 1: he takes the house. It might be better than both 611 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: of those guys, and you didn't give him the football, right. 612 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: I think he had like a hundred touches at Memphis 613 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: and scored like thirteen touchdowns or something. You know, it 614 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,960 Speaker 1: was something ridiculous like touches, not catches. Touches right, including 615 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: like kickoff returns. Right, Like, it's not a real difficult 616 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: ratio to figure out that maybe we should give him 617 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: the ball. He's gonna score every time we touched a 618 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 1: handed to him, maybe we should do. If he's scoring 619 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: one set of every you know, eight or nine times, 620 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: you give him the football, wouldn't you want to give 621 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: it to him like maybe eighteen times? Right, let's or 622 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: maybe they just didn't feel like you can handle it. 623 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: But he's showing on the NFL that, Yeah, we'll see. 624 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:55,680 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a big year for him too, But 625 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:58,120 Speaker 1: they don't haven't invested in any other backs. I mean, 626 00:31:58,160 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: he should be the guy there, yeah, for sure. But 627 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: interesting stuff there from Cynthia Freeland. We're gonna take a break. 628 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: When we come back, we'll hear from Steelers GM Kevin Colbert. 629 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: He addressed the media yesterday. We'll hear what he some 630 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: of the things that he had to say right after this. 631 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 1: He is Matt Williams and I'm Dale Lillly. You're listening 632 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: to the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio. Your tunes 633 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 1: about Drive on Home of the Black and Goal Steelers 634 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: Nation Radio. Welcome back. I'm Dale Lilly here with Matt Williamson. 635 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: And as I mentioned in the previous segment, we heard 636 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:43,880 Speaker 1: from Kevin Colbert yesterday. Uh, that will probably be the 637 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: last time we hear from Kevin Colbert in that kind 638 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: of setting. Uh. It was a kind of a press conference. 639 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 1: He usually does this back in our pod at the 640 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: at Saint Vincent College. He'll come back to pot A 641 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 1: where the most of the writers and radio guys are 642 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: at in sit down, and we'll have a little impromptu 643 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: press conference. He's done it for about ten years now, 644 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 1: maybe longer. Yeah, the first part it's kind of off 645 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:10,800 Speaker 1: the record to give us some background stuff on. Usually 646 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 1: it's you know, who's eligible for the practice squad, And 647 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: right now they're working under the assumption that, um, everybody's 648 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 1: going to be eligible for the practice yet, because last 649 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: year that those are the rules, and you know the 650 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: NFL still hasn't figured those out. I would assume that 651 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 1: they're going to still work under the rules from last year. Yeah, 652 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: you don't know, we don't. Yeah, I mean they can. 653 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: They can change your mind. Um, so last year, anybody 654 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: was eligible to be on the practice squad because you 655 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: can car, you can carry veteran guys are because you 656 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: needed that because of COVID issues. You know, get a 657 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: guy in here quick. A lot of people kept an 658 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:50,920 Speaker 1: extra kicker, long snapper, things that specialists that you know, okay, 659 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: if this guy gets ready. It took five days for 660 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 1: the new guy to come in. If you find out 661 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 1: somebody test positive on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you weren't 662 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: getting him in let alone on a thurs there Friday. Yeah, right, 663 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:03,240 Speaker 1: so you had to keep some of those guys available 664 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 1: and around just to cover your butt. Yeah. So obviously 665 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:09,360 Speaker 1: some challenges and interesting to see what Kevin had to 666 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 1: say here is good stuff. Yeah, let's let's hear what 667 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: Kevin Colbert had to say on Tuesday. And um to 668 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 1: go back on what he did for us back in 669 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:26,759 Speaker 1: the spring by taking a restructuring of his contract. It 670 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:29,840 Speaker 1: was done with really two purposes, the first that being 671 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:33,240 Speaker 1: his being able to be here and then also allowing 672 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 1: us to do some things financially and cap wise that 673 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: we probably wouldn't have been able to do without that restruction. 674 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 1: So it was a very unselfish move on his part. 675 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: It made him available for beyond that none of us know, 676 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:51,840 Speaker 1: and we'll just work with one and see where it 677 00:34:51,880 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 1: goes from there. Forcause cap project, you know what, it's 678 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,400 Speaker 1: a different environment completely, And we talked about this a 679 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: little bit in the off season. UM, we knew we 680 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:22,680 Speaker 1: were gonna be up against the cap last year when 681 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: the pandemic hit and the and the cap went down, 682 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:27,799 Speaker 1: we were severely up against the cap and we had 683 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: to make some obviously tough decisions. So moving forward, we 684 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:35,279 Speaker 1: think we know where the cap will go. UM, we're 685 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:38,800 Speaker 1: hopeful that it does and can we make certain players 686 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 1: fit within that group. And we always, you know, we 687 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: always will do a deal based on what it does 688 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:48,600 Speaker 1: to us in and we try to project what it 689 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: will do to us three years down the road. And 690 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:55,840 Speaker 1: that's not unique, UM, other than us not knowing what 691 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 1: that new amount will be. We think we know where 692 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 1: it is. We've been given a UM the floor, but 693 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:04,359 Speaker 1: we don't know where it'll go. So we'll just trying 694 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:11,480 Speaker 1: to do the best we can. Bill none. I'm taught 695 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:15,319 Speaker 1: us on a daily basis, um, just how to be 696 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:19,000 Speaker 1: a professional first and foremost I mean you. I mean, 697 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: I'm sure the majority of you folks ran across Bill 698 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:25,560 Speaker 1: in some form or fashion, and you cherished every discussion 699 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:28,960 Speaker 1: with him because he could talk not only about football players, 700 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:33,719 Speaker 1: but he could talk about boxers, uh, entertainers, baseball players 701 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: and tell you about how he rode Roberto Clementi to 702 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 1: the airport after the nineteen sixty World Series. UM. So 703 00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:46,680 Speaker 1: he could tell you stories that were impactful life lessons. UM. 704 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,520 Speaker 1: From a football standpoint. You know, Bill would always remind 705 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: you of let's just talk about the athleticism of this player. 706 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 1: He said, it's up to the coaches to take that 707 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: athleticism and make them in to a probe because they 708 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:03,920 Speaker 1: all don't start out as Pro bowlers are Hall of 709 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:08,360 Speaker 1: famers UM. And Donnie Shell's case, it's a classic example 710 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:13,399 Speaker 1: the Bills buying raw talent as a college linebacker at 711 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,799 Speaker 1: South Carolina State and saying, Hey, coach, I think this 712 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 1: guy can be this type of player, which obviously going 713 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: into Hall of Fame he turned into. So Bill just 714 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:28,440 Speaker 1: reminded us daily of the the basic athletic traits that 715 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:31,319 Speaker 1: coach nol was looking for back then. And it was 716 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:34,720 Speaker 1: really a time where those two, along with Art Rooney Jr. 717 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:38,040 Speaker 1: And Dick Hayley and Tom Modrack and Coach Nold's staff, 718 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,240 Speaker 1: they put together the you know, the greatest teams in 719 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 1: NFL history in that era and the greatest draft in 720 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 1: NFL history. No, no, for real, I can't and did 721 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:03,600 Speaker 1: you can? Didn't bring again when we when we had 722 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 1: to make some we really make some tough decisions. We 723 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:09,240 Speaker 1: had starters that we would have liked to have kept. 724 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:10,759 Speaker 1: We would have liked to have kept all of our 725 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:14,680 Speaker 1: starters and start over this year, um, but we weren't 726 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:16,640 Speaker 1: able to do that. We knew about it, and we 727 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:19,879 Speaker 1: had to make some changes as as it went on. 728 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,880 Speaker 1: And as you go through a spring and you're able 729 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:26,480 Speaker 1: to sign a player of your own, um, on your 730 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:29,440 Speaker 1: own team, and then you say, if you do this, 731 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:31,279 Speaker 1: you may have to cut this player. And we had 732 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:34,239 Speaker 1: to do those back and forth, and really our cap 733 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:38,560 Speaker 1: situation changed literally three weeks or I'm sorry, coming out 734 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:41,640 Speaker 1: of the mini camp, you know, when we decided to 735 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:43,920 Speaker 1: move on from David, and all of a sudden we 736 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:46,120 Speaker 1: had cap room and now we're looking to wait a minute, 737 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:48,840 Speaker 1: this player is available, we might be able to sign 738 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,080 Speaker 1: him because he was looking for a certain number back 739 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:54,640 Speaker 1: in the spring. Now in the early summer he might 740 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:59,360 Speaker 1: be more affordable. So we tried to make those decisions. Um, 741 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: it's an into visual thing. Sometimes it's positional. Sometimes it's 742 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 1: just a money issue how you can afford certain players. 743 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:10,000 Speaker 1: And we're happy with the group that's come together to 744 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:14,680 Speaker 1: this point. When Melvin Ingram was still available and we 745 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:16,839 Speaker 1: could work it, we were happy to do that. When 746 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:20,719 Speaker 1: Trey Turner was affordable and workable, we were happy to 747 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 1: do that. So we'll see what we got. We don't 748 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 1: know yet because we haven't played seventeen. Um, I'm sure 749 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:36,680 Speaker 1: coachs will approach it, you know, as he does, and 750 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:40,880 Speaker 1: he'll make adjustments to his practice regiment. But until you 751 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:44,359 Speaker 1: go through those seventeen weeks, we're just making guesses as 752 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:48,320 Speaker 1: to how he'll structure his practices with his veteran players. 753 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: Maybe he followed a certain pattern with sixteen games and 754 00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: the placement of our by, but now he'll follow a 755 00:39:53,680 --> 00:40:05,759 Speaker 1: different pattern with the seventeen position figure Right now, No, now, 756 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:08,680 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say we lacked depth. We have to I 757 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:13,200 Speaker 1: think we lack proven abilities. Do we have people who 758 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,640 Speaker 1: can play every position on this team? I feel yes, 759 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 1: but they have to come out and prove it. Um. 760 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:21,759 Speaker 1: Alex Highsmith has to prove that he could be a 761 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:25,799 Speaker 1: sixteen game starter, and he'll be challenged by Melvin Ingram. 762 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 1: Can Cam Sutton be an outside corner on sixteen games? 763 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:32,440 Speaker 1: And you know you look at those things and you 764 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:35,200 Speaker 1: you made decisions based on we think they can. But 765 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:50,840 Speaker 1: until those players do it, we don't know. Yeah. Again, 766 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:55,399 Speaker 1: never talk about an individual's contract negotiations. We know who 767 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:58,040 Speaker 1: our free agents are. We know we want to keep 768 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,279 Speaker 1: our good players. Um, and we'll see where it goes 769 00:41:01,320 --> 00:41:14,240 Speaker 1: as the rest of the summer unfolds. Views. Yeah, created 770 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:22,240 Speaker 1: better than reveal conversations. You haven't done the other things 771 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:31,200 Speaker 1: you feel like untoppable things you have negotiative Yeah, I mean, 772 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:35,840 Speaker 1: and again that's an organization decision based on Mr Rooney's 773 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:39,160 Speaker 1: directive on arts directive, and we talked about trying to 774 00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: keep pace with what's going on in the league. You 775 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:45,839 Speaker 1: referenced the one year deals that we hadn't done traditionally. 776 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:50,080 Speaker 1: We recognize that we probably had to under these circumstances, 777 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: albeit the different rules, UM the circumstances from coming off 778 00:41:56,239 --> 00:41:59,640 Speaker 1: the lower cap, and we made some adjustments there. I 779 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:04,720 Speaker 1: know we will hold on to the other our own 780 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:10,080 Speaker 1: personal or um individual rules for the organization of We 781 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:13,880 Speaker 1: won't negotiate with a player once the season starts. I 782 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:17,240 Speaker 1: never ever see that change in because our only focus 783 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:26,359 Speaker 1: should be on winning a Super Bowl. Wrong again, Well, 784 00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:29,360 Speaker 1: we will always try to stay as current as possible 785 00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:34,360 Speaker 1: by staying with and by staying within our own beliefs. 786 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 1: The our own beliefs will always override what's going on 787 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:55,040 Speaker 1: in the league. Character. Did any character that t J. 788 00:42:55,120 --> 00:43:00,360 Speaker 1: Watt has proven to be a very good defensive player, UM, 789 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:03,680 Speaker 1: you know, he's There's nothing, There's nothing you can add 790 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:06,640 Speaker 1: to what he's done on the field other than win 791 00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: a championship. I think the unique part of those five 792 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:12,839 Speaker 1: people going into that Hall of Fame this weekend, they're 793 00:43:12,840 --> 00:43:16,040 Speaker 1: all super Bowl champions, some of them in Bill Nun's 794 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:21,000 Speaker 1: case six times, UM coach Kaward with one and Troy 795 00:43:21,160 --> 00:43:24,200 Speaker 1: with two, and Allen you know with his one, and 796 00:43:24,520 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 1: UM Donny with his four. But they're all super Bowl champions. 797 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:31,279 Speaker 1: I think every player, you know, we've had a lot 798 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 1: of great players come through here. There's a lot of 799 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,600 Speaker 1: great players in the Hall of Fame, but the Super 800 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:39,640 Speaker 1: Bowl champion is the one thing that we want them 801 00:43:39,640 --> 00:44:01,799 Speaker 1: all to experience at some point birthday. What you I mean. 802 00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:04,959 Speaker 1: We we try to learn all the new players as 803 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:08,000 Speaker 1: they come in. Um. You'll see us spending more time 804 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:11,759 Speaker 1: with the individuals and learning about them. And you know, 805 00:44:11,880 --> 00:44:15,399 Speaker 1: Melvin Ingram and Trade that we talked about, Chaz Green, 806 00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:18,200 Speaker 1: the young offensive lineman we picked up. We'll learn about 807 00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:21,280 Speaker 1: them constantly. We just want to know what they're about 808 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:24,080 Speaker 1: and what they're seeing, what they're feeling, and they come 809 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:27,560 Speaker 1: to us with a lot of questions and comments as well. Um. 810 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:30,040 Speaker 1: But we do that with each each player. We know 811 00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:32,680 Speaker 1: the draft picks a little bit more because we spent 812 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:35,840 Speaker 1: more time with them. A guy like Dwayne we didn't 813 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:38,160 Speaker 1: spend a lot of time with in in pre draft 814 00:44:38,239 --> 00:44:41,520 Speaker 1: work because we knew we weren't going to get them. Um. 815 00:44:41,560 --> 00:44:44,120 Speaker 1: But you learn about them as you go through it. 816 00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:46,520 Speaker 1: You learn about them as you go through. That's what 817 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:50,480 Speaker 1: training camp is about. That's what it's all here for. 818 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:52,839 Speaker 1: That moving Haskins you mentioned there at the end, Yeah, right, 819 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:57,279 Speaker 1: that was Kevin Covert with the Assembled media yesterday. Of 820 00:44:57,320 --> 00:45:00,400 Speaker 1: course that questions about t J. Watt and what's with him. 821 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:02,920 Speaker 1: I asked him about that. He wouldn't bite on that. Yeah, 822 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:05,480 Speaker 1: I mean he's been around the block obviously, And how 823 00:45:05,520 --> 00:45:07,120 Speaker 1: do you respond something like we don't really talk about 824 00:45:07,120 --> 00:45:10,560 Speaker 1: player individual player contracts and I don't think anyone's super 825 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:13,279 Speaker 1: concerned about it. Yeah, they still want to sign t J. One. 826 00:45:13,840 --> 00:45:17,160 Speaker 1: That's gonna happen. Um, it'll be interesting to see how 827 00:45:17,239 --> 00:45:19,560 Speaker 1: much the dollars. When you heard him talk about Ben 828 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:23,680 Speaker 1: Roethlisberger there, and you know, the the quote was, well, 829 00:45:23,719 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 1: we're worried about Ben. We're not worried about Ben beyond one. 830 00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:31,319 Speaker 1: We're just worried about they'll they'll cross that bridge when 831 00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:33,319 Speaker 1: they get there, which I thought was very honest, you know, 832 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:36,279 Speaker 1: I mean it was a little ship of everything he said. 833 00:45:36,320 --> 00:45:37,919 Speaker 1: That might have been the thing that shocked me most 834 00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:40,160 Speaker 1: was just the way he phrased it. You know, I mean, 835 00:45:40,680 --> 00:45:44,240 Speaker 1: we're because you're gonna probably see this clip on NFL 836 00:45:44,320 --> 00:45:46,320 Speaker 1: dot com or something. We'll just take that tiny snippet. 837 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:49,560 Speaker 1: We're not worried about Ben paste you know, it doesn't 838 00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:51,839 Speaker 1: mean that they're totally shut the door on the guy 839 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:53,719 Speaker 1: or anything. He goes out and has a good year, 840 00:45:54,080 --> 00:45:58,439 Speaker 1: then you know, but he's holding up five million dollar 841 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:00,600 Speaker 1: pay cut that he took this year. He get next 842 00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:03,279 Speaker 1: year back if he has a good year this year, right, 843 00:46:03,760 --> 00:46:05,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't think any of us expect him 844 00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:07,920 Speaker 1: to be the starting quarterback past this year. But I 845 00:46:07,920 --> 00:46:11,200 Speaker 1: don't think the crazier things have happened. Tom Brady's gonna 846 00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:15,200 Speaker 1: be forty four next week. Forty four. I mean, Rivers 847 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:17,960 Speaker 1: went to the Colts and decent successful year and you know, 848 00:46:18,040 --> 00:46:20,239 Speaker 1: so no, I mean, these guys hold on for a while. 849 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:23,479 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers won the MVP. Yeah, he's thirty eight years old. 850 00:46:23,840 --> 00:46:27,040 Speaker 1: People don't realize old Aaron Rodgers is. He's a year 851 00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:31,440 Speaker 1: younger than Yeah, and we think he came out. Yeah, 852 00:46:31,480 --> 00:46:33,759 Speaker 1: he came out the year after because I was Ryan. 853 00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:36,279 Speaker 1: You know, Ryan Fitzpatrick's the same age. It's there's there's 854 00:46:36,280 --> 00:46:40,720 Speaker 1: a long list of quarterbacks playing, laid into their careers 855 00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:44,040 Speaker 1: and playing it's not just a one. Yeah, like Washington 856 00:46:44,080 --> 00:46:46,719 Speaker 1: fans and even like national media. Oh they get a 857 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:49,040 Speaker 1: shot in the arm with Fitzpatrick, you know, like he's 858 00:46:49,480 --> 00:46:51,800 Speaker 1: this young dude, or something. It would be the interesting 859 00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:53,880 Speaker 1: thing if if Ben Roethlisberg and he doesn't want to 860 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:55,320 Speaker 1: do this and he's not going to do this, but 861 00:46:55,360 --> 00:46:57,600 Speaker 1: if he had gone to a different team this year, 862 00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:01,680 Speaker 1: what would the narrative be right right interesting? Or he 863 00:47:01,719 --> 00:47:04,279 Speaker 1: replaces Rivers and in let's say the Jets had had 864 00:47:04,280 --> 00:47:08,719 Speaker 1: gone and signed Ben Roethlisberger instead of drafting Wilson with 865 00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:10,640 Speaker 1: the with the narrative in New York other getting the 866 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:12,800 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame quarterback here, he's gonna, you know, probably 867 00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:14,600 Speaker 1: be very similar to how it was with Rivers. We 868 00:47:14,640 --> 00:47:17,120 Speaker 1: went to Indo last year, you know, a long time charger. 869 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:20,359 Speaker 1: But he's gonna go there and get reinvigorated and lead 870 00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:23,480 Speaker 1: the offense. And they haven't had somebody the probably a 871 00:47:23,520 --> 00:47:26,040 Speaker 1: lot somehow the narrative here as well. Ben kes his 872 00:47:26,120 --> 00:47:29,440 Speaker 1: arms shot right right right. I just I don't get it. 873 00:47:29,719 --> 00:47:31,960 Speaker 1: I don't get it either. It's it's it's it's a 874 00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:34,719 Speaker 1: pretty successful season after a season in which he threw 875 00:47:34,760 --> 00:47:40,400 Speaker 1: thirty three touchdown part yeah, definitly, getting it's gonna be 876 00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:43,200 Speaker 1: fun to watch, that's why they play the games. But 877 00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:45,279 Speaker 1: that is going to do it for the first hour 878 00:47:45,400 --> 00:47:49,040 Speaker 1: of the drive here on Steelers Nation Radio. He is Williamson, 879 00:47:49,080 --> 00:47:51,480 Speaker 1: I'm Dale Lally. Kellen Girsky here with us as well, 880 00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:54,440 Speaker 1: keeping us on the air. We always appreciate his efforts 881 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:56,480 Speaker 1: and we appreciate you listening to this first hour. We'll 882 00:47:56,520 --> 00:47:58,480 Speaker 1: be back with our two right after this