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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 04.29.19
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:56
OK, Steelers fans, what did you think of the draft? Post your questions and let's get started.
Mark
11:56
Ray, other than Devin Bush, do you think any of the draft picks can contribute in the upcoming season?  Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:00
I think Diontae Johnson has a good chance. They might need him to step up as a rookie. Remember, he's the No. 66 overall pick. Kevin Colbert calls second- and third-round picks "significant." He believes you can't miss on those picks. Johnson is basically a late second-round pick. There will be expectations. I expect Smith-Schuster and Washington to lock down the starting jobs, but Johnson could be the No. 3 or 4 if he shows well during camp. As for the others... Justin Layne will start out as a depth outside CB. There are no plans for him to start or play right away from what I gather. Benny Snell could be a short-yardage back. Zach Gentry, Sutton Smith, Ulysees Gilbert, Isaiah Buggs and the O-lineman from Maryland all must prove in training camp they belong on the team. I'm intrigued by Smith and Gilbert because they're different types of LBs than they've drafted in the past, but I'm not banking on either having a big role, at least not early in the season.
Zach
12:01
Do the Steelers add another tight end before the season or is Gentry enough?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
Great question. Gentry is a converted QB who is still learning the TE position. Kevin Colbert liked that he played in a pro-style offense at Michigan, but it appears there is still some development that has to take place before he can be ready to help the Steelers. Like the others, I want to see how he looks at OTAs but more importantly in training camp. I think Xavier Grimble has the inside track on the backup job. If Gentry isn't ready to be No. 3 then they could add a veteran after other teams make their final cuts. If they're not satisfied with Grimble during camp they could trade for a veteran. It's not a deep position for them.
Pitt
12:03
Should Pitt have drafted a punter or kicker late?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:04
They signed a punter and a kicker as undrafted free agents. So there will be three kickers and two punters throughout the spring and maybe the summer. I was told there was only one good punter worth a draft pick so this might not have been the year to take one in the draft.
Tampa Too
12:04
I have to laugh at the "pundits" grading each teams 2019 draft class.  In reality they should be grading the 2016 draft classes.  Your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:05
You're right on the button. I don't even read them. I actually wrote about the 2015 class last week in the run-up to the draft. Four or five years is when you should look back on drafts.
Ross from Erie
12:05
What was your surprise pick of the draft? And why?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:07
Diontae Johnson. Even though he was in for a top-30 visit he was not on my radar as a Day 2 pick. Some of the draft sites had him as an undrafted free agent. Others as a late-round pick. Only Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had him rated as a third-round pick. Kudos to him. Apparently Johsnon checked all the boxes for NFL teams and the Steelers did not reach for him. We are being led to believe other teams would have taken him before the Steelers hose again at No. 84. Can't wait to see him play this spring and summer.
Goose
12:07
Do you think layne will be a contributor this year?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:08
I think they'll get his feet wet on special teams. He's a big bodied CB who can run. Teryl Austin said they'l start him at outside CB and then evaluate him before they put more on his plate.
Dave G
12:08
Do you expect the Steelers offense to run more conservative this year, especially in the redzone?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
Maybe. There is speculation Ben Roethlisberger felt forced to throw to Antonio Brown in the red zone and perhaps that contributed to his high interception total last season. Ben never came out and said that, but it was talked about. They drafted Benny Snell in the fourth round. I would expect the coaches to find a role for him even if it's only as a short-yardage or goal line back. We'll have to wait and see how it plays out, but they have the personnel to run the ball effectively. They underachieved in that area last year. Some of that has to do with the lack of opportunities in the run game.
International steeler
12:11
Apart from the first round selection don't you think this draft is disappointing
Ray Fittipaldo
12:12
I would never say that two days after the draft ended. Let's wait and see.
Leaper
12:13
Who, in this draft class, do you feel has the least chance to make the 53?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:14
Probably the seventh-round lineman. They don't have many spots there.
Dave
12:14
Can Barron play strong safety, and that would allow Bush to start at ILB?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:16
Barron can play dime linebacker. They didn't draft Bush No. 10 overall to sit all season. I'm not saying he'll start from Day 1, but he might. Barron is being paid $12 over two years so he'll have a role.
Leaper
12:17
Any chance Haden gets extended before the season starts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:18
I think they'll look to do that this summer. Can't say for sure it will get done, but they want to do it.
FloridaSteelers
12:18
Hi Ray,  I thought the draft was very productive for the Steelers.  Your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:18
Getting Bush was huge. We'll have to wait and see on the others. Nice potential there too.
AZ
12:20
From the standpoint of NFL Star potential as a college linebacker, who was more highly regarded, Bush or Shazier?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Shazier was taken No. 15 overall. Bush was pretty much a consensus top 10 pick. Not much of a difference, but Bush had a little more hype. Louis Riddick said he was the best player in the draft.
KN
12:22
Good Morning. Love your chats.  What do you think of TE gentry?  I have heard that his blocking is subpar and he drops too many passes. Considering the injury history of MacDonald and inconsistent play of Xavier, will they be in the market for a free agent TE and who is even available ? Thank you very much
Ray Fittipaldo
12:23
Wait til final cutdowns. We'll have a better idea of how Grimble and Gentry fare in camp and the preseason games now. No sense in adding a vet now. Give those guys all the reps and let's see if they sink or swim.
Andy
12:23
Morning Ray. I didn't believe the Steelers would move up to get one one the LB's, but they proved me wrong! I think Bush will be a very solid addition. My dark horses are Smith and Buggs. They were very disruptive at their positions. Not so sure about the TE pick though, but we'll see. But overall, I really do like the LB and WR picks. What say you...
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
Smith is the most intriguing draft pick for me. He's an edge rusher, but he's 6 feet and 233 pounds. How is he going to fare versus NFL tackles? I know he had monster numbers in college, but I want to see how they deploy him. Maybe they look for matchups with TEs. I don't know. It will be interesting to see what their plans are for him. He has to make it as a special teamer, but there is some potential there. They want more athleticism with their LBs and he fits the mold. He ran a 6.75 in the 3-cone drill. That was faster than Bush.
Matt-Fl
12:25
Ray: with the addition of Bush and as he develops, do you think they may move Barron back to safety?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
I think Barron could end up being the dime LB.
Brice
12:26
Loved the draft, BUT I watched the 6th and 7th round closely hoping they would take a chance on David Sills, any word on why they passed as I had heard they really liked him
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
Well, they took a WR in round 3. Not really a lot of room at the back end of the roster for a draft pick. Better to use those late picks in other areas or for special teamers like Smith, Gilbert, etc.
Daniel
12:27
Ray, I am in the "grade drafts in a few years" camp, but did anyone in the front office explain why they passed on certain, higher-ranked players like Winovich and Oruwariye to draft guys who in all likelihood would have been there later?  For example, I like Diontae Johnson a lot, but I had him pegged for the Steelers in the fifth or sixth round.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
The Steelers did not believe they could have gotten Johnson at pick 67 much less in the fifth or sixth round. As for Winovich I was told some teams did not think he could transition to a 3-4 OLB so that limited him to teams that needed 4-3 ends. That was a little surprising to me because Chase had a really good combine. It does explain his slide down the board though.
Chi-Town RD
12:29
I was really surprised they took Johnson in the third over Boykin.  I thought that was a big mistake.  I trust the Steelers and their ability to find hidden gems in WR's but they seemed to have tunnel vision on when looking at what still available for WR let alone other positions.  Thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:30
Boykin was a big, tall fast guy, and the Steelers don't really value those guys now as much as they once did. I wrote a story about that over the weekend. They value route runners now. They don't care if you;re a half-step slow. They want guys who can catch and get open. They had a bunch of those one-trick ponies the past few years, and they've decided to go a different route with their receivers.
Andy from CA
12:30
Did the Steelers just draft three inside linebackers or do they believe that Smith from Northern Illinois at his size can play on the outside at the NFL level?
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