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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 01.20.25
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Brian Batko
1:59
Well, that was an excellent weekend of division round games. Perhaps one day the Steelers will be there again. Plenty of questions already in the feed so if you haven't weighed in yet, better get to it.
Jim
1:59
Think we should draft Ewers or Howard if we can get them in the 3rd or 4th?
Brian Batko
2:01
Yeah I think those are the type of QBs who would make sense for the Steelers if they take one in this draft. Higher floor, track records of production in college, etc. But still, taking a QB that high might be a tough sell given the abundance of projected holes at this juncture.
APK
2:01
Is Justin Fields really a potential franchise QB, or just another college QB who doesn’t have the goods to succeed in the NFL?
Brian Batko
2:03
I can't quit Justin Fields just yet, APK. Part of me feels like it's still in there somewhere. Keep in mind that he was playing fairly well (in my opinion anyway) and had the team 4-2 when he went to the sideline, and the time since then has been his longest reset in the NFL so far. Never really got a chance to breathe in Chicago.
Martian
2:05
Hey BB- do you think fields will get the nod for next year? If so, what would a contract for him look like? With the cap space and draft, would be nice to actually surround him with talent, solidify the trenches on both sides, and look for a QB in the following draft. Thoughts?
Brian Batko
2:08
Yeah my sense is the Steelers will lean that way, too. It'd be really tough to sell a run-it-back situation with Russell Wilson the way that season ended, especially without any significant changes to the coaching staff. People who run these numbers a lot more than me, such as those at Spotrac.com, project a market value between $8 million and $9 million a year for Fields. I actually think he'll have more suitors than Wilson given his age, physical traits and demeanor/reputation around the league, so it might depend on how much he wants to come back to Pittsburgh, too.
Commissioner
2:08
I think the Steelers quarterback plan is really pretty simple. Justin Fields will be 26 this March. He should be the starter next year to see if he can be a franchise quarterback. If not, tank the season and draft Arch Manning in 2026 in Pittsburgh.
Brian Batko
2:10
That's one thing I kind of wish I would've gotten into when I wrote about the QB market last week: NEXT year's draft. Because I do think you have to lean on your scouts to help with the long-term view and planning in these situations. Beyond Arch Manning, the Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava looks like a potential first-rounder. We'll see about Drew Allar at Penn State and Garrett Nussmeier at LSU, both of whom opted to come back to school. And Carson Beck had a ton of draft buzz going into this year but transferred from Georgia to Miami. I'm with you, commissioner.
Gene
2:10
Do you think Broderick Jones struggled this year because of his early season injury?
Brian Batko
2:12
Hard to say, Gene. He never wanted to use any injury as an excuse, even going back to training camp, so I give him credit for that. Huge offseason coming up for Broderick Jones, though. Maybe he'll benefit from sliding into that left tackle role and getting the chance to rep there exclusively. Shifting around probably didn't help his development either.
Lenny from NY
2:12
Good Afternoon Bats. Wilson is obviously is not the answer. I keep hearing that Fields is still young and has potential. Fields has been in the league for 4 years now. He is who he is. Not a very good QB. Can run but that is it. In my opinion why not sign Daniel Jones at cheap and sign either Dart or Howard somewhere in the draft to sit for a year. Jones has a better arm than Fields. Your thoughts? Thanks you
Brian Batko
2:15
Justin Fields is who he is but you're signing up for Daniel Jones? I know you said for cheap, but come on Lenny! Yes, Fields is four years in, but he doesn't even turn 26 until March. He's less than two years older than Jayden Daniels, barely a year older than Michael Penix Jr. and less than a year older than Bo Nix. Just some perspective.
Zach
2:15
Hi Brian, Thanks for the chat. What are the odds Tee Higgins is a Steeler ?
Brian Batko
2:17
Sure thing, Zach. Personally, I think they should pursue him as much as any team in the NFL and as much as they've ever gone after a free agent, but there's no guarantee the Bengals let him leave and if they do, just about everyone will be interested, too. So for that reason I'll place the odds at 0.5%
WellingtonStarbuckle
2:17
Why do people always say “the Rooneys” when referencing the Steelers? It’s just one Rooney calling the shots,correct?
Brian Batko
2:18
Art Rooney II is team president, yes. His son Dan has been around more in recent years and pretty clearly will be the successor eventually, but I see your point.
Dana
2:20
299-29.  Dang man.  How much further can the steelers stray? I've never seen that stat so lopsided in 45 years of watching steeler football.
Brian Batko
2:21
You're referring to the margin in rushing yards between the Ravens and Steelers in the playoff loss. And actually they had 300 before the kneel-down. It's an embarrassment to everything the franchise was built on, known for and won six Super Bowls with. Not to mention it's the entire identity the current brain trust has been trying to build. Long way from that, I'd say.
John in Florida
2:22
Thanks for the chat Brian. It has been painful watching the post Ben era unfold. As a 74 year old fan who remembers the pre-Noll days, I have seen successive coaches struggle with the QB position. Even after drafting Bradshaw, Noll swung from Bradshaw to Hanratty to Gilliam and back several times. Pre- Ben, Cowher went through a litany of mediocre QBs, even proclaiming one, Miller, as the starter only to bench him at halftime of the first game. Cowher had to be forced to draft Ben. Now Tomlin continues the struggles since Ben retired. Not every franchise has the luck of the Packers, Favre to Rodger’s to Love, but Steelers seem to really struggle with the position. Any thoughts where it goes next? Not many great options out there.
Brian Batko
2:24
Thanks for reading, John. I've already given some thoughts on where it goes next, but let's also touch on where it just was. Never was I a big believer in the Russell Wilson experiment, but I do think it made some sense given the unique situation with the Broncos paying his salary. And it probably tells you the Steelers know as well as all of us how hard it is to find a QB. It's an inexact science and they may have figured that there's at least more margin for error if you're paying two guys barely anything to try to be the guy. If nothing else, they found value in Wilson-Fields. But to your point, now might be the time to take a bigger swing.
LarryG from Punxy
2:24
Hoping for a Washington-Buffalo Super Bowl.  How about you?
Brian Batko
2:25
My preferences for the Super Bowl matchup would be:

  1. Bills-Commanders
  2. Bills-Eagles
  3. Start watching the UFL
  4. Chiefs-anyone
Don in Sac
2:26
It seems to me that Tomlin excels at being a leader of men but he is deficient at being a tactician and I don’t think he recognizes that deficiency. That would explain why his teams stay in the hunt every year but can’t consistently compete with the better teams where having better X’s and O’s is critical.  Would you agree with that assessment?
Brian Batko
2:29
Deficient is relative. I really don't think he'd have gotten this far and won this many games if he were a bad tactician. But would I put him above the likes of Andy Reid, Sean McVay, Kevin O'Connell, Sean McDermott, Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, Dan Campbell? Probably not right now, no.
Chris
2:29
The word of the year seems to be “change.” What has to change for either Tomlin to finally make adjustments to the way he does things and/or what has to change for the Steelers to get a new head coach?
Brian Batko
2:31
The simple answer is probably ... a really bad season and not just a mediocre one. The more colorful answer is maybe if the very vocal faction of Steelers fans online goes to the games with bags on their heads?
Bulldog
2:33
Bats...hope your weekend was great.  Does the coaching staff stay the same?  If not, who do you think goes?
Brian Batko
2:36
Thanks, Bulldog. Not sure yet. I'll just point out that the decision on Matt Canada seemed to go more than a week into the offseason. Position coach announcements can happen as late as early February. So we'll see.
Retire21
2:37
Why not tank?
TJ’s deal is almost up. Trade him for picks. Maybe Minkah too. They’re not  going anywhere with Burrow and Lamar still under 30. Go 5-12 and get a QB in ‘26 right here in Pittsburgh.
Brian Batko
2:38
Because these things are easy to postulate from where we sit. The people who'd actually be the ones making these decisions have years of personal relationships and loyalty built in with guys like Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, etc. It's not just a band-aid that's easy to rip off.
DC
2:39
Watching the playoffs this week, I noticed that every team gets a lot of yardage after making short and medium high percentage passes to open receivers. They Steelers never seem to have any of "easy" completions for their quarterbacks. Why? Is it more due to the scheme or lack of talent at the WR position?
Brian Batko
2:41
For what it's worth, the Steelers were 11th-to-last in yards after catch per reception this season. Only playoff teams below them were the Vikings and Texans, who have hot shot offensive play-callers themselves. So I'd say it's part-circumstantial, part-scheme, part-playmakers.
Jim Bow Dean
2:42
Is it time to officially launch “Be Awful for Arch”?
Brian Batko
2:42
Stinko for Nico?
Alan
2:44
Brian, Steelers offensive weapons are run of the mill, arguably the 5 best players are all on defense (which is aging). Is there a case to focus heavily on offense in the draft even though we know they really need defensive linemen?
Brian Batko
2:45
Sure, there's a case. This team needs a new RB, WR and possibly G, too. And a backup QB? But still I'd give just as much consideration to using the first two picks on D-lineman and cornerback. Maybe even multiple D-linemen.
Steelers Fan
2:46
Hey Brian,  what do you attribute the late season collapses to?  Are the players wearing down, or the injuries piling up?  Either way, it seems the lack of depth is the problem, and neither the draft nor free agent signings have produced a sufficient number of good players to avoid late season collapses.  Do you agree?
Brian Batko
2:47
Injuries do hurt and Mike Tomlin mentioned that very soon into his postseason wrap-up presser. But you're right, that's where depth comes in. I'd also throw in QB play to your suggestions and this year certainly the strength of schedule down the stretch was a major factor.
Steel Town D
2:49
In the last 45 years we have won two super bowls.  Let that sink in.  NE 6, SF 5, Giants 4, Den 3, KC 3, Wash 3, Dal 3, Rams 2, TB 2, GB 2, Ravens 2, Pitt 2 Raiders 2.  ZERO in 16 years.  Franchise is above average, but not elite…agreed?
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