August 18, 2025 • 27 mins
Ed Troup and Tom Opferman recap the Steelers Bucs preseason game from Saturday
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
In a shot gunn'st get to snap back to past
looking looks right now, dances out to the left in
trouble throws and it is complete in the end zone
and it's Johnson and it's a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Pittsburgh Steelers. When you talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers, you
talk about a franchise built on tradition from the Steel
Curtain of the seventies, the Bill Cowers grant in the
nineties to Mike Tomlin today. This team has always been
defined by one thing, the standard. It's not just a slogan.
It's a reminder that no matter who wears the black
and gold, the expectation never changes. Play hard, play physical,
(00:38):
and play to win championships. That's the legacy carried over
from Chuck Nole to Coward to Tomlin and passed down
through generations of Steelers greats. Those Steeler teams didn't bend
for injuries, for new faces, or changing times. The standard
has always been the standard with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and
this is the Steeler standard. On Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio network, I am joining me is
(01:01):
Tom Offerman and Tom. We are two games into the
preseason one more to go. I'm not sure if you
can really, you know, make a strong opinion on how
things are because over twenty starters have not played for
the first two present game preseason games. But one thing
we are starting to come together a little bit are
who's the backups? The depth positions on this team, specifically
(01:22):
at the wide receiver position, different defensive key positions. But
for two games they're one and one. Nice game in
Jacksonville one thirty one to twenty five to start out
the season, lost seventeen to fourteen this past week against
Tampa Bay. Again a little bit of an up and
down performance for the Black and Gold during that second
preseason game.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Well, first of all, it was such a lovely way
to set the table here. I've been doing this show
the standard since it was in its infancy a long
time ago. It's like four or five years I think
that we've been doing this, maybe a little less than that.
So I do feel like I am mentioned in the
same breath as the Chuck no Oles and the Bill
Cowery when it comes to carrying that standard on. So
thank you for that, Ed. That was great. Yeah, I mean,
(02:00):
no starters are playing, and I gotta be honest with you,
that was something that I was kind of in disagreement
with a little bit. I get it. Trust me, I
totally see where the team's coming from avoiding the risk
of injury in this preseason portion of the year. But
I also think you have a little bit of risk
as far as you know, gelling together and getting everybody
(02:22):
up to speed for Week one against the Jets. And
I don't know, call me old fashioned, I like to
see a little bit of game reps going on. I
think that that could help everybody, especially with such a
new team. Maybe you see that Thursday, you know, I
don't think I rule that out yet. When Mike Tomlin
speaks to the media, probably tomorrow we're recording this on Monday,
(02:42):
he will shed some light on who's going to play
or not. But maybe we'll see that, you know, dress
rehearsal ish series or two from the starters then, or
at least more starters than have been playing. But I
don't know. I just I feel like it could have
been beneficial, or would be beneficial for this team to
at least get a little bit of run together because
it's just ed, there's just so many new faces. I mean,
(03:04):
this is a team in the NFL that has more
changeover than anybody else really in the league. I mean,
you look at the offensive side of the ball. At
least there is new starters at basically every position except
for the interior offensive line, and Jalen Warren is a
familiar face, but he's getting upgrade to a new role.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, they got to really start getting into a rhythm
at some point. And you don't want to be like
the Cincinnati Bengals, right, You never see Burrow during the preseason.
He comes out in the first couple weeks of the
season and he struggles. You would hope that they'd get
some reps during the preseason.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
They changed that this year Cincinnati because of the problems
that they've had.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
They've learned their lessons. Yes, so this is the first
time tom that I could remember in recent or even
long term stealer history, that this has been the approach
by the coaching staff, especially Mike Tomlin. You always see
him usually in that second game, and that would have
been this past weekend against Tampa Bay. You would have
seen the starters take a series or two, especially on offense,
and once again they got rested. But you and I
(04:00):
have talked about this. This roster is not young, this
is a veteran roster, and maybe there's you know, they're
trying to preserve and protect these vets.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
It's not only trying to get into like Tomlin and
the coaching staff's headspace here. It's not only that angle.
I don't think it's definitely a part of it. It's like,
we got to preserve these guys. I don't want to
get to week sixteen and see them kind of run
out of gas and have that voice in the back
of my head go, did I push them too hard
in training camp? That I push them too hard in
the preseason. So I definitely think that's a major factor
(04:32):
in what you're trying to avoid with this. But I
also think that there's a lot that goes into the
fact that these just are dudes that know what time
it is too. It's not like you just got a
bunch of old guys who are wheezing their way to
the finish line, trying to get a last contract, trying
to stay in the NFL, you know what I mean. Like,
these are dudes with pedigrees, These are dudes with Hall
(04:52):
of Fame jackets already, you know, it's just a matter
of the formality at this point, getting voted in and
getting the jacket actually on your shoulders. And these are
guys that all kind of have a little something to
prove based on what happened in their previous circumstance. So
I think because of that, you're gonna get the focus.
You're gonna get that you know, intensity, that gelling that
(05:13):
you want. The buy in's gonna be there. And I
think that goes into it a little bit too. It's like,
I know, DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers and wat and Hayward,
they know what to do, you know, when Week one
comes around. It's not a mystery to them. So we
can pull our foot off the gas pedal a little
bit when it comes to those guys.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
They don't need a ton of reps to get ready
for the regular season practice of course, right yeah, but.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Not maybe not, Maybe that's the way that they go
about this. Again, we'll see for sure when Mike Tomlin
declares who's in and who's out for Carolina on Thursday.
But I'm leaning towards no one plays in that game.
I don't think no enough significance. I mean, I think
it'll be kind of the same modus operandi that we've seen.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Maybe you give Jalen Warren a carrier two in that
game just to give him some reps.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
And that's an interesting one because he's a running back, right,
got to get hit. Yeah, he's been getting hit in practice.
He got hit in the joint practice that they had
with Tampa Bay. But yeah, that's a good call, Like
that's just a position that thrives on the physical contact. Like,
get a couple of those reps in before it really counts.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I would think you want to get him in some
game action this week. I think Jalen Warren would be
one of those players. One player we have seen a
healthy dosa from the running back position tom has been
Caleb Johnson, the Steelers draft pick out of Iowa. Better
performance this past week fifty yards, had twenty yards in
game one, so two games, seventy yards carring. I'm not
sure about you, but I was a little underwhelmed with
(06:38):
Caleb Johnson in game number one at Jacksonville Bells A
little bit more impressed this past week. I thought he
hit the holes a little bit better. Starting to get it.
He's a rookie. It's going to take a few games.
This is why the preseason is what it is, especially
for a guy like Caleb Johnson.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
No, it was awesome to see him do that against
Tampa Bay. It was much needed to see him do
that as well. I mean, and I'm sure we'll get
into him as well in a little bit, but Derek
Harmon with a big impact on that game too. So
your first two picks were really the stars I think
of that preseason game. Along with Roman Wilson, I would
kind of throw the you know, if we're doing a
hockey thing, those are my three stars of the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers game. So I think that the rookies really
(07:14):
did a great job that the top two rookies especially,
And what was so impressive to me for Caleb Johnson
was the cutbacks. You know, the big runs that he
had had started to the left and he cut back
to the right and did damage on the other side
of where the flow was going right to left. And
you know, that is just something that I think Najie
(07:35):
Harris could do. But I always just felt that Nagy
at his best was this play is designed to go
in that hole, block it up perfectly. I'm going to
give everything I can to get there, And a lot
of times what we saw with him is that hole
was not open, and he'd danced around in the backfield
and he tried to get out of it, and he
(07:55):
didn't necessarily have that speed to hit those cutbacks, and
he would tackles, don't get me wrong, in the backfield,
But then you do only get like one yard two
yard to get back to the line of scrimmage. Now
with Caleb Johnson, man, if you see that kind of
blown up based on where the play supposed to go,
he has shown the ability in that game and in
his career in Iowa, put that left foot in the ground,
cut hard to the right and beat guys with your
(08:17):
speed to the outside.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
As brilliant and as nausey Harris was at times, it
would it would drive you crazy. Right when he'd go
try to go left the right instead just going right
up the middle of hick.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
He didn't have the speed he did.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
He couldn't get to the outside. But Caleb Johnson's a
guy that they're hoping out of Iowa. Six one, two
hundred and twenty four pounds. He's big, he's stocky, he
has the speed. He's a guy that they need to him,
that they need that two headed monster because Jalen Warren,
in my opinion, he can't take the workload like Nausey
Harris did for a full season. You know he's gonna
get hurt. You need to spell him. You need a
(08:47):
two headed monster in that backfield, and right now it
should be worn and they're hoping it's gonna be Caleb Johnson.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah. I think that that's what's gonna happen. Is it's
kind of be a little bit of a slow play
with Caleb Johnson. Initially, I think you're gonna see Jaalen
Warren be the guy and Kenneth Gainwell is going to
be the spot back, Yeah, third down back, someone who
spells for him to use him in the passing game
for sure. Not to say that Jalen Warren can't be
utilized there as well, but yeah, I think that's kind
of going to be more of your duo. You'll see
(09:15):
Caleb Johnson too, Like, don't get me wrong, I think
that you'll see week one against the Jets, you know,
second quarter ish a Caleb Johnson series. Maybe, But I
think that his role expands as the season moves forward,
and maybe it becomes more of a Johnson Warren true
duo fifty to fifty split with a little bit of
(09:36):
Kenny G sprinkled into things. But I think that's how
the pecking order is going to start out. I think
they're telling you that with Jalen Warren not playing in
the first two preseason games, Kenny G being the quote
unquote starting back in the preseason games, and then Caleb Johnson,
especially against Tampa Bay. I mean he was playing into
the third quarter.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
By the way, I love the Kenny G nickname. Love it.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
They should play the sacks on the jargon Sean. I'm
going to keep saying that on all my.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Shows every time they throw them the ball out of
the backfield. They should start playing.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
First downs, just like a couple of riffs, right, just
a small thing, and then on touchdowns you let the
whole thing play.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Baby Tom quarterback play. Of course, we've not seen Aaron
Rodgers through these first two preseason games. We've gotten a
healthy dose of Mason Rudolph, Skyler Thompson. We've even seen
Woodside come in a little bit in the first game,
a lot here in this second game, the Steelers fourth quarterback.
Of course, no will Howard. He's still hurt. He's still out.
(10:29):
Game one in Jacksonville. I thought Rudolph Skyler Thompson especially
looked really good this past week. All three of those
quarterbacks through interceptions. HM h up and down a little bit.
Wasn't as impressed by both, but that could have also
been Tampa Bay's defense. They started their starters and they're
just better than Jacksonville starters, so they faced a little
bit better competition. They forced turnovers. But he did throw
(10:50):
touchdown passes this past week in game two as well,
as we heard at the opening of the.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Show, Mason did. Yeah, he got the touchdown pass. Trace
sermon with the other one. What's that put or not? Whatside?
I'm sorry, Thompson put up some yardage?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Do you have it in fronty? I think it's one
hundred and thirty three yards or something like that. Yeah,
he was over at the top of my head. Yeah,
so he was okay, not like he was. You're right
against Jacksonville where it was like whoa three touchdown performance
on the Jags head over two hundred plus yards. It
was impressive. I think the quarterback play has looked really
good in the preseason overall, though, and from what you
(11:22):
hear and if you've been to practice and seen some stuff,
like Rogers looks incredible in practice. He's the real deal
in total command. I've heard Mike Tomlin say that when
he's talked to the media a few times about him.
And then what we've seen out of the two preseason games,
maybe a little bit of a step back against Tampa Bay, sure,
but nothing that I was like, oh man, the quarterbacks
(11:42):
really sucked this week compared to Week one of the preseason.
And Mason, you know, he's got some gunslinger in him, man,
Like that interception. He tried to force that into a
tight window. Man and at targeting Roman Wilson by the way,
which we didn't know it was TBD at the time
of the kind of game that he was gonna have,
but already trying to go to him. I liked that.
(12:02):
I said on the pregame show, I want to see
Roman Wilson do things in this game and be like
number one receiver, because you're going to be a number
one receiver out there with these ones. So Rudolph just
a little bit underneath that good play from the Tampa
Bay secondary to pick him off, but he comes right
back down the field man and it's a quick drive, right,
And that's been such a thing that's been lacking for
(12:22):
the Steelers in the past years. It's always been methodical,
twelve thirteen play it's got to be perfect kind of drives.
He usually ends in a Boswell field goal ed because
you get a penalty or something like that and just
blows it up. It's three or four plays before that
Brandon Johnson touchdown pass that Rudolph threw, and Roman Wilson
with a huge play right after the pick that Rudolph
(12:45):
threw trying to target him on that next possession. I
was really impressed with Rudolph's ability to still attack and
Roman Wilson's ability.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Steeler Nation, for now going on two years, has been
extremely excited about last year's draft pick out of Michigan
and Roman Wilson finally have gotten to see him through
two preseason games, but this was his breakout game. Two
big catches for seventy two yards to one for forty
yards early on in this game. Roman Wilson's a guy
that Tom They not only are trying to depend on
(13:13):
him to be that number two receiver, they want him
to be that number two wide receiver. I know a
lot of folks that cover and follow Michigan football. When
the Steelers drafted him last year, I was told, congratulations,
you got the next hins Ward and I looked and
when they said that into myself and I said, wow,
that would be great. But talk about expectations from an
early standpoint, but they said, this kid can block, he
(13:33):
can play in the slot, he can take hits, he's
got to speed, he can get open and from all
indications of that an early, very early sample, this past
week against Tampa Bay at Aku Shore Stadium, we saw
some big things from Roman Wilson. And that's what the
Steelers need out of Roman Wilson this upcoming season.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
I needed a receiver to make an impact. I needed
to see somebody show me something here and it has
been kind of quiet in this training well. Kevin Austin
can't stay healthy right now. So that's a problem with
him is we just haven't really seen him in this
training camp. Portion do have some game tape of him
from last year that was impressive. He definitely I don't
want to call it a breakout year to imply that
(14:09):
he became a superstar but in terms of, you know,
a breakout year from his own perspective, yeah, he did
last year made some big plays for the Steelers in
the passing game. But man, I'm glad that Roman Wilson
stepped up to the plate, and I'm glad that it
was kind of two different ways of making a big
splash play. The first one was a combat catchdownfield stronghands
(14:34):
ed total body control. I mean you can see when
you watch the replay, like you see those hands pop up,
body square right to the ball. Really impressive stuff there.
And then the second one is just wide open. I mean,
I don't know if it's a coverage bust. I don't
know if it's a great scheme from Arthur Smith. I
don't know if he just routed some dude up. I'm
ignorant on that end of it, but I do know
(14:54):
he was so wide open that I might toy with
me making that pass, like dude he was. Why I
kind of wish it was Rudolph in the game at
that point because I think he would have maybe led
him a little bit up the field because he could
have done some damage after Skyler Thompson a little too
close to the sideline there a little bad pass honestly
from the quarterback for somebody so wide open. But I
(15:14):
just think that it was good to see Roman Wilson
actually make an impact. But here's my question to you, Now,
does that make you comfortable with the wide receiver two
spot or does that make you go we got a
good wide receiver one. I think Roman Wilson's going to
be a dog at wide receiver three. But we got
to still get somebody for that too.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, these guys, in my opinion, are still your your
third or fourth.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
The good and that's fine, and that's great.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yeah, that's a great spot, but are they truly your
number two? Now here's the upside tom to that they're young.
They're young players, right, Austin, what is this his third
year coming up? I believe in the league you got
Roman Wilson coming up on his second year and it's
really a red shirt season. He was injured all of
last year. So these guys the best is yet to
come with Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin, so they could
(15:58):
easily come into that number two two role. And you know, look,
DK Metcalf one of the best wide receivers in the game.
He's gonna be double teamed a lot, so it should
open up opportunities for the second and third receiver to
make a play. Here's another name that's had a really
good camp and through two preseason games has been solid.
Is Scotty Miller. Everybody forgets about Scotty Miller on the team. Now,
he's not your number two receiver, don't get me wrong,
I'm not jumping to that, but he is in that
(16:20):
mix with Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
See, they just have so much in that mix. Like,
the funny thing is they actually have good depth at
the wide receiver's position. I truly believe that right because three, four, five, six,
those are good wide receivers. There's gonna be a receiver cut.
Maybe it's Scotty Miller that is going to play football
this year. Is gonna be on a team and get
I think game checks in a season because they have
(16:43):
players that are gonna be needed on special teams around
the league. They're gonna be needed to fill out the
deeper parts of other organizations wide receiver room. But they
don't have the top of the room solidified. They don't
have the guy that if DK Metcalf does go down
with an injury. God for can be a number one.
Still take a lot of attention away to free up
(17:06):
the Roman Wilson's in the Calvin Austin's and the guys
underneath your depth chart. Scotty Miller has been playing great.
The thing that kind of stinks for a guy like him, though,
ed Is Goronic is on the roster, you know what
I mean, Like he's just cemented there in a wide
receiver spot. He's a special team svant. He's signed a
two year deal with a team in the offseason, Like
they ain't cutting that guy.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Let's play a game. Let's take a look at the
wide receiver room right now. Who makes this team. There's
one preseason game left, so I think that'll indicate a
lot of this this upcoming Thursday. I got my cheat
sheet here, Tom, so you can you can look on
my cheats.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
What do you think of the depth chart? What do
you think six they're taking six? You think traditionally six
wide six is usually seven at the most. But they're
probably not taking seven. They'll put somebody on the practice squad.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
So here's your locks, right, DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin,
I think Scotty Miller and ben' scronic, especially from that
special team. You just said, So that's five. Here's the
name that is he number six? Robert Woods. We haven't
seen a lot of Robert was. We sawhim a little
bit in Jacksonville, I believe, didn't really see him in
the Tampa Bay game much. He's the veteran. He's the
(18:08):
veteran in this group, a guy that was brought in
that could be the number two wide receiver. His best
days are behind him. Let's face it, he's hanging on
here towards the end of his career. But he's that
veteran in the room. Is he your sixth receiver or
do these guys sneak in? Let me give you a
couple of names. Brandon Johnson had a nice game this
past week. Keyshawn Williams has had a couple of nice games.
Rock Taylor. I want Rock Taylor to be the sixth
(18:29):
guy on this roster. I've said at all training camp,
the rookie out of Memphis. He's so fast, but he
has yet to really do much in these games. Max
Hurlman had a good first game, had a couple key
drops this pass game.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
So I think that's gonna hurt him. Still played good though,
still had a little bit of an impact of the camp.
I think I think Hurlman's the one that's been the
most impressive boy here. He could have really put the
cherry on top if he would have caught that touchdown
pass though it was right in his hands. Little overthrow again,
but that's your third string quarterback, Skyler Thompson whipping that ball,
So I mean, make the catch, yeah, come up with it.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
You got to and especially in those situations you're trying
to make a roster, you got to make that.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Rock Taylor also, Logan Woodside had a nice ball down
the sideline late in that game, and Rock Tailor didn't.
He did an alligator arm it, but he did maybe
dive for it a little bit trying. I think that's
what you saw Logan Woodside kind of throw his hands up,
maybe saying like, ah, come on, go make that play.
So there's a couple of plays left out on the
table from some of these guys that are deeper down
on the depth chart. Man, I'm okay if Robert Woods
(19:27):
doesn't make this team, now, I'm okay if he makes
it too. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say, like,
get him out of here, but I think that you've
got guys that can definitely serve a purpose better than
he could. And you mentioned the leadership aspect. I don't
need that right now. I got a rod kind of
heading that whole room up anyway, the brains of the operation,
and I got in that room exactly, so you don't
(19:49):
really need that angle of oh my god, these are
a bunch of kids. Someone corral him in that you
had with the Pickens is in the in the Deonta's
where Deontay was the veteran in that room for a
season and he was like in the league for three years.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I would rather them take a chance on one of
these younger guys, the Brandon Johnson, the Keishawn Williams, or
Rocktail or maybe Max Hurlman, as you said, other than
those drops this past week, I'd rather go there than
bringing a veteran like Robert Woods. Is what gonna catch
you thirty passes this year for two hundred yards and
maybe a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
I'd go with the five you mentioned, the Miller, Scronic,
Austin Wilson, d K. I think that those are your
five and then I think i'd take a Brandon Johnson
at number six. And then I think i'd try to
get away with Hurlman on the practice squad. I think
that might be somebody that you should maybe stash there,
like that's what I think is gonna happen with somebody
like Carson Brunner. It's just like he's not gonna make
the team this year, but he's got his future for sure,
(20:39):
and he's got a special team's future for sure. No
one's gonna really want him desperately, at least at the
beginning portion of the season. Put him on the practice
squad and see if he can make the team next
year in the proper way, or maybe he gets called
up at some point this season. And I think maybe
you can do that with the Hurlman too, But he
has put out some tape there, Hurlman, where maybe some
team out there's like, we're a little thinn at maybe
(21:01):
a creative wide receiver running back hybrid type, dude, let's
bring this guy in.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
That's certainly the problem when you put somebody on the
practice squad. Obviously, other teams in the NFL can pick
them up and put them on their roster. Tom another
squat is the number three quarterback position. You know, by
all indications, Will Howard is going to be that guy.
I have a hard time thinking that they're going to
cut him. They put him on the practice squad, than
(21:25):
what I just mentioned becomes an issue. Somebody else can
grab him. He's hurt. He has not taken any snaps
in any game up to this point. We've seen Skyler
Thompson a couple times.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
We know Rogers and Rudolph are one and two, But
who's your third quarterback right now? There's some options. I'm
gonna give you a few, one being if Will Howard
is not ready for this game Thursday, and I don't
think he's going to be. He's not going to play
one snap in the preseason, you're obviously not gonna cut him.
You could put him on the IR for that six
week window and bring him off and for those six
weeks you can bring in Skyler Thompson and have him
(21:56):
as your third quarterback on this team. But then Skyler
Thompson's taken a roster spot away from somebody potentially else
in another position on this team. It's an interesting position.
The Steelers are in an that f third quarterback spot
because Skyle Thompson, in my opinion, is not a clear
cut to be that third option.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
I think it's pretty obvious what they're gonna do. I
think Howard's definitely making the team. They're not gonna go
the IR route. I'd leave the light on right now
for him to play. Thursday. He was doing a lot
of individual stuff already, taking some snaps, throwing the football
a little bit before the game against Tampa Bay. Yeah,
I'm not guaranteeing anything. He might not play, but I
don't think they're gonna put him on IR. I think
(22:34):
they want him out there practicing, taking reps, doing you know,
everything he possibly can this year as that third emergency
quarterback with this team dressing on Sundays, all that jazz
and the top two are just so so perfect honestly
in my eyes. I mean, I'm not going to say
that they're the best two in the league, but from
I meant perfect from the perspective of it's just like
(22:54):
I have no worries, Like, I know Rogers is my dude.
I know Rudolph can win me a couple of games
if he has to this year, and he's a really
good backup. I just think they're gonna approach it that
way too, and say, if we get to the third quarterback,
things are going catastrophically wrong this year.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You're in trouble.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
A B. Scott Thompson might still be on his couch.
He might still be on another practice squad that we
just okay, we'll snatch him back up again. He already
kind of knows the system here in Pittsburgh. And then
see at that point again, things have kind of already know.
Hit the fan. You might as well just roll Will
Howard out there, because he will be healthy at that point.
Come Week one, I bet you Will Howard could play
(23:32):
a football game if he has to against the Jets.
We'll see about Thursday, though, But I think that's how
that shakes out that room.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
I love Will Howard. I was excited when they draft him.
Speaking of dogs, we talked about dogs being in players
earlier here in this segment. He's a dog from Ohio State.
If you know the history behind Will Howard. But I
got to see him have some NFL snaps, not just
in practice, not just in T shirt and shorts up
in Latrobe or on the South Side. We got to
see him in some NFL action. The preseason would have
been perfect. Will Howard would have got a lot of
(24:01):
snaps during this preseason if he was healthy. That didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Man, all the stuff you're seeing from Thompson would have
been all Howard.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
That would have been him.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Yeah, they wouldn't even had Woodside come in. He would
have just finished.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Out all the games, right exactly. Let's pivot to the
defense quickly here during this segment. We have a few
more minutes left. Tom. Derek Harmon the number one pick.
He arrived here in game number two of the preseason.
Three tackles, one sack, another tackle for loss, and that
was against the number ones of Tampa Bay. That was
not against two or three squatted players. He came out
(24:33):
in a big way. Man, I do not know about you,
but I'm very excited about Derek Harmon and the possibilities
of him leading this defensive line this season.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Oh I'm pumped. I mean leading this defensive line this season.
Let's relax on that, because it's ninety seven. Is still
going to lead these.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Guys at some point, maybe midway through.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Towards show you the signs that in the coming years
he can be the guy that can take that torch
from Captain Cam Hayward. But boy looked great and he
showed you a little bit of those signs in that
game against Tampa Bay. The sack ed was very impressive.
It reminded me of Cam Hayward a bit. Just bull
rush right up the middle. You know, that guard was
(25:12):
on his heels, just back pedaling, back pedaling, back pedaling,
and then to not only have the brute strength to
push that mass of human being backwards like that, but
then the athleticism to disengage, grab trask and your big
bear claws and put them right down into the turf,
slam them in, make him feel that body. That's first
round pick stuff. Man, that's potential Pro Bowl dare I say?
(25:36):
All pro level kind of stuff. And this was a
deep class for detackles. There was five d tackles in
this class.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
He suck down.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
He was the last one available. The Steelers finally got
one of those five, but there were five projected to
be elite dudes in the NFL. And everything you've seen
from him so far has been that way. And that's
been the talk of people throughout campus how impressive he is.
I'm glad he did it on Saturday night. Everybody in
Pittsburgh watching you know what I mean, still that early
(26:05):
portion of the game and getting to see their first
round pick put on a nice display. And beyond this
act too, ed like him and Whya, Black and Benton,
they controlled that line of scrimmage excuse me early in
that game.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
And they're all young guys. I mean, that's your future
defensive line right there by the way. Yeah, not discounting
Cam Hayward. And we'll talk about Cam Hayward a little
bit later in his contract situation and his hold in
that he's currently going through for an upgraded contract is
what I'll put it with. But Derek Harmon, I mean
when you look at his size, you know, six four,
three hundred and thirteen pounds, and he brought up a
(26:37):
great point his hands, his hands to grab an offensive
line and then get through him in the quickness too
that he displays with that size, A big man that
can move like that. That's why he's the number one pick,
and that's why he's going to be your Week one
starter on that defensive line.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
And why you Black is a monster too. He just
looks like a big human being that that could be
the real steal of this draft. When Jack Sawyer got
picked in the fourth round. He's the Ohio State guy.
He was their version of Superman on that team won
the national championship for them. It just felt like a Steeler, right,
and it was like, Oh, this dude's going to be
a beast one day. What a steal from Pittsburgh. It
(27:12):
might be why of Black? Who's the true steal? And
I'm not saying Jack Sawyer is not going to be
a really good NFL player. Whya Black might be a
starter for ten plus years and like a legitimate dude
on a defensive line. So to get him in the
fifth round and to have him already kind of be
your fourth man and then harming your first round pick,
b you know, he's number two. I think as far
as the pecking order is concerned right now, it's impressive
(27:34):
and exciting stuff.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Black is six', five three hundred and thirty six.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Pounds he looks huge on the.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Field he LOOKED i was ready to say that was
my next, point, right he looks even bigger than. That
this is The steelers standard With Ed trup And Tom
offerman on The Steelers Nation radio part Of Steelers Audio
network
In a shot gunn'st get to snap back to past
looking looks right now, dances out to the left in
trouble throws and it is complete in the end zone
and it's Johnson and it's a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Pittsburgh Steelers. When you talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers, you
talk about a franchise built on tradition from the Steel
Curtain of the seventies, the Bill Cowers grant in the
nineties to Mike Tomlin today. This team has always been
defined by one thing, the standard. It's not just a slogan.
It's a reminder that no matter who wears the black
and gold, the expectation never changes. Play hard, play physical,
(00:38):
and play to win championships. That's the legacy carried over
from Chuck Nole to Coward to Tomlin and passed down
through generations of Steelers greats. Those Steeler teams didn't bend
for injuries, for new faces, or changing times. The standard
has always been the standard with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and
this is the Steeler standard. On Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio network, I am joining me is
(01:01):
Tom Offerman and Tom. We are two games into the
preseason one more to go. I'm not sure if you
can really, you know, make a strong opinion on how
things are because over twenty starters have not played for
the first two present game preseason games. But one thing
we are starting to come together a little bit are
who's the backups? The depth positions on this team, specifically
(01:22):
at the wide receiver position, different defensive key positions. But
for two games they're one and one. Nice game in
Jacksonville one thirty one to twenty five to start out
the season, lost seventeen to fourteen this past week against
Tampa Bay. Again a little bit of an up and
down performance for the Black and Gold during that second
preseason game.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Well, first of all, it was such a lovely way
to set the table here. I've been doing this show
the standard since it was in its infancy a long
time ago. It's like four or five years I think
that we've been doing this, maybe a little less than that.
So I do feel like I am mentioned in the
same breath as the Chuck no Oles and the Bill
Cowery when it comes to carrying that standard on. So
thank you for that, Ed. That was great. Yeah, I mean,
(02:00):
no starters are playing, and I gotta be honest with you,
that was something that I was kind of in disagreement
with a little bit. I get it. Trust me, I
totally see where the team's coming from avoiding the risk
of injury in this preseason portion of the year. But
I also think you have a little bit of risk
as far as you know, gelling together and getting everybody
(02:22):
up to speed for Week one against the Jets. And
I don't know, call me old fashioned, I like to
see a little bit of game reps going on. I
think that that could help everybody, especially with such a
new team. Maybe you see that Thursday, you know, I
don't think I rule that out yet. When Mike Tomlin
speaks to the media, probably tomorrow we're recording this on Monday,
(02:42):
he will shed some light on who's going to play
or not. But maybe we'll see that, you know, dress
rehearsal ish series or two from the starters then, or
at least more starters than have been playing. But I
don't know. I just I feel like it could have
been beneficial, or would be beneficial for this team to
at least get a little bit of run together because
it's just ed, there's just so many new faces. I mean,
(03:04):
this is a team in the NFL that has more
changeover than anybody else really in the league. I mean,
you look at the offensive side of the ball. At
least there is new starters at basically every position except
for the interior offensive line, and Jalen Warren is a
familiar face, but he's getting upgrade to a new role.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, they got to really start getting into a rhythm
at some point. And you don't want to be like
the Cincinnati Bengals, right, You never see Burrow during the preseason.
He comes out in the first couple weeks of the
season and he struggles. You would hope that they'd get
some reps during the preseason.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
They changed that this year Cincinnati because of the problems
that they've had.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
They've learned their lessons. Yes, so this is the first
time tom that I could remember in recent or even
long term stealer history, that this has been the approach
by the coaching staff, especially Mike Tomlin. You always see
him usually in that second game, and that would have
been this past weekend against Tampa Bay. You would have
seen the starters take a series or two, especially on offense,
and once again they got rested. But you and I
(04:00):
have talked about this. This roster is not young, this
is a veteran roster, and maybe there's you know, they're
trying to preserve and protect these vets.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
It's not only trying to get into like Tomlin and
the coaching staff's headspace here. It's not only that angle.
I don't think it's definitely a part of it. It's like,
we got to preserve these guys. I don't want to
get to week sixteen and see them kind of run
out of gas and have that voice in the back
of my head go, did I push them too hard
in training camp? That I push them too hard in
the preseason. So I definitely think that's a major factor
(04:32):
in what you're trying to avoid with this. But I
also think that there's a lot that goes into the
fact that these just are dudes that know what time
it is too. It's not like you just got a
bunch of old guys who are wheezing their way to
the finish line, trying to get a last contract, trying
to stay in the NFL, you know what I mean. Like,
these are dudes with pedigrees, These are dudes with Hall
(04:52):
of Fame jackets already, you know, it's just a matter
of the formality at this point, getting voted in and
getting the jacket actually on your shoulders. And these are
guys that all kind of have a little something to
prove based on what happened in their previous circumstance. So
I think because of that, you're gonna get the focus.
You're gonna get that you know, intensity, that gelling that
(05:13):
you want. The buy in's gonna be there. And I
think that goes into it a little bit too. It's like,
I know, DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers and wat and Hayward,
they know what to do, you know, when Week one
comes around. It's not a mystery to them. So we
can pull our foot off the gas pedal a little
bit when it comes to those guys.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
They don't need a ton of reps to get ready
for the regular season practice of course, right yeah, but.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Not maybe not, Maybe that's the way that they go
about this. Again, we'll see for sure when Mike Tomlin
declares who's in and who's out for Carolina on Thursday.
But I'm leaning towards no one plays in that game.
I don't think no enough significance. I mean, I think
it'll be kind of the same modus operandi that we've seen.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Maybe you give Jalen Warren a carrier two in that
game just to give him some reps.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
And that's an interesting one because he's a running back, right,
got to get hit. Yeah, he's been getting hit in practice.
He got hit in the joint practice that they had
with Tampa Bay. But yeah, that's a good call, Like
that's just a position that thrives on the physical contact. Like,
get a couple of those reps in before it really counts.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I would think you want to get him in some
game action this week. I think Jalen Warren would be
one of those players. One player we have seen a
healthy dosa from the running back position tom has been
Caleb Johnson, the Steelers draft pick out of Iowa. Better
performance this past week fifty yards, had twenty yards in
game one, so two games, seventy yards carring. I'm not
sure about you, but I was a little underwhelmed with
(06:38):
Caleb Johnson in game number one at Jacksonville Bells A
little bit more impressed this past week. I thought he
hit the holes a little bit better. Starting to get it.
He's a rookie. It's going to take a few games.
This is why the preseason is what it is, especially
for a guy like Caleb Johnson.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
No, it was awesome to see him do that against
Tampa Bay. It was much needed to see him do
that as well. I mean, and I'm sure we'll get
into him as well in a little bit, but Derek
Harmon with a big impact on that game too. So
your first two picks were really the stars I think
of that preseason game. Along with Roman Wilson, I would
kind of throw the you know, if we're doing a
hockey thing, those are my three stars of the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers game. So I think that the rookies really
(07:14):
did a great job that the top two rookies especially,
And what was so impressive to me for Caleb Johnson
was the cutbacks. You know, the big runs that he
had had started to the left and he cut back
to the right and did damage on the other side
of where the flow was going right to left. And
you know, that is just something that I think Najie
(07:35):
Harris could do. But I always just felt that Nagy
at his best was this play is designed to go
in that hole, block it up perfectly. I'm going to
give everything I can to get there, And a lot
of times what we saw with him is that hole
was not open, and he'd danced around in the backfield
and he tried to get out of it, and he
(07:55):
didn't necessarily have that speed to hit those cutbacks, and
he would tackles, don't get me wrong, in the backfield,
But then you do only get like one yard two
yard to get back to the line of scrimmage. Now
with Caleb Johnson, man, if you see that kind of
blown up based on where the play supposed to go,
he has shown the ability in that game and in
his career in Iowa, put that left foot in the ground,
cut hard to the right and beat guys with your
(08:17):
speed to the outside.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
As brilliant and as nausey Harris was at times, it
would it would drive you crazy. Right when he'd go
try to go left the right instead just going right
up the middle of hick.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
He didn't have the speed he did.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
He couldn't get to the outside. But Caleb Johnson's a
guy that they're hoping out of Iowa. Six one, two
hundred and twenty four pounds. He's big, he's stocky, he
has the speed. He's a guy that they need to him,
that they need that two headed monster because Jalen Warren,
in my opinion, he can't take the workload like Nausey
Harris did for a full season. You know he's gonna
get hurt. You need to spell him. You need a
(08:47):
two headed monster in that backfield, and right now it
should be worn and they're hoping it's gonna be Caleb Johnson.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah. I think that that's what's gonna happen. Is it's
kind of be a little bit of a slow play
with Caleb Johnson. Initially, I think you're gonna see Jaalen
Warren be the guy and Kenneth Gainwell is going to
be the spot back, Yeah, third down back, someone who
spells for him to use him in the passing game
for sure. Not to say that Jalen Warren can't be
utilized there as well, but yeah, I think that's kind
of going to be more of your duo. You'll see
(09:15):
Caleb Johnson too, Like, don't get me wrong, I think
that you'll see week one against the Jets, you know,
second quarter ish a Caleb Johnson series. Maybe, But I
think that his role expands as the season moves forward,
and maybe it becomes more of a Johnson Warren true
duo fifty to fifty split with a little bit of
(09:36):
Kenny G sprinkled into things. But I think that's how
the pecking order is going to start out. I think
they're telling you that with Jalen Warren not playing in
the first two preseason games, Kenny G being the quote
unquote starting back in the preseason games, and then Caleb Johnson,
especially against Tampa Bay. I mean he was playing into
the third quarter.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
By the way, I love the Kenny G nickname. Love it.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
They should play the sacks on the jargon Sean. I'm
going to keep saying that on all my.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Shows every time they throw them the ball out of
the backfield. They should start playing.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
First downs, just like a couple of riffs, right, just
a small thing, and then on touchdowns you let the
whole thing play.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Baby Tom quarterback play. Of course, we've not seen Aaron
Rodgers through these first two preseason games. We've gotten a
healthy dose of Mason Rudolph, Skyler Thompson. We've even seen
Woodside come in a little bit in the first game,
a lot here in this second game, the Steelers fourth quarterback.
Of course, no will Howard. He's still hurt. He's still out.
(10:29):
Game one in Jacksonville. I thought Rudolph Skyler Thompson especially
looked really good this past week. All three of those
quarterbacks through interceptions. HM h up and down a little bit.
Wasn't as impressed by both, but that could have also
been Tampa Bay's defense. They started their starters and they're
just better than Jacksonville starters, so they faced a little
bit better competition. They forced turnovers. But he did throw
(10:50):
touchdown passes this past week in game two as well,
as we heard at the opening of the.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Show, Mason did. Yeah, he got the touchdown pass. Trace
sermon with the other one. What's that put or not? Whatside?
I'm sorry, Thompson put up some yardage?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Do you have it in fronty? I think it's one
hundred and thirty three yards or something like that. Yeah,
he was over at the top of my head. Yeah,
so he was okay, not like he was. You're right
against Jacksonville where it was like whoa three touchdown performance
on the Jags head over two hundred plus yards. It
was impressive. I think the quarterback play has looked really
good in the preseason overall, though, and from what you
(11:22):
hear and if you've been to practice and seen some stuff,
like Rogers looks incredible in practice. He's the real deal
in total command. I've heard Mike Tomlin say that when
he's talked to the media a few times about him.
And then what we've seen out of the two preseason games,
maybe a little bit of a step back against Tampa Bay, sure,
but nothing that I was like, oh man, the quarterbacks
(11:42):
really sucked this week compared to Week one of the preseason.
And Mason, you know, he's got some gunslinger in him, man,
Like that interception. He tried to force that into a
tight window. Man and at targeting Roman Wilson by the way,
which we didn't know it was TBD at the time
of the kind of game that he was gonna have,
but already trying to go to him. I liked that.
(12:02):
I said on the pregame show, I want to see
Roman Wilson do things in this game and be like
number one receiver, because you're going to be a number
one receiver out there with these ones. So Rudolph just
a little bit underneath that good play from the Tampa
Bay secondary to pick him off, but he comes right
back down the field man and it's a quick drive, right,
And that's been such a thing that's been lacking for
(12:22):
the Steelers in the past years. It's always been methodical,
twelve thirteen play it's got to be perfect kind of drives.
He usually ends in a Boswell field goal ed because
you get a penalty or something like that and just
blows it up. It's three or four plays before that
Brandon Johnson touchdown pass that Rudolph threw, and Roman Wilson
with a huge play right after the pick that Rudolph
(12:45):
threw trying to target him on that next possession. I
was really impressed with Rudolph's ability to still attack and
Roman Wilson's ability.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Steeler Nation, for now going on two years, has been
extremely excited about last year's draft pick out of Michigan
and Roman Wilson finally have gotten to see him through
two preseason games, but this was his breakout game. Two
big catches for seventy two yards to one for forty
yards early on in this game. Roman Wilson's a guy
that Tom They not only are trying to depend on
(13:13):
him to be that number two receiver, they want him
to be that number two wide receiver. I know a
lot of folks that cover and follow Michigan football. When
the Steelers drafted him last year, I was told, congratulations,
you got the next hins Ward and I looked and
when they said that into myself and I said, wow,
that would be great. But talk about expectations from an
early standpoint, but they said, this kid can block, he
(13:33):
can play in the slot, he can take hits, he's
got to speed, he can get open and from all
indications of that an early, very early sample, this past
week against Tampa Bay at Aku Shore Stadium, we saw
some big things from Roman Wilson. And that's what the
Steelers need out of Roman Wilson this upcoming season.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
I needed a receiver to make an impact. I needed
to see somebody show me something here and it has
been kind of quiet in this training well. Kevin Austin
can't stay healthy right now. So that's a problem with
him is we just haven't really seen him in this
training camp. Portion do have some game tape of him
from last year that was impressive. He definitely I don't
want to call it a breakout year to imply that
(14:09):
he became a superstar but in terms of, you know,
a breakout year from his own perspective, yeah, he did
last year made some big plays for the Steelers in
the passing game. But man, I'm glad that Roman Wilson
stepped up to the plate, and I'm glad that it
was kind of two different ways of making a big
splash play. The first one was a combat catchdownfield stronghands
(14:34):
ed total body control. I mean you can see when
you watch the replay, like you see those hands pop up,
body square right to the ball. Really impressive stuff there.
And then the second one is just wide open. I mean,
I don't know if it's a coverage bust. I don't
know if it's a great scheme from Arthur Smith. I
don't know if he just routed some dude up. I'm
ignorant on that end of it, but I do know
(14:54):
he was so wide open that I might toy with
me making that pass, like dude he was. Why I
kind of wish it was Rudolph in the game at
that point because I think he would have maybe led
him a little bit up the field because he could
have done some damage after Skyler Thompson a little too
close to the sideline there a little bad pass honestly
from the quarterback for somebody so wide open. But I
(15:14):
just think that it was good to see Roman Wilson
actually make an impact. But here's my question to you, Now,
does that make you comfortable with the wide receiver two
spot or does that make you go we got a
good wide receiver one. I think Roman Wilson's going to
be a dog at wide receiver three. But we got
to still get somebody for that too.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, these guys, in my opinion, are still your your
third or fourth.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
The good and that's fine, and that's great.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yeah, that's a great spot, but are they truly your
number two? Now here's the upside tom to that they're young.
They're young players, right, Austin, what is this his third
year coming up? I believe in the league you got
Roman Wilson coming up on his second year and it's
really a red shirt season. He was injured all of
last year. So these guys the best is yet to
come with Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin, so they could
(15:58):
easily come into that number two two role. And you know, look,
DK Metcalf one of the best wide receivers in the game.
He's gonna be double teamed a lot, so it should
open up opportunities for the second and third receiver to
make a play. Here's another name that's had a really
good camp and through two preseason games has been solid.
Is Scotty Miller. Everybody forgets about Scotty Miller on the team. Now,
he's not your number two receiver, don't get me wrong,
I'm not jumping to that, but he is in that
(16:20):
mix with Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
See, they just have so much in that mix. Like,
the funny thing is they actually have good depth at
the wide receiver's position. I truly believe that right because three, four, five, six,
those are good wide receivers. There's gonna be a receiver cut.
Maybe it's Scotty Miller that is going to play football
this year. Is gonna be on a team and get
I think game checks in a season because they have
(16:43):
players that are gonna be needed on special teams around
the league. They're gonna be needed to fill out the
deeper parts of other organizations wide receiver room. But they
don't have the top of the room solidified. They don't
have the guy that if DK Metcalf does go down
with an injury. God for can be a number one.
Still take a lot of attention away to free up
(17:06):
the Roman Wilson's in the Calvin Austin's and the guys
underneath your depth chart. Scotty Miller has been playing great.
The thing that kind of stinks for a guy like him, though,
ed Is Goronic is on the roster, you know what
I mean, Like he's just cemented there in a wide
receiver spot. He's a special team svant. He's signed a
two year deal with a team in the offseason, Like
they ain't cutting that guy.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Let's play a game. Let's take a look at the
wide receiver room right now. Who makes this team. There's
one preseason game left, so I think that'll indicate a
lot of this this upcoming Thursday. I got my cheat
sheet here, Tom, so you can you can look on
my cheats.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
What do you think of the depth chart? What do
you think six they're taking six? You think traditionally six
wide six is usually seven at the most. But they're
probably not taking seven. They'll put somebody on the practice squad.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
So here's your locks, right, DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin,
I think Scotty Miller and ben' scronic, especially from that
special team. You just said, So that's five. Here's the
name that is he number six? Robert Woods. We haven't
seen a lot of Robert was. We sawhim a little
bit in Jacksonville, I believe, didn't really see him in
the Tampa Bay game much. He's the veteran. He's the
(18:08):
veteran in this group, a guy that was brought in
that could be the number two wide receiver. His best
days are behind him. Let's face it, he's hanging on
here towards the end of his career. But he's that
veteran in the room. Is he your sixth receiver or
do these guys sneak in? Let me give you a
couple of names. Brandon Johnson had a nice game this
past week. Keyshawn Williams has had a couple of nice games.
Rock Taylor. I want Rock Taylor to be the sixth
(18:29):
guy on this roster. I've said at all training camp,
the rookie out of Memphis. He's so fast, but he
has yet to really do much in these games. Max
Hurlman had a good first game, had a couple key
drops this pass game.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
So I think that's gonna hurt him. Still played good though,
still had a little bit of an impact of the camp.
I think I think Hurlman's the one that's been the
most impressive boy here. He could have really put the
cherry on top if he would have caught that touchdown
pass though it was right in his hands. Little overthrow again,
but that's your third string quarterback, Skyler Thompson whipping that ball,
So I mean, make the catch, yeah, come up with it.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
You got to and especially in those situations you're trying
to make a roster, you got to make that.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Rock Taylor also, Logan Woodside had a nice ball down
the sideline late in that game, and Rock Tailor didn't.
He did an alligator arm it, but he did maybe
dive for it a little bit trying. I think that's
what you saw Logan Woodside kind of throw his hands up,
maybe saying like, ah, come on, go make that play.
So there's a couple of plays left out on the
table from some of these guys that are deeper down
on the depth chart. Man, I'm okay if Robert Woods
(19:27):
doesn't make this team, now, I'm okay if he makes
it too. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say, like,
get him out of here, but I think that you've
got guys that can definitely serve a purpose better than
he could. And you mentioned the leadership aspect. I don't
need that right now. I got a rod kind of
heading that whole room up anyway, the brains of the operation,
and I got in that room exactly, so you don't
(19:49):
really need that angle of oh my god, these are
a bunch of kids. Someone corral him in that you
had with the Pickens is in the in the Deonta's
where Deontay was the veteran in that room for a
season and he was like in the league for three years.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I would rather them take a chance on one of
these younger guys, the Brandon Johnson, the Keishawn Williams, or
Rocktail or maybe Max Hurlman, as you said, other than
those drops this past week, I'd rather go there than
bringing a veteran like Robert Woods. Is what gonna catch
you thirty passes this year for two hundred yards and
maybe a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
I'd go with the five you mentioned, the Miller, Scronic,
Austin Wilson, d K. I think that those are your
five and then I think i'd take a Brandon Johnson
at number six. And then I think i'd try to
get away with Hurlman on the practice squad. I think
that might be somebody that you should maybe stash there,
like that's what I think is gonna happen with somebody
like Carson Brunner. It's just like he's not gonna make
the team this year, but he's got his future for sure,
(20:39):
and he's got a special team's future for sure. No
one's gonna really want him desperately, at least at the
beginning portion of the season. Put him on the practice
squad and see if he can make the team next
year in the proper way, or maybe he gets called
up at some point this season. And I think maybe
you can do that with the Hurlman too, But he
has put out some tape there, Hurlman, where maybe some
team out there's like, we're a little thinn at maybe
(21:01):
a creative wide receiver running back hybrid type, dude, let's
bring this guy in.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
That's certainly the problem when you put somebody on the
practice squad. Obviously, other teams in the NFL can pick
them up and put them on their roster. Tom another
squat is the number three quarterback position. You know, by
all indications, Will Howard is going to be that guy.
I have a hard time thinking that they're going to
cut him. They put him on the practice squad, than
(21:25):
what I just mentioned becomes an issue. Somebody else can
grab him. He's hurt. He has not taken any snaps
in any game up to this point. We've seen Skyler
Thompson a couple times.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
We know Rogers and Rudolph are one and two, But
who's your third quarterback right now? There's some options. I'm
gonna give you a few, one being if Will Howard
is not ready for this game Thursday, and I don't
think he's going to be. He's not going to play
one snap in the preseason, you're obviously not gonna cut him.
You could put him on the IR for that six
week window and bring him off and for those six
weeks you can bring in Skyler Thompson and have him
(21:56):
as your third quarterback on this team. But then Skyler
Thompson's taken a roster spot away from somebody potentially else
in another position on this team. It's an interesting position.
The Steelers are in an that f third quarterback spot
because Skyle Thompson, in my opinion, is not a clear
cut to be that third option.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
I think it's pretty obvious what they're gonna do. I
think Howard's definitely making the team. They're not gonna go
the IR route. I'd leave the light on right now
for him to play. Thursday. He was doing a lot
of individual stuff already, taking some snaps, throwing the football
a little bit before the game against Tampa Bay. Yeah,
I'm not guaranteeing anything. He might not play, but I
don't think they're gonna put him on IR. I think
(22:34):
they want him out there practicing, taking reps, doing you know,
everything he possibly can this year as that third emergency
quarterback with this team dressing on Sundays, all that jazz
and the top two are just so so perfect honestly
in my eyes. I mean, I'm not going to say
that they're the best two in the league, but from
I meant perfect from the perspective of it's just like
(22:54):
I have no worries, Like, I know Rogers is my dude.
I know Rudolph can win me a couple of games
if he has to this year, and he's a really
good backup. I just think they're gonna approach it that
way too, and say, if we get to the third quarterback,
things are going catastrophically wrong this year.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You're in trouble.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
A B. Scott Thompson might still be on his couch.
He might still be on another practice squad that we
just okay, we'll snatch him back up again. He already
kind of knows the system here in Pittsburgh. And then
see at that point again, things have kind of already know.
Hit the fan. You might as well just roll Will
Howard out there, because he will be healthy at that point.
Come Week one, I bet you Will Howard could play
(23:32):
a football game if he has to against the Jets.
We'll see about Thursday, though, But I think that's how
that shakes out that room.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
I love Will Howard. I was excited when they draft him.
Speaking of dogs, we talked about dogs being in players
earlier here in this segment. He's a dog from Ohio State.
If you know the history behind Will Howard. But I
got to see him have some NFL snaps, not just
in practice, not just in T shirt and shorts up
in Latrobe or on the South Side. We got to
see him in some NFL action. The preseason would have
been perfect. Will Howard would have got a lot of
(24:01):
snaps during this preseason if he was healthy. That didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Man, all the stuff you're seeing from Thompson would have
been all Howard.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
That would have been him.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Yeah, they wouldn't even had Woodside come in. He would
have just finished.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Out all the games, right exactly. Let's pivot to the
defense quickly here during this segment. We have a few
more minutes left. Tom. Derek Harmon the number one pick.
He arrived here in game number two of the preseason.
Three tackles, one sack, another tackle for loss, and that
was against the number ones of Tampa Bay. That was
not against two or three squatted players. He came out
(24:33):
in a big way. Man, I do not know about you,
but I'm very excited about Derek Harmon and the possibilities
of him leading this defensive line this season.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Oh I'm pumped. I mean leading this defensive line this season.
Let's relax on that, because it's ninety seven. Is still
going to lead these.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Guys at some point, maybe midway through.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Towards show you the signs that in the coming years
he can be the guy that can take that torch
from Captain Cam Hayward. But boy looked great and he
showed you a little bit of those signs in that
game against Tampa Bay. The sack ed was very impressive.
It reminded me of Cam Hayward a bit. Just bull
rush right up the middle. You know, that guard was
(25:12):
on his heels, just back pedaling, back pedaling, back pedaling,
and then to not only have the brute strength to
push that mass of human being backwards like that, but
then the athleticism to disengage, grab trask and your big
bear claws and put them right down into the turf,
slam them in, make him feel that body. That's first
round pick stuff. Man, that's potential Pro Bowl dare I say?
(25:36):
All pro level kind of stuff. And this was a
deep class for detackles. There was five d tackles in
this class.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
He suck down.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
He was the last one available. The Steelers finally got
one of those five, but there were five projected to
be elite dudes in the NFL. And everything you've seen
from him so far has been that way. And that's
been the talk of people throughout campus how impressive he is.
I'm glad he did it on Saturday night. Everybody in
Pittsburgh watching you know what I mean, still that early
(26:05):
portion of the game and getting to see their first
round pick put on a nice display. And beyond this
act too, ed like him and Whya, Black and Benton,
they controlled that line of scrimmage excuse me early in
that game.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
And they're all young guys. I mean, that's your future
defensive line right there by the way. Yeah, not discounting
Cam Hayward. And we'll talk about Cam Hayward a little
bit later in his contract situation and his hold in
that he's currently going through for an upgraded contract is
what I'll put it with. But Derek Harmon, I mean
when you look at his size, you know, six four,
three hundred and thirteen pounds, and he brought up a
(26:37):
great point his hands, his hands to grab an offensive
line and then get through him in the quickness too
that he displays with that size, A big man that
can move like that. That's why he's the number one pick,
and that's why he's going to be your Week one
starter on that defensive line.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
And why you Black is a monster too. He just
looks like a big human being that that could be
the real steal of this draft. When Jack Sawyer got
picked in the fourth round. He's the Ohio State guy.
He was their version of Superman on that team won
the national championship for them. It just felt like a Steeler, right,
and it was like, Oh, this dude's going to be
a beast one day. What a steal from Pittsburgh. It
(27:12):
might be why of Black? Who's the true steal? And
I'm not saying Jack Sawyer is not going to be
a really good NFL player. Whya Black might be a
starter for ten plus years and like a legitimate dude
on a defensive line. So to get him in the
fifth round and to have him already kind of be
your fourth man and then harming your first round pick,
b you know, he's number two. I think as far
as the pecking order is concerned right now, it's impressive
(27:34):
and exciting stuff.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
Black is six', five three hundred and thirty six.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Pounds he looks huge on the.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Field he LOOKED i was ready to say that was
my next, point, right he looks even bigger than. That
this is The steelers standard With Ed trup And Tom
offerman on The Steelers Nation radio part Of Steelers Audio
network
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