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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 04.12.21
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Brian Batko
12:00
Hi everyone. Light on Steelers news lately, but not on chat questions. As always, you're a voracious crew. Time to eat my Greek yogurt lunch and answer some questions.
Jacque Strap
12:00
B Money...I don't have a question, just wanted to say I enjoyed your interview with Ike Taylor. Never knew they let him sit in on some draft meetings.   https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2021/04/07/ike-taylor-ste...
Brian Batko
12:02
Thanks for the plug. I enjoyed it, myself. Did not realize Ike was so enamored with the front-office dynamic of the NFL. No idea if it's actually realistic, but would certainly be an interesting character if he ever gets into the scouting department for the Steelers or another team.
Jerry
12:02
Big Ben use to be good at play action. Why do you think he stop doing and liking it? Just baffles me
Brian Batko
12:04
I wasn't covering the Steelers back in those days, but I don't think a preference to play out of shotgun is something that's unique to Ben Roethlisberger. Not hard to see why a lot of QBs like it. You get to survey the whole defense, you've got built-in time to throw and you aren't turning your back to a bunch of 300-pound monsters who could pulverize you in a second.
Rock Daddeo
12:05
How many teams ahead of the Steelers you think are entertaining the possibility of drafting a RB with their first pick?
Brian Batko
12:07
Well the Jets and Dolphins aren't gonna draft one with their first picks at 2 and 6 overall, but they also pick directly in front of the Steelers again at 18 and 23. They're both in need of upgrades at RB, and the fact that they have a lot of picks could lead to one or both bucking conventional wisdom to take Najee Harris/Travis Etienne.
Cardinals might be a dark horse at 16, too.
Skip
12:08
Everyone at the PG is saying that CB won't be a priority for the Steelers in the draft, but the position looks awfully thin right now.  Are they really so high on Layne and Pierre?  Even if they are, there isn't much depth.  If a high draft pick isn't used there, will they try to sign a free agent?  There are a number of seemingly solid options still available.
Brian Batko
12:10
Is everyone saying that? Not to my knowledge. I just ranked this team's draft needs a couple weeks ago in my mailbag and ranked cornerback third: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2021/03/25/steelers-draft...

Anyway, I agree with you that it's thin, especially at Mike Hilton's slot corner position given that Cam Sutton is moving outside. And even outside behind him, yeah, not much to go on with either Justin Layne or James Pierre. I still think they'll pick one even though they've struggled drafting that position. If not, they waited around until August one year and Joe Haden dropped into their lap.
RJT
12:10
Any other team that has a QB throw 33 touchdowns and 10 int... and wins 12 games. The media is optimistic about them. Yet Ben is a bum and the Steelers will be lucky to win 8 games next year, is what I’m seeing.  Why is that?
Brian Batko
12:12
Because they lost four of the last five games he played and he had 12 touchdowns to 8 interceptions in that stretch. And he just turned 39.
By the way, I'm not saying Ben is a bum and the Steelers will be lucky to win 8 games. But as of this moment, I do think they look like a .500-ish team on paper, and QB play is part of that.
Polvtzian Dance No.2 by Borodin
12:13
If you look at the photo of Claypool at the top of this chat, you can see exactly what he needs to work on... fight for/snatch the ball without telegrahing, look how his eyes are still skyward & he's waiting to feel the ball hit his rigid hands before he reacts... That's  why he gets beat on 50/50s a lot.
Brian Batko
12:14
Fun fact, the way I see the chat, I don't have that photo at the top of my page right now. But that's neither here nor there. Certainly Chase Claypool can improve, but I thought he was OK on those 50-50 balls. Drew a lot of PI calls, too.
Bellwood Bill
12:14
how about Taking the RB from Alabama in the 1st round then trade up in the second to get the Center we desperately need and pick up some other solid O Lineman as we see them on the board and start rebuilding the line as we play this season with Ben and anticipate a new QB in a year or so...who will benefit from a stout O line when he arrives here
Brian Batko
12:16
Interesting though, BB. If anything, I could see an argument for the Steelers trading DOWN but you might be right that they see more of an avenue to address their biggest needs by moving up in Round 2 (or 3). However, to do that, you're costing yourself chances to build defensive depth with later picks, or future picks in 2022.
Gene
12:17
Do the Steelers draft both a OLB and a ILB in the 3rd and 4th rounds?
Brian Batko
12:18
I think they'll draft one of each, but not necessarily in those rounds. For an OLB, I'd wait until the fourth at the earliest. ILB will be interesting. I also wrote about that in a mailbag recently, and I think the biggest factor there is how the Steelers truly feel about Robert Spillane: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2021/04/01/steelers-draft...
JustAGuess
12:19
How many RBs in the draft do you think are better than what they have on the roster? Just thinking even if they wait til Rd 3 for a guy like Sermon, they’d be better off getting elite talent at OL & CB earlier
Brian Batko
12:21
That's a good question. The Steelers might feel differently than me, but I think I'm out on Benny Snell as the bell cow. And it's concerning that Anthony McFarland and Jaylen Samuels were barely used last year. Kalen Ballage? Probably just a guy. So, as far as upgrades go, I'm looking at Etienne, Harris, Javonte Williams and Trey Sermon for sure. But here's a sleeper I seem to like more than most draft gurus: Chuba Hubbard from OK State.
12:22
(Full disclosure, I'm biased because I think it would be cool to have Canadians as the No. 1 wideout and No. 1 running back.)
The GM
12:23
Good morning Brian, would you be shocked if the Steelers selected an OLB/ILB or CB with the 24th pick? I know its been like eight years straight Colbert has selected a Defensive Player in the 1st Rd. Could it be nine?
Brian Batko
12:25
I'd be surprised, but not shocked, simply because of a well-documented preference for their first-rounders. As you noted, they haven't used a first-round pick on offense since Dave DeCastro in 2012. Don't think it would be an edge rusher, but ILB or CB? You can make an argument for that.
Jim
12:25
While everyone thinks we are going OL or RB with the first pick, what are the odds that the Steelers throw us a curve ball?
Brian Batko
12:26
The GM just pointed out a couple of the potential curve balls. I'd toss in TE as another one. And, hey, can you ever really rule out a team picking a QB in the first round these days? That would be the ultimate curve ball, right?
Billy Bats
12:27
Do the Pens have a realistic shot at the cup this year?
Brian Batko
12:27
I don't think I've watched a single minute of the Penguins this season, but of course!
Manjo
12:28
Do you think the NFL will suspend Deshaun Watson like they did to Big Ben?
Brian Batko
12:29
Yes, at this point, it looks like all signs are pointing to Watson opening the season on the commissioner's exempt list.
Steeleres fan in AL.
12:29
Love the chats Brian. What do you think of the Steelers first 2 picks in the draft being 1. Tevin Jenkins OT Ok ST.. 2. Trey Serman RB The Ohio State. I am not the familiar with Serman, can he be the 3 down feature back the Steelers need?
Brian Batko
12:31
Thanks. Teven Jenkins doesn't seem like as much of a fit to me as other top OTs in this class because of his extensive experience at RT as opposed to LT. Steelers already have a big, bruising guy there in Zach Banner. And I do think Trey Sermon can be a No. 1 back in the NFL.
LivingInMyFears
12:33
Hi Brian, thank you for the chat. How exactly does the increased revenue share, triggered by 17-gam expansion, find its way back in the form of player income? Does it directly increase the cap or does it get paid to the players as a separate stipend? Thanks!
Brian Batko
12:35
The players are getting increased guaranteed revenue shares, higher minimum salaries and better benefit plans. This was all bargained by the league and the players' union, which is now fighting for less in-person time this offseason, in case you missed Cam Heyward's Twitter thread Friday: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2021/04/09/cam-heyward-nf...
Yankton Ern
12:36
Chuks, Dotson, ?, DeCastro, Banner.  Who’s the man in the middle?
Brian Batko
12:37
At this point, my guess is someone not on the roster, probably a rookie. But hey, BJ Finney and JC Hassenauer are decent insurance plans considering they have legitimate NFL starting experience.
Ryan
12:38
Good afternoon Brian what do you think about the Steelers drafting daelin Hayes from Notre Dame and who is going to play with bush ?
Brian Batko
12:40
Hi Ryan. I like Hayes as someone who very well could be in the range the Steelers should take an edge-rusher, Round 4 or later. Another high-character guy who could compete with Alex Highsmith or slot in as that No. 3. As for Devin Bush's running mate, my read on it is that they believe in Spillane, at least to give him the first crack at it.
Steeler in Virginia
12:41
You say you feel the Steelers may be a .500-ish team, which could very well be true. What do you think is the most important step/steps they need to take to fix that this offseason then which might be accomplishable?
Brian Batko
12:42
I'd start with an improved running game, to take a lot of the pressure off the QB that I've already mentioned I'm concerned about. We know the Steelers have said themselves that's a priority, so now let's see how they do it. Also, I didn't anticipate quite this level of turnover on the defense, so I want to see which pieces they add to the Watt-Heyward-Tuitt-Minkah core.
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