June 3, 2025 • 46 mins
The trio of Matt Williamson, Dale Lolley, and Wes Uhler bring you coverage from the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex as week two of OTAs are underway.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
At least.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
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 (00:20):
What's going on Steelers Nation Radio? And welcome to the
South Side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a very special edition
of The Drive. We are on location for week two,
practice number four of OTA's for your Pittsburgh Steelers live
with you for the next three hours. It's also a
special edition of the Drive because this is not the
voice of Dale Lollie that you typically here to us
(00:40):
start this highly rated program. Dale is here, Matt is here.
I am Wes Shuler. We got CJ Engineering on site
and our guy justin back at a ranch. But I
for the most part on this show today and we'll
see how we go throughout the week. Gonna drive the
bus a little bit because big tip of the hat
to our colleague Dale. He's a little under the weather.
Voice is a little shot, but he is here and
(01:00):
ready to go.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
So it's a little little store today. It sounds like.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
People are not going to the Voice of Today like
Bobby Brady.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
He is not a south Park character. He's not a
south Park character. Huffing a bunch of helium, just just
dealing with some some you know, some vocal strain. But
that's all right, man, we'll help him get through.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
It's still working.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Well, that's exactly right. We'll just we'll just have them
kind of tee up topics for us, you know, we
can and we could just we could just run with
it type thing. But gentlemen, it is practice number four,
a new week here, a kind of kicking off week
number two of this three week stretch, the final week
of these being optional, not mandatory. And uh, I gotta
imagine this is one of the things we talk about
(01:46):
a training camp, how the variance is in the weather
out there in the Latrobe area, something that the coaching
staff enjoys. One day, one day it'll be ninety degrees,
the next day it'll be pouring down rain. Last week
not the best weather here. This week it's gonna be
hot for a few days here. I got to imagine
that they're kind of liking to get out and get
to work in this type of environment.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I would imagine. I mean here again, I always am
going to equate this to kindergarten, first grade, you know,
like last week was kindergarten. Now it's first grade, maybe
it's second grade, whatever, but you eventually have to be
a master level, you know, college graduate in order to
win games in this league. So part of me thinks
the weather's not as big a deal. Let's just get
(02:24):
things done here. But when it poured last Wednesday, I
guess it was. It was a second day. I think
they were pretty happy to get out here and just
make it uncomfortable. Yeah, coach says that a lot. I
forget what the saying is. I mean, just be comfortable
being uncomfortable. And Wednesday was uncomfortable. I mean it was
it was pouring on us and we're, you know, we're
we going to get back against the wall and the
(02:46):
wind was done and then, yeah, it was not nice
out here. So I was impressed that they went through that.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
You know, it just adds some different variables. Yeah, just
one more thing that players have to deal with.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, no, absolutely, And listen, we again, I know a
lot of this is cyclical. We are in these same
places at the same times a year and have similar conversations.
But you know, I'm not breaking any news here. The
Pittsburgh Steelers play in the AFC North a conference that
is located in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. They are
going to have nasty weather games. They are going to
(03:21):
have rainy games, windy games, hot games, snow games, anything
and everything in between. It's funny you say that become
comfortable being uncomfortable. Mote says that at least once or
twice a month. He references that on the show.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
I'm sure he's heard it eight And you know, when they're.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Playing on a Thursday night, when they're playing three games
in eleven days, when you know, when it's a snow
globe in Cleveland or it's you know, ninety some degrees
when we're all down in Jacksonville for the preseason in August,
that's life in this league. That's life in this division.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
But I definitely think it's more of a Latrobe thing
than an Ota thing too, you know what I mean.
They definitely want heat for conditioning. You know. Like one
of the things was when Dale and Pursued and I
did the schedule release show, was no was really paying
attention to the preseason games. But it was like they're
going to Carolina and then they're going to and they're
going to Jacksonville. I mean August in August. I mean
(04:08):
that's conditioning. I mean that's you know, some of these teams,
the Bengals are the biggest caulper to come to mind,
don't play anyone in the preseason, continually have bad Septembers,
and then they fall a game or too short of
the playoffs. Where you'd grind in the preseason in the
heat in Jacksonville, Carolina, and it probably won't be you know,
freezing cold here either. You should be in shape, you know,
(04:31):
if you're gonna play the right guys, the right number
of snaps, you can control that.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Yeah, absolutely, And you know the more that you test
yourself in those kinds of situations, the better you will be.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, in the long run, Yeah, no question, no question
about it.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Absolutely. And again, I mean you're gonna you know, from
from the time the season starts, you know, right after
Labor Day weekend till you know you're playing into January
and February. You're you're gonna see it all. You better
be prepared to deal with it. You better be comfortable
being uncomfortable. As the the Steelers are getting things underway
here Week number two, Matt, I'd like to hear that.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
From motes from time to time, though I've bet.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
All the time, like you know, and I think even
last week we were talking about how the weather was,
you know, pretty crazy, and he said that same. I
mean with the uh, you know, the late Friday night
lights practice and then you're back at it Saturday afternoon
less than less than you know, eighteen hours later type
thing during training camp. Those whole get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Training camp is less roundhog Day than ever too. Yeah,
like you might have a weird day off and then
to travel and you know, like you said, the Friday
night lights and weather and you know, so it's not
always the same. It's not the same grind day.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
The first two weeks are largely the same. Yeah they are,
they are, but then it kind of starts to get
broken up.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah. Yeah, it's a good point. Kind of get yourself.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
In that I never know what's going to come out
of my mouth. That's gonna sound.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Great, It is fantastic, I don't You're right now, you're
kind of like a cross between I think like Mario
and Mickey Mouse.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
There you go, it's that there's a little sure some
listeners that are trying on Twitter.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
There's some, there's some some dulcet like you know, Italian
father tons in there as well too. We'll continue to
evaluate as we as we roll along. But Matt, you said, uh,
you know, kind of if last week is preschool, kindergarten,
you know, maybe this is first grade, second grade? What
is kind of the onus? Then as you kick off
(06:21):
this week, is it you better be picking up and
remembering and mastering the stuff we worked on last week.
The mistakes that you're made last week, you better not
be making this week.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
The biggest thing I harp on that assistant coaches position
coaches make makes them bonkers. Is I don't mind correcting
you once. You know we we went on on on
the board. You're out here. You do something wrong, fine,
you know. I mean everyone makes mistakes. I don't expect
you to be perfect, and hey, maybe the next day
you make a similar mistake. I don't love that. But
(06:51):
if you're making the same mistakes over and over, I
mean I can't trust you. I mean it's all about trust.
And the best example to me is run back is
probably the easiest position to transition from college to pro
get the ball, I hit the right hole, I use
my vision. I use my gifts some strong and powerful
and fast, whatever my attributes are. But if I fumble,
(07:14):
or if I don't understand protections or can't do protections,
I can't trust you. You know, you may be you
be a great runner, you might be Earl Campbell and
Marshall Fallgirld into one. But if you miss a blitz
and you get my quarterback killed, or you're putting the
ball on the ground one out of ten carries, I
can't put you out there and every that's the easiest
position to use as an example, but they all have
(07:36):
a very high trust factor, and frankly, none of the
young guys and this is probably a Roman Wilson thing
too last year, you know, like I haven't seen enough
of you to trust you to put you out there
to beat the ravens, you know.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
And that's one of the things I think that gets
lost with all the fantasy football players totally, that I
can't understand why this's younger running back isn't on the field, right,
that's why, yeah, right, so much better than player B.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
He might yeah till he misses the block on foot
down and get your quarterback murdered. Right, Yeah, So no,
you guys are absolutely right, and that's I mean, there
is like we I think we're all very good about
this in these settings we constantly see you know, you
got a grain of salt. Everything that you see out here,
it is you know, it's still football and shorts, but
they're at the same time there are some tangible things
that you better be building upon in those boxes. You
(08:23):
better be checking as well too. And I think it
certainly starts mentally.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Absolutely, you know. I mean again, it's taking what I
tell you on the whiteboard in the film to the
field and then taking that the next level too. Against
it an opponent that's you know, your your teammates, but
when you're going full strength with pads and then can
you do it against the Panthers and Jags like we
talked about, and okay, then I'll feel reasonably well, but
(08:48):
probably won't sleep well the night before opening day when
I throw you out there, you know. And it's not
just running backs, of course. I mean, let's say you
draft the left tackle in the first round, as the
Steelers did for two years in a row. Okay, I
understand that Miles Garrett might beat you to your upfield
shoulder here and there. That happens to everybody. But if
on this combo block you leave too early every time
(09:08):
and your guys making the tackle, I don't know what
to do with you, right, You're gotta have to prove
me different.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Now. Yeah, it goes to you know a lot of
times coaches will have players take pregame tests.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Based on what they're doing. This is what we worked
on on week. Look, right, and if you're a young
guy and you didn't pass the test, you're not playing on.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Some you can't trust you for three hours.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And an example I have of that though is, and
I don't think you'd mind me saying this, but Larry
Fitzgerald wasn't a very good classroom guy. And he went
to Valley Forge Military Academy because it bad grades. And
it wasn't because of lack of effort. He just wasn't
very inclined in the classroom at geometry or history or whatever.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Him and I have that in commons.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I mean, mine was an effort thing. I mean, he
just wasn't his bag. But we would do a test
at pitt on the day I guess it would be
Friday for all those things, and our receiver coach J. D.
Brookhart knew he's not a good test taker. So even
like if you look at Larry's first three or four
games in a pit uniform, he didn't get super involved,
(10:21):
so he wasn't real sure, even though in the practice
field he was easily right. I mean, we had two
NFL corners that were seniors, Tory Cox and Chantay Spencer,
and he's crushing them. And we knew they were going
to league. You know, they weren't first round picks. But
it took a couple of weeks for everyone to realize
Larry's tests aren't going to be great. But when you
play A and M, he never runs a bad route
(10:42):
and it's not just even an effort thing. He's super
smart on the football field, you know. I mean it's
so some of that. You just have to know the
human beings too. You know, there's some, there's some. Many
had a pretty good career.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
I think he's all right. I think he did okay
for himself. Somebody even say one of the best ever.
But yeah, that's that's a really good point. And then
I think two right, not to kind of put the
cart in front of the horse here, but then even
next week right too, Like you're you're getting commuted.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Two weeks in a row. That's big two. Yeah, it's
not a fluke.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
And it might be Algebra one this week, but it's
pretty calculus next week.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Absolutely, because in this league, of course, it's such a
week to week league with preparation. Perfect example is in
the division, I mean the Steeler defense playing the Ravens
versus the Bengals, two of the best offenses in the league.
Prep couldn't be any more different. So the personnel you
use couldn't be different for the techniques, I mean all
the above. So, yeah, he did well against the Ravens.
(11:38):
Good work just off the run. You were simon sound,
well now you're ready for now it's a whole different test.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Right, And that goes back to to you know, when
people so oh Corey Trice was he was active and
started at this game against the Bengal, but it wasn't
Why wasn't he active the next week?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Right? Right? Right right?
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Playing the Ravens?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Right? And of course we Dale and I talk about
this all the time too. How special teams capable are
you do you know, you get a helmet or what not,
and they're trying to figure those again this is they
don't play tomorrow, but that stuff starts here too.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Like the day really gets you when we gets so
many live live reps of this.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
There's not nearly as many people think, And there's not
two a days like you know when Touching Wolf are
out there and Chuck Noll and those guys, you know
when you get to the camp that.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Heck, even even Stark's had some years of two a day.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Yeah, right, I mean there's a lot of time on
the grass where now there really isn't. Then there's less
times in the classroom and a lot of these guys
have to do it on their own, So finding out
who you can trust is harder now, I think than
it used to be. Plus the schemes are just more diverse,
you know.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, absolutely no, that that all makes a lot of sense, gentlemen.
A beautiful day here as we've got the offense working
on some stuff in the end zone in front of us.
H Correct me if I'm wrong, because I was not
here every day last week, so I might have missed
it today the first day with officials here or did
we have that last Today's Okay, I thought I thought so,
But like I said, I did miss a day last week,
(13:03):
so just wanted to wanted to make sure.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Just ramping things up makes it a little more Yeah again,
first grade, the second first grade?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Second right, Maybe I get to use the analogy that
I used last week. You know, the opening act at
the music festival is over. Now we're kind of in
the middle of the bill type type thing, right, And.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
People might say, well, why do you bring officials out
for something like this, Well, for example, your line judge,
your receivers now have to come out wide check with
the line judge to make sure that they're not covered.
You know, they're where they're supposed to be at.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
It's huge, it's huge. And another thing that I've noticed
that the refs will do this time of year is
there were some rule changes, but there's also going to
be more emphasis on current roles or less emphasis where
these refs might be like, hey, I'm gonna call that
in the game this year, I might not have laughed.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Well, these are local people, yeah, okay, that they bring
in all season long. Oh okay, so it just call
off holding? Are you covered to the other the tight
end covered up?
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Gotcha?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Where the tackle covered? Just to learn the basics, ye okay.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
And to have a setting where you can pick their brain. Juicy,
what did you think about this?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
That's what's different than game day. It is kind of
My point was, I think any of these guys can
come over to any of the reps and be like, hey,
is this all right? If I do this? I'm like,
that's questionable. Maybe you'll get away that time.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Maybe those are the guys who come into training camp
okay for that week. Yep, those are the NFL officials.
Off they'll go over with what the points of emphasis
are going to be, things in that nature.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
I didn't realize that. Okay, So these ones are more
second grade third.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
They're basically local college officials.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Yeah, I gotcha, Okay, trying to cut their teeth a
little bit more as well.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah, yeah, it makes sense.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
No, certainly does.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
So.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Yeah, we've got officials out here today. We've got some
action going on with the offense near field defense, far
Good said, And yes, I mean this is I think
this is kind of what we've been waiting for. I know. Honestly,
I think a majority of our listener as are from
outside of the western Pennsylvania area. Here on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. We got listeners all
over the country, all over the world. So for those
(15:08):
of you that haven't been in Western Pennsylvania, it's been
miserable the last two weeks.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
It's been late May.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
For late May, you know, it's it has been rainy
about every single day. It's been in the fifties, sometimes
even in the forties. I was downtown this past Saturday
wearing like a pseudo winter coat. I mean it was
Saturday downtown. It was some It was forty six degrees
and raining downtown on Saturday. So for now to it
(15:34):
to be in the seventies, you know, it's starting to
feel a little bit more like June and in summertime
football here.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
And it sounds like this week is supposed to be
a lot of this.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I think is supposed to be a scorcher. But fortunately
we are under the shade here on the sidelines at
the upmc rooney Sports Complex. You hear the horn there,
there's some moving and shaking to some new positions, some
new drills out on the field. We are going to
get to our first break of the afternoon, but we
have got plenty more to go here. We are with
you until one o'clock. Eastern Standard Time on day number
(16:07):
four of OTA practices. Here on the south side we Shouler,
Dale Lollie, Matt Williamson. You are listening to the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
This is 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 (16:37):
ODA coverage ongoing here on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Gold. It is a special
edition of the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. Wes Shuler,
Dale Lolly is here. If you have been listening, you
know he is.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
And it's time to change.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
He thinks he sounds worse. I think you're sounding a
little bit better. Every twenty or thirty minute. You're gonna
sound like our draft out Chalie B. Shelley. By the
time we get out of here, we'll be singing that.
He'll be singing the opera our three.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
You're gonna be a rock stary as it is.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
He has a special edition on location of the Drive here,
a three hour edition of the Drive. And you got
Euler kind of trying to be the one to put
the pedal to the metal to this thing. To give
Dale a little reprieve here, But gentlemen, you know, we
were kind of talking about practices and this schedule and
this timeline and all the different things that we discussed
(17:27):
this time of the year. Some I think news along
those lines yesterday as well that the Pittsburgh Steelers, this
is according to Pro Football Talk, will have training camp
joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which correct me, Dale,
and I know you have.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
That they're working on that.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
They're working on it with the Titans and the Steelers, right,
so it would be the Steelers and the Bucks. You're right,
we're working on having joint practices with the Titans and
the Steelers. Was with Todd Bowles to old Pro Football Talk.
So they did this the Steelers last year with the Bills,
but I think there had been a pretty long hiatus
since before they had done something like this last year.
(18:11):
I'm taking that.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
I remember the Lions a while back, but that was right, like.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
This is something that's gonna happen more and more. Yes
as we cut back on preseason games, you get those
joint practices in and it just gives you another opportunity
to take a look at some guys.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
They may even be more valuable than a preseason game.
You know, like sure, so I'm not here to defend
Rodert Jones, but they played the Bills in that preseason game,
and he had a long day. You know. Rousseau, who's
a Pro Bowl type guy, was the better player. Everyone
saw that. But what people didn't see is in the
joint practices leading up to it, he handled her so
(18:48):
really well and they were going full blast. It's not
like back to back games, but he, he and everyone
on the field Bills and Steelers, exuded a lot of
vent before that game even happen. For one thing, But
the beauty of these practices is okay, that's fine. Example
(19:09):
Will Howard is a perfect example. Will Howard's having a
great camp. He's gonna play a lot in the preseason,
you know, and I think, no matter what, he's gonna
play a lot in the preseason. But we'd love to
see him do some two minute stuff against an opponent. Well, okay,
you don't know if you're gonna get it in a game.
You know, like there might never present itself to being
a two minute operation run ten red zone play exactly exactly,
(19:31):
all the situational stuff, third and longs blitz period, you know,
all that stuff that you do against your own team. Well,
the Bills aren't going to tell you the play calls.
And you know what I mean. There's the joint practices
are so situational that coaches get together and say, hey,
I really need to see some of my base defense.
I need to really see some of my don Sure,
(19:52):
I'll do that. We're not a big three or four
receiver team like the Steelers, but we'll do it for
you if you give us goal line.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Right, we'll do this if you do that, Yeah, yeah,
absolutely exactly.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
You know, ones versus ones, all right, I'm cool with that.
You know, we're in a game. You don't know how
it's going to go. And you know, frankly, half of
the preseason games again, if you play the Bengals, you're
playing your ones against their fours, And what did you
really learn? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Right? And I got to think too, just to even
step further that you do a great job of outlining
how you can really work on situations that you're not
guaranteed you're going to present themselves organically throughout the course
of a sixty minute preseason game.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
To twenty snaps of third and eight whatever it is.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
I also imagine too, then, like where my mind goes
is it's it's it's easier to truly be who you
are because you know, you're not putting that out on
film in the preseason for thirty other NFL teams to see.
It's just one. It's just one team in this setting.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
And often they're not on your schedule and they're never
in the division, right, you know, So, yes, that's one
hundred percent true. Is people want to the coaches, play callers,
play designers want to be very vanilla often in the
preseason if they're holding something back. But if you're holding
something back, you didn't practice it.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Particularly that doesn't know what's coming.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Exactly exactly, you know. So there's a lot to be
had for that. And to Dale's point, I mean, I
absolutely think there is a day coming real soon. Two
preseason games, two preseason games, eighteen regular season games, two
buys inevitable, inevitable, and therefore more group practices.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Yeah, I think that, you know, maybe you just do it.
It just becomes something that naturally happens, like it's just
part of the schedule.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Yeah, you you put it in these days or whatever.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
We're gonna go there two days early and practice against
them twice.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
And then play them on Saturday or Sunday or whatever
the case might be.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Just geographically, though, I'm a little shocked that's Tampa. I mean,
that's a flight. Correct me if I'm wrong. But I
remember when Detroit was here with like staffer than Onsa.
It was those about that time. I think they drove
here for the most part, Well maybe.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
They flew, they think drove okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Or if you were to do Washington, I mean, unfortunately
most of the teams closer in the division.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Right so, or maybe Buffalo, who's still in the AFC,
But yeah, Washington, Washington or Philly would probably be the
closest ones that weren't.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Well thank you, you know, with with fewer preseason games. I
don't know the teams necessarily care. Hey, we're gonna put
up the team two days et, Yeah, in a hotel.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Because it's worth I'm getting good practice.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Right right, Yeah, And it's still way cheaper than sending
our entire operation somewhere for you know, for thirty six hours.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
You're not moving the weight room and things like that
that they do the trope.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Right, and the Steelers will go to Tampa Bay for
a preseason game on August sixteenth, So it sounds sounds
like it will be in their place according to this
this this Pro Football we're going to article as well too. Yes,
you guys right, Yeah, that's exactly. Hey, maybe the maybe
let's send me down a couple of days early and
an engineer for you guys down there while you're while
(23:04):
you're doing the show speed up. But then that that
gets there's a sight for sore eyes.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Wait, wait, my voice is better. The shock.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
Shock to your system. That's like a cold plunge right
there to your system. More so, like we were talking
about to that might even be a benefit of Okay,
so the Steelers will be there August sixteenth for a
preseason game. Say they go down the thirteenth and have
two practices.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
That's how the Bills one worked basically, right, he just
kind of hung out with them for three or four days.
But this is learned to kind of hate them too.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Oh absolutely, some of that animal and in the heat
that animals builds.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Up three game hockey series.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Yeah right. Also going down there and having those practices
in the middle of August at Tampa Bay. That gets
back through some of that. You know, you could be
down there for a game in Jacksonville a week later,
a few days later, right back for a couple of practices.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
That sounds writer tomlins Valley. Yeah, absolutely, go to Tampa.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Sorry, the Bucks are here. No, I'm wrong, I'm doing
the box here there Jacksonville, Carolina. You're right. Sorry, So
it would be so, it would be so, it would
likely so it would likely be up here. I'm sorry.
I was totally the whole time I was say it,
I was like, wait a second, because.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
They're not going to players like that's just a hey,
let's get eat.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Yeah, probably why they would like it too. Let's go
up north where it's hot, but it's not but it's
not hot. Maybe we'll even get rained for a day
up there and it's not hell hot Africa and in
western and western Pennsylvania. That's interesting, though, Matt is we
kind of continue and you know, we got we got
plenty of time to discuss these things.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
I hope they come here, and I mean, that's that makes.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Awesome and it would be dropt. It would be fun
things for us to watch and talk about. Correct, which
similar thing last year against the Bills, and tho was
it two practices at Atrocer Stadium against the Bills last year?
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Too, Yeah, I believe.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I believe so as well.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
A lot got done, absolutely, and Josh Allen actually plays
you know right.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Right, and I and I remember, you know, they're kind
of being a clear onus of make sure that we're
being careful of what we're discussing because a lot of
that stuff is meant to be kept private as opposed
to your regular open to the public training camp practice.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
And real quick like on the Bills, for example, maybe
they're not on the schedule, but you're like, well there's
a good chance we're going to seeing the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
That's still like four months, that's right, different by then
their personnelity start.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
I mean, who know, I mean it's a long way away.
I mean you're probably not divulging all that much. You know,
one thing that the head coaches know each other well.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Right right right? One thing that intrigues me, uh in
this conversation too. And I know this isn't specific to
the Steelers, but I think it still bears asking Bucks now.
I mean, according to Todd Bowles and these reports will
have joint practices in training camp with two of their
preseason opponents. Do you remember that being a thing in
the past, and that maybe even if we, you know,
(25:59):
sooner rather and later, get into this era of just
two preseason games.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Oh, that's a good call that.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
We start seeing the Steelers doing this, you know, regular
for NFL teams to have joint practices with two different
teams throughout the trachea.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
First I've ever thought of that. It was a great thought,
and I like it. You know, like maybe the road
team comes three days early for every preseason game period
going going forward, and just hangs out in that city
at their training facilities for a couple of days, do
what they do in the preseason game, and then I mean,
that's a lot of good work. You could get done twice,
(26:34):
you know, and really hit it hard, you know, I mean,
that would make a lot of sense. You could really
ration out your snaps of you know, the Browns are
a great example. They're trying to get four quarterbacks ready, Well,
I could do it a lot easier in those three days,
those three practice times two practices in a preseason game.
Then I can against my own team.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
You know, Tail, you remember much of two joint two
separate teams joint practices in an offset. You think that
this could be something we see more of.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
It's probably happened that.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I'm sure it has not in my recent memory.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
And it's not a regular thing like where it's made
right soon.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
Yeah, I mean the Steelers used to practice against Washington
every year. They practiced against the Bills for a while
every year as well. Buffalo I think was at Edinburgh
at the time.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
But you don't remember two in the same preseason though
for this.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Team, right, never for this team?
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, No, that'll that'll be interesting. That'll be
something to keep an eye on. And yeah, I think
I think that's one of those kind of evolution of
the whole offseason process things to keep an eye on
as as we roll up.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Very well, could be in the cards. That makes a
lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
But yeah, if you're joining us late to this conversation,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Todd Bowles, their head coach, telling the
media on the Pewter Report podcast actually yesterday that the
Buccaneers are finalizing plans to participate in joint practices with
both the Tennessee Titans and your Pittsburgh Steelers. During training camp.
Of course, the Bucks scheduled to be in Pittsburgh for
(28:02):
that preseason game on August sixteenth, So can we see
them in town here a few days early, certainly seems
like a strong possibility. West Ruler dal Lallie. Matt Williamson
with you here as we are now into another phase
of practice on the far side of the field, Matthew,
which always makes things a little more difficult to kind
of us.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah. I bring that up a lot, like when they
go here field too. It's pretty tough from where we're
at and we can't report on what they're doing anyways.
But still there's not a lot of there's a lot
of stretching still going on. It's not the group stretch,
but I mean they're not doing a ton, but they
will use both these fields. You know, there's something to day.
And I were talking about last week too. Anyway, the
day you missed was the real bad weather.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Day and thanks for that.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Yeah, there you go. There's just so much.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
CJ brings the sunshine, I leave the rain, just.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
So much more space on the two fields to put
all these human beings than in the indoor too. It's
like that has a lot to do with it like
you're really cramming.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
There's even some pit guys over on the far field
doing some cardio taking your parking. Yeah, it is. Uh,
it is always a little bit of a jungle out there.
So you've got Steelers stuff going on here, large roster,
a lot of people involved, college coaches here, NFL referees here,
and then you've got the pit program doing workouts as
(29:22):
well too. Parking spaces at a premium mark. I Matthew
may or may not have had to do some walking
down here on the south side.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Yeah, I won't tell people I park.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Yeah, that's right, because then all of a sudden you
won't be able to find any parking there either. But
it is a beautiful day, a sunny, clear day down
here for day number four of OTA's energy, a lot
of a lot of energy, a lot of smiles, I think,
in the sunshine. For those of you who might not
be familiar with this as well too. When practice ends
shortly after noon, we will be joined by a Steelers
(29:51):
player right here as well.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Mm hm, some good ones. Janny Benton was wonderful.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Was great, excellent, Yeah as well too.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
So haven't seen this week's list, but We'll always have
a great chat with those guys. One thing about the weather.
And I don't know that this is super these guys
are professionals, but I do think you want this three weeks,
these nine practices to be very upbeat, very positive. If
it's dreary and nasty for all nine of them, it's
(30:21):
a little bit harder for that to happen.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Said, like, everyone's that way, right.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
I think that's part of the reason why Thursday's practice
last week was so upbeat, because they had practiced in
the rain on Wednesdays. Everybody's like, well, it's not that
better than yesterday.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Yeah, yeah, No, that makes sense, And I think that's
one of those things everybody can relate to in their life, right.
You're just in a better mood going to work if
it's sunny and nice out as opposed to crappy and
rainy or snowy windy, just puts a different pep into
your step. But again, particularly when it's been a few
straight weeks if not the best.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Weather, the OTAs aren't about grinding the players. And I mean,
I'm sure even like Belichick and the biggest hard nosed
dudes in recent memory weren't grinding and killing these guys
at OTAs. I mean, I think it's an upbeat, positive
experience type thing, you.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Know, trying to reinforce what you're working on with them,
trying to get them, you know.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Get them more and more camaraderie.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Yeah, build them up a little bit as a positive
to try and kind of cutting them down.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Yeah. Now, a lot of these people meeting them one
another really for the first time too, and spend in
real time with their.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
Teammates, speaking the same language, getting on the same page,
learning names. All of those different things certainly involved as
well too. That'll do it for the second segment of
the first hour here, We've got to get to another
break more of the moving and shaking around practice. We've
also got some news about a pretty notable name offensive
(31:42):
playmaker who Adam Schefter is saying could be here with
the Steelers tomorrow. We'll get into all those different things
as we roll along West Shuler, Dale Lolly, Matt Williamson
here on the South Side for week number two of OTAs.
It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
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 (32:19):
Back on the drive here from the south side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
It is OTAs it is June. The sun is shining.
We got football happening West Ruler Dale, Lollie, Matt Williamson.
Where would you rather be than right here right now?
As we are getting well underway into practice?
Speaker 4 (32:36):
I'm sorry I staw.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
That from the Buffalo Bills, right? Is it the Bills
that's that they have the guy the announcer who says
that before the games? Where else would you rather be
than right here right now? Well, speaking of a former
Buffalo Bill, you see what I did there? D pretty good?
Speaker 1 (32:54):
That's really well done.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Gabe Davis. Obviously A has been throughout his career at
times an explosive wide receiver. We have had a lot
of conversation about this offense adding another playmaker, I think
not necessarily only at wide receiver, but that's been certainly
the position.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Group since the pick tradre's a little left to be
desired highlightedigh yes, highlighted the most Adam Schefter tweeting out,
oh what a little over an hour here ago?
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Gentlemen that former Bills and Jaguars wide receiver gave Davis
scheduled to travel to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to visit with
the Steelers on Thursday, and he adding there because I
know this is the first time we've all done a show,
I believe since his report or he put out the
tweet about John new Smith as well too.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Yeah, that happened since on Friday.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Or Thursday evening schefter following up saying that the team
is not expected to trade for John new Smith. I
think a lot of us thought that that was he's
a guy looking for a new contract. He also has
Drew Rosenhouse, who's kind of a master of spending the
media narrative and getting his clients in a in a
position of leverage. But he gave Davis coming here for
(34:00):
a visit feels real tangible. Sorry, mat wherever you go
you want to go with that, well, I.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Want to start with Johnny real quick. I mean it
makes sense in terms of the Arthur Smith connection. Five
years with them, right, I mean he followed him from Atlanta,
or from Tennessee to Atlanta, had a really good year
with the Falcons, then goes to Miami, has a really,
really good year, and he's definitely much more of a
receiver than blockers.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
So if you're just looking almost nine hundred eighty eight
receptions and almost nine hundred yards.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Put a guy, you know. And so if you're just
looking for past catchers, it half added up. I mean,
do they need another tight end? No? You know, so
the fact that Dale knows for you know it's going
to be it's not in the works. Yes, it didn't
shock me one bit. Yeah, but I could see why
they would use the Steelers for their purposes, you know.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
I mean, and Drew Rosenes is probably looking at it
too and looking at Pat Fireman's contract and thinking that's
that's what I went from my client as well.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
And it's a team that used a ton of two
and three tight end sets, you know, so they would
use them. But still Gabe Davis, So I'll just be honest,
I thought for a lot of his career he was
a smidge overrated, did some big things against the Steelers,
and remember that that's not his normal game, folks. He
(35:20):
doesn't do that every week and end up with thirty
touchdowns every year. And then the Jags, as they so
often do, signed them to a bad contract, and no
team in the league is better at signing a bad
contract and cutting that.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
Player player great money, right.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
I mean, they've Christian Kirk, there's twenty or thirty examples
in the last three or four years. And then so
they trade up for Hunter and all of a sudden,
the wide receiver room's pretty packed. They also Parker Washington,
who Penn State fans might remember. He's a nice developmental three.
With Hunter and Thomas, they might be they may end
up being the best wide receiaer pay in the league.
(36:00):
And they're there. They have a chance to be exceptional.
So they're excited about those guys. New staff realize the
Davis contract isn't a good one, so he's been on
the open market a little after the draft after they
landed Hunter. The type of player he is is useful
for what the Steelers need right now. I mean he's
down the field, down the field, he's size, speed, strength,
(36:21):
I mean, he's gonna look the part out here. He's
well built, He's very fast in a straight line. He's
not a great technician. Keenan, Allen Nickel and Dimy to death.
You know, short intermediate routes over and over. Doesn't mean
he wouldn't help in that regard. But he's free. I mean,
he doesn't cost you anything, and other than a contract,
(36:44):
and probably for him, you'd give him some sort of
signing bonus, you know, and more or less guarantee him
a roster spot. I would think he has that type
of power at this point.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
But all in all, he's still gonna turn twenty six
this year.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Yeah right, he still would be a pro addition, you know.
And he's a downfield guy, not as good as pickings,
I mean, you know, of course, but he would be useful.
I got no problem with that in him. And that
doesn't mean you'd be done even you know who knows.
Speaker 4 (37:14):
Yeah, I mean I think you at the very least
she kicked the tires on it because he's available.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
For a visit. That doesn't cost it, don't cost you nothing,
right right, right.
Speaker 4 (37:22):
Doesn't mean you necessarily are going to sign him, but
you at least take a look because he's available.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Yeah. Again, he doesn't cost me a draft pick. Okay,
you know they got cap money. That's that's not really
a prohibitive factor. He's an NFL player, you know, I mean,
an ideal world I think he's your third best receiver.
It'd probably be competing here right this minute to be
your second best. Yeah. But right, I mean you're throwing
a lot of bodies at the problem.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
I mean Jacksonan gave him a ton of money last year.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
Lot of money.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, too much. But yeah, still he was
I mean, it means he was desirable just one year.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
I mean, right, he had yearly throw he had nearly
eight hundred you had seven hundred fifty yards and seven
touchdowns his last year in Buffalo. Okay, yeah, so yeah,
you're you're absolutely coming off of an eight hundred and
fifty yards seven touchdown season before that in Buffalo. So
he'd had two, you know, fourteen touchdowns and fifteen hundred
and sixteen hundred yards over those last year two years
in Buffalo. And as you mentioned Stefan Diggs, Josh Allen,
(38:21):
I mean, he wasn't the one driving that bus, but
he was certainly he was a piece of the puzzle,
a positive contributor. And now, listen, we've seen guys injuries,
not wrong scheme, fit, all these different things. They can
have a down year somewhere and bounce back for a
million different reasons.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Yeah, he shows football ahead of him.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Right, yeah, So the next kind of I think thing
that I that I got to ask. Let's say he
comes in, he comes in here tomorrow to meet with
the team Thursday, things end up going well sometime Friday, Saturday, Monday, whatever,
the news breaks that, you know, the Steelers and Gave
Davis are going to be agreeing to terms. Where would
you feel what would kind of be your your your
(39:00):
heat check of the wide receiver room at that point?
Would you feel good taking that group to camp or
would you still continue to be shopping around?
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Well, you have a one in Metcalf, you have Johnson, Wilson.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
Woods, Austin, Kevin Austin.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Yeah right, who'd I miss?
Speaker 3 (39:18):
You?
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Said, Austin Wilson, Austin, Wilson, Woods, Woods, and then Davis
and Davis And I would hope that you're still open
to adding another, which makes it really crowded and you're
not going to keep six or seven. But I don't
want to so I don't know how to phrase this.
I don't want to settle for Dave Davis and be like, Okay,
(39:40):
all problems are done, but it's he'd have been really
useful last year. You know what I mean, like, it's
still better than better than yeah, right, you know, Wilson
in year two, Austin a year in advance, I'll still
take Metcalf slightly over Pickens. And I don't know what
to think of Woods. He might be shot, he might
be the better in the room, he might be useful
on third downs. I don't really know what to think
(40:01):
of him, good or bad. And then you throw Gave
Davis in the mix. It's better than last year. It's
not as good as Pickings mecaf it was a month ago, you.
Speaker 4 (40:10):
Know, Yeah, I mean that's just didn't they knew that
when they made the trade. You know, they were going
to have to figure something out there. This would be
potentially part of figuring that out. And you know, a
lot of Gave Davis. I don't think at this point
in his career is a finished product yet, right, I
(40:35):
think there's still untill twenty five years old, he can
still get better. And that's the key.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
No, there's ability there too. So again, signing him doesn't
it shouldn't prohibit move number two. Right, doesn't mean you
have to make.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
But it gives you. I think it gives you much
high higher floor if there's not, if there's not an
additional bi.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Right, we're right. I mean, you take these guys to camp,
and what if somebody get hurt early or something.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
We're not having the you know, cranked up to ten,
well maybe even to eleven conversation about you know, a
Brandon Ayuk or Adebo Samuel or a Davonte add after
you know, you got to add one of these guys
as well. I do believe Dale, They're not.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Gonna play a lot of three receiver sets no matter what.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
Correct. I mean that not much, we do know, correct,
And I do think as well too, like you want
to you want to be able to add where you
can without giving up draft capital. I think that's an
beauty of it, right, Like I saw a lot of
people in the wake of you know, the the Adam
Schefter tweet. Again, I can't remember if it was Thursday
night or Friday when that John new Smith tweet came
(41:37):
out about what would you give up for? L right,
what you give a six round pick form would you
give a fifth round pick for? And what it might
be that you don't have to have that conversation with
a guy.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
Like game, all those cards in your hand.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
Which I think this time of year when you want
to have all those cards in your hand, when you
just gave up a couple of those cards last year
to to go get DK Metcalf, like, you don't want
to find yourself already kind of behind. And we know
they're going to get good comp pics next year and
all these things. But at the same time, too, you
would like to you know, I think you prefer adding
a guy that you don't have to compensate in terms
(42:10):
of draft capital as well.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
The other thing is now is we're in June and
there could be more guys being.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Absolutely That's what I was gonna say too, is you're
still certainly a potential landing spot for someone that gets
cut or someone that's had, you know, holding out with
contract negotiations, or even into the season the first five
six weeks go pretty well. There's always, always, always, always
wide receivers. It's the trade deadline. If your season is
(42:40):
not going well, you don't go get one. If your
season is going well, throw some team a fifth round pick, sure, whatever,
because you're going to have them, you know. So again
it's a fluid situation. And if you go into the
season with the guys that are here right now, and Davis,
you're a lot.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
More comfortable than Oh, absolutely you are.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
I mean it gives him a conferent for sure.
Speaker 3 (43:00):
I think it gives you more comfort than you know,
than we have right now. I think, yeah, you could
argue too, like you mentioned, with kind of DK being
a more proven commodity than Pickens, feeling even a little
bit better than you were this time last year as
well to last one.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
I wouldn't be super comfortable with the current rostered wide.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
Receivers right It would feel a lot like it would
feel a lot like last year again with with DK
being a bit not a bit, a more proven commodity
as you're one, but a lot of the same questions behind.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
It because goes fact, what if what if?
Speaker 3 (43:31):
What if he misses two games or you know, just
even though seasons a second half in December and a
crucial you know, AFC North matchup.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
You can't be in that situation again, No.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
You cannot. And and I and I think that they
are cognizant of that. Certainly you touched on it.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Clearly their ears are open for the wide receivers one
hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
I don't think. I don't think that's I don't think
that's the secret to anybody here around the NFL world.
Speaker 4 (43:55):
And I think you know a guy like Davis that's
kind of Mark Davis Bryant, like give you that all right,
just go oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
He makes room for others six three, but can move
and get down the field. So that was the last
one I wanted to ask you, Matt. You touched on
this a little bit, but his specific fit for what
Arthur Smith wants to do.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
A lot of outside the number go balls And I
know people are like, we've seen a lot of that stuff,
but it's still important and they do want to throw
deep rogers as a deep passer, a lot of stuff
off play action. But to me, Matt Harmon calls it
the sacrificial X, which I get a kick out of,
which means he's sacrificing himself for the team.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
He's stretching the field, stretching.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
The field and if he can get two people to
go with him. And then Metcalf comes on a dig underneath,
all of a sudden, there's a lot more room to operate,
keep people out of the box. Things like that too.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
That room for Calvin Austin in the slot.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Yeah, absolutely, And Wilson's a big inbreaking route guy too
as well. Over the middle, I definitely would. I'll be
shocked if they don't throw over the middle more, which
is more of a quarterback thing than a coordinator thing.
I mean, Arthur Smith wants to use the middle of
the field, Russell Wilson did, Rogers will assuming he's here,
Rudolph will, but again, he'd be useful. He's on a
(45:19):
game changer, you know, and maybe he's a four or
five targeted game guy something like that. But a pretty
deep average step of the target.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Yeah, I mean, and that's the that's the thing too,
that is kind of not kind of just very exciting
when you look at his average yards per reception throughout
his career.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Sure, it's high.
Speaker 3 (45:35):
Last year was his lowest by far, and it was
still twelve yards. No, but I mean in Buffalo's seventeen
point one, fifteen point seven, seventeen point four, sixteen point six.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
So you're looking for explosives and he's still.
Speaker 3 (45:45):
Provides, giving him five targets a game, and he's getting
you know, three receptions for forty five fifty yards. I
think you would sign up for that again.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
Not just seven touchdowns for of course of the year.
Speaker 3 (45:57):
You know, maybe not as all of a sudden it's
changing your your ultimate ceiling for what this team could be,
but you certainly feel better about that floor that you know,
double digit wins in a playoff spot and maybe contending
for a division title and all those things down the
stretch in December. That is the first hour of the books.
I do want to continue because again, I mean, we
got nothing but time.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
Here, Jerry, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
For our number two a little bit, I want to
get a little dorky with you guys, if you'll allow,
and what exactly Arthur Smith wants to build this offense
to be versus what he inherited and what they've added,
if that makes sense, kind of the merging of the
personnel versus the philosophy in the middle ground in there
and how that might be moving in year number two.
(46:39):
Let's get into that in our number two West Schuler Dale, Lollie,
Matt Williamson. We've got two more hours to go here.
Practice number four of OTA is kicking off the second
week on a beautiful day from the south side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Don't you dare go anywhere. It's all happening right here
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network
At least.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
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 (00:20):
What's going on Steelers Nation Radio? And welcome to the
South Side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a very special edition
of The Drive. We are on location for week two,
practice number four of OTA's for your Pittsburgh Steelers live
with you for the next three hours. It's also a
special edition of the Drive because this is not the
voice of Dale Lollie that you typically here to us
(00:40):
start this highly rated program. Dale is here, Matt is here.
I am Wes Shuler. We got CJ Engineering on site
and our guy justin back at a ranch. But I
for the most part on this show today and we'll
see how we go throughout the week. Gonna drive the
bus a little bit because big tip of the hat
to our colleague Dale. He's a little under the weather.
Voice is a little shot, but he is here and
(01:00):
ready to go.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
So it's a little little store today. It sounds like.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
People are not going to the Voice of Today like
Bobby Brady.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
He is not a south Park character. He's not a
south Park character. Huffing a bunch of helium, just just
dealing with some some you know, some vocal strain. But
that's all right, man, we'll help him get through.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
It's still working.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Well, that's exactly right. We'll just we'll just have them
kind of tee up topics for us, you know, we
can and we could just we could just run with
it type thing. But gentlemen, it is practice number four,
a new week here, a kind of kicking off week
number two of this three week stretch, the final week
of these being optional, not mandatory. And uh, I gotta
imagine this is one of the things we talk about
(01:46):
a training camp, how the variance is in the weather
out there in the Latrobe area, something that the coaching
staff enjoys. One day, one day it'll be ninety degrees,
the next day it'll be pouring down rain. Last week
not the best weather here. This week it's gonna be
hot for a few days here. I got to imagine
that they're kind of liking to get out and get
to work in this type of environment.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
I would imagine. I mean here again, I always am
going to equate this to kindergarten, first grade, you know,
like last week was kindergarten. Now it's first grade, maybe
it's second grade, whatever, but you eventually have to be
a master level, you know, college graduate in order to
win games in this league. So part of me thinks
the weather's not as big a deal. Let's just get
(02:24):
things done here. But when it poured last Wednesday, I
guess it was. It was a second day. I think
they were pretty happy to get out here and just
make it uncomfortable. Yeah, coach says that a lot. I
forget what the saying is. I mean, just be comfortable
being uncomfortable. And Wednesday was uncomfortable. I mean it was
it was pouring on us and we're, you know, we're
we going to get back against the wall and the
(02:46):
wind was done and then, yeah, it was not nice
out here. So I was impressed that they went through that.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
You know, it just adds some different variables. Yeah, just
one more thing that players have to deal with.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, no, absolutely, And listen, we again, I know a
lot of this is cyclical. We are in these same
places at the same times a year and have similar conversations.
But you know, I'm not breaking any news here. The
Pittsburgh Steelers play in the AFC North a conference that
is located in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. They are
going to have nasty weather games. They are going to
(03:21):
have rainy games, windy games, hot games, snow games, anything
and everything in between. It's funny you say that become
comfortable being uncomfortable. Mote says that at least once or
twice a month. He references that on the show.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
I'm sure he's heard it eight And you know, when they're.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Playing on a Thursday night, when they're playing three games
in eleven days, when you know, when it's a snow
globe in Cleveland or it's you know, ninety some degrees
when we're all down in Jacksonville for the preseason in August,
that's life in this league. That's life in this division.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
But I definitely think it's more of a Latrobe thing
than an Ota thing too, you know what I mean.
They definitely want heat for conditioning. You know. Like one
of the things was when Dale and Pursued and I
did the schedule release show, was no was really paying
attention to the preseason games. But it was like they're
going to Carolina and then they're going to and they're
going to Jacksonville. I mean August in August. I mean
(04:08):
that's conditioning. I mean that's you know, some of these teams,
the Bengals are the biggest caulper to come to mind,
don't play anyone in the preseason, continually have bad Septembers,
and then they fall a game or too short of
the playoffs. Where you'd grind in the preseason in the
heat in Jacksonville, Carolina, and it probably won't be you know,
freezing cold here either. You should be in shape, you know,
(04:31):
if you're gonna play the right guys, the right number
of snaps, you can control that.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Yeah, absolutely, And you know the more that you test
yourself in those kinds of situations, the better you will be.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, in the long run, Yeah, no question, no question
about it.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Absolutely. And again, I mean you're gonna you know, from
from the time the season starts, you know, right after
Labor Day weekend till you know you're playing into January
and February. You're you're gonna see it all. You better
be prepared to deal with it. You better be comfortable
being uncomfortable. As the the Steelers are getting things underway
here Week number two, Matt, I'd like to hear that.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
From motes from time to time, though I've bet.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
All the time, like you know, and I think even
last week we were talking about how the weather was,
you know, pretty crazy, and he said that same. I
mean with the uh, you know, the late Friday night
lights practice and then you're back at it Saturday afternoon
less than less than you know, eighteen hours later type
thing during training camp. Those whole get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Training camp is less roundhog Day than ever too. Yeah,
like you might have a weird day off and then
to travel and you know, like you said, the Friday
night lights and weather and you know, so it's not
always the same. It's not the same grind day.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
The first two weeks are largely the same. Yeah they are,
they are, but then it kind of starts to get
broken up.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah. Yeah, it's a good point. Kind of get yourself.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
In that I never know what's going to come out
of my mouth. That's gonna sound.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Great, It is fantastic, I don't You're right now, you're
kind of like a cross between I think like Mario
and Mickey Mouse.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
There you go, it's that there's a little sure some
listeners that are trying on Twitter.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
There's some, there's some some dulcet like you know, Italian
father tons in there as well too. We'll continue to
evaluate as we as we roll along. But Matt, you said, uh,
you know, kind of if last week is preschool, kindergarten,
you know, maybe this is first grade, second grade? What
is kind of the onus? Then as you kick off
(06:21):
this week, is it you better be picking up and
remembering and mastering the stuff we worked on last week.
The mistakes that you're made last week, you better not
be making this week.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
The biggest thing I harp on that assistant coaches position
coaches make makes them bonkers. Is I don't mind correcting
you once. You know we we went on on on
the board. You're out here. You do something wrong, fine,
you know. I mean everyone makes mistakes. I don't expect
you to be perfect, and hey, maybe the next day
you make a similar mistake. I don't love that. But
(06:51):
if you're making the same mistakes over and over, I
mean I can't trust you. I mean it's all about trust.
And the best example to me is run back is
probably the easiest position to transition from college to pro
get the ball, I hit the right hole, I use
my vision. I use my gifts some strong and powerful
and fast, whatever my attributes are. But if I fumble,
(07:14):
or if I don't understand protections or can't do protections,
I can't trust you. You know, you may be you
be a great runner, you might be Earl Campbell and
Marshall Fallgirld into one. But if you miss a blitz
and you get my quarterback killed, or you're putting the
ball on the ground one out of ten carries, I
can't put you out there and every that's the easiest
position to use as an example, but they all have
(07:36):
a very high trust factor, and frankly, none of the
young guys and this is probably a Roman Wilson thing
too last year, you know, like I haven't seen enough
of you to trust you to put you out there
to beat the ravens, you know.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
And that's one of the things I think that gets
lost with all the fantasy football players totally, that I
can't understand why this's younger running back isn't on the field, right,
that's why, yeah, right, so much better than player B.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
He might yeah till he misses the block on foot
down and get your quarterback murdered. Right, Yeah, So no,
you guys are absolutely right, and that's I mean, there
is like we I think we're all very good about
this in these settings we constantly see you know, you
got a grain of salt. Everything that you see out here,
it is you know, it's still football and shorts, but
they're at the same time there are some tangible things
that you better be building upon in those boxes. You
(08:23):
better be checking as well too. And I think it
certainly starts mentally.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Absolutely, you know. I mean again, it's taking what I
tell you on the whiteboard in the film to the
field and then taking that the next level too. Against
it an opponent that's you know, your your teammates, but
when you're going full strength with pads and then can
you do it against the Panthers and Jags like we
talked about, and okay, then I'll feel reasonably well, but
(08:48):
probably won't sleep well the night before opening day when
I throw you out there, you know. And it's not
just running backs, of course. I mean, let's say you
draft the left tackle in the first round, as the
Steelers did for two years in a row. Okay, I
understand that Miles Garrett might beat you to your upfield
shoulder here and there. That happens to everybody. But if
on this combo block you leave too early every time
(09:08):
and your guys making the tackle, I don't know what
to do with you, right, You're gotta have to prove
me different.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Now. Yeah, it goes to you know a lot of
times coaches will have players take pregame tests.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Based on what they're doing. This is what we worked
on on week. Look, right, and if you're a young
guy and you didn't pass the test, you're not playing on.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Some you can't trust you for three hours.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And an example I have of that though is, and
I don't think you'd mind me saying this, but Larry
Fitzgerald wasn't a very good classroom guy. And he went
to Valley Forge Military Academy because it bad grades. And
it wasn't because of lack of effort. He just wasn't
very inclined in the classroom at geometry or history or whatever.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Him and I have that in commons.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
I mean, mine was an effort thing. I mean, he
just wasn't his bag. But we would do a test
at pitt on the day I guess it would be
Friday for all those things, and our receiver coach J. D.
Brookhart knew he's not a good test taker. So even
like if you look at Larry's first three or four
games in a pit uniform, he didn't get super involved,
(10:21):
so he wasn't real sure, even though in the practice
field he was easily right. I mean, we had two
NFL corners that were seniors, Tory Cox and Chantay Spencer,
and he's crushing them. And we knew they were going
to league. You know, they weren't first round picks. But
it took a couple of weeks for everyone to realize
Larry's tests aren't going to be great. But when you
play A and M, he never runs a bad route
(10:42):
and it's not just even an effort thing. He's super
smart on the football field, you know. I mean it's
so some of that. You just have to know the
human beings too. You know, there's some, there's some. Many
had a pretty good career.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
I think he's all right. I think he did okay
for himself. Somebody even say one of the best ever.
But yeah, that's that's a really good point. And then
I think two right, not to kind of put the
cart in front of the horse here, but then even
next week right too, Like you're you're getting commuted.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Two weeks in a row. That's big two. Yeah, it's
not a fluke.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
And it might be Algebra one this week, but it's
pretty calculus next week.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Absolutely, because in this league, of course, it's such a
week to week league with preparation. Perfect example is in
the division, I mean the Steeler defense playing the Ravens
versus the Bengals, two of the best offenses in the league.
Prep couldn't be any more different. So the personnel you
use couldn't be different for the techniques, I mean all
the above. So, yeah, he did well against the Ravens.
(11:38):
Good work just off the run. You were simon sound,
well now you're ready for now it's a whole different test.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Right, And that goes back to to you know, when
people so oh Corey Trice was he was active and
started at this game against the Bengal, but it wasn't
Why wasn't he active the next week?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Right? Right? Right right?
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Playing the Ravens?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Right? And of course we Dale and I talk about
this all the time too. How special teams capable are
you do you know, you get a helmet or what not,
and they're trying to figure those again this is they
don't play tomorrow, but that stuff starts here too.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Like the day really gets you when we gets so
many live live reps of this.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
There's not nearly as many people think, And there's not
two a days like you know when Touching Wolf are
out there and Chuck Noll and those guys, you know
when you get to the camp that.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Heck, even even Stark's had some years of two a day.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Yeah, right, I mean there's a lot of time on
the grass where now there really isn't. Then there's less
times in the classroom and a lot of these guys
have to do it on their own, So finding out
who you can trust is harder now, I think than
it used to be. Plus the schemes are just more diverse,
you know.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, absolutely no, that that all makes a lot of sense, gentlemen.
A beautiful day here as we've got the offense working
on some stuff in the end zone in front of us.
H Correct me if I'm wrong, because I was not
here every day last week, so I might have missed
it today the first day with officials here or did
we have that last Today's Okay, I thought I thought so,
But like I said, I did miss a day last week,
(13:03):
so just wanted to wanted to make sure.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Just ramping things up makes it a little more Yeah again,
first grade, the second first grade?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Second right, Maybe I get to use the analogy that
I used last week. You know, the opening act at
the music festival is over. Now we're kind of in
the middle of the bill type type thing, right, And.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
People might say, well, why do you bring officials out
for something like this, Well, for example, your line judge,
your receivers now have to come out wide check with
the line judge to make sure that they're not covered.
You know, they're where they're supposed to be at.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
It's huge, it's huge. And another thing that I've noticed
that the refs will do this time of year is
there were some rule changes, but there's also going to
be more emphasis on current roles or less emphasis where
these refs might be like, hey, I'm gonna call that
in the game this year, I might not have laughed.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Well, these are local people, yeah, okay, that they bring
in all season long. Oh okay, so it just call
off holding? Are you covered to the other the tight
end covered up?
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Gotcha?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Where the tackle covered? Just to learn the basics, ye okay.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
And to have a setting where you can pick their brain. Juicy,
what did you think about this?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
That's what's different than game day. It is kind of
My point was, I think any of these guys can
come over to any of the reps and be like, hey,
is this all right? If I do this? I'm like,
that's questionable. Maybe you'll get away that time.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Maybe those are the guys who come into training camp
okay for that week. Yep, those are the NFL officials.
Off they'll go over with what the points of emphasis
are going to be, things in that nature.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
I didn't realize that. Okay, So these ones are more
second grade third.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
They're basically local college officials.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Yeah, I gotcha, Okay, trying to cut their teeth a
little bit more as well.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah, yeah, it makes sense.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
No, certainly does.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
So.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Yeah, we've got officials out here today. We've got some
action going on with the offense near field defense, far
Good said, And yes, I mean this is I think
this is kind of what we've been waiting for. I know. Honestly,
I think a majority of our listener as are from
outside of the western Pennsylvania area. Here on Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. We got listeners all
over the country, all over the world. So for those
(15:08):
of you that haven't been in Western Pennsylvania, it's been
miserable the last two weeks.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
It's been late May.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
For late May, you know, it's it has been rainy
about every single day. It's been in the fifties, sometimes
even in the forties. I was downtown this past Saturday
wearing like a pseudo winter coat. I mean it was
Saturday downtown. It was some It was forty six degrees
and raining downtown on Saturday. So for now to it
(15:34):
to be in the seventies, you know, it's starting to
feel a little bit more like June and in summertime
football here.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
And it sounds like this week is supposed to be
a lot of this.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I think is supposed to be a scorcher. But fortunately
we are under the shade here on the sidelines at
the upmc rooney Sports Complex. You hear the horn there,
there's some moving and shaking to some new positions, some
new drills out on the field. We are going to
get to our first break of the afternoon, but we
have got plenty more to go here. We are with
you until one o'clock. Eastern Standard Time on day number
(16:07):
four of OTA practices. Here on the south side we Shouler,
Dale Lollie, Matt Williamson. You are listening to the Drive
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
This is 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 (16:37):
ODA coverage ongoing here on your twenty four to seven
Home of the Black and Gold. It is a special
edition of the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. Wes Shuler,
Dale Lolly is here. If you have been listening, you
know he is.
Speaker 4 (16:49):
And it's time to change.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
He thinks he sounds worse. I think you're sounding a
little bit better. Every twenty or thirty minute. You're gonna
sound like our draft out Chalie B. Shelley. By the
time we get out of here, we'll be singing that.
He'll be singing the opera our three.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
You're gonna be a rock stary as it is.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
He has a special edition on location of the Drive here,
a three hour edition of the Drive. And you got
Euler kind of trying to be the one to put
the pedal to the metal to this thing. To give
Dale a little reprieve here, But gentlemen, you know, we
were kind of talking about practices and this schedule and
this timeline and all the different things that we discussed
(17:27):
this time of the year. Some I think news along
those lines yesterday as well that the Pittsburgh Steelers, this
is according to Pro Football Talk, will have training camp
joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which correct me, Dale,
and I know you have.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
That they're working on that.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
They're working on it with the Titans and the Steelers, right,
so it would be the Steelers and the Bucks. You're right,
we're working on having joint practices with the Titans and
the Steelers. Was with Todd Bowles to old Pro Football Talk.
So they did this the Steelers last year with the Bills,
but I think there had been a pretty long hiatus
since before they had done something like this last year.
(18:11):
I'm taking that.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
I remember the Lions a while back, but that was right, like.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
This is something that's gonna happen more and more. Yes
as we cut back on preseason games, you get those
joint practices in and it just gives you another opportunity
to take a look at some guys.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
They may even be more valuable than a preseason game.
You know, like sure, so I'm not here to defend
Rodert Jones, but they played the Bills in that preseason game,
and he had a long day. You know. Rousseau, who's
a Pro Bowl type guy, was the better player. Everyone
saw that. But what people didn't see is in the
joint practices leading up to it, he handled her so
(18:48):
really well and they were going full blast. It's not
like back to back games, but he, he and everyone
on the field Bills and Steelers, exuded a lot of
vent before that game even happen. For one thing, But
the beauty of these practices is okay, that's fine. Example
(19:09):
Will Howard is a perfect example. Will Howard's having a
great camp. He's gonna play a lot in the preseason,
you know, and I think, no matter what, he's gonna
play a lot in the preseason. But we'd love to
see him do some two minute stuff against an opponent. Well, okay,
you don't know if you're gonna get it in a game.
You know, like there might never present itself to being
a two minute operation run ten red zone play exactly exactly,
(19:31):
all the situational stuff, third and longs blitz period, you know,
all that stuff that you do against your own team. Well,
the Bills aren't going to tell you the play calls.
And you know what I mean. There's the joint practices
are so situational that coaches get together and say, hey,
I really need to see some of my base defense.
I need to really see some of my don Sure,
(19:52):
I'll do that. We're not a big three or four
receiver team like the Steelers, but we'll do it for
you if you give us goal line.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Right, we'll do this if you do that, Yeah, yeah,
absolutely exactly.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
You know, ones versus ones, all right, I'm cool with that.
You know, we're in a game. You don't know how
it's going to go. And you know, frankly, half of
the preseason games again, if you play the Bengals, you're
playing your ones against their fours, And what did you
really learn? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Right? And I got to think too, just to even
step further that you do a great job of outlining
how you can really work on situations that you're not
guaranteed you're going to present themselves organically throughout the course
of a sixty minute preseason game.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
To twenty snaps of third and eight whatever it is.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
I also imagine too, then, like where my mind goes
is it's it's it's easier to truly be who you
are because you know, you're not putting that out on
film in the preseason for thirty other NFL teams to see.
It's just one. It's just one team in this setting.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
And often they're not on your schedule and they're never
in the division, right, you know, So, yes, that's one
hundred percent true. Is people want to the coaches, play callers,
play designers want to be very vanilla often in the
preseason if they're holding something back. But if you're holding
something back, you didn't practice it.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Particularly that doesn't know what's coming.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Exactly exactly, you know. So there's a lot to be
had for that. And to Dale's point, I mean, I
absolutely think there is a day coming real soon. Two
preseason games, two preseason games, eighteen regular season games, two
buys inevitable, inevitable, and therefore more group practices.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Yeah, I think that, you know, maybe you just do it.
It just becomes something that naturally happens, like it's just
part of the schedule.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Yeah, you you put it in these days or whatever.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
We're gonna go there two days early and practice against
them twice.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
And then play them on Saturday or Sunday or whatever
the case might be.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Just geographically, though, I'm a little shocked that's Tampa. I mean,
that's a flight. Correct me if I'm wrong. But I
remember when Detroit was here with like staffer than Onsa.
It was those about that time. I think they drove
here for the most part, Well maybe.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
They flew, they think drove okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Or if you were to do Washington, I mean, unfortunately
most of the teams closer in the division.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Right so, or maybe Buffalo, who's still in the AFC,
But yeah, Washington, Washington or Philly would probably be the
closest ones that weren't.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Well thank you, you know, with with fewer preseason games. I
don't know the teams necessarily care. Hey, we're gonna put
up the team two days et, Yeah, in a hotel.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Because it's worth I'm getting good practice.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Right right, Yeah, And it's still way cheaper than sending
our entire operation somewhere for you know, for thirty six hours.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
You're not moving the weight room and things like that
that they do the trope.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Right, and the Steelers will go to Tampa Bay for
a preseason game on August sixteenth, So it sounds sounds
like it will be in their place according to this
this this Pro Football we're going to article as well too. Yes,
you guys right, Yeah, that's exactly. Hey, maybe the maybe
let's send me down a couple of days early and
an engineer for you guys down there while you're while
(23:04):
you're doing the show speed up. But then that that
gets there's a sight for sore eyes.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Wait, wait, my voice is better. The shock.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
Shock to your system. That's like a cold plunge right
there to your system. More so, like we were talking
about to that might even be a benefit of Okay,
so the Steelers will be there August sixteenth for a
preseason game. Say they go down the thirteenth and have
two practices.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
That's how the Bills one worked basically, right, he just
kind of hung out with them for three or four days.
But this is learned to kind of hate them too.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Oh absolutely, some of that animal and in the heat
that animals builds.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Up three game hockey series.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Yeah right. Also going down there and having those practices
in the middle of August at Tampa Bay. That gets
back through some of that. You know, you could be
down there for a game in Jacksonville a week later,
a few days later, right back for a couple of practices.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
That sounds writer tomlins Valley. Yeah, absolutely, go to Tampa.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Sorry, the Bucks are here. No, I'm wrong, I'm doing
the box here there Jacksonville, Carolina. You're right. Sorry, So
it would be so, it would be so, it would
likely so it would likely be up here. I'm sorry.
I was totally the whole time I was say it,
I was like, wait a second, because.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
They're not going to players like that's just a hey,
let's get eat.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Yeah, probably why they would like it too. Let's go
up north where it's hot, but it's not but it's
not hot. Maybe we'll even get rained for a day
up there and it's not hell hot Africa and in
western and western Pennsylvania. That's interesting, though, Matt is we
kind of continue and you know, we got we got
plenty of time to discuss these things.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
I hope they come here, and I mean, that's that makes.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Awesome and it would be dropt. It would be fun
things for us to watch and talk about. Correct, which
similar thing last year against the Bills, and tho was
it two practices at Atrocer Stadium against the Bills last year?
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Too, Yeah, I believe.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I believe so as well.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
A lot got done, absolutely, and Josh Allen actually plays
you know right.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Right, and I and I remember, you know, they're kind
of being a clear onus of make sure that we're
being careful of what we're discussing because a lot of
that stuff is meant to be kept private as opposed
to your regular open to the public training camp practice.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
And real quick like on the Bills, for example, maybe
they're not on the schedule, but you're like, well there's
a good chance we're going to seeing the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
That's still like four months, that's right, different by then
their personnelity start.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
I mean, who know, I mean it's a long way away.
I mean you're probably not divulging all that much. You know,
one thing that the head coaches know each other well.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Right right right? One thing that intrigues me, uh in
this conversation too. And I know this isn't specific to
the Steelers, but I think it still bears asking Bucks now.
I mean, according to Todd Bowles and these reports will
have joint practices in training camp with two of their
preseason opponents. Do you remember that being a thing in
the past, and that maybe even if we, you know,
(25:59):
sooner rather and later, get into this era of just
two preseason games.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Oh, that's a good call that.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
We start seeing the Steelers doing this, you know, regular
for NFL teams to have joint practices with two different
teams throughout the trachea.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
First I've ever thought of that. It was a great thought,
and I like it. You know, like maybe the road
team comes three days early for every preseason game period
going going forward, and just hangs out in that city
at their training facilities for a couple of days, do
what they do in the preseason game, and then I mean,
that's a lot of good work. You could get done twice,
(26:34):
you know, and really hit it hard, you know, I mean,
that would make a lot of sense. You could really
ration out your snaps of you know, the Browns are
a great example. They're trying to get four quarterbacks ready, Well,
I could do it a lot easier in those three days,
those three practice times two practices in a preseason game.
Then I can against my own team.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
You know, Tail, you remember much of two joint two
separate teams joint practices in an offset. You think that
this could be something we see more of.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
It's probably happened that.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I'm sure it has not in my recent memory.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
And it's not a regular thing like where it's made
right soon.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
Yeah, I mean the Steelers used to practice against Washington
every year. They practiced against the Bills for a while
every year as well. Buffalo I think was at Edinburgh
at the time.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
But you don't remember two in the same preseason though
for this.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Team, right, never for this team?
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, No, that'll that'll be interesting. That'll be
something to keep an eye on. And yeah, I think
I think that's one of those kind of evolution of
the whole offseason process things to keep an eye on
as as we roll up.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Very well, could be in the cards. That makes a
lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
But yeah, if you're joining us late to this conversation,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Todd Bowles, their head coach, telling the
media on the Pewter Report podcast actually yesterday that the
Buccaneers are finalizing plans to participate in joint practices with
both the Tennessee Titans and your Pittsburgh Steelers. During training camp.
Of course, the Bucks scheduled to be in Pittsburgh for
(28:02):
that preseason game on August sixteenth, So can we see
them in town here a few days early, certainly seems
like a strong possibility. West Ruler dal Lallie. Matt Williamson
with you here as we are now into another phase
of practice on the far side of the field, Matthew,
which always makes things a little more difficult to kind
of us.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah. I bring that up a lot, like when they
go here field too. It's pretty tough from where we're
at and we can't report on what they're doing anyways.
But still there's not a lot of there's a lot
of stretching still going on. It's not the group stretch,
but I mean they're not doing a ton, but they
will use both these fields. You know, there's something to day.
And I were talking about last week too. Anyway, the
day you missed was the real bad weather.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Day and thanks for that.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Yeah, there you go. There's just so much.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
CJ brings the sunshine, I leave the rain, just.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
So much more space on the two fields to put
all these human beings than in the indoor too. It's
like that has a lot to do with it like
you're really cramming.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
There's even some pit guys over on the far field
doing some cardio taking your parking. Yeah, it is. Uh,
it is always a little bit of a jungle out there.
So you've got Steelers stuff going on here, large roster,
a lot of people involved, college coaches here, NFL referees here,
and then you've got the pit program doing workouts as
(29:22):
well too. Parking spaces at a premium mark. I Matthew
may or may not have had to do some walking
down here on the south side.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Yeah, I won't tell people I park.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Yeah, that's right, because then all of a sudden you
won't be able to find any parking there either. But
it is a beautiful day, a sunny, clear day down
here for day number four of OTA's energy, a lot
of a lot of energy, a lot of smiles, I think,
in the sunshine. For those of you who might not
be familiar with this as well too. When practice ends
shortly after noon, we will be joined by a Steelers
(29:51):
player right here as well.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Mm hm, some good ones. Janny Benton was wonderful.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Was great, excellent, Yeah as well too.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
So haven't seen this week's list, but We'll always have
a great chat with those guys. One thing about the weather.
And I don't know that this is super these guys
are professionals, but I do think you want this three weeks,
these nine practices to be very upbeat, very positive. If
it's dreary and nasty for all nine of them, it's
(30:21):
a little bit harder for that to happen.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Said, like, everyone's that way, right.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
I think that's part of the reason why Thursday's practice
last week was so upbeat, because they had practiced in
the rain on Wednesdays. Everybody's like, well, it's not that
better than yesterday.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Yeah, yeah, No, that makes sense, And I think that's
one of those things everybody can relate to in their life, right.
You're just in a better mood going to work if
it's sunny and nice out as opposed to crappy and
rainy or snowy windy, just puts a different pep into
your step. But again, particularly when it's been a few
straight weeks if not the best.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Weather, the OTAs aren't about grinding the players. And I mean,
I'm sure even like Belichick and the biggest hard nosed
dudes in recent memory weren't grinding and killing these guys
at OTAs. I mean, I think it's an upbeat, positive
experience type thing, you.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Know, trying to reinforce what you're working on with them,
trying to get them, you know.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
Get them more and more camaraderie.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Yeah, build them up a little bit as a positive
to try and kind of cutting them down.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Yeah. Now, a lot of these people meeting them one
another really for the first time too, and spend in
real time with their.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
Teammates, speaking the same language, getting on the same page,
learning names. All of those different things certainly involved as
well too. That'll do it for the second segment of
the first hour here, We've got to get to another
break more of the moving and shaking around practice. We've
also got some news about a pretty notable name offensive
(31:42):
playmaker who Adam Schefter is saying could be here with
the Steelers tomorrow. We'll get into all those different things
as we roll along West Shuler, Dale Lolly, Matt Williamson
here on the South Side for week number two of OTAs.
It's the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
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 (32:19):
Back on the drive here from the south side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
It is OTAs it is June. The sun is shining.
We got football happening West Ruler Dale, Lollie, Matt Williamson.
Where would you rather be than right here right now?
As we are getting well underway into practice?
Speaker 4 (32:36):
I'm sorry I staw.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
That from the Buffalo Bills, right? Is it the Bills
that's that they have the guy the announcer who says
that before the games? Where else would you rather be
than right here right now? Well, speaking of a former
Buffalo Bill, you see what I did there? D pretty good?
Speaker 1 (32:54):
That's really well done.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Gabe Davis. Obviously A has been throughout his career at
times an explosive wide receiver. We have had a lot
of conversation about this offense adding another playmaker, I think
not necessarily only at wide receiver, but that's been certainly
the position.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Group since the pick tradre's a little left to be
desired highlightedigh yes, highlighted the most Adam Schefter tweeting out,
oh what a little over an hour here ago?
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Gentlemen that former Bills and Jaguars wide receiver gave Davis
scheduled to travel to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to visit with
the Steelers on Thursday, and he adding there because I
know this is the first time we've all done a show,
I believe since his report or he put out the
tweet about John new Smith as well too.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Yeah, that happened since on Friday.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Or Thursday evening schefter following up saying that the team
is not expected to trade for John new Smith. I
think a lot of us thought that that was he's
a guy looking for a new contract. He also has
Drew Rosenhouse, who's kind of a master of spending the
media narrative and getting his clients in a in a
position of leverage. But he gave Davis coming here for
(34:00):
a visit feels real tangible. Sorry, mat wherever you go
you want to go with that, well, I.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Want to start with Johnny real quick. I mean it
makes sense in terms of the Arthur Smith connection. Five
years with them, right, I mean he followed him from Atlanta,
or from Tennessee to Atlanta, had a really good year
with the Falcons, then goes to Miami, has a really,
really good year, and he's definitely much more of a
receiver than blockers.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
So if you're just looking almost nine hundred eighty eight
receptions and almost nine hundred yards.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Put a guy, you know. And so if you're just
looking for past catchers, it half added up. I mean,
do they need another tight end? No? You know, so
the fact that Dale knows for you know it's going
to be it's not in the works. Yes, it didn't
shock me one bit. Yeah, but I could see why
they would use the Steelers for their purposes, you know.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
I mean, and Drew Rosenes is probably looking at it
too and looking at Pat Fireman's contract and thinking that's
that's what I went from my client as well.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
And it's a team that used a ton of two
and three tight end sets, you know, so they would
use them. But still Gabe Davis, So I'll just be honest,
I thought for a lot of his career he was
a smidge overrated, did some big things against the Steelers,
and remember that that's not his normal game, folks. He
(35:20):
doesn't do that every week and end up with thirty
touchdowns every year. And then the Jags, as they so
often do, signed them to a bad contract, and no
team in the league is better at signing a bad
contract and cutting that.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
Player player great money, right.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
I mean, they've Christian Kirk, there's twenty or thirty examples
in the last three or four years. And then so
they trade up for Hunter and all of a sudden,
the wide receiver room's pretty packed. They also Parker Washington,
who Penn State fans might remember. He's a nice developmental three.
With Hunter and Thomas, they might be they may end
up being the best wide receiaer pay in the league.
(36:00):
And they're there. They have a chance to be exceptional.
So they're excited about those guys. New staff realize the
Davis contract isn't a good one, so he's been on
the open market a little after the draft after they
landed Hunter. The type of player he is is useful
for what the Steelers need right now. I mean he's
down the field, down the field, he's size, speed, strength,
(36:21):
I mean, he's gonna look the part out here. He's
well built, He's very fast in a straight line. He's
not a great technician. Keenan, Allen Nickel and Dimy to death.
You know, short intermediate routes over and over. Doesn't mean
he wouldn't help in that regard. But he's free. I mean,
he doesn't cost you anything, and other than a contract,
(36:44):
and probably for him, you'd give him some sort of
signing bonus, you know, and more or less guarantee him
a roster spot. I would think he has that type
of power at this point.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
But all in all, he's still gonna turn twenty six
this year.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Yeah right, he still would be a pro addition, you know.
And he's a downfield guy, not as good as pickings,
I mean, you know, of course, but he would be useful.
I got no problem with that in him. And that
doesn't mean you'd be done even you know who knows.
Speaker 4 (37:14):
Yeah, I mean I think you at the very least
she kicked the tires on it because he's available.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
For a visit. That doesn't cost it, don't cost you nothing,
right right, right.
Speaker 4 (37:22):
Doesn't mean you necessarily are going to sign him, but
you at least take a look because he's available.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Yeah. Again, he doesn't cost me a draft pick. Okay,
you know they got cap money. That's that's not really
a prohibitive factor. He's an NFL player, you know, I mean,
an ideal world I think he's your third best receiver.
It'd probably be competing here right this minute to be
your second best. Yeah. But right, I mean you're throwing
a lot of bodies at the problem.
Speaker 4 (37:50):
I mean Jacksonan gave him a ton of money last year.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
Lot of money.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, too much. But yeah, still he was
I mean, it means he was desirable just one year.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
I mean, right, he had yearly throw he had nearly
eight hundred you had seven hundred fifty yards and seven
touchdowns his last year in Buffalo. Okay, yeah, so yeah,
you're you're absolutely coming off of an eight hundred and
fifty yards seven touchdown season before that in Buffalo. So
he'd had two, you know, fourteen touchdowns and fifteen hundred
and sixteen hundred yards over those last year two years
in Buffalo. And as you mentioned Stefan Diggs, Josh Allen,
(38:21):
I mean, he wasn't the one driving that bus, but
he was certainly he was a piece of the puzzle,
a positive contributor. And now, listen, we've seen guys injuries,
not wrong scheme, fit, all these different things. They can
have a down year somewhere and bounce back for a
million different reasons.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Yeah, he shows football ahead of him.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Right, yeah, So the next kind of I think thing
that I that I got to ask. Let's say he
comes in, he comes in here tomorrow to meet with
the team Thursday, things end up going well sometime Friday, Saturday, Monday, whatever,
the news breaks that, you know, the Steelers and Gave
Davis are going to be agreeing to terms. Where would
you feel what would kind of be your your your
(39:00):
heat check of the wide receiver room at that point?
Would you feel good taking that group to camp or
would you still continue to be shopping around?
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Well, you have a one in Metcalf, you have Johnson, Wilson.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
Woods, Austin, Kevin Austin.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Yeah right, who'd I miss?
Speaker 3 (39:18):
You?
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Said, Austin Wilson, Austin, Wilson, Woods, Woods, and then Davis
and Davis And I would hope that you're still open
to adding another, which makes it really crowded and you're
not going to keep six or seven. But I don't
want to so I don't know how to phrase this.
I don't want to settle for Dave Davis and be like, Okay,
(39:40):
all problems are done, but it's he'd have been really
useful last year. You know what I mean, like, it's
still better than better than yeah, right, you know, Wilson
in year two, Austin a year in advance, I'll still
take Metcalf slightly over Pickens. And I don't know what
to think of Woods. He might be shot, he might
be the better in the room, he might be useful
on third downs. I don't really know what to think
(40:01):
of him, good or bad. And then you throw Gave
Davis in the mix. It's better than last year. It's
not as good as Pickings mecaf it was a month ago, you.
Speaker 4 (40:10):
Know, Yeah, I mean that's just didn't they knew that
when they made the trade. You know, they were going
to have to figure something out there. This would be
potentially part of figuring that out. And you know, a
lot of Gave Davis. I don't think at this point
in his career is a finished product yet, right, I
(40:35):
think there's still untill twenty five years old, he can
still get better. And that's the key.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
No, there's ability there too. So again, signing him doesn't
it shouldn't prohibit move number two. Right, doesn't mean you
have to make.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
But it gives you. I think it gives you much
high higher floor if there's not, if there's not an
additional bi.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Right, we're right. I mean, you take these guys to camp,
and what if somebody get hurt early or something.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
We're not having the you know, cranked up to ten,
well maybe even to eleven conversation about you know, a
Brandon Ayuk or Adebo Samuel or a Davonte add after
you know, you got to add one of these guys
as well. I do believe Dale, They're not.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Gonna play a lot of three receiver sets no matter what.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
Correct. I mean that not much, we do know, correct,
And I do think as well too, like you want
to you want to be able to add where you
can without giving up draft capital. I think that's an
beauty of it, right, Like I saw a lot of
people in the wake of you know, the the Adam
Schefter tweet. Again, I can't remember if it was Thursday
night or Friday when that John new Smith tweet came
(41:37):
out about what would you give up for? L right,
what you give a six round pick form would you
give a fifth round pick for? And what it might
be that you don't have to have that conversation with
a guy.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
Like game, all those cards in your hand.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
Which I think this time of year when you want
to have all those cards in your hand, when you
just gave up a couple of those cards last year
to to go get DK Metcalf, like, you don't want
to find yourself already kind of behind. And we know
they're going to get good comp pics next year and
all these things. But at the same time, too, you
would like to you know, I think you prefer adding
a guy that you don't have to compensate in terms
(42:10):
of draft capital as well.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
The other thing is now is we're in June and
there could be more guys being.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Absolutely That's what I was gonna say too, is you're
still certainly a potential landing spot for someone that gets
cut or someone that's had, you know, holding out with
contract negotiations, or even into the season the first five
six weeks go pretty well. There's always, always, always, always
wide receivers. It's the trade deadline. If your season is
(42:40):
not going well, you don't go get one. If your
season is going well, throw some team a fifth round pick, sure, whatever,
because you're going to have them, you know. So again
it's a fluid situation. And if you go into the
season with the guys that are here right now, and Davis,
you're a lot.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
More comfortable than Oh, absolutely you are.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
I mean it gives him a conferent for sure.
Speaker 3 (43:00):
I think it gives you more comfort than you know,
than we have right now. I think, yeah, you could
argue too, like you mentioned, with kind of DK being
a more proven commodity than Pickens, feeling even a little
bit better than you were this time last year as
well to last one.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
I wouldn't be super comfortable with the current rostered wide.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
Receivers right It would feel a lot like it would
feel a lot like last year again with with DK
being a bit not a bit, a more proven commodity
as you're one, but a lot of the same questions behind.
Speaker 1 (43:27):
It because goes fact, what if what if?
Speaker 3 (43:31):
What if he misses two games or you know, just
even though seasons a second half in December and a
crucial you know, AFC North matchup.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
You can't be in that situation again, No.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
You cannot. And and I and I think that they
are cognizant of that. Certainly you touched on it.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Clearly their ears are open for the wide receivers one
hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
I don't think. I don't think that's I don't think
that's the secret to anybody here around the NFL world.
Speaker 4 (43:55):
And I think you know a guy like Davis that's
kind of Mark Davis Bryant, like give you that all right,
just go oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:07):
He makes room for others six three, but can move
and get down the field. So that was the last
one I wanted to ask you, Matt. You touched on
this a little bit, but his specific fit for what
Arthur Smith wants to do.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
A lot of outside the number go balls And I
know people are like, we've seen a lot of that stuff,
but it's still important and they do want to throw
deep rogers as a deep passer, a lot of stuff
off play action. But to me, Matt Harmon calls it
the sacrificial X, which I get a kick out of,
which means he's sacrificing himself for the team.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
He's stretching the field, stretching.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
The field and if he can get two people to
go with him. And then Metcalf comes on a dig underneath,
all of a sudden, there's a lot more room to operate,
keep people out of the box. Things like that too.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
That room for Calvin Austin in the slot.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Yeah, absolutely, And Wilson's a big inbreaking route guy too
as well. Over the middle, I definitely would. I'll be
shocked if they don't throw over the middle more, which
is more of a quarterback thing than a coordinator thing.
I mean, Arthur Smith wants to use the middle of
the field, Russell Wilson did, Rogers will assuming he's here,
Rudolph will, but again, he'd be useful. He's on a
(45:19):
game changer, you know, and maybe he's a four or
five targeted game guy something like that. But a pretty
deep average step of the target.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Yeah, I mean, and that's the that's the thing too,
that is kind of not kind of just very exciting
when you look at his average yards per reception throughout
his career.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Sure, it's high.
Speaker 3 (45:35):
Last year was his lowest by far, and it was
still twelve yards. No, but I mean in Buffalo's seventeen
point one, fifteen point seven, seventeen point four, sixteen point six.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
So you're looking for explosives and he's still.
Speaker 3 (45:45):
Provides, giving him five targets a game, and he's getting
you know, three receptions for forty five fifty yards. I
think you would sign up for that again.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
Not just seven touchdowns for of course of the year.
Speaker 3 (45:57):
You know, maybe not as all of a sudden it's
changing your your ultimate ceiling for what this team could be,
but you certainly feel better about that floor that you know,
double digit wins in a playoff spot and maybe contending
for a division title and all those things down the
stretch in December. That is the first hour of the books.
I do want to continue because again, I mean, we
got nothing but time.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
Here, Jerry, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
For our number two a little bit, I want to
get a little dorky with you guys, if you'll allow,
and what exactly Arthur Smith wants to build this offense
to be versus what he inherited and what they've added,
if that makes sense, kind of the merging of the
personnel versus the philosophy in the middle ground in there
and how that might be moving in year number two.
(46:39):
Let's get into that in our number two West Schuler Dale, Lollie,
Matt Williamson. We've got two more hours to go here.
Practice number four of OTA is kicking off the second
week on a beautiful day from the south side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Don't you dare go anywhere. It's all happening right here
on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network
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