The Terrible Podcast — Talking Steelers’ Recent Pre-Draft Visitors, Dane Brugler Draft Guide & More

April 10, 2024 –

Season 14, Episode 113 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can. In this Wednesday show, Alex Kozora and I get right to talking about the New York Giants signing former Pittsburgh Steelers WR Miles Boykin on Tuesday. The discussion focuses on the Steelers now having lost their two special teams gunners so far this offseason in Boykin and CB James Pierre.

The Steelers keep adding to their pre-draft visitor list, so we talk about the most recent players visiting Pittsburgh. We spend a lot of time talking about former Texas WR Adonai Mitchell and where he ranks in this year’s draft class at the position and if he could be in play as the 20th overall selection.

Later in the show, we discuss the Steelers having former Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson in as one of their two pre-draft visitors on Wednesday and the significance of that happening.

Alex and I go over the contract details related to new Steelers TE MyCole Pruitt and where that leaves the team at in terms of available 2024 salary cap space. We also discuss the redistribution of cash the Steelers have had since early February as part of their offseason roster reshaping.

Alex and I have a spirited discussion about the possibility of the Steelers signing RB Jaylen Warren to a contract extension this offseason and what a new average per year amount might look like if they do.

With Wednesday being the release of the annual Dane Brugler draft guide on The Athletic, Alex and I dive into some of his positional rankings in this show. We focus on the center, tackle, wide receiver, defensive tackle, and cornerback positions when it comes to Brugler’s draft guide in relation to the Steelers needs.

Several other minor topics not noted are also discussed in this 111-minute episode, and we end things by answering several emails that we received from listeners.

steelersdepot.com

welcome to the terrible podcast with
your host from Steelers
depot.com where you can find all your
latest and greatest Steelers news it’s
Dave briyan and Alex kazora always lit
talking Steelers and now here’s Dave and
[Music]
Alex welcome to the terrible podcast
season 4 episode 113 he St BR I’m Alex
kazora Steelers
depot.com thanks for being back with us
here this Wednesday Steelers Nation Dave
how you doing I’m doing well uh I have
recovered from that uh loss Yesterday by
the buckos to the uh to the Tigers what
a way what a way to uh to lose that one
in the ninth with h with bedar pitching
and all like that he hasn’t had the best
start of the Season there but uh where
do you come in on on booing Bednar is
that is that inbounds is that uh should
we cut him some more slack Little
controversy in Pittsburgh right now I
mean look that’s a game that you should
win you have bedar in there thinking you
know that that he’s gonna nail that
thing down it’s it’s not a uh you could
be mad at at at the decision to leave
them in a little bit longer than
necessary you can you can Boo the uh the
actual uh performance and all of that
yeah I I mean I I I think it was worth
booing I was I was booing in my my head
uh uh you know dur during that inning
there uh look I mean he could come back
out be the be the same what is he
two-time Allstar pitcher that he was or
has been in the past there but in that
situation in the N his job is to come in
there and nail that thing down and he
didn’t do it so boo bnar oh all right I
disagree my hot take now listen people
can do what they want they paid for
their ticket but I am anti- boo I will
not boo a player I I was like seven
years old at a Pirates game booing Tony
armis Jr who was a terrible starting
pitcher for the Pirates and I felt so
bad for it it’s like he knows bedar
knows he did a bad job I don’t have to
boo bednard to know that he did not do
his job and succeed yesterday yeah well
well if you don’t want to Boo don’t boo
if you want to boo boo you know so uh uh
I it’s funny you know it’s it’s funny
that that that that has become such a
look I mean they’ve gotten off to a
great start you know but uh uh Bednar
has it been himself and and I I I
realized that uh he got a slow start and
spring training and all like that that’s
probably played into it all like that
but uh that’s a game that they should
have won you know oh yeah no question
yeah he has definitely not looked like
himself and maybe there’s a IL stin
coming but anyway to bring it back to
the Pittsburgh Steelers again news
relatively slow so far so can open up
with some broader Pittsburgh talk here
Dave where do you want to begin we
should mention here Pittsburgh losing
one of its uh free agents that’s miles
boyin signing a contract with the New
York Giants don’t know details of that
deal likely a one-year deal for minimum
type of value there so boin been with
Pittsburgh the last two years starting
Gunner strong special teamer a bit part
offensively as a Blocker in 13 Personnel
22 personel run type of situations in in
groupings very little involvement in
terms of receiver offensively but uh
Pittsburgh is losing a very you know
competent and strong special teamer be
interesting to see the details of this I
don’t think it’s going to be
astronomical but it might be a little
bit more than a veteran benefit contract
as uh as well I uh it’s hard to it’s
hard to Envision the steers is not
having a veteran benefit contract even
maybe one without a s you know
$167,500 signing bonus on the table uh
for for for Miles boy and basically an
invitation to come back and and compete
and try to win win his job again I mean
would you be surprised to learn that
they wouldn’t have taken him back on at
least a one-year deal like
that uh not really my prediction was the
boyin would walk I think Pittsburgh was
looking for maybe a bit more offensive
Firepower at the bottom of of its step
chart at wide receiver you know boyin
didn’t sign until right before the draft
last year so it just kind of felt like
eventually those guys you just move on
from and and you find their Replacements
guys that maybe a bit younger a bit
cheaper overall so I wouldn’t be
terribly surprised I mean maybe he had
an offer but I’m not I would not be
surprised if Pittsburgh just said it you
thank you miles and best of luck to you
all right uh but yeah I mean for him to
sign at this point in the off
season uh with the Giants once again I I
don’t think this is gonna be an
astronomical deal but it might
be you know if anything there might be
$167,500 signing bonus involved in this
maybe something that he that if the
Steelers did offer him may maybe maybe
they didn’t offer him that bonus and
maybe just a minimal contract here but
look the the big the big storyline here
uh isn’t necessarily you know the loss
of him it’s the loss of what he does and
and and and does well and that’s play
Gunner run special teams that now means
that this team has lost both of their
Gunners from last year in miles boyin
and James Pierre and you know a lot of
people think that you and I put way too
much emphasis on special teams uh but
that’s part of roster construction we
spend a lot of time time uh during
during the during training camp and and
and and and 53 man roster predictions of
making sure we cover special teams and
and the importance of that there so now
you’ve lost two of your starting Gunners
from last season they’ve got to replace
those you would think maybe a guy like
Darius Rush will have a have an
opportunity to do that and you know
somebody else obviously maybe it’ll be a
wide receiver down on a depth chart
maybe it’ll be a rookie who knows there
but uh uh those are they th was that the
best set of Gunners this team has had in
in in in quite a
while I mean you could send me down a
rabbit hole for a couple hours talking
about Steelers special teams in Gunners
you think about GD WMA and Shawn myy
back in the mid early 2000s and the
great Duo that those guys were and the
strong specialist they had with them and
Clint Creed Wald Etc uh but it it was
certainly I think a really good pairing
in Pierre and boyin and when Camp rolls
around the focus Beyond any quarterback
battle between Wilson and Fields and
maybe a center competition and whatever
other battles pop up and rookies and
establishing their footing and uh
stronghold on the roster but I I’ll be
watching the Gunners because those are
roster spots up for the for the taking
and you talk about you know the last guy
that can make that spot is the 53rd guy
or 52nd guy there’s going to be an
opportunity for some young guys you
mentioned Darius rush we saw dead
Fitzpatrick make the practice squad last
year because of what he did inside
stadiums as a a coverage guy as a gunner
um as you said rookies will probably
come in have an opportunity so that’s
going to be a big change and we know
Gunners are important we know kick
returns are going to be more active this
year so beyond even just the Gunner
aspect Bo and Pierre playing on Kick
coverage as they did the last couple
Seasons they’re going to have to find
replacements for them as well so in a
vacuum is losing pier and boyin a major
loss no obviously not but losing both
and having to replace both with you know
probably two more unknown guys and that
that Gunner roll is something certainly
worth watching right all right that’s a
good five minutes on that people
probably didn’t want us to spend two
minutes on it but uh there we go it’s a
hill we’re going to die on because I’ll
talk special teams I did a Long Snapper
scouting report yesterday so you want to
learn about Joe shimko from NC State
really undiz but a really strong long
snpp or go check out s
depot.com all right War to let’s talk
pre-draft visitors as Pittsburgh has
been loading up on the visits this week
in chuda form about half hour after our
our podcast there Monday Dave some
visitors came in one was already known
though in Max Melton one unknown though
in defens lineman Logan Lee from Iowa
who’s got some size lacking length and
part of that rotational system that Iowa
has and then yesterday the team bringing
in two more players by receiver ad
Mitchell height weight speed freak
potential first round pick he was in for
a visit and also defensive lineman Jaden
crummy from Mississippi state who’s
viewed as a day three type of guy but
kind of checks the height weight l L box
of Pittsburgh has been trying to look
for becoming tougher to find also
reportedly I think later this week don’t
know the exact date on this that the
likely first round pick offensive tackle
Troy Fu will come in for a visit as well
so Pat Meyer at that Washington prod day
at the end of March now Fu coming in for
a visit that is certainly notable when
we talk about first round possibilities
yeah it is and the thing about ad
Mitchell finally got to go back around
and get uh dive a little bit deeper into
his film and uh the thing with him that
that uh you know if if it weren’t for
couple of these couple of the guys that
are that are obviously you know Rome dun
and uh uh Marvin Harrison and neighbors
uh th those guys are are are are in my
opinion clear top of that position group
in the class but uh in any other you
know class you know where would where
would ad Mitchell rank probably probably
could could you know in several other
previous classes here you could probably
be the number one overall uh receiver I
I really enjoy taking a deeper dive uh
into his tape he is a guy that catches
the football uh down the field more got
a nice average depth of uh Target
average depth of
completion uh can can can get down the
field can can uh can make an you know
occasional uh uh combative catch he
really tracks the football really well
uh down the field he uh does a really
good job with his route running uh
especially in stuff where he’s asked to
do some some uh some curls and some
comebacks really really has a plan of
setting defensive backs up uh he he got
a nice catch radius overall I think he
catches with his hands nicely uh when
it’s called for doesn’t seem to be a lot
of drops or anything uh on his tape
overall I haven’t gone into the blocking
aspect of him that there’s one thing
that probably might be dinged uh with
him is probably that that that even
though he’s a he’s a big boy
overall just the frame and all like that
uh more more on this on the skinnier
side not not you know not that thick of
a guy so you do kind of Wonder uh what
what his blocking uh would be but
overall a nice Prospect and you know
depending on the Run of wide receivers
and when they happen is he a guy that
could go in the first round yeah I think
so uh towards the end of it there uh uh
more than anything it feels like he is a
guy that would be off the board though
by the time the steer’s picking the
second
round B based on me me kind of going
deeper into his tap that does seem true
again it’s hard to know which receiver
will fall somebody’s going to fall you
can’t you’re not going to have 13
receivers go in the top 30 selections
just from a need standpoint those guys
will get pushed down the question is who
and how far but I don’t think that
Mitchell will go all the way to 51 but
you play the Blues Clues game and
there’s certainly been a lot of interest
in ad Mitchell you had Zack Isani at his
prod day and Texas has three potential
draftable wide receivers this year
Xavier worthy and AD Mitchell who could
both be first round picks or no worse
than probably top 40 type of guys and
then even Jordan Whittington who’s going
to be late round guy undrafted for agent
kind of on that on that border there was
a big slot type so a lot of talent there
Texas wide receiver this year but yeah
Mitchell I mean you probably study this
game a bit more than I have it just
seems like he doesn’t always quite play
to that that frame and that size and
that potential and upside he’s got to be
a bit more consistent of a guy a bit
more detailed guy and there’s probably a
level of rotness to his game really a
one-year production guy too he was to
Georgia with George Pickins and then
transferred to Texas had a big 2023 but
it is one year in some ways it is a
little picking likee because it’s kind
of like onee production you’re banking
on you’re banking on the traits and the
tools in the upside and trying to round
out the edges in this game yeah I think
the thing with him is you know he was
used down the field so much imagine you
know it’s hard it’s hard not to imagine
him having success you know a lot of
times we talked about this with uh uh
Malachi Corley you you look at the
average depth of Target average depth of
completion with him and you say oh man I
I sure would like to see more of that
down the field stuff from him well then
on the flip side you get to a guy like
vitell and you’re asking to yourself you
know the the reverse thing here so
you’re never you’re never really
satisfied uh it’s hard to Envision him
though not being able to win in the
shorter area I think what he was asked
to do he was asked to do that’s that’s
how and look give me a guy give me a guy
that’s got a nice tape selection of of
of of catching the football down the
field you know because that’s his his
his Yak probably is not there yards
after the catch because of the fact he
was catching the ball down the field so
much you know uh and really didn’t have
an opportunity really so much to to to
add uh uh yards after the catch but he’s
a pretty smooth guy overall so what I’m
getting at is if you did mix in more
Slants with him more underneath uh uh
you know shorter digs uh uh out routes
and all like that can’t you know it’s
not hard envisioning him becoming a more
complete wide receiver especially in
kind of an X Type role uh overall there
so uh I would clearly rate you know and
and it’s it’s it’s not you know a a
Captain Obvious statement here I would
clearly rank him
uh as a higher receiver than I would
Malachi Corley there so that you know
he’s probably somewhere I don’t know
fourth fifth six overall in this wide
receiver draft class it depends on what
flavor you know uh uh some teams are
looking for that’s why I think he could
be I mean is is he in the conversation
maybe for the Steelers at 20th overall
to me that it feels like a little bit of
a reach there but man I think he is a I
think the tape
overall you know could put him in the
first round somewhere there and then on
the flip side though it does feel like
it would be I mean obviously you don’t
know how this thing how you know how
many wide receivers are going to go
ahead of him and all like that it does
feel like a reach though for him to be
still on the board by the by the time
the steers uh uh uh pick in the second
round so it you know barring a trade
down or something like that or barring
other guys going off the off the off the
board where the steers maybe had
penciled in at 20 uh it it is it it is
it feels kind of a reach to see him go
at 20 for the Steelers though that
always feels like the Dilemma it’s a
little too early for him at Pittsburgh’s
you know pre initial spot and then it’s
a little too late for them at their next
spot and you’re trying to to find that
line between where it makes sense
overall but if he’s going to be the
fourth receiver off the board 20 in that
sense would not be too too high I think
for a fourth receiver to come off the
board and and yeah I mean after Marvin
Harrison Jr Malik neighbors and Ru mun
go in whichever order they are selected
it’s kind of wide open who the next guy
will be it could be Mitchell it could be
Brian Thomas Jr it could be you know
maybe even Ricky peaw from Florida if
there’s some extra buzz on him I mean
this thing kind of gets wide open from
there and as you said it’s kind of
different flavors and different styles
it could be his teammate Xavier worthy
if you want the pure speed aspect of the
fastest player in combine history so
that will become really interesting I
still think day two is where Pittsburgh
will go with receiver based on the depth
of the class comments that mik tomlins
made and the totality of the names they
brought in for business which are
typically more the day two type of guys
and just given their heavy interest in
first round offensive lineman so I don’t
think it’ll be Mitchell but you know if
there’s a big run on tackle let’s say
right before Pittsburgh’s pick at 20 if
they stay then yeah you can’t rule out
ad
Mitchell look this this is a this a
position of Need for this team they
still I mean uh yeah look I I realize
they’ve they they they’ve signed van
Jefferson and quz Watkins but those are
not in my opinion those are not needle
movers at this point and then obviously
you trade away a guy like Deontay
Johnson uh a known you know rank the
commodity however you want to rank the
commodity but at least it was known to
you at that point and and you look at
the rest of the wide receiver this and
and that’s why we’re talking all
offseason even even before them trading
away Deontay Johnson we we knew this
team needed to go wide receiver they did
not address the position uh last year in
the draft uh so so you know now that
you’ve traded away Deontay that that
really makes that a position in need
here overall uh you had the study though
interestingly right that’s where I’m
going here is that is that a feature is
that a uh what do you like to say is
that a feature is that a uh it’s not a
bug it’s the feature you’re right it’s
not a bug it’s the feature it’s been SE
they’ve gone 17
drafts without drafting a wide receiver
in the first round the last time that
happened obviously was 2006 with San
with Santonio Holmes and he was the he
was the first wide receiver drafted in
that draft uh that that year as well too
so uh you get some POS you get the top
you know the top position in that draft
but man since
then 30 30 30 other teams have all
drafted at least one wide receiver over
the years in the first round the only
outstanding team other than the Steelers
since 2006 not to draft a wide wide
receiver uh at least once in the first
round has been the Green Bay Packers uh
that’s a I mean look the streak will be
broken at some point but
how you my mind immediately went
to why you know does the fif your option
plan is does the fact that that if you
do get a good wide receiver uh in the
first round and he does pan out really
regardless of where you draft a guy you
know uh a wide receiver you could even
get one in a sixth round if he hits the
ground running and and and and and and
really gets moving in this thing uh
after his third year he’s going to be
he’s going to be hollering for an for a
contract extension and you know I guess
where I’m going with this is is the
fifth your option when it comes to first
round wide receivers and drafting them
really a benefit at all because if if if
if you draft a wide receiver in the
first round and he is who you think he
is then you’re never going to come close
to to exercise in a fifth year option on
because these kids know now after the
third year I can get paid and I’m G to
hold in I’m gonna cause problems my my
position is a diva position anyway you
should expect it shame on you does any
of that play into maybe some of the bity
now look once again there are there are
going to be wide receivers drafted in
the first round this year there’s wide
receivers drafted in the first round but
is that something that could shy a team
away
like especially quote unquote kind of
Cheaper teams like the Steelers and the
Packers
right I don’t think it has much of an
influence I mean how long has the fifth
year option even been around I mean it’s
been a 177e streak that it wasn’t didn’t
exist well well I mean it started in
what the two it started with Cam
hayward’s class but it didn’t come it
didn’t get put into you had to get to
the the the the fourth year right of of
it came into the in in the 2011 CBA
right yeah after the lockout but there’s
been some changes to the obviously it’s
now you know fully guaranteed if you do
accept it by the date that it is
accepted used to be kind of uh you could
declin you could accept it essentially
early on I mean I I I don’t think it’s
really I I don’t see that as the reason
because for most positions if you’re
hitting on that pick you’re paying that
guy before the fifth year option there
are maybe some exceptions running back
you know maybe less so on offensive line
but generally if you’ve hit on the pick
and hit hit big he’s never actually
playing under that fifth year option
maybe get to the point where you pick it
up but he never actually plays under it
because it’s extension time is it
basically because where the steers have
picked normally in the bottom half of
the first round and at that time you’ve
got three four five wide receivers off
the board and then then thus the
positional value has shifted elsewhere
is that really the root
reason that long along with just you
know uh R random randomness uh of of
drafts is that a reason why this why
they have not selected a wide receiver
in the first round of a draft since
2006 I think that’s more likely the
premium receiver has by the time you’re
picking at 20 or 23 or some years in the
30s 31
32 those receivers are are gone when you
had Ben as well you said okay we don’t
have to necessarily get the A+ receiver
we can get the B receiver and Ben can
help make him an a receiver because we
have a Hall of Fame quarterback throwing
to him uh I think that’s a factor as
well and listen Pittsburgh drafted
defense in the first round for what
seven straight Seasons they were a very
defense heavy type of team that was how
they wanted to build this thing and how
they were oriented oriented because in
part they had a Hall of Fame quarterback
that would just make the offense
naturally look pretty good so I think
for all those factors and probably
others is is why you’ve not seen a
receiver in the first round in so long
it’s like the quarterback discussion
before already Burns we talked about
Chad Scott before Burns came came along
it’s just one of those things where I
don’t think it’s planned or intentional
it just happens sometimes and again like
receiver Corner Premium guys go early by
the time you’re picking in the mid late
first round those names are generally
off the board I know I I know in the
moment back when you go back to the R
Burns thing it it even in the moment it
felt like a reach and it felt like they
had been instructed to better go get a
uh uh height weight speed kind of guy
and look generally overall that was
viewed as a re like like I said it was
viewed as a reach I mean I remember
doing a a huge study on Ry Burns uh and
his college tape youe of that and all
and and you when they did pick him and
all uh I guess where I’m going with this
is how you know positional value because
there were obviously several Corners off
the board in that draft with with with
with Ry Burns uh do you do you buy into
positional value in in in a draft more
so than
need again I think Pittsburgh standpoint
has always been where need and value
intersect at its highest point is how
they intend to draft they don’t always
seem to meet that Mark Burns being one
of them remember that was when they
wanted William Jackson the Third he goes
one pick ahead and I think they just
went okay next corner on the board is
Burns and that’s how you reach and make
a decision focusing too much on need and
position as opposed to the actual value
and scheme fit but generally Pittsburgh
it’s always going to be a needed I mean
they’re never truly BPA and I think most
teams aren’t in that bucket unless you
just have an outstanding roster or or
just that darn committed you have to
have guys that can help you now that can
win now contribute now and not just sit
and wait and not be able to make an
impact in year one and this stay aged it
just has to happen most of the time so
again I think Pittsburgh’s philosophy
under cobbert and probably still under
con is value and need whever that
reaches its highest you know
Point okay circling back to Mitchell uh
I like him I I really do would not hurt
my feelings to see him uh in into the
black and gold 20 does feel a little bit
Rich for him based on based only on
other needs and and and and likely
positional value and and all that stuff
that goes into it there of the wide
receivers that they have brought in for
visits so far and there’s what six of
them now as of this morning yes uh is he
the only one that you would view as a
potential first round Prospect well I
think you’d have to maybe talk about 20
versus late first round there is some
buzz on Malachi Corley being a late
first round guy to the right team a
Chiefs for example piol has gotten more
Buzz recently I think if you had to if
you told me Alex one of those six will
be a first round pick I would say it’ll
be Mitchell I think he’s got the
strongest odds to be that first round
pick but I think Pier Hall and Corley
you know are they worth a pick at 20
that feels certainly a touch strong even
more so than Mitchell but I think
there’s going to be some discussion
about a late first round receiver being
a Piera
in that 29 to 32 range all right now
obviously Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan were
not at that Texas pro day but uh Zach
aani was which makes that significance
in there which which makes you kind of
Wonder Maybe maybe they think there’s a
possibility of him and obviously they
brought him in and all like that so
there’s there’s there’s a reason they
they like him and and and have spent
enough time researching him is that
because maybe the potential maybe they
could trade up in the second round to go
get
him not going to rule it out I think
trading up a receiver is less likely
than say a center but we discussed the
idea on Monday and if there is a run at
the position and there’s a guy you
really like and that position is
beginning to thin out despite how deep
it is overall it will get thin at some
point you could entertain the idea again
I think if if the Tomlin con
pray visit rule is to be broken and this
would be the year for it to occur I had
my prod day recap and review up on the
site this morning they were at four Pro
days Tomlin and con which is easily the
fewest combined between head coach and
GM and Pittsburgh since we began
tracking things in 2017 aside from the
co year of course in 2020 but if they’re
going to break that rule I think that
guy has to come in for a visit there’s
got to be some long form face-to-face
meeting between head coach GM in
Prospect either prod day or visit and so
for Mitchell to not have Tomlin or KH at
his prod day I think required a visit
for him to really I think be in play at
number 20 and of course that has
happened so long story short I I think
there’s enough boxes to check that you
could argue that he’ll be in the mix
whatever that means at number
20 does this feel with the the interest
in him it’s more of a potential drafting
situ situation more so than it is
revisiting should he become an
unrestricted free agent down the line I
mean I think any or or a trade you know
possibility or something like that later
on down the line I I think that’s always
a secondary aspect I don’t know if you
bring in a guy necessarily just for the
off chance he becomes available down the
line I think you do it with the intent
of we have interest in this guy if he
does become available in the here and
now we want to know as much as we can
about him and the down the line stuff is
always a handy byproduct but not the
Catalyst for why you’re bringing a guy
in for one of your you know 30 lotted
visits but uh yeah I think Pittsburgh’s
interest in Mitchell is obviously very
real all right I I like him uh I once
again I I 20 especially when you get
into that second tier of wide receivers
in this year’s class uh you know you get
into in fact where do you come in on him
versus Brian Thomas
I mean I think there’re similar guys
there’s probably some some work to do I
I I I didn’t do the report on Mitchell I
wrote the report on Thomas and I was
really impressed with him again he’s
kind of a more of a one-year breakout
type of guy great ball tracking height
weight speed I mean they’re similarly
built overall I think as a blocker
Thomas gets after it I think he’s got to
clean up his intermediate route running
but I think he has the tools to drop his
weight and sink his hips and change
directions there might be a bit more
consistency overall with Thomas than
Mitchell but they are I think pretty
similar guys but Pittsburgh has shown
more interest in Mitchell having zani at
the Texas pro day he was not at the LSU
pro day and to date Thomas has not come
in for a
visit uh long story short as I like to
always say I would probably have him as
my top of the second tier after the top
three I’d probably have him ranked uh
fourth
overall okay fair enough and yeah again
I think it’s him Thomas his teammate
worthy Xavier worthy being in that mix
for that fourth receiver I think it kind
of really opens up in terms of who that
guy will be once the quote unquote big
three are off the board Dave the switch
to offensive lineman again fought new
coming in sometime in this week he’s got
a bunch of visits lined up maybe that’ll
be later today maybe it’ll be Thursday
or Friday uh big day for Maris Mims at
Georgia he’s got his individual workout
he was not healthy had a hamstring pull
to combine could not work out at the
Georgia pro day so it’ll be him and
Brock Bowers working out I think Jordan
reported that Mims will not go through
the testing the 40 and broad jump he’ll
do onfield drills only hopefully we find
out if somebody from Pittsburgh was
there again these things get a little
less media attention a little less
access than the typical normal prod day
but given that you have two potential
first-run guys in Bowers and Mims
hopefully we find out who is on hand for
this workout yeah it will be interesting
to see who if if we get of who might be
there there because uh Pat Meer was not
at the Georgia Pro Day right not that uh
not that that’s a huge thing there but
uh uh you know because obviously he
where was he that day do we know I can
check our tracker uh was he out west
that day would we even know where he was
at let me give me a second here to pull
it up and
see uh let’s see if I can load it in for
a second I I don’t know I mean he was at
what what Pro days did he go he’s been
out west he’s been Oregon Oregon State
and Washington this year is where we
spotted him let me see if I can find the
Georgia pro
day uh we don’t know where Meyer was at
on that might been where was he the next
day yeah I’m looking around that was
March 13th a Georgia pro day let’s see
on Pat Meyer we he was let’s see March
11th he was Oregon State March 12th
Oregon okay the day before he was out
west at Oregon again um and we didn’t
spot him again until late for that
Washington Pro Day in late March so
maybe there was a scheduling issue there
here here’s the thing it was reported
that Mims will come in though wasn’t it
yes we never found out the exact date on
it right and you know obviously Conan
and and and and Tomlin were at that pro
day and all so you know there there’s
enough of a box check there uh in in in
my opinion you would just think that
they would you don’t know how scheduling
conflicts and all like that you know
would would would impact all this but it
it will in in in a nutshell be
interesting to see if if anybody shows
up at his workout actually was on March
27th raay F aalo said that Mims had
already come in for a visit so
apparently it happened well before a
couple weeks ago all right well I me if
he’s in I mean if he says he was in then
he was in right so again having Tomlin
and con there um this happened last with
barck Jones Tom Lin con was Pat Meer at
the pro day for Georgia last year do we
know I can I don’t I don’t believe he
was no if memory serves me I don’t
believe he was right and and so that
would align with how things have looked
with Mims this year you had Tomlin con
at prod day coming in for a visit Jones
came in for a visit last year that is
certainly enough overall to tell you
that uh he could be the pick now will he
be the pick we’ll see yeah last year it
was Tomlin con TL Austin Danny Smith Dan
Jr so to our knowledge no Pat Meer at
that Bulldog’s Pro Day last year or this
year okay what about the rest of these
uh pre-draft visitors that that uh
happened since our last
show uh that we haven’t highlighted yet
Lo we’ve talked a lot about Logan Lee
especially early on in this process uh I
think Dane Brugler even has him listed
as an
edge
uh I so wanted him to weigh more and and
the tape to show more sand in the Brites
with him uh man it he he’s right in that
kind of that tweener mold and uh the the
the the the tape is is kind of hot and
cold with him overall I mean there’s
some things to get excited about there’s
some things I think in a run game that
that get you a little bit less excited
uh he’s going to be more and to me of a
day three kind of pick
anyway yeah he’s view it as a I think
six round pick on mock draft database
the lack of length was the thing with me
32 and A4 in arms although as I wrote
about yesterday Wonder Pittsburgh’s
model with the dline is shifting a
little bit because it there are some of
those you know traditional 64 65 300
plus pounds 34 plus inch arms kinds of
guys but they’re getting harder to find
and yeah Logan Lee it’s almost like the
vaness discussion last year although a
different scale you know vaness was a
first round pick we’re talking day three
here but rotational guy a little bit of
an edge a little bit of a
interior guy not quite sure what he is
in terms of the height weight and length
overall um so so that’s a discussion
there on Logan Lee but that that that
we’re talking later day three if he does
become Pittsburgh’s pick all right uh
and what about uh
crumedy yeah um he’s he’s he profiles
more of the traditional Steelers
defensive lineman let me get the exact
numbers on him I think he goes 64 305
with 33 was that what’s the arm length
on on him uh uh 33 I believe okay so
fits a bit better um again we’re talking
day three on him as well Jonathan highy
Trader wrote the report on him about a
month ago and gave him a fourth round
grade day three projection uh talked
about you know run defense overall me
just kind of go through some of the the
good and the bad says H has the base and
hip Bend to sit in gaps with leverage
possesses good play strength to hold his
own at the point of attack has a good
long arm move couple with a B rush so
that’s pass game collapsing the pocket
terms of negative lack stop start
quickness to adjust to ball carriers in
the open field can get out of control at
times on his Rush will stand up on
occasion when taking on double teams
leading to poor leverage will be 24
years old uh was his stats last year 35
tackles two and a half sacks 16
quarterback hurries um did test I mean
he’s a 40 time and his 10 split were
really good uh the the explosion numbers
the broaden the vertical were pretty
poor overall but that’s a bit more of a
traditional box Checker when you’re
talking about day three defens lineman
okay uh and faga came in
right uh no font new f f that we don’t
know the date on that has not happened
as of Wednesday morning but I think
it’ll happen sometime later this week
yeah faga came in a couple weeks ago but
now F new has as as well so a lot of
interest on the West Coast offense
lineman probably should talk about them
more we’ve talked about them some but
you know I think you talk about
offensive tackle those two are among the
leaders in that Clubhouse I think a lot
of people maybe have him kick Fu kicking
inside don’t they both guys I think have
been discussed faga faga doesn’t have
the length and FAU doesn’t have the
height and that’s I think made some
Scouts and draft Knicks wonder if both
or if either uh will kick inside to
guard but if if Pittsburg showing
interest I assume that’s to stay a
tackle because they don’t have any
desire to kick either one of those guys
in inside the guard right it wouldn’t
feel like it but I mean at least there’s
enough interest in in in in him you know
you know uh to to bring him in
so uh who else uh are we missing that
that uh well Max Melton was officially
in on Monday talk good about him yeah we
talked about him and I think that’s been
the list so far again typically these
are getting released later around noon
time each day couple of visits coming
let me just double check here but it was
Lee and Melton on Monday and then
Mitchell and credy on Tuesday I believe
that’s the list this week all right and
the list uh is very very heavy as we’ve
reviewed several times on
tackles uh wide receivers and
Corners yeah so we are up to 23 known or
reported visits that do not include the
local name so we are Marching ever so
closer to the 30 hopefully we get there
by next week well hopefully we get there
by really today and tomorrow right
because what what’s the likelihood of
bringing in somebody on
Friday yeah they could I mean there may
even I know I said previously that
typically this is the last week for for
visits there may be a couple next week I
think there’s some Prospect for some
team not with Pittsburgh coming in for a
visit next week so you may get a couple
final ones Monday Tuesday but we’ll come
back on Friday and see where things are
at okay what else do we have to talk
about here before we because uh Dane
Brugler released his annual uh very
comprehensive uh draft guide which is
always a great read if you know you have
to go to the athletic uh to get it be a
subscriber to it but you know there’s
one thing that the athletic has as a
draw and a feature it’s definitely his
draft guide it it it’s it’s definitely a
great read uh I think Dane does a great
job of not only talking about strengths
and weaknesses uh of players he does
very good d detailed backgrounds on the
players uh he talks you know he he also
always lists in there you know games
played games started you know if they
missed due to injury time and all like
that so it it it’s a great out of glance
uh to learn a lot more go go deeper into
players especially stuff that would take
a lot of research on the internet to
find stuff as far as background uh uh uh
kind of stuff on these players here so
before we we we roll down a couple
position groups uh uh when it comes to
that draft guide what else do we have to
cover here yeah let’s put a bow on a
couple of more housekeeping type things
we know uh we now know officially
Pittsburgh will not play in Brazil week
one against the Philadelphia Eagles on
that Friday night game that was a
possibility based on Pittsburgh playing
as the away team against Philadelphia
this year but it’ll officially be the
Green Bay Packers which was kind of
reported in made mention of yesterday
and then officially announced by Adam
schfer today and so uh we don’t know
when Pittsburgh will play Philadelphia
in Philly but it will not be week one
and Pittsburgh will be staying
domestically in the USA in
20204 yeah we kind of uh speculated that
would wind up being the case with them
this year I would really look for this
team to have an international game next
year whether it be Ireland or
Mexico uh it it that that that just
feels right so uh no no International
game uh for the steers this year all
right and then the contract on Michael
puit is in you can explain that and give
us a cap update Dave yeah uh I mean
obviously this ended up become being a
veteran benefit contract with him uh we
kind of figured that might be the case I
think the most interesting thing here is
he did not get a signing bonus here he
he does have a
$50,000 roster bonus that he can earn uh
and I assume that’s if he makes the
initial 53 man roster overall here so uh
with this being a veteran benefit
contract and with there being a $50,000
roster bonus potentially attached to it
it puts his cap number at
1.035 million so once again no
guaranteed money uh tied to this uh is
this a huge shock that they did not give
him uh uh any type of signing bonus no I
don’t think so at its core I mean this
this is a guy that’s you know up there
in a a guy that uh I thought the tapate
was a little bit more inconsistent on
the blocking than maybe you did he does
have some special teams value but it is
kind of limited it feels like to kickoff
return nature here uh so look he’s going
to he do not write his name down in pen
when it comes to the 53 man roster I
think that’s what the contract says I
think that’s what the tape says I think
everything about him that’s what it
screams when it comes this but what but
once again as I always say every
offseason here give me as many veteran
benefit contract guys with experience
that that that that you can give me uh
and I will sort through them in Camp and
that is the case with him so not a lot
of uh not a lot of anything really
invested in him it feels like you can
cut him with no salary cap uh uh
repercussions whatsoever uh he will have
to earn himself a roster spot I know the
sample size would be small but I’d be
really interested in seeing in
Pittsburgh you know how many how many
players on the veteran uh how do you
what’s it called veteran salary benefit
veteran minimum benefit what is the
exact phrasing I always get that uh
veter veteran benefit contract veteran
benefit contract how many of them made
the roster when they received the
maximum signing bonus versus any signing
bonus that was not the maximum versus a
zero you know no signing bonus I’d be
curious to know what the likelihood of
somebody making the roster in Pittsburgh
is at kind of each of those levels well
years ago it used to be
stronger I think that those guys that
did receive those veteran benefit
contracts make the roster but then you
get into the was the Nile Davis year
because for a while remember it was like
Kevin Barlo was the only one who didn’t
make the team uh what was was the guy
but it seems like they’re more apt to to
to to move on I mean look just last year
who was the who was the tackle itler Ren
Clark yeah I mean he he didn’t make it I
mean you’re you’re seeing more instances
of that now where these guys even
veteran benefit contracts with the max
signing bonus allowed for those things
uh which last year what was it 152 500
some uh something like that you’re
seeing more of these guys these days in
other words it’s not stamp them it’s not
write them their name down and pin if if
if if they sign a veteran benefit
contract with any kind of signing bonus
uh attached um don’t write them write
don’t write them down in pen of making a
53 man roster sure but I wonder is a
difference between the guy who gets the
maximum signing bonus and the guy who
gets zero signing bonus or are their
odds are making the roster roughly the
same because in the grand scheme of the
cap the money is negligible yeah I mean
I’d have to go back and and and redo
that study I I can’t even remember last
it’s been several years since I did such
a study basically the study was I think
uh of guys that they
signed during the com any free agent
signed during the
compensatory signing
period I I think that’s how I man it’s
been so many years ago uh Alex since I’d
done that but I I think the the study
was what what was the percentage of guys
signed during you know prior basically
prior to the draft in free agency of
whether or not those guys made the
roster right I i’ just be curious to see
if the data has changed at all and if
the money has an impact but but
obviously yeah I mean Pro it spot we
know regardless of what signing bonus he
did or did not get is is not guaranteed
although I do think they carry four
tight ends just kind of a thing that
Arthur Smith does and so if you carry
four you got Frou you got Washington
let’s assume Hayward makes it got a
fourth spot there between him and Rodney
Williams it’s up for grabs but you know
it would not be surprised to see puit
the Arthur Smith type the better blocker
than Rodney Williams although not as
strong on special teams but you know
that’s certainly a spot there for
Michael brute look could could he end up
making a 53 yes but I’m I’m not what I’m
getting at is I I’m not writing them
down in pen sure sure I don’t think
anybody is just based on the Age based
on lack of production based on
Pittsburgh’s tight end room where where
does Pittsburgh stand cap wise and and I
know you noted that Pittsburgh is
currently what over well projecting with
based on future cost are over the cap
but explain why that’s not really a
concern yeah and it’s the same
discussion that we usually have about
these things let me pull up that page
real quick here uh as of the signing of
puit this team now is
12.0 almost 12.07 six under the cap uh
the league still has not uh put in the
projected CBA man man mandated workout
bonus placeholder charge of
97,2 uh obviously you have the rookie
pool offset coming with the draft picks
that’s going to be probably somewhere in
the neighborhood of 3.5 million to 4
million depending on if they move up or
down or what have you there so there’s
3.5 million you’ve got the 51st or 52nd
53rd player you have to account for
which is almost 1.6 million you got a
full practice squad which will eat up
around 4 million uh and then you get
into estimated stuff that everybody
takes issue with that I do every year uh
I have because you don’t know what’s
going to happen with guys that might
have to start the season on ir and if
they do you have to accommodate players
on the 53 man roster taking up those
guys spots I put in a placeholder of $2
million in case that list is larger than
you or is significant and then also the
End season how much money will they want
or how much cap space will they want
free to start the season with uh to have
in reserves uh a couple of years ago
they went into the season withn 9
million so last year I had that that
buffer is n million they ended up going
into the season with right around six
million last season in buffer space so
this year I have it as six million I
think Omar Khan last or if one of the
press conferences said around five
million so at least I would count on
five million being the buffer uh at a
minimum that this team will want uh in
in in in free cap space uh as I just
mentioned there I have projected at six
million this year another two million in
in in accommodating whatever injured
reserve happens there so those are kind
of more
negotiable uh uh aspects there if you go
off of my projections of what’s
forthcoming in in future salary cap
expenses that would currently have the
team at a projected estimated
6.2 over the cap uh you obviously have
the ability to you know what’s going to
happen with Cam Hayward are you gonna
free up around n million with an
extension with him Alex heith you can
restructure that contract and free up
$7.2 million in salary cap space so
uh once again when you look at this you
have to look at this at lines in the
sand line down the road and all like
that the fact that they have 12.0 nearly
12.07 six uh million in salary cap space
is more than enough to do what they need
to do from here on through the draft and
really that includes signing their draft
picks and and and and all all the stuff
that comes along with that uh I do
however think for the most part that we
have
seen the significant signings free agent
signings happening now could could they
go out and get another Center or a wide
receiver for more than the minimum yes
will it be a significant average yearly
uh uh uh value contract probably not
could it be more than a minimum
absolutely but I think the the main meat
of what they wanted to do during the
during the off season here uh has been
chewed up at this point yeah I think
that’s fair overall but you would just
say you been consistent about this but
just to say it explicitly Pittsburgh is
in a A Fine Place cap wise
correct I have learned over the years
that all teams are in always in a fine c
space but compared to the Saints in
terms of the can kicking Ian but but
point is they can do they can do
whatever they need to do they’re not in
a a situation where they’re they feel
like they can’t do something if they
some some opportunity were to arise
right when you have the ability to do
things you know and and we’ll see what
happens with Cam Hayward and you know
you have uh Alex heith I I view as a the
primest candidate to have an extension
at some point I mean uh a restructure at
some point during the off season because
he has the freshest contract uh after
him it would probably be Minka I kind of
I will be surprised if they get to the
point where they have to restructure
Minka and Alex High Smith but at least
it’s it the the availability to do that
is at least out there and then you know
once again we’ll see what happens with
with Cam Hayward and then obviously look
we did not put this in projected future
salary cap expenses this offseason but
what’s going to happen with Pat
firemouth are they going to uh sign him
to a contract extension if they do his
cap charge will increase some not
significantly but some uh so that needs
to be accounted for as well too so yes
they are in for what it it feels like
they have to do the rest of the way
through the draft and really even a
month or two after the draft you know
that they they have more you know
barring going out there and trading for
an iuk or uh look you you will see signs
that something might big might happen at
this point because if they were to trade
for an iuk right now they would not be
able to accommodate his initial cap
number before an extension so you would
have to something would happen we would
see a shift in cap space I.E either an
extension for cam Hayward or a
restructure with Alex heith there will
be a quick sign here in the next couple
of weeks if they were to gonna go out
and add add you know add someone like
Brandon iuk uh via a trade because they
they they just simply could not
accommodate his initial cap number right
now uh without doing so now obviously
you could lower his cap number after
getting him in the building being an
extension but to get him in the building
they would need more cap space right now
which is actually pretty useful so we’ll
kind of get a little bit of a sign uh
before you know if any trade were to
happen which we won’t spend any more
time on who knows if it’ll happen or not
not looking super likely but there’ll be
there’ll be some signs before the
there’s no way that deal could just pop
up out of nowhere probably would hear
some some sort of contract movement
before the Adam Sher or even raap tweet
took place right uh now look uh
sometimes restructures filter out 24 48
72 hours after they actually happen you
know because once again the
nlpa public salary uh cap report does
not happen in real time you know so uh
you’re usually at a delay uh by a couple
of days when anything happens with a
player’s contract unless it does get
leaked and reported by an Insider or
something like that but uh I will be
letting the world know if there’s all of
a sudden a shift in in in in in cap
space for this team in the next couple
of weeks gotcha so good update uh from
you there Dave and appreciate all the
updates throughout the very busy
offseason of trying to balance things
and and explain where Pittsburgh is at
cap wise all right any anything else we
need to get to before we kind of dive
into what they call the Beast Dan
ruger’s big Mega draft guide yeah and
and it’s things nobody wants to talk
about but I want to talk about it so
damn it I’m going to talk about it it’s
it’s the cash expenditure it’s it I I
put a post up on the on steers Depot
yesterday uh reviewing what all the
steers have done from February 2nd to
April 9th and why is February 2nd
significant because that was really
technically the day that they finish
signing their their players to the
reserve future contracts of getting
their their their 20 24 roster at least
to 53 players it went well beyond that
obviously with all the uh uh future
deals that they had but it gave us a
solid starting point to look at the top
53 cash cash not cap cost of the team on
February 2nd now obviously a lot of
stuff has happened since February 2nd
they have reshaped this roster quite
significantly but at on February 2nd the
top 53 cash cost on this team totaled
out at a little over
195.000 dollars uh and then boy did did
did we start seeing some cash cutting uh
going on and in fact they cut if you
look at what all happened you know they
traded away Deontay Johnson they cut
Allan Robinson they cut CH cor for they
cut Patrick Peterson they cut Mitch
trabis they cut Mason Cole they cut Kean
O’Neal they traded Kenny picket and they
cut Presley Harvin if you look at those
nine players overall uh the total cash
the initial cash saved just just by the
the the Jets jettison uh of those
players was uh almost
50.9 million in cash that was set to be
go towards those players in 2024 that’s
26% of that initial top 53 cash cost
that this team had on F on February 2nd
now it’s been fun to watch how they’ve
you know rebuilt this roster and even
added more players with roughly about
the same amount of really total cash
because if you look at all the players
and and discounts uh not only outside
free agents but a few of their own free
agents being resigned such as montravius
Adams miles kerw uh who else was
resigned Christian CS uh even you can
add Braden foko
on that list because that’s happened
since February 2nd as well too when you
add up the cost of those 16 players who
weren’t on the 2024 roster on February
2nd that totals out to 50 point a little
bit more than 50 50.8 million so uh
really just a difference of 32 almost
$33,000 there and you add more players
in so it’s been interesting to watch
what they’ve done in reshape this roster
from a cash perspective from February
2nd to April 9th in fact they have
actually saved because of the
matriculation
uh in the top 53 because of offset and
all like that uh they’ve actually saved
six million little almost $6.5 million
in actual cash in that top 53 versus
February 2nd to uh to to April 9th I’ve
got I got to admit now look I I have not
tracked this stuff
religiously over the years this is a new
hot button for me because I want to
learn predictive measures when it comes
to this I I would if you would have told
me that this team on February 2nd to
April 9th that they actually their cash
expenditure total would have went down6
million I probably wouldn’t have
believed you I would have had to seen
that drawn out but that’s that’s what
has happened here now look are they done
spending cash this year no you still
have to accommodate your entire draft
class that in includes undrafted free
agents you still have a practice squad
that you have to accommodate uh you have
obviously other other things you know
Pat Fruth uh extension may or may not
happen uh you’ve got a good 20 million
already tabbed on your rookie class on
your practice squad uh on your on your
offseason workout bonuses and all like
that so that’s another 20 million that
be spent but look if you go at where I
think where I projected this team to
spend which is 92% of the cap number in
Cash which is a total of $235
million and even if you go ahead and
project a pat
Frou extension down the road that leaves
still really another $13 million in cash
that you kind of wonder where that will
get spent uh overall and we talked
recently I think just this last show or
two shows ago what whenever might we see
a Naji Harris and or Jaylen Warren uh
contract extension at some point this
off season in addition to a Pat
firemouth
and I I don’t I don’t long story sure I
don’t think you can rule that out unless
that unless there is another big cash
expenditure coming up or two with a free
agent wide receiver a center something a
along those lines there or is this team
just not going to spend 92% of the
League’s cap number in Cash which is
another plausible because this is the
first of of three years you could always
make it up in year two and year three
there but uh there is some uncertainty
here uh as far as a how much more cash
will this team spend this off season and
B if they do spend at least 92% of the
cap number in Cash where’s that other
$13 million going to go to it’s a fair
question and if they didn’t spend it if
that becomes the reality just
hypothetically then that would mean that
next year in year after would be pretty
aggressive it would have to be correct
correct correct because you have to
spend at least 90% of a three-year cap
total period in cash in a three-year
span and I think the steers usually try
to be at 100% of cap in cash spent in
that three-year span at least what we’re
working off of from from from the
previous three years here why why do I
do this hey you know I’m getting into
this because my my next project is to go
back the last couple of years and it’s
going to take a lot of work to do it uh
to find out if there’s any kind of
trend from let’s say once the initial 53
is built out with future contracts up
until say two weeks before free agency
start I mean before the draft uh happens
because that’s when the bulk of your
free agency work is done if there is a
pattern here of them kind of tit
fortat out the door goes the cash and
really almost one for one in cash
dollars being replaced to rebuild this
team now obviously there’s probably
going to be some variances in there
because the cat cap going up and all
like that but I want to see if you know
how closely in other words is there a
predictive measure in this down the line
to say all right they uh they
sent let’s say 60 million out the door I
would kind of expect them to spend 60 to
70 million at least in cash in free
agency or trades in replacing that yeah
again as you said there’s hopefully some
predictive power to it is the whole
point of why you’re going down these
rabbit holes and exploring these topics
and and having these discussions let me
just send you down maybe one other
smaller rabbit hole we discussed
recently some rough framework of what a
Naji Harris extension could look like
and that’s plausible I think it’s a
conversation that’ll come up more in the
summer after they and assuming that they
pick up his fifth your option in less
than one month but what does what does a
j Warren extension looked like based on
that Pittsburgh has some kind of control
over him and he’s been you know a time
share kind of guy not been the league
guy in a in a messy running back Market
I have no idea where to even begin with
Jaylen Warren yeah and I think because
he’s trapped has a lot to do with it
here uh with him but uh could you get
him in a situation where uh you know
least million per year ah that feels
rich with yeah it feels Rich he’s got to
have some incentive to do this deal
otherwise he can just play out his
sure but I mean he also wants you know
he he probably also would like to cash
in his pocket now as opposed to the
ifcom uh here on top of it I mean uh it
feels like and this is dangerous because
I have not worked out I I have not put
the numbers in a spreadsheet or so
anything like that but you know could
you get him to an average yearly value
of I don’t know where where where’re
really najis at now which is about three
million or so
just feels too light from him you get
one bite at this Apple for a running
back on a contract extension and to take
that three it just feels really light
yeah but the steers will say look okay
uh you know make your 800 and something
you know whatever you schedule to make
make 800 something thousand this year
and uh we will put a second round Tinder
on you next year if you stay healthy and
productive and do everything needed to
do and good luck in getting there and
basically you have a chance to to to
earn uh x amount of dollars these next
two years and you’re capped at that
whether you like it or not and sure and
but those tenders are getting expensive
they aren’t as cheap as they used to be
sure but uh you once again you have uh
real quick here the uh the second round
okay well the second round tender this
year for rfas was
4.89 right so once again 4.89 and what
do we say his base salary is uh this
year 8:30 that what you just said hold
on here
uh uh
9985
okay so a million plus
uh let’s say five million that’s six
million when when adding those two two
together over the course of the next two
years you know uh now his average yearly
value is not going to be no no I would
think going to be six million I think I
think he the best shot is to be half of
that there but the thing is he’s getting
that money you know a good half of that
money now this year you know in form of
signing bonus in uh look the Steelers
aren’t in the business of giving gifts
away especially when they got guys
trapped like this sure but but they have
a decision next year after this year as
an RFA because where do you come in on
the tender that’ll be an actually a
pretty interesting discussion because
again these tenders are not getting
cheaper
right you put the tender on them and you
try to work out a deal with them from
there yeah but which tender the original
round tender a higher level tender no I
mean yeah if you put a a ride of first
refusal on him he’s gone no I understand
so I there’s going to be a cost on on
the tender because you’re not doing the
original round tender it’s going to cost
you I at least three four million do if
not more no no I mean the the the the
the the uh the projected right now RFA
tnder on a sec on a second round Tinder
is 4.97 million so
there you know it’s either it’s either
ride or first refusal second round or
first round Tinder they’re not going to
put a first round Diner on him no no I
know I know that’s my point if you’re
Warren saying you’re gonna give me three
million per year I’ll play out this year
Force you guys to put a $5 million
tender on me next year and Steelers okay
that’s right that that’s the way you
want it okay you yeah but I mean there’s
a little risk for Pittsburgh there as
well um because they can’t that that
fiveyear that family in tenders on that
one year they can’t spread that that out
way they could over a longterm deal that
was worth a year but but they’ll budget
for that they they’ll be fine with that
then they’ll go to them after putting
that Tinder on say do you want to do a
deal or not yeah I I just think it’s a
little interesting to kind of see how
that one will play out uh with the cap
escalating all like that if if that’s
the worst problem that this team has
right now is putting a second round
tender on Jaylen Warren uh next year
before the uh uh before free agency
starts I mean that’s I mean that that’s
that’s that’s a first world problem
right there it is but my point is when I
said 5 million per year if you put a if
you put a a second round tender on him
next year you’re saying he’s worth $5
million per year so on an extension why
would you not get at least $5 million
per year just in way the franchise tag
if you tag him you’re saying he’s worth
the tag number and that’s kind of the
floor in terms of what a long-term deal
looks like yeah but that they’re not
going to give him they’re not gonna
gladly give him the cheeseburger today
you know uh the old popey saying there
but uh uh they they they wanted they’ll
they’ll probably gladly do a deal with
him this off season but the deal is
going to be on their terms I get that
but it can’t be that far off from five
million I mean waren and his agent
understands the situation he could be in
next year and he doesn’t want to take
significantly less than that sure but
he’s also capped with what he can earn
no yeah I get that again I just think it
just be interesting to kind of see where
the number comes in I think naji’s a bit
clearer in terms of what that market
value is based on kind of what happened
this year with Barkley we talked about
him probably coming right under some of
those top running back deals I think
Warren Gets a little bit trickier for
for a bunch of reasons you are a lot
more stressed about Warren situation
than I envisioned youd being here I’m
not stressed I’m just wondering what his
market value is I think it’s kind of
interesting to talk about what he’d be
willing to take what the team be willing
to offer what the market says I I think
that if if if you were to if you were to
go ahead and map out okay let’s say five
million next year on on a second round
Tinder and let’s say round up to a
million he’s going to earn this year
that’s a Max he can earn of6 million
over the course of the next two years
okay MH uh even if you got him at
3.8 million average yearly
value with roughly 3.8 million in cash
paid to him this year that’s a deal that
would be very hard for him to turn
down what do you think how many years on
that deal do you think two three I I
mean I think you would do it with uh if
you got a deal done with him now it
would be this year plus two more years I
would Envision okay so we’re looking at
three years what would the overall
structure be three years 3.8 is that
what you would say three years 11 to 11
and a half I would let’s map it out at
three times 3.8 okay that’s
11.4 you know that that’s lievable that
would make his cap his cap hit would
still be very manageable this year uh
the cash expenditure
fits uh you know everything about it the
the the the seconde cap hit uh would be
okay versus what you would expect the
cap to go up and all like that so you
know it it it it can be done but once
again the the Steelers aren’t aren’t
aren’t going to set any any type of a
huge precedent too with uh with
rfas getting you
know getting huge huge you know winning
the war so to speak sure no I get that
but it let’s say it doesn’t happen this
year if you go into a contract for for
next year if you tender him and try to
work out a long-term deal then maybe it
is going to cost a bit more because you
you’ve placed the value on him with the
tender right but you also have the cap
going up and all like that it’s all exp
you know it’s all it’s all exponential
you know when it comes to that yeah I
mean once you once you put a second
round tender on him of let’s say it’s
4.9 78 you’re telling him you are worth
4.97 eight us this year yeah yeah so
anyway we we’ll see I mean I think
Harris is more likely to get something
done than Warren I’m not positive you
know you’re not you’re not going to do
Warren and and then not do Naji because
you have once again you’ll have a pissed
off Naji if you do that yeah no for sure
so again I think Warren or excuse me I
think Harris becomes priority of any
long-term deal war and is more secondary
if that happens maybe that happens in
Camp or something like that if Naji does
not get done it’s hard to imagine Warren
getting done as well too it it feels
like it’s uh either one Naji gets done
or both get done that makes sense and
you mentioned fouth as well and I’ll
even mention although I know from a a
cash standpoint it may not change things
significantly but James Daniels what
happens with him last year of his
contract starting guard does he get an
extension look this offseason I mean it
it it it could fit based on and once
again they’re just Pro C on my part you
know as far as cash expenditures go you
know uh could could you could you
feasibly get something done with him
yes with Daniels yes yeah yeah although
the guard Market really heated up so I
mean it’s it’s a time where I’m sure
Daniel’s agents’s wanting to cash in
because the guard Market went insane
this year with some some big big money
Kevin Dodson Etc so uh that would take a
a heavy cost to get a deal done with him
uh how old is he he’s pretty young still
26 27 I mean if you were going to do it
and if you had confidence that he could
be that guy for you for the next you
know at least three years counting this
year yeah you know and he’s not wanting
to be the top five guard paid in the NFL
you know yeah again I haven’t worked out
what that number would be but uh just
something on the horizon something else
to consider that’s not really been
talked about too much it’s been a lot of
frth discussion just just generally from
you know Pittsburgh media but I think
Daniel’s this one name where it’s a
possibility as well sure uh just getting
I’m reading here just some some text and
we’ll have to probably talk about it
more on Friday show and I know that he’s
not everyone’s favorite but Jason lanfor
on a podcast saying the Steelers are
really they’re trying to make something
happen to add another receiver before
the draft via a trade so whatever that’s
worth luck and for is going to Fan the
Flames of a receiver trade okay well
once again if if if that player had that
you’re Trading for has a base salary
greater than what they have in cap space
right now that you have to first
accommodate then something will happen
as far as the restructure goes uh could
they possibly be trading for somebody
that maybe has a year left in addition
to this year on their contract that’s
that’s possible as well too I mean who
who would that guy be you know yeah I I
had not looked the list not not named
iuk you know sure sure uh and again I
mean you could inste just go draft a
receiver it’s a really good class
instead of having to trade for somebody
pay them older Etc luck and four and
again I know that he’s not always been
the most reliable person in the entire
world but says he would not be surprised
to see it happen at any point before the
draft including while Pittsburgh is on
the clock also thinks it would not Shock
him if they took a corner in the first
round over offensive line so whatever
that’s worth the grains of salt Etc that
is luck and for standpoint all
right all right also prej visitors
coming in and Hy hello a center a center
is coming for a visit Dave Jackson
Powers Johnson in for a visit today and
so you can check that box been waiting
for the center to come in also Blake
fiser from Notre Dame the right tackle
more mid- round guy I compared him to
Dan Moore wrote the report on Blake
Fisher um and so he’s played a right
tackle Pittsburgh looking for a right
tackle that makes sense but Jackson
Paris Johnson officially in for a pre-ra
visit all right well at least that
checks that box and then you could use
the crutch of out west that’s why uh
Tomlin and and and and and KH did not go
to that pro day uh yada yada you know so
he’s uh there there’s enough boxes in a
need check there where you could
plausibly uh think that there’s a
possibility that Jackson Powers Johnson
could be picked 20th overall however
there’s been a lot of discussion about
will Powers Johnson fall out the first
round that kind of stuff as well too
yeah and I think in Dane bugers it’s a
good segue time here in Dane bugers the
Beast media guide he mentioned some
injury concerns with Paris Johnson let
me pull up the exact text that he notes
here if I can uh get this thing to load
it’s such a massive file it’s going to
take a few seconds to actually load in
the information on Paris Johnson says
the Medicals will be important after he
battled multiple injuries including
groin in Hip issues in 2023 along with
multiple concussions over his career and
so that’s a little note there from danne
Brooker something we don’t always kind
of get uh publicly or mentioned too much
and so uh that’s notable on Jackson
Paris Johnson one reason maybe why he
could fall uh he’s got him as a first to
second round grade you know why don’t we
just dive into the center position here
when it comes to danne bugger’s draft
guide he’s got Graham Barton uh listed
as his top Center uh out of out of Duke
he he firmly has a first round grade on
him uh beyond that you get into second
he’s got Jackson P Johnson first to
second round grade and then he goes into
Zack Frasier as a firmly second round uh
grade on him uh the order of that
probably not huge you know it I guess it
depends on where you come down on grah
Barton uh position you know not really
being a true true Center versus Jackson
P Johnson being more of a true Center of
who you want one or two but those uh
it’s it’s hard to argue overall with
with with the top three rankings there
after that he’s got Tanner uh bortolini
out of Wisconsin as his fourth Center
who he has a third to fourth round grade
on Cedric van pran Granger out of
Georgia third fourth round uh grade on
and then it starts getting really really
messy from there Bo limmer Hunter NORAD
out of Penn State
Kingsley
uh how do you
uin Egen out of Florida fifth to sixth
round your boy Matt Lee out of Miami
fifth or sixth round grade and if you
get that far far down the list uh at
that point you you missed a boat there
so
uh you know do you like Graham Graham
Barton or Jackson Powers John does the
team like Graham Barton Jackson Powers
Johnson enough to make them to pick make
make either one of them to pick at 20th
overall it it it
feels like a huge long shot that either
one of those two would fall to you at uh
in the second round with their pick now
could could both of them potentially
maybe fall into the top of the second
round and then you go get either one
that’s probably plausible I tell you the
most interesting discussion from here on
out would be
is is Zack Frasier gonna be on the board
for you at 51 overall sure and and
that’s certainly possible I mean I I’ve
been beating that drum even early in the
pre-draft process when people said
there’s no way he’s going to you be an
inkling of him falling that far and
Centers do fall but you roll the dice
it’s a coin flip he could go with 50 and
you’re totally screwed and he might fall
quote unquote even if he goes to to 50
as I mentioned on a previous podcast and
he’s not there and that’s all that
ultimately matters I think if somebody
has a higher chance to at least fall
lower than projections it would be P
Johnson I don’t think Barton even makes
it into round two I think Paris Johnson
could been watching more of him uh
lately Paris Johnson I mean he’s strong
he’s torky he’s nasty um I don’t think
he’s actually a terrible athlete I want
to maybe retract something I’d said a
little while back I I don’t think he’s a
bad athlete but I think he does struggle
to redirect and hit Targets in space and
sustain blocks when he has to kind of
move laterally so there’s a bit of a
difference there I think out in screens
he’s got enough foot speed to get there
to be a lead blocker but I think he does
struggle being able to hit a moving
Target you know climbing to the second
level on Zone blocks combo blocks and
that could be an issue in Pittsburgh
okay all right so he’s got Barton Paris
Johnson Frasier as the top three and
yeah and then borini who had a fantastic
workout I did not love his tape I really
kind of a guy that I’m I’m I’m mixed on
because the testing was off the charts
good but I thought the tape was really
poor and then van PR Granger’s been
talked about quite a bit but I think
brug said a while back the NFL not as
high on him as draft Knicks were back in
January February true or false Graham
one of Graham Barton Jackson po Johnson
or Zack Frasier will be a Pittsburgh
Steeler yeah it’s a can’t ask me this
one right now it’s like a the day before
the draft type of question I’m I’m true
it don’t take me half a second to think
true on that I mean I think so I’ll go
I’ll go with you on true but when and
how and where and all the
particulars I’m not sure how it’s gonna
gonna play out uh I do not think though
that you will get once again I I would
be surprised if you got Barton po
Johnson at 51 overall it feels like you
would have to take them at one of one of
them at 20 or go up maybe into the
second round early to get one of the two
should they fall out of the first round
I I and I think I’ve been kind of you
know hedging this way for a while I
think that there’s a possibility that
Frasier might be on the board at 51 yeah
I mean I I’ve routinely had him at 51 in
my mock drafts I think that I think it’s
it’s possible it’s just there again it’s
50/50 to me if he’s there or not and if
you’re Pittsburgh if you don’t take
Center in the first round do you want to
roll that dice I think if you’re
Pittsburgh if you don’t if those guys
are gone Barton pis Johnson you take a
tackle in round one receiver whatever
you got to really consider making a
trade up for Frasier in round two all
right uh with Center out of the way
let’s look at some tackles here on on
Dane bruger’s uh draft guide here as far
as his rankings go he’s got Joe Al first
overall Olu fashanu out of Penn State uh
another first round graded guy JC laam
out of Alabama
have we given enough respect to JC laam
and we’ve talked about him quite a bit
obviously the Steelers at the pro day
and all uh to date though he has not
been brought in for a visit though
correct correct yeah no not brought in
for a visit we’ve discussed him some the
conventional wisdom is will be gone
before 20 but I I certainly do not
believe that’s Ironclad so we should
discuss that that
possibility it is a a possibility do you
feel though that that he might be off
the
board again I think the conventional
wisdom throughout the draft process has
had him off the board before 20 but
again in a deep tackle class where the
quarterbacks will push some people down
receivers will push some people down
we’ll see if a couple of Corners go
there’ll be a couple of edge rushers
Dallas Turner Lou from UCLA Etc it’s it
you know 20% chance whatever the odds
are but but there’s a chance all right
uh number four on his list is tiis fuaga
out of Oregon State firmly a firstr
draft pick in Bugler’s mind uh there I
think the the most notable thing when it
comes to him is the arm length and the
age really the age is it a huge red flag
at 22.0 six uh uh the arm arm length 33
and eighth you know I think it’s really
interesting he’s got faga as a tackle
and Trey Fu as his top rated guard he’s
not even put Fu in the guard category
despite being longer than
fuaga I I talked about PL in that size
sure sure but I mean Pat Meer likes
length um and and faga does not have it
he’s right on kind of that traditional
33 inch arm Benchmark he’s what 33 and a
quarter right around there 33 and an
eigh so right right there but he has
played tackle just interesting to see I
mean I wonder is this when he has for
get tackle F new at guard is that from
what he’s hearing from scouts his own
personal evaluation he does say with f
he could be a five position player could
even play Cent floats out the idea of
that so um he’s not saying that font new
must go to guard but he does put font
new in that guard bucket as as connected
as Brugler has been over the
years I I feel like he you know he gets
some things that obviously a lot of us
don’t get in other words that that Scout
uh and plus he waits so long I mean you
got two weeks now until the draft so he
makes sure he probably tries to cross as
many T’s and Dot as many eyes
as he as he possibly can so the fact
that he has him listed as a guard I
think I I think he’s probably heard from
a collective probably of of NFL you know
GMS you know Personnel Scouts whatever
that a lot of people probably consider
him as a guard sure and I think that’s
certainly notable and why I wanted to to
make mention of it but obviously
Pittsburgh has the interest they have
you know they him as a tackle than what
the NFL views sure the other 31 teams
doesn’t matter but but that is I think
notable but but yeah to go back to
tackle he’s got what Mims fith I think
on yeah Mims Mims Fifth and the last one
that he has a solid first round grade on
okay so again
Mims will work out today I think will’ll
be important for him we’ll see if
Pittsburgh’s there um I I wonder you
know what if waga Mims B new are all
there what what does Pittsburgh do if
those are the the options if feels like
Mims I went and watched a little bit
more of his tape last night the the Ohio
State game and uh it it that just feels
like something they would not pass up
yeah I I I’ve really gone back and forth
I was kind of with you on Mims and I’m
beginning to second guess myself I don’t
know where I’ll come in on it and uh you
guys will see that for my final mock
draft and final thoughts in less than
two weeks uh what other position here do
we want to talk about with uh bugler we
we talked really about why receiver
already yeah um I think he’s got ad
Mitchell is his fifth or sixth best
receiver trying to scroll through the
giant the spreadsheet that the PDF file
here what does he have Mitchell at let
me let me read off his uh top receivers
it
goes Marvin Harrison Jr one Malik
neighbors 2 radun three Brian Thomas
four and so again after the top three
word things kind of open up he’s got
Thomas four is a first round grade and
then lad makoni from Georgia number five
ad Mitchell six Keon Coleman seven Roman
Wilson eight Ricky peol nine Xavier
worthy 10 was a second to third round
grade on him okay once again go ahead
what about Corner any any other thoughts
on receiver I was going to push you to
the cornerback and kind of see what he
had I was gonna go I have defensive
tackles pulled up next so uh uh he’s got
uh by Byron Murphy out of Texas ranked
first uh the only one with a first round
grade then he’s got Johnny Newton who’s
causing a lot of discussion uh as of
late out of Illinois with the first to
second round grade uh because of his uh
because of his really lack of overall
length you know I I would think that the
steers are not going to be in discussion
of of of Johnny Newton uh Chris Jenkins
he has third as a second round
grade uh once again it kind of feels
like the steers might go another
Direction other than him now you get
into rookah hor out of Clemson we’ve
talked quite a bit about you would think
would be uh in in in in the Steelers
sits he’s got him ranked fourth overall
as a second to third round grade Mike
Hall Jr out of Ohio State uh he has
fifth and then Mason Smith out of LSU he
has
six uh with a second to third round
grade uh the two guys and then he’s got
Fisk at seventh uh overall uh out of
Florida State a guy that we’ve talked
about uh that that that that lacks you
know the arm length there is the big uh
the tape’s Fantastic uh the measurable
you know when you look at the arm length
kind of a concern there overall uh there
of those top seven guys once you get
past those guys I mean we get into we’ve
had discussions about Gabe Hall uh who
else have we had discussions about I
mean you can’t I mean they brought in
cromedy but that that you’re getting
into later round guys we’ve talked about
Christian Boyd out of Northern Iowa as a
late round uh fallback option there who
else on this list uh later on I mean it
feels like those are the guys there that
the Steelers are looking at uh overall
they’ve obviously brought in you know uh
uh you know a few of these guys uh to me
the guys that screen potential Steelers
are a horahora Mason Smith possibly Fisk
and then if you had to wait until later
rounds a Gabe
Hall man
cromedy I suppose you got to add him to
the list and then uh Christian Boyd much
later in this draft Yeah and then I I
guess Logan Lee but I mean what what do
they view him as you know and plus he
would be a late round guy uh uh after
the fact anyway I think Brugler has him
as a dend in his uh
his PDF here is is a draft book so yeah
you you you mention the names Dave I
mean they they theyve Darius Robinson
too we should mention him he’s that
tweener type for Missouri I think also
Brugler has him as a defensive end but
he came in for a visit um I mean the tea
leaves tell you they’re going to draft
an end the question is just who that guy
is and will Pittsburgh make a compromise
on the lack of length um you know I
think they still want guys who are 6’4
300 pounds at least have the the
framework to add a little bit of weight
but when you bring in Logan Lee and show
interest in Fisk and those guys aren’t
checking the length box has that
compromise been made there FIS could be
a lot of outliers he’s 24 he has
severely you know poor length not super
tall overall but obviously there’s
interest there right and the tape’s not
bad either yeah no he’s productive for
sure so we’ll see but I I do think D
line will happen sometime I I really
think ideally you know if you could
maybe not ideally but Mason Smith you
get him with that first third round pick
at 84 have him play 15 snaps per game as
a rookie rotate in a little bit develop
and then replace you know maybe oen Joby
after 2024 4 2025 is kind of the best
case scenario of how you might try to
play this thing yeah it and it’s felt
and we’ve talked about this several
times it feels like one of aora hor or
Mason Smith will wind up being Steelers
if if things go break the way in their
favor right I think those are two
distinct possibilities but horor will he
be there at 84 is the question he to
take him at
51 yeah it feels like you probably would
have to take him at 51 yes or trade up
somewhere you know uh should he should
he fall past that right so that makes
that one a little more complicated uh
what does he have at corner we’re kind
we’re running pretty long here I’ll just
kind of go through Corner very briefly
overall he’s got we only did an hour the
other day we owe these people some time
terryon Arnold number one quinon
Mitchell number two the only two corners
he has clear slam dunk first round
grades on followed by Nate Wiggins
three’s got a first second round grade
on Cooper Dee Kool-Aid mckinstry top
slot cornner is Mike sand still at
number six who is receiving a second
round grade all right what about guys Bo
you know I I love I love Sandra still I
don’t like the I don’t like the height
on him but I love everything else about
him uh when it comes Andrew Phillips is
a guy that we’ve talked quite a bit
about uh and Max
Melton uh is another one that we’ve
talked quite a bit about uh man it feels
like it it feels
like it could be one of Sandra Phillips
Max
Melton you know depending on obviously
round round and how the board breaks and
all yeah I mean they brought those guys
in for a visit so obviously that’s very
much in
play uh and
obviously I mean there’s no way ter
Arnold Falls right we I would put it
unlikely but not impossible he’s viewed
as a you know 12 13th overall if there’s
a bit of a board breakage in a certain
way I wouldn’t call that the craziest
thing in the world but unlikely and I
suppose Nate Wiggins too that’s a guy
you know at the pro day brought in for a
visit you he he’s another one of that
list that checks enough boxes to be uh
20th overall yeah again Wiggins you know
I think can’t be ignored based I mean
tradition Blues Clues would tell you
that that he’s strongly in the running
um but obviously we know that Pittsburgh
you know is looking at offensive line
more heavily probably overall in terms
of first round options than than corner
but again not going to rule Wiggins out
if things break a certain way all right
uh
interesting uh he’s got if you look at
his big board overall he’s got Graham
Barton at 18th overall uh he’s got a
Marius Mims at 19th overall he’s got
full full I’ll I’ll roll down starting
at like 17 here fuaga he’s got 17 Barton
he’s got 18th overall Mims he’s got 19th
uh let’s see what else is notable
Jackson po Johnson he’s got 23rd overall
Wiggins he’s got 24th overall who else
is uh uh Adonai Mitchell he’s got 33
overall he’s got Zack Frasier 34th
overall on his on his big board here uh
that’s significant to the Steelers
uh as far as first round guys go if we
were to go off of his big board of the
players that he has listed in the
top what do you want to cut it off at
35 yeah we can do that all right of
those top 35 players
realistic selections for the
Steelers boy font font new would really
have to drop because you got him night
but you’d have to probably say F
new uh terryon
Arnold and would they
consider fashion new out of Penn
State not let so and left tackle because
they Jones over left tack uh laam has to
be into
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discussion uh fago has to be in
discussion Barton has to be in the
discussion Mims has to be in the
discussion P Johnson in the discussion
Wiggins in the
discussion and Mitchell in the
discussion and Zack Frasier but Zack
fras that feels that that’s that feels
Rich for Frasier at 20 and we’ve said
that for a while now so I mean there
there’s a good what do we name off six
or seven names there really they’re
they’re the same names we’ve kind of
talked about you know o overall there
that that I think the Studio’s first
round pick will come out of yeah and
even with Mitchell I mean if he’s there
it’s certainly a conversation point but
there’s not been a lot of pre-draft
interest shown no prod day and no visit
that we’re aware of so far so again to
me if you want to make the exclusion to
the con you know head coach GM prod day
rule I get that but I think that guy
will have to come in for a visit I I
don’t think they’re going to take a
first rounder that they’ve not really
had a long sitdown interview with Beyond
you know 18 minutes of the combine or a
Senior Bowl meeting I don’t think that’s
enough for Pittsburgh toh pull the
trigger on a first round guy I would
agree
all right Dave any other final thoughts
we got this this draft book is huge and
so we’re just trying to go through it
here on the Fly dropped this morning um
so we maybe can talk about it more uh
come come Monday show but that that’s a
good primer of where I think Brugler is
putting some guys and some insight there
um indirectly towards Pittsburgh all
right what do we uh we got another 10
minutes here right before we hit two
hours get emails really quickly do one
or two emails and close out Today’s Show
all right uh boy we’ve been all over the
place this morning uh Grant Kenny writes
in that’s a new name welcome Grant hey
David KN you guys rock no disrespect to
what you do during the regular season
but I always look forward to your
offseason coverage because it is so
detailed and vast thank you for that
Grant he says my question is more about
connecting the dots with what Arthur
Smith potentially might look for uh in
an offensive lineman and how that could
potentially increase some chances for
prospects in a draft for example is
someone like uh jpj Jackson poers
Johnson a better scheme and height
weight fit compared to other offensive
line prospects for what the new OC looks
for hope that makes sense this can help
us narrow the potential choices for the
o line prospects and what the draft
choice could be keep putting on all the
tin foil hats and going down all the
rabbit holes he says boy we went through
quite a few of them today uh uh Grant uh
what would you say about uh the
connecting the dots with what Arthur
Smith potentially might look for in an
offensive lineman yeah there’s been some
studies done by Clayton by Jeremy that’s
kind of highlighted that um I don’t know
if there’s one distinct takeaway from it
you want athletes you want guys who can
move and work on that track in this wide
Zone scheme where yes I’m sure Smith
will you know run a variation of things
we discussed that after the hire he’s
not exclusively a wide Zone type of guy
but it is something that’s you know
among his bread and butter his day one
install type of stuff and so you better
be able to move better be able to get on
that track so does that lend itself a
bit more towards a Bon then say a Paris
Johnson it may um but I I don’t know if
anyone gets truly eliminated based off
what we know with Arthur Smith I don’t
know if there’s one guy we can sit there
and say oh they’re not going to take
that guy because he’s just so obviously
not a scheme bit I don’t think that
Prospect really exists especially when
it comes to Center in the top three I
would think uh uh really and and Tackle
too I mean you want somebody with length
you want somebody that can move uh that
kind of thing there how would you rank
Barton Jackson pow Johnson and Frasier
if you were forced to do so with what
you know about Arthur
Smith ah yeah I mean the question with
Barton is just the projection aspect of
it do you do you believe he can pick up
playing Center and and do so at a high
level I mean if you if he answered yes
to that I think Barton is number one and
then from there I think it’s a little
tightly bunched between po Johnson and
Frasier if again if there are some
medical concerns with with Paris Johnson
then you have to consider that I don’t
know where I would go with Paris Johnson
and Frasier um but I think if Barton if
you if you said he could play center
then he’s your number one okay all right
uh let’s see let’s go to Brian
toini uh we are 15 days away prior to
the start of the league year Jeremiah
Trotter Jr was a name that was easy to
connect to the Steelers once Patrick
Queen was signed he became an
afterthought with the Steelers showing
quite a bit of Interest and inside
linebackers in the pre-draft process
have we crossed Trotter off the list too
soon he says my original thinking was
that Trotter would be a round two guy
but for the most part consensus seems to
be that he goes in the 70 to 90 range in
the third round he says mock draft datab
base has him at 81st overall my question
is if he’s available in that range do
you see the Steelers making that move or
is that too much of a luxury pick with
our many needs do you feel the skill set
pairs with Patrick Queen
boy funny how time when you start off
this
process uh and as as another uh was we
talked in that last email people saying
why did why do these things seem to
shift you know it’s because the tape
catches up with with with initial
rankings uh those kind of things there
where does uh he have uh I just pulled
it up it’s interesting number seven Offa
linebacker a fourth round grade right
Jeremiah tro so we went from a guy that
was originally projected maybe as the
Steelers pick at 20th overall in the
first round to now a fourth round uh
grade on him there now the Steelers have
looked the Steelers are GNA draft an
inside linebacker it feel it look I
wouldn’t I I never bet my house on these
kind of things but I mean if if the
Blues
Clues and the hul injury and just the
room as a whole screams that they will
draft an inside linebacker it also
screams that they will not take one in
the first
second I don’t third third round yeah
maybe that second third round pick at 98
yeah I don’t know if you can completely
rule that out uh I would say from where
I sit right now I’d be a bit surprised
if that happened I don’t think you can
rule it out completely though uh I guess
the the question is is is if he was in
if he was sitting there depending on how
the board
broke if let’s say a Trevon Wallace was
off the board who they obviously went uh
they went and saw at the pro day uh if
uh who was another one I mean they were
at the Cedric gray Pro Day right yeah it
was ikenberg and Chambers at Ohio State
ikenberg part of the higher Prospect
gray at North Carolina and Wallace at
Kentucky was was where Curry was at all
right uh now TRL Austin was at the
Clemson prod day so that’s for multiple
people but tro is one of them I I guess
his question is is can you completely
rule out Jeremiah Trotter being drafted
by the steers and let’s say the
third what what what’s what do they have
after the third one 19 and then not
again until the sixth round I think at
178 okay I mean I you can’t I don’t
think he can rule it out no it’s a
really good point and we should consider
that more because trer was not the
prospect he was viewed when this draft
process started four months ago so yeah
I mean I you know we know that Curry
looked at the other linebackers but yeah
I mean he’s 21 if he’s fourth round
sitting there I’m not going to rule that
out it’s it’s a really good point right
uh I I just one of the main takeaways
here is that boy you know just just a
few months ago he was he was pegged 20th
overall and uh I think we even have a
couple mocks on the up on the draft
early offseason mocks would would maybe
him potentially being the pick but he he
won’t be the pick at 20th overall but
the question does become if he’s sitting
there in the in the third you know late
late third fourth you know could he be
the guy and you cannot rule that out uh
let’s go to Bryson beer another new new
name here David Al keep up the good work
quick question regarding oine position
flexibility in in Loom of the Steelers
putting Kevin Dot out of his normal
position and playing broadrick Jones at
right tackle what is the best example of
a lineman playing at a high level out of
the out of position for the Steelers if
any thank Bryson boy what a creative
question there and the first name that
comes to mind in reading this of a best
example lyan playing out of high level
at a high level out of position for the
Steelers if any would be one Ramone
Foster oh oh I was gonna say I think
Allan fan year we played left tackle but
I guess you’re talking about like long
long term for a career uh yeah I was
taking Foster too but it’s like it’s
also hard wordss you sit there and say
was that his natural was that his best
position and they just moved him to his
best position but obviously he was a
college tackle at Tennessee yeah I think
Foster is a good one who else would even
be in that discussion though trying to
think about other names yeah I mean I’m
trying to think I mean didn’t max Starks
get flipped what uh what was Max in
Florida you remember probably was a left
tackle when you’re just that massive
that’s probably a good guy to put at
left tackle that’s a good question when
when he broke in he was right tackle
with the steel you know then flipped uh
there but I you know I can’t remember
what he even was at Florida he might
have played both at Florida I can’t
remember back that that that far there
fost is a good good name though yeah I
mean Foster is the guy that first when I
read that F because Foster wasn’t he a
right tackle primar at at at at
Tennessee I think they moved him around
even Pittsburgh he was a bunch of things
initially right well when he came out I
thought some of his initial snaps was at
right tackle yeah no yeah he played he
because he was like a swing guy to begin
his career he wasn’t just the left guard
he was playing I think both guard spots
and some tackle and then before settling
in at left guard now is there anybody
else in recent the only other guy that I
can and it’s not significant whatsoever
I don’t think and and and this guy’s
already out of the league not gonna not
gonna jump up on anybody’s radar but and
there’s a small sample size but BJ finny
was a much better left guard than he
ever was a
center that’s a good one that’s a good
one um and and once again we’re talking
about what three starts or something
like that and but the limited amount of
tape that BJ fin especially in games
that he had started at left guard for
the
Steelers uh he was a much better left
guard than he ever was a center in my
opinion and and once again that’s I mean
it’s it’s such a small sample size you
don’t know what that along gates to and
all like that but sure that that would
probably be in recent in recent history
one that I would I I would put on the
board there yeah it’s interesting I was
trying to think Mar Marcus gilber played
a lot of right tackle at college in
Florida so he really wouldn’t count um
yeah I think Foster is probably the best
best name you can mention at least in
recent times here and I’m talking the
last what 15 years years or so along
those lines there yeah uh let’s
see Justin Smith uh hello from Wyoming
am I the only one not completely freaked
out by the wide receiver room we
currently project to have he says it
seems like most analysts feel like the
sky is falling in regards to that
position group since the DJ Trey while I
love DJ I’m I’m of the opinion that he
wasn’t Irreplaceable especially given
this deep wide receiver class he says do
you think we are really in a worse
situation than last year with pickings a
first to second third a first to third
round rookie van Jefferson Calvin Austin
and Cordell
Patterson uh all due respect Justin and
and that’s a new name from Wyoming as
well too uh I’d like to go to Wyoming
visit Wyoming uh George pickings you
know what you having him a a first or
third round rookie you obviously hope
that
you you you hit on something there the
rest of what he has listed here in Van
Jefferson Calvin Austin and patteron for
for
starters can Cordell Patterson play wide
receiver for you in a pinch the answer
is yes but I don’t think you build the
room around that uh no Calvin Austin
you’ve got such a small sample size
there I
mean I mean obviously you hope to be
able to get him on the field for
300 or so snaps or you know maybe even a
little bit yeah I I think you’re trying
to push it something’s probably happened
if you play them more than that I
mean as as much what is Calvin Austin’s
claim so far in the NFL couple down the
middle long long receptions right well
really one against the Raiders 72 drew a
pi in the other right yeah I I guess
you’re right but in terms of actual
receptions yeah it’s a like two plays
downfield I mean is it that really what
outside of his his return capabilities
isn’t that the Highlight on him so far
absolutely all right so it’s hard it’s
hard
to you know other than seeing what else
he can do on top of that into this next
and then van Jefferson I mean van
Jefferson’s gota gotta earn a roster
spot oh yeah yeah there’s certainly no
no guarantee on him so uh yeah Justin I
I I I think it’s okay to be freaked out
of about that wide receiver room at
least until you get find out who who
this draft pick’s going to be yeah as
you like to say Dave it’s a good point
we’ll see how the whole whole class
looks but yeah I mean they certainly
took a big hit trading Deontay Johnson
away and leaving a big void there and
we’ll see how they fill it all right
uh We’ve run two hours here so we’ve got
through quite a few emails here overall
it’s a good good good good time to end
this I think Y come back on Friday and
see if there’s more visitors and uh and
go from there all right uh in the
meantime you can follow me on Twitter
SLX steers Depot follow Alex alexor
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follow the directions that way uh we’ll
be back on Friday we’ll talk more about
any more pre-draft visitors obviously
talk about uh some more draft candidates
here talk about oh we’ll see if they
sign anybody pre-draft visitors all that
good stuff so we should not be at a
shortage of things to talk about we’ll
have another round table here with uh uh
some of the guys contributors uh at some
point before the draft so look forward
to that we’re trying to get that
scheduled uh next so until Friday as
always thanks for listening to the
terrible podcast with Dave and
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Alex
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w