JotCast | Christopher Carter's Steelers chat: 05.01.25

Christopher Carter's Steelers chat: 05.01.25

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Christopher Carter

1:20

Yep. But not a big move. Just a lower level veteran who will sit behind Rudolph and provide a cushion to not have to rush Will Howard into action.

Greg NC

1:20

Hi Christopher. What do you think would have to happen for Will Howard to be considered for qb1 in 2026 and beyond? Other than injury, would he get this kinds looks in training camp/practice?

Christopher Carter

1:20

Will Howard would have to play out of his mind in camp and in the preseason to even get that look. Just hard to see that happening.

Commissioner

1:20

Do the Steelers have a receiver that is a great route runner? Metcalf and Pickens are similar deep throw receivers, Wilson is an unknown and Austin is a quick slot who mostly runs slants and deep balls too. Woods is a good zone receiver but limited against man. I think we’re missing a good possession receiver.

Christopher Carter

1:22

*Great* route runner? No.

But I think Metcalf is a *good* route runner. He gets open enough and doesn't need to just win with the deep ball.

Do think not nailing a separator receiver in this draft could hurt them. Really thought Konata Mumpfield would've been worth the late pick.

Friar Tuck

1:22

I think they need a much better OL coach. Your thoughts please.

Christopher Carter

1:22

Maybe. Pat Meyer has also only gotten to work with an injured OL with young players. Fautanu and Daniels both looked like key parts of the line and were too hurt to play.

Let's see how things for the younger side of the unit this season.

Stormcrown

1:23

I don’t hear much about Harmon’s injury other than ‘the team isn’t worried.’ Does that mean not worried in a Fautanu sense, in that they think the quality of the player makes up for the probable loss of a year? Or maybe in the ‘he’s had it for a long time and it’s fine’ sense, or maybe the old ‘just not as bad as it sounds?’

Christopher Carter

1:23

Eh, remember that Fautanu sustained a different injury early in the season and was looking fine beforehand. I think it was just bad luck. If Harmon's fine, we'll see.

TomB

1:23

Delighted you’re Chatting! And sure hope the Film Study continues! Very informative and enjoyable! Guess on Boz longevity?

Christopher Carter

1:23

Thanks Tom!

1:24

I don't know how long kickers can be good. That's one position I don't know how to study. I'd say, another 3-4 years?

James A Carnegie

1:24

Christopher Carter

1:24

They were. Omar Khan said as much. But I think they didn't want to miss out on Harmon and that played the biggest role. They may just see him as that much of a generational player against an Alexander.

Silent Bob

1:24

Hi Chris - what would you say is the reason Broderick Jones has not lift up to draft position? My sense he is one of the most athletic offensive linemen in the NFL. I believe he only started one year at Georgia so still has a lot of growth. Do you sense he just relies on athleticism only and does not study/work on the details of the position? Something else? Hope he starts playing like a first rounder this year.

Christopher Carter

1:26

He's VERY young. Younger than Fautanu-McCormick and Frazier. He was a raw prospect coming in and you can see that rawness in his play. He needs to get better with his pad level and hand placement. If he does those things, everything else falls into place.

But again, it takes time for OL to develop. The 2010s OL didn't take until year 5 of Maurkice Pouncey.

Gus in Alaska

1:26

Chris, often when taking a player at the top or middle of the draft teams take a Best Player Available approach, but when it comes to the end of the draft teams take players that often have me puzzled. Don’t get me wrong I love and respect what Omar and crew are doing, but at their picks in round 7 plenty of players were available with higher evaluations at positions of relative need and then again at UDFA time some teams signed 18+ players and the Steelers signed 7?

Christopher Carter

1:40

An answer Tomlin gave me recently might help.

I asked about whether the Steelers considered the importance of different types of defensive linemen when evaluating the value of a player--nose to 3-tech to 5-tech DL.

He said basically that when you draft high, that matters less because of pedigree and that guys will play well less because of role and more because of talent. It's later when role-specific factors come into play.

I think those later picks might be just to find specific fits for potential needs down the road. It's also important to remember, just because I or any other analyst value a certain player one way or assemble our rankings, does not mean it's the gospel. Teams could see BPA on those later players you're thinking of.

Mediocre Mikey

1:41

Hey Chris, I am thrilled you are doing a chat. I have been a big fan since your days at DK. To my untrained eye Will Howard seems to have the tools to succeed. Why did he slip so far?

Christopher Carter

1:42

Thanks MM!

I like Will Howard but think he bloomed as a big-game quarterback too late in his career. He has the physical tools, but the on-field play needed to be more consistent. It was late, and that's why the Steelers took him. But if he had played like he did in the playoffs against Penn State, Michigan and other top teams they faced early, his stock probably would've been higher.

Tom M.

1:43

I appreciate your input on the OL and it makes sense. You mentioned Cook and Anderson are the backups at OT. If there’s an injury and one of those guys has to play a lot of snaps, how effective do you think they will be or should we be very concerned? Could they realistically find anyone better?

Christopher Carter

1:44

Tough to say because I honestly haven't been able to evaluate either of those players as NFL OTs just yet. There might be better options out there, but I just don't know for sure. Do think injuries on the OL could be a big problem this year with the lack of depth investments they've made there.

James A Carnegie

1:44

I didn't copy and paste my question that I wrote a while ago. Can you scroll back and find it and post it?

Christopher Carter

1:44

Do you know if the Steelers were involved in trade talks to slide back in the first round? If so, did they not like the return they were asking for or were they dead set on taking Harmon, no matter what? I have to believe they would've traded with either the Giants or Falcons for a #1 pick next year as well as more picks in the draft. They could've had D. Alexander in the 2nd round easily.
Christopher Carter1:24They were. Omar Khan said as much. But I think they didn't want to miss out on Harmon and that played the biggest role. They may just see him as that much of a generational player against an Alexander.

Guest

1:45

Any chance the Steelers explore a new hybrid type defense that gets all their best players on the field as much as possible. Seems like some plays it would be a waste or resources to have Herbeg and Sawyer on the sidelines most of the game. Thoughts?

Christopher Carter

1:45

That's kind of what they do now. They are rarely in a 3-4 base anymore and move guys around a lot.

Greg

1:45

Do you think the Steelers would have selected Sanders in the 5th if he were still available? Would they have even taken him as a FA?

Christopher Carter

1:46

Tough to say. I really felt like if they wanted him they would've taken him in the fourth. It's possible that they truly used him as a smokescreen and never planned on taking him.

TVC15

1:46

Is there any chance that Tomlin's inexplicable contract extension next 3 years will somehow be better than his past 14? 3 playoff wins with Big Ben in his prime for most of them.

Christopher Carter

1:49

Eh, I wouldn't say inexplicable. Steelers' roster has been one that should've bottomed out the past several years but didn't because the coaching has propped this team up. Really think they've overperformed most seasons. Cowher got an extension once after missing the playoffs for three straight years; something Tomlin's never done.

Also, do think Roethlisberger had 8 playoff wins under Tomlin, not 3.

As for expectations, I think the playoff window really opens up again next year if they get their QB in the draft.

1:49

Do you think some of the national media wouldn’t be so high on Sanders if he wasn’t Deion’s son?

Christopher Carter

1:50

100000%

TVC15

1:50

Can Tomlin (to use his phrase) ever escape the stink of being outscored 73-0 in the 1st quarter of his last 5 playoff games? He seems to get a free pass from the national media.

Christopher Carter

1:59

If he wins, sure. This is also propped up because of terrible turnovers early in games that handed teams like the Jaguars/Browns/Bills their big leads early.

Because also in that mix is the Chiefs being shut out of the first quarter and the Steelers actually having a 7-0 lead created entirely by the defense in the second quarter before eventually the offense going 3-and-out for 8 straight drives buried them against a Chiefs offense that might've been the best we've seen since the 07 Patriots. If the offense does ANYTHING in that first half, that was their upset chance.

But yeah, stink of losses can always be shaken off. Outside of 1983 loss to the Raiders by 28 points, Cowher has the biggest playoff loss in franchise history in a 25-point blowout against the Patriots in the 96-97 season just a year after being embarrassed by Stan Humphries at home in the playoffs.

1:59

Why do Steelers fans act like Howard is the next franchise QB? He’s a 6th round pick!

Christopher Carter

2:00

Hey man, when you're hungry, everything at the buffet looks good. I think he's got a shot to be the next Mason Rudolph. But people always want to believe they've got the next guy.

2:00

You’d think TJ Watt had one foot in the grave by reading some of the chats🙄.

Christopher Carter

2:00

Yeah, I don't get it. Guy is still one of the best defenders in football. People need to relax.

TVC15

2:00

Will Shedeur Sanders have a better NFL career than Mel Kiper Jr.'s other draft darling quarterback Jimmy Clausen?

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