1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: At least. 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 2: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 2: your twenty four to seven home of the Black and 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 2: Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Drive. It am Dale Lolly. He is 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: the Matt Williamson and Matt. This is going to be 7 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 1: the last show we. 8 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 3: Do, having a historic show. It's the end of the 9 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,480 Speaker 3: phase one of the YouTube era too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 10 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 3: it's luck going on here. 11 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: You've been YouTube being pretty consistently here now for the 12 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: last what six to eight months? 13 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 3: Tyler, yeah, since August. Yeah, next time we get together 14 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 3: with Tyler, he's gonna be a daddy. You know. We 15 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 3: got all kinds of stuff going on, right, not as 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 3: much as him, right right, Just wait dude. 17 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: But yeah, so today is our final session on YouTube. 18 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: You can still check those shows out. They're all backlog 19 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: there and you. 20 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 3: Can oh yeah, they all hold up. 21 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 1: Yeah. 22 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 3: But I'm just like, get down to Ta's next week too, 23 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 3: and absolutely and studio be outside, see some people running around, 24 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 3: you know. 25 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: So with that in mind, Matt, I want to I 26 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,759 Speaker 1: want to talk about what what we want to see 27 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: over the next three weeks. 28 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 3: Okay. My big thing right off the bat is just 29 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 3: and that's preliminary scouting. I mean, I know who these 30 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 3: guys are, but body typing, I mean that's just for me. 31 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 3: You know, what does dk Metcalf look like? I mean, 32 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 3: I bet it's impressive. What does Black look like? What 33 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 3: does Harmon look like? I mean some of these dudes 34 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 3: that are you know, I've seen their height, weight, speed 35 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 3: and all that stuff, and you know, running around to combine. 36 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 3: So that's kind of the first thing. You know, they 37 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 3: look the part, and I don't know next. To be honest, 38 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 3: I mean, I would love we talked about the receiver yesterday. 39 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 3: You know, that someone that's not a draft pick to 40 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 3: make a few plays, you know, just be on the 41 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 3: tip of people's tongues, you know, or you know, unsolicited 42 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 3: names come up. You know, that's a big training camp thing. 43 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 3: Jalen Warren is the best example. I could remember, like 44 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 3: two or three days in the training camp. Everyone's like, man, 45 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 3: Warren's pretty good undrafted free agent, and that stuff starts 46 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 3: to happen now too, you know. Yeah. 47 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's tough for the receivers in that regard because 48 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: they're not getting hit. They know they're not getting hit. 49 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I've seen guys over the years, and there 50 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: have been guys who've been I used to refer to 51 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: Jaheane Arnold as you know, mister He's perfect for that, 52 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: mister June. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because he would catch everything. Yeah, 53 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:45,639 Speaker 1: and then and. 54 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 3: It's seven on seven, it's routes right there and you 55 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 3: know right right yeah, and people might not remember Arnold, 56 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 3: but he was really fast and little then, you know, 57 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 3: right right, perfect for this time of year. 58 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: With that said, I I want to see Roman Wilson 59 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: on the field, yeah, and I want to see him 60 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: take some steps. 61 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 3: Maybe even like running with the ones or shortly behind 62 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 3: or you know, really looking like kind of a veteran 63 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 3: and not like one of the rookies out there, like 64 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 3: not nowhere to be and things like that. 65 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,679 Speaker 1: If Roman Wilson in his second year, he didn't do 66 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: anything last year, but if he can have a Calvin 67 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 1: Austin like what Calvin Austin did last year. 68 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're not asked him to be eliite neighbors. 69 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: No, I'm not asking for him to go out and 70 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: get seventy catches or anything like that. But if he 71 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: can get thirty six yeah, five hundred yards. 72 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 3: Long contribute, yeah, yeah, I think he's a I'm sure 73 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: we'll do this between now and camp too, Like who 74 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 3: are some of the wild cards on this team? You 75 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 3: know who some of the X factors? He comes to 76 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 3: mind immediately, you know, like if he has a nice year, 77 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 3: there's a lot of ramifications, especially if they don't add 78 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 3: another receiver, which I don't think is going to be 79 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 3: the issue. But man, all of a sudden, it's like 80 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 3: him and allus are both really capable threes. All right, 81 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 3: you know I see something here. Maybe even the year 82 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 3: after that, he's running with the ones I don't know, 83 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 3: you know. 84 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, you want to see those guys take We've seen 85 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: Calvin Austin take those steps absolutely to the point now 86 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: where I'm like, okay, And he. 87 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 3: Had an injury or two early on that slowed progress, 88 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 3: you know, but he had five hundred receiving yards last year. Yeah, yea, yeah, 89 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 3: he was not a nice year. 90 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: Not a throwaway player at all at all. No, he 91 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 1: had a nice and was good in the return game 92 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 1: and you know, did everything that you want him to do. 93 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: Now can Roman Wilson, who was actually drafted earlier than 94 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 1: Calvin Austin. He's a third round pick. Austin was a 95 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: fourth round pick, a late fourth round pick. 96 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, Wilson might win the end of second in this draft. 97 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Oh, we talked about it. You know his uh 98 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: you know at the combine where his grade from last 99 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: year would have gotten him into this year's draft according 100 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: to plant Zer Lines. Yeah, yeah, right, I mean he 101 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: was a six point three. There were guys. 102 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: I mean that maybe like if you don't make the 103 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 3: Metcalf trade, that's about where he might have gone in 104 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 3: the middle of the second round. 105 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: And that's six point three by Lance zier Lines grading system. 106 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 1: Is will eventually be a plus starter. 107 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 3: Okay, Yeah, that's probably like a Knoll or someone like 108 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 3: that in this class, right right. I think that's a 109 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 3: logical expectation for him. Everyone just think he's out of sight, 110 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 3: out of mind. Oh he's a bust hit. He didn't 111 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 3: do anything. They're mad at him. That's a good one. 112 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I just think he's he's one of 113 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: the guys. I think they really want to see him 114 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: on the football field and then make their you know, 115 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: judgments about what they need at the wide receiver position. 116 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 3: Because I do think he's mostly slot. But we've had 117 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: a lot of talk about in breaking routes, throwing between 118 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 3: the numbers. Arthur Smith, you know, that's more his style 119 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 3: than we saw in his quarterbacks were part of that issue. 120 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 3: You know, you have to adapt to the ingredients you 121 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 3: get as a new coordinator. Wilson, if you go back 122 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 3: to his Michigan tape, a lot of first tough downs 123 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 3: going over the middle, in breakers, you know, deep in cuts, 124 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 3: things like that. A lot for first downs off and 125 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 3: out of the slot. I'm sure that's what they envisioned 126 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 3: when they took him. 127 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, he was a tough guy, and he's 128 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: not He's not tiny. He's five to eleven one five, 129 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: he's not geene rto. Yeah, essentially he's the same size. 130 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying he's Antonio Brown, but he's the 131 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 1: same size as Antonio Brown. 132 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 3: Right right, right, give or tape. Who could go inside outside, Yeah, 133 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 3: you know, make plays all over the field. He's not 134 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 3: too small. 135 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: The ride to ride right, He's not one of these 136 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: five to nine and seventy five pound guys. 137 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 3: And it'll block. And I mean he was a harbaughm 138 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 3: National Champion, third round pick contributor. 139 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: Oh, by the way, at the combine, he ran a 140 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: four to three nine. M hm. 141 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 3: It was really good at Senior Bowl. 142 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: You know, ten yards split. I mean he's fast. 143 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 3: Let's not forget about him. 144 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: This guy's this guy is a good football player. He 145 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: just couldn't get on the field last year because of 146 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: the injuries and people, Well you know, why couldn't you know, 147 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: he came back, why couldn't Why didn't they play him? 148 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: He missed all a training camp? Yeah, yeah, all of it, 149 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: all of it. 150 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 3: I mean, there wasn't a body of work to even 151 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 3: jump off of. 152 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: No, right, there was nothing. And there's nothing worse for coaches. 153 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: There's nothing worse for quarterbacks than to have a wide 154 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: receiver out there who might not know what he's doing. 155 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: Not sort of, No, especially in important games. Yeah, you're 156 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: talking about him coming back down the stretch and he's like, well, 157 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: just put him out there and see what he can do. 158 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: These are important games. I don't want to see what 159 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: we can. 160 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 3: See against Tom competition or a playoff game, or you 161 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 3: know what I mean. 162 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to see if he knows what he's doing. 163 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: I want him to know what he's doing, and I 164 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: want to be able to trust that he knows where 165 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: he's supposed to be at because if he's not, he 166 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: runs that that what's supposed to be a twelve yard 167 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: out and he runs it eight yards out and it 168 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: turns into an interception. 169 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, folks, January and December in the NFL, aren't 170 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 3: for teslam out there and see how unless you're completely 171 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 3: out of it, oh yeah, or no, then it's a 172 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 3: perfect time, right or all your linebackers are hurt and 173 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 3: you got to call, you know, somebody off the couch 174 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 3: like they did two years ago. 175 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: That's all you got. 176 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 3: It's not a great time to Okay, I think he 177 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 3: knows what he's doing, but we're not sure. Let's put 178 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: Scotty Miller out there. You know. And to your point, 179 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 3: a lot of it's just the fine tune stuff, you know, 180 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 3: like a lot of these route adjustments on the fly. 181 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 3: You know, you gotta read coverage as you're running your 182 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 3: route or if you round it off just a little 183 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 3: and the ball needs to be here, but it's here, 184 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 3: and that's an interception, you know. I mean, it's just 185 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 3: it's a very precise position position. 186 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: Roman Wilson's last year at Michigan. Now, mind you, they 187 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: didn't throw the football. 188 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 3: Ver No, no, No, that was not macarthy. 189 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: That was the thing with McCarthy. But forty eight catches, 190 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: seven hundred and eighty nine yards, that's sixteen point four 191 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: yards per catch, twelve touchdowns. 192 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 3: It was him and Lovelin where the whole passing. 193 00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: He was the co offensive skill put Player of the 194 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: Year for the National champions. 195 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, great, Yeah, And there's no reason I know 196 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 3: people probably do have a different opinion of him now 197 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 3: than the day he was drafted. Yes, it has been 198 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 3: a year. 199 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: Of course, he's been out of sight, out of mind, 200 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: not really out of mind because everybody's talked about it. 201 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: When's he going to get out there? 202 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, but I don't think you should have a very 203 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 3: much different opinion at all. All you guys that were 204 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 3: super excited and watching them on Saturdays, Wolverines watch them 205 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 3: the playoffs, Steelers got him the third round, all right. 206 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 3: I don't think he's any different, you know. 207 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: No now in fact that he actually is going into 208 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: this in a better situation than he did a year ago. 209 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: At least he's been there, he's through all the meetings, 210 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: he knows the offense. 211 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 3: He should have no mental errors, shouldn't. Yeah, right, that 212 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:44,439 Speaker 3: would be inexcusable. 213 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: Right, So that's one that I'm certainly going to be watching. 214 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: I don't know if TJ. Watt shows up for these, 215 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: for example, I don't even care. I don't care, right, 216 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 1: it doesn't bother me. And well, he's got to be there. 217 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: These are first of all, they're there. These are voluntary sessions. 218 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 3: They're not getting fined. It's not like he's sitting around 219 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 3: eating chips and bond bonds, you know, Right. 220 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: You trust the player to be in shape and ready 221 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 1: to go. 222 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 3: It's pretty safe that he'll be fine in that. 223 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: Troy Paulamalou never came to these things. 224 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 3: Right. 225 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: The one year he did it was it was noteworthy 226 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: because he was they were breaking in a new safety 227 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: next to him. Outside of that, Troy, Right, Troy, you're 228 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: going to go off and climb mountains and you know, 229 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,680 Speaker 1: do all that stuff time, right, right. Ben Roethlisberger didn't 230 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: show up at these all the time. It was it 231 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,439 Speaker 1: was kind of sporadic. It's not a big deal. If 232 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: these guys don't show up now it will be reported 233 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: as being a big deal. Right. But if you remember 234 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: last year, Cam Heyward skipped the he had stuff going 235 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,439 Speaker 1: on and missed the first week of ot A s. Yeah, 236 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: oh my goodness, didn't seem to affect his season at all. 237 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 3: Times have changed, you know, and these are all magnified 238 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 3: too much. I mean, and we're to be down there 239 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 3: and we're gonna be guilty of it too, I mean, 240 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 3: of course, but I mean I remember you telling stories. 241 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 3: Cower would kind of be in and out of. 242 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: Team those first I can remember that when they first 243 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: started doing these things, and they had the upper deck 244 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: over top of the field that overlooks it's two story buildings. 245 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: They get the deck up there, it overlooks the fields, 246 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: and Cower would, if he was there, would stand up 247 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: on the deck observe and observe like like he was 248 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: a college coach, like the college coach up on top 249 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: of the Yeah. 250 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, And that's that's you know, you know, the 251 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 3: podium things right. 252 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: And just overseeing practice. Watching. Okay, they do record all this. 253 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: You can watch the tape, you know. Yeah, But you're 254 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: trusting your coaches. That's what this is. What Your coaches 255 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: are the ones doing the real work on this field. 256 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: That's a great way of putting in it. 257 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 3: This is more of a position coach thing than the coordinator, 258 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 3: play caller, right, you know, right? Can I get this 259 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 3: guy to go through individuals well enough that I don't 260 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 3: have to, you know, make it, do it again? It can. 261 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. The idea of this is to get them ready. 262 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: You've got your nine practices here, yeah, including including mini camp, 263 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: to get these guys ready. So when you go to 264 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 1: training camp, you can run fast practices, you. 265 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 3: Can take the training wheels off. 266 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. 267 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 3: Everything. 268 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: Okay, now we're going this is this is the real stuff. 269 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 3: Now, right right, because this is for real. You're trying 270 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 3: to make the team. This is step one, and guys 271 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 3: will do everything can to impress, and of course they'll 272 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 3: work hard, but it's more just like, can you operate 273 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 3: practice at the tempo we want? That's a big thing too. 274 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 3: We're not one hundred percent knocking everyone's head off every time, 275 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 3: and we're also not just walking every time. There's a 276 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 3: tempo to it. This is how the Pittsburgh Steelers practice, 277 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 3: and when we break off into individuals, I don't have 278 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 3: to teach you the sled drill again, you know that 279 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 3: kind of stuff. 280 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: I'm not stopping. I'm not stopping the drill to get 281 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: you to do it the right way. 282 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 3: I have been always explaining this is kindergarten. Yeah, you know, 283 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 3: it's the ABC's. 284 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: Which is why they first hold the rookie mini camp 285 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: to give those those young guys their first taste of it. 286 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 1: And now you've had a couple of weeks off, do 287 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:04,559 Speaker 1: they retain that Yeah. 288 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 3: Right, right right you And to your point, DJ Watt doesn't. 289 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: Need the training, No, no, he can. He can pretty 290 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 1: much hit the ground running. Yeah. 291 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:12,559 Speaker 3: I think he'll be fine. 292 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: We'll see what happens with the quarterback position, sure, and 293 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: then you know the things I see Howard throw the 294 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 1: ball out of You know. The thing with Wat to 295 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: me is you still have a couple of young pass 296 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 1: rushers on this team. If he's not there, that means 297 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: they get more repsy. 298 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 3: It's more for everybody else too. I mean, and there's 299 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 3: a trickle down effect too, Like if Cam is here, 300 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 3: which I assume he will be, he doesn't, They're going 301 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 3: to have the rookies do it more than him, right, 302 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 3: you know, I mean even Benton and those guys Lew 303 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 3: I mean guys are injured last year too, I mean Lee, 304 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 3: I mean, those guys are gonna be ones getting the 305 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 3: reps here much more than Cameron Hayward right, you know. 306 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 1: Right, But we'll see what happens at the quarterback position. 307 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe news, I don't know. 308 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe we get news before next Tuesday. If we 309 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: don't get news on a certain quarterback signing, I would 310 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: still expect it comes in the next two weeks. I 311 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: would expect that he who shall not be named will 312 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: be here for the mandatory mini camp. 313 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 3: Be a good deadline is a terrible word, but that'd 314 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 3: be a good over under you know timeline. Fine, and 315 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 3: then two months from now we won't be talking about 316 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 3: it again, you know, right. Yeah, he's a. 317 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: Guy because right now, he's missed nothing. Nothing. Everybody's been 318 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: panicking about this all season. We've talked about it, right, Yeah, 319 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: you know I've been guilty of that at times as well. 320 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: But he's still missed nothing to this point. 321 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 3: He can lift weights elsewhere, he can train elsewhere. 322 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: He's your guys, if you've been in the league five 323 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: or more years, even three or more years, you know 324 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: what you need to do to get your body ready. 325 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 3: Let alone if you're a Hall of Fame quarterback. And 326 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 3: I'm sure he has personal training is like crazy and 327 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 3: nutritionists and all those things too. They're maybe even better 328 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, he's not going to use them anyway. 329 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: He's not sitting around eating cheetos and. 330 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 3: No, right, right, yeah, so yeah, I think that's a 331 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 3: good barometer. Though the next two I. 332 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: Don't even care, honestly, if he misses the next these 333 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: if he misses these two weeks of OTAs. They got 334 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: a young quarterback actually really two between Skylar Thompson and 335 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: Howard that need reps. So Mason Rudolph needs reps in 336 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: this offense. I don't have the Steelers playbook. I don't 337 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: know their verbons. I never will, I never should. Now, 338 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: I'm sure there's people like, well, does he need to 339 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: learn the offense? Yeah, I'm sure there's some stuff he 340 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: needs to learn. When he gets here, he's going to 341 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 1: take every rep. 342 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 3: But I urge everyone to look at Arthur Smith's history. 343 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 3: Arthur Smith was a position coach with the Titans, and 344 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 3: Lafleur was their offensive coordinat right and did a trum 345 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 3: men this job. Gets the head coaching job with the. 346 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: Packers actually wanted to hire Arthur Smith. 347 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 3: Wanted to bring him with him. You know, I really 348 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 3: want this guy. Rabel's like no guy, right, and he 349 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 3: promotes them the offensive coordinator, which is a massive jump. 350 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 3: And where I'm going with this is we can do 351 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 3: more of the Arthur Smith history. But Rogers, coincidentally or not, 352 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 3: was in Green Bay when Laflora got hired with the 353 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 3: system that is being in place here, and him and 354 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 3: Lafloor worked some things out that first year they drafted 355 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 3: Jordan Love and Rogers then really really bought into the 356 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 3: floor system and one MVPs and he knows the systems. 357 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: You know. This is not him learning. 358 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 3: Chinese when when Smith got here last year, everybody had 359 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 3: to learn the system that was new. Rogers has done this. 360 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 3: It's the same Verbage's same language. Maybe there's a different 361 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 3: dialect now, but it's the same language, French, German whatever. 362 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's just speaking one version of French. 363 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 3: Versus and he knows it. 364 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: What they extremely or Spanish and what they speak at 365 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: the Italian or can't I can't think of what they 366 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: speak in Barcelona is not the same as what they 367 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: speak it. 368 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 3: Right, yeah, but it's all Spanishish right right, And he 369 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,159 Speaker 3: knows it well and expelled in it. And that's what 370 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 3: they ran the Jets do, right. It was a Packers group. 371 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, So Anyways, that'll be some things we're keeping an 372 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: eye on next week. Let's get to a break. He 373 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: is the Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lollie. You're listening 374 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: to the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio here on the 375 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: Steelers Audio Network. We will be back with more right 376 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: after this. At least. 377 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 2: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williams. Sishe 378 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 2: on your twenty four to seven home of the Black 379 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 2: and Gold Steelers Nation Radio, and. 380 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: We are back. I am Dale. He is the Matt 381 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: Williamson and Matt looking here on NFL dot Com. And 382 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: they had Tom Blairs put together list of the most 383 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:16,359 Speaker 1: underappreciated NFL players, top candidate on each AFC team entering 384 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty five season, and I wanted to jump 385 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: down to the Steelers on here because the guy that 386 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: he picked as their most underappreciated player is most certainly 387 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: not underappreciated by Steeler fans. 388 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 3: Okay, who might that be? 389 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: Jalen Warren Ah A good one. 390 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think I think he still might be a 391 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 3: little underappreciated. I mean the numbers he put up two 392 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 3: years ago when he was. 393 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 1: Healthy. 394 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 3: The whole tape time through was top two or three 395 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 3: in the league as a receiving bag. 396 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: We were talking at that point though. That year. I 397 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 1: can remember on our show we're talking about he and 398 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: Najee Harris being a top three duo in the league, 399 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: right there with Montgomery and Gibbs, that they. 400 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 3: Were the other ones that were super high. 401 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 1: I mean, if you looked at the total yardage of 402 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: that group, they were right there with a lot of those. 403 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 3: Absolutely, he's good in protection, He's a force in the 404 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 3: passing game, and I think he can be an every 405 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 3: down player. I don't. I'm a kicking dirt on Nausey 406 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 3: at the door. I think Warren, and I have for 407 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 3: some time, is a better football player than Harris. I 408 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 3: think they're very different than they were really good compliments 409 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 3: to one another, and I don't know that one could 410 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 3: do what the other does, you know, And in terms 411 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 3: of the pounding that Nausey took every year every game 412 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 3: he was here, I don't want that to be the 413 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,680 Speaker 3: case for Warren, and the drafting of Johnson implies the 414 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 3: Steelers don't either. But I think he's one of their 415 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 3: absolute and he has been since he's been in the 416 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 3: Steeler uniform, one of their best skill guys for what 417 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 3: three years in a row? Now, Yeah, I mean he's 418 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 3: a really good football player. 419 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:55,680 Speaker 1: He is a very good football player, and I think, 420 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes that gets lost in the wash to 421 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: a degree, but not I think he is very appreciated 422 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 1: by Steeler. 423 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 3: Fans, probably probably more so than national. 424 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: Yes, if I were picking a guy who's underappreciated by 425 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: Steeler fans, I might pick Alex high Smith. 426 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 3: That's a good one because. 427 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,719 Speaker 1: I think, you know, we saw this a lot last year. 428 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: Why don't they just trade high Smith and get a 429 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,360 Speaker 1: pick for him and start from a start. 430 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:22,919 Speaker 3: Herbig and all that. 431 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 1: Right, high Smith's a really good player. 432 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 3: He's a really good player. I mean he's a top 433 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,359 Speaker 3: twenty edge guy for sure. 434 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, might even be top fifteen. 435 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 3: I didn't want to like be too kind and like 436 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:40,959 Speaker 3: start rattling off names, right, I mean he's consistent. 437 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: As well, he's physical, he does the. 438 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 3: Perfect fit for the system. And unfortunately he's Robin, you know, 439 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 3: I mean, because Batman's really good, you know, and I 440 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 3: love her Big, but her Big can't do what high 441 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 3: Smith does either, which is a big reason Sawyer's here right, right, right, 442 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 3: you know, they see all. 443 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: This anybody else you would put on that line. 444 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 3: I thought the choice was going to be Elliott and 445 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 3: I do you know, and especially the way you preface it, 446 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 3: because Steeler fans aren't short on this guy, because I 447 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,439 Speaker 3: think everyone listening knows the contributor Elliott is. 448 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: But I thought that was going to be the pick. 449 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 3: Darn out Washington, because he's so hard to play against, 450 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 3: and he's a unicorn in this league and the Steelers 451 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 3: use him really really well and it's boring. Oh, they 452 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 3: run the ball a lot and he plays a lot 453 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 3: of double tight ends. Nobody likes playing against it. 454 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: If you've got that guy, that's why you do it. 455 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 3: And he's not just a tackle wearing a tight end number. 456 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 3: He can do more a lot in the receiving game 457 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 3: or enough to keep you honest. I think he's a force, 458 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 3: you know, that offensive coordinator. Not every offensive coordinators, but 459 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 3: there's a lot of them out there going. Man, I'd 460 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:51,719 Speaker 3: love to find somebody like that. Yeah, yeah, that's definitely 461 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 3: one for me. 462 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: But I think you know, when you look at this 463 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: this roster, they've got several guys that would fit the 464 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: bill in. 465 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 3: That I hope, like An Eccles is the guy we 466 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 3: mentioned next year, you know, I mean some of the 467 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 3: new guys I don't want to mention that aren't returning Steelers. 468 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think to a degree, Joey Porter Junior is 469 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: underappreciated and in some ways underappreciated by Steeler fans. I 470 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: don't know if they know how difficult what's asked of him, 471 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: what is asked of him, how difficult it is. And 472 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: you know, anytime I mention him, immediately there's a lot 473 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: of the on the message boards or wherever. If I 474 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: write about wait, what about all the penalties. If you 475 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: look at the penalties last year, they're not extreme. It 476 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: was all in like four games. And it's not that 477 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: you know, he had twelve accepted against him. Yes there 478 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: were seventeen, but twelve accepted. 479 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 3: But the other guys that are high are also the 480 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 3: other good corners that have to cover. 481 00:22:55,560 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: For example, both Jets guys Read and Gardener, they both 482 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: had nine penalties last year each and neither one of 483 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: them played it. They both missed at least three games. 484 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:09,119 Speaker 1: And they don't change sides. They don't change sides, they 485 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 1: don't follow you. If you play a lot of man 486 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: defense in the NFL, you're going to get penalized. 487 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, Steelers played more man than the Jets too. Yeah, 488 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 3: those guys will play off. 489 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: And you know, so if you're playing a lot of 490 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: zone and you're just reading and reacting and going up 491 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: and tackling the tackle in the catch, you're not going 492 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:28,679 Speaker 1: to get a lot of penalties. But if you're up 493 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:31,439 Speaker 1: in somebody's face, you're probably going to get some penalties. 494 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 3: NFL in particular, Yeah, I don't think i'd get much argument. 495 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 3: I think Patrick's retains the best corner in the league. Right, 496 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 3: But even just watch him against Pickings early in the season. 497 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 3: I mean, he's grabby and there's flyes coming out and 498 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 3: it's a tough assignment. 499 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 1: The funny thing about that is that people will look 500 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: at that game, Well, he held Pickings to I can't 501 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: remember what three catches for forty yards or whatever. 502 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:57,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was a stat line, but they moved the football. 503 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: He penalized like three times in again, all. 504 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,879 Speaker 3: The hidden all the hidden yards. It was like one 505 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 3: hundred yard game. 506 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: He should have given up the long catch to Pickens 507 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: that was erased by a very questionable holding Calm Roderick Jones. Yes, yes, yes, 508 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: that I saw it on tape. You saw it on tape. 509 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: Everybody saw it happen. Patrick's certain he had a really 510 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: good game. 511 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 3: No he didn't. He really didn't. Like he would be 512 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 3: my first pick in a corner draft, Oh yeah, question. 513 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 3: But Pickens was the better player one on one Miday. 514 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: Cornerback to me is the hardest job in the NFL 515 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 1: because all the rules are lined up there. Everything is 516 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: against you, everything is against you. You can't touch this guy, 517 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 1: you can't do this, you can't and he can push 518 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: off and he can do what every like that never 519 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: gets called rarely, and if the cornerback breathes on the guy, 520 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: he's getting the call. 521 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 3: And there aren't many man coverage corners out there. 522 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 1: There really are. 523 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 3: It's a real shortage, and fewer than I can remember. 524 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 3: The only rule when I think we brought up last 525 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 3: week that is working in their favor is someone catches 526 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:07,200 Speaker 3: a ball in the air and you can just try. 527 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 3: That's like the only thing that's gone their way in 528 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 3: the rule books in ten years. Yeah, so he's a 529 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 3: good one just because of the assignments. Now, he doesn't 530 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 3: have to have six picks to be highly appreciated. 531 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: You know, there are people like I've gotten this a 532 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: lot too, a lot of pushback on it. Oh, he 533 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: wasn't as good last year as he was his rookie year. 534 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: Like I think what happens was he his passer rating 535 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: against last year was like seventy seven. That's really good. 536 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 3: I think he didn't play a ton the first couple 537 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 3: of games his rookie year, and then it was big news. Hey, 538 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 3: I went to coach and I want to follow ones. 539 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,159 Speaker 3: You know, I don't know how much some of that 540 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:45,920 Speaker 3: might be folklore too, whatever, And all of a sudden 541 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 3: he's following DeVante Adams around and all that. So everyone 542 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 3: I think, went, whoa, we got the next Rod Woodson here, 543 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 3: you know, we got the next Mel Blunt. And the 544 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 3: next year he wasn't the best corner in the league. 545 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 3: So they think it's a step backwards, Like that's kind 546 00:25:59,040 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 3: of unrealistic. 547 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I think any team in the league 548 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: would be happy to have him. 549 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I mean he's the type of guy I 550 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 3: think you could trade for one of the few guys 551 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 3: you could trade for like a first round pick. Yeah, 552 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 3: I mean, like more than happy to have him, Like, 553 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 3: would give a lot up And when it comes time 554 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,479 Speaker 3: to pay him. A lot of listeners will understand the value. 555 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: And actually, in some ways I thought he was better 556 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:26,439 Speaker 1: last year. I'm not saying he was made giant steps 557 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: in terms of coverage and that kind of stuff, and 558 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 1: the penalties happened, oh yeah, but he was a much 559 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 1: better tackler. Yeah, then he had been his rookie year. 560 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: That was the one thing I looked at him. Well, 561 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: he's a little iffy on the tackling stuff. He was 562 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: much better at that least much better. 563 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 3: And I never thought effort as a tackler was a 564 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 3: problem for him, but he didn't his posture as a 565 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:50,639 Speaker 3: tackler and his balance wasn't as good and learning in 566 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 3: the NFL to do that it's difficult. I mean I 567 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 3: urge people to pull up some of his Penn State 568 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 3: scouting reports too. They never threw it. 569 00:26:59,119 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 1: Nobody threw out. 570 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 3: I mean it was like the first couple of games 571 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,120 Speaker 3: they threw out him, and then like the last eight 572 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:04,919 Speaker 3: or nine games of Penn State. 573 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 1: He saw like like fifteen passes. 574 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, he'd get like a target or to a game 575 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 3: and they probably just pushed someone out of bounds, you know, 576 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 3: and he didn't have to do much you know, so 577 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 3: then you got to learn in the NFL, and to 578 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 3: his credit, he definitely put work in to become a 579 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 3: better tackler. Yeah. I mean he's not going to be Woodson, 580 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:22,199 Speaker 3: He's not going to be a killer, you know, but 581 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 3: he's adequate now. You know where it was a problem. 582 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: Before, Oh yeah, it was. It was something that was 583 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:30,640 Speaker 1: certainly he needed to work on, and he obviously did. Now. 584 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,320 Speaker 1: I think this year, and I wrote about this today 585 00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 1: in my five for Friday on Steelers dot Com. Rage 586 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:42,119 Speaker 1: to check it out. Adding Darius Slay opposite him, I 587 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: think can pay some big dividends. I think Slay is 588 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: a more capable man cover corner than what they've had. 589 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 3: Over the last two years, including Peterson, Including. 590 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,440 Speaker 1: Peterson, that version of Peter, Yeah, that version of Peterson 591 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 1: was a zone corner. 592 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:57,640 Speaker 3: He was and he was with Vikings year before too, 593 00:27:57,680 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 3: and have a bunch of picks, but it was in zone. 594 00:27:59,440 --> 00:27:59,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. 595 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 3: Jackson always has been. And I think Jackson limited them 596 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 3: a lot from that capacity. 597 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: But I think with that that cornerback duo they can play. 598 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: They can now play more. Man. I hope they do. 599 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:11,880 Speaker 1: I hope they's more. 600 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 3: I hope they have more of an aggressive mindset and 601 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 3: putting these leaving these guys on islands with mink over 602 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 3: the top, and I that's part of the reason why 603 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 3: I wish there was one more, because I don't want 604 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:25,640 Speaker 3: to lose that if either of them get dinged up. 605 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 3: And maybe that's Trice, you know who knows. But those 606 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 3: guys don't grow on trees either. It's like, yeah, I 607 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 3: want another offensive tackle too, but they're hard find. Yeah, 608 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 3: I got one of their name too. Okay, everyone knows 609 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 3: Killer Brew is a good special teamer. Everyone listening knows that, right, 610 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 3: he's been here long enough, he's block kicks. I don't 611 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 3: know if everyone knows that he's like maybe the best, 612 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 3: you know, like one of the top three or four. 613 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 3: And I don't watch special teams tape. That's reputation. That's 614 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 3: Pro Bowls things like that, like not that's that's teams. 615 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: When you step onto the field, they're saying, Okay, we 616 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 1: got designate two guys for that guy, because if we don't, 617 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 1: he's gonna wreck the game. Yeah, and that opens things up, 618 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: like he didn't block a kick last year, but they 619 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: blocked three kicks and three game and he knows that 620 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: he's getting attention because he's getting the attention, and that 621 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 1: frees other guys up for one on one matchups or 622 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,920 Speaker 1: two guys go to kill a brew and nobody blocks Jeremiah. 623 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 3: Moon exactly, know, exactly, right, exactly, And it's like what yeah, 624 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 3: you know that type of thing, right, Everyone has their 625 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 3: every all thirty two teams have their best special teamer. Okay, 626 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 3: and he probably is the Steelers' best special teamer, but 627 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 3: he'd be the best special teamer on twenty eight of 628 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 3: the team, you know. 629 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: And he's really good at it, right, really good, really smart, 630 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 1: understands it. That's what I say, too, is accepts it. 631 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: That's that's the big part of the special toes is right, 632 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: you know who you are. That's why he's their special 633 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: teams captain. And he was a pretty highly drafted guy 634 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 1: coming He was like a second round draft. 635 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 3: I liked him coming out of school, and I mean 636 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 3: he was he tested well, and you know, right, he 637 00:29:57,320 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 3: was not a. 638 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: It's almost a Darius Award Bay type thing. Safeties don't 639 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: typically get drafted that high. 640 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 3: Right, He was drafted like a starter. 641 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: Yeah right, right, And you know that hasn't worked out 642 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: for him, but he's become a, as you said, one 643 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: of the best special teams guys in the league. And 644 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: you can play a long time doing that. 645 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 3: And he's gonna and he has right and he had 646 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 3: a very nice living and ben and if the Steelers 647 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 3: couldn't afford him or whatever. 648 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,400 Speaker 1: Somebody else would, somebody else would sign him immediately. That's 649 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: one of the things when they signed Derek Watt, and 650 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: well they just did that because he's TJ's brother. No, 651 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: they did that because he's one of the best person players. Yeah, right, right, right, Yeah, 652 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:37,960 Speaker 1: you had to look at him like he was Tyler Madakaevich. 653 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, they had that that stint too, you know, where 654 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 3: they were amongst the best. Yeah, and Killerbrew's had it 655 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 3: for a while now. 656 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean he's It's not an easy job to do, no, 657 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: because especially if once you get that target on you 658 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: that everybody knows this is the guy, Hm, you're going 659 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: to get doubled all the time. 660 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 3: And I was gonna we're gonna kick away from you, right, 661 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 3: I mean, like I said, we used to the Watt example, 662 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 3: or they're going to kick away from you, or they're 663 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 3: going to double you. As a I mean, you run 664 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 3: down on kickoffs because he's hard to block with one. 665 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 3: But you mentioned it, like but he also like helps 666 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 3: sets the protections and punt and all those type of 667 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 3: things too that aren't easy. 668 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of a lot of teams 669 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: you're actually that guy is really an assistant coach. He's 670 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: the one out there making the decisions when the ball 671 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: is being snapped right right, right, that's sitting there, that's 672 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: that's spending a lot of time with your special teams 673 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: coach and going over scenarios if this happens, what do 674 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: you want me to do? 675 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, what's our check? 676 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 1: And then you've got to make that decision, a snap decision, 677 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 1: in a millisecond. 678 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:45,239 Speaker 3: With less practice time than the other phases. Right yeah, right, 679 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 3: so that's suff really important. 680 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 1: Well, I don't know about less practice. They practice ractice 681 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 1: quite a bit special teams, but I mean it's but 682 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: it's all the different phases. 683 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 3: That's the that's the four versions of it, right right. 684 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, So that's you know, you do two special team 685 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: sessions is per practice, but you can only work on 686 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: so many things. 687 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,360 Speaker 3: Punt for this session that session will do kickoff return 688 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 3: or whatever. 689 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: Right yeah, Now we're doing kickoff coverage now we're doing. Yeah, 690 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: it's just like yeah, and you've got to retain it 691 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: and then be able to communicate it to the other 692 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: ten guys that are out there with you on the. 693 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 3: We're always I always joke about this. I mean, it's 694 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 3: just they're always changing. It's not the same ten all 695 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 3: the time. You know, Danny loses starters all the time. 696 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 3: I mean, I have eleven starters here on my punt team, 697 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 3: and you just cut one because we need a guard. 698 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 3: You know, like that's a starter for me. Man. 699 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 1: Really, if you look at it, a guy like Killer Brew, 700 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: a guy like Darius Hayward Bay who they had these 701 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: guys want, Uh yeah, they're really the quarterback of the 702 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 1: special teams unit. 703 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 3: Right right, right, I mean they are, They're they're in 704 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 3: communication hub. Communication is really really important, right, and it's 705 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 3: just easy to overlook. 706 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:55,959 Speaker 1: Yeah, you don't see many miles kill A Brew jerseys 707 00:32:55,960 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: in the stadium, no, no Sundays. But he's pretty damn important. 708 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 3: Right, And he carries a weight in the locker room too. 709 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,600 Speaker 3: He's been here for a while. Everyone knows his contributions 710 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 3: and you can throw him out on defense if you 711 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 3: have to. 712 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: You know, he's gonna be active on game day. Yeah right, 713 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: you know right. Anyways, let's get to another break. It 714 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: was nice little conversation, yeah like that. Anyways, we're going 715 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: to take a break. He is the Matt Williamson. I 716 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: am Dale Lollie. You're listening to the Drive here on 717 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,720 Speaker 1: the Steelers Audio Network of Steelers Nation Radio. We'll be 718 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 1: back with more right after this. 719 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 2: He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on 720 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 2: your twenty four to seven home of the Black and 721 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: Gold Steelers Nation Radio. 722 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:46,640 Speaker 1: And we are back eying Dale Lolli. He is the 723 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: Matt Williamson and Matt. On the message board on YouTube yesterday, 724 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 1: somebody brought up, well, we were talking about somebody asked 725 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:02,000 Speaker 1: about Rob Woodson when he left the team. Yeah, and 726 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 1: somebody mentioned that, you know Tom Donaho the GM, And 727 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, what is it. Tom Donahoe wasn't the GM. No, 728 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:14,080 Speaker 1: he was director of Football Operations from nineteen ninety one 729 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,320 Speaker 1: to nineteen ninety nine. He had been with the team before. 730 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 1: That is a scout in this year, scout and all 731 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:25,320 Speaker 1: that stuff. Yeah, they didn't And so I said, I 732 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 1: they have never had a GM until Kevin Colbert and 733 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 1: that was halfway through his tenure when he when he 734 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: got the title GM. And I said today, I have 735 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: a weird story of why he Yeah, I told you, 736 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: I said on the message board. I'll explain why that 737 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: happened today. In reality, the Director of Football Operations was 738 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 1: it the facto GM. They ran out everything with the football, 739 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 1: the scouting, all that stuff they made to help make 740 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:56,879 Speaker 1: the draft picks, all that stuff, which is kind. 741 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 3: Of a weird term because like, I was director of 742 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 3: football opposite Akron, right, but I basically did everything that 743 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:06,640 Speaker 3: wasn't football. But I did what But I did watch recruits. 744 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 3: I did like that part of things too, but it 745 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,240 Speaker 3: was not I didn't do a lot of football stuff. 746 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:15,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, so I around. I think it was 747 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 1: twenty ten. Kevin Colbert had been the Steelers Director of 748 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:24,359 Speaker 1: Football Operations for twenty years. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he'd been 749 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 1: doing this a long time. But when he went out 750 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:33,120 Speaker 1: on scouting trips, he would get put in the stands 751 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:36,800 Speaker 1: with the other areas guys, with the other area scouts. 752 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 1: The GMS would all be put in the press box 753 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:41,600 Speaker 1: a good spot, right, even if they this guy had 754 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:44,959 Speaker 1: been a GM for three months, you know, he's twenty 755 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 1: eight years old, his first time he's ever been a GM. 756 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:49,319 Speaker 3: The Bama ass id his looks at this title. 757 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:50,799 Speaker 1: They just look at the title and say, oh, we're 758 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:52,960 Speaker 1: gonna put the scouts the area. Scouts are out there 759 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 1: the room. Yeah, the gms. The GMS get the good spots. 760 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: So Colbert went to Art running the second said, hey, 761 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:06,040 Speaker 1: throw me a bone here. I'm getting kind of jerked 762 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:08,440 Speaker 1: around here because i don't have the GM title and 763 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 1: I've been in. 764 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 3: Well until my second year doing this job. 765 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 1: And so they Art said, you know what, I agree 766 00:36:14,719 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: that that's that makes let's call it. Let's call it 767 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:19,080 Speaker 1: what it is. We're going to call you the GM. 768 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:21,880 Speaker 3: And but also brings me like to the current GM, 769 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:25,160 Speaker 3: like Omar does things, from what I understand, a lot 770 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:28,720 Speaker 3: different than Kevin, a lot different than Donahoe and certainly 771 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 3: is a different background. You know, he was not an 772 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 3: area of scout, grinding tape and measuring hands and you 773 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:36,399 Speaker 3: know all that kind of stuff too. 774 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:39,919 Speaker 1: Now he's always been involved in that party, right, right, right, 775 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: But no, that's why they got right right. 776 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:48,239 Speaker 3: I mean everyone, every team's front office. And that's even 777 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:50,279 Speaker 3: a broad term because front office could mean take a 778 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:54,280 Speaker 3: guy too. I mean, like it is constructed very differently, 779 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 3: you know, and their backgrounds are very differently, you know. 780 00:36:56,640 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, but that director of football operations position, like I 781 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: think at this point now every team does have a GM. 782 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 3: I think they call him that. 783 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:07,840 Speaker 1: So there's somebody that they call they have that that 784 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 1: has that title. 785 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 3: But I also think looking back at it, I wasn't 786 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:16,520 Speaker 3: as involved that Donaho and Colbert were more directors of 787 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 3: football operations. They did the same job where Omar manages generally, yeah, 788 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 3: you know what I mean, Like he might be involved 789 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:27,120 Speaker 3: in travel a little bit. 790 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:30,600 Speaker 1: Right now, you could look at this and say, really, 791 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:33,759 Speaker 1: Widal is the director of football operation, yeah right, right, right, 792 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 1: part of it, the part of it right right right, 793 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 1: he's the head scout basically, yeah, right right, and then 794 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: everything else Omar does. Yeah, because he's still and he's 795 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: still involved with the scouting part of. 796 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 3: Course, and he's very much in the decision making side 797 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:52,759 Speaker 3: of that thing too. But it's it's part of a systematics. 798 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 3: But I mean, it's it's an interesting story and why 799 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:56,280 Speaker 3: they're called what they are. 800 00:37:56,400 --> 00:38:01,280 Speaker 1: The other thing about this whole thing is that, unlike 801 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:05,600 Speaker 1: some other general managers around the league. I always see 802 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: this put out there that you know, Tom is gonna 803 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: have to answer to Omar con for this. It's not 804 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:12,280 Speaker 1: how this works. 805 00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,680 Speaker 3: No, right, right, right, I mean, in terms of chaining command, 806 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 3: it's not. 807 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:18,600 Speaker 1: It's a it's a pyramid Art Rooney, the second is 808 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 1: at the top of it, and the next two guys down, 809 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:26,480 Speaker 1: the two coppos putting together the mafia list. Here are 810 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:28,400 Speaker 1: Tom and Omar and they're equal, and. 811 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:30,480 Speaker 3: They're equal, right, yeah, And they each have a saying 812 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:33,640 Speaker 3: things and they each have different responsibilities, you know, but. 813 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:35,279 Speaker 1: They all talk about things and then they come to 814 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:36,800 Speaker 1: that agreement on stuff. 815 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:38,919 Speaker 3: And there's a lot of teams that's not true, right, 816 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,400 Speaker 3: head coaches number Belichicks more in charge of than anybody 817 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:43,960 Speaker 3: or whoever. 818 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:46,200 Speaker 1: Whoever the GM a lot in a lot of places, 819 00:38:46,239 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 1: the GM has the ability to fire the head coach. Yes, 820 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:54,400 Speaker 1: and that is not the case here, right, And final say. 821 00:38:54,239 --> 00:38:56,560 Speaker 3: On the fifty three and who they're going to take 822 00:38:56,560 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 3: in the third round, and they sign this guy or 823 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,480 Speaker 3: not comes down to the general manager's decision. 824 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:03,560 Speaker 1: That's not how it works. That's not how it works. 825 00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:07,280 Speaker 1: It's a three person triumvirate making the decision. 826 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 3: Right, But the final say in the end, if it 827 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:10,840 Speaker 3: comes down to it, the. 828 00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:13,359 Speaker 1: Guy who gets the final say is the guy who's 829 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:15,759 Speaker 1: at the top of the pyramid, right. And it's been 830 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:17,280 Speaker 1: that way for a very long time. 831 00:39:17,239 --> 00:39:19,759 Speaker 3: For a very long time. This isn't a new construction either, No, right. 832 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:22,280 Speaker 1: It's and it's largely worked, I mean, over the years. 833 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 1: But that's one of the reasons why Tom Donaho was 834 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 1: fired in nineteen ninety nine. 835 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:32,520 Speaker 3: And folks all thirty two teams if the owner wants 836 00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:36,080 Speaker 3: final decision, if owner makes final decision. I don't think 837 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:40,560 Speaker 3: Shador Sanders ended up in Cleveland because I think there's 838 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:42,640 Speaker 3: one reason he ended up in Cleveland, one of them, 839 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 3: same reason Manzel end up in Cleveland. 840 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:47,000 Speaker 1: You know. But there's also a meddle with some guys 841 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:49,239 Speaker 1: that screw it up. There was. There's a piece put 842 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 1: out this week that said Mike Tomlin's the only one 843 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:57,480 Speaker 1: that wanted or that wants Aaron Rodgers. Well that's not 844 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 1: that can't be true because again that triangle, it's a consensus. 845 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:05,839 Speaker 1: It's a consensus. If one of the guys says, yeah, 846 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:08,399 Speaker 1: we want to do this now, Tomlin's voice may hold 847 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:12,120 Speaker 1: more water in respect to what happens with the roster. 848 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:14,359 Speaker 1: Maybe right, he may have a little more sway he's 849 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:17,800 Speaker 1: been in that position longer. But Art Rooney, the second 850 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:20,399 Speaker 1: still has to sign off on everything. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 851 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:22,480 Speaker 1: And if he doesn't want to do it, they're not 852 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:22,960 Speaker 1: going to do it. 853 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 3: You're not going to do it, right, I mean, it 854 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:25,919 Speaker 3: all gets talked through. 855 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 1: And I remember that I asked Art his meeting with 856 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: the media in nineteen ninety nine or twenty nineteen, I 857 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:37,239 Speaker 1: should say, after the make a Fitzpatrick. 858 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,399 Speaker 3: Trade, right, that's a very unstealer like, a. 859 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:41,719 Speaker 1: Very unsteeler like move. And I asked him it is 860 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:45,960 Speaker 1: at that press conference, I'm like, hey, that decision. You 861 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:48,319 Speaker 1: guys hadn't traded a first round draft pick for a 862 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:50,440 Speaker 1: player since the sixties. 863 00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:51,800 Speaker 3: I bet there was some lobbying. 864 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:55,600 Speaker 1: I said the time. Was this a very difficult decision? 865 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:58,600 Speaker 1: He said, yeah, we talked about it. I spent an 866 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:00,319 Speaker 1: entire night, you know, I spent a lot of time 867 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:03,280 Speaker 1: thinking about it, you know, pacing in the office before 868 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,239 Speaker 1: we actually made that move. The decision is his. I 869 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:09,000 Speaker 1: think it took some convincing. The decision is his because 870 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 1: it's something they hadn't done. 871 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:14,399 Speaker 3: Right, right, And it became close to a rule because 872 00:41:14,680 --> 00:41:17,120 Speaker 3: they traded away from like Dick Buckets and Gills are right. 873 00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:19,040 Speaker 1: And that's why they had traded all. I mean, if 874 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:21,839 Speaker 1: you look at their drafts in the sixties, right, they 875 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:25,520 Speaker 1: didn't have first round draft picks for a long time 876 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:27,880 Speaker 1: because they kept trading them for veteran players. 877 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:30,319 Speaker 3: Right, you'd rather have Joe Green and Lyn Swan and yeah, 878 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:31,400 Speaker 3: Terry Bradshaw and right. 879 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:34,120 Speaker 1: And it was Dunn that came in, we're not doing 880 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:36,640 Speaker 1: that anymore, right, right, it can't work. We can't, we 881 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:39,160 Speaker 1: can't function in that fashion. And they didn't do it 882 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:40,400 Speaker 1: again until twenty nineteen. 883 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:42,360 Speaker 3: And from what I've been told, I don't even know 884 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:44,640 Speaker 3: the players well enough, but the guys that they were 885 00:41:44,680 --> 00:41:47,400 Speaker 3: trading first round picks for weren't young. 886 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:51,560 Speaker 1: Eight year at that time, which is yeah, right, you were. 887 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:54,879 Speaker 3: Getting damaged goods or older dudes. And yeah, that's that's 888 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:58,200 Speaker 3: not going to not a good business model, No, it isn't. 889 00:41:58,239 --> 00:41:59,279 Speaker 3: And he lost a lot of games. 890 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:03,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, there were some ebb and flow there. I mean, 891 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:06,480 Speaker 1: when you know, if you've got a completely veteran team 892 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,080 Speaker 1: that can work, and Buddy Parker had some success, but 893 00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:12,560 Speaker 1: it wasn't the kind of success that they had after 894 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:16,319 Speaker 1: right right Anyways, I just wanted to explain that and 895 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 1: talk about that. But let's get to a break. He 896 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,480 Speaker 1: is the Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lolly. You're listening 897 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 1: to the driver on the Steelers Audio Network. That's going 898 00:42:25,239 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 1: to do it for our number one. We'll be back 899 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 1: with our number two right after this.