You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 5.23.22
powered byJotCast
View Full Chat Next Page
Brian Batko
2:00
Hi everyone, OTAs start around the league today but the Steelers' first session is tomorrow. Let's chat about it.
Jim
2:01
Not a Steelers question specifically, why is the NFL making us pay for Amazon to stream games on Thursday nights that last year were free??? Do they not understand they have already priced us out of going to the actual games, now we can't even afford to watch them? Are they really this naïve?
Brian Batko
2:02
I guess they're banking on people finding a way to watch the most popular sport in America. If pricing people out of games is hurting the bottom line, you could've fooled me.
MTScott
2:02
Odds that Tuitt participates in OTAs?
Brian Batko
2:03
Don't know, but I know that you know that I don't know, so I'll just take a wild guess and say 7%. After all, I'm here to answer your questions.
Jacque Strap
2:04
B Money -- if you had the hiring power for an NFL team, and Mike Tomlin was willing and available, would you hire him to be your defensive coordinator?
Brian Batko
2:04
Doesn't it depend on who else is willing and available? But in a vacuum, sure.
Desert Steel
2:05
Aside from the QB position, which rookie has the biggest impact this year?
Brian Batko
2:06
That's a good one. I actually think it'll be Calvin Austin. If you've listened to me on our Pod of Steel show with Ray Fittipaldo, I've been in a front-row seat on the Austin bandwagon since the moment they picked him. But I see his skill set as well-suited to the slot and I see no clear slot receiver on the roster, ipso facto...
ev
2:06
Hi Brian, Should the Steelers offense sputter next year, regardless of qb, at what point will the Tomlin-Canada tandem be compared to Noll-Joe Walton?
Brian Batko
2:07
Ha, I'd have to do a bit more research on the Joe Walton era to give a good answer to that. I've covered more games at Joe Walton Field than I've covered of Joe Walton as a coach. But I'm picking up what you've put down, ev. Should the Steelers offense sputter this year, I think Matt Canada would be shown the door. Need to see some progress after the mess that last year was.
steelers7
2:08
if you had to bet 1000$ on who will be the next Steelers GM who you betting it on?
Brian Batko
2:09
Now that's how I like my chat questions phrased. I'm glad you didn't put a gun on me. But I'll say Brandon Hunt.
NM Steeler
2:10
Hi Double B, will Zach Gentry get a second contract in your opinion? Keep up the good work!
Brian Batko
2:12
Love to see Zach Gentry's New Mexico fan club checking in. I actually think he will. He's kind of the perfect No. 2 TE to me. Decent blocker, decent pass-catcher, great locker room guy. I view it as a perfect mix of role and value.
Pittfan
2:13
Hi Brian. If Trubisky wins the starting job and has a good (playoff appearance) to very good year (playoff win) do you think the Steelers stick with him for year 2 or try to trade him while his trade value is high? Could this turn into a Jimmy Garapolo situation?
Brian Batko
2:15
Hmmm. The QB market next offseason would be a major factor there. It's hard to imagine moving on from a QB who wins a playoff game for you, but they just used a first-round pick on Kenny Pickett. I think they'd have to try to trade him and get some value in return.
Guest
2:17
Hello Brian.  I think the offense will continue to struggle.  Can you see coach Tomlin influence the offense like he did in the past?
Brian Batko
2:19
I'm sure he won't hesitate to step in if he doesn't like what he sees. That's a big part of what the HC does, and Year 1 with his hand-picked OC was less than impressive. In that regard, he has a club in his bag that he hasn't had for most of his tenure: Another option to put in if the starter isn't getting it done. He went to that well often in the Mason Rudolph-Duck Hodges season.
Omaha the horse
2:20
With all the talk surrounding the quarterback situation, what do you think the potential is for Najee Harris to have a monster season?
Brian Batko
2:21
Harris should be in for a monster season regardless due to the volume. No clear-cut backup, a guy who can do it all as the starter, that should add up to massive production provided he can stay healthy. And he has been durable.
Jake
2:21
Chances Tuitt shows up tomorrow ?
Brian Batko
2:22
I'll just use this as a chance to expound on this and my earlier answer: There's been radio silence from Stephon Tuitt, so perhaps he's just laying low, but I tend to think in the 2022 media world that word would've leaked out by now if he's going to be there tomorrow.
Hector
2:23
Thanks, Brian for the work and time.  How about those Shaler women! Biggest weakness and biggest question mark for the team as it gets into OTAs and camp?
Brian Batko
2:24
Shaler girls winning the first ever Steelers flag football championship yesterday, major props to them. And kudos to the organization for doing so much to put that league together.
Now, on to your question. Biggest weakness, to me, is the run defense until proven otherwise. Outside of QB, which is too obvious, the biggest question mark is the offensive line and who plays where.
BPOS
2:25
How many receivers you will they have on the final 53, and who will they be?  If they only keep 5 like last year, and we know Johnson, Claypool, Pickens and Austin are locks, then that leaves a position battle between Gunner and Boykin, unless the keep 6 right?
Brian Batko
2:26
When I did my way-too-early roster projection, I penciled in 6. And I think they have more talent/depth at that position than running back, of which they kept four last year (not including Derek Watt). To me, it makes more sense to keep someone like Gunner Olszewski, who can help you in a return role, than a fourth RB. They don't even have two RBs who feel like a roster lock to me.
Mike from Erie,PA
2:27
Hi Brian,  With all of the changes on Offense, is the OC still the biggest question mark ?  Thx.
Brian Batko
2:28
He's certainly up there. But I'm more of a players over coaches guy, so I tend to think the QB play will be more significant than whatever would be drawn up by Canada or Randy Fichtner when he was here or whomever might've replaced Canada this offseason. But no doubt, he has much to prove in his second season calling plays.
Doug from Spring City
2:29
Hi Brian, thanks for taking my question. A lot of speculation is going into the QB situation the Steelers have, and I personally think rather than throwing KP into the fire right away, it would be best to let Trubisky handle the reigns and let the youngster learn for a year.  What are your thoughts on this and do you truly expect the Steelers to give Pickett a shot to win the job??  Thanks!
Brian Batko
2:31
I'm with you that at this early juncture, without knowing how they fare in training camp/preseason, starting the veteran makes more sense. Just in general in the NFL I think we've seen more cases of a young QB playing too early and failing than waiting too long and failing. Now, Pickett was the 20th overall pick and is more polished than your typical rookie, so I do expect the Steelers to give him a shot. But my prediction is that Trubisky will look like the more NFL-ready QB going into the season, and the Steelers will be happy to have patience with Pickett.
Jay
2:32
If Mitch plays lights out this year do they sign him to an extension?
Brian Batko
2:33
My gut tells me there's not much Trubisky could do to get an extension right now. Even if he plays lights out, as you posit, it would be one lights-out season amid five mediocre ones in his NFL career, and the Steelers have their first-rounder waiting in the wings. This is all interesting to speculate about, but there's no doubt it would be a good problem to have for Art Rooney II and friends.
Jim
2:34
Why is everyone writing us off for this year when we should have improved on both sides of the ball and we made the playoffs last year? Last year they said Ben was terrible, but now without him we are worse??? Makes no sense to me.
Brian Batko
2:36
Have you seen the other rosters in the AFC? I'm not writing off the Steelers - Mike Tomlin's track record is too consistent to do that - but on paper, I don't see them being a playoff team. Not with the uncertainty they face at the game's most important position, not to mention the OL, not to mention the run defense. I'm never gonna bet against a Tomlin-coached team to finish under .500, but I don't think this team has as much upside as others they're competing with.
Guest
2:37
Any chance they trade Dionte Johnson before the season?  Appreciate that they then don't have a true #1, but I would argue that he isn't a true #1 either.  If they could get a number 1 or even 2 pick next year, would it be worth it?  The team needs more than 1 solid receiver to get back to being a legitimate contender, and I can't imagine they intend to sign Johnson longer term given the escalation in WR contracts.
Brian Batko
2:39
I'd be surprised, but never say never. Would I trade him for a first-rounder? Certainly. A second? Probably not, considering the Ravens got a first for Hollywood Brown.
Emilio
2:39
Hi Brian,  can a case be made that besides having trouble evaluating CBs, ILB Is another issue, besides Bush, the Steelers traded a couple of drafts for players that nobody wants to sign now Avery W and Joe S? Thanks
Brian Batko
2:41
There's no doubt it's been an issue. An issue of evaluation, of development, all the above. Don't get me wrong, it's a difficult position to play, and NFL offenses are making it tougher on off-ball linebackers every year. But even grading on that curve, the Steelers aren't getting what they thought they would from a 10th overall pick, and it's obvious they didn't get what they thought they would for Joe Schobert given that they replaced him with Myles Jack.
Connecting…