August 4, 2026 • 47 mins
King and Starks share their thoughts on the ramp up period at camp and discuss the offensive line.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is live coverage op the twenty twenty six Steelers
Training Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
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(00:26):
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(00:49):
and Drafthouse.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
This is good.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Hello everybody, and thank you. This is good.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
We have that troop here, we have Max Starks here.
I'm Robkam. We thank you for being here. It was
nice to see Missy Matthews yesterday.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I know, you know we got aka team mom.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
We had the team Mom here, but you know what,
it wasn't the team mom who brought in cookies.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
No Wes Euler who brought in cookies.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Or everybody's favorite little brother everybody's everybody's contributing.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Everybody's bringing a little something to the table, except because
it be seated at the table, which would be you
and me, Max.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah. Yeah, Well somebody has to do the heavy.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Somebody's got to consume. Yeah, somebody's got to consume.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
You can't bring it here and not have somebody taste test.
That is our role.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
And by the way, what is capitalism if you don't
have consumers?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Exactly there it is. We're helping out the American economics demand.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
That's exactly right, and they have the supply.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
We're just doing our part, Max, that's all We're just
it's always to the greater good, Yes, what we are. Yeah,
So practice is winding down. I was kind of hoping
we were gonna have a little more practice.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I know I fished day, but I guess because it
was a technically an eleven ten to one pm hard stop. Yeah,
so it is the hour fifty. So now that's the
last acclamation.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So, and I guess the phraseology is acclamation and then
ramp up.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
These two were first you got.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
To acclimate, then you can ramp up, then you can start.
So this was technically I was corrected off the air,
I said, is this the last of the acclamation period? No, No,
the acclamation period ended. This is officially the two days
of ramp up. It all, it all adds up to.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The same thing.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
The team is slowly moving to the point now where
on Thursday they can go.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Thursday they can go because tomorrow will be a close practice.
It'll be a mock game type of situation, so you'll
get Thursday, Friday, and then Saturday night lights coming up
will be the next open practice opportunities. But Tomorrow will
be closed to the public, So make sure if you
had plans to come up here on Wednesday, don't don't
show up unless you're going to Dinos afterwards to catch
(02:58):
some guys. But yeah, now, so another one of the
kind of Mike McCarthy two to one two type of
deals where you have two days on two hard practices
in a row, a review period which is tomorrow, and
then this time they'll actually go three days in a
row because but it will be a night practice for
a Saturday, so we'll get a little bit extended time
off in between the practices that you can justify and
(03:20):
go with that. So yeah, the ramp up, I apologize
I'm not going to Alma's up. Even though they're still
acclimating to what a.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Full practice is going to be.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
It's it's legally se verbias, Yes, it's legally, it's exactly
what it is.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
So there are a couple of guys that I thought
stood out.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
One of the guys and I really want to get
to the O line D line because I think it's
one of the most fascinating parts of this practice and
parts of this preseason is Look, who's going to start
on the right side of the offensive line. That's a
pretty big factor because look, even if even if you decided, Okay,
Sebastian Joseph Day is going to see first team reps well,
(04:01):
Keanu Bentner, Derrick Carmen, they're gonna play plenty, right, we know,
we know you're gonna play. That's not the way with
the offensive line. The starters are the starters, and they're
not they're not sharing time with anybody. So we'll get
to that. But I have to tell you, Max, I
think Jamel Dean has looked really, really.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Sharp as advertised. Yep, that's probably the highest compliment you
can say.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
He comes in here and he plays as advertised, the
dude was ranked by all you know, by whether there's
PFF or whatever source that ranks percentages, came out as
number one a year ago. He plays like a number
one corner out here.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Matt Williamson had that point as well, talking to Max
Matt before the practice and even uh, you know several
days ago talking about Jammel Dean and I think we
mentioned it on the air that you know, by certain metrics,
Joey Porter was ninth in cover corner which is great.
That's the top that's an upper echelon cornerback. Jamel Dean
was number one. Yeah, so you have two top ten
(05:02):
cover corners and a Santa Samuel who has drawn rave reviews.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It would equally be a former top ten capable corner
rights exactly right. Yeah, and he's and he and he's
coming into his own because he's gotten these extended reps
because Joey Porter Jr. Is on the sideline. Yes, Kent
is on the sideline, and Ramsey's on the sideline. So
now you've kind of thrust him into an opportunity where
he's getting more reps that he didn't get a year
(05:29):
ago because he was signed in November and played some
relief efforts and got a little bit of burn. But
now he's getting an extended look in a brand new system,
and they look exce I mean, you could come out
of camp stand we have two sets of starting corners
to start the season.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yeah, he's a you know, he is a you know,
it was sort of a Pro Bowl caliber type of player.
Didn't make a Pro Bowl. I don't believe it's Sante
Samuel Junior.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Nah, he was close, but he was.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
But he's one of those guys that again top twenty
five corner and then you know, the the medicals came
back needed next surgery that knocked them back.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
That was going into last season.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
By the way, he's twenty six, if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, he's a young guy.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
So yeah, he's twenty six, will be twenty seven in
a couple of months. So boy, that is a nice
place to be at cornerback. But to see Jamel Dean
come out here and you know, probably for a lot
of people, especially these one o'clock East Coast teams, I
mean this stud is yes, they play a lot of
primetime games, but the majority you're still gonna be one
(06:35):
o'clock East Coast games, you're probably.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
We're not going west of the Mississippi this year, yah,
which is great. So yeah, the worst we get is
with maybe a central time game, and you know in
the regular obviously Paris is a different story. But yeah,
we're not going west of the Mississippi. So everything's gonna
be at that one o'clock kick this time of dayish
type of playtime.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Right, So if i'm if if we're calling a game
Max and I get home and I have a chance
to watch the second half of the second game.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I almost invariably will will hope.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Now again, sometimes you're stuck with what it is because
but usually they don't. There's there's no game opposite the Steelers,
so you're stuck with it. Might be you know whatever
AFC game, But almost always I will choose the AFC game.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
I don't know how other favor the game.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
The NFC game is an absolute marquee game. I might
watch the second half of that one instead Ram.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Seahawks, Right, I might. I'm watching that one.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Might Packers.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
I'm watching that type of game. Or even if the
Lions get in the mix, like there's about five or
six NFC teams, I'm interested in the other ones can
go kick rocks.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Yeah, and for the teams that are good but not
great or struggling or what have you. I mean, look,
the Eagles are gonna find their way on national TV.
The Cowboys always find their way on national TV. Lately,
the Giants haven't. You know, Tampa Bay is not a
team that you know, with Brady Gunn, that people are
clamoring to see on primetime, and so you maybe don't
get a chance to see a lot of a guy
(08:02):
like Jammel Dean and now you see him in person
and you think, whoa.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Who is this guy again?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Right?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yeah, it's like I've heard of him, right, but now
I get to see him and it's like, like I said,
as advertised.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Right, that's exactly right, That's exactly the way to put it,
because that's exactly what he's been and that's really good
for the Steelers. So I really want to dive in
to these offensive and defensive line battles. So as you're
looking at the field from the press box looking out
over chuckn Olefield, you know on the right you have
(08:35):
seven on seven passing drills right.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Ye, by the fourboard side of the field, right, So
if people have been out here, Yeah, scoreboard baseball field side, and.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
I'm sure maybe you have a different feeling about this
if you're that's like the fun side of the field,
right that quarterbacks quarterbacks side of the quarterbacks love to throw.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yeah, there's a new on I'm watching it.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I'm watching so I'm watching the lineman because I think
that's a fascinating.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Part of camp, one of the top battles.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
And yes it is.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
And then I'm hearing oh, and I'm hearing cheering, and
I'm like, I thought that was kind of an even
baut Oh. Yeah, there's a touchdown on the other end.
Roman Wilson beat somebody. By the way, he's been getting
open Roman Wilson and and he's been targeted quite a
bit by Aaron Rodgers in the yearly going here of camp.
But you know, so the seven on seven that means,
you know, the ski, the tight ends, the receivers, the quarterback,
(09:29):
you know, those guys are all out running patterns and
you know, defending the linebackers are out there, and the
and the and the corners. So it's funny they call
it seven on seven, but it's really not seven on seven.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
It's really six on seven. But it's always called seven
on seven.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
It always is, And I'm like, I'm like, who is
you seven guy?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
It never occurred to me until right at this moment,
and they have seven on seven national camps and everything.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Yeah, so it never occurred to me that.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
It's not seven one.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Here's how you get to seven on seven. It's the
center snapping the.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Balls of the quarterback. I guess that's right.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
He's physically the seventh guy on that side. But he's
a he's not affiliated. This isn't flag like flag you
could snap and go out into a route.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I was like, but but here the seventh guy is neutral.
There's nothing he does, by the way, adds to the drill.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
He's a coach.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Well he's a coach or an equipment guy, right, yeah, right,
he's not that. It's not Zach Frazier going over for
seven or so that.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
No, he's on one on ones. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I think we're seeing, Uh, we got somebody here returning
or looking at some punts.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Oh, that's the that's the new receiver. James Keeney Kenny
James or James Keeney Junior. Okay, we just signed him
this morning. We'll get there, okay, cole Bergess, Yeah, okay, yeah,
well that's him. We'll see if we have some six
feet hundred and niney pounds so I can tell you,
thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
See if you have some more information on that for you.
But anyway, he's back here returning punts or fielding punts.
And so you know, the guys you're still doing counting
out of the jugs machine and catching some footballs. Pretty
much everybody has gotten off the field. But so uh
so this the to your right is the seven on
seven drill. To your left is I think the real
(11:14):
just below the hillside is where the action that that
could dictate a lot of where the Steelers go this
year and in the coming years is taking place. Max,
I don't think that's an over I don't think that's
an exaggeration. I don't they have and again, follow what
they've done, Broderick Jones first round pick, Troy Faltano, first
(11:36):
round pick, Max Ahnacher, first round pick, Uh Frasier at center,
second round pick, and then guards they've got it. They
went out and got Hoffman in free agency, and uh
you know, obviously McCormick is a fourth was a great pick.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah, you know they've been they've been able to.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Find quality there, but it just tells you what they
think about having lots of good, big people. And they've
done a similar investment, not quite as deep on the
defensive line. So and you know, again, Sebastian Joseph Day
is the free agent they brought.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
In this year.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
He's going to help that defensive line as well. But
to me, it's I think that it's clear that they
want this unit and they're expecting this unit, and they've
invested in this unit in such a way that their
expectations and no one's gonna come out and say this,
but the investment tells you they expect it to be
a top tier group.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Now, especially by the end of this season. Exactly by
the end of the season, this should be one of
the groups that you're talking about, Yeah, this is this
is one of the better units in the in the
entire NFL.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Yes, rolling in the next season, you know, getting the
pieces together. And that's the other thing too, is that
it's a group that you know, again, I think somebody
really good is going to be on the outside looking in. Health,
of course is going to dictate some of that, but
I think it's a. It's a group that goes beyond
the nine that they probably will keep, but it's also
(13:01):
a group I think it's eight.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Oh, I don't. I don't see how they can do that.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Max. I'm just, I'm just, I'm just because there's so
many good guys that I would not be. I would
love nine as alignment. I'd love nine active guys. Gives
you a little bit more flexibility. But I just think
that as we're watching more and more of these guys
out here, they might say we would do eight and
two on practice squad, which is tough because we're nowhere
(13:28):
near the decision making time because we've still got games
to evaluate. But it is cool. It is going to
be it's going to be a.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Rock solid crew that is going to be brutal if
you have to, and if you have to try to
slide to those guys in the practice squad.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
I think one of them gets claimed. I really do.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah, No, I believe there are two guys on this
roster offensive defensive line that are going to sign elsewhere
and be on a fifty three.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yeah, that's why I'm keeping nine. And I don't know,
what do you you know? Again? And these are the things.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Like you said, if you're keeping one less tight end,
maybe that frees up the slot. I know you're gonna
have at least five to six wide receivers. So and
then the quarterback issue, that's what also muddies the water,
right because if you try and keep all four, you're
gonna go. You're gonna cut a guy on the line
right right to make to free up that space. So
(14:22):
it's gonna be tough. Now right now, we don't have
to worry about that. Still got another week or so
before we even get into the first case, and there's
only one cut, but it will show it up. The
cream will start to rise to the top.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Yeah, you know, I think that the other thing is
too is and again this is a it's worth pointing out,
is that, you know, let's say you're battling at inside linebacker,
just as an example, Well, you're not just battling it
inside linebacker. You're also battling you know, if you're that
if they're gonna carry five inside linebackers, let's say, or
(14:56):
they or they're what they really are saying is that
they might be on the bubble. Do we need five
inside linebackers? Is that inside linebacker that fifth inside linebacker
better than that, say, ninth defensive lineman or that fifth safety.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
That's what it.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Comes down today, Nickel. Right, let's say you're the fifth
line back inside line. I just we're just using that
of linebacker. They call it that, right, so I'm gonna
go call it inside lineberger.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
You got the fifth.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Inside Like, hey, I'm I'm the fifth best inside that
that's great. Okay, Well, your fight's not over, man.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
No, you gotta stop looking at your room, look at
your side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
You have to. You have to.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
There's just so much and that's where special teams comes
into play. Maybe, or just look, this guy's just got
too much upside, this ninth defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
We can't let him go.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
He's just wowed us in camp. That ninth offensive lineman.
I'd like it to be nine, maybe going to ten.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
This guy.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I know it's never gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
To get it.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
I get it, but hey, this guy is this guy
is too good for us to try to to try
to gain.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Nineties, right because yeah, but I mean.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Look, you don't want to get And we talked about
this a little bit yesterday, like you're waiting, Hey, we
think you know, back in the day we're talking about
John Stalwart. Yeah with uh, with Bill Nunn and Kevin
Colbert and all the other stuff. You know, we you know,
Bill Nunn absconded with the you know, the John Stalwart tapes.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Yes, anybody see him? I don't know what you mean.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Oh did I already leave with those? Are they in
the bar about that? Work him out separately. That's just
good scouting, working them out separately. But you know, you
might at some point you're like, okay, man, look we
held our water long enough. This guy's a really good player.
We drafted other really good players in the meantime, but
now is the time we're the only one on them.
(16:46):
But it only takes one to be on them. The
same thing with with this, you might you don't want
to get so clever that you have a guy who
you think, Okay, we we really like this guy, but
we got him stashed, and you don't want to get
too cute.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
And all of a sudden you look.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Up and that guy's is starting left guard for somebody
for the next eight years in the league.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
And unlike the Bill Nunn, Gil Brandt, John star Warts situation,
there's way more tape out there now. Yeah, and it's digital, right,
so I ain't got to ask. I don't have to
ask for the eight millimeter film in a can that
I need you to actually put in the post off
postal service and send to me. Right. They could dial
it up on any of the numerous scouting and video
(17:30):
services that are out there, and they can see them.
So a lot less stones to uncover the fine talent.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
So I got news for you people, whether you're watching, like,
I'll just name two guys on defense, Jack Henderson and
Kevin Jobidi. Okay, everybody knows that those guys had great
relative athletics scores. Everybody knows that. And so if they
start turning heads in preseason games and you think, and
(17:59):
I just named two guys who were I'm sure some
fans listening to this are like.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Whoo, who are you talking about? Are they on the roster?
Speaker 4 (18:06):
They are on this roster, and they had great relative
athletics scores.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
They bounced around, been around with a couple. I know.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Henderson I think was on two or three different teams
last year. So everyone's looking for that next guy. So
there are fewer, and to your point, marks fewer and
fewer secrets around the NFL.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah, there's fewer and few secrets. And that's why it
almost comes down to, you know, the greatest thing that
the Steelers had last year and the ability to stash
Will Howard. He didn't throw a single pass, yes, so
that's why. And he was a six round draft pick.
Then he got hurt, so yeah, he got hurt. So
it made it easy and they didn't have to have
this tough decision. But now all things, you're not going
(18:43):
to have that opportunity this year. That's right to stash
and then I don't have to make a decision. You're
gonna have to make a decision this year. Yeah, I mean,
think think about if you're a bad roster. Right, let's
say you're a bad team that's just looking to rebuild.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
You're waiting. You might have six seven veterans you're just
only too happy to replace, and if and if they're
lottery tickets, okay, but if two of them work out, okay,
So you just replaced you know, two of your veterans.
You didn't want to pay any third of the guys
you already didn't yeah, I mean, yeah for nothing, because
(19:18):
you already hit your draft already came through.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
It's like having another little mini draft out there exactly.
So there. You have to be very careful with these things.
Very uh.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
It's what makes part of it so so much fun,
you know, part of what makes camp so much fun.
So we want to dig into these offensive and defensive
line matchups because they're really fun. They're over there practicing
one on one. We have Max Starts with us to
break these things down. I know you're watching. We're going
to get to that when we continue in the locker
room here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
This is live coverage up Dot twenty twenty six Steelers
Training Camp or the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Life,
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Speaker 4 (20:31):
Welcome back inside the locker room conversations continues during the break. Yes,
it does, as always, Yeah, and it revolved around the
topic we want to talk about, so again seven on
seven over there to the rights running around coverage things
happening over on the left.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
It is the nuts and bolts.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
It is the old line and the D line and
they line up and it's one on one pass rushing drills.
So where do you want to start? You want to
start with? Do you want to start with the defense?
Is anybody on the defense? We know who the defense is.
Anybody anybody?
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Excite you there? Or you want to just go right
to the office.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Sebastian Joseph day has been solid. I think he's yesterday
he was kind of figuring it out a little bit
and then today kind of which I think is always
the case. Right, the defense is always going to come
on strong, reactionary. I think day one, even though it's
a defensive emphasized drill, offense has the advantage the first day,
(21:34):
right switching up to snap counts, you know, we know
that they're running down a specific lane. So day one,
you know, I thought it was fifty to fifty. People
were like, oh my god, no, the offense kicked their butts.
I thought it was fifty fifty when I watched the film.
I thought everybody had solid moments and looked good. Nothing
was spectacular. Today. You had a pissed off defense.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Okay, good and it started right out the gates.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
And Alex high Smith, No, he didn't have his best
day yesterday. He got it started real quick. First rap
against Troy Fatanu put him in the spin cycle. Troy
is three or four yards to the left. Alex Highsmith
is staring at the box, which is where the proverbial
quarterback would be, and there was there was all the
room of separation that's necessary. Clear victory. Now, I know
(22:24):
they're saw stuff defensive chirping, they're talking. Yeah, it's different
when you have anybody did it blah blah blah. TJ.
TJ had a great set off the edge on the
opposite side. There we go. We've gotten the known guys
out of the way. Cam Hayward pissed off, looked a
little slow yesterday, got trapped twice by Mason McCormick and
(22:45):
Zach Frasier. Came back, old dog, new tricks right. He
came in, picked the edge, rusted the edge, got the
guy off of him, and he had a better day
against against Cam Hayward, against Mason McCormick. I thought, you're
known guys or the get here guys. Those are the
(23:05):
guys that get the sacks, and those are the guys
that make the place. Did an excellent job. They did
what they're supposed to do today. The surprises, I thought
Derek Harmon had some moments, but he still has to
come on. He's still a little inconsistent. This early in
camp for his pass rush kind of got trapped a
little bit easier he did. He did get a couple
of edges, got an edge on Spencer Anderson, got a
(23:27):
edge on brock Hoffman as well, So I mean he
had his solid ones.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
I was watching those two reps as well.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Yeah, And I will say this, y a black. He's
baby hewey. You know, the guts out. He looks a
lot larger on the field. Because I ran down to
the field for that segment, I got off air and
I literally.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Trucked it down.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
I am not going to go this whole camp without
going on the field to watch one on ones. I
was able to make it down there. Why is humongous?
Speaker 3 (23:54):
He he?
Speaker 2 (23:55):
When I say yeah, he's yeah, he's got he's got
as as Wolf would say, two act handles across the
back side. Like I was like he was big last year,
he's big this year big. So he's going he's the
one that's going to fall into stuff on accident. It
will never be on purpose. He's baby Healey, right, you know,
(24:16):
he just he steps on stuff and and buildings crashing.
You know, it's like when you watch the old Godzilla films, right,
Godzilla's in downtown Japan and like just buildings are knocking over.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
That's why a black right, So he's still he didn't
Godzilla didn't know he crushed the Ministry of Defense building.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
No, he did, just crushed buildings.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
It was just it was in my way. I wanted
to go straight. This prevented me from going straight. So
I went through. That's why no longer, it's no longer
than exactly, I'm here now, so I got where I
wanted to go. Dean Lowry he's steady, and he's not
he's he's he's he's in the get near category, right,
(24:57):
So that's just Joseph Day getting near with some capable
of get here. And they are your solid vets. But
like you like jacob Y we talked about he surprised me,
but he was over with the second unit. So it's
are you Are you the tallest guy in a very
short room right over there? Yes, Like I need to
(25:19):
see you guys, Mason McCormick and Zach Fraser.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
But you know what, bless you.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
But if you're fighting, if you're fighting for a spot,
you better be the if you're if you're in that room,
you better be the tallest guy in that room.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Yeah, exactly right. And I think he's showing that you're
seeing You're seeing the wiggle, you're seeing the athleticism, some
good movement mechanics. Still gives up the chest a little
bit too easy, okay. And then of course Nick Herbert's
Nick Herbert. Nick Herbert put guys in spend cycle. Dylan
Cook had a tough day against Nick Herbig when he
was playing at the right side, off the edge, like
Nick Herby just blew past him one play, you know,
(25:52):
I think so for offensive, for defensively, we saw some
solid guys. Logan Lee out right now, he was he
was on the he was sidelined today. Logan's a guy
that I'm also looking at that win healthy, how he moves,
he shows me flashes, so I'm waiting to see that
from him.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
He quietly might be one of those guys that is
affected by a new coaching staff because he had some
he was, you know, he's been nicked up a little bit,
and he had a little run and then he didn't
and I was like, well, you know, I I'd like
to see a little bit more of him. But maybe
he gets the opportunity to show, Okay, fresh slate, clean
slate exactly, exactly new, new new set of eyes on him,
(26:35):
different perspectives. But by the way, are you are you
an old funk fan at all? I do enjoy funk
Clean Slate by Tower of Power.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Great song. Check it out anyway, Yeah, I like.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I like it. I like I've heard that before. I
need to go revisit that one.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Such a great song, love Tower of Power.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
But I think that's that's one of the guys you
talk about. Couldn't could a new set of eyes breed
a new opportunity. But yes, gotta have the pads on,
gotta home on to get the tape.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
That's right, That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Only I wonder, hey, you took the day off can't
take the day off on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah, like you got to.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
You gotta come on because guys are getting quality reps
because they're going two lines at the same time.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Yep, and it's bang bang, bang bang bang.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
All the way through the period. There's really no break.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Nope, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
So he's got to get back in there because he's
missing seven, eight, nine, ten reps that he could potentially
have had that other guys are getting over him. So
you got to make sure this unlike the old days
where it's like, ah, he was only going to get
two reps anyways, no harm no foul. No, you're missing
more than a handful. You're missing a dozen plus reps
per period because of the speed with which they play.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Right, And I think that again will we will spend
some time talking about the defensive line because it is
it has been another area that the Steerers. Again they
draft Derek Harmon, you know, they draft Keanu Benton uh
second of Benton's a second rounder, a first round Around Harmon,
they picked up why a Black late, They went out
(28:03):
and got Sebastian Joseph Day, who I have some thoughts on.
They continue to invest in that area churn.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
They turned this roster very quickly.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
However, yes, that is for a little tiny future tongue
before we get into the talk about the offensive line.
So here's what's happening again for the people that haven't
been out here. The offensive line lines up, and then
I think basically the person let's say it's an inside rush.
Let's say you've got brock Hoffman at right guard and
(28:35):
he's going against Sasey told me, well, I believe the
center and the right tackle will also be down in
their positions, but it's a.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
One on one drill. They're not helping.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Although I think that I think Spencer Anderson got a
little I think you got a little nudge one.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
He got a nudge a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
There is an outside really, you know, on the center.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
They released to the left and happened to running to
Spencer Anderson a little bit as just happened to be there,
even though it wasn't his blocking drill. Anyway, this is
something we're debating in the press box. Who has the
advantage offense or defense.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
It's a defensive drill because the offensive guy's not the
other adjacent offensive line is not allowed to touch in
real life pass protection adjacent offensive lineman that don't have
a job, fine work right, So you're never just rushing
on on one right, you know. We we we like
(29:37):
to we like to say that we like to be
barbecue pit masters when we're free on the field, we're
finding ribs.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Okay, I like it.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Yeah, we are going to tenderize something, right, you know.
And that's the thing. Like when you get what we
call a four to two open nose, the nose tackles
not there. He's on a guard, so the centner is
completely free. Nobody on either edge. That center is going
to find whoever is supposed to be in that a gap,
and he is going to put the nose or the
(30:07):
crown of his helmet right and said third to fourth
ribcage when that guy's extending. So Cam Hayward is going
to get tender rized. You know, if you are Keanu
bitten and you're coming to the end, you're making an
inside move, you are going to get hit in those moments.
So it's a combination type drill.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Because you have.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Five guys blocking, four to five guys rushing, there's going
to be an open guy.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
By the way, I thought he was good yesterday. I
didn't see him today.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Keianu. Keanu was solid. Kiana was solid.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Didn't do anything.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
It wasn't like, oh my gosh. He was so open
because he's going against a good quality competition. He got
to the point he drove the guy back on a
couple of bull rushes. He got an edge and guys
kind of kind of fell off of him. So another
solid day for Kank.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
So we are looking at a drill that favors the
deep slightly or or in a large way a little bit.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
I would say it's a little more defensive, okay, minded
and like I said yesterday, advantage office because it's the
first day of the drill.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
God just figuring it out.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
And if your lineman don't move, they create that alley
for their guy to succeed. Right. You know, if you're
Cam Hayward and you're at a three technique at Troy
Fautano's right, there would have one and a half foot
split and he's trying to take the bee. Cam's obviously
wider than one and a half so he's going to
run into that guy, which then creates contact.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Yes, oh my bet.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
And at the end of that drill, Sebastian Joseph Day
going against Mason McCormick.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Last last play.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Of the drill, rushed Troy not really the quickest to
kick out of there and give the give the look,
so to speak. Sebastian just today has something to.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Say, did he?
Speaker 2 (31:39):
And they were yelling, chirping and a By the end
of it, they were face mask to face masks. You
could tell what each other had for breakfast. That's how
close they were. And but that was as far as
it went. It didn't get physical like in years past
would have been.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
So this description of what's going on out there, and
we talked about the defense, but we haven't got to
the guy that I want to know about and that
I think think most fans want to know. But he
gets this segment, and that, of course is the rookie
right tackle, Maxahonatchor We're going to talk about him when.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
We continue from Saint Vincent College in the locker room
here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
This is live coverage of twenty twenty six Steelers training
camp on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
easy to drink, easy to enjoy, and brought to you
in part by Pennsylvania one call Systems Dial eight one
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(32:37):
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Mission Lisit CLEARVIEWFCU dot org and buy Iron Workers Local
Union Number three. We don't go to the office, We
(33:00):
build it.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Oh we're back, maxic as the show continues once again
during the still talking offensive line. Oh, we can't get
enough of it. Thanks for being with us in the
locker room. It is the lifeblood of the offensive.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Football team right well of the entire football team.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Okay, side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
We are the drum beat and the cadence for the
rest of the team.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
We need to turn your mic up. Oh no, you're on.
That went out over the air. That didn't go out
over there. That was that was live. That was live,
all right? Bookmark now, okay, book market day. So Maxahnachar,
who by the way, that's a great first name. Yes,
that is a great first name. He is uh and
(33:52):
I mean this in the best possible way. He looks
like a like his upper body is like a rectangle,
like he's just a big It looks like no matter
where you ran into him, it wouldn't go well for
you, you know what I mean. Yeah, hit him in the
hit him in the waist, not good. Hit him in
the chest, not good. He's just a large, big dude.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
You know.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
I think we've all anybody that you know has gone
and looked at his tape and the Senior Bowl and
that kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
So the buzz going.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Into the going into the Combine and the Senior Bowl
was okay, you know, second round pick as sending player,
that sort of thing. By the time we left Indianapolis
and the and the Combine and all the scouts talking
to him, you knew that this guy wasn't getting out
of the first round.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
There was a mock draft and uh one of the
places the athletic or ESPN I want of them talk
to executives and they had a haunt a chore going
like twenty fifth right, yeah, And the executive's comment.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Was you really think he's going to get to us? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:55):
Yeah, right, I mean that, like like there are guys
that that the scouting world the people around it to
swirl around it love. There are ones that they undervalue.
You know, we just saw the trade deadline in baseball. Hey,
they only traded their twelfth ranked prospect. Yeah, and then
that twelfth ranked prospect winds up being pretty good. I
(35:16):
remember the Pirates traded Tony Wattson, a very good reliever
for a young Dominican kid who wasn't on the top
thirty of anybody. Well, that guy winds up being Oneo Cruz,
you know, several years later. So what happens. It's not
always connected perfectly, you know. For example, Shador Sanders, right,
so you know, and I think mel kiper went on
and that Steelers should have drafted him, and what a
terrible mistake. Mel might be right three or four years
(35:38):
from now. But the industry, just like we tell you,
when a team invests the first round pickets because they
believe in him.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
When the industry.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Passes on a quarterback, the most important position in all
of sports, till the fifth round, that tells you what
they think about. It doesn't mean it's a proper evaluation.
It just means that's the current evaluation of that player. Yeah,
So with Max, all this preamble being that with Max,
the buzz just grew and grew and grew with him.
(36:07):
It grew in the three or four days I was
in Indianapolis. I could feel it growing. And you know,
then you look at the Senior Bowl tape and it's
just he is just has that nasty demeanor that you
want from an offensive lineman. So yeah, that's the preamble.
What'd you see out there?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
He looked like the best offensive lineman in Pass Pro
two days in a row. Wow. And I cautioned this
because PURSUEDA and I were talking about this on the
Training Camp Live show. I said, he will never get
an A from me because I can't give a rookie
in A. But he did get a B plus plus.
I got a B plus plus, and today he got
(36:52):
a B plus plus plus. I thought he handled himself well.
He never looked out of position. He was never out
of of what we call contact balance, which is two
feet on the ground and body and position. The worst
thing you worry about is a guy with one foot
off the ground and kind of lean in and trying
to hold on type of deal. The teeter totter drill
(37:14):
he was always with two feet in the ground on contact.
He was always in position that even if he didn't
win the drill, he still body blocked himself into a
confusing position for the defensive lineman because the defensive lineman,
you know, the biggest thing that you could do as
an offensive tackle, force a defensive lineman into a one
(37:35):
way go. You never want to give him a two
way go. Two way go, you lose one way go.
I'm funneling you to where I need you to be
for me to do my job effectively. And every time
he was in a position he was able to counter
the inside move by Jack Sawyer yep, very easily. It
was almost like it was like Jack Sawyer told him
(37:55):
that this is what he's going to do before he
did it. And granted Jacksawyer was running a little slow today.
Another guy that kind of struggled. I didn't talk about
him a much when we were talking about defense, but
handled Nick Herbig got a good challenge against him. They
fought hand battle, stayed in balance with himself. TJ. Watt
had a good rep TJ edged it at the end
(38:15):
because TJ has that extra gear at the end of it.
But for the first two and a half seconds of that,
TJ wasn't a factor, so he just continually shows progress.
Now it's great out here on a practice field. It
was probably the hottest day they've had so far of practice.
What does that look like in a stadium and a
(38:36):
guy that you haven't gone against him practice and you're
just seeing him for the first time live and again
that's a different story. But for what I've seen out
here so far, I don't think that's going to be
a problem as the way that it's trending. So I
thought he was probably my most consistent offensive lineman. Was
he on the chore and he looked like the first
(38:56):
round pick.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Good?
Speaker 4 (38:59):
I like hearing it. That's again my untrained eye. The
one thing you can't tell is guys try to go
wide right yeah, And it's hard for me to ascertain
did he push him beyond the quarterback box or And
there's no boxes drawn over there's no.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Physically field line markers. Normally, there used to be the
white lines that you had five different spots that the
offensive line was and then you had these lanes drawn
to a square. There's no lanes drawn on this field
at all. The closest place was over on the far
side of the field, towards the midline area. There's the
(39:39):
vague outline of what the drill was supposed to be
and where it was supposed to be. The drill has
not made it over there because that's the a zone.
That's seven on seven right right, that's right, and it's
technically in between two fields, so even worse.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
Oh I see it now.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Yeah, that's where everybody's standing watching practice. So getting in
the end zone here is where you want it. But
there's no lines drawn right on that field. There's only
the big offensive line rectangle squares where you work in
your space on the near end zone. So it's very
tough to ascertain unless it's a clear victory or a
clear separation from the guy. But having the opportunity today,
(40:18):
I ran down there. I watched the drills from behind
like I normally like to do, so I could see footwork,
I could see engagement, I could see counter moves a
lot easier, and it was just he stood out and
he's also they have two lines going at the same time.
You got your first first string to the quote unquote
right from my perspectives, I was behind the drill and
(40:40):
second team is working on the left side and they're
going simultaneously. And then you have your plug and play guys. Well,
brock Hoffman and Maxiana Shore are plug and play with
the ones, right, Broderick Jones a solid two, and that's
how they rotate the drills. So Broderick, Ryan McCollum, Jack driscoll,
all those guys are over there is kind of Stephen Jones, well,
(41:02):
Steven Jones starting with that second unit, So Steven's already
come there. The guys are coming in, are coming in
for those guys and so and like you said, Dylan
Cook's working cross training left and right. Maxi andre is
strictly working right. Brock Hoffin's working center and guard between
Spencer Anderson and Zach Frasier, and then Jack driscoll switching
(41:23):
both sides as well. So you're getting a lot of
different perspective. But Maxi Andre is over working with the ones.
He's the one beer along with rock Hofflin. So they
have seven on each side that are working this drill simultaneously.
Speaker 4 (41:37):
So again for those unfamiliar with Max's story, grew up
in Nigeria, family moved to the La area.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
I think it was the La area right now, Los Angeles.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
And so it's he has not played a lifetime full
of football.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
And has not been a kick growing up as a
fan of football.
Speaker 4 (41:55):
Right, So these are all these are all things there's
not you right, So the osmosis you get from watching
the game and playing players.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Yes, he didn't have backyard football. Such a great point.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
Yeah, that little, that little sort of intangible you get
from growing up with a sport.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
He doesn't have that.
Speaker 4 (42:14):
And yet you know he started what three years at
Arizona State?
Speaker 3 (42:18):
He did.
Speaker 4 (42:19):
Yeah, So it wasn't like you know, he hey we
got eleven he started the last eleven games of his
Uh no, no, he started right away at A at
a uh it.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
What is it? Back?
Speaker 2 (42:32):
What pack?
Speaker 3 (42:32):
What is it called? I don't know what it's called.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
Now.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
Well it's big twelve now, oh that's right, it's a
big pack. Ten doesn't exist anymore, does it? Thanks? Max?
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Nope, I'm removed from college foot What are you talking
about now?
Speaker 3 (42:44):
It was the Pac twelve pack twelve.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
Hey, you went back to even my day like probably
like I was, I was, I was a packed ten.
I was recruited in the Pac ten. Max.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
It was the pack eight at one point.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
It was when my uncle played. It was the pack
eight pack.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
It was just a pack, right, Yeah, So anyway, but
he he was able to play major college football and
be a starter. And yet, you know, what you really
like is a guy who you put a first round
great on but also has upside, and I think Max
has those things. Look it's I can't say I know
him just in talking to him. You know, he certainly
(43:19):
is saying the right things about and appears to be,
you know, eager to get there and study film, eager
to to think about football when he's not playing football,
you know that that sort of thing. Now, we'll see,
you know, he's a young guy and we'll see how
it goes. But a lot of things tangible and intangible
seem to be pointing in the right direction for Maxahonachor.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
He is still rising in camp. You're waiting for the lull,
right because there's always a lull that's rookie where he
kind of feels like they drop off a cliff for
a practice. But right now he's still ascending, and the
two padded days we've had, he's looked like the best
lineman and he's gone against top competence It's not like
we're saying, oh, MAXI beat Malik Harrison three reps in
(44:01):
a row. Right, that's not your front line. He's going
against Jack Sorrey, he's going against Nick Herby, he's going
against t J. Watt, he's going against Alexe high Smith. Right,
you're projected top four outside rushers. He's doing that job.
And he's acquitting himself well as a rookie raw in
this situation. So you're getting apples to Apple's comparisons with him.
Speaker 4 (44:20):
Yep, that's good to see and I think it's a
very positive sign for the Steelers. But your point, you know,
I would expect to see him quite a bit. What
is it nine days from now, whenever they're playing the.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
First preseason game against Green Bay, and.
Speaker 4 (44:33):
This is gonna be These are gonna be critical reps
for him now, whether you know, again, you can't control
who they're going to play.
Speaker 3 (44:42):
And I don't know whether coaches. I'm sure some coaches.
Speaker 2 (44:44):
Have Micha microar. Yes, that's the one thing we can
that's one thing we can guarantee.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
Yes, But you know, who are you gonna be going against?
Speaker 4 (44:54):
I don't know, if you know, I think sometimes maybe
coaches communicate and say I'm gonna we're gonna do this, okay,
you know, and again, but you have to have a
relationship to do this, because most people are they're just
worried about their own team and exacting out there, so
you can't. That's, by the way, that's one of the
values of these scrimmages that we've seen is you can
(45:15):
go to a coach. For example, the Bills and the Steelers,
obviously the coaches knew each other quite well.
Speaker 3 (45:21):
You can go and say, hey, listen, let's work this
guy against this guy. Okay.
Speaker 4 (45:24):
Yeah, see, I'd like to see that too. You get
have those kind of relationships. Once the game comes, all
bets are off, right. You're doing what's best for your team.
They're doing what's best for their team. And so I
just think that for all of those guys. And and look,
we haven't even talked about the left side of the
offensive line, which we're going to. That's we're acting like
that's or I'm acting like that's just cemented and done. Yeah,
(45:46):
But the only that I know that cemented and done
is Zach Frazier at center is going.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
To be really really good.
Speaker 4 (45:56):
The other stuff I want to ask you about switching
from right to left because are some things involved. I
know foul Tia played both in college, but you know,
what are the what are the challenges moving from the
right to the left side. What's more important that you
master that left side, or that you bring your buddy
h Mason McCormick with you, and that you're you're a duo,
you're a you're a twosome. Mike McCarthy's talked about that right,
(46:19):
working in groups of twos and threes, and and how
that how that affects what you're able to do. So
these are all questions that Max Stark's, luckily as somebody
who's been there and done that, can answer for us
and can start to talk about what that left side
of the offensive line looks like and the battle, of
course for the right offensive line. We're gona talk a
(46:39):
little bit more about that because it is such a
critical position for the Pirates or for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
Sorry, I got Pirates coming up later tonight.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
Man, there's another black and gold team.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
It is.
Speaker 2 (46:49):
It is Insight Penguins.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
No, No, I didn't, I didn't. I'm the head spinning
a little bit right now.
Speaker 4 (46:55):
Anyway, we're gonna get into that offensive line talk when
we continue in the locker room here.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Steelers Audio Network
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This is good.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Hello everybody, and thank you. This is good.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
We have that troop here, we have Max Starks here.
I'm Robkam. We thank you for being here. It was
nice to see Missy Matthews yesterday.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I know, you know we got aka team mom.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
We had the team Mom here, but you know what,
it wasn't the team mom who brought in cookies.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
No Wes Euler who brought in cookies.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Or everybody's favorite little brother everybody's everybody's contributing.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Everybody's bringing a little something to the table, except because
it be seated at the table, which would be you
and me, Max.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah. Yeah, Well somebody has to do the heavy.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Somebody's got to consume. Yeah, somebody's got to consume.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
You can't bring it here and not have somebody taste test.
That is our role.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
And by the way, what is capitalism if you don't
have consumers?
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Exactly there it is. We're helping out the American economics demand.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
That's exactly right, and they have the supply.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
We're just doing our part, Max, that's all We're just
it's always to the greater good, Yes, what we are. Yeah,
So practice is winding down. I was kind of hoping
we were gonna have a little more practice.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I know I fished day, but I guess because it
was a technically an eleven ten to one pm hard stop. Yeah,
so it is the hour fifty. So now that's the
last acclamation.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So, and I guess the phraseology is acclamation and then
ramp up.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
These two were first you got.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
To acclimate, then you can ramp up, then you can start.
So this was technically I was corrected off the air,
I said, is this the last of the acclamation period? No, No,
the acclamation period ended. This is officially the two days
of ramp up. It all, it all adds up to.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The same thing.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
The team is slowly moving to the point now where
on Thursday they can go.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Thursday they can go because tomorrow will be a close practice.
It'll be a mock game type of situation, so you'll
get Thursday, Friday, and then Saturday night lights coming up
will be the next open practice opportunities. But Tomorrow will
be closed to the public, So make sure if you
had plans to come up here on Wednesday, don't don't
show up unless you're going to Dinos afterwards to catch
(02:58):
some guys. But yeah, now, so another one of the
kind of Mike McCarthy two to one two type of
deals where you have two days on two hard practices
in a row, a review period which is tomorrow, and
then this time they'll actually go three days in a
row because but it will be a night practice for
a Saturday, so we'll get a little bit extended time
off in between the practices that you can justify and
(03:20):
go with that. So yeah, the ramp up, I apologize
I'm not going to Alma's up. Even though they're still
acclimating to what a.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Full practice is going to be.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
It's it's legally se verbias, Yes, it's legally, it's exactly
what it is.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
So there are a couple of guys that I thought
stood out.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
One of the guys and I really want to get
to the O line D line because I think it's
one of the most fascinating parts of this practice and
parts of this preseason is Look, who's going to start
on the right side of the offensive line. That's a
pretty big factor because look, even if even if you decided, Okay,
Sebastian Joseph Day is going to see first team reps well,
(04:01):
Keanu Bentner, Derrick Carmen, they're gonna play plenty, right, we know,
we know you're gonna play. That's not the way with
the offensive line. The starters are the starters, and they're
not they're not sharing time with anybody. So we'll get
to that. But I have to tell you, Max, I
think Jamel Dean has looked really, really.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Sharp as advertised. Yep, that's probably the highest compliment you
can say.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
He comes in here and he plays as advertised, the
dude was ranked by all you know, by whether there's
PFF or whatever source that ranks percentages, came out as
number one a year ago. He plays like a number
one corner out here.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Matt Williamson had that point as well, talking to Max
Matt before the practice and even uh, you know several
days ago talking about Jammel Dean and I think we
mentioned it on the air that you know, by certain metrics,
Joey Porter was ninth in cover corner which is great.
That's the top that's an upper echelon cornerback. Jamel Dean
was number one. Yeah, so you have two top ten
(05:02):
cover corners and a Santa Samuel who has drawn rave reviews.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
It would equally be a former top ten capable corner
rights exactly right. Yeah, and he's and he and he's
coming into his own because he's gotten these extended reps
because Joey Porter Jr. Is on the sideline. Yes, Kent
is on the sideline, and Ramsey's on the sideline. So
now you've kind of thrust him into an opportunity where
he's getting more reps that he didn't get a year
(05:29):
ago because he was signed in November and played some
relief efforts and got a little bit of burn. But
now he's getting an extended look in a brand new system,
and they look exce I mean, you could come out
of camp stand we have two sets of starting corners
to start the season.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yeah, he's a you know, he is a you know,
it was sort of a Pro Bowl caliber type of player.
Didn't make a Pro Bowl. I don't believe it's Sante
Samuel Junior.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Nah, he was close, but he was.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
But he's one of those guys that again top twenty
five corner and then you know, the the medicals came
back needed next surgery that knocked them back.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
That was going into last season.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
By the way, he's twenty six, if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, he's a young guy.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
So yeah, he's twenty six, will be twenty seven in
a couple of months. So boy, that is a nice
place to be at cornerback. But to see Jamel Dean
come out here and you know, probably for a lot
of people, especially these one o'clock East Coast teams, I
mean this stud is yes, they play a lot of
primetime games, but the majority you're still gonna be one
(06:35):
o'clock East Coast games, you're probably.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
We're not going west of the Mississippi this year, yah,
which is great. So yeah, the worst we get is
with maybe a central time game, and you know in
the regular obviously Paris is a different story. But yeah,
we're not going west of the Mississippi. So everything's gonna
be at that one o'clock kick this time of dayish
type of playtime.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Right, So if i'm if if we're calling a game
Max and I get home and I have a chance
to watch the second half of the second game.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I almost invariably will will hope.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Now again, sometimes you're stuck with what it is because
but usually they don't. There's there's no game opposite the Steelers,
so you're stuck with it. Might be you know whatever
AFC game, But almost always I will choose the AFC game.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
I don't know how other favor the game.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
The NFC game is an absolute marquee game. I might
watch the second half of that one instead Ram.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Seahawks, Right, I might. I'm watching that one.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Might Packers.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
I'm watching that type of game. Or even if the
Lions get in the mix, like there's about five or
six NFC teams, I'm interested in the other ones can
go kick rocks.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Yeah, and for the teams that are good but not
great or struggling or what have you. I mean, look,
the Eagles are gonna find their way on national TV.
The Cowboys always find their way on national TV. Lately,
the Giants haven't. You know, Tampa Bay is not a
team that you know, with Brady Gunn, that people are
clamoring to see on primetime, and so you maybe don't
get a chance to see a lot of a guy
(08:02):
like Jammel Dean and now you see him in person
and you think, whoa.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Who is this guy again?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Right?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yeah, it's like I've heard of him, right, but now
I get to see him and it's like, like I said,
as advertised.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Right, that's exactly right, That's exactly the way to put it,
because that's exactly what he's been and that's really good
for the Steelers. So I really want to dive in
to these offensive and defensive line battles. So as you're
looking at the field from the press box looking out
over chuckn Olefield, you know on the right you have
(08:35):
seven on seven passing drills right.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Ye, by the fourboard side of the field, right, So
if people have been out here, Yeah, scoreboard baseball field side, and.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
I'm sure maybe you have a different feeling about this
if you're that's like the fun side of the field,
right that quarterbacks quarterbacks side of the quarterbacks love to throw.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yeah, there's a new on I'm watching it.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I'm watching so I'm watching the lineman because I think
that's a fascinating.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Part of camp, one of the top battles.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
And yes it is.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
And then I'm hearing oh, and I'm hearing cheering, and
I'm like, I thought that was kind of an even
baut Oh. Yeah, there's a touchdown on the other end.
Roman Wilson beat somebody. By the way, he's been getting
open Roman Wilson and and he's been targeted quite a
bit by Aaron Rodgers in the yearly going here of camp.
But you know, so the seven on seven that means,
you know, the ski, the tight ends, the receivers, the quarterback,
(09:29):
you know, those guys are all out running patterns and
you know, defending the linebackers are out there, and the
and the and the corners. So it's funny they call
it seven on seven, but it's really not seven on seven.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
It's really six on seven. But it's always called seven
on seven.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
It always is, And I'm like, I'm like, who is
you seven guy?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
It never occurred to me until right at this moment,
and they have seven on seven national camps and everything.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Yeah, so it never occurred to me that.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
It's not seven one.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Here's how you get to seven on seven. It's the
center snapping the.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Balls of the quarterback. I guess that's right.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
He's physically the seventh guy on that side. But he's
a he's not affiliated. This isn't flag like flag you
could snap and go out into a route.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I was like, but but here the seventh guy is neutral.
There's nothing he does, by the way, adds to the drill.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
He's a coach.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Well he's a coach or an equipment guy, right, yeah, right,
he's not that. It's not Zach Frazier going over for
seven or so that.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
No, he's on one on ones. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
I think we're seeing, Uh, we got somebody here returning
or looking at some punts.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Oh, that's the that's the new receiver. James Keeney Kenny
James or James Keeney Junior. Okay, we just signed him
this morning. We'll get there, okay, cole Bergess, Yeah, okay, yeah,
well that's him. We'll see if we have some six
feet hundred and niney pounds so I can tell you,
thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
See if you have some more information on that for you.
But anyway, he's back here returning punts or fielding punts.
And so you know, the guys you're still doing counting
out of the jugs machine and catching some footballs. Pretty
much everybody has gotten off the field. But so uh
so this the to your right is the seven on
seven drill. To your left is I think the real
(11:14):
just below the hillside is where the action that that
could dictate a lot of where the Steelers go this
year and in the coming years is taking place. Max,
I don't think that's an over I don't think that's
an exaggeration. I don't they have and again, follow what
they've done, Broderick Jones first round pick, Troy Faltano, first
(11:36):
round pick, Max Ahnacher, first round pick, Uh Frasier at center,
second round pick, and then guards they've got it. They
went out and got Hoffman in free agency, and uh
you know, obviously McCormick is a fourth was a great pick.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah, you know they've been they've been able to.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Find quality there, but it just tells you what they
think about having lots of good, big people. And they've
done a similar investment, not quite as deep on the
defensive line. So and you know, again, Sebastian Joseph Day
is the free agent they brought.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
In this year.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
He's going to help that defensive line as well. But
to me, it's I think that it's clear that they
want this unit and they're expecting this unit, and they've
invested in this unit in such a way that their
expectations and no one's gonna come out and say this,
but the investment tells you they expect it to be
a top tier group.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Now, especially by the end of this season. Exactly by
the end of the season, this should be one of
the groups that you're talking about, Yeah, this is this
is one of the better units in the in the
entire NFL.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Yes, rolling in the next season, you know, getting the
pieces together. And that's the other thing too, is that
it's a group that you know, again, I think somebody
really good is going to be on the outside looking in. Health,
of course is going to dictate some of that, but
I think it's a. It's a group that goes beyond
the nine that they probably will keep, but it's also
(13:01):
a group I think it's eight.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Oh, I don't. I don't see how they can do that.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Max. I'm just, I'm just, I'm just because there's so
many good guys that I would not be. I would
love nine as alignment. I'd love nine active guys. Gives
you a little bit more flexibility. But I just think
that as we're watching more and more of these guys
out here, they might say we would do eight and
two on practice squad, which is tough because we're nowhere
(13:28):
near the decision making time because we've still got games
to evaluate. But it is cool. It is going to
be it's going to be a.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Rock solid crew that is going to be brutal if
you have to, and if you have to try to
slide to those guys in the practice squad.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
I think one of them gets claimed. I really do.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah, No, I believe there are two guys on this
roster offensive defensive line that are going to sign elsewhere
and be on a fifty three.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yeah, that's why I'm keeping nine. And I don't know,
what do you you know? Again? And these are the things.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Like you said, if you're keeping one less tight end,
maybe that frees up the slot. I know you're gonna
have at least five to six wide receivers. So and
then the quarterback issue, that's what also muddies the water,
right because if you try and keep all four, you're
gonna go. You're gonna cut a guy on the line
right right to make to free up that space. So
(14:22):
it's gonna be tough. Now right now, we don't have
to worry about that. Still got another week or so
before we even get into the first case, and there's
only one cut, but it will show it up. The
cream will start to rise to the top.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Yeah, you know, I think that the other thing is
too is and again this is a it's worth pointing out,
is that, you know, let's say you're battling at inside linebacker,
just as an example, Well, you're not just battling it
inside linebacker. You're also battling you know, if you're that
if they're gonna carry five inside linebackers, let's say, or
(14:56):
they or they're what they really are saying is that
they might be on the bubble. Do we need five
inside linebackers? Is that inside linebacker that fifth inside linebacker
better than that, say, ninth defensive lineman or that fifth safety.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
That's what it.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Comes down today, Nickel. Right, let's say you're the fifth
line back inside line. I just we're just using that
of linebacker. They call it that, right, so I'm gonna
go call it inside lineberger.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
You got the fifth.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Inside Like, hey, I'm I'm the fifth best inside that
that's great. Okay, Well, your fight's not over, man.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
No, you gotta stop looking at your room, look at
your side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
You have to. You have to.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
There's just so much and that's where special teams comes
into play. Maybe, or just look, this guy's just got
too much upside, this ninth defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
We can't let him go.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
He's just wowed us in camp. That ninth offensive lineman.
I'd like it to be nine, maybe going to ten.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
This guy.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I know it's never gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
To get it.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
I get it, but hey, this guy is this guy
is too good for us to try to to try
to gain.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Nineties, right because yeah, but I mean.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Look, you don't want to get And we talked about
this a little bit yesterday, like you're waiting, Hey, we
think you know, back in the day we're talking about
John Stalwart. Yeah with uh, with Bill Nunn and Kevin
Colbert and all the other stuff. You know, we you know,
Bill Nunn absconded with the you know, the John Stalwart tapes.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Yes, anybody see him? I don't know what you mean.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Oh did I already leave with those? Are they in
the bar about that? Work him out separately. That's just
good scouting, working them out separately. But you know, you
might at some point you're like, okay, man, look we
held our water long enough. This guy's a really good player.
We drafted other really good players in the meantime, but
now is the time we're the only one on them.
(16:46):
But it only takes one to be on them. The
same thing with with this, you might you don't want
to get so clever that you have a guy who
you think, Okay, we we really like this guy, but
we got him stashed, and you don't want to get
too cute.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
And all of a sudden you look.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Up and that guy's is starting left guard for somebody
for the next eight years in the league.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
And unlike the Bill Nunn, Gil Brandt, John star Warts situation,
there's way more tape out there now. Yeah, and it's digital, right,
so I ain't got to ask. I don't have to
ask for the eight millimeter film in a can that
I need you to actually put in the post off
postal service and send to me. Right. They could dial
it up on any of the numerous scouting and video
(17:30):
services that are out there, and they can see them.
So a lot less stones to uncover the fine talent.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
So I got news for you people, whether you're watching, like,
I'll just name two guys on defense, Jack Henderson and
Kevin Jobidi. Okay, everybody knows that those guys had great
relative athletics scores. Everybody knows that. And so if they
start turning heads in preseason games and you think, and
(17:59):
I just named two guys who were I'm sure some
fans listening to this are like.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Whoo, who are you talking about? Are they on the roster?
Speaker 4 (18:06):
They are on this roster, and they had great relative
athletics scores.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
They bounced around, been around with a couple. I know.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Henderson I think was on two or three different teams
last year. So everyone's looking for that next guy. So
there are fewer, and to your point, marks fewer and
fewer secrets around the NFL.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah, there's fewer and few secrets. And that's why it
almost comes down to, you know, the greatest thing that
the Steelers had last year and the ability to stash
Will Howard. He didn't throw a single pass, yes, so
that's why. And he was a six round draft pick.
Then he got hurt, so yeah, he got hurt. So
it made it easy and they didn't have to have
this tough decision. But now all things, you're not going
(18:43):
to have that opportunity this year. That's right to stash
and then I don't have to make a decision. You're
gonna have to make a decision this year. Yeah, I mean,
think think about if you're a bad roster. Right, let's
say you're a bad team that's just looking to rebuild.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
You're waiting. You might have six seven veterans you're just
only too happy to replace, and if and if they're
lottery tickets, okay, but if two of them work out, okay,
So you just replaced you know, two of your veterans.
You didn't want to pay any third of the guys
you already didn't yeah, I mean, yeah for nothing, because
(19:18):
you already hit your draft already came through.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
It's like having another little mini draft out there exactly.
So there. You have to be very careful with these things.
Very uh.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
It's what makes part of it so so much fun,
you know, part of what makes camp so much fun.
So we want to dig into these offensive and defensive
line matchups because they're really fun. They're over there practicing
one on one. We have Max Starts with us to
break these things down. I know you're watching. We're going
to get to that when we continue in the locker
room here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
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Speaker 4 (20:31):
Welcome back inside the locker room conversations continues during the break. Yes,
it does, as always, Yeah, and it revolved around the
topic we want to talk about, so again seven on
seven over there to the rights running around coverage things
happening over on the left.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
It is the nuts and bolts.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
It is the old line and the D line and
they line up and it's one on one pass rushing drills.
So where do you want to start? You want to
start with? Do you want to start with the defense?
Is anybody on the defense? We know who the defense is.
Anybody anybody?
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Excite you there? Or you want to just go right
to the office.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Sebastian Joseph day has been solid. I think he's yesterday
he was kind of figuring it out a little bit
and then today kind of which I think is always
the case. Right, the defense is always going to come
on strong, reactionary. I think day one, even though it's
a defensive emphasized drill, offense has the advantage the first day,
(21:34):
right switching up to snap counts, you know, we know
that they're running down a specific lane. So day one,
you know, I thought it was fifty to fifty. People
were like, oh my god, no, the offense kicked their butts.
I thought it was fifty fifty when I watched the film.
I thought everybody had solid moments and looked good. Nothing
was spectacular. Today. You had a pissed off defense.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Okay, good and it started right out the gates.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
And Alex high Smith, No, he didn't have his best
day yesterday. He got it started real quick. First rap
against Troy Fatanu put him in the spin cycle. Troy
is three or four yards to the left. Alex Highsmith
is staring at the box, which is where the proverbial
quarterback would be, and there was there was all the
room of separation that's necessary. Clear victory. Now, I know
(22:24):
they're saw stuff defensive chirping, they're talking. Yeah, it's different
when you have anybody did it blah blah blah. TJ.
TJ had a great set off the edge on the
opposite side. There we go. We've gotten the known guys
out of the way. Cam Hayward pissed off, looked a
little slow yesterday, got trapped twice by Mason McCormick and
(22:45):
Zach Frasier. Came back, old dog, new tricks right. He
came in, picked the edge, rusted the edge, got the
guy off of him, and he had a better day
against against Cam Hayward, against Mason McCormick. I thought, you're
known guys or the get here guys. Those are the
(23:05):
guys that get the sacks, and those are the guys
that make the place. Did an excellent job. They did
what they're supposed to do today. The surprises, I thought
Derek Harmon had some moments, but he still has to
come on. He's still a little inconsistent. This early in
camp for his pass rush kind of got trapped a
little bit easier he did. He did get a couple
of edges, got an edge on Spencer Anderson, got a
(23:27):
edge on brock Hoffman as well, So I mean he
had his solid ones.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
I was watching those two reps as well.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Yeah, And I will say this, y a black. He's
baby hewey. You know, the guts out. He looks a
lot larger on the field. Because I ran down to
the field for that segment, I got off air and
I literally.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Trucked it down.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
I am not going to go this whole camp without
going on the field to watch one on ones. I
was able to make it down there. Why is humongous?
Speaker 3 (23:54):
He he?
Speaker 2 (23:55):
When I say yeah, he's yeah, he's got he's got
as as Wolf would say, two act handles across the
back side. Like I was like he was big last year,
he's big this year big. So he's going he's the
one that's going to fall into stuff on accident. It
will never be on purpose. He's baby Healey, right, you know,
(24:16):
he just he steps on stuff and and buildings crashing.
You know, it's like when you watch the old Godzilla films, right,
Godzilla's in downtown Japan and like just buildings are knocking over.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
That's why a black right, So he's still he didn't
Godzilla didn't know he crushed the Ministry of Defense building.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
No, he did, just crushed buildings.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
It was just it was in my way. I wanted
to go straight. This prevented me from going straight. So
I went through. That's why no longer, it's no longer
than exactly, I'm here now, so I got where I
wanted to go. Dean Lowry he's steady, and he's not
he's he's he's he's in the get near category, right,
(24:57):
So that's just Joseph Day getting near with some capable
of get here. And they are your solid vets. But
like you like jacob Y we talked about he surprised me,
but he was over with the second unit. So it's
are you Are you the tallest guy in a very
short room right over there? Yes, Like I need to
(25:19):
see you guys, Mason McCormick and Zach Fraser.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
But you know what, bless you.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
But if you're fighting, if you're fighting for a spot,
you better be the if you're if you're in that room,
you better be the tallest guy in that room.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Yeah, exactly right. And I think he's showing that you're
seeing You're seeing the wiggle, you're seeing the athleticism, some
good movement mechanics. Still gives up the chest a little
bit too easy, okay. And then of course Nick Herbert's
Nick Herbert. Nick Herbert put guys in spend cycle. Dylan
Cook had a tough day against Nick Herbig when he
was playing at the right side, off the edge, like
Nick Herby just blew past him one play, you know,
(25:52):
I think so for offensive, for defensively, we saw some
solid guys. Logan Lee out right now, he was he
was on the he was sidelined today. Logan's a guy
that I'm also looking at that win healthy, how he moves,
he shows me flashes, so I'm waiting to see that
from him.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
He quietly might be one of those guys that is
affected by a new coaching staff because he had some
he was, you know, he's been nicked up a little bit,
and he had a little run and then he didn't
and I was like, well, you know, I I'd like
to see a little bit more of him. But maybe
he gets the opportunity to show, Okay, fresh slate, clean
slate exactly, exactly new, new new set of eyes on him,
(26:35):
different perspectives. But by the way, are you are you
an old funk fan at all? I do enjoy funk
Clean Slate by Tower of Power.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Great song. Check it out anyway, Yeah, I like.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
I like it. I like I've heard that before. I
need to go revisit that one.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Such a great song, love Tower of Power.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
But I think that's that's one of the guys you
talk about. Couldn't could a new set of eyes breed
a new opportunity. But yes, gotta have the pads on,
gotta home on to get the tape.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
That's right, That's exactly right.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Only I wonder, hey, you took the day off can't
take the day off on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah, like you got to.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
You gotta come on because guys are getting quality reps
because they're going two lines at the same time.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Yep, and it's bang bang, bang bang bang.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
All the way through the period. There's really no break.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Nope, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
So he's got to get back in there because he's
missing seven, eight, nine, ten reps that he could potentially
have had that other guys are getting over him. So
you got to make sure this unlike the old days
where it's like, ah, he was only going to get
two reps anyways, no harm no foul. No, you're missing
more than a handful. You're missing a dozen plus reps
per period because of the speed with which they play.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Right, And I think that again will we will spend
some time talking about the defensive line because it is
it has been another area that the Steerers. Again they
draft Derek Harmon, you know, they draft Keanu Benton uh
second of Benton's a second rounder, a first round Around Harmon,
they picked up why a Black late, They went out
(28:03):
and got Sebastian Joseph Day, who I have some thoughts on.
They continue to invest in that area churn.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
They turned this roster very quickly.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
However, yes, that is for a little tiny future tongue
before we get into the talk about the offensive line.
So here's what's happening again for the people that haven't
been out here. The offensive line lines up, and then
I think basically the person let's say it's an inside rush.
Let's say you've got brock Hoffman at right guard and
(28:35):
he's going against Sasey told me, well, I believe the
center and the right tackle will also be down in
their positions, but it's a.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
One on one drill. They're not helping.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Although I think that I think Spencer Anderson got a
little I think you got a little nudge one.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
He got a nudge a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
There is an outside really, you know, on the center.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
They released to the left and happened to running to
Spencer Anderson a little bit as just happened to be there,
even though it wasn't his blocking drill. Anyway, this is
something we're debating in the press box. Who has the
advantage offense or defense.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
It's a defensive drill because the offensive guy's not the
other adjacent offensive line is not allowed to touch in
real life pass protection adjacent offensive lineman that don't have
a job, fine work right, So you're never just rushing
on on one right, you know. We we we like
(29:37):
to we like to say that we like to be
barbecue pit masters when we're free on the field, we're
finding ribs.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Okay, I like it.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Yeah, we are going to tenderize something, right, you know.
And that's the thing. Like when you get what we
call a four to two open nose, the nose tackles
not there. He's on a guard, so the centner is
completely free. Nobody on either edge. That center is going
to find whoever is supposed to be in that a gap,
and he is going to put the nose or the
(30:07):
crown of his helmet right and said third to fourth
ribcage when that guy's extending. So Cam Hayward is going
to get tender rized. You know, if you are Keanu
bitten and you're coming to the end, you're making an
inside move, you are going to get hit in those moments.
So it's a combination type drill.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Because you have.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Five guys blocking, four to five guys rushing, there's going
to be an open guy.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
By the way, I thought he was good yesterday. I
didn't see him today.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Keianu. Keanu was solid. Kiana was solid.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Didn't do anything.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
It wasn't like, oh my gosh. He was so open
because he's going against a good quality competition. He got
to the point he drove the guy back on a
couple of bull rushes. He got an edge and guys
kind of kind of fell off of him. So another
solid day for Kank.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
So we are looking at a drill that favors the
deep slightly or or in a large way a little bit.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
I would say it's a little more defensive, okay, minded
and like I said yesterday, advantage office because it's the
first day of the drill.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
God just figuring it out.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
And if your lineman don't move, they create that alley
for their guy to succeed. Right. You know, if you're
Cam Hayward and you're at a three technique at Troy
Fautano's right, there would have one and a half foot
split and he's trying to take the bee. Cam's obviously
wider than one and a half so he's going to
run into that guy, which then creates contact.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Yes, oh my bet.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
And at the end of that drill, Sebastian Joseph Day
going against Mason McCormick.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Last last play.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Of the drill, rushed Troy not really the quickest to
kick out of there and give the give the look,
so to speak. Sebastian just today has something to.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Say, did he?
Speaker 2 (31:39):
And they were yelling, chirping and a By the end
of it, they were face mask to face masks. You
could tell what each other had for breakfast. That's how
close they were. And but that was as far as
it went. It didn't get physical like in years past
would have been.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
So this description of what's going on out there, and
we talked about the defense, but we haven't got to
the guy that I want to know about and that
I think think most fans want to know. But he
gets this segment, and that, of course is the rookie
right tackle, Maxahonatchor We're going to talk about him when.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
We continue from Saint Vincent College in the locker room
here on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
This is live coverage of twenty twenty six Steelers training
camp on the Steelers Audio Network, presented by bud Light,
easy to drink, easy to enjoy, and brought to you
in part by Pennsylvania one call Systems Dial eight one
one before you dig SNT Bank People Forward Banking by
(32:37):
Kalucy Chevrolet, serving the Pittsburgh area for over one hundred
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Mission Lisit CLEARVIEWFCU dot org and buy Iron Workers Local
Union Number three. We don't go to the office, We
(33:00):
build it.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Oh we're back, maxic as the show continues once again
during the still talking offensive line. Oh, we can't get
enough of it. Thanks for being with us in the
locker room. It is the lifeblood of the offensive.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Football team right well of the entire football team.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Okay, side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
We are the drum beat and the cadence for the
rest of the team.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
We need to turn your mic up. Oh no, you're on.
That went out over the air. That didn't go out
over there. That was that was live. That was live,
all right? Bookmark now, okay, book market day. So Maxahnachar,
who by the way, that's a great first name. Yes,
that is a great first name. He is uh and
(33:52):
I mean this in the best possible way. He looks
like a like his upper body is like a rectangle,
like he's just a big It looks like no matter
where you ran into him, it wouldn't go well for
you, you know what I mean. Yeah, hit him in the
hit him in the waist, not good. Hit him in
the chest, not good. He's just a large, big dude.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
You know.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
I think we've all anybody that you know has gone
and looked at his tape and the Senior Bowl and
that kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
So the buzz going.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
Into the going into the Combine and the Senior Bowl
was okay, you know, second round pick as sending player,
that sort of thing. By the time we left Indianapolis
and the and the Combine and all the scouts talking
to him, you knew that this guy wasn't getting out
of the first round.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
There was a mock draft and uh one of the
places the athletic or ESPN I want of them talk
to executives and they had a haunt a chore going
like twenty fifth right, yeah, And the executive's comment.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Was you really think he's going to get to us? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:55):
Yeah, right, I mean that, like like there are guys
that that the scouting world the people around it to
swirl around it love. There are ones that they undervalue.
You know, we just saw the trade deadline in baseball. Hey,
they only traded their twelfth ranked prospect. Yeah, and then
that twelfth ranked prospect winds up being pretty good. I
(35:16):
remember the Pirates traded Tony Wattson, a very good reliever
for a young Dominican kid who wasn't on the top
thirty of anybody. Well, that guy winds up being Oneo Cruz,
you know, several years later. So what happens. It's not
always connected perfectly, you know. For example, Shador Sanders, right,
so you know, and I think mel kiper went on
and that Steelers should have drafted him, and what a
terrible mistake. Mel might be right three or four years
(35:38):
from now. But the industry, just like we tell you,
when a team invests the first round pickets because they
believe in him.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
When the industry.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Passes on a quarterback, the most important position in all
of sports, till the fifth round, that tells you what
they think about. It doesn't mean it's a proper evaluation.
It just means that's the current evaluation of that player. Yeah,
So with Max, all this preamble being that with Max,
the buzz just grew and grew and grew with him.
(36:07):
It grew in the three or four days I was
in Indianapolis. I could feel it growing. And you know,
then you look at the Senior Bowl tape and it's
just he is just has that nasty demeanor that you
want from an offensive lineman. So yeah, that's the preamble.
What'd you see out there?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
He looked like the best offensive lineman in Pass Pro
two days in a row. Wow. And I cautioned this
because PURSUEDA and I were talking about this on the
Training Camp Live show. I said, he will never get
an A from me because I can't give a rookie
in A. But he did get a B plus plus.
I got a B plus plus, and today he got
(36:52):
a B plus plus plus. I thought he handled himself well.
He never looked out of position. He was never out
of of what we call contact balance, which is two
feet on the ground and body and position. The worst
thing you worry about is a guy with one foot
off the ground and kind of lean in and trying
to hold on type of deal. The teeter totter drill
(37:14):
he was always with two feet in the ground on contact.
He was always in position that even if he didn't
win the drill, he still body blocked himself into a
confusing position for the defensive lineman because the defensive lineman,
you know, the biggest thing that you could do as
an offensive tackle, force a defensive lineman into a one
(37:35):
way go. You never want to give him a two
way go. Two way go, you lose one way go.
I'm funneling you to where I need you to be
for me to do my job effectively. And every time
he was in a position he was able to counter
the inside move by Jack Sawyer yep, very easily. It
was almost like it was like Jack Sawyer told him
(37:55):
that this is what he's going to do before he
did it. And granted Jacksawyer was running a little slow today.
Another guy that kind of struggled. I didn't talk about
him a much when we were talking about defense, but
handled Nick Herbig got a good challenge against him. They
fought hand battle, stayed in balance with himself. TJ. Watt
had a good rep TJ edged it at the end
(38:15):
because TJ has that extra gear at the end of it.
But for the first two and a half seconds of that,
TJ wasn't a factor, so he just continually shows progress.
Now it's great out here on a practice field. It
was probably the hottest day they've had so far of practice.
What does that look like in a stadium and a
(38:36):
guy that you haven't gone against him practice and you're
just seeing him for the first time live and again
that's a different story. But for what I've seen out
here so far, I don't think that's going to be
a problem as the way that it's trending. So I
thought he was probably my most consistent offensive lineman. Was
he on the chore and he looked like the first
(38:56):
round pick.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Good?
Speaker 4 (38:59):
I like hearing it. That's again my untrained eye. The
one thing you can't tell is guys try to go
wide right yeah, And it's hard for me to ascertain
did he push him beyond the quarterback box or And
there's no boxes drawn over there's no.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Physically field line markers. Normally, there used to be the
white lines that you had five different spots that the
offensive line was and then you had these lanes drawn
to a square. There's no lanes drawn on this field
at all. The closest place was over on the far
side of the field, towards the midline area. There's the
(39:39):
vague outline of what the drill was supposed to be
and where it was supposed to be. The drill has
not made it over there because that's the a zone.
That's seven on seven right right, that's right, and it's
technically in between two fields, so even worse.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
Oh I see it now.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Yeah, that's where everybody's standing watching practice. So getting in
the end zone here is where you want it. But
there's no lines drawn right on that field. There's only
the big offensive line rectangle squares where you work in
your space on the near end zone. So it's very
tough to ascertain unless it's a clear victory or a
clear separation from the guy. But having the opportunity today,
(40:18):
I ran down there. I watched the drills from behind
like I normally like to do, so I could see footwork,
I could see engagement, I could see counter moves a
lot easier, and it was just he stood out and
he's also they have two lines going at the same time.
You got your first first string to the quote unquote
right from my perspectives, I was behind the drill and
(40:40):
second team is working on the left side and they're
going simultaneously. And then you have your plug and play guys. Well,
brock Hoffman and Maxiana Shore are plug and play with
the ones, right, Broderick Jones a solid two, and that's
how they rotate the drills. So Broderick, Ryan McCollum, Jack driscoll,
all those guys are over there is kind of Stephen Jones, well,
(41:02):
Steven Jones starting with that second unit, So Steven's already
come there. The guys are coming in, are coming in
for those guys and so and like you said, Dylan
Cook's working cross training left and right. Maxi andre is
strictly working right. Brock Hoffin's working center and guard between
Spencer Anderson and Zach Frasier, and then Jack driscoll switching
(41:23):
both sides as well. So you're getting a lot of
different perspective. But Maxi Andre is over working with the ones.
He's the one beer along with rock Hofflin. So they
have seven on each side that are working this drill simultaneously.
Speaker 4 (41:37):
So again for those unfamiliar with Max's story, grew up
in Nigeria, family moved to the La area.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
I think it was the La area right now, Los Angeles.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
And so it's he has not played a lifetime full
of football.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
And has not been a kick growing up as a
fan of football.
Speaker 4 (41:55):
Right, So these are all these are all things there's
not you right, So the osmosis you get from watching
the game and playing players.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Yes, he didn't have backyard football. Such a great point.
Speaker 4 (42:08):
Yeah, that little, that little sort of intangible you get
from growing up with a sport.
Speaker 3 (42:13):
He doesn't have that.
Speaker 4 (42:14):
And yet you know he started what three years at
Arizona State?
Speaker 3 (42:18):
He did.
Speaker 4 (42:19):
Yeah, So it wasn't like you know, he hey we
got eleven he started the last eleven games of his
Uh no, no, he started right away at A at
a uh it.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
What is it? Back?
Speaker 2 (42:32):
What pack?
Speaker 3 (42:32):
What is it called? I don't know what it's called.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
Now.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
Well it's big twelve now, oh that's right, it's a
big pack. Ten doesn't exist anymore, does it? Thanks? Max?
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Nope, I'm removed from college foot What are you talking
about now?
Speaker 3 (42:44):
It was the Pac twelve pack twelve.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
Hey, you went back to even my day like probably
like I was, I was, I was a packed ten.
I was recruited in the Pac ten. Max.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
It was the pack eight at one point.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
It was when my uncle played. It was the pack
eight pack.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
It was just a pack, right, Yeah, So anyway, but
he he was able to play major college football and
be a starter. And yet, you know, what you really
like is a guy who you put a first round
great on but also has upside, and I think Max
has those things. Look it's I can't say I know
him just in talking to him. You know, he certainly
(43:19):
is saying the right things about and appears to be,
you know, eager to get there and study film, eager
to to think about football when he's not playing football,
you know that that sort of thing. Now, we'll see,
you know, he's a young guy and we'll see how
it goes. But a lot of things tangible and intangible
seem to be pointing in the right direction for Maxahonachor.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
He is still rising in camp. You're waiting for the lull,
right because there's always a lull that's rookie where he
kind of feels like they drop off a cliff for
a practice. But right now he's still ascending, and the
two padded days we've had, he's looked like the best
lineman and he's gone against top competence It's not like
we're saying, oh, MAXI beat Malik Harrison three reps in
(44:01):
a row. Right, that's not your front line. He's going
against Jack Sorrey, he's going against Nick Herby, he's going
against t J. Watt, he's going against Alexe high Smith. Right,
you're projected top four outside rushers. He's doing that job.
And he's acquitting himself well as a rookie raw in
this situation. So you're getting apples to Apple's comparisons with him.
Speaker 4 (44:20):
Yep, that's good to see and I think it's a
very positive sign for the Steelers. But your point, you know,
I would expect to see him quite a bit. What
is it nine days from now, whenever they're playing the.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
First preseason game against Green Bay, and.
Speaker 4 (44:33):
This is gonna be These are gonna be critical reps
for him now, whether you know, again, you can't control
who they're going to play.
Speaker 3 (44:42):
And I don't know whether coaches. I'm sure some coaches.
Speaker 2 (44:44):
Have Micha microar. Yes, that's the one thing we can
that's one thing we can guarantee.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
Yes, But you know, who are you gonna be going against?
Speaker 4 (44:54):
I don't know, if you know, I think sometimes maybe
coaches communicate and say I'm gonna we're gonna do this, okay,
you know, and again, but you have to have a
relationship to do this, because most people are they're just
worried about their own team and exacting out there, so
you can't. That's, by the way, that's one of the
values of these scrimmages that we've seen is you can
(45:15):
go to a coach. For example, the Bills and the Steelers,
obviously the coaches knew each other quite well.
Speaker 3 (45:21):
You can go and say, hey, listen, let's work this
guy against this guy. Okay.
Speaker 4 (45:24):
Yeah, see, I'd like to see that too. You get
have those kind of relationships. Once the game comes, all
bets are off, right. You're doing what's best for your team.
They're doing what's best for their team. And so I
just think that for all of those guys. And and look,
we haven't even talked about the left side of the
offensive line, which we're going to. That's we're acting like
that's or I'm acting like that's just cemented and done. Yeah,
(45:46):
But the only that I know that cemented and done
is Zach Frazier at center is going.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
To be really really good.
Speaker 4 (45:56):
The other stuff I want to ask you about switching
from right to left because are some things involved. I
know foul Tia played both in college, but you know,
what are the what are the challenges moving from the
right to the left side. What's more important that you
master that left side, or that you bring your buddy
h Mason McCormick with you, and that you're you're a duo,
you're a you're a twosome. Mike McCarthy's talked about that right,
(46:19):
working in groups of twos and threes, and and how
that how that affects what you're able to do. So
these are all questions that Max Stark's, luckily as somebody
who's been there and done that, can answer for us
and can start to talk about what that left side
of the offensive line looks like and the battle, of
course for the right offensive line. We're gona talk a
(46:39):
little bit more about that because it is such a
critical position for the Pirates or for the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
Sorry, I got Pirates coming up later tonight.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
Man, there's another black and gold team.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
It is.
Speaker 2 (46:49):
It is Insight Penguins.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
No, No, I didn't, I didn't. I'm the head spinning
a little bit right now.
Speaker 4 (46:55):
Anyway, we're gonna get into that offensive line talk when
we continue in the locker room here.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
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