Christopher Carter's Steelers chat: 07.24.26
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Christopher Carter
9:34
It's the last Friday before training camp. Which means we'll have team activities to cover from next week all through the fall.

You've got questions, I've got answers. Let's get into it.
Bob in Rochester
9:34
Hi Chris, I want to thank you for your coverage.  Love your podcast!  I've heard several people talk about putting Travis Homer on the practice squad and calling him up for games where special teams help is needed.  My question is what is the player compensation when they get called up for a game?  Is it a flat number across positions?  Pre-negotiated?  Thanks!
Christopher Carter
9:46
Hi Bob! Thank you for the compliments!

We are diving deep with our first question. But I wouldn't expect anything less from Steelers fans who don't just want the easy surface-level answers on the team.

Travis Homer is an interesting case because he could be a depth RB and special teamer, and definitely is a favorite to make the practice squad.

There is a prorated pay assigned to a player called up from the practice squad for a game. Basically, they get the roster minimum for the pay of one game -- or 1/18th of yearly pay.

Technically practice squad salaries can be whatever the player and team agree to, but the minimums usually run around $13,750/week for players with two years of experience or less, and $18,350/week for players with at least three years of NFL experience.

But if they play in a game that week, the price goes up to whatever the roster minimum salary is for a player with their experience for a week's pay.

Hope that helps!
surly in sheraden
9:47
Is it realistic to think that (with McCarthy) the offense can materially change?  Was it Tomlin that forced Rodgers to often throw the ball within half a second behind the LOS, or was it Rodgers choice (perhaps understandably so for fear of getting seriously hurt given his age and lack of mobility)?  Pittman should help, but if the defense presses the LOS because they have no fear of the deep ball, can the offense materially improve?
Christopher Carter
9:57
I do think it's going to change -- a lot.

But maybe not in the way that you're thinking as far as throw the ball quickly. That's something that I think will stick around more so because Aaron Rodgers is going to protect himself with quicker passes.

But I do think you'll see more of those quick passes be a little further downfield than before.

One thing that I'll be writing about this weekend for our countdown is how good of a receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has been at getting open quickly even in press coverage. And that could be essential for McCarthy's plans to throw a lot more -- and a lot more efficiently on first down.

If that happens, I think that opens up more of the deeper passes you're looking for.
BPOS
9:57
My hope is we'll finally see a more agressive, less risk adverse offense out of the new coaching staff. I'm very excited to see what guys Metcalf, Freiermuth, and other misused weapons we had in the past can do with the handcuffs off. My question is might we see more of Washing ton as a patch catcher, expecially in the red zone. With his size and build, he seems indefensible in close spaces and I was baffled why he wasn't thrown to more down there.
Christopher Carter
10:03
I do think you see more of Washington, and especially in the red zone. It's been one of my main gripes with their offense that they haven't just chucked up more fade passes on goal-to-go situations to him. His only two touchdowns are red zone scores, and it would make sense for more of those to be attempted.

The Steelers did improve in red zone scoring last year -- jumping to 18th from 29th in 2024. But it needs to be better. This isn't going to be a super explosive offense just yet. To make up for that, they need to be highly efficient.

Efficiency requires many parts to achieve. But if they want to make this work, red zone efficiency has to be one of them.
Mike
10:03
Hi Chris. You do great work. Why are you so confident the Steelers will be able to extend Porter if they only have about 3.19 million under the salary cap now? They will have to kick the can down the road with several veterans or try to trade them.
Christopher Carter
10:07
Thanks Mike!

I think it's important to remember that with a new deal the real numbers you'd need to look at are for 2027 and beyond. Porter will remain on his 2026 pay, and maybe even will give up some of that money with an extension to put towards those future years.

So 2026 won't be an issue. But 2027 will still require some moves.

Right now, Over the Cap has the Steelers' projected salary cap space for 2027 at $6.6M. Which wouldn't leave a lot of room for another star player to be signed.

But, there are several ways to create that space. Jalen Ramsey has a $21.7M cap hit that has 0% guaranteed. That's an easy chop if he doesn't play at an all-pro level.

TJ Watt is a $42M cap hit and cutting him wouldn't save any money (yet) because of his guarantees, so maybe Omar Khan moves some of his due money down the line. DK Metcalf also could as his $32.5M cap hit is second-highest on the team.

But I also anticipate the Steelers picking one of their top three edge rushers to send away after this season.
10:08
And that might be Alex Highsmith.

He has a $21.1M salary cap hit next year, and only about $5.6M of that would be dead money if he's moved -- saving about $15.5M against the cap that year. I could see a mix of all of those moves happening, as well as some others.

That's why I don't think signing Porter should be an issue.
Andy from Montana
10:08
Good morning Chris. With Herbig getting a his big payday, how do you see this outside linebacker scenario playing out? You surely do not pay a player over $100 mil to play part-time.
Christopher Carter
10:14
Good morning Andy!

I do think he's involved in a lot higher of a snap count. He played 610 snaps last season compared to Watt's 811 and Highsmith's 634.

I imagine you'll see Watt's snap count come down to the point that the three of them are a lot closer to even and they all hover around the 700 range together -- barring injury.

Watt's still the ace of the group and his drawing double teams does a lot to help Herbig and Highsmith. But I agree with you that Herbig is going to see a bigger role in the defense with his payday. Just not one where he becomes the primary snap-getter over Watt and Highsmith yet.
TVC15
10:14
Hi Christopher, If the Steelers cut Mason Rudolph would he most likely be signed by another team or would he be available to rejoin the Steelers if (gulp) Aaron Rodgers were to be injured and out for the season?
Christopher Carter
10:15
Hello!

I do think Mason Rudolph would be signed quickly. He's a backup quarterback with starting playoff experience and a decent track record. If they were to cut him, I don't think he's a guy they could sneak back onto the roster.
Cdub
10:15
What are the odds that Will Howard would get poached by another team if he's put on the practice squad?  Also, are there any other players, due to a backlog at their position, that are NFL quality, but might get cut?
Christopher Carter
10:21
I'd say the odds are pretty decent.

It is important to remember that the Steelers can protect up to 4 players on their practice squad, and Howard could be one of those four.

BUT, you have to get to the practice squad first. And that means you have to be cut by the team when they make their final 53-man roster after preseason OR at some point during the season.

And when a player is cut, they must go through waivers and teams can put a claim on them. So there's no way to just protect a player right off the bat without any risk if you want to stuff them on the practice squad.

If you're looking for other potential steals during cuts, ILB is a spot. I foresee one of Cole Holcomb, Malik Harrison or Jamin Davis being let go -- Davis most likely. But all of them have starter experience and could be seen as a depth grab by another team.
RJ
10:21
How many points per game can this McCarthy
10:22
offense put up per game. I think 24 is not asking  too much. Do you ?
Christopher Carter
10:23
I don't think 24 points is too much at all. In fact, it should be the minimum with his offensive background.

The Steelers averaged 23.4 points per game last year -- 15th-best in the NFL. If they averaged 24 points per game, they would've ranked 13th, just ahead of the Texans and behind the Bengals.

I think if they can get to 26 points per game, then you're seeing a bit more of that efficiency come in. They also would've been a top 10 scoring offense with that number last season.
JR in SC
10:23
Morning Chris. Best chat in Pgh. Thanks. I truly think the Steelers have to keep 4 QBs for no other reason than they would only have 2 going into next season. Yes it means 1 player would not make the team, but that is a ST or backup player who quite likely could become a practice squad addition who could return due to injury. Why is 4 QBs such a bad idea?
Christopher Carter
10:28
Good morning and thanks JR!

The biggest issue I see happening with four quarterbacks is that it will reduce the amount of depth spots teams normally need to complete the roster, and especially on special teams.

While one roster spot might not sound like a big deal, it's huge when trying to squeeze 53 guys onto an NFL roster.

Normal breakdowns usually are something like this:

3 QBs
3 RBs
8 OL
5 WRs
3 TEs

7 DL
9 LBs (thinking Steelers' 3-4 style)
5 CBs
4 SAFs

3 SPEC (K, P, LS)

That's 50 players right there. And that's without adding a 6th WR who's usually a returner or depth player in case someone gets hurt, or a 6th CB for the same reason.

It's also a very limited OL situation, as 3 backup OL is hard to fill all 5 spots with when injuries happen.

So those next 3 players need to be chosen carefully, and help multiple roles that include special teams. A 4th QB just makes that even harder.
Jeff M.
10:29
Hi Chris, Do you think it's safe to assume that one of the 3 ILBs won't be here in 2027? If what doesn't have a very significant bounce back would the smart football move be to keep Highsmith & Herbig? Is it even an option to move on from TJ before 2028?
Christopher Carter
10:33
Hi Jeff!

I'm assuming you mean OLBs, but yes.

While I expect all of them to stay this season, it's hard to see them keeping all three next season with Highsmith on the final year of his current contract and needing a new deal. It would just make sense for the Steelers to trade him for good value rather than playing him just one more year and letting him hit the market when he's 30 and waiting for draft compensation to hit in 2029.

Instead, Highsmith could be a useful piece to pick up draft capital in 2027, when they might anticipate to be big players for a quarterback in the first round. Highsmith might not get a first by himself, but he could get them ammunition that helps them move up.
BPOS
10:33
Whose your unexpected cut this year out of camp and whose your dark horse to make it.
Christopher Carter
10:39
Going to go out on a limb with these.

Unexpected cut to watch: Kaleb Johnson. I don't know that this new staff is going to be dedicated to him, and he wasn't any help on special teams last year. Johnson is going to be the 3rd RB again, and have more competition with the likes of Eli Heidenreich and Travis Homer around who will most likely help on special teams. Not saying he's definitely gone, but he cannot afford to just coast through camp.

Dark horse to make team: Gabriel Rubio. Yes, he's the 6th round pick that very few had heard of before his selection and he didn't even get a combine invite. But he's big, physical, and could be the last DT option they keep to help against the run for depth considerations.
Happy Gilmore
10:42
Chris, What does your crystal ball say? Do the Steelers finally win that elusive playoff game?
Christopher Carter
10:44
I still think this is a team that needs the right matchup in the first round of the playoffs to make that happen.

The Texans were the most likely of such matchups in recent years and they kept it close into the 4th quarter until offensive turnovers sunk their chances again.

If they got into another home matchup with the Texans, I actually think they'd be better suited considering the additional talent at WR and that I think the OL would be better prepared.

But I also think the Steelers could go toe-to-toe with the Patriots, Broncos, or Chargers

I don't think they'd do well against a revamped Chiefs team or the Bills if they're healthy.

They have a shot, and arguably their best in a while.
BeaverFallsKid
10:44
HI Christopher. Are you a believer in the rebuilt offensive line? I am excited about the young talent from LT to RT and in between.  Do you believe the realigned line, with new coaching, will gel quickly and excel in both pass protection and run blocking? I think the ceiling for this group is really high.  And if there is a market for Jones, trade him for a 6 or7 draft pick! Who needs him with the O line talent we have stacked now.
Christopher Carter
10:54
Hello!

I do like the bones of the current offensive line with Frazier, Fautanu and McCormick being the anchors. I also think that if Jones can return from injury and get back to where he was when he was injured, he'd be a heck of an asset to work with them.

And long term, Iheanachor and Dunker are good prospects to develop and expect good returns on in 2027 and beyond.

But for this year, the biggest concerns would be whether Jones or Cook can play well at right tackle and if Spencer Anderson can do the same at right guard.

I'll have a piece coming out on Fautanu tomorrow, so look out for that. Because there are some numbers I do think will be key for this group to achieve. But ultimately, it's the star picks that need to carry them. Fautanu and Frazier especially have to be the primary guys that do that this season.
10:55
If they do, ceiling is high and they'll be in a good spot. If not, I do think that could be a key factor that sets this team back.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
10:55
Good morning, Chris! Thans for your chats!! So, the Steelers are going to start the season with Herbig Watt and Highsmith on the roster. How will the snaps be divvied up? If Herbig is not going to start, that is a bunch of money coming in for spot duty. The best plan IMO is to rotate the 3 of them equally to keep them all fresh and then make a decision next year. What do you think?
Christopher Carter
11:06
Good morning and thanks for being here!

Was going over this earlier, but I expect there to be a bit of an evening out of the snaps. It's been trending that way, and I think it will continue to do that this year.

Snaps:

2025:
Watt: 811
Highsmith: 634
Herbig: 610

2024:
Watt 939
Highsmith: 525
Herbig 416

I expect all three to hover closer to 700-750. But as I said before, I do think it's important to note that a lot of the production seen from Herbig and Highsmith have come from facing one pass protector while Watt draws the majority of offenses' attention. It will be interesting to see if that changes this season.
Cdub
11:06
Regarding red zone efficiency, is that calculated if you have a first down inside the twenty?  If you get to the 19 yard line on 4th down and kick a field goal, that seems like it would skew the results.
Christopher Carter
11:18
That number is purely just red zone touchdown scoring percentage.

So, yes. That does count if you just land inside the red zone on 4th down and it's 4th and long and have to kick a field goal. When it comes to stats, there's always going to be an outlier situation that could skew things, but in this case I'd consider that to have a slight impact.

There were over 1700 red zone possessions in the NFL last season. According to pro-football-reference.com, approximately 77 4th downs were at the 18 or 19 yard lines out of all of those, and about 55 of those resulted in field goal attempts.

So we're talking about roughly 3% of the plays maybe being the outlier you're worried about. I don't think that would make the stat too skewed to use for analysis.
RJ
11:18
Should we be concerned over lack of safety depth.
safety is a position of need IMHO. DeShone and Brisker appears a viable couple. But, do you see more single safety looks or triple tails.
Christopher Carter
11:20
I think that this is one of the bigger questions facing the roster for this season. DeShon Elliott still has to show he's healthy. Jaquan Brisker looked good last year but is on a new team. Jalen Ramsey was a fill-in last year who they plan to put more in the slot. Darnell Savage is more of a journeyman now than a starter.

And out of all of them, none of them are true free safeties. I think you'll see a lot of two-high safety shells as part of the defense's plans. But there might be issues if they get tested a lot in deep coverage.
Cdub
11:20
Is dead cap money the portion of the signing bonus on the length of the original contract?  If you trade a player, could the other team eat the dead money?
Christopher Carter
11:23
Dead money just means the funds a team would still be charged towards their salary cap for a player who isn't on their payroll.

Mostly signing bonuses or guaranteed money on future years make that up.

Typically, the team trading away a player will eat the dead money to increase the value of the trade for the team sending back value. BUT, they don't have to. There are times when the team receiving the player will take on the contract in full if that's what they agree to. Of course, that also decreases the value of the trade and would knock down whatever compensation you'd hope to get for that player.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
11:24
Looking at the Steeler schedule, do you think they need to start the season 4-1 with the loss to either the Bengals or Patriots? Late in the year, the schedule gets really tough.
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