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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 02.23.26
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Brian Batko
1:44
Hi all, gonna start the chat a little early and end a little early. Fire away with your Steelers questions
BPOS
1:45
Even though we need a top flight WR, and every one wants to draft one in round 1, should we though given we need studs elsewhere? We've always been great at finding top WR's in later rounds and this draft is supposed to have a surplus.  So my point is, we desperately need secondary help and another stud DL early as Cam isn't going to last forever.  I suspect the talent drops off significantly in those areas in later rounds, but not so much WR's, right?
Brian Batko
1:48
Ah, that old trope about how the Steelers have always been great at finding WRs later. Not lately! Roman Wilson is looking like a miss so far. Calvin Austin III has been solid but not exactly a massive over-performer of his draft slot. George Pickens was a complicated evaluation and a great value where they got him on talent alone. But there's also been Chase Claypool and James Washington in recent years. I hear you on the other positions, but I really like the top three or four WRs in this class compared to the next tier.
tjc
1:48
How would you handle the next 2 months?  What position(s) would you target in free agency?  Then what would you address in the draft.  Bonus for calling out specific names.
Brian Batko
1:52
To me, the Steelers aren't a team that needs a major splash in free agency right now. They need a youth movement through the draft. But the QB spot is one where FA could make more sense, obviously. And I'll go on record again as being a Malik Willis believer. That doesn't mean I'd want to enter a bidding war for him and spend as much as possible to get him, but I really like what I've seen the past couple years from him. I hear people say it's nuts to invest in a guy with such a small sample size. I would argue it's nuts to just run it back with a veteran QB with minimal upside for the third year in a row.
Rooney
1:52
Thanks for taking my question. Steelers have 5 of the first 100 picks. WR, CB, WR, OL, DT and late QB like Cole Payton. What do you think?
Brian Batko
1:55
Not bad. Maybe take out a WR and throw in a S or even ILB, but yeah, I generally like that plan. Looking at this QB class, I don't mind a dart throws pick, but I just feel like it doesn't make sense to do so until Day 3. Pick some good players, let the draft unfold, see who's still available to you come Saturday morning and then decide if the juice is worth the squeeze.
Ricksta
1:56
Hi the Baron of Batko, Always appreciate your insight. Word has it that McCarthy isn’t as tight end-oriented as Arthur Smith. Does that help Freiermuth or hurt him? And any sense of Rodgers’s vibe with ‘Muth? He’s a solid TE and I’d like to see him get the ball more.
Brian Batko
1:59
Very few offensive coordinators are as TE-oriented as Arthur Smith, but yes, Mike McCarthy was more known for 11 personnel in Dallas and GB. But I think you can certainly devise a plan that has Pat Freiermuth as one of your top three pass-catchers, getting him and Darnell Washington out there at the same time. I get good vibes on the Aaron Rodgers/Muth rapport. In fact, Rodgers said multiple times they need Freiermuth on the field more, but that deployment was up to Smith.
Bob
2:00
Any FA CBs or DL that we may target?
Brian Batko
2:02
As I said earlier, I view the Steelers as needing more youth than veteran impact at those spots. Cornerback Trevon Diggs has had a strange career, but Mike McCarthy coached him in Dallas, so there's familiarity there for better or worse.
Arthur not Art
2:04
Hi Brian. If the plan is to build the team to have a championship supporting cast in place for a young franchise QB to lean on, similar to how things worked out with Ben, why sign a FA QB if Rodgers decides not to play in PIT next season? I get bringing back Rodgers if he wants to continue here but not sure I understand how any other FA QB helps that plan more than going with Rudolph, Howard and another arm to serve as emergency QB if Rodgers moves on or retires.
Brian Batko
2:05
I do believe that is the plan, Arthur, but that doesn't mean the Steelers don't still have a baseline threshold for what they deem to be an acceptable level of starting QB, if that makes sense. Like the Saints going into last season with Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough battling it out? I just cannot envision the Steelers brass ever being OK with that degree of apathy toward a current season.
TVC15
2:06
Hi Brian, Can Mike McCarthy whisper to any quarterback not named Aaron Rodgers or Dak Prescott? Is it a Red Flag that he got fired from coaching both while they were in their prime?
Brian Batko
2:08
Multiple things can be true, TVC. Aaron Rodgers will go down as one of the most physically gifted QBs to ever do it, but he was the 24th overall pick and when McCarthy got to Green Bay, Rodgers had never started an NFL game. In fact, he struggled in his initial preseason there under Mike Sherman. McCarthy made Cooper Rush look competent for stretches in Dallas. But I hear you. There were perpetual questions about why he couldn't get the Packers over the hump, and then whey he couldn't get the Cowboys over the hump, and now he's heading up a team with perpetual questions about why they can't get over the hump.
Henry Hill
2:09
Greetings Brian; the Steelers wouldn't be foolish and/or desperate enough to waste a pick on Drew Allar, would they? Dude has career backup written all over him.
Brian Batko
2:10
Greetings, HH. The Steelers have so many picks this year, 12 as of now, that I wouldn't call anything a waste by the time they get to the third day of the draft.
Jake
2:10
If Tate, Boston, Tyson, and Lemon are gone, what position would you say is our 2nd priority ?
Brian Batko
2:12
Tate Boston and Tyson Lemon sound like a couple of new-age podcasters, but I digress. In that scenario, they could still pick a WR from the next tier down - say Omar Cooper, KC Concepcion, maaaybe Malachi Fields. If not, though, I'd say it's never a bad idea to throw another top-flight DL into the mix.
Pittfan
2:13
Hi Brian. Quinn Ewers could potentially (a 7th round pick the same year as Howard) start the season as Miami's QB. Given their options they probably don't have many choices. If he is the starter is this a suck for Manning scenario?
Brian Batko
2:14
Yeah, that's kind of reminiscent of the Saints situation I laid out - although in their case, it looks like they might've actually found their guy in Tyler Shough. The Dolphins might also go after Malik Willis, though. The new GM is from Green Bay and the new head coach down there is Packers DC Jeff Hafley, so they know Willis as well as anyone.
BH
2:15
Welcome back.  Have you had a chance to review the current list of potential FA's league-wide?  Do you have potential targets that would help fill some gaps faster than what we'll potentially get via the draft?
Brian Batko
2:18
Thanks, BH. Haven't really had a chance yet to dive into it a ton. But I don't necessarily see a ton of those gaps you speak of. Maybe LG, if Isaac Seumalo isn't back. I like the idea of drafting a guy there to compete with Spencer Anderson, though. Receiver will be an interesting one, given how much is already invested in DK Metcalf. Someone like Romeo Doubs or Christian Kirk might be in the Steelers' spending range.
Carter 76
2:19
Hey Brian, should the Steelers have any interest in Mac Jones?  Thanks.
Brian Batko
2:19
I wouldn't. Even more so than Willis, who has some elite physical traits, I'm of the mind that Jones had success this year because of the offense he was in more than what he actually brings to the table himself.
Seven
2:20
Hi Brian, thanks for the chat. When does the NFL trading window get active? Right after free agency?
Brian Batko
2:20
Usually right before, actually. It's combine week so the rumors and speculation should start flying soon. The Steelers agreed to the trade for DK Metcalf in early March last year.
Andy Carnegie
2:21
Would the Steelers entertain a trade with the 9ers for Mac Jones?  I think a 3rd and a 5th would do it. He'll be 28 and looked really solid last year. He was a good rookie as well with the pats. I think he'd fit into what McCarthy wants to do.  Then you have Howard and Rudolph fight over for the backup role.
Brian Batko
2:23
McCarthy mentioned athleticism at his introductory presser, something both Rodgers and Prescott had enough of at the QB spot, so I'm not sure about Jones being a fit like you say. Even Mason Rudolph's relative lack of mobility makes me wonder if he'll get much of a chance from the new staff.
SteelCityKid
2:24
Also, this fantasy that the Steelers are masters at picking WR’s is just that. A fantasy. Yes. They hit on a few, mainly because nobody drafted them early because of behavioral issues. But the main reason was because of a younger Ben. Funny how WR’s always seemed to work out when you have a great QB. Now, not so much. Maybe it was because of the QB?
Brian Batko
2:27
Yeah, that's definitely part of it, as well. I give Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert credit for guys like Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace, even JuJu, but there have been misses as well - and more lately.
Yates
2:27
Are you of the belief that the Steelers need to find a moderate level WR in free agency or do you think the WR problem can be fixed solely via the draft?  And isn’t 19 a weak WR-3 on 75% of this past year’s NFL team rosters?
Brian Batko
2:28
I wouldn't put it as they need to find one, but for the right price, that would give you a good buffer going into the draft. Calvin Austin struck me as a great pick at the time, provided the offense would have a creative plan for how to use him. And I'm not sure the Steelers always, or often, did.
Cdub
2:28
Aside from QB, this draft seems to be deep.  Is there any other position of need tor the Steelers where the talent is thin?
Brian Batko
2:29
Not sure this is a great class for corners, based on what I'm seeing so far, Cdub
58-75-39
2:29
In your wildest dreams, could Mason hold the QB  position for 1 season. With Howard as the backup.
Brian Batko
2:29
Sure
Ryan
2:29
Good afternoon Brian do the Steelers take the running back from Navy that’s from Pittsburgh late or do they sign him as a undrafted free agent i think they should take him
Brian Batko
2:30
Eli Heidenreich from Mt. Lebanon? It's not even really fair to call him a RB, though that's how he'll be classified for the combine. He's a jack of all trades. I have him ranked in our Steelers big board, but you'll have to wait for that to come out to see which position, where he falls and why.
2:31
I'll end the chat with that tease of our upcoming coverage. Gerry, Ray and Chris are at the combine so be sure to look out for what's next from them. In the meantime I'll hold down the fort here in Pittsburgh. Keep an eye out for Thursday's mailbag if you didn't see your question pop in today.
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