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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 05.08.24
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:53
Welcome to this week's Steelers chat. We'll get started momentarily.
Surly in Sheraden
11:55
Is there a timeline for Holcomb’s return?   Does he have a shot at playing most (or at least part) of this season?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:56
No, the Steelers have not provided any kind of a timeline for Holcomb's return. Based on their moves in free agency and the draft I am betting they are not counting on much of a contribution from Holcomb this season, if at all. They signed Patrick Queen to the richest free agent deal in franchise history and selected Payton Wilson in the third round of the draft. Plus, Elandon Roberts is back for another season. If Holcomb does play this season I don't think it will be early in the season.
Mel
11:56
Hey, scale too 1-10 how confident do you feel about this wr room.
Ray Fittipaldo
11:58
Right now probably a 4, but it's early. Clearly, they weren't going to overspend for a WR in free agency. The moves they did make -- bringing in Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins -- were low-cost moves. I think they're going to evaluate the room this spring and summer and then make a move if need be in training camp or shortly before the season.
Mel
11:58
D o you think we trade for a wr? If we do who do you think it will be?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:59
I think if they do make a trade for a WR it will be for a No. 1 or a No. 2. I think they have plenty of Nos. 3s, 4s and 5s on the roster already.
Tim
11:59
Is Fautanu considered a plug n play starter as is Frazier?  Considering he was 7th on their board as indicated by behind the scenes draft room reaction, you would think so?  Could Dan Moore really hold he and Jones from being permanent fixtures at their respective tackle positions as determined by coaching staff?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:01
We'll have to wait and see, but there really is no comparison between Fautanu and Broderick Jones when it comes to their rookie seasons. Fautanu is 23 and started 30 games at Washington. Jones was 21 and came out of school early. He only started 14 games or so at Georgia. So not only is Fautanu older he is more experienced than Jones was when he entered the NFL. All situations are different and I would argue Fautanu has a better chance to be a plug and play starter because of his experience.
Stash
12:01
Ray, where do you stand on the argument that Muuuth is basically just a guy vs. a vital cog and dependable player that we should lock up long-term?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
Somewhere in between. He's not a good blocker in the run game, but I do feel like he's been underutilized as a pass catcher the past two seasons. If you look back on his rookie season he was a red-zone target for Ben Roethlisberger. He had seven touchdown catches. With a good QB I think you'll see Freiermuth become a better weapon for this offense. However, I wouldn't overpay for him. I think if they can get him for somewhere in the 12-13 million a year range they should do it. That's the going rate for TEs of his caliber.
Stash
12:03
Ray, why is Cam apparently being given more respect near the end of his career compared to other aging greats like Franco, Ben and Troy?  Is it really that disrespectful to negotiate a contract change with a 35 year old lineman that has been paid millions and millions (and millions) over the years?  Not to mention his little brother being on the payroll....
Ray Fittipaldo
12:07
Well, I would have bet the Steelers asked Heyward to take a pay cut considering the circumstances, but he is a well-respected member of the organization and community. Maybe the Steelers felt like it would have been a bad look if they asked him to take a pay cut a few weeks after he was recognized for winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. But your point about Franco and others is spot on. It's a cold business and players don't usually get to go out on their own terms. I will say this one of the Rooney Family's biggest regrets is the way Franco's tenure with the Steelers ended. Maybe Art II didn't want to encounter anything resembling that with Heyward. It's a huge salary and cap number for a 35-year old player coming off an injury, but it won't be a terrible decision if Heyward can get back to being his sold self for one more season.
Stash
12:08
Ray, at what point did it become necessary to designate one of your receivers as the Numero Uno, no questions asked, King of the Hill, Head Honcho, Big Man on Campus?  Is it all about the jack the team is forking over to him?  Or is it more about the delicate diva egos of today's wideouts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:08
You mean a Big Man on Campus like Doug Simpson?
Danny
12:08
Hello Ray, I thought about the Najee thing a bit and couldn't come up with a great reason for the Steelers decline his 5th year and create the potential for disruption/distraction given the reason
Ray Fittipaldo
12:09
Still a bit of a head-scratcher for me, but maybe it's time for Jaylen Warren to assume a bigger role in the offense. He probably deserves it given his production in a limited number of snaps.
J D
12:09
Ray, what is the player's benefit in extending the season another game and eliminating a pre-season game?   Would the NFLPA agree to this?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:10
There is no benefit for the player, which is why they'll fight against it or use it as leverage to get something else in negotiations for the next collective bargaining agreement.
chuck mac from Houston
12:10
Is it possible to cut Holcomb this year - given that the injury lingers and his contract time remains.  Do we really save anything on the cap on in real dollars??
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
The guy put his body on the line for the team and suffered a devastating injury. I think you at least have to give him a chance to come back this season. If he can't then they can release him with a year left on his contract. Would be a terrible look to part ways with him now.
Booie
12:12
Do you believe Pickens is truly ready to be WR1?  His route tree and maturity are sketchy…
Ray Fittipaldo
12:12
He's a No. 1 for the Steelers out of necessity. It remains to be seen if he's a bona fide No. 1 NFL WR.
Tom P
12:13
Ray, did Smith’s preference for outside zone runs which suit Warren more than Harris, factor in the decision to decline Harris’s fifth year option?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:14
That could be part of it, but Smith has to tailor his offense to the personnel he has right now. He can't be married to one type of running scheme. If the new O-linemen run the outside zone well then great. But if he has to mix it up with other schemes he has to do that. Good coaches adapt to their personnel.
Mark
12:14
Regarding Heyward: Seems to me it’s a shrewd (brilliant?) financial move by the FO to let Cam play out his contract this year; if they re-structure there’d be dead money once he’s off the roster and they have the cap room this year, thanks in part to the cheap QB room. Agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:15
In the end that was likely part of the decision. But let's be real about it. Their lack of quality depth on the D-line played a big role in the decision. They couldn't move on from him because they don't have enough good players. That's the bottom line.
Kris
12:16
Hello,  Do they bring back Cam  or Peterson in your opionion....
Ray Fittipaldo
12:17
If I had to take an educated guess between the two I'd say Cam Sutton returns if his legal situation allows. He's the better player at this point of his career, and he's younger. And he wouldn't cost much given his current circumstances.
Guest
12:17
Currently, free agency takes place well before the draft.  If the two events were reversed, who would benefit more: the players? the owners? or is that a wash?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:18
I think the owners would benefit more. They could address their needs through the draft first and potentially drive down prices in free agency. The NFLPA fought for so long to get free agency there is no way they would alter the current system.
Tom P
12:18
Ray, seems like the holes in the roster involve a WR1, slot CB and quality defensive line depth. Any others?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:19
That's pretty much spot on, but in my opinion they don't have another NFL pass-catching TE on the roster if Freiermuth went down for any length of time.
Rob
12:20
Isn't the point with Heyward being missed.  As long as the Steelers do not need the cap space for 2024 why should they renogiate with Heyward.  Take the hit this year.  If he plays beyond this year then they start with a fresh contract with no carryover cap.  They are giving him his $16 million salary this year one way or another, whether all this year or dpread over void years.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Right, if he's on the roster. My point was if they simply released him they could incur a dead cap hit of a little more than $6 million and save $10 on the cap. But they don't have anyone to replace him. I think that's the bigger point. Their inability to develop young defensive linemen put them in a position where they have to pay him that sum because it's their best option.
Mark from Katy, Tx
12:22
Do the Steelers really think they have a slot cornerback on the current roster that they are willing to start week 1?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:23
I think they have Plan A, Plan b and maybe a Plan c for slot CB. And no, I don't think they believe for one minute they can enter the season with their current crop of DBs.
Tom P
12:23
Ray, could Kazee not make the final 53?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
I wouldn't say he's a lock, but he's relatively cheap and a good option as a player in their three-safety packages.
NY Steel
12:25
Isn’t Colbert’s record overrated, particularly post-Cowher? Tomlin and Colbert did 16 drafts together.  From those 16 drafts, only 5 players got a significant second contract (longer than 1 year) — Timmons, Pouncey, Decastro, Heyward, Watt.  In fact, the best stretch was Poincey, Heyward, Decastro.  Even if you exclude Shazier (for injury) and the trade of a first rounder for Fitzgerald, it is 5 guys out of 14 that stuck. Is that even average in that window of time?
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