Hr1: Bucs Reaction

Wes and Matt break down the 17-14 loss to Tampa Bay in the Steelers second preseason game.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
I played those sounders backwards there, Matt, coming into the segment.
Justin's job, man, You're supposed to play the drive bumper
first and then the music because the drive bumper has
music underneath of it already.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
But it's pre season for everybody.

Speaker 4 (00:35):
That's with bumper's little I know about it.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yes, things that say, you know the drive and Steelers
station radio and in the locker room and all that.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, those are those are called bumpers, if you will.

Speaker 4 (00:46):
And maybe got that on a multiple choice test, but
I'm not sure I could have gone on a film.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Fill in the blank. Yeh, that's all right.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
I always preferred multiple choice tests as well too, even
a tru or false that'd be even better.

Speaker 4 (00:56):
Matt.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
It is preseason for everybody. We've got a lot to
get to today. Yeah, some Steelers news, some NFL news,
But I think we start obviously with the preseason game
that the Steelers just played this past Saturday, Yes, at
home against Tampa Bay Buccaneers, falling seventeen to fourteen on
the final play of the game, falling behind early able

(01:18):
to get back in it a game that man, it
felt like a lot happened, but at the same time,
really not much happened.

Speaker 5 (01:25):
Yeah, and I'm gonna get this other way just so
I don't forget in the next two hours. But we're
coming at you today Monday, obviously, oh yeah, thank you. Tuesday, Wednesday,
I am actually pullback curtain, right often pull back curtain.
I'm getting up early, driving my son to the University
of Kentucky, which is like five and a half hours away,
dumping him there, and then driving home alone.

Speaker 3 (01:45):
So it's gonna be like this, So you're just doing
a day trip.

Speaker 5 (01:48):
We were gonna go Tuesday night and he's like, I
want one more night with my girlfriend at home.

Speaker 4 (01:51):
And I'm like, all right, dude, but that's twelve hours
of driving for dad.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
That's a lot for twelve hours of driving, plus the
you know, moving all this stuff into a dorm room.

Speaker 5 (02:00):
So Wednesday, I am you will not hear from me
even on Twitter, folks. And then Thursday's game day. Friday,
we'll be back here breaking down the game. And that's
our week.

Speaker 3 (02:08):
That's our week.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
That's our schedule this week Monday, Tuesday, Friday, uh and
It works out well with you being gone Wednesday, because.

Speaker 3 (02:14):
I got a I gotta drop on.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
I gotta hop on a plane to Charlotte to do
my my game day engineering duties. So three shows this
week and plenty to get to and yeah, I'm gonna
be a lot of fun, albeit a long day for
you to Lexington and back here in the.

Speaker 5 (02:29):
Middle of the week listening to podcasts and being a
little sad that the old sonny Boy's gone. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, man,
let's talk about this game. We got a lot to
talk about the day in general. There's stuff going on,
the absolutely the little trades that happened. I mean, there's
all kinds of stuff going.

Speaker 4 (02:44):
On right now.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
So Steelers fell behind early.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yeah, Bucks score not on their opening drive, but on
their second and third drives of the game to go
up fourteen to nothing. Steelers able to claw back in it.
But Matt, listen, I mean, I know there's some individuals
and players that we have to talk about, of course,
but it also again for being kind of a back
and forth and a game that was won on a
last second field goal, it also did feel a little

(03:10):
uneventful in some ways.

Speaker 5 (03:11):
Yeah, I would say it's not going to be one
for the memory books or one that we're gonna be
talking about for months and months. I mean when we
get to even Thursday, that might be out of sight,
out of mind, let.

Speaker 4 (03:21):
Alone during the regular season.

Speaker 5 (03:23):
Be like, man, remember that Great Bucks game in the preseason,
and but the overriding things I want to talk about
first is give them credit.

Speaker 4 (03:32):
To you know, like Steelers lost.

Speaker 5 (03:34):
I honestly don't even really care what the score is,
but it was a pretty even game all in all.
I thought Bridgewater played like a veteran good quarterback that
isn't challenged much. By the preseason. They played almost all
their guys, no Mayfield, no Evans, Mike Evans, no Levonte David.

(03:55):
Steelers sat way more people than that, and we're basically
competitive slash equal. All in all, I think the two
touchdowns the Steelers allowed the Bridgewater touchdown throws are noteworthy
in that it's Bucky Irving, who had a really good
rookie year and he totally I know we'll talk to

(04:15):
fantasy in the future, but he's a second round fantasy
pick this year. I mean, they're expecting him to be
a big producer. He's a good receiver. One on one
against Peyton Wilson. Sometimes good players make good plays, you
know what I mean. Bridgewater drops it right in the bucket.
Wilson probably could have got his head around earlier, but
he's one of the better. He's a top ten running back.

Speaker 4 (04:35):
In the league. You know.

Speaker 5 (04:37):
The other touchdown is Igbuca, who is the talk of
Bucks camp, mid first round pick him, love them, love them.
And it wasn't awful coverage either by Eccles and probably
could have got his head around a little earlier, but
really nice throw.

Speaker 4 (04:52):
You know.

Speaker 5 (04:52):
So, okay, two of their impressive players that frankly were
if they were Steelers, would have been sitting out beat
you basically. Then, big picture thinking here, Steels turned the
ball over three times. They had a lot of penalties,
especially with their backup offensive line. They missed a field
goal which I count as a turnover, and they missed

(05:13):
a fourth down conversion which I count as a turnover.
So you basically turned the ball over five times. And
all in all, you hung with a team that frankly
was better than you last year and played basically all
their dudes and you didn't.

Speaker 4 (05:26):
So that's my big picture takeaway.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
You know, two for twelve on third downs didn't help
help very much either, But now that that makes a
lot of sense, and I I think listen, like some
people look at that and Bucky Irving making that that
catch for a touchdown, and Peyton Wilson's right on him,
and you know he's supposed to be a starter and

(05:49):
a big part of this defense that Shai.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
It was a great It was a perfect throw.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, yeah, And I know that you know it is
Teddy Bridgewater, who a lot of people can say just
was coaching high school football in my me a couple
of weeks ago. But a perfect throw is gonna beat
perfect coverage in that instance almost every single time.

Speaker 5 (06:05):
But he started a ton of games there was no
coverage to break down. It's a one on one pressman
coverage inside linebacker against a running back.

Speaker 4 (06:12):
Can I make the throw? Yeah, He's gonna do it
every time.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
I also like too, how the offense I thought their
best response was in those immediate moments of going down
fourteen nothing, yeah, ensuing dry, ensuing drive. They go three
plays down the field. Obviously off the back of that
big completion to Rowan Wilson was a forty two yarder.
I think if I'm remembering correctly, You're right, Yeah, what
were your your takeaways? Your thoughts on him is I mean,

(06:36):
he's obviously been a huge talking point and was you know,
at the forefront of making some big plays again for
this for the second time this preseason.

Speaker 5 (06:43):
Yeah, and I thought Rudolph played quite well again minus
an interception that he I'm sure he wishes he could
have had back. But Wilson's gotten better and better, and
I think he's definitely one of the players worth highlighting
for sure.

Speaker 4 (06:57):
Two catches.

Speaker 5 (06:58):
I mean, he wasn't out there a ton, but there's
still only two catches. But I think just try I
don't forget late in the game, I thought a lot
of received. I thought it was a good receiver day
by the Steelers in general. You know, even some of
the depth guys that probably won't make the team didn't
get aided by the quarterback play very much. After Skyler
Thompson went out, you know, noticeably, you know, Woodside's not

(07:22):
an NFL quarterback probably and you know that showed up.
But Wilson, I think more than the numbers or even
the big plays, I think our listeners probably now have
a better idea of what they expect out of him
and Mike Pursuda and I really talked about it a
lot in the postgame show. And as you know about Pursuda,
he loves Big ten football. He hates the Wolverines, but boy,

(07:45):
he's got a lot of respect for Rome Wilson from
even like his Wolverine days. And he's like, yeah, they're
using them just like Michigan did. I'm like, absolutely, He's
not going to be a outside the numbers George Pickens
beaten pressman coverage, go up and get it, dude. He's
gonna be a slot and he's going to be on
a lot of inbreakers and crossers and things like that

(08:06):
that we just haven't seen under Arthur Smith because the
quarterbacks aren't big on those type of routes. And Wilson
you don't have to be a J. Brown size or
Metcalf size to be an inbreaking middle of the field receiver.
He's tough. I think you're gonna see a lot of
that kind of stuff from him verticals out of the
slot as well. But I think that he's well equipped

(08:28):
to do all those things, you know, and he'll block
a little bit too, you know.

Speaker 4 (08:31):
He's good after the catch and you know.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
And that that part there is we know is paramount
as well, because if you want to play wide receiver
in Arthur Smith's system and for the Pittsburgh Steelers, you
got to be able to block and contribute in the
run game without a doubt.

Speaker 4 (08:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah, I like what we're seeing again, and we're going
to talk a little bit later. Is it sounds like
Dave Davis is making his way to Pittsburgh.

Speaker 4 (08:51):
For schefter.

Speaker 3 (08:53):
Hit play here, so we'll talk.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
A little bit more about wide receivers in that position group.
Whatever Roman Wilson's ultimate role is going to be when
we get to September and the regular season begins, you
need him to emerge, right, I mean, whether he's your two,
weather's your three, whether he's your four, you're going to
need something from him. So that's been good to see.
What do you think of Caleb Johnson as well too?
Wanted to make sure to ask you about him. I

(09:15):
thought we saw some good that one supposed to run.
I thought we saw some bad as well too.

Speaker 5 (09:20):
One other Roman Wilson note. I think that's important for
this particular game. You know, Metcalf's out, you know Austin's out,
so he's basically your top dog remaining. I think that
goes without saying at this point. And he went against
Tampa's number one secondary. I mean it's Winfield and McCollum,
and I mean that it's not a bad.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
Groups guys that are going to be seeking other employment
in a couple of weeks.

Speaker 4 (09:42):
Which brings me to Johnson. Now he.

Speaker 5 (09:49):
I have mixed feelings about him, and I know that
coach called him out boy. He was one of our
better players, same with Harmon, and I don't think he's wrong,
but I'm having a few can and I think not
to the nause Harris level, but I think he's going
to be a volume runner. You know, like the more
he gets, the better he gets. He wears down a defense,

(10:13):
gets the feel for a defense, doesn't really get fatigued
all that much. And that's how he was at Iowa.
So the fact that he was getting more and more
in this game and got better and better, I think
is going to be a Johnson trait.

Speaker 4 (10:27):
You know that that we like, these are good things.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
He'll be better in the second half and ye yeah right.

Speaker 5 (10:31):
I mean, and I think that they plan on giving
him the ball when they drafted him. They plan on
giving them the ball a lot. Now we can talk
about the death chart now too, which I think is
also very clear. But some of his runs I don't
think he can pull in that game. I don't think
he's going to pull off against the Ravens in week
six or you know, like there were times where he

(10:52):
got to the edge or didn't quite get to the
edge where I'm kind of saying, well, I don't know,
and when the bullets are flying for real against the
number one defense, sure he's gonna make that kind of run.
They also didn't run the ball very much, and with
Rudolph in there with the ones, there was a lot
of pass blocking by the line. And frankly, he is

(11:16):
third on the depth chart. Warren clearly is one to me.
Gainwell has started both games and started he even got
out of there before Rudolph. I mean, so like he's two,
so Johnson's three, and I'm not saying he's a bus
That's not my point at all. I think he's getting better.
I think they're trusting him more. But I have questions

(11:36):
about like some of these outside zone stuff and some
of the things he got away with because I thought
the Bucks played like nobody in the second half their defense.

Speaker 4 (11:44):
I looked out there, like, I don't.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
Know these guys.

Speaker 4 (11:47):
Yeah, they're really down the depth charts.

Speaker 5 (11:48):
So they played a lot of good guys early, but
a lot of really bad guys late. I just wonder
if he'll be able to translate that immediately to the NFL,
you know.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
Yeah, And I think that's at this point. I mean there,
Listen is high and I think rightfully so and I
have It's not like I don't think any of us
have been been wavered in this regard. But as much
as we liked him when he was drafted and where
the Steelers got him in particular, there was still a
reason why the Steelers got him at that spot in particular.

Speaker 4 (12:18):
Sure, but I think you're right on a perfect prospect
of right.

Speaker 2 (12:22):
Yeah, you know, there were a handful of running backs
taken before he was. But I think what you touched
on there is is kind of going to be the
balancing act for him. Of I do think there's some
Naji Harris vibes there, if you will, where he'll get
stronger and better as the game goes on. It might
take him more you know, three and four yard runs

(12:44):
before before he busts a fourteen yarder, but he will
get going there eventually. But if he's third on your
depth chart, you're.

Speaker 4 (12:51):
Not gonna get twenty.

Speaker 2 (12:53):
You're not getting close to twenty. Twenty carries a game,
So then what's his role become?

Speaker 5 (12:58):
Yeah, and then maybe it's just a'll more each week
or a month from now. He's getting fifteen percent more
touches you because I think they adore Warren.

Speaker 4 (13:08):
They do and I do too.

Speaker 5 (13:10):
And I think there's a narrative out there which I
lean towards agreeing with that he probably would not be
as efficient if he was the guy. You know, Nausey
did a lot of story works stuff, you know, and sure,
and they often you know, if it's third Nate and
you get six yards while that bumps you up and
you know you're against the light boxes on a drawer

(13:30):
or whatever. But I still think he's really good. And
I think Rogers, the team, Arthur Smith trust him to
no end.

Speaker 4 (13:38):
I mean, the fact that.

Speaker 5 (13:39):
He's getting rested to me speaks volumes of what they
think of him. They never rest him in other years.
You know, no, and Gainwell is what he is. He's
exactly what you bought on the open market. You paid
him a buck for him, he's worth a buck, you know.
I mean, he's good, So we'll see. I'm not concerned
about Johnson, but I just don't know that he's just

(14:01):
gonna walk in and put him in your fantasy lineup
week one and be done, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (14:06):
And I think I think there was some of that
speculation when he was drafted and even you know, a
couple months ago. But maybe that was not hindsight's easy
in this yeah, of course, but maybe that was always
going to.

Speaker 3 (14:18):
Be the case.

Speaker 5 (14:18):
Maybe maybe because we do knew, we knew from day
one he was a work in progress in the passing game.

Speaker 2 (14:24):
Yes, yeah, and he obviously barely did any any pass
pro stuff at Iowa. Let's take our first break here.
I do want to just get your kind of final
thoughts on that clear cut one, two, three on the
running back depth chart now, but then who's positioning themselves
at number four? And maybe some thoughts on the defensive
side as well too, as we give some final thought yeah,

(14:46):
on the preseason. As the Steelers fall to the Bucks
seventeen to fourteen in their lone home preseason game of
the year, it was nice having you down.

Speaker 3 (14:55):
At the stadium. By the way, I ended, I enjoyed that.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
When the preseason games we get at the stadium, it's
a nice treat.

Speaker 4 (15:01):
Dude O.

Speaker 5 (15:02):
Our audience might laugh like I'm like a fish out
of water, Like, but where do I sit?

Speaker 4 (15:06):
I don't believe it was spot in the press, but
I mean, like, I may make sure I get there
and the food, Yeah, where's my lazy boy? And you
know what.

Speaker 3 (15:15):
I had to go in postgame show.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
I had to go in and tell Matt hey man,
there's a there's Caliente pizza and ice cream out there
in the in the in the.

Speaker 4 (15:23):
Way too much.

Speaker 5 (15:23):
While I was there to begin with, I mean, there's
three different courses to come out, and I can't say
no to any of them.

Speaker 4 (15:28):
I was starving when I got there. Was the problem.

Speaker 5 (15:30):
I did the two hour pregame pre pregame here and
the Calientes hadn't shown up here yet.

Speaker 4 (15:35):
We're in the studio.

Speaker 5 (15:36):
So I got down there hungry, ate like a thing
of nachos, went on the air in the pregame show
with with those guys with Jerry and Mike. Then I
ate a real like lunch and then I had that
dog get half of course, you know, chicken tenor have
those two. And then I'm like, I'm fool But then
I'm like, well, there's pizza.

Speaker 3 (15:55):
Out there, calient pizza out there.

Speaker 4 (15:57):
I should try that. You know.

Speaker 2 (16:00):
People laugh at me and you know when they ask
me about like game days and things like that, because
as I've shared with you and with the listeners here
on SNR before, like there are some stressful, kind of
anxious elements of it.

Speaker 3 (16:12):
Oh yeah, I gotta get all this equipment and set
it up. And I know, like.

Speaker 4 (16:14):
When you're on the road, you it or be a plane.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
All the internet better beyond point opinion, the wireless microphones
better be on point.

Speaker 3 (16:21):
All that stuff.

Speaker 2 (16:22):
Like I joke with my wife and with my buddies
a lot, the toughest part of my job on game
day is not stuffing my.

Speaker 5 (16:27):
Face evere time I go to the stadium. Every time
they bring something out, I got to eat it and
I shouldn't.

Speaker 2 (16:33):
Yea, It's tough, Listen, it's tough having all this free
food around, all right. People don't understand more In the
preseason game when we come back on the other side,
we Shouler Matt Williamson. It's the Drive here on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (16:52):
Your tunes about Drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal.

Speaker 4 (16:56):
Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
Back on the Drive here on a Monday of a
new week, as we've got plenty to get to, including
obviously more thoughts from this preseason game number two.

Speaker 3 (17:19):
Matt, what's that? Uh? What's that? Running back depth chart?
Starting to look like? We know, the top three are
pretty pretty cut and dry.

Speaker 5 (17:27):
But I think that's cutter and drier than it's ever Bet, Yes,
you know, like it's pretty in a long time.

Speaker 4 (17:31):
Gain.

Speaker 5 (17:31):
Well's the two guys. I know that people don't want
to hear that, but he's the two. Yes, I write
this minute.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
Right this minute, and that obviously is subject to change.
And this is kind of another just on the heels
of that Caleb Johnson conversation, like players are allowed to
get better, especially especially rookies.

Speaker 5 (17:47):
Right, so, Dale, you said all every almost every shown
you know, these guys are allowed to get better, folks.

Speaker 2 (17:52):
Right, I've seen a lot of people down on Caleb Johnson,
a lot of people down and it's.

Speaker 5 (17:59):
Not fair, And I hope impression was like, oh, he's
a bust.

Speaker 4 (18:02):
You know.

Speaker 2 (18:03):
We you know, haven't even seen these guys in a
regular season game yet where there's actual game planning and schematics.
And again, they are allowed to get better, especially the rookies.

Speaker 5 (18:14):
Yeah, and the head coach went out of his way
to call out Johnson as boy, he looked like an
improved player, and no one asked him, you know, and
he just mentioned that himself, so we'll see. I just
rookies are more of a work in progress than any
of us want them to be.

Speaker 4 (18:29):
Just put it that way, you know.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
Even the first round picks, you know, like even someone
like Derek Harmon that I think we're all very high
on and think he could have a special rookie season.

Speaker 3 (18:38):
There might be a stretch.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
Of two or three games throughout the year where he's
not at his best and it doesn't look like things
are going great, Yeah, getting.

Speaker 5 (18:46):
Pushed around or Stampcom goes down, or he ends the
season with two sacks, and oh I thought it'd be
way better than that.

Speaker 3 (18:53):
That's he's not gonna twelve the National Football Yeah.

Speaker 4 (18:57):
Yeah, I do think these other backs are an interesting
comment though.

Speaker 2 (19:01):
I do as well, because I think there's been there's
been times where it felt like Trey Sermon was at
the top of the pecking order, Evan Hall at the
top of the pecking order.

Speaker 3 (19:09):
He's not a true just.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
Running back, but we've talked a lot about Max Harlman
and kind of the running back wide receiver tandem, and
then low Nichols starting to throw his name into the
conversation as well.

Speaker 5 (19:20):
Yeah, so I was pretty excited, and not that I'm not,
but Sermon and Hull I put in this category of
mid round picks that are now at that potential near
death career experience, you know, like this is probably the
last chance.

Speaker 4 (19:37):
You know. They were I think a third and fourth
round pick, respectively.

Speaker 3 (19:41):
It's like you're five or six for Sermon, I think, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 5 (19:43):
I mean, these guys have been around. I don't think
either ones super accomplished on special teams. They were stars
in the Big Ten, especially Hull, who was kind of
like Johnson, had nobody else around him on a lesser team.
Ohio State's obviously a different story, but third round pick
and neither one is really eat it now. I both
think they've flashed since they've been here, and I could

(20:04):
definitely see a case for one or both being on
the practice squad. And I think this goes with was
Out saying there's a really good chance whoever number four
is in the packing order is going to be on
the active roster sometime in those seventeen games. Absolutely that
position doesn't see you're gonna.

Speaker 3 (20:18):
Have a running back get banged up at some point.

Speaker 4 (20:20):
Yeah, I would.

Speaker 5 (20:20):
Imagine Hurlman's really interesting to me, but I still think
he's much I would put it.

Speaker 4 (20:25):
If I had to put him in a room, it
would be the wide receiver room.

Speaker 5 (20:27):
I think he's more of a slot, you know, type
of player.

Speaker 4 (20:32):
But I'm warming up the lou. I think Lo's hard
to tackle.

Speaker 5 (20:36):
Yeah, I just think he's hard to tackle, and he
not that the other guys are easy, but every time
they give him the ball.

Speaker 4 (20:44):
He gets more yardage than he should. You know, so
something he.

Speaker 3 (20:47):
Said for that, I completely agree.

Speaker 2 (20:49):
Yeah, And I think he fits the mold of maybe
a more well rounded game that you would that you
would want from the guy who's in the the guy
he was in your fourth spot. Like, I don't think
you want him to be a specialist. You want him
to be somebody that can, you know, morph into a
lot of different roles for you. Yeah, and I think
he's maybe got the most well rounded skill set of

(21:11):
any of the other.

Speaker 4 (21:11):
Things the other guys. Yeah, that's probably true.

Speaker 5 (21:15):
I'm not real sure about his receiving background. Maybe you
have a better clue about than I do. I need
to look into that more. I don't know a ton
of him running routes. I just kind of look at
him as a kind of a bowling ball, hard to tackle,
hard running guy, you know, And that to me could

(21:35):
get you a long way if he shows up in
week ten with week you know, with fresh legs after
not playing at all, and you know too, your top
three are heard.

Speaker 4 (21:45):
At that point for a while, you know.

Speaker 5 (21:47):
Yeah, you see a lot of these spark plug type
backs come in mid late in the regular season and
give you what you need.

Speaker 3 (21:53):
Yeah, and he's you know, just twenty four years old.

Speaker 4 (21:55):
Yeah, yeah, you.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
Know, maybe hitting that kind of absolute running back pe
age there to follow.

Speaker 3 (22:02):
Up on in the receiving game.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
Obviously not really a sample size at the National Football
League level.

Speaker 4 (22:08):
I didn't think so.

Speaker 2 (22:09):
But his last two years at Central Michigan that's that's
where you know, that's where he went to school. His
last two years at Central Michigan. He had forty receptions
one year for three hundred and thirty eight yards and
two touchdowns.

Speaker 3 (22:22):
Twenty one receptions for one hundred and twenty eight yards.

Speaker 4 (22:25):
Okay, so pretty big numbers. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (22:27):
In total, he had seventy one receiving yards for five
or seventy one receptions part of me for five hundred
and seventy five yards and three touchdowns when he was
in college, average of eight point one yards per reception. Okay,
I don't that's not other worldly, but he was certainly
involved in the past game in Central Michigan.

Speaker 5 (22:45):
That and what I've seen of him implies to me
that he has reliable hands.

Speaker 4 (22:51):
I don't think he's ever going to be.

Speaker 5 (22:52):
Like I don't know if we've talked about this enough,
but watching Gainwell live, he runs a lot of wide
receiver routes as a Pittsburgh Steeler split out from a slot,
even outside the numbers that Bucky Irving touchdown, Like, you
may see some of that with Gainwell split out wide
as a true wide receiver.

Speaker 4 (23:10):
I don't think Lou's doing those things.

Speaker 5 (23:12):
You know, but I think he can be a dump
off guy, a screen guy.

Speaker 3 (23:16):
Yes, and that's fine.

Speaker 5 (23:17):
That's good enough, you know, absolutely sturdy, built for protection,
those type of things.

Speaker 3 (23:21):
Yeah, I'm with you on that.

Speaker 5 (23:24):
And so I think list his height and weight at
let's see here, he seems like a.

Speaker 4 (23:28):
Bowling ball to me.

Speaker 3 (23:30):
One second five.

Speaker 5 (23:32):
Yeah, okay, that's the way he runs. He's low to
the ground and he's thickly built. I mean, so he
might be my favorite. But there's a little recency bias
there too.

Speaker 3 (23:40):
There is there, absolutely is.

Speaker 2 (23:42):
But certainly for all these guys a big final opportunity
here in a few days in Charlotte. Defensive side of
the football, Matt, anybody stand out to you? I felt
like Cole Holcombe was all over the place when he
was out there. He was one of the guys who
you know, two days later is still kind of is
fresh in my mind here. But I feel like we've
talked mostly about the offensive side of the football. Any
any defensive takeaways here on this preseason game.

Speaker 4 (24:06):
Holkom's definitely a good one.

Speaker 5 (24:07):
I thought he looked like a starter playing against backups
and especially at linebacker. I always think about that in
the preseason, Like I someone like him, if he played enough,
would clearly like lead the team and tackles in the preseason.
You know, he knows where people are gonna be. He's
a better around the block.

Speaker 4 (24:25):
You know. So I thought he showed every bit of that,
and clearly he.

Speaker 5 (24:28):
Is very healthy and exactly which is the best Wh's
the best part about him?

Speaker 4 (24:34):
Harrimon's worth bringing up?

Speaker 3 (24:35):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (24:36):
Yeah, I mean he had a sack. He was impactful.

Speaker 3 (24:42):
First first and only sack of the preseason so far.

Speaker 2 (24:45):
Right, Yeah, I thought about I was going to say,
got his name called a lot on Saturday night.

Speaker 4 (24:50):
Yeah. I think he's been a little late to the party.

Speaker 5 (24:53):
He's an undrafted free agent, but he was a priority
one that they gave money to. So I think a
lot of us got a little more excited, like he's like,
he's really a fifth round pick. Well he wasn't, you know,
But I thought he'd do more his first couple of
weeks at camp. But lately I think he's coming on
strong and starting to understand the game at this.

Speaker 4 (25:12):
Level, you know.

Speaker 5 (25:13):
So I would think he's probably your top practice squad safety,
and you're pretty happy about it, and a typical guy
like we've them, you and I have been talking about.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
Is I want to see him at camp next year.

Speaker 2 (25:24):
You know, Perfect He strikes me as like if he
if he has the chops, maybe like a next Miles
killer Brew type.

Speaker 3 (25:33):
Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean. It's a great
role model for perfect.

Speaker 2 (25:36):
Right, you spend a little time on the practice squad
and then eventually you become so valuable on teams.

Speaker 3 (25:40):
You get a helmet on game day and you're kind of.

Speaker 5 (25:42):
The fourth safety, four last special team captain exactly right, right,
exactly all day long.

Speaker 3 (25:47):
He seems like he has the skill set, uh to
do that.

Speaker 2 (25:50):
But yeah, I think those are the guys on the
defensive side of the ball worth highlighting.

Speaker 3 (25:54):
I thought Pierre was was very noticeable as well a lot.
I thought he played a lot and played well. Jack
Sawyer played a lot.

Speaker 4 (26:02):
I feel like two games straight now and I feel like.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
He's another one of those guys who and I'm I'm
bad with this, Matt. I should preface this by saying,
I realized Twitter. I realized X is not a real place,
especially man in like the last three or four years, right,
Like it is just everybody gets on there to complain
and whine and you know, and and and.

Speaker 3 (26:23):
Talk about how angry they are all the time.

Speaker 4 (26:25):
A few people know a thing or two, but yeah,
that Williams.

Speaker 3 (26:29):
It's an NFL guys all right on there.

Speaker 2 (26:30):
But there's a lot of and a lot of times
I kind of roll my eyes because it's social media
in general when people say this, but there is there's
a lot of toxic nature of Twitter and x and
like I said, a lot of people kind of complaining
and coming down hard on Caleb Johnson. I think I
saw a little bit there with Jack Sawyer as well too.
And again, I know it's not a real place. That's
where people go to wine and complain, and it's like

(26:53):
when you go to Google reviews, right, the only people
that go on there to review something are people that
are angry.

Speaker 4 (26:58):
Yeah, you know the mindset when you go on is yeah.

Speaker 2 (27:02):
But I feel like we saw a lot of Jack
Sawyer as well too. Where are you at with him?

Speaker 4 (27:05):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (27:06):
And a lump Ley Owen with him a little because
they've both had to play a lot. Obviously, Watt and
Highsmith haven't played any of the preseason and then her
big they ended. I think he had one pass rush
and then they in the press boxer are like, well,
he's not coming back and Fortunately it looks like he
avoided any major. But so those guys, they've been kind
of light on game day at edge for both both

(27:27):
these games. And I think Sawyer is what he is,
and I think it's a good thing. People probably remember
I'm probably out there like you hated him coming out
of Ohio State. I didn't like him as a first
or second round pick. I mean everyone talked about him
like he was a top fifty pick all day long.
Where they got him made a ton of sense to
me as a power edge slash special teamer, and him

(27:50):
and Leo I thought both set the edge.

Speaker 4 (27:52):
Well.

Speaker 5 (27:54):
I know this isn't about Leo, but I don't know
where he fits in because he just doesn't have enough
juice off the edge. And I don't know that he'll
be a Steeler.

Speaker 3 (28:01):
This year, might be might be that career cross with yeah.

Speaker 5 (28:05):
Or he's to go to a different system and be
a four three end or whatever. And where Sawyer, I
think is where you want him in his career trajectory.
You know, he plays hard, he can be a little
high at times. I don't think he's ever going to
be a double digit sack dude, but he's going to
be a third outside linebacker, power player that plays more

(28:26):
against the Ravens than he does the Bengals.

Speaker 4 (28:28):
You know, yeah, and you play us.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
Both a nice kind of uh maybe thunder to Nick
Krbig's lightning, you know, like, I think you need that
balance in your in your in your depth at edge.

Speaker 5 (28:39):
And the other thing is that it's it's not this offseason,
but it's the off season from now. I don't know
how you can pay her big, you know, like people
have to uys are thinking about the stuff.

Speaker 3 (28:48):
When your team buildings, got a lot of money invested
in the edge.

Speaker 5 (28:51):
And he hits you open market, He's gonna make a
lot of money. I mean, people are gonna look at
him like he's a double digit sack guy, is.

Speaker 2 (28:57):
A full time Compair him with the right person and
put him the roll. He can get me ten sacks
a year.

Speaker 5 (29:01):
Or he can't hear because he's not on the field enough.
You know, yeah, he won't be I don't think he'll
be here forever.

Speaker 2 (29:07):
Unfortunately, interesting, interesting thing to keep an eye on. Finally,
I did want to make sure and bring up because listen,
we don't talk about the long snappers very often unless
something goes catastrophically wrong. And that's credit to Christian Koontz.
I think most football fans in this town know his
name one because he's local. That certainly helps. He's one
of us. He likes his turners in his iron, but

(29:32):
he also is very good and you know, goes about
that liable. When you're one of those long snappers who's
reliable for so long, eventually people get to know your
name because they like you and trust you and and
know they don't have to worry about you. And he's
certainly become one of those guys.

Speaker 5 (29:46):
Coaching staffs give a long snapper, they don't want to
look for another, exactly right.

Speaker 4 (29:49):
I hope we have him for ten years.

Speaker 3 (29:51):
He's that guy, exactly right.

Speaker 2 (29:52):
Yeah, and you know we saw him as well too.
Is her big leave pretty early with an injury after
making a tackle a on a punt and according to
you know some of the you know, our our journalist
reporters that that do the real, the real beat work
that that we reference sometimes. Uh, he has a sternhum
injury and I believed it could be broken and if so,

(30:14):
that would keep him out several weeks two months.

Speaker 5 (30:17):
Oh wow, that's the first I heard that. I just
heard chest injury. Will evaluate later, well years later.

Speaker 2 (30:22):
And this also kind of was was breaking, uh shortly
before you and I went on air, and man, those
sturnam those sternum injuries or no joke. My my wife
was in a car accident and had a sternum injury.
And I mean she is you know, no athlete, no
Christian kots, but she's rugged her for a long time.

(30:43):
But it's like one of our kids would like you know,
would jump on her chest on the couch and she'd
be like, oh, like my start, I'm just hurt again,
you know, like like weeks after the fact type thing.

Speaker 4 (30:53):
You can't put a cast on it or I'm sure.

Speaker 2 (30:55):
Like sleeping exactly right, exactly right. And so that's something
to keep an eye on going forward. Word here, you know,
we haven't.

Speaker 3 (31:01):
Heard official, any official word.

Speaker 2 (31:03):
But if that's the case, you're not just gonna need
someone who can get you out of stadiums. You're gonna
need somebody who can who can fill in.

Speaker 5 (31:09):
No, you need a legit dude. And it's a minor thing.
They'll get it down. But that that battery between long
snapper holder, which we don't know exactly who the holder
is one thousand percent yet and boz is something you
need to get down as well as with your punter. Yeah,
I mean I just flat out long snapping from a

(31:30):
punt isn't easy.

Speaker 4 (31:31):
Now.

Speaker 5 (31:31):
I have no clue if this is why Souls missed
the kick or not, But my first thought was, was
that snapp any good? I mean, he hit the dude
in the hands. But if it comes back like a
softball pitch is a lot different than an Olan Ryan fastball.

Speaker 4 (31:43):
These guys are used to.

Speaker 5 (31:45):
I mean those guys clock it down to the hundredth
the second. And when you're scollo snappers, I.

Speaker 4 (31:50):
Mean it's a science.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
Matt, I might be able to throw you strike across
the plate. Yeah, but not like Paul Skeen's.

Speaker 5 (31:54):
Get right, it's the same thing, like maybe I hit
the mit but maybe you know that makes Loganly did
a great job.

Speaker 3 (32:02):
I guess what you needed him to do in that moment.

Speaker 4 (32:04):
He didn't throw it over anyone's head.

Speaker 3 (32:07):
You out of a stadium.

Speaker 5 (32:08):
You know, no one has a good backup long snapper
on game day, you know, like James Harrison.

Speaker 2 (32:12):
I was just gonna say when Craig Warren went out
for that game and James Harrison filled and it's not
like they were like, all right, well, let's keep this
going for the rest of the season.

Speaker 3 (32:19):
Yeah, if it's a real game, do you think Deebo
skied one of his Yeah?

Speaker 5 (32:25):
Remember, I mean when it does happen, the coach says, well,
we're not going to really punder kickfield goals anymore unless
we absolutely have.

Speaker 2 (32:30):
To, unless we're exactly oh Man, So playing to keep
an eye on that regard.

Speaker 5 (32:37):
Also sounds like they better find a long staffer works
him out pretty quick.

Speaker 2 (32:40):
Sounds like they might be working some people out there
without a doubt. We do have some breaking Adam Schefter
news as it relates to a wide receiver who's visiting
Pittsburgh again. We will talk about that when we come
back and we return to close down this first hour
of the program. West Shouler, Matt Williamson, It's the Drive
here on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,

(33:09):
your tunes.

Speaker 1 (33:10):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (33:28):
Final segment here of the first hour on a Monday,
Driving along here, West Shuler and Matt Williamson and Matt
We've got some significant news, some movement in the wide
receiver department. Feels like this is another one of those
kind of ongoing off season themes and conversations and things
that we've spent.

Speaker 3 (33:47):
Plenty of time last off season, a little bit.

Speaker 2 (33:51):
Of groundhoking day, But just before you and I turned
on the mike, you had to tell me about it. Actually,
like I hadn't even seen it before we started up.
Uh started the show today Adam Schefter reporting that, of course,
former Jag and Buffalo bill Gabe Davis, one of those
more larger profile, higher profile wide receivers that we've discussed,

(34:14):
is flying to Pittsburgh today Monday and is scheduled to
visit the Steelers on Tuesday. That his second time that
he's visited this offseason. He visited for the first time
back during the OTAs of many camp times, because I
remember us being down there during that OTA in mini
camp stretch as well too.

Speaker 5 (34:32):
Matt.

Speaker 2 (34:32):
We've talked a lot about this, you know. We've talked
about names like Amari Cooper and Gabe David. We've talked
about potential trade candidates, everything from Terry McLaughlan McLaurin, Christian Kirk,
you know what I mean, all these different type of guys,
but this feels significant since it's the second time he's
coming back to Pittsburgh.

Speaker 5 (34:48):
I think it's very significant. And it's funny he brought
up Kirk. The Texans traded John Metchi today, so I
assume they're done.

Speaker 3 (34:56):
They're done.

Speaker 4 (34:58):
Assume good, good good to bring that.

Speaker 5 (35:00):
Up, And frankly, I wouldn't have been I don't know.
I Mechi moves the needle enough for me. They gave
up a backup tight end and a one for one swap,
so I'm sure that people like Steel should have got
met you like he's all right, was a secondround pick
out of Obama. Gabe Davis would be much more of
a true two or met you would be in that
three to four conversation. So my hunch, just knowing how

(35:24):
these things work, and I think I can pretty much
confirm that, not that I'm a reporter, but when he
was here, I think his medicals were still up in
the air.

Speaker 4 (35:33):
I think it's a knee. I'm not positive.

Speaker 3 (35:36):
I believe you are pretty sure it's.

Speaker 5 (35:37):
A knee, because I think they have a lot of
interest in him. And I'll talk about what kind of
player he is in a minute, But at that point.

Speaker 3 (35:46):
Left knee, okay, horn moniscus in his left knee, left.

Speaker 5 (35:50):
And week eleven, I say, I think it happened reasonably
late in the in the regular season, so week eleven,
that's about the right time frame for nowadays modern medicine.
So my hunch is maybe even we get together tomorrow
or even by the time people are listening to this,
if he comes to Pitts well, when he comes to Pittsburgh,
if he passes a physical, I bet they already have

(36:11):
a contract in place and he signs it. That's just
my hunch, and no one's told me any of this stuff.
If he doesn't, that probably means he didn't pass the
physical and the knee still is looming. Because I bet
that they had a good visit with him the first
time around, said yeah, but then he's still not where
we want it. Come back in a month, you know,
and he's like, cool, I see an opportunity here. I

(36:34):
think he would be the two, but I don't know
that he would blow away Austin and Wilson, you know
what I mean.

Speaker 3 (36:41):
He's like, he's in stone number two for the entire year.

Speaker 5 (36:45):
Yeah, not McLaurin, you know, I mean by no means
I haven't been a huge fan of his game. I've
always thought he was a little overrated because he's not
a super versatile guy.

Speaker 4 (36:58):
But it's all relative.

Speaker 5 (36:59):
I thought the Jags overpaid him, which as they often do.
They overpay a lot of dudes and then they end
up on the open mark and get cut, just like
he did. You know, so that's not his fault that
he signed a big contract.

Speaker 4 (37:10):
Good for him.

Speaker 2 (37:11):
Hey, if anybody wants to overpay me, right, I'm sure
there's a lot of people listen like you're I think
they're overpaying you, Williamson.

Speaker 5 (37:17):
No, but what he is is something that they need now.
I do think they need to add a receiver. Roman
wils will play as well as he wants whatever. I
think sitting on your laurels for that room is a
little frightening, especially if Metcalf misses any time and all
that stuff. But I didn't want another little guy. Miller's

(37:38):
got a chance to make this team. I don't think
Woods does. Although he won't like this news. This doesn't
help Miller's case. But Wilson and Austin are making the team. Yes,
and they're both pretty. They're both little. I mean, if
you see him in person, they're both quite small. Espec
Especial's standing next to the DK metcalf So I did
want a bigger bodied guy. And and Wilson are both

(38:01):
highly slot capable. Wilson's almost entirely slot. Austin can do both,
but I think they prefer he was a slot, which
rings us to Davis, who's not gonna line up in
the slot very often. He's kind of a prototypical outside
the numbers.

Speaker 4 (38:18):
Speed down the field, yeah, down.

Speaker 5 (38:20):
The field, high depth of average, depth of target type
of guy.

Speaker 4 (38:25):
Has some physicality to him.

Speaker 5 (38:26):
I'm guessing he's six one two oh five something like that.

Speaker 4 (38:32):
You know, like he's got some thickness to him.

Speaker 5 (38:34):
He's not like a sprinter skinny guy, you know.

Speaker 4 (38:39):
So he's somewhere in that neighborhood. He can, he will block.

Speaker 5 (38:43):
He's got a very good reputation as a blocker and
throwing his body around. But he's not going to run
a super wide variety of of a Rauttree.

Speaker 4 (38:54):
Twenty five.

Speaker 5 (38:55):
He's listed at Wow, that's probably his height and weight
from the combine and which could it always changes, but
bigger than I thought.

Speaker 4 (39:02):
That's even better than I wanted to hear. That's great.

Speaker 5 (39:05):
But he's gonna be a downfield threat. You know, he's
not gonna nickel and diem me to death. And even
though Russell Wilson, who still throws a great deep ball,
isn't here, this team's gonna throw the ball deep, you know,
and I've said this a lot, even just if you're
starting receivers or are or were Austin and Metcalf, that's

(39:27):
about as fast of a pairing as anyone not named
like Tyreek and Wall. So they're looking for pure That's
a very good point. And this guy's another fast downfield dude,
but with size, they'll be all used in different ways.

Speaker 4 (39:41):
Though. You know, Metcalf is gonna get a lot of slants.

Speaker 5 (39:43):
He's gonna get a lot of go balls, he's gonna
get in breakers, he's gonna do everything. Wilson, as we mentioned,
the first segment I think will be a slot over
the middle, drag routes in you know, crossers.

Speaker 4 (39:56):
This guy's going to be a.

Speaker 5 (39:57):
Go ball, take the top off, assume often against one
on one coverage, keep people out of the box.

Speaker 4 (40:04):
Guy.

Speaker 3 (40:05):
Absolutely, it makes sense. Makes sense.

Speaker 2 (40:08):
Yeah, I think that's a I think that's a very
good way to put it. I I I'm with you
on that one.

Speaker 4 (40:13):
And he is doesn't cost you anything, man.

Speaker 3 (40:15):
He doesn't doesn't cost you much.

Speaker 2 (40:17):
And when he's been healthy, I mean, he has been absolutely.

Speaker 3 (40:20):
Outstands his numbers are pretty good.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
Yeah, I remember, I mean, I think a and I
think a lot of Steelers fans will remember this too.
I think a good way to describe his game was
when the Steelers went up to the Buffalo in twenty twenty two.
I don't know if people remember, but on the very
first play of the game, Yeah, ninety eight yards for
a touchdown, Buffalo.

Speaker 4 (40:37):
Like game every game.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
That's the type of speed and downfield receiving threat that
he is. I mean, I think Buffalo like they they
flubbed the opening kickoff or maybe a punt that the
Steelers had had, and they ended up with the ball
and the two to start and ninety eight yard touchdown
to Gabe Davis past you know, Levi Wallace and Mika
Fitzpatrick and the entire steel defense. I think a lot

(41:01):
of people, you know, a lot of the diehard listeners
will remember that that was my first year in the
booth traveling at the game.

Speaker 4 (41:06):
So yeah, I remember today.

Speaker 3 (41:08):
Yeah, he had a huge day there.

Speaker 2 (41:10):
I think that was, you know, relatively early in the season,
maybe Week five or six something like that, when the
Steelers up there up there at Orchard Park in early October.
And he's had some injury stuff, but man, when he's when,
when he's healthy, he is He's a playmaker.

Speaker 4 (41:23):
He's a quality player. He's a big play guy.

Speaker 5 (41:26):
He probably won't be an eight catch for eighty five
yard guy. I mean, he'll probably be a two catch
for forty five yard dude, you know that type of thing.

Speaker 4 (41:34):
Yes, you had his career stats there.

Speaker 5 (41:38):
I think he's pretty much good for like five to
seven touchdowns.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
A year, which is he's been pretty consistent until last
year seven six, seven to seven and last year just
twsed that.

Speaker 3 (41:48):
On because you were spot on.

Speaker 4 (41:51):
That's about the norm for.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
Will give you a six and a half touchdowns.

Speaker 5 (41:53):
Yeah, okay, if you get six out of him, that's great.
And if he plays, I don't know, I would think
he's probably a seventy five percent of the snap guy.
A real good chance that when you're in twelve that
he's the second receiver over Austin.

Speaker 4 (42:06):
But I bet they'll battle that out a little bit.

Speaker 3 (42:09):
I think you don't.

Speaker 4 (42:10):
They'll just hand them the number two job if they
sign them.

Speaker 2 (42:13):
No, absolutely not. And I mean his longest reception every
year fifty six yards, forty nine yards, ninety eight yards,
fifty seven yards.

Speaker 3 (42:20):
I mean he's got he's.

Speaker 4 (42:21):
Got big yards per reception there.

Speaker 2 (42:23):
Yards per reception, seventeen point one, fifteen point seven, seventeen
point four, sixteen point six, even last year twelve yards perception.

Speaker 5 (42:31):
Yeah, okay, I mean that's those are like pickings near
the top of the league type numbers.

Speaker 2 (42:36):
And a lot of first down receptions too. His last
two years in Buffalo thirty five and thirty four.

Speaker 5 (42:41):
You're not gonna throw the bubble screens and four yard
out so yeah, nonsense stuff.

Speaker 4 (42:45):
You know he's gonna be big boy routes down the field. Yeah, yeah, absolutely,
that makes sense.

Speaker 5 (42:50):
And when he was brought up for the Steelers months
ago pre John new trade, I was like, I'd like
to do better. But now if you added John who
and him from that day am I?

Speaker 4 (43:03):
Okay? Yeah? No, that's that's a pretty good combination of
just pass catchers.

Speaker 3 (43:06):
Right, that's true. Yeah, it's actually a very good way
to look at.

Speaker 2 (43:08):
I mean, that's that's a pair of guys that you know,
consistently give you, you know, in John New's case, five
hundred to eight hundred yards, Yeah.

Speaker 4 (43:18):
Yeah, you know, gave the end zone a handful of
times too.

Speaker 2 (43:21):
Gave Davis consistently in the six hundred, seven hundred, eight
hundred yard receiving range.

Speaker 4 (43:26):
I mean, piece it together with those two. This guy's
one or the other.

Speaker 5 (43:29):
I'm like, yeah, you're leaving me a little lacking, but
I can piece it together with those guys.

Speaker 3 (43:32):
They're kind of like career average season.

Speaker 2 (43:34):
And I realized John, who's coming off his best and
gave Davis is coming off his worst.

Speaker 3 (43:39):
So right, right, right right, But a career average season.

Speaker 4 (43:41):
Bring to the table as players, they'd have.

Speaker 3 (43:43):
Been like your second and third best pass catchers last year.
Yeah yeah, yeah, exactly behind Pickens. They definitely could have.

Speaker 4 (43:50):
Used them last year, let's say the least.

Speaker 5 (43:52):
And I was at, you've been asked, if everybody's been
asked this, they need a number two receiver or they
think of Austin and Wilson. But one thing I've been
saying is yes, I'd love to see him get another receiver,
a number two type guy. But I also think Wilson
and Austin are really good threes, not like agreed bad.

Speaker 2 (44:11):
They're not three to four if they each moved down
the depth chart one spot.

Speaker 3 (44:14):
Now, that's exactly right.

Speaker 4 (44:16):
Four is really good. Your threes above average? Okay, you
know one hundred percent.

Speaker 3 (44:22):
Yeah, I'm completely it.

Speaker 2 (44:24):
Come at you know, if Gabe Davis works out and
is able to play, I mean I was gonna say seventeen,
but even fifteen or sixteen games for the Steelers, I
think the wide receiver position goes from maybe the one
that you were most concerned about to now, hey, could
even become a position of strength as long as Calvin
Austin and Roman Wilson kind of developed like we think
they are.

Speaker 3 (44:43):
Any news on Austin coming back, nothing yet preseason.

Speaker 4 (44:46):
I'll tell you anything. So it's gonna be a little
hard on.

Speaker 3 (44:48):
His injury, exactly right.

Speaker 4 (44:50):
You know.

Speaker 2 (44:50):
Mike Tomlin did say, you know, I think maybe the
last week of training camp or leading up to one
of those last few days that he should be parking
up soon, I believe was what was what Mike Tomlins said.

Speaker 4 (45:01):
But I would bet he doesn't play Thursday.

Speaker 2 (45:03):
Maybe it's another one of those things where they're just like, hey,
we know what you are, we're good.

Speaker 3 (45:06):
We don't need to see too much more of you.

Speaker 4 (45:08):
They got a huge gap still until.

Speaker 2 (45:10):
Get healthy for the regular season. Perk up, perk up soon.
But maybe maybe we won't see too much of you
in stadium. But yeah, I think man getting him back
Roman Wilson continues to develop. If you know, Gabe Davis
is able to clear that medical which I think what
you said there was spot on, Like they brought him in, Hey,
let's bring you back here.

Speaker 3 (45:27):
As long as you're healthy and good to go.

Speaker 2 (45:29):
Yeah, we can get something done, you know after training
camp or in kind of that August timeframe.

Speaker 4 (45:34):
Maybe in the next twenty four hours there's a deal
in place.

Speaker 5 (45:37):
There isn't a thing. Then you're still looking by the time.
The fact that they bring him in to me is
they're not thrilled with the room.

Speaker 4 (45:42):
They won't add. They're going to add to the room.

Speaker 2 (45:44):
Yes, yes, going to add And I think this solidifies
that if they're going to add to that room, And
like you said, if you know it gets to be
Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, and we haven't heard anything
about a contract for.

Speaker 4 (45:56):
Game days coming gone.

Speaker 2 (45:57):
That probably means they're going to be starting to starting
to look somewhere else.

Speaker 3 (46:00):
So plenty to keep an eye on.

Speaker 2 (46:01):
And yeah, as Matt mentioned, maybe even in the next
twenty four hours, maybe even before the show tomorrow, will
have some some updates, some new news in that regard.
But that's an hour in the books, another hour to go.
A lot going on around the league as well too,
Matt and I want to get into, including an AFC
North team naming their starting quarterback. I bet you can
probably narrow it down as.

Speaker 5 (46:21):
To who that was, Baltimore, Cincyar Benching there, guys, I
don't know.

Speaker 2 (46:27):
That.

Speaker 3 (46:27):
Joe Burrow, I don't know Mar.

Speaker 2 (46:29):
I mean, come on, forty one touchdown passes and four
touchdowns last year.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
I don't know. Lamar might be in a quarterback battle
at camp.

Speaker 2 (46:37):
We'll talk talk a little around the league news to
start hour number two when we return on the other side,
Why Shoeler Matt Williams, And it's the Drive on Steelers
Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.