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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 04.18.22
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Brian Batko
12:00
Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by the chat again. Let's get to it.
Kris
12:01
Good Day Sir!
It seems to me that the Steelers big free agency spend was merely to make the team functional at the basics but not good enough to endanger a couple of losing seasons, and the higher draft picks (QB?).
What is your impression?
Brian Batko
12:03
Not sure I'd go that far. Did the Steelers go "all in," whatever that means? No, they signed Mitch Trubisky for a little over $5 million guaranteed. But of course they still want to win.
Joe
12:03
thanks for the chats. What do you believe the plan is at strong safety. Seems to me the plan was to get a good D lineman and receiver in the the first 2 rounds. Seems a stretch to get a starting strong safety. Your thoughts?
Brian Batko
12:04
Hard to say, Joe. I wrote a lot about it in this week's position analysis, in case you missed it https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2022/04/16/do-steelers-ne...
TheVille
12:04
Brian - chances that Mathieu signs? If the Steelers don’t get him, will they immediately sign Edmunds back?
Brian Batko
12:06
I'm up to 10%. But both of those are likely contingent on what happens in the draft. Put it this way, I see the pecking order as:

Steelers try to land a starter-caliber safety in the draft > if not, look harder at Tyrann Mathieu > no Honey Badger, maybe sweeten the deal for Terrell Edmunds
MG
12:06
It seems to me the Steelers biggest immediate need is at strong safety. Big hole there. So barring a last-minute, pre-draft signing of Edmunds or the Honey Badger, isn't that position as likely as any to be their #1 pick?
Brian Batko
12:07
Yeah, I'd say so. They saw Lewis Cine of Georgia and Dax Hill of Michigan in-person at their pro days. And they didn't see Kyle Hamilton of Notre Dame there, but I think he's the type of prospect who's so talented that if he somehow slips to No. 20, it might not matter.
Ryan
12:08
Brian with the draft next week who do we select with our first pick i hope we get heyward in later rounds
Brian Batko
12:08
Connor Heyward, Cam's youngest brother, doesn't have a clear-cut fit in the NFL but to me, there's a lot worse things you could do with your seventh-round pick(s) than bet on his football character and bloodlines.
wiscoken
12:10
Brian, thanks for all that you do, been an interesting off season for sure!  Based on how things stand today, likelihood of Diontae and Steelers reaching a deal... less than 50%?  Hard time seeing Steelers giving up close to $20M per year, and hard time seeing DJ accepting much less.
Brian Batko
12:11
Yeah, I don't really see it. To me, he's been good but not great, and I'd reserve a second WR contract for the great ones. Especially when there are so many in today's NFL.
Tom in VA
12:12
Hey Brian!  Thanks for the time and chats!  How many prospects have visited the Steelers out of their 30 and any idea who else they plan on visiting with?  Thanks!
Brian Batko
12:13
Hi, Tom. It's been tougher to track visits this year than it used to be, but I believe the Steelers have used about half their 30 visits so far, not counting local prospects from WPIAL/Pitt. And Malik Willis is visiting Wednesday. Naturally, the big story is all the QBs who have come through - Desmond Ridder, Matty Corral, Sammy Howell, Carson Strong and now Willis.
Scuba Steve
12:14
Considering that he remains unsigned. Did the Steelers ultimately get the better end of the Melvin Ingram trade by picking up a draft pick and getting rid of a disgruntled player who remains a free agent?
Brian Batko
12:14
I guess you could say that, but Chiefs Kingdom (why are they called that?) raved about Melvin Ingram after that trade last season. And the Steelers didn't exactly find a reliable No. 3 edge-rusher in his absence. Maybe it's a wash.
Killerbee
12:15
Do you believe the recent trade between Philly and the Saints was for the later to be in position to move up for a QB? Potentially to get in front of Carolina, if so it would seem the top 3 QB/s would be gone way before pick 20, considering the Falcons, Saints and Carolina among others are looking for a long term solution. Some with their own bridge QB/s already in place.
Brian Batko
12:16
Not necessarily. I see the Saints as having two major needs, tackle and WR. Having two picks in the top 20 really helps with those two positions this year, specifically. Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton are in New Orleans, which isn't exactly Brett Favre-Aaron Rodgers as a pairing, but I'm skeptical that the Saints are trying to find their QB of the future this year (at least in the first round).
Ed in Carrick
12:18
Do you see any FA signings before the draft?
Brian Batko
12:19
No, I don't think so. They generally go into draft preparation at this time. But you never know.
RJT
12:19
I don’t see the Steelers taking a QB in the first round but I think them trading up in the second round to grab one is a very likely possibility. Do you agree?
Brian Batko
12:20
Sure, this could be a year that makes sense. Especially if they feel that they've addressed their depth enough at various positions via free agency, then you don't necessarily need all seven picks. Or you can borrow from the 2023 draft assets, if you feel strongly enough about Quarterback X.
Jay
12:21
Hello Brian.  How optimistic are you on the offense this year?  I'm afraid it may be historically bad.
Brian Batko
12:23
More optimistic than you, it's safe to say. But I understand the pessimism. The OC has not proven himself at the NFL level. Same could be said for the QB(s). The WRs are as inconsistent as they are scarce. And the OL certainly is in transition, with at least a couple question marks penciled into the starting lineup. Tell you what, though: Being historically bad might actually be preferable to "mediocre," because then you find yourself back in QB purgatory, right?
Dave
12:23
Brian,  There’s an article in the PG every time a QB visits the Steelers as one of the 30 allowed visits.  However, I’ve seen nothing reported about the other position players who have visited.  Are the Steelers FO keeping this a secret?  If not, would you please report
Brian Batko
12:26
Hey Dave. As I mentioned earlier, access to visitors has not been streamlined the way it used to be, so we're kind of just scouring for the various visits that get leaked by agents. Here are a few notable ones outside the QBs that have been reported by one outlet or another: Houston CB Marcus Jones (inside guy, and return man), Virginia S Joey Blount (might go undrafted) and Clemson LB James Skalski (same).
Bearcat
12:27
Please don't have the Steelers reach for Desmond Ritter at 20. Overrated and a decision that will take the Steelers several years to recover.
Brian Batko
12:27
Is he related to John Ritter? RIP
JP In Indy
12:28
Happy Monday Mr. B! What do you think happens first? A shiny new contract for Minkah or another FA addition to the Steelers secondary?
Brian Batko
12:29
Please, JP. Mr. B is my father. I'll say FA addition to the secondary because that covers a lot of bases. Could be a safety, could be a corner, could be an undrafted free agent. But I'm mainly using this technicality/loophole as a cop-out. I do think Minkah Fitzpatrick gets a shiny new deal ... eventually ... but I'm not sure if there will be a "shiny" free-agent addition, if that makes sense.
Tom in Punta Gorda
12:30
Hi Brian, let's trade Cam and TJ for Baker, draft a QB in every round and sign Newton,
Brian Batko
12:30
Cam Sutton or Cam Heyward?
scottyg
12:30
Good afternoon! From your vantage point, what are the top three needs on Defense and top three needs on Offense and how do you see the team filling those needs in this draft?
Brian Batko
12:31
Offense: 1) WR 2) QB 3) OT
Defense: 1) SS 2) NT 3) Edge
12:33
Oops, forgot to answer the second part for scottyg man. WR will be in Round 2, QB will be in Round 6, OT will be in Round 4, SS will be in Round 3, NT will be in Round 1, Edge will be in Round 7
Alan from Indy
12:33
Brian, depending on draft picks and FA improvements, how much better will Canada’s offense look this year and will he be out of the fans doghouse?
Brian Batko
12:35
Can't look much worse, right? Obviously, much will still depend on the QB, be it Trubisky or Mason Rudolph or Matt Ridder-Willis. But I think Canada can get out of the doghouse if one those guys fits well, and if they get a playmaker at WR who can make good use of those jet sweeps, screens, etc.
NyssaRick
12:36
Steelers have to go line shopping in draft, am I wrong?
Brian Batko
12:36
No
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