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Speaker 1: It's continuing coverage of the twenty twenty six NFL Combine

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Speaker 1: by from Indianapolis on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by

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Speaker 1: First National Bank. Can your bank do that? Welcome to FNB.

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Speaker 2: Let's get started.

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Speaker 1: Member FDIC iron Workers Local Union number three. We don't

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Speaker 1: go to the office, We build it. Schneider Downs discovered

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Speaker 1: the value of big thinking with a personal focus at

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Speaker 1: Schneiderdowns dot com, your neighborhood Ford store. The Ford F

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Speaker 1: one fifty is the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers

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Speaker 1: and by US deal mine melted, made in the USA.

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Speaker 3: And welcome back to Indianapolis. The Indiana Convention Center here

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Speaker 3: in Indianapolis is wherethy combine is being held because it's

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Speaker 3: directly connected to Lucas Oil Stadium and Matt Williamson guiding

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Speaker 3: me around here because I still don't know where I'm

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Speaker 3: going on although to say I will say this, uh uh.

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Speaker 3: I'm one of those people that I've kind of lost

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Speaker 3: in a fog half the time, and so when my.

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Speaker 2: Problem is so am i I'm yeah, that was Dale's job.

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Speaker 3: My roommate in college used to come on me. I

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Speaker 3: was like, dude, we are in big trouble man. Uh,

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Speaker 3: my wife would have this sussed out immediately. Uh. She

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Speaker 3: still gets to be around Pittsburgh better than I can

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Speaker 3: get around Pittsburgh. I'll than I ever saying that it's

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Speaker 3: the truth. In the meantime, we're gonna have Omar Khan

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Speaker 3: coming up alongside Matt Williams and I'm rob King. Omar

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Speaker 3: Khan is gonna be joining us live, but first two

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Speaker 3: different media sessions. One with the local media will take

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Speaker 3: care of that because we're local media. We're gonna interview

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Speaker 3: him coming up in a little bit.

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Speaker 2: But here's when my Mark's insight on that too.

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Speaker 3: You know he did indeed, and here's what Omar had

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Speaker 3: to say a short time ago to the assembled national

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Speaker 3: media here in Indianapolis.

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Speaker 4: Guys, good morning, go to see everyone. Obviously, you guys

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Speaker 4: know where the draft is this year in Pittsburgh.

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Speaker 5: I can tell you that the community is really excited.

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Speaker 5: We're all excited.

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Speaker 4: It's it's a great place to host a draft, and uh,

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Speaker 4: you know, I can't wait for the rest of the

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Speaker 4: world to get to know Pittsburgh a little more because

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Speaker 4: it's it's it's a special and unique place. Before I

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Speaker 4: take any questions I'll just mention, you know, coach Coach

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Speaker 4: McCarthy has been on the job for about a month

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Speaker 4: and uh, it's it's been a grind, but it's it's

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Speaker 4: been it's been tremendous. Uh I I personally have learned

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Speaker 4: a lot through the process and we have this Steelers

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Speaker 4: haven't done this in a long time. But uh, it's

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Speaker 4: been great and a lot of work, a lot of conversations,

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Speaker 4: good discussions.

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Speaker 2: Uh.

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Speaker 5: But that's that's where we're at.

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Speaker 4: And uh, I personally, I'm really I'm really excited and

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Speaker 4: have enjoyed the process.

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Speaker 5: Uh.

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Speaker 4: Coach McCarthy has been great, so happy to.

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Speaker 5: Take any questions.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, like all the fans, we're we're all searching for

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Speaker 4: the next franchise, you know player. You know it's guys

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Speaker 4: gonna be our quarterback for ten or fifteen years, and

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Speaker 4: you know it might be Will.

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Speaker 5: We don't know. You know, we're excited to work with Will.

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Speaker 2: Uh.

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Speaker 5: You know, really liked him coming out last year.

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Speaker 4: Unfortunately he got hurt and we didn't get a chance

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Speaker 4: to see him in the preseason, but he uh, you know,

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Speaker 4: we we've we've watched his progression in practice and it's

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Speaker 4: it's been exciting and I know, uh, the new coaching staff,

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Speaker 4: specifically coach McCarthy is excited to uh to work with them.

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Speaker 4: Really really liked him coming out appreciation. Yeah, it's not

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Speaker 4: that's not specific just to the quarterback position. That's every position.

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Speaker 4: You know, we're we're looking for franchise type guys at

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Speaker 4: every every position. So it's it's certainly important the doors

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Speaker 4: open and have Aaron back. You know, we've I've had

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Speaker 4: conversations with him. I spoke to him last week. You know,

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Speaker 4: Mike McCarthy has spoke to him, and you know, he

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Speaker 4: knows how we feel about him.

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Speaker 5: And you know it's right now we're proceeding it.

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Speaker 4: You know, he's not he's a free agent and he's

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Speaker 4: not on the roster, so but you know, he knows

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Speaker 4: how we feel about him.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, So the the one thing is the speed of

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Speaker 4: the game, right, the anticipation, Uh that that that just

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Speaker 4: kind of comes with playing at this level.

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Speaker 5: It's different than it is at the college level.

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Speaker 4: But we we saw that, uh that improved every week

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Speaker 4: and there's a lot to like. You know, that's a

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Speaker 4: question for Aaron. I mean, he knows how we feel

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Speaker 4: and I think we know how he feels about us.

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Speaker 2: It was.

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Speaker 4: It was a good experience, uh, for both sides. Unfortunately

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Speaker 4: we didn't we didn't reach our goals on you know,

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Speaker 4: winning the games that we wanted to win at the end.

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Speaker 5: But you know there's a mutual respect there.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Speaker 4: I think the circumstances are a little different, but just

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Speaker 4: conversations we had. I think neither neither side wants to

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Speaker 4: have this drag on like it did last year.

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Speaker 5: Yeah.

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Speaker 4: So there's there's several traits. But I'll say we have

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Speaker 4: to find the right quarterback. That's gonna be uh an

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Speaker 4: AFC North quarterback. You know, playing inn AFC North. There

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Speaker 4: there's nothing like it, you know, the cool weather, the rivalries,

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Speaker 4: the division, the physicality of the division. So it's got

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Speaker 4: it's got to be a AFC North quarterback.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Speaker 5: What was the first part of the question.

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Speaker 4: Oh yeah, yeah, Yeah, So you have to have an

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Speaker 4: understanding of where they been. You know, who coached them

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Speaker 4: at the previous school, who's coaching them now, scheme, uh,

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Speaker 4: players that are around them. There's a lot of different

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Speaker 4: factors and you know a lot of the pressure falls

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Speaker 4: on our scouts because they're the ones that want to

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Speaker 4: know you know when we when Coach McCarthy and I

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Speaker 4: ask him questions, we want to know everything right away.

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Speaker 4: So yeah, yeah, he's he's he's been great. You know what, Uh, Jenner,

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Speaker 4: we really haven't had that much time to think about it.

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Speaker 5: It's just been fluid. I mean, we have been grinding

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Speaker 5: and grinding and grinding nots.

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Speaker 4: Up, so we don't have a choice other than to

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Speaker 4: communicate off in and you know, we've we've really got

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Speaker 4: to know each other a lot and understand how he thinks,

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Speaker 4: he understands how I think. And uh, it's been a

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Speaker 4: learning process, but it's it's it's been a grind, a

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Speaker 4: good grind. Yeah, that's just sort of how it worked out.

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Speaker 4: But there's some good I mean, it speaks to the

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Speaker 4: talent at that in the Big Ten. There's a lot

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Speaker 4: of a lot of a lot of talent, a lot

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Speaker 4: of good players there, and you know, our scouts spend

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Speaker 4: a lot of time there, and it's, uh, it's just

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Speaker 4: sort of how it worked out like that. I'd say,

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Speaker 4: I'd say all options are on the table right now. Yeah, yeah,

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Speaker 4: but both both players or free agents, like you mentioned,

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Speaker 4: both players are we'd like to have both of them

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Speaker 4: back you know, we'll see how it shakes out.

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Speaker 2: Mm hmm.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, well, you know we we uh we we pay

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Speaker 4: Pad for a reason, and you know we expect him

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Speaker 4: to be a big part of the the offenses. You know,

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Speaker 4: the new coaching staff likes him. Uh they're excited to

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Speaker 4: work with him.

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Speaker 2: Uh.

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Speaker 5: He represents us well.

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Speaker 4: And you know Pat's a steeler mm hmma. You know,

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Speaker 4: you can't ever have enough good players at uh at

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Speaker 4: a specific position.

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Speaker 5: With respect to the the.

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Speaker 4: Monetary part of your question, i'd say, you know, we

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Speaker 4: we we're in a good cap position, so we have

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Speaker 4: flexibility to do different things. And obviously we haven't been

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Speaker 4: in a position where we're paying uh uh the quarterback

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Speaker 4: position uh at at the top level, so we we

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Speaker 4: we've had flexibility to where you know, maybe you can

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Speaker 4: go heavy at.

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Speaker 5: A specific position.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, it's been a good it's been a good experience

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Speaker 4: with with Pat.

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Speaker 5: He's got a unique skill set.

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Speaker 3: Or you know what, from from tape to lit go.

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Speaker 3: Yeah know, we're we're ready. We're ready for you right now. Omar,

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Speaker 3: I'm Mark conjoining us right now. Nice to see, Thanks

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Speaker 3: very much. I feel like it should be a two

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Speaker 3: part question, like hey, nice to see how you doing

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Speaker 3: and who's going to be the quarterback? Is that pretty

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Speaker 3: much what you're getting right now.

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Speaker 4: I've had that question asked a few times, and uh,

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Speaker 4: I'll tell you guys, you know, you.

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Speaker 5: Know we're we're working through it right now, but uh,

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Speaker 5: you know, like where we're at.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, the first question really for me is, you know,

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Speaker 3: you've got a new coach, right and how is that

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Speaker 3: process working to get ready for not only you know,

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Speaker 3: the Combine and getting him on board with the guys

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Speaker 3: you're scouting, but also his own self scouting with the

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Speaker 3: team and how that all you know, maybe tweaks or

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Speaker 3: changes the roster a little bit one way or the other.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, you know what, this morning, I'm sitting there thinking,

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Speaker 4: it's it's only been a month. It feels like it's

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Speaker 4: been so much longer with with with Mike McCarthy because

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Speaker 4: we we've been grinding. I mean it's been NonStop, uh

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Speaker 4: since since he came on board, obviously getting ready for

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Speaker 4: the combine, free agency, getting a staff together. Uh, you know,

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Speaker 4: him getting to know us, us getting to know him. Uh,

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Speaker 4: It's it's it's been NonStop, NonStop.

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Speaker 2: So is his priority just in terms of you know,

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Speaker 2: getting acclimated. Was it get to know the team that

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Speaker 2: he's inheriting, or start to look at free agents to

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Speaker 2: be or you know, I wonder it's so new around

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Speaker 2: here to have a new coaching staff. How do they

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Speaker 2: jump into the the what's the order of operations in

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Speaker 2: terms of roster voting from them?

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Speaker 5: Yeah, I'll tell you.

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Speaker 4: You know, part of the interview process, you know, as

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Speaker 4: you talk about the roster, and he he was well prepared.

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Speaker 4: He prepared, he knows the roster really well. So that

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Speaker 4: part of it was pretty much done. And obviously, you know,

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Speaker 4: we had insight that he didn't uh when he got

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Speaker 4: this job. You know, we just kind of compared notes,

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Speaker 4: had We've had some really great solid conversations.

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Speaker 2: Uh.

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Speaker 5: You know, we we shared the same vision and you know.

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Speaker 4: We're trying to win a Super Bowl and you know,

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Speaker 4: how do we get there?

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Speaker 5: That's what we're working through.

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Speaker 2: Uh.

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Speaker 4: And then you know, getting ready for the draft. And

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Speaker 4: as I mentioned, the staff, there's has been NonStop.

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Speaker 2: I would think that it's really helpful to have a

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Speaker 2: carryover or assistant on each side of the ball because

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Speaker 2: they could say, if they're watching tape of the Ravens game, well,

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Speaker 2: this is what our thoughts were with how we utilized

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Speaker 2: our personnel in that game. You know, bringing back McCurley

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Speaker 2: and Arth, I would think is a nice bridge from

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Speaker 2: last year's tape to this year's stuff.

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Speaker 5: Yeah. Absolutely, it's great to have those guys back around.

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Speaker 4: You know, hopefully those guys can ask us some questions

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Speaker 4: too and give them some insight when they when they're

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Speaker 4: ready for it.

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Speaker 5: So, you know, this is it's been good.

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Speaker 3: You know, when you look at a new coaching staff

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Speaker 3: and it's been a while obviously since we've seen one,

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Speaker 3: you know, sometimes a guy will come in and say, well,

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Speaker 3: I don't want to run a three four, I want

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Speaker 3: to run a fourth three. And now all of a sudden,

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Speaker 3: you've got a bunch of you know, round pegs and

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Speaker 3: you're trying to jam into a square hole. Mike talked

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Speaker 3: about at his press conference one of the things that

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Speaker 3: really caught my attention, and then Patrick cram since then

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Speaker 3: as well, adapting to the players you have on hand.

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Speaker 3: With that being said, does this whole evaluation of getting

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Speaker 3: ready for the draft and what you've scouted leading up

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Speaker 3: to Mike McCarthy being hired change it all because maybe

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Speaker 3: he wants a little bit different person personnel or is

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Speaker 3: it is it pretty much the same?

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Speaker 4: You know that there's obviously going to be a little

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Speaker 4: discrepancy to what it was in the past.

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Speaker 5: There's some changes, you know.

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Speaker 4: He it's we begin to know him, like I mentioned,

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Speaker 4: and uh uh trying to understand maybe positionally certain players that.

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Speaker 5: He he'd used differently than than when than.

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Speaker 4: We do, and characteristics and traits that he wants, and

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Speaker 4: uh uh you know we're learning his scheme.

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Speaker 5: Uh but for the most part, you know, it's you know,

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Speaker 5: we're a three we're built for a three four.

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Speaker 4: We're gonna stay at three four, you know, offensively, you know,

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Speaker 4: there's some things he's he's gonna do differently. He's an

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Speaker 4: offensive coach, and you know we're gonna adjust to some

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Speaker 4: of that. But uh, you know, we have twelve picks.

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Speaker 4: You know, we're in good cap shape. So uh we

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Speaker 4: we were in a position where uh, you know, there's

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Speaker 4: opportunities we'll be able to take advantage of him.

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Speaker 2: Is it safe to stay? We'll probably see more wide

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Speaker 2: receivers on the field and fewer tight ends. Though I

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Speaker 2: mean that seems like one scheme change. It seems pretty clear.

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Speaker 4: It's it's it's early in that process, you know, ask

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Speaker 4: me that question into training.

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Speaker 3: You know, one of the things that I think that uh,

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Speaker 3: that you and your staff have talked about is that

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Speaker 3: offensive line and defensive line play travels right. It plays

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Speaker 3: in any conditions. It plays in Miami in September, it

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Speaker 3: plays in Pittsburgh in January. So that having been said it,

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Speaker 3: you know, is that something that's gonna gonna continue to

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Speaker 3: be an emphasis for you guys, is making sure those trenches,

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Speaker 3: which you've already done a phenomenal job of improving, continues

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Speaker 3: to be that. And is that in lockstep with with

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Speaker 3: Mike's vision for the team as well?

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Speaker 4: Absolutely absolutely, I mean that that's that's not gonna uh,

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Speaker 4: that's not gonna end, and it's always gonna be a priority.

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Speaker 4: And and you know, the reality is, you know, we

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Speaker 4: play in the ANFC North, you know, and it's a

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Speaker 4: it's a different type of football, and uh, you know,

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Speaker 4: you gotta be big in the trenches, and you gotta

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Speaker 4: be good. You gotta be good in the trenches.

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Speaker 2: And that you know, we're.

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Speaker 4: Never gonna try to stop, We're never gonna stop trying

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Speaker 4: to improve that the those areas.

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Speaker 2: So our audience knows that there were big changes with

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Speaker 2: the coaching staff, but from I understand, there's very little

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Speaker 2: changes with the scouting department or you know, the grading

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Speaker 2: system or any of those things. That's all gonna stay

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Speaker 2: pretty much.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, that's going to stay. We like the system that

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Speaker 4: we have. You know, I have some awesome people.

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Speaker 5: That that that that I work with in that area.

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Speaker 4: You know, obviously Andy Whitel, we had Dan Colbert, Mark

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Speaker 4: Sadowski added Tim Gribble this year.

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Speaker 5: Sheldon White, like, we got a good nucleus of people.

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Speaker 5: We like the system that we run in and frankly,

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Speaker 5: it's worked and you know.

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Speaker 4: And you know, coach t liked it and and Mike's

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Speaker 4: really liked it so far. So I don't foresee as

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Speaker 4: many changes there.

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Speaker 3: You know. Uh, when I look at your roster, I

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Speaker 3: see fewer and fewer holes every year, which is a

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Speaker 3: testament to you and your staff and the team you've

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Speaker 3: put together. Will you what you do as far as

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Speaker 3: re signing some of your own players or how you

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Speaker 3: evaluate free agency? Is that affected all about the draft?

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Speaker 3: Because the draft comes last, right, even though it's this

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Speaker 3: this is the first thing that's got everybody's attention. It's

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Speaker 3: the last thing as far as the roster building. Will

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Speaker 3: you maybe shy away from a player thinking, well, we

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Speaker 3: might be able to get a guy like this is

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Speaker 3: a deep draft in in you know, at such and

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Speaker 3: such a position, So maybe we don't need to pursue

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Speaker 3: that in free agency. Or is that just a really

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Speaker 3: small part of of what you're doing as you evaluate.

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Speaker 4: Yes, certain certainly we all say that, and you know

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Speaker 4: it all sounds good, But the reality is we're all

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Speaker 4: just trying to make educated guests and we're still going

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Speaker 4: to be there whenever we.

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Speaker 5: Pick, you know.

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Speaker 4: But but the thing is is the spring is so

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Speaker 4: important in this process because you know, right now, I'm

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Speaker 4: sitting here and I'm like, man, there's some good receivers,

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Speaker 4: some good quarterbacks, some good running backs, some good line

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Speaker 4: like we feel good.

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Speaker 5: And as you get through the spring, you know, things

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Speaker 5: kind of shake loose.

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Speaker 4: You know, you might have some medical stuff come up,

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Speaker 4: you might have some off the field stuff. Just think

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Speaker 4: sort of sort of a sort itself out. But you know,

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Speaker 4: it's it's it's it's at the end, so you have

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Speaker 4: to approach it. And you know there's opportunities in free

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Speaker 4: agency or in the trademarket to to fill.

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Speaker 5: A position and need. It's it's something you know we

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Speaker 5: have to do.

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Speaker 2: So speaking of medical, I mean really the reason this

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Speaker 2: combine was created was for medical reasons, way back when

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Speaker 2: first and foremost, does it break your heart every year

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Speaker 2: the two or three times you get a medical red

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Speaker 2: flag that you didn't expect on? I bet absolutely, this.

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Speaker 5: Is way way back. Yeah, it's just it's just.

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Speaker 2: Uh, it's bound to happen, right.

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Speaker 4: It happens, and you know, sometimes you find yourself trying

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Speaker 4: to talk it, talk yourself into it, and uh getting

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Speaker 4: mad at your own docs doctor from not agreeing with you.

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Speaker 2: You went to med school and you did yeah RCT.

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Speaker 5: That's just part of the process. But yeah, it happens.

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Speaker 3: So I know that a lot of work is done.

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Speaker 3: It's not like you just chow up the combin and

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Speaker 3: you're like, okay, let's uh, who do we got here

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Speaker 3: this year?

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Speaker 2: In the draft?

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Speaker 6: Right?

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Speaker 3: Obviously, so much work has been done leading up to this.

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Speaker 3: Do you have a sense yet and will that sense

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Speaker 3: in your in your you know, history of doing this,

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Speaker 3: will that sense change throughout this evaluation process this week

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Speaker 3: in particular, but moving forward, as well. Do you have

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Speaker 3: a sense of the strengths and weaknesses of this year's draft.

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Speaker 3: Are there certain areas you're like, Okay, this is good,

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Speaker 3: we're good here and and maybe we're weaker in this draft,

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Speaker 3: in this draft pool in general.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, So you know, I gotta to ask that question

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Speaker 4: a couple of times today and in different settings, and

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Speaker 4: and you know, I feel like I'm giving you guys

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Speaker 4: the same answer every every year, and I sort of

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Speaker 4: am that. You know, it's it's it's good really everywhere.

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Speaker 4: There's players that can help us everywhere. And then I

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Speaker 4: go back to the to the answer I gave about

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Speaker 4: the spring that's so important. You know, I wish, you know,

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Speaker 4: you should ask me a question March when I see

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Speaker 4: it at the league needs, I'm sure will be different.

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Speaker 5: I'll feel a lot differently than I do now. But

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Speaker 5: you know, as we sit here today, it's it's it's

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Speaker 5: a good draft.

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Speaker 4: I mean, there's some good players, and you know, I

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Speaker 4: hope everybody makes it through the medical gives us more options.

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Speaker 5: But uh yeah.

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Speaker 2: I mean, without revealing too much, I'm sure they're like

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Speaker 2: every team you guys have free agents to be you

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Speaker 2: know that are are set to to up a market.

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Speaker 2: Do you generally have conversations with some of their agents

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Speaker 2: at this point or do most of them want to

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Speaker 2: test the market and see what the offers come in.

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Speaker 4: You know, we we've already been in contact with some

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Speaker 4: more free agents and players that we want to retain.

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Speaker 4: You know, I'd like to tell you that it gets

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Speaker 4: so sooner or later, but that history has told me

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Speaker 4: that those things usually happened close to the free agency,

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Speaker 4: figured before, right after. And you know, I I go

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Speaker 4: into it like everybody else. You know, I was saying,

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Speaker 4: why is this so hard? You know, back and you know,

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Speaker 4: why can't we just get it done?

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Speaker 2: And you like, yeah, let's.

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Speaker 5: Get it done. And these things don't usually go that way.

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Speaker 3: You know, when you look at this roster we've we've

389
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Speaker 3: talked about this, I was mystified, but I don't know

390
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Speaker 3: how much attention you've paid to prognosticators and what the

391
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Speaker 3: Steelers are going to be able to do. And I

392
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Speaker 3: was mystified that that people didn't think the Steelers were

393
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Speaker 3: going to be that good this year. And obviously you

394
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Speaker 3: won the AFC North. You look at this team, You've

395
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Speaker 3: you've positioned it so you've got a lot of cap space.

396
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Speaker 3: You've positioned it so that you have twelve draft picks

397
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Speaker 3: coming up, You've got a lot of your own players

398
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Speaker 3: that you can re sign. Do you feel good about

399
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Speaker 3: the positioning of where this team is right now?

400
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Speaker 5: You know, I like the nucleus of some of the

401
00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:12,880
Speaker 5: young talent that we have.

402
00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:14,919
Speaker 4: We have guys getting ready to go into the second

403
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Speaker 4: second contracts, guys that are gonna be Steelers for a

404
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Speaker 4: long time. But you know, Rob, the reality is we

405
00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,080
Speaker 4: we didn't want a playoff game last year.

406
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Speaker 5: We got to be better.

407
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Speaker 4: So, you know, like we do every year, we're evaluating

408
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Speaker 4: everything in the organization and doing whatever we have to

409
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Speaker 4: do to get better because ultimately our goals to win

410
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Speaker 4: a Super Bowl and we're not there yet.

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Speaker 2: So we hear this a lot, But it looks like

412
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Speaker 2: the twenty twenty seven quarterback group could be really, really deep.

413
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Speaker 2: Is that something you have to keep aware of in

414
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Speaker 2: your thoughts even this year.

415
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Speaker 4: Yeah, we're always forecasting it at every position. But there's

416
00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:50,680
Speaker 4: some good players. There's some good quarterbacks in this draft,

417
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Speaker 4: you know, and there's some good craft. It looks like

418
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Speaker 4: there's gonna be some good quarterbacks in next year's draft,

419
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Speaker 4: but yeah, we're always forecasting and trying to get an idea,

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Speaker 4: but you never know.

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Speaker 3: Uh, Omar, I know your schedule is unbelievably packed, So

422
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Speaker 3: we thank you for taking some time with us.

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Speaker 5: Love hanging out with you, guys, appreciate it.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, thanks, Omar, Thanks so much. Omar Con, general manager

425
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Speaker 3: of the Pittsburgh Scheelers. Really exciting. I think where this

426
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Speaker 3: Teelers sit right now. And yes, they didn't win the

427
00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,200
Speaker 3: playoff game they wanted to win a year ago. But again,

428
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Speaker 3: I just view this team so much differently than I

429
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Speaker 3: think most prognosticators do. I do think it's a young core.

430
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Speaker 3: You know, when you think about this, and we'll head

431
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Speaker 3: to a break here because we need to do that.

432
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Speaker 3: But when you think about this, you know they've put together,

433
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Speaker 3: you know, a young offensive line at four to the

434
00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:44,280
Speaker 3: five positions, already, young young defensive linemen with you know,

435
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Speaker 3: with Derek Harmon and Keanu Benton and y A Black,

436
00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,240
Speaker 3: probably more attention that's going to be paid there Dk

437
00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,399
Speaker 3: Metcalf signed for I think it's three more years. Pretty

438
00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,840
Speaker 3: good at the tight end position right now. There's just

439
00:20:55,880 --> 00:21:00,280
Speaker 3: a lot of places where the Steelers are really really solid.

440
00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:05,200
Speaker 3: And that's come from underneath, you know, this aging roster.

441
00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,800
Speaker 3: It's something that these stoodents have done well traditionally in

442
00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,680
Speaker 3: the past, you know, drafting guys who are replacements. Now

443
00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:12,320
Speaker 3: in this instance, some of these guys have had to

444
00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:16,480
Speaker 3: play earlier than maybe traditionally sitting behind guys. But I

445
00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:19,440
Speaker 3: really think that it's gone unnoticed in a lot of

446
00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,600
Speaker 3: quarters that, like you said, good young nucleus has come

447
00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,760
Speaker 3: up underneath this team as they've been putting this roster together.

448
00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:27,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, we mentioned this when Mike was on too, Like

449
00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:29,760
Speaker 2: people look at it like, boy, this is an old team,

450
00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,199
Speaker 2: like they have like three old guys or four old guys.

451
00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:35,520
Speaker 2: But I mean if you look across and frankly, if

452
00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:37,280
Speaker 2: you take the forty two year old out of the

453
00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,399
Speaker 2: equation in terms of the math of it all and

454
00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,280
Speaker 2: how many snaps played and whatnot, I mean, there are

455
00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,080
Speaker 2: a lot of dudes on their first contract or set

456
00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:47,919
Speaker 2: the hit free agency or you know, set to get

457
00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,720
Speaker 2: their second contract with Joey Porters of the world that

458
00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:53,760
Speaker 2: Omar drafted, right, that you got to be pretty excited

459
00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:56,520
Speaker 2: about that should be here for two three contracts.

460
00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:58,639
Speaker 3: Right, and then you know, we could talk about you know,

461
00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,440
Speaker 3: we're always talking about future, the future. This year was

462
00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,280
Speaker 3: supposed to be the quarterback draft, right right.

463
00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:05,720
Speaker 2: That's why I always hesitate that goes down those roads.

464
00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,120
Speaker 3: You know, when people ask me about prospects in baseball,

465
00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,879
Speaker 3: because obviously they're coming through a system, and in the

466
00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:15,000
Speaker 3: system they're coming through in football is is college football,

467
00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:15,920
Speaker 3: so it's a little bit different.

468
00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,120
Speaker 2: But the couse changes so fast now too.

469
00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,080
Speaker 3: I right, that's right, But I always I always if

470
00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:24,800
Speaker 3: anybody's ever body surfed, and and I love I could

471
00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,280
Speaker 3: body surf all day. I still love it. But you're

472
00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,560
Speaker 3: standing there and you're waiting for that perfect wave to

473
00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,480
Speaker 3: come in, and you're waiting, I'm going to pass up

474
00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:34,640
Speaker 3: this wave, and you know that waves seven waves from

475
00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:36,640
Speaker 3: that you're looking at that looks great. By the time

476
00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,000
Speaker 3: it comes to shore, it looks like all the other ways.

477
00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:41,240
Speaker 3: And I just think that there's a lot of that

478
00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:42,919
Speaker 3: that happens. Oh sure, you get.

479
00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:47,560
Speaker 2: The raft quarter waiting for the next one. That's exactly right.

480
00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:51,159
Speaker 3: So we are going to take a break right now

481
00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:52,359
Speaker 3: and we're going to pounce on the rest of the

482
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,040
Speaker 3: Steelers roster. What's been going on here? When we continue

483
00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,719
Speaker 3: from Indianapolis, in the NFL Combine coverage here on Steelers

484
00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:00,520
Speaker 3: Nay Radio.

485
00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,920
Speaker 1: This is live cover reach up about twenty twenty six

486
00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,760
Speaker 1: NFL Combine on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the

487
00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,520
Speaker 1: Steelers Audio network.

488
00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:18,960
Speaker 3: Well, really pleased to have Omar Khan joining us to

489
00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,000
Speaker 3: talk about the Steelers' roster and how it shapes up

490
00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,080
Speaker 3: and the combine and the you know, the draft coming

491
00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,840
Speaker 3: up and free agency and extending your own players. And

492
00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:30,920
Speaker 3: he covered a lot of ground there. Yeah, coaching staff,

493
00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:36,280
Speaker 3: that was good stuff. Yeah, good stuff. And you know it's, uh,

494
00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,600
Speaker 3: it's interesting as you evaluate this team. And again we

495
00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,320
Speaker 3: talked a little bit about it, but just how much

496
00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:45,159
Speaker 3: effusive prais there's been beginning with Mike McCarthy and then

497
00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,000
Speaker 3: sort of double down here by Omar Khan about Will Howard,

498
00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,920
Speaker 3: you know, six quarterback and you know, because Will had

499
00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:56,080
Speaker 3: this success in college. You know, I'm of you know,

500
00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:58,520
Speaker 3: you talked about speaking out of both sides your mouth earlier.

501
00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:00,560
Speaker 3: I'm a little bit of too much minds about this.

502
00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,160
Speaker 3: On the one hand, you know, you can there becomes

503
00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,480
Speaker 3: a Tom Brady I believe was a sixth rounder, a

504
00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,720
Speaker 3: Dak Prescott who I think was a fourth rounder, property thirty,

505
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,480
Speaker 3: the last player taken in the draft. Mister irrelevant. You know,

506
00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,280
Speaker 3: it does happen, but in a league that is so

507
00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:22,399
Speaker 3: dependent upon the quarterback position. You know, it is to

508
00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,960
Speaker 3: the NFL what oil is to to a developed nation.

509
00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:32,399
Speaker 3: You bet. You know you're big Trump, yes, so you know,

510
00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,840
Speaker 3: I just think that, Uh, the praise for him has

511
00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:40,720
Speaker 3: really been very interesting to me because what we know

512
00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:42,479
Speaker 3: when people have asked me about Will Howard, who we

513
00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:46,080
Speaker 3: never got to see other than you know, on the

514
00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,600
Speaker 3: field during mini camp, and I think a little bit

515
00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:50,719
Speaker 3: you even on the field in La Trobe, if it

516
00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:52,880
Speaker 3: was it was very little. We didn't get to see

517
00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:54,760
Speaker 3: him play any preseason games and that.

518
00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:56,760
Speaker 2: Was fine, but there wasn't a lot to take away

519
00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:57,120
Speaker 2: from that.

520
00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,600
Speaker 3: A lot of praise, uh for Will Howard has sort

521
00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,000
Speaker 3: of peaud my interest because I think my answer to

522
00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:04,919
Speaker 3: most people would have been, Hey, if you take a

523
00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:06,760
Speaker 3: guy in the sixth round, and we were talking about

524
00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:08,720
Speaker 3: this during the break and he winds up being a

525
00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,160
Speaker 3: quality backup quarterback, that's a heck of a draft choice.

526
00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:14,240
Speaker 2: That's a steal. If he does Mason Rudolph.

527
00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:16,720
Speaker 3: Think think about what Mason Rudolph did a couple of

528
00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,680
Speaker 3: years ago, won three straight games to get your team

529
00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,119
Speaker 3: to the playoffs. Yeah, if Will Howard can have that

530
00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:24,119
Speaker 3: kind of a career, I shouldn't say Will Howard and

531
00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,000
Speaker 3: specific if a sixth round quarterback can have that kind

532
00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,000
Speaker 3: of a career, it's gold, right, so interesting to me

533
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,120
Speaker 3: that I don't know what to make of it all.

534
00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:32,800
Speaker 3: I don't either.

535
00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,840
Speaker 2: I mean, like, he was not the typical sixth rounder

536
00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:36,879
Speaker 2: because he just won the national championship and he was

537
00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,399
Speaker 2: a high profile guy and everybody saw him, and frankly,

538
00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,320
Speaker 2: I thought he was more of a fourth than a sixth.

539
00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:43,520
Speaker 2: But I didn't think he was a first, you know.

540
00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,280
Speaker 2: I mean, and nobody did, or the league wouldn't have

541
00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:47,600
Speaker 2: passed on him five times over and sometimes more.

542
00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,080
Speaker 3: And it's not like I mean, even Josh allenho went

543
00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:51,680
Speaker 3: in the first round. I mean he's out in Wyoming

544
00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:53,600
Speaker 3: or wherever the heck he went to school? Yeah was

545
00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,199
Speaker 3: it Wyoming? In Wyoming? You know, out west, like you know,

546
00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,360
Speaker 3: over the Rocky Mountain somewhere or what. I don't even

547
00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,960
Speaker 3: know if yeah, yeah, my geography is not great.

548
00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:03,840
Speaker 2: Where is that? You know?

549
00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:06,120
Speaker 3: And even he went in the first round. This guy

550
00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:09,040
Speaker 3: won the National Championship. Everybody saw him like every week.

551
00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,880
Speaker 3: Yeah right, And Frankly, I think.

552
00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:16,359
Speaker 2: You know, being robbed of all the preseason snaps is

553
00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,159
Speaker 2: critical here. I mean, I'd much rather talk about him

554
00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:20,720
Speaker 2: if I at least saw because I bet he was

555
00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,080
Speaker 2: going to play a ton in those preseason games and

556
00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:26,200
Speaker 2: all the practice time in between. Rogers isn't going to

557
00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,240
Speaker 2: play in the preseason, why would he, you know? And

558
00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,560
Speaker 2: I think that was you know, pigeonholed for Howard. And

559
00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,919
Speaker 2: I understand the excitement, especially from the fan base, but

560
00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:38,160
Speaker 2: I think counting on it is nuts. I mean, I'm

561
00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,680
Speaker 2: glad he's in the mix. I can't wait to see more.

562
00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,560
Speaker 2: I'm sure he was really good in the meeting rooms

563
00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:49,119
Speaker 2: and on the whiteboard and all those things. But to

564
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,880
Speaker 2: your point, when they drafted him, I think the intention

565
00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:57,639
Speaker 2: was I called him the franchise quarterbacks caddie the day

566
00:26:57,680 --> 00:26:59,680
Speaker 2: they drafted him, you know, like I thought he would

567
00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,920
Speaker 2: be the guy they drafted this year or next year.

568
00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:04,640
Speaker 2: We thought this year's draft was gonna be really good,

569
00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,760
Speaker 2: and it's not. He would be that guy's Frank Wright

570
00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:10,919
Speaker 2: to Jim Kelly, Jason Garrett to Troy Aikman. You know

571
00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,359
Speaker 2: like it comes in. He's got a year experience, he

572
00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:17,400
Speaker 2: just won a national title. Whoever that guy is they drafted,

573
00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,359
Speaker 2: would look up to him to some degree as kind

574
00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:22,280
Speaker 2: of a big brother, been around the block, make his

575
00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,359
Speaker 2: transition easier. And I thought that was a great plan.

576
00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,480
Speaker 2: I just can't imagine that the plan is today. Oh

577
00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,879
Speaker 2: we got our guy. We pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, right,

578
00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,200
Speaker 2: I mean that sounds nuts to me, right, Maybe it's true.

579
00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:36,480
Speaker 2: I hope it is more than anybody, trust me, folks.

580
00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,720
Speaker 3: That's right. You know, and you know when you are

581
00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,120
Speaker 3: and again you know you're looking if you can get

582
00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:43,960
Speaker 3: that value and value is different things. You know, they

583
00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:48,680
Speaker 3: talk about development, Well, maybe the best a player can

584
00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,280
Speaker 3: be is developed into a quality backup guard. Right, that's

585
00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,080
Speaker 3: what development's about. Yeah, you develop a player to the

586
00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:56,399
Speaker 3: fullest ability.

587
00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,240
Speaker 2: Get the most out of what their talents. So that's coaching.

588
00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,040
Speaker 3: But the notion of hey, if a draft had been

589
00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:04,440
Speaker 3: over TJ. Watt's going first or second, Cam Heyward's going

590
00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:08,720
Speaker 3: in the top five. You know Tom Brady's going first overall.

591
00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,200
Speaker 3: You know, Dak Prescott's going in the top ten, brock

592
00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:13,119
Speaker 3: Perty's going in the first round. Yeah, yeah, you know,

593
00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:16,840
Speaker 3: if you can justin Jefferson isn't going wherever he went,

594
00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:20,000
Speaker 3: he's going first, over right or a second. So you know,

595
00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,719
Speaker 3: you're always hoping for that that guy, and you know

596
00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,640
Speaker 3: at least they're leaving the light on for that possibility.

597
00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,960
Speaker 3: It's just been interesting to me that it seems like

598
00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,920
Speaker 3: he's been singled out for praise as opposed to being

599
00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:36,400
Speaker 3: asked about him. And you know, it's almost like he's

600
00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,080
Speaker 3: being brought forward as opposed to waiting for the question

601
00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:39,760
Speaker 3: to be asked about.

602
00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,360
Speaker 2: Yeah, and even you know with this hiring and every

603
00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,000
Speaker 2: step of the way, boy, well how his name comes

604
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:51,560
Speaker 2: up unsolicited? Right, Maybe I'm just missing the boat. But

605
00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,680
Speaker 2: to your point, I mean, guys drafted dak or later,

606
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,280
Speaker 2: fifth round, sixth round, seventh round with party. You name

607
00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:01,680
Speaker 2: some guys that hit, and one of them hit bigger

608
00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:05,320
Speaker 2: than anyone ever. But I can name hundreds that didn't.

609
00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:07,800
Speaker 2: I mean, not just those two or three that it

610
00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,080
Speaker 2: said were hits, hundreds that didn't. I mean, the odds

611
00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:11,680
Speaker 2: are against you.

612
00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,840
Speaker 3: Well you want to be Joe Montampa is the third round, right, yeah, yeah.

613
00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,600
Speaker 2: So Brady's the biggest anomaly ever. Guys.

614
00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,960
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right, that's right. So you know, but again,

615
00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,680
Speaker 3: a fascinating process. And you know, like Omar said, you

616
00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:26,720
Speaker 3: know you're asking him at the owner's meetings. He's probably

617
00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,440
Speaker 3: gonna have a different feel about this draft because you

618
00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,640
Speaker 3: know there's going to be more evaluation you'll have gone through. Yeah,

619
00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,120
Speaker 3: you know, the the you know you're starting to one

620
00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,240
Speaker 3: of the player interviews are usually April, right leading up

621
00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:41,120
Speaker 3: to the draft, and there'll be some here Okay, yeah, yeah, right, right,

622
00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:42,680
Speaker 3: but I mean, yeah, this is a get to know you.

623
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,320
Speaker 3: This is to get to see him and then and

624
00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:49,040
Speaker 3: then the teams can invite players into thirty of those, right,

625
00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,520
Speaker 3: and that's usually early April, is it not leading.

626
00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:53,520
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a couple of weeks up of the draft, right, so.

627
00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:58,360
Speaker 3: More evaluations and right, right, But from your perspective, this

628
00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:01,080
Speaker 3: is generally not considered that's strong of a draft.

629
00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:04,800
Speaker 2: Is that correct? I tend to agree. I think there's

630
00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,560
Speaker 2: some positions that are really good. I think this is

631
00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:11,200
Speaker 2: a bad year to be picking in the blue chip area,

632
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,360
Speaker 2: you know, second through seventh, but I do think there's depth,

633
00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:18,880
Speaker 2: which that problem doesn't influence the Steelers. I mean, I

634
00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,240
Speaker 2: think you're gonna get a pretty good player at twenty

635
00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,479
Speaker 2: one at a position of need. I do think there

636
00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:28,760
Speaker 2: are fewer blue trip guys than usual. There's probably fewer

637
00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,640
Speaker 2: sure fire first rounders than usual. But I'm starting to

638
00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:35,160
Speaker 2: really warm up to some of these positions. On Day two,

639
00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,680
Speaker 2: where the Steelers have four picks, which is great, and

640
00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,160
Speaker 2: there are positions like this is a bad running back class. Well,

641
00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:43,720
Speaker 2: I don't think the Steelers is gonna be real heavy

642
00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,440
Speaker 2: involved in running back, you know, you know, maybe they'll

643
00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,360
Speaker 2: take one at sixth round or whatever. It could Pete

644
00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:50,880
Speaker 2: with Caleb Johnson or who knows. But I do think

645
00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:56,040
Speaker 2: there's a lot of receivers. I mean there I would

646
00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,640
Speaker 2: imagine next year's draft, and I everyone always likes I'm

647
00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:01,200
Speaker 2: so sick here in that you hear it every year.

648
00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:03,960
Speaker 2: But next year's draft looks historically good, especially at the

649
00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:07,720
Speaker 2: receiver or at the quarterback position. But there's a lot

650
00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:11,280
Speaker 2: of nest building pieces here, safeties, things like that. I

651
00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,560
Speaker 2: think that to your point, you might get value at.

652
00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:15,920
Speaker 3: Right and you want to be you want to be

653
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:20,080
Speaker 3: in the position too to either trade up and get

654
00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,960
Speaker 3: a young quarterback if that's the route you go next year.

655
00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,080
Speaker 3: If it isn't Will Howard or somebody you select this

656
00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:29,239
Speaker 3: year or get in free agency that you are have

657
00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,280
Speaker 3: the most perfect team possible for that player, because that's

658
00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,680
Speaker 3: the best favor you can do.

659
00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,200
Speaker 2: I call it the nest. I mean, this is a

660
00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,560
Speaker 2: very delicate bird egg that you hepe develops into a

661
00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:42,880
Speaker 2: war eagle, you know. I mean, I want a very

662
00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:46,160
Speaker 2: soft landing spot for that nest. I mean, you throw

663
00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,880
Speaker 2: these guys more and more rob that I do this. Okay,

664
00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:52,320
Speaker 2: I love this quarterback. I love this quarterback. They can

665
00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,040
Speaker 2: be successful. I'm more concerned where they land than even

666
00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,600
Speaker 2: who they are. Yeah, and teams ruined them all the time,

667
00:31:57,680 --> 00:31:58,040
Speaker 2: they do.

668
00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:00,320
Speaker 3: And I think it's hard to come back from that

669
00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:02,800
Speaker 3: mentally because it's such a it's such a you know,

670
00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,480
Speaker 3: it's a position that takes mental strength, but it's also

671
00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:08,120
Speaker 3: one that your mental strength can get beaten down quickly.

672
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:10,520
Speaker 2: You're the guy on the billboard immediately, and there's nobody

673
00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:11,080
Speaker 2: blocking from it.

674
00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,000
Speaker 3: Man at Sam Darnold, of course, is the latest of

675
00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:17,080
Speaker 3: a very short list of players who have been able

676
00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:20,000
Speaker 3: to overcome a lack of success early in their career

677
00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,520
Speaker 3: to look like a franchise Cowboys. He's a super Bowl

678
00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:24,240
Speaker 3: winning quarterback.

679
00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:27,840
Speaker 2: You know, so a more though, Daniel Jones, Baker Mayfield,

680
00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,680
Speaker 2: guys that really washed out that first contract.

681
00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:32,720
Speaker 3: Right, and you know, and again to your point, we

682
00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:34,640
Speaker 3: had Bill Calron, he talked about the same thing. So

683
00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,360
Speaker 3: to Ben Roethlisberger, Hey, Ben said, listen, I stepped into

684
00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:40,560
Speaker 3: a great position. So to Patrick Mahomes, so did Josh Allen.

685
00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:43,640
Speaker 3: You know, they have pieces in place for these guys,

686
00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:47,120
Speaker 3: and we're talking about elite Hall of Fame talented quarterbacks

687
00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:49,880
Speaker 3: who are able to step into his situation that was

688
00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:54,200
Speaker 3: outstanding Tom Brady. Tom Brady stepped into a great situation.

689
00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:57,640
Speaker 3: And so that's a playoff teams, right, right, playoff And

690
00:32:57,680 --> 00:32:58,840
Speaker 3: I think the students.

691
00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:00,520
Speaker 2: Is not dissimilar to what's going on here.

692
00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:03,000
Speaker 3: I agree, in one more year of building that roster

693
00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,360
Speaker 3: in preparation, building that nest, in preparation for that soft

694
00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:06,960
Speaker 3: egg landing.

695
00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:10,040
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, so it turns into a nasty warrior or not,

696
00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:13,680
Speaker 2: you know, yeah, yeah, not an omelet, not right than

697
00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,400
Speaker 2: what the Browns do to their quarterbacks every year. Yeah,

698
00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,880
Speaker 2: they lead us to the championship, but nothing around you

699
00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:19,360
Speaker 2: you know, right.

700
00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:22,440
Speaker 3: Okay, so we're gonna take a break step aside, West

701
00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:23,800
Speaker 3: Euler is jumping back in.

702
00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:24,400
Speaker 2: Yep.

703
00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,440
Speaker 3: Thumbs up from west Euler, and so we're gonna our

704
00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,560
Speaker 3: coverage is going to continue. It's going to continue through

705
00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:31,920
Speaker 3: five o'clock today when Wes and Matt will be on

706
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,480
Speaker 3: the drive. But a little preview that drive action coming

707
00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,320
Speaker 3: up when west Euler steps in as we continue our

708
00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,440
Speaker 3: Steelers coverage from the Combine in Indianapolis here on Steers

709
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:41,120
Speaker 3: Nation Radio.

710
00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:48,200
Speaker 1: This is live coble reach of that twenty twenty six

711
00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:52,040
Speaker 1: NFL Combine on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the

712
00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:54,320
Speaker 1: Steelers Audio Network.

713
00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,640
Speaker 7: Back inside the Indiana Convention Center. And we are pleased

714
00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:00,600
Speaker 7: to have a very fun guest with us here to

715
00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,680
Speaker 7: close down this our Q Myers Las Vegas Sports Network

716
00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,760
Speaker 7: locked on Raiders Podcast. Q. Good to see you as always,

717
00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:08,759
Speaker 7: Thank you for taking the time.

718
00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:10,000
Speaker 2: It's great to be with you, guys. Man.

719
00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:12,080
Speaker 6: This is fun, right first day of really I'm psyched

720
00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:14,680
Speaker 6: the combine and we're inside so it's warm and we're

721
00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:16,759
Speaker 6: not outside where it's cold. I'm not built for this

722
00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:18,279
Speaker 6: cold man, just built for it.

723
00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:19,120
Speaker 2: I mean we live in it.

724
00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:20,879
Speaker 3: But you're the first guest built for it either.

725
00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:24,200
Speaker 2: Yeah it's chilly, Yeah, it's windy here. It's stupid. It's stupid.

726
00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:27,200
Speaker 2: You're our first guest. That's not the Steelers GM. So

727
00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,600
Speaker 2: congrats there you got many of them lined up. There

728
00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:30,359
Speaker 2: you go, I'll take it.

729
00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,120
Speaker 7: So we obviously want to talk to you plenty about

730
00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:32,719
Speaker 7: Patrick Graham.

731
00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:34,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, why would we bring a Raiders guy on?

732
00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:38,000
Speaker 7: Let's talking, But just real quick before we get to him,

733
00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,000
Speaker 7: we got to get your thoughts on Fernando Mendoza.

734
00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:40,440
Speaker 5: Easy.

735
00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:43,839
Speaker 7: First overall, pick turn the phones off or you may

736
00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:46,520
Speaker 7: be listening. Just what's the what's the vibe around Mendoza

737
00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:47,080
Speaker 7: in the organization?

738
00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:49,840
Speaker 6: I think you always listen just to listen, but you

739
00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,319
Speaker 6: don't have to react, right. I watch commercials, but don't

740
00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:53,960
Speaker 6: mean I go buy every product, right, you know what

741
00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:55,480
Speaker 6: I mean? Like I mean, it's just I think you

742
00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:58,160
Speaker 6: do it and if someone just wows you with something crazy,

743
00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:00,120
Speaker 6: then maybe you really think about it. But look, it

744
00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:01,719
Speaker 6: has been in a position for a long time where

745
00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:03,759
Speaker 6: they haven't had their quarterback, and even when they had

746
00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,239
Speaker 6: Derek Carr, I would say twenty sixteen, car was the

747
00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:08,440
Speaker 6: best version of him. Once he broke his ankle, he

748
00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:10,600
Speaker 6: wasn't that guy. And so they were trying to find

749
00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:12,680
Speaker 6: a better version of him, and I think they have

750
00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:14,400
Speaker 6: an opportunity now. Now they've got to make a lot

751
00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:16,440
Speaker 6: of good decisions. They got to build around him, and

752
00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:18,600
Speaker 6: they've got to put his protection around and playmakers. But

753
00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:21,800
Speaker 6: it's a step, and it's one of the most important steps,

754
00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,879
Speaker 6: if not the most important step in building a team.

755
00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:25,880
Speaker 6: So you got to go get fan Ada Mendoza.

756
00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,520
Speaker 2: So this is going to lead into the Patrick Graham conversation.

757
00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:31,279
Speaker 2: But I have great respect for Pete Carroll's career and

758
00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,920
Speaker 2: all those things. But I didn't think it was a

759
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,279
Speaker 2: very well coached team at all last year. No, nor

760
00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:39,080
Speaker 2: do I think it was a very talented team. But

761
00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:42,640
Speaker 2: I actually think, you know, the Carrol and his staff

762
00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:45,200
Speaker 2: and the offensive line coach, his son, you know, really

763
00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:47,359
Speaker 2: held things back that they maybe could have got more

764
00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,840
Speaker 2: out of that group. But I think the total opposite

765
00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,920
Speaker 2: the defense, because I think Graham is really specialized on

766
00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:56,560
Speaker 2: here's not very good ingredients, right, and he gives you

767
00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:57,640
Speaker 2: a very edible meal.

768
00:35:57,800 --> 00:35:59,480
Speaker 6: He does he does. I have a lot of respect

769
00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,160
Speaker 6: for Patrick. I think he did a lot with very little,

770
00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:04,200
Speaker 6: as you mentioned, I really do, and a lot of

771
00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:07,160
Speaker 6: Raider fans didn't appreciate him, they'll tell you right now, cut,

772
00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,239
Speaker 6: I'm glad he's out of here, and I'm like, okay, right,

773
00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:10,799
Speaker 6: I mean, I think he did some really good things.

774
00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:12,919
Speaker 6: And really, when the Raiders started to turn their defense around,

775
00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:14,920
Speaker 6: I want to say in twenty twenty three, earlier in

776
00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:16,480
Speaker 6: the season, I kept telling everyone, I was like, they're

777
00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:18,680
Speaker 6: only giving up sixteen points a game. You should be

778
00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:20,719
Speaker 6: able to win games like that. Yeah, I mean, you're

779
00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:23,399
Speaker 6: in games. Their offense just was terrible, and so then

780
00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:25,480
Speaker 6: everyone started to see that their defense played better. And

781
00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:27,680
Speaker 6: then when McDaniels got fired and ap took over as

782
00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,480
Speaker 6: the interim, then you saw the defense really tick up

783
00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,279
Speaker 6: a notch and you thought in twenty twenty four their

784
00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:34,359
Speaker 6: defense was going to be really good, and they got

785
00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,080
Speaker 6: played with injuries. Christian Wilkins went down after five games,

786
00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:39,959
Speaker 6: Max went down after twelve games, Malcolm Coons was injured

787
00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,520
Speaker 6: in preseason. Like it was just so many things happen,

788
00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:44,600
Speaker 6: and so Patrick Graham was once again put in a

789
00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,239
Speaker 6: position where he didn't really have dominant players and he

790
00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:49,120
Speaker 6: had to try to figure it out. And for the

791
00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,880
Speaker 6: most part he's done that. It's never gonna be Wow,

792
00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,600
Speaker 6: it's never going to be the Seahawks defense that we

793
00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:55,640
Speaker 6: just saw win the Super Bowl.

794
00:36:55,719 --> 00:36:57,800
Speaker 2: But it's going to give you a chance to win games,

795
00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,600
Speaker 2: especially better player in fact, you know what I mean,

796
00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,000
Speaker 2: thank you. I mean, other than Crosby, I'm not sure

797
00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:04,520
Speaker 2: how many Raiders would start for the Steelers.

798
00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:06,319
Speaker 6: No, exactly right, I mean, hell, I might as well

799
00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:08,719
Speaker 6: be out there on the corner position. And believe me,

800
00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:11,480
Speaker 6: I'm giving it up. Q.

801
00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:13,640
Speaker 7: What can what can Steelers fans expect?

802
00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:13,759
Speaker 2: Like?

803
00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,480
Speaker 7: Is there a calling card of a Patrick Graham defense

804
00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:19,399
Speaker 7: or has it just been forget having an identity, We're

805
00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:20,960
Speaker 7: going to attack you and what's best on a week

806
00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:21,560
Speaker 7: to week basis.

807
00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:24,520
Speaker 6: Yeah, he he, he has a calling card, but he

808
00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:27,560
Speaker 6: also understands who he has with him, the personnel, so

809
00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:29,120
Speaker 6: he's able to adjust to it.

810
00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:29,399
Speaker 2: Now.

811
00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:33,600
Speaker 6: The one thing that is concerning for him is that

812
00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:35,120
Speaker 6: a lot of times the middle of the field will

813
00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:37,640
Speaker 6: be open. That was always my big bugaboo, like why

814
00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:39,279
Speaker 6: in the world is the middle of the field wide open?

815
00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:41,000
Speaker 6: But that would be open more times than not, so

816
00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:41,960
Speaker 6: that's a concern.

817
00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:44,560
Speaker 2: But outside of that, he's mostly a single high guys.

818
00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:47,839
Speaker 6: He's mostly single high. You know, he he doesn't mind.

819
00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:49,480
Speaker 6: He likes to be able to use bump and run,

820
00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:51,200
Speaker 6: but you got to have the corners to do it right.

821
00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:53,000
Speaker 6: So sometimes you got to protect these guys with his

822
00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,080
Speaker 6: own and so he did that and Pete Carroll and him,

823
00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,240
Speaker 6: they tried to collaborate their offense last or their defense

824
00:37:57,320 --> 00:37:59,680
Speaker 6: last year, and that didn't work. I mean, I'm talking

825
00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:01,120
Speaker 6: to play in the locker room, They're like, yeah, we're

826
00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:03,440
Speaker 6: still trying to figure this this collaboration thing out. So

827
00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:05,520
Speaker 6: that was like week fifteen. I'm like, well, this is over.

828
00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:08,200
Speaker 6: You know what, if you haven't figured it out by now,

829
00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,640
Speaker 6: you're not gonna figure it out. So it's a lot

830
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:14,080
Speaker 6: of that kind of combination, you know, going on with them.

831
00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:16,560
Speaker 6: But I mean he does, like I said, for the

832
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,760
Speaker 6: most part, he will his defense will keep you in games.

833
00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:21,440
Speaker 6: And like you said, if they have really good players,

834
00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,560
Speaker 6: which obviously these Dealers do, they'll be able to execute.

835
00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:26,439
Speaker 2: One thing that stood out to me from last year,

836
00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:28,400
Speaker 2: even though it didn't go great, and I think there

837
00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:30,600
Speaker 2: was a little more Carol influence than I would have liked,

838
00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:33,680
Speaker 2: the explosive play rate was really really good on defense,

839
00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:35,799
Speaker 2: and that's so key in today's NFL. For sure.

840
00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:37,759
Speaker 6: For sure, and that's one of the big things. And

841
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,480
Speaker 6: he wants to obviously, as every team does, want to

842
00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:42,960
Speaker 6: create turnovers, and he harps on turnovers and practice and

843
00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:45,000
Speaker 6: he's trying to get him and the Raiders just couldn't

844
00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:47,400
Speaker 6: create turnovers. And I mean there was times when he

845
00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:49,719
Speaker 6: was almost cussing at me, and when we're at the

846
00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:51,640
Speaker 6: podium asking questions because I'm like, well, how do you

847
00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:53,920
Speaker 6: get these guys to do get some turnovers? He's like, man,

848
00:38:54,040 --> 00:38:56,000
Speaker 6: I'm tired of talking about them, you know. And he

849
00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:57,600
Speaker 6: wasn't mad at me, but he was mad at the

850
00:38:57,640 --> 00:39:02,560
Speaker 6: situation because they just couldn't generate enough big plays. Defensively,

851
00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:04,960
Speaker 6: they didn't allow the big plays, which is great, but

852
00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:07,040
Speaker 6: they also didn't create the big plays. So that was

853
00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:09,680
Speaker 6: the frustration. They try to get home with the front four.

854
00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:12,960
Speaker 6: They don't try to blitz too often, right, and the

855
00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:14,920
Speaker 6: linebackers try to do the best they can with the

856
00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:17,120
Speaker 6: space eaters in front, trying to you know, peel off

857
00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,319
Speaker 6: the blocks and go and make tackles. And for the

858
00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,480
Speaker 6: most part, guys like e rob who you know really well,

859
00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:24,320
Speaker 6: he landed Roberts, you know those kind of guys, Roberts,

860
00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:26,800
Speaker 6: Spulane also a guy that did really well for the Raiders.

861
00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,919
Speaker 6: They did good from the linebacker position, just being sure

862
00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:32,000
Speaker 6: tacklers and being able to get off those blocks. Not

863
00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,239
Speaker 6: the rangiest guys, but not the rangest guys, but they

864
00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:35,160
Speaker 6: can get off the blocks.

865
00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:36,840
Speaker 7: When you talk about kind of how he likes to

866
00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:40,160
Speaker 7: deploy his secondary single high bump and run when you can.

867
00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:43,360
Speaker 7: We've had a lot of conversation around Jalen Ramsey and

868
00:39:43,520 --> 00:39:45,640
Speaker 7: and him this offseason. And do you keep him on

869
00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:47,680
Speaker 7: the roster as a full time safety? Do you try

870
00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:49,959
Speaker 7: and still use him as like the big nickel type?

871
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:50,319
Speaker 2: Yeah?

872
00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:52,240
Speaker 7: Do you think he's a fit in the Patrick Graham defense?

873
00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,040
Speaker 6: I think he could be. I would put him there's

874
00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:56,279
Speaker 6: a couple options. I'd put him at either either at

875
00:39:56,320 --> 00:39:58,080
Speaker 6: the safety position or even put him in the big

876
00:39:58,160 --> 00:39:58,760
Speaker 6: nickel position.

877
00:39:58,800 --> 00:39:59,440
Speaker 2: Why not, right?

878
00:39:59,480 --> 00:40:01,080
Speaker 6: I mean, And that's kind of how they tried to

879
00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:04,839
Speaker 6: use uh and now I'm forgetting his name, Jeremy Chin.

880
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:07,759
Speaker 6: They tried to use him in the in the big role. Yeah,

881
00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:09,360
Speaker 6: but they had him at the safety role, kind of

882
00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:11,359
Speaker 6: have him like a hybrid guy that could just run

883
00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:13,719
Speaker 6: around the field and make some plays. I think jays

884
00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:16,400
Speaker 6: Le Ramsay still has that ability and even better than

885
00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:19,080
Speaker 6: a Jeremy Chin would. So I think that that would

886
00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:20,960
Speaker 6: be a really good chess piece. And that's the thing

887
00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:23,120
Speaker 6: I mean this guy, I mean he's all football all

888
00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:25,399
Speaker 6: the time, Like he's thick of football all the time

889
00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:27,719
Speaker 6: and always trying to come up with something new and creative.

890
00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:30,200
Speaker 6: And you know what, what can he what is he seeing?

891
00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:31,759
Speaker 6: What is the trends that he's seeing, and how he

892
00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:34,280
Speaker 6: can defeat him? So he's a very smart.

893
00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:34,640
Speaker 2: Sharp guy.

894
00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:37,080
Speaker 6: So I've always respected what Patrick Graham has to do

895
00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:38,520
Speaker 6: when he when he's doing his defenses.

896
00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:40,359
Speaker 2: You, I know you need to run, you're busy too.

897
00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:41,880
Speaker 2: But there's two names you brought up that I just

898
00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:43,719
Speaker 2: wanted to mention real quick. It seemed like they gave

899
00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:46,720
Speaker 2: mac crosby a lot of freedom at the line of scrimmage,

900
00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:49,360
Speaker 2: which is rare for a defensive lineman. Could that be

901
00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:53,279
Speaker 2: a watt thing in Pittsburgh? And a strange question for

902
00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:57,239
Speaker 2: you is a Christian Wilkins situation, Like I do you

903
00:40:57,239 --> 00:40:58,160
Speaker 2: have any insight to that?

904
00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:00,560
Speaker 6: Because no idea what's going on with I think that

905
00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:02,200
Speaker 6: there's a hearing that's going to be coming up pretty

906
00:41:02,239 --> 00:41:04,840
Speaker 6: soon before the before the league year opens up to

907
00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:07,000
Speaker 6: find out what money they owe, what money they don't

908
00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:07,399
Speaker 6: owe him.

909
00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:09,680
Speaker 2: I'd love the Steelers to grab him for nothing right now.

910
00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:12,200
Speaker 2: I mean, if it's all clear. I don't know if

911
00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:12,839
Speaker 2: you do, YEA.

912
00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:16,680
Speaker 6: From what I've heard, there's been some weird things that

913
00:41:16,719 --> 00:41:19,359
Speaker 6: were happening that maybe you don't want in the locker room.

914
00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:21,880
Speaker 2: But I'm pretty telling he didn't get picked up yet.

915
00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:22,000
Speaker 5: Thank you.

916
00:41:22,760 --> 00:41:24,759
Speaker 6: And a talented dude like that, that tells you all

917
00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:27,360
Speaker 6: you need to know. So in a very forgiving league,

918
00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:29,759
Speaker 6: the fact that he wasn't picked up by anyone.

919
00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:31,560
Speaker 2: Might be the answer the question.

920
00:41:31,719 --> 00:41:34,840
Speaker 6: Yeah, exactly so Max, Max, and he does get that freedom.

921
00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:35,279
Speaker 2: I think t J.

922
00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:37,799
Speaker 6: Wat's gonna really like Patrick Graham, and I know Patrick

923
00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:39,640
Speaker 6: Krant is gonna love t J. Watt because he makes

924
00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:41,560
Speaker 6: more play. I mean I say this all the time.

925
00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:44,280
Speaker 6: Max is a tier below in my opinion.

926
00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:44,640
Speaker 2: TJ.

927
00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:50,120
Speaker 6: Miles Micah, those guys make difference below. Yeah, yeah, right below,

928
00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:51,120
Speaker 6: which is still a great level.

929
00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:51,799
Speaker 2: Don't get me wrong.

930
00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:53,360
Speaker 6: A lot of Raider fans get mad at me and

931
00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:54,680
Speaker 6: I'm like, no, but t J.

932
00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:59,600
Speaker 2: Watt they come up with the big strip sacks.

933
00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:01,320
Speaker 6: They come up with the interceptions, they come up with,

934
00:42:01,360 --> 00:42:04,320
Speaker 6: the fumble recoveries, they come up with those different making plays.

935
00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:07,279
Speaker 6: That gives them a chance to really be special, so

936
00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:08,799
Speaker 6: that I think they're gonna do really well.

937
00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:09,600
Speaker 2: I think that's a good fit.

938
00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:11,319
Speaker 6: Yeah, facts, facts, big facts.

939
00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:14,480
Speaker 7: Yes, Hugh Meyers locked on Raiders podcast, kind enough to

940
00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:16,120
Speaker 7: lend us some of his time here on Radio Row.

941
00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:17,360
Speaker 3: Good catching you up with you as always.

942
00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:19,720
Speaker 2: Yeah, running around here like crazy.

943
00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:20,480
Speaker 3: This is what we love.

944
00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:23,319
Speaker 7: Right, that's exactly right, That's exactly right, looking forward to it.

945
00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,319
Speaker 7: Thanks man, We appreciate it. That will do it for

946
00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:26,880
Speaker 7: Matt and I for now. We'll be back with you

947
00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:30,319
Speaker 7: at two o'clock. Jerry Dulak gonna slide in here when

948
00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:34,440
Speaker 7: we return for the afternoon, the noon hour, lunch hour. Here,

949
00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:38,920
Speaker 7: it's all happening live on Radio Row. It's our ongoing

950
00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:43,680
Speaker 7: combine coverage inside the Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana Steelers Nation

951
00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:45,320
Speaker 7: Radio on the Steelers Audio Network