Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Underground, The steel City Underground, the black
and gold standard for Pittsburgh Steelers coverage.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now here's your hose. Joe Kuzma and Brian E.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Rose.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of the Steel
City Underground podcast. My name is Joe Kuzma, joined here
by my good colleague Buddy and Powell A one. Mister
Briany Roach, I was gonna rush through just to catch
you ahead of your little swig there. I feel like,
my friend, I know you still got a little bit
of a froggy throat. I appreciate your persevering, pushing through
(00:40):
and joining us today.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Well, you know, they say the best ability is availability
or whatever the thing, so I'm trying to remain available.
But yeah, it's it's it's I'm much better, but yeah,
the thing is just lingering.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
It's very exciting.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, I thought it's very exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Did you do anything fun for Memorial Day weekend? I
was just the couch potato for the most part.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I did thirty three miles on the bike.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Whoa wow, Okay, I didn't do anything like that. Can't
even get into a pool because it's like sixty degrees
in rain and then Monday. Monday was beautiful. Monday was beautiful.
It's like good grilling weather. It was, but it felt
like almost like fall. It's like those twelve seasons we
talk about throughout the Midwest. It's like, where are we
at yet? I don't think we've gotten to Hell's Front
(01:29):
Porch at any time.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
But you know, the swimming.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Pool, swimming pool, it should be time to go swim.
Now we're gonna be in June and it has been
warming up to swim.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
This must be you keep saying this, This must be
a recent development.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I'm from Ohio. I spent you know, half my life there.
I don't remember twelve seasons.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
There were four. I don't know. What you're talking about.
Is like I'm telling you you've moved.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Into Middle Earth or something.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
No, No, there's winter, full spring, second winter, spring of deception,
third winter, the pollening, which we just got through the pollening.
So I think actual spring is now around the corner.
Summer Hell's Front Porch, fallse fall, which is like August
right before September, and then you get it like second summer.
(02:16):
You might get another week or two you could use
the pool, and then actual fall. So those are the
twelve seasons. And let me tell you if if you
happen to have a swimming pool where you are, or
you own one, I feel like the window is closing
ever so much to where you know you're gonna get
some of June, some of July, and then like half
(02:37):
of August, and then it's done, it's over with. I
almost feel like I live in Canada, like I wonder
in Canada. Of course they probably many people probably don't
either have pools. They just ice skate. That's why hockey's
their sport, right, or maybe they have pool heaters which
I don't control. In the development, man, we have like
a clubhouse pool community type thing here.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
So I just want to get the darn pool. Can
I get in the pool? I don't even have suns,
don't even have sun.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
You can't even lay out by the pool and pretend
you might get in the pool.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Do what you want, you know, go get that pool.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I am not I am not the polar bearing type.
You're not gonna see me go rush outs in the
snow and the like Lake Erie or anything goofy like that.
I've never not me, not even shorts. I did that
in a place called Little Crater Lake.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
So there's Big Crater Lake in Oregon, right, Big Crater
Lake is this giant lake and the water is thirty
three degrees. Little Crater Lake is as much smaller lake,
but the water is thirty three degrees. And I swam
across a little Crater Lake.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
When I was foolish and young.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Were you drinking? I hear that? Only water? Only water.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
You know, I've never I've never been in one of
the people who enjoys the adult beverages.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
I like the non adult beverages, the Capri.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Suns cool, cool cool. You don't even like coffee. So yeah,
so that that that tracks What I like is water.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I like water. Water is good.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Water is good, my friend, Well, it's the Steelers. That's
that's what we do here, I guess it is. It's
almost June, so that means we have nothing to talk about.
Still nothing to talk about on the Aaron Rodgers front.
And we have now I think, come full circle from
creating the story of Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers and
their interest. In all fairness, he visited them, so he
(04:34):
was there for six hours and still here we go,
you know, OTAs and no Aaron Rodgers still and now
we've come full circle from that story to generating well,
if Aaron Rodgers doesn't end up with the Pittsburgh Steelers,
then what do the Steelers do? And we've been sitting
here all along, like banging our fists on the desks
(04:55):
and saying, not only do we not really want Aaron Rodgers,
maybe this is the Steelers plan all along, because you know,
I look around the rest of the league and what
they've done, and when you don't stink and have those
high picks like we're talking about. Look at the Colts,
for example, they took what Anthony Richardson a couple of
years ago fourth overall, that guy didn't want to go
back into the game, and you had Joe Flacco playing.
(05:17):
Now they have Daniel Jones there and many people are
already I know it's early and we haven't played anything,
but they're penciling Daniel Jones in as the starter in Indianapolis,
like over a guy that was like a fourth overall
choice a few years ago in the draft.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
You know, that's a legitimate decision to make because yeah,
I don't want to go back in thing right like
that can sour a team on you a little bit. So,
you know, I think it's a fair assessment to pencil
Daniel Jones in as a potential starter. I don't think
he's necessarily won the job, but if people want to go,
that's the guy I think is gonna get it.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Hey, who cares?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yeah, I'm I'm just talking about the Steelers in their
quarterback thing because it's like the situation, which may not
be a situation Omar Kahn, Mike Tomlin, all these guys
they might just be comfortable with. Well, Rogers comes great,
if he doesn't, you know whatever. At least we're not
in a situation like that. You have Mason Rudolph, who
you're not paying a lot of money to, and he's
(06:17):
capable of managing a game. Will Howard may be capable
of managing games too. He's got a decent pedigree. But
he's a sixth round pick. It cost you nothing. The
Steelers burned a sixth round pick on a long snapper
years ago. However, the media and everybody that's around is
just like, well, they didn't do enough. This isn't the
year where you go out and get Russell Wilson. You know,
(06:39):
a proven Super Bowl winning veteran, a former first round
pick that might be a guy you could develop in
justin fields. No, it's Mason and it's Will Howard. So
they absolutely positively must do something else. But when you
get desperate like that, and this is why I still
think it might be the Steelers plan. If Aaron Rodgers,
isn't it great, Maybe he plays for like twelve million
(06:59):
or something and then it cost the Steelers nothing. But
you look at the Cleveland Browns and what they're doing
right now. They've got four quarterbacks, and some teams don't
even take four quarterbacks into these workouts into training camp.
If the Steelers do, the fourth guy sometimes never even
sees the ball, like Chris oladok in a few years ago, but.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Then sometimes they do.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Duck codg just did because Ben Ben wasn't working out
a whole lot. Ben would throw the ball a little
bit and be like, you know what, m gotta check
my odometer here. There's a lot of mileage on this.
I'm gonna sit out for a week of training camp
and then young guys can get some of the reps.
And that's how Duck gets a job. But you look
at the Cleveland Browns and they ponied up for Deshaun Watson,
all those draft picks, the first round picks, three of
(07:40):
those mid round picks, some swaps with mid round picks,
and then two thirty, two thirty five whatever it was, guaranteed,
two hundred and fifty million dollars, whatever it is. And
they're still paying this guy. So they have to trade
for Kenny Pickett. They have to draft Dylan Gabriel and
Shador Sanders, and you're gonna have everybody talking about Sanders.
(08:01):
Of course, then you have Joe Flacco who went there
and he showed that, you know, he could still do it.
He was under the age of forty. Then now he's
over the age of forty. He's like in the same
bracket as Aaron Rodgers. Does he still have it left?
He proved it then, and he proved he was still
Joe Flacco in the playoffs when he threw those the
pick six and everything. So that is a mess. I
(08:23):
wouldn't say the Steelers is necessarily a mess. You get
into the season and it looks ugly, then it's a mess.
But right now, the way it's planned out, they're not
tied to anybody long term. I don't need I don't
know that they need to be at this juncture. We've
had the draft go, we've had the major free agency go.
There's no Sam Darnold's coming, there's no Justin Fields re signing,
(08:43):
and Aaron Rodgers is still sitting at home.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Yeah. Look, I mean we've said this multiple times.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
If you think this is a team that's ready to
contend right this net, right this second, well then they're
not because the quarterback situation is a nightmare.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
But if you accept that this team is what this
team is right.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Now, there's nothing wrong with the quarterback situation as it stands.
Right there isn't a whole heck of a lot more
they can do. They weren't gonna get some prize candidate.
They made their pitch to Aaron Rodgers. You know, most
right thinking individuals hope he doesn't show up. So they're
gonna go with Mason. They're gonna go with Will Howard.
They'll probably keep Skyler and that'll be your your threesome.
(09:23):
They'll pick up another body to have a camp. Mason
will get the one reps and and will get his
chance to do whatever he can do, and then they'll
get through this year and with whatever record they end
up having and next year they'll figure out a new
way to go forward.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
What do we do? Now, Look, we are we are
in We're in.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
We're in the the the the years of quarterback Hell.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
That's where we are. That's that's just where we are.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
I was gonna say spring of Deception.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Well, there you go. We are We're in the spring. Well,
now that's draft season.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
This is we're were almost at the gates of Hell
or whatever.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
The Mile's front porch, which is.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Quarter quarterback Hell's front porch. There's gonna until they can
find the next guy. This is what it's gonna be like,
just a series of either washed up guys, never been
guys and guys who are so so until we can
find the next guy guy.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
It sounds a lot like the post here shall not
be named years of Bill Cower's tenure as a head coach.
The Kent Grahams, the Cordell Stewarts, the Tommy Maddox is
Bubby Bubby was before that, I said, Cower era, Bubby
was you know, Uh, Bubby was gone. Wasn't Bubby gone
(10:44):
by the time Coward came in ninety two or he
was there shortly thereafter? He went to like Denver and
then I think the Jets or whatever. But yeah, Neil
was there and then Neil goes away. Yeah that is yeah,
might mean anything to me. Mike tom Zach don't forget
Mike tom Zach as part of that too. So you
have you had some guys like that. And even so
(11:04):
the Steelers were still let's go get Charlie Batch just
in case. Maddox was making his push for you know,
I think he threw as many touchdowns as interceptions that
one year before Ben came and then Ben gets drafted.
Maddox was trying to get the long term contract that
never did come around. But that, I mean, that's where
we're at on the ride. Maybe somebody turns into a
(11:25):
Cordel that plays for four or five decent seasons or whatever,
and then after that it's just kind of like, Okay,
it could be better. Cordell unfortunately in the postseason. Just
you know, that's his lasting memory, A great, great regular
season player ahead of his time.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Right.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I loved Cordell Stewart. My first jersey purchase actually, Cordell Stewart.
I still have it. But I mean that's where you
might be until you maybe find the franchise quarterback. It's
a year's long process. And face it this way, like
nobody's really giving up quarterbacks. They never have before. And
the only way you're getting him is if somebody fails
(12:02):
somewhere else. I was thinking about this. You know you
used to have You had the USFL at one point
where Steve Young, Jim Kelly, I mean even Steve Young,
he comes in, he's playing for Tampa Bay, doesn't light
up the world or anything, becomes a Hall of Fame
quarterback after he sits behind Joe Montana for several years
(12:22):
and then finally takes over because you know, Montana had
a few entries and they're like, hey, this Steve Young,
guys not too bad.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Ends up with a Hall of Fame career. Jim Kelly
ends up.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
With a Hall of Fame career in Buffalo. So the
teams aren't his patient anymore. And then you've got so
much money tied into these positions, even the guys that
might become available, even if they're just kind of middle.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Of the pack.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Tua Tagovailoa, for example, is making fifty million dollars a season.
It's it's outrageous to me. So you can't even get
the middle of the pack type of quarterbacks, you might
have to luck out and hope Baker Mayfield goes somewhere
like Cleveland and they're like discarded Carolina guarded, the Rams
kicked the tires on him quick for a second and
(13:03):
then boom he ends up playing pretty decently for the Buccaneers.
Or Sam Darnold landing in a better position last year.
There's nobody left like that right now that I think
that the Steelers that would be available, that the Steelers
could go after your free agents. Right now, it's Ryan Tannehill.
Aside from Aaron Rodgers, we're getting we're not getting into
Aaron Rodgers. And look, if you want to hear about
(13:24):
Aaron Rodgers, go back to last week. Yes, listen to
the Yeah, go to last week's you know, forty five
minutes plus talking about Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
We'd moved on.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
If he doesn't show, do the Steelers do something else?
The thing that's popping up now it was suggested by
Jeremy Fowler. Here we go creating the story. The Falcons
have not said that they're interested in trading, and I
believe he has no trade clause, and there's a lot
of money tied to him that they don't want to
pay Kirk Cousins all of a sudden, his name is bam, bam.
(13:57):
If you've got a site, we're talking about him here
because we're reacting to how overblown that's already become. It's
not even it's not even a thing. It's not like
I even think there is more validity to Trevor Lawrence
being you know, Omar Con picking up the phone because
they didn't even have a general manager in Jacksonville. Right,
Let's see if we could snooker them and get one
over on them, and maybe we could get them the
(14:19):
move from Trevor Lawrence. Maybe the new coach doesn't see
a future with Trevor Lawrence. Is this guy if they
do get a new GM doesn't see him as their guy.
I feel like there's more validity in that rumor than
there is anything of Kirk Cousins. And give me Aaron
Rodgers ten times out of ten over Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
I don't like.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
I really don't want Kirk Cousins, and I don't want
the contract that comes with them.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Well that's that's I mean, forget everything else.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
That's the thing is the breaking point that even if
the Falcons trade him, you're giving up draft capital, which
they don't want to do, and you're then gonna probably
have to eat a big chunk of salary. It's not
going to be like Russell Wilson's one million dollar contract
the Falcon. They're probably gonna demand that somebody eat twenty
million of his contract.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
I'm not paying twenty million for Kirk Cousins for a year.
Forget it. It's not worth it.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
And what is especially what's he going to give you
that's any different than Mason right now? Really a guy
who's had Achilles injuries. He's one hundred thousand years old.
He's you know, forget it. No, I'm out.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Okay, So mister Cousins neighborhood here as you see it
says age thirty seven. I'm trying to think if he's
thirty seven now going on thirty eight or thirty six
going on thirty seven, but he will be thirty seven
at the minimum. How many years. Somebody was in the
comments recently and you're seeing his contract here. I'll call
it out for our audio listeners here. In a second,
(15:40):
somebody in the comments jumping in and said, oh, guys
playing until they're forty No, no, no, no, no, no, no no,
let's retract on that. There's very few. I think Drew Brees,
Tom Brady maybe a tiny ish. I think Drew got
the forty one and what did he win? What did
he win at those I mean Tom Brady is the
unicorn of everyone as a sixth round pick in one
more rings than anybody else. You toss him out. You're
(16:02):
not putting him as part of this research project you've
got like Warren Moon. I think Joe Flacco at this point.
Brett Farv is another one that may have played Doug Fluty.
But most of those guys not a whole lot after
forty and quite a few of them were playing as
a backup in the league by that point. So Kirk
Cousins guess what he is right now. They took Michael
(16:23):
Pennix as a surprise last year, and he was playing
those last few games. He did not have a good
Kirk Cousins like season. And you know I had heard
some comments, well Cousins was hurt and their offensive line
this and that, and it's like, well, I still think
the skill position players we did the same comparison with
Aaron Rodgers. You take a look at Kirk Cousins had
(16:45):
like Drake London, b Jan Robinson, Kyle Pitts. I'd say
their offensive line was better. Like he had to support right,
but it all kind of it went downhill. He had
like two games with I think four touchdowns a piece
in him and it just.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
There wasn't a whole lot else when it comes to
any meat on Kirk Cousins twenty twenty four season, he
found himself on the bench as the Falcons found himself
out of the playoff chase and seeing if they could
give some experience to their young first round draft pick
in Michael Pennix. So I do have some numbers on Cousins,
(17:22):
by the way, and you know it saysn't like one
of these games where you know, Mike Tomlin looked at
the other guy across the field and was like, oh wow,
he carved us up. I would kick the tires on him.
He was sixteen to twenty six, one hundred and fifty
five yards a touchdown and two picks, got sacked twice.
I was a fifty nine quarterback rating. I believe of
the games he played fourteen games last season, he had
(17:46):
four games over one hundred quarterback rating. One was five
hundred yards with four touchdowns in an overtime game against
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another four touchdown game against the
same Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was just one team that
could he could really get over on. But only two
games with three hundred and more yards. Another one was
against the Saints, another division opponent in the worst division
(18:08):
in football. And then one against the Minnesota Vikings three
hundred and forty four yards have forty two to twenty
one loss where he threw two picks because they were
playing from behind. They're throwing it around a lot of
garbage time kind of statistics. The offense was pretty mediocre
at times, and I don't think for what his contract is.
(18:30):
Let me bring it back up, Brian. Here we go.
So he signed through the twenty twenty seven season. This
year's base salary, which is already been paid out. He's
got a forty million cap number twenty seven and a
half million dollar base salary is probably what the Steelers
would be paying that signing bonus that the guarantees already
(18:52):
paid by the Falcons. Of course, his cap numbers the
next two seasons. This isn't the full amount that the
next team would be paying, but this is what the
Falcons don't want to do when it comes to eating salary,
because they've got fifty seven and a half million dollars
in each of the next two seasons each the guy's owed.
I don't have the math graphic, but it's like, you know,
one hundred and fourteen hundred and fifteen million dollars in
(19:14):
the next two seasons. The base salary is thirty five
million with two ten million dollar roster bonuses. That is
forty five million dollars per year that the Pittsburgh Steelers
are paying kirk Cousins. If he's on that roster in
twenty six and twenty seven, they might be able to
the only way they can move on even the Falcons
(19:36):
are dead money for thirty five million next year, and
then if he leaves after that twelve and a half
and they'll save forty five million in twenty twenty seven.
It's there's not a lot of outs in this contract.
They eat seventy five million dollars this year and dead
money if kirk Cousins gets traded. So what do you
think the Falcons are asking for if they're not going
(19:56):
to take any salary considerations of what they've already paid
that new contract for Cousins, they're probably looking for like
a first round pick, maybe more than one.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Who knows.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Well, let's let's think about it.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Like you know, I've said many times, you know, I'll
trade a sixth round pick, seventh round pick.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
Forget it.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
I wouldn't give a seventh round pick for Kirk Cousins
because of the encumber encumbering, you know, money numbers. I
just forget it.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
I wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
There's no way I'd give up draft capital for this guy.
It's just not It's not a viable or realistic choice.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
And and the.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
The analysts who are out there skewing about Kirk Cousins,
Kirk Cousins, they're doing it for no better reason than
they go Steelers need a quarterback who is a potential
quarterback could be available. I'm going to say that. Sources.
By the way, here's here's sources right here. I'd like
to introduce you to sources. This is sources. That's his
(20:51):
new name. Sources. Sources have indicated. Sources have indicated that
the Steelers may have interest in kirk Cousins.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
No, they don't. They don't at all.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Reports even the clip, I'm not sure if Foller said it.
Maybe he did it in print or he tweeted somewhere else.
But the video clip that was out there that he
published was just purely speculative. It wasn't even like a
report saying, well, you know there any you know, he
used to be a beat reporter. He was on the
Steelers beat before he became like ESPN's you know, great
value version of Ian Rappaport or Adam Schefter. And you know,
(21:24):
all due respect to Jeremy, I'm not trying to throw
him under the bus or anything. But everybody this day
and age, well, i mean, look.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Look, kirk Cousins, forget it.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
It throw the bus for that.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Sometimes you say stuff that's so stupid you deserve to
be thrown under the bus.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Hey, Look, we did something with wide receivers last year.
It was like, that doesn't necessarily mean these guys are available,
but who would you target if they were? And it
was DK metcalf at Courtland Sutton And I don't know
if Iyuk was part of that. I think there was
somebody else that was like nearing that you know, late twenties,
early thirties. Who was the other guy I can't remember?
Speaker 4 (22:00):
And who's on the team this year?
Speaker 3 (22:01):
By the way, on DK metcalf So smartest guys in
the room, raise your hand. So yeah, we'll talk about
wide receivers in a second, because there's some of that,
you know, some of its speculative. I wonder just how
I wonder how like the Omar Khans, the Art Runeys,
the Mike Tomlins, what they think.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
It's not like they have one of these you.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Know, college auditoriums, like you know, like where there's like
two hundred students sitting there taking notes and recording audio
while these guys are talking about potential trades or picking
up the phone and talking with let's say the Atlanta
Falcons general manager. There's like maybe five in the room,
five ten people, and most like, who's got the loose
(22:44):
lips that hear these things? Does somebody have a cup
with their ear pressed up against the wall, Like I
wonder like where these things leak from unless they're sometimes
they're intentional, and sometimes it's meant to deceive, or sometimes
it's meant to you know, let's poke the bear and
get Aaron Rodgers moving to make a decision like something
like that. Right, there's definitely intentional leaks, But if they
(23:08):
had any genuine interest, they can't be the only team.
I would say this much. Every team that needs a
quarterback had to have at least given thought to, well,
Atlanta has their guy maybe of the future, So let's
see what they might want for Kirk Cousins even though
ew that contract. Maybe we can get a bargain and
they're like, no, we don't want a bargain. And again
you come back to the Deshaun Watson trade and what
(23:30):
the Texans got for Watson and he was out of football.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
For a year and everything else.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Younger guy, mind you, but he was showing some signs
of promise of being, you know, at least a top
ten NFL quarterback coming out of Clemson. It's like teams
they have like a benchmark for some of this stuff,
you know what I mean. It's not like you just
trade a middle or late day, late round pick for
Justin Fields, get one back for Kenny Pickett or something
(23:56):
like that. It doesn't it doesn't materialize that way. So
it just makes me wonder when you hear some of
these stories like you know, I take it with such
a grain of salt, because as soon as something's put
out there, then all of a sudden, it's like this
wildfire that just spreads, because especially this time of the year,
everybody needs something to talk about, and we're we're guilty
(24:16):
of it too. We're right here talking about it because
there's nothing else better to say. So I don't want
to talk about it anymore, to be honest, because Kirk
Cousins of me just has never been a fit. It's
never been somebody that they would they would take the
same kind of risk on if you take if you
take a look at the way that they've tiptoed around
(24:37):
this quarterback situation over the last few seasons.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I can't argue with you and I one of the
things you just said I agree with one hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
I don't want to talk about Kirk Cousins anymore.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Let's look at him. Then he's got some.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
I don't want to look about look at him. I
don't want to think about him. I don't want to.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
I don't want to hear Jeremy Falk Jeremy keep the
Atlanta quarterbacks name out your mouth.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
I don't I don't want to hear about him. I
don't care.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Yeah, I was showing one more time because didn't have
all of our branding on there. I was getting a
little on professional. That's because I was still showing the
Cincinnati Bengals schedule graphic or whatever you call it that
was made in MS paint. If it was done in
that Uh, moving on though, I mentioned wide receivers, and
so of course, where else can the Steelers make some
roster moves this season or offseason? If they were going
(25:29):
to make some moves, everybody speculating now they were set.
They finally got that lide receiver. They needed the big
DK Metcalf splash ahead of free agency, and then it
started to go downhill from there because then all of
a sudden, it was one of two things. You got
the most dynamic duo of receivers now with George Pickens
and DK Metcalf, or DK Metcalf's arrival means George Pickens
(25:54):
is going out the door. That's the one that happened.
So now it's who's going to play alongside DK Metcalf
because everybody needs that proven commodity, right, they need that
household name, not the guy that nobody knows anything about
like a Calvin Austin or a Roman Wilson. It's the
same thing with the quarterbacks. We didn't even mention Skyler
Dobson in this conversation, and I just think he's relegated
(26:17):
to backup duty regardless. Maybe doesn't even make the team
if Rogers does end up showing up, or Cousins or
anybody like that. But like they're not going out there
for Tannehill. And in the wide receiver room, they've added
some names already. They added Robert Woods. That was one
that I thought was pretty substantial. I get in arguments
(26:37):
with my cousin over this because he loves Kenneth Gainwell.
But as soon as I have a running back now,
I can't think of his name Cale Johnson. As soon
as he gets drafted, I'm like, well, Kenneth Gainwell's days
are maybe numbered.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Here.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
You got to see who's going to be returning kicks,
who's going to be returning punts. That's who's gonna end
up making the team. And Robert Woods is yet another
one of these players that can do that and then
maybe offer something. He is, how old is mister Woods?
I wanted Robert Woods last year when they were kicking
the tires on Mike Williams because Houston they had a
(27:15):
ton of wide receivers and rightfully so. I mean, he
only caught twenty passes for two hundred and three yards
last year. Forty the previous year when c. J. Stroud
was a rookie and had his better season four hundred
and twenty six yards in a touchdown, he had an
off year. He's had some off years. He hasn't been
the same kind of player since almost a full season
(27:36):
back twenty twenty with the Rams nine hundred and thirty
six yards and six touchdowns, two previous years of one
thousand or more with the Rams, and of course some
decent seasons in Buffalo too. But he's a guy that's
accomplished there. Reminds me of an Alan Robinson, but somebody
that can return kicks. But it's still somebody that's a
veteran that's there. Of Calvin Austin isn't good. Ruman Wilson
(27:57):
still can't get on the field. You've got somebody else
you could put out there other than DK Metcalf and
you know, so be it. Then maybe you play more
tight end heavy sets than trying to put three wide
receivers and not a lot of times that I see
four and definitely not five wide receiver sets out there
in Arthur Smith's offense last season.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Yeah, I look, I feel like I'm saying the same
thing repeatedly, and I'm this is what it is. I
don't expect them to do anything splashy. I think they're
done with their splashy stuff. You know, it could happen,
but I just don't expect it. I expect them to
ride with the guys that they've got right now unless
(28:41):
some magic thing or you know, unheard of deal comes
across their desk, or they have some they get the
whiff of some opportunity that you know, is not really
materializing right now. I expect this to be the team
and this is who they're going to ride with, and
I'm good with that.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
I'm good with it.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Yeah, I mean, I you think they're going to make
another move. But the big splashy one that came across
the wire a couple of weeks ago, Chris Alave, big
name former Ohio State Buckeye long pipeline of that wide
receiver factory that Ohio State has been putting into the pros,
but he's had trouble staying on the field.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Now his contract actually.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Isn't too terrible, to be completely honest. Twenty five years old,
so he's still young. But it provided to you know,
he's had some concussion issues, he's had some injury history.
Provided that's not in the way. There's a fifty year
option they just exercised on him. He's in the final
of the fourth year of his rookie deal, and now
(29:42):
this would be a completely guaranteed deal next year for
fifteen about fifteen and a half million dollars. So he's
not an expensive player other than what they might have
to give up. And the Steelers have, let's not kid ourselves.
They have some draft capital, they have some things that
are you know, coming down to Pike here for twenty
twenty six. So I don't think that they're gonna necessarily
(30:04):
let's say they end up with a dozen draft picks,
eleven draft picks. That's eleven players that need to be
able to make a team. I don't know if there's
gonna be that many available spots. So they're gonna use
that to either maneuver in the draft or like they
did last year, you know, bringing in like a Preston Smith,
bringing in Mike Williams, because to try and make a run,
seeing that they have a viable chance of winning the
division and maybe going further.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Yeah, I look, a Labby is a possibility. He is
in the right financial bracket. It's not really a splashy move,
but you know, it shores up potentially, you know, a
questionable position. But then again, as as Omar keeps saying,
we you know, we don't know what Robert or not
what the kid from Michigan, what's his name?
Speaker 4 (30:47):
I can't remember Roman Wilson, Roman Wilson, that's this guy.
We don't know what.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
We don't know what Roman Wilson is. Yet, we don't
know what we got there. We brought in Robert Woods.
We kind of like what we've been able to see
from you know, Uh speedy mcspeedy pants.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
Uh speedy mcspeedy pants.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
They're both speedy though they're fo.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
I can't I can't remember anybody except for DK now,
which is what apparently shuts you should work for ESPN
or NFL network. And that's all they know. DK Metcalf.
Who are these other guys? And I mean that's fair,
but and he still got Skearonic and you got Scotty
Miller too, So yeah, I think look, if they if
(31:33):
they can add quality, they will that. I mean that
they're always trying to improve, there's no question about that.
But you know, right now, your options are just very limited.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
There's not a.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Lot of of availability out there.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
There's not a lot of movement that you can make.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Things will shake out over the over the training camps
and OTAs and mini camps that maybe somebody becomes available.
Maybe somebody who's a rookie shines more than a team
thought he was gonna shine, and therefore a guy like
Chris a Lobby might become available because they don't see
a place for him because.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
Of the injury history. Who knows, I just don't.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
I don't expect a lot to happen between now and
training camp, you know, and that just to bring it up,
that also includes an extension for TJ.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
I just don't know that that's going to happen before
training camp.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
TJ. I could see during training camp.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
I bet you TJ is working out on the side
and doing his little sit in stuff while they discussed.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
And it takes a week or two and it's like a.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Bunch of his brother's not helping by the way his
brother the stuff he's saying.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
His brother's a loud mouth as it is. But I
don't again, regardless what anybody thinks. And people look at
his brother and they're going to be like, Okay, is
TJ you know? Does he play too aggressive? Could he
be injury prone? And stuff like that. But that's such
a marquee piece of your team that when he's not
on the field, it's not the same team. And without
(32:56):
a Ben Roethlisberger there, you're not going to make up
for not having a t J. Watt there. He is
the heart and soul of that defense. You never know
what a Nick Herbert could do. In fact, my early
look into the crystal ball is is I think Nick
Herbig does get an extension and is here longer than
Alex Highsmith. I think that might be the direction. Alex
Heismith's going to have to have a hell of a
(33:17):
twenty twenty five and show he could play up to
a certain level. I believe he's entering the second of
the third year that was extended. We'll take a look
at that, and it's just me spitballing. There's absolutely nothing,
nothing to suggest that he won't play his entire contract out.
But he signed through twenty oh. He signed through twenty
(33:38):
twenty seven, so he's actually got three more years. You
talk about somebody who could be a bargaining chip and
somebody they save money on. They saved nothing for this year,
but the following two years almost nine million and fifteen
and a half on that contract. When he's a twenty
million cap hit guy. He's not going to get extended
either any further, but he might have at least both
(33:59):
of them, and then you lose Herbig, and I think
Herbig's maybe the younger guy. And if Highsmith goes out
there and only has like a six sex season and
they still give up gobs of running rushing yards to
opponents and stuff, Herbig's gonna be the one getting extended
the following year and they're gonna start looking to maybe
move on from that too. But I mean, Heismith was
great and that's how he earned this contract. I have
(34:20):
nothing but good things to say about him. It's just
an observation of there's guys in the stable like they're
preparing for either supporting TJ like they have Cam over
the years. You know, maybe seeing him play through his
mid thirties. But I know whatever the people that they
itch to, people have to scratches. Is like, look at
where JJ went when he was north to thirty. Guy
(34:41):
couldn't stay on the field, and he made a ton
of money and he handicapped the texted some. Then he
was gone. He played a year for the Cardinals. Done,
And you don't want to get stuck in that same
situation if you think you can move on and get
something from TJ. But I don't know what that gets.
Something is when he's got a year left on his
deal and it's you know, he's had an expensive deal
(35:02):
over the years, so the new team will have to
sign him in a big contract. You're not giving away TJ.
Watt for probably even a third round pick. I wouldn't
if I'm wearing a general manager's hat, and I don't
necessarily know that Herbig's ready to jump in there and
that this defense just.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Doesn't go wooh if that happens.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
So defensively, I don't see a whole lot of guys
that they could add on that side of the field.
But in a lot we're going back to a lave
real quick. He kicked the tires and then you might
have to eat fifteen million. He's had four concussions in
his pro career so far in three years. Last year
was a really bad season where he only played eight games,
(35:37):
thirty two receptions, four hundred yards in a touchdown Robert
Woods type numbers.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
Right.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
He had thousand yards in each of the previous two.
But this is a New Orleans Saints team that's had
who playing at quarterback. You can name a whole bunch
of guys. You've got Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler, Jay Hayner,
and then even Taysom Hill, who flirts, you know, with
throwing a couple passes here or there. But that it
was like most of your guys last year, and Derek
(36:02):
Carr wasn't doing too hot. That whole offense wasn't doing
too hot. They got a new coaching staff coming everything,
so and it's a team that's still kind of cash
strapped with the same things I was saying about the
Browns trading for quarterbacks, getting players at that position that
are cheap. It was surprising though that they would go
and make the fifty year option. But that's a fifteen
(36:24):
million dollar deal. They don't have to do. That's actually
pretty cheap for a guy. If he does end up
remaining healthy throughout the rest of his pro career, it
could be a big boon for somebody like the Steelers
to pick up somebody like that, extend him and have
him alongside DK. I mean, regardless of who the quarterback is,
it's going to make the quarterback better. So I would
be against it just depends on what the terms of
(36:45):
that kind of deal would be. Agree And you know
who I forget about Brian as I'm looking through this,
Cordero Patterson's still on the roster too, another kick returner,
last running back receiver. So I was talking about Gainwell
and where you know, Caleb Johnson comes in, and you've
already got Jalen Warren, who's going to need a longer
(37:07):
term contract maybe if he protects football. Gainwell's had those
same type of issues. You still have Patterson. That's a
pretty busy room. And if Patterson, you know, he's thirty
four years old, I know he's an Arthur Smith favorite.
But you've got Gainwell and you've got Woods. It depends
on who's doing the special teams type stuff. So Scotty Miller,
(37:28):
Benscronic unsung heroes. I was looking back at speaking to
the Falcons, did the article for the site on the
recall where we look back I always like refreshing and
rewatching and some of the highlights some of the things
that happened with the games last year and the opener
that was in Atlanta. Week one, Scotty Miller held for
one of these kicks or point afters one of the
field goals. It was one of the fifty yarders. Bosball
(37:49):
kicked three fifty yarders, six field goals. Just a field
starts that game, but Cameron Johnson ends up getting hurt
as the punter and he ends up done for the season.
Scotty Miller also down Boswell's punt, his only punt in
his pro career. Just crazy sidebar type stuff. But I
think about I'll pitch you the question. I don't think so.
(38:09):
But is there anywhere else you're looking other than quarterback
or maybe wide receiver to add on to this roster,
either by trade or kind of sniffing around who might
get cut from other camps that you might be able
to pick up off the waiver wire, like position wise,
player wise, anything, I.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Mean, maybe you know, maybe if a guard becomes available, maybe,
but I just know I don't think there's I mean,
quarterback is the is the key area. Wide receiver is
the next highest priority, and you know you've got guys
in the backfield.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
I just don't think.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Let me rephrase they as I said before, they always
are trying to get better. If they think they can
upgrade a position, they will try and upgrade that position.
I just don't see there being a lot of places
where that's going to be a possibility to do.
Speaker 3 (39:07):
Yeah, tight end wise, you've got fired me With these
lockdown on longer term deal. Darnel Washington hopefully gets some
more activity his way as a third year player. Donald
Parhum comes over a veteran player as well. In the
tight end room, you've still got Connor Hayward floating around
his utility guy. I think it's really busy in a
(39:28):
lot of those spots. The offensive line is exactly like
you were saying, a swing tackle or a guard. I mean,
they got that mammoth kid that was from that D
two school that went to the rookie camp. Oh I
can't remember, from Lynnwood, but what was his name? He's
massive never know Mike Tomlin loves. Mike Tomlin's the guy
that used to go to the old wrestling events that
(39:51):
were in the old you know, high school gymnasiums and
stuff and marvel at somebody like Andre the Giant and
Big John Studd. That is my Tomlin's mo. He loves
large human beings and if he's able to muld them
into being somebody more like he did at Alejandro Villena
Wava so be it. Rosie Nicks a little bit that
(40:12):
that way too. He just tends to find what they're
best at and utilize them. They're tried to do it
with Kendrick Green. Sent him ship send him shipped out right,
it didn't work out, didn't work out, but they got
a draft pick for him, so you can't really criticize that.
But defensively, I mean, he just got harming the rookie
alongside with Hayward and Benten u Ya Black. You got
(40:34):
another younger guy, do they add like somebody else, a
body that comes off. That's one where you can probably
pick somebody up that gets cut if they're looking at
other rosters or somebody they scouted in the earlier processes
years ago, and they're like Hey, you know what, we
kind of liked that guy. Let's pick him up and
you could actually get them to play special teams and
get them because their duties aren't a whole lot to learn.
(40:58):
Joining the team. It's a little bit different than grabbing
a wide receiver, grabbing a corner, getting a quarterback, you
know what I mean, backup offensive lineman, but linebackers. I
know I talked a lot about the edge guys. I
think they have plenty of luxury there. If some luxury in.
Speaker 4 (41:17):
Yeah, they got plenty. They got a plesitude of linebackers
right now.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
Well, I was gonna say, you saw Cole Holcombe got
out there, and that's I'm excited to see how that
works out.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
That might help Peyton Wilson's development too. And imagine if
Hulkom comes back and plays like the player he was
when he left. I know he was off for a year,
but you put him with Queen defense is going to
look pretty good. Secondary Darius Slay if he plays up
to the level we know that Darius Slay is, that's exciting.
With a Joey Porter junior, somebody was saying Joey Porter
regressed last season. I know he got handsy with T. Hickins,
(41:49):
but that's what he was supposed to do, is not
let T Hickins do anything. So and it was an
ugly game. But other than that, I don't think Joey regrets. Joey,
you should be thankful and counting your you know, your
your lucky stars there that Joey Porter is on this team.
The safeties, Deshaun Elliott I think was a great fit
for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mika Fitzpatrick is still there. Another
(42:11):
guy nobody throws near one Thornhill has added just a
little bit younger. He's more of the kind of dinbacker
it's going to be there, maybe run support, maybe more
available than a Demonte Casey who's been known to be
suspended and fine, and he was getting up there too.
I know he went to the Browns, but he's thirty two,
thirty three years old too, So we don't know who
else might end up popping out of this, out of
(42:34):
camp or anything that makes the roster. As far as
some of the DB's and some of the defensive back
depth that's there, perhaps they look at adding an extra body,
somebody that gets cut, because I mean it's really it's
Corey Trice, James Pierre is still there, but there's not
a lot, a lot and a lot else. She's still
got Boswell Johnston's back to full health and hopefully he's
as good as advertised.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
I remember seeing him in camp last year. It was great.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
Nothing else really there. It's like quarterback, maybe grab a
wide receiver. I just unless somebody falters or there's an injury,
there's not a whole lot else that I think is
going to happen between now then and through camp. The
only other thing that could happen is there's a name
like a Joe Hayden that falls off, like he got
(43:16):
released from the Browns, and they're there to swoop in
and pick that guy right up. Otherwise you're looking at
the team that you're gonna see playing pretty much in
Week one of this at the New York Jets. Agreed, Agreed, Well, Brian,
that was long winded, but.
Speaker 4 (43:35):
Got anything else, nothing else to say about it.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
I try and leave you something that doesn't matter if
you repeat me a little bit here. But yeah, there's
not a lot to talk about, so hopefully I got
some other things to time. We can talk about Ireland
maybe on the next show.
Speaker 4 (43:54):
Yeah, you know, you.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Can ask when when are the Steelers gonna let me
know when I can buy a ticket?
Speaker 3 (43:58):
Yeah, well, actually it might not be a bad show,
a bad idea, maybe not just Ireland, but I've been
asked sometimes. We got some folks that send text to
the fan line that runs on the scroll the closing
credits for this show, and also our email, and sometimes
they ask about going to games in Pittsburgh, going to games,
you know, in different towns. I know somebody just sent
(44:21):
me one. They were asking specifically, I think about MetLife
Stadium maybe, and I was like, well, you know what,
that's one I don't know about. I haven't been there.
Maybe I'll go, maybe I won't, don't know, but that's
something we can cover because you and I do quite
a bit of traveling, and it's like when do you
buy a ticket, When do you get a hotel? When
do you do this? Where do you stay? How do
you get there? And there's there's many ways to approach it.
(44:43):
I mean, if you got a lot of disposable income,
you can do whatever the hell you want, right, Not
one of those guys that I'm not necessarily cheap either,
because I'm going to the games.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
But because my new favorite commercial that comes on is
this JC and he's commercial where I guess he's I
think he's the guy from I don't know where he's from.
Speaker 4 (45:04):
There's this guy He's like, if you.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Want I have some money, I want more money, go
to Jase Penny and then save money and bring the
money to me.
Speaker 4 (45:12):
All right.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
So that's the point is if you have disposable income,
bring the money to me.
Speaker 4 (45:18):
I will take some of it.
Speaker 1 (45:19):
If you don't want it, it's disposable, give them money to.
Speaker 4 (45:22):
Me, I will take it.
Speaker 2 (45:24):
I see it a lot of times.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
I'm in some of these groups that trade the retro
video games, like old Nintendo games and stuff, and somebody's like,
oh is this Counterfeit is fake? And somebody will be like, well,
send it to me and I'll verify it for you.
Usually something that has like some type of monetary value
to it. Someone's trying to maybe getting scammed, and you know,
it's all in good fun to chuckle at that. But
never know, one of these days, maybe I'll maybe I'll
(45:47):
get one of those opportunities.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
Never know, but maybe.
Speaker 3 (45:49):
Chump in the comments, folks, so let us know, shoot
us a message. Let us know, if you want us
to talk about something that has it's more fan centric,
going to games, watching games at home. Here display fan
you don't have the rabbit ears there. How do you
get the How do you get these things without pirrating it?
Because you know, I don't need a flag against our
YouTube channel. So if you're watching from there, thank you
(46:12):
for supporting steel City Underground. Those of watching on Spotify
the next day or listening wherever you may be. Brian,
thanks once again for joining me my friend. Hopefully, hopefully
that throat comes along. Man, it's the allergy season is
a bummer. Let me tell you it is.
Speaker 1 (46:28):
It's annoying. I got, you know, I got the old
flown aise. Here got the old flown aise. It's not
not really preventing the post nasal drip as they say,
so whatever, it really goes away because it's annoying the
hell out of me.
Speaker 3 (46:43):
I really thought we're gonna get on this show. And
sometimes people probably think I have like a lazy eye
or something. It's like I actually have twenty twenty vision.
I've never worn glasses in my life, but I got
like this one my right eye, and you get the
hay fever. I get the itch and if you go
anywhere near it, you don't even have to touch it.
If it just if you just blink the wrong way,
this sucker will swell up. It gets about like anywhere
(47:03):
from twenty five to fifty percent smaller, and it looks
like I'm like I've been in a fight, you know,
without a black eye. I'm just like, Hey, they're like
a pirate or something, you know. But yeah, the allergies pirates, Joe.
It's the polloding. That's what I was telling you earlier.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
It's the polloding. We've come full circle and then we'll
get to real spring.
Speaker 1 (47:24):
There's a bunch of insects. They're giant, running around, fluttering
and putting crap all over everybody.
Speaker 3 (47:30):
Well, my last to two percenter comments here, of course,
at the tail end. My last one is my car
is not grutged. So I'll go out there on certain
days and it is dusted over with paullend this time
of year. Absolutely, So I've got one of those car
wash memberships and I'm taking my car two three times
a week or whatever, depending on if it rains on
(47:52):
the pollen forget about it, man. And it's like if
I get anywhere near that thing, gonna sneeze.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
This is why I have a black car, because when
I go out, my car is black sprinkled with gold.
Speaker 2 (48:04):
Oh very nice. Yeah, I took the.
Speaker 3 (48:08):
What I wasn't very color specific. When I purchased my
last vehicle, I was like, hey, whatever, you want to
give me a deal on, yeah, I'll take that one.
And it's not like it's hot pink or anything like that.
It's just like these fancy names like Ashton metallic or
sulf for gray or titanium malloy or whatever like for
(48:28):
the names. Uh, And I'm just like, yeah, sure, whatever,
and believe it or not. Once upon a time, me
and my ex both had the same model car, but
mine was like a Tungsten metallic and thers was like
an Ashton gray or vice versa. And you parked them
next to each other, they looked exactly the same. One
(48:49):
was supposed to have a little more like glitter or
or be dazzling to the paint. It was like a
premium paint color. It was like, yeah, okay, whatever, like whatever.
Speaker 4 (48:59):
That's the premium color, Joe, Oh, yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:02):
Which one? Which car has the premium color? We couldn't
even tell you and we were paying for the loan.
Speaker 1 (49:08):
Plain old gray on there, folks, just put We're gonna
tell him it's the premium color, but just throw some
glitter in it and put the gray on.
Speaker 4 (49:17):
It's fine.
Speaker 3 (49:18):
It was a running joke of I would go to
like a hotel to check in and they have you
give the license plate in the state, and what color
is your car? Tungsten metallic or whatever it was. I
love it all right, my dude, thanks for joining me
once again. That is a one mister Brian E.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
Roach.
Speaker 3 (49:37):
Folks, my name is Joe Kuzba. Don't forget the like,
comment and subscribe. Let us know what you want us
to talk about next. We'll be back on the horn
about a week. Maybe we got some different news, maybe
we don't. But until then, as we always close off
the show here saying we encourage everyone out there to
be safe, be good, and we'll catch you later.
Speaker 2 (49:58):
We would liked it.
Speaker 3 (49:59):
Thank you for listening, and remind our listeners to follow
us on social
Speaker 1 (50:02):
Media and our website www dot Steel City Underground dot com.