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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 04.20.21
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Ray Fittipaldo
2:28
Too early to tell.
david
2:29
Will full time Banner and Dotson make our OL more physical and mean in running game?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:29
Potentially, yes.
Draft & What Have You
2:29
If a defensive player... say Patrick Surtain Jr. slips to 24... Have to take him or stick to the plan?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:30
Surtain? Take him. He should go in top 10 or 15 and likely as the first CB off the board.
Bill Madlock
2:30
Forgot it was a Steelers chat. Forgive me please about my question of getting Mark Cuban to buy the Pirates. Who is the next member of the Rooney family to take over as president when Art Rooney II retires or becomes chairman of the board?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:30
Likely his son, Dan Rooney.
Draft & What Have You
2:31
Vito, Sonny, Michael, Tom, Fredo... Using this fictional character analogy... Art II = ?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:31
Tom. He's very measured.
RJT
2:31
people always point to the Steelers playoff failures as Tomlins fault.  Ben has been atrocious in the playoffs for the past decade. He has good regular seasons and melts down in the playoffs. Would you agree the Steelers postseason disappointments are more on Big Ben then tomlin?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:32
The offense in general, but of course, Ben's poor play had a big role in those embarrassments.
Steeler in Virginia
2:32
How important do you think it is to free agents to see that the coach they are signing with is signed to a multi-year deal? Seems like knowing that stability at the top is there would be reassuring as opposed to going somewhere where the coaches and schemes change often.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:32
Not very. Free agents want to see the $ signs. Coach is secondary to that.
Draft & What Have You
2:33
Fair enough... If Surtain is there at 15... move to get him?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:33
Going up nine spots is expensive, so I say no.
Luis
2:35
Ray, Vegas has steelers at 9 +- wins are u over or under. My guess its closer to 6
Ray Fittipaldo
2:35
I guess I'd like to see when the games are laid out before I make a prediction, but I'm thinking 9-8 or 8-9 right now.
Draft & What Have You
2:36
True but 6' 2" CBs with his skill set & bloodline don't  come along very often
Ray Fittipaldo
2:36
Very true. I'm just saying the cost of moving up when you need the picks to fill other needs is too high.
Tom
2:36
Is it true the Steelers will be way under the cap going into 2022?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:37
I don't know about "way under" but they won't be up against it like they were this year.
That's assuming this is Roethlisberger's final year, of course.
RDH
2:37
Other than focusing more on the run, expect to see anything new with Matt Canada at the helm?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:38
Yeah a downfield passing game! Better run schemes! JuJu not playing exclusively in the slot! The QB under center! Play-action passing! At least I hope some of these are implemented.
Yates
2:39
Will PG - Brian? - being doing live chat first two nights of the draft?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:39
Not sure of the who and when, but I believe we'll have chats on Thursday for sure and maybe Friday.
lord of carson
2:40
How would you grade the Steeler's offseason so far?   I know a team doesnt win by winning the offseason, but it seems Cleveland has been able to plug holes and perhaps make up some ground on the home team here, no?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:41
The Browns had a much better cap situation so yes they did make more moves. We'll see if they were all the right moves.
Buffy
2:41
Who is looking forward to the draft more - college players eager to start a career, or P-G writers who have to answer endless queries about it?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:41
You know as soon as the draft is over someone on here is going to ask me about the 2022 QBs. Guaranteed!
Adam
2:42
Hi Ray, I’m hung up on the Steelers’ cornerback situation.  They cut Nelson and let Hilton walk in FA, so I’m assuming they have a plan, but I don’t understand what it is.  Whoever that 3rd CB is (Layne, Pierre, draft pick, summertime veteran signing) is going to see at least 75% of the snaps on D.  As much as we need to re-build the OL and the running game, do we need to invest a first or second round draft pick on a CB?  If the season started to tomorrow, I’d be more comfortable with our current not-great options on the OL rather than a glaring weak link in the secondary playing in our nickel and dime packages...  What do you think their plan is for the 3rd CB for the 2021 season?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:43
You might be right. I wouldn't be shocked at all if they took a CB in the second round or after. I just don't think first round.
Mark
2:43
Ray, if we have an improved O line, who’s to say whether the three backs we have might perform better?  Agree or no?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:44
Sure, but still not convinced any of them are long-term answers as three-down starters.
2:45
Thanks for all the questions today. We'll do it again next week -- 2 days before the draft!
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