JotCast | Christopher Carter's Steelers chat: 05.01.25

Christopher Carter's Steelers chat: 05.01.25

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David

12:40

What is your logical reason for tweeting the Steelers pick before it's announced at the podium? It really ruins the fun of watching the draft.

Christopher Carter

12:42

David, I'm a reporter. Our job is to break news. I had sources tell me the pick, so I made sure my readers had the news first. Do you say this to Adam Schefter, Ian Rappaport or Jordan Schultz?

I'm doing my job man. If you don't want to know before it says on your TV screen who the pick will be, don't be on social media. I thought it was beneficial to everyone who followed my work to know before anyone else that the picks were Harmon and Johnson.

574 Fan

12:43

Welcome to the chat lineup. Art Smiths comments following the Johnson pick seemed to indicate what most of us thought about Harris to be true: tough, durable, good burst for his size…but poor vision and just overall poor feel for the position. Can Johnson, assuming he’s an upgrade in the vision and instinct categories, immediately upgrade our run game without a significant improvement in our o-line play?

Christopher Carter

12:44

Thanks! Johnson's best part of the fit is he will be more comfortable in a zone scheme. But much of Harris' vision problems were furthered by bad OL play over the years. When you can't trust your OL, you make more mistakes.

Johnson showed great trust of his OL at Iowa because they earned it. Steelers need their OL to earn that trust with him and I think Johnson could be special.

NY Steel

12:44

Why has Tomlin struggled to find a good OL coach and to develop a consistent run game since Munchak left? We talk about it every year, as your colleague Starkey wrote, but it never happens. They run a lot but very inefficiently and struggle to convert 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1. What is the problem? And why has it taken so long to fix?

Christopher Carter

12:48

I think it's less about the coach and more about the personnel.

Munchak came into a developed OL room with an all-pro center and all-pro guard ready to go with good pieces around them in 2014.

When he left after 2018, 2019 was the Hodges year, and 2020 was the last year for Pouncey and DeCastro.

They only just started re-investing in the OL with serious picks in 2023. When they started that process in 2010, it took until 2014 for it to take because development takes time. I think if you let this group pan out, they'll develop and this won't be an issue. I remember when people used to say Tomlin couldn't develop an OL ... until he built one of the most elite groups in the NFL.

Rebuilds take time and they're in year 3 with the youngest of their newest linemen--Broderick Jones.

NY Steel

12:48

Where would you place responsibility for the Steelers playoff losses? Coaching, scheme, personnel, QB?

Christopher Carter

12:48

All are a mix.

(Stop hitting enter and ending your answers too early Chris. AH!)

12:55

All are a mix into the problems.
Coaching in as far as not solving for certain weaknesses certainly plays a factor.

But there've also been plenty of spots where better QB play would've solved a lot. The Steelers haven't had an offensive touchdown drive in a playoff game that tied or took the lead in a game since their win over the Dolphins in 2017.

Heck, their last playoff win was all field goals, great run game and great defense, and that was prime Roethlisberger. The only Steelers to give them a lead in a playoff game with a touchdown is T.J. Watt when the defense was playing out of its mind against the Chiefs in 2022 before the offense hung them out to dry.

Bottom line, it's always a mixed bag. But they've also faced MVP quarterbacks in each of their last three playoff losses with sub-par quarterback play. Think this team has to get back to dominating the trenches on both sides of the ball, and find their QB next year, then they'll be a bigger threat in the postseason.

NY Steel

12:55

Do you think Tomlin should have achieved more with Ben in his prime between 2010 and 2019? I believe just 1 AFCCG in that stretch.

Christopher Carter

1:01

Well, two and a Super Bowl appearance.

I think part of it was during those years, Ben Roethlisberger was his own biggest obstacle. The last time he had a positive TD/INT ratio in a win was 2010 against the Ravens.

How much of that was on Tomlin as much as it was on Roethlisberger? I think people tend to yell about Tomlin and not about the lack of big time plays in big moments by the quarterback when the team gave him chances to win or take control of those games.

I also see injuries as a big reason for that group never truly getting to shine its brightest. There are only two playoff games where the Steelers had Roethlisberger-Brown-Bell-Shazier healthy from start to finish, and they were 2-0 in those games.

574 Fan

1:01

Let’s say Rodgers decides to not sign. Some in National media seem to think the team would then pivot to acquiring Cousins - which would require a trade at this point. Tell me there’s no chance they would surrender draft capital to bring in someone who would be a 1-2 year bridge at best. Please.

Christopher Carter

1:02

I wouldn't say a zero chance, but I'd say a low chance. I think this team truly believes Mason Rudolph can handle things for a year if necessary. Only way they do anything for Cousins is if Atlanta eats a ton of that cap space AND it's a very, very low draft pick.

Tom

1:05

The Browns somehow managed to draft 2 qb's to get to a qb room with 5 guys but didn't draft a single WR. They have 1 decent receiver on their team in Jeudy (Wrong Way Diontae will mess things up as usual). Would you push hard to trade Pickens to Cleveland right now? They have a ton of picks next year including two firsts.

Christopher Carter

1:05

Only if they're giving up a first. I still think Pickens has a lot of meat left on the bone and sending him to a division rival would be tough.

Tom

1:05

How far would a little patience have gotten Kenny Pickett? Instead of being first in line to start in Pittsburgh this year he now sits in a room with 5 qb's!

Christopher Carter

1:06

Yeah, I said it at the time. He was in position to get his job back after Russell Wilson's one-year stint was over and he'd be the guy right now with no questions asked in an organization he'd be comfortable with. He shouldn't have wanted to leave.

Practice Squad Star

1:07

Gabriel or Sanders? Does either one land on Browns practice squad, and what do you think will be the final position on the depth chart for Pickett?

Christopher Carter

1:07

I think Sanders is the better prospect. I do not believe in Gabriel in the slightest. I do wonder if Pickett can beat out Flacco for the starting spot. I'll give him the nod and think they try something with him early in the season.

RAM

1:08

Hey Chris, just want to say nice job on the film study. Also, your work on the draft (calling picks before they happened) was outstanding!

Christopher Carter

1:08

Thanks Ram! Glad you enjoy the work!

Tom

1:08

AFC North team with the best draft?

Christopher Carter

1:08

It's between the Ravens and the Steelers. I love the Ravens getting Malaki Starks and Mike Green, both first round talents IMO. I'm also really high on Aeneas Peebles and they got him in the 6th.

1:09

But I also see Derrick Harmon as the best prospect between either team and think Kaleb Johnson could be a stud. So I go back and forth.

I don't think the Bengals did enough to warrant much celebration and I think the Browns' biggest move was finessing a first round pick from the Jaguars in 2026.

Jim

1:09

Why no oline picks, seems that was just as much a need as the dline.

Christopher Carter

1:10

It was not AS much a need. Lots of young players there ready to go while the D-line needed help fast. Do think they could've picked one OL later though.

Cal from nh

1:10

Have you started thinking about the qb crop next year? Who is your favorite?

Christopher Carter

1:11

I absolutely have. I am particular to LaNorris Sellers out of South Carolina. Fast like Lamar Jackson, strong like Cam Newton, and a cannon of an arm with several big plays in his career. Arch Manning would be the best, but I think Sellers could end up falling to a range the Steelers trade up for. Also really like Garrett Nussmeier.

Cal from nh

1:11

I feel a mid season trade of George Pickens to a team like the cowboys is still possible. If they are 2-7, the potential third rounder they could get would be nice when looking to trade up for a qb. Do you see this as a likely scenario

Christopher Carter

1:12

Certainly possible! But not for anything short of a second round pick.

Cal from nh

1:12

How do you say Mr Black, the DL 5th rounder’s name. I haven’t heard 2 people pronounce it the same way

Christopher Carter

1:12

Good question! Didn't know this until they drafted him myself.

It's: WHY-YAY.

Cal from nh

1:12

Burrow always seems better than Jackson. Am I tripping? Lamar always plays bad in big moments, he is more turnover prone, and more injury prone. Burrow always seems like a great leader who performs under pressure and can make every throw in the book. Am I just saying this because how they play vs the Steelers, or is this what you see?

Christopher Carter

1:17

Lamar Jackson is more injury prone when Joe Burrow has been knocked out of two seasons to Jackson's none? I don't know about that.

I think Burrow is the better pure passer. But he's also got the MUCH better receiving threats than Jackson's ever had. Give Jackson Chase and Higgins and he's probably a Super Bowl champion by now.

Book's still out on who will be the better all time. But the Bengals have only made the playoffs with Burrow two times in five years. Ravens have only missed the playoffs with Jackson two times in seven years.

Fort Wayne Nate

1:17

Morning Chris. If you could re-do Free agency and the Draft to make it the perfect "Christopher Carter Offseason" what would it look like?

Christopher Carter

1:19

Get Byron Murphy at cornerback over Darius Slay. Murphy is younger and I think would pair well with Porter long term.

Also, find a way to keep Fields or Wilson. I know it's apparent they didn't want Wilson as he waited for them, but I think it's a mistake by them to let him go.

Say Hey Kid

1:19

Who will win the division and who will finish last?

Christopher Carter

1:19

I'll say Ravens win it, Browns finish last.
Chalk, I know. But, I think both are in the right positions.

1:19

Sorry for the QB question, but if AR does not sign, where do the Steelers turn for a veteran QB?

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