May 31, 2023 • 40 mins
The guys are live from the UMPC Rooney Sports Complex and are joined by the Standard's Tom Opferman.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome back to this special edition of The Drive. I
am Dale Lalli. He is Matt Williamson and the Steelers
just wrapping up Ota practice number five here at the
upmc rooney Sports Complex. You were listening live on Steelers
Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy beautiful day here and
really was yeah, we should be joined here presently by
(00:27):
ste new Steelers guard Isaac Samalu and just watching him
out here, Matt, he moves really well.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
He's really impressive. And I don't mean to sound stereotypical,
but a lot of the Polynesian guys are really thickly
built with huge calves, and you think of them as
just earth movers maulers, and he does that. I mean,
don't get me wrong. He pushes people around, but he's
lean and long in the torso with some arm length
(00:54):
to him. I don't think this is in the plans
at all, but in a Fanica like manner, I think
you could throw him attack and he wouldn't embarrass himself.
And I know he could play center, and he's a
better pass blocker than he is a run blocker, and
he's a really good run blocker. His body type is impressive.
Those where it's going with it, you know, and you
heard the things that Kelsey said about him, Jason Kelsey,
(01:16):
I want to ask him about Kelsey, Yeah, in Philadelphia
talked about him as the smartest player he's ever been around.
I can tell you his background is very impressive. He's
got a lot of a lot of family members who
are college professors and things of that nature.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Nature. His brother was a computer science major. I mean,
this is the kind of family that this guy comes from,
you know, just very bright guys. And his dad's a
football coach.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, you know, And I paid attention to him in
free agency. I thought he'd be pricier than he was,
you know, after signing her big, I didn't. I thought
the guard market was probably closed here, so I kind
of was out of sight, out of mind. And then boy,
it comes across my phone Steel so sign in Isaac
and I'm like, wow, I'm really gonna dig to him.
And it was more impressive than I initially thought, you know.
(02:03):
And again the intellectual stuff. Even before Kelsey came out
and said that, I read a lot of things saying
this is one of the smartest linemen out there and
really technically sound and with all respect to Kevin Dotson,
the inconsistency at guard makes guys crazy. I mean, if
you're a little inconsistent at receiver or you're making big
plays or even tackle, but guards need to be every snap.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
You know, that's got to be you can count on.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Right, And that I think is Kevin's biggest problem without
a doctor.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
And I think the talent is there, right.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And there's some mental wears from time to time that
might make Dan Moore or Cole look worse because he
didn't do exactly his assignment. Well those are done, I mean,
and now it's going to become a strength where it
was a weakness, just from a mental side of things.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, and I think that's you know, one of the
things that Steelers are counting on here.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
And at some point Isaac's it's gonna line up next
to Jones. Maybe it's later than sooner, but what a
great guy for a young first round left tackle to
line up shoulder and shoulder. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
The Steelers, particularly the interior offensive line, goes from being
something that a couple of years ago was like, oh
well this is pretty it's together a little bit, it's
well below average too. Now it might be you know,
one of the better interior threesomes in the league.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I think they're in the conversation for best guard pairing. Yeah,
I mean they're in the conversation. Yeah, there's probably three
or four I could come up with the top of
my head. I mean that are really really good. But
this might be number one. And I don't think Cole's
a liability, but I don't think he's top ten center either. Yeah,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
But what I think they have, though, is three guys
who are all average to above average at their positions.
And that when you have three of those, and.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I think they probably have five that can play at
the NFL level. Yeah, you know what I mean. There's
depth there as well.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
So it's it's really uh, you know, times changed. The
complete makeover of that offensive line in two years two years.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
That's hard to do.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
It's really hard to do when you're paying quarterback as well. Yeah, yeah,
now they are not, and so you can go out
and you can make you know, again, I don't know
that they expected to sign Isaac Samlo.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Or for Jones to get to them, or you'd be
within striking distance in the first round. And yeah, you're right,
maybe the plan was herbig and some of these type
of dudes. And it's better than last year, but it's
not overwhelming. But then the opportunity arises for it to
be potentially overwhelming, jump on it, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah, absolutely, and you know, why wouldn't you do that?
You know again, and it speaks volumes that guys do
want to come play here.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, I like what you said there though, about a
two year total facelift of one of the hardest positions
to do that at. I mean, like people might remember,
the Chiefs were able to basically pull it off in
one year, but they had trade trek Hill. I mean,
they didn't make a lot of moves to make that happen,
and they spent tons of money to do it, and
it's that's a hard thing to do. I mean, to
(04:52):
transform an entireroid line, including depth and starters and future
starters in a two year stretch. I mean, and it's
still young.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And they and they did it without breaking the bank,
right right, right right, that's the other thing. Yeah, the
Chiefs were able to go out and you know, make
over their offensive line, but they paid a lot of
money to do it, and they paid a lot of
draft capital.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah, I mean, Joe Thuni was the highest paid Garden.
I mean, they just flat out purchased him. He was
the most expensive guy out there and they got their
money's worth. No, don't get me wrong. Orlando Brown was
expensive cost my first round pick, you know, and then
they paid him and then they paid him and you're right,
right right, And they hit on Humphrey and they hit
on a mid round guard that worked out well for them.
So that's rare.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Yeah, without a doubt, the Steelers are doing is rare.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
And yeah, someone just threw it out on Twitter and
I've known this, but it's also kind of amazing that
Isaac is going to be the oldest starter on the offense,
you know. I mean they're still so young on that
side of the ball, and they're so young on the
offensive line. And he's by no means old, That's not
what I mean. He's in his prime.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, he's in his prime. The offensive lineman's still out
there working even though the practice is over here. So
we'll get him when he's coming off the field taking
some extra reps out there. And that's the thing, you know,
when you when you see these guys putting in that
kind of work. The extra work. I can tell you
for a fact. You know, I come here in here
a lot during the off season, and the offensive line
(06:11):
group has been one that's been a constant in working
out trucks of corps for us here. I think he
has a room here really, you know, and coaches appreciate
that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, and it's funny too, you know, we were I
was chatting with Wolf last week and you know, unsolicited,
He's like, boy, Damn Moore looks so much better. He's
just raving about Damn. Yeah, and I totally get it.
You know, he's another one with the Wallace conversation. Out
of sight, out of mind. They drafted past him, don't
count him out. I mean, these guys get better. And
I'm not saying these you know, Anthony Munyos. But if
(06:44):
he takes a step forward this year too, or what
about I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
I mean again, we've talked about this. Just the addition
of of Saa Malo beside him to where he's not concerned.
I can't tell you whether that's that was always in
the back of his mind, right right, right, or but
the communications stability there, the communication from center out, yeah,
has to be better, you know, like I think they
created that on the right side last year with Chukes
(07:09):
and Daniels. Yeah, I mean that's a really good pairing.
I'm not say it's the best right side in the league,
but it's in the top half, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And and if you could get the left side to
that level and probably better. I mean, if Jones and
Isaac both hit their ceilings and you know, he's already there,
that could be the best left side in the league.
I mean it could be.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
What do you think of the job Pat Myers Dohm
with that group.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
I'm glad you brought him up because I think he's
an underappreciated asset to this team as well. I mean,
I think everyone lumps the O line coaches post Munch
and none of them are as good as much, you know,
and that's probably true because he's like as good as
there's ever been. I mean, he's phenomenal. But I think
they've found a really good old line coach here, and
nobody tends to give him credit either.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, and I think he's well respected.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
We ran into him at the Combine well, we were
having dinner. Yeah, he was hanging with a bunch of
lines there with like fifteen other offensive line.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
A lot of beef in that room, right, A lot
of scratching and sniffing and snorting and yeah, drinking and
hanging out. The line coaches are fun to be near,
even right, Like I heard a buffalo now, But I
think they found a really good one there. And frankly,
in between Munch and him, there's was questionable. It was
kind of a revolving door there for a while. And
I think that they've stabilized that. And I've said this
(08:24):
a million times. If I was a new head coach
getting hired, or an owner or someone in charge of
an organization, I would hire my head coach and then
I'd say, I'll spend whatever you want for the best
O line coach I can get. I mean, that's more
of a priority to me than a coordinator or a
play caller. I mean, I just think developing that position
is so hard at this level.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Well, I think that position and special teams coordinator is
an underrated, underrated like special teams coordinators, got it, you're
just putting on fire. I mean, right, you're juggling my
eight balls. Yeah at the same time.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I would like to bring
this up a special teams cortinators that d and offensive
coordinators never deal with. But like, hey, we cut your starter.
That dude was a starter on.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Four even our number forty. He was our fifth safety
and we needed.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
That roster spot. But he was a starter for me.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
It wash, you know you just cut them.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
You don't start cut my starting left guard, start my
cut my starting strong safety. I mean that that's what
special teams coordinators have to do with in week five and.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Go through the week, and and this guy's sick, and
that now you have. It has a trickle down effect
across the whole special teams landscape.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And you probably five different teams for me, I'm five
different teams. Or hey, this week we're low on offensive
lineman because of injuries, so we're going to take two
of your core special teamers out of your starting eleven.
You know they might be okay, Well, now I got
to teach someone I hardly know how to run down
on kickoffs and not screw it up.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Or Joey bagg of Donuts is are our fifth corner,
but two other guys are hurt. So now he's the
nickel this week, and well, we don't want to put
him out.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
There prefer he's not out there.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
He's not gonna play twenty five special team snaps this week,
He's gonna play fifteen. So you gotta pick when you're
gonna use him.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Right, We don't want him on punt team because he's
gonna be exhausted from defense before or you know, you
returners aren't. We don't want them out there because we
play on throwing the ball to him a lot, right.
I mean, it's just always a revolving door and it's
never stable.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
That's what you don't want on the offensive line though, right.
You want stability, and the Steelers had stability.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And they lucked into it to some degree, I mean
just because of injuries, but they the fact that they
got so many snaps from those five as a building block.
And now you add even better, more talented players on
top of that, because you still have what you built
there last year. You know, it's not like it was
a bunch of dudes that aren't coming back.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, it goes back to that. That what we talked
about to open the show, the eighteen returning starters on
this team. But you may have overshot with some of
the some guys, some of those guys they may not
be starters this year.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Not to any fault of their own, getting worse that
somebody better showed up. Yeah, because I mean certainly possible.
You know, is there an opportunity to Kevin Dotson get
better this year. There's a good chance. We talked about
Dan Moore, you know, I mean, there's a.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Good chance those guys got better. But you brought guys
in who are better than them already.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And I'm not predicting him to revive his career. But
even a guy like Green, I mean, he's still on
the roster, he's going to be a camp He looks
like he's probably going to play focus on center. He
may be your number two center and realize, you know,
may learn some things, you know, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I mean those guys, you know, you're year three again.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That's I think Raven Clark's a valuable That's.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
One of the things that drives me crazy about fandom.
And I get it your fan This sure for fanatics. Yeah,
nobody's allowed to get better, right Ever, you always write
the story on the gay. Oh he's he's stunk in
those five games. I saw him three years ago, so
he must stink.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, And you don't think about the circumstances or why
he got put into the situation he did, you know,
is he in over his head? You know, they ask
him more than they should have out of the guy.
It really was. He drafted with the of he should
be a year two starter, but we have an injury
and he's a year one starter, or who knows?
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I mean, so, for example, you look at Dan Moore
thrown into the starting lineup at left tackle in the
NFL as a fourth round rookie, like it, is there
any reason not to expect that guy to get better?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Right? And frankly, if you asked Dane Brugler, Damn mel Todd, whoever,
and said before the draft, Dan Moore from Texas A
and M is going to be a starting left tackle
in week one? How do you think that's gonna go?
You know, like, well, he's probably going to struggle, you know. Yeah,
and not that he's a bad prospect or a bad player,
but I think Broderick Jones would struggle in week one.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Yeah, you know, and I can remember Chukes getting thrown
in out in Denver's rookie year against Von Miller. Good
luck with that guy. Yeah, there you go have had
it and he held his own.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Somebody's in a block bosa in week one. Yeah, I
mean that's isn't easy.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
That's the way that that's the way that goes, you know,
it's it's just an interesting, tough position. Yeah, we're going
to take a break again. The offensive lineman's still out
there working on the field after practice is over. So
when we come back.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
That's a common theme of this team last week or two.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
We're hopeful to get the Isaac Samalo on here. So
we want to make sure we get all of Isaac
sam Olo on the show here. We don't want to
cut him off. So he is Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lollie.
You're listening to a special edition of The Drive here
on Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy. We are
live from the Rooney upmc rooney Sports Complex here on
the South Side. We'll be back with more right after this.
(13:25):
Welcome back. I am Dale, Lallie. He is Matt Williamson.
This is a special edition of The Drive here on
Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy. We are live
from the upmc rooney Sports Complex where Steelers just wrapping
up OTA session number five and still some guys milling
about out there on the field doing some some extra
(13:45):
work in.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
As we Yeah, we can't divulge everything, but.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
I given anything away here. But micka Fitzpatricks still out
there working on his ball skills.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I always find it interesting what they choose to do
with their free time. You know, practice is over, but
I'm out here, I'm gonna get a workout in. But
what am I going to work on? There's always some
very interesting drills. You know, he's doing some hand eye
coordination and stuff now, which is really impressive. Like you said,
ball skill stuff with you know, not divulging too much,
but there's so many different ways to train and get better.
And some of these guys, it's not an accident that
(14:15):
they turned into Pro Bowl players, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, no, I can remember, you know, back in the day,
waiting for Troy Paul Amalu for a full hour one
day after he was the last guy on the field. Okay,
I just waited him out and he knew I was there,
but you know, he's just maybe his second year in
the league, his second training camp, and just waiting him
(14:38):
out and waiting him out and waiting him out and
finally he came walking over. You know, we had a
twenty minute conversation about you know, his rookie year and everything,
and you know, really good stuff. But he put the
time in, he put that kind of effort into it.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yeah, you know, so you have a thousand times more
experience than me in this situation. But when I worked
for ESPN, he, as they do now, had a Steeler reporter.
You know, at one point there was just AFC North
or whatever, and I think the Steeler reporter at the
time was Ill or something along those lines. And they
knew I lived in Pittsburgh, and they said, hey, Mac,
can you pretend to be a reporter for a day?
(15:15):
Go down the Steelers facility and interview Antonio Brown. So
I'm here sharp, I'm like, boy, I'm a fish out
of water. I don't But they're like, here's ten questions
to ask them. There's certain things we need for this
huge article working on. Anybody can do it, just sit
there and record it. I'm like, card fine. So I
get here and I'm just really stiff and not knowing
what I'm doing. You know, It's not like I'm not like.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
What you are now.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
But I waited for like an hour from to get
off the field. Yeah. I mean he was like notorious
or in a good way. He was out there forever.
I'm like, I was asking people, I'm like, is this normal?
I mean, he's like for him, it is. It's not
for most players. You know, you can usually get them
reasonably after practice, but he was out there for an hour.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Yeah, did you get your ten questions?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I think so. I'm trying to remember what the results were.
I think I did and sent them in. But yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
And Ab could be a little difficult with that that
kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
But he wasn't great by accident either.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
No point put the put they put the time in.
You know, you get and I preach this to the
guys that I coach. Now, you get out of the
game what you put into it. And that is so
much to I mean, there are guys that get by
just on you know, God give.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Him, I'm sure make if it's a batter to be
a fine player if he didn't do the extra stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
But better when when that talent intersects with the work
ethic is when it becomes really special.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah yeah, yeah, and say we want about Ab. His
work ethic was maybe even greater than his talent.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah. I mean they had to say whoa yeah often
than they had to say sick them.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
I know. That was the book on nausea coming out.
You know, you got to hide his helmet, you know,
things like that. Yeah. You know that's some of these
guys that work too hard even.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Yeah, And that's just uh, you know, a pure love
of the game and I love you know, you want
to be the best. You want to you know, you
know what your what your weaknesses are in your game,
and you want to get the better or you have
something that you it's I'm pretty good at this, but
I could be great.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
I could be great at it. I know I'm not
quite where I could be at that, you know, right,
you know, and let alone the tape work. I mean,
we don't see any of that. Yeah. And when you're
with an organization, there's sometimes there's this guy's you know,
linebackers in particular that are in safeties, that are in
the office of course, quarterbacks that are in there for
hours and hours and hours just.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Grinding grinding tape and watching tape like it reminds me
of the white men's can't jump on you know, you
can I watch the tape. But do you see right
the tape right?
Speaker 2 (17:34):
There's an art to watching tape and not just being
in the in front of the projector. I know I
don't use a projector anymore, but I mean there's an
art to really utilizing your minutes and hours there and
looking for the right things. And a lot of young
guys come in the league and say things like, yeah,
I spent hours and hours watching tape, but they're still
running the wrong way and misdirection and stuff because I'm
not doing it properly.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, I mean, you've got to know what you're watching,
know what you're looking for. And I think that's where.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Like Patrick Peterson, I'm going to bring that up.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
A guy like Patrick Peterson who's watched so much tape
and knows how to watch the tape. He knows what
he is looking for, the keys and the things that
you know, when when this receiver does this, or when this,
when the quarterback his foot his is three inches to
this direction.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Look at his stance he's gonna come out and you
know it's not gonna be a handoff, or you know
things like that. I don't know, I'm totally spitballing here,
but It wouldn't shock me one bit if Patrick Peterson
goes home on his iPad or his TV or whatever
and spends a day watching Amari Cooper, Jamar Chase T. Higgins,
you know, now Odell and he's played against all those guys,
I'm sure to some degree, and you watch them going in,
(18:40):
but when you know they're now in your division that
everybody has a tell. I mean, everybody has the Teddy
kgb oreo, you know to some degree. You know, like
when when he aligns this way, he's probably blocking, or
he's gonna go through the motions, you know, but whenever
he has this little twitch, ball might be coming his
way or yeah he's going he's taking it deep. You know,
(19:00):
everybody's tendencies.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
I can remember in fact, you know, when I back
when I did the Antonio Brown Show, there was a
somebody put out there that you know, on on social
media that whenever Brown would retighten his gloves at the
line of scrimmage, it was a pass play.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Okay, yeah, and that stuff's real.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
I brought that up to him. So there's there's a
theory out there that you know, whenever you tighten your
gloves at the line of scrimmage, it's going to be
a pass and when you don't, it's going to be
a run play. And you know, I think he looked
at that and he started tightening his gloves. Every time.
It's the same thing I tell, you know, I tell
young pitchers like, if I'm going to throw a curveball,
I don't want to tell the batter I'm throwing a curveball.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yeah. Yeah, so I don't want to. You know, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Going to play with the ball if you're gonna play
with if you have to play with the ball on
your glove when you're throwing a curveball, play with the
ball in your glove every time. Do it every single time.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
It's like Jim Brown rest in peace. You know, he
would protect He would get up super slow every time.
So it didn't look every time. So when didn't when
he was injured. And the book on Jerry Rice was
the Guy's got no hotels. Every route looks exactly the same, yea,
His stem is always the same, his release is always
the same. People talk about what makes a great route runner.
(20:13):
I mean, that's a big part of it is not
giving things away so blatantly.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, I saw somebody puts out the top ten route
runners in the NFL. Yet last than on social media,
I saw that Deontay Johnson was on that list.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
I'll say he should be.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I think that's an underrated like so many, so many
people look at well, he's he's six too, and he
runs a four three forty and he does this?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Does he run routes right? And Frankly pickens he's a
work on it? Yeah, I mean he has he doesn't
have a very he doesn't have a real expansive route
tree yet, you know, and he didn't at Georgia, so
he needs work in that regard. But the guy next
to him is one of the best in the league
at it, yeah, Frankly.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
And that doesn't that doesn't come by accident either. Note
Johnson works at that absolutely, you know, because he's not
the biggest, he's not the strongest, he's not the fastest.
So you better have something else that you can win with,
and for him, it's the route running.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
DeVante Adams might be the best route runner in the league.
I mean he's certainly, he's like a four or six guy,
and he was a second round pick. Yeah, he's not
special athletically, sure, he's good. I mean he I mean
he has talent, of course he does. But he wasn't
a tap. He wasn't Jamar Chase, you know. I mean,
he wasn't a no brainer top ten pick, you know.
And that was that came from work.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
And route running.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Deonta is the third round.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Route running allows you to get behind secondaries. You know,
you you don't have to be a four to three
guy to get behind the secondary if you run, if
you run routes, well yeah you can. You know, all
takes his one false step from the cornerback, right right.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I mean it's not like you run a five flat yeah, right.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Difference yeah, you can still run.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Yeah, the difference between a four five five and a
four to four flat isn't that much in the course
of a football play if the defensive back has one
false step or is leaning the wrong way. Stefan Diggs
is a fourth round pick. He's an elite route runner.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Yeah, I think he was number one on that list.
And he you know, he's a four to five low
four five guy. He's a good athlete, but he's not special.
What you see him behind a lot of defenses.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Absolutely absolutely yeah, And that's absolutely a learned skill.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah. Yeah, we're still waiting here for Isaac sam all
Ow to come out.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
No promises at this point.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, they are off the field here. He outlasted the
Steelers pr.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
He was putting the work in.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
He was putting the work in, and well the field
is now clear, so that part of the day is well, no,
there's still there's still one guy out there, so there
is getting there extra time. And we're still out here,
and so we'll keep bringing you all the news and
notes here from the Steelers. O t A sessions here
o t A session number five in the books. That
means we are way, of course, yeah, halfway to UH
(22:47):
to mini camp. Yeah, good point, and then officially halftime, yeah,
and then past we'll go to UH, we'll go on
to training camp.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
And it's been a great environment. It's been fun to
be here.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I wonder you know, so last year training camp was
the first year that had been opened in a couple
of years, because right, do you expect training camp to
be a little more robust this year, Not that it
was bad last year.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
I think more back to what you think is normal,
I would imagine. I mean that's more of a question
for you than me to be honest, but I would
think that's true.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I just I was just thinking about that, like, you know,
because last year, I mean, it was everything. You were back,
but you weren't back back.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
There were still some restrictions, Yeah, I mean and effected.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Now the CDC has lifted the you know, apparently COVID
is no longer the epidemic that it was or the
pandemic that it was. That's that's behind us.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
You know.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
I had a doctor's appointment a couple of weeks ago
and I didn't have to wear a mask, even the
doctor's office, which was, you know, different than it's been
for the last three years.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah, you know, so we're we're we're.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Out of that portion of this and and you know.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I would think it gets back to being good old
Saint Vincent.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Does the NFL adjusts to that as well? Now, you know,
are are the COVID restrictions that were are not just
the restrictions, but the accommodations that the league made for COVID.
Some of them they've kept, like the.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Extra two things came out of it, the extra two.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Guys on game day and things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
They tried to get expanded practice squads things like that.
I think the teams started scouting differently. Hey we can
do some of this vida zoom. We really need to
send these guys on planes all over the country, not
even for help. Were we want to sit down and
talk to the guys. Yeah, you do that on a
video expense. Save some expenses, save a lot of time.
I'm sure it's changed coaching to some degree. I'm sure
(24:34):
the players. My wife is couldn't be any further from
a football player, but she gets so much more done
at home than getting on the tee, going downtown, going
to the bank, and coming back, you know what I mean.
So I'm sure that's true for players too. We were
talking about grinding tape. Could probably do it from home,
you know, with today's technology, and you could just FaceTime
your coach and be like, hey, what's this all about?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
You know, I mean that's what the that's what they
did during COVID. They had to do that, and so
you know, you had guys everybody learning.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Yeah, and some good things come out of it, you know.
I mean, any crisis or bad thing that's happened in
the history of the world, something good came from it
because people adapted.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I mean it's it's much like you know, the there's
always any time there's there, you know, you take a
step in a different direction. There are pluses and minuses
that come out of it. For example, you know, Tang
came out of the you know, space space exploration velcrow.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
You know things like that.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
You didn't get You didn't start the space program to
come up with velf right right, right, But it was,
you know, a bike.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
We could use this for something else.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
It was a byproduct of space travel.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Absolutely, But I do think the NFL has gone through
some of that too, and I'm sure all sports have.
You know that we were forced to not and Tang
was a bad example other worse that popped into my head.
But I do think, certainly the NFL and football coaches
across the league, or such creature as a habit or
(25:59):
across the whole sport, this is just.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
The way we've always do. We've always you couldn't do
it that way, right right.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
We don't want to hear about analytics. This is what
we do. You know, you have to have two days
blah blah blah. But when you're forced to change, you
realize we might be behind. If we don't adapt like
the teams that are starting to win, you know, and
understand where they're at.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, and so I do think that there are, you know,
many good things that came out of COVID.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Being forced to do things differently.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Yeah, and we've seen it. It's just in the general
work world, you know, there are a lot of people
that don't go back right to the office on a
full time basis. Maybe they go in two days a
week instead of five.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
That's where my wife's at now, and she thinks those
are at least productive days because she's busy, you know,
not doing work while she's transporting back and forth.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah. So, but these sessions still very important.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
I think they are. I think there's a lot to
take out of them. I think that there's a lot
of learning going on on the field. Certainly when you
read headlines across the league, there's a lot of overreactions.
This first round pick isn't running with the one blah
blah blah blah blah. I mean, I don't look too
much into that stuff, but I think it makes you
a better player and teaches you how to be a pro.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Yeah. And I think, you know, again, so many new
faces on the Steelers roster this year. Yeah, these OTA
sessions are doubly important, and I think that's why. For example,
last year, if you remember, they didn't they could have
had three more sessions, right right, and they didn't. They
chose not to.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
I mean just think of the stash sessions right right, right,
good point. I mean this they called the much different
the quarterback situation was one year ago when we were here,
and now it's a lot more set and a lot
of groundwork, especially on offense, was poored last year. Yeah,
you know, a lot of that youth.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
And you know, so they you know, Kenny Pickett talked
about it on his first day here. He's like, we're
so I'm so much farther ahead of where I was
as an offense. We're so much farther ahead of where
we were.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
I'm sure you know.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
The foundation has been poored.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Yeah, and now Alan Robinson and Isaac and Herbig and.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
These guys, they gotta get on a moving train.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Yeah. Yeah, but those veterans shouldn't have any problem. You know,
they'll be tough for the rookies, as it is every rookie.
You know, that's not a common problem or that's not
uncommon problem across the league. You know, the Washington's of
the world are gonna have to learn.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Yeah, and that's what they're here for. That's why we
have these sessions, these Ota sessions. Then he used to
have this stuff. No, right, you know, twenty years ago
there was no such thing as an OTA.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yeah, so yeah, I think they're good.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Yeah, I think so as well. But we're gonna take
another break. He is already Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lolly.
You're listening to a special edition of The Drive here
on Steelers Nation Radio. We will be back with more
here live from the Steelers Ota Sessions at the upmc
rooney Sports Complex on ESPN nine seventy and Steelers Nation
Radio right after this. Welcome back. I am Dale, Lollie.
(28:56):
He is Matt Williamson, and this is a special edition
of The Drive here on Dealers Nation Radio. And we
have a special guest. You're joining us now. That would
be one Thomas of the Standard. What's going on? Not
quite the guests you guys are looking for, but I figured.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
And why not it's gonna happen. It's kind of like
in baseball. I don't want to call myself the closer
coming in. It's kind of like when the position player
comes in and you're already down by forty.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Round strang mile power over the plate exactly. But you
were out here today, Tommy, you got chances to see
the OTA practices. What were you What were your impressions.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
First time, you know, seeing guys in person. I know
we can't really talk in a lot of detail, but
they're big. Man, this is a bigger team than that
was last year. I think that's for sure. You know,
Washington is overwhelming. The offensive linemen are overwhelming. Jones, Dan
Moore looks much bigger than he was. Their mantra seemed
to be, let's get physical, let's get nasty.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
You know.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Andy Widel comes in. He's kind of cut from that cloth.
And you can't tell how it's gonna end up and
till they play games, But right now it looks like
it's on the right track.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Yeah, it's a continuation kind of of how they finished
last season when they were just pounding people with the
line of scrimmage right right.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
You know, I think their intentions at all.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
No, they might as well put it up on the
on the big you know, scoreboard. Hey, we're going to
run the football.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
We're gonna be physical, good to your blimp go by
carrying a banner, right, and not only they not a
lot of fat guys either. You know, there are a
lot of really lean, powerful players with length to long
arm guys, especially at corner. You know some of these dudes,
I mean, even like Alan Robinson's impressive on the hoof.
You know, everybody looks the part and then it's a good start.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Yeah, and you just mentioned the secondary. I think that
might be the unit that I'm the highest on right
now the offseason. Yeah, I know, you lose some and
you lose mull At, you lose Edmonds in that secondary,
but I think they're a better secondary right now, at
least on paper. Excited to see Porter and Peterson on
the outside if that's like where they end up. But
I think you just got so many options. You guys
(30:56):
are talking about Levi in the first out, Yeah, I
think that might be a less is more kind of guy.
Like the more that you can wean him off of
a big time role, you're gonna get more production out
of him. Always thought he was a really good number
two in Buffalo next to Davis White. It's a little
bit older now, but you're not asking him to be
anything more than a three right now. Maybe he does
become a two, damn, thank you said, but he doesn't
(31:17):
have there was never really like that number one.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Last year. They didn't have that yet.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
And he kind of had to try to do it
and Kello had to kind of try to do it,
but no one could. Now he just has to kind
of be the number two at the most. Yeah, I
think it's perfect for him.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
The guy that I'm interested in that secondary is Chandon Sullivan.
And I'll go back to twenty fourteen when they signed
Bryce McCain from the Houston Texans and people went, oh
my god, that Pro Football Focus had him as the
lowest rated cornerback in the NFL. And then at the
end of the season when he left to go to
(31:51):
the Miami Dolphins because they signed him to a one
year deal, what are they going to do without Bryce McCain.
I got he had such a good year. He was
their best cornerback this year, made.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Good money on the open market, and right right right,
you know, you don't know what the cornerbacks and we
do actually kind of know what the cornerbacks were asked
to do.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Last year in Minnesota, and that was play pretty vanilla.
Yeah zones, yeah, blitz and there was no blitz. There
was no pass rush. They had like thirty two sacks.
You know, they're just they just didn't have any kind
of of help there defensively. And so you know, if
you're gonna if you're gonna play a lot of zone coverages,
particularly if you're the slot guy and you're and they're
(32:32):
playing a lot of zone, you're gonna give up catches.
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean that's just.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Without much pass rushing, what's to help you? It was
not not an easy situation for the defensive backfield.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Well that's what when Peterson sat down with you last week,
that's kind of what he said.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Right, Yeah, trash the vikings.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
But he was just saying, you know, you can tell
this is a step up a little bit just from
a couple of days being out here.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
I think I asked him how I knew the answer,
but I wanted to say, how different is this scheme
and coverage responsibilities that verse last one? He's like, very different?
I mean then to sum it up, very different, right right?
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Yeah, Yeah, So I'm interested to see how he figures
into the equation because he's been he's been a starting nickel,
not just in Minnesota last year, but in Green Bay
before that.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
And those guys aren't household names. Going back to bricemthe
oh no, you know ste go, Oh my god, you
sign Channing Sullivan who had never heard of you know.
I mean, but that doesn't mean they aren't having quality careers.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Yeah, I mean to me, that's a that's a And
this is not to trash Arthur Malep. That's an upgrade
over Arthur Malett.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
I think so too, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
And if he can be a combination of Sutton and Malet,
because that's what they've had to do the last couple
of years, even when they had Mike Hilton early in
the in his tenure, situational it was situational nickel. If
you could just have a nickel and he is your
nickel and that's what he does, okay.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yeah, and you tell the offense less. Yeah, you know,
if that's.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Or if you can play more dime because of that,
because we're gonna bump Patrick Peterson into the slot and
then I'm playing Porter and Wallace on the outside because
you've got you've got different options at defensive back. Okay,
that works too.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
So change gears on you, Tom, will we have you
here in the last few minutes. You're a huge pit guy.
Pitt's next door.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Kenny's second year. What are you expecting from him the
year two?
Speaker 3 (34:15):
I don't think he's going to take some monstrous leap, yeah,
you know, and I don't ever think he's going to
get to the Burrows or the Mahomes level. But I
really don't think he has to at all to win.
I mean, Ben Roethlisberger was never the greatest quarterback in
the NFL. He was always around Brady and Manning. Those
two were much better than him. He's snuck two rings
out from underneath those guys. Like, if the team is
right around him and he is good enough, I think
(34:37):
you can win with that guy. I just don't know
if it's going to happen quite this year. I think
maybe a competitions way. Yeah, but I think that what
the rookie year showed is that it's not too big
for him the league and he's ready to be a
starting quarterback in the NFL. It's not like a is
he even a starter? And no, he's one of the
thirty two best quarterbacks that there are.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
So I think that's step one for any rookie.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
And I expect him to be better this year.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Not quite to the level where, you know, maybe he's
the sole reason he's winning you six seven games, but
I just feel like the improvement's inevitable. You saw the
improvement all of last season. Too many interceptions in the
first half of the season. Yeah, barely any in the
second half of the season. That's coachability, that's improving, it's
playing smarter. I think it's going to continue to carry
(35:22):
on that momentum. And like the size he's put on too,
you know, yeah, it's got to protect himself a little
bit more. The concussions are the thing that worries me
a little bit. But offensive line looks better. They fixed
this helmet last year. You know, they're proactively trying to
attack this to make sure that it doesn't become a
problem like maybe down in Miami it is. So I'm
very confident in him not regressing at all, taking steps forward.
(35:45):
I just don't I question how big the lead might
be this year, but it shouldn't be a monstrous I
don't think in a second year.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Mean no, I don't expect to be the best quarter league.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Yeah, right right now. If he throws between twenty and
twenty five touchdown I think that's year. More importantly, doesn't
get to double digits and interceptions. I think that's a
huge step forward. I think if it's reasonable, I think
if you play the entire season and let's say he
throws twenty two touchdown passes the red zone, that's a
modest improvement. But but throws seven or eight interceptions, I
(36:17):
think that's a really good second year.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
And a pit He was never, you know, adverse for
making a risky throw, putting the ball down the field,
being explosive. So I think you see a lot more
of that in his second year as well. In the NFL,
you have the leash on a little tight sometimes with
a rookie. I don't think, no, no, there was nothing
about especially the senior year. There was nothing conservative about
his play.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
And I think the other thing that you look at
with with Kenny Pickett guys are the how he played
in the fourth quarter, down the stretching games. He did
win some game. He did win you some games. And
so if he can do it, if your defense and
your running game can keep you in the game. He
has shown that he can win you the game when
it's on the line, and that's something that you know.
(37:01):
I don't think there's any there's no formula for clutch.
There's no you know, analysis for clutch. There's no there's
nothing out there that says, well, you know this guy
when you know when the game's on the line, is
this You know he's the six sixth best player when
the game is on the line. Because each you know,
game situation is different, so you get to trust your
eyes on that and when the game was on the
(37:24):
line more often than not, I mean that, you know.
The only time that he didn't was in Miami, and
I think he learned from what happened in Miami.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
And it's not like he was doing it against the Texans, right,
And I remember in that game on the TV broadcast,
they flashed up a graphic before the drive saying like
Ravens have not given up a fourth quarter touchdown driving
around of quarters and those ninety eight yards on the
field and puts him in the en zone and wins
the game like that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
And then had nothing to do with him missing Lamar.
That was that.
Speaker 3 (37:51):
Was the defense as a playoff level defense that he
went up against and drove right down the field. So that,
I think alone is where you get the confidence that
this dude is cut out for this kind of stuff.
This dude's not overwhelmed by the NFL.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
I say this about eighty percent of the rookie starting quarterbacks,
But the two areas that he really struggled were between
ten and twenty yards and in the red zone. Well
you go get Alan Robinson who's a big red zone
guy and operating out of slot on in breaking routes
between ten and twenty yards. Washington, who knows what you'll
get out of him as a rookie year, but he's
sure profiles as a middle of the field player down
(38:26):
the field as well as red zone. And there's some
other examples. So they're going to add things to make
his weakness his strengths, and I think they did a
good job with that.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
And I'm still you know, I know he had no
touchdowns last year.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
He's a really good receiver.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Yeah, I know a lot of people like to picket
to pickens kind of thing, and maybe that will be
the one and that could develop too, But I just
think Deante's going to be Kenny's best friend this season. Yeh,
I don't know how he wouldn't be any quarterbacks best friend.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
He's always open, He's always open. There's a reason why
Ben Roethlisberger loved them. He threw him one hundred and
sixty five passes every year. Yeah, ye, no choice, he's open,
so you throw it to the open guy. Tom. We
appreciate you stopping by here. That no problem. I'll be
back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
All right, Okay, maybe we'll do a session with you then.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Yeah, we'll do that again. But our guest here has
been Tom Offerman. You can hear him on these very
airwaves on The Standard, which he does very fine job on. Yeah,
I gotta check that show out. You can also listen
to us.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
You can find the Standard everywhere. You can find the
Drive right.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Absolutely yeah, absolutely so. Lots of great comment comments and
lots of great programming on Steelers Nation Radio. But that
is going to do it for us today here from
the up mc rooney Sports Complex, as the Steelers just
wrapped up Ota session number five. Unfortunately we missed out
on Isaac Samalo. Hopefully maybe we'll get him tomorrow. You
have to keep somebody. We'll get somebody. We're getting somebody tomorrow.
(39:50):
That's I can guarantee you that because I'm going to
ensure that we do that. But that's going to do
it for our show today. So for my partner Matt
Williamson for CJ here on site keeping us on in
the air, I am Dale Lallie. We thank you for
listening to this special edition of The Drive on Steelers
Nation Radio.
Welcome back to this special edition of The Drive. I
am Dale Lalli. He is Matt Williamson and the Steelers
just wrapping up Ota practice number five here at the
upmc rooney Sports Complex. You were listening live on Steelers
Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy beautiful day here and
really was yeah, we should be joined here presently by
(00:27):
ste new Steelers guard Isaac Samalu and just watching him
out here, Matt, he moves really well.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
He's really impressive. And I don't mean to sound stereotypical,
but a lot of the Polynesian guys are really thickly
built with huge calves, and you think of them as
just earth movers maulers, and he does that. I mean,
don't get me wrong. He pushes people around, but he's
lean and long in the torso with some arm length
(00:54):
to him. I don't think this is in the plans
at all, but in a Fanica like manner, I think
you could throw him attack and he wouldn't embarrass himself.
And I know he could play center, and he's a
better pass blocker than he is a run blocker, and
he's a really good run blocker. His body type is impressive.
Those where it's going with it, you know, and you
heard the things that Kelsey said about him, Jason Kelsey,
(01:16):
I want to ask him about Kelsey, Yeah, in Philadelphia
talked about him as the smartest player he's ever been around.
I can tell you his background is very impressive. He's
got a lot of a lot of family members who
are college professors and things of that nature.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Nature. His brother was a computer science major. I mean,
this is the kind of family that this guy comes from,
you know, just very bright guys. And his dad's a
football coach.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, you know, And I paid attention to him in
free agency. I thought he'd be pricier than he was,
you know, after signing her big, I didn't. I thought
the guard market was probably closed here, so I kind
of was out of sight, out of mind. And then boy,
it comes across my phone Steel so sign in Isaac
and I'm like, wow, I'm really gonna dig to him.
And it was more impressive than I initially thought, you know.
(02:03):
And again the intellectual stuff. Even before Kelsey came out
and said that, I read a lot of things saying
this is one of the smartest linemen out there and
really technically sound and with all respect to Kevin Dotson,
the inconsistency at guard makes guys crazy. I mean, if
you're a little inconsistent at receiver or you're making big
plays or even tackle, but guards need to be every snap.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
You know, that's got to be you can count on.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Right, And that I think is Kevin's biggest problem without
a doctor.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
And I think the talent is there, right.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And there's some mental wears from time to time that
might make Dan Moore or Cole look worse because he
didn't do exactly his assignment. Well those are done, I mean,
and now it's going to become a strength where it
was a weakness, just from a mental side of things.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, and I think that's you know, one of the
things that Steelers are counting on here.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
And at some point Isaac's it's gonna line up next
to Jones. Maybe it's later than sooner, but what a
great guy for a young first round left tackle to
line up shoulder and shoulder. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
The Steelers, particularly the interior offensive line, goes from being
something that a couple of years ago was like, oh
well this is pretty it's together a little bit, it's
well below average too. Now it might be you know,
one of the better interior threesomes in the league.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I think they're in the conversation for best guard pairing. Yeah,
I mean they're in the conversation. Yeah, there's probably three
or four I could come up with the top of
my head. I mean that are really really good. But
this might be number one. And I don't think Cole's
a liability, but I don't think he's top ten center either. Yeah,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
But what I think they have, though, is three guys
who are all average to above average at their positions.
And that when you have three of those, and.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I think they probably have five that can play at
the NFL level. Yeah, you know what I mean. There's
depth there as well.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
So it's it's really uh, you know, times changed. The
complete makeover of that offensive line in two years two years.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
That's hard to do.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
It's really hard to do when you're paying quarterback as well. Yeah, yeah,
now they are not, and so you can go out
and you can make you know, again, I don't know
that they expected to sign Isaac Samlo.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Or for Jones to get to them, or you'd be
within striking distance in the first round. And yeah, you're right,
maybe the plan was herbig and some of these type
of dudes. And it's better than last year, but it's
not overwhelming. But then the opportunity arises for it to
be potentially overwhelming, jump on it, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah, absolutely, and you know, why wouldn't you do that?
You know again, and it speaks volumes that guys do
want to come play here.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, I like what you said there though, about a
two year total facelift of one of the hardest positions
to do that at. I mean, like people might remember,
the Chiefs were able to basically pull it off in
one year, but they had trade trek Hill. I mean,
they didn't make a lot of moves to make that happen,
and they spent tons of money to do it, and
it's that's a hard thing to do. I mean, to
(04:52):
transform an entireroid line, including depth and starters and future
starters in a two year stretch. I mean, and it's
still young.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And they and they did it without breaking the bank,
right right, right right, that's the other thing. Yeah, the
Chiefs were able to go out and you know, make
over their offensive line, but they paid a lot of
money to do it, and they paid a lot of
draft capital.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah, I mean, Joe Thuni was the highest paid Garden.
I mean, they just flat out purchased him. He was
the most expensive guy out there and they got their
money's worth. No, don't get me wrong. Orlando Brown was
expensive cost my first round pick, you know, and then
they paid him and then they paid him and you're right,
right right, And they hit on Humphrey and they hit
on a mid round guard that worked out well for them.
So that's rare.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Yeah, without a doubt, the Steelers are doing is rare.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
And yeah, someone just threw it out on Twitter and
I've known this, but it's also kind of amazing that
Isaac is going to be the oldest starter on the offense,
you know. I mean they're still so young on that
side of the ball, and they're so young on the
offensive line. And he's by no means old, That's not
what I mean. He's in his prime.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, he's in his prime. The offensive lineman's still out
there working even though the practice is over here. So
we'll get him when he's coming off the field taking
some extra reps out there. And that's the thing, you know,
when you when you see these guys putting in that
kind of work. The extra work. I can tell you
for a fact. You know, I come here in here
a lot during the off season, and the offensive line
(06:11):
group has been one that's been a constant in working
out trucks of corps for us here. I think he
has a room here really, you know, and coaches appreciate
that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, and it's funny too, you know, we were I
was chatting with Wolf last week and you know, unsolicited,
He's like, boy, Damn Moore looks so much better. He's
just raving about Damn. Yeah, and I totally get it.
You know, he's another one with the Wallace conversation. Out
of sight, out of mind. They drafted past him, don't
count him out. I mean, these guys get better. And
I'm not saying these you know, Anthony Munyos. But if
(06:44):
he takes a step forward this year too, or what
about I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
I mean again, we've talked about this. Just the addition
of of Saa Malo beside him to where he's not concerned.
I can't tell you whether that's that was always in
the back of his mind, right right, right, or but
the communications stability there, the communication from center out, yeah,
has to be better, you know, like I think they
created that on the right side last year with Chukes
(07:09):
and Daniels. Yeah, I mean that's a really good pairing.
I'm not say it's the best right side in the league,
but it's in the top half, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And and if you could get the left side to
that level and probably better. I mean, if Jones and
Isaac both hit their ceilings and you know, he's already there,
that could be the best left side in the league.
I mean it could be.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
What do you think of the job Pat Myers Dohm
with that group.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
I'm glad you brought him up because I think he's
an underappreciated asset to this team as well. I mean,
I think everyone lumps the O line coaches post Munch
and none of them are as good as much, you know,
and that's probably true because he's like as good as
there's ever been. I mean, he's phenomenal. But I think
they've found a really good old line coach here, and
nobody tends to give him credit either.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, and I think he's well respected.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
We ran into him at the Combine well, we were
having dinner. Yeah, he was hanging with a bunch of
lines there with like fifteen other offensive line.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
A lot of beef in that room, right, A lot
of scratching and sniffing and snorting and yeah, drinking and
hanging out. The line coaches are fun to be near,
even right, Like I heard a buffalo now, But I
think they found a really good one there. And frankly,
in between Munch and him, there's was questionable. It was
kind of a revolving door there for a while. And
I think that they've stabilized that. And I've said this
(08:24):
a million times. If I was a new head coach
getting hired, or an owner or someone in charge of
an organization, I would hire my head coach and then
I'd say, I'll spend whatever you want for the best
O line coach I can get. I mean, that's more
of a priority to me than a coordinator or a
play caller. I mean, I just think developing that position
is so hard at this level.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Well, I think that position and special teams coordinator is
an underrated, underrated like special teams coordinators, got it, you're
just putting on fire. I mean, right, you're juggling my
eight balls. Yeah at the same time.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I would like to bring
this up a special teams cortinators that d and offensive
coordinators never deal with. But like, hey, we cut your starter.
That dude was a starter on.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Four even our number forty. He was our fifth safety
and we needed.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
That roster spot. But he was a starter for me.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
It wash, you know you just cut them.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
You don't start cut my starting left guard, start my
cut my starting strong safety. I mean that that's what
special teams coordinators have to do with in week five and.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Go through the week, and and this guy's sick, and
that now you have. It has a trickle down effect
across the whole special teams landscape.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And you probably five different teams for me, I'm five
different teams. Or hey, this week we're low on offensive
lineman because of injuries, so we're going to take two
of your core special teamers out of your starting eleven.
You know they might be okay, Well, now I got
to teach someone I hardly know how to run down
on kickoffs and not screw it up.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Or Joey bagg of Donuts is are our fifth corner,
but two other guys are hurt. So now he's the
nickel this week, and well, we don't want to put
him out.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
There prefer he's not out there.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
He's not gonna play twenty five special team snaps this week,
He's gonna play fifteen. So you gotta pick when you're
gonna use him.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Right, We don't want him on punt team because he's
gonna be exhausted from defense before or you know, you
returners aren't. We don't want them out there because we
play on throwing the ball to him a lot, right.
I mean, it's just always a revolving door and it's
never stable.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
That's what you don't want on the offensive line though, right.
You want stability, and the Steelers had stability.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And they lucked into it to some degree, I mean
just because of injuries, but they the fact that they
got so many snaps from those five as a building block.
And now you add even better, more talented players on
top of that, because you still have what you built
there last year. You know, it's not like it was
a bunch of dudes that aren't coming back.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, it goes back to that. That what we talked
about to open the show, the eighteen returning starters on
this team. But you may have overshot with some of
the some guys, some of those guys they may not
be starters this year.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Not to any fault of their own, getting worse that
somebody better showed up. Yeah, because I mean certainly possible.
You know, is there an opportunity to Kevin Dotson get
better this year. There's a good chance. We talked about
Dan Moore, you know, I mean, there's a.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Good chance those guys got better. But you brought guys
in who are better than them already.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And I'm not predicting him to revive his career. But
even a guy like Green, I mean, he's still on
the roster, he's going to be a camp He looks
like he's probably going to play focus on center. He
may be your number two center and realize, you know,
may learn some things, you know, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I mean those guys, you know, you're year three again.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That's I think Raven Clark's a valuable That's.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
One of the things that drives me crazy about fandom.
And I get it your fan This sure for fanatics. Yeah,
nobody's allowed to get better, right Ever, you always write
the story on the gay. Oh he's he's stunk in
those five games. I saw him three years ago, so
he must stink.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, And you don't think about the circumstances or why
he got put into the situation he did, you know,
is he in over his head? You know, they ask
him more than they should have out of the guy.
It really was. He drafted with the of he should
be a year two starter, but we have an injury
and he's a year one starter, or who knows?
Speaker 1 (12:04):
I mean, so, for example, you look at Dan Moore
thrown into the starting lineup at left tackle in the
NFL as a fourth round rookie, like it, is there
any reason not to expect that guy to get better?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Right? And frankly, if you asked Dane Brugler, Damn mel Todd, whoever,
and said before the draft, Dan Moore from Texas A
and M is going to be a starting left tackle
in week one? How do you think that's gonna go?
You know, like, well, he's probably going to struggle, you know. Yeah,
and not that he's a bad prospect or a bad player,
but I think Broderick Jones would struggle in week one.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Yeah, you know, and I can remember Chukes getting thrown
in out in Denver's rookie year against Von Miller. Good
luck with that guy. Yeah, there you go have had
it and he held his own.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Somebody's in a block bosa in week one. Yeah, I
mean that's isn't easy.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
That's the way that that's the way that goes, you know,
it's it's just an interesting, tough position. Yeah, we're going
to take a break again. The offensive lineman's still out
there working on the field after practice is over. So
when we come back.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
That's a common theme of this team last week or two.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
We're hopeful to get the Isaac Samalo on here. So
we want to make sure we get all of Isaac
sam Olo on the show here. We don't want to
cut him off. So he is Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lollie.
You're listening to a special edition of The Drive here
on Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy. We are
live from the Rooney upmc rooney Sports Complex here on
the South Side. We'll be back with more right after this.
(13:25):
Welcome back. I am Dale, Lallie. He is Matt Williamson.
This is a special edition of The Drive here on
Steelers Nation Radio and ESPN nine seventy. We are live
from the upmc rooney Sports Complex where Steelers just wrapping
up OTA session number five and still some guys milling
about out there on the field doing some some extra
(13:45):
work in.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
As we Yeah, we can't divulge everything, but.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
I given anything away here. But micka Fitzpatricks still out
there working on his ball skills.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I always find it interesting what they choose to do
with their free time. You know, practice is over, but
I'm out here, I'm gonna get a workout in. But
what am I going to work on? There's always some
very interesting drills. You know, he's doing some hand eye
coordination and stuff now, which is really impressive. Like you said,
ball skill stuff with you know, not divulging too much,
but there's so many different ways to train and get better.
And some of these guys, it's not an accident that
(14:15):
they turned into Pro Bowl players, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, no, I can remember, you know, back in the day,
waiting for Troy Paul Amalu for a full hour one
day after he was the last guy on the field. Okay,
I just waited him out and he knew I was there,
but you know, he's just maybe his second year in
the league, his second training camp, and just waiting him
(14:38):
out and waiting him out and waiting him out and
finally he came walking over. You know, we had a
twenty minute conversation about you know, his rookie year and everything,
and you know, really good stuff. But he put the
time in, he put that kind of effort into it.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yeah, you know, so you have a thousand times more
experience than me in this situation. But when I worked
for ESPN, he, as they do now, had a Steeler reporter.
You know, at one point there was just AFC North
or whatever, and I think the Steeler reporter at the
time was Ill or something along those lines. And they
knew I lived in Pittsburgh, and they said, hey, Mac,
can you pretend to be a reporter for a day?
(15:15):
Go down the Steelers facility and interview Antonio Brown. So
I'm here sharp, I'm like, boy, I'm a fish out
of water. I don't But they're like, here's ten questions
to ask them. There's certain things we need for this
huge article working on. Anybody can do it, just sit
there and record it. I'm like, card fine. So I
get here and I'm just really stiff and not knowing
what I'm doing. You know, It's not like I'm not like.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
What you are now.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
But I waited for like an hour from to get
off the field. Yeah. I mean he was like notorious
or in a good way. He was out there forever.
I'm like, I was asking people, I'm like, is this normal?
I mean, he's like for him, it is. It's not
for most players. You know, you can usually get them
reasonably after practice, but he was out there for an hour.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Yeah, did you get your ten questions?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I think so. I'm trying to remember what the results were.
I think I did and sent them in. But yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
And Ab could be a little difficult with that that
kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
But he wasn't great by accident either.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
No point put the put they put the time in.
You know, you get and I preach this to the
guys that I coach. Now, you get out of the
game what you put into it. And that is so
much to I mean, there are guys that get by
just on you know, God give.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Him, I'm sure make if it's a batter to be
a fine player if he didn't do the extra stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
But better when when that talent intersects with the work
ethic is when it becomes really special.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah yeah, yeah, and say we want about Ab. His
work ethic was maybe even greater than his talent.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah. I mean they had to say whoa yeah often
than they had to say sick them.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
I know. That was the book on nausea coming out.
You know, you got to hide his helmet, you know,
things like that. Yeah. You know that's some of these
guys that work too hard even.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Yeah, And that's just uh, you know, a pure love
of the game and I love you know, you want
to be the best. You want to you know, you
know what your what your weaknesses are in your game,
and you want to get the better or you have
something that you it's I'm pretty good at this, but
I could be great.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
I could be great at it. I know I'm not
quite where I could be at that, you know, right,
you know, and let alone the tape work. I mean,
we don't see any of that. Yeah. And when you're
with an organization, there's sometimes there's this guy's you know,
linebackers in particular that are in safeties, that are in
the office of course, quarterbacks that are in there for
hours and hours and hours just.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Grinding grinding tape and watching tape like it reminds me
of the white men's can't jump on you know, you
can I watch the tape. But do you see right
the tape right?
Speaker 2 (17:34):
There's an art to watching tape and not just being
in the in front of the projector. I know I
don't use a projector anymore, but I mean there's an
art to really utilizing your minutes and hours there and
looking for the right things. And a lot of young
guys come in the league and say things like, yeah,
I spent hours and hours watching tape, but they're still
running the wrong way and misdirection and stuff because I'm
not doing it properly.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, I mean, you've got to know what you're watching,
know what you're looking for. And I think that's where.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Like Patrick Peterson, I'm going to bring that up.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
A guy like Patrick Peterson who's watched so much tape
and knows how to watch the tape. He knows what
he is looking for, the keys and the things that
you know, when when this receiver does this, or when this,
when the quarterback his foot his is three inches to
this direction.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Look at his stance he's gonna come out and you
know it's not gonna be a handoff, or you know
things like that. I don't know, I'm totally spitballing here,
but It wouldn't shock me one bit if Patrick Peterson
goes home on his iPad or his TV or whatever
and spends a day watching Amari Cooper, Jamar Chase T. Higgins,
you know, now Odell and he's played against all those guys,
I'm sure to some degree, and you watch them going in,
(18:40):
but when you know they're now in your division that
everybody has a tell. I mean, everybody has the Teddy
kgb oreo, you know to some degree. You know, like
when when he aligns this way, he's probably blocking, or
he's gonna go through the motions, you know, but whenever
he has this little twitch, ball might be coming his
way or yeah he's going he's taking it deep. You know,
(19:00):
everybody's tendencies.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
I can remember in fact, you know, when I back
when I did the Antonio Brown Show, there was a
somebody put out there that you know, on on social
media that whenever Brown would retighten his gloves at the
line of scrimmage, it was a pass play.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Okay, yeah, and that stuff's real.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
I brought that up to him. So there's there's a
theory out there that you know, whenever you tighten your
gloves at the line of scrimmage, it's going to be
a pass and when you don't, it's going to be
a run play. And you know, I think he looked
at that and he started tightening his gloves. Every time.
It's the same thing I tell, you know, I tell
young pitchers like, if I'm going to throw a curveball,
I don't want to tell the batter I'm throwing a curveball.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yeah. Yeah, so I don't want to. You know, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Going to play with the ball if you're gonna play
with if you have to play with the ball on
your glove when you're throwing a curveball, play with the
ball in your glove every time. Do it every single time.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
It's like Jim Brown rest in peace. You know, he
would protect He would get up super slow every time.
So it didn't look every time. So when didn't when
he was injured. And the book on Jerry Rice was
the Guy's got no hotels. Every route looks exactly the same, yea,
His stem is always the same, his release is always
the same. People talk about what makes a great route runner.
(20:13):
I mean, that's a big part of it is not
giving things away so blatantly.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, I saw somebody puts out the top ten route
runners in the NFL. Yet last than on social media,
I saw that Deontay Johnson was on that list.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
I'll say he should be.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I think that's an underrated like so many, so many
people look at well, he's he's six too, and he
runs a four three forty and he does this?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Does he run routes right? And Frankly pickens he's a
work on it? Yeah, I mean he has he doesn't
have a very he doesn't have a real expansive route
tree yet, you know, and he didn't at Georgia, so
he needs work in that regard. But the guy next
to him is one of the best in the league
at it, yeah, Frankly.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
And that doesn't that doesn't come by accident either. Note
Johnson works at that absolutely, you know, because he's not
the biggest, he's not the strongest, he's not the fastest.
So you better have something else that you can win with,
and for him, it's the route running.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
DeVante Adams might be the best route runner in the league.
I mean he's certainly, he's like a four or six guy,
and he was a second round pick. Yeah, he's not
special athletically, sure, he's good. I mean he I mean
he has talent, of course he does. But he wasn't
a tap. He wasn't Jamar Chase, you know. I mean,
he wasn't a no brainer top ten pick, you know.
And that was that came from work.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
And route running.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Deonta is the third round.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Route running allows you to get behind secondaries. You know,
you you don't have to be a four to three
guy to get behind the secondary if you run, if
you run routes, well yeah you can. You know, all
takes his one false step from the cornerback, right right.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I mean it's not like you run a five flat yeah, right.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Difference yeah, you can still run.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Yeah, the difference between a four five five and a
four to four flat isn't that much in the course
of a football play if the defensive back has one
false step or is leaning the wrong way. Stefan Diggs
is a fourth round pick. He's an elite route runner.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Yeah, I think he was number one on that list.
And he you know, he's a four to five low
four five guy. He's a good athlete, but he's not special.
What you see him behind a lot of defenses.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Absolutely absolutely yeah, And that's absolutely a learned skill.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah. Yeah, we're still waiting here for Isaac sam all
Ow to come out.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
No promises at this point.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, they are off the field here. He outlasted the
Steelers pr.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
He was putting the work in.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
He was putting the work in, and well the field
is now clear, so that part of the day is well, no,
there's still there's still one guy out there, so there
is getting there extra time. And we're still out here,
and so we'll keep bringing you all the news and
notes here from the Steelers. O t A sessions here
o t A session number five in the books. That
means we are way, of course, yeah, halfway to UH
(22:47):
to mini camp. Yeah, good point, and then officially halftime, yeah,
and then past we'll go to UH, we'll go on
to training camp.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
And it's been a great environment. It's been fun to
be here.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I wonder you know, so last year training camp was
the first year that had been opened in a couple
of years, because right, do you expect training camp to
be a little more robust this year, Not that it
was bad last year.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
I think more back to what you think is normal,
I would imagine. I mean that's more of a question
for you than me to be honest, but I would
think that's true.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I just I was just thinking about that, like, you know,
because last year, I mean, it was everything. You were back,
but you weren't back back.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
There were still some restrictions, Yeah, I mean and effected.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Now the CDC has lifted the you know, apparently COVID
is no longer the epidemic that it was or the
pandemic that it was. That's that's behind us.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
You know.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
I had a doctor's appointment a couple of weeks ago
and I didn't have to wear a mask, even the
doctor's office, which was, you know, different than it's been
for the last three years.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah, you know, so we're we're we're.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Out of that portion of this and and you know.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I would think it gets back to being good old
Saint Vincent.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Does the NFL adjusts to that as well? Now, you know,
are are the COVID restrictions that were are not just
the restrictions, but the accommodations that the league made for COVID.
Some of them they've kept, like the.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Extra two things came out of it, the extra two.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Guys on game day and things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
They tried to get expanded practice squads things like that.
I think the teams started scouting differently. Hey we can
do some of this vida zoom. We really need to
send these guys on planes all over the country, not
even for help. Were we want to sit down and
talk to the guys. Yeah, you do that on a
video expense. Save some expenses, save a lot of time.
I'm sure it's changed coaching to some degree. I'm sure
(24:34):
the players. My wife is couldn't be any further from
a football player, but she gets so much more done
at home than getting on the tee, going downtown, going
to the bank, and coming back, you know what I mean.
So I'm sure that's true for players too. We were
talking about grinding tape. Could probably do it from home,
you know, with today's technology, and you could just FaceTime
your coach and be like, hey, what's this all about?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
You know, I mean that's what the that's what they
did during COVID. They had to do that, and so
you know, you had guys everybody learning.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Yeah, and some good things come out of it, you know.
I mean, any crisis or bad thing that's happened in
the history of the world, something good came from it
because people adapted.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I mean it's it's much like you know, the there's
always any time there's there, you know, you take a
step in a different direction. There are pluses and minuses
that come out of it. For example, you know, Tang
came out of the you know, space space exploration velcrow.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
You know things like that.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
You didn't get You didn't start the space program to
come up with velf right right, right, But it was,
you know, a bike.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
We could use this for something else.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
It was a byproduct of space travel.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Absolutely, But I do think the NFL has gone through
some of that too, and I'm sure all sports have.
You know that we were forced to not and Tang
was a bad example other worse that popped into my head.
But I do think, certainly the NFL and football coaches
across the league, or such creature as a habit or
(25:59):
across the whole sport, this is just.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
The way we've always do. We've always you couldn't do
it that way, right right.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
We don't want to hear about analytics. This is what
we do. You know, you have to have two days
blah blah blah. But when you're forced to change, you
realize we might be behind. If we don't adapt like
the teams that are starting to win, you know, and
understand where they're at.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, and so I do think that there are, you know,
many good things that came out of COVID.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Being forced to do things differently.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Yeah, and we've seen it. It's just in the general
work world, you know, there are a lot of people
that don't go back right to the office on a
full time basis. Maybe they go in two days a
week instead of five.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
That's where my wife's at now, and she thinks those
are at least productive days because she's busy, you know,
not doing work while she's transporting back and forth.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah. So, but these sessions still very important.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
I think they are. I think there's a lot to
take out of them. I think that there's a lot
of learning going on on the field. Certainly when you
read headlines across the league, there's a lot of overreactions.
This first round pick isn't running with the one blah
blah blah blah blah. I mean, I don't look too
much into that stuff, but I think it makes you
a better player and teaches you how to be a pro.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Yeah. And I think, you know, again, so many new
faces on the Steelers roster this year. Yeah, these OTA
sessions are doubly important, and I think that's why. For example,
last year, if you remember, they didn't they could have
had three more sessions, right right, and they didn't. They
chose not to.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
I mean just think of the stash sessions right right, right,
good point. I mean this they called the much different
the quarterback situation was one year ago when we were here,
and now it's a lot more set and a lot
of groundwork, especially on offense, was poored last year. Yeah,
you know, a lot of that youth.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
And you know, so they you know, Kenny Pickett talked
about it on his first day here. He's like, we're
so I'm so much farther ahead of where I was
as an offense. We're so much farther ahead of where
we were.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
I'm sure you know.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
The foundation has been poored.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Yeah, and now Alan Robinson and Isaac and Herbig and.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
These guys, they gotta get on a moving train.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Yeah. Yeah, but those veterans shouldn't have any problem. You know,
they'll be tough for the rookies, as it is every rookie.
You know, that's not a common problem or that's not
uncommon problem across the league. You know, the Washington's of
the world are gonna have to learn.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Yeah, and that's what they're here for. That's why we
have these sessions, these Ota sessions. Then he used to
have this stuff. No, right, you know, twenty years ago
there was no such thing as an OTA.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yeah, so yeah, I think they're good.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Yeah, I think so as well. But we're gonna take
another break. He is already Matt Williamson. I am Dale, Lolly.
You're listening to a special edition of The Drive here
on Steelers Nation Radio. We will be back with more
here live from the Steelers Ota Sessions at the upmc
rooney Sports Complex on ESPN nine seventy and Steelers Nation
Radio right after this. Welcome back. I am Dale, Lollie.
(28:56):
He is Matt Williamson, and this is a special edition
of The Drive here on Dealers Nation Radio. And we
have a special guest. You're joining us now. That would
be one Thomas of the Standard. What's going on? Not
quite the guests you guys are looking for, but I figured.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
And why not it's gonna happen. It's kind of like
in baseball. I don't want to call myself the closer
coming in. It's kind of like when the position player
comes in and you're already down by forty.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Round strang mile power over the plate exactly. But you
were out here today, Tommy, you got chances to see
the OTA practices. What were you What were your impressions.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
First time, you know, seeing guys in person. I know
we can't really talk in a lot of detail, but
they're big. Man, this is a bigger team than that
was last year. I think that's for sure. You know,
Washington is overwhelming. The offensive linemen are overwhelming. Jones, Dan
Moore looks much bigger than he was. Their mantra seemed
to be, let's get physical, let's get nasty.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
You know.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Andy Widel comes in. He's kind of cut from that cloth.
And you can't tell how it's gonna end up and
till they play games, But right now it looks like
it's on the right track.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Yeah, it's a continuation kind of of how they finished
last season when they were just pounding people with the
line of scrimmage right right.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
You know, I think their intentions at all.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
No, they might as well put it up on the
on the big you know, scoreboard. Hey, we're going to
run the football.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
We're gonna be physical, good to your blimp go by
carrying a banner, right, and not only they not a
lot of fat guys either. You know, there are a
lot of really lean, powerful players with length to long
arm guys, especially at corner. You know some of these dudes,
I mean, even like Alan Robinson's impressive on the hoof.
You know, everybody looks the part and then it's a good start.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Yeah, and you just mentioned the secondary. I think that
might be the unit that I'm the highest on right
now the offseason. Yeah, I know, you lose some and
you lose mull At, you lose Edmonds in that secondary,
but I think they're a better secondary right now, at
least on paper. Excited to see Porter and Peterson on
the outside if that's like where they end up. But
I think you just got so many options. You guys
(30:56):
are talking about Levi in the first out, Yeah, I
think that might be a less is more kind of guy.
Like the more that you can wean him off of
a big time role, you're gonna get more production out
of him. Always thought he was a really good number
two in Buffalo next to Davis White. It's a little
bit older now, but you're not asking him to be
anything more than a three right now. Maybe he does
become a two, damn, thank you said, but he doesn't
(31:17):
have there was never really like that number one.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Last year. They didn't have that yet.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
And he kind of had to try to do it
and Kello had to kind of try to do it,
but no one could. Now he just has to kind
of be the number two at the most. Yeah, I
think it's perfect for him.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
The guy that I'm interested in that secondary is Chandon Sullivan.
And I'll go back to twenty fourteen when they signed
Bryce McCain from the Houston Texans and people went, oh
my god, that Pro Football Focus had him as the
lowest rated cornerback in the NFL. And then at the
end of the season when he left to go to
(31:51):
the Miami Dolphins because they signed him to a one
year deal, what are they going to do without Bryce McCain.
I got he had such a good year. He was
their best cornerback this year, made.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Good money on the open market, and right right right,
you know, you don't know what the cornerbacks and we
do actually kind of know what the cornerbacks were asked
to do.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Last year in Minnesota, and that was play pretty vanilla.
Yeah zones, yeah, blitz and there was no blitz. There
was no pass rush. They had like thirty two sacks.
You know, they're just they just didn't have any kind
of of help there defensively. And so you know, if
you're gonna if you're gonna play a lot of zone coverages,
particularly if you're the slot guy and you're and they're
(32:32):
playing a lot of zone, you're gonna give up catches.
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean that's just.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Without much pass rushing, what's to help you? It was
not not an easy situation for the defensive backfield.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Well that's what when Peterson sat down with you last week,
that's kind of what he said.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Right, Yeah, trash the vikings.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
But he was just saying, you know, you can tell
this is a step up a little bit just from
a couple of days being out here.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
I think I asked him how I knew the answer,
but I wanted to say, how different is this scheme
and coverage responsibilities that verse last one? He's like, very different?
I mean then to sum it up, very different, right right?
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Yeah, Yeah, So I'm interested to see how he figures
into the equation because he's been he's been a starting nickel,
not just in Minnesota last year, but in Green Bay
before that.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
And those guys aren't household names. Going back to bricemthe
oh no, you know ste go, Oh my god, you
sign Channing Sullivan who had never heard of you know.
I mean, but that doesn't mean they aren't having quality careers.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Yeah, I mean to me, that's a that's a And
this is not to trash Arthur Malep. That's an upgrade
over Arthur Malett.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
I think so too, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
And if he can be a combination of Sutton and Malet,
because that's what they've had to do the last couple
of years, even when they had Mike Hilton early in
the in his tenure, situational it was situational nickel. If
you could just have a nickel and he is your
nickel and that's what he does, okay.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yeah, and you tell the offense less. Yeah, you know,
if that's.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Or if you can play more dime because of that,
because we're gonna bump Patrick Peterson into the slot and
then I'm playing Porter and Wallace on the outside because
you've got you've got different options at defensive back. Okay,
that works too.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
So change gears on you, Tom, will we have you
here in the last few minutes. You're a huge pit guy.
Pitt's next door.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Kenny's second year. What are you expecting from him the
year two?
Speaker 3 (34:15):
I don't think he's going to take some monstrous leap, yeah,
you know, and I don't ever think he's going to
get to the Burrows or the Mahomes level. But I
really don't think he has to at all to win.
I mean, Ben Roethlisberger was never the greatest quarterback in
the NFL. He was always around Brady and Manning. Those
two were much better than him. He's snuck two rings
out from underneath those guys. Like, if the team is
right around him and he is good enough, I think
(34:37):
you can win with that guy. I just don't know
if it's going to happen quite this year. I think
maybe a competitions way. Yeah, but I think that what
the rookie year showed is that it's not too big
for him the league and he's ready to be a
starting quarterback in the NFL. It's not like a is
he even a starter? And no, he's one of the
thirty two best quarterbacks that there are.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
So I think that's step one for any rookie.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
And I expect him to be better this year.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Not quite to the level where, you know, maybe he's
the sole reason he's winning you six seven games, but
I just feel like the improvement's inevitable. You saw the
improvement all of last season. Too many interceptions in the
first half of the season. Yeah, barely any in the
second half of the season. That's coachability, that's improving, it's
playing smarter. I think it's going to continue to carry
(35:22):
on that momentum. And like the size he's put on too,
you know, yeah, it's got to protect himself a little
bit more. The concussions are the thing that worries me
a little bit. But offensive line looks better. They fixed
this helmet last year. You know, they're proactively trying to
attack this to make sure that it doesn't become a
problem like maybe down in Miami it is. So I'm
very confident in him not regressing at all, taking steps forward.
(35:45):
I just don't I question how big the lead might
be this year, but it shouldn't be a monstrous I
don't think in a second year.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Mean no, I don't expect to be the best quarter league.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Yeah, right right now. If he throws between twenty and
twenty five touchdown I think that's year. More importantly, doesn't
get to double digits and interceptions. I think that's a
huge step forward. I think if it's reasonable, I think
if you play the entire season and let's say he
throws twenty two touchdown passes the red zone, that's a
modest improvement. But but throws seven or eight interceptions, I
(36:17):
think that's a really good second year.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
And a pit He was never, you know, adverse for
making a risky throw, putting the ball down the field,
being explosive. So I think you see a lot more
of that in his second year as well. In the NFL,
you have the leash on a little tight sometimes with
a rookie. I don't think, no, no, there was nothing
about especially the senior year. There was nothing conservative about
his play.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
And I think the other thing that you look at
with with Kenny Pickett guys are the how he played
in the fourth quarter, down the stretching games. He did
win some game. He did win you some games. And
so if he can do it, if your defense and
your running game can keep you in the game. He
has shown that he can win you the game when
it's on the line, and that's something that you know.
(37:01):
I don't think there's any there's no formula for clutch.
There's no you know, analysis for clutch. There's no there's
nothing out there that says, well, you know this guy
when you know when the game's on the line, is
this You know he's the six sixth best player when
the game is on the line. Because each you know,
game situation is different, so you get to trust your
eyes on that and when the game was on the
(37:24):
line more often than not, I mean that, you know.
The only time that he didn't was in Miami, and
I think he learned from what happened in Miami.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
And it's not like he was doing it against the Texans, right,
And I remember in that game on the TV broadcast,
they flashed up a graphic before the drive saying like
Ravens have not given up a fourth quarter touchdown driving
around of quarters and those ninety eight yards on the
field and puts him in the en zone and wins
the game like that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
And then had nothing to do with him missing Lamar.
That was that.
Speaker 3 (37:51):
Was the defense as a playoff level defense that he
went up against and drove right down the field. So that,
I think alone is where you get the confidence that
this dude is cut out for this kind of stuff.
This dude's not overwhelmed by the NFL.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
I say this about eighty percent of the rookie starting quarterbacks,
But the two areas that he really struggled were between
ten and twenty yards and in the red zone. Well
you go get Alan Robinson who's a big red zone
guy and operating out of slot on in breaking routes
between ten and twenty yards. Washington, who knows what you'll
get out of him as a rookie year, but he's
sure profiles as a middle of the field player down
(38:26):
the field as well as red zone. And there's some
other examples. So they're going to add things to make
his weakness his strengths, and I think they did a
good job with that.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
And I'm still you know, I know he had no
touchdowns last year.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
He's a really good receiver.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Yeah, I know a lot of people like to picket
to pickens kind of thing, and maybe that will be
the one and that could develop too, But I just
think Deante's going to be Kenny's best friend this season. Yeh,
I don't know how he wouldn't be any quarterbacks best friend.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
He's always open, He's always open. There's a reason why
Ben Roethlisberger loved them. He threw him one hundred and
sixty five passes every year. Yeah, ye, no choice, he's open,
so you throw it to the open guy. Tom. We
appreciate you stopping by here. That no problem. I'll be
back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
All right, Okay, maybe we'll do a session with you then.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Yeah, we'll do that again. But our guest here has
been Tom Offerman. You can hear him on these very
airwaves on The Standard, which he does very fine job on. Yeah,
I gotta check that show out. You can also listen
to us.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
You can find the Standard everywhere. You can find the
Drive right.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Absolutely yeah, absolutely so. Lots of great comment comments and
lots of great programming on Steelers Nation Radio. But that
is going to do it for us today here from
the up mc rooney Sports Complex, as the Steelers just
wrapped up Ota session number five. Unfortunately we missed out
on Isaac Samalo. Hopefully maybe we'll get him tomorrow. You
have to keep somebody. We'll get somebody. We're getting somebody tomorrow.
(39:50):
That's I can guarantee you that because I'm going to
ensure that we do that. But that's going to do
it for our show today. So for my partner Matt
Williamson for CJ here on site keeping us on in
the air, I am Dale Lallie. We thank you for
listening to this special edition of The Drive on Steelers
Nation Radio.
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