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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 01.30.23
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mrbig
12:20
Is there any talk to give teams a 2nd bye so the SB can be on prez day. weekend?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:21
A likely scenario once we get to 18 games, but I don't think that's happening soon.
Nate from Fort Wayne
12:21
If we don't go CB in the 1st, is 3rd or 4th best OT or No.1 Guard the better pick?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
I'm not sure about the better pick, but that's the range they could get Broderick Jones or O'Cyrus Torrence. At 17, I'm guessing three or four of the top CBs might already be off the board.
mrbig
12:22
Steelers and eagle will play more often than 4 years. They played this season when the steelers played NFC south.... game 17 can be rivalry state week!
Ray Fittipaldo
12:23
Right, but that's not guaranteed. It only happened because they finished in the same place in the division.
Bob
12:23
Hi Ray, With what it will cost to resign Highsmith do you see the Steelers drafting an OLB?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:23
I think they will take advantage of the depth of this draft and select an OLB. As far as Highsmith goes, I think it will be in the $12-15 million a year range.
Paulie Pennino
12:24
Thanks for chats, Ray. Seemingly simple enough question: what would it take for the NFL to have officiating worthy of the richest sports league in the history of world?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
How about officials who worked on a full-time basis and didn't sell insurance or practice law during the week?
Fletch
12:24
With a year of growth for the young offense, do you see the offense being able to average 21 ppg? Historically over the last 2 yrs, they have a 0.667 win percentage when they score 20+. That puts them at 11 wins and in the playoffs.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
That would be nice, but a jump from the 17 or 18 they average this year. As Art II said, they need to score more. It's an obvious point of emphasis this offseason.
Sara Jay
12:25
Ray, I saw a lot of Steelers fans on Twitter taking great delight in Bengals fans' misery last night. I don't get that, though. Cincy seems way ahead of Pittsburgh. How far are the Steelers from the Bengals, in your opinion?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
Bengals have a clear edge at the moment, but it's the NFL. Rosters change so much from year to year. I also have a theory about teams that don't get over the hump in their first few years of contention -- sometimes it never happens for them. Not saying that's the case with the Bengals, but I can see them having a down year or two during Burrow's career. It happens from time to time as teams retool.
TommySoCal
12:27
Is it really so hard for a QB and the rest of the offense to learn a new scheme?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
I don't think so. It would just be the terminology that changed. All of these teams have the same plays in the playbook.
Fletch
12:28
I think Pickett showed some good things over the 2nd half of the season.  Will be interesting to see if he continues to progress or regresses next year. Do you think he has the potential to bring this team to KC/CIN/BUF level by year 3?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:29
By Year 3? Sure, but he's not Mahomes or Burrow or Allen. It will happen if the Steelers are great on defense and control the ball with the running game on offense with Pickett making a few plays here and there every week. Kind of like Hurts and the Eagles.
The Art of Rooney
12:29
If bringing back Canada results in an epic fail next year, should both Canada and Tomlin be replaced?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:30
No, but Tomlin would take more heat -- and deservedly so.
Long Gone
12:30
I have zero faith that this team will make the postseason in my lifetime. I'm in my mid 40s btw. There is virtually no talent and the coaching is awful.  The ownership has no clue what it is doing. I see a Detroit Lions type drought but much much longer. Am I wrong.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:31
Talk about a pessimistic view. They should make it back next season. Fourteen teams qualify each year.
Fletch
12:32
I agree with the thought of getting Canada help (still can't believe they kept him, continuity is a poor reason to keep him).  However, Canada strikes me as a stubborn person, believe he even described himself that way in an early PG article. Do you see him accepting help if they actually did the right thing and hired and experienced offensive assistant to help him?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:32
He won't have a choice in the matter.
E.Hochuli
12:33
Ray, I pumped serious iron in the off-season, and did not practice freaking law or work at State Farm. Best hope I don't run across your sports writing arse...
Ray Fittipaldo
12:33
Back flex, Ed!
Pittfan
12:33
Hi Ray. When will you start to take a look at prospects? I'm really interested to hear your take on Siaki Ika, the big nose tackle from Baylor.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:34
I'll start that process this week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. Then Super Bowl week I'll drop my first mock draft.
Chrich_13
12:34
good afternoon Ray, I don’t understand why keeping Rudolph as a back up and trading Mitch is not a viable option? Rudolph would be cheaper and knows the offense, and seems to be as good as Trubisky in the backup roll.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:34
But he's not the type of QB they want. They want mobile QBs.
Steeler in Virginia
12:34
Been seeing a lot of Polamalu highlights recently, and his blitzing wrecked havoc when it was called. Do you see a chance for Minkah to blitz more in the future if the team lands some quality DB help and frees him up?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:35
Not really. They're different types of safeties. Minkah can play in the box and blitz once in a while, but he feels like he's best as a deep safety.
Dahntown
12:35
How much of the offenses’ lack of creativity / production was related to coach Tomlins’ belief that the defense will keep the games close, so let’s limit our young qb’s exposure. As opposed to blaming Matt Canada for his vanilla scheme?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:35
That's part of it but not all of it.
Jamie
12:36
Philly has had 3 different head coaches and gone to the SB.  This idea that MT is not replaceable is nonsense. There are more than a few quality coaches that could help lead this team back to bring a legitimate playoff team.  Nothing against MT but sometimes his stubbornness becomes a liability.   Would you care to comment?  Thank you.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:37
The Steelers have had three coaches reach the Super Bowl, too. In fact, they've combined for six Lombardis. I get what you're saying about the Eagles, but let's not pretend the Eagles are suddenly a model NFL franchise. They've made it back to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years. It's been a good run for them, but let's not compare histories between the two franchises.
Doyle37
12:37
What do you think of the officiating in yesterday's games ?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:39
Holding can be called on every play. These defensive linemen and edge rushers are some of the best athletes on the field. As for the block in the back penalty on Moore's punt return, the one block I saw didn't look egregious. It was more of a stand in the way type of block. I think the officiating is substandard almost every week, but I didn't necessarily think last night's game was any worse than normal.
Nate from Fort Wayne
12:39
Have you ever seen a team have the best luck at the QB position but also the worst luck at the QB position as the 49ers in the same season?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:40
That's a good way to put it. Lesson: protect your QBs at all costs. Asking tight ends to block edge rushers is crazy dumb.
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