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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 01.12.21
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Ray Fittipaldo
1:58
Hello, let's get the chat started. Post your questions.
Guest
1:59
do you think one of these coordinators has got to go?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:02
I would be surprised if there are not staff changes. I always pay attention to what Art Rooney says at the end of the year. Last year around this time he said the Steelers have to be more efficient at running the football. They were 29th in 2019 in rushing. They finished dead-last this year. Rooney's words would be hollow if he didn't hold the coaches accountable. I know there are a lot of reasons for the run-game struggles. The line is old and declining. The RBs are average. I get it. But the scheme didn't help matters. That's coaching. When you have average or below average players you have to play to their strengths and hide their weaknesses. I didn't see that happening with the offense this year. They just continued to do what they do even when it wasn't working. That's on Randy Fichtner and Shaun Sarrett.
Guest
2:02
franchise tag juju or dupree?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:04
It would be $16 million to tag JuJu. More than that for Dupree. I'd say there is a better chance that JuJu gets tagged, but they'd have to clear a lot of cap space to make that happen. They are over the cap right now and have to get in compliance in a few months.
MrSamsonite
2:04
Hi Ray. Let’s say Ben is not here for some reason next season. I’m thinking the team should let JuJu and his distractions go and try to re-sign Dupree. Keep that defense intact (as much as possible) and draft OL and a good RB. I think Mason can be a winning QB with a solid line and running game backed up by a solid defense . Your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:07
They'd have $22 million freed up if Roethlisberger retired. You have to remember they have to extend T.J. Watt and that won't be cheap. He's going to become the highest-paid defensive player on the team. And you also have to look at how they team build. They drafted Alex Highsmith because they were planning for Dupree's departure. So as much as I like your idea of building up the defense is Roethlisberger left I think they'd use that money in other places. Watt first and then other players.
Guest
2:07
3 playoff wins in 10 years... this is not the steelers I remember, the team who EXPECTED to go deep in the playoffs every season, thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:09
Not good. He had much more success early in his career. He reached the Super Bowl twice in his first four seasons. He's only been in one AFC championship game since then, and the Steelers were beaten soundly by the Patriots that night in Foxboro. Tomlin is entering the final year of his contract. I do not expect the Steelers to extend him as they usually do in this situation. They're just going to let it play out.
Rhino
2:09
Ben can not be expected to pass every down without giving the ball up. He had to force a few passes because, there were no other offense option.. No run game, no defense . Passes for over 500 yards. The man literally has to shoulder this offense by himself. He never complains publicly.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:11
I said from beginning if Roethlisberger's return was going to be successful they had to build up the running game. That obviously did not happen. And you're right. The offense was on his shoulders. In the playoff game, he did not rise to the occasion.
DS48
2:11
Will the Steelers take the plunge and  retire all three coordinators?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:12
Not going to speculate on how many, but I do expect changes.
2:14
JuJu is a quality receiver. I'm not sure I'd pay him the going rate for a No. 1 receiver, but if the price is right he can help the offense. His off-the-field stuff is annoying, and I'-m sure a few of his teammates are tired of his social media business. So they'd have to weight that into their decision, too.
Baghdad_Ben
2:14
I am on the fence with Tomlin but one thing is clear to me. He is subpar at building a staff. Who has been his most creative staff member - Todd Haley - and MT was forced to hire him. Not sure how much credit to give MT for Arians, but Arians was getting BB killed and Tomlin was forced to fire him. Butler   - figurehead, Smith - subpar performance every year. Tomlin's biggest liability is his ability to hire and manage a staff. What is the likelihood of the Rooney's fixing all that for MT?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:16
Other than hiring Mike Munchak I would agree with you for the most part. He's had a hard time attracting top coaching talent. Arians is a former assistant of his and he's a head coach, but that's the extent of his coaching tree. And remember, Arians was a holdover from Cowher's staff. Tomlin inherited him. Id' feel a lot better about changing the OC if I was confident Tomlin had the ability to hire an up-and-comer. If he does make a change he needs to hit a home run with the hire.
Lovemaker
2:17
There is no way they can bring Ben back at 41 mill cap hit. I assume they will extend him to ease the cap hit or release him if he doesn't retire? How do you think this plays out?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:19
I suppose they could extend him but structure in the contract such a way that it would not be punitive to their cap if they released him or he retired in 2022. Or they could have him play it out. He's 23% of the cap in 2021. That's a huge number, but unless you think Mason Rudolph is the answer then Roethlisberger is your best chance to win in 2021.
BB
2:20
Ray - You have to fall on the ball!  Ben did his best Cam Newton impression....Connor acted like the ball was radioactive....if they recover that horrible snap, it is a much different game?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:21
I agree. Even if it's a safety they might recover and it might be a different game. The INT on the nesxt series changed things even more.
Retire21
2:21
Speaking of losing streaks, seems the Steelers lost the coin toss e wry game in the last part of the season. It put their slow starting offense on the field first which seemed to lead 3&outs or worse. Am I being anal?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:22
No, you're spot on. We talked about that on the podcast right after the game. https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/the-north-shore-drive-sports-...
Retire21
2:22
When will we know about the cap?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:22
The NFL usually announces the cap number at the combine, so in about 7 weeks or so.
Joe
2:24
Why doesn’t anyone in the media go after Tomlin? Articles written and talking heads have addressed Ben retiring and other problems. Ron Cook says Tomlin’s seat should be warm but doesn’t advocate firing him. The coordinators are terrible too but no one says anything about them. Please explain
Ray Fittipaldo
2:26
I gave everyone Fs in my postgame report card. Not sure what you want. We question him. He answers those questions. We criticize him all the time. I think what you want is for Art Rooney II to fire Tomlin. No matter what any of us say or write, I can assure you Rooney is not swayed by the opinions of a talk-show host or columnist.
Retire21
2:26
Next year’s first place schedule is brutal and if they add the extra NFC game something like 11 of their foes will come off playoff seasons. Could that factor in their decision making of a rebuild or not?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:27
The Steelers don't tear it down and rebuild. That's not in their DNA under the Rooneys. If ever there was a time to blow it up it was in September of 2019 right after Roethlisberger was injured. Instead, they acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has helped make the defense one of the best in the NFL the past two seasons.
Utah Jim
2:28
Is CB a dark horse for the first pick in the draft? They are likely to lose Sutton and Hilton in FA and probably have to cut Hayden to get under the cap.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:29
You might be right about Haden, but if they do that they might try to get Sutton at a cheaper rate. And if they did that they'd just need to draft one and develop them to take over for Nelson. Not sure you have to get that guy in the first round. You probably won't get him in the later rounds, but you might be able to get a future starter in the middle rounds.
Utah Jim
2:29
Have you ever seen a coaching decision worse than Tomlin’s to punt early in the fourth quarter? In my over 40 years of watching football, I can’t think of one.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:30
I'm with you, Utah Jim. It was a real head-scratcher.
steeltowntim
2:30
Ray, While a horrible game I think when we had 4th and one at midfield down by 12 we should have gone for it and the reason why we are done is a no run offense.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:30
Agree and agree. They must fix the run game.
1 Yard Woes
2:30
Pouncey got manhandled against the Browns.  He has 1 year left on his deal.  What is the cap hit if he retires, is cut, etc...?  Should the Steelers start over at this position?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:31
They can save $8 million if they release him, but he'd still count around $6 million against the cap. He's a $14 million cap hit in 2021. They have a lot of business decisions like this one to make over the coming weeks.
BB
2:32
Ray - Thanks for the chats.  No way Tomlin goes, so what coaches do you think will be let go?  DC Butler probably, but what good does that do but to save payroll $$.....doesn't Tomlin make all of the defensive calls?  He isn't going to fire himself, but he does seem to get a pass for poor defensive performance.  How do you let yourself get caught with Spillane on Landry?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:33
Yeah the ILB covering the other team's best WR is getting a lot of play. It's not a new story. It's an old one. Remember how the Steelers had Jon Bostic cover (try to cover?) Keenan Allen in 2018. The Steelers had a 23-7 lead and lost that game, mostly because of their inability to cover Allen. That game kept them out of the playoffs.
pdxJaxon
2:33
Ray, I cant imagine staying with Fichtner as OC.  Do you think that The FO will really let Tomlin stick with him next year ?
That of course is assuming that Tomlin is even with us next year which I assume he will be.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:33
I don't see a scenario where Fichtner returns as OC.
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