HR2: Live from Mini Camp

Coverage continues from the final day of Mini Camp. We listen to DK Metcalf's conversation with the associated media.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is the Drive with Dale, Lolly and Matt Williams
show on your twenty four to seven home of the
Black and Gold car Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Back on the Drive here live from the upmc rooney
Sports Complex. It is the final day of our three
week residency here on the South Side. Has two weeks
of mini camp. Six shows in the books, now the
three sorry part of me. Two weeks of OTA's six practices,
six shows in the books, now Mini camp here, the

(00:41):
final practice coming up in just about an hour before
we will have the closure of this offseason phase and
all eyes turn towards Latrobe and training camp in the
start of the twenty twenty five NFL season. West Shuler
here with Matt and Dale on the Drive. We're with
you until one o'clock, two more hours today. And guys,

(01:04):
here's where I wanted to start with you this hour
as we kind of spent the first hour on defense,
spin the block to the other side of the football
here special teams longing, we gotta get da we gotta
get Danny Smith out here to yell at us a
little bit more. I wanted to ask you know, I
had this in my notes for today and having you
know Dale here now is awesome as well too. We

(01:25):
have talked a lot about Aaron Rodgers, rightfully, so, we've
talked a lot about the run game, the past catchers,
the blend, the balance. Arthur Smith. Could I make a
good faith argument that Broderick Jones could be one of
the biggest keys to the offense this season, to the team.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, I mean talking about a pivotal X factor. Huge
for him, huge ye for Aaron Rodgers for their offense,
and how it all relates to his ability at the
left tackle position.

Speaker 4 (01:56):
Yeah, I think that's very safe.

Speaker 3 (01:58):
I mean, especially considering them the position he plays offensive
tackles right, absolutely critical. You can't just go get another one.
I mean some of these positions, one of your linebackers
doesn't do well.

Speaker 4 (02:09):
You could find somebody that would get you through the season. Sure, Yeah.
I mean if your left tackle is a mess your
offense and you.

Speaker 5 (02:16):
Trade it up fourteenth pick in the draft, yeah, like,
that's gotta be. He's gotta get it. It's gotta it's
gotta come, it's gotta click, right, you know, if it doesn't,
you know, you're all in not owing. But the idea
is to get a quarterback next year. Right, we're forgetting
a quarterback next year.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
You better know who your left tackle is.

Speaker 5 (02:38):
Right, he can't also get a left tackle now?

Speaker 3 (02:41):
Nine chance in twenty twenty six, he's going to be
a Steeler either way. Right, But before that you have
to decide is he a fifth your option guy? Is
he an extension candidate? Do you want him to be
here for never ever? Be a two helmet guy? And
he has those those type of skills.

Speaker 5 (02:59):
Think about this. People are ready to write him off
after two seasons.

Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (03:04):
Think about Thomas with the Giants. Great exactly, he was
in a similar situation. He was rookie, was.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Off move in sides of the offensive line.

Speaker 5 (03:13):
The second year was yeah.

Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah, third year one of the best left that the league. Yeah,
that's a good point. Georgia guy, Yeah, I think he's
Georgia guy.

Speaker 4 (03:21):
Yah.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
See Georgia Or is he Alabama? Is he Georgia big
red machine? Right? Win the National championships in a bunch
of games? Yeah? I just and I realized We've talked
about the offensive line, you know, but I I feel
like there is, man, there's gonna be such a correlation
to how this offense in the type of success they

(03:42):
have this season to Roger Jones and the type of
success that he has uh this season.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
So with that, I mean he even met He mentioned Thomas,
who's a high pedigree early first round pick, I mean,
a similar talent to Jones. But even look how much
better Dan Moore got year after year. I mean each
rap was a little better, a little better, and Jones's
ceilings higher than that.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
You know, you guys are right, it was George.

Speaker 5 (04:03):
And offensive tackles. We're drafted, especially in the top half
of the first round, they sell them bust.

Speaker 3 (04:11):
They sell them stak yeah, right, right, right, I mean
there's something there right that makes them go.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
They might not have a Bowl All Pro career, but
they they turn in and still play in the league
for ten years.

Speaker 3 (04:21):
The other Giant, Neil who was from Bama, was about
the only one I can think of in the last
ten years that's a top half of Round one.

Speaker 4 (04:29):
Bad player. Yeah, he's had some injuries, but it hasn't
been super great. Yeah, good one.

Speaker 5 (04:35):
Yeah, there been twenty five other guys in that period
who've worked out pretty well.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
And that's where the best ones come from. Yeah, I mean,
you look at the best players of the position, they're
all high.

Speaker 5 (04:45):
I don't count like Alex Leatherwood.

Speaker 4 (04:47):
No, No, he likes a later pick.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah, right, Yeah, it's a good call. Yeah. I mean,
you're right, other than Jordan Mylatta, right, I mean, if
we were to make a list of the top ten
left tackles in the league, I bet you almost all
of them were drafted in the top twenty.

Speaker 4 (04:57):
Yeah, they go high. They're rare.

Speaker 3 (04:59):
The those traits don't grow on trees, and he's got
great traits. I don't know how much it's hurt him
kind of bouncing left to right, and people blame the
Steelers for that, and they and I have gone on
detail and have laid out the exact timeline of why
it exactly it is the way it is. This isn't
a perfect world. You can't just always be exactly where

(05:20):
you need to be. You know, running backs are asked
to do things they don't love. To me, it's just
the way it goes. I mean, but I do think
plopping him at left tackle going forward can't hurt.

Speaker 4 (05:31):
I mean, I think that's a great start. Is just
work on your kick, slides on your side the right.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Then I'm sure people have listened to Max starts before.
But we had so many good conversations with him at
the combine and there was things I never thought about
from a left versus right tackle thing, and he said
things like that your interior thigh muscles get longer or
shorter if you're the right had, you know, considering like

(05:58):
if I'm a left tackle, that left leg first step
is a really long short step where this one's my
strong anchor. You know, like your muscle development and the
way you train is different if your.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Left versus right, you know, totally makes them.

Speaker 3 (06:15):
Shorter, thicker, stronger, interior muscles where longer, stridier, short, you
let alone all the way through your body and you
know the technique of it all and the way you
see it, and everyone else talks about like it's like
wiping your butt left handed, and there's definitely something to that.
So at least he's in the same spot. And what
would I thought was overlooked last year with him after

(06:38):
the bye, I think he was noticeably better agree and
I think his mind, I don't know him. I mean,
he might be like, you're totally wrong that, but I
think getting away from the game for that two weeks
straight or that that extra week when he was under
a lot of scrutiny. You know, there were some games
that weren't pretty. You know that one remembers just the
bad at that position, of course. I mean, if if

(06:58):
no one calls your name all day, you had a
great day.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
If everybody forgot about you, right, how about the.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
Fifty eight blocks I made? They were great, and I
love two sacks. You know, that's a nature position. But
it did seem definitely on the field post buy was
much better than pre buy, and I think a lot
of that probably was mental.

Speaker 4 (07:17):
Not to mention the physical injury.

Speaker 5 (07:19):
Well, I think, yeah, yeah, the injury was some was real, yeah,
And I think he had prepped himself to come in
and compete to be the left tackle, and then Faltono
got hurt, and so now all of a sudden, now
I'm back at right tackle. Because that was the plan.

Speaker 4 (07:40):
That was a plan.

Speaker 5 (07:40):
You know, the plan was, all right, take a look
at this, all right, Felton is good, We're gonna put it.
We're gonna right, yeah, we're gonna put Jones over and
left tackle, let him compete against Danmore. Well, then Fltona
gets hurt. Now you're back right tackle, and so you know,
is it fair? No, no, but you gotta put your

(08:02):
best five out there.

Speaker 4 (08:03):
Yeah, man, nobody cares about fair.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
Yeah, football like life on Sunday, it's not fair. You
have to find a way to win.

Speaker 4 (08:11):
So many spots you get on the field, you know, right.

Speaker 2 (08:13):
So my kind of next level of this conversation for
you too, find gentlemen, is.

Speaker 3 (08:18):
This super quick and they'll mention this too, is if
it's back to him being at crossroads and being one
of the most important Steelers, if he could get to
be a high level starter.

Speaker 4 (08:27):
Wow, that'd be incredible. But if not, again, you.

Speaker 3 (08:31):
Want to use that first round pick, probably on a quarterback,
but you have to use first round picks on tackles,
you know, you know, all of a sudden, So you
don't want to be in the free agent market getting
the next dand more twenty million.

Speaker 5 (08:43):
If he's if he's Dann Moore this year, okay.

Speaker 4 (08:50):
That'd be fine. Yeah, but I would want better, Yeah,
I would take it today.

Speaker 5 (08:55):
I want better long term. But if he's at least.

Speaker 2 (08:58):
It wouldn't be a disaster.

Speaker 5 (08:59):
If he's as half reache, yeah this year, okay, go
a long way?

Speaker 4 (09:03):
Yeah, all right, And now I got the option.

Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, now, I know he can handle it, and you
get one more year out of him in a minimum
to figure out the contract situation. And that's the thing though,
I mean to get franchise quarterbacks and franchise tackles, you
got to use first round picks.

Speaker 2 (09:16):
You only got one, totally. They don't give you thirty
two and have two in the top fifteen. As much
as we would like to.

Speaker 3 (09:23):
And I know it was not a perfect world, but
I would have loved and there wasn't a spot to
do it. I would have loved to have seen a third
round project offensive tackle, fourth round project offensive tackle that
maybe becomes Samal who's replacement of guard.

Speaker 4 (09:37):
He's a fall back your hand. And those guys off
the board so fast this year.

Speaker 2 (09:41):
Yeah they did. They did so next.

Speaker 4 (09:44):
Year with all those extra picks. Hey, you can take
those movies.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah, absolutely right. So with this, my next question for
you two fine gentlemen is quite simply, how much would
you play the starting five offensive line in the preseason?
Hm hmm.

Speaker 5 (10:01):
I don't need to see him a ton, even with
the youth, I still would like to keep him kind
of bubble wrapped up. Yeah, I mean really Valatano's the
only one who doesn't have a ton of experience, right,
those other guys have.

Speaker 2 (10:15):
All played, even Fraser and McCormick. Yeah, you know, well
of a couple digit games last year.

Speaker 5 (10:19):
I want to see him out there when Aaron Rodgers
is playing, but he doesn't need to be out there
that much. What I do need to see if I'm
the coaching staff, who are my two's and I need
to see those guys play.

Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, so I think we talked about the Dale last week,
but yeah, I'm expecting Rogers to.

Speaker 4 (10:40):
Play a series or two of pres.

Speaker 5 (10:43):
Football eight snaps.

Speaker 4 (10:44):
Yeah, right, So of course they're out for that.

Speaker 3 (10:47):
And I think the way we phrased the offensive line
as an overview is compared to last year.

Speaker 4 (10:53):
I like this starting.

Speaker 3 (10:54):
Five better than last year starting five when we sat
here at Mini campy, but I like the depth much
better than than now. And and remember Fraser McCormick, I
hadn't even played a snap yet. You know, you're like, oh,
it's nice that we get these mid second, right, you

(11:15):
know you drafted three of them. They were a bunch
of unknowns, and you, Daniels was you knew what you're
getting from them.

Speaker 4 (11:20):
You knew what you're getting from herbig.

Speaker 3 (11:22):
But to Dale's point, and I talked about this a
lot from like a GM perspective, that people might not
think much of the preseason. You know, everyone's excited about it,
and then you're like, this is kind of boring.

Speaker 4 (11:31):
I want to get to the season.

Speaker 3 (11:33):
But a huge thing that's really a GM responsibility is
not only to have O line depth, but you're got
to put out especially if you're gonna sit your ones,
which I'm all for, you don't play any of those guys,
you know, especially see them all in those guys. But
if I'm going to put out my other five, whether
that's the depth behind those five or the your true

(11:55):
second line O line for in order to to see
if Caleb Johnson's a good player and Will Howard, those
five have to be adequate. You know, you can't just
throw the three of us and two other dudes out there.
They can't block anyone and have any evaluation.

Speaker 2 (12:13):
No doubt in the possible right right.

Speaker 4 (12:15):
Right, And it's hard to have a.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
Strong true number across the board right right right. And
you don't want to play those guys every snap of
the preseason either. And I'm not even sure how that
would look like. If you if all five starters got hurt,
who would be the who would be the five? I
don't know, but I'm interested to see that in camp. Yeah,
and I assume McCullum would be the center.

Speaker 2 (12:37):
I was just gonna say, I think McCollum would definitely
be the center. But other than that, it'd be a
lot of questions.

Speaker 5 (12:42):
You have some Calvin Anderson, you have Spencer Anderson, you know,
and then we'll see McCollum.

Speaker 4 (12:51):
The dude they signed. I forgot this dame off the
top of my I think cook would be one of
the tackles.

Speaker 5 (12:57):
They've got guys there. Then Yeah, yeah, I've played NFL snaps.

Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, and have been part of the organization. Yeah. So,
but no, you're You're absolutely right, Matt. It's you can't
he can't evaluate much if you can't at least get
average play on the offensive line to let your quarterback
do the things you're asking him to do in.

Speaker 4 (13:16):
The last five minutes of the fourth quarter. Fine, you know, nobody's.

Speaker 3 (13:20):
Good out there, but in order to really develop powered
and you know, some of these other guys and you
can you know, receivers, you can see on tape. Well
he got opened, the ball never came out, he got sacked.
But this guy's doing his job. But if there's no
holes for the running game or the quarterback just has
no chance, you can't really tell if they're getting better
or worse.

Speaker 2 (13:40):
You know, no, in fact, they're not. They're probably not
doing either. They're just they're just surviving.

Speaker 5 (13:46):
Its your evaluation. If your practices of your defensive lineman.

Speaker 4 (13:53):
Right, right, guy is great, he's whipping me.

Speaker 2 (13:59):
Yeah, that's absolutely right. And that's just again that.

Speaker 3 (14:02):
Happens every year, Like is our d line really this good?
Or you should be scared about our line?

Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yeah, it's always the offense great or the wide receivers great?
Or is the secondary just getting picked apart.

Speaker 4 (14:15):
Out there and these guys do not cover anyone, you know, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:17):
No, it's it's that that's gonna be very interesting to me. Listen,
Like we're I think the three of us are you know,
all football dorks to to certain extents or period, but
just doorks, period. That's that's why we do this. But
I think even like just a casual Steelers fan will
be paying attention to the offensive line and training camp

(14:37):
in preseason.

Speaker 3 (14:38):
Yeah, I'm really interested to see the six through question
mark more than anything. I'm pretty confident in the top five.
But Jones is the X factor, you know, like you said,
how good is he? He's gonna be the left tackle, sure,
no matter what. But I mean, is he greatly progressing?
Could he become what you thought when you draft him?

Speaker 2 (14:59):
Or is it, oh no, this is a problem, you know, Yeah,
I don't know, Or is it maybe you know, is
it somewhere in between, like they all said, maybe you know,
a Dan Moore type of the season where some consistence,
some consistency there, certainly, and yeah, obviously hoping for a better,
better health fortune for that for that group than they
had out of the gates last year.

Speaker 3 (15:19):
But even like one on ones at camp, you know,
like we all know Zach Fraser is a good center,
but can he hang one on one the fifteen reps
he gets one on one against Cam Hayward, right, does
he win seven of them?

Speaker 6 (15:32):
Ye?

Speaker 2 (15:33):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (15:33):
Yeah? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (15:33):
You know he's got blocked Chris Jones, you know, I mean,
he's got a yeah. I mean, there's there's other good
d tackles he plays against.

Speaker 2 (15:39):
There, certainly, are there certainly are yeah? Uh no, doubt
Prodger Jones a big key to this offense. Another guy
who is going to be certainly is wide receiver number
one DK Metcalf. He spoke yesterday. We'll get into some
of that when we return here in the eleven o'clock hour.
It is a special edition of the Drive. I'm west
Huler with Lolly and Williamson. It's all happening here at

(16:00):
the upmc rooney Sports Complex on Steelers Nation Radio on
the Steelers Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (16:10):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt williamsonshow
on your twenty four to seven home of the Black
and Gold SNR Steelers Nation Radio.

Speaker 2 (16:27):
Welcome back to the Drive here on the final day
of many Camp west Euler with the Matt Williamson and
the Dale Lolly here in the backyard of the Steelers'
upmc rooney Sports Complex, looking immaculate, looking ready to go
for practice here in about forty minutes on a another
hot one, another beautiful day here.

Speaker 4 (16:48):
It is.

Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yeah, it's I tell you what. Those people over at
Oakmont that are gonna be walking two miles from their
car to the golf course, they're gonna they're gonna have it.
They're gonna have a nice, nice sweaty bead going on.

Speaker 5 (17:00):
By the least you're carrying their clubs.

Speaker 2 (17:01):
At least they're not carrying their clubs. No doubt that
would be tough. Although I that's just somebody in the
same way that people show up the Steelers games dressed
in full attire. Right, you think someone's trying that at
Oakmont today.

Speaker 5 (17:16):
Golf a tires a little.

Speaker 2 (17:17):
Golf attire is certainly certainly like Tiger.

Speaker 3 (17:21):
So you guys have a much especially Dale is a
much better fuel for golf and watching golf.

Speaker 4 (17:25):
I hardly ever do.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
But I did watch the Full Swing documentary show or
on Netflix, and I didn't realize.

Speaker 4 (17:32):
I guess it's the waste management one.

Speaker 3 (17:34):
Like they're loud and like chugging beers and it's not
like little golf different stuff.

Speaker 4 (17:41):
Gilmore right, Like that sounds awesome.

Speaker 2 (17:45):
But certainly does sound awesome. Another thing that sounds awesome
is another day of watching DK Metcalf run out. He
stands out, he certainly does. He's kind of big, he
moves pretty well.

Speaker 4 (17:56):
West.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
Was it yesterday that we were saying, like DK met
Calf being here would be nine out of ten times
huge story the story or TJ.

Speaker 4 (18:04):
Watt not being here would be the story. And we
don't even like.

Speaker 2 (18:06):
Bring it up and we barely barely we've barely talked
about it. Yeah, well let's do that now. DK Metcalf
is here. He is obviously a huge story, another one
of these keys to the Steelers off, a huge prison,
huge player. I think he's a fan of golf as
well too. I believe he was at Cam Hayward's outing
a couple of Rogers in the couple couple of days
ago as well too. U DK Metcalf Speaking yesterday after practice,

(18:30):
here's what the Steelers new number one wide receiver had
to say. Aaron's here.

Speaker 7 (18:35):
How excited you worked out with him before before you
guys both arrived here and now it's actually here, you guys.

Speaker 6 (18:40):
Practice together, Yes, sir, just a step closer to football,
step closer to you know, solidifying the team and uh
you know the product that we're gonna put out there
on the field this season.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
Just excited to get to work.

Speaker 6 (18:51):
I know it's a first look here in a team
setting with Aaron, so just to see what type of
team that he is. Just excited with everything that he
brings to the table.

Speaker 2 (18:59):
Did that work out that your guys had in the
off season?

Speaker 4 (19:03):
Uh?

Speaker 6 (19:03):
Just how cerebral he is and how he views the game.
I mean, I like the way he views the game, uh,
you know, from a receiver standpoint, but also from a
quarterback standpoint. I think I can gain a lot of knowledge,
uh just from being around him, Cause he's seen a
lot of football, so uh just trying to soak soak
a soak up as much uh information and the ball
as I can.

Speaker 3 (19:20):
Could you have a pretty good idea at that time
to just reout about him?

Speaker 5 (19:23):
Uh?

Speaker 6 (19:23):
No, sir, cause I never asked him directly, like if
he was coming. Uh, you know, just trying to uh
you know, let him, give him the space to make
his own decision, not tryna you know, sway him one
way or another. Uh, but just you know, just trying
to get him, get to know him as a person
first and then uh you know, a teammate second.

Speaker 2 (19:36):
How did that come together?

Speaker 3 (19:38):
Did you reach out to you you reach out to him?

Speaker 2 (19:40):
Uh?

Speaker 6 (19:40):
I reached out to him, uh just to see if
he was in the area. UH wanted to throw and
he was, and you know we got together.

Speaker 4 (19:48):
I'm sorry, what's up?

Speaker 2 (19:49):
I think it's the same question.

Speaker 7 (19:50):
You do you plan on doing.

Speaker 2 (19:51):
Some more with him in the off seasons?

Speaker 6 (19:52):
Oh, yes, sir, we're both uh based out in California,
So yeah, planning on getting together with him for another
throwing session, uh and just watching film or just talking
about what are.

Speaker 2 (20:03):
In addition to your talent as a as as a playmaker.

Speaker 4 (20:06):
How much of you uh are the coaches or you.

Speaker 6 (20:08):
Being tasked at helping guys like Calvin Austin Romans and
getting used to the NFL, getting used to being.

Speaker 5 (20:13):
Maker like yourself.

Speaker 6 (20:14):
I mean, they those two special p uh players that
you name have uh, you know, a unique skill set.
I can only you know, uh help as much as
uh they want me to. But uh, you know, once
they come to me asking for questions, I'm I'm an
open book to 'em. Uh, but I'm not gonna force myself,
uh you.

Speaker 2 (20:29):
Know, onto anybody. Yeah, you know, once.

Speaker 6 (20:31):
They, you know, make the decision to come and ask
me questions, then I'll try to pour as much knowledge
as I can in to 'em. But you know, they're
great players in their own right, so you know, I'm
gonna be asking them questions as well, and how they
see the game. Uh so just piggybacking off of you
know what they do and just bouncing ideas off of
each other. What are the early matchups with Joey Porter
Junior been like out here? Oh it's been good. Gonna
get some good work with him. Uh, good work with

(20:52):
slagh Uh talking ball with Mika. The defense is great.
Uh just going against him after yesterday. Uh, high energy group. Uh,
very communicat. Uh they talk a lot. I told I
was joking with uh Calvin that uh for the first
play out there, I couldn't hear you know, any of
the checks that uh you know Mason or the the
snapcount that Mason was saying, cause the defense was talking
so much. So, I mean it's just refreshing to see, uh,

(21:14):
you know, a defense that communicates, and you know, we're
just trying to model our game after them.

Speaker 7 (21:18):
It was one exchange where I think you and joe
you were kind of going and got you got a flat.

Speaker 4 (21:21):
I mean he said he was pushing off on me.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
Then you guys talked after. What what was that talk like?

Speaker 6 (21:25):
And just as competitives, I mean it's it's just me
telling him that, uh I had a yard of uh
you know, just to handle him up or act like
I was blocking and just you know, showing him a
different look that I he he probably hasn't seen.

Speaker 5 (21:38):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (21:38):
I know I didn't use that release on him. Uh
when we played him two years ago when they were
you and.

Speaker 4 (21:43):
Uh Aaron Rodgers or what parts.

Speaker 5 (21:45):
Of your games he played like humplement a sort.

Speaker 4 (21:46):
Of concepts or routes or things.

Speaker 5 (21:48):
You think apparently after you guys, you gether.

Speaker 2 (21:51):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (21:51):
I mean, how how quickly he released the ball and
me getting off the line of scrims fast.

Speaker 5 (21:55):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (21:55):
I think it's one one thing that stands out first,
but also his play making ability after a play breaks
down or hit or him to you know, contort his
arm a different way just to get the ball out.
I think he's unique, and uh, I think he's gonna
help not only me, but a lot of uh receivers
and uh tight ends in the offense.

Speaker 7 (22:12):
Calvin is kind of like a totally different body type
than you and he you guy be.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Out there together a lot, Yes, sir, yes, sir.

Speaker 6 (22:18):
I mean he's a he's a jerry bug out there,
but he's explosive as heck. So uh, you know, just
looking forward to you know, lining up against I'm in
lining up with him, uh you know for the rest
of these uh the last couple of days of camp
and then moving on the training camp and then just
uh starting to work off of each other, uh in
different route concepts and.

Speaker 2 (22:34):
Now you can play put a game. Yet the biggest
quarterback year you work with you Rustling and air. And
how do they similarities differences?

Speaker 6 (22:43):
Yes, sir, uh, I will say, uh, they're similar with
uh you know, how they approach the game. They're very professional,
UH gonna hold people accountable in the offense, in the
uh as in the team setting.

Speaker 2 (22:52):
UH.

Speaker 6 (22:52):
But also they're gonna work the bus offing there out here,
and they're gonna, you know, make you come up to
their level of uh competitiveness out there on the grass.

Speaker 2 (22:59):
So that's what I like about him.

Speaker 4 (23:00):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (23:01):
I mean then the differences is they're two completely different people,
two completely different quarterbacks, uh, with how they played the
game of UH football. So I think that's the unique
thing about this game is, UH, you got people that
play the same position like me and Calvin or Russ
and Aaron, you know, but they played in their own
unique ways mostly off the field.

Speaker 2 (23:17):
But now what have you've learned about Arthur's offense.

Speaker 4 (23:20):
What do you think the opportunities.

Speaker 6 (23:21):
Would be for you in the Yes, sir, He's unique
and I think he's heavy in uh play pass uh realm.
So you know, me just trying to still learn a
lot of different terminology, you know, in his offense. I'm
still trying to get my feet wet with you know
how he uh you know term term his terminology in
the offense. But me trying to you know, incorporate myself

(23:41):
into it to where you know we're speaking the same
language by the time we hit training camp, to where
you know we both can help each other.

Speaker 2 (23:47):
Uh on and off the field.

Speaker 5 (23:48):
What does your reaction do is today?

Speaker 4 (23:50):
Then you've ever look forward to us side carry learns
that you mentioned? Uh holdens serve like ten times sends
or time.

Speaker 5 (23:58):
Of the pay a little or anything.

Speaker 4 (24:02):
I mean, how is your relationship after one day as
a workout before how would how would you decide your Uh?

Speaker 6 (24:08):
I think it's uh still a work work in progress,
was still growing. But uh, besides just being teammates, I
think he's a great, great person, uh, you know, off
the field. Uh. And like I said, I think I
can learn a lot from him, you know in life
and uh about the game of football.

Speaker 5 (24:21):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (24:21):
When I was chilling with a one time, we were
just doing like trivia questions, so we would name a
player and I would have to say, uh, they're at
college or their nickname while they were playing. So uh,
I mean it's just a l uh a fun person
to be around.

Speaker 4 (24:34):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (24:34):
He's he's gonna test me cerebellye uh in my opinion,
So just looking forward to you know, the continued conversations, uh,
to continued workouts and you know, hopefully we can put
a product on the field that you know can last
a lifetime.

Speaker 7 (24:46):
Have you ever changed since you talked to us where
you signed for your George picking getting traded and.

Speaker 2 (24:51):
Kind of how that changed?

Speaker 6 (24:52):
Yes, sir, I mean I would have loved to, you know,
play with George Pickens, uh, you know, being here just
to see how he was as a teammate, just to see,
you know what I could learn from him him uh
from me? Uh you know, but you know it was
a decision the team made and you know it was
out of my hands.

Speaker 4 (25:06):
Did you ever hear start to him?

Speaker 2 (25:07):
No, sir, what did away about how Zat and Zani fronts.

Speaker 4 (25:11):
A wide receiver he's talked about.

Speaker 7 (25:12):
He said, Bride, you had coach you want swinde receivers
to kind of be in the same way.

Speaker 6 (25:16):
How does the best sight you chalk you? I mean
he he comes in and I think, uh, you know,
he's the the tone center, but we have to carry
that out on the field. So he does a great
job of, you know, holding us accountable out there on
the field. And he's a he's a very uh good
technician at at coaching, and his approach to the game
is a little bit different from uh, you know what
I've uh what I've had in the past. So just

(25:36):
looking forward to that challenge.

Speaker 3 (25:37):
How much did you even bring you some of the
journeys like your own is?

Speaker 2 (25:40):
Why is that secrets you talking about you?

Speaker 5 (25:41):
Or why all of the extraself.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
Getting down in the dirty it really helps hell with
being a guy. And how much did you liked you
out in your own arm?

Speaker 6 (25:48):
I mean, I I I prode myself at blocking, so uh,
it's nothing new new for me to come out here
and and hear that. I think I'm just gonna take
it a step further, uh, you know, with him and
tow the line as much as I can.

Speaker 2 (26:00):
Play. Yesterday, I think there was a in a turnover
and they start on the other way and it sort of.

Speaker 7 (26:04):
Looked like the new back play a little bit. I
mean it's the first day of camp. If didn't is
there ay been in this league a while, you got
a long way to go, but you were right there
on the sort of curious it is that mindsets?

Speaker 2 (26:16):
I guess, is is it a you know there was
a easy enough on.

Speaker 7 (26:20):
The fr I mean literally, we're never happened in the say,
is that just how you carry yourself?

Speaker 4 (26:24):
Is that something that you are there? N are there
literally do that you saw for you?

Speaker 1 (26:28):
No?

Speaker 2 (26:28):
I mean that's just football.

Speaker 6 (26:29):
Uh. If if you see a turnover, I'm not just
gonna walk and let him, you know, return the ball
like I'm i'm'a.

Speaker 2 (26:33):
Go get his ass.

Speaker 6 (26:34):
So uh, I mean that just shows the effort that
I have and it shows the care that I have
for the game. And you know, hopefully we have eleven
players out there that have that same mentality. Uh, when
we step out on the field.

Speaker 7 (26:44):
Is that if you feel like, you know, as Brian missed,
if the room has changed a little bit since you required,
you're still doing the room, But obviously more for the
most serious guys, the leaguers. You you lead by a
sable guy or are you sort of the like stand.

Speaker 6 (26:56):
Up and yo, this is a you know, I'm you know,
I'm not running this group brud on the touch them, yes, sir,
Uh I mean yeah, like you mentioned, I'm new here. Uh,
just trying to get a feel for everybody. Uh, get
a feel for everybody's uh, you know, personality in the room.

Speaker 2 (27:10):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (27:11):
But yeah, I'm I'm more of a relief by example.
Typically I'm not a big rock rock guy or you know,
walk up and say something to you on the spot.
You know, i'm'a let you you know, do you But
if I see something, uh like not finishing through the
end zone or after a catch or something like that,
then you know, I'll I'll pull you to a side
and you know, say something to you. I'm not gonna
blast you out in front of the team or anything
like that, cause uh, you know, I wouldn't wanna be

(27:32):
treated like that. So that's how I treat other people.

Speaker 3 (27:34):
Do with Jim Boy with j v k.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
L cam look like people around a lot of the
shame routes or picking up very or not shit do you.

Speaker 2 (27:43):
Do you feel f s uh familiarity. I feel like this, yes, sir,
I mean I football is football. At the end of
the day.

Speaker 6 (27:51):
Routes are gonna be the same route, uh, just different terminology.
And tryna see how Arthur teaches it and how you
know it. Uh oc for my pants taught it. Uh
to see if I I s found any similarities in it.
And plus trying to get used to the different quarterbacks
right now with Mason, so trying to get used to
his play style is uh, you know how he calls
the plays in and out of the huddle. So yeah,

(28:11):
it's just a big learning curage from me.

Speaker 4 (28:13):
Difference you look at.

Speaker 6 (28:14):
It, yeah, exactly, Yeah, it's football events.

Speaker 2 (28:19):
Then that was DK Metcalf speaking yesterday after many can't
practice number two the Steelers new wide receiver number one.
And I love some of that attitude, some of that
mentality stuff that he was talking about at the end.
There the famous play of him, of course, chasing down
Buddha Baker after an interception. Guys, I think he's going

(28:42):
to bring We all know what the skill set is,
and yet you look at his production throughout his six
years in the NFL and it's consistently great every single year.
But I think beyond that, he's going to bring an attitude,
a tenacity, and nastiness that that wide receiver room hasn't
had in a long time.

Speaker 5 (29:00):
Yeah, he's a scary dude for opposing defenses. You know,
you see that size and with that speed and the
physicality that he plays with. And then you know the
other interesting thing about it. And Zachsani, the wide receiver coach, yesterday,

(29:21):
talked about Calvin Austin. He said, look, Calvin's O number
two and.

Speaker 4 (29:27):
That's pretty clear right now.

Speaker 5 (29:29):
Right, So if you have those you know, those two
guys on the outside, you're looking at two some for
four guys.

Speaker 4 (29:38):
They have to be one of the fastest pairings.

Speaker 5 (29:40):
Without a doubt, without a doubt, then you got a
Roman Wilson to the equation. Roman Wilson a sub for
four guy. You don't think I him that way, but
he is. They got a lot of speed at the
receiver position.

Speaker 4 (29:54):
They absolutely do.

Speaker 3 (29:55):
And I briefly mentioned it the other day that Rogers
is a very much a stickler, well known for you
better be at point B at the exact same time
like I want you to. And Frankly, I was a
little underwhelmed by the Robert Woods signing, but he's going
to be worth.

Speaker 4 (30:13):
Right do that. He is an He is not the
speed guy.

Speaker 3 (30:18):
Those three you mentioned for sure, but he is going
to do that. And I think he's just an easy
guy to forget about. I mean, he's had a lot
of success in this league.

Speaker 2 (30:24):
Absolutely, Yeah, he totally has. And yeah, it's it's exciting,
it's it's fun to look ahead towards here. And I
think too, just what the Steelers want to be as
an offense, what they want to be in the run game.
It's great to have your number one wide receiver be
the guy who is first in line to put his
face in the fire, first in line to go out

(30:46):
there and block and be physical on the parameter because
when that guy who is doing it, everybody else better
fall in line and do it as well too.

Speaker 3 (30:52):
Yeah, I want to talk a little bit about I'm
sure people didn't watch Seattle like they watched the Steelers,
but Seattle's offense last year, I think they were third.

Speaker 4 (31:01):
They were near the top of the league.

Speaker 3 (31:03):
In facing two high shells, not because of Smith and Jig,
but who's became their number one as the season went
on in terms of targets. But he's an underneath slot guy,
move the chains, keenan Allen type.

Speaker 5 (31:14):
He's why Roman Wilson could be hopefully hopefully Yeah.

Speaker 3 (31:18):
And it's not because a locket at this stage of
his career. It was because of metcap And I mean
they saw a ton of two high shells because defensive coordinators.

Speaker 4 (31:27):
To Dale's point earlier.

Speaker 3 (31:28):
He's a scary dude, not because he's so big and
strong looking when he watched by and because he can
run right past you. So you're gonna get more two
high shells, which then means lighter boxes for the run game.
You know, your quarterback's never gonna turn down one or
the other. I mean, if boy, if you're gonna give
me single high against the sky, I'm going over the top.

(31:49):
Rogers still a great depasser. If you're gonna give a
lighter box, I'm gonna hand it the back, you know.
I mean, so those kind of things will have a
ripple effect too, more so than Pickens in my opinion.

Speaker 5 (31:58):
And you can't press.

Speaker 4 (32:01):
That's the thing. He beats up press Cotch.

Speaker 5 (32:02):
You just can't do it.

Speaker 4 (32:03):
He beats a crowd.

Speaker 5 (32:04):
You can't do it. Yeah, and really, teams don't press
Calvin Austin right because he'll run by you.

Speaker 4 (32:12):
He'll run by you.

Speaker 3 (32:12):
And he played people forget about this about Austin too,
Like he is the number two right now. So they're
out there in two receiver sets and he's outside the
numbers more than ninety percent of his snaps of college
or outside the number on the line. That's where he does.
Just because he's little doesn't mean he's Yeah, it's just
a slot only type right there. He has a long
history up and he's a tough guy.

Speaker 4 (32:29):
He's a tough guy, and he got one last.

Speaker 5 (32:31):
He took some big hits. Yeah, yeah, but I think
of the one. I think he was down in Baltimore.
They're backed up in their own end zone and he
caught one over the middle and got stuck immediately. Yeah,
and it was a huge play, got right back up
and yeah. For about twenty five years yep.

Speaker 4 (32:51):
Ye.

Speaker 3 (32:52):
So so I wanted to get back to Seattle a
little bit too. Is Seattle hires the Ravens defensive coordinator
be their head coaches last year, first time head coach,
and frankly, he made a coaching hire mistake. He went
to the University of Washington where Pennix and a done's ay,
and I mean they all kinds of first.

Speaker 2 (33:13):
National champions.

Speaker 3 (33:14):
The three receivers, two tackles, all were drafted high, and
the quarterback in the first round. And I'm not saying
he was a bad college coordinator, but they went out
and hired Washington kept him in the in the Pacific
Northwest to be Seattle's offensive coordinator.

Speaker 4 (33:29):
He lasted one year. They replaced him.

Speaker 3 (33:31):
I mean, and he had a lot of problems as
a coordinator, which people never think of, but rightfully so.
I mean, he was a college guy, and people don't
think about this, but the geometry of the.

Speaker 2 (33:43):
Football are different hashmarks are.

Speaker 5 (33:45):
I mean, if my.

Speaker 3 (33:46):
Route concepts are well line up outside the numbers, well,
the spacing's way different.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
Went to the NFL, yeah, because his play calling is
way different with the hash and it really.

Speaker 3 (33:56):
Showed to Seattle, you know. And they also didn't have
much of their ow line was really bad. He was
the first round pick on interior linement. They couldn't protect
to go deep as much as they would have liked.
So anyone that thought Metcalf had a down year, maybe
It wasn't his best statistical year, and he did miss
a little bit of time with injuries. There were a
lot much like Rogers with the Jets, there were some

(34:17):
really difficult extenuating circumstances there too.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
And with all of that, despite all of that, Matt
with some injuries, with some difficult circumstances, nine hundred and
ninety two yards and five touchdowns.

Speaker 4 (34:28):
Still, how many games did he end up playing?

Speaker 2 (34:29):
Twelve or twelve? Okay, yeah, yep, so I mean that's
he had still fifteen yards on average per reception. Yeah,
every single year too. What I love seeing last year
a long longest reception of seventy one yards, year before
seventy three yards, eighty four yards, sixty two yards. This
is consistently a guy that's given you splash as well too.

Speaker 5 (34:50):
You know, we heard when we heard Arthur Smith talk yesterday,
he talked about that explosive factor. I mean, you think
about that Calvin Austin fifteen point two yards per catch
last year. They got explosives.

Speaker 4 (35:04):
Yeah, yeah, they absolutely do it.

Speaker 2 (35:05):
They and you know his DK metcalf over the last
handful of years, his yards per target nine point two,
nine point four, seven point five I mean it's not
the underneath you know, Jackson Smith and Jigba stuff. It
is stretching the defenses. It's commanding that that double high attention.
And I mentioned that it's gonna be great for everybody
else on this offense.

Speaker 3 (35:25):
By the numbers, Rogers was one of the best outside
the number deep passers in the league last year too.
Like I'm sure people like that's a Russell Wilson moonballs
blah blah blah. Well, Rogers was better at it, right,
and he was amongst the very best in the league.
That part of the offense isn't gonna go away, but
they are going to mix in more intermediate stuff, more
inbreaking routes. Like going back to Metcalf's draft, it was

(35:48):
a ridiculously good wide receiver.

Speaker 6 (35:49):
It was.

Speaker 2 (35:49):
He was a second round pick, right, yeah, k Metcalf, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (35:52):
I mean he went way too late. I mean that
was at Deontae Johnson draft. It was loaded with guys
like Andy Isabella went ahead at DK ME. That was
my first ever my daughter Philis Beccalf over Andy is Abella.
But but one of the knocks on him was his
three cone was so bad at the that people didn't
like him or like.

Speaker 2 (36:10):
Man, he's like he moves like the Titan.

Speaker 4 (36:11):
He's like a barge. I mean like yeah, I mean
like he's like trying to turn a battleship. You know.

Speaker 3 (36:15):
But that's not how he plays anymore. I mean, his
inbreaking stuff is way better. Maybe he had a bad
day at the combine. Maybe he's been working on it
like crazy, as they always says, you're allowed to get better.
He's become a slant master. You know, if you go
back and watch like Arthur Smith with the Titans, with
Henry Brown over the middle, hit him in stride, shrug

(36:37):
off a little corner, take it to the OUs and
Brown and metcalf Our teammates at all. I mean, you know, Mississippi.
I mean, like that's a plan. It's not just gonna
be run fast outside the nominal.

Speaker 2 (36:47):
Correct correct and there's a there's a vast skill set
there that you're going to utilize.

Speaker 5 (36:52):
There's there's an obvious plan. How they built this. Yeah,
you know it's it's it's not just hey, let's go
get this guy and that see how it works.

Speaker 3 (37:01):
No, he's not a direct replacement for Pickens, and people
were like they were too redundant together No, they're not.
Just because they're big and do a lot of their
good work outside the number, they win differently. And I
would much rather have metcalf On inbreakers between the numbers
and things like that than Pickens. Pickens was more of
a ball winner, high pointing the ball, you know, mossing you,

(37:23):
that type of thing where metcalf gets his explosives by
running past you. You know, his ball skills in the
air and high pointing aren't as good as Pickens, who's
frankly one of the best one right, But just because
he's big doesn't mean he plucks it at you know,
plucks it off the rim in an elite level.

Speaker 4 (37:39):
He still does it, I mean gets a sound. He's
still big, but I mean he doesn't win.

Speaker 2 (37:42):
The same contested catches and the and the body strength.

Speaker 4 (37:47):
It's not a one for one Pickens is gone. You're
gonna do the exact same thing.

Speaker 3 (37:52):
Interview, like you ran a lot of the same routes
as as Pickens, and he hesitated and said, oh, there's
only really nine or that there's pick from him, And
yes we did do some same things, but it's not
a one for one player swap.

Speaker 2 (38:07):
If you hear the music in the background, the noise
in the background, things are picking up here and a
little rolling stones to leave us off today. How about that?
I love it, I dig it. On the final day
of mini camp down here, Limpathy practice will start about
fifteen twenty minutes from now, the final practice of this
offseason phase before the Steelers get some time off ahead

(38:28):
of training camp. We got the quarterbacks all are out
here already and some other guys matriculating their way out
onto first out onto the football field.

Speaker 4 (38:40):
We don't talk about it, you know what, Maybe let's.

Speaker 2 (38:42):
Do a little bit of that when we return. How
about that we'll talk a little talk a little Derek Harmon,
maybe spin the block back to the defensive side of football.
To close down this hour, West Schuler with the Drive
guys Dale Wally and Matt Williamson here at the upmc
rooney Sports Complex on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers
Audio Network.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
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 2 (39:19):
Back of the u pmc rooney Sports Complex. For this
special edition of the Drive, West Shooler with Dale Lolly
and Matt Williamson on our final day of many camp.
As we are getting and closer little, I mean, is
it though I exit. I'm excited for this stretch here,
these next six or seven weeks. Like I always tell people,
it's like our equivalent of Christmas break. It is it is,

(39:41):
you know how most people like all of December, most
people they barely work. They don't know what day it is.
They're full of cheese all the time.

Speaker 3 (39:48):
That you know, you said we still have to do shows.
We do nothing that happens to comment on correct this stuff.

Speaker 2 (39:54):
I am with you on that standpoint. From a content perspective,
it's it's nice in this regard.

Speaker 5 (39:59):
There's such a film up there is and now it's over.

Speaker 2 (40:01):
Now it's over. I mean. It's also easy for me
to say because I'm leaving for the beach in a
couple of days, so a little little little little bit
easier to put all this behind us. But we have
plenty to get too, much Like.

Speaker 3 (40:12):
These hard working men on the field in front of us.
We put in nice date nine days of working there too. Yeah,
Dale's been battling through stuff.

Speaker 2 (40:20):
Dale been down and been down here in the elements,
rain and everything like that.

Speaker 4 (40:27):
We deserve a break too. We've been working hard.

Speaker 2 (40:29):
We absolutely do, absolutely do. Listen, fellas, I did not
work on Christmas Eve, Christmas, the day after Christmas, every
single day of that week. To feel guilty about taking
some pime off in June or July. All right, don't
you put that on me, Ricky Bobby travel And yeah,
and I'm already looking ahead of the month of September,
where we'll be taking trips to New York, to Boston
and to Dublin, all in the course of three four weeks.

(40:52):
And yeah, you better get some rest, You better get
some downtime in now, because it's gonna happen really quick
here pretty soon. And one of those guys who we
will be watching when things start really moving and shaking
when we get the training camp in a little over
a month here, gentlemen, that first round draft pick, Derek Harmon. Again.
It's it's funny, Matt, We've spent so much time talking
Aaron Rodgers in this offense that a lot of things

(41:13):
that I think would normally be at the forefront of
conversation have been maybe pushed to the back burner a
little bit. Derek Harmon feels like the you know, we've
seen them rebuild this offensive line over the last couple
of years. Keanu Benton was obviously a piece of that
on the defensive line, but Derek Harmon in a way
kind of feels like the the you know, the middle

(41:36):
of the revamp of the defensive line here as well too,
like they've done with the offensive unit.

Speaker 3 (41:41):
Yeah, I mean, I think this plan was put in
place basically when Omar took over was line of scrimmage.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
And when Andy Whitdel came into the fold as well
to it.

Speaker 3 (41:50):
I mean, it's an Eagles like fashion line to scrimmage,
and they've dedicayed a lot of picks to all to
Big Ben in general in those three drafts and then
in circle quarterback here, you know.

Speaker 4 (42:00):
I mean that's the way. It's not filled overnight. But
you start with the foundation.

Speaker 3 (42:04):
You pour the concrete before you put hang the windows,
and you know, paint the bedroom and all that stuff too.

Speaker 4 (42:10):
And that's the big guys.

Speaker 3 (42:12):
And I think Harmon's a great addition, one of the
I'll be honest, I mean, because of the setup here,
they're always.

Speaker 4 (42:19):
On field too, and we're far away, so I've really
had a hard time focusing on defense at all, to
be honest with I don't know who's yeah, yeah, he's
not pass rushing or I mean right, I mean he's
on shedding locks. But I love.

Speaker 3 (42:35):
And we mentioned earlier, you know that he has the
perfect mentor at that position much like perfected with what
and et cetera, et cetera. I mean, when Cam's the
leader of the room, what could be better? And with
Cam and Benton in place and some other guys and
a lot of depth at that position, and there's so
many D linemen, they have so many NFL D linemen.
Yeah that unlike most first round picks in the NFL,

(42:58):
he's not going to be demanded to be a starter now,
you know.

Speaker 5 (43:02):
Like, but but Carl Dunbar saying earlier this week, that's
the case, that's the case.

Speaker 3 (43:09):
Okay, he is number one. Really, I didn't catch that. Okay,
that's rare for them to get that to doesn't happen often.
Bouncy got that, and Shazier got that. There haven't been many.

Speaker 2 (43:18):
No, usually they make them earn it into camp and
you're gonna start, you know, at least number two with
the second team, And you got yeah, I I I
think the blend of what they have with him, what
they have with Bent, and what they have with camp Hayward,
what they have with some of the guys behind him,
the Ya Black types, even guys like the Marvin Leal
as well too, who I think will fact they're into

(43:39):
this conversation that's gonna be Logan, But he's one of
those guys too. I think that they like what they
have in him.

Speaker 4 (43:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (43:46):
I can remember watching Yeah yeah Black at the Combine
and going that guy's more athletic than I thought.

Speaker 4 (43:53):
Yeah, yeah, his numbers aren't great, but I don't really care.

Speaker 5 (43:56):
Yeah, he's so big. He's so big. I'm like that,
it's six six three and thirty five pounds and moving
like that. Yeah, that shouldn't happen.

Speaker 2 (44:07):
That's scary. That's scary when that's coming downfield.

Speaker 5 (44:11):
You had two quality not just players, but I think
quality people as well.

Speaker 4 (44:18):
Very different styles, but they both big enough to ride
the ride.

Speaker 2 (44:24):
Loved them.

Speaker 3 (44:25):
Yeah, but they both length and I mean they both
had the body types you're looking for, and one, you know, scale.
When I was watching Harmon at Oregon, I thought his
body was a little top heavy, he was a little
lean for his size in the lower half. But that's
one thing I have paid attention to. I think he's
bulked up his lower half a little more, kind of

(44:47):
like his caps look bigger than he did on tape,
and he could get a little top heavy at times.
And none of these guys are perfect prospect. I mean,
these concerns you put in the negative call on or
you know, can can that change?

Speaker 4 (44:57):
His body?

Speaker 5 (44:58):
To me?

Speaker 4 (44:58):
Looks and really good shape. Yeah, he looks the part
because he has a weird history. They would know better.

Speaker 3 (45:05):
I mean he dug in with his high school coach
and really did a background on Harmon, which I assumes
that you can find it.

Speaker 5 (45:11):
Yeah, you can find that there.

Speaker 3 (45:12):
But he was nice, very heavy at one point, right, yes, yes, yeah,
you know, up over three hundred and fifty pounds.

Speaker 5 (45:19):
Rebuild his body, yeah, you know, dedicated himself in the
weight room, and you can see it.

Speaker 4 (45:26):
Yeah, absolutely can.

Speaker 2 (45:28):
Okay, So same church, different pew, same question that I
asked you about Roder Jones in the preseason. How much
would you like to see Derek Harmon in the preseason?

Speaker 4 (45:37):
A lot?

Speaker 3 (45:39):
Unless he looks great, you know, like yeah, right right,
I mean, like you mentioned Roderck Jones. Roder Jones led
the Steelers and snaps.

Speaker 2 (45:46):
But he's played a lot of snaps the last two
years too, right.

Speaker 4 (45:49):
I mean he played. They'll they'll play the rookies a
lot in pre se. Yeah, prove it to me. Get
in shape, sweated out, catch up to the speed of
the game. Yeah, you know, so unless he.

Speaker 3 (46:00):
Gets to the point, which he could where he's over
the hur he's over the speed bump, like I've seen enough.

Speaker 4 (46:07):
He's really good right like then.

Speaker 2 (46:09):
But it just killed him in bubble wrap till we
get to the real thing.

Speaker 3 (46:12):
Yeah, because I mean, okay, he is a starter on
opening day. It sounds like unless he loses the job,
he's still not gonna be a super high steard.

Speaker 5 (46:19):
It's gonna be sure fifty five yeah, sixty chops.

Speaker 2 (46:22):
Sure, I know that you have to save him right
right right now. That that's a that's a very good point.

Speaker 5 (46:27):
Yeah. It's not a corner or DJ Watt his rookie here.

Speaker 4 (46:31):
He's just always out there.

Speaker 2 (46:33):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, it'll be a lot of fun.

Speaker 4 (46:35):
Play their first round picks a lot.

Speaker 2 (46:37):
They do, they absolutely do. And they're they're gonna need
They're gonna need him absolutely every bit, every bit of
contribution that that he will offer.

Speaker 5 (46:44):
I expect to see Caleb Johnson.

Speaker 2 (46:46):
Expect to see a lot of a lot of Caleb Johnson. Yeah,
without a doubt, I'm certainly. I mean, we know we're
gonna see a lot of Will Howard. We're gonna see, yeah,
a lot of a lot of.

Speaker 4 (46:53):
How much Warren do you have to play?

Speaker 2 (46:55):
Right?

Speaker 4 (46:55):
Heah mean he's to that point too. Yeah, it's not
like he's at the Camp Ayward level, but.

Speaker 2 (46:59):
Like I would imagine what probably see a lot of
Jack Sawyer in preseason.

Speaker 4 (47:02):
Yeah, absolutely, Hi, Smith and Wat aren't gonna play a lot,
you know, right, you can see a lot of the
Al and louder Milk and those guys too, Lee and
you know.

Speaker 2 (47:10):
Coming down the home stretch. Here, gentlemen, our final hour
of the program, live here from the upmc rooney Sports
Complex to wrap up Mini camp, to wrap up this
kind of three week of OTA Mini camp on location.
Stretch is right around the corner. That final hour we
will have for you with practice ongoing in front of it,
in front of us, we'll give you some observations. We'll
hear a little bit from Steelers quarterback coach Tom Arth

(47:32):
as well too, as we get into the final hour
of this special edition of the Drive from the upmc
rooney Sports Complex, West Shooler with Dale Lolly and Matt
Williamson on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network