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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 06.10.19
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Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
He has the talent...if he stays healthy.
Chuck
12:25
Hi Ray,  How much is Ryan Shazier around during mini camp and OTA's and has he or will he take on a special role with Devin Bush?  Kind of a personal coach so to speak???
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
Shazier is around, but on the field he's not coaching per se. He's out there observing and probably offering advice behind closed doors.
Salami Phil
12:25
Do you think the Steelers let Sean Davis walk after this season? That safety market sky rocketed this offseason
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
If the Steelers have approached Drew Rosenhaus about a contract Davis said he was unaware. They could always approach him this summer.
Coley
12:27
Who has been running with the first teasers at inside linebacker? Barron and Bush or is Williams still in there?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
Depends on the offensive personnel, but it's mostly been Bush and Williams in the base.
Rico
12:28
I read the article about Diontae Johnson...does he have a legit shot at getting some meaningful reps this year?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:29
I think so. The most interesting part of the discussion we had with him was how the Steelers are working with him this spring. That didn't happen a year ago with Washington. Maybe they learned a valuable lesson from that.
Rico
12:29
Does the team seriously view Grimble as TE #2 or will they be looking closely at cuts this summer?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:29
Watch closely in camp. If they're unhappy with him they'll make a move to bring in a veteran.
Ric Burger
12:29
Thanks for the great chat. Do Sutton Smith and Devin Bush look undersized in person? Alot has been made about their size and i'm just wondering weather they look small in-person. Should fans be concerned?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:30
Not small but short. There is a difference. Bush is short, but he's put together. Same with Smith. He's short, but he's athletic.
JJ
12:30
Do you think the Steelers cut Artie Burns before camp to avoid paying him $800,000 roster bonus?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:31
As I mentioned earlier, $800,000 is a small price to pay for depth at a position. Maybe they'll get to a point where they feel comfortable with Cam Sutton and Justin Layne as the depth outside CBs, but neither has much NFL experience. Layne, of course, none at all.
StillerGuy
12:32
If you were the DC, would you feel comfortable in having Hilton as your CB to cover Boyd, Landry, Edelman, & Allen this year? Irregardless of how much he MIGHT progress, it seems he would be drastically undersized in those matchups.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:33
He is undersized and teams can exploit sometimes. But his size hasn't been a detriment when it comes to his run support or his ability to blitz off the corner. So, as a DC, you know his limitations and you try to work around it.
Coley
12:33
Ray with all the teams getting smaller and faster on D I think the Steelers need to run the football and keep opposing offenses off the field. I see the Patriots going in this direction as this is classic Belichek he zigs when everyone else zags
Ray Fittipaldo
12:34
Right. We've discussed this a lot since late last season. Everyone knows at some point other offensive coordinators will get wise to what's going on and implement more runs. However, you have to have the personnel to do it. Not every team does.
Wes Lee
12:34
I don't think Bud Dupree has reached his ceiling yet. He's played through a lot of injuries. If he could just stay healthy

Do you think he'll tie his best from 2017 with 6 sacks or do you think he'll have more or less in 2019?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:35
If he stays healthy he'll have a chance to record his career high in sacks.
Coley
12:35
Ray I for one like where are receiver room is I think Moncrief might be a bigger signing than most think. Has he been getting a lot of reps with Ben?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:36
Yes he has. He has looked good, too. We'll see how he does in the real games, but he's a pretty good route runner, and it appears he and 7 are developing some good chemistry.
Ralph
12:36
Do the Steelers sign/extend  to many players on potential rather than their performance?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:38
Sometimes, GMs look at the lack of depth at a position and decide they have to proactively sign a player just because they're the best option at that point. I think the best example of that was the move to sign Vince Williams last summer. Other times, GMs have better depth at positions and they don't have to make such moves. Other times, yes, projections do come into play. You have to be right on those projections or some contracts end up looking pretty bad after a few years.
Franco
12:38
taking injuries out of it and not worrying about depth at any positions- what is your biggest concern on defense?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:39
Lack of ability to create turnovers. They don't intercept passes and they don't have a nose for the football when the ball is on the ground.
Mayn
12:39
Hi Ray. Thanks for the chat. I know it's early but do any of the receivers seem to be standing out as the early favorite for the #2 spot opposite Juju?  Either by their performance or snapcount in practices.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:40
I like what I've seen from Washington, Johnson and Moncrief this spring. Obviously, one will be a starter, but they're set up pretty well for all three of those guys to contribute.
Emilio
12:42
Odds that Juju has a better statistical year than AB in 2019?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:42
Pretty good. He has the better QB.
Duke
12:42
Hello Ray.  Your impressions of free agent QB Devlin Hodges from Samford?   Does he have a chance to be the third string quarterback or assigned to the practice squad?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:43
Extra camp arm. The Steelers have never kept a QB on the practice squad that I can recall. At least not recently.
Franco
12:43
Do all these moves to address speed at ILB (+Baron and Bush/ - Bostic) and avoid RB's and TE's catching the ball short conren you that we may be very vulnerable to teams running down our throat all year?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:45
Yes, it's noticeable. They upgraded their speed at linebacker, which is what they wanted to do. Doesn't mean they'll all of a sudden become a great defense. Those new fast players have to make plays, too. If they do, I think the defense will be much-improved. They have to go out and make it happen.
Silly in PHILLY
12:45
Ray-  you pay the 800k to keep Burns, right- since u invested a 1st rd pick there and are sorta pot committed(plus it’s depth)?!
Ray Fittipaldo
12:47
Not to mention the bonus is due in late July, a few days after camp starts. They won't even practice in pads before the bonus is due. If they had any intentions of cutting him they would have done it in March and let Burns hook on with another team. Why would you cut him before the bonus in late July? It's not like he'll be able to prove anything in those few days...Unless, of course, they decided after OTAs and minicamp that he's not going to make it. In which case, I think they'd cut him in late June.
KK
12:47
Ladt QB on the practice squad was Brian St. Pierre
Ray Fittipaldo
12:47
There you go... So never under Tomlin.
stlrfan70
12:47
I’m assuming that Boz makes the team. Does he win or lose more games for us this year?  So many close games, a few made or missed kicks can be the difference between 12-4 and 8-8.
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