JotCast | Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 02.27.24

Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 02.27.24

Ray Fittipaldo

2:01

Welcome and let's get started.

Tom

2:01

Seems like the Steelers have a "must fill" hole every year going into the draft. This year it is center at 1 or 2, ruling out a chance to get a better talent elsewhere? Why do this to yourself? Oh, and if you say they will get a free agent...there are not top guys out there so you don't save any money and you still need to draft one soon, correct?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:03

They make these kinds of business/personnel decisions every single season. The bottom line is they believe they can do better than Mason Cole at center. And in the process of releasing him they saved almost $5 million. That's significant when you have so many other areas to address. And don;t forget that Nate Herbig and James Daniels could be options at center this coming season.

Mike

2:04

When will Omar Khan speak at the Combine?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:05

Omar has some personal business to attend to and his media sessions here has been postponed. There is a chance he will talk sometime this week or next week.

Thomas

2:06

Do you think the Steelers and Cam Heyward come to some sort of agreement in the next two weeks. Do you think they extend his contract?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:07

I do. I think it's important to the Steelers to have Heyward finish his career here. Not sure how the contract will look, but they could extend him with voidable years on the end of the deal. That's what they did with Ben Roethlisberger.

SMF

2:07

Hi Ray: thanks for the chats. Should the Steelers go all in to sign a top starter FA at CB or ILB or DL or C to protect the first 2 draft picks from reaching for need?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:08

Depends who is available in free agency, of course. I think they'll definitely sign a free agent CB if they cut Patrick Peterson. And it's hard to see them keeping Peterson at an almost $10 million cap hit.

J$Money

2:10

Odds on each of these quarterbacks becoming a Steeler: Fields, Wilson, Rudolph. Odds of none of the above? Thank you!

Ray Fittipaldo

2:10

Rudolph 40%, Wilson 10% Fields 5%. None of the above 50%.

Josh H

2:10

Whats more fun to cover, the senior bowl or the combine?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:12

From a writing perspective, the combine is much better organized and better in terms of getting access to players and coaches and GMs. The Senior Bowl is kind of a cluster with all that. It's not very well-run from a PR perspective. From an evaluating perspective, the only thing I like better about the Senior Bowl is the football is real in practice. With the combine, it's all drills in shorts. It's important, but there is no real football on display.

Jerry

2:13

Why would you go into next season with Pickett and Mason or Tannehill as the backup? We know this is what the Steelers will do. Get out of the 1900’s and put all your cards in!!!

Ray Fittipaldo

2:13

I'll bite. Who do you want at QB?

Andrew in ATL

2:14

Hi Ray, I think OL should be the pick in Rd 1. But can you see a scenario where CB is the choice? Any other position where Steelers have a need for a player and one with Pick 20 value is likely is still available?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:14

CB is definitely in play in Round 1. I think the three possibilities at this point are CB, C and OT. Not in any particular order.

Ben

2:14

Hey Ray - does the additional cap space mean the Steelers are more likely to go after patrick queen or that the ravens are more likely to want to resign him? Thanks -

Ray Fittipaldo

2:15

Not sure how big the coffers are in Baltimore. The Ravens also have to sign Madabuike. Plus, they already have big $ tied up in Roquan Smith. I'm not sure how the Steelers view Queen, but they likely need to add an ILB in free agency with Cole Holcomb's injury situation uncertain.

Andrew in ATL

2:15

Any update on how Corey Trice's rehab is coming along? Will he be ready by camp?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:16

I saw Trice running sprints in January so it seems like he's progressing well. I would imagine he'd be ready to participate in training camp, if not OTAs.

Big Sid

2:17

How would you compare the play of K. Neal versus his predecessor Edmunds? Do you think the Steelers would bring Edmunds back to free up Minkah in his old role as CF?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:17

Fitzpatrick had his best years when Edmunds was here so it wouldn't surprise me if that's a move they make. I didn't think Neal was terrible, but sometimes there is more nuance to it. Edmunds would do all the dirty work to free up Fitzpatrick to make plays.

Rambler66

2:18

KC just signed punter Matt Azaria. Why did the Steelers not do so. Seemed like a marriage made in heaven.

Ray Fittipaldo

2:18

Well, maybe the Steelers will spend some $ in free agency and sign Tommy Townsend. He punted for the Chiefs the past few years and has been excellent. The Chiefs can't keep both.

Steve in Canton

2:19

Hey Ray, hope Indy is treating you well. Could the Steelers be thinking of keeping WR Allen Robinson (or renegotiating w/ him) in case Diontae gets traded? Curious that Robinson hasn't been released yet with guys like Chuks, Mason Cole and Mitch.

Ray Fittipaldo

2:19

They might be trying to come to terms with him on a new deal for much less money. That's the only reason he hasn't been cut yet.

Guest

2:20

Hi Ray, Love your insight and taking the time for these chats. We hear a lot of "chatter" about how bad KP is and that the Steelers are looking to grab a QB.. My thinking is (not trying to be a Pickett hater or lover) he was held back a little by Canada's offense, with a scheme that (as Pat P stated) was pretty predictable. He (at the same time) did not make many mistakes (int's) but needs to improve both his reads and reliability (he seems to get hurt a bit). Do you think Arthur Smiths offense will help Kenny progress?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:20

It better or he won't be around very much longer.

Brian in NC

2:20

Thanks for doing these Ray. With an aging Cam and a weak DL class, shouldn’t signing at least a mid level, quality starter at DL be a high priority in free agency?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:21

Tough call. They have so much money tied up in Heyward and Ogunjobi that it's hard to see them spending more money on a starter if they're both still on the roster. Now, if the Steelers cut Ogunjobi...

Desert Steel

2:21

If you absolutely had to choose between picking up Fields or Wilson (independent of contract scenarios), which one would you pick as the best fit and why?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:24

Not big on either coming to Pittsburgh, but in your scenario I guess Wilson because he's been an elite QB in the NFL. It's been a few years since he was held in such high regard, but the jury is still very much out on Fields. What I worry about with Wilson is his personality. You heard a lot of things late in his Seattle tenure and his short stint in Denver about him not being a great leader or teammate. That concerns me.

Old School

2:24

Hi Ray. I’m not sure if you’ve done any research on 2024 defensive linemen draft prospects. If you have, I’d be curious to know if you could name two or three that might be productive fits for the Steelers thank you, and take care.

Ray Fittipaldo

2:25

I think Darius Robinson could be a good fit at DE. He's from Missouri. Byron Murphy is probably the highest-rated DT in this draft. He's a 3-technique from Texas. Jer'Zhan Newton from Illinois isn't far behind. He's also a 3-technique.

Eric Carr

2:26

Why such a delay releasing Robinson? You think there's any chance they could be negotiating a huge pay cut to retain him?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:26

Yeah that's possible.

ESPeeN

2:26

Ray, any scoop on whom MT may be breaking bread with this week?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:27

With prospects? He does that on pro day visits.