Segment 2: The Joe Show, Minkah, Claypool Injury

Gerry Dulac is live from the North Shore Tavern, looking at the last days of camp leading into preseason week 3.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What do you want, Black and Gold football talk? You want?
S n R. Welcome back to our two of our
special training camp reports show Jerry Doolack for the Pittsburg
postcause that in the Steeler Radio Network with you along
with the coach, Tom Bradley, my old Monday Night quarterback partners,
who we will be teaming up again and if it wants,
the regular season begins along with Tim Ben's the Three

(00:23):
Man Show. UH. This year we'll be broadcasting on location
and we will be looking forward to that. The Steelers
opening opening having their first home preseason game, their only
home preseason game Saturday night against the Detroit Lions PM
pick at the Hines Field. Ben Roethlisberger will make his

(00:43):
first and only appearance of the preseason and UM, I
don't know how much of the new offense people are
going to see. Probably about as much as you saw,
uh coach in the first two preseason games, but um,
you know he'll get back there. And I'm curious if, um,
if there's anybody and before we start talking about the defense,

(01:06):
if there's anybody that you are eager or curious to
see based on what you've seen the first games. No,
I'm just I'm just gonna see how they're gonna go
from one game to the next. You know what's gonna
be the next thing they add in their base package?
Says they move forward here, I'm sure they're gonna show
something else, a little bit of a and even you
know a lot of times, um, something they just want

(01:28):
to work on or want to take a look at.
Is what I'm gonna really be interested to see, you
know what coach candidate wants to really maybe either zero
in on or or wants to take a good look at.
Excuse me, because there are three games now will be
they kind of have an idea. It's still a long

(01:49):
way away from fifty three. They have a pretty good
idea at this point, but they are zeroing in a
little bit more on the guys they are untrigued at
this point. Yeah, I think they have to. They've they've
got to get their guys ready to to you know,
some of the guys, you know, how long they play him,
the older group of guys, And I think that's the
balancing act that comes in here, you know, because some

(02:11):
guys you know, don't need as much as the other vets.
And you've got to really figure that out to make
sure that everybody's come. A lot of guys just have
a different way of getting ready for that opening game.
And um uh. We saw Dwayne Haskins last week. Coach
come into game, speakers are down thirteen nothing, he takes

(02:31):
him on four consecutive scoring drives, puts up twenty four points.
Here's win sixteen in Philadelphia, and you look pretty good.
Let's face it. Um, He's very accurate, very productive. Move
the team long drives, whether in yardage or plays. And
um did just about everything he was asked to do, including,

(02:53):
according to Mike Tomlin, going through his reads and progressions,
which was kind of the knock against men. Wash. Okay, Okay,
I know it's a preseason. I know he's going against
the other guys, second and third teamers, but you have
to you have to acknowledge it. Okay, but he had success.
He can't help. But who's on the other side. He
just gotta worry about himself. And I was impressed with

(03:15):
watching him play. I really think that that's a a
good situation for the Steelers, although I still think by
the time the season starts it I think that Mason
will be too. I just have that feeling, and and
d Wayne will be three of It's just how I
look at it. But um, that could change, Okay, No,

(03:37):
I agree with you. I don't even think there's People
always want to ask, but I don't think there's a
battle for number two. The job is Mason Rudolphs. And
the only way that would change is the way it
changed two years ago when Ben got hurt. Is that
the job was then Mason Rudolphs. And then he struggled
for a game and a half and he had the
incident in Cleveland, of course, you know with Miles Garrett,

(03:59):
and then it comes back the following week. Throws a
couple of picks in the first half, and Mike Comin
comes out in the second half, and and and starts, Uh,
Doc Hodges, That's the only way that's going to happen
is if something happens to Ben, Mason Rudolph has to
play and he struggles, and then they feel they need
a spark and they need to do something different. Otherwise

(04:19):
they're not gonna make that jump right now. They're just
not gonna take that leap of faith because they're totally
comfortable with Mason Rudolf. Yeah, and and if you've been
around Mason, he's the first class guys. You know, You've
you've seen him in the locker room a lot. He's
a really he's a good teammate and he's a guy
that I really think that is uh getting to the
point where he's gonna be really ready to be that guy.

(04:42):
And that's it. I think it's a good situation they have.
Everybody keeps talking about it like it's a bad situation.
I think it's a really good situation to what they
have a quarterback right now, They've got what I think,
are you know, besides the Hall of Fame guy, You've
got two really quality guys as backups, and something would
happen and a lot of people don't have that ledgeries

(05:04):
you know, and coach when Mason Rudolph has started there.
There there were five and three last year when Ben
was hurt. Last year, he plays the last game against
the desperate Cleveland team, a playoff team. He's playing without
a lot of his starters, and he has wonderful game.
Three touchdowns or two touched on three hundred. George Passing
plays very well against the Browns and almost beats him.

(05:27):
Um to me that he races. Any doubt anybody would
have about whether this guy can succeed? Is he Ben
Roethlis Carter? Is he a Hall of Famer? No? But
um to me, and I've said this many times, I
think he's Neil O'Donnell. You can win with Mason Rudolph.
You can go uh ten and six or in today's
NFL eleven and six or seventeen games. You may not

(05:50):
go to a super Bowl, although Neil O'Donnell did, depending
on what kind of defense you have, But you can
win with Mason Rudolph. And yeah, maybe you're always you're
waiting for that one special player to replace him. But
I think Mason Rudolphe show that he could be a
winning quarterback in the NFL. One thing about Mason that
always sticks out is he's very prideful how he goes

(06:11):
about his work, Uh you know, and I think that
he's I look for Mason to just keep getting better
and better, uh, you know, with every opportunity he gets,
uh you know, obviously when he was thrown in the
fire and some difficult situations, Uh, but he's gonna be
better for it. And I think that just as he

(06:33):
gets more familiar with us, everything's working through what he's
got to get done, you know what I mean. I
think this is a really, uh a good learning experience.
And not only that, but you know he's he's in
the room with Ben, which helps, and those guys, and
and and and Dwayne who apparently he's you know, just
got some great talent too. So it's a really good
situation for the steer, says I said earlier. You know,

(06:55):
when you're looking at our mason, you'd off played last week, coach. Yeah,
the three possessions he was in, they didn't score. But
two of those first possessions, the those holding penalties killed
the drive, right, and so maybe they do score, but
it was a holding penalty on Pat Fryarmouth and I
can't remember who had the other one, um, but it
killed another long run by Nagy Harris and and but

(07:19):
otherwise he was like seven and nine for however many
yards he had the long long past on the sideline
to Deante Johnson. And when he's played, he's he's looked
very good. And I don't I don't you know, usually
in most towns, coach the number two guys, the quarterbacks,
most popular guys. That's not the case there, and I don't.
I don't quite get it, not that you're looking to

(07:40):
replace Ben. Although those those those people after the season,
and I'm being kind calling him people who thought they
should move on from Ben Um. There's there's not this
plamer for Mason Rudolphs. As soon as they signed to
Wayne Haskins, everybody wants him to replace Ben. I don't
get it. Well, he's always the second guy, is always

(08:03):
the most popular until he plays okay, and then it changes.
And that it's just that it's the nature of that position.
It's what happens. It's always the way it's been, and
they'll continue to be in football. Coach and I are
enjoying some of my scallops on the stone here uh
here to the north. That's They're really good, aren't they.
They can see you keep eating. It's always impressed me

(08:26):
how you can do that. You're lagging a little. I don't.
I'm trying to work here for you. You can do
both that the men and I take a bite, you're
gonna stop talking and then I and you see I
know how to do that. Though, do you notice that
I've learned how to do that? Of the years I
learned from years of of UH doing shows with Wolf,
who would eat constantly and stills the world's greatest eater

(08:48):
that that I've ever seen, that is, that is for sure.
But if you stop, you stop here at the North
Shore Tavern. No. I did a show with Wolf once
done in the trope and he was he did the
Petty gunnyan Toothfish. Where where was that? What's up? What
place it was? Outside of the trove? I forgive who
were but it was just UH had so much fun

(09:10):
that night with him on the show. And you're right,
you know Wolf can he's pretty good eater. He is,
and and you know, Uh, coach, I'm trying to think,
Oh it was, I know where it was, Uh at
Damon's and Bridgeville when we used to do He and
I did Monday Night Quarterback, and I've had several partners,
including you, for that. But we were Damon's right by

(09:32):
the bottle pups and Wolf during a broadcast. And you've
been to a Damon's grect, you know what. He had
three racks of ribs and not the half flap. He
had the food three during the show and he ate
one of them during a commercial break. He ate those
wings the way most people eat little wing dings. That's gone,

(09:55):
and he just incredible eating it used to be an
amazing He's one of my favorite pete of all time.
Just to be with him, there's no question, and really enjoyed.
Uh uh. You know, we had had a lot of
a lot of fun with him on the show and
then look forward to working with him again. But I
don't know the eating part. He's a champion out without question.
He has boundless energy, enthusiasm and as he likes to say, positivity.

(10:20):
That's a word, right, and he usually makes up words,
but I think that's all. Yeah, And we're glad to
have him back in the booth of course for his
good friend and our friends Twin Chilkin, who we send
our prayers out to. Twin and Max Starks back with
the team. He's on the sideline speaking a big boys.
Max is a very large man and great guy. Uh,

(10:45):
terrific player and glad to have him back to on
the sideline store. In the game, you had a lot
of fun. I called Wolf after the game. I said,
I got to listen to you on the radio and
watch a game on TV. That's just amazing. It's like
two different games, he started, laughs, But he would do
a great job. Really. Uh, the guy that's very knowledgeable
about his craft, who knows what he's going. So it's

(11:06):
been he's been through it on all different levels, and
so it's gonna be an exciting time and I'm sure
that booth will get very interesting at times. Coach, Let's
look at the the other side of the all. Now,
let's look at the defense. Let's look at it on
the whole um are there. Where are the strength of
this defense heading into this season and where might they be? Uh?

(11:29):
Some of the concerns if you love well, you know
the one thing but this defense is you know what
people have asked me a lot about players. But one
thing I've kind of learned over the years is the
best player on the team is the team. And this
defensive team has got a lot of good players on it.
I think the one of the things they did when

(11:49):
they traded for the show Board got him for a
six round pick, was that added some depth of that position.
I think they today, we just gotta get a little
depth there in the position. You know, we've got Devin
coming off an injury. Uh, you know, you you look
at your front four you look at Cam and Lolo
and two IT and t J. I don't think, uh

(12:10):
you trade those four for anybody else in the league.
Four up there, Uh Alex Highsmith though. You know Alex
is a new guy. You got Melvin Ingram behind him.
Alex is a guy that's got is really gonna be
a good football player. I think people don't know that
yet how good he's gonna be. Not not taking anything
away from Bud, because I thought Bud was an outstanding
h player, teammate and and and uh, but I think

(12:32):
they've got a guy here in Alex. He's gonna people
are gonna know the secondary is gonna be Coach Austin
does a great job with those guys. Uh. You know
that that's a good strong group of with the Minka
and Joe and uh, you know that's a good group
and Cam and and you know Terrell Edmunds and those
guys that through all they're they're really good football players. Uh. Uh,

(12:54):
They've got a good group back there. They've got some
depth back there. Justin Lane. I think to look at
the Justin to start it along. Now, you know Justin uh,
heck of a special team player. Uh. And people always say, well,
you know, how do they figure out who all makes
the team? Well, the one guy, you know, we usually
don't talk enough about, maybe coach Danny Smith because you know,
when at the end of the day, when things are even,

(13:15):
you know, Coach Smith will make that call on you know,
who's the best special team player who can add to
the special team. So a lot of times we don't
factor enough into the how important those special teams are.
Coach I give them credit for, uh, you know, in
a shured amount of time, really addressing one of the

(13:36):
issues on the defense, which was death at outside linebacker
and inside linebacker. And you signed Melvin Inglem, five time
Pro bowler. Yeah, it's had some knee issues. Had a
knee issue last year. The funny thing is which wasn't
as bad knee They boughted him. It was the other name. Um,
you bring him in, you try and keep them healthy
for a year. With his knees. You get twenty snaps

(13:59):
out of him at AIM maybe, but it now gives
you a formidable veteran presence as a backup because you
don't have that. Cassius marsh came in last year, nice
little backup, but a coach he's on his seventh team
in eight years. UM, that should tell you something. So
you know, you now have Melvin Ingram, and I agree
with you. I think Alex Highsmith is going to be

(14:21):
very good right now. He is the head of where
Bud was in his second year. UM, and and he's
on a very good path and he's looked very very
good in training camp. So you bring in Melvin Ingram
to to be the next guy in on both sides,
and then you go out and get Joe Schoberg. You
make a trade. You give up a sixth round pick
for a guy who's gonna come in and be a starter.

(14:43):
So it now improves your eleven. But it also allows
Robert Splaine to go back to doing what he was
intended to do, which is be a backup. So it
not only strengthens your starters, it increases your death because
now he's a guy who's coming off the bench. Now
you don't have to rely on you listen to Gilbert,
you don't have to rely on Marcus Allen, guys who

(15:04):
just aren't proven in that role. So, um, those two
linebacker moves that they made in this in the past
month are really big, big moves. For them and and
really strengthened that whole linebacker position. And it kind of
went the thing that I found interesting and went under
the radar a little bit. Has it happened, you know
what I mean? No one was really paying attention a
whole lot when they got these guys, and I thought

(15:27):
it was you know, for you're getting Showber for a
six round pick. I mean, that's pretty darn good, I think,
because he's a good football player. You know, he's always
around the ball, he makes a ton of tackles, good
football player. I understand that. You know, they come on
him to be the green dot guy, which helps Devon
a little bit because now he can focus on other things.
I want to ask you about that, coach. Yeah, I mean,

(15:47):
you know, and they make it look like, well, they're
gonna give him the green dot, as though that's a
knock against Devin Bush d J. Watt. They gave him
the green dot for about a game a couple of
years ago, and you know, he was out of breath.
It was a little too much for him, and they
finally took it away from him. It's not some knock
or some blight against the guy. It's just that Joe Sherbert.
Shobert has done it, and the Steelers believe it frees

(16:09):
up to Devin push to not worry about that and
to play more freely, and that's a big factor. You're
right what you just said. You couldn't be more right
to spot on about that, Jerry, because you know, there's
just one thing they're taking off of his has played
a little bit, Okay, Hey, he can focus on other things.
And you know Devin is gonna be in there. You know,
he's an every down guy, you know what I mean.
He's a guy that can run, he can cover, he

(16:29):
can do a bunch of things. He's coming off an injury.
You know they want to get him right because he's
a he's gonna be a heck of a football player.
Uh they didn't. You know. It's the first round pick
they traded up to get him. And I think this
is this opportunity to get Schobert. I think was just
a brilliant move by Kevin for a six round pick
because he's a He's a tackling machine, that guy, Okay,
and everybody knows that he really is. I need good

(16:51):
football player, but you've got a lot of really good
football players on defense, and um, you know it's gonna
be interesting, you know, you know the development of Brooks,
know how's he come along here again as he makes
his move into this a lot to James Pierre. They
like who they who you have to you, I liked
him a lot. But he's a guy now that you know,

(17:11):
he's got a lot of the tools you're looking for,
and and he's somebody that will be playing a lot
more people in Pittsburgh. I don't think realize how good
he can be. This is a really solid defense coach,
Butler doesn't has done a great job with them. You've
got the you know, anytime you have that those guys
up front, who are you know, just excellent players, and
you've got some depth behind him. I mean, it's it's
a really really chance for the Steelers to be again

(17:35):
very very good on defense. Carl Dunbar, the coach of
the d line Coach Dunbar does a great bar. Jerry
Osman coaching linebacks forever done. So this is a very
veteran staff of guys who know what they're doing and uh,
they know how to get they know how to put
great defenses together. Jerry Lack and the coach Tom Bradley.
We're at the North Shore Tavern. We're right across the
street from p n C Park. We're here until a pm.

(17:56):
It's our final training camp show of the season, of
the Priests season. Going to take a break. We're gonna
come back with a whole lot more right after this.
Don't you dare go away. You're listening to ESPN Pittsburgh.
You're listening to the official voice of Black and Gold Nations.
That are a coach in terms of significant players who

(18:19):
haven't been practiced, and we all know the situation with
t J. Watt has been a camp. He's been out
on the field every day, goes through conditioning and whatnot.
But they haven't put him in any eleven on eleven
stuff and in any one on one drills. Uh. They
are waiting until he gets his contract situation resolved. We
have not seen stefon to it do anything either aside

(18:40):
from conditioning. Um, you know they're just being um, you know,
cautious careful with him. You know, he's had a tough
off season with the death of his brother. Um, he
has not been out there. And Chase Claypool injured yesterday
on the second to last play of practice. I was
told it's just a low ankle sprain. It's problem at all.

(19:01):
He'll be out for a little bit, but he'll be
perfectly fine. So, Uh, he wasn't out there today. I'm
sure he won't play on UM Saturday against the Detroit Lions.
The guy who has been back at practice actually looks
pretty good. Benny Snell, the who is likely going to
be the number two running back I fully expected, even

(19:21):
though calin Balage got an brought in in free agency,
looks pretty good. Um, Benny Snell has been back out
there and he and he's looked good. So I think
you'll see a lot more Benny Snell because he has
not played in the first two preseason games. I think
you'll see a lot more of him. Uh against against
the Detroit Lions. Uh, do you have any Uh are

(19:43):
you curious about the whole situation with t J Watt? No,
not him. I know this, When Tuitor what are back
in there, that defense gets a lot better real quick. Okay,
because those are two good players. I mean t J,
you know, Argaby might be the best outside linebacker in
the end NFL right now, And I get it comes
to be paid like it. I don't think he will be,

(20:04):
but he wants to be paid. I get a kick out.
I've been reading that he's been conditioning, and I'm thinking
conditioning the guys as conditioned as you can be. You
know what I mean, what do you conditioned? You know
he's a he's his condition could be you know, uh
coach Kamont Gymont or the strength coach. That's a great
job with Garrett. He does a great job with those guys.

(20:25):
And I think t ch a um, I it was
people ask me, was he how to shape? Is that
way he's running the conditioning? No, he's just keep him busy,
trying something something, because I mean, I don't think it's
the day that teach doesn't work out. Probably so um
an impressive player and them hopefully they get this thing
worked out, and I'm sure they will. Coach lose three

(20:46):
starters from your defense. He's one of the best defenses
in the log and one of those players he's about
to do pre an outside line back. Let's face four defense.
Those outside rushers are the key to the defense. So
you better have good ones if you want to have
his successful thirty four defense. Even though I know we
see a lot of sub package football these days, but nonetheless,
those are two two key guys. So when you lose

(21:08):
Bud right off the back and you know it's gonna hurt,
it's gonna hurt. But the good news, if there is
from that is that when he got hurt, was it
allowed uh Alex Heisman to start the last four games
a regular season, one in the postseason and give him
some time to get acclimated. Because man, as we were
just saying a little bit earlier, it's really showing in

(21:29):
training camp. He looks really, really good. I think he's
a player that he's not talked about as much in
Pittsburgh and people aren't sure because the TJE yeah, and
they don't realize how good he's gonna be. But Alex
is going to be a very very good football player,
and I think he's someone that will by the end
of the season people in Pittsburgh will know who he is.

(21:49):
So you lose Steve Steve Nelson, excuse me, that was
their of their own doing. Uh, they decided to release him. Uh,
let's face a coach. There was no way they were
gonna be able to keep both cornerbacks at the salaries
and the cap hit that they had with Steve Nelson
and Joe Hayden. They had to make a decision, and
they were they were going to keep Joe Hayes. They
feel he's their best porner, he's a leader, he's a

(22:11):
proven veteran, and so they let Steven Nelson go. And
and Steven Nelson's a good football player. But that was
the hard decision they had to make based on the
Flatten salary cap. And then you lose Mike Hilton, which
they knew they would leave. Lose him too. They knew
somebody would probably give him a good offer that they
weren't willing to pay, and sure enough, the Cincinnati Bengals did.

(22:31):
So you lose three starters. We called Mike Hilton started
because he's the nickelback. Um, it's not an easy thing
to replace. What are they doing a secondary or you know,
how do you replace those kinds of guys? Well, I
think they've got the capabilities to do that, And you're
exactly right. Uh, you know, Joe Hayes one of the

(22:51):
really the tremendous people that I have met in this
profession and been around, I mean just really really special
person and uh, the whole secondary's got really good people.
Coach Austin does a good job with them. You know,
you gotta manka. You know, edmonds Is, you're a good
football player. There's a lot of good football players. The

(23:13):
guy that I've always admired as Camp Suddon. Uh, you
know Cam, and he's like the Swiss army knife. I
mean they call him that. He's like putty. He's everywhere
you put him in anywhere. He can play corner, he goes,
he plays nickel, he plays nive, he plays a little
bit of everything, coach, because he's so smart and he's
so smart and he can do it without the reps.
I mean, he's really really a smart player and he
knows everything that's going on. So you know, when they

(23:35):
get this Nickel situation, I'm sure that you know they've
got Brooks he working in there and and Arthur right now.
But you know where they go with Cam is gonna
be intrigued to me because you're gonna leave the corner.
Do you bring maybe Justin Lane in and move Cam
to Nickel, um, you know, or do you go with
the big Nickel little nickel type deal. You know, we're

(23:56):
what you're thinking. It's a the sub package might be uthing.
You're lots of neutral situation. You bringing up a bigger
guy maybe than Cam. And now what's a past situation? Nick?
Will you do this? Uh? You know, there's a lot
of different variables will go into that. And thankfully with
the guy like Cam Sutton, who I think is a
guy that can he can play any all three of
them gives you that opportunity. Now that's James Pierre, a

(24:18):
guy that comes into the game. Um, you know, how
do they want to work that out? You know, time
will tell, But they have some good options back there.
There's some really really good football players back in that secondary,
and and and guys that are you know, not just good,
there's some there's some great players in that secondary. So coach,
they spent the entire time and Traney camp up to

(24:39):
this point keeping Camp Sutton nick corner UH to replace
Steve Nelson. And they've looked at Antoine Brooks or Arthur
Millette at at the nicol at the slot corner, and
they wanted to see are they better with either Antoine
Brooks or Arthur Mallette at nick goal. Then they are

(25:02):
if they have to move Cam Sutton to Nickel and
then uh and and James, Justin Lane and James Pierre
are at corner today though it was the first day
they brought Cam Sutton to the nickel because they know
he can play it. But now they want to see
how are they with James Pierre or Justin Lane on

(25:22):
the corner. So they took a look at the other
guys that way. Now they're gonna go and take a
look at the outside corners, the third corner, if you will,
you know who's gonna step in for Cam Sutton when
he comes into the slot. So it's all part of
the process, and it's basically gonna come down to is
one of is the Brooks are milette better at nickel
than James than James Pierre or Um or Justin Lane

(25:46):
are as as the third corner as the outside And
that's going to be the decision. That's the one that
one of the things that I'm sure a lot of
people were watching closely how that turns out, because that's
really going to be an interesting decision what they do
end up making and when they do make it, how
they want to go with that Because Um, you know,
I've always felt that UM one of the great things

(26:08):
about camp Sudd was just having him around was like
a guy that could fill in three different places. You know,
he could he could do without practice, that I said,
And it's it's one of those things, you know, door
you you know, I've even uh, some people have said
that maybe they might even think about taking a little
look at Joe Hayden, maybe a little bit at Nickel.
And here's why. Maybe one thing about Joe is he's

(26:30):
seen everything you can see at corner. I mean, what
what else can he see? You know? And maybe this
is something else you might want to look at. Say, hey,
let's just take a look at another cover guy maybe inside, uh, coach,
what what are the qualities you need to have to
play Nickel? One of the things that we saw Mike
Hilton do was he was very effective along the line

(26:51):
of scrimmage. He's a little guy, but he was he
was a really good blitzer that great timing for that
made plays behind the line of scrimmage. It wasn't the
greatest to coverage, um. But you know which seems strange
for a quote cornerback that he was better along the
line of experiments. For what qualities are you looking for
in in a Nickel. Well, obviously, I think that's why

(27:12):
we talked a little bit about that first of all.
And I know some people have gone to that. I'm
gonna go a little bit off to what you're asking
me for this reason, because that's why I said, some
people like to me would go with Mike Kilton when
I say big Nickel, more that run nickel guy. Okay, uh,
little nickel more of the Cam Sutton type pass defense guy. Okay,

(27:35):
Cam is a better pass defender than Mike. Mike's a
better blitzer than Canton. Okay, They're just different style players.
So one of the things that you're you're hoping to
get out of that Nickel. The thing that Mike Kilton
gave you was how strong Mike was on the line
of scrimmice. Mike done a great job on the line
of scrimmas. And Mike, being a little shorter guy, sometimes
would have trouble. He wouldn't get in front of a receiver,

(27:56):
you know, be behind him a little bit because you know,
there wasn't his style of play. But now with with
with Antoine Brooks and those guys, Antoine's a guy that's
really good around that football, and I think they want
to sing. He cover. He's a bigger guy. So you know,
do you do you go with? You know, is that
a possibility? Is it Antoine Nickel in a situation? Maybe

(28:18):
it's run past Hey, it's Cam Sutton, it's a past situation.
You never know how they want to work that out
and the other the other thing that Cam gives it.
He can also play the dime too, So there's gonna
be a lot of interesting UM variables coming up and
into that that situation. It's a how they figure that
out will be one of the keys, as I believe

(28:40):
they'll before they start the season which way they want
to work this all because uh, they're obviously gonna have
to have that plan going into the open. So coach
they bring in Joe Cholbert and that pushes Um roberts
Plaine back to the top, uh, top back up on
the inside. Um. And so you have a rookie Buddy Johnson,

(29:01):
a fourth round draft pick, little raw he's a rookie
and the coaches will tell you them. You know, he
makes rookie mistakes. I still want to see more of him,
but he's a fourth round pick. They're not gonna cut
a fourth round pick so that that puts two guys
U listens Gilbert the three and or Marcus Allen. You know,

(29:22):
if they keep nine linebackers, you know, maybe it's it's
probably going to be one of those guys who wins
there or who might lose out there in your opinion, well,
or what do you think they would might do it?
I should say, I'm I'm really uh, you know knowing
Marcus Um. One thing Marcus can do is he Marcus

(29:42):
can play a lot of different places to you know,
Marcus gives you the opportunity to have a guy down
inside that can you can is a pretty darn good
past defender because of his training in the secondary. So
I think Marcus will be the guy that gives you
the most versatility, um what you want to get done
in there, there's just uh, he's the type of guy

(30:03):
that you know Ben Deep made the transition as he
came to the NFL to get in the box, get
up around the ball, and he's not you know, he's
done it. He's not a big guy. He's about two
eleven now. I think something maybe he's a little bit
bigger now and so you know, but Marcus is a
guy that gives you a lot of versatility, and I

(30:23):
think that's one of the things that that UM coach
Butler likes to have, the guys that you can maneuver
in different places. Of course, cis could come down to
Danny Smith decision too. Huh who's better on the pressure
on Danny tonight? Uh? Yeah, But you know that's one
of the things that it is true a lot of it.
You know, Danny's gonna make decisions. Who's best to help

(30:44):
are the special teams are as you say the third
you know it's offense defense special teams, So Danny's gonna
have a big say in that and that when that
gets down to that time. Jerry Doolack and the coach
Tom Bradley were at the North Shore Tavern across from
PNC Park. It's our special training camp show. It's our
last one of the preseason. We've been with you every weekday, night,

(31:07):
well on some weekend nights since the start of training camp.
We're gonna come back, take a break and come back
with our final segment of our final training camp show
right after this Black and Gold Football leaves here. What
do you boy seven you're listening to s n Y Yeah, no,

(31:46):
significant injuries to UH to report from camp case paper.
As you know by now, UH sustained a lower ankle
sprain yesterday on the second to last play if practice,
UH landing a little awkwardly on his UH on his
ankle trying to catch a sideline pass from Dwayne Haskins

(32:11):
over Justin Lane was helped from the field by Ben
Roethlisberger and Eric Ebron, which made it look worse than
it actually was. But he will be fine. He is fine,
will be fine, and it is Uh. They you know,
they caught a little break there, if you will, but
unfortunately there was no break, so he he will be fine.

(32:33):
I doubt I doubt he will play on Sunday Shory.
Paula Mallow's here, uh in here at the North Shore Tavern, coach.
I will tell everybody if they come to the North
Shore Tavern to get the scallops on the rocks. But
they were. You had no trouble standing in between in
between the broadcast. You're right and um uh And we

(32:56):
won't see Stefan too. We won't see t J Waud
of course. We haven't seen them uh even even in camp,
other than standing on the side. But in a short
amount of time. They'll get those guys ready, but still
plenty of time over three weeks before they started the
regular season. Coach, so, Um, that won't be an issue

(33:16):
at at all. Um. I wanted to ask you what
it is about James Pierre Uh, an undrafted free agent
last year. Uh made the team without any preseason games,
and what it is they saw in him that they
liked and continue to like that the point that as

(33:37):
of right now, he is ahead of Justin Lane on
a depth chart, who typically or really doesn't make plays.
And I say that, and then he actually had his
first interception last week in Philadelphia, which was probably a
good thing for him because it shows at least it
showed that he made a play finally, and this is
something that's been lacking from his game. With James, It's

(34:00):
interesting because what he did just normally in a normal
preseason would have been special, but in last year's preseason,
the way it went was pretty unique for him to
make the team. There's just so much upside on him,
and I think coach Austin sees that in him. And
then then that's why he liked him, and and I
you know, he's a guy who's gonna keep getting better
and better. Uh. I'm happy for Justin because one of

(34:23):
the things that you like about Justin two is he's
a very good special team player. He's a good guy,
he's a very good gunner. And I think, you know,
for him, all of a sudden hopefully saw clicks in together.
But I'm glad he got that first pick last week.
So something as simple as that as that enough to
get you a little confidence and turn things around for you. Sure,

(34:43):
you know, it's like anything else that I think it's Uh,
he gets a little feels some success to He's he's
struggled at times on the perimeter, but he's a guy
that's got length, He's can do a lot of different
things for you. And as we said, he's a heck
of a special team guy, which you know it's very
important in the NFL. So maybe this is a little
spark that gets things rolling for him. You know, you

(35:05):
wonder sometimes coaching, Look, we know the draft is in
exact science. We know that guys that they take don't
work out, and guys they don't take to work out.
And James Pierre, how does a guy like that kind
of slip through the cracks then come in and and
look impressive enough that he not only wins a spot
on the team. By the end of the season, he
has moved up ahead of Justin Lane on the depth chart.

(35:28):
But you know, it's it's crazy because it happens all
the time. You go to college football. No, these guys
are no stars coming and end up being you know,
first round draft picks. So it happens Aaron Donald, it's
acron and like Carnegie Mellon recruited him, that was exactly
and you know, so there's just it's sets an unexact science,
and everybody tries to make it like when they rate him,

(35:49):
and you know, it's it's interesting because one of the
things you kind of learned through all of coaching is just, hey,
you pick your own team. Don't let the media pick
your team. And I think that's something that you gotta
have enough, uh, confidencing your own abilities as you say,
what what fits into to our football team, you know.
And so there's sometimes you have guys that are just

(36:10):
what they are there, they fit into your fall team.
You know, they make your team better. Um, and they
make the team better and in a lot of ways,
you know, maybe it's not only playing but in the
locker room and how they go about their their efforts
and in their day to day that that make things.
You know, that's one of the reasons why they make
that the football team. You know. Coaches said something which
uh I have thought that has been true for many,

(36:34):
many years with the Steelers is they find the players
to fit the way they play and they want to play.
And that's why a lot of times you see the
guys who have left the Steelers go on and not
play so well and not have the same kind of
career because you know, I don't know, not necessarily saying

(36:56):
they are system players, but they are dealer system players,
and they do a good job of trying to find
that player as opposed to saying, oh that guy has
a lot of ability to look what he did in college,
let's take him. But whether he might not even work
with their team. They're very good about that. Always happened
tremendous about that. And I think one of the things
that I said this earlier in the show, and I
learned this really earlier, my coach was the best player

(37:20):
in the team is the team. So you know, some
one of those guys is gonna be you know, he's
gonna be perfect for your team, but he might not
be perfect for another team. So it's interesting how they
work out. And they too try to find guys to
work well with your players, you know, because there is
uh a lot of times in the locker room. You
want guys that are good teammates and that would help

(37:41):
to make you a better team. And and to that point, coach,
that's why I think the Cincinnati Bengals have to be
very careful with Mike Hilton and how they use him,
because I think Mike Hilton is a perfect example of
a system player. You know, he did at one certain
thing very very well. And if the Bengals bring him
in and think he's gonna go play on the outside

(38:03):
and cover guys in lockdown, then they got the wrong
guy and they get they spent a lot of money
on Mike Kilden. But you you know, I think I'm
amazed at It's why coach, I think I could be
an NFL GM because I look at the mistakes did
these guys make, and it just blowsed my mom. Let
Kevin Colber know. I mean when I see some of
the decisions and I'm sure in the way home he's

(38:25):
gonna call you, So what would you do? One thing
I know is that I don't know things. But when
I don't, I go ask the people who do know.
So when somebody asked me, I know the answer. And
so I don't think I agree with you what you
just said about Mike Killer because I think you know
the way coach Butler used Mike and he blitzed him

(38:45):
and brought him off the edge and did certain things
with the perfect style of play for Mike. I mean,
that's what he did best. You know, Mike was good
bringing it, good tackler, the good blitzer, you know, good
coming off the edge. You know, there's cover skills were
questionable times. So if they're looking for a guy to
come in and be a cover guy, that's not what
he's gonna be. No, that's exactly right. And so you know,
talking about James Pierre undrafted free agent last year, when

(39:08):
you look at somebody asked me today how many undrafted
free agents you'll you think make the team. Well, I
don't think many, but I do think maybe one. And
I think that's Shack Brown. That's that's that's a you know,
the guy from Michigan State that was a guy who
had some draft value and it was surprising too many
that he didn't get picked. Um, you know, one of

(39:29):
the knocks against Trey Norwood, who ended up going where
six or seventh Brown out of Oklahoma was his speed.
Uh He's just not a guy who has great speed.
But that doesn't mean he's not a football player. And
he has you know, good instincts and good good ball awareness,
but he doesn't have that blazing speed. So his stock
drop drops. Now I'm not exactly sure what it was

(39:51):
with Shaq Brown. I'm gonna guess that, but I think
he has a chance to make team because they like
what they see from Shaq Brown. Yeah, that's interesting you
say that because you know, one time someone was talking
about all these different things and they rent these forty
times and all this stuff, and the player put his
hand up said, coach, are we gonna uh run tracker

(40:11):
play football? So it's it's totally different. And sometimes I
think that as you evaluate you you take, you don't
put his put everything. You put it together and you
kind of figure what really is uh the important things
about evaluating that player, and very rarely do you ever
in football just get down and put your hand on
the ground and run forty yards. I mean, you just don't. So,

(40:34):
you know, there's things why I never understand why do
they have the offensive lineman run the forty at the combine,
I get the shuttle and all that other stuff. Sure,
you know you probably the ten. You should just run
the ten maybe, But I mean it's an interesting because
as you look at it, um, you know, some guys
play a lot faster than their times because of what
their reaction and their thought process and mental mentally, how

(40:57):
they can react and see things vision um a lot
of different things, and how they communicate and help too,
and so they play faster than what their times might be.
And I think that's for people miss times because a
lot of people are saying, well, they it's you're just
doing it because well, well he ran this, he did this,
we gotta take him. Well that's that's not all. And
I think that's the one thing Kevin Colbert and coach

(41:19):
Tom to do a great job of. It's the whole thing.
They look at the whole package. And I think one
of the things they do spend a lot of times
the interview process getting There's no question that's big for them,
you know, coach. I mean, look at me. You know,
I don't test very well on the S A T.
But I'm a very smart guy. I'm a highly intelligent guy.

(41:39):
But I might very well. That's my forty yard dad,
So my time might be a little lacking. But that
doesn't mean I'm not out there. I'm not gonna ask
you how you did on the st T because you're
not gonna tell me the truth. You're probably right about it.
You're not. You're gonna make something. You're gonna make something.
It was okay, I just tell you that though I
was the Dean's listed Penn State, which I know, I know,

(42:03):
and you're not bragging about that because you're sitting there
going whooped. He do? Yeah? And and what's the what's
the recognition or on or in that correct um So,
Minca Fitzpat, we talked about the corner, we talked about
the slot guys. Minca Fitzpatrick was a missing piece in
that secondary. Joe Hayden started the process when they brought

(42:25):
him in, and you know when they brought in when
they signed Steve Nelson to the biggest contract they've ever
given in free agency. That really helped Minka was the
missing piece. He's due next year for the contract extension.
It's gonna be a lot of money tied up in
two guys because they won't let Unlike the Pirates, they
don't let their key guys get away. They they sign

(42:45):
their core players, they keep them and then they fill
in around them. Well, and they're not gonna make it easy.
He's the best free safety in the NFL. Period. Go
from there. He's he's got a lot, he's he's you
gotta have Minke on your team. Coach everybody. He wants
to you know, they asked, They asked, Keith Butler, you
know what, You're gonna use them more this year. They're
gonna ask Minka, you know, do you want to do

(43:06):
more different things that where you put them here, line
them here? Um, you know, because they saw that with
Troy Paula Malla. Well, one, Troy Paula Malo was a
special cat. But two that sounds nice and you see
him make plays a lot of times. You know, he
gets out of position and the other guys have to
cover for him, and sometimes it creates more problems than
it's worth. What do you do with Minka? And do

(43:27):
you see them doing any anything a whole lot different.
Maybe just a little bit to give some different read
for him, But boy, I just think he's so good
in the middle of the defense, what he can do
and all that the skills that he does have. It's
you know, sometimes you can outsmart yourself to you know,
guy doing something he's not as good as as where
you had him. So I think what they do with

(43:48):
Mink is just about perfect. If they want to add
a wrinkle, great, But boys, it's just too darn good
of a player. And you know, it's it's no different
than any you know, you talk about you gotta be
good up the middle and baseball, and you gotta be
good up the doing football too, right, Yeah, and he
has really strengthened the middle of that defense. And um,
you know when you look at um, when you look

(44:09):
at bringing Devin bush In moving up in the draft
and getting him for the middle of their defense, and
that of course, and you you add think if Fitzpatrick now,
when you're strong up the middle like that makes a
big difference in that defense, It sure doesn't. I'm I'm
really I'm hoping that Devon gets back the injury, gets
behind him and gets going again because he has a
chance to be a special football player. Yeah, and usually coach.

(44:33):
I mean, you know when he you know, he first
of all, after he suffered the a c L injury,
which was what like week five, I think four or five,
he didn't get it done for like a month because
the doctor who did it, Dr Neil Alla Trash, he's
a Pittsburgh guy. It was in l A. He's the
Dodgers team physician, and so he was busy with the

(44:53):
run to the World Series. So Devin Bush had to
wait almost I believe, like a month, maybe a little
longer to have to have his IL surgery. And I'm thinking,
wait a minute, you're putting his recovery time back. But
he recovered nicely. He was given the clean bill of
health for the start of training camp. Didn't didn't start
on the publist. But that doesn't mean he's gonna be

(45:15):
Devin Bush right away. It takes a little more time.
It takes just the time getting back to planning. He
may be cleared a hundred percent everything and go ahead
and go. There's a little bit of give and take
with that knee. There's if anybody has been through a
knee operation like some people have, like I'm curious how
you're gonna come back from this. I'm gonna find out tomorrow.
I'm really are you playing tomorrow? I'm going to doctor

(45:38):
who he hears you to clean? How do you think
that's gonna afect your golf game? I'm curious, Well this,
will you be able to still hit as long as
you've been here? Well, all I can tell you is
that hobbling and knew it was bothering me. It would
have bothered me. I could feel it then, which I
don't know. Um, he didn't bother me. Surprisingly, I know
mentally it did, and then I know it was there.
But I can't tell you that it bothers me. But

(46:00):
so I am. You're still be getting those bombs? Will
you still be getting bombs off the teeth? What? I'll what?
I'll be curious about. It's just the same thing with
the players. I know it's better. I don't want. Can
I set it back? That's what will be in my mind.
But the other way, I knew, Okay, it's hurting me.
I'm gonna have it fixed. I'm not gonna damage it anymore.
But it's already damaged, whereas now it's fixed. And so

(46:22):
I said, I'll mentally be thinking, Okay, I don't want
to do something. Do you start slow? You started? Oh yeah,
nine holes. Nine holes were like a public course. Maybe
you're all my favorite all my favorite clubs. You're not
going right to go, but I've missed out on some
good opportunities while I've been sidelines. Everybody asked you to
go hurt exactly the right right. So but no, I'll

(46:50):
take it easy, but I will be back out there
as soon as he gives me to go ahead. Like
Devin Bush, Oh boy, hope, I hope definitely works out,
and you're I'm curious to see how it's going to
work out, coach Well. The Steelers play at home. It's
a third preseason game. It's Saturday night at Hines Field
against the Detroit Lions. Ben Roethlisberger will make his first

(47:11):
appearance of the preseason. Kim Heyward uh will make his
appearance in that game. I think just about everybody else
has played a little bit. Juju played last week. We'll see,
we'll see Naj Harris again. I think you'll see him
a little bit more for the home crowd. To a coach,
always good being with you. We will resume being together

(47:32):
for Monday Night Quarterback once the season starts at our
final training camp show of the season from the North
Shore Tavern for to coach Tom Bradley for Jacob here
on site. On site, Brian in the studio, I'm Jerry Doolack.
You've been listening to ESPN Pittsburgh. Good night everyone, Black
and Gold Football wos Here you're listening to s n

(47:53):
R