Hr2: 53 Man Roster

The Drive gets into their roster predictions as we get closer to cut down day.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Our number two of the drive here as we are
about halfway point of the month of August, getting closer
and closer to the real thing. But obviously Matt's still
plenty to do between now and then, Yes, as a
couple of preseason games and of course the final fifty
three man roster, which will be a little over a
week from now. I believe after those final set of

(00:48):
preseason games for teams across the National Football League.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
Then there's a nice break there after cuts because all
those there's a tightal wave of the dudes that get caught,
and you can I always feel bad like for the
fifty Like when we go through this, oh, I think
maybe that guy Pierre sneaks in as a fifty third
guy and then they get a call like three hours later,
like Houston cut a guy we like better in your
year out, Like don't go having a party quite yet.

(01:14):
If you're the fifty third dude, you.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Know, yep, exactly right. And that's the thing too. That
initial fifty three man roster is the initial because it
will change rapidly.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Well definitely gonna change about the year, but it might
get you. It might even get you an opening.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
Day exactly right. But it is certainly going to change
rapidly throughout the year, but obviously a notable point in
this offseason process as well too. So I've got my
list for you here.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, let's do it.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Twenty four on offense, twenty six on defense, and three specialists.
Where would you like to begin specialists?

Speaker 3 (01:46):
Because gets us right, right.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
That's probably the easiest. Chris Boswell, Cam Johnston and Christian
Coots yep.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
One hundred percent. Does Weightman have any chance?

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yes, I wouldn't count him out now.

Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, because on the pregame show, Jerry Dulac asked me
or brought it up. He's like, I think the only
position battle for starters is punter, Like he didn't think
it was a done deal.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
I wouldn't say it's a done deal. I do think
maybe we focus on a little bit more because it
feels like the only true position battle for a starter
on this team, which is a weird place to be
besides maybe number two wide receiver, but we've had an
absence of Calvin Austin and a lot going on there
as well too. Yeah, yeah, I certainly think that in
the two preseason games there could be events that transpire

(02:30):
and Weightman ends up being the guy. I don't think
that that's far fetched.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
I don't think it's insane.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
No, But as we as you and I are here
on Thursday August fourteenth year of our Lord twenty twenty five,
I'm going with Cam Johnson.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
I one thousand would too. I would almost Chisewood and
Stone or right in pen. But going back to our
contract conversations, I don't know what both make, but I
know Johnson's more expensive. I mean, they purchased him and
they made him one of the highest paid punters in
the league. So it's one of the things he is
going against him is well, would I rather have weightmen

(03:03):
and two million to spend or would I rather did
I just give the Cam Hayward or would I rather
have Johnston? And so any tie is not going to
go Johnston's way. But I'm really biased in his favor
because watching him at camp, I think he's mighty awesome
and Weightman was a pleasant surprise.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
I think he is twenty punter in the NFL.

Speaker 3 (03:27):
He's going to be employed. He'll be fine. Somebody will
be thrilled to have them if I don't know if
he could turn them into a pick or not.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
I was just going to say, if the Steelers had
that good of a backup at another position, you might
be able to turn him into a Day two pick,
yea like a third round or maybe a fourth rounder.
But at that position, I think teams will probably just
wait it out. To answer your question, Corless, Weightman cap
hit for this year would be just over million bucks
one point.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
I assumed he was like league minimum.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
One point one one point one million, okay, where Cam
Johnston would be three point four million.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, so it's close. It's you saved. Would you rather
have Johnston or Weightman and two million? That's where it becomes.
People don't think about that way, but and they don't.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Have We get against a million of bas and we yeah, right, you.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
Know, we don't kill two birds, you know. And maybe
you could get a pick for Johnston easier than you
could for Weightman.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
So interesting.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
The more I thought about it, the more I think
it's actually a competition. But I'm still putting Johnson on
the final fifty three as we stand, Yeah, you too,
because he's really good he's I think he's a top
five punter, where Weightman's a top twenty points.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
I think that's fair. Like Corlus Weightman belongs punting in
the NFL.

Speaker 3 (04:29):
On Sundays, Yeah, and he will.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
But I think Johnston when he's on at his best,
he is one of the best in the National Football I.

Speaker 3 (04:36):
Think he's truly a weapon. Yeah, like Dormy specialist, I
would use that word, or like Justin Tucker was a weapon,
you know, like they get past midfields, like oh man,
you know right, this guy he's got a wide variety
of punts and could be a weapon.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
Cam Little keeps banging seventy yarders, that guy's a Guy's
a weapon.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
Aubrey and Dallas is a weapon, you know right?

Speaker 2 (04:55):
Uh, you want to go to the offense from there?

Speaker 3 (04:57):
Yeah, maybe people'll do next segment, will do defense or whatever.
I can spend some time on it.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
I feel like defense there's a little more meat on
those bags. For offense. It feels like, Okay, who's your
last receiver, who's your last.

Speaker 3 (05:08):
Lineman, how many are you going to keep?

Speaker 2 (05:09):
How many you're going to keep? Where's defense? I think
there's a lot of what are you doing with the
defensive backs. What are you doing with the defensive lineman.

Speaker 3 (05:14):
Yeah, yeah, it's a little more of a juggling act.
And it doesn't shock me. I haven't done this officially,
but it doesn't shock me that you kept more defensive
players than offensive players.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, twenty four verse twenty four on offense, verse twenty
six on defense. There's not a massive difference, but but
a difference. Yes, three quarterbacks, Rogers, Rudolph Will hired again.

Speaker 3 (05:33):
I'm just playing Devil's advocate here to stir up conversation.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
What if Skyler goes out and if.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Skyler's awesome, I mean, if Skyler's awesome, could Howard's injury
and I've kind of put that in quotes put him
on IR for the year. It doesn't take much to qualify,
you know, there's some hangnails of people that go to
go get it for a year on IOF sure that
you just not want to move on from Skyler. He'd
have to be pretty amazing to me, and I.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
Think he'd have to do what he did in Jacksonville
two more times.

Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah, right, all right to even have the conversation. And
I don't think you want to put Howard on IR
now where that ends his season, Like Parham and Lowry,
if you go and I are now it's done, it's over.
It's just a rule. I think you're still holding light
in the candle that he plays that third preseason game, right,
I mean, I think that's still a chance. We saw
him at camp. I mean, he isn't dressed, but he

(06:26):
wasn't doing nothing with a cast on either, you know,
like he was picking the ball up.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
And throw it around, some footwork stuff and those kind
of things.

Speaker 3 (06:35):
And Skyler and games in the game was really good.
But he's been around the block a little and you know,
when you're gonna get all those vanilla coverages, guys that
have played a lot of preseason football were gonna look
a little better. Yeah. Yeah, And he's been fine in camp.
But pre Howard injury, I wasn't like, oh, man, I
think it's Skyler Thompson on the field. What are we doing?

(06:55):
Totally so the world would keep revolving without him if
he just gets cut.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
It's not like we were screaming about how great he
was in camp and then he went and backed it
up in the stadium against against Jacksonville.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
We were unhappy that we weren't going to see Howard.
Now here's a different conversation. And I don't know if
they've ever done this. And I asked one or two
people and I never got a really good answer, and
I didn't feel like doing the homework. If you cut Skyler,
I think immediately a lot of our listeners are like, Oh,
someone's gonna pick him up. He's awesome. I don't know
what they will. I mean, he's not Brett Favre. I mean,

(07:25):
he's not a special player. And if you pick him up,
you got to put him on your fifty three and
then you've got to teach him the whole system now
you know. And he probably wouldn't be active on game
day anyway for the new team.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
And a lot of other teams have similar scenario to Steelers,
where it's like we've got our veterans, we've got our
young project guys.

Speaker 3 (07:42):
I don't have a spot. Yeah, right, So if he
passes waivers, would you keep a fourth one on the
practice squad? It's kind of redundant. You don't need him
for practice week.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
That's that's Will Howard's job for me.

Speaker 3 (07:57):
Yeah, that's Will Howard's work, and the practice squads are
much bigger now and then he used to be like
six or seven dudes or whatever it is now, I
think it's thirteen or four.

Speaker 2 (08:04):
I think it's six and sixteen plus an international exception
as well too, So you could tell, like, if you
get a Julius webshoff On on your practice squad, you
can have seventeen sixteen plus an international what's his face?

Speaker 3 (08:17):
Williamson was one of those guys.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yeah, was one of those guys.

Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I don't know. Maybe he
ends up on the practice squad but wouldn't do much
during the week. He probably just won't be a Steeler.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
I think so too. Yeah, yeah, maybe maybe he has
earned himself another NFL paycheck for a year somewhere else
or on a practice squad, But I yeah, it.

Speaker 3 (08:37):
Kind of reminds me of weight man that if you
do that well in a preseason game where everyone on
the planet is watching tape of it, someone's going to
pay to be. Probably a team that has two quarterbacks
and you're on the practice squad for them as the third. Yeah,
it's probably where he ends one of those many teams.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
I think that's well said. Yeah, I got three running
backs as Well too. Jalen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, Caleb Johnson.

Speaker 3 (08:58):
I think gets pretty close to a done deal.

Speaker 2 (09:00):
I'm trying to keep you know, some Max Harleman's of
the world, maybe even Hall on the practice squad. But
those three, I know what I've gotten, those three different
skill sets, different ages and points of their career. I'm
confident with those three.

Speaker 3 (09:14):
I have no disputes at all with those three names.
They're all going to make the team. I would like
to be a little more confident with that fourth dude, though,
And maybe the next two games will I'll fall in
love with Evan Hall or Sermon or whatever. Or we
always know running backs get cut around the league. Somebody
decent will get cut. And I'm not even saying you

(09:36):
need them on this squad, but running backs injuries can
hit you hard, and all of a sudden you could
be down to only gain Well in week five and
be like, oh man, that happened quick, Yeah that happened quick.
Oh no, what are we doing here? And I don't
want to give him a massive workload and guy in
the practice squad's fine, but not really what I want.
And one of the issues is when turn this into

(09:59):
two segments. Get into these pretty heavy because he's a
kind of conversation I think they're having is it was
nice to have a Benny Snell because you play teams,
you know, like if he's my fourth running back, and
I know Connor Hayward could get you out of a
game there, but I don't want to hand him the
ball ten times against the Ravens Benny Snell.

Speaker 2 (10:16):
And that's not even like we were in love with
Benny Snell.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
No, but he was a good special teamer and was
going to be active on game.

Speaker 1 (10:22):
No.

Speaker 3 (10:22):
These you're going to help you on teams. I mean,
I know gain Well is a returner, but that's not
the same, you know. I mean, it'd be nice if
you had a fourth back or a full back or
you know, that was their Watt's job. You're in. You
go to that running back meeting room. We know we're
not gonna get hand to the ball, but you're a
great special teamer and we have one more body in

(10:43):
that room, you know. So they're a little short there
and it's not a big deal now, but it's a
big deal when it becomes a big deal. You know,
one of them as right, right, only really one injury,
all of a sudden, it starts to look thin let
alone too.

Speaker 2 (10:59):
I think you are spot on there. I mean, one
injury to one of those three guys, and you're starting
to think we're a little light in the wallet, which.

Speaker 3 (11:06):
I guess makes Herlman kind of interesting in that I'd
love to have him on the practice squad. He's like
the definition of the dudes we talked about at camp.
I want him in Saint Vincent's next year, yes, but
I also know that I'm comfortable with him being my
running back. No. I think he's more of a receiver
than a running back. I know he can do both.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
I'm with you. I'm with you on that, and uh,
I think that that is again you you want to
keep that guy around. If you and I were doing
our you know, list of like undrafted or relatively new
guys that we want to be at Saint Vincent next
summer for camp, he might be the first pist you
know of all the non established, all the non drafted guys.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
Non pedigree guys.

Speaker 2 (11:47):
Exactly right. I think he. I think he might even
be the first pick. And there's a couple couple names
that belong in that conversation but I'm with you, it
could get it could get fuzzy if if they have
you know, a couple of injuries stack up at the
wrong time. But for now, that's the three I'm rolling in.

Speaker 3 (12:03):
Yeah, and I think that's very safe. So leading up
to the draft drive, listeners will certainly remember Dale and
I just crushed mock drafts and did tons of draft
prep and all that, and there were times where we
would take a running back like in the Johnson range,
like in the third round something like that as a
potential starter, you know, and then the seventh just in

(12:24):
a super deep running draft, throw one at some other guy,
and it kind of be nice to have that dude around. Yeah,
like the seventh round guy that's oh he played a
lot in the preseason. He's better than Sermon and Hull.
You know, he's cost on clear number four. Yeah. Yeah,
they don't have to help on teams. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Boy,
he's learning how to like snow, he's learning how to
be a teamer. You know.

Speaker 2 (12:45):
Let's let's do tight ends here as well too, before
we go to break. Yeah, because I think this one's
pretty clear cut as well too. I got four mouth
John U Mount Washington and Connor Hayward.

Speaker 3 (12:57):
I don't think Hayward spots in Jeopardy.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
I don't either, because of his special that they need
those special teams guys.

Speaker 3 (13:03):
That's the key. I mean, he'll play a little bit
of offense, probably less than ever. Even if they play
more thirteen than ever, I still think he plays less
than ever unless there's injuries. I'm not part of the
tinfoil hat crew that well, they'll just cut Connor to
show Cameron cam who's boss or any of that stuff.
I don't think one's going to influence the other, although

(13:25):
I'm sure there'll be some fans like they just kept
Hayward around to keep Hayward happy, or they just cut
them to make Hayward unhappy. Like, I don't think that's
going to influence things. He's got a body of work here.
I think he'll be a Steeler, yeah, and probably with
less offense than ever.

Speaker 2 (13:39):
I think so too. I'm I think that's a great
way to put it. His value is still there on
special teams and you need those guys.

Speaker 3 (13:48):
Is eighty seven good enough to unseat him?

Speaker 2 (13:50):
And I don't think so.

Speaker 3 (13:51):
I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (13:52):
You know, I don't think so.

Speaker 3 (13:54):
I don't see that.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
I don't either, And again, like even more so than
most teams, and all teams value their special teams gas,
but I think the Steelers even more so than most most.

Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah, and after it's a Tomlin thing, it's a Belichick thing.
We're keeping four or five really for.

Speaker 2 (14:07):
That after Killer brew you could argue he's their number
two kind of special teams ace in that regard, James
Pierre might be belonging that conversation. There's there's a couple
other guys but chronic as well too. Absolutely, but they
want to keep that is you have a lot of
turnover on your special teams. If you can keep those
three or four kind of core guys leaders, Yeah, it

(14:28):
goes a long way for the Danny Smith of the world.

Speaker 3 (14:30):
Absolutely, that's the beauty of Killer Brews. He's the captain
and he's in charge and they all fall after him.
But I think those four are safe.

Speaker 2 (14:37):
Yeah, I think. So let's take a break here, we'll
do offensive line of wide receivers and start to take
a look at the defense. And we were turned on
the other side. Keep this fifty three man roster thoughts exercise.
Rolling along here was Shouler Matt Williamson Training competition of
the Drive on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network,

(15:00):
your tuned.

Speaker 1 (15:00):
About Drive on your twenty four to seven home of
the Black and Goals Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (15:22):
All right, mister Williamson, through our specialists, quarterbacks, running backs
and tight ends. Some of the easier ones, Yeah, some
of the easier ones, certainly wide receiver for me is
where it can start to get a little bit hairy.

Speaker 3 (15:34):
Yeah. I can see a couple angles here.

Speaker 2 (15:36):
But I think there's four locks, honestly, and then the
only question is who is your fifth and would you
potentially take a sixth? But I think DK obviously, Calvin, Austin,
Roman Wilson, and Ben Skronick.

Speaker 3 (15:48):
Yes, people might not think Scar he's their fifth.

Speaker 2 (15:51):
He's the lock. Yeah, that special team stuff that we
were just talking.

Speaker 3 (15:54):
About, that might be confusing. He's one of the four locks,
but he's your favor receiver but also one of those
core special teamers. They gave him a contract. He's exactly
what they paid for in terms of finances and all that.
They were thrilled with him last year. And he can
run a round and be okay, and he can block,
and he doesn't embarrass himself on offense. Good enough.

Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yes, so one two is not going to cut it. One,
two and three, set five, set exactly.

Speaker 3 (16:21):
Well, you hope two's not set well? True.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
Maybe there's some trickle down there, some bumping down the
pecking order. To me, I would like to have that be.
You know, in Welcome Stage Left, Amari Cooper gave Davis
player to be named later that we've been to Lawrence,
maybe somebody to be, you know, a Christian Kirk or
somebody like that from a different type of trade. But
to me, right now, as we again stand here today

(16:46):
on August fourteenth, feels like it's got to be Scotty
Miller or Robert Woods. And I'm leaning towards Scotty Miller.
They know him better, and I think he's had a
little bit better of a camp. So that's why it
wouldn't surprise me if they went Robert Woods. Yeah, but
I think they oh Scotty better, and I think he's
not by leaps and bounds, but just had a little
bit better of a camp.

Speaker 3 (17:04):
I might surprise people, but I haven't given this much thought.
And that's when it came down to those two. Just
now is the first time. It's really crossed my mind.
You would have thought it'd be Woods before camp professional.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
Miller really good seasons in the league.

Speaker 3 (17:20):
I would say Miller's had the better camp.

Speaker 2 (17:22):
I think so.

Speaker 3 (17:22):
I think the familiarity you mentioned is important. Miller's been
a guy that we've often labeled is he's going to
be tough to cut. He does a lot of little
things for you. He can help on teams. I'm a
picking on the guy, but Robert Woods fielding punts was
hard to watch, and he's not gonna help on teams
in this phase of the game. He if Woods only

(17:44):
is your number four receiver value right, if he could
beat out Austin or Wilson, and then he's got a
strong case. I just don't see that being the case
right now, let alone if you add somebody else.

Speaker 2 (17:58):
And I think if you do add somebody else, than
he becomes the one obviously that is on the Titanic
without a chair.

Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, but I've kept six at times, perhaps especially with
one being like Hayward Bay or Scornic that's pure special
team or so that could be an option if they
were to add another. I can't imagine keeping six with
Miller and Woods being.

Speaker 2 (18:19):
Totally agree Yeah, yeah, yeah, but yeah, so that's again,
if they if they add you know, another wide receiver
player to be named later, this conversation will change. But
working with what we know right now, that's my five, Scotty,
Scotty four and Chronic five.

Speaker 3 (18:32):
And who knows even they may make this decision on
cut day, cut Woods, and then Miller gets a call
in two days that we traded for Christian Kirky, You're out,
you know, they may not get the opening day.

Speaker 2 (18:45):
And then finally, as it relates to the offense, Matt
offensive Lineman.

Speaker 3 (18:50):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (18:50):
This actually I think was maybe a little easier than
I anticipated. I had to spend a minute or two thinking.

Speaker 3 (18:54):
About it, but because they're not all household names, et cetera.

Speaker 2 (18:57):
But you know, I think the addition of Andre's Pete
kind of factory into this as well too. I'm going
to the starting five that everybody knows from left to right, Broderick,
Samalu are Superstar Champion, Zach Frasier, Mason McCormick, and Troy
Foultanu of course clearly, and then I'm keeping Spencer Anderson,
Ryan McCollum Andres Pete and Calvin Anderson, which would be nine.

Speaker 3 (19:19):
Okay, I think there's some discussion here.

Speaker 2 (19:21):
I think they're definitely is some discussion here.

Speaker 3 (19:23):
So has Pete done enough because he's really been a
part time practice guy. He's new to the thing. He's
got pedigree.

Speaker 2 (19:33):
Though maybe I am projecting a little bit with that one.

Speaker 3 (19:35):
Now, I'm not saying he's not. He also can play
left guard and left tackle and right guard if you
had to, so that in itself, I think is a
feather in his cap for sure. I bet some people
are going, why Calvin Anderson, Spencer's a lock?

Speaker 2 (19:50):
Spencer, Oh, he's the fifth, He's the six man off
the bench.

Speaker 3 (19:53):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean he's been running with the ones
of this group has been running with and as.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
Long as McCollum's healthy, I think he's a lock as
well too, your.

Speaker 3 (20:00):
Guy that we've seen too. So I think those two
are definitely your interior backups. Now. I'm sure people are
going Calvin Anderson, I haven't heard anything from him.

Speaker 2 (20:11):
What about Dylan Cook?

Speaker 3 (20:13):
I would say Cook, I think is the guy that
could put a wrench in that.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
He's the one that that was the difficulty.

Speaker 3 (20:18):
So you might just get used to this, but I
never bring a laptop and I'm not going to search
for it. But can you pull up Calvin Anderson's contract lease?

Speaker 2 (20:25):
I sure can.

Speaker 3 (20:26):
Because this speaks volumes is. I can pretty much guarantee
Calvin Anderson is going to be in the team because
of the contract he just signed. He signed a two
year deal, so they rented him at the end of
last year. They liked them enough when underreported, but they
gave him a two year deal this offseason.

Speaker 2 (20:43):
So he signed it and next year.

Speaker 3 (20:45):
It's basically means he's making the team. You know, like
he got a little bit. I'm sure he got some
money up front, right, not probably not a lot, but
need you get some kind of bonus or some kind.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
Of half half a mill?

Speaker 3 (20:54):
Okay? For him? That's and they could get over it.
If he was awful, they could eat the five hundred
But you don't give a guy a two year contract
and not have intentions of him making the team. I
mean to me, that one kind of speaks for itself.

Speaker 2 (21:07):
Sorry, five hundred k is roster bonus for next year.
This year eight and thirty.

Speaker 3 (21:12):
K okay, so they signed him. I don't think anything's changed. Well,
I guess they did bring in Pete, but when they
signed that contract, they had every intention of him making
the twenty twenty five roster.

Speaker 2 (21:25):
Yes, that's that's a good way to put it.

Speaker 3 (21:27):
Yeah, I just don't know if they'd move away from Cook.

Speaker 2 (21:29):
You think it comes down to Pete and Cook potentially.

Speaker 3 (21:31):
And maybe you keep ten and two or three I
mean probably eight or active on game day, give or take. Yeah,
Cook plays a lot of less. He plays both tackles,
and tackles are hard to find. And I just wonder
if Roderick would get hurt, would it be Cook off
the bench Repete? I mean, if he's your number one
backup or as a Calvin. We' haven't seen Calvin in

(21:53):
a while, right, Lately it's been Cook. Cook has been
your back.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
Up left Ye, he's been your backup left tackle.

Speaker 3 (21:58):
Yeah. I just don't know if you can cut that guy.

Speaker 2 (22:00):
This is one that I think when we get through
these final two preseason games will not be crystal clear,
but I think at least the waters won't be as
marky on maybe who the how like, we'll know more
about Pete at that standpoint. Yeah, I think we'll know
a little bit more about Cook, and at that standpoint
as well too.

Speaker 3 (22:15):
If Pete's still fighting to get into shape and doesn't
by cutdown date to say, you know, like I don't
know see you? Yeah yeah, all right, math I have
a hard time leaving Cook off the list me too.
Yeah yeah, that's a tough one.

Speaker 2 (22:27):
Of all the offense, that was probably the one thing
that I struggled with the most, maybe even more so
than than Robert Woods and Scotty Miller.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah yeah, that one to me is kind of inconsequential.
This one means more, could mean more, and maybe if
the steal a defensive back off you're twenty six or
something like.

Speaker 2 (22:42):
That, let's see what we do here, because that was
the I think the two most difficult positions for me.
I think we're maybe defensive line and your secondary, particularly
your corner, because you're cutting somebody good exactly right. And
so let's like, if the.

Speaker 3 (22:56):
World revolves if I cut Woods or Miller, yes, but
I don't want to cut someone Trice that could end
up having a really good career. That's what it comes
down to.

Speaker 2 (23:06):
So the big guys, you want to start with the
big guys or do you want to go right into
the secondary I.

Speaker 3 (23:11):
Would do big to little.

Speaker 2 (23:12):
Okay, let's go big to little.

Speaker 3 (23:13):
I like it. I don't know why.

Speaker 2 (23:14):
That's like I like to go. If you're doing like
an alphabetical type list, I like to start at the
back because you know, my last name's Yueler.

Speaker 3 (23:24):
That's you.

Speaker 2 (23:24):
That's you're Williamson. When you're an elementary school and everybody
line up in alphabetical order, you always I was always
last lunchline. Recess. Actually get a kick out of the
water breaks. So now I flip it around the other way.
You can get vengeance for the people.

Speaker 3 (23:38):
I guess you're a true champion of us. And if I.

Speaker 2 (23:41):
Was a school teacher and everyone elementary school teacher and
they had to line up for recess, I'd go alphabetical
order backwards.

Speaker 3 (23:47):
Nice And that's hard for people. They got to think
that way too before learning exercise. I'll be and used
could be tough, you know, But along those lines, I
would complain all the time to my parents. You were like,
I'm always lost, and Williams soon him in the end,
and my mom be like, my main name is a Brovis.

Speaker 2 (24:04):
You locked out?

Speaker 3 (24:05):
Yeah z e b Yeah, like you moved up, dude.
She's like I was dead last Yeah. Yeah, did you.

Speaker 2 (24:17):
Ever have X and Y in front of you? Right?

Speaker 3 (24:19):
Right?

Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yeah, we can relate. We can relate on that one,
all right, big guys, defensive lineman, I'm keeping seven.

Speaker 3 (24:27):
I would lean that way too, Cam, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (24:30):
Ke, Derek Harmon, y A.

Speaker 3 (24:33):
Black is number four. Yeah, and then it gets Harry. Well,
then at least he becomes a discussion.

Speaker 2 (24:38):
Then at least it becomes a locks Daniel a Qualley,
Logan Lee and Isaiah Loudermilk. That gets you eight though, right,
that's seven?

Speaker 3 (24:48):
Okay, yeah, yeah, because.

Speaker 2 (24:49):
The four locks and then a quality Lee and louder Milk.

Speaker 3 (24:55):
Yeah, it's tough. So who gets the chop?

Speaker 2 (24:58):
Then I Hoko gets the Yeah, I can pull it
up for you here. I had the list of of
everybody else.

Speaker 3 (25:04):
The Lowery injury makes this like louder Milk is not
that he's like truly happy, but louder Milk's happy about
the Lowry injury. Ye, you're saying, you know, like it
gives him an opportunity.

Speaker 2 (25:16):
So you'd be cutting Autumn wayo Fioko, Dominique, Davis, kyler Baugh,
the Marvin Leal if you're gonna consis yeah.

Speaker 3 (25:25):
I think we caught we lump him with the edge
outside lineback.

Speaker 2 (25:28):
I think so too.

Speaker 3 (25:31):
Yeah, I think that's safe.

Speaker 2 (25:33):
Again, I would not have now, I wouldn't think that
I would continue to have louder Milk on these lists,
but I do.

Speaker 3 (25:38):
I know. That's kind of where I was gonna go
with this. Like when camp opened, I thought they might
have eight or nine legit NFL D tackle D lineman
types with the potential of trading a Lowry or somebody
for a late round pick, with the assumption that louder
Milk wasn't gonna even be one of them, you know
what I mean. Like I don't want him in games,

(26:02):
you know what I mean? And maybe I'm missing something.
Maybe he's good enough, but the bottom of that group
isn't as strong as I initially anticipated.

Speaker 2 (26:11):
Correct, You've had some you've had some injuries, right, right though,
Like you'd like to have Dean Lowry in the mix still.

Speaker 3 (26:16):
Yeah, certainly, Like if he's your five and Lee's or
six and Le's your seven, it's like, oh yeah, yeah,
let's go, you know, right. Lee's also a tough of
you out for me too. You played four snaps in
that game, and I don't know if that's I've seen
a lot of protecting them or what.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
And I'm kind of, you know, as I'm putting my
list together, I'm going around and I'm looking at everybody
else's lists to make sure one just has a reference point,
but really to make sure I'm not forgetting anybody.

Speaker 3 (26:39):
Yeah, yeah, I do that kind of stuff too, right, And.

Speaker 2 (26:41):
I tell you what I think, like about fifty percent
of the people you know in the in the Pittsburgh
Journal sphere that you know do these types of lists
and content for a living, like people that you and
I work with and like, And they were about fifty
to fifty on Loganly.

Speaker 3 (26:55):
I can imagine why it wasn't like, boy, he's blowing
camp up now. A lot of people told me that
they were very disappointed when he got injured, like they
were high that they were. They thought they kind of
snuck one, not to like the y a Black level
of mid round pick that they think iowoa by the way,
but man, we were really happy we got this guy
in the sixth round. He should be a fourth rounder

(27:16):
and he looks like that here and maybe that's still
the case. And they just don't want to put him
on tape and they're happy with him. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (27:23):
I think you see, I think so too, and again
for him, and there's a lot of guys in this
in this department, but for him, I think these final
two preseason games are are pretty big, pretty pretty big.

Speaker 3 (27:32):
But if he hardly plays at all, that either means
they just assume they're gonna cut him or they're yeah, yeah,
and we don't want to.

Speaker 2 (27:38):
Maybe if you want to go tenfoil hat again. Right now,
they're just trying to hide them. They know they've got
to they know they've got to stud and loganly, and
they're just trying to keep them quiet till the regular see.

Speaker 3 (27:46):
Yeah, but I doubt it's we're gonna cut him and
we just don't want to anyone get in tape, so
they pick him up. That's something you do with those days,
all right. I'd love to know, actually, and maybe I'll
look into it. How much did what's he do Thursday
against Bucks? If he plays a lot, that tells me
a ton totally. Yeah, Yeah, before the seven there's a
good possible.

Speaker 2 (28:06):
I think it's a good I think it's a good
number for now. Yeah, before we go to our last break,
let's do edge rushers because this one pretty easy as
well too, TJ Alex Herbig Sawyer.

Speaker 3 (28:17):
Yeah, there's a case for Leo. I think he's an
odd man looking in though.

Speaker 2 (28:21):
I do too. Yeah, it felt like and again I
know they are technically now classified as different positions, but
it felt like a two dogs, one bone situation for
louder Milk and Leo coming into this this train. Yeah,
with all that they added to the defensive front.

Speaker 3 (28:34):
And might still be Yeah, you know, I mean if
if leol What I don't know is I know Loudermok
gives you nothing on teams, none of the d tackles do.
Leo at least is involved, But I don't think he's
considered anything close to a core guy. Can he give
you anything on kickoff, coverage or return? He could definitely
fill in with some detackle stuff, But I just kind

(28:56):
of feel like all things are colliding and you're on
the outside looking at you know, I agree, you know, well,
welcome to Dumpsville population. You you know, it's just like
like eventually that time comes.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
It does. You cannot stay on scholarship forever. No, as
much as we would all like to be van Wilder.

Speaker 3 (29:15):
I mean, what does THEE Unless two guys get hurt
at outside linebacker? What am I getting out of him
on game day? That's that's what he comes down to.
Loudermok might give me eight snaps of not so great play,
but at least he gets his jersey dirty.

Speaker 2 (29:30):
One hundred percent, Yeah, one hundred percent. And again too,
like you can use that outside line you can use
that international exception thing and keep Welshoff as an extra
guy in your practice school.

Speaker 3 (29:40):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean that's part of the
gets factored in.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
I'm not saying he's as good as Leal, but he's
easier to stash on the roster and doesn't take up
any space.

Speaker 3 (29:47):
You're gonna have him for free anyway. I mean, he's
going to be a Steeler, correct, right, right, good points.

Speaker 2 (29:52):
Take our final break. We'll do off ball, linebackers, corners
and safeties to round out the show and round out
this exercise. West Shooler Matt Williamson. It's the Drive on
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (30:07):
Your tuned about drive on your twenty four to seven
home of the Black and Goal. Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (30:25):
Final segment here of our final training competition of the drive,
West Shuler and Matt Williamson all in anticipation of well,
a big joint practice that was had today and then
of course Saturday night's loan preseason game at Akershire Stadium
under the light seven pm against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Speaker 3 (30:46):
A lot's gonna happen before we talk again.

Speaker 2 (30:48):
A lot is which is, which is, which is always
good for people in the content business, right that you
got to have plenty in the hopper, But right now
we got to finish some fifty three man roster thoughts
as we stand here August fourteen, with some predictions off
ball linebackers. Matt, This one I think is pretty cut
and dry as well too. I got them keeping five Patrick,

(31:08):
Queen Peyton, Wilson, Malie Harrison, Cole Holcom and Mark Robinson. Okay,
I could see if it was four, but they've they've
they've kept five a lot of times.

Speaker 3 (31:19):
So this is sort of side note. Is I'm excited
for Wilson again to kind of be the quarterback of
the defense because he's not on that inactive list. Queen
is I thought he looked phenomenal. It was a short
stretch but I wonder could he even be the green
dot guy in Week one, just like Queen running hit,
et cetera. But anyways, compliment to Wilson, could Hulcomb be

(31:41):
a trade candidate? Hmmm, he's one of the I mean, it's.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
A position to need across the league.

Speaker 3 (31:47):
Yeah, he's got a lot of starting experience. He's kind
of buried as a three here. His contract's not awful.
He was signed to be a starter way you know,
two years ago. And and if he puts, if you
feature him in these next two games, and I can
have a lot of tape to show the Commander's Cowboys Eagles. Whoever,

(32:10):
could I get his six round pick for him and
save a little money. Maybe I'd probably just be comfortable
saying he's a nice three or just going to keep him.

Speaker 2 (32:18):
You know, he was a nice break glass of emergency.

Speaker 3 (32:20):
Finding another six that bad? Probably not. But anyway, he's
one of the few guys I could see potentially getting traded.

Speaker 2 (32:28):
Someone gets has an injury and gets desperate and says, hey,
here's a fifth round pick for him. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (32:33):
Now, I bet there's some listeners going, what's Harrison do
for me? And I think that's debatable, but the day
they signed him, they all really went into detail about
this and I thought it was well done because when
we previewed free agency, I thought of landing Robert to
be back. Yeah, good stealer, team guy, easier root for,

(32:53):
toughest could be and he signed for a decent amount,
but not insane amount. Right, he could have brought him
back at the same price. Now, I think Roberts is
a better true linebacker than Harrison, but they're the same
mold in that they are pure slow thumper. Thumper nineteen

(33:14):
eighty five hit Henry in the hole thirty years ago
would have been a Pro Bowl, right. You know, they're bangers,
they're big, they're heavy, they're both good pass rushers, they're
downhill players, but you don't want them turn and running.
And on this team, that's your fourth linebacker. And if
Roberts were back, I'm not even sure he wouldn't be
the fourth. Still, he would not be part time with

(33:36):
Wilson anymore. Agreed, I don't know that he'd beat out Holcombe.
So the way Dale laid it out was, Okay, Harrison
replaces that thumberness. You still do have the ravens in
your You know made and it's his old team. He's
super familiar with them. He's probably took on Patrick Riccard
in practice eight thousand times. And he's your Matta Kaevich
because he's an accomplished special team. Yes, Roberts isn't a teamer,

(33:58):
you know, So you get Roberts and ninety percent of
mat of Kyevich at less than what Roberts costs. So
I think that's what he gives you. But he could
be like Connor Hayward or Scronic where I don't really
want them playing defense either. You know, we'll get that
with Pierre and those guys. Mark Robinson. I think he's

(34:18):
had a good camp. I think he's getting to be
a better linebacker. I think these next two games will
be crucial for him, you know, be highly productive. He
is a core special teamer and I think they're happy
with them. But I don't think they think he's indispensable
as a special teamer, you know what I mean. Like
Scronic's better, Pierre's better, kill it is way better. Yeah, Hayward,

(34:41):
like I don't know that he's the world would still
move keep rotating special teams wise without them. So I
could see if we decided I can't move on from
Dylan Cook. Maybe this is where you cheap out a
little bit, maybe you know what I mean. But I
think I would put five on there too, and it
would be those five.

Speaker 2 (34:59):
That if you got to a position where you needed
to cut one from the defense, I think that would
be you'd Yeah, but again, this is all just as
we stand here today with with this roster and the
current health and what we know.

Speaker 3 (35:11):
But that means cutting a draft pick.

Speaker 2 (35:13):
It sure does, unless you're able to get him on
the practice.

Speaker 3 (35:16):
Squit, which I absolutely think, and they develop.

Speaker 2 (35:18):
Him as one of your next core special teams guys.

Speaker 3 (35:21):
And I know he's easy to root four two and
we know his dad is I think Brunner is Matty Kayvich.
I don't think he's ever going to be a contributor
at linebacker. I think he'll be a great special.

Speaker 2 (35:32):
Team Let's do safety real quick before. Yeah, that's a corner,
because safety is an easy one. Deshaun Elliott, jan Thornhill,
Chuck Clark, Miles Killer Brow.

Speaker 3 (35:40):
Yep, done, easy piece. Yep. It's a little like the
running back conversation though, that you could play some big
nickel with a three I don't want Killer Brew ever
being on the field. And why I say it's similar
to the running back conversation is if you have won
safety injury all of a sudden, you're lost all of
a sudden. It's like, oh, you know, Killer Brew's got
to play some if I have to, or Ramsey's playing

(36:01):
more safety than I want. But the Ramsey being able
to play safety is also important here.

Speaker 2 (36:05):
It's also a nice life sure to have, all right.
And then the group that was the most difficult for me,
no question, Corners. I got six four locks, four locks, Ramsey, Slay, JPJ,
and Eccles.

Speaker 3 (36:17):
Yeah, people might not look at Eccles that way, but
he's a locked and he's very valuable to me.

Speaker 2 (36:22):
I agree.

Speaker 3 (36:22):
I think he backs up all three of them.

Speaker 2 (36:24):
I was just gonna say he's your first man off
the bench for all of those, For.

Speaker 3 (36:27):
All three of those guys, I think he's your second slot,
which is gonna hurt your boy, Beanie.

Speaker 2 (36:30):
But no doubt, and That's where I'm going. So I
think it comes down to two spots for three guys. Yes,
I agree, James Pierre, Beanie Bishop and Corey Trice Junior.

Speaker 3 (36:38):
And they're so different and they're so.

Speaker 2 (36:40):
Different and they all you can make arguments four and
against all of that absolute fifth one. First one I
took was James Pierre because of the special teams acumen
that you know that they love.

Speaker 3 (36:49):
And what's nice now compared to other Pierre years with
the Steelers, he's a lot further away from playing defense
and he's gonna be active on game day, but those
other four will too. Like he almost eats two injuries
to actually see the defense, yes, where there's been other
times where it's like these guys besides Porter aren't very good.
He's going to have to get out, have to get right,

(37:10):
and I don't want that, you know, I don't think
he's gotten any better on defense, but the team stuff
is huge. What's funny about these three is they all
have a calling card and they're all so different. They
did his calling card special special Teams, and that's a
good one.

Speaker 2 (37:23):
And so it came down the Beanie and Corey Trice,
And like I kept thinking about this in theory, I
would love to take Corey Trice, but I kept coming
back to the best of ability is availability, Yeah, and
he just hasn't had it enough through his two plus
years in the league, and so I went with Beanie
Bishop as my final fifty third man on the roster.

Speaker 3 (37:44):
Which I totally get now I think this argument. First off,
I was gonna say Trice is six to two and
Beanie's five.

Speaker 2 (37:52):
He's an avatar, that's what he has got in all theory,
you would if Corey Trice could stay healthy, he might
be with the locks in this group.

Speaker 3 (37:59):
Yes, he may even be a starter next year, you
know what I mean, like Slagh moves on, retires whatever.
He might be your outside corner with Porter and Ramsey's
doing Ramsey stuff. You know, like that's not insane to
me either.

Speaker 2 (38:12):
And if they still think that he is that guy,
it'll be him on that.

Speaker 3 (38:15):
Because he's six two outside corners absolute lots that are
mediocre throwing trees. But this one also comes down to
the team doctor is in the room, Hey Doc, can
we keep this guy on the field or is it
just going to be a continual never is going to

(38:38):
be around because the see your nation lost their mind.
Trice fell the seventh round. Can you believe that, well,
you know why he fell because he couldn't stay on
the on the field.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
Then right, the same issue Perdue, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (38:51):
And he went to the combine and doctors didn't like
him there, you know, So that's why you give him
the seventh round, not the fourth or third, so that
he's done nothing to change that.

Speaker 2 (39:00):
But that's not an injury so hard if this was
if this was Madden, right, yeah, yeah, And I could
turn injuries off like you can go into the settings
and turn injuries off. And Madden, he's a fifth guy.
He's he's without a doubt on my mind, yes, right,
and and and and Beanie is is you know, we'll
find somebody practice squad or somewhere else. But unfortunately the.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
Argument against Beanie though, in addition to this, is because
of Eccles and because of the Ramsey trade.

Speaker 2 (39:24):
He can only play nickel and he's your third best
one on the rock, third string nickel.

Speaker 3 (39:28):
Yeah, is that good enough to keep around, especially he
had a couple of picks last year, you know? And
would he get scooped up or not be on a
practice squad If he is, so, be it good for him?
That means he's playing for somebody else.

Speaker 2 (39:40):
Would you see a scenario where they would only keep five,
where they'd say both Corey Trice and Beanie Bishopsy later
and they'd only keep five.

Speaker 3 (39:46):
Hmm. They would really not be comfortable with Trice as
medical which I don't know what they are. Maybe the
doctor comes in and says, I thought Trice was past
all this. This is just a flukey injury. He'll be fine.
Then you got to keep them short. And I bet
K keeps six because they're just good football players like you.
Ever are cutting there probably is gonna have a job

(40:07):
this year somewhere.

Speaker 2 (40:08):
It's going to be interesting to see. But I think
that's the biggest group to watch over these next two
preseason games and this this next week or so.

Speaker 3 (40:14):
But poor Beanie's looking at it like, I mean, if
you keep him, he's not active on game day right now. No,
he'd need an injury to be active on game day.
And he's still a backup, right you know. I mean,
Echoes would be your starting nickel if Ramsey couldn't go.

Speaker 2 (40:28):
It's crazy how quick that happens. Yeah, three hundred and
sixty five days ago, Beanie was one of the darlings
of camp.

Speaker 3 (40:33):
Here's the starter.

Speaker 2 (40:34):
Here's this undrafted guy who's running.

Speaker 3 (40:36):
With the starters, let alone, three and sixty five days ago.
Sixty five days ago, he was a starter, you know
what I mean. It was your weakest link in a way,
you know, I mean they people picked on him and
they changed that, but he was a starter. Yeah. How
many other guys we have of all of our cuts,
who else has starts under their beltol?

Speaker 2 (40:54):
I mean there's definitely some, but not maybe an old
guy as many as is him?

Speaker 3 (40:59):
Right?

Speaker 2 (41:00):
Interesting, interesting, fun, it's certainly fun exercise, something to keep
an eye on.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
You might do it once a week.

Speaker 2 (41:06):
I think that that might have to be something with
it that's kept in the hoppers, certainly.

Speaker 3 (41:09):
Because somebody's go going e R between now and then.

Speaker 2 (41:11):
You know, you know, it's unfortunate, but it's absolutely the truth.

Speaker 3 (41:14):
Right. They might add a body by then, who knows.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
That will do it for our programming here for the
rest of the week, but of course we will have
plenty of coverage of Saturday's preseason game against the Bucks.
Matt will be on the pregame and the postgame show, the.

Speaker 3 (41:26):
Pre pregame, the pregame, pre game, and the post game.

Speaker 2 (41:30):
He's got thirteen jobs, mane.

Speaker 1 (41:34):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (41:34):
And you can hear me at halftime from the booth.

Speaker 3 (41:36):
At after Stadium.

Speaker 2 (41:37):
How about that?

Speaker 3 (41:38):
You there?

Speaker 2 (41:39):
I will see you there.

Speaker 3 (41:39):
Man.

Speaker 2 (41:40):
Have a good day off tomorrow. I think we've all
earned it.

Speaker 3 (41:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (41:43):
Absolutely, take care everybody. We'll talk to you soon. As always,
you know where to find us. It's on your twenty
four to seven home of the Black and Gold. It's
Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.