1 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 2 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:09,319 Speaker 1: your twenty four to seven home of the Black and 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 4 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 2: Welcomed to the Drive and Dale LOLLI, he is me 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 2: Matt Williamson, and we are here at the NFL Annual 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: meetings here in Orlando at the Where's Carlton? Yeah, much more, 7 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 2: a lot more business I went on here today. 8 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,599 Speaker 3: A little different vibe than twenty four hours ago. Yeah, Yes, 9 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 3: we were ahead of the parade and yeah, the parades 10 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 3: flying through. 11 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, everybody is here now. It's all happening. And we've 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 2: gotten to hear from Mike Tomlin twice now they have 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: the last twenty four hours. We sat down with him. 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 2: I was one of the people that sat down with 15 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 2: him yesterday when he spoke to the assembled media, the 16 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: local Pittsburgh media that are here. 17 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 3: And obviously a. 18 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,279 Speaker 2: Lot of the questions centered on what's gone on at 19 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: the quarterback position with the Steelers offseason. 20 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 3: Of course, I mean that's the topic of the off season. 21 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 3: I mean, revamp an entire position room, let alone a 22 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 3: quarterback room. It's gonna be noteworthy. 23 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 2: And you had a Super Bowl winning quarterback and then 24 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,839 Speaker 2: another guy who was a first round draft pick. 25 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 3: Right right, high pedigree guys coming in and much different 26 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 3: style of play. And I can't wait to see how 27 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 3: it's implemented. And say to hear what he had to 28 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 3: say about it. 29 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,559 Speaker 2: Too, Well, let's hear that now, man that i'ms here's 30 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: some of what Mike Tomlin had to say yesterday with 31 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: the Pittsburgh media. The last time you talked, you had 32 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 2: a much different You had just Kenny at quarterback, and 33 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 2: now it's a completely different. 34 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 4: Run in a couple of months. 35 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 5: What happened from from when you were talking with us 36 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 5: in January until. 37 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 6: Now, you know, I don't know that dramatic things happened 38 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 6: from a perception standpoint. We had one quarterback on our 39 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 6: roster last time we talked. We knew obviously we had 40 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 6: to acquire some some talent at the position, and so 41 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 6: we just studied the field and the levels of availability 42 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 6: among some of the candidates in the field. We got 43 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 6: zeroed in on Russell and and and Justin among them. 44 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 6: Obviously probably the goal was to you know, get one 45 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 6: guy initially, but through conversation and and work and can't 46 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 6: give Omar enough credit, you know, we were able to to 47 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 6: acquire both guys. 48 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 4: Like what happened Kenny White dealing? 49 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 6: You know, I just think it was you know, from 50 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 6: his perspective, he felt like a change of scenery would 51 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 6: be a good thing. Obviously, when we felt the trajectory 52 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 6: of of the business with Chicago moving in the right direction, 53 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 6: those dominoes started falling. 54 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 4: I won't get into. 55 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 6: Specifics about our conversations, but uh, I am appreciative. 56 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 4: Of his efforts during his. 57 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 6: Time in Pittsburgh and I wish him, uh nothing but 58 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 6: the absolute best in Philadelphia. 59 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 4: I agree hero in the way you trying to set 60 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 4: out him, Kenny. 61 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 6: Make again, I'm not getting into specific so about what transpire. 62 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 4: Who said, what, who did? 63 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 3: What? 64 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 6: Really is water under the bridge at this At this point, 65 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 6: I'm excited about the guys that we have in the room, 66 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 6: and I know he's excited about about his new opportunity 67 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 6: in fresh Start in Philadelphia. 68 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 3: How do you see Justin Field's paying into this situation 69 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 3: to see him? 70 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 6: You know, I think we're gonna I think that's to 71 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 6: be determined, you know, And I think that's one of 72 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 6: the exciting components of team development, the division of labor, 73 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 6: roles and so forth. Particularly when you got new and 74 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 6: exciting uh talent makes the process an exciting one and 75 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 6: so UH, I'm excited about getting to know him and 76 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 6: his skill set and what he can do. We've been 77 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 6: very transparent about the pecking order, at least to start. 78 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 6: I just think that provides clarity for all parties involved. 79 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 6: Russell as a veteran man, He's got a proven process 80 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,839 Speaker 6: of readiness. He's been in this league a long time. 81 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 6: He's capable of rallying troops, receivers, tight ends, running backs, 82 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 6: et cetera. He's just got a lot of experience in 83 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 6: terms of what it takes UH to be the guy 84 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 6: over the course of a twelve month calendar. And I 85 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 6: just think that that's something that a younger guy like 86 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 6: Justin could learn from. It provides clarity for all parties 87 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 6: involved as they do some of the informal things that 88 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 6: collectors do this time of year, whether it's you know, 89 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 6: coming together to work out and and destinations and things 90 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 6: of that nature, rest assured when it's time to compete, 91 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 6: Justin will be given an opportunity to compete and and 92 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 6: will allow those guys to sort themselves out. But I 93 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 6: thought it was appropriate to describe it in the way 94 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 6: that I described it in terms of how we get started. 95 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 6: Russell's in pole position. I think his body of work, 96 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 6: you know, justifies that. And I and just from my 97 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 6: conversations with Justin I know he he is excited about 98 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 6: working alongside Russell Man and maybe learning some of those 99 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 6: veteran tricks of the trade and things that he's picked 100 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 6: up from being in this league for over a decades. 101 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 2: That was Mike Tomlin yesterday with the assembled media. It 102 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 2: kind of reiterated that whole thing this morning when he 103 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,679 Speaker 2: spoke at the at the Coach's Breakfast. Russell Wilson comes 104 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 2: in as the number one position. Yeah, yeah, pole position. 105 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 2: As Mike Tomlin said, Justin Fields will be the number two. 106 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 2: But they're excited about and he said that Fields was 107 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: excited about when they spoke to him working behind Russell Wilson, 108 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 2: in learning behind that veteran quarterback who is a similar 109 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 2: style of quarterback to Justin Fields. Maybe isn't quite the 110 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 2: runner that Fields is, but that's certainly a component of 111 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 2: his game. 112 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 4: See. 113 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 3: I really like the dynamic of kind of the older 114 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 3: brother younger brother type of situation because I think Justin 115 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 3: even said when he was drafted. You know, one of 116 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 3: the guys he studied coming into the league was Russell Wilson. Yeah, 117 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 3: and Wilson was a different player then than he is now. 118 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 3: But Wilson was also a lot different player when he 119 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 3: was Justin's age too. Yeah, there weren't as many run 120 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 3: around athletic quarterbacks at that point. It was what ten 121 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 3: years ago or whatever, and times changed quick and he 122 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 3: was often one of the best athletes on the field 123 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 3: when he was Justin's age and developed into much more. 124 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 3: So I think that he can be the perfect mentor 125 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 3: for I mean, it's a really good dynamic between the 126 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 3: two of them, it is. 127 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 2: And and you know, I think I was talking with 128 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 2: one of the writers from Chicago this morning as we 129 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 2: were waiting for Mike tom When to come out, and 130 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 2: and uh, you knows, he said that, you know, Fields, 131 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 2: when you think about it, you know, he's the eleventh 132 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,280 Speaker 2: pick in the draft. When he comes out, he's immediately 133 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: inserted into the into the starting lineup. Oh and you're 134 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 2: you know, you're the guy for the you know, who 135 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 2: have all the pressure on you. You're the first round pick, 136 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: You're the savior of the franchise for a franchise in 137 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 2: Chicago that really hasn't had a a franchise quarterback lifetime. 138 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, I mean Jim McMahon might be you know 139 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 2: since the Sydney Bluckman days. I mean they've been they've 140 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: been searching. So there's a lot of pressure on the 141 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 2: quarterback in that town because of that. 142 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 3: So now he might make it as its uses for fields. 143 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 3: But is it the organization or is it the player? 144 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 3: When you go fifty years without having a franchise quarterback, 145 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 3: maybe it's not you, it's meat, you know. 146 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 2: But now he gets a chance to take a step 147 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: back and maybe breathe a little bit. Absolutely, watch a 148 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: veteran player who is very much who has a similar 149 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 2: skill set to him. 150 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And I go back to early career Russ Wilson, 151 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. He was a third round pick. 152 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 3: He stole the job from Flynn, who was a high priced, 153 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 3: semi high price free agent. Yeah, they was expected to start, 154 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,119 Speaker 3: you know, but Wilson was too good as a rookie 155 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 3: third round guy. He's too short, you know, I mean 156 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 3: all that nonsense, or he would have been a first 157 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 3: round pick. But where I'm going with this is those 158 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 3: Seattle teams early in his career were Marshawn Lynch, the 159 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 3: legion of boom, big time defense, and didn't ask him 160 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 3: to be Superman, you know, And I think that's going 161 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 3: to be the formula here. So it's a balancing act. 162 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 3: You have to get more big plays from a quarterback 163 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 3: position than they have the last couple of years. But 164 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 3: you can't kill us with turnovers because we're gonna try 165 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 3: to help you with defense and running game. And so 166 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 3: that's gonna be really coach Tomlin's balancing act. 167 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 2: By the way, folks, the folks who aren't watching our 168 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: show on YouTube, which you should do if you go 169 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 2: to the Steelers YouTube channel and check that out. But 170 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 2: if you're listening to the podcast, you can't see that 171 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: Matt and I have matching shirts on today. 172 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 3: Pure accident. We did not plan that, you know. 173 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 2: If we didn't plan ahead and when we packed to 174 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: come to Orlando to say hey, I'm gonna wear this 175 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 2: shirt on Monday and you're gonna wear that one, we 176 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: probably should do. Maybe we should make sure that we 177 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 2: don't wear the same shirts. I could text you in 178 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 2: the morning, maybe I'll take a picture of what what 179 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 2: shirt I have on, So good stuff there for yeah, 180 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: good good stuff and there's a lot more. 181 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 3: You know. 182 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 2: He talked about how these guys fit into Arthur Smith's 183 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 2: system and and he was asked about that again today 184 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 2: and he said, you know, these guys are good fit 185 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 2: in Arthur Smith system. He said, absolutely know that for 186 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 2: what they want to do it, you know, and I 187 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: asked them specifically about, you know what what attracted him 188 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 2: to Arthur Smith, you know as the coordinator uh yesterday 189 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 2: and he said, look this, you know, I've I've coached 190 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 2: against this guy in Tennessee, I coached against him as 191 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 2: a head coach in Atlanta, and I just know that 192 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 2: his mentality meshes with our mentality in terms of what 193 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 2: he wants to do, you know, what he tries to 194 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 2: accomplish with his offenses. He said, it won't be it's 195 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,319 Speaker 2: not going to be any kind of transition for him 196 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 2: to be the kind of coach that we need him 197 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 2: to be because he's done it. And he also say, 198 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 2: you know, I asked him, I said, you've this is 199 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 2: this is multiple times now that you've had a former 200 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: NFL head coach on your staff. Sure, and what does 201 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: that bring to the equation for you? Why does that 202 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 2: help you? And he said, it's it's a lot of 203 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 2: stuff that that you can you know, you can go 204 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: over practice schedules and with with the guy who's been 205 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:55,719 Speaker 2: a head coach and say, you know what, what can 206 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 2: we do better with this? What did you do in 207 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 2: your previous stops? He said, and things of that nature 208 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 2: that you don't think about, uh, you know, but it 209 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 2: just helps him from that perspective that has somebody who's 210 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 2: been in his shoes. 211 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, a lot to unpeel there. I mean, so a 212 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 3: job that big, there is no handbook for it, you know, 213 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 3: and obviously coach Tomlin's been there longer than Flores or Smith. 214 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 3: But still there's very few people on the planet that 215 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 3: have been asked to do that job. And there's even 216 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 3: the one to have done it the worst of all 217 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 3: time you could learn something from because I mean, it's 218 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 3: such a unique even if it's don't do that, yeah right, Like, boy, 219 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 3: I made a mistake doing this and like, oh I 220 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:34,839 Speaker 3: didn't think of that. I've nobodyn't got it on that 221 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 3: road too, or whatever. I should have handled the media better, 222 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 3: I should have been more on top of this, this, 223 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 3: this the weight program whatever. So I do think having 224 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 3: someone that's been in that shoes in the building with you, 225 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: assuming they know their role, which of course they do 226 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,719 Speaker 3: at this point and no one's challenging Tomlin. And I 227 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 3: actually think it's very good for Smith because I thought 228 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 3: he was a great coordinator that got thrust into a 229 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 3: position that was a little over his head, especially at 230 00:10:57,920 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 3: the end there in Atlanta. You know, who's dealing with 231 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 3: more than just the x's and o's and that type 232 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 3: of thing. As for the fit in his system, what 233 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 3: I'm interested in what worries me is the middle of 234 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 3: the field throwing stuff because neither one of these guys, 235 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 3: especially Wilson, pulls the trigger between the numbers very much, 236 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 3: and a lot of Smith's, you know, areas of the 237 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 3: field that he attacks are between the numbers. That being said, 238 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 3: this offensive scheme, more so than the last one, has 239 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 3: very defined reads. And I really mean that for fields 240 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 3: as a younger player, because fields, his biggest problem to 241 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 3: me is getting the ball out on time, you know, 242 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 3: and getting it out of his hands. But these reads 243 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 3: are much more defined for fields than they were in Chicago. 244 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 3: And again I'm not bashing the Bears, say more quarterback friendly. Yes, 245 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 3: I mean, you're going here or you're going here, and 246 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 3: therefore you're not patting the ball and making here or 247 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 3: run or run right exactly. I'm sure his third read 248 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 3: is often going to be run or even a second raad. 249 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 3: So that part is appealing to me, you know. I mean, 250 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 3: it's a lot more defined and that that that would 251 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 3: go a long way for young quarterback. 252 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 2: I wonder how much of that with Russell Wilson in 253 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,839 Speaker 2: the middle of the field stuff is simply because of 254 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 2: who he played with. I mean, I can't think of 255 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 2: very many tight ends that he has played with that 256 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:17,719 Speaker 2: you go, oh, that's a really good tight end. 257 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 3: True. True, that's a good point. I mean Denver didn't 258 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 3: utilize the tight end this past couple of years. Seattle's 259 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 3: never had big time guy. Yeah, I mean Jimmy Graham 260 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 3: was there for a while, but late in his career. 261 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 3: I don't think he wasn't there with Jeremy Stevens. I mean, 262 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,559 Speaker 3: so I'm just trying to think of recent tight end usage. 263 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 3: I mean, it's a lot of DK Metcalf down the sideline, Lockett. 264 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 2: Which is where he does his work. Lockett's the you know, 265 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 2: kind of a deep threat as well. So you just 266 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 2: you know, I just wonder how much of that is 267 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,199 Speaker 2: a result of not having that weapon. 268 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 3: But it's still the whole key is too. Smith needs 269 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 3: to bend towards Wilson and Fields. Wilson and Fields needs 270 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 3: to bend towards Smith. You get paint the bar and red, 271 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 3: right right, I mean, so it was last in the 272 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 3: league in eleven personnel. Last year, Steelers were near the top. 273 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 3: I don't think it's going to be one or the other. Thing, 274 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 3: probably be somewhere in the middle, probably gonna be twentieth 275 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 3: or sixteenth or something like that. But you also have 276 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 3: better add some receivers too, you know. So that's personal thing, 277 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 3: but that's still coming. Absolutely. 278 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 2: Let's get to our first break here, and when we 279 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 2: come back, we'll be joined by Jerry Duleca the Pittsburgh 280 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 2: Post Casette and the Steelers Radio Network. Jerry was sitting 281 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 2: in with me on all those interviews with the Mike Thomlins, 282 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 2: so we'll get his perspective on Yes, great, how all 283 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 2: that went. When we return, you're listening to the drive 284 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 2: here on Steelers Nation Radio. We are at the NFL 285 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 2: meetings here, annual meetings here in Orlando. 286 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 3: We'll be back with more right after this. This. 287 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 1: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 288 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: your twenty four to seven home of the Black and 289 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 290 00:13:58,559 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 3: Welcome back. 291 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 2: I'm Dale Allie here with Matt Williamson and we're joined 292 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 2: to hear at the owners meetings in Orlando by Pittsburgh Post. 293 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 2: Because at the Steelers Beat reporter and Steelers Radio Network 294 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 2: co host analysts, well, all the all the above. We 295 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 2: usually do a lot of different shows together, Jerry, but 296 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 2: usually you're hosting, and I'm. 297 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 5: I'm glad to be in this chair. I like getting 298 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 5: the questions. I don't have to come up with them. 299 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 5: I'll just sit back and listen and fire fire back. 300 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 5: Wann't you guys throw it at me? 301 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 2: And for those of you who can't see us on YouTube, 302 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 2: which again I suggest you go and check out our 303 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 2: YouTube bus show on you know, so you can. 304 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 3: See the video here. Jerry's bringing the color to the 305 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 3: show today. 306 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 2: You are really the analyst here with Matt and Iron 307 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 2: our our monochrome Steeler shirts and you have your what's 308 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: the logo there is? 309 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 3: I hope it's a little. 310 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 4: Let me show it off? 311 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, say we look like a. 312 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's a that's a good thing. 313 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, decent golfing down on this neck of the woods. 314 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 5: Yeah, you know, I hear they have some good golf 315 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 5: for Yeah, you know, I haven't checked any out today. 316 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 3: Yet, but the last twelve hours, that's. 317 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 5: Right, I do know they are here, including there's one 318 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 5: right out here in the backyard. 319 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 4: It's not too shabby. Via Tour actually plays their father 320 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 4: son event here. 321 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 3: Yeah. 322 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 4: Nice, very nice, very nice. 323 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 2: So, Jerry, we got a chance to hear from Mike 324 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 2: Tomlin twice now in the last twenty four hours for 325 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 2: the first time this offseason, and obviously a lot of 326 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 2: the conversation. 327 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 3: Centered around the quarterback position. What were your takeaways from 328 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 3: all that? 329 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 5: Well, Dale, two things. One of the reasons why did 330 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 5: we come to the owners meetings, and one of the 331 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 5: good things about it is not only do we get 332 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 5: to hear from Mike Tomlin always for the first time 333 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 5: since the end of the season news conference, but the 334 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 5: Pittsburgh group gets him in more of a relaxed setting, 335 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 5: and typically he's a little bit more forthcoming and comfortable 336 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 5: in that environment. Although I got a big kick out 337 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 5: of when he said yesterday that he's how did he 338 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 5: say it? He basically said, I'm not a believer in comfort. Yeah, yeah, whatever, 339 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 5: I'm not addicted to her, whatever, he said. And and 340 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 5: so you know, we talked to him yesterday at length, 341 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 5: which was nice. And of course the coach's breakfast today, 342 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 5: you know, where a lot of the national media want 343 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 5: to pipe in with our questions. 344 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 4: And that's fine, that's fine because. 345 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 5: Everybody's looking for something different. But you know, he was 346 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 5: very expansive about the quarterbacks, you know, the quote search 347 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 5: for them. The way this thing, you know, kind of unfolded, 348 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 5: as he referred to it as the dominoes of falling 349 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 5: in place. And it started with the acquisition of Russell Wilson, 350 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 5: which led to the unhappiness of Kenny Pickett, which led 351 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 5: to the trade of Kenny Pickett, which then led to 352 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 5: going back to the Chicago Bears and acquiring right justin Fields. 353 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 3: And so. 354 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 4: You know, and and here we are. 355 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 5: You know, fellas a month ago, none of us, no 356 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 5: one in Pittsburgh, no one in the country. If you 357 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 5: just said the quarterback room from last year would be 358 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 5: completely empty and there would be two new quarters, nobody, 359 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 5: but nobody would have anticipated that. 360 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 4: And let's face. 361 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 5: The trade of Kenny Pickett probably sent some shockwaves through 362 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 5: the city, you know, surprise and stun like we haven't 363 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:12,360 Speaker 5: seen And yeah. 364 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 3: That was not what they were looking to do. 365 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:15,719 Speaker 4: No, that is correct. 366 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 2: So initially they had planned on having a quarterback room 367 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 2: that was a veteran guy and Kenny Pickett and allowing 368 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 2: those two to compete, which is what they were saying 369 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 2: all along. It then changed when Pickett said, you know, 370 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 2: I don't want to be here anymore. 371 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,399 Speaker 5: You know, when you look at what they've done in 372 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 5: free agency and the broader picture of it, you know 373 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 5: they've been They were very active in free agency the 374 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 5: previous two years. What we've seen this year is the 375 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 5: magnitude of the players they're bringing in and for all 376 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 5: the attention focused on Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, understandably 377 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 5: so because it's quarterback and it's the most important position 378 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 5: in professional sports. The acquisition of Patrick Queen, to me 379 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 5: is the biggest and probably, you know, fingers crossed for 380 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 5: their sake, the most impactful move because it, in their desire, 381 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 5: hopefully brings some stability to a position that's been a 382 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 5: revolving door since Ryan Chazier's career ending injury in sixteen. 383 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:21,239 Speaker 5: You're talking about a guy in Patrick Queen who's going 384 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 5: to be twenty five in August, has been four years 385 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 5: in the league, and Mike Tomlin said that might be 386 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 5: the most attractive thing about him. He brings a unique 387 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 5: blend of experience yet youth. And you know, started every 388 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 5: game for four years. Five forced fumbles, six recoveries, thirteen. 389 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,360 Speaker 4: And a half sacks, and a cover guy. 390 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, and I mean if he stays healthy, which he 391 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 5: has been throughout his career, man, that guy can make 392 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 5: a difference in that defense. 393 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 3: So, Jerry, I want to talk about a lot of 394 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 3: the moves they made, including the Deontay Johnson trade. Let's 395 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 3: go backwards real quick. On the quarterbacks. You know you're 396 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 3: you're dialed in. You read the tea leaves as well 397 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 3: as anyone. Do you get the impression there excited like 398 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 3: this exceeded their expectation for their quarterback hunt, or they 399 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 3: settled for this, or boy, they upgraded, or you know, 400 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,440 Speaker 3: I mean the names are exciting, the pedigree is exciting. 401 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 3: I'm excited about it. 402 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 5: Yeah, And and Mike Tomlin has used that word as well. 403 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 5: I think by bringing in Russell Wilson. There's no question 404 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 5: they felt they upgraded their quarterback room. You know, let's 405 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 5: go back even further. After the season, Art Rooney, the 406 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 5: second the team president, effectively said his patients was running thin. 407 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 5: He said it could quote, it's time to win playoff games. 408 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 5: And I think he set kind of the tone with that, 409 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 5: and they followed suit, and they felt that Russell Wilson 410 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 5: gave them the option, the better option to get into 411 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 5: the postseason, which I know they did last year, but 412 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 5: win a playoff game, which they haven't done in seven years, 413 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 5: their zero to five the last five playoff games, and 414 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 5: maybe get their train, playoff train headed back in the 415 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 5: direction it needs to go, which is win a game 416 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 5: and see what happens. And they've just been unable to 417 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,360 Speaker 5: do that. And you know, they feel that Russell Wilson 418 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 5: gives them a better chance to do that. 419 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 4: And then of course, when when you know. 420 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 5: It all unfolded with Kenny Pickett, I mean, let's face 421 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 5: it to me, they got a better option with Justin Fields, 422 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:23,959 Speaker 5: a skill set that's completely right, completely better and completely different. 423 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 5: And with no disrespect to Kenny Pickett who can move 424 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 5: and has some mobility, I mean it's not justin fields. 425 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 5: He was the eleventh overall pick in a draft of quarterbacks, 426 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 5: whereas Kenny Pickett was the twentieth overall pick in an 427 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 5: average class of quarterbacks. So I don't think there's any 428 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 5: question that the room has been upgraded. And I know 429 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,679 Speaker 5: Justin Field's won ten games in three years he was 430 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 5: ten to twenty eight and Russell Wilson's won eleven games 431 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 5: the last two years in Denver. 432 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 4: But I think they think, I'm with you. 433 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,439 Speaker 5: I think it's it is an upgrade, And yeah, I 434 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 5: think they're excited. And let's face it, it's generated a 435 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 5: lot of excitement, certainly interest and a lot of excitement 436 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 5: in time. 437 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, And you know, when you when you look at. 438 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 2: That and those additions that you mentioned on defense, not 439 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 2: only you know, Patrick Queen, Deshaun Elliott, you go and 440 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 2: you get a cornerback and Dante Jackson, you know who's 441 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 2: an established you know, outside cornerback. 442 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 3: You've improved your team speed up the middle of the field. 443 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 3: You've improved your team speed. 444 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 2: Defensively on the in the back seven here, and you know, 445 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 2: couple that with you know, the pass rush that they're 446 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:32,160 Speaker 2: able to generate. 447 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 3: The defense should be pretty good. 448 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,640 Speaker 2: And Matt keeps mentioning you know when you when you 449 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 2: look at Russell Wilson's career, early career, Russell Wilson had 450 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 2: the legion of boom there in their running game. It 451 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 2: kind of matches up with what he've had, you know, 452 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 2: in his early days in Seattle. 453 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,439 Speaker 3: And Dale just mentioned team speed. I've been harping on 454 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 3: that on defense too. Everybody they added on defense is 455 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 3: an upgrade speed. 456 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 4: Wise, and I think the other thing it does too. 457 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 5: You address inside linebacker, you dress strong safety, and I 458 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:05,679 Speaker 5: like the acquisition of Deshaun Elliott. You know, he the 459 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 5: guy is a thumper and he can run, and you 460 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:10,199 Speaker 5: know he has some length back there. 461 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 3: You know. 462 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 4: The funny thing. 463 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 5: About them, he's about him. He's built more like a cornerback, yeah, 464 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,920 Speaker 5: than than a strong safety. But so what that allows 465 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 5: them to do is focus a little bit more attention, 466 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 5: you know, on the defensive line in the draft. I 467 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 5: know it's not a heavy draft for the types of 468 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 5: players they want on the defensive line, but there's no 469 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 5: question I think those moves and you know, headed by 470 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 5: Patrick Queen right there, you know, it just improves their 471 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 5: defense a great deal and so now you get a 472 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 5: running game that is proven with two you know you 473 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 5: got to you have a one in A one A. 474 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 5: Now with those two guys, it's not it's not A 475 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 5: and B. It's one in one A with Najie Harris 476 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,360 Speaker 5: and Jalen Wren. And I think the other thing too. 477 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 5: You look at the defense. You know, you add Patrick 478 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 5: Queen forty one million dollars over three year. It was 479 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 5: already if it wasn't Steel number one, it was number two, 480 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 5: and the most expensive defense. 481 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 3: In the league. 482 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 5: It is, with our question, the cheapest offense in the league. 483 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 5: You have a quarterback room that is inexpensive, Russell Wilson 484 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 5: one point two million. You have two running backs on 485 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,919 Speaker 5: their rookie contract. You have every wide receiver on their 486 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 5: rookie contract. Both your tackles are on their rookie contract. 487 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 5: You don't have a center right now effectively, and the 488 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 5: only two guys who cost you some amount of money 489 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 5: are the guards. So it is a it is a cheap, 490 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 5: inexpensive offense that has room to grow financially. And that's 491 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 5: you know, maybe if they could bring in one of 492 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 5: those high priced wide receivers. They intended to do that 493 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 5: with Mike Williams, but the Jets beat them to it 494 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 5: with I think probably with a bigger deal than the 495 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 5: Steelers would have been willing to pay. 496 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 3: That's what kind of brings me my next question to me, 497 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 3: that's maybe the next shoe to drop or the last 498 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 3: shoe to drop before you go into the into the draft. 499 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,360 Speaker 3: They really could use two more receivers with a QUI 500 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 3: count on And you don't want to go in the 501 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 3: draft eating too. You think they land a veteran of 502 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 3: some sort between now and drafts. 503 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:03,919 Speaker 5: Well, I know they want to and and you know 504 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 5: what's out there for the for the pickings, uh, you know, 505 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,880 Speaker 5: we'll we'll see. I don't know that Tyler Boyd is 506 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,919 Speaker 5: not the answer to me for what they need at 507 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 5: that position. You know, you need a strong number two. 508 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 5: You know, they have such high hopes for George Pickens 509 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 5: and as he goes into uh this season, with our question, 510 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 5: with our question, I think that's a possibility. And and 511 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 5: so yeah, they don't want to get two wide receivers 512 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 5: in a draft. 513 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 4: I think it. 514 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 5: I thought there would be a wide receiver before Deontay 515 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 5: Johnson's trade, Uh, before you know, within day two of 516 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:44,640 Speaker 5: the draft. And now, I mean, obviously I'm convinced it'll 517 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 5: be on by Day two with the draft, and and 518 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 5: there are a lot of wide receivers out there, and 519 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 5: so yeah, I think it bodes well. But the problem 520 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 5: is then you have such a young receiving room, you rookies, right, 521 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 5: and you brought in brought in Van Jefferson, and so 522 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 5: he's brought in for depth, you know, a former high 523 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 5: pick but never was really productive in the NFL. But yeah, 524 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 5: I definitely think they would like to do that, but 525 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 5: they you know, have to see who's willing to do that. 526 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then you look at the center position, and 527 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 2: you know, Tomlin said yesterday that you know, it could 528 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 2: be still. 529 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 3: Be a veteran guy. 530 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,160 Speaker 2: You know, maybe they're they're waiting to see what happens 531 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,919 Speaker 2: with Connor Williams and how his knee is progressing, or 532 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 2: they go that direction in the draft. 533 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 5: Yeah, I don't think there's a whole lot in free 534 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 5: agency that gives them a big upgrade over Mason Cole, 535 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 5: But that is definitely the case in the draft. And man, 536 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 5: if they don't go one, I think by number two. 537 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,439 Speaker 5: You know, centers typically don't go high in the draft. 538 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 5: You know Tyler Lindebaum was who was rated higher than 539 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 5: any of these guys, lasted to number twenty five, and 540 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 5: I think, what, only two centers have gone in the 541 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 5: first run the last four years, so I don't expect 542 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 5: a run on centers. Don't expect two in the first round. 543 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 5: And I think at twenty they have a good chance 544 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 5: to get one of the ones that they like. And 545 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 5: I'm not sure whether it's Zach Frasier or or the 546 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 5: other JPJ that could be added to the team, but yeah, 547 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 5: I think I I mean, they have to find To me, 548 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 5: I'm not gonna sit here and say they got to 549 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 5: go find Marquise Pouncy. But if you can find a 550 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,360 Speaker 5: quote anchor like that for the next eight to ten 551 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 5: years and you think he's out there, to me, I'd 552 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 5: go get. 553 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 3: This is a franchise that there's a little something. 554 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 4: Little yeah, right, and we'll forget about Kendrick Green. But 555 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:31,919 Speaker 4: after that we're for that. 556 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 3: We're doing okay, So real quick back to the Deontay 557 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 3: Jackson trade versus Young Johnson for Jackson trade Dante for 558 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 3: dunte Yeah, so it gets a little convolutive. I remember 559 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 3: looking at my phone when that came through. I'm like, wow, 560 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 3: that's it's a little light for Deontay. To be honest 561 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 3: with you, But the more I dug into Jackson, I 562 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 3: think they love this guy. I think they'd like him 563 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 3: a lot more than I initially thought. 564 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 5: And been after him for a while, you know, Matt, 565 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,439 Speaker 5: I haven't I'll be honest with you. I haven't had 566 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 5: a chance to look into you know, how good he 567 00:26:58,480 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 5: can be or has been. 568 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 4: But I'm with you. 569 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 5: I thought what they got in return wasn't commensurate with 570 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 5: a player of Johnson's uh, you. 571 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 4: Know, productivity. Let's face it, He's a. 572 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 5: Tremendous route runner, you know, works very hard, you know, 573 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 5: his hands or a little suspect. We saw him go 574 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,159 Speaker 5: from bad to decent back to bad. You know, some 575 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:25,159 Speaker 5: questionable decisions obviously, questions about his desire on the football field, 576 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 5: his attitude, his pouting, whichever you want to call it, 577 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 5: his disruptive behavior, you know, incidents with Mitch Trubisky that 578 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 5: got him benched. 579 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 4: The one with Minka Fitzpatrick. 580 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,360 Speaker 5: So obviously there were questions, character questions and things like that. 581 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 4: All that being said, I personally liked beyond you know. Yeah, 582 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 4: and so yeah, I agree. 583 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 5: I don't know that what they got in return was 584 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 5: commensurate with his abilities, but we're going to find out 585 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 5: if that if what kind of. 586 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 3: Move that was. 587 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's one that you know, you're you're kind of 588 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 2: robbing Peter to pay Paul in that situation to get 589 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 2: the cornerback. But the way I the way I looked 590 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,439 Speaker 2: at it, you was, if you started looking at the 591 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 2: free agent cornerback market and the draft and the draft 592 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,240 Speaker 2: about you know what, there's you only have one first 593 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:11,399 Speaker 2: round draft pick and one second round draft pick. You 594 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,680 Speaker 2: know you're going to try to get another starting cornerback there. 595 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:17,680 Speaker 3: That might have been the price that you just had 596 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 3: to pay the cost of doing. I just think you'd 597 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 3: rather be shopping in the wide receiver aisle than the 598 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 3: cornerback up. 599 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 5: Yeah, you know, yeah, kind of like that. Yeah, probably 600 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 5: a couple four. Let's keep it a little closer. The 601 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 5: home Giant Eagle. 602 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, the Eagle. I'm not sure Deonta is also the 603 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 3: blocker that Arthur Smith's looking for either, Yeah, probably, probably not. 604 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 5: And that was the other thing, you know, Mike Tomlin 605 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 5: was very effusive about why he brought in Arthur Smith. 606 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 5: What he liked about him, and you know, you had 607 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 5: you had this segment of the of the fan base 608 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 5: that you know, they want to see the the young 609 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 5: guys that the Sean McVay disciples. You know, Cliff Kingsbury 610 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 5: who was never on there. 611 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 3: It was a funny thing. 612 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,479 Speaker 2: So Cliff Kingsbury's forty three, Yeah, right, maybe he's considered 613 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 2: a young guy, right, Arthur smiths he won. 614 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 5: Right, So yeah, they want of those those kind of 615 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 5: fashionable guy. Zach Robinson signed before they ever could get 616 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 5: a meeting with him. But I mean, Arthur Smith is 617 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 5: exactly what Mike Tomlin said he wanted after the season. 618 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:19,320 Speaker 5: You know, a guy who's run NFL offenses before. And 619 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 5: that's what they got with this guy. And you know, 620 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 5: having talked to Mike Malarkey about him and Ken wizen 621 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 5: Hunt about him, I mean, I just I think it's 622 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 5: I think it's an outstanding higher. 623 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 2: As Mike said yesterday, he came with a stamp of 624 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 2: approval from Mike Munjak as well. 625 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 3: You know that's so that's who he cut his teeth 626 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 3: working with, you. 627 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 5: Know, to show you how how how credible he is 628 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 5: and what coaches think of him. Uh, Munchak hired him, 629 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 5: and he lasted through three other coaches with Tennessee uh Wizen, 630 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 5: Hunt Malarkey and Mike Rabel and he promoted each time. 631 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 5: Which that's four different coaches who kept this guy and 632 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 5: kept moving him up. And that's all you need to 633 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 5: know about what they every one. 634 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 3: Of those guys, right, exactly, that's right, And they cannot 635 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 3: You're right. 636 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 4: They must all have, you know, have something. 637 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,719 Speaker 5: They don't certainly have any negative opinions about him. 638 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 4: He wouldn't have. 639 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,719 Speaker 2: Lasted and he also, I mean he began his career working, 640 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 2: you know, for Joe Gibbs. 641 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:15,200 Speaker 3: I mean that's a yeah, that's a pretty good track record. Yeah, yeah, 642 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 3: So real quick, on the offense side of the ball, 643 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 3: we've been saying for a while we expect for Iarmo's 644 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 3: role to grow. I mean last year was kind of 645 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 3: a waste of a great asset in my opinion. Do 646 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 3: you think that's part of this hire too, is get 647 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 3: that tight end involved. 648 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, and obviously that's his background as a tight end assistant, 649 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 5: tight ends coach, tight ends coach. I think not only 650 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 5: his role will expand, I think his wallet's going to 651 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 5: expand him soon as well, yeah, I don't think there's 652 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 5: any question about it. And you know, having him involved 653 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,480 Speaker 5: and it might hey, maybe it means a little bit 654 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 5: more for Darnell Washington in terms of a of a receiver, 655 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 5: but of course we know he's a terrific blocker and 656 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 5: that's you know, what Arthur Smith is looking for as well. 657 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 5: So yeah, I don't think there's any question it involves 658 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 5: the tight ends more. 659 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,920 Speaker 3: But most I'd like to see Washington's routes good a 660 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 3: little deeper down the field, I mean not one and 661 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 3: two yard turnaround stuff. Yeah, yeah, I. 662 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 5: Don't know that his knees could get him that, but 663 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 5: we'll see, yeah and get it. 664 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, we'll figure that all that stuff out later. But Jered, 665 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 3: we'll let you get back to back to business here. 666 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 3: We appreciate you stopping by. 667 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 2: Our guest has been Jerry Duleka, the Postcauseette and the 668 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 2: Steelers Radio Network. 669 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 3: He's Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. 670 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 2: We are here at the NFL Spring meetings here in Orlando. 671 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 2: We'll be back with more on the Drive right after this. 672 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: He's The Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 673 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and 674 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 675 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 2: And we are back here at the Lovely Ritz Carlton 676 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 2: in the Orlando and boy, this place is just buzzing 677 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 2: with people. 678 00:31:57,720 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 3: To people going back and forth. I mean a lot 679 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 3: of a lot of faces names people would know, and 680 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 3: we got a lot of boost set up here for teams. 681 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:05,720 Speaker 3: And this seems to grow year to year two. It's 682 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 3: almost like reminds me of the Combine like another. 683 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 2: The radio row here is getting a little more banding 684 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 2: every every year since I've been coming to. This is 685 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 2: probably my sixth or seventh owners meeting, I think. 686 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 3: My second, and there's definitely more than last year. 687 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, so its continues to expand as the NFL continues 688 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 2: its hold on the the Populace for about eleven out 689 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 2: of twelve months out. 690 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 4: Of the year. 691 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, good stuff. 692 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: The league only shuts down really for about three weeks 693 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 2: July three weeks, yeah, and then the camps open then flood. 694 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 2: But yeah, so a lot of stuff happening here this week. 695 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 2: He's Matt Williamson, I'm Dale Lally. 696 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 3: But good stuff there with Jerry too, Yeah, good stuff there. 697 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 2: And that you know, the defensive line stuff, he's right 698 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 2: about that and we've when we've done our mock drafts, 699 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 2: we've always kind of tried to draft a defensive lineman 700 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 2: at some point in there, and there just aren't many 701 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 2: of the body types at the des look for. 702 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 3: It's a thin group. And I hate to do this 703 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,240 Speaker 3: because in my core, I want more D line. I 704 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 3: want more D line. I want to be built like 705 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 3: Georgia and Alabama and waves of Williams. 706 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:12,080 Speaker 2: That's one thing he said yesterday, he said, you know, 707 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 2: he said that one of the things that he said 708 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 2: about Arthur Smith is she said he Arthur believes in 709 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 2: building through. 710 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 3: The bigsh okay, like like we do. And that's why we, 711 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 3: you know, we've got the you know that, you know, 712 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 3: both sides of the ball. 713 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:27,000 Speaker 2: They want to they want to get those quality players 714 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 2: you know in the trenches. 715 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and under Smith, everyone talks about, oh, you drafted 716 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 3: all these guys in the top eight that are you know, 717 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 3: skill guys. Lindstrom bergeron these guys are high picks too. Yeah, 718 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 3: I mean Matthews was already in place. I mean, they 719 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 3: invested a lot in that offensive line in Atlanta, which 720 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 3: makes me think a couple of things. I mean, I 721 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 3: absolutely think early in the draft, there's a chance they 722 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 3: go center and tackle, maybe even back to back. I mean, 723 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 3: like they're they are not close to being done on 724 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:55,960 Speaker 3: the offensive line, in my opinion. D line's a little 725 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:59,280 Speaker 3: trickier though, Yeah, because there's of depth there. Yeah, there's 726 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:01,240 Speaker 3: not as many names that just boy that looks like 727 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 3: a stealer, that's who I want to blow. 728 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 2: If you look at the body types, there's really only 729 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 2: maybe four or. 730 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:10,280 Speaker 3: Five, especially if you're done with the noseworld. Yeah, they are. 731 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:12,560 Speaker 2: That fit with what they do or what they you know, 732 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 2: what the you know, they got to be big enough 733 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 2: to ride. To ride, they have to have, you know, 734 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 2: a certain you know, length and size. 735 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 3: Rouke at Clemson, Jenkins at Michigan. I mean, and you 736 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 3: run out pretty quick. Even the first round guys are 737 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 3: more geno acting types. I mean, that's not going to 738 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 3: be the direction they go. So again that you know, 739 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,360 Speaker 3: it hurts my core to say this, but I wonder 740 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:33,279 Speaker 3: if that's next year's project, you know, like, do you 741 00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 3: is your first round pick next year maybe a six five, 742 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:39,400 Speaker 3: three hundred pound defensive lineman that can Maybe. 743 00:34:39,160 --> 00:34:41,359 Speaker 2: I haven't looked that far into the future, but I'm 744 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:43,759 Speaker 2: sure I'm sure Georgia has a couple, or you know, 745 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 2: Alabama has a couple. It's got to be a better 746 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,879 Speaker 2: crop than this, you know. But that also, if that's 747 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 2: the case, everybody's get you. 748 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 3: Know, sure, and then those guys aren't easy to get either. 749 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 3: Look what those guys are making nowadays too. The tackles 750 00:34:54,719 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 3: are making big money, and that's becoming a premium position 751 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 3: where it wasn't five years ago. But still look at 752 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,360 Speaker 3: this draft, and I no offense to their last two picks, 753 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 3: but they have five picks to me that are legit 754 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 3: picks that you can kind of say, I want this, this, 755 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 3: and this with those five picks whatever order. And I 756 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:14,760 Speaker 3: think of those five, one's gonna be a slot corner 757 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,320 Speaker 3: of some sort or some sort of corner, probably a slot. 758 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 3: At least one's a receiver. I think one's a center, 759 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:22,799 Speaker 3: and one's a tackle. Well, that leaves this guy, I mean, 760 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 3: is that a quarterback? Is that best athlete available? Is 761 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 3: it a d lineman that you develop? I mean, a 762 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 3: Massan Smith or somebody like that. There's not many to 763 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 3: pick from, but maybe even if you trade down a 764 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 3: smidge and in round one and have to trade up 765 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:37,719 Speaker 3: in round two or. 766 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 2: Maybe you gotta take a guy like a Massan Smith 767 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 2: maybe around earlier than you normally would. 768 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, right right. I mean if you thought maybe he's 769 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 3: in early fourth, you take him in mid third. I 770 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 3: would understand that just because of it. 771 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 2: I mean, it's kind of a defensive tackle desert. 772 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 3: It's thin. It's thin, yeah, and you don't want to 773 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 3: be short there either. 774 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 2: I thought something interesting, Matt that that Mike Tomlin said 775 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,320 Speaker 2: today and I wrote about that today on this Steelers 776 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:00,600 Speaker 2: dot com. 777 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 3: You can check that out on there. 778 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 2: He said that a lot of the mentioned slot cornerback. 779 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,520 Speaker 2: He said, a lot of the slot corners in college 780 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:16,920 Speaker 2: football end up being safeties, whereas whereas in the NFL, 781 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 2: he says, a lot of the slot you need you 782 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:21,920 Speaker 2: need an actual cornerback to play the slot in the 783 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,840 Speaker 2: NFL because they need the coverage abilities to go with that. 784 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 3: I mean, like I was go back to aj Green 785 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:29,120 Speaker 3: because he seems like the proto tip of it's a 786 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:32,799 Speaker 3: long time ago. He prototypical outside the numbers receiver. They 787 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:34,799 Speaker 3: put him in a slot. Yeah, he plays in a slot. 788 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 3: I mean, let alone Tyreek and Jefferson and Chase and 789 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 3: all these guys. 790 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:39,799 Speaker 2: Look so I mean, even some of the guys who 791 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 2: are coming out in this year's draft that you'd look 792 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 2: at and go, oh, he's not a tip He's not 793 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 2: like Ricky Piersoll, for example. Yeah, he's a six to 794 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:48,479 Speaker 2: one hundred and ninety pounds slot receiver. 795 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 3: That's what he is. Yeah, you know he's not He's 796 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:54,399 Speaker 3: not Wes Welker. Now, he's not five short style nine 797 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:57,880 Speaker 3: right right, right, Those guys are fading away quick. Slot 798 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 3: corner is an interesting dynamic in the league right now, 799 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 3: because I'd like to go I'm gonna go back and 800 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:06,719 Speaker 3: listen to what coach said about him, because very few 801 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:10,400 Speaker 3: play slot in the corner like that is being asked 802 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,000 Speaker 3: in the league and a lot of times too. You know, 803 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 3: you might get a tight end in the slot that 804 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:19,279 Speaker 3: can really run an ingram A Kelsey et cetera, et cetera, 805 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:21,680 Speaker 3: et cetera. And is that matchup against Mike Hilton's of 806 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:21,960 Speaker 3: the world. 807 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:22,479 Speaker 4: Not really. 808 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:24,319 Speaker 3: We've got a little breaking news here, Matt. 809 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 4: Oh. 810 00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:29,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, the Steelers have signed wide receiver Ques Watkins. Okay, 811 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 2: makes no sense. Speed receiver. Speed receiver Andy Widel would 812 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 2: have known him from Philadelphia. Say, there's an eagle tie yeah, 813 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,840 Speaker 2: I don't know. It doesn't take them out of the 814 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:42,440 Speaker 2: receiver now. 815 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 3: Now, I think that's a Van Jefferson level signing. Yeah, 816 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:49,239 Speaker 3: you know, that's a four battle with Calvin Austin. Those 817 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 3: three are very different. Jefferson versus Austin versus Watkins. Watkins 818 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 3: in Austin could fly, but Watkins is a taller, more 819 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:01,759 Speaker 3: established outside the number type guy. We know what Austin is. 820 00:38:02,239 --> 00:38:04,439 Speaker 3: Jefferson's a route runner who I don't know if people 821 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:07,279 Speaker 3: know this. His dad's an NFL wide receiver coach. I 822 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,400 Speaker 3: mean like he's been groomed to be a wide receiver. 823 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:11,879 Speaker 3: He's just not as gifted as those guys in terms 824 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:14,480 Speaker 3: of taking nine hundred receiving yards a couple of years. Yeah, 825 00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 3: I mean he's not. He's a throw He's not a 826 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:19,239 Speaker 3: throw away by any means. This works. I mean we 827 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 3: talked a lot about the Boyds and the Reynolds and 828 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:25,239 Speaker 3: those types. This isn't the speed bump to me of 829 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:28,719 Speaker 3: adding Ayuk or a first round receiver or anything. But 830 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:32,520 Speaker 3: it's just another guy in the mix. So makes sense. Yeah, yeah, 831 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:33,320 Speaker 3: absolutely so. 832 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,880 Speaker 2: Uh that's uh one of those veteran wide receivers now 833 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:38,920 Speaker 2: taking or one of those two receivers spots that we 834 00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:41,799 Speaker 2: talked about is now filled with the veteran guy here, 835 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:44,759 Speaker 2: and so you know that that's uh, one more thing 836 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:46,520 Speaker 2: checked off the box. 837 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,600 Speaker 3: There, so immediate reaction, and I'm not downplaying it by 838 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:52,480 Speaker 3: any stretch. I'd have to look at the contracts on 839 00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:55,160 Speaker 3: both of them, but I'm sure they're very minimal. I 840 00:38:55,280 --> 00:38:58,920 Speaker 3: would bet Watkins and or Jefferson isn't even guaranteed to 841 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:00,879 Speaker 3: make the team. You know, you could still add two 842 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 3: high quality shorts only make Va. You know, like they're 843 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 3: nice additions, they could be very useful, but they're not 844 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:10,080 Speaker 3: the answer answer. It's not like, oh you got pickings counter. 845 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 3: It's not Stalworth and Swan. 846 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:11,680 Speaker 4: Yeah. 847 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 2: He started twelve games actually for Philadelphia in twenty twenty one. 848 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 3: Ooh, okay, okay, that was his. 849 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:20,799 Speaker 2: Had forty three catches for six hundred and forty seven 850 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:24,320 Speaker 2: yards and a touchdown, that touchdown being a ninety one yard. 851 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:28,120 Speaker 3: A big play, big play, definitely has a big playability. 852 00:39:28,239 --> 00:39:31,320 Speaker 2: Eight starts in twenty twenty two, thirty three catches for 853 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 2: three hundred and fifty four yards and three touchdowns, and 854 00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:37,800 Speaker 2: then last season started nine games for the Eagles fifteen 855 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:39,359 Speaker 2: catches for one hundred and forty two yards. 856 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:42,160 Speaker 3: They didn't throw the ball real well last year. No 857 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:45,440 Speaker 3: they didn't. They had their issues, and this again reiterates 858 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:48,200 Speaker 3: what a good deep passer Russell Wilson is too. I mean, 859 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:50,879 Speaker 3: this is his type of receiver. If you don't mind, 860 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:53,120 Speaker 3: could you pull up his combine numbers because I'm more 861 00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 3: interested in his height. Eight he can fly, I mean, 862 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:56,759 Speaker 3: I know his forty time is really good, but I 863 00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:59,319 Speaker 3: was just curious what they what he weighed in at 864 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 3: at the combine. He's yeah, he's I think he's six 865 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 3: one or so. I'm guessing maybe about one eighty three. 866 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:06,759 Speaker 3: He ran a four to three six at the car 867 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:08,600 Speaker 3: I know he could fly. Yeah that he's not a 868 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 3: problem and he plays that way. Still looking here six 869 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:15,439 Speaker 3: at the combine. Okay, I was close. 870 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:18,040 Speaker 2: He's a little thicker, a little thicker than what I thought. Yeah, yeah, 871 00:40:18,239 --> 00:40:20,359 Speaker 2: because he probably lightened up a little bit too. Uh 872 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,279 Speaker 2: if he ran there, able to run there? So and 873 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:25,560 Speaker 2: he did depth signing. He ran actually a four to 874 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:27,920 Speaker 2: three five at the combine and won five ones, but 875 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 2: thirty six and a half inch vertical ten ten and 876 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:32,360 Speaker 2: a half on the broad. 877 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,399 Speaker 3: I mean he's he is explosive. Yeah. Oh yeah, that's 878 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:36,920 Speaker 3: his deal. I mean he's a vertical receiver. Yeah, so 879 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:37,840 Speaker 3: that's a nice addition. 880 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:38,160 Speaker 4: Yeah. 881 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:40,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, so this shows that they know they're a little 882 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 3: light there. 883 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:41,560 Speaker 4: Yeah. 884 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:44,399 Speaker 2: Just keep adding NFL caliber guys to some of these 885 00:40:44,440 --> 00:40:46,799 Speaker 2: positions and see, you know, see what works out. 886 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's not a bad move. I'm sure it was 887 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 3: not an expensive signing either. No, it doesn't take them 888 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:52,600 Speaker 3: out of the market as you said. 889 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:55,600 Speaker 2: No, you know, the receiver market in the draft or 890 00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:58,880 Speaker 2: even a big trade which is a great wide receiver class. 891 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:00,600 Speaker 3: I do think it takes you out of the Boyd 892 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:03,840 Speaker 3: Reynolds level guys though, you know the threes, you know, 893 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 3: I mean, I think you're comfortable there. I mean, he 894 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:07,800 Speaker 3: was a three on a team that went to the 895 00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:10,719 Speaker 3: Super Bowl behind DeVante Smith and A. J. Brown is 896 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 3: one of the best pairers in the league. Yeah, so 897 00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:13,239 Speaker 3: that's a good pick up. 898 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:15,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a guy that I'll have to look and 899 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:16,760 Speaker 2: see what kind of special team's ability. 900 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:18,600 Speaker 3: He was a sixth round pick. I don't think he 901 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:19,719 Speaker 3: tackles anyone on teams. 902 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:20,440 Speaker 4: No, probably not. 903 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:23,439 Speaker 2: But with these new kickoff roles that could be coming 904 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:25,600 Speaker 2: into play. You start looking at a guy like that, 905 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 2: they can fly. Yeah, you know, maybe that was one 906 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:32,640 Speaker 2: thing that Tomlin talked about some of the ramifications. If 907 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 2: they do make this change in the kickoff roles, what 908 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 2: what is the fallout from that? There will be more 909 00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:41,719 Speaker 2: returns this year? 910 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:42,439 Speaker 3: Oh, no question. 911 00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:45,560 Speaker 2: And you know, so, do you then need some of 912 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:48,279 Speaker 2: these return guys that maybe teams kind of moved away 913 00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:49,839 Speaker 2: from a little bit in recent years. 914 00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:53,800 Speaker 3: Seeh I was thinking it might help the two hundred 915 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:57,920 Speaker 3: or one hundred and ninety pounds scat back with return skills. 916 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 3: They might get drafted round earlier this year. Yeah, you 917 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:02,720 Speaker 3: know what I mean, something like that, or a special 918 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:06,360 Speaker 3: teamer that can run down on kicks or punts, but 919 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,040 Speaker 3: is a better returner than the guys Steelers have used 920 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:12,480 Speaker 3: lately on kickoff returns. And maybe maybe that guy gets 921 00:42:12,520 --> 00:42:14,680 Speaker 3: a little bump in his contract or lasts a year 922 00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:16,719 Speaker 3: longer than he would have in the league, something along 923 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,839 Speaker 3: those lines. Yeah, you can't ignore it, No, you can't. 924 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:23,400 Speaker 2: I mean, I think the last couple of years, because 925 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 2: of the way the league has shifted away from the 926 00:42:25,239 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 2: return teams, I think some teams did. 927 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:29,040 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I mean, I don't think the Steelers prioritize 928 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:31,879 Speaker 3: their kickoff returner. I mean McFarlane was their best guy 929 00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:33,800 Speaker 3: over the last three years I'm talking, and he was 930 00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:36,040 Speaker 3: inactive a lot. Yeah, no reason stress it. You just 931 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:38,320 Speaker 3: put your hand up and catch Bart Catcher. Watch you 932 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:39,680 Speaker 3: go over your head out of the end of the stands. 933 00:42:39,719 --> 00:42:42,160 Speaker 2: They did have twenty four returns last year as a team, 934 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:44,440 Speaker 2: which is actually more than most of that high Yeah, 935 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 2: that was on the high end of that. Some teams, 936 00:42:46,360 --> 00:42:48,640 Speaker 2: you know, you had a dozen returns, you know, so 937 00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:52,160 Speaker 2: they they took a chance on it more often than 938 00:42:52,239 --> 00:42:53,000 Speaker 2: some other teams. 939 00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:56,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and maybe that's I have no idea why, but 940 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:58,160 Speaker 3: maybe the teams didn't kick it out of the ed 941 00:42:58,239 --> 00:43:00,719 Speaker 3: zone against Steelers as often as well. I think some 942 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:02,040 Speaker 3: of that's because of where you play. 943 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:04,800 Speaker 2: You know, you get into November and Pittsburgh or in 944 00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:07,280 Speaker 2: the Northeast and the kickoffs are going to be shorter, 945 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 2: may give you more a chance to return. 946 00:43:09,719 --> 00:43:12,239 Speaker 3: So number of returns to me, seems like more of 947 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:15,560 Speaker 3: a kickoff stat than a kick returner stat, because most 948 00:43:15,560 --> 00:43:17,120 Speaker 3: teams get us kicked out of the end zone they want, 949 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:19,080 Speaker 3: you know, with the old rules and if they chose 950 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:19,560 Speaker 3: to great. 951 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:21,920 Speaker 2: If not, then you return it. Yeah, so that's the 952 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:24,520 Speaker 2: nice pick up with Walking. Yeah, the latest move there 953 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 2: for the Steelers. Let's get to another break that's going 954 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 2: to do it for our coverage here of our number 955 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:34,160 Speaker 2: one at the NFL meetings here in Orlando. He's Matt 956 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:37,160 Speaker 2: Williams and I'm Dale Lally. You're listening to the Drive 957 00:43:37,200 --> 00:43:39,719 Speaker 2: and we'll be it back with our number two right 958 00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:40,120 Speaker 2: after this