Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 09.10.26
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:58
Good afternoon. Let's get started.
Stairway to seventh seed
11:59
Ray:  you predicted 8-9.  Can you elaborate on what you think makes this team two games worse than last year's edition?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:02
It's not so much how this team compares to last year's team, but more so my observations on how this team is coming together after training camp. I have some concerns about the offensive line. I don't think they played very well as a group in the preseason. I also have concerns about the receivers, specifically the depth at the position. And the secondary is a huge concern for me. DeShon Elliott will miss at least the first four games. Jaquan Brisker missed a lot of time in camp with an injury and Joey Porter Jr. remains unsigned and his status for Sunday is not known right now. I get the optimism with a new coach and a new way of doing things. I admit, they could surprise me, but I just think it's going to take some time for the team to come together.
Phil
12:02
What would it take for the Steelers to actually trade JPJ?  1st rounder ?  More or less?  Does his new contract get done?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
It would have to take Porter requesting a trade. I never say never on these types of things because contract negotiations can get contentious and there can be hard feelings. I'm not ruling anything out, but there is a history between the Steelers and the Porter family. I know time is running out, but I still think something gets done. We'll see what happens in the next 72 hours.
Wreck
12:03
Keeanu Benton is listed as the starting nose tackle. Will he primarily play there again, or will he move all over the DL? Thanks
Ray Fittipaldo
12:05
Benton will play in multiple spots. When they're in run-stop mode they're going to have Yahya Black in the game. Benton can play nose. He's done it for the past three seasons, but he might be better over guards and tackles.
Pittfan
12:05
Hi Ray. Someone famously said, "if you're not first, you're last." Having been around for all 6 winning Super Bowls and 2 losses in a weird way I agree. Who really remembers the Super Bowl losers. All that is to say only one city gets to celebrate every year. So why does it seem winning a playoff game is the bar? Have the Steelers gone so long without being relevant that's now acceptable?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:06
That's what happens when you go a decade between playoff wins. There is an entire generation of young fans who only know these playoff one-and-dones. But I'm with you. The people who have been watching this team since the 1970s have higher expectations. And that's the way it should be for this franchise.
Dan
12:06
Hey Ray, love your articles and chats. I look forward to them every week. Any news on Pittman? He was my favorite pickup of the offseason. Excited to (hopefully) see him play soon. Thanks!
Ray Fittipaldo
12:08
Missed three weeks with an injury in camp, but he returned to practice last week and was not listed on yesterday's injury report. Rodgers said he's going to have to learn how to play with Pittman as the season goes on. He would have preferred to get more time with his this summer, but he said "it is what it is." He's the No. 2 receiver. The Steelers are paying him a lot of money. That connection has to come together quickly if this offense is going to be any good.
Buffalo Joe
12:09
Hi Ray. I’m curious about how Network executives think. Why pay ex-NFLers enormous amounts. Do they really think viewers watch games specifically to hear people like Brady, Aikman or Romo.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:10
That's exactly what they think, and it's been that way for a long time. Fans want to hear analysis from someone who has played the game. Even when Howard Cosell was on "Monday Night Football" Frank Gifford was also in the booth as the former player alongside Al Michaels. ABC or ESPN tried the nonathlete with Dennis Miller and Tony Kornheiser, and the results were not good.
MajorRick
12:11
Good morning, Ray: Have you seen a notable difference on how Campen and Meyer go about their business?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:12
The linemen have said there are some differences in how they teach technique, etc. I think that's the case with every offensive line coach. Everyone comes from a different background. The feedback I got from linemen was they had a good base of knowledge from Meyer and now Campen is adding to it. Campen went out of his way to say the linemen were well-taught under Meyer when I interviewed him last month.
MajorRick
12:13
Good morning, Ray:  Regarding JPJ, the Steelers are approaching the 11th hour. Any idea what will happen? Would they let him play out the final year?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:13
Sure they could do that. They have the franchise tag as leverage and can pay him much less than they'd have to if they signed him to a long-term deal right now. The Steelers have all of the leverage in the negotiation.
Joe From Jersey
12:14
Hey Ray, I don't really understand the Steelers draft philosophy.  They keep 10 draftees and FAs, while trading away two still young 1st and 3rd round picks.  Is the goal to keep and develop some players (with lower potential and expectations) while expecting immediate contributions from other higher picks?  Are Jones and Johnson less worthy of patience and development than a 7th round (feel good) pick who might not play for several years, if ever?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:16
It's a reality of today's NFL. There are five or six guys who eat up the majority of the salary cap and you need cheap, young players to backfill the roster. Lots of teams have similar approaches. As for Broderick Jones, the writing was on the wall coming off the injury. The Steelers had to move on not knowing how he'd respond to the surgery. And I think with Kaleb Johnson he just wasn't a good fir for this offense. He might have been over-drafted too. He never exhibited a special skill that made him a Day 2 pick.
Wreck
12:16
With the Steelers only carrying 3 safeties into Week 1, will we see Jalen Ramsey spend most of his snaps back there? Thanks for these chats
Ray Fittipaldo
12:18
In the base defense, yes Ramsey will drop back to safety most of the time. When they go to sub-packages, Ramsey will play in the slot for the most part. I know Patrick Graham has some big ideas on taking advantage of his versatility. He could line up in a lot of places in the secondary once the Steelers are completely healthy back there.
Natzey
12:18
Great work from you and your colleagues getting us prepared for the upcoming season. Do you think how well Everette and Samuel Jr have performed in camp are giving the Steelers the second thoughts about Porter and his penalty issues or what are your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:19
It's certainly nice knowing they played well if Porter is not available, especially Samuel. But Joey Porter is a top 10-15 CB in the league. He makes you better if he's on the field.
jeff
12:19
Why didn't Howard "get injured" and placed on iR for the year?  How does it help to have him on the 53 man roster?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
He can practice with the team. If he was on Ir he would not be allowed on the practice field.
jeff
12:20
If you were the Steelers what would you do if Porter claims to be too injured to play in game 1?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
Really nothing they can do, especially with back injuries. But if Porter does something like that it might damage his reputation across the league. I don't know if he wants to go down that road.
Dave from Dovuh
12:21
Lots of discussion on offense and defense.  But how do you feel about Special Teams?  Significant improvement there?  And is that a function of players, coaches or both?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Hard to say with a new special teams coach. But in the end Boz is Boz. The placekicking will be a strength. Cam Johnston is coming off that knee injury, but assuming he's back to full health he should be a nice weapon at punter too.
Michael
12:23
Ray, the current spread for Sunday is Steelers -3.5.  Doesn’t that seem a bit low considering the opponent and that they’re playing at home?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:23
Yes it does. Vegas is basically saying this is a tossup because every home team usually gets three points for being at home.
James
12:24
Who leads the Steelers in sacks this year and how many will they have?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
I'll say T.J. Watt and 12.
Ron
12:24
you didn’t mention Ramsey in previous answer about defensive back field , what’s his availability look like
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
He's ready to go. The only player on the injury report yesterday was Porter with a back injury.
Dave from Dovuh
12:25
With Darnold's injury, does Mason gain -significant- trade value?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
Locke was OK for the Seahawks. Teams are not big on trading for QBs in the middle of the season and trying to incorporate them into their offense. Not unless they're desperate. And even then it's unusual. In 2019, the Steelers went with Duck Hodges as their starter when Roethlisberger and Rudolph were injured. He was an undrafted rookie free agent.
Epiballo
12:26
I still do not understand letting the special teams coach from last year leave just because Tomlin stepped down. He is great at what he did. Do you see that hurting ST play this year?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
Head coaches have their own guys they want to bring in as assistants. McCarthy kept Tom Arth and Scott McCurley, but he either coached with them in the past or coached them in the past.
Epiballo
12:28
Do you and your PG colleagues play fantasy football? Just wondering …
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