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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 01.25.21
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Brian Batko
2:00
Bucs-Chiefs is your Super Bowl. A pretty good game and a half of football yesterday to set the stage. Taking questions on the NFL, Steelers, etc. for the next hour, so do your best.
Phil Leotardo
2:01
It should be the Steelers choice and not Ben’s if he wants to come back.  Ben coming back will set the Steelers back on the rebuild.  Truth is they are a lot of players away from being a playoff team and Ben won’t help that much.
Brian Batko
2:01
OK, anyone have any questions?
Retire21
2:01
Pouncey 9 times Pro Bowl. HOF candidate...buying or selling?
Brian Batko
2:02
I think I'm selling. Very good player for a long time, but not quite a Hall of Fame resume to me. Then again, I don't look as deeply at this as many others, so take my word with a grain of salt.
BruceA
2:02
Dear Rooney family, how do you like me now!?  Seriously, if Pouncey retires, how does that impact Steelers draft and/or FA strategy?
Brian Batko
2:03
Well if he's back, I assume it's to start, and at center. If he retires, as our Gerry Dulac reported Sunday he's leaning toward, it vaults center to the top of the OL wish list this offseason, I'd say. Otherwise, JC Hassenauer is your best internal option.
Carl in Carrick
2:04
Good afternoon Brian.  Do you have any sleepers or favorites you would like the Steelers to draft? (local or national)    Thanks.
Brian Batko
2:06
Haven't fully dived into draft prep yet, but Kyle Pitts is a stud. Florida tight end who's basically a big wideout but also can block. Probably no chance he falls to 24, but if by some chance he did, I'd probably eschew RB and even OL to get a guy who's a good bet to be my the tight end for the next decade or so.
Darnell
2:07
Brian, any news on the offensive coordinator and offensive line coaches?  Any chance the Steelers are waiting until the Super Bowl is over to talk to a coach from KC or Tampa Bay?
Brian Batko
2:09
Could be, but Byron Leftwich is already OC in Tampa and Eric Bieniemy won't be leaving KC unless it's to be a head coach. Bieniemy's understudy Mike Kafka is reportedly a hot name in the NFL. A QB coach/passing game coordinator who could intrigue teams that need a ... metamorphosis ... on offense.
westCoast
2:11
For Ben to have any success, we need atleast 3 more good OL. Any good free agents we should be targeting?
Brian Batko
2:12
I'm not gonna pretend to be well-versed in this class of free-agent offensive linemen. And really, there might not be any reason to be. The Steelers usually prefer to build from the draft anyway. Analysts are already calling this a really strong crop of offensive tackles, so, that's encouraging. But it's also possible that Zach Banner and Chuks Okorafor are your bookends next season.
Karl Hungus
2:13
Good Afternoon Brian, with the possibility of the Steelers also having to replace a starting center do they draft best 1. Tackle, 2. Center 3. Half Back?  That's not accounting for Free agency.
Brian Batko
2:14
Good afternoon, Karl. They have enough needs that they can afford to go best available, as they did last year with Chase Claypool, right? And it looks like that worked out. In addition to your three, they can look hard at pure guards, too, and I've been saying for a while now that TE could be a wild card if the right one is there. That should be even more of a consideration now that Vance McDonald has retired. I do think they need to go offense, though, that's for sure.
Gene
2:15
Do the Steelers draft a TE?
Brian Batko
2:16
Yes, I'd be quite surprised if they didn't draft one at all. Question is how high.
TheStandard
2:16
Do the Steelers or Big Ben really think they are a Super Bowl contending team next year? How do the Steelers field a world class team next year?
Brian Batko
2:18
I'm sure they always have a level of confidence in their abilities to build a team and then execute on the field, yes. Especially the players. Go try telling a world-class competitor that he's cooked and can no longer beat Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, etc. Now, as for the how? One could debate that moving on from Ben is actually the first step toward getting back there.
Manjo
2:18
Brady threw 3 picks on Sunday but the Bucs still won.  Any credit to Arians and the Bucs defense helping Brady/Bucs to a victory despite Brady's poor game?  Brady had a 73.8 QB rating in that game, as compared to Big Ben's 85.5 rating in the playoff loss to the Browns.
Brian Batko
2:20
Tip of the cap to Bruce Arians and the Bucs defense for helping Brady win the game. I'm not real keen on bending over backward to clap for Ben putting up big numbers in the end when the Browns were playing very soft defense to keep the clock moving and get out with a win.
Ralph
2:20
Do you think Pittsburg should take Najee Harris in round one and then get your offensive lineman in second round I hope they do.Najee Harris is a great running back.
Brian Batko
2:21
Obviously it depends who all is there, but I wouldn't hate that. I was very anti-RB with their first pick last year, and generally opposed to investing a lot (money or draft capital) in that position but this class just seems to have so much elite talent at the top in Harris and Travis Etienne. Would be easy to make an exception for those two.
Utah Jim
2:22
Can you explain the interest in Khan as a GM? I know he manages the cap and participates in contract negotiations, but is he involved in scouting and player evaluation as well? There is more to being a GM than the cap and contracts.
Brian Batko
2:23
That's correct, and his reputation as being more of a capologist than a player personnel type could be what's held him back from getting the big job. But when you're a top exec in a franchise as stable and, for the most part, successful as the Steelers, other teams are always going to take interest.
Charles
2:24
Short-memoried Steelers fans are wailing about cutting most of the offensive line and pushing Ben out of town too. They hate JuJu because he's, well, young. For the better part of 20 years this team has been in contention, at least for most of each season, for a playoff spot. Do you think that spoiled yinzers are ready to deal with the pain of a multi-year rebuilding process? I'm already sick of hearing all the complaining and whining!
Brian Batko
2:26
Of course not. But 30 fan bases are complaining about something right now. What I do think is a valid point is that it's often better to bottom-out and position yourself for the ultimate goal down the road than always trying to contend and often being in the top 12 rather than the top 2. Just kinda depends what you derive pleasure and joy from as a fan. Super Bowl or bust? Or do you like your team winning more games than they lose?
Old School
2:27
I have a little faith in Fredo Rooney’s ability to turn the Steeler organization into a Super Bowl contender. The dysfunction over the last decade is very uncharacteristic when compared to the organization’s performance under Dan Rooney. From the Bell and Brown clown shows, to embarrassing playoff losses, to the inability or unwillingness to hire top flight assistant coaches, this organization is now mediocre.  Stability is a good thing until it isn’t. Fredo needs help. Are there any talented Rooneys left in the family?
Brian Batko
2:28
At least you don't have no faith. I'll look into Michael Rooney, Sonny Rooney and Vito Rooney Jr. for you.
Guest
2:28
Why keep Hayden. Keep Sutton!
Brian Batko
2:29
Why not keep both? To me they might be the two most valuable of the four "cornerbacks," Haden for his consistency, Sutton for his versatility. Remember, Haden and Steve Nelson are still under contract, while Sutton and Mike Hilton are the free agents.
2:31
Breaking news: The Steelers have a new offensive coach. But it's not an OC or OL coach. It's Alfredo Roberts, new tight ends coach. Was with the Chargers the last four seasons.
bruce
2:32
assuming Ben plays one more year, his contract would be up at the same time Rudolph's contract is up. What would the Steelers do then? why not draft a QB in April (or trade for a veteran) now and be prepared?
Brian Batko
2:33
I don't know, but that's been part of the intrigue since drafting Mason Rudolph. Hard to see them drafting a QB this year unless Ben retires.
Steeler Fan in GA
2:33
Steelers have drafted a WR in the 3rd round or earlier the last four years?  Has any other team emphasized WR so much and does that seem like a mistake at this point?
Brian Batko
2:34
Not sure of other teams' WR drafting tendencies off top of my head, but Bengals went with John Ross, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, what, three out of four or five years? All in the first or second round. And like the Steelers, they had one of the best receiving corps in football last year. I don't think it's been a mistake.
Scoop, There It Is...Sprinkles!
2:36
Two questions:
1)  If Pouncey is retiring, any FA who the Steelers could sign to replace, or will they just select the best C in Round 1?
2) It seems Canada isn't a hire for next season (ala Ben's last), but for the following season (to get more innovative for next QB). Am I totally off base?
Brian Batko
2:38
First of all, I absolutely despise you for making me think of that commercial one more time.

Second, that might be a prime spot on the OL to look into free agents, considering we've seen how things can go wrong if you don't have a consistent performer at C. You don't see too many drafted in the first round these days, that's for sure. Those are usually reserved for OTs. As for your other question, there could be some validity to that, but also there's something to be said for promoting a guy Ben has worked with, even if just for a year.
Guest
2:39
What are your thoughts on the Steelers failures over the last 10yrs as it relates to coaching, not players. Have we been under the line in regards to other coaches in the North??
Brian Batko
2:41
Well 10 years is a long time, but yes, I think late-season issues speak more to other teams adjusting to your plans better than you do to theirs. John Harbaugh has assembled a really, really strong staff in Baltimore, and it looks like Cleveland may have done the same with Kevin Stefanski & Co.
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