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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 03.01.22
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Ray Fittipaldo
12:51
Ready, set, go with your Steelers questions.
Daniel
12:51
Hi Ray, If the Steelers sign a veteran QB like Winston, do you think they will still draft QB Willis if he is there at pick 20?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:52
Willis needs some time to develop so that would be a scenario that could unfold. I still think some QB-needy team will take Pickett and Willis before the Steelers pick.
Sunner in Orlando
12:52
Will Bush be the player he was before his injury with more time to rehab and strengthen his knee? Also can Flores help him regain his form as well? Otherwise this may be a need in the draft.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:54
Bush needs to step up and show why the Steelers traded up 10 spots in the draft to get him. Perhaps with another offseason he'll be in better position to have a good season. And yes ILB is a need, but I can't put it before OL, DL, DB or QB.
Jason in Slippery Rock
12:54
Ray, what is your opinion if any on the Minnesota tackle Daniel Faalele and Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum? I hear some saying both will stars, but others saying they are not that great...
Ray Fittipaldo
12:57
Linderbaum is 6-3, 290 so there are questions about his size. If he's not blocking 330-pound nose tackles and is asked to play in an outside zone scheme he'll be fine. Faalele is 6-8, 350ish. He's raw and a right tackle only. I think he's a second or third-round pick. He's had some issues with his weight in the past so teams have to get comfortable with him and trust that he'll continue to take his diet in a serious manner.
SW Steel
12:57
Is Ryan Shazier involved with the Steelers in any way?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:57
No he is not.
The Mayor
12:57
Chances the Steelers sign a QB in FA and draft one in the first two rounds?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:58
Not high. If they sign one in free agency I think it would signal they want to wait a year before drafting one.
Sunner in Orlando
12:58
I want the Steelers to draft a QB like Pickett but I feel the needs at OL and DL are more pressing. Do the Steelers pass on a QB in the first round and if not, is the draft deep enough that the Steelers can get a couple of starting lineman in rounds 2-4?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:59
The draft is deep enough for that, yes. But it's not just OL the Steelers need. They need DL and DBs. Yes, some needs will be filled in free agency. When that happens we'll have a better idea of how the draft will unfold, but this team has so many roster holes to fill between now and May.
VAyinzer
1:00
Hey Ray, any intel or insight you can provide to the good people to help explain the recent turnstile at the OL coach position? The newest hire would mark the 4th new OL coach since Munchak left and it would seem that all departures left for lateral moves….very odd. I also think it’s been an under-the-radar storyline over the last 4 years or so how inept Tomlin has been at hiring offensive coaches/coordinators in general. Again, any insight into this would be much welcome. Thanks much.
Ray Fittipaldo
1:05
When Munchak left the Steelers hired Shaun Sarrett, who had been Munchak's assistant for five seasons. for five years. That made sense, but the line regressed under Sarrett. Not entirely his fault. Players were getting older, etc. But he was let go along with Randy Fichtner after the 2020 season. That's when I start to question Tomlin's handling of the position. He chose Adrian Klemm, who had been Sarrett's assistant for two years. An outside hire seemed prudent at that point because the offense was so bad. Then clearly, there were some issues with Klemm during the season because he accepted a job at the University of Oregon in the middle of the Steelers' season. That just doesn't happen. That's when the stoyrlines about working with Canada started. It would appear with Pat Meyer's hire Tomlin was intent on getting someone who could worked with Canada in a more effective manner. I'm not sure Meyer will be able to life the line out of its slump. They need more talent, but I think it's clear this was a very
important hire. Tomlin needs to get this one right.
wiscoken
1:06
Ray, knowing that the Steelers rarely look at "big splash" moves in free agency (and Colbert reiterated this again last week), what are the handful of areas you look for them to bring in veteran role players.  Are center and secondary high on your priority list?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:06
Not necessarily center, but definitely offensive line. And they've had good fortune with signing corners in free agency or trades so I think they could make an attempt to get a CB too.
Armchair GM
1:07
If the Giants wanted to move Daniel Jones, would you be interested if you were the Steelers’ GM?  Looking at his stats, especially on that dysfunctional team, I’m impressed.  Not to mention he’s plenty mobile, something Tomlin seems to value.  Would you trade a 1st round pick plus other, lower round picks for Jones rather than roll the dice with one of the QBs in this year’s draft?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:08
I wouldn't trade a first-round pick for Jones. Middle-round pick(s)? Sure. But I think it's a moot point. Didn't Brian Daboll say he likes Jones and is looking forward to working with him?
wiscoken
1:08
Ray, what off season move do you believe is most important (eg. signing Minkah??) and which one are you most interested and intrigued to see how it plays out (eg. Tuitt??)?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:09
1.Spend $ and bring in a quality starter for the offensive line. Still draft OL early too. That group needs a major makeover.
1:10
2Yeah the Tuitt situation is interesting. I just don't know how much they can count on him even if he decides he wants to play.
ralph
1:10
Ray, everybody is a genius. We need a QB star?No ! We need to shore up our offensive line and then find a game manager at qb . What do you think of Minschew short term?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:10
Not really clamoring for Minshew, but he wouldn't cost a lot.
Guest
1:11
Greetings Ray. This could be a roller coaster draft for the Steelers. But I am hopeful they focus on the DL and OL! I think Rudolph will be fine (give the guy a chance for crying out load!) but if the defense doesn't fix their DL issues, I don't think it will matter who's behind the center. What say you?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:12
I think a lot of people feel the same way -- rebuild the trenches. They went into so many games last season knowing they couldn't run the ball. And there were many games they were powerless to stop the run. Somehow, they still won nine games and made the playoffs.
Guest
1:12
Good afternoon and thank you for the chat.  If you had to guess who the starting quarterback on week one next season will be, taking any injury out of the equation, would it be Mason, Haskins or veteran Free agent.
Ray Fittipaldo
1:13
Mason or veteran free agent.
VAyinzer
1:13
Hi Ray, lots of talk about the extreme need for the Steelers to get help on the DL in the draft this year… Maybe I’m missing something, even IF Tuitt doesn’t return, should still have Cam, Alualu, Wormley, & Loudermilk (who seems to have started to work himself into rotation during later part of the season), and if they bring back Adams (who I think played pretty darn well down the stretch) that seems to provide a pretty decent DL rotation. With another relatively weak class of 3-4 DE types, I don’t necessarily see the logic in prioritizing that particular position on the first couple days of the draft, especially with all the other deficiencies we currently have at other positions. Your thoughts? Thank you
Ray Fittipaldo
1:13
You do know they finished last in the league in rush defense with all those guys you mentioned, right? That's your answer right there.
Mike
1:14
What ever happened to the NFL giving out 3rd round draft picks for hiring minorities? Thanks. I appreciate your time and efforts responding.
Ray Fittipaldo
1:14
It's if a minority coach on your staff is hired by another team to be a head coach or coordinator. The NFL wants to incentivize mentoring young Black coaches.
steelersfanslc
1:15
One rumor has the Steelers interested in Mitch Trubisky. Word out of Buffalo is he has made significant improvements in his game. How would you feel about that signing if it happens?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:16
I think he's the best free agent option when everything is taken into consideration. Having said that, I'm not 100% convinced he'd thrive with the Steelers. I think there is some upside there, but walking into a third NFL offense in six seasons wouldn't be easy. But I'd be good with Trubisky if he made $7 or 8 million.
Jay
1:17
Hello Ray.  Steelers have always been terrible at drafting CBs.  Brian Flores' defense similar to Ravens' defense have prioritized CBs.  Is Flores expected to help fix the CB woes?  He is listed as "defensive assistant/linebackers coach"  but I hope he can teach the FO/coaching staff on how to draft / develop secondaries.
Ray Fittipaldo
1:20
The Steelers secondary hasn't been that bad in recent years. Flores came up in a Pats system that had its CBs play man-to-man for the most part. At least when they had the personnel to do it. The Steelers have been more of a zone team in recent years perhaps because of the personnel. If you play man to man you better have a Stephon Gilmore or a JC Jackson. The Steelers don't have guys like that.
Steel Addiction
1:20
Ray, first thanks for the chat as always.  Second, there were reports going around yesterday that the Steelers were interested in 3 free agent QBs, Trubisky, Winston, and Bridgewater.  Does anyone really think that any of the 3 are a big upgrade to Rudolph.  Winston who is not slated to be back from his ACL rehab before camp.  Teddy who is about as mobile as Ben was the last 2-3 years after his knee injury, and Trubisky who is basically another reclamation project similar to Haskins.  Are people in the media just grasping at straws or is there some teeth to this story?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:20
Of those three I'd only want Trubisky.
TruSteele
1:21
From my perspective it seems like the Steelers delaying hiring a new GM until May, hinders their ability to hire a quality candidate (if they are going to hire externally).  To me any decent GM candidate would probably turn down this job considering they would have no real input/imprint on the team for roughly 10 months.  What say you?
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