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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 02.22.21
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Gene
2:44
In your opinion do you think Art Rooney really wants Ben back or feels it’s time to move ahead with Rudolph or someone else?
Brian Batko
2:46
My best bet is that he's truly torn, Gene. He's seen the Steelers move on from beloved stars too late, but he's also been through multiple scenarios where it's been a delicate dance until the very end, a case where the player doesn't want to be done but the organization has to be bigger than any one man. I still think Ben ultimately returns, and that it ultimately will be the prez's call.
Bmore Steelers fan
2:46
Since even with Ben next season, the Steelers have little to no shot at winning a SB, why dont they just cut him and move on? Take your lumps with Mason and address the QB in next year's draft and free agency
Brian Batko
2:47
Been asked this quite a few times, and I always say they don't think that way. At least not yet. To me, the question they're asking isn't "can we win it all" as much as "what's our best avenue to winning it all." And that's why this process is a painstaking one.
Richard
2:49
A month ago several of us suggested the Steelers go after Najee Harris in the first round and the PG writers universal response was, "don't go after a running back in the first round. Fix the offensive line in the first round."  Now there are several of you suggesting Najee makes good sense in round 1 if he's still available.  What has changed?
Brian Batko
2:50
Can't speak for the others, but I never said it doesn't make sense. Now, at one time, I do believe I was leaning OL, but after giving it some more thought, I've come over to the RB side. Far from a slam dunk, though, and I wouldn't really push back too hard on anyone who argues for OL, given the needs at T and C.
Steeler Fan in GA
2:51
Where do you think Juju ranks among WRs leaguewide?  Top 10?  Top 20?
Brian Batko
2:52
I'd have to really sit down and look at it, but yeah off the top of my head I'd probably say somewhere between 10 and 20.
david
2:53
Every time I watched the game, Big Ben was talking with Dobbs and not MR. Do they get along at all? With Dobbs and Pouncey gone, who is Ben's closest teammates left?
Brian Batko
2:55
As far as I know, yeah, they get along. But Ben did make a point to mention late in the year how far along Mason has come with his input and ideas on the sideline, something Josh Dobbs was already doing a lot of. To be fair, Dobbs was in a position where he was inactive and knew he wasn't going to play, so he could probably afford to approach his in-game work a little differently than Rudolph. As for Ben's closest friends on the team at this point, I think David DeCastro and Al Villanueva would be on the short list. James Washington, too.
Geo
2:57
You mentioned above that you think Ben would win more games than MR, but wouldn't MR have a much better supporting players?   $19M in cap savings could buy pieces to improve the line and backfield.
Brian Batko
2:58
Sure, but I suppose that tells you my belief in Rudolph, especially against the schedule they have in store.
Nick H
2:58
Watt's wrong with having a roster full of
watt's, watt's & more watts
Brian Batko
2:59
Nothing. I'm gonna leave the chat now and see if I can go unearth some more Watts. In fact, Derek now has two kids, both boys, so it's only a matter of time before they're in Steelers jerseys and having questions asked about them in this very space. Hopefully I'm still here doing it.
Thanks as always for coming out. And as I increasingly need to point out, if I didn't answer your question, take no offense. We've got a plethora of them but what we don't have is infinite time. But I'll be back next week, same time, same channel.
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