HR1: Limiting Snaps

Matt and Dale talk a little bit of this and a little bit of that in the first hour. They discuss limiting snaps for key players, tight end contracts, and unrestricted yet restricted free agents.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold Steelers.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Nation Radio.

Speaker 3 (00:20):
And Welcome to the Drive. I am Dale LOLLI he
is the Matt Williamson except no imitations and Matt. There
are reports out there that the Steelers are in the
process of well, they've we're going to sign wide receiver
Robert Woods.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah. Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. I mean,
big brother, veteran in the room. Probably good for George,
you know, and some other young guys. He's been around
the block. He's always been a very accomplished inside out blocker,
et cetera. Now, I don't think he's got a lot
in the tank. I don't think he's super explosive at

(00:59):
this point, but he's had a good career. Did some
homework on him since the news last night. And he
has a tough time getting off man coverage, you know,
as because of the quickness and the physicality of it all.
But he still has a real good feel for his zone.
He's a really good blocker, kind of has an Alan
Robinson feel to it, you know, good and bad, you know,

(01:20):
I mean, it's they're not making him the feature receiver, right,
I mean that's the thing here.

Speaker 3 (01:25):
I mean, if he's your you know, a depth piece.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
I don't know if he makes team. I mean like
to be the fifth guy.

Speaker 3 (01:31):
Four hundred snaps last year for the Texans.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, yeah, well you know, okay, right right right, that's okay,
yeah right. I thought a sixth guy was not needed,
but would have been welcome, you know.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, so you know you bring in that guy. As
you mentioned, he's played both slot and outside. I think
he's probably better suited to disappoint in his career to
to play more inside. But he agree he can bump outside,
and you just see different cornerbacks inside from what you
see outside. Outside. You see the Joey Porter juniors right

(02:05):
right right inside you see the Beach Bishop right right right.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Which I think is to my point about the man coverage.
I think he's better either reduced or moving in motion
or out of the slot, but he can't line up
on line of scrimmage and be effective. He's not super explosive,
but you get some good snaps out of him.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah, to your point about his what he does against
his own coverages, if you look at it.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
I didn't look at the numbers. I just watched them
tape the stuff over the middle for him. Okay, he
is an over the middle receiver now at this point,
I could absolutely see that kind of a Cooper cup light.
Yeah you know what I mean, that type of guy. Yeah,
physical of his What do you have last year or mine?
The right year?

Speaker 3 (02:47):
That's back in twenty twenty two. If last season he
had twenty catches, last season wasn't a great year, no, right,
I mean he's on the back nine. But all but
seventeen of them came between the numbers.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
Really that heavy? Okay? That heavy?

Speaker 3 (03:04):
Okay, if you look back at twenty twenty three, it's
even more so the case he had six twenty two,
twenty five of his catches. I think he had thirty
or forty, maybe twenty five of his forty catches came
between the numbers. Really, I mean, he has been a
between the numbers short and intermediate.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
That definitely adds up with what I was watching in
his reputation and all those things. I didn't realize it
was that heavy. So it brings me everyone's out there like, well,
I'll never catch a ball in between the numbers here.
They don't ever throw it between numbers, folks. That was
a quarterback thing. That's not an Arthur Smith thing.

Speaker 3 (03:38):
It's also the you know, given the receivers that you
have to work with, right right, you know, it's just
it is. You know, if you have guys that are
capable of going over the middle and catching the football,
then you'll see more of that. If you don't, if
it's just your tight ends, well you know, it just
changes things.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
A little bit. Now. But I assuming Rogers is a
quarterback even here's.

Speaker 3 (04:02):
The okay, so here's the thing about Rogers. The people
who think that he is not signing or not going
to play football this year. If you're forty one years
old and you're going to retire, you don't go out
and throw.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Catch dk metcip is it here?

Speaker 3 (04:23):
If I'm done, I'm done. Are there any videos out there,
for example, of Tom Brady or Peyton Manning out there
tossing the ball around with receiver Ben?

Speaker 2 (04:31):
Does it anymore?

Speaker 3 (04:32):
No? Right right, they're done.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
And ship is sailed. You're on a beach with a
beer and having fun, right it.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
Probably in the off season. Your body hurts throwing the football.
When you've thrown the football, you wouldn't just do a
million times in your in your lifetime.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
You're like, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
If I want to do that anymore.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
The ship is sailed. Yeah, I can't believe he's not
going to play football.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
I would find it very hard to believe that he
is not going to play football. You don't just give
them the of who he worked out with, right, come on.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
It's a pretty good indicator.

Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, it's going to happen.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
Sho cards. Yeah, you know, And I don't know what
personal stuff's going on in his life or whatever, but no,
I think the Steelers do. I would think so yeah. Yeah,
and again I would expect more middle of the field passing.

Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, more middle of the field passing, which is why
you go get another middle of the field target. They've
got rookie mini camp May tenth, eleventh, and twelfth. That's
the next thing that they have on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday next week after.

Speaker 2 (05:32):
Like Camyward is not going to be at that, yeah,
I mean's rookie mini. Rogers doesn't need to be there,
and the veterans aren't going to be there.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
They don't start their OTAs until May twenty. First. The
stuff with the coaches on the field.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
That's that's the next football thing.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
That's the next football thing.

Speaker 2 (05:50):
There'll be a player or two in the building here
and there, but the next time they're in the building
is almost a month from now. Yeah, you know, that's
the next time that they do football stuff as a team.
So he can take your time, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
make down anyway.

Speaker 3 (06:04):
Whatever you gotta do, get it done with. Because again,
as I've said consistently all along, once you're in, you're in.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah yeah, yeah, once you sign, we're not doing this anymore.
No Egypt trips, no dark retreats, or whatever it is
you do. And I'm sure people like, well, should he
be learning the playbook? I think he can figure out
an NFL offense at this point, and he may even
have it. I don't know, right, I don't know. I'm
sure they could ship it to him, you know, right,
or email to him whatever, you know.

Speaker 3 (06:30):
You know, so you go, you get another middle of
the field weapon. Now I look at the offense and
it's kind of complete. Yeah, I would definitely keep offensive linemen,
but they have they have enough. It's just is it
enough quality. That's that's the only question, right, I.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
Think we obviously know who the five starters are, and
they're going to be unchallenged, you know for those jobs.
If a depth piece were to arise, I would be
real interested. But there's not enough for them for another receiver.
Even if quarter O Patterson gets released, I don't think
you're even in the market for another back. Of note,
maybe a tight end. I mean they keep five of them.

(07:12):
They got five of them with the undrafted rookies, right right, right,
tight ends out the wazoo. Yeah, yeah, I'm just reaching here,
but I think you're done a quarterback. Well, not quite,
but I think we covered that. Yeah, I keep thinking
it's a dud deal, but you know, I think we
handled that situation or brought it up from time to time.
I don't think you're after another receiver.

Speaker 3 (07:32):
No, And it's interesting, you know. For example, the Browns
on yesterday signed Deontay Johnson.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yeah, despite the headaches and being with the loss of
the teams and right, a.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
Couple of teams put tender offers restricted ten or yeah,
kind of restricted tender offers out on guys who are
still free agents, which is a little different rule that
camp must be went over my head. It hadn't been
done since twenty twenty two. The Chiefs did it with
a couple of guys.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
Okay, So the Browns did it with the receiver, the
little slot Elijah Moore. Yeah, okay, so he is an
unrestricted he's a.

Speaker 3 (08:10):
Unrestricted free agent, but they they tendered him an offer,
which means that now if somebody signs him, it counts
against the comp formula for them. You don't get a pickback,
which you get the opportunity to match.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
Okay, can you do that with anyone?

Speaker 3 (08:23):
Apparently because the of all teams, the Chargers also did
it with JK. Dobbins.

Speaker 2 (08:29):
Okay, So hypothetical Steelers signed JK. Dobbins or it would
count against their comp formula. It would count against the Steelers. Yeah, okay,
I thought maybe it was only the only the original team.

Speaker 3 (08:41):
No, but those guys in if they're going to play football,
they're only going to make like three point four million.

Speaker 2 (08:47):
Okay, So they have a contract. If Dallas signs of
whoever signs him, it has to be for that deal.

Speaker 3 (08:52):
No, they have the opportunity to match.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
They get a restricted free agent situation.

Speaker 3 (08:57):
But again, if I would the player sign it, if
you go over that, then the team gets perhaps compensation back.

Speaker 2 (09:03):
Okay, post draft, Well, why would Dobbins are more sign
that what.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
They're going to if they're going to play football this year.
If nobody else makes them an offer, they got the
they got a standing offer from those teams.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
Oh okay, so they can be a Charger. I mean
that's still they're not just okay, I think I understand.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
They're not floating in limbo. They have an offer on
the table here. This is okay, free agency. The draft
is over, but here's an offer for you. You can come
back and sign here. This is the offer.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
And now, okay, do you know if that's weird to me?

Speaker 3 (09:36):
If the Chargers thing I had, Yeah, I hadn't really
heard of it.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
I hadn't either.

Speaker 3 (09:39):
I had to research it this morning a little bit.

Speaker 2 (09:41):
So if the Chargers of Browns have a one year
five million dollar deal in place with these guys and
someone comes along and offers a one year.

Speaker 3 (09:48):
Four it's not even that it's it's three point four million.
It's it's a it's.

Speaker 2 (09:52):
A standard thing. Okay. It's not like we're negotiating.

Speaker 3 (09:55):
It's just there's no negotiation. This is the this is
the restricted free agent Okay, even though you weren't truly
a restricted free agent. Here's the here's the money. Okay,
this is what it is.

Speaker 2 (10:04):
So I guess there is some security as a player,
like I'm going to get paid this year, would be
going to make something, right, I guess you still have
to make the team. I mean, if you're the Chargers,
why would you do that with Dobbins that just happened. Yeah,
I mean post draft yeah, and post Deontae signing. Yeah.
I mean I think they're good football players. Like I'm
kind of shocked both or free agent or still out there.
But I guess they're trying to work the comp game.

(10:27):
They're pretty confident someone's going to grab I gues. I mean,
you know, I guess that's the feeling. But what what happens?
It's really weird to me.

Speaker 3 (10:34):
What if Dobbins decides, Okay, I'm going to go back
to LA Yeah. Yeah, now you've got nause you hear
shak Dobbins and Amario Hampton was right. I mean, it's
it's it's all the riches. Maybe you trade one of them, but.

Speaker 2 (10:44):
Yeah, I mean, it's not the worst problem to have,
and it's not super expensive. It's not thirty million.

Speaker 3 (10:48):
Two of them are on one year deals.

Speaker 2 (10:50):
Yeah yeah, and you just draft won the first round.
I don't know. I gotta let that soak in. That's
hurting my brain a little bit. I never heard of
such a thing.

Speaker 3 (10:58):
It was a new thing. I didn't remember the Chiefs
doing it in twenty twenty two. They apparently did it
with a couple of their free.

Speaker 2 (11:03):
Agents, the only two.

Speaker 3 (11:05):
You know that, Those are the only two thus far
that I've heard about.

Speaker 2 (11:08):
Is it have to be post draft that you do it?
I believe so, because otherwise the compict still would be
in because they weren't restricted free agents. They were right,
they're treating them like restricted free agents even though they're not. Okay,
that's boggling my mind.

Speaker 3 (11:21):
Okay, interesting, Yeah, but I think it has to be
after the draft ends, because now you know nobody's signing.
You're just protecting yourself in the comp game a little bit.

Speaker 2 (11:29):
H But you're also saying, at least it's something back
the player is gonna. I might be stuck with them
or happy to have them. What the feeling would be.
So does I assume that would make it slightly more
unlikely that the Steelers or anyone else would sign those
two players, right because it hurts ther comp game when
maybe you would have post draft if it didn't. Right, Okay,

(11:53):
still very strange.

Speaker 3 (11:54):
But Deontay Johnson to the Browns. So and now all
he has to do is go play for the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (11:59):
I'll make them fleet, right. Yeah, he'll have completed the
circle and he might only he doesn't seem to stick
places very long. Yeah, but the circle of life in
the AFC North, Yeah, he's on the h He's on
the og job tray right out of four. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (12:14):
Interesting strange one. But yeah, so they got a bunch
of quarterbacks.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
Oh and by the way, I don't think the Steelers
considered they did. It wasn't the Woods. It was not,
and I can promise you that was not.

Speaker 3 (12:25):
It is interesting though, that it wasn't one of the
other guys. I mean, there's some other veteran receivers out there.

Speaker 2 (12:32):
I've thrown Keenan Allen's name out there. He's a little
more high profile that might want more or a slot.
He's strictly a slot.

Speaker 3 (12:40):
A bunch of drops last year too.

Speaker 2 (12:41):
He's sluggish. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't know that he's
the blocker Woods is either no, but he probably not.

Speaker 3 (12:48):
And you know Marie Cooper still sitting out there.

Speaker 2 (12:50):
That one's a little strange to me too. I mean
a guy like Alan and Cooper might think they have
they might borrow more money, yeah yeah, or away for
an injury camp or right right right.

Speaker 3 (12:59):
Yeah, So we'll see. But apparently the Steelers are going
to they it's reportedly it's out there that they're going
to sign Robert Woods, the wide receiver. He's been with
several Tills drafted him, Bill's drafted him, second round pick
out of usc uh then he went to uh LA.

Speaker 2 (13:18):
Was the Rams the next up.

Speaker 3 (13:19):
Yeah, helped them to win it.

Speaker 2 (13:20):
That was probably when he was at his best.

Speaker 3 (13:21):
Yeah, got him, got them to a super Bowl, or
helped get them to a super Bowl. And yeah, I
think he had eighty eight, ninety and ninety catches.

Speaker 2 (13:28):
Oh yeah, he was in every fantasy the league. And
that I mean he was a quality number two on
his best day.

Speaker 3 (13:33):
Yeah, spend a season with Tennessee after Arthur Smith, but
at least you've run some of the tenants of Arthur
Smith's offense before, and then the last two seasons with Houston.

Speaker 2 (13:45):
Right right, and then Houston drafts both Iowa state guys
and you know he didn't have room for him. We
weren't going to bring him back. Yeah, so okay, interesting
signing and we'll see. Uh, we don't know the numbers
are I'm sure they're not extravaging. It's not I think
I saw somewhere when you two million, Matt disgussing something
like that. If he doesn't make theme, he doesn't make theme, right, right, So.

Speaker 3 (14:06):
Not a bad signing. And it certainly improves your depth
at that wide receiver position. We went over the depth
chart yesterday and that was one spot that you looked
at and you go, okay, right now, Scottie Miller's or six.

Speaker 2 (14:18):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean I think it's a kind
of a better version of Van Jefferson with some more
experience and leadership and things like that. He's got a
really good reputation like off the field.

Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah yeah. So anyways, let's get to a break. He
is the Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lolly. You're listening
to the Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt
and I will be back with more right after this.

Speaker 1 (14:42):
At least he's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt
Williamson on your twenty four to seven home of the
Black and Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 3 (14:57):
And welcome back to the Drive. I am Dale, he
is the Matt Williamson and Matt. We woke up this
morning to news that George Kittle is now the highest
paid tight end in the NFL four years seventy six
point four million. I think that's like point four million
more than what mc something along those lines. So he

(15:17):
is now the highest paid guy in that market. And
you start to look at people went crazy in Pittsburgh
when the Steelers signed Pat Fryer moved to a year
forty eight point four million dollar deal, Like, I get
Kittle's good, McBride, these are these guys are good football.

Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (15:38):
Yeah, But now you're paying tight ends nineteen million dollars
a year.

Speaker 2 (15:42):
I know, So I still think it's the best deal
in town. I mean, I understand tight ends not the
most important position on the field, but if you're making
twenty million, he's a lot better than the twenty million
dollar wide receivers. Yeah. I mean it's still a baran
rate to pay tight ends. If you hit on them,
keep your own. I mean the franchise tag isn't bad

(16:05):
on them. The fifth year option isn't bad on them.
I don't think the place to pay stars isn't like
the other positions, you know. I think Kittle's extremely valuable.
Had a conversation about it earlier. I think he's one
of the most underrated players, not just necessarily in the
league now, but really of all time. I think he's
like a top five tight end that that's ever played,

(16:29):
that happens to play in the Kelsey era, so his
numbers look a little less, but he's a different type
of guy than them.

Speaker 3 (16:35):
I don't know if he's top five all time, that
might be stretch.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
He's a first Battle Hall of Famer, it might be.
I mean, I think he's in the Gates neighborhood or above,
like a Witten, I mean, Ide Gonzalez ahead of them Kelsey.

Speaker 3 (16:47):
And he's already thirty two years old. Yeah, yeah, he
came out a little bit older. He's not going to
be among the top.

Speaker 2 (16:55):
His numbn't be the same. Yeah, those guys, right, And
Shanahan doesn't know the ball that much. I mean, he's not,
but his value to the team is immense.

Speaker 3 (17:06):
I agree with that. I just don't know that I
can say he's a top five tight end all time.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
That might be a little strong, but I think he's
never thought of in that light where Kelsey is. Sure
because Kelsey is the number, he has the numbers, and
he has more rings, and but I think they have
had comparable careers. Their resumes don't look.

Speaker 3 (17:23):
I mean, he's he's more Heath Miller than he is
good all around tight end. Now he's better. I think
he's better than.

Speaker 2 (17:29):
Sure Heath was.

Speaker 3 (17:31):
But I think that's, you know, the kind of player
that you know, the combo tight end, and they just.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
Think he's closer to Gronk than Kelsey.

Speaker 3 (17:38):
They don't get you. They don't get you.

Speaker 2 (17:40):
The accolades, No, no, no, right, it's he does a lot
of thankless stuff. Yeah, for sure, block they block.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
They actually are what tight ends were supposed to be.
They blocked.

Speaker 2 (17:49):
Yeah. Well, and he drives people down the field and
he's good have to catch, and he's explosive and tough.
And I'm a big, big fan obviously.

Speaker 3 (17:57):
So if you look at friar Mouth's average salary right now,
so you got you've got Kittle and Trey McBride both
making over nineteen million dollars, Travis Kelcey's at seventeen point
one two five average. This is our year or so,
probably right, Hawkinson's sixteen to five kittle, I'm sorry, Dallas

(18:21):
Goddard is fourteen to two five, Mark Andrews is fourteen million.
Then you got David and Joku at thirteen point six eight,
Cole Comet at twelve five, and then you got Friar
Mouth at twelve one.

Speaker 2 (18:33):
No problem at all with Friar Moose number yeah, I
mean I'd rather have them than Comet for sure. Off
that list, you look at some of the guys who
just took a first round tight end by the way,
right behind.

Speaker 3 (18:41):
Him, Dalton Schultz at twelve million, okay, Evan Ingram at
eleven five.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
That's his new deal, I guess, yeah, okay, one.

Speaker 3 (18:47):
Year probably no offense is ten to five, okay, I
mean he's Juwan Johnson is ten point two five.

Speaker 2 (18:54):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (18:55):
The Saints are nuts, because their Saints are nuts.

Speaker 2 (18:57):
Ye.

Speaker 3 (18:57):
They're also paying Taysom Hill ten million dollars. He figures
in on the I forgot god.

Speaker 2 (19:01):
They didn't cut him. I thought he was like the
easiest cut ever.

Speaker 3 (19:03):
Those are your tight ends. That are making ten million
dollars more. That doesn't count all the guys, all the
young guys that have come into the league in research.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
Sure, sure right, rookie deals, right.

Speaker 3 (19:13):
So when people complain, I can't believe you're paying from
with that much money, he can. That's the going rate.
And he's better than the guys.

Speaker 2 (19:20):
He's way better than guys less than them. Yeah, and
he's writing the neighborhood of the guys making right in
his neck of the woods. Him in the joke, who
are pretty comparable players. I would definitely have him over Comet. Who. Again,
the Bears took a tight end the first round. That's
not a huge reindorsement that Comet is going to be
a big part of the I.

Speaker 3 (19:39):
Mean the Browns took another tight end in like third round, the.

Speaker 2 (19:43):
Third round, right, I hate their draft.

Speaker 3 (19:46):
And he's not a blocker. He does exactly what in djoku, Right,
they're both just at least so he took Darnell Washington.
He does something different.

Speaker 2 (19:52):
Different right right, right, I mean totally different. It looks
like they're just play the same position, right, I don't know,
I mean it goes back to the same stuff. I mean,
like We're gonna have this conversation with Watt too. It's
all it's not your money, first of all. And boy,
ten million years sounds crazy. The eleven million years sounds
so much. Not when you look at the wide receivers
that are making that money or you know the other positions.

Speaker 3 (20:15):
Now compared that to what guys are making in other sports.

Speaker 2 (20:18):
Well that too.

Speaker 3 (20:19):
Yeah, that doesn't even get you back up point guard
money in the NBA, twelve million dollars a year isn't
even like your number five pitcher in baseball.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
These teams have a lot of money.

Speaker 3 (20:28):
Yeah, I mean the league, all the spending is just
different because you have you have fifty three guys in
your roster and percentage of cap isn't that hi?

Speaker 2 (20:37):
Yeah, I mean I know left tackles are a rarity,
but you get two friar moves to prices. Dan Moore, ye,
I mean, who's more valuable to your football team? I
mean it's just economics, guy. I mean, he's not the
highest paid tight end in the league. No, we never
will be. He's not gonna make twenty.

Speaker 3 (20:54):
He's barely on the edge of top ten right now,
right right, And when some of these younger guys come
from only follow on that left. Yeah, you're going to
go move down it'll be like fifteenth.

Speaker 2 (21:03):
Yeah yeah yeah in a year or two. Yeah, that's
just going rate.

Speaker 3 (21:06):
Yeah, that's just the way it goes. You mentioned TJ. Watt.
Obviously a lot of people have been talking about that.
Something I found interesting coming out of this draft was
something Carl Dunbar said about how they wanted, and it
goes to the Jack Sawyer pick. Okay, how they wanted
to limit the snaps of some of their stars on defense.

Speaker 2 (21:28):
Yeah. Yeah, early definitely seems like a priority.

Speaker 3 (21:30):
Earlier in games, so they would have them more fresh
later in games when the game is on the.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
Line, close the teams out. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. Do
you want to still have your best fastball late? You know? So?

Speaker 3 (21:39):
I think they want They definitely want to limit Cam
Heyward snaps. I want to get that down. It was
seventy percent last year. Maybe you want to get it
down to fifty five to sixty percent of the time,
but you can't have the run splits that you.

Speaker 2 (21:51):
Had not The thing is, you still want Cam third
and eight. I want him out there right fourth quarter,
game on the line, in Baltimore. I want him out
there every snap, But how do you get the fifty
five sixty? If you're doing those things well early in games,
or if you have a big lead, or if you're
getting blown out, get them out.

Speaker 3 (22:08):
And I guess, I guess. Cam said on his podcast
recently that that you know, he doesn't like all the
running on and off the field, like that's just as
taxing on him as it you know, if you're running
in and out of there. We you can alleviate that
by just saying, hey, Cam, you're not going to be
in there until they get over the fifty yeah, or
something like a pretty comfortble this this series in the

(22:30):
second quarter, you're not going to play, you know, at
all the first eight snap. If it goes eight snaps,
if they get down inside of twenty, then we're going
to put you in there.

Speaker 2 (22:37):
And I'm not saying Benton and Harmon are his level.
They're not, and there maybe someday they will be. They're
not right, you know, but if you have both those
guys for that series, it shouldn't be as big a
drop off. You know, even in pass rush only situations
or you know, any situation, really you would hope that
the drop off is less. Yeah, and I guess the
SAME's truth with Wat. He's not a young guy either

(22:59):
at the that's the thing.

Speaker 3 (23:00):
And so you know, Wat's been basically almost a ninety
percent certainly over eighty eighty five percent the last few years.
If you can save him a little bit in those
situations so that you do have him out there in
the fourth quarter when you're trying to close somebody out,
and then you don't get the situation that you had

(23:20):
in Philadelphia, for example, we're out there from the entire
fourth quarter.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
Let alone, when you're playing three games in eleven days
or something. I've been sure nice to have more D
line depth across the board for that stretch. Yeah. Sure.

Speaker 3 (23:32):
It certainly seems like that was the year I thought, here,
you know, I know that was a wasted pick on
a guy who's going to play special teams for you.
Yeah he's going to play special teams. Oh better, Yeah,
that's not all he's going to do.

Speaker 2 (23:47):
No, right, right, right? And again, what really stood out
to me with that pick, and originally it was a
head scratcher to me. The second it was reported, I
was like, huh, okay, I knew they were interested in
the ages. But the first hour of coverage as on
Jerry Doulack and he said, don't be shocked if they
take an edge higher than you think. You're not like
just a seventh round or I'm like, okay, I mean,

(24:07):
I'm it was open to that, and we.

Speaker 3 (24:09):
Did that at times. Yeah, yeah, in the third round
or the fourth round, but it was I guess I
think we did in the fourth round of Couper Deep.

Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah. But I originally again was a head scratcher, And
then the more I thought through it, I'm like, if
what or high Smith misses one game, that's a lot
to ask of her Big.

Speaker 3 (24:26):
Yeah, And and it trickles down to your special teams
as well, right right, Because if Herbig's out there playing
a full compliment of defensive snaps.

Speaker 2 (24:34):
Right, he's not thirty pounds lesson.

Speaker 3 (24:35):
He's not going to be available for you on special
teams either, right right right.

Speaker 2 (24:39):
I wonder how much he'll play special teams going forward too.
He's starting to be pretty valuable.

Speaker 3 (24:43):
I still I mean, you're back up outside linebacker. You're
still gonna You're still gonna do that. But the thing
is he's an unrestricted free agent.

Speaker 2 (24:51):
After this said, do we know he's going to be
back to you?

Speaker 3 (24:54):
I mean, I would assume somebody's gonna throw a bunch
of money at him, right right right.

Speaker 2 (24:57):
I mean, he's not gonna You're not gonna franchise him.
Maybe you could get a deal done soon and buy
him on the cheap, but he's gonna be sought after us.

Speaker 3 (25:03):
And he knows his agent's gonna be sitting there going, hey, Nick,
if you you go to the open, like, look at
some of these everybody's looking for edge rushers. You know
you think, well, Atlanta may look at it and go, hey,
he's better than what we got oh.

Speaker 2 (25:15):
Tons of teams to him. Yeah, I mean he's he
can rush the past and he you know, if he's
value valuable skill.

Speaker 3 (25:20):
Even if we've seen some of these specialists who only
play on third downs, well that's not going to happen with.

Speaker 2 (25:26):
Pittsburgh, No, no, no.

Speaker 3 (25:28):
But there are some other teams out there that may
just bring him in and say, hey, we're gonna make
you our our third down pass rush specialist, and we'll
give you fourteen million dollars a year to do that.

Speaker 2 (25:37):
And I'm not saying the Steelers have no intentions of
resigning him, but it'd be really tough to give him
fourteen million a year with the top two guys. Wats
about to break the bang.

Speaker 3 (25:45):
You're not gonna pay him what you're paying Alex Highsmith.

Speaker 2 (25:47):
No, I mean, unless this year goes drastically different. You know,
Herbie ends up with fourteen sacks and as an every
down player because of injury or something. But again, never ever,
ever forget the komp game. You know, it's exactly say that.
I'm sure Omar and company are going, Yes, we love
the player, that's not the issue. It's just not gonna

(26:09):
be very feasible to bring him back. But he might
yield us a third round pick because he's gonna make up.
He's gonna make money on the open market.

Speaker 3 (26:15):
So, Hassan Reddick is a basically a third down pass
rush specialist. He's getting fourteen million dollars a year this
year from Tampa Bay. He didn't do anything last year.

Speaker 2 (26:25):
He's more accomplished, but he's only had like two big years. Yeah,
he's definitely older, and he didn't like play football last year.

Speaker 3 (26:33):
He didn't play FOOTBA last year. Bryce huff comparable who's
twenty seven, is a pass rush specialists. The only basically
plays he literally he only plays on third downs because
he just gets to the quarterback.

Speaker 2 (26:44):
He hardly played last year too.

Speaker 3 (26:46):
He's getting an average of seventeen million dollars a year
from the Eagles.

Speaker 2 (26:51):
Herbing's gonna make that.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
Herbing's gonna make cat He's gonna make.

Speaker 2 (26:53):
It make twenty yeah because inflation. And he's going to
get at least fifteen easily, easily. And the teams, I
can look at him a special team or he's gonna
be up and you're just gonna rush the right and
play some or on early downs or whatever.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
Yeah, this is this is getting you ready for that
while also building your depth for this year.

Speaker 2 (27:13):
A good outside linebacker d r right right right.

Speaker 3 (27:16):
I don't know what next year's looks, right right.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
I better get one now.

Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, and I have him in my system for a year.
He gets another year to learn from from you know,
Watt and high Smith when he steps into that number
three roll next year. Yeah, we're in good shape.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
And maybe they draft the speedball, you know, someone smaller
than Sawyer in the fourth round or something like that.

Speaker 3 (27:36):
You you double down, you go get yourself another Sawyer
next year. Now, you got four again, That's what I'm saying.
And I think you draft somebody, I mean.

Speaker 2 (27:43):
Make the idea.

Speaker 3 (27:44):
I think ideally they like Turbic just because they they
thought he was this one of the top two edge
rushers in that draft. The the guy that New York
drafted was the other one from Iowa State McDonald.

Speaker 2 (27:57):
I donal was there not one good? Yea, he was
their number one edge guy maybe in the middle of
first round. Right, Herbig was.

Speaker 3 (28:03):
Their number two for the edge guys in that draft.
In terms of getting to rushing the pass.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah, they're both a little smallish, similar style get off, but.

Speaker 3 (28:10):
That doesn't mean that's exactly what you're looking for.

Speaker 2 (28:12):
No.

Speaker 3 (28:13):
No, if you could get another guy who's to two
hundred and fifty two hundred and sixty pounds to rush
the pass or to be.

Speaker 2 (28:18):
Oh yeah, I mean if perfect, if you get Miles
Garrett nick Bosey to take right. I mean there's the.

Speaker 3 (28:23):
Thing a guy like her Big falls into the into
the fourth round because well, because he's not Yeah, he's
not the biggest guy.

Speaker 2 (28:30):
I remember even some draft analysts thought he might be
an off the ball linebacker. He might be Zach Bond.
You know which maybe it'd been fine doing that, but it.

Speaker 3 (28:38):
Is pretty good off mix them.

Speaker 2 (28:40):
Right back to your point, though, I think it's a
huge advantage that isn't talked about enough. And I always thinking,
like Bama and Georgia that have five stars everywhere, if
I can go like three hockey lines deep of d
lineman or even two.

Speaker 3 (28:54):
I'm gonna wear that offensive line out.

Speaker 2 (28:55):
They play every down, Yeah, you know what I mean.
And pass rushing takes more out of you than protect thing.
And certainly when they come off the ball in the
run game, you're the nail, not the hammer on defense.
But if I can keep rotating.

Speaker 3 (29:06):
Those dudes, it also gives you more to study.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
That's their thing too, And it's one of these things
you know, teach to find the weak link. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (29:15):
TJ. Watt talked about, you know, next year at his
you know, end of the season press conference. Maybe next
year I do need to move around a little bit more.
And you might look at that and go, well, what's
what difference you got, high Smith On the other side,
here's the thing you're making those offensive linemen, the opposing
team's offensive lineman study different guys.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
It's a longer week it's a more difficult it's a.

Speaker 3 (29:38):
More difficult week for them. If I know, okay on this,
I'm gonna if I just if I go into the weeknow,
I just got Alex high Smith, I just got TJ.

Speaker 2 (29:44):
Watt.

Speaker 3 (29:45):
I'm going to spend the whole week studying those guys. Yes,
right now, know that I'm going to see what ten
or fifteen snaps in this game. I don't know when,
but I better be ready for it. And the other
guy on the other side is going I'm going to
see high Smith at some point.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
Here.

Speaker 3 (30:00):
They're not the same. They don't rush the.

Speaker 2 (30:01):
Same, they don't want the same at all. They're a
different Their past rush moves are different. They're like different pictures. Now,
you guys got a great curveball. This guy's got a
great heater, you know.

Speaker 3 (30:09):
Now you add your backup guys where you've got, you know,
your speedball off the edge with her big and now
you've got a bigger guy in power type guy. And
you don't know when you're going to get these gus.
You got to study all four of them.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
Study all four of them, right, and like the Chiefs
are the best example. Chris Jones, I think he gets
to just pick and choose wherever he goes. I mean,
Aaron Donald's done that.

Speaker 3 (30:29):
I mean, so every offensive lineman, all five offensive linemen
and the tight ends have to study. Okay, Chris Jones
is lined up over top of me, what's his.

Speaker 2 (30:36):
Go to move?

Speaker 3 (30:38):
Like?

Speaker 2 (30:38):
It looks goofy. But Miles Garrett on the second level
doing his weird basketball stuff. Stupid, It is stupid. But
the center has to prepare for them, you know, like
it's it's a big look at me.

Speaker 3 (30:48):
It is for the offensive line, and I get it.
It's a distraction for the offensive line.

Speaker 2 (30:53):
But to your point about prep there's no center preparing
for one now, you know. I mean the center has
to at least be like, what if Mile Garrett's going
to come rushing up a gap? I gotta deal with that.
That's not the normal type dude I deal with.

Speaker 3 (31:03):
So I think in that regard, I think I think
it's hurt Watt's production. Yeah, I do too, And I
think it will help compare to those studs. Not necessarily,
he is better coming off the left side. I mean,
it's been proven time and again. He was much better
there than he had been on the right side.

Speaker 2 (31:15):
He chose to go. There's where he wants to be, right,
But it.

Speaker 3 (31:19):
Just throws a curve ball at the other team's offensive
line that now they have to study everybody.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
Yeah, and again that Preston Smith trade sticks with me
a lot with the Sawyer stuff, and Sawyer never really
did reduce inside. But I do think it's something that
they've been on their radar. Leal's kind of that guy
too that I think they wouldn't mind a two hundred
and sixty five pound guy on third and twelve once
in a while rush over a guard. Yeah, you know
what I mean, You're gonna be quicker, yeah, yeah, yeah,

(31:44):
And if you're chasing Lamar, he's got a better chase
chance to chase him down than Benton or whoever. You know,
it's just another option. And it's such a week to
week league, and really how different it is to play
the Bengals offense in the Ravens offense. It's really body
types for each game.

Speaker 3 (31:59):
It's a Belichick thing.

Speaker 2 (32:00):
Yeah, right, right, right, The more you can do.

Speaker 3 (32:02):
The more you can do. And you know he.

Speaker 2 (32:04):
Labels in them again. Yeah, even like Seymour red line
up all over the place and right, give me a
bunch of different bodies.

Speaker 3 (32:12):
Honestly, Sawyer has basically the same body type as Rabel. Yeah,
they both played at the highest state. But they're both long. Yeah,
they got long arms and you know all that stuff.

Speaker 2 (32:22):
I mean, I know Rabel people probably don't remember this,
but the Steelers either bold him up or it couldn't
quite figure out every spot.

Speaker 3 (32:29):
To put him in, you know, a second round draft pick. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
you know they they had a plan to use him,
and he made some big places.

Speaker 2 (32:35):
He won on a playoff game one year, and obviously
he's got a great head for the game. He's a
head coach.

Speaker 3 (32:40):
But yeah, I just think the more you throw at
the opposing team's offensive line, I think the better.

Speaker 2 (32:45):
So you know, I was even thinking that with our
conversation yesterday about why you're black. You know, like, Okay,
maybe he's not a nose every snap, but doesn't mean
he won't do some of both. You know, like if
I could have three offensive lineman preparing for him where
most of their time is on camp Hayward, you know,

(33:06):
the Steelers are more definitely more static than most teams.
You know, Hayward's on one side, Wat's always on one side.
Can't hurt to do it.

Speaker 3 (33:13):
Yeah, they bumped what to the middle and done stuff
like that and rushed him from the middle. But by
and large he's been on the left side. You're going
to see him move almore this year.

Speaker 2 (33:22):
Yeah. Do you think any of this reflects poorly or
should make Leal worry? I just don't know what to
do with him.

Speaker 3 (33:29):
I don't know where he fits. Yeah, I don't know
whether he's they're going to move him back to defensive tackle,
They're going to leave him at outside linebacker. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (33:37):
Yeah. I always put a small list together in my
head and usually we talk about it too that going
into training camp. Not necessarily many camp, but it's put
up or shut up time. Like last year, I put
louder Milk on that list, you know, and I would
think Leal probably is on that list. And every team's
got ten of them.

Speaker 3 (33:53):
I mean, this league's it's unfortunately you got hurt last
year because I thought he was having a good camp
and it looked like he was kind of turning the
corner and any of the neck injury, right, all right.

Speaker 2 (34:02):
Yeah, how long can you stick with that? But I
could see him being down to the final cuts. Yeah,
the way that the thing's built right now.

Speaker 3 (34:09):
Yeah, so we'll see, let's get to another break. He
is the Matt Williamson. I am Dale Lolly. You're listening
to the Drive here on the Steelers Audio Network, Matt
and I'll be back with more right after this. At least.

Speaker 1 (34:25):
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven Home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 3 (34:36):
And we are back. I'm Dale Lolly. He is the
Matt Williamson and Matt we're talking about more places or
some other things that the Steelers could add. I don't
know if it's if it's a glaring need. I think
people are underestimating the ability of Brandon a little bit.

Speaker 2 (35:01):
I was going to go there, Yeah, uh well, they need.

Speaker 3 (35:05):
To get another cornerback. They've got a bunch of different
options now in the slot, including including a couple of
safeties who have slot capability who played that spot in
the past, which lessens the need perhaps for Echos to
be the slot.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
I don't know what to make of him. I'm excited
to kind of see him live.

Speaker 3 (35:30):
When we talked to him, said he was asked, you know,
do you do you prefer to play inside or outside?
He said, I feel like I'm an outside cornerback and
that's large most of his most of his snap and
now he's played inside in a pinch?

Speaker 2 (35:43):
Was it two years ago with the Jets? Because they
had read and they had they.

Speaker 3 (35:47):
Had Michael Carter inside, who's considered a pretty good slot
He was the fourth guy. He bumped in there in
dime situations.

Speaker 2 (35:55):
But when they sau was on one side, but when
they had injuries, he played outside. I thought he was
kind of just the third cornerback. So would you describe
it like this? With the Jets? There were Sauce and
Reed on the outside, Carter on the inside, which was
as good as getting corner trio in the league. Really,
I think he was all their backups, right, Yeah. I

(36:15):
think he's Carter's backup both outside cornerbacks and in dime
he's out there and dime he's the camp he's their
camp Sutton. He's their camp Sutton. Yeah right right, which
great the earlier version, I mean this last version, except he's.

Speaker 3 (36:29):
Much faster and much more athletic.

Speaker 2 (36:32):
Yeah, absolutely right, So I think he can back up
all can he start any I guess we'll figure that out.
I mean, including slot. I do have some concern that
if Sleigh hits a wall or gets hurt, can we
trust Trace, you know what I mean? I just it
might be acles right, right right. But that's the one

(36:53):
position along with the line that I would still my
eyes open for a corner of any type. I mean,
I would be not actively pursuing or calling.

Speaker 3 (37:04):
And they've done that or like they've gotten guys in
recent years who've been cut loose by other teams, who
were highly regarded people in the draft, and you just
bring them in. Let's see if our system is makes
things a little bit different for him. He hasn't worked
out there. Those guys are always available.

Speaker 2 (37:23):
They're always available.

Speaker 3 (37:24):
Yeah, it's just such a that position, more so than
any other position in football, is so up and down.
It's like a roller coach, it is.

Speaker 2 (37:34):
I mean, it's one hundred percent true. Like this is
a bigger conversation, but like I thought Jari Alexander would
not be a packer today. They didn't use a corner
pick until the seventh round, and we did an NFC
North breakdown today on a different show. I'm like, wow,
they ignored corner that much? Are they friends all of
a sudden. Now, I'm not implying the Steelers trade for

(37:57):
Jarry Alexander, but you know, my wheels turn and I
get excited. You get Jalen Ramsey for a fourth or
fifth round pick. Now, he's a big contract, it's gonna
cost you, but he can do everything in your secondary too.
And instead of just being I think we're good there,
you could be incredible there. You know now, I know

(38:17):
it's not gonna happen. That's not gonna happen.

Speaker 3 (38:19):
They're not gonna They're not gonna sign Darius Slay and
then cut him.

Speaker 2 (38:22):
I'm thinking to cut him. I think Ramsey would be
your slot. He would be all the above. I mean,
he's just he's done every he's played dime linebacker.

Speaker 3 (38:29):
That's that's not gonna happen.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
It's not gonna happen. I only get people excited. But
you could make moves like that if you want.

Speaker 3 (38:34):
We have to be careful with what we say on
podcasts because a lot of times your stuff gets picked up.
And Matt Williamson says Steeler's gonna trade me.

Speaker 2 (38:41):
I'm not saying I'm just saying he's cheap and all
these veterans.

Speaker 3 (38:45):
He's cheap in what you would have to pay for
him in draft draft call capital, right, He's not cheap
in what you'd have to pay him. It be twenty
plus million dollars. It's guaranteed too, It's fully guaranteed. It's why,
that's why Miami wants to get out of it.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
It's all about It's like cousins. It's like how much
are you picking up? How much am I picking up?
Blah blah blah blah. And I don't I hesitated to
even bring it up because I don't get people excited.
But it did shock me that no veterans got traded
over the weekend. You know, Goddard and Hendrickson and all
these guys that were on the block. Nobody went and

(39:19):
can you get them cheaper now than you could have
a week ago. I don't know. I mean, it's just
I think it depends under every stone.

Speaker 3 (39:25):
I think it depends on who you're talking to. If
you're talking to a team, they got completely we saw
over the years. For example, I kind of think Hendrickson's movement,
there were about five consecutive years where the Steelers they
need they need to draft some cornerback, hilp. But every
time in the they got it in the first round.
All the corners were gone by the time they got

(39:46):
to their pick because they don't pick because they were
They weren't picking in the top twenty, right, you know,
they were picking in the bottom twenty. And so you know,
it reached a point where all of a sudden, now
you got to take the I think it was the
sixth cornerback you take already Burns. We need got to
have a cornerback. The guys we were taking in the
fourth and fifth rounds didn't work out. Gotta gotta have
a better But.

Speaker 2 (40:06):
That doesn't mean to take more fiftieth best player twenty
five you don't reach like which maybe that was Burns,
I mean, or close to it. He wasn't quite that.
I mean that was pretty he was.

Speaker 3 (40:16):
He was he was like twenty fifth I think, I.

Speaker 2 (40:19):
Don't say, but I doubt he was the twenty fifth
best player in the draft, right. I mean, it was like,
we gotta get corners. Yeah, the teams are doing with
old linemen like crazy, right.

Speaker 3 (40:26):
So you know you end up stuck in that spot.
So there's got to be somebody in this draft, particular draft,
who maybe needed cornerback help and you look the Packers, Packers, right,
maybe you know, maybe they just swap you take.

Speaker 2 (40:40):
Jyr Alexander, will take Ramsey or we'll take Ramsey and
they just aren't happy here and they just need all
the day right right right. But I did find it
odd that just all across the league, no, no veterans.

Speaker 3 (40:51):
Don't actually make a lot of sense.

Speaker 2 (40:53):
Yeah, right, And who says not to? That was the
other thing I was said, this is a bigger conversation.
But one of them my slight criticisms of the Steelers
draft was I would have loved to see them draft
and offensive lineman. And it did to say, and we
just broke down the Browns yesterday. I killed them for
not taking any offensive lineman And then started the series

(41:16):
on my other podcast where I'm starting breaking down teams
and everyone either didn't take one I'm critical of or
took them around too early, like rounds too early. The
tax on o lineman this year was it was it
was the quarterbacks. It was like quarterbacks, I mean worse.
I mean you I wish you could have got a

(41:36):
Will Howard in the sixth round that plays guard. I
mean like they just weren't available. I mean, like we
did the pack I mentioned the Packers. We both like Belton.
They didn't take them in the second round, right, you
know what I mean, Like those guys were on O line.
Was crazy.

Speaker 3 (41:51):
Those guys went quick, and I think that's why, you know,
like for example, the Ravens who had eleven picks, ended
up taking three of them.

Speaker 2 (41:57):
Right, A lot of teams just took a bunch of
late ones and hope any of them stick. I mean,
it was a bad O line draft. The need is
greater than ever. Dan Moore makes twenty million. I mean,
it's just supplying demand. That doesn't excuse the Browns because
they had the picks. Yeah, I mean they're taking linebackers
and running backs and stuff. But if you do, then
they need starters on the O line. But the cost
of acquiring Olignement in this draft was bonkers.

Speaker 3 (42:20):
It was it was insane, you know, as opposed to
last year when they were available throughout.

Speaker 2 (42:25):
Yeah, a lot of people were critical of the Vikings,
who didn't have many picks. They didn't trade back. They
took the guard Jackson from Ohio State in the first round. Well,
they weren't going to get a guard anywhere else, you know,
like maybe he's not the twenty fifth best player.

Speaker 3 (42:40):
In the draft, or they have a second round pick, they.

Speaker 2 (42:42):
Have a second or third when the draft started.

Speaker 3 (42:45):
If they had not drafted him, Oh.

Speaker 2 (42:47):
They're taking a sixth rounder in the fourth round. Yeah,
I mean that's what this draft was.

Speaker 3 (42:52):
Yeah, it just it just worked out that when and
that happens, and you can't control what other teams do, No,
you can only control what you do. And I think
that's when you that's where you get yourself into trouble,
those when you start reaching for those guys, like I
didn't think you have to have it, you know, the
Steelers had to have defensive back help. Yeah, in the
late in the late twenty tens. Yeah, yeah, I mean,

(43:14):
so they take Already Burns, they take they take Sean
Davis in the second round. They you know, they take
Terrell Evans at the end of the first rounds.

Speaker 2 (43:21):
Like, it's not a position you want to be in.
You don't want to have to take those guys, no, right,
because the chances of them hitting to their fullest degree
or less, because they're not the best prospect you could
take at that time the teams are doing with the
line like crazy right now, Yeah, it's you pretty be
in that spot.

Speaker 3 (43:38):
Yeah, not pretty, So you want to try to set
you He takes us back to the Jack Sawyer conversation.
You don't want to have to be penciled in. Okay,
second round, we got to get an outside linebacker, we
got to get an edge. Well, you don't know what class. Well,
if there's nobody available, yeah, yeah, you don't know what,
I'm going to take one in the third round or
in the second round. Who's I get a fourth round
grade on? Just because I need? I have a need. Right,

(44:01):
That's where you run in the problem.

Speaker 2 (44:02):
But it still might make sense because that guy is
going to play a lot more snaps because you got
to put eleven dudes out there, and one of them's
got to be your guard. Whatever.

Speaker 3 (44:11):
But when the opportunity presents itself, you take the guy.

Speaker 2 (44:14):
You have to do it ahead of time, idea, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (44:15):
I think you You got to know what your roster
is and where you need to what you can fill,
and then take care of the take care of as
much of it as you can ahead of time, and
then you're not concerned. Then you're the you know, the
forty nine Ers, for example, lost much like the Steelers
this year, lost a bunch of guys in free.

Speaker 2 (44:34):
Agency, kind of by design.

Speaker 3 (44:35):
But kind of by design because they had people lined
up waiting in the wings.

Speaker 2 (44:39):
The Eagles are really good at that too. Yeah, I
mean Kelsey's replacement. They drafted your early, that kind of thing,
and it helps when you're good though.

Speaker 3 (44:46):
It's also the beauty of playing the comp pick game.
That's beauty because you get more, you've got extra ammunition
with which to do it.

Speaker 2 (44:52):
Yeah. I'm probably going to lose that guy, but I'll
get a compict for him. But I got a compict
last year because I let his buddy leave, and you know,
I'm drafting his now. Steelers might take two cornerbacks next year.
M hm okay, yeah, yeah, that's the way it goes.
And it really hurts the teams that have a lot
of turnover in the front office and coaching staffs too,
because I don't really like half the guys I just inherited.

(45:14):
It's not like, well, I've been grooming this guy for
three years in a row, and now I don't know
what to do with them. Yeah, it's hard.

Speaker 3 (45:21):
It's definitely a puzzle that you have to put together
on a consistent basis and keep building. Yeah, that's why,
you know, beyond what happened on the field, that Deshaun
Watson trade set the Browns back years years because they
didn't have any They didn't have Day two picks at all.

Speaker 2 (45:39):
So I'll sign super dated. But in my recruiting days
with Pitt, I always had a spreadsheet where we know
when guys are graduating. You know, it's not like, oh,
he's going to transfer, it's like, well, we got to
tackle here, and then we got two years where we
really don't have any We better try to get a
JC kid in here this year because you can recruit
them down here, they're not going to be ready to

(46:01):
start in the Big East. Then, as an eighteen year
old tackle, you know, like you knew your depth chart
when they were graduating, when they were leaving, and yeah
there's a Larry here and there that you lose, but
you're happy at Larry. Yeah, I mean those type of things.
But it's so different now, so I can't even imagine
how you prepare for years ahead steal someone off a
lesser team. I guess you think Ducaine's best player or.

Speaker 3 (46:23):
Whatever you know, crazy, but anyways, that's going to do
it for hour number one of the Drive here on
the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and I will be back
with hour number two right after this