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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 06.01.20
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Brian Batko
12:01
Hi, everyone. Steelers continue their virtual OTAs this week, so I'm here to take any questions you might have. Let's get to it.
John Strange
12:01
Big ben scorched the Patriots for a sweet, sweet 3 points in last year's opener. How much worse could Mason Rudolph or even Duck Hodges have done?  Zero points? Zero points plus a couple of pick-sixes?
Brian Batko
12:01
Glad you got that out of the way early this week, JS.
Thomas
12:02
Do the steelers have any plans to address their punter issue?  I think Berry is awful.  I know some of his stats are solid, but overall he seems to not come thru in the clutch.
Brian Batko
12:04
To date, their only plan this offseason has been to bring in a punter as a priority undrafted free agent, but they almost always do that. Hopefully for his sake Corliss Waitman is really impressing the coaches with his punting knowledge during virtual OTAs.
NYCJOHN
12:05
If you had to predict Dionte Johnson’s stays next season what do you think they will be? Receptions yards, tds? Also how involved do you think Chase Claypool will be?
Brian Batko
12:07
As much as Diontae Johnson started to find consistency late last season, I wouldn't be shocked if his numbers don't go way up. Not only is Chase Claypool going to be in the picture, but you'd expect to have a healthier JuJu Smith-Schuster, plus Eric Ebron drawing targets. So, how about 55 receptions, 751 yards, 4 touchdowns?
12:08
Oh, and as for Claypool, I do think it'll be tougher to work in rookies this year than it would be in a normal offseason. More than most, he'll have to really try to seize his opportunities when he gets them.
Gene
12:08
Hi Brian are the rosters expanded this year from 53 ?
Brian Batko
12:11
Technically, no. But effectively, yes. Because with the new CBA, practice squads are being expanded from 10 to 12, and on game weeks, teams will be able to promote two practice squad players (and activate two additional players on game days). So yeah, you're basically carrying 55 during the season.
Gus
12:12
Hi Brian...how do you feel about the 4th and 15 proposal that been tabled until next year?
Brian Batko
12:14
I don't love it, but I also don't think it's horrible like some have said. To me, it's just not quite the right balance of innovation and tradition. That said, I wouldn't have minded seeing it in action on a trial basis, if not for the regular season then the preseason.
John Strange
12:15
Quick Simple Fix (QSF) to the Rooney Rule: Teams with a minority or woman head coach get a first round draft pick and those with a white male head coach do not. For example if 16 teams have a minority or woman head coach they each get two first round draft picks and the 16 teams with a white male head coach get zero. To extrapolate if all 32 teams have a minority or woman head coach they each get a first round pick. If only one team has a minority or woman head coach that team gets all 32 first round picks. So if you do not have a minority or woman head coach not only do you not help your team with a first round but you do help competing teams with extra first round draft picks.
Brian Batko
12:15
John, I think your chat name is an understatement.
Guest
12:16
Do you think Cam Sutton gets an expanded role this year? It seems like he is strong against the pass and a sure tackler. Would love to see him at safety alongside 39.
Brian Batko
12:18
Yeah I thought he was solid last year with a bit more playing time than usual. Not sure about starting him at safety, though. A whole lot of tackling responsibilities there and that's not Sutton's best trait. His versatility could well lead to playing more than a quarter of the snaps, though, especially if there's an injury in the secondary.
Yuri
12:19
Assuming social distancing and other factors are in effect for the Steelers season, have you heard if there will be any limits as to the number of reporters/media permitted in the press box?
Brian Batko
12:21
I have not, and I'm sure we are not top of mind for the league right now, nor should we be. There are a lot of other hurdles to clear first. Although as this chat started, I did the annual memo from the Steelers about applying for season credentials, only with a disclaimer at the top of how it's all subject to change based on NFL policies. But thanks for your concern!
Alan in Nashville
12:22
Good morning. I’ve been struggling to imagine what NFL games would look and sound like with no fans. It seems as though the games might be very anticlimactic and boring. The SpaceX launch gave me an idea with all of the excitement of the ancillary staff and the clapping and hollering. Perhaps the game announcers can call the games from a enclosed room in the stadium with 50-100 socially distanced fans of each team in the room with them? It just might take some of the awkwardness away? Any thoughts?
Brian Batko
12:23
Based on some of the comments I've heard from fans about certain broadcasters over the years, they might be taking their lives into their own hands if they do that. Let's just see if the NFL can get clearance to play a standard season, first and foremost, then worry about the ancillary stuff later - reporters included.
CoalportKid
12:24
When can we expect a yes/no on training camp in Latrobe?
Brian Batko
12:25
The NFL has been resolute in not serving up any postponements or cancellations to this point, and I'm sure that's at least partially trickled down to the teams. But, thinking realistically, Saint Vincent probably isn't realistic this year. Now that it's June, and with camp usually opening in the last week or so of July, I'd think we might hear something this month.
John Strange
12:26
Are there just too many moving parts in football to have a 2020 NFL season? My two cents are a 2021 season at the earliest.
Brian Batko
12:27
No, I don't think so. It did seem to me at first that a 2020 season wouldn't happen, but pandemic-wise, things seem to be trending in a better direction. Now, if facilities around the league hadn't been opening back up for employees, etc., I'd be more pessimistic as we sit here on June 1. Not completely in the clear, by any means, but the arrow is pointing up for the return of sports, as Mike Tomlin would put it.
Buzzard Bill
12:28
I'm putting the over/under for Ben's arm at 3.5 games.  What say you?
Brian Batko
12:28
Put me down for the over, Buzzard Bill.
AK
12:29
Every chat I read John Strange is dumping in Ben!  Enough already!
Brian Batko
12:30
We all have our weekly (daily?) rituals, don't we?
Buster
12:31
At what age did you decide you wanted to be a sportswriter?
Brian Batko
12:33
Hello, Buster. I wrote for The Oracle school newspaper at Shaler, so I suppose I was at least entertaining it back then. Got increasingly more involved with The Pitt News my last couple years of college, and that's how I started interning at the Post-Gazette. After a few years working on the copy desk, I decided I really wanted to push to start writing if I could, so that's what I did.

So the answer to your question could be 16, 20, or ... 24?
Guest
12:34
If it was rock, paper, scissors instead of a coin toss, what would be your opening gambit?
Brian Batko
12:35
They should absolutely replace the opening game coin toss with RPS. And here's my move: I ask the guy on the opposing team what color his jersey is, because there's a mind trick out there that says if you do that, the person will be more likely to throw scissors. And then I throw rock. And I win. Look it up. Try it on a friend.
Leslie E.
12:37
Since tomorrow is primary Election Day, who gets your vote for most improved Steeler this coming season?
Brian Batko
12:38
Devin Bush is probably a good, logical answer here. Another year of experience under his belt, should be able to play faster, will almost certainly play more, etc. So I'll vote for Bush, especially since the Steelers didn't sign Frank Gore.
paullochrane@yahoo.com
12:39
big and i mean BIG ben contracts hurts the steelers a chance to reload why don't they just dump him or trade him  to any team stupid enough to take him ?  he has no playoffs wins in 4 years and no playoffs the last 2 years, seems to me their not receiving anything for their money they're paying him !!!!!
Brian Batko
12:42
You can't dump him now, and I can't imagine any team would trade for an aging QB coming off an injury with a ton of money tied up. However, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com recently did an analysis of how financially committed each team is to their current QB, and ranked the Steelers 16th. Graziano writes that "the Steelers and Roethlisberger are effectively tied together for only one more year. As an established future Hall of Famer, Roethlisberger really isn't in "prove-it time," but he and the team are entering decision time."
Dr. Mike
12:44
I am a graduate of St. Vincent and remain in close contact with the school and their football program.  Every year at about this time the Steelers send some of their groundskeepers to campus to work on the practice field to insure that it is in top shape.  They are presently on campus doing just that.
Brian Batko
12:44
Thanks, Dr. Mike. They may well be taking the usual steps to ready the grounds for camp, even if it doesn't happen as usual.
Mark
12:46
Do you know if any damage was done to Heinz Field or the South Side facility during the weekend protests?
Brian Batko
12:46
Not that I've seen or heard. The South Side facility has round-the-clock security, as far as I know.
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