WEBVTT - Hr 2: Chris Carter and Power Rankings 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:03.040 Sluggish volume on the Parkway West inbound Green Tree to 0:00:03.080 --> 0:00:05.720 the Fort Pitt Tunnel. Parkway East inbound, that's jamming up 0:00:05.760 --> 0:00:08.039 Second Avenue to the Fort Pitt Bridge. Outbound Boulevard of 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:10.959 the Allies to the Squirrel Hill Tunnel. Crosstown Boulevard inbound 0:00:11.039 --> 0:00:13.720 jams the Vets Bridge to the Liberty Bridge, Brendon Joseph. 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:16.880 Total traffic, easy to drink, easy to enjoy, and. 0:00:16.960 --> 0:00:20.000 Brought to you in part by Clearview Federal Credit Union. 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:23.160 For every touchdown the Black and Gold Score in twenty 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:26.799 twenty six, Clearview will donate five hundred dollars to the 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:31.000 Light of Life Mission, they said, CLEARVIEWFCU dot org. 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If you 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.600 are a if you are a Steelers junkie, like all 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:15.640 of us are here, you have certainly familiar with the 0:01:15.680 --> 0:01:19.160 work of Chris Carter. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette locked on Steelers. Chris, 0:01:19.200 --> 0:01:20.840 thank you for taking the time to join us here 0:01:20.920 --> 0:01:24.399 and what has been a different training camp, certainly than 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:27.119 what we were used to the last few years. 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:29.400 Thanks for having me, and yeah, it's been very different. 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:31.959 It's been fun to learn that what is different and 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:34.640 to adapt to it and explain it to fans. A 0:01:34.640 --> 0:01:36.240 lot of fans, you know, shout out to all the 0:01:36.480 --> 0:01:39.480 Steelers fans that travel to La Trobe and get to 0:01:39.520 --> 0:01:41.960 in one experience and run into a bunch of them 0:01:41.959 --> 0:01:44.080 at Sharkys and they're they're big fans of all the work, 0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:47.520 especially people here at SNR. But it's been really interesting 0:01:47.520 --> 0:01:49.960 to see and then also discussed with people, even like 0:01:50.000 --> 0:01:51.680 some alumni that come through. I got to talk to 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:53.880 Brian McFadden, who you know, he was part of the 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:57.480 Cower and Tomlin years and he was just like, this 0:01:57.520 --> 0:01:59.080 is so different. He was like, I just got done 0:01:59.160 --> 0:02:01.080 covering the rams and this is different from how they 0:02:01.160 --> 0:02:04.320 do it, but certainly fun to learn how McCarthy wants 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:05.480 to set things up this year. 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:08.840 Chris, what have you noticed from coach McCarthy in terms 0:02:08.880 --> 0:02:12.080 of his dealing the hands on this with the quarterbacks 0:02:12.320 --> 0:02:15.440 and the two young pups. What kind of impressions do 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:17.799 you have of them so far? Good? Bad, ugly over 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:19.960 their head you know, talent, What do you think? Well, 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:21.000 I'll start with McCarthy. 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:24.280 Yeah, I really like the way that he kind of 0:02:24.840 --> 0:02:27.840 breaks down details and he seems to have a plan 0:02:27.960 --> 0:02:30.919 for like, hey, the overall project that we are here 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:34.320 to try to teach quarterbacking and making good decisions and 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:37.800 fixing fundamentals. It is a step by step process that 0:02:37.840 --> 0:02:41.320 he has mapped out and adapted over decades of coaching, 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:44.080 and that I have appreciated hearing it from it. And 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:45.720 like I got to talk to Will Howard, I think 0:02:45.720 --> 0:02:48.240 it was yesterday and when I was asking him about it, 0:02:48.280 --> 0:02:50.120 and I asked him, like, you know, how does how 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.320 does it compare not just learning how to take the 0:02:53.400 --> 0:02:55.760 right steps and you have the right arm motions, but 0:02:55.840 --> 0:02:57.520 combine that with how do you. 0:02:57.560 --> 0:03:00.600 Process a defense? Where does your head here? Where does 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:02.360 your head go there? You know? How do you know? 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:04.120 How do you use your eyes as part of that? 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:06.320 And he you know, kind I was able to break 0:03:06.360 --> 0:03:08.520 it down, and I've I've seen We've seen plenty of 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:11.160 quarterbacks come through here. I've talked to plenty of quarterbacks 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:13.720 around the NFL and college football. And sometimes that's the 0:03:13.760 --> 0:03:16.079 easiest thing to get lost in is all the different 0:03:16.080 --> 0:03:18.880 things you have to learn all at once, and that 0:03:19.000 --> 0:03:20.600 just throws you up in the air, and then you 0:03:20.639 --> 0:03:23.320 make so many mistakes. Then you can't fix problems because 0:03:23.320 --> 0:03:26.200 you can't isolate what's wrong. I think Mike McCarthy is 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:29.160 doing a good job isolating what they need to work 0:03:29.200 --> 0:03:31.880 on now. As far as how they performed, I've been 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:35.000 encouraged by I think some of the things that I've 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:36.720 been able to see, but I also think they both 0:03:36.760 --> 0:03:39.960 have a long way to go. I think that Drew Aller, 0:03:40.800 --> 0:03:42.960 there are there are the moments that get shared on 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:46.440 Twitter where man, look at that past, he's ready. 0:03:47.680 --> 0:03:50.360 But there's other moments where you're just like ah, you know, 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:54.200 like okay, we see why he was a third round pick. 0:03:54.400 --> 0:03:56.680 Rookie and you're waiting to see and he's probably just 0:03:56.680 --> 0:03:58.880 gonna be third on the depth chart this year. As 0:03:58.880 --> 0:04:02.520 far as Will Howard, I think Will Howard he I'm 0:04:02.640 --> 0:04:05.160 intrigued to see, is can Will Howard be a gamer? 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:08.200 Because you know that's something that when when I cover 0:04:08.280 --> 0:04:10.480 Pitt I talked to paton Ardus. He talked about certain 0:04:10.480 --> 0:04:12.400 guys that are gamers. They may not practice the best 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:15.040 all the time, but when the lights turn on, they played, 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:17.760 they step up. And I think Will Howard He's had 0:04:17.800 --> 0:04:19.840 some rough moments in camp, He's had some good moments 0:04:19.839 --> 0:04:21.320 in camp, but I want to see when the lights 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:23.479 turn on, will he be that guy that steps so 0:04:23.480 --> 0:04:25.000 because that's what he did for Ohio State. You know, 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:27.240 he wasn't one of their best players, but there were 0:04:27.279 --> 0:04:28.960 several times and the game was on the line, you 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:31.320 could count on him to make a good decision to 0:04:31.360 --> 0:04:32.560 give his team the best chance. 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:34.359 And he's a national champion and. 0:04:34.360 --> 0:04:36.039 Part of it, say, particularly the last time we saw 0:04:36.120 --> 0:04:38.520 him when Ohio State they had that lost to Michigan, 0:04:38.760 --> 0:04:39.520 it was like fire. 0:04:39.560 --> 0:04:42.760 Everybody could have gone a completely different direction. 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:45.600 And as a college player. 0:04:46.640 --> 0:04:48.880 And I think that's the thing that is interesting to 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:51.520 see the dynamics from them is that Will Howard is 0:04:51.520 --> 0:04:53.800 the guy that doesn't have all the physical traits that 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:55.760 you want. He doesn't have the cannon arm, he doesn't 0:04:55.800 --> 0:04:58.120 have all those things. Drew la has those things. But 0:04:58.160 --> 0:05:00.920 Will Howard's stepped up in big moments college football. Dre 0:05:00.960 --> 0:05:03.880 Rowler notably folded in big moments. And so that's where 0:05:03.880 --> 0:05:05.840 I think it's interesting to see them come together under 0:05:05.880 --> 0:05:09.320 Mike McCarthy and Tom Marth and Frank Signety Junion, all 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:11.159 these guys that are getting able to teach them and say, hey, 0:05:11.240 --> 0:05:13.880 let's work with you step by step and erase all 0:05:13.920 --> 0:05:16.040 the bad things that got in your way and then 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:18.320 let you start anew with a clean slate here in 0:05:18.360 --> 0:05:18.880 the NFL. 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:22.240 So I think the follow up question to that, obviously, 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:24.640 is something that's been kicked around in these last two 0:05:24.680 --> 0:05:27.279 weeks or so of camp. How realistic is the idea 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:29.479 of keeping four quarterbacks on the roster this year. 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:31.600 My colleague Jerry Doula put points out all the time 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:35.000 he thinks that it's there, definitely considering it. I just 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:37.040 have a hard time seeing how they pull it off 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:40.080 when you look at all the needs on this team. Like, 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:42.360 the question is what position do you want to pinch 0:05:42.600 --> 0:05:44.680 to open up the door to keep four quarterbacks in 0:05:44.760 --> 0:05:47.040 the fifty three man roster, you need to keep at 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:49.160 least six wide receivers because one of those guys is 0:05:49.160 --> 0:05:51.799 going to be a return man, because they seem adamant 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:54.200 about making Cayden Weieden that guy, and Cayden Weigen, I 0:05:54.240 --> 0:05:55.680 don't know if he's going to be a wide receiver 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:56.599 you want out there regularly. 0:05:56.680 --> 0:05:57.320 That means you need. 0:05:57.279 --> 0:05:59.720 Five ready to go wide receivers to take over that. 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:02.159 And one of those guys most likely is gonna be 0:06:02.160 --> 0:06:04.120 Ben Scaroniic. We know they have the four going to 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:08.080 be uh in you know, Metcalf, Pittman, Wilson, and Bernard. 0:06:08.279 --> 0:06:10.280 So you kind of already have your six slaughtered wide 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:12.720 receivers right there. You can't pinch there running back, you 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:14.760 know you're talking about you know, is Caleb Johnson gonna 0:06:14.760 --> 0:06:15.160 get cut? 0:06:15.320 --> 0:06:16.640 You know? You know you're keeping the top two. 0:06:16.680 --> 0:06:18.839 You got to keep at least three, you know, But 0:06:18.880 --> 0:06:20.680 do you want to keep Travis Homwerk because he's in 0:06:20.720 --> 0:06:23.039 on all the special teams? Do you want to you know, 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:25.039 try a loon Nichols because of how he's done in 0:06:25.080 --> 0:06:28.239 pass protection, and so that's a tougher position. Offensive lineman, 0:06:28.440 --> 0:06:30.520 you know you're dealing with injuries. You know you're you're 0:06:30.560 --> 0:06:32.920 seeing that. Do you you can you afford to keep 0:06:33.040 --> 0:06:35.279 less than ten with this crew? And then the same 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:37.520 thing goes for defense with corners and different positions. 0:06:37.600 --> 0:06:40.120 Looks like they're gonna keep a fullback this year and they. 0:06:40.080 --> 0:06:42.200 Want to keep it with Riley Noakowski. You know, do 0:06:42.240 --> 0:06:44.320 you want to just let him go? And so that's 0:06:44.360 --> 0:06:47.000 my thinking here is I think the ideal situation for 0:06:47.040 --> 0:06:49.000 the Steelers, if everything was to work out the way 0:06:49.040 --> 0:06:51.760 that Omar Khan in this front office I think want 0:06:52.160 --> 0:06:56.479 it would be Will Howard either gets close enough to 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:59.520 Mason Rudolph that it's like, you know what, he's close enough. 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:02.520 We're gonna we're gonna trade based on Rudolph because we 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:05.039 feel like Will Howard isn't he's not as good, but 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:06.760 he's close enough that we can say, hey, he can 0:07:06.760 --> 0:07:07.120 come in and. 0:07:07.760 --> 0:07:09.560 From hit right. 0:07:10.080 --> 0:07:13.120 Or Will Howard isn't close enough that you want him in, 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:15.840 but he flashes a bit and someone's like, hey, we'll 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:18.400 kick you at a mid to late day three pick 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:20.800 for him or a pick swap of some sort, and 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:23.040 in that way, the Steelers can get some more draft 0:07:23.120 --> 0:07:25.840 ammunition to add up to what their project is gonna 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:27.000 be next spring. 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:29.800 So, christ I'm curious for your thoughts of the right 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:34.040 side of the offensive line. I mean, from uh my perspective, 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:37.040 it looks like Anderson's pretty much grabbing that right pretty 0:07:37.080 --> 0:07:40.120 much job and I've been really impressed with the Haunta chore, 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:41.760 but we haven't seen him for a couple of days. Yea, 0:07:41.840 --> 0:07:45.920 And how do you think that progression goes from here? Predictions? 0:07:46.040 --> 0:07:48.040 Well, I thought that Spencer Anderson was going to be 0:07:48.080 --> 0:07:50.360 a competition. I don't think I think he's made it 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:52.800 not a competition. Yeah, yeah, he's locked it down. He's 0:07:52.800 --> 0:07:55.480 your starting right guard. And y'all like like I, I, 0:07:55.680 --> 0:07:57.560 you know, I try to pay attention to the lineman 0:07:57.600 --> 0:08:00.640 as much as possible, uh in these in these practices, 0:08:00.680 --> 0:08:03.119 when they get to go up and Spencer Anderson wins 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:05.560 so many one on ones, it's really impressive. 0:08:05.680 --> 0:08:07.720 I'd like to extend him. I think that's the thing. 0:08:07.760 --> 0:08:09.960 If you can extend him, he could kind of be 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:13.760 the ramone foster of this offense. Era, like you know, 0:08:13.800 --> 0:08:15.600 like back then, you had your first round picks like 0:08:15.640 --> 0:08:18.200 Powers and the Castro, and then you had Gilbert Is 0:08:18.240 --> 0:08:21.200 a second round pick, and now you've got Faltano, You've 0:08:21.240 --> 0:08:24.280 got Frasier's your second round and you know you drafted Max. 0:08:24.600 --> 0:08:27.760 You need guys that you didn't necessarily draft super high 0:08:27.800 --> 0:08:29.560 to be part of this. McCormick's fitting in as a 0:08:29.560 --> 0:08:32.120 fourth rounder right now. So I think Spencer Anderson, you 0:08:32.160 --> 0:08:33.839 know he's a seventh round pick, but I think he's 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:36.320 fitting there now right tackle. That's gonna be interesting because 0:08:36.360 --> 0:08:39.200 I did like what I initially saw MAXI Honatchor, but 0:08:39.600 --> 0:08:42.280 I want to see an actual game time. I also 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:43.960 want to see his hands improved. And I think Dylan 0:08:44.000 --> 0:08:47.600 Cook's done fine. I will say I was really low 0:08:47.640 --> 0:08:50.080 on Broderick Jones. The first week and a half of 0:08:50.120 --> 0:08:55.840 training camp. He was getting w Yeah, but like the 0:08:55.960 --> 0:08:58.160 last couple of days, I mean not today because it 0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:01.560 was it was a walkthrough. But when Saturday night practice 0:09:01.840 --> 0:09:03.720 he buried Nick Herbig. 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:07.839 He stuffed Jack Sawyer, I was really impressed. Could he 0:09:07.920 --> 0:09:09.000 be in the right tackle mix. 0:09:09.400 --> 0:09:11.120 I think he's in the he's in the flip tackle 0:09:11.160 --> 0:09:13.920 mix because He's gonna be wherever they need him to be, 0:09:13.960 --> 0:09:15.800 and if he happens to settle in it right tackle, 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:17.600 they'll say, hey, that's a win for now. But I 0:09:17.640 --> 0:09:20.320 think that what's gonna happen is that in these preseason games, 0:09:20.400 --> 0:09:22.160 if he gets in and he does well, if I'm 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:24.439 Dylan Cook, I'm looking over my shoulder, like, okay, I 0:09:24.720 --> 0:09:26.199 need to step it up a little bit, because I 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:28.439 don't think Dylan, like Spencer Anderson, has made it not 0:09:28.520 --> 0:09:30.760 a competition. Dylan Cook has left that door open. 0:09:30.840 --> 0:09:33.360 And I don't know to be thrilled to lose Broderick 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:36.760 because you're you'd move him for ten cents on the dollar. 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:38.800 But I bet somebody would offer you a pick if 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:40.280 he puts good preseason tape out there. 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:42.040 I think so it took me. We've seen it Dan 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:45.640 Moore indeed, right, And I mean Dan Moore was a 0:09:45.640 --> 0:09:47.800 guy who you know in Pittsburgh people. 0:09:47.480 --> 0:09:48.400 Were like, man as this. 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:50.679 I'm not sure if Dan Moore is the future and 0:09:50.800 --> 0:09:53.079 he got paid on the open market, and if Broddick Jones, 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:55.400 like you said, if he comes out and plays well 0:09:55.440 --> 0:09:58.480 in the preseason and looks like he's getting over his injury, 0:09:58.480 --> 0:09:59.880 and someone needs an offensive tackle. 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:01.480 Believe what was it? The Commanders just lost that? 0:10:01.600 --> 0:10:05.240 Yeah, so like you know, someone's desperate, Hey, we'll flip 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.160 your pick for it, and or maybe you get another 0:10:07.160 --> 0:10:09.280 piece you need somewhere else. I think that could be 0:10:09.280 --> 0:10:10.760 something that you get there because you don't I don't 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.240 think you want Broddick Jones to hit the open market. 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:15.840 I mean, unless I might give you a calm pick bag, 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.160 but then that's twenty eight. That's not twenty seven, right, 0:10:18.160 --> 0:10:20.320 And I think you want your ammunition this year because 0:10:20.320 --> 0:10:22.120 I think this year they're expecting it to be the 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:23.520 quarterback draft class year. 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:25.840 A couple more minutes here with our buddy Chris Carter, 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:29.520 Pittsburgh Post Gazette, locked on Steelers. Chris defensive side of 0:10:29.559 --> 0:10:31.800 the football a little bit of a bummer to this point. 0:10:31.880 --> 0:10:34.560 Obviously we haven't seen Jalen Ramsey, we haven't seen Joey 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:37.920 Porter Junior. But one man gathers what another man spills, 0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:41.719 and man, I feel like a Sante Samuel Junior and 0:10:41.880 --> 0:10:44.800 the rookie third rounder who's kind of being forgotten with 0:10:44.880 --> 0:10:49.000 some of the quarterback conversation, and Max and Bernard and 0:10:49.120 --> 0:10:52.160 Dalan Everett out of Georgia. Man, I think Everett might 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:54.960 be having the best camp of any rookie. Sante Samuel 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:56.680 Junior might be having one of the best camps of 0:10:56.720 --> 0:10:57.480 anybody at Yere. 0:10:57.600 --> 0:10:58.800 I mean he's up there. You know. 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:00.760 I do a player of prac this for locked on 0:11:00.840 --> 0:11:03.880 Steelers every day and him and Derek Harr Samuel and 0:11:03.880 --> 0:11:05.880 Derek Harron and my two guys that have been repeats, 0:11:05.920 --> 0:11:08.360 and they they have both been standouts. 0:11:08.400 --> 0:11:09.679 But the Sante Samuel Jr. 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:12.360 I mean, he has been been lined up with every 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:16.679 wide receiver in this and I've not seen some anyone 0:11:17.200 --> 0:11:19.560 feel like they can say, oh, I've definitely got him. 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:21.599 You know, they might get him once, but he'll get that. 0:11:21.679 --> 0:11:23.520 He'll get them right back with the next rep A. 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:26.839 Sante said he's sticky in coverage. His footwork looks clean 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:30.160 when he's turning and running. Uh, it makes me wonder, 0:11:30.559 --> 0:11:32.959 if you know. And Mike McCarthy did say he has 0:11:33.000 --> 0:11:35.679 position flex that's his that's his term that he likes 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:38.000 to use for, you know, having flexibility in the in 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:40.480 the d in any defense or offense. But when it 0:11:40.480 --> 0:11:43.040 comes to Sante Samuel Jr. He talked about position flex 0:11:43.120 --> 0:11:46.280 and how he plays there, and he has said this 0:11:46.360 --> 0:11:48.160 guy can play in the slot. He does not just 0:11:48.200 --> 0:11:50.600 have to play in the outside. I wonder if the 0:11:50.600 --> 0:11:53.880 initial plan of putting Jalen Ramsey in the slot, maybe 0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:55.600 they take a step and they say, wait a second, 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:58.280 what if we use him in our safety rotation and 0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:01.880 he's one he's our best eleven exactly because if if 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:04.760 Sante Samuel Junior is just much better as a cover 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:07.240 corner in the slot, then we know what we need 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:09.200 to keep him on the We get our best eleven 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:11.840 on the field, and if it's Nickel, that could include him, 0:12:11.840 --> 0:12:13.920 and then put Ramsey back as our deep safety and 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:16.760 then we'll rotate between Brisker or Elliott and figure out 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:17.920 how we want that crew to work. 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:19.640 They have a lot of options in the secondary, that's 0:12:19.640 --> 0:12:23.000 for sure, especially with Echles versatility as well. Yes, real quick, 0:12:23.040 --> 0:12:24.200 I know we have a ton of time. But you 0:12:24.240 --> 0:12:27.920 mentioned Harmon, and I'll be honest, I think fans like 0:12:27.960 --> 0:12:30.400 Harmon more than I like Harmon. Okay, picture and not. 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:34.400 I adore his run stuffing ability, the way he plays big, 0:12:34.720 --> 0:12:37.400 I just don't see it to it Heyward guy as 0:12:37.400 --> 0:12:39.720 a pass rusher. But I'll be the first to admit 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:41.960 maybe I was a little harsh on him off last 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:44.480 year's tape because he was dealing with injuries from the start. 0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:47.280 Was I think he's moving better this year. You seem 0:12:47.320 --> 0:12:48.200 to be a believer. 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:52.240 I'm a believer because I like how he applies as 0:12:52.280 --> 0:12:55.520 fundamentals and it reminds me of TJ. Watt in a 0:12:55.559 --> 0:12:57.920 way that when t J. Watt got to Steelers camp 0:12:57.960 --> 0:13:00.920 back at twenty seventeen, I remember the medals were so sound, 0:13:00.920 --> 0:13:04.359 but he did not have any pass rush moves. And eventually, 0:13:04.400 --> 0:13:06.440 like early on in the season, you saw in that 0:13:06.440 --> 0:13:08.200 first Browns game he might have had two or three 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:10.040 sacks or something in his rookie game and his rookie 0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:12.880 appearance in his first game, and you saw in those 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:15.360 early games he had like some pass rush moves, but 0:13:15.400 --> 0:13:18.280 by mid season they disappeared because the wear and tear 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:20.920 of the season, you're focused on the other team's playbooks, 0:13:20.960 --> 0:13:23.520 not on your own fundamentals, and so you didn't see 0:13:23.520 --> 0:13:26.240 them really come back until his second and third years, 0:13:26.400 --> 0:13:27.800 where those pass rush moves. 0:13:27.559 --> 0:13:28.000 Came to light. 0:13:28.040 --> 0:13:30.360 I think something might have happened similarly with Derek Harmon, 0:13:30.520 --> 0:13:32.520 where I think he had one or two moves in 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:33.280 college and that's all. 0:13:33.280 --> 0:13:37.040 He ever bigger, stronger than everybody may exactly. 0:13:37.080 --> 0:13:41.000 And he did lead college football in interior defensive line 0:13:41.040 --> 0:13:43.800 pressures his last year at Oregon, but a lot of 0:13:43.800 --> 0:13:45.640 that I think was, yeah, he just naturally was better 0:13:45.640 --> 0:13:47.480 than it. But in the NFL, that don't cut it. 0:13:47.559 --> 0:13:50.280 Now he can do great work and stuff to run. 0:13:50.320 --> 0:13:53.240 I think this year I've started to see him incorporate 0:13:53.280 --> 0:13:55.320 different moves. I still don't think he's fully there, You're 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:57.400 like you're pointing out, but I do think he'll be 0:13:57.440 --> 0:13:59.840 a really good run stuffer. He'll be a better pass 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:03.240 usher than he was last year. And ultimately, if he 0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:06.520 is stuff in the run and keeping the linebackers clean, 0:14:06.600 --> 0:14:08.760 I think that's the biggest thing this defense needs, is 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:12.000 they need defensive linemen to eat space and take up 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:15.920 offensive lineman and let the outside linebackers and inside linebackers 0:14:16.000 --> 0:14:18.440 be playmakers at the line of scrimmage, because if they are, 0:14:18.840 --> 0:14:20.240 that's where I think a lot of this stuff can 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:22.880 get keyed up on. And then eventually then when he 0:14:22.880 --> 0:14:25.160 gets his pass rus moves going, then he might become 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:27.760 the Hayward to it. I agree, he's not there yet. 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:29.680 I do think he can get there someday. 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:31.960 I mean, times have changed dramatically, but if they could 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:35.400 do a fact simile of the Lebau Hampton Aaron Smith 0:14:35.520 --> 0:14:39.760 Keysol between Black and Harmon, Yeah, and just solidify the 0:14:39.840 --> 0:14:41.760 run defense, that's a pretty nice start for a second 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:42.120 year guy. 0:14:42.480 --> 0:14:44.920 It would be amazing to have these guys step up 0:14:44.960 --> 0:14:48.480 that quickly. I also think it's great that ya Blackhead. 0:14:48.480 --> 0:14:51.920 And we talked to him today, you know, after their practice, 0:14:52.240 --> 0:14:54.120 and I was, you know, I've been impressed by how 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:56.920 like last year, why a Black you know, kind of 0:14:56.960 --> 0:14:58.480 like Harmon, he was just bigger and badder than a 0:14:58.520 --> 0:15:00.400 lot of people at Iowa, and so he didn't need 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:02.040 to get low. And last year he would stand up 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:04.040 and guys would get get under him and put him 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:07.240 on skates worried. This year, I'm seeing him fire off. 0:15:07.240 --> 0:15:09.080 He was the first guy to beat Zach Fraser in 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:12.560 a one on one pass rush driller and I was like, whoa, because. 0:15:12.240 --> 0:15:15.400 I thought both those guys were consistently slower laid off 0:15:15.400 --> 0:15:16.960 the ball too. And they're getting off the ball a 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:17.440 lot better. 0:15:17.520 --> 0:15:19.560 I feel like they're they're sharpening themselves. They're a little 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:21.680 bit more explosive. They're lower, and they're and they're get 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:24.880 off all those things check boxes for you. So like you, Matt, 0:15:24.920 --> 0:15:27.320 I'm encouraged by this defensive line, Like yeah, yeah, they 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:30.720 might be the best position group on this team right now. 0:15:30.760 --> 0:15:33.360 As far as a hole, when you consider Keanu Betton, 0:15:33.440 --> 0:15:37.200 now he's a three, he's coming off the bench instead 0:15:37.200 --> 0:15:39.440 of trying to play the nose as a starter and 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:42.040 now that rotation. I'll tell you my dark horse though, 0:15:42.040 --> 0:15:44.359 that I really like Gabriel Rubio. 0:15:44.560 --> 0:15:47.400 I thought he was a throwaway pick I had to 0:15:47.400 --> 0:15:47.880 play against. 0:15:47.960 --> 0:15:50.160 Yeah, Matt, I was literally on the Post Gazette live 0:15:50.160 --> 0:15:53.600 stream at ASLN Brewing Company in the Strip District when 0:15:53.600 --> 0:15:56.080 they made that pick, and like Paul Zeiss and Anna 0:15:56.120 --> 0:15:57.760 Bitner looked at me, and I was like, guys, I. 0:15:57.720 --> 0:16:00.000 Don't know that one. I don't know who that is. 0:16:00.240 --> 0:16:01.920 He wasn't even like the beast Steve and he could 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:04.080 about it. I couldn't find nothing about him. 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:06.960 But when I watched him up against venga Ewan and 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:09.120 I was like, Okay, I see some some feistiness, but 0:16:09.160 --> 0:16:11.680 I can see it in camp. I had seen that feistiness. 0:16:11.680 --> 0:16:14.120 I talked to him after the Saturday and Night Lights practice. 0:16:14.320 --> 0:16:17.200 I have been impressed by how he has been aggressive 0:16:17.280 --> 0:16:21.080 using his hands. He is adapting more moves into his game. 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:23.840 That guy's gonna make this fifty three man roster. And 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:27.520 I think that with him, Sebastian Joseph Day and Count 0:16:27.520 --> 0:16:31.320 of Benton Joseph Edition, that they have depth like I 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:33.240 am not. If I'm the Steelers, I am not afraid 0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:37.200 to rotate my top six defensive linemen all around and 0:16:37.320 --> 0:16:40.480 just keep tiring out that offensive line until my starters 0:16:40.600 --> 0:16:43.120 are fresh in the fourth quarter and they're chomping at 0:16:43.120 --> 0:16:45.040 the bit while your offensive lineman to have their hands 0:16:45.040 --> 0:16:46.920 on their hips and they're taking deep breaths because they've 0:16:46.920 --> 0:16:47.720 been geting whooped all day. 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:49.640 That's why we opened the show like Cam Hayward can't 0:16:49.720 --> 0:16:52.920 lead defensive tackle his naps and your fourth quarter defense 0:16:53.040 --> 0:16:54.640