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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 02.15.22
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Ray Fittipaldo
1:56
OK let's get the chat going!
Jacque Strap
1:56
Hi Ray, each year Omar Khan always seems to get at least a little interest from other teams for GM jobs. I always thought he was strictly a numbers/cap guy. What is the extent, if any, of his personnel evaluation responsibilities with the Steelers?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:59
Omar is the chief contract negotiator and cap guy for the Steelers. Kevin Colbert and Brandon Hunt have headed up the personnel side of the front office. Different organizations have different structures. No matter who is given the title of GM when a replacement for Colbert is announced Omar's influence won't go away. He's the guy who always seems to make the cap work.
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus
1:59
Many people are saying the Steelers can't afford the draft capital to trade up to draft a quarterback. I would argue that they can't afford not to do that. They have problems on both lines. I get that. But their biggest problem is quarterback. They moved up from 20 to 10 to get an inside linebacker as a PG columnist pointed out. Why wouldn't you do that for a quarterback? I don't see Bryce Young or CJ Stroud next year as better options than Pickett or Willis this year. Since rebuilding is an anathema to this organization, they're unlikely ever to draft in the top ten. You can't win in this league without a star QB and you're unlikely to find them outside the first round. And they're going to need to trade up to get one.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:02
The point is they need the draft capital to address many other needs. And relying on outside free agents, you might have noticed, hasn't always worked out for the Steelers. Remember Ladarius Green? Morgan Burnett? Melvin Ingram? This is an organization that builds through the draft. And in a year when they need an infusion of talent on the offensive line, defensive line and secondary I have a hard time believing they would trade away picks to take a chance on a QB from what is considered a weak QB Class. Hey, you might be right. They could make a deal if they really fall in love with a guy. And I'd be all for it if they truly believed they had their franchise guy for the next decade. I'm just not convinced there is a QB like that in this draft. At least it's hard for me to ascertain that at this juncture of the evaluation process.
ppozone6031@gmail.com
2:02
Hi Ray, I believe the Steelers will draft a QB either Malik Willis or Sam Howell. I think Penning will be the number 2 pick. What do you think?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:03
I can't see Penning being there when the Steelers pick in Round 2. As for Sam Howell, I'm not a big fan and especially not in Round 1.
Andy Hockley
2:03
Do you see the Steelers transitioning to more outside zone and adding the personnel to run it?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:04
They better do something because whatever they've been doing since 2018 hasn't worked.
Dirk
2:04
While I think MT is a good coach, I think that he wasted the opportunity that he had all those years with a franchise QB, largely by failing to develop a defense that could make a stop when he really needed one. Defense, after all, was is his calling card. But those early to mid-years of the last decade when Ben was putting up numbers and making big plays, the defense was giving them back often faster than he could make them. And then, ironically, when we finally had a better defense later on, we couldn’t gain a yard when we needed one! Go figure
Ray Fittipaldo
2:05
Don't see a question in there, but I 100% agree with you. And to some extent all teams go through this over the years. You have to hit it just right to win a championship. The Steelers hit it right in 2005 and 2008 because they had a great defense and a great QB on a rookie contract
Guest
2:05
Can Kendrick green be rebuilt to NFL levels?  He is short, has poor technique, and is not quick.   He has a nasty streak and plays to the whistle.   I do not see him as a productive guard either.   Your take?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:06
He might be short and he did struggle with his technique, but he is quick. That I will give him. I don't really see him as a better guard although others do. He is working out with Maurkice Pouncey this offseason so it would appear he and the Steelers have their sights set on improving as a center.
SMF
2:07
Hi Ray:  Some insight please.  Munchak is available for OL Coach now and no word from the Steelers.  Was the whole “closer to the family in Denver” line a few years ago just PR cover?  Is the real reason he left is just doesn’t want to work with/for Tomlin?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:08
It was not PR cover. Munchak's daughter lives near Denver. That's why he left the Steelers in 2018.
Dirk
2:09
On another QB topic, if the Bengals don't invest in protecting Joe Burrow, he won't have a long career.  I'm thinking Andrew Luck.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:10
He was brutalized in the TENN and RAMS games. Bengals draft should be OL, OL, OL, OL, OL, OL, OL.
JerseySteel
2:11
Hi Ray - which of these players on defense will be back in 2022: Witherspoon, Edmunds, Haden, Tuitt?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:11
Witherspoon. Not sure on Haden and Edmunds and Tuitt.
Sunner in Orlando
2:12
Do you have an opinion about Pat Meyers and will he be an upgrade over Klemm? Or is it mostly about talent?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:14
Don't really have an opinion but any coach needs talent, and the Steelers don't have enough right now.
Sunner in Orlando
2:15
Have you heard of any OL and DL free agents the Steelers may be looking at?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:16
I've looked at some lists and tried to get a gauge on some guys they might have interest in, but they're still working on that. The new league year does not begin for another month.
Sunner in Orlando
2:16
Hey Ray thanks for the chats! Who would you like to see as the new GM? Do you think Riddick really has a shot or was that a courtesy interview due to his ties with Pittsburgh?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:17
I don't think it was a courtesy interview, but I think Hunt and Omar will share the job. Hunt on the personnel side and Omar continuing in his role. But we'll see what happens. Art Rooney continues to interview candidates and does not seem in any hurry.
jay
2:17
Hello Ray.  One mock has steelers take Daniel Faalele at 20.  If Green/penning/Raimann are all gone, can you see them take the next OL over DL?  Gerry has been hinting a d tackle early and often, probably meaning Tuitt is gone.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:19
Not sure Faalele is value at No. 20. Of the guys you mentioned I like Green the most. I did not mock him to the Steelers in my first mock draft because I thought he'd be gone. After Green, I think Penning is good value at No. 20. D-line is definitely a need, too. I just had a hard time mocking a big interior guy like Jordan Davis to the Steelers knowing they'd have to find ways to involve him in sub-packages. Maybe they'd go defensive end there or maybe even EDGE thought I doubt EDGE. But they certainly need to shore up the front seven. Plus, this is a deep draft for OL so you can probably still get a good one in the second round.
MD
2:20
Ray: Hearing that we drafted JuJu over Cooper Kupp was the genesis of this question.  Many of the recent drafts have been unmitigated disasters (e.g. 2016, 2018 were the worst, and 2019 is also looking like a bust).  A closer look though at recent drafts show that many of the players drafted recently showed at least some early promise.  Examples:  JuJu looked like a future all pro early; Sean Davis was thought to be impressive early in his rookie year; Edmunds was an immediate starter; James Washington had some moments; Bush looked like a future star; Sammie Coates had a big early 2015; even Artie Burns was a starter early in his career.  Minkah (essentially 2020's #1 pick) also seems to be getting worse over time.  The question is whether you think the Steelers have mostly failed in talent evaluation or in player development?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:23
Every team has good picks and bad picks. You won't find one team that knocked a draft out of the ballpark. It just doesn't happen. I'm not a big fan of cherry picking bad picks over the years. It's true the Steelers have had more first-round busts than usual in the past five years or so. It's fair to criticize Colbert for that. But overall, his tenure has been very good. I'm sure he wants to finish his career on a strong note and go out with a good draft. Don't mean to dodge your question, but sometimes it's the evaluation and other times it's a bad fit or poor player development.
Slippin Jimmy
2:23
Looking back now, did the Steelers make the right decision in keeping Sutton and letting Hilton walk?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:25
Hilton got a four-year, $24 million deal from the Bengals. The Steelers only gave Sutton two years (at a similar price) but there was an out after one year if Sutton didn't play well. Still is, but I think Sutton played well enough to stay. Plus, he can play outside and inside. He offers more versatility than Hilton. Not saying he's a better player. I think Hilton is really good as a slot corner, but the Steelers valued versatility a little more and didn't have to commit long term.
Sunner in Orlando
2:25
Have you or any of your colleagues had a real conversation with Bush to see what his issues were this year? Lack of confidence after his surgery or not big enough to handle the OL blocks etc.....?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:26
It's tough in the COVID environment to have those conversations because we don't have locker room access. Looking forward to having locker rooms open again so stories like Bush and others can be told.
bring back Hanratty
2:26
Ray, What do you think needs to happen for there to be more black head coaches in the league?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:27
More owners getting out of their comfort zone and making those hires. That's all it comes down to. Plenty of qualified candidates out there. The good thing was Miami and Houston did make minority hires so now we have three. There can and should be more.
Jon in Oregon
2:27
Would you be kind enough to say what you know about the Claypool trade rumor?  How did it start and is there any validity?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:28
I don't get caught up too much in rumors, but honestly what could the Steelers get for a player coming off a year like he had? Might as well try to get through to him and hope he improves.
gfox
2:28
can OL needs be addressed in free agency
Ray Fittipaldo
2:28
Certainly. And I think they will.
Jay
2:29
If not Edmunds who plays SS? Karl Joseph?
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