You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 02.02.21
powered byJotCast
View Full Chat Next Page
Ray Fittipaldo
1:56
It's Super Bowl weeks so let's have a super chat today! Post your questions.
Ralph
1:57
Do u see any chance Pittsburgh movin up to top 10 in draft to get a quarterback?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:59
I doubt it. They just made a similar move two years ago to get Devin Bush. This is a year they need as many draft assets as they can get due to the holes on their roster. As much as it might be tempting to go up and get a young QB or one of the best tackles, I don't think this is the year to do it.
Ralph
1:59
I would go running back first if I could get Harris in the draft the ol in second then.Do u agree.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:00
My first seven-round mock draft for the Steelers comes out next Monday, the day after the Super Bowl.
ALB
2:00
Ray, in your learned opinion, does the Steelers’ promotion of assistants to fill coaching vacancies show cheapness, overconfidence, complacency, timidness, ignorance? Any or all or none of the above?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:04
I was a bit surprised. When Randy Fichtner and Shaun Sarrett were let go my assumption was Mike Tomlin would go outside the organization to seek some new ideas or a new way of doing things because the offense had fallen on such hard times. When Canada was hired it kind of made sense with Roethlisberger likely to return. Keep some continuity, etc. But Klemm taking over for Sarrett doesn't make a lot of sense on the surface. He has been here since 2019 as Sarrett's assistant, and the Steelers were last and 29th in rushing in those years. Maybe he'll turn out to be a good line coach. I'm certainly not going to judge the hire without knowing what he plans to do with his scheme or his personnel. But like a lot of fans out there I'm just a bit miffed by the process by the head coach.
slow hand
2:05
The offensive line change or new direction is all based on what type of back is carrying the pigskin. Bell had a different style than Conner and the blocking was different for both. We need to get a back first then change the line scheme or personnel.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:05
The back matters but so does the line. They need upgrades at both positions. They have plenty of picks in this draft to address both and get some younger players in here to challenge the players already on the depth chart.
Curious George
2:06
I’ve been hearing the Steelers don’t pay the assistant coaches very much compared to other teams.  Can you verify or deny this and estimate how much these coaches are paid?  Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:09
My understanding is they pay the going rate for coordinators. I think where there might be some confusion is the Steelers have one of the smaller staffs in the league so yes they pay their assistants on the whole less than the league. However, when they have had big-name assistant coaches in the recent past they have paid them well. Mike Munchak was paid like he was a coordinator. (He also was associate head coach). They paid Dick LeBeau well. For whatever reason -- and I don't know why at this point -- those big hires were not made during this hiring cycle for Tomlin. I'd like to know why a guy like Doug Marrone was not interviewed and considered. He went to work for Nick Saban at Alabama. I'd hate to think the Steelers were not willing to match the offer a college team made.
SW Steel
2:10
Hi Ray!  I've read a few articles lately about how Bruce Arians has thrived since leaving the Steelers.  In fact, I don't see him as anything more than someone that can do well against low expectations, and with store-bought talent.  That's more of a matter of luck, in my opinion.  Can you please explain to me why people think otherwise?  Perhaps he was simply a bad fit for the Steelers & Ben?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:12
He was successful in Indy and Arizona, too. I know he had Andrew Luck in Indy, but it's not like he had a future Hall of Famer or anything in Arizona. Carson Palmer was his best QB out there. Sure, Tom Brady made the difference for the Bucs this year, but you can make the argument he made the difference for the Patriots all those years. My take is kudos to Arians and Bucs ownership for going out and getting him.
Guest
2:12
Ray,If you have to choose between keeping Ben or keeping Haden and Nelson which way do you go? I say bye bye Ben , keep the D strong and focus on OL, RB and evaluating Mason.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:13
I don't look at it that way. The Steelers believe Ben is their best option next season, but they have to make the money work with the $41 cap hit. Like Ben, Haden and Nelson have bloated cap hits, too. So do a lot of others on this roster. I look at those decisions more on an individual basis rather than in the scope of how Ben fits.
FoolBack
2:13
Hi Ray, do you feel the Steelers were prepared for this scenario with Big Ben?  It appears that they either thought he'd retire or he'd bounce back to his pre-surgery form, and they would extend him?  Not be pondering a 1 year deal for him to ride off into the sunset.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:15
More than anything, the pandemic hurt them. And there is no way they could have seen that coming. I'm not saying they would have been thrilled with the $41 million cap hit if the cap went up to $210 million as was forecast before the pandemic, but it would have been a whole lot easier to make the roster work. Now the projection is around $180 million. That's a $30 million difference. It's huge.
Paul
2:15
Ray, do you think Steelers may have over extended themselves when they gave Cam H the big contract. Seemed like a lot for a 31 year old. Even though he's been a great player/ leader etc.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:16
Heyward played very well again, so I don't see that as a bad deal at all. If the bottom all of a sudden falls out next season then it might be, but there are no signs of Cam slowing down. The Steelers know what type of person and player he is. He prepares his body well and is a player who should age well with his contract.
Retire21
2:16
In their heart of hearts do the Steelers even want Pouncey back or would they be happy to see him sail into retirement?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:16
I don't think they'd be crushed if he sailed off into the sunset.
Retire21
2:16
I see Ebron mentioned as a cut possibility. What would they have left at TE? I think he was reasonably effective last season, no?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:18
They'd have Zach Gentry coming off a knee injury and Kevin Rader, whose first two NFL games were the regular-season finale and the playoff game against the Browns. Ebron was OK, but he can't block a lick. He drops too many passes, and they failed to use him as a downfield receiver. I'm not sure why they're paying him $6 million a year to be a checkdown tight end. Maybe Matt Canada will use him in a different manner. That might maximize his value.
DaquidoBazzini
2:19
Hi Ray... Nothing personal against Adrian Klemm, but how can Mike Tomlin feel he’s going to change the attitude and techniques of an offensive line when hiring a guy that was with the assistant? This doesn’t make much sense to me.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:20
You are not alone in your thinking. We'll have to see how this all plays out. One thing people aren't talking about is Tomlin and Colbert's contractual situations. They're basically going year-to-year at this point. I think it's worth throwing out there that maybe some assistants would rather sign a deal to coach somewhere where the long-term futures of so many important people are a bit more defined.
Jay
2:21
Assuming JuJu moves on, do the Steelers sign or draft someone with the intention of playing them at WR3? Or is James Washington likely ticketed for that role? Thanks!
Ray Fittipaldo
2:22
I think James Washington can handle the No. 3 role just fine, but I would not rule out taking another WR in the draft. Maybe not in the top three rounds, but the depth after Washington, Claypool and Johnson is not great. It would be Ray-Ray McCloud and a bunch of guys who spent last year on the practice squad. So maybe they take a guy in the fourth round or after or they sign a free agent who's not too expensive.
Karl Hungus
2:23
Does TJ Watt sign with the Steelers this year knowing it might take time to get to the Superbowl, or does he go to a team that is young and up and coming?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:24
The Steelers want to sign TJ Watt this summer. He is their top priority.
Gene
2:24
If Pouncey does indeed retire would you draft a C at 24 or still go for the best available OT?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:25
Best available OL. This is not a strong class of centers at the top of the draft. There are a few guys that might be in consideration late in the first or in the second round but no surefire guy at No. 24. You have to get good value in the first round and this just doesn't seem to be the year a center will be taken in the first round.
Ryno
2:25
Some fans are really down on Conner.  I saw a RB in him that played hard and fought for every yard he got.  Am I wrong in believing he offensive line failed Conner miserably?  Derrick Henry woukdnt have even had 1000 yards this season with that line.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:26
The line did fail Conner, but he was a third-round comp pick. He was given the starter's role for three seasons and the Steelers finished 29th, 31st and last in the league in rushing those three years. Yes, the line matters, but the back matters, too.
Ben
2:27
Ray does Etienne fit the steelers?  If najee is gone would they pick him? He seems more of a scat back and i'd think they would want to go more power run game?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:28
Etienne and Harris are the top two backs in this class. I think the Steelers would do well to land either of them. Running backs have been devalued in recent years so fewer have been going in the first round, but those that do usually go late in the round. And there are some advantages to taking a RB in the first round. If you like them you can pay the fifth-year option and assure your team has an impact back for five years. After that, you can go year to year on the franchise tag if they're really good.
Carl in Carrick
2:29
Hey Ray...any idea if DeCastro will play next season or retire?  Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:29
I haven't heard any chatter about 66 retiring. He's under contract for one more year with a $14 million cap hit.
Douglas
2:29
Do you think Anthony McFarland can be a #2 back?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:30
Not sure. In his limited opportunities as a rookie he did not stand out very much.
NC Steel
2:30
Hi Ray, Do you agree with Paul Ziese that the Steelers should have hired an O-Line coach with more experience? And also that going outside the organization for a new OC would have been a better idea? His arguments make a lot of sense to me...thanks
Connecting…