1
00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,719
Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven

2
00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,360
Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

3
00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,400
Speaker 2: Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's the Drive here on Steelers

4
00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,880
Speaker 2: Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. I guess, Matt,

5
00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,920
Speaker 2: maybe the final show that we can say training camp

6
00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,520
Speaker 2: edition of the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio. As

7
00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,400
Speaker 2: the of course everybody knows by now, but the public

8
00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,240
Speaker 2: st vincent portion of training camp in the book for

9
00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:05,160
Speaker 2: the Pittsburgh Steelers, fifteen practices out there on campus now done.

10
00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,000
Speaker 2: But today Matt obviously down on the North Shore at

11
00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,880
Speaker 2: Aftershore Stadium the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in town for a

12
00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,040
Speaker 2: joint practice that will be I would think, very active,

13
00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,959
Speaker 2: very intense, and a lot to accomplish for both teams.

14
00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,039
Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely, And we've kind of touched on this, but

15
00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,240
Speaker 3: I I want to dig into it more. I'm not

16
00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:26,760
Speaker 3: going to be there. I'm not gonna I mean, I'll

17
00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:28,280
Speaker 3: read reports, but I'm not going to be there. I

18
00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,000
Speaker 3: was there last year for the Bills joint practice. I'm

19
00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:32,840
Speaker 3: not sure why it didn't line up this year. No

20
00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,040
Speaker 3: big deal, but I expect it to be very spirited.

21
00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,440
Speaker 3: I bet the coaching staff will take more from today

22
00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,559
Speaker 3: than Saturday, to be honest with you, because I think

23
00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,720
Speaker 3: like Aaron Rodgers and Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans and TJ.

24
00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:49,800
Speaker 3: Watt and those guys are going to do stuff, you know.

25
00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,960
Speaker 3: I mean, it might only be several drills. But this

26
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:55,920
Speaker 3: is the beauty of it. And I've laid this out

27
00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:00,360
Speaker 3: before preseason games. Great, but it's also unpredict the ball.

28
00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,480
Speaker 3: You don't know what situations you're gonna get.

29
00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:04,960
Speaker 2: Might not get a two minute trail.

30
00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:06,440
Speaker 3: Might not get a two minute troll, right, you know, like, boy,

31
00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,000
Speaker 3: I really need to see Rudolph in a two minute trail.

32
00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,359
Speaker 2: You might only get one or two red zone opportunity.

33
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,840
Speaker 3: Yes, absolutely, you know things of that nature. But it

34
00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:16,400
Speaker 3: is cool that quarterbacks get hit and it's real football

35
00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:18,839
Speaker 3: and there's you know, a full live tack there's live

36
00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,000
Speaker 3: tackling and it's a full stadium blah blah blah. But

37
00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,480
Speaker 3: what these guys do. And I know Todd Bowles and

38
00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,040
Speaker 3: Tomlin know each other very well, you know, I mean

39
00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,720
Speaker 3: they've been in the league a very long time together.

40
00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,720
Speaker 3: They I'm sure had a meeting a zoom or whatever

41
00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:39,880
Speaker 3: and said, let's build our practice script. And Todd probably

42
00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:45,520
Speaker 3: is going, Mike, we don't see much thirteen personnel, but

43
00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,120
Speaker 3: we can do a period of thirteen or two. I

44
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,760
Speaker 3: know that's what you guys are gonna stress, even though

45
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:55,000
Speaker 3: it's not something that we really are motivated to practice against.

46
00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,200
Speaker 3: But we're a heavy blitz team. Give us two blitz

47
00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,600
Speaker 3: periods in return. All right, we could do that. Yeah right,

48
00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,160
Speaker 3: And they're not gonna do those things Saturday. They're not

49
00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,120
Speaker 3: going to show you their best blitz packages, but they

50
00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,800
Speaker 3: will today, you know, and all those things like you said,

51
00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,560
Speaker 3: red zone all the I need a two minutes real Oh,

52
00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,120
Speaker 3: I do too. Let's do a bunch of two minutes.

53
00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,160
Speaker 2: I want to practice some third and long stuff. Yeah,

54
00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,600
Speaker 2: you know, whatever it is, whatever it is, any type

55
00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,880
Speaker 2: of again, situational stuff that you might want to work

56
00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,520
Speaker 2: on that you cannot ensure is going to organically take

57
00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:29,760
Speaker 2: place over the course of a preseason game. But you

58
00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,280
Speaker 2: can make sure it happens this afternoon at Akrasser Stadium.

59
00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,240
Speaker 3: And it might happen, but it might not happen for

60
00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:38,320
Speaker 3: Zach Frasier and the starting offensive line. You know, Like

61
00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,040
Speaker 3: I went Zach out there against your best blitz stuff,

62
00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:42,960
Speaker 3: so he can recognize it. And you know what I mean,

63
00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:45,840
Speaker 3: he's only seen the Steelers blitz package this year, you know,

64
00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,520
Speaker 3: so I think that kind of stuff is super valuable.

65
00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,640
Speaker 3: And again some of it, like we just mentioned, you

66
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,360
Speaker 3: don't know that you'll get two minutes, and may if

67
00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,240
Speaker 3: you do get two minutes, it's the last two minutes

68
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,160
Speaker 3: of the game. But I wanted Rudolph out there. I'm

69
00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:58,920
Speaker 3: gonna throw them out there for that against But you

70
00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:00,760
Speaker 3: know a bunch of backup line, you know one.

71
00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,760
Speaker 2: So yeah, that that script important. I know Tampa Bay

72
00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,200
Speaker 2: was in town yesterday. They actually practiced at Carnegie Mellon University.

73
00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,440
Speaker 3: Really, okay, I guess that makes sense. You down there

74
00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:12,040
Speaker 3: yesterday down.

75
00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,440
Speaker 2: There with yeah, right down down there at the home

76
00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,720
Speaker 2: of the Tartans. They had their their practice over there yesterday.

77
00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,680
Speaker 2: So yeah, what like you said, whether they actually got

78
00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:23,919
Speaker 2: together in person or whether it was just a virtual

79
00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,159
Speaker 2: conversation over zoom or something, they will certainly have a

80
00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,000
Speaker 2: a script that will be have some things the Steelers

81
00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,240
Speaker 2: want to accomplish, have some things the Bucks want to accomplish,

82
00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,400
Speaker 2: and then obviously some kind of neutral stuff that they

83
00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:36,920
Speaker 2: can all get into together.

84
00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,279
Speaker 3: We're gonna do two hours and every minute. It's going

85
00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:40,800
Speaker 3: to be scripted every second.

86
00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,600
Speaker 2: Every second count You watched the Bear on on on

87
00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:46,000
Speaker 2: might be the best show on TV. It might be

88
00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,599
Speaker 2: the best show on television right now. And that's a

89
00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,520
Speaker 2: thing that I've stolen from there. I use it with

90
00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,120
Speaker 2: my daughters all the time when we're in a hurry,

91
00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,800
Speaker 2: like that sign that they haven't, he says, every second counts,

92
00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,560
Speaker 2: Every second coounts. Joint practice today between the Bucks and

93
00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,040
Speaker 2: the Steelers, every second counts. They will also Matt play

94
00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,360
Speaker 2: a preseason game against each other, as we know Saturday

95
00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,440
Speaker 2: in terms of that, because it is always obviously a

96
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,080
Speaker 2: little bit different when you have a preseason game immediately

97
00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,080
Speaker 2: after you just had a joint practice with the team.

98
00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,560
Speaker 2: We saw a little bit of this last year against

99
00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,680
Speaker 2: the Buffalo Bills right in kind of a similar timeline.

100
00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,640
Speaker 2: But what are you looking for Saturday? Is it anyone specific?

101
00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,640
Speaker 2: Is it anything schematically? Because this is the last show

102
00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,240
Speaker 2: you and I are going to do before Saturday's last

103
00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,160
Speaker 2: show anyone's gonna do. Is all of the Steelers Nation

104
00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,080
Speaker 2: radio crew has I think a much earned day off

105
00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,240
Speaker 2: on Friday Tomorrow, the fifteenth, So what are we kind

106
00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,640
Speaker 2: of laying out for Saturday that we're going to be

107
00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:47,320
Speaker 2: looking for off the back of this joint practice.

108
00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,960
Speaker 3: I definitely think it's gonna be is very, very worth

109
00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,800
Speaker 3: a discussion between the two of us. But the problem is,

110
00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,480
Speaker 3: and especially because I'm not there, you're not there for today,

111
00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,120
Speaker 3: how much are they playing their top dogs today? And

112
00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,320
Speaker 3: then then, you know, if today didn't exist, I would

113
00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:07,920
Speaker 3: think you might ramp up Rudolph Caleb Johnson, Roman Wilson,

114
00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,720
Speaker 3: maybe the first OH line gets one more series than

115
00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,839
Speaker 3: they did. They're always going to be out there with

116
00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,960
Speaker 3: the top quarterback anyway. But some of those dudes that

117
00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,040
Speaker 3: you're counting on but aren't Cam Hayward, TJ watch in

118
00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,680
Speaker 3: the bag type dudes. But I also don't know what

119
00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,840
Speaker 3: kind of workload are they going to get today because

120
00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:27,720
Speaker 3: I would assume a lot of your top players are

121
00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:29,279
Speaker 3: playing today, a lot, I.

122
00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,400
Speaker 2: Would think, so all the ones who are healthy and able.

123
00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,520
Speaker 3: You might know this better than me. So Tomlin last

124
00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,159
Speaker 3: week had his press conference, he basically ruled out like

125
00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,479
Speaker 3: eighteen dudes pregame. We knew exactly who that list was

126
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,719
Speaker 3: before the game even started. They didn't dress Jalen Warren, etc. Etc.

127
00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,960
Speaker 3: Porter Well, that happened today.

128
00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:51,839
Speaker 2: You know what, It's a good question. I was wondering

129
00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:53,880
Speaker 2: that same thing because I thought there was a chance

130
00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,719
Speaker 2: it was going to happen today at noon, Okay, but

131
00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:58,720
Speaker 2: I did not see during that time.

132
00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,040
Speaker 3: If you have a press conference that I well, you.

133
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,080
Speaker 2: Know, normally, like the way that I would check in

134
00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,640
Speaker 2: because during the preseason it's not live streamed like it

135
00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,800
Speaker 2: is during the regular season. Normally, the way that I

136
00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,800
Speaker 2: would check is going back through the you know, Mike

137
00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,560
Speaker 2: Persudos and Mike the FABO and everybody. The people who

138
00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,840
Speaker 2: would have been there are our buddies that are actual journalists,

139
00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:19,920
Speaker 2: and I did not see any of those guys tweeting

140
00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,440
Speaker 2: out quotes earlier, So I'm not sure. Maybe, uh, And

141
00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,720
Speaker 2: it looks like actually, well let's see here as I

142
00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:30,400
Speaker 2: as I checked the fabos page again, it looks like

143
00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:31,400
Speaker 2: it's ongoing right now.

144
00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:32,800
Speaker 3: Okay, so how about that.

145
00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,040
Speaker 2: And it looks like Andy. It looks like Andy Whitel

146
00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:39,440
Speaker 2: spoke as well too. But here you go. Mike Tomlin

147
00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,200
Speaker 2: says he plans h two plays to play Saturday's preseason

148
00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,040
Speaker 2: game very much like the last one, with many helled

149
00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,200
Speaker 2: out good, including Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jalen Warren, Pat Fryarmouth,

150
00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,600
Speaker 2: John news Smith, Isaac Say, Malu, t J. Watt, alex

151
00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,720
Speaker 2: Ei Smith, cam Heyward, Patrick Queen and core secondary guys,

152
00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,520
Speaker 2: assuming that to be Slay Ramsey, Joey.

153
00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:02,480
Speaker 3: Porter Junior, maybe Elliott.

154
00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,280
Speaker 2: Maybe Elliott in there as well, he said, Nick Herbig

155
00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,240
Speaker 2: is a maybe. So it sounds like maybe he's the

156
00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,720
Speaker 2: only one who could have a different status.

157
00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,600
Speaker 3: Interesting on her Big, just because I thought, not that

158
00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,200
Speaker 3: it's a big deal, but Sawyer and Leal had to

159
00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,200
Speaker 3: play a lot. I mean, they were in there like

160
00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,320
Speaker 3: late in the fourth quarter. Maybe they didn't want to

161
00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,080
Speaker 3: give them that much run. I mean, I know they

162
00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,160
Speaker 3: wanted to get those guys experience and all that, but

163
00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,080
Speaker 3: they may put too much on their plate. Herbig maybe

164
00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:29,720
Speaker 3: plays two series to start and then those guys take

165
00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,560
Speaker 3: over and just ease into that. That's how I would

166
00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,480
Speaker 3: handle it too, you know. I mean fans though, I mean,

167
00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,280
Speaker 3: I've been getting a lot of Man, you're sitting all

168
00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,280
Speaker 3: these guys. I mean, it's like this one game, it's

169
00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,679
Speaker 3: two games. I mean, I think especially if most of

170
00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,360
Speaker 3: those players you mentioned are highly active today against the

171
00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,760
Speaker 3: Bucks ones, that's plenty that's fine plenty.

172
00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,160
Speaker 2: Yeah, and some of those guys that we've mentioned in there,

173
00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,360
Speaker 2: I wouldn't hate seeing them play a series or two

174
00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,240
Speaker 2: in the preseason, right, but that can still have happen

175
00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:02,920
Speaker 2: a week from today down and down in Charlotte when the.

176
00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,720
Speaker 3: Steelers Thursday, right, okay, and that's short week.

177
00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,920
Speaker 2: It's it's you got the short week, but then you

178
00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:09,719
Speaker 2: also have but.

179
00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,679
Speaker 3: These guys won't care about the short week. No last

180
00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:13,960
Speaker 3: thing they would have done is maybe today exactly right.

181
00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,440
Speaker 2: But and then they'll also after that Carolina game, I mean,

182
00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:20,640
Speaker 2: what have for a little more than fourteen days until

183
00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,440
Speaker 2: they have to set sixteen or seventeen days until they

184
00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,280
Speaker 2: have to to Actually.

185
00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,120
Speaker 3: I think it's fourteen days till opening night, which the

186
00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,840
Speaker 3: Steelers are involved in exactly right, you know, right exactly

187
00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:31,439
Speaker 3: Sunday after that, so it'll.

188
00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,600
Speaker 2: Be you know, sixteen, sixteen, seventeen days.

189
00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,440
Speaker 3: So you know, they do practice. But folks, by the way,

190
00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:38,520
Speaker 3: and they don't just disappear, and they do they.

191
00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,240
Speaker 2: Do practice absolutely, And I know you'll like hearing this.

192
00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,920
Speaker 2: But Mike Tomlin was also asked about which of the

193
00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,240
Speaker 2: corners would square off against Mike Evans, and he said

194
00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:49,199
Speaker 2: Jalen is going to get it. I think it's already

195
00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:49,840
Speaker 2: been decided.

196
00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,040
Speaker 3: Really, Okay, so that's interesting.

197
00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,000
Speaker 2: That is interesting as well too, Yeah, as we kind

198
00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,400
Speaker 2: of think he's going to do a lot of lining

199
00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,160
Speaker 2: up in the nickel in this type of situation. Let's

200
00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,600
Speaker 2: have the let's have the let's have the future Hall

201
00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:03,560
Speaker 2: of Famer against maybe the future Hall of Famer.

202
00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,360
Speaker 3: And I'm sure they've done battle in the past. They're

203
00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,800
Speaker 3: both in the league about equal tont of times, and

204
00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,959
Speaker 3: both are probably gonna go into Canton. I don't know.

205
00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:12,720
Speaker 3: I don't want to look too much into that because

206
00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,680
Speaker 3: I do think when all three corners are on the field,

207
00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,400
Speaker 3: Ramsey's the clear slot of the three. The other two

208
00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:20,679
Speaker 3: aren't super comfortable doing that, and you don't want them

209
00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,480
Speaker 3: doing that. Porter's done, as we know, has done a

210
00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,240
Speaker 3: lot of following in his shorter career. Slay used to

211
00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,160
Speaker 3: do it a ton ton a ton, especially you know

212
00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:36,160
Speaker 3: in Detroit. But I think Ramsey is the best player

213
00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,240
Speaker 3: of them all, you know. I'm just wondering, like when

214
00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,520
Speaker 3: they play Chase and Higgins, will he just be on

215
00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:43,400
Speaker 3: Chase the whole time or will they just line up

216
00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,520
Speaker 3: where they line up and go from there. They're not

217
00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:46,000
Speaker 3: gonna tell.

218
00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,199
Speaker 2: Us, They're not gonna tell us we're We're gonna have

219
00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,040
Speaker 2: to wait to figure that one out.

220
00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,200
Speaker 3: Like Garrett Wilson is a really good example, because that's

221
00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,120
Speaker 3: one good receiver in week one. Sure, that's a really

222
00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:55,880
Speaker 3: good example.

223
00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,120
Speaker 2: Yeah, that is a that's a very good example and

224
00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,720
Speaker 2: one that happens, you know, right off the bat there.

225
00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:01,959
Speaker 3: Yeah.

226
00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, So maybe we'll get an answer to that question

227
00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,240
Speaker 2: pretty quick, pretty quick based on how it all.

228
00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:10,800
Speaker 3: A wonderful asset here. They can do so many different

229
00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:11,960
Speaker 3: things with these guys.

230
00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,280
Speaker 2: And I think that was the big difference. We could

231
00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:17,040
Speaker 2: sit here and argue like who's the better peer player

232
00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:19,560
Speaker 2: maker or Jalen Ramsey right right right, We could such

233
00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,440
Speaker 2: an argument, and I think you could make good faith

234
00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:23,960
Speaker 2: You could make good faith debates on either side.

235
00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:24,040
Speaker 3: Yeah.

236
00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,600
Speaker 2: Agree, you wouldn't be you know, you wouldn't be doing

237
00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:27,800
Speaker 2: it at a at a bad faith.

238
00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,040
Speaker 3: But I don't I think I still think make is

239
00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:31,000
Speaker 3: one of the best safeties in the lead.

240
00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,960
Speaker 2: Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, But I think I don't think I

241
00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,560
Speaker 2: know with Jalen, it just opens up the playbook more,

242
00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:37,560
Speaker 2: It allows you to do more.

243
00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:40,600
Speaker 3: Yeah, And I think they've wanted to for a while. Anyway,

244
00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,360
Speaker 3: I think they want to get away from such a

245
00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:48,320
Speaker 3: predominant single high look we've seen. This isn't pulling Mack

246
00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:53,680
Speaker 3: Curtin too much more, too high more safety rotation. And

247
00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,400
Speaker 3: my biggest thing though is Ramsey. Well, first off, O

248
00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,640
Speaker 3: more CON's a cap guy, and if you just look

249
00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,800
Speaker 3: at numbers or you take personality out of it, I'd

250
00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:06,679
Speaker 3: rather pay a corner than a safety. You know, like,

251
00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:11,280
Speaker 3: I bet the down he inherited this contract going I

252
00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,640
Speaker 3: probably is a rule of thumb. Do not want the

253
00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:15,040
Speaker 3: highest paid safeties in the league.

254
00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:16,679
Speaker 2: You'd rather have your highest paid offensive line and be

255
00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:17,480
Speaker 2: a tackle.

256
00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,520
Speaker 3: Or you know what I mean. Like, if they're great players,

257
00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:22,760
Speaker 3: you pay them, and you're it's just fine. But in

258
00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,160
Speaker 3: terms of where do I want my money structured, I'd

259
00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,319
Speaker 3: rather have it in corner than safety. And the other

260
00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:32,240
Speaker 3: thing I've brought up a lot is because everything to me,

261
00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:33,960
Speaker 3: then the defense comes back to the pass rush, which

262
00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:35,079
Speaker 3: I expect to be the best in the league. I

263
00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:36,880
Speaker 3: expect sacks to go op blah blah blah blah. I've

264
00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,520
Speaker 3: been on that soapbox since the day the season ended.

265
00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:46,080
Speaker 3: But if your best player is fifteen yards off the ball,

266
00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,520
Speaker 3: not two or three near the box. Near the ball,

267
00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:54,280
Speaker 3: the potential blitzer move them all around, well, the pass

268
00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,280
Speaker 3: rush doesn't benefit as much. You know, I want to

269
00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,240
Speaker 3: create sacks. If it all comes down to to me,

270
00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:00,680
Speaker 3: absolute and big.

271
00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:06,120
Speaker 2: Plays, splash plays, sacks, disruption. And you know, they did

272
00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,040
Speaker 2: a good job in the turnover department last.

273
00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,960
Speaker 3: Year, they did a great job in everything but sack. Everything,

274
00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,560
Speaker 3: but sacks were just average.

275
00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:14,560
Speaker 2: Where they were sixteenth, which is quite literally average, right

276
00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:16,680
Speaker 2: right in the middle of the league. And that's actually

277
00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,880
Speaker 2: Matt I want to do, you know, with you at

278
00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,559
Speaker 2: some point some season predictions, and that's that's something we'll

279
00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,760
Speaker 2: have to revisit, is like exactly what number can they

280
00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:26,480
Speaker 2: attain the.

281
00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,520
Speaker 3: Where and you know, sustainable stable, Where.

282
00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:31,080
Speaker 2: Would that put them in terms of number one or

283
00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,320
Speaker 2: in the top three or in the top five. But

284
00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,959
Speaker 2: we uh will continue here just kind of with the

285
00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,280
Speaker 2: final camp takeaways. And that is one of the biggest

286
00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:42,040
Speaker 2: ones for me is just I thought Jalen Ramsey was

287
00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,560
Speaker 2: the best defensive player at camp, and I think this

288
00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:48,800
Speaker 2: defense is going to look even if you're someone who

289
00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,280
Speaker 2: doesn't really get in the weeds, even if you're just

290
00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,640
Speaker 2: kind of a football one oh one type fan. I

291
00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:54,600
Speaker 2: think it's gonna look noticeably different how they deploy and

292
00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:55,080
Speaker 2: how they scheme.

293
00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,360
Speaker 3: I do too. Again, I think obviously the all twenty

294
00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,360
Speaker 3: two nerds will notice difference, but I think some of

295
00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:05,400
Speaker 3: our listeners that just crack an iron and send their

296
00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:08,160
Speaker 3: lazy boy and spend three hours a week watching football,

297
00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,640
Speaker 3: you're gonna say, wow, this does look different a lot

298
00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:15,280
Speaker 3: more man coverage. I don't think they're gonna become Blitzberg,

299
00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,720
Speaker 3: but I do think they will blitz more. I mean,

300
00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,600
Speaker 3: they've been in the low end of the league lately

301
00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,880
Speaker 3: because I mean, if you get home with four, which

302
00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:27,280
Speaker 3: the Steelers absolutely can, that's what everybody wants, but that

303
00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,560
Speaker 3: doesn't mean that's the only way to do it, especially

304
00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,920
Speaker 3: if you trust your defensive backfield, like I think they

305
00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,480
Speaker 3: will at this point. And oh, by the way, I've

306
00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:36,520
Speaker 3: meant to say, this is a minute ago too. Back

307
00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,680
Speaker 3: to that Menka trade. I think they think they found

308
00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,000
Speaker 3: something in Thornhill. Like I think being around Thornhill as

309
00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,880
Speaker 3: much as they were pre trade made him say, Okay,

310
00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:51,520
Speaker 3: he's not Menca, but he's really a starter. He's not

311
00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,440
Speaker 3: a third safety. Makes it a lot easier pull the

312
00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,440
Speaker 3: trigger on this trade too. And I think that showed

313
00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:57,960
Speaker 3: up in camp too. I thought he was a winner

314
00:14:57,960 --> 00:14:58,440
Speaker 3: from camp.

315
00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,840
Speaker 2: I agree, may a kind of a nice instant type

316
00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:04,360
Speaker 2: of impact with a big hit and pass breakup and

317
00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,560
Speaker 2: that that game down in Jacksonville last Saturday. He covers

318
00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:09,240
Speaker 2: a lot of ground, covers a lot of ground. He

319
00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,480
Speaker 2: brings some nasty edge to that defense too, which I

320
00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,880
Speaker 2: which I think is certainly a welcome development him, Jalen Ramsey,

321
00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,680
Speaker 2: Darius Slay. They they added some swagger to that, to

322
00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:20,320
Speaker 2: that secondary.

323
00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:22,359
Speaker 3: All kinds and you know they're there.

324
00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,240
Speaker 2: And I think I think that's gonna I think that's

325
00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:26,520
Speaker 2: gonna play out well for them this year as well too.

326
00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,560
Speaker 2: Let's get to our first break here, Matt. We'll continue

327
00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:31,800
Speaker 2: with some of this conversation, get into some fifty three

328
00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,400
Speaker 2: man roster thoughts here today. So that's all right with you.

329
00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,840
Speaker 2: Plenty to get too as we roll along. West Shooler

330
00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,480
Speaker 2: Matt Williamson Training Camp. Edition of the Drive here on

331
00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,600
Speaker 2: Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

332
00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:55,560
Speaker 1: Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven

333
00:15:55,640 --> 00:16:12,360
Speaker 1: home of the Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

334
00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,120
Speaker 2: Back on the drive here, West Shuler and Matt Williamson,

335
00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,960
Speaker 2: we are going to get into some fifty three man

336
00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:21,400
Speaker 2: roster thoughts as we are kind of listen, this is

337
00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,520
Speaker 2: not as a certainly not as quiet of a period

338
00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:25,800
Speaker 2: as you know list season and all of that post

339
00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,520
Speaker 2: right right right kind of post OTAs in many camp

340
00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:31,680
Speaker 2: time period. But we are in a little bit of

341
00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:33,120
Speaker 2: a weird pattern, and we still have a couple of

342
00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:34,920
Speaker 2: preseason games to preview and look ahead to.

343
00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,880
Speaker 3: But and you and I aren it every practice exactly right.

344
00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,000
Speaker 3: We're like we're accustomed to last.

345
00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,680
Speaker 2: Week and having literally practice going on right in front

346
00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:44,040
Speaker 2: of us a lot of the time as well too

347
00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:46,920
Speaker 2: to describe and broadcast. So we'll get into some some

348
00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:48,680
Speaker 2: bigger picture stuff here. I do want to do some

349
00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:50,840
Speaker 2: fifty three man stuff with you today. But yeah, I

350
00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:55,320
Speaker 2: think a couple more notable newsworthy elements with the Steelers.

351
00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,200
Speaker 2: One kind of being a a story that we've kept

352
00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:01,280
Speaker 2: an eye on and monitored, and that is we're not

353
00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,720
Speaker 2: even a story or maybe a situation is a better

354
00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,200
Speaker 2: way to put it. Of the Steelers potentially adding another

355
00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,800
Speaker 2: wide receiver. Yes, there's been a lot of different iterations

356
00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:10,679
Speaker 2: of that right, there's been the could it be a

357
00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,360
Speaker 2: Gabe Davis or Amari Cooper type of free agent that's

358
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,760
Speaker 2: still available. Yes, there's been conversations and questions about a

359
00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:21,439
Speaker 2: choiring someone like Terry McLaurin and now Matt a new

360
00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,679
Speaker 2: name coming into that conversation, Odell Beckham Junior.

361
00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:29,400
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's been a while. If you want, we could

362
00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:35,480
Speaker 3: break down what Amari and Gabe Davis bring. So first off,

363
00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,119
Speaker 3: I think there's only room for one, you know, like

364
00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,440
Speaker 3: and when we start talking about roster breakdown, so I

365
00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,719
Speaker 3: know people are anxious for the Steelers to add another receiver.

366
00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,840
Speaker 3: I think they will. I used to feel a lot

367
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,680
Speaker 3: stronger about it, but post John new trade, I feel

368
00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,960
Speaker 3: a little less about it. I can't say Calvin Austin

369
00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,560
Speaker 3: or Roman Wilson or Woods blew my doors off to

370
00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,040
Speaker 3: no that I would be out of that market. I mean,

371
00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,080
Speaker 3: I still think in terms of guys what we expect

372
00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,440
Speaker 3: to play a lot number two receivers the weakest area

373
00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,879
Speaker 3: of the team, and I would thoroughly be looking to

374
00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,800
Speaker 3: address it, and I think that they have. But I

375
00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,880
Speaker 3: also think they want the right one. There's only room

376
00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:20,720
Speaker 3: for one. This isn't the beginning of free agency, when

377
00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,320
Speaker 3: your roster's up in the air and we'll settle for

378
00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,240
Speaker 3: one of these five, you know what I mean, and

379
00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:26,960
Speaker 3: the draft still out there, you got to kind of

380
00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,399
Speaker 3: pick one, like, okay, let's pick that dude. Stick with

381
00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:37,480
Speaker 3: them and Beckham, Cooper Davis don't cost you anything, you know,

382
00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,320
Speaker 3: that's just a call to the agent. Make sure that

383
00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:42,840
Speaker 3: they pass physicals, which I think could be an issue

384
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:44,480
Speaker 3: with all of them at this point, but who knows.

385
00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:47,840
Speaker 3: I hate talking medical, but I definitely think Davis's knee

386
00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:52,440
Speaker 3: is something. What kind of player do we want and

387
00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,080
Speaker 3: we're only going to get one? Is this our move?

388
00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,679
Speaker 3: You know? So I think those are the things you're contemplating. Okay,

389
00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,280
Speaker 3: we call about mc lauren, but he's gonna cost us

390
00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:05,600
Speaker 3: a salary and to pick is that better than Odell

391
00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:06,919
Speaker 3: for nothing? You know what I mean?

392
00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:08,800
Speaker 2: Did you know what his agent said about the money?

393
00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,080
Speaker 2: His agent made a comment I don't know if it

394
00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,080
Speaker 2: was yesterday, but recently about how they're kind of looking

395
00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:15,720
Speaker 2: for dk Metcalf money.

396
00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:17,959
Speaker 3: Okay, which I've actually brought that up when it's all

397
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:19,080
Speaker 3: came out, like I think.

398
00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,280
Speaker 2: The Steelers out of the equation when they just paid

399
00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:22,800
Speaker 2: DK Metcalf, DK Metcalf.

400
00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:24,200
Speaker 3: No, that's the thing. Do you want to kind of

401
00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,119
Speaker 3: like double down the contract, or do you want to

402
00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,480
Speaker 3: give them more than DK, which is kind of a

403
00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:31,280
Speaker 3: slap in the face to your other new guy, or

404
00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,439
Speaker 3: slightly less than which is kind of a slap in

405
00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,920
Speaker 3: your face to your new guy. Or you put both

406
00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,800
Speaker 3: contracts out there and say we'll we'll duplicate them both.

407
00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,320
Speaker 3: But they're both the same draft class and you don't

408
00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,560
Speaker 3: want to really be on the same timelines. You know,

409
00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,400
Speaker 3: it'd rather stagger them a little bit. Now, I wouldn't

410
00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,720
Speaker 3: be out on McLaurin, but sure, you know a little

411
00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:51,960
Speaker 3: Birdie told me too that he's interested in going to

412
00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,840
Speaker 3: a team where he's clearly the number one pass catcher.

413
00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,320
Speaker 3: Makes sense where he'd be fifty to fifty with DK,

414
00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,080
Speaker 3: I mean, or sixty forty forty sixty, whatever, but it

415
00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,520
Speaker 3: wouldn't be as clear. He's been pretty accustomed to that

416
00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:04,960
Speaker 3: in Washington. If that's important to him. It's important to him.

417
00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,400
Speaker 3: But that also narrows down who could trade for McLaurin.

418
00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:07,960
Speaker 2: Sure does?

419
00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:10,880
Speaker 3: I mean teams have to be pretty devoid of receiver

420
00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:12,800
Speaker 3: to be like he's easily there.

421
00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,520
Speaker 2: Right now, we know number one.

422
00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,920
Speaker 3: Unless somebody gets hurt. Deep down, I think Washington keeps

423
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,399
Speaker 3: him considering their timeline too, they have to. Yeah, they

424
00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,440
Speaker 3: have a rookie quarterback or young rookie contract quarterback.

425
00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,200
Speaker 2: That's the thing too, obviously. You know Terry McLaurin. I

426
00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:30,879
Speaker 2: think he's thirty right now, maybe turns thirty one soon.

427
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,040
Speaker 3: Him in Metcalf are the same class, but he's like

428
00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:33,640
Speaker 3: two years.

429
00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,480
Speaker 2: Older, right, you know, right? Or maybe yeah, or maybe

430
00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,360
Speaker 2: he just turned thirty. Maybe that's what it is.

431
00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,880
Speaker 3: Writ in that neighborhood down, but he's noticeably older than Metcalf.

432
00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,000
Speaker 2: This is in all likelihood going to be the last

433
00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:45,440
Speaker 2: big contract that he signs in his.

434
00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,600
Speaker 3: NFL career, which is why he's doing this.

435
00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:50,320
Speaker 2: If you want to be the clear cut number one

436
00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,760
Speaker 2: and go somewhere where you have a legit quarterback, which

437
00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:54,560
Speaker 2: he has not had.

438
00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,520
Speaker 3: Much of during his No he's lived without that.

439
00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:58,800
Speaker 2: Washington's probably the best spot for him.

440
00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,119
Speaker 3: Yeah, and they probably saying, but you're thirty, and we

441
00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,040
Speaker 3: don't want to give you Dk metch Haalf money or

442
00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:04,040
Speaker 3: this would have got done by.

443
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,159
Speaker 2: Now, correct, And he still has two years left on

444
00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,040
Speaker 2: his deal, does he Okay, not one, so you know

445
00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:10,639
Speaker 2: a little bit of a different timeline there as well.

446
00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,280
Speaker 3: Yeah, I say he signed not long ago. Now that's

447
00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,040
Speaker 3: like the best football player. I think you could get

448
00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,920
Speaker 3: sure and maybe the price is coming down. I don't know.

449
00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:26,000
Speaker 3: Maybe you just keep tabs with them. And originally I

450
00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:30,080
Speaker 3: thought a second round pick straight up would get it done,

451
00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,199
Speaker 3: and I think it would now. We had some chatting

452
00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,639
Speaker 3: at the bar. People were thinking, Oh, it's you need

453
00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,880
Speaker 3: to give it first. There's no way he's a thirty

454
00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,040
Speaker 3: year old receiver, you know, like AJ Brown at twenty

455
00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,840
Speaker 3: four coming off a first contract gets a first. Not

456
00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,000
Speaker 3: a thirty year old player who's really really good Tyreek

457
00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,760
Speaker 3: Hill at the height of his powers gets first plus.

458
00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:52,640
Speaker 3: You know. So I don't think it costs you that. Now.

459
00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,679
Speaker 3: I wonder I'm gonna put the tinfoil hat on for you.

460
00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:57,840
Speaker 3: You might enjoy that.

461
00:21:57,880 --> 00:21:59,520
Speaker 2: We need some conspiracy theory music.

462
00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,800
Speaker 3: Calvin Austin hasn't practiced much lately. He is not I

463
00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:05,359
Speaker 3: don't know how injured he is or not.

464
00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,040
Speaker 2: Abdominal injury has akad.

465
00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:12,360
Speaker 3: Yeah, but sometimes they put players on ice that maybe

466
00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,240
Speaker 3: could be on the move. What about a third in

467
00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,080
Speaker 3: Austin for McLaurin, you know, because if I'm Washington, I

468
00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:18,600
Speaker 3: want a receiver.

469
00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:20,080
Speaker 2: Absolutely, I don't.

470
00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:21,880
Speaker 3: I mean, it doesn't have to be Jerry Rice. But

471
00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:23,560
Speaker 3: I know I'm not gonna get that. But I can't

472
00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:24,120
Speaker 3: go at the.

473
00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,720
Speaker 2: Stage in the game. I can't just give up Terry

474
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:27,600
Speaker 2: McLaurin and have nothing to replace him with.

475
00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:29,639
Speaker 3: That was a final four team last year. You know,

476
00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,320
Speaker 3: I added Debo, but that's fine, but I need something back.

477
00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,120
Speaker 3: Could Austin in a little bit later? Pick get you there?

478
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:39,560
Speaker 3: And then you go back to the contract stuff though,

479
00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,800
Speaker 3: I mean, like, do you want two receivers making the

480
00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,800
Speaker 3: exact same DK on it? So that's what they're weighing

481
00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:47,680
Speaker 3: right now. But again I think there's spot for one.

482
00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:48,479
Speaker 2: I do.

483
00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:50,720
Speaker 3: I mean, I don't know.

484
00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:55,760
Speaker 2: He He's an interesting one to me because there's no

485
00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,119
Speaker 2: doubt that he has dealt with injuries and you know

486
00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:00,800
Speaker 2: it'll be thirty three this season and didn't do a

487
00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,159
Speaker 2: ti I mean last year he had nine receptions for

488
00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,439
Speaker 2: fifty five yards in Miami. Now, his season the year

489
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,520
Speaker 2: before with Baltimore in twenty twenty three was was alright, Yeah,

490
00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:12,200
Speaker 2: thirty five catches for five hundred and sixty five yards

491
00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:13,199
Speaker 2: and three touchdowns.

492
00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:16,960
Speaker 3: The time we saw him before that, though, was with

493
00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,359
Speaker 3: the Rams when they won the Super Bowl, and I

494
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:21,879
Speaker 3: thought he was awesome, outstanding there. I thought he was like, whoa,

495
00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:23,280
Speaker 3: I remember this guy outstanding.

496
00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,439
Speaker 2: Him and Cooper Cup were just right dynamite together.

497
00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:28,680
Speaker 3: And then he had an injury. And I mean Dale

498
00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:30,840
Speaker 3: and I when when the Ravens signed him, which sounds

499
00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:32,720
Speaker 3: like a long time ago, thought boy, this is one

500
00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,240
Speaker 3: of the worst contracts I've ever seen. I mean, I

501
00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,520
Speaker 3: thought they were paying for brand names, you know, paying

502
00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,320
Speaker 3: more than retail for a brand name player.

503
00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,119
Speaker 2: You're paying Ferrari money for yeah, for a Ford.

504
00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,240
Speaker 3: For that used to be a Ferrari you know. But

505
00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,760
Speaker 3: now I don't know what he'd won. I know a

506
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,639
Speaker 3: lot of people are immediately rolling their eyes. He's a distraction.

507
00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,800
Speaker 3: I don't want to deal with the nonsense. Dude. Everybody

508
00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,880
Speaker 3: they've added is a distraction, Like it's on purpose. There

509
00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,399
Speaker 3: all big name guys trying to prove something that they

510
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,280
Speaker 3: don't have that much involved in. They're all big headed

511
00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:11,040
Speaker 3: monster ego So's Rogers.

512
00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,000
Speaker 2: We see here, you sound like and I think I

513
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,000
Speaker 2: told you this. At one point during camp we were laughing,

514
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,359
Speaker 2: but like you sound like Motes. Motes would always be like, hey,

515
00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:20,960
Speaker 2: if you think Aaron Rodgers is the only different cat

516
00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,439
Speaker 2: in that locker room, I've got some news for you, right, Like,

517
00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,840
Speaker 2: he's not. There's plenty of however, you want to label

518
00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,080
Speaker 2: them weirdos or enigmas.

519
00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:32,359
Speaker 3: Right or you know, polarizing figures think about running for

520
00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,200
Speaker 3: vice president or whatever have you know, or is public

521
00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,280
Speaker 3: about it because no one cares what they have to say.

522
00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:39,879
Speaker 3: And the fifty third man, you know, backup guard or whatever.

523
00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:41,840
Speaker 3: But there's a lot of weirdos in there. I've brought

524
00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:43,840
Speaker 3: that up a bunch, but I don't think it's I

525
00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:45,920
Speaker 3: don't know. What I'm saying is they are not shying

526
00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:51,320
Speaker 3: away from egos and big Twitter followers. You know, they're

527
00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:54,840
Speaker 3: jumping into a two feet We just want the baddest

528
00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,880
Speaker 3: dudes we can find, and that's Tomlin's strength. Go manage them,

529
00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:00,680
Speaker 3: you know, that's you do best.

530
00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:02,560
Speaker 2: That is one of the things that part doesn't.

531
00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,359
Speaker 3: Worry Odell's, especially if him and Rodgers have its relationship,

532
00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:07,240
Speaker 3: which apparently they do. I just know if you can

533
00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,680
Speaker 3: play anymore and he's not gonna help on special teams.

534
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,600
Speaker 3: He has to be your number two receiver to be

535
00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:14,760
Speaker 3: helpful here, you know, or at least number three. At

536
00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,120
Speaker 3: least number three, like Miami signed him as a three

537
00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:22,199
Speaker 3: behind Waddle and Tyreek. Never really worked out. I'd have

538
00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:24,800
Speaker 3: to dig into more why but John who ended up

539
00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,119
Speaker 3: taking over and Beckham got hurt and that didn't work.

540
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:34,200
Speaker 3: But it wasn't there. It was a long time ago.

541
00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,600
Speaker 3: But there was a stretch where ab and Julio were

542
00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,679
Speaker 3: the best receivers in the league, and I thought Odell

543
00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,760
Speaker 3: was clearly number three for a long stretch. Now that

544
00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:43,639
Speaker 3: was a long time ago. I don't think you a

545
00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:44,119
Speaker 3: player or not.

546
00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:46,920
Speaker 2: And maybe this is one of those things too where

547
00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,400
Speaker 2: Aaron Rodgers does have some some sway on this conversation.

548
00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:52,639
Speaker 2: Like again, if we're gonna do this once, if we're

549
00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,080
Speaker 2: gonna bring in one guy, right, who do you prefer?

550
00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:56,760
Speaker 2: Who do you think you mesh best with?

551
00:25:57,040 --> 00:25:58,720
Speaker 3: And I don't care you get old, because he's gonna

552
00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:00,240
Speaker 3: gone after the year two. You know, like you're just

553
00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:00,800
Speaker 3: running them.

554
00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,240
Speaker 2: You're just rerunting them for a year. Yeah, And it's interesting,

555
00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:06,640
Speaker 2: it is. I I did not expect, listen, I thought

556
00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,720
Speaker 2: we might during this offseason period have some more conversation

557
00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,919
Speaker 2: about the Amari Cooper's in the game dayas Yeah, Keenan

558
00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:14,800
Speaker 2: Allen is now off the market, so he's not in

559
00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,560
Speaker 2: that conversation. Maybe even a Terry McLaurin. But yeah, I

560
00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:19,000
Speaker 2: think we both when we saw some of the Odell

561
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,800
Speaker 2: Beckham stuff, we were like, huh, like this is worth

562
00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:23,360
Speaker 2: a mention, this is it's notable.

563
00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,240
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean's free. I don't think his contract would

564
00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,000
Speaker 3: be crazy. I don't think a million five million something

565
00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:30,920
Speaker 3: like that one year deal a lot to prove. Don't

566
00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,040
Speaker 3: want to go out on the you know, it's kind

567
00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,160
Speaker 3: of the same motivation you have with Rogers. You don't

568
00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:36,919
Speaker 3: want to go out on that last note that we

569
00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,080
Speaker 3: heard you in a great career. Maybe build on a

570
00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,000
Speaker 3: potential Hall of Fame career as opposed to Fade and

571
00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:45,000
Speaker 3: wat Slow. Who knows, I don't know. I mean, I

572
00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:46,280
Speaker 3: just don't know if he could play, can he get

573
00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:47,880
Speaker 3: open anymore? I don't know.

574
00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:50,800
Speaker 2: It's the biggest thing. Yeah, especially with Rogers, right, I mean,

575
00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:54,400
Speaker 2: you need somebody who can run those routes and and.

576
00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:55,639
Speaker 3: And for that matter, you'd be nice to have Odell

577
00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,240
Speaker 3: if you're going to go down that road a month ago.

578
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,000
Speaker 3: Watch him every day in practice. No, you can't get open.

579
00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:04,720
Speaker 3: We're gonna cut them totally. Not that the season starts tomorrow, but.

580
00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:06,280
Speaker 2: You're right at this stage of the game too, you're

581
00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,040
Speaker 2: probably not gonna bring in a wide receiver. Cut them,

582
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,280
Speaker 2: go back out and get another like you're you're not

583
00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:11,880
Speaker 2: gonna revolving door that thing. At this point.

584
00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,560
Speaker 3: I think there's one move to make. Not you can

585
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:17,119
Speaker 3: always fall back in the second round the draft and

586
00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:17,720
Speaker 3: get a guy, you.

587
00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,480
Speaker 2: Know, one move to rule them all. Let's take our

588
00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,920
Speaker 2: last break here of the first hour when we come back.

589
00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,560
Speaker 2: Speaking of contracts, I think there's some notable conversations around

590
00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,120
Speaker 2: some Steelers contracts that we should probably have as well too.

591
00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,320
Speaker 2: We'll do that to close out the first hour before

592
00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,240
Speaker 2: maybe getting into some fifty three man roster stuff in

593
00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:40,040
Speaker 2: our number two West Sheeler Matt Williamson Final training camp

594
00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:42,600
Speaker 2: edition of the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio on

595
00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:55,040
Speaker 2: the Steelers Audio Network, your tunes.

596
00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,199
Speaker 1: About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of

597
00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:58,080
Speaker 1: the Black and Goal.

598
00:27:58,200 --> 00:27:59,679
Speaker 3: Steelers Nation Radio.

599
00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,600
Speaker 2: Final segment here of the first hour, as we kick

600
00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:21,480
Speaker 2: around the joint practice with the ten Bay Buccaneers preseason

601
00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:24,399
Speaker 2: game with Tampa as well too on the horizon and

602
00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:29,719
Speaker 2: some different roster conversations and news and notables, and of

603
00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:32,399
Speaker 2: course Matt I think probably at the forefront of the

604
00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:36,920
Speaker 2: Steelers news and notables right now, or two ongoing contract

605
00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:42,240
Speaker 2: situations with captain of your defense, best special teams player,

606
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:46,000
Speaker 2: maybe one of your best players overall, and Chris Boswell.

607
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:47,520
Speaker 3: I mean they both had a case for being the

608
00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:48,760
Speaker 3: Steelers MVP last year.

609
00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:51,320
Speaker 2: They certainly did. That's a great way to put it. Yeah,

610
00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:55,280
Speaker 2: and two guys too, who I think it can be

611
00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:59,800
Speaker 2: easy to lump these things together, but they're same church

612
00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:01,240
Speaker 2: from Pew though as well too.

613
00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,840
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, I mean how many games the Steelers win

614
00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:09,640
Speaker 3: last year without Boswell? I mean with Joe average kickery

615
00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:10,320
Speaker 3: best kicker.

616
00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,120
Speaker 2: I think they definitely lose in Atlanta, So.

617
00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,480
Speaker 3: There's probably more than one game, Yeah.

618
00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:17,520
Speaker 2: I think probably at least two. You could maybe argue more. Yeah,

619
00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,320
Speaker 2: which takes you from ten to seven in a playoff

620
00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:21,560
Speaker 2: team to eight and nine and missing.

621
00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,720
Speaker 3: The play a different world altogether, And you know, and

622
00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:26,240
Speaker 3: how many times would you have not trotted the kicker

623
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,360
Speaker 3: out there? You know, everything would change would be a

624
00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:32,200
Speaker 3: butterfly effect, and he had really had a historical season,

625
00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,080
Speaker 3: I mean, one of the best kicking years of any

626
00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:37,400
Speaker 3: player at that position in the last twenty years. Now.

627
00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:40,720
Speaker 3: I hate to say it this way, but chances are

628
00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,240
Speaker 3: when we look back at his career in twenty years,

629
00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:46,120
Speaker 3: twenty twenty four will be his best year. Sure, probably,

630
00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:48,920
Speaker 3: but I bet twenty twenty five isn't going to be bad.

631
00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:52,360
Speaker 2: One of the top you know, ten seasons from a

632
00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:55,000
Speaker 2: kicker in Steelers franchise history, absolutely type.

633
00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,360
Speaker 3: Year, and I obviously no reason to think he's going backwards.

634
00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:01,840
Speaker 3: So that's different about these iss. You know, kickers can

635
00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:05,520
Speaker 3: blast till they're forty easier than defensive tackles or wide receivers,

636
00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:08,800
Speaker 3: running backs or whatever. Let's start with Baz, because everyone's

637
00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:14,200
Speaker 3: talking about Hayward rightfully. So my hunch is you could

638
00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:16,960
Speaker 3: probably just play hardball with them and kind of be

639
00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,720
Speaker 3: a jag and just ignore them and say you're playing

640
00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,280
Speaker 3: because you're not going to sit out, blah blah blah.

641
00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,960
Speaker 3: But I bet because in the kicker world, a million

642
00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,640
Speaker 3: dollars a year goes a lot farther than the defensive

643
00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,680
Speaker 3: tackle world. In the quarterback world. If you just added

644
00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:33,680
Speaker 3: a million a year.

645
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,640
Speaker 2: I think you'd be at the second highest paid kicker

646
00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:41,920
Speaker 2: behind Harrison Bucker. I think, yeah, if he got more million.

647
00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:45,600
Speaker 3: And really that's nickels and dimes in your couch cushions,

648
00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:47,360
Speaker 3: you know, like, could you could you just end this

649
00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:52,080
Speaker 3: super quick by saying one more million average per year

650
00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:55,320
Speaker 3: or one more million guaranteed per year? Is that cool?

651
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:59,240
Speaker 3: Chris yep? Okay? Deal? And then no one's talking about

652
00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:02,000
Speaker 3: it again. I mean, does that sound crazy to you?

653
00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:05,560
Speaker 2: No, it does not, It does not, And I think, listen,

654
00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:07,920
Speaker 2: this is how you like to say. You know, you

655
00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,000
Speaker 2: hate talking about medical stuff because we're not doctors in

656
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,000
Speaker 2: a weird way. I hate talking about money because we're

657
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:17,680
Speaker 2: not agents, we're not Omar Kahn. And I just always

658
00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,080
Speaker 2: think it's weird talking about somebody else's money. And I

659
00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,120
Speaker 2: don't care what line of life you're in. I' because

660
00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:27,840
Speaker 2: I'm trying to learn more and actually talk real numbers,

661
00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:29,640
Speaker 2: you know, like just give them a million more bucks?

662
00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:32,240
Speaker 2: Like right, It's easy for me to say my money,

663
00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,600
Speaker 2: it's not my money, and it's on and I'm not

664
00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,560
Speaker 2: the one who's accepting the money either, you know it

665
00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:41,040
Speaker 2: The Boswell family be easy for me if the Steelers

666
00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,000
Speaker 2: or iHeartRadio walked in here and told each of us

667
00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:44,760
Speaker 2: they wanted to add a million bucks to our cocket.

668
00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:48,960
Speaker 3: What you're doing, Yeah, sure, handshake done.

669
00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:52,400
Speaker 2: But we're also not in that sphere like these guys

670
00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:53,200
Speaker 2: are as well too.

671
00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,000
Speaker 3: And also the other thing that's super important now more

672
00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:59,240
Speaker 3: than ever is the cap goes up so high, like

673
00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:01,920
Speaker 3: it just came out there. This is kind of side note,

674
00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,800
Speaker 3: but this is a great reflection. I guess the Dallas

675
00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:09,400
Speaker 3: Cowboys are worth like eleven billion dollars. Forget what the number.

676
00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:11,600
Speaker 2: Is, like ten points something. Yeah, the highest of any

677
00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:12,560
Speaker 2: sports team in the world.

678
00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,080
Speaker 3: And that's a direct reflection of the health of the league.

679
00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,720
Speaker 3: Is the value of all thirty two teams, and they're

680
00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:23,000
Speaker 3: all going up so fast, and so players are finally

681
00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:26,680
Speaker 3: catching on, like we think salaries of spike. They actually haven't.

682
00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,040
Speaker 3: They've been a little slow to the party in terms

683
00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:32,800
Speaker 3: of you know, an extra millions nothing. It's not what

684
00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:35,120
Speaker 3: it was ten years ago or twenty years ago.

685
00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:38,120
Speaker 2: Chris Boswell currently takes up one point six y nine

686
00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:41,040
Speaker 2: percent of the Steelers' salary cap. Really not even one

687
00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:42,000
Speaker 2: point seven percent.

688
00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:46,040
Speaker 3: Get him up to two percent. He's that important. I mean,

689
00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:48,840
Speaker 3: kickers are a different world. So again that's why, I

690
00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:50,960
Speaker 3: mean a million a year goes so much, so far

691
00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:52,600
Speaker 3: as to add to what he's making totally.

692
00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:54,560
Speaker 2: And again it takes him from where he's at now,

693
00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,160
Speaker 2: which I think is somewhere in like the eight to

694
00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:59,560
Speaker 2: ten range of highest paid kickers. I think that would

695
00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:04,000
Speaker 2: put him or two, which you know is a substantial difference.

696
00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:04,440
Speaker 1: It's nice.

697
00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:05,440
Speaker 2: That's a nice jump there.

698
00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:08,000
Speaker 3: Or even if he got the Bucker contract, I don't

699
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,520
Speaker 3: even know what that is, but it can't.

700
00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:11,480
Speaker 2: Be as much. So I think he's on like about

701
00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:13,560
Speaker 2: five million per year if you break it down by

702
00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,840
Speaker 2: the average annual value okay, right, where Bucker is like

703
00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:17,840
Speaker 2: six and a half.

704
00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:20,480
Speaker 3: Okay, And he probably says, I'm every bit is good,

705
00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:23,240
Speaker 3: and he's right, And I mean, you don't have much

706
00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:25,080
Speaker 3: legs to stand on if you're going to go to

707
00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:28,480
Speaker 3: the table against Boswell and be like, well you're bad

708
00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,000
Speaker 3: at this, Well you're not, you know, correct, It's just

709
00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:32,480
Speaker 3: do you're gonna give them the money or not?

710
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:36,680
Speaker 2: It's exactly right. And now Cam two is this is

711
00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:40,640
Speaker 2: different I think substantially. Yeah, yeah, because of the amount

712
00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:42,760
Speaker 2: of time still left on his deal because of the

713
00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:45,200
Speaker 2: fact that he just re signed that deal a year

714
00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,360
Speaker 2: ago and he's already been paid that big roster bonus

715
00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:50,280
Speaker 2: that was due to him at the start of this

716
00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:52,880
Speaker 2: league calendar season, like you know, when the when the

717
00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:54,680
Speaker 2: league switched over in February March.

718
00:33:55,160 --> 00:34:00,800
Speaker 3: So my take on his is when he signed that

719
00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,360
Speaker 3: was after that was last off season. You know, as

720
00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:07,360
Speaker 3: people know, and that that always will rub fans wrong.

721
00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:09,759
Speaker 3: You just signed a contract, shut up and play, you know,

722
00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:13,399
Speaker 3: like that's my grandfather talking. I mean, that's just how

723
00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:15,799
Speaker 3: it goes. You know, I signed a contract to shut

724
00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:20,360
Speaker 3: up and play, and I get that now. When he

725
00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:23,600
Speaker 3: signed that deal, he was coming off a very down

726
00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:32,160
Speaker 3: year by his standards injury age, and he took sort

727
00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:35,600
Speaker 3: of a hometown discount in my opinion, and then clearly

728
00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,719
Speaker 3: far exceeded it on the field, absolutely, I mean far

729
00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,760
Speaker 3: exceeded to the point where I haven't saw an article

730
00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:43,919
Speaker 3: before any of this a month ago, two months ago.

731
00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:45,200
Speaker 3: Who are the biggest values.

732
00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:49,600
Speaker 2: It was probably like rookie quarterbacks like yeah, and someone

733
00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:50,640
Speaker 2: like can like this.

734
00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:53,440
Speaker 3: Like this is a the sweetest contract as you can

735
00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:55,560
Speaker 3: get for what you're getting what you pay for person,

736
00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:59,319
Speaker 3: app is insanely good. So I do think he has

737
00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:02,560
Speaker 3: a grounds to stand on because things changed dramatically in

738
00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:07,200
Speaker 3: that year. I mean, so, hey, I am vastly underpaid

739
00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,040
Speaker 3: right now. Anyone on the planet would say, look at

740
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,000
Speaker 3: what I'm making compared to what I'm giving you. But

741
00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:15,359
Speaker 3: I'm also not a believer, and this is the where

742
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:18,399
Speaker 3: sentiment goes out the door. I'm not paying you for

743
00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:22,400
Speaker 3: past stuff, you know, just because you are a leader

744
00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:24,720
Speaker 3: and you're going to be in the Hall of Honor

745
00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:26,439
Speaker 3: and you've done great things here.

746
00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:27,840
Speaker 2: Yeah.

747
00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,759
Speaker 3: Oh, the resume is phenomen that's just real quick.

748
00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:32,040
Speaker 2: Yeah, I've heard a lot of people say in the

749
00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,440
Speaker 2: last couple of days, this tarnishes Cam's legacy. No, get

750
00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:35,000
Speaker 2: out of here with that.

751
00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:37,400
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, no one in the locker room thinks that.

752
00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,480
Speaker 3: No one coach Aman doesn't think that.

753
00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:41,359
Speaker 2: People said the same thing about Debo when he left

754
00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:42,879
Speaker 2: the team and signed with the Patriots in the middle

755
00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:45,320
Speaker 2: of the season. And now whenever James Harrison is around,

756
00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:48,880
Speaker 2: people lose their ever loving minds. Right, That didn't tarnish

757
00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:50,040
Speaker 2: his legacy with the Steel Act.

758
00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:53,319
Speaker 3: No, So I don't know how to handle this one though,

759
00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:56,520
Speaker 3: you know, like, hey, Cam, I see what you're saying.

760
00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:01,279
Speaker 3: You definitely have a point here, but it still has

761
00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:03,480
Speaker 3: to be somewhat of a year to year proposition. At

762
00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:06,600
Speaker 3: your age. I can't just give you a three year,

763
00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:13,080
Speaker 3: almost fully guaranteed extension because history is not kind to

764
00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:14,640
Speaker 3: people your position, your age.

765
00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:16,560
Speaker 2: You and Klays Campbell are the exception.

766
00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:21,040
Speaker 3: Yeah, right, And we love you so much that we're

767
00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:22,880
Speaker 3: going to try to extend your career and get the

768
00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,239
Speaker 3: most out of you and the most valuable snaps by

769
00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:28,719
Speaker 3: going heavy on D line this offseason. But hey, we

770
00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,920
Speaker 3: also went heavy on D line this offseason, so we

771
00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:34,000
Speaker 3: need you less. You know, if we're just talking nuts

772
00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:38,560
Speaker 3: and Bolt's business here, that our team's better now without

773
00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,319
Speaker 3: you than it was last we saw them without you.

774
00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:42,879
Speaker 3: I mean, I think that's what I think.

775
00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:44,080
Speaker 2: That's I mean, that's undeniable.

776
00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,880
Speaker 3: It's undeniable. Right, So your value to us is higher

777
00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:50,960
Speaker 3: than what we're paying you, but it's not as high

778
00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,480
Speaker 3: as if we didn't have Harmon in Black and uk Lee.

779
00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:56,680
Speaker 3: I mean, there's all these dudes that weren't around last year.

780
00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:00,120
Speaker 3: This one is hard to talk about with numbers, but

781
00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:04,000
Speaker 3: I wonder, let's just give you five basically, just write

782
00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,160
Speaker 3: you a check for like five million right now, you know,

783
00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,680
Speaker 3: just here's a big chunk, a moderate chunk. It's a

784
00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:12,680
Speaker 3: big chunk for me, and you put it towards this

785
00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,799
Speaker 3: year's cap or whatever. It's money in your bank, in

786
00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:19,239
Speaker 3: your pocket. Maybe add incentives to the end of your deal,

787
00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:23,720
Speaker 3: playing time, all pros, stuff that you've accomplished, Pro Bowls,

788
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:26,800
Speaker 3: and go from there. You know, like, here's a nice chunk.

789
00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:29,759
Speaker 3: Not the shut up, but kind of just let's get

790
00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:31,840
Speaker 3: to week one and we'll talk about this later, you

791
00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:32,239
Speaker 3: know what I mean.

792
00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:34,080
Speaker 2: Give you some more guaranteed money up front.

793
00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,040
Speaker 3: Here, here's a big check, stick it in the bank,

794
00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:38,439
Speaker 3: and I think let's go win a bunch of games.

795
00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:39,840
Speaker 2: I think that's the easiest way to do this. And

796
00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,719
Speaker 2: again this is the part where like if we had

797
00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,279
Speaker 2: a speculation sounder, you know what I mean, Like this

798
00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:47,640
Speaker 2: is another one of those like talking about large sums

799
00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:51,040
Speaker 2: of money and contracts and areas where I do not

800
00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:56,359
Speaker 2: have a law degree. He is due the same thing

801
00:37:56,360 --> 00:37:59,080
Speaker 2: as this year where he got that roster bonus on

802
00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:00,200
Speaker 2: the new league.

803
00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:01,759
Speaker 3: Okay, so you got one last year.

804
00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,680
Speaker 2: This so March March of twenty twenty five, he got

805
00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:08,799
Speaker 2: a roster bonus of about thirteen and a half million dollars. Okay, okay.

806
00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,239
Speaker 2: He is due to get a similar roster bonus of

807
00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:14,720
Speaker 2: almost thirteen million dollars, so about twelve point nine million,

808
00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:16,480
Speaker 2: same thing next March.

809
00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:17,480
Speaker 3: Okay, okay.

810
00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:19,879
Speaker 2: So maybe you take some of that twelve point nine

811
00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:22,480
Speaker 2: million that he's due next March that he would not

812
00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:24,440
Speaker 2: get if the Steelers cut him before then at the

813
00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:26,440
Speaker 2: end of next season, right, yeah, And you say, we're

814
00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:28,640
Speaker 2: going to convert some of that to guarantees for you now,

815
00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:31,799
Speaker 2: so that no matter what happens this year, you're still

816
00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:33,880
Speaker 2: getting some of that guaranteed money that you would be

817
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,360
Speaker 2: due with that is not guaranteed for you at the

818
00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:38,040
Speaker 2: start of next league year. Does that make sense?

819
00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:40,759
Speaker 3: That makes a ton of sense. And you're head of

820
00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,160
Speaker 3: me on that one, because I didn't know about the

821
00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:46,879
Speaker 3: two bonuses, and I'm saying when you said the second one,

822
00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:50,319
Speaker 3: I'm immediately thinking, like, if I'm Cam Hayward and I

823
00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,440
Speaker 3: blow out my knee tomorrow.

824
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:53,320
Speaker 2: That would give him some more security.

825
00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:56,200
Speaker 3: And they just drafted all these dudes. They might cut me.

826
00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:58,160
Speaker 2: And I didn't want to go down that road. But

827
00:38:58,239 --> 00:38:59,960
Speaker 2: that's what I was absolutely alluding to.

828
00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:02,840
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean most people's career do not end because

829
00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:03,640
Speaker 3: they fade away.

830
00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:06,600
Speaker 2: And yeah, most people don't get the ben ross like,

831
00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:07,279
Speaker 2: I'm just going to.

832
00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:09,799
Speaker 3: Play as long as I want. So if things went

833
00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:14,880
Speaker 3: terribly wrong for him week one, terrible injury, potentially career threatening,

834
00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,160
Speaker 3: I want to rehab from it. I may not get

835
00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:19,080
Speaker 3: that twelve, you know, like, but I.

836
00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:20,799
Speaker 2: Give you like it all now, I give you ten

837
00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:21,239
Speaker 2: of it now.

838
00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:22,879
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, whatever.

839
00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:24,840
Speaker 2: That guaranteed, no matter what happens to you over the

840
00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:25,720
Speaker 2: next six months.

841
00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:29,200
Speaker 3: Yeah, seven county against this year's cap. Maybe even is

842
00:39:29,239 --> 00:39:30,799
Speaker 3: his deal up after next year?

843
00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:32,640
Speaker 2: His deal is up after next year. Yes, so he

844
00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:34,360
Speaker 2: signed through twenty twenty six and.

845
00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:36,680
Speaker 3: Maybe put some kind of option year on the end

846
00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:39,399
Speaker 3: of it and give him a big chunk now and

847
00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:41,480
Speaker 3: let's just go be friends, you.

848
00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:45,520
Speaker 2: Know, and you got more your guaranteed money up front here, Yeah,

849
00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:48,440
Speaker 2: which at his age I think has to be of value.

850
00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:48,719
Speaker 1: Yeah.

851
00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:50,879
Speaker 2: I don't think he's I think that's like insulting who

852
00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:51,279
Speaker 2: we're like.

853
00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:53,520
Speaker 3: No, like, just give me a chunk now, as opposed

854
00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:56,680
Speaker 3: to average per year being super high because I may

855
00:39:56,760 --> 00:39:58,719
Speaker 3: not see it, you know, I mean it makes me

856
00:39:58,760 --> 00:39:59,320
Speaker 3: too cutable.

857
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,800
Speaker 2: I think that's fair. And again, talking contracts not totally

858
00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:05,080
Speaker 2: my realm. But I do know for all these guys,

859
00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:07,040
Speaker 2: guaranteed money is what matters.

860
00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:07,440
Speaker 3: Matters.

861
00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:09,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, Like you can dress it up to make it

862
00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:11,759
Speaker 2: look like a massive contract on paper, but the guaranteed

863
00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:14,760
Speaker 2: money is what it really matters.

864
00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:18,640
Speaker 3: Yeah, my hunches and I maybe it's more contentious than

865
00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:21,600
Speaker 3: I think, But if we're sitting here in week five

866
00:40:21,760 --> 00:40:24,640
Speaker 3: doing a drive, I bet it'll never cross our mind

867
00:40:24,640 --> 00:40:26,640
Speaker 3: again for either of these players. Hundred percent, you know

868
00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:26,920
Speaker 3: what I mean.

869
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:27,480
Speaker 2: Hundred percent.

870
00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:29,560
Speaker 3: Boy Cam was great against the Bengals.

871
00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:32,799
Speaker 2: I think that's more likely than right, you know, than

872
00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:35,560
Speaker 2: anything someone sits out, you know, a week one or

873
00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:37,600
Speaker 2: anything like that. I think we are on the same page.

874
00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:37,799
Speaker 1: There.

875
00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:40,439
Speaker 2: Hour of the books, another hour to go. You're gonna

876
00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:43,680
Speaker 2: do a little fifty three million projections here as we

877
00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:47,439
Speaker 2: sit here the second uh week of August with two

878
00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:51,040
Speaker 2: more preseason games looming. Of course, the only home preseason

879
00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:53,120
Speaker 2: game for your Steelers will be this Saturday night at

880
00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:59,680
Speaker 2: Aftersure Stadium, seven pm, as it'll be the penultimate preseason

881
00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:02,960
Speaker 2: game against the Bucks before the Steelers will have the

882
00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,719
Speaker 2: final leg down in Carolina, down in Charlotte against the Panthers.

883
00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:09,680
Speaker 2: A week from today, another hour of the drive on

884
00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:12,080
Speaker 2: the other side when we return West Shooler Matt Williamson.

885
00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:14,960
Speaker 2: It's Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.