June 5, 2025 • 27 mins
Unfortunately, Donald Parham is going to miss all this upcoming season, so should that make it a no-brainer to sign Jonnu Smith. Minkah Fitzpatrick has had two back-to-back seasons of lackluster play, and it is of the highest importance he returns to first team all pro quality.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
We were talking about the secondary in the first episode today,
specifically the corners with Joey Porter Jr. And Darius Slay
And one thing that we didn't mention Corey Trice kind
of waiting in the wings and there is a potential
for him to have some impact.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
But before we get back.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Into the secondary, we'll pick up there and talk someamenca too.
We have to update on what happened to Donald parm
Junior signed by the Steelers this offseason. Arthur Smith loves
his tight ends. I'm not sharing any secrets out of
class when that comes to that. And like I like
Connor Hayward, but parm it was an upgrade and especially
(00:50):
when it comes to, you know, being a big, beefy
run blocking type of player, which is what the Steelers
like at that tight end position. Arthur Smith certainly likes
at that tight end position. It was an upgrade there.
Now does that mean Heyward kind of moves to fullback?
I think there is a little bit of flexibility when
it comes to what he can do on the roster.
I also wonder how long his time as the Pittsburgh
(01:12):
Steeler is he has as a Pittsburgh Steeler. I mean
it's fair to say, Yeah, I think I'm flinching when
I say that on Steelers Nation Radio because of the
last name. If it was anybody else, you'd look at
coming in and you'd be like, he's probably not even
gonna make this team.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Am I wrong about that? Am I speaking out of
turn there?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And again I like the guy and he's had some
moments as a Pittsburgh Steeler, but he's just not you know,
he's not use check right, Like, he's not.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
That no out of college.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And I don't think we had that expectation.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
No, but that was like the ceiling, Like that's the
when you look at the type of player he's like
that fullback tight end hybrid, you know what I mean,
Because he's not even come out of college. Even now,
you look at him and you're like, that's not a
typical tight end in the NFL. He's a little undersized
to be a tight end, right, but you know, you
throw that full back tight end like the way he
moves like you could have seen him being a bit
(02:05):
of a gadget type of player in the light of
a US chick, like someone that is kind of his
own position and not every team in the NFL has
a guy like this on their roster. Racard is like
that to the extent of run blocking, where he's like
an offensive lineman that is a fullback for the Baltimore Ravens.
Like when we drafted Hayward, not that he was going
(02:27):
to reach the ceiling of use check, but that we
looked at him in his ceiling being a player of
that ILK kind of a unique type of special.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Haven't seen it. I haven't seen it come to fruition.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Now this injury happens and he kind of slides back
up the right chart and becomes that number three tight.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
End unless trade is made.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
And you saw Adam Schefter start this John new Smith cycle,
throw water on the John hu Smith thing, say it's
not gonna happen. Then Parum happens earlier this week. I
think Tuesday is when Palum tore his acl or achilles.
Excuse me, and Adam Shepdery, well wait, you know what,
now it's back on now. Also, the Stewarts called the
(03:08):
Dolphins again and said, well hold on a second, let's
not just quit on these Johnny Smith talks. And whether
it's Johnny Smith or Kyle Pitts is a name that
you've seen kind of pushed out there. Now, I think
it's going to be in their best interest to get
another tight end on this roster via trade of premier
names like those two, or just a guy kind of
(03:31):
like a Donald Parham junior who's still out there in
free agency, or maybe could be gotten when there's some
roster casualties when training camps around the league include at
the midpoint of August.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Yeah, I mean, if it's Johnny Smith, I think they'd
be a great addition, because I think that's a legit
tight end one, even though you already have your tight
end one. And like you said, Arthur Smith being so
tight end friendly that could really help your offense. He
could say, well, now I have two guys at the
same position I love to get the ball to. And
you remember how much we've been.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Even before Arthur Smith.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Got here, how how long we've been begging the team
to use the middle of the field. Well, if you
have two tight ends and you don't use the middle
of the field, and that's just complete negligence on your part.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
You can.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Talk yourself into having kind of like those grond Hernandez Patriots.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Right. Well, even even when Johnny Smith and Hunter Henry
were on the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
The guy who's involved in this right scenario. Yeah, I
mean I really went to the highest of the highs
there he did. But you're right, like, you can get
two legitimate threats that you lot every.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Down, you're pretty much lying them out there on the field.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
And then that kind of takes the pressure off of
not DK specifically, but just the wide receivers overall. It
kind of casts a shadow over the looming wide receiver two, like,
do you really have a true wide receiver two? We're
not because you have two dead ends. I mean, no
one was complaining in New England. Granted they had such
a good offense led by Tom Brady, but no one
(05:06):
was complaining in New England when it was Hernandez and
Gronk and Welker and there was no one behind Welker
because you had Gronk and Hernandez.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I'm not saying that his pass catching abilities are awful,
but they don't really have much faith in Darnell Washington
in that aspect of his game, do they, or else
they wouldn't even be considering this. You'd already have that
one two punch of tight ends.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
I mean considering the guy averages like zero point five
catches per game in his career.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Every time he touches the ball though, Oh, it's beautiful.
It's the entire defense.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
I mean it's Russell Wilson especially, love going to him
like that, that roll out to the right.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
It was easy until teams started to figure it out.
Baltimore picked six, but you know where I wish he
would have come down with the ball. It's funny enough
in the Balmore games, yeah, but he just didn't make
that effort. Jame Steel was one against Baltimore, Yeah, and
Pittsburgh rushed through that pick in the end zone where
it was just a total jump ball, and he was like, eh,
(06:02):
my guy's seven foot twelve.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I'm just gonna throw this up there and if.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
He doesn't catch it, he'll create a bunch of commotion
and maybe get a PI or whatever and just bat
the ball down. And he just did not look skilled
at all when it came to doing that. I wish
that he could bring a little bit more of that
element to his game. But I think the fact that
they're even considering getting Johnny Smith, the fact that they
were even considering Jacob getting Johnny Smith before the injury
(06:29):
to Parm happened. Right Like, we had gone through there
talking to the Dolphins about Johnny Smith and Schefter saying
it's probably not gonna happen before the Parm injury even happened.
So they were entertaining that before this kind of opening
happened in their tight end room, And that tells you
all you need to know about their doubts on Darnell
(06:49):
and his the heights he can reach as far as
a pass catcher is concerned. Now as that extra blocking
tight end, as that guy that lines up next to
Broderick Jones on the left side, and you just have
Siamalu Jones in Washington, clear the road for Caleb Johnson,
clear the road for Jalen Warren. That's a very very
(07:10):
valuable player. And it's not that he's so hopeless pass
catching Jacob where you throw him out there and everybody's like, well,
they're running to Darnell's side, or they're just gonna run
the ball because Darnell's in, or hey, Darnell's going to
pass block here. He's an extra protector, Like no, he's
good enough that you can kind of do that run.
He's a pass protector, run run, and then teams kind
(07:31):
of get into like, oh, well there's eighty, so we
kind of know what's coming, and then eighty just kind
of leaks out a little five yard catch it dump off.
He takes that ten yards more every time because.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
He's just too big to prcause at that point you
have the cornerbacks or the secondary coming up against him.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
He's got like one hundred pounds.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So I think that he's not awful, but I think
that now entering year three for him, the team's kind
of looking at it and they're being like, you're a
valuable piece, but you're not a pass catching tight end
and you're not really developing into that.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
You're not like an integral part of the offense like
the success of the offense. You can be a helpful piece,
like as an additional member of the offensive line, you
can work on not gadget plates, but like you said,
just every now and again, get that first down for
us when the defense isn't paying attention, when they think
(08:24):
you're just out there as an additional lineman, but you're
not really a contributor to the offense, and the offense
is production.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
As far as you showing up in the box score,
right right right, you contribute hit John?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Oh yeah, No, I'm what I'm saying is playmakers.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Fantasy playmakers. You're right, nobody's rader with ten catches.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
You're not. You're not gonna be rostered on a bunch
of fantasy teams this year.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
You know, I was against the Johnny Smith thing because
I want to get a wide receiver too. Now that
the Parliam injury happen, and I still want to get
a wide receiver too, And sure, Gave Davis is visiting
today here on Thursday at the Steelers facility.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
It's probably happening as we speak.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
But I'm coming around a little bit more to it
now that you know the parm injury happens, and Parm's
not a pass catching tight end. He would have been
third behind Darnell Washington.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Ye.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Right, But now that there's a little bit more of
an opening in that room, and that they are so
sorely in need of people that can make plays, and
if they really, really really are going to lean in
and embrace two tight end sets and using their tight
ends as wide receivers with John New and Pat Firemouth.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I can be I can warm up to it.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
I can, but it's that last thing I said, that's
the biggest leap of faith because they didn't see them
use Firemouth enough last year. I didn't see them try
to make a wide receiver two out of the tight
end room, out of either Firemouth's production alone or an
aggregate production between him and Darnell Washington. So we'll keep
our eye on the John new Smith situation for the Steelers.
(10:00):
I'm back to the secondary. I mentioned how I failed
to mention in the first episode of Corey Trice and
how he does factor in when it comes to the
second corner opposite of Joey Porter Junior, and boy, if
he can blossom this year and if he can take
a step forward and he's an established starter in the NFL,
you have homegrown your Corner one and Corner two for
(10:23):
the next six seven years to come. Both guys getting
kicking contracts, and it's great. It's a round pick. He's
never been able to stay healthy, and despite the fact
that they love him clearly because he's still rostered even
though he has injury problems.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I just have my doubts that he's ever going to
be able to stay healthy. Enough on the field.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Maybe Corey Trice is forever destined to be a number
three corner on a number three outside corner. I step
in if an injury happens, I step in for a
couple of plays here there, if which is fine, be
a really good throw for a long time like that.
But I just think that maybe the thinking that he
could eventually take that corner too, or maybe halfway through
(11:03):
the season there's a flitch between Sleigh and him as
who gets that spot. I think that's a little far fetched.
It's not as far fetched just thinking Will Howard can
come in and be one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
No, I think this has far chances.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
You've seen him play in the NFL. He played really
well against the Bengals in that last game.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I always the Week seventeen stuff.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
I mean, how many times have you seen a guy
step up in a Week seventeen game and you say,
everyone's like, oh, well, next year, this guy's explode. I
mean the perfect example of that is Matt Flynn right
for the Packers going off for like six touchdons against
the Lions that one year. It happens where people kind
of have that hero moment in the final week of
the season and you think, oh, well, here's a guy
that's going to take off and then it doesn't happen.
(11:44):
But like you said, I think the stakes are much
lower for Corey Tries compared to Matt Flynn as a quarterback.
When you're comparing a guy who was the most important
position in all of sports at quarterback, compared to a
cornerback who's not even fighting for CB one time. He's
running for CB two And like you said, could make
a career out of being a solid CB three, But
(12:07):
you would if you're the Steelers, you would obviously like
him to remain healthy.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
And who knows, Tom, Like maybe now we haven't.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
I mean, like you said, he was healthy going into
the final week of the season, hasn't gotten hurt knock
on wood in OTAs yet hopefully it doesn't get hurt
in maybe camp next week and clears through training camp
on La Trope. And maybe that was just the start
of his career where he couldn't really get healthy, but
that was just the narrative for the first two years,
(12:37):
and maybe he just shakes that yep. And if it's true,
then because like you said, what we've seen on the field.
He can play like he's on a super side game
right right, like against good receivers exactly. So if he
can just stay healthy, you have someone that can be
that contributor.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yeah, Like you could technically say he's already a good
seventh round pick.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Health, Yeah, health is a problem, but he plays like
he's playing on that.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I mean, most seventh round picks don't make the team
in a rookie sometime in the rookie year. Yeah, right,
and he's playing to that point too.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
I don't know if you wanted to go down this
road either, Dante Kent, another cornerback, seventh round pick, seventh
round pick, could be exactly what you need as a
backup for Beanie Bishop. If if your if your secondary
works out where you have Mica and and wow De
Shaun Elliott as your safety blankets and safety, and then
(13:30):
you have exactly you have JPJ and Darius Slay doing things,
tiding things over at cornerbacks. You have Corey Swicce as
your backup outside corner. You had Beanie Bishop is your
go to slot guy, and then you have Dante Kent
as your backup slot corner. That's not a bad, that's
(13:51):
not a bad rookie season to be in as a
for a role for Dante Kent as a seventh round pick.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Either, No, it is not, and I was going to
go down that path, So good job, Jacob. Beanie Bishop.
How much pressure is on him this year because of
Brandon Eckles right behind him, Jets free agent that they signed.
It's a very good slot corner has an established track record.
And then, like you said, maybe not this year, but
(14:17):
with Bishop and Eckles there, Kent maybe can treat this
as a little bit of a red shirt year. Maybe
he shows some things in camp like Beanie did. Maybe
as the season goes on, injuries happened, He's forced onto
the field a little bit more and he shows you
a little bit of flash. But Beanie Bishop's going to
get the first crack at this. And last year Beanie
Bishop was thrown to the Lions. Then yeah, undrafted free
(14:38):
agent he became.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
He stepped up a couple of times.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Did he played well? I think?
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Then Cam Sutton comes back from injury from suspension, right,
and I was one of the people that said I
throw Cam Sutton back in there. Yeah, I think Cam
Sutton should be both to Nickel I think you go
with experience. Now, you say, hey, beans, you did a
good job, but we're gonna go with the more experienced guy.
Campsun did not play that well last year when he
(15:02):
was inserted into the lineup, and I think I regret
now what I thought they should do and what they did.
Maybe you just play Beanie and he would have probably
ended up being better that year, and then you get
a lot more experienced this year. I have a whole
full year as a starter under his belt. But I
do know that Beanie is gonna get that crack this
(15:24):
year now that he's the guy. You bring in a
guy from New York just to kind of make him
feel I think you don't want to make the undrafted
second year player feel completely comfortable where he pulls up
our lads and he's like, I got no one breathing
down my neck for this spot.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
You got to create competition. Oh there's three of them now,
and it's legitimate competition with Eckles well Ankles for sure,
but you still have a third guy there.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
And even the rookie said round and Bishop, yeah, fella,
I could do.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
So.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
I think Beanie's got a big, big year in front
of him and excited to see what he can do.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
He's already making head like he's already his steak again
and start.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Don't go there because I'm trying. I'm trying my best
to bite my tongue on the young man. I'm trying
my damn hardest.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Okay, just are there any pit panthers on the team,
mister pat don't think so.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
I mean you think it would come right to the head. Oh,
there is, there is pit panther on the team.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Were you missing an obvious one?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Ben Sol's Oh, okay, they kick your baby. That counts
you our pit panther on the team or not. Well,
regardless if there's a pit panther on the team or.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Not, there's about one hundred pit panthers that share the
same building and roof as Beanie Bishop does.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I love it, huge, real take, I love it. I
love it. It's the rival rival.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
That's what they don't play though for a couple of
years now, right, Oh, they play this year, brother, but
then they take like two years, well, two thousand and nine,
we're going back in time.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Unless twenty twenty nine, unless they decide to play, which
they should.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Of course, they should play every year absolutely so, I
love it.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
That's the rivalry, right, Yeah, it's part of it.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
And I'm one of those pit fans where I see
it and I see a bunch of pit fans clutching
pearls and going crazy, be like like, I'm one of
those pit fans that just sits there kind of smiles
a little bit, but I'm all nervous energy dude, Like
I don't talk trash to West Virginia until the game
is over. And I got like a nice week or
two window afterwards where you have a nice victory against them.
(17:23):
But now in the summertime and the game is a
couple months away, I don't want to lose because of
the karma I put out into the universe of puffing
my chest out and be.
Speaker 5 (17:30):
Like Pitt would never lose to a guy like Beanie
Bishop in the Lowly Mountaineers. Like I'm gonna fast forward
to September thirteenth, and I'm gonna be sitting in Mylon
Pushcar Stadium and it's gonna be thirty eight to twenty
four West Virginia and I'm gonna be like, I did this.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
This is my fault also too, like Beanie only played
in one of those games. Play for Western Kentucky for
most of your career, right right, this is a fun
Let's go down this road for a quick second. Dave
Damaschek comes on the Morning show a lot and likes
to bring up these fun conversations regarding sport. It's the
worst jersey you can be seen wearing in Pittsburgh today. Okay,
(18:08):
whether it's a former Pittsburgh athlete or just from another team,
a Pirates jersey, Like well, he brought up like a Limas,
like a fourteen would work because it's Limus Swede, It's
George Pickens.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I see what he's saying. It's not just like I'm
wearing Lamar Jackson around Pittsburgh.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
No, no, no, no no.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
That was just an example of like a former pittsburgher
Like he brought up a good one too, Ron Hexstall
for two reasons. For two reasons, Yeah right, if you
wear the Flyers jersey, they'll hate you. But also we
now have the history of him being a terrible GM here.
And I tried to say, like, I don't think like
(18:47):
Ray Lewis or Edward really fall under that spell anymore.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I think there's some respect de bite. Ray Lewis being.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
See I see Ray Lewis Jersey and Pittsburgh and I
turn ahead. I'm like, oh, that's see.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
I would do that more so for like a else sucks,
Like that would get me a little more juice.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Any any any Ravens Jersey, any of the three jabbronis
in the division guys rolling around.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
The city within them, and he and I were talking
about this off the air, like I said, like a
Miles Garrett is probably public enemy number one right now.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, it just be weird like any of them. I
really Burrow Garrett, like that's just weird. Chase, Yeah, but
you and I like I like Burrow, like I kind
of look at it like if it's like if it's
that all white Jersey with a nine on it.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
We were like fresh.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
But like I also means like a modern I mean,
the Flyers have been so bad for so long now,
but like I said, like a Claude Jeru Jersey, we're
doing it for a while.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Scotti Hartnell for.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Sure, Carlson.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Mmm. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
As far as a modern player, like someone playing right now,
That's what I'm trying to say, Like what what play
on the team is?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Like No, No, I think he's probably the top of it.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Like Litang. People don't love Lutang now, but.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I love La Tang. I have a Latang T shirt.
So your tongue about that, I'm not saying me. I'm
saying people are wrong.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
If he eventually comes like people who made like a
custom Rogers Jersey jerseys to like another one to that point,
like Kenny Pickett Steelers Jersey would probably would probably piss.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Some people off.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
I have a Kenny Pickett pit jersey.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
That's fine, that's a line.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
See, I feel like that might piss some Steeler fans off.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
Though no, it wouldn't pick Well, maybe people will get
mad about everything, but that wouldn't pissed me off.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
You'd be okay because of it's the pit jersey.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
It's a pit jersey.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
He was good, he was on that Heisman stage.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Like I mean, we talk about this guy all the
time about how it's a shame it didn't work out here.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
But I have no problem with seeing it. James Connor
Steelers or Panther Jersey.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I have no animasity even a Cardinals James Connor jersey. Sure,
as far as I see those at pit games, at
pit games. I'll see Cardinals, James Connor, I'll see Jets.
Daryl Reeves.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I'll see Gerald Cardinals. That's fair game.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
I got nothing against. I got nothing against Reeves, I
got nothing against.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
To the college, back to the college. Even if you're
a Steeler fan.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
But if you're at the college game where an NFL
great played for and you have their jersey, I think
you're you're.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Not only and to that point too.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Rams Also, those guys actually work really well at pick games.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
All of those guys not only were great to pay,
but then also made legitimate NFL careers.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I just named other than Connor, I just named three
NFL Hall of famers.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Right well, Connor, I'm saying, like Connor, I'd be okay,
very good player. Pickett, I guess doesn't fall into that category.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Picket Steelers a little tough. What about a Picket.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Browns Pickett Browns or Deontay Johnson Brown.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Deonty Johnson, by the way, did you hear he didn't?
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Does this guy not have a brain? I mean, this
guy does not get it.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
He just doesn't get it.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
It's sad, honestly when you think about it, because it's,
oh my gosh, they didn't cut him because it's all
I don't think you can, like it's is it too
or probably something.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
In you have to wait till like the start a
training camp or something.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Cut a guy, well, I guess you could cut a
guy for any reason, but I bet you can't cut
him for missing an optional workout, right, like that would
really negate him.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
You gotta be there, buddy, I mean, this.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Is your now fifth team in three years.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Four quarterbacks right now in that team trying to compete, Like,
get them a mouth, defeed, get them somebody that they're
going to actually have to Fitz Sorry to take us
down that round. That was a really weird rabbit hole,
and it started with Beanie Bishop right.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
It did.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
His West Virginia cleats, disgracing to panther logo in the
locker room. But it's a big year for Beanie, It's
a big year for Minka Fitzpatrick, and that's're finally going
to arrive here. At this point, he has got to
become that All Pro player again. He has got to
become an impact type of player on the defensive side.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Of the ball.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Not to say that he had no impact last year,
but I'm a little sick of hearing people tell us, oh,
what he does as far as taking things away or
the center field work that he does, or a lot
of Minca's ability and his impact doesn't really show up
unless you watch the All twenty two and you see, Wow,
he's just everywhere and quarterbacks don't even look at him.
(23:06):
All that's true, Like every single thing is true. All
of the analysis that you get fed from, like a
Matt Williamson, when it comes to that stuff, it's a
thousand percent bulletproof. It's true. Manca is great at centerfield.
Mica does take away a lot. Quarterbacks do like to
avoid number thirty nine a lot of the time on
the field. Jacob, let me ask you a couple things though,
Do you think quarterbacks tried to avoid forty three?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
What about in Baltimore? Do you think quarterbacks tried to
avoid twenty ed Reid?
Speaker 3 (23:33):
The number?
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Just I'm saying, do you think they tried to avoid
these type of guys Troy palm Mollen, Yeah, from them.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Know where they're at.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Of course, yeah, they still made impact, They still found
way to get their turn. Oh yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
They had eyes for the ball and the back of
their head in the back of their hands like none other.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Maybe they were supposed to play center field on a
specific play, but you know what, I watch a lot
of film, and I don't need to play centerfield on
this play. I'm gonna pick off this little past to
the fly.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I mean, Belichick said, I love Troy polam Molo.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
And I will put him ahead of EDERI just because
it's my duty. He's a Steeler fan. But Ed Reid
was a better ball hawk than Troy.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
Bill Belichick had said that the two hardest players to
coach against were Ed Reid Androy.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Troy was just everywhere in places where he wasn't supposed
to be. Like Pat McAfee has the famous story about
his fake. Yeah, he wanted to do the fake h
He's not supposed to be there, and then he had to.
Peyton Manning has said stories too about how it's the
worst player to go against because he's never in the
right spot. Like like Peyton Manning has come to the
line of scrimmage and he knows what the Steelers defense
(24:36):
is doing better than the Steelers defense does. Like he's like, Okay,
this guy's there, this guys there, I've seen this play
six times. They're gonna do this to do that, But
why is Troy Paula Malu there? And then Peyton would
rack his brain and be like, was there another like
like little variation of this package that I remember seeing
on film and Troy's there, No, why is he doing that?
So those two were just so unbelievably tough to play against.
(24:59):
And ed Reid, like I said, just had a nose
for the football like nobody else did. Paul Mall's instincts
and where to line up and just to be in
the right place at the right time, just out of control.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Next level. Both nailed on Hall of Famers, easy decisions,
got in without any kind of stress, right, Like they're
on the ballot there, both of those guys.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, my favorite, one of my favorite words to tell
is the one that Dale told me when he was
at Troy's Hall of Fame. Like he was the one
who got to formally say announce yeah candidate, and Dale said,
all I wanted to do was just stand up and
say Troy Paula Malo and then just sit down.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
It's all you say.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
It's really easy. Also great that they were parallel with
each other.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Yeah, like ran career wise next and they not only
career wise, but their team same division.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Yeah, yeah, they went up.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
But I mean it's like Read and Paula Mall.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
They weren't just rivals because you go, oh, they were
the two best safeties of the leagueval they played each
other every year twice, three times some couple of years,
sometimes three times.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
They played each other three years.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
So I need that more from me.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Yeah, more like that, despite him not showing up on
the statue to be like, oh, well, he does other
things that you don't see.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
That's great. I need him on the statue.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Yeah, right, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I need U Cam Hayward being a first team All
Pro check did that.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
TJ.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Watt being a first team All Pro did that again
last year for the most part kind of injury.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
He faded. I think he was second team All Pro,
but he put.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Up All Pro level.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Yeah, and then I need all Pro level from Manco
in the secondary and I have not gotten that for
two straight years. And I don't think that that's it's
it's a fatigue thing either. I don't think they're like
off of him. I just think he hasn't earned that.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
And it's all our buzz too with Mica, right, because
we've seen Cam and TJ get first and second team.
Either Mica is on his game and his first team
no doubt, or he doesn't show up at all, and
you can't have that. You can't be all in or
all out on a season.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Before we wrap up this episode, actually no, we're gonna
wrap up right now. I got two things I want
to throw by you before we do our pay for
the next episode. But we're gonna since you probably couldn't
understand what I just said there when I ground on
the microphone, We're going to power rank the tight ends
in the NFL because tight end is very, very popular
right now when it comes to the Steelers. The position
groups of the Steelers right now that are the most popular,
(27:16):
quarterback and tight end, those are the rumors are spinning.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Like I guess ed Jasher too with.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
TJ Watt in his contract, but we are he's already
on the team.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Tight End is in the center of attention when it
comes to the Steelers, So we'll get into power ranking
them around the NFL. Next Steelers Standard the Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network
We were talking about the secondary in the first episode today,
specifically the corners with Joey Porter Jr. And Darius Slay
And one thing that we didn't mention Corey Trice kind
of waiting in the wings and there is a potential
for him to have some impact.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
But before we get back.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Into the secondary, we'll pick up there and talk someamenca too.
We have to update on what happened to Donald parm
Junior signed by the Steelers this offseason. Arthur Smith loves
his tight ends. I'm not sharing any secrets out of
class when that comes to that. And like I like
Connor Hayward, but parm it was an upgrade and especially
(00:50):
when it comes to, you know, being a big, beefy
run blocking type of player, which is what the Steelers
like at that tight end position. Arthur Smith certainly likes
at that tight end position. It was an upgrade there.
Now does that mean Heyward kind of moves to fullback?
I think there is a little bit of flexibility when
it comes to what he can do on the roster.
I also wonder how long his time as the Pittsburgh
(01:12):
Steeler is he has as a Pittsburgh Steeler. I mean
it's fair to say, Yeah, I think I'm flinching when
I say that on Steelers Nation Radio because of the
last name. If it was anybody else, you'd look at
coming in and you'd be like, he's probably not even
gonna make this team.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Am I wrong about that? Am I speaking out of
turn there?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And again I like the guy and he's had some
moments as a Pittsburgh Steeler, but he's just not you know,
he's not use check right, Like, he's not.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
That no out of college.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And I don't think we had that expectation.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
No, but that was like the ceiling, Like that's the
when you look at the type of player he's like
that fullback tight end hybrid, you know what I mean,
Because he's not even come out of college. Even now,
you look at him and you're like, that's not a
typical tight end in the NFL. He's a little undersized
to be a tight end, right, but you know, you
throw that full back tight end like the way he
moves like you could have seen him being a bit
(02:05):
of a gadget type of player in the light of
a US chick, like someone that is kind of his
own position and not every team in the NFL has
a guy like this on their roster. Racard is like
that to the extent of run blocking, where he's like
an offensive lineman that is a fullback for the Baltimore Ravens.
Like when we drafted Hayward, not that he was going
(02:27):
to reach the ceiling of use check, but that we
looked at him in his ceiling being a player of
that ILK kind of a unique type of special.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Haven't seen it. I haven't seen it come to fruition.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Now this injury happens and he kind of slides back
up the right chart and becomes that number three tight.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
End unless trade is made.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
And you saw Adam Schefter start this John new Smith cycle,
throw water on the John hu Smith thing, say it's
not gonna happen. Then Parum happens earlier this week. I
think Tuesday is when Palum tore his acl or achilles.
Excuse me, and Adam Shepdery, well wait, you know what,
now it's back on now. Also, the Stewarts called the
(03:08):
Dolphins again and said, well hold on a second, let's
not just quit on these Johnny Smith talks. And whether
it's Johnny Smith or Kyle Pitts is a name that
you've seen kind of pushed out there. Now, I think
it's going to be in their best interest to get
another tight end on this roster via trade of premier
names like those two, or just a guy kind of
(03:31):
like a Donald Parham junior who's still out there in
free agency, or maybe could be gotten when there's some
roster casualties when training camps around the league include at
the midpoint of August.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Yeah, I mean, if it's Johnny Smith, I think they'd
be a great addition, because I think that's a legit
tight end one, even though you already have your tight
end one. And like you said, Arthur Smith being so
tight end friendly that could really help your offense. He
could say, well, now I have two guys at the
same position I love to get the ball to. And
you remember how much we've been.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Even before Arthur Smith.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Got here, how how long we've been begging the team
to use the middle of the field. Well, if you
have two tight ends and you don't use the middle
of the field, and that's just complete negligence on your part.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
You can.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Talk yourself into having kind of like those grond Hernandez Patriots.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Right. Well, even even when Johnny Smith and Hunter Henry
were on the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
The guy who's involved in this right scenario. Yeah, I
mean I really went to the highest of the highs
there he did. But you're right, like, you can get
two legitimate threats that you lot every.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Down, you're pretty much lying them out there on the field.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
And then that kind of takes the pressure off of
not DK specifically, but just the wide receivers overall. It
kind of casts a shadow over the looming wide receiver two, like,
do you really have a true wide receiver two? We're
not because you have two dead ends. I mean, no
one was complaining in New England. Granted they had such
a good offense led by Tom Brady, but no one
(05:06):
was complaining in New England when it was Hernandez and
Gronk and Welker and there was no one behind Welker
because you had Gronk and Hernandez.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I'm not saying that his pass catching abilities are awful,
but they don't really have much faith in Darnell Washington
in that aspect of his game, do they, or else
they wouldn't even be considering this. You'd already have that
one two punch of tight ends.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
I mean considering the guy averages like zero point five
catches per game in his career.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Every time he touches the ball though, Oh, it's beautiful.
It's the entire defense.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
I mean it's Russell Wilson especially, love going to him
like that, that roll out to the right.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
It was easy until teams started to figure it out.
Baltimore picked six, but you know where I wish he
would have come down with the ball. It's funny enough
in the Balmore games, yeah, but he just didn't make
that effort. Jame Steel was one against Baltimore, Yeah, and
Pittsburgh rushed through that pick in the end zone where
it was just a total jump ball, and he was like, eh,
(06:02):
my guy's seven foot twelve.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I'm just gonna throw this up there and if.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
He doesn't catch it, he'll create a bunch of commotion
and maybe get a PI or whatever and just bat
the ball down. And he just did not look skilled
at all when it came to doing that. I wish
that he could bring a little bit more of that
element to his game. But I think the fact that
they're even considering getting Johnny Smith, the fact that they
were even considering Jacob getting Johnny Smith before the injury
(06:29):
to Parm happened. Right Like, we had gone through there
talking to the Dolphins about Johnny Smith and Schefter saying
it's probably not gonna happen before the Parm injury even happened.
So they were entertaining that before this kind of opening
happened in their tight end room, And that tells you
all you need to know about their doubts on Darnell
(06:49):
and his the heights he can reach as far as
a pass catcher is concerned. Now as that extra blocking
tight end, as that guy that lines up next to
Broderick Jones on the left side, and you just have
Siamalu Jones in Washington, clear the road for Caleb Johnson,
clear the road for Jalen Warren. That's a very very
(07:10):
valuable player. And it's not that he's so hopeless pass
catching Jacob where you throw him out there and everybody's like, well,
they're running to Darnell's side, or they're just gonna run
the ball because Darnell's in, or hey, Darnell's going to
pass block here. He's an extra protector, Like no, he's
good enough that you can kind of do that run.
He's a pass protector, run run, and then teams kind
(07:31):
of get into like, oh, well there's eighty, so we
kind of know what's coming, and then eighty just kind
of leaks out a little five yard catch it dump off.
He takes that ten yards more every time because.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
He's just too big to prcause at that point you
have the cornerbacks or the secondary coming up against him.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
He's got like one hundred pounds.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So I think that he's not awful, but I think
that now entering year three for him, the team's kind
of looking at it and they're being like, you're a
valuable piece, but you're not a pass catching tight end
and you're not really developing into that.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
You're not like an integral part of the offense like
the success of the offense. You can be a helpful piece,
like as an additional member of the offensive line, you
can work on not gadget plates, but like you said,
just every now and again, get that first down for
us when the defense isn't paying attention, when they think
(08:24):
you're just out there as an additional lineman, but you're
not really a contributor to the offense, and the offense
is production.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
As far as you showing up in the box score,
right right right, you contribute hit John?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Oh yeah, No, I'm what I'm saying is playmakers.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Fantasy playmakers. You're right, nobody's rader with ten catches.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
You're not. You're not gonna be rostered on a bunch
of fantasy teams this year.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
You know, I was against the Johnny Smith thing because
I want to get a wide receiver too. Now that
the Parliam injury happen, and I still want to get
a wide receiver too, And sure, Gave Davis is visiting
today here on Thursday at the Steelers facility.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
It's probably happening as we speak.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
But I'm coming around a little bit more to it
now that you know the parm injury happens, and Parm's
not a pass catching tight end. He would have been
third behind Darnell Washington.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Ye.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Right, But now that there's a little bit more of
an opening in that room, and that they are so
sorely in need of people that can make plays, and
if they really, really really are going to lean in
and embrace two tight end sets and using their tight
ends as wide receivers with John New and Pat Firemouth.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I can be I can warm up to it.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
I can, but it's that last thing I said, that's
the biggest leap of faith because they didn't see them
use Firemouth enough last year. I didn't see them try
to make a wide receiver two out of the tight
end room, out of either Firemouth's production alone or an
aggregate production between him and Darnell Washington. So we'll keep
our eye on the John new Smith situation for the Steelers.
(10:00):
I'm back to the secondary. I mentioned how I failed
to mention in the first episode of Corey Trice and
how he does factor in when it comes to the
second corner opposite of Joey Porter Junior, and boy, if
he can blossom this year and if he can take
a step forward and he's an established starter in the NFL,
you have homegrown your Corner one and Corner two for
(10:23):
the next six seven years to come. Both guys getting
kicking contracts, and it's great. It's a round pick. He's
never been able to stay healthy, and despite the fact
that they love him clearly because he's still rostered even
though he has injury problems.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
I just have my doubts that he's ever going to
be able to stay healthy. Enough on the field.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Maybe Corey Trice is forever destined to be a number
three corner on a number three outside corner. I step
in if an injury happens, I step in for a
couple of plays here there, if which is fine, be
a really good throw for a long time like that.
But I just think that maybe the thinking that he
could eventually take that corner too, or maybe halfway through
(11:03):
the season there's a flitch between Sleigh and him as
who gets that spot. I think that's a little far fetched.
It's not as far fetched just thinking Will Howard can
come in and be one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
No, I think this has far chances.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
You've seen him play in the NFL. He played really
well against the Bengals in that last game.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I always the Week seventeen stuff.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
I mean, how many times have you seen a guy
step up in a Week seventeen game and you say,
everyone's like, oh, well, next year, this guy's explode. I
mean the perfect example of that is Matt Flynn right
for the Packers going off for like six touchdons against
the Lions that one year. It happens where people kind
of have that hero moment in the final week of
the season and you think, oh, well, here's a guy
that's going to take off and then it doesn't happen.
(11:44):
But like you said, I think the stakes are much
lower for Corey Tries compared to Matt Flynn as a quarterback.
When you're comparing a guy who was the most important
position in all of sports at quarterback, compared to a
cornerback who's not even fighting for CB one time. He's
running for CB two And like you said, could make
a career out of being a solid CB three, But
(12:07):
you would if you're the Steelers, you would obviously like
him to remain healthy.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
And who knows, Tom, Like maybe now we haven't.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
I mean, like you said, he was healthy going into
the final week of the season, hasn't gotten hurt knock
on wood in OTAs yet hopefully it doesn't get hurt
in maybe camp next week and clears through training camp
on La Trope. And maybe that was just the start
of his career where he couldn't really get healthy, but
that was just the narrative for the first two years,
(12:37):
and maybe he just shakes that yep. And if it's true,
then because like you said, what we've seen on the field.
He can play like he's on a super side game
right right, like against good receivers exactly. So if he
can just stay healthy, you have someone that can be
that contributor.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yeah, Like you could technically say he's already a good
seventh round pick.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Health, Yeah, health is a problem, but he plays like
he's playing on that.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I mean, most seventh round picks don't make the team
in a rookie sometime in the rookie year. Yeah, right,
and he's playing to that point too.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
I don't know if you wanted to go down this
road either, Dante Kent, another cornerback, seventh round pick, seventh
round pick, could be exactly what you need as a
backup for Beanie Bishop. If if your if your secondary
works out where you have Mica and and wow De
Shaun Elliott as your safety blankets and safety, and then
(13:30):
you have exactly you have JPJ and Darius Slay doing things,
tiding things over at cornerbacks. You have Corey Swicce as
your backup outside corner. You had Beanie Bishop is your
go to slot guy, and then you have Dante Kent
as your backup slot corner. That's not a bad, that's
(13:51):
not a bad rookie season to be in as a
for a role for Dante Kent as a seventh round pick.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Either, No, it is not, and I was going to
go down that path, So good job, Jacob. Beanie Bishop.
How much pressure is on him this year because of
Brandon Eckles right behind him, Jets free agent that they signed.
It's a very good slot corner has an established track record.
And then, like you said, maybe not this year, but
(14:17):
with Bishop and Eckles there, Kent maybe can treat this
as a little bit of a red shirt year. Maybe
he shows some things in camp like Beanie did. Maybe
as the season goes on, injuries happened, He's forced onto
the field a little bit more and he shows you
a little bit of flash. But Beanie Bishop's going to
get the first crack at this. And last year Beanie
Bishop was thrown to the Lions. Then yeah, undrafted free
(14:38):
agent he became.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
He stepped up a couple of times.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Did he played well? I think?
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Then Cam Sutton comes back from injury from suspension, right,
and I was one of the people that said I
throw Cam Sutton back in there. Yeah, I think Cam
Sutton should be both to Nickel I think you go
with experience. Now, you say, hey, beans, you did a
good job, but we're gonna go with the more experienced guy.
Campsun did not play that well last year when he
(15:02):
was inserted into the lineup, and I think I regret
now what I thought they should do and what they did.
Maybe you just play Beanie and he would have probably
ended up being better that year, and then you get
a lot more experienced this year. I have a whole
full year as a starter under his belt. But I
do know that Beanie is gonna get that crack this
(15:24):
year now that he's the guy. You bring in a
guy from New York just to kind of make him
feel I think you don't want to make the undrafted
second year player feel completely comfortable where he pulls up
our lads and he's like, I got no one breathing
down my neck for this spot.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
You got to create competition. Oh there's three of them now,
and it's legitimate competition with Eckles well Ankles for sure,
but you still have a third guy there.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
And even the rookie said round and Bishop, yeah, fella,
I could do.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
So.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
I think Beanie's got a big, big year in front
of him and excited to see what he can do.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
He's already making head like he's already his steak again
and start.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Don't go there because I'm trying. I'm trying my best
to bite my tongue on the young man. I'm trying
my damn hardest.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Okay, just are there any pit panthers on the team,
mister pat don't think so.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
I mean you think it would come right to the head. Oh,
there is, there is pit panther on the team.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Were you missing an obvious one?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Ben Sol's Oh, okay, they kick your baby. That counts
you our pit panther on the team or not. Well,
regardless if there's a pit panther on the team or.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Not, there's about one hundred pit panthers that share the
same building and roof as Beanie Bishop does.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I love it, huge, real take, I love it. I
love it. It's the rival rival.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
That's what they don't play though for a couple of
years now, right, Oh, they play this year, brother, but
then they take like two years, well, two thousand and nine,
we're going back in time.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Unless twenty twenty nine, unless they decide to play, which
they should.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Of course, they should play every year absolutely so, I
love it.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
That's the rivalry, right, Yeah, it's part of it.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
And I'm one of those pit fans where I see
it and I see a bunch of pit fans clutching
pearls and going crazy, be like like, I'm one of
those pit fans that just sits there kind of smiles
a little bit, but I'm all nervous energy dude, Like
I don't talk trash to West Virginia until the game
is over. And I got like a nice week or
two window afterwards where you have a nice victory against them.
(17:23):
But now in the summertime and the game is a
couple months away, I don't want to lose because of
the karma I put out into the universe of puffing
my chest out and be.
Speaker 5 (17:30):
Like Pitt would never lose to a guy like Beanie
Bishop in the Lowly Mountaineers. Like I'm gonna fast forward
to September thirteenth, and I'm gonna be sitting in Mylon
Pushcar Stadium and it's gonna be thirty eight to twenty
four West Virginia and I'm gonna be like, I did this.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
This is my fault also too, like Beanie only played
in one of those games. Play for Western Kentucky for
most of your career, right right, this is a fun
Let's go down this road for a quick second. Dave
Damaschek comes on the Morning show a lot and likes
to bring up these fun conversations regarding sport. It's the
worst jersey you can be seen wearing in Pittsburgh today. Okay,
(18:08):
whether it's a former Pittsburgh athlete or just from another team,
a Pirates jersey, Like well, he brought up like a Limas,
like a fourteen would work because it's Limus Swede, It's
George Pickens.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I see what he's saying. It's not just like I'm
wearing Lamar Jackson around Pittsburgh.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
No, no, no, no no.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
That was just an example of like a former pittsburgher
Like he brought up a good one too, Ron Hexstall
for two reasons. For two reasons, Yeah right, if you
wear the Flyers jersey, they'll hate you. But also we
now have the history of him being a terrible GM here.
And I tried to say, like, I don't think like
(18:47):
Ray Lewis or Edward really fall under that spell anymore.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I think there's some respect de bite. Ray Lewis being.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
See I see Ray Lewis Jersey and Pittsburgh and I
turn ahead. I'm like, oh, that's see.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
I would do that more so for like a else sucks,
Like that would get me a little more juice.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Any any any Ravens Jersey, any of the three jabbronis
in the division guys rolling around.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
The city within them, and he and I were talking
about this off the air, like I said, like a
Miles Garrett is probably public enemy number one right now.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, it just be weird like any of them. I
really Burrow Garrett, like that's just weird. Chase, Yeah, but
you and I like I like Burrow, like I kind
of look at it like if it's like if it's
that all white Jersey with a nine on it.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
We were like fresh.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
But like I also means like a modern I mean,
the Flyers have been so bad for so long now,
but like I said, like a Claude Jeru Jersey, we're
doing it for a while.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Scotti Hartnell for.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Sure, Carlson.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Mmm. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
As far as a modern player, like someone playing right now,
That's what I'm trying to say, Like what what play
on the team is?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Like No, No, I think he's probably the top of it.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Like Litang. People don't love Lutang now, but.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I love La Tang. I have a Latang T shirt.
So your tongue about that, I'm not saying me. I'm
saying people are wrong.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
If he eventually comes like people who made like a
custom Rogers Jersey jerseys to like another one to that point,
like Kenny Pickett Steelers Jersey would probably would probably piss.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Some people off.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
I have a Kenny Pickett pit jersey.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
That's fine, that's a line.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
See, I feel like that might piss some Steeler fans off.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
Though no, it wouldn't pick Well, maybe people will get
mad about everything, but that wouldn't pissed me off.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
You'd be okay because of it's the pit jersey.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
It's a pit jersey.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
He was good, he was on that Heisman stage.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Like I mean, we talk about this guy all the
time about how it's a shame it didn't work out here.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
But I have no problem with seeing it. James Connor
Steelers or Panther Jersey.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I have no animasity even a Cardinals James Connor jersey. Sure,
as far as I see those at pit games, at
pit games. I'll see Cardinals, James Connor, I'll see Jets.
Daryl Reeves.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I'll see Gerald Cardinals. That's fair game.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
I got nothing against. I got nothing against Reeves, I
got nothing against.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
To the college, back to the college. Even if you're
a Steeler fan.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
But if you're at the college game where an NFL
great played for and you have their jersey, I think
you're you're.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Not only and to that point too.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Rams Also, those guys actually work really well at pick games.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
All of those guys not only were great to pay,
but then also made legitimate NFL careers.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I just named other than Connor, I just named three
NFL Hall of famers.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Right well, Connor, I'm saying, like Connor, I'd be okay,
very good player. Pickett, I guess doesn't fall into that category.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Picket Steelers a little tough. What about a Picket.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Browns Pickett Browns or Deontay Johnson Brown.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Deonty Johnson, by the way, did you hear he didn't?
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Does this guy not have a brain? I mean, this
guy does not get it.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
He just doesn't get it.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
It's sad, honestly when you think about it, because it's,
oh my gosh, they didn't cut him because it's all
I don't think you can, like it's is it too
or probably something.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
In you have to wait till like the start a
training camp or something.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Cut a guy, well, I guess you could cut a
guy for any reason, but I bet you can't cut
him for missing an optional workout, right, like that would
really negate him.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
You gotta be there, buddy, I mean, this.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Is your now fifth team in three years.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Four quarterbacks right now in that team trying to compete, Like,
get them a mouth, defeed, get them somebody that they're
going to actually have to Fitz Sorry to take us
down that round. That was a really weird rabbit hole,
and it started with Beanie Bishop right.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
It did.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
His West Virginia cleats, disgracing to panther logo in the
locker room. But it's a big year for Beanie, It's
a big year for Minka Fitzpatrick, and that's're finally going
to arrive here. At this point, he has got to
become that All Pro player again. He has got to
become an impact type of player on the defensive side.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Of the ball.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Not to say that he had no impact last year,
but I'm a little sick of hearing people tell us, oh,
what he does as far as taking things away or
the center field work that he does, or a lot
of Minca's ability and his impact doesn't really show up
unless you watch the All twenty two and you see, Wow,
he's just everywhere and quarterbacks don't even look at him.
(23:06):
All that's true, Like every single thing is true. All
of the analysis that you get fed from, like a
Matt Williamson, when it comes to that stuff, it's a
thousand percent bulletproof. It's true. Manca is great at centerfield.
Mica does take away a lot. Quarterbacks do like to
avoid number thirty nine a lot of the time on
the field. Jacob, let me ask you a couple things though,
Do you think quarterbacks tried to avoid forty three?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
What about in Baltimore? Do you think quarterbacks tried to
avoid twenty ed Reid?
Speaker 3 (23:33):
The number?
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Just I'm saying, do you think they tried to avoid
these type of guys Troy palm Mollen, Yeah, from them.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Know where they're at.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Of course, yeah, they still made impact, They still found
way to get their turn. Oh yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
They had eyes for the ball and the back of
their head in the back of their hands like none other.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Maybe they were supposed to play center field on a
specific play, but you know what, I watch a lot
of film, and I don't need to play centerfield on
this play. I'm gonna pick off this little past to
the fly.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I mean, Belichick said, I love Troy polam Molo.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
And I will put him ahead of EDERI just because
it's my duty. He's a Steeler fan. But Ed Reid
was a better ball hawk than Troy.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
Bill Belichick had said that the two hardest players to
coach against were Ed Reid Androy.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Troy was just everywhere in places where he wasn't supposed
to be. Like Pat McAfee has the famous story about
his fake. Yeah, he wanted to do the fake h
He's not supposed to be there, and then he had to.
Peyton Manning has said stories too about how it's the
worst player to go against because he's never in the
right spot. Like like Peyton Manning has come to the
line of scrimmage and he knows what the Steelers defense
(24:36):
is doing better than the Steelers defense does. Like he's like, Okay,
this guy's there, this guys there, I've seen this play
six times. They're gonna do this to do that, But
why is Troy Paula Malu there? And then Peyton would
rack his brain and be like, was there another like
like little variation of this package that I remember seeing
on film and Troy's there, No, why is he doing that?
So those two were just so unbelievably tough to play against.
(24:59):
And ed Reid, like I said, just had a nose
for the football like nobody else did. Paul Mall's instincts
and where to line up and just to be in
the right place at the right time, just out of control.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Next level. Both nailed on Hall of Famers, easy decisions,
got in without any kind of stress, right, Like they're
on the ballot there, both of those guys.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, my favorite, one of my favorite words to tell
is the one that Dale told me when he was
at Troy's Hall of Fame. Like he was the one
who got to formally say announce yeah candidate, and Dale said,
all I wanted to do was just stand up and
say Troy Paula Malo and then just sit down.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
It's all you say.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
It's really easy. Also great that they were parallel with
each other.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Yeah, like ran career wise next and they not only
career wise, but their team same division.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Yeah, yeah, they went up.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
But I mean it's like Read and Paula Mall.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
They weren't just rivals because you go, oh, they were
the two best safeties of the leagueval they played each
other every year twice, three times some couple of years,
sometimes three times.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
They played each other three years.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
So I need that more from me.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Yeah, more like that, despite him not showing up on
the statue to be like, oh, well, he does other
things that you don't see.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
That's great. I need him on the statue.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Yeah, right, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I need U Cam Hayward being a first team All
Pro check did that.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
TJ.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Watt being a first team All Pro did that again
last year for the most part kind of injury.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
He faded. I think he was second team All Pro,
but he put.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Up All Pro level.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Yeah, and then I need all Pro level from Manco
in the secondary and I have not gotten that for
two straight years. And I don't think that that's it's
it's a fatigue thing either. I don't think they're like
off of him. I just think he hasn't earned that.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
And it's all our buzz too with Mica, right, because
we've seen Cam and TJ get first and second team.
Either Mica is on his game and his first team
no doubt, or he doesn't show up at all, and
you can't have that. You can't be all in or
all out on a season.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Before we wrap up this episode, actually no, we're gonna
wrap up right now. I got two things I want
to throw by you before we do our pay for
the next episode. But we're gonna since you probably couldn't
understand what I just said there when I ground on
the microphone, We're going to power rank the tight ends
in the NFL because tight end is very, very popular
right now when it comes to the Steelers. The position
groups of the Steelers right now that are the most popular,
(27:16):
quarterback and tight end, those are the rumors are spinning.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Like I guess ed Jasher too with.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
TJ Watt in his contract, but we are he's already
on the team.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Tight End is in the center of attention when it
comes to the Steelers, So we'll get into power ranking
them around the NFL. Next Steelers Standard the Steelers Nation
Radio on the Steelers Audio Network
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