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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 6.19.17
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Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Sounds like he'll have to be a gunner to make it and I wouldn't be surprised if he was cut.
Jojo
12:22
Do you think it would benefit the Steelers to keep another WR like Justin Hunter (possible RZ threat) or to keep DHB, who is a special team player?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
If it was me? I'd keep the more talented WR. DHB has been on special teams the past few years and it hasn't helped all that much. I'm not saying he's a bad special teams player, but it's hard to justify a roster spot for a guy based almost solely on his special teams work. Having said that, I'm not entirely convinced Justin Hunter is all that much better than DHB. I guess that's why training camp will be so interesting for the WRs. Lots of competition ahead.
JerseySteel
12:24
LeVeon Bells absence from minicamp - big deal or no big deal?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
No big deal.
El Guapo
12:24
What will be Josh Dobbs status after pre season in your opinion...bens backup..343rd strong...practice squad....cut?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
3rd string
BishkekSteeler
12:25
The PFF showing of the the defense dropping back and not attacking theQB disturbed me some what, And I have noticed this in recent games[last 2 years or so]. does this get turned around this year?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
Not sure what you are referencing with PFF, but the Steelers have been working on implementing more man cover schemes. But that only works if you have pass rushers who harass opposing QBs.
Scott
12:26
Any word on how the rookie QB looked at mini camp?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
About as good as a fourth QB on a 90-man roster should look.  He's an extra arm in camp.
El Guapo
12:26
I was watching Hey Rookie on espn and it sure seemed like james Connor knew the Steelers would draft him, was that accurate and did the Steelers reach for him?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
Some might say the Steelers reached for him. Most of the draft analysts had a fourth or fifth round grade on him. The Steelers took him with their third-round supplemental pick, which for all intents and purposes is a fourth-round pick.
Gerela's Gorillas
12:27
In your opinion how many more seasons will Ben play including this season?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
If I had to guess I'd say three.
MoJo
12:28
How did Watt look versus Villenueva? Villy is a stout LT and I heard he had some good things to say about him? Also, how is Watt looking in his drops/pass coverage?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
They weren't wearing pads so it was never really "live" so to speak. I'll be interested to watch that matchup in training camp. And Watt looked fine dropping into coverage. He's an athletic kid.
Ripper
12:28
What is the Steeler's back up plan should Bell decide to hold out if he does not get a long term contract?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:29
It'll never happen. He's be flushing almost $1 million down the toilet for every regular season game he misses. No one is that dumb.
Liffort Hobley
12:29
Ray should the Steelers be concerned about the future of the Saftey positions? I am.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:30
Not really. I like Sean Davis and Mike Mitchell has two years left on his contract. I think they might look at taking Mitchell's replacement in the draft next spring. The depth isn't great, but lots of teams lack depth at key positions.
JamesinNYC
12:30
What do you think the chances are for Adams and Allen?  Both have to push a vet out the door (Moats /Gay) or are they destined for practice squad?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:30
Practice squad is my best guess for both barring injuries to others in camp.
Jake
12:31
Hi Ray, we've heard a lot about Watt, are there any other rookies that have jumped out at you during mini-camp?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:31
Cam Sutton looks to be a very aggressive CB. Fans should watch how he plays in Latrobe and the preseason. I think the coaches like his potential. And the coaches all really seem to like JuJu Smith-Schuster, too.
Chris
12:32
Ray do you ever wonder or know what defensive backs are coached to do when covering receivers.  I always wonder why more of them don't turn and look for the football when defending receivers .  Seems to me once they locate the ball they can just focus on making a play on the ball rather than feeling they must commit a pass interference penalty because they feel lost and helpless because they have no idea where football is
Ray Fittipaldo
12:33
Hi Chris. I will work on this story in camp!
Dingy Bell
12:33
If leveon bell stays healthy and off the grass could he have a 2000 yard rushing season?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:33
I suppose, but I'd rather have him healthy for an entire playoff run.
Gerela's Gorillas
12:33
Who is your surprise cut coming out of training camp?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:34
Lots of possibilities there. Unless there are some injuries the Steelers will be forced to cut a good WR or two.
joe d
12:34
who won the fight between watt and hawkins?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:35
Watt had him pinned down, but other guys like BJ Finney stepped in to help Hawkins. It would have been a much better fight in pads and they really went at it. It was just a little dust-up.
MoJoJoJo
12:35
Cockrell is the starter on the outside CB as of now... But do you see that changing in the future? If so, who is that guy?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:36
Yes but I am not sure when. It was pretty obvious the Steelers don't view him in their long-term plans given the way they treated him during the offseason with his RFA tender.
Guest
12:36
So the consensus among us fans and (I think) you and your PG colleagues was that Gay had reached the end of the line after last season. The AFC title game was evidence of that. Did the Steelers not think so? Did they just not have any better options?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:37
I'm guessing they're not sure what they have and they know in Gay they at the very least have a competent zone CB, albeit on who declined late last season.
Ryan
12:37
Given all the Pats talk, I have to ask, how often have the Steelers been (on paper) better than New England since 04?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:39
That's a hard question to answer because the Pats have always had Tom Brady since 2004. And the QB position is so important. Have the Steelers had more talented rosters other than QB in some of those years? Yeah I think I can make a case for that. But Brady has been bale to overcome that by being the player he is.
SinceDa70s
12:39
Fourth quarter, AFC title game, Steelers up by 5, Pats with the ball on Pittsburgh's 40, time for one last pay. Which Steeler should cover Gronk?
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