Christopher Carter's Steelers chat: 07.09.26
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Christopher Carter
11:07
It's Thursday, and it's time to answer some questions. Let's get into it.
Jack
11:07
Hey Chris, thanks for the chats!  Glad you guys got saved at the 11th hour. Y’all are my most reliable source of Steeler news down here in the coal fields of Eastern Kentucky.
Christopher Carter
11:07
Thanks Jack! I'm also glad we're still up and running! Thank you for following our work from afar!
Daniel
11:09
If things go great obvious team MVP's are Rodgers or Watt etc.  Who in your opinion could be a surprise team MVP like Gainwell last year?
Christopher Carter
11:15
Short answer: Michael Pittman Jr.

Long answer, I think Aaron Rodgers will still need another option next to DK Metcalf, and Pittman is probably the best answer as a sort-of replacement for what Gainwell could do.

The first reason for that is because of the analysis I published earlier this week about the Mike McCarthy's history of first-down passing being a priority. It's something he's historically done a lot over the past decade and something he tries to do at an efficient level.

The second reason is because Pittman is one of the most efficient receivers at producing on short passes in the NFL. His 49 receptions on short passes ranked 9th in the NFL, his 412 receiving yards also ranked 9th, his 84.5% reception rate ranked 3rd and his 7.1 yards per route run ranked 4th.

Where I see those two factors correlating is that when Rodgers gets the ball out fast, Pittman is going to be one of the best to get open in such a quick window, and also one of the best at producing with thoise opportunities.
When I watch Pittman's tape from the Colts, he shows a consistent skill of beating press coverage. If he applies that along with his consistent hands, he could be a huge weapon that opens up a lot for the Steelers.
chuck Mac
11:16
Is it just me or do you find the national media so enamored of the Ravens that they get chosen to win the division almost every year??  Paper tigers in my book - what say you?
Christopher Carter
11:21
I think it has a lot to do with the big name talent they have at key positions.

And really, it's about THE key position at QB, because Lamar Jackson's won MVP twice, and arguably should've won it a third time.

He's tied with Aaron Rodgers for having the highest passer rating in NFL history, while also being arguably still the biggest rushing QB threat in the NFL (Josh Allen might've passed him up a bit).

But to your point, what have the Ravens done with it? They went 8-9 this year -- 6-7 with Jackson -- and have only been to one AFC title game.

Allen and the Bills might be guilty of the same thing. While they've had double-digit wins for 6 straight years, they've reached the conference title game just twice.
11:22
I think in general, people are putting the teams with the big name quarterbacks that have talent around them at the top.

But I think this is just another sign of how difficult it is to win in the NFL. I thought when Aaron Rodgers won Super Bowl 45 that he'd have been back at least 2-3 times in the next decade, and he never got back there.
11:23
For the Ravens, I think they're a contender. But I don't know how to gauge Jesse Minter as a head coach. Maybe he can do something Harbaugh didn't.
Jack
11:24
Let’s try this again.  In the QB competition I have to believe there is one spot where Howard has a huge leg up on Rudolph, and that’s mobility and being able to throw off platform.  As we all know Rudolph is as mobile as a cement truck.  How much of a factor do you think this will play in their competition for the backup role?
Christopher Carter
11:24
I think for an offense like Mike McCarthy's, mobility is important, but command of the offense is the priority.
11:25
To me, if Will Howard looks even close to Mason Rudolph at processing the field and making decisions, you keep the second year guy over the longtime veteran.

But Howard still has to actually show that. Just being mobile doesn't get you everything. He has to show he understands the offense, can make NFL throws, and not kill his own team in the process. Rudolph's done that pretty solidly as a backup QB for his career.
Stacker
11:26
Good morning Chris. Does Gabriel Nwosu have a chance to win the punting job?
Christopher Carter
11:30
I'd give him a solid chance, if for no other reason that his primary competition has been hurt a lot.

Cameron Johnston hasn't punted for an entire NFL season since 2022. And he only punted for four games in 2025 and one game in 2024.

If Nwosu looks as good as Johnston in camp, it'd be hard to pass up on the younger guy who doesn't have such an injury history.

But it does make me wonder why they moved on from Corliss Waitman -- whose 41.8 net yards per punt last year and 41.4 net yards per punt in 2024 are the two best seasons by a full-time Steelers punter when it comes to that stat in franchise history.

The biggest thing Nwosu has to do is punt far and do what he's told. Hit your coffin corners, pin the ball to the right sidelines, and also be a pretty good holder -- another thing Waitman did well.
Ralph
11:32
Chris, pretty boring time of year for Steeler Football. Tell us one thing we haven’t read in the last two months . Maybe a dark horse prediction. Thanks
Christopher Carter
11:39
I'll do this: I think Patrick Queen might have a pretty solid year.

While I was looking up run defense stats the other day I noticed that Patrick Queen third-most in drawing holding penalties while defending the run.

Queen and I talked a lot about what he wanted to see change in the defense and how eventually the changes he wanted got heard when Tomlin confronted him about what Queen wasn't telling Austin. I think if Queen's on the ground floor of this defense and doesn't have the issues he had with last year's defense in the first half of the season, he might have a pretty solid year.
Pittfan
11:41
Hi Christopher. The Steelers are beginning to have quite a few young players coming up for extensions. I know most NFL teams do a great job navigating the salary cap and are usually able to keep the players they want. If you take the top 5 or 6 young players in order of priority (I'll ask you for that list), will the Steelers be able to keep them or will some have to walk? I would imagine some vets will not be renewed, traded or cut.
Christopher Carter
11:45
Hello!

Of the unsigned guys, here are my priorities:
1) Porter
2) Frazier
3) Fautanu
4) Benton
5) McCormick

Porter has to -- and will -- be signed to an extension. You don't let cornerbacks who shut down receivers as often as he does walk out the door.

Frazier is a top 5 center in the NFL right now. Might be top 3.

Fautanu had his first real year and looked pretty strong. I think he'll shape into a pillar OT.

Benton is where it gets tricky. I think he's still a key part of continuing the progress of the defensive line, but he's not a nose and he's not a proficient run defender yet. He's a pretty good pass rusher though, and those are needed. Just tough to see what he'll be paid.

McCormick is a very solid guard who I think they should keep. I just don't know if they'll invest a 3rd big contract on the OL to keep him if they pay the others on this list.
Pittfan
11:46
Hi Christopher. Is there a current NFL quarterback (maybe more than one) you believe can take this Steelers current roster to the Super Bowl?
Christopher Carter
11:50
Hello!

I do think this team has talent, but would still need a high level QB to get it to the Super Bowl. Still, with the offensive line, playmakers and defense assembled, I think they could get it done with a lot of the top tier guys.

This is not saying they definitely would get to the Super Bowl with those guys, but they'd be one of the teams in the hunt.

Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen
Lamar Jackson
Joe Burrow
Matt Stafford

I think these are all established veterans who'd be able to manage the parts of games that get tough well while still producing at a high level with the Steelers' playmakers.

Guys like Justin Herbert, Caleb Williams and other younger players I think would still have work to do.
J D
11:50
Chris, this year fan enthusiasm seems to be very positive for the team's success.  Complacency over the years with a stale program getting the same results is a testament to the former coach for getting more from his players with average game preparations and adjustments.  The talent level has increased each year and now with a head coach who is a proven winner, as the former, but now has better assistants and who is offensive minded should better lead the team by winning in the playoffs.  Your comments.
Christopher Carter
11:52
I think in general this roster should be better than last year. They've kept a lot of the good parts, the good younger players got more experience, and they added key veterans at weak spots last year like Pittman and Dean.

I do think this team can win a playoff game -- or even two -- if the right things happen. But just because I'm giving the assistant coaches the same clean slate I give anyone I'm just starting to cover doesn't mean they're better. They'll have to earn that designation.
Tin Cup
11:53
Why did it take injuries to Broderick Jones, Calvin Anderson, and Andrus Peat before they realized Dylan Cook was better than all of them? That is a pretty big swing and a miss on talent evaluation isn't it?
Christopher Carter
12:25
Dylan Cook was pretty solid for a few games, but I don't think a few games should make him the automatic better option just yet. He did very well against the Ravens in both games anda gainst the Dolphins. But he looked rough against the Texans and Lions and was just OK against the Browns.

I think he deserved to be commended for his pinch hit work last season. But I'm waiting to see him do it over a longer stretch.  He allowed 2 sacks in his 6 games played. Jones allowed the same amount over a stretch of 10 games last season -- and both only committed one penalty.
Jay
12:25
Hey Chris, I really think the Joseph-Day signing was an under the radar signing what do you think about him as a player?
Christopher Carter
12:41
I also think Sebastian Joseph-Day could have a more significant impact than people realize. The Steelers desperately needed a backup defensive tackle who could come in with strong reps when Harmon/Benton/Heyward weren't available and the guy they paid do that last year -- Dan Ekuale -- basically missed the whole year.

With SJD, they have a better depth option and that can do a lot for the rotation. If Yahya Black also takes a step forward, that could be a really good depth group and an advantage they didn't have last season.
Ray/OC
12:41
Good morning Christopher, your work is at an MVP level.  Why isn't there more integration with Pitt on eliminating the Back to back Saturday/Sunday games at the stadium?  I think that is the crux of the problem as the turf is re-sodded during the season.  Hope the "new grass" works better this year.  Thx..
Christopher Carter
1:15
Sorry for the hold-up folks, had some technical issues here!

Thanks Ray!

Fortunately for the Steelers, the only back-to-back weeks Acrisure Stadium will have Pitt playing on it are the four games to open the season.

After that, there's a bye week or a road game that breaks it up each week. The field has been a lot better than it was years ago.

The really bad week happened from what we understand because of a very strong dry spell that was unexpected and impacted the grass. In general, the grounds crew there has learned how to handle the field and make it decent even with the wear and tear.
Chris B.
1:15
Will McCarthy help make Rodgers feel more comfortable to let the plays develop and take his time, or will he try and throw 80+ checkdowns to the backup RB again? Thanks
Christopher Carter
1:17
I think there will be plenty of quick passes still because of Rodgers' age. A lot of those weren't just because of some concept that it was the preferred way to work -- it was done to protect an old quarterback behind a young offensive line.

I do think Rodgers has the say-so on when to get rid of the football. He's also just on the same page about not putting a young OL in a tough spot too many times to expose them, and eventually himself.
Jim
1:17
Good morning Chris, Questions about the O line. You don't spend 1st and 3rd round picks in a year where your QB likely retires at the end of the season unless you plan on them contributing in some way. At what point do you see the Steelers getting these guys some action with the first team to see what we have? When your vet starters are not considered to have the same upside how do you prepare everyone? Is the plan to give every opportunity for Max and Dunker to win the jobs out of camp?
Christopher Carter
1:20
I get what you're saying, but Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker need a bit of work to get there -- even more so than others. There's a lot of rawness to Iheanachor and Dunker has to learn to play guard at the NFL level.

I also think there's even more rawness to Iheanachor than there was Jones when he came out of Georgia --  and Jones didn't start until Chuks Okorafor lost the job in 2023.

I do not expect Iheanachor or Dunker to win starting roles out of camp, and I think it's more likely than not they spend most of -- if not all of -- this year as backups.
Ron
1:21
Do you still think they'll draft a QB in Rd 1 next year??
Christopher Carter
1:22
If the QB draft class is strong enough, yes. If it folds like it did last year, no.

You don't pick players you evaluate to not be good just because it's a position of need. That's bad process.
DonnyD
1:22
Good morning, Chris. Thank you very much for the Chats.  Why do you speculate that a sizable portion of the Steelers fan base is so negative about the 2026 season?   The hiring of Coach MMC is a seismic change in the Steelers' way - It's great to see this. I am very excited; I cannot understand all of the negativity.  thank you
Christopher Carter
1:26
Good afternoon!

The more I look out across fandoms over the country, negativity is strong everywhere there isn't a recent championship -- and sometimes it's even there when there is one (or two).

I think there's negativity right now because the Steelers are still looking to be among the ranks of upper tier Super Bowl contenders and now they've hired a coach who hasn't gotten there in a while himself.

Not saying that's warranted, because I do think this team has the means to have a good year. But I've accepted that a lot of fanbases will just be negative. It's easier. When you say that this 1 team out of 32 won't win it all and you're right, you can pretend you're smart when all you did was just bank on the very strong probability.

But I also think there are more people who are excited about this team than you realize. They're just not as loud or insufferable as others who aren't.
Johnny
1:26
I’m intrigued by new DC Patrick Graham. I know he has been in the league for several years.  Is he a highly regarded defensive mind?  Was this a MM hire?  Or was he recommended by someone in the Steeler front office?
Christopher Carter
1:28
When I was at the combine -- less than a month after the hire --  I asked people I knew around the NFL about Graham and got VERY strong reviews. He has a very good reputation about him despite the recent Raiders units he's coached that haven't had strong numbers.

As far as who exactly hired him, I believe it was primarily McCarthy. But ownership and front office also play a factor in those decisions as well.
NY Steeler
1:28
Thanks for the chats and the GREAT articles.  What's your take on whether AR can pull off what Elway and P manning did in their twilight/farewell seasons?
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