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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 04.07.25
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Brian Batko
1:56
Hi all, let's go ahead and get started on today's 2 p.m. chat, even though it's not quite 2. Come one, come all with your Steelers questions, comments and concerns
TheRealArthur
1:57
Brian, thanks for the time and chat. This QB draft class is similar to the’22 class with the exception of 1, maybe 2 prospects are worthy of a high 1st round pick.  Is there a Brock Purdy in this group? Who’s your best guess in this group that everyone misevaluates and could change the trajectory of a franchise like he did? Thanks
Brian Batko
1:59
Good question. Considering Brock Purdy was the last pick in the draft, it's easy to predict that no, there is no Purdy in this year's class. Rarely are there ever Brock Purdy types at QB. But if so, maybe Seth Henigan from Memphis. All he did there was make plays from freshman to senior year.  I wrote about him a little more here: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2025/02/28/nfl-draft-comb...
Chill Dave
1:59
Hi Bats, The Steelers have needed to draft DL high for at least the last four years, but this is the first time the draft appears to be coming to them with multiple first round prospects appropriate for where they will pick.  That said, if they really do like a QB option at 21, don't they have to take him?
Brian Batko
2:01
Agreed. And that's a good point by you, Chill Dave. A chill point, even. So often we get caught up in positions the Steelers need or should've drafted when it just wasn't a good year for those particular spots. That said, yes. If they have high-enough grades on a QB or multiple QBs who are there at 21, then go for it. Hence the whole concept of this pre-draft scouting process. That's what they're trying to determine.
KVa
2:01
Do you believe the Steelers will be active and or aggressive on draft day - moving up or down - or does this depend a lot if Mr. Rodgers is in the neighborhood. And will they throw a DART in there on draft day?
Brian Batko
2:02
I don't really see this as being a draft with teams doing a lot of moving up and down. There hasn't been a first-round pick traded yet, which is historic in its own right. Granted, that could change, but I guess I'd mainly chalk it up to there not being a ton of hugely polarizing players in this class who get teams thinking trade-up. Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart could be the two most likely to tempt that, though.
Henry Hill
2:04
True or False: the Steelers will know Rodgers's decision by this Friday.
Brian Batko
2:04
Leaning toward false but not much would surprise me at at this point
Dave
2:05
i know common sense says D line is a need, but doesn’t it seem like the Steelers are treating it as more of a luxury pick than a need pick rn? I know there’s still 10 visits to go, but I’m still shocked at the lack of 1st round DTs.
Brian Batko
2:06
So far we've had Chill Dave and regular Dave. And, true to form, regular Dave is a tiny bit worried. Let's wait and see how the pre-draft visits turn out. They're actually only halfway there.
Happy Gilmore
2:06
If Tomlin's desperate Rodgers move fails to net a single playoff win will he FINALLY be on the hot seat?
Brian Batko
2:07
There's not a traditional "hot seat" for Mike Tomlin, we know that much. As for how long the guy can go without winning a playoff game here and absorbing the negativity that comes with that, I do not know, Happy.
Silent Bob
2:08
Hi Brian - a question on the QB situation (I'm guessing this won't be the only one today!) I was hoping to sign Fields - but Fields doesn't make much sense when you have Metcalf & Pickens. I think MR would lead a more dynamic, downfield passing game with those guys. Thoughts?
Brian Batko
2:10
Sure, the deep ball has always been one of his strong suits, but you also need a certain level of sack avoidance to really benefit those two guys. Does Mason have that? I'm not sure. For what it's worth, his average intended air yards per pass attempt last season was 7.0 to 6.8 for Aaron Rodgers. Not a huge gap there. But I acknowledge the Titans offense was a dumpster fire.
Yates
2:10
Brian-  Forget the AR angle, what is on the docket for Pat McAfees night AHT that attracts a sellout crowd?
Brian Batko
2:11
I don't really know. Was talking to my brother-in-law about this the other day because he's going with some buddies. And from what I can tell, it's kind of like going to a comedy show. I guess it'll basically be like watching the McAfee show with all the usual guys talking but doing so in-person. Whatever floats your boat.
Steelers fan 64 yrs
2:13
Thanks for the ability to share my opinion Brian. If the Redskins could win with Mark Rypkin the stillers can win with Mason. Patterson imitates John Riggins, the o-line excels and stillers lead league in takeaways. Problem is MT is no Joe Gibbs.
Brian Batko
2:13
Gotta have the hogs, too, right?
sean
2:13
Hi, who would be Jaxson Dart's QB comparison?
Brian Batko
2:15
I compared him to Zach Wilson on our big board but maybe that's too modest, given Wilson's lack of NFL success. I've seen people say Gardner Minshew, Mitch Trubisky, even Kenny Pickett. A lot of those are baked into the overall size profile, which his good but not great.
TVC
2:15
A game of "What if?"  What if Tomlin like most new head coach hires, inherited a bad 2 or 3 win team with no Hall of Fame quarterback, Hall of Fame offensive and defensive coordinators and Hall of Fame studs on defense, two years removed from a Super Bowl championship? Would he have built the team into a Super Bowl champ or been fired after 3 years?
Brian Batko
2:16
All that stuff helped, for sure. By and large, the hit rate for head coaches turning any situation, let alone the one you describe, into a Super Bowl champion is pretty low. But this is the Steelers, so I also wouldn't necessarily predict he'd have been fired after three years.
Pittfan
2:17
Hi Brian. It appears a team must have told the NFL that Jalen Milroe is on their board as a 1st rounder. He's been invited to the draft with a select few of 8 - 10. Let's remember, the Ravens drafted Lamar because of his potential (he wasn't the really good passer he is today). Milroe will dictate the defense the way Lamar does meaning they will not be able to turn their backs on him. Is it time to take a chance? It's easier to find a DL in free agency than a QB.
Brian Batko
2:18
Yeah I did raise my eyebrows when I saw that Jalen Milroe got that invite. Pretty strange considering the lack of buzz for him in the first round from those of us who don't run NFL teams. But hey, you're right, he's got traits. Is it time for the Steelers to take a chance? Nah, not in the first round. At least not to me.
Undelicate
2:18
No delicate way to ask this but is Cordarrelle Patterson romantically involved with someone in/ on the Steeler's front office/ staff?
Brian Batko
2:19
I laughed. In all seriousness, though, Arthur Smith does love Cordarrelle Patterson. How much rope that should get someone, I'm skeptical, but it's a real thing.
Z
2:21
Thanks for always being here BB.  Are we believing any of the smoke behind a round 1 QB?  I find it hard to believe that they reach again given what seems to be available in 2026?
Brian Batko
2:22
Regardless of what you make of the smoke or no smoke, I just don't really rule out anything QB-wise for the Steelers after what they did last offseason.
GMJoe
2:22
All the Pickens trade talk is on restoring a 2025 day 2 pick. Are there any mumbles about adding to the 2026 haul instead, which usually fetches a one round bump for the deferral. Alternatively to that, how far up could Pickens take us in Rd.1 to chase a premium DL like Graham or Grant?
Brian Batko
2:23
Not sure but I wouldn't hate that. While it'd leave you with more of a temporary hole at wideout, of course, you could still go get one in the third round again. Or make another move. Gaining any kind of Round 2/3 value for George Pickens would be worth it, in my mind.
Try2PeakWhenItCounts
2:25
I get all this talk about QB1 QB1… but isn’t the real truth that our highest paid everyone-was-healthy defense turned to complete MUSH the last games of the season and that’s the real reason we tanked?
Brian Batko
2:26
Much like we discussed many times in January, it's truly both. There's no "real reason" in those terms for the five-game skid. They pretty much stunk on both sides of the ball. Whatever the opposite of complementary football is, that's what they were playing (albeit against elite teams)
wiscoken
2:26
As a life long Steeler fan who now lives in Wisconsin, I find it interesting that so much emphasis is being placed on when ARod makes his decision (as if that is an end to all of this) vs. what happens after. If his decision is yes, it is just the beginning. The good news for the PG is that you will be guaranteed juicy material to write/talk about for the next 12 months! This is a guy who owned the hearts of nearly every Packer fan and in very short order torched his own legacy because of his actions and ego... in addition, he divided a locker room, many of which have been public in being happy to see him depart. The ARod saga isn't coming to an end... it's just beginning.
Brian Batko
2:29
Appreciate your boots-in-the-cheese perspective there, wiscoken. He's polarizing, I know that much. And I tend to think that while some Steelers fans will love it and some will hate it, a little higher percentage would rather not deal with the look-at-me QB who makes a documentary about himself for Netflix, does a weekly interview on ESPN, etc. As we know, none of that will matter if he wins. That's just a rather large if.
Yogi in Yonkers
2:29
Hey Brian. After much reflection I am in agreement that the Steelers will go DL in first round (Weidl setting the board, right?). Then next year in front of a raucous home crowd, they pick their franchise QB and the place will go nuts. How does that sound?
Brian Batko
2:29
Sounds like Draft Day 2: Electric Boogaloo
RISteeler
2:31
Front office and Mike T are saying in public that if AR doesn't sign they are comfortable starting MR.  Is that a legitimate feeling or is that media spin?  If they draft Dart who do you think would be a better mentor?
Brian Batko
2:32
Who knows? I tend to think they do have some level of comfort because of how well he played last time he was here. But last season in Nashville was rough. Plus, the way the rest of the league looks at the Steelers is going to be ... with pity, I guess. If they can stand being seen as something of an unserious team at the moment, then sure, they'll be patient and given Rudolph the ball first.
34russellhof
2:34
Brian, Ray wrote an article that the Steelers need to assess whether Patterson can still return. Your opinion on why he is still on the roster. Remember Smith used him on critical downs last year. Enough with the loyalty to a 34 year old oft injured back?
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