June 17, 2025 • 29 mins
The Steelers chose to extend Safety DeShon Elliott to retain a key contributor in the secondary. Which Steeler who is up for a new contract could get their new deal done next.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
I think Deshaun Elliott's probably pretty happy. Right now.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'll tell you someone else cool, Jacob Bratt, why I'm
a big Deshaun Elliott guy.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I was gonna say, did you get part of the
money too?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I make a ten percent of the deal, But who
is it?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Who isn't Elliott guy?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I think it's a great deal for both the Steelers
and obviously for Deshaun Elliott really gets his first It's
not a huge contract, but it's for.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Him game changing type of money.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
He was on really a peanuts type of deal with
the Pittsburgh Steelers for the last year in this coming season,
but a two year, twelve point five million dollar extension
for Deshaun Elliott. I think it's about nine points something
guaranteed nine point twenty five nine point five million guaranteed
for him.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So congratulations to him.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And honestly, I think if you get the production that
you got out of Deshaun Elliott this past year, over
this coming season and the two that you were extended
him for for these next three years that you have him,
even if you get it for two out of those
three years, what an absolute steal of a contract for
the Pittsburgh Steelers, because even though this is a raise
(01:17):
for Deshaun Elliott and it feels real good for him today,
it's not breaking anything, Yeah, Restealers. It's really a minimal
kind of cheap deal. And this guy clearly outperformed his
contract last year in the current contract that he had
before this extension, and I think if the play matches
(01:37):
or even slightly improves from what we saw.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Last year, he'll exceed this. Like his play last year
exceeded the money that he's getting now. Yeah, right kind
of thing.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
So I think this is just such a fantastic thing
for the Steelers to get done. And honestly, the question
and the head scratch that I had of it was
that Deshaun Elliott kind of took this extension and took
this money after the season that he could have potentially
stacked another year, get like maybe fifteen million guaranteed, sixteen
(02:05):
million guaranteed somewhere, but like really making.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
But this he's clearly loves it here, right, He's.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Found himself a home in the NFL. He gets to
play with Minka Fitzpatrick. That's a great partner. Mike Tomlin's
your coach. It's the defensive minded team you're you're a
Pittsburgh Steeler. Remember his press conference when he was introduced
and he pointed out why he joined, and he just
started tapping it like fifteen times.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Guy wanted to be a Steeler.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Then guy clearly now wants to be a Steeler for
hopefully the for his career, the years that we'll look
back on, or he'll look back on and say, that's
when I really was at my best. So Steelers get
the deal done with the Shawn Elliott, and.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I just think he's a smart mad about it.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Like like you said, like he's not getting a break
the bank, NFL record breaking deal, but it's it's life
changing money for him. I think he's playing this very smart,
where like you said, he's on a team where he's comfortable,
where he likes his teammates and Makeing Fitzpatrick, making if
fitz Patrick specifically, he likes his head coach and Mike Tomlin.
(03:10):
He's clearly happy in Pittsburgh. And the money, yes, it's
not it's not the biggest contract in NFL history, but
for him, it's a big time deal and he knows
that he earned that deal, and he's probably betting on
himself to say Hey, I don't want to do the
thing where I'm over confident and I set the bar
(03:30):
too high or I make the asking price too high,
and then I could potentially get less than what I
got in this contract. But let me do something where
it's team friendly and I perform up to task, where
maybe in two years when this contract is up, I
can get another deal like this.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Right now, spot Track had his calculated market value at
seven point one million per year, So two your twelve
point five million dollar contract extension, that's about a six
point twenty five million dollars per year. So he's given
almost a million back based on what the estimation is
for his market value. And maybe that's even on the
conservative side that estimation, and maybe a team would have
(04:09):
given him eight million dollars a year. So yeah, it's
team friendly and he's doing I don't want to say
a favorite of the team, but it's it's it works
out well for the Steelers. You got him until twenty
twenty eight. His career earnings to this point is ten
point five million dollars.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Real good.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
I'll never see that in my entire life and then
my next life either. But your contract is two years
twelve point five. And I know that that's not all guaranteed,
but you just signed something that is worth more in
itself than what you have made in your entire career
up to this point. And the guaranteed money is nine
point two out of that deal, Like, that's literally only
(04:46):
about a million and a couple hundred thousand less than
what you have made to this point.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So this is cashing in in a big way for
to show, like.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
All the money that he built up to this point
in the career, being a bit of a journeyman Miami
and Baltimore. He gets all that in one fail swoop
of a pen with this contract. So I think it's
an example too of the Steelers kind of striking at
an opportune time.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Like that's a guy that's hungry to get the money.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
That's a guy that really wants to find that quote
unquote big contract in his NFL career, that big payday.
And what I just laid out is for him, he
matched all of his career earnings up to this point
basically with this guaranteed money in this year in this
deal has a chance to exceed it. Steelers see that,
see a guy that just wants to make that you know,
(05:38):
big money, make that establishing contract in the NFL, and
you strike while the iron's hot and you get that
deal across the finish line. And you know, we're talking
about TJ. Watt a lot and his contract situation. And
then there's some other guys that are up soon, like
Calvin Austin next year. You got to think about what
you might want to do with him. And then they
(05:59):
go out and get to sewn Elliott done for a
very affordable price. And I wouldn't be surprised if maybe
Calvin Austin wouldn't be a similar kind of approach, yeah
this year or next year, because again, that's a similar
guy that hasn't really made that much in the NFL,
you know what I mean, that hasn't really been able
(06:20):
to get those big game day paychecks rolling in. And
you don't have to break the bank for him. But
if you give them Calvin Austin, say like six million
dollars a year, seven million dollars a year something like
you're given Elliott maybe even less for that, like five
million dollars, that's just unbelievable, life changing money for somebody
like that.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
And I think I agree with you, right right right,
And I think I agree with you with a similar approach.
I mean, I don't know if you heard the wide
receivers coach Zakazani his comments when he was asked about
what do you plan on doing to help fill that
wide receiver two role? And he said, I think you
guys are undervaluing Calvin Austin's role on the team.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I think it's a great thing for Azannie to say.
Coach has to say it, but let's be honest with
each other. Coach, Calvin Austin is a good player, but.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
He was the third number three, So I'm not saying
that he is a wide receiver too, but I'm just
saying from the perspective of his time spent in Pittsburgh,
they probably value it and they probably say, hey, you've
found a good You've done well for us, and we
don't we We've asked you to do a lot more
than we've expected you to.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
No, just because Austin's not a number two.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to stay right right right,
I have a good number three on your roster as well,
you know, just because you are still trying to find
that feasible number two wide receiver doesn't mean that you
cut out off your number three wide receiver too or
the best option at number three. Now, something that could
happen this year is that Roman Wilson really emerges and
(07:48):
through training camp early in the season starts to eat
into maybe some of Calvin Austin's workload. Maybe they kind
of like what they see out of Roman Wilson in
that kind of similar role, And then does that allow
Steelers the flexibility to be, like, you know what I mean,
we could maybe move on from a Calvin Austin because
we have a cheap on a rookie deal for a
(08:08):
couple of years Roman Wilson that we can just kind
of slide into that role and we kind of like
how he has been playing. Anyway, I don't know, that's
probably getting a little too ahead of myself and assuming
a little bit too much when it comes to a
player that we've never seen play for the Steelers as
opposed to Calvin Austin, who we've seen now actually establish
himself in the NFL. This is the first year that
(08:28):
his base salary, Calvin Austin will get to one point
one million dollars. This is final season of his contract
that's coming up here, and then he will be an
unrestricted free agent in twenty twenty six. I think that's
a deal that's going to get done too. Now that
Deshaun Elliott is finished, I am going to expect to
see probably Calvin Austin get inked something very affordable. What
(08:52):
I just said about the Roman Wilson thing, I don't
know if they're going to have a little bit of
an approach of let's just go through the season and
then let Calvin be that unrestricted free agent potentially and
sign him in that grace period that we have between
the start of open season and the end of the
NFL season.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I don't know. It's maybe a little bit of a
tricky situation for them to be in.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
But at the same time, if you like Calvin Austin
and he's put up decent numbers, I mean, you're at
a point where you got to just try to keep
on as much talent as possible in that wide receiver
room because it's so thin with talent anyway, and when
you're gonna replenish that number two spot or you're gonna
replenish that room, I have a feeling since you traded
for DK and gave him big money. You're gonna go
(09:34):
through the draft a lot at wide receiver for these
next couple of years while you try to find some
guys that's very cheap and affordable, so it might be
in their best interest to not gamble on the Let's
see what happens with Roman Wilson, Let's see how wide
receiver two plays out in the season, and then approach
Calvin Austin. It might be strike while the iron's hot,
like you did with de Shaun Elliott and say, let's
(09:55):
just give this guy a nice raise. If you're making
a million this year, what if we made at three
point five million or four million dollars a year for you.
I mean, that's almost quadruple what you were making in
a season before this. And you get a guy that
wants to have that life changing money. I mean, he's
(10:15):
already making money that is decently life changing, but just
to the extra level sign that second NFL contract.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
That's a big deal for people.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
That's a you made it moment in the NFL along
with many others, I'm sure, but like to be able
to get that second contract put in front of your face,
especially by the team that drafted you. I mean, that's
got to feel like a satisfy.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
I maybe didn't prove them right all the way with
what they thought I could become, but I did to
the point where they were giving they give me more money.
They gave me serious money this way.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
And I don't even think like I think it's a
little harsh because I think he has done more than
what's expected of him as a a third round draft pick.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Look, it's tough to really get an evaluation on this
receivers for the past few sos.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Yeah, but I think another.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Huge quarterbacks have been so erratic.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Another huge pro for Calvin Austin that you could say
is look at the history of the Steelers draft picks
in the last ten years or so. A lot of
people are pretty critical of the final years of the
Kevin Colbert era, saying, look, how many guys are no
longer on the team besides TJ.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Watt.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Right, Calvin Austin is one of those guys who was
taken in that Kevin Colbert era. I believe his last
draft and even if it was if I'm mistaken, Pickett class. Yeah,
so the last draft class of the Kevin Colbert era,
that's a huge boost for your just overall mentality as
(11:42):
a front office to say, like, Okay, there's still another
guy that we retained, because look at all the players
from those draft classes, they're no longer on the team.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah, it looks like a pretty bad draft class with
Pickens being shipped off in that same year Pickett obviously,
but yeah, Calvin Austin is the only one that's kind
of still standing strong and five and forty eight yards
last season on fifty eight targets.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
He started eight games, he played seventeen games.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
He had four touchdowns, He had impact, I mean you
impact moments from him.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Remember he had a kickout or a partner turn for
a touchdown at one point.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
He had fifteen point two yards per reception last year.
I mean that's big, Like that's having. Those are big
chunk plays every time that Calvin Austin.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Touched the ball.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
And again, it's so tough to get a read on
the Steelers and their wide receivers because of the quarterback
situation and Russell Wilson slash justin fields was the best
that we had seen since Ben Roethlisberger hung it up.
And that was the best that Calvin Austin had played
in the two years that he had a chance to
playing the mean he was not an impact player at
all in twenty twenty three, with Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky,
(12:46):
and Mason Rudolph as the three quarterbacks that played that season.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
So he finally gets an adequate.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Quarterback and you see a breakout ish kind of year
from him. Now he's got a definitively better quarterback than
anybody that we've seen over the past few seasons. And
you know one that you know can kind of find
a woobee, right, Like we all are excited for that
Rogers in Metcalf connection. But there is definitely a chance
(13:13):
for like a Friarmuth or an Austin to carve out
like a sense of trust from a Rod where he
through training camp and like just notices like you know what,
Nineteen's kind of always there for me, like anytime I
need that back shoulder on the first down. Nineteen's kind
of got the same thing in mind. Like Nineteen's tough
as nails.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Because he is.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
We saw him get lit up a lot last year
and just bounce right back. You played in never game
last season despite getting banged up in several of them,
just you know, maybe Rogers or friar Mouth just seems
to always be in the right place at the right time, Like, yeah,
DK is the guy in the number one receiver, but
with a quarterback like Rogers, like you get kind of
(13:54):
on the inside track with him, and all of a sudden,
Calvin Austin's getting fed seven balls game. He's having a
couple hundred yard games this season, maybe maybe a two
tudy game if I'm not getting too greedy there, but
I'm just saying, like a quarterback of this level, you
can find kind of your niche with him because he's
such an expert at distributing the ball all around. And
(14:17):
if you're doing your job right and you're on the
same page as him, you're gonna get your opportunities, like
you're gonna get fed the rock. So it's a big
year possibly for Calvin Austin to break out even more.
I think if you splash a little money his way
before it, you might be fueling that fire.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah do I because again, like you're looking at a
guy you are.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Gonna sorry, if you are gonna take zach a Zani
out his word, sure, then Calvin Austin needs to have
like a nine hundred yard season.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
He needs to beat up to be that number two guy.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
And that's that's more so, I think on the coaching
staff than it is on Calvin Austin. That's saying we're
gonna use him, We're gonna put him out there.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
But it's also on Austin sure.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Right, if you're gonna be if you're gonna be given
the ball as frequently and as dependently as a wide
receiver too, you have to be able to step up
to that responsibility.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
And I think that his yards after catch potential is
through the roof. You mentioned the punt return aspect that
he brings to the table.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, he's quick. I mean that's probably his biggest asset.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Again, like we're talking about that Rogers connection thing, Like
Rogers gets to the line, he sees the real soft
defense in the middle. Calvin Austin just real quick, grab
the ball and throw it right out to him and
see if the guy can make a play quick screen
pass out to him. If you think that you have
an ideal matchup, Hey Calvin, it's first down.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
I'm gonna throw a screen out to you.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
If you make your corner miss, you're going thirty yards,
maybe you get tackled, it it's at the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Whatever will burn a play.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
But like I think that there's a lot of potential
for him to eat when it comes to those plays.
And I think it's a lot of potential for them
to get that contract done with Calvin Austin.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I think it makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
But to Shaun Elliott's the man of the day, he
gets his money and getting back to him and career
year that he had last year. I think Mickey Fitzpatrick
is obviously still a higher caliber of player than Deshaun Elliott,
but I think that you could make the argument that
Deshaun Elliott maybe was a better ye last year, definitely
(16:16):
had more of an.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Impact with the team.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
The team really and this has kind of been something
that has worried me for a couple of years now.
You've seen it, not just late in seasons, but throughout seasons,
sometimes struggles tackling the football. And when Deshaun Elliott missed
a few games last year, it went to hell and
handbasket guys were just missing tackles all over the place.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Elliott had one hundred and eight combined tackles last year.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
He dependable, ye for guys that maybe were going to
miss a tackle and you know, hit Derek Henry's knee
and slowed him up. Elliott was right there to clean
it up. And he had seventy two solo tackles himself.
So he was flying up and making a ton of
plays for this Pittsburgh Steelers defense from that free safety position.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
And it really I think showed.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
How impactful he was when he did miss that time
and their defense kind of struggled in a lot of areas.
He had two forced fumbles this season too. He had
three fumble recoveries, so he was all over the ball.
He had a pick, he had six passes defended. We
mentioned all the tackles. He had a couple of quarterback hits.
He didn't register a sack. That's OK, that's not really
a safety's job though.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
You know what, we don't do that in Pittsburgh anymore either. Yeah,
send the safety.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
The only the only time you really saw that was
Troy and was such a unicorner blitz sure and back.
I think is the guy to do that.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
I think Ellie can do it too. He's fast.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I think both can be able to to or be
allowed to do that. But that's just not what the
terre Terrell Austin just doesn't blitz his corners, he doesn't
blitz his safeties.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Doesn't only blitz anyone.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Very fair plaint saw a little bit of an uptick
in that last Sure, I would really like to see
that coming. Oh yeah, absolutely, We can actually talk about
that a little bit more today if we want to.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Is that they need to blitz more.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
YEA love a good corner blitz, man, love a good
safety blitz. Like whenever you got like the corner, you know,
like just staring straight like that slot guy Mike Kelton
was a beast at it's right, just kind of staring
at the slot receiver, just staring at him, not blinking.
Whatever ball snap bom right in on the quarterback and
the safety slides over, or a linebacker slides over and
covers his ass, or they go zone in the defense,
(18:22):
and it's.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Just such a way to even if.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
The quarterback doesn't get hit or sacked, you create chaos
immediately because he's coming free, right, Like maybe you have
a sidecar that can chip him and stop, but that's
that's the side car's got to make that read and
he's got to get in front of that guy, so
that I just think is such a great element they
can bring the table. They really don't do that much
with Pittsburgh lately. Maybe we'll see a little more of that,
(18:48):
or maybe that's just wishful thinking, but Sacks be damned,
that stat line is incredibly impactful for Deshaun Elliott, a
career year for him, and it's met with him getting
his career contract extension by Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Now we mentioned how he was the best safety last
year for the Steelers. Love him. I hope he plays
even better this season. He cannot be the.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Best safety for the Steelers this year, though, maybe he's
gotta get the game back up to that level that
we saw when he first came into Pittsburgh. And I'm
sorry if you want to still use the excuse of well,
he covers for everybody and he plays center field and
all the mistakes are just masked. We shouldn't be making
that many mistakes that need to be masked anymore. Joey
(19:34):
Porter Junior should be a legit number one corner. Darius
Sirius stuff in the tank. I'm going to assume that
until I see otherwise.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
And his rann Ellis John Elliot.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Is good enough to be a center field if he
has to. I think that your depth at corner too.
If you dip into a Corey Trice for a couple
of plays, if you have to. If you look at Beans,
if you look at Eccles in the slot, like, those.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Guys should be good. They should be doing their jobs.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Queen holcome, yeah, I think I think everyone in front
of the secondary is more than capable. The secondary has
had its holes, has had its weaknesses over the course
of the years. But that defensive corner too, right, that
defensive front you really cannot make excuses for. Because Cam
Hayward's coming off in All Pro year, you have a
(20:19):
first round draft pick in Derek Carmon. The linebacker unit
might be the best linebacking four guys across the board
in the NFL. The defensive front as a as a whole,
the seven guys up front is considered a top five
defensive front unit in the NFL. So really, you can
trust everyone ahead of you. It's now looking to the
guys next to you. And like you said, Deshaun Elliot,
(20:42):
who just got an extension. Joey Porter Junior a de
facto first round draft pick and Darius Lay a former
All Pro corner, You have no excuse looking at making
Fitzpatrick to not be the guy that you once were
an AP first team All Pro guy.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Well, we were told last year that you know he
was going to return. We're going to get to make
a ball. We're going to return. It's the return to
Mi Minka ball for him.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
And we just saw more of him kind of having
to cover for everybody, right, we just saw more of
him kind of having to play that center field. And look,
I get it last year because the corner situation wasn't great,
Like Dante Jackson. For as many interceptions that Dante Jackson
had early in the season, there was a reason that
quarterbacks were giving him all his overtrees and then he
(21:28):
was just getting cooked later in the.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Yeah, he was just getting He couldn't even for his
one asset, he couldn't do anymore and he was just
too slow. It's like it was reminiscent of Trayvon Diggs
and Dallas when he was leading the league in interceptions,
but he's also leading the leaguing yards allowed. Like I.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Barely remembered who he was. Like I had to double
check who was corner two last year for the Steelers.
It's been a problem for them ever since Joe Hayden, Well,
he was corner one, so they really haven't had a
solid cornerback tandem. This year has the potential to really
be that with Elliott, who we've talked about all episode
in the heels of his contract extension. I don't want
to underestimate those linebackers too, and Queen and Hulkom hopefully
(22:06):
and and Wilson's ability in coverage and to clean up too,
if like a Derrek Henry rumbles through a hole, or
if another running back rumbles through a hole. I don't
know why another example should have just stuck with stuck
with the one. They'll clean it up for you. So
Queen will clean up the plate. And I just think
(22:26):
that now you can kind of freelance a little bit more,
and no one's gonna be Troy Palamalu. And honestly, I
don't think coaches are going to allow anybody to be
Troy palamalo anymore. Like these days everything is so hyped
and like yes, with the analytics into it, and like
we know what's best this position there, blah blah, blah,
like you have to do this, and it's never gonna
(22:51):
really happen to the extend it did where Troy palm
Mall is just such a total freelancer. I'm not saying
that players don't freelance in the NFL anymore. I think
that absolutely happens. I just don't think it happens to
the level of Troy where it's just like I'm just
gonna kind of walk over.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Here on this play and see what happens.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Or the times where he would do what he was
supposed to do, but line up like on the line
of scrimmage like he was gonna come like literally like
on Kesel's hip, and then he flies full speed back
into the secondary to play center field or no total
improv or do exactly what he was supposed to do.
Coaching probably like what's he doing up the line scrimage?
And then the play unfolds and you're like, he did
(23:29):
exactly what he was in the exact spot that he
was supposed to ball to and go near him or anything,
but he was just in coverage like he used to
do that all the time. You're never gonna really see
that again, But I would like to see Minka, throw
a little bit of curveballs, run up, scream the line
a little bit, and then maybe pat back a little bit,
or just kind of recognize something on film and say,
I'm supposed to play center field here, but this is
(23:50):
one hundred percent a half back screen. I am flying
up and blowing this thing up and doing it like
and I think that he's got the ability now, with
the talent that he should have around him, to definitely
feel comfortable doing so a year later after telling us
that they thought that he should feel comfortable or they
were hoping that he should feel comfortable doing so. So,
(24:10):
Deshaun Elliott have a better year than you did last year, Maine,
but you need to be the second best safety on
this team. And I think if you were sitting here,
you'd agree with me on that, because Minka's gotta be
that all pro again.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
And it's it's no slight against DeShawn Elliott either. It's
not as great of a season as you want. But
like you said to start the segment, even though Deshaun
Elliott had a better season last year, makea Fitzpatrick has
a much higher ceiling. We know what he's capable of.
He's a little bit younger, he's gotten to that level
of all Pro. It's nothing against telling Deshaun Elliott by
(24:46):
de telling Deshaun Elliott, you're gonna still be safety number two.
It's only because you know that Mega Fitzpatrick has that
capability of being an All Pro, the number one safety.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
In the league, absolutely, and his ceiling is just a
higher player that we know so far. Maybe Deshaun Elliott's
just unbelievable kind of year, but maybe we saw the
pick sixes from manco Sure.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
The block field goals or blocked extra points.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
See in the league and interceptions one.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Season, like this guy six is too like the ability
to return and do.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
More, and it's just dried up.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
And I really don't know what the real answer is
other than what we've kind of theorized in this episode
that he had to cover for some holes. There's been
a deficient secondary for this team for a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
I mean, think about when he came in the secondary,
had Joe Hayden still playing well, had Steve Nelson playing
well good well, yeah, really good in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Yeah, and he had some good times after yeah in Houston. Yeah.
To make me think like, did we really should have
maybe kept kept him.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Yeah, absolutely, so he came in with a decent secondary
and like you said, it kind of tapered off with
a bunch of guys like a Levi Wallas or Dante Jackson.
But now it's probably at its best since Minka's I
wouldn't say not its rookie year, but it's for year
in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
I'll tell you what else.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Kind of probably hurt him a little bit in his
impact if you're playing that center field and you you
can ballhawk, if the quarterback panics a little bit and
there's a ton of pressure.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
The Steelers did not live.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Up to their billing as far as you know, sack
masters last year as far as as getting the quarterback
on the ground. And sure they still had a lot
of pressures on quarterbacks, but not to the top of
the league they had been.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Yeah, that year, I mean that year, his first year.
They I think they led the league in sacks and
the league five straight years, right, but they led that league.
I think they led the league both in sacks and
enter or maybe they were second in turn over something.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
And that's something that has not been the case.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
And now last year especially they saw a dramatic, Huge
was concerned and TJ, what was healthy for most of
the season, played down the stretch Kim Ayward have got
like nines wasn't right, sacks like that's all he needs
to do from the interior spot, but.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Like the sacks overall and the turners.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Coming from just Cam Tji and it was hurt.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Yeah, Herb and Herbi got hurt as well.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
There was no other contributors really from that aspect, So
they need to get that up more and that creates
more chaos again and then maybe that can allow Minka
to have the impact that we have been been needing
him to have this year for a couple of years now.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah, I'm hoping that this is a season for the
defense where it kind of all clicks, barring any like
terrible injuries. Like I said, Cam's coming off on an
all Pro season, Kanu Ben doesn't have that responsibility to
be the next big thing because now he has a
younger team and and Derek Harmon in front talk. We
can talk about the linebackers for hours, about how stacked
it is, how deep it is at both inside and outside,
(27:41):
and then we just spent this entire segment talking about
the secondary, and how it's probably the best secondary since
Mika Fitzpatrick his first year with the team. You remember
two two huge guys that I forgot, Tom camp Sutton
and Mike Hilton. You remember when they were both on
the team together. They were both kind of playing slot
together and they were unstoppable as that duo because they
(28:03):
were further down the depth chart. Obviously, Cam mikel no
longer here. Camp Sutton came back. They didn't have a
great year last year, no longer on the team, But
you look at the updated or the upgraded rather secondary
that make it his playing with Deshaun Elliott who just
got his extension, Joey Porter junior, who has the ability
to be a Pro Bowl or an All Pro talented cornerback,
(28:25):
and he just brought in another all Pro caliber cornerback,
and Darius Slay, a guy who's got Super Bowl winning experience,
championship experience. So I think I'm again not think, I
hope and again, barring any injury, that this is the
year where the defense just says we can be the
number one defense in football. We can force these turnovers,
(28:47):
we can stop the run, stuff the run, get to
the quarterback, force the sacks and really make it as
easy as possible for this offense to win a couple
of games for us.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah, like you said that, a year where this kind
of all comes together for the defense. Let's talk more
about that.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
When we come back. Keep things on the defensive side
of the football. It's a defensive day of celebration.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
As the free safety, Deshaun Elliott got a nice contract
extension from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and you're listening to Tom
Opperman and Jacob Brec talk all about it on the
Steelers Standard, on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
I think Deshaun Elliott's probably pretty happy. Right now.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'll tell you someone else cool, Jacob Bratt, why I'm
a big Deshaun Elliott guy.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I was gonna say, did you get part of the
money too?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I make a ten percent of the deal, But who
is it?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Who isn't Elliott guy?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I think it's a great deal for both the Steelers
and obviously for Deshaun Elliott really gets his first It's
not a huge contract, but it's for.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Him game changing type of money.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
He was on really a peanuts type of deal with
the Pittsburgh Steelers for the last year in this coming season,
but a two year, twelve point five million dollar extension
for Deshaun Elliott. I think it's about nine points something
guaranteed nine point twenty five nine point five million guaranteed
for him.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So congratulations to him.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And honestly, I think if you get the production that
you got out of Deshaun Elliott this past year, over
this coming season and the two that you were extended
him for for these next three years that you have him,
even if you get it for two out of those
three years, what an absolute steal of a contract for
the Pittsburgh Steelers, because even though this is a raise
(01:17):
for Deshaun Elliott and it feels real good for him today,
it's not breaking anything, Yeah, Restealers. It's really a minimal
kind of cheap deal. And this guy clearly outperformed his
contract last year in the current contract that he had
before this extension, and I think if the play matches
(01:37):
or even slightly improves from what we saw.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Last year, he'll exceed this. Like his play last year
exceeded the money that he's getting now. Yeah, right kind
of thing.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
So I think this is just such a fantastic thing
for the Steelers to get done. And honestly, the question
and the head scratch that I had of it was
that Deshaun Elliott kind of took this extension and took
this money after the season that he could have potentially
stacked another year, get like maybe fifteen million guaranteed, sixteen
(02:05):
million guaranteed somewhere, but like really making.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
But this he's clearly loves it here, right, He's.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Found himself a home in the NFL. He gets to
play with Minka Fitzpatrick. That's a great partner. Mike Tomlin's
your coach. It's the defensive minded team you're you're a
Pittsburgh Steeler. Remember his press conference when he was introduced
and he pointed out why he joined, and he just
started tapping it like fifteen times.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Guy wanted to be a Steeler.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Then guy clearly now wants to be a Steeler for
hopefully the for his career, the years that we'll look
back on, or he'll look back on and say, that's
when I really was at my best. So Steelers get
the deal done with the Shawn Elliott, and.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I just think he's a smart mad about it.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Like like you said, like he's not getting a break
the bank, NFL record breaking deal, but it's it's life
changing money for him. I think he's playing this very smart,
where like you said, he's on a team where he's comfortable,
where he likes his teammates and Makeing Fitzpatrick, making if
fitz Patrick specifically, he likes his head coach and Mike Tomlin.
(03:10):
He's clearly happy in Pittsburgh. And the money, yes, it's
not it's not the biggest contract in NFL history, but
for him, it's a big time deal and he knows
that he earned that deal, and he's probably betting on
himself to say Hey, I don't want to do the
thing where I'm over confident and I set the bar
(03:30):
too high or I make the asking price too high,
and then I could potentially get less than what I
got in this contract. But let me do something where
it's team friendly and I perform up to task, where
maybe in two years when this contract is up, I
can get another deal like this.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Right now, spot Track had his calculated market value at
seven point one million per year, So two your twelve
point five million dollar contract extension, that's about a six
point twenty five million dollars per year. So he's given
almost a million back based on what the estimation is
for his market value. And maybe that's even on the
conservative side that estimation, and maybe a team would have
(04:09):
given him eight million dollars a year. So yeah, it's
team friendly and he's doing I don't want to say
a favorite of the team, but it's it's it works
out well for the Steelers. You got him until twenty
twenty eight. His career earnings to this point is ten
point five million dollars.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Real good.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
I'll never see that in my entire life and then
my next life either. But your contract is two years
twelve point five. And I know that that's not all guaranteed,
but you just signed something that is worth more in
itself than what you have made in your entire career
up to this point. And the guaranteed money is nine
point two out of that deal, Like, that's literally only
(04:46):
about a million and a couple hundred thousand less than
what you have made to this point.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So this is cashing in in a big way for
to show, like.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
All the money that he built up to this point
in the career, being a bit of a journeyman Miami
and Baltimore. He gets all that in one fail swoop
of a pen with this contract. So I think it's
an example too of the Steelers kind of striking at
an opportune time.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Like that's a guy that's hungry to get the money.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
That's a guy that really wants to find that quote
unquote big contract in his NFL career, that big payday.
And what I just laid out is for him, he
matched all of his career earnings up to this point
basically with this guaranteed money in this year in this
deal has a chance to exceed it. Steelers see that,
see a guy that just wants to make that you know,
(05:38):
big money, make that establishing contract in the NFL, and
you strike while the iron's hot and you get that
deal across the finish line. And you know, we're talking
about TJ. Watt a lot and his contract situation. And
then there's some other guys that are up soon, like
Calvin Austin next year. You got to think about what
you might want to do with him. And then they
(05:59):
go out and get to sewn Elliott done for a
very affordable price. And I wouldn't be surprised if maybe
Calvin Austin wouldn't be a similar kind of approach, yeah
this year or next year, because again, that's a similar
guy that hasn't really made that much in the NFL,
you know what I mean, that hasn't really been able
(06:20):
to get those big game day paychecks rolling in. And
you don't have to break the bank for him. But
if you give them Calvin Austin, say like six million
dollars a year, seven million dollars a year something like
you're given Elliott maybe even less for that, like five
million dollars, that's just unbelievable, life changing money for somebody
like that.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
And I think I agree with you, right right right,
And I think I agree with you with a similar approach.
I mean, I don't know if you heard the wide
receivers coach Zakazani his comments when he was asked about
what do you plan on doing to help fill that
wide receiver two role? And he said, I think you
guys are undervaluing Calvin Austin's role on the team.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I think it's a great thing for Azannie to say.
Coach has to say it, but let's be honest with
each other. Coach, Calvin Austin is a good player, but.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
He was the third number three, So I'm not saying
that he is a wide receiver too, but I'm just
saying from the perspective of his time spent in Pittsburgh,
they probably value it and they probably say, hey, you've
found a good You've done well for us, and we
don't we We've asked you to do a lot more
than we've expected you to.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
No, just because Austin's not a number two.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to stay right right right,
I have a good number three on your roster as well,
you know, just because you are still trying to find
that feasible number two wide receiver doesn't mean that you
cut out off your number three wide receiver too or
the best option at number three. Now, something that could
happen this year is that Roman Wilson really emerges and
(07:48):
through training camp early in the season starts to eat
into maybe some of Calvin Austin's workload. Maybe they kind
of like what they see out of Roman Wilson in
that kind of similar role, And then does that allow
Steelers the flexibility to be, like, you know what I mean,
we could maybe move on from a Calvin Austin because
we have a cheap on a rookie deal for a
(08:08):
couple of years Roman Wilson that we can just kind
of slide into that role and we kind of like
how he has been playing. Anyway, I don't know, that's
probably getting a little too ahead of myself and assuming
a little bit too much when it comes to a
player that we've never seen play for the Steelers as
opposed to Calvin Austin, who we've seen now actually establish
himself in the NFL. This is the first year that
(08:28):
his base salary, Calvin Austin will get to one point
one million dollars. This is final season of his contract
that's coming up here, and then he will be an
unrestricted free agent in twenty twenty six. I think that's
a deal that's going to get done too. Now that
Deshaun Elliott is finished, I am going to expect to
see probably Calvin Austin get inked something very affordable. What
(08:52):
I just said about the Roman Wilson thing, I don't
know if they're going to have a little bit of
an approach of let's just go through the season and
then let Calvin be that unrestricted free agent potentially and
sign him in that grace period that we have between
the start of open season and the end of the
NFL season.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I don't know. It's maybe a little bit of a
tricky situation for them to be in.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
But at the same time, if you like Calvin Austin
and he's put up decent numbers, I mean, you're at
a point where you got to just try to keep
on as much talent as possible in that wide receiver
room because it's so thin with talent anyway, and when
you're gonna replenish that number two spot or you're gonna
replenish that room, I have a feeling since you traded
for DK and gave him big money. You're gonna go
(09:34):
through the draft a lot at wide receiver for these
next couple of years while you try to find some
guys that's very cheap and affordable, so it might be
in their best interest to not gamble on the Let's
see what happens with Roman Wilson, Let's see how wide
receiver two plays out in the season, and then approach
Calvin Austin. It might be strike while the iron's hot,
like you did with de Shaun Elliott and say, let's
(09:55):
just give this guy a nice raise. If you're making
a million this year, what if we made at three
point five million or four million dollars a year for you.
I mean, that's almost quadruple what you were making in
a season before this. And you get a guy that
wants to have that life changing money. I mean, he's
(10:15):
already making money that is decently life changing, but just
to the extra level sign that second NFL contract.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
That's a big deal for people.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
That's a you made it moment in the NFL along
with many others, I'm sure, but like to be able
to get that second contract put in front of your face,
especially by the team that drafted you. I mean, that's
got to feel like a satisfy.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
I maybe didn't prove them right all the way with
what they thought I could become, but I did to
the point where they were giving they give me more money.
They gave me serious money this way.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
And I don't even think like I think it's a
little harsh because I think he has done more than
what's expected of him as a a third round draft pick.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Look, it's tough to really get an evaluation on this
receivers for the past few sos.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Yeah, but I think another.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Huge quarterbacks have been so erratic.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Another huge pro for Calvin Austin that you could say
is look at the history of the Steelers draft picks
in the last ten years or so. A lot of
people are pretty critical of the final years of the
Kevin Colbert era, saying, look, how many guys are no
longer on the team besides TJ.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Watt.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Right, Calvin Austin is one of those guys who was
taken in that Kevin Colbert era. I believe his last
draft and even if it was if I'm mistaken, Pickett class. Yeah,
so the last draft class of the Kevin Colbert era,
that's a huge boost for your just overall mentality as
(11:42):
a front office to say, like, Okay, there's still another
guy that we retained, because look at all the players
from those draft classes, they're no longer on the team.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah, it looks like a pretty bad draft class with
Pickens being shipped off in that same year Pickett obviously,
but yeah, Calvin Austin is the only one that's kind
of still standing strong and five and forty eight yards
last season on fifty eight targets.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
He started eight games, he played seventeen games.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
He had four touchdowns, He had impact, I mean you
impact moments from him.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Remember he had a kickout or a partner turn for
a touchdown at one point.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
He had fifteen point two yards per reception last year.
I mean that's big, Like that's having. Those are big
chunk plays every time that Calvin Austin.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Touched the ball.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
And again, it's so tough to get a read on
the Steelers and their wide receivers because of the quarterback
situation and Russell Wilson slash justin fields was the best
that we had seen since Ben Roethlisberger hung it up.
And that was the best that Calvin Austin had played
in the two years that he had a chance to
playing the mean he was not an impact player at
all in twenty twenty three, with Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky,
(12:46):
and Mason Rudolph as the three quarterbacks that played that season.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
So he finally gets an adequate.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Quarterback and you see a breakout ish kind of year
from him. Now he's got a definitively better quarterback than
anybody that we've seen over the past few seasons. And
you know one that you know can kind of find
a woobee, right, Like we all are excited for that
Rogers in Metcalf connection. But there is definitely a chance
(13:13):
for like a Friarmuth or an Austin to carve out
like a sense of trust from a Rod where he
through training camp and like just notices like you know what,
Nineteen's kind of always there for me, like anytime I
need that back shoulder on the first down. Nineteen's kind
of got the same thing in mind. Like Nineteen's tough
as nails.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Because he is.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
We saw him get lit up a lot last year
and just bounce right back. You played in never game
last season despite getting banged up in several of them,
just you know, maybe Rogers or friar Mouth just seems
to always be in the right place at the right time, Like, yeah,
DK is the guy in the number one receiver, but
with a quarterback like Rogers, like you get kind of
(13:54):
on the inside track with him, and all of a sudden,
Calvin Austin's getting fed seven balls game. He's having a
couple hundred yard games this season, maybe maybe a two
tudy game if I'm not getting too greedy there, but
I'm just saying, like a quarterback of this level, you
can find kind of your niche with him because he's
such an expert at distributing the ball all around. And
(14:17):
if you're doing your job right and you're on the
same page as him, you're gonna get your opportunities, like
you're gonna get fed the rock. So it's a big
year possibly for Calvin Austin to break out even more.
I think if you splash a little money his way
before it, you might be fueling that fire.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah do I because again, like you're looking at a
guy you are.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Gonna sorry, if you are gonna take zach a Zani
out his word, sure, then Calvin Austin needs to have
like a nine hundred yard season.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
He needs to beat up to be that number two guy.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
And that's that's more so, I think on the coaching
staff than it is on Calvin Austin. That's saying we're
gonna use him, We're gonna put him out there.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
But it's also on Austin sure.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Right, if you're gonna be if you're gonna be given
the ball as frequently and as dependently as a wide
receiver too, you have to be able to step up
to that responsibility.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
And I think that his yards after catch potential is
through the roof. You mentioned the punt return aspect that
he brings to the table.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, he's quick. I mean that's probably his biggest asset.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Again, like we're talking about that Rogers connection thing, Like
Rogers gets to the line, he sees the real soft
defense in the middle. Calvin Austin just real quick, grab
the ball and throw it right out to him and
see if the guy can make a play quick screen
pass out to him. If you think that you have
an ideal matchup, Hey Calvin, it's first down.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
I'm gonna throw a screen out to you.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
If you make your corner miss, you're going thirty yards,
maybe you get tackled, it it's at the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Whatever will burn a play.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
But like I think that there's a lot of potential
for him to eat when it comes to those plays.
And I think it's a lot of potential for them
to get that contract done with Calvin Austin.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
I think it makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
But to Shaun Elliott's the man of the day, he
gets his money and getting back to him and career
year that he had last year. I think Mickey Fitzpatrick
is obviously still a higher caliber of player than Deshaun Elliott,
but I think that you could make the argument that
Deshaun Elliott maybe was a better ye last year, definitely
(16:16):
had more of an.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Impact with the team.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
The team really and this has kind of been something
that has worried me for a couple of years now.
You've seen it, not just late in seasons, but throughout seasons,
sometimes struggles tackling the football. And when Deshaun Elliott missed
a few games last year, it went to hell and
handbasket guys were just missing tackles all over the place.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Elliott had one hundred and eight combined tackles last year.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
He dependable, ye for guys that maybe were going to
miss a tackle and you know, hit Derek Henry's knee
and slowed him up. Elliott was right there to clean
it up. And he had seventy two solo tackles himself.
So he was flying up and making a ton of
plays for this Pittsburgh Steelers defense from that free safety position.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
And it really I think showed.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
How impactful he was when he did miss that time
and their defense kind of struggled in a lot of areas.
He had two forced fumbles this season too. He had
three fumble recoveries, so he was all over the ball.
He had a pick, he had six passes defended. We
mentioned all the tackles. He had a couple of quarterback hits.
He didn't register a sack. That's OK, that's not really
a safety's job though.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
You know what, we don't do that in Pittsburgh anymore either. Yeah,
send the safety.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
The only the only time you really saw that was
Troy and was such a unicorner blitz sure and back.
I think is the guy to do that.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
I think Ellie can do it too. He's fast.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I think both can be able to to or be
allowed to do that. But that's just not what the
terre Terrell Austin just doesn't blitz his corners, he doesn't
blitz his safeties.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Doesn't only blitz anyone.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Very fair plaint saw a little bit of an uptick
in that last Sure, I would really like to see
that coming. Oh yeah, absolutely, We can actually talk about
that a little bit more today if we want to.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Is that they need to blitz more.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
YEA love a good corner blitz, man, love a good
safety blitz. Like whenever you got like the corner, you know,
like just staring straight like that slot guy Mike Kelton
was a beast at it's right, just kind of staring
at the slot receiver, just staring at him, not blinking.
Whatever ball snap bom right in on the quarterback and
the safety slides over, or a linebacker slides over and
covers his ass, or they go zone in the defense,
(18:22):
and it's.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Just such a way to even if.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
The quarterback doesn't get hit or sacked, you create chaos
immediately because he's coming free, right, Like maybe you have
a sidecar that can chip him and stop, but that's
that's the side car's got to make that read and
he's got to get in front of that guy, so
that I just think is such a great element they
can bring the table. They really don't do that much
with Pittsburgh lately. Maybe we'll see a little more of that,
(18:48):
or maybe that's just wishful thinking, but Sacks be damned,
that stat line is incredibly impactful for Deshaun Elliott, a
career year for him, and it's met with him getting
his career contract extension by Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Now we mentioned how he was the best safety last
year for the Steelers. Love him. I hope he plays
even better this season. He cannot be the.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Best safety for the Steelers this year, though, maybe he's
gotta get the game back up to that level that
we saw when he first came into Pittsburgh. And I'm
sorry if you want to still use the excuse of well,
he covers for everybody and he plays center field and
all the mistakes are just masked. We shouldn't be making
that many mistakes that need to be masked anymore. Joey
(19:34):
Porter Junior should be a legit number one corner. Darius
Sirius stuff in the tank. I'm going to assume that
until I see otherwise.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
And his rann Ellis John Elliot.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Is good enough to be a center field if he
has to. I think that your depth at corner too.
If you dip into a Corey Trice for a couple
of plays, if you have to. If you look at Beans,
if you look at Eccles in the slot, like, those.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Guys should be good. They should be doing their jobs.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Queen holcome, yeah, I think I think everyone in front
of the secondary is more than capable. The secondary has
had its holes, has had its weaknesses over the course
of the years. But that defensive corner too, right, that
defensive front you really cannot make excuses for. Because Cam
Hayward's coming off in All Pro year, you have a
(20:19):
first round draft pick in Derek Carmon. The linebacker unit
might be the best linebacking four guys across the board
in the NFL. The defensive front as a as a whole,
the seven guys up front is considered a top five
defensive front unit in the NFL. So really, you can
trust everyone ahead of you. It's now looking to the
guys next to you. And like you said, Deshaun Elliot,
(20:42):
who just got an extension. Joey Porter Junior a de
facto first round draft pick and Darius Lay a former
All Pro corner, You have no excuse looking at making
Fitzpatrick to not be the guy that you once were
an AP first team All Pro guy.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Well, we were told last year that you know he
was going to return. We're going to get to make
a ball. We're going to return. It's the return to
Mi Minka ball for him.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
And we just saw more of him kind of having
to cover for everybody, right, we just saw more of
him kind of having to play that center field. And look,
I get it last year because the corner situation wasn't great,
Like Dante Jackson. For as many interceptions that Dante Jackson
had early in the season, there was a reason that
quarterbacks were giving him all his overtrees and then he
(21:28):
was just getting cooked later in the.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Yeah, he was just getting He couldn't even for his
one asset, he couldn't do anymore and he was just
too slow. It's like it was reminiscent of Trayvon Diggs
and Dallas when he was leading the league in interceptions,
but he's also leading the leaguing yards allowed. Like I.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Barely remembered who he was. Like I had to double
check who was corner two last year for the Steelers.
It's been a problem for them ever since Joe Hayden, Well,
he was corner one, so they really haven't had a
solid cornerback tandem. This year has the potential to really
be that with Elliott, who we've talked about all episode
in the heels of his contract extension. I don't want
to underestimate those linebackers too, and Queen and Hulkom hopefully
(22:06):
and and Wilson's ability in coverage and to clean up too,
if like a Derrek Henry rumbles through a hole, or
if another running back rumbles through a hole. I don't
know why another example should have just stuck with stuck
with the one. They'll clean it up for you. So
Queen will clean up the plate. And I just think
(22:26):
that now you can kind of freelance a little bit more,
and no one's gonna be Troy Palamalu. And honestly, I
don't think coaches are going to allow anybody to be
Troy palamalo anymore. Like these days everything is so hyped
and like yes, with the analytics into it, and like
we know what's best this position there, blah blah, blah,
like you have to do this, and it's never gonna
(22:51):
really happen to the extend it did where Troy palm
Mall is just such a total freelancer. I'm not saying
that players don't freelance in the NFL anymore. I think
that absolutely happens. I just don't think it happens to
the level of Troy where it's just like I'm just
gonna kind of walk over.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Here on this play and see what happens.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Or the times where he would do what he was
supposed to do, but line up like on the line
of scrimmage like he was gonna come like literally like
on Kesel's hip, and then he flies full speed back
into the secondary to play center field or no total
improv or do exactly what he was supposed to do.
Coaching probably like what's he doing up the line scrimage?
And then the play unfolds and you're like, he did
(23:29):
exactly what he was in the exact spot that he
was supposed to ball to and go near him or anything,
but he was just in coverage like he used to
do that all the time. You're never gonna really see
that again, But I would like to see Minka, throw
a little bit of curveballs, run up, scream the line
a little bit, and then maybe pat back a little bit,
or just kind of recognize something on film and say,
I'm supposed to play center field here, but this is
(23:50):
one hundred percent a half back screen. I am flying
up and blowing this thing up and doing it like
and I think that he's got the ability now, with
the talent that he should have around him, to definitely
feel comfortable doing so a year later after telling us
that they thought that he should feel comfortable or they
were hoping that he should feel comfortable doing so. So,
(24:10):
Deshaun Elliott have a better year than you did last year, Maine,
but you need to be the second best safety on
this team. And I think if you were sitting here,
you'd agree with me on that, because Minka's gotta be
that all pro again.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
And it's it's no slight against DeShawn Elliott either. It's
not as great of a season as you want. But
like you said to start the segment, even though Deshaun
Elliott had a better season last year, makea Fitzpatrick has
a much higher ceiling. We know what he's capable of.
He's a little bit younger, he's gotten to that level
of all Pro. It's nothing against telling Deshaun Elliott by
(24:46):
de telling Deshaun Elliott, you're gonna still be safety number two.
It's only because you know that Mega Fitzpatrick has that
capability of being an All Pro, the number one safety.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
In the league, absolutely, and his ceiling is just a
higher player that we know so far. Maybe Deshaun Elliott's
just unbelievable kind of year, but maybe we saw the
pick sixes from manco Sure.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
The block field goals or blocked extra points.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
See in the league and interceptions one.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Season, like this guy six is too like the ability
to return and do.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
More, and it's just dried up.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
And I really don't know what the real answer is
other than what we've kind of theorized in this episode
that he had to cover for some holes. There's been
a deficient secondary for this team for a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
I mean, think about when he came in the secondary,
had Joe Hayden still playing well, had Steve Nelson playing
well good well, yeah, really good in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Yeah, and he had some good times after yeah in Houston. Yeah.
To make me think like, did we really should have
maybe kept kept him.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Yeah, absolutely, so he came in with a decent secondary
and like you said, it kind of tapered off with
a bunch of guys like a Levi Wallas or Dante Jackson.
But now it's probably at its best since Minka's I
wouldn't say not its rookie year, but it's for year
in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
I'll tell you what else.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Kind of probably hurt him a little bit in his
impact if you're playing that center field and you you
can ballhawk, if the quarterback panics a little bit and
there's a ton of pressure.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
The Steelers did not live.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Up to their billing as far as you know, sack
masters last year as far as as getting the quarterback
on the ground. And sure they still had a lot
of pressures on quarterbacks, but not to the top of
the league they had been.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Yeah, that year, I mean that year, his first year.
They I think they led the league in sacks and
the league five straight years, right, but they led that league.
I think they led the league both in sacks and
enter or maybe they were second in turn over something.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
And that's something that has not been the case.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
And now last year especially they saw a dramatic, Huge
was concerned and TJ, what was healthy for most of
the season, played down the stretch Kim Ayward have got
like nines wasn't right, sacks like that's all he needs
to do from the interior spot, but.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Like the sacks overall and the turners.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Coming from just Cam Tji and it was hurt.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Yeah, Herb and Herbi got hurt as well.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
There was no other contributors really from that aspect, So
they need to get that up more and that creates
more chaos again and then maybe that can allow Minka
to have the impact that we have been been needing
him to have this year for a couple of years now.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah, I'm hoping that this is a season for the
defense where it kind of all clicks, barring any like
terrible injuries. Like I said, Cam's coming off on an
all Pro season, Kanu Ben doesn't have that responsibility to
be the next big thing because now he has a
younger team and and Derek Harmon in front talk. We
can talk about the linebackers for hours, about how stacked
it is, how deep it is at both inside and outside,
(27:41):
and then we just spent this entire segment talking about
the secondary, and how it's probably the best secondary since
Mika Fitzpatrick his first year with the team. You remember
two two huge guys that I forgot, Tom camp Sutton
and Mike Hilton. You remember when they were both on
the team together. They were both kind of playing slot
together and they were unstoppable as that duo because they
(28:03):
were further down the depth chart. Obviously, Cam mikel no
longer here. Camp Sutton came back. They didn't have a
great year last year, no longer on the team, But
you look at the updated or the upgraded rather secondary
that make it his playing with Deshaun Elliott who just
got his extension, Joey Porter junior, who has the ability
to be a Pro Bowl or an All Pro talented cornerback,
(28:25):
and he just brought in another all Pro caliber cornerback,
and Darius Slay, a guy who's got Super Bowl winning experience,
championship experience. So I think I'm again not think, I
hope and again, barring any injury, that this is the
year where the defense just says we can be the
number one defense in football. We can force these turnovers,
(28:47):
we can stop the run, stuff the run, get to
the quarterback, force the sacks and really make it as
easy as possible for this offense to win a couple
of games for us.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah, like you said that, a year where this kind
of all comes together for the defense. Let's talk more
about that.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
When we come back. Keep things on the defensive side
of the football. It's a defensive day of celebration.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
As the free safety, Deshaun Elliott got a nice contract
extension from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and you're listening to Tom
Opperman and Jacob Brec talk all about it on the
Steelers Standard, on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
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