Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat: 10.07.26
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Josh
10:15
Understandably the GM of teams are not required to talk during the season, but why couldn’t Khan come out and speak on the JPJ situation instead of having his new head coach get peppered with questions, especially after the trade went through?
Gerry Dulac
10:16
They are not required to not talk, they just choose to do so. Hey, that's part of being a highly paid head coach. He can handle it
Pittfan
10:16
Hi Gerry. Every year I hope for a Steelers losing season so that they can restock through the draft. Yet I find myself happy  about a win and upset with a loss. Will it take a losing season for the Steelers to add better talent or can they do it other ways?
Gerry Dulac
10:17
I don't know what you are going to do if they have a losing season for the first time in 24 years. I really don't think you are going to root for that, judging from your reactions post-win or loss
B. Sure
10:17
My theory on JPJ is that his entire privileged life he's been told he's the best athlete by coaches jock sniffing his dad, who, along with Tomlin, used to scream at opposing high school players for some reason. His athletic prowess was unchallenged until it came time for a 2nd NFL contract. For the 1st time in his life he was told he was NOT the very best and he and his daddy could not handle the truth. Over some delusional hurt feelings he was willing to burn it down and JPsr has divorced his own legacy because he, too, was insulted. JPJ could have been a legend and feel good story for a hometown son of a steelers legend but foolish pride won out.
Gerry Dulac
10:20
I agree with some of what you said, but not the part about becoming a Steelers "legend." Greene, Bradshaw, Franco, Lambert, Blount, Ham, Swann, Webster, Polamalu, Woodson. They are Steelers legends.
Stairway to seventh seed
10:20
Gerry: did you see the video of Queen's "effort" (if you can call it that) on a couple of the Browns big runs?  When McCarthy was talking about cleaning up the house was he referring to things like this?  Do the Cowboys need an ILB who can't/won't tackle?
Gerry Dulac
10:21
When McCarthy used that expression, he was talking about things such as tackling, penalties, execution -- the little things that derail drives and lose games. He wasn't referring to anything specific because there were a lot of items in that "house."
mrbill1031
10:21
Gerry I noticed that your NFL Weekly Picks have moved from Sunday morning back to Thursday morning last week. Will this continue as i need all the help I can get in my pick em league and my picks have to be in by 3:00 on Thursday afternoon. Thanks!
Gerry Dulac
10:22
That happened because the Steelers were playing on Thursday night. I assume they will go back to Sunday. Not my decision.
Tim
10:22
Secondly, other than Rod Woodson, a nfl hall of famer, name one Steeler who left the Steelers and had success.  Joey Jr will never be confused w Rod, nor will he ever be fitted for a gold jacket.
Gerry Dulac
10:22
Alan Faneca for a year with the Jets. Otherwise, you are correct
TinySteelerFan
10:23
Hi Gerry! Has Tomlin leaving exposed something inherently outdated in their organizational process? Drafting has not been good enough to field an elite team. Their negotiation strategy has been exposed again with the JPJr situation. Was Tomlin covering a lot of cracks, that the transition to a new coach is now exposing?
Gerry Dulac
10:24
That's a good thought, but I don't think it's correct. And there is nothing wrong with their negotiating strategy. It's usually because there is something wrong with the player and the agent giving him advice.
BeaverFallsKid
10:24
Hello Gerry.  Change management like moving from HCMT to HCMM can be difficult.  That being said, for the secondary and the offensive line in particular, with both groups having terrible communication problems, I am wondering if too many Steelers players simply lack the ability to learn the playbook adequately?  "Communication problems" is a nice way of saying one or more players on any given play did not understand the assignment.  Intellectual firepower can often make up for inadequate athletic ability but athletic ability rarely makes up for lack of understanding.  In recent years, are the Steelers acquiring players with the football IQ they need to succeed?
Gerry Dulac
10:26
I'm glad to see some people understand the true meaning behind "communication problems." And that's one of the things McCarthy is big on -- the intelligent/mental part of the game. That's what he stressed in training camp more than physicality.
Wiscoken
10:27
A lot of discussion around how the Steeler front office mismanaged the JPJ situation.  If their position was that JPJ was not a top 5 CB, but more in the 10 - 15 range, did they really mismanage, or is this simply one where there was a difference of opinion in value?  The Steelers may prove to have under-estimated his value, but seems many are jumping to a conclusion that they are the ones that mismanaged this... in my mind, it's too early to make that call.
Gerry Dulac
10:32
Yes. JPJ and his agent over-valued his worth, to the tune of turning down $27+ million. And please don't anyone tell me about guaranteed money. If Porter accepts $27+ million, the Steelers aren't going to cut him one year later, which means he effectively is guaranteed two years to the tune of $54+ million. So let's say they wanted a three-year guarantee. Would you guarantee him $81+ million?? For a guy who's never been to a Pro Bowl, is highly penalized and has just three picks (notice how I keep emphasizing that)? I've said this before -- I like Joey, the Steelers like Joey. He's a really good player. But, c'mon. Was it a good business decision to give TJ Watt his monster deal with more than $100 million guaranteed? Maybe not. But he's T.J. Watt. He at least earned it/deserved it. Does anyone really think the Steelers should have just thrown everything away for JPJ when what they offered was beyond fair??
Gary
10:32
is the nfl reconsidering the Paris game
Gerry Dulac
10:32
No, why?
Franco
10:33
If the steelers won the game against Cleveland, everyone would be talking how good the comeback was. They are 2-2. The sky is not falling.
Gerry Dulac
10:33
Thank you
Ryan
10:33
Gerry what do you think about the play of Robert Spears Jennings and Jaylen Warren vs Cleveland i think they both looked good and i think spears Jennings should get some more playing time this week
Gerry Dulac
10:33
Yes they did and yes he will
SMP
10:33
It is my understanding that teams are required to keep more cash on hand for guaranteed money. Do you think this is the reason Steelers continue to only guarantee first year new contracts. If so, it appears bad habit or indication of being cheap. What do you think is the reason.
Gerry Dulac
10:34
Look at all the recent signings -- Boswell, Herbig, Washington and Benton -- and tell me if that makes them look cheap?
Nick
10:34
In the end - the steelers drafted 2 great talents, but traded them away for what feels like low value and are back to square one on those positions.  Dunking on owner/GM isnt helpful- neither is blaming this all on player greed.  Do you believe leadership is self aware and courageous enough to make the necessary changes to people/process/culture to improve?
Gerry Dulac
10:36
I would be careful who you are calling "great," and, in case you're not paying attention, I think that's exactly what they displayed in making those decisions to get rid of those "great" players. That is leadership, the tough, difficult kind. It's not let's give everyone a trophy
Martian
10:36
Regarding JPJ - If I heard correctly, he had the same agent that several other players "faked" injuries for to get new contracts. Do GMs refuse to draft/sign/do business with players based on their agents? If not, might be time to
Gerry Dulac
10:37
I'm sure some do...and should.
Peter
10:37
Is a potential trade of Alex Highsmith on the table if the Steelers stumble through October? If not, how about March?
Gerry Dulac
10:37
I doubt the Steelers are going to keep three highly-paid OLBs next season. But that is the plan this season.
The Truth
10:37
What ever happened to moving guys like Watt and Highsmith this year? Watt has been stapled to the same side every snap. It would be nice to try to confuse the opposing offense a bit no?
Gerry Dulac
10:39
It sure sounded good to those who believed it would happen. It might have even sounded good to Watt at the time. They do it from time to time, but you haven't noticed because it hasn't made a difference
The Truth
10:39
why do the Steelers generally not guarantee money after the first year in their contracts? It reeks of nothing but cheapness from Art
Gerry Dulac
10:40
It's the way they do business and it has worked to their advantage, in case you haven't checked all their success. Name the last "star" player they let go because they didn't want to pay him?? You can't
SteelersGuy
10:40
Morning Gerry! Are we in danger of having the bottom fall out of the team over the next few years? They don't seem to have enough solid young players to build around, and certainly no franchise QB. If they keep drafting in the middle to late first round, can they get one? Big Ben pick was after a losing season after all.
Gerry Dulac
10:41
People think that every year after a loss. I think it's going to be OK. Let's give it 6-7-8 more games
Todd
10:42
Hi Gerry, thanks for hosting the chat.  Regarding the Joey Porter Junior conclusion,  An easy complaint is that they agreed with other players this summer, that perhaps didn’t have the same on field value as a starting “top” NFL cornerback. One Common explanation is that the cap is going to continue to rise and even though a contract for a player like Benton, may seem a bit high now, it’s gonna look like a good deal later. If - with a capital I - That point of view is accurate (deals agreed on now look better in a few few years, which is genuinely true for all NFL contracts, The highest paid player is only that until the next guy signs His record deal)  do you know why they didn’t take that approach with Joey Porter Jr?  Any deal they would’ve signed this summer would likely look really good in the next few years when top Cornerbacks make even more?  Was it just the guaranteed money? Their penchant for restructuring deals to create cap Room down the road? Egos? Bad advice? All the above?
Gerry Dulac
10:44
Todd, I commend your thoughts and you are right. But I don't think it is always prudent to "project" when doing a current contract. The Steelers reward players for what they have done almost as much for what they still think they can do. And I think $27+ million annually more than says the Steelers liked what JPJ has done and what they think he would still do. Apparently, he didn't think so.
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