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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 07.28.20
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Ray Fittipaldo
2:26
I tend to think there is a middle ground. He's not as bad as Pro Football Focus will have you think and maybe there are times he hasn't lived up to his All-Pro/Pro Bowl status.
Tom from VA
2:28
Hey Ray - If a player opts out for the season, does his salary (after opt out payment) get added back into the salary cap?  Thanks!
Ray Fittipaldo
2:29
My understanding is he is opting out of the year and therefore his salary will not count against the cap. However, the $150,000 he earns with the opt out payment will be taken off his future salaries. In other words, it;s not a payment. It's more like a loan on the future if that makes sense.
Tom from VA
2:31
Hey maybe Big Ben could opt out of next season and save us a huge hit on the cap!
Ray Fittipaldo
2:31
You mean there won't be a vaccine in 2021?!?!?!
Mark
2:32
Ray, if James Conner has a bounce back pro bowl season, what do you think the Steelers do going forward (contract wise)?  Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:33
My thoughts: Congratulate him and wish him well as he pursues a more lucrative free agent deal on the open market than the deal he would get with the Steelers.
Quinn
2:34
Thanks, Ray, for doing this.  saw Gerry's article re Vince Williams being the primary ILB for most snaps.  If VW hasn't shown over the past 2-3 years he can cover and not be identified as the mis-match, what makes us (or the coaches) think he can this year?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:36
I think it's simply the staff acknowledging there won't be enough time for Ulysees Gilbert, Marcus Allen or Antoine Brooks to make a strong impression and prove they can handle the job. It's a risk to expose Williams for sure, but Gerry very deftly pointed out the Steelers play the Ravens twice, the Bills and Titans. Those are strong running teams when Williams' run-stopping abilities will be used. But we'd all be naive if we didn't think bright offensive minds will do whatever is necessary to take advantage of any of his weaknesses, too.
Pat
2:36
Hi Ray, any chance for discord in the locker room given what Tuitt came out and said about kneeling?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:38
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. But not so much with what Tuitt wrote on Twitter, but moreso with Zach Banner's response. Some of these players have no respect for the old football mantra of keeping it inside the locker room. I'm sorry, but I just don't see any benefit of Banner quote tweeting his teammate. Seriously, you can't have that conversation in the locker room?
Turk in MD
2:39
Your definition of a hybrid LB sounds a lot like a strong safety.  The difference between the two is the strong safety must also have the speed to cover WRs and generally drop into coverage more?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:39
Strong safeties that maybe didn't flourish in their roles who might be better served as hybrid LBs. I hate to simplify it like that, but that was the situation with Barron.
Chaz
2:40
Who wins their seventh Lombardi first, the beloved Steelers, or that Spy Gate team?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:41
I'll go with the Steelers although they better do it this year. The way Patriots players are opting out you know Belichick is eyeing 0-16 and Trevor Lawrence with that first pick next year.
Justin
2:42
Mostly likely rookie to make an impact in 2020?  Claypool just because he was the highest drafted, or someone else?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:43
Claypool or Highsmith and probably more to do with their special teams abilities than their role on offense or defense. It's going to be hard for both to have a big role due to the lack of time to make an impression on the coaches.
2:44
Ok that's all the time we have this week. We'll do it again next week at the same time.
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