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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 08.21.23
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Brian Batko
10:00
Hi everyone, Steelers continue to look good in preseason action and today they return to the South Side for practice. So with Latrobe in the rear view let’s talk about camp, the Bills game, etc.
LYM
10:00
Good morning Brian.  Is Anderson making the 53 man roster?  Also safe to assume Green is off to his next team or life’s work?  Thanks
Brian Batko
10:03
I do have a good feeling about rookie Spencer Anderson, the “7b” pick of this year’s draft, making the team. He has one thing the coaches love at that spot: versatility. You think about some of the guys who have been under drafted (or not at all) over the years who carved out careers here and most of them had position flexibility. Kelvin Beachum, Chris Hubbard, Matt Feiler, to name a few.
Jeff Lebowski
10:04
Who has been your biggest surprise thus far?
Brian Batko
10:07
Nick Herbig probably. Even as someone who was high on him going into the draft and saw him as someone the Steelers would love - you can check the receipts - I don’t think I envisioned him being this impactful this quickly. Now, obviously, he hasn’t done anything yet in a real game. But as far as pleasant surprises in camp and exhibition game settings, he stands out.
Infantryman
10:08
Montravius Adams seems to get pushed around. I watched the game on delay and it seemed he wasn't getting any push. The times I watched Fehoko, he was getting double teamed and at one time, triple teamed. Any chance Fehoko makes the team?  The guy is a run stuffer.
Brian Batko
10:11
Good points, Infantryman. Adams and Breiden Fehoko are very different nose tackles. The get-off and pass-rush ability for Adams has been evident since he got in this defense at the end of the '21 season, but yes, playing the run isn't really his strong suit. Fehoko is the opposite in that he doesn't have much explosion at all to get after QBs, but in a passing situation, he might be able to push the pocket a little bit. I saw the same thing as you with Fehoko 2-gapping and making a difference that way. He's got a shot.
3RiveesofLove
10:11
Hi, Bats — biggest surprise of the pre-season so far?  Biggest ywan
biggest yawn?
Brian Batko
10:13
Already gave Herbig as my surprise, more or less, but biggest yawn? or ywan? Probably Hakeem Butler. I'll admit that I was kind of on the bandwagon at the start of camp. But lately he's just dropping so many passes in practice, and the coaches didn't even give him a chance in the game against the Bills. Not sure if that was punitive or what. Either way, the XFL rags-to-riches story is probably a goner.
Rocky
10:14
Hello Bats, how many WRs do you think they'll keep?  Does Boykin make the cut?  Thanks!
Brian Batko
10:17
My guess is 6. I'd say 5 at least, 7 at most, but still lean toward Miles Boykin making it for his special teams prowess. I figured Butler could knock him off there if he proved to be a better receiving asset and could be a comparable coverage guy, but so much for that. Cody White is someone else who might be jockeying for that last spot, but he's not the gunner Boykin is and isn't exactly lighting it up as a pass-catcher in the games.
Little Wolf
10:18
Hey Brian, love the chats. Any chance the Steelers will do joint practices in the future. Seems to be the trend in the league. Thanks
Brian Batko
10:21
Doesn't seem like those are high on the Steelers' radar. They've done them in the past, but it's been a while. Maybe 6 or 7 years at this point? And Mike Tomlin spoke highly of how the unfamiliar environment can be helpful, but the flip side of that is what you're seeing with those around the league. A lot of skirmishes, injury concerns as a result, coaches doing more babysitting than teaching. I've been at plenty of Steelers camp practices and they bring intensity even without a different team there. That's one of Tomlin's strengths as a coach.
doodlebug
10:22
I know it was one play but how about Watt, Highsmith (inside) and Herbig on third downs, I know it takes away #56 rushing but they could design ways for him to still rush from inside.
Brian Batko
10:25
That'd be an interesting package to try to play into their pass rushing depth, and they did install a 3-OLB look back in '20 when Highsmith started coming on behind Bud Dupree, then used it again in '21 with Melvin Ingram in the fold. So there's precedent, albeit not much and not under current DC Teryl Austin.
John in KC
10:27
Brian, Two Questions - I keep hearing critics of KP and how he is limited and is the weak link.  I don't see that in the games.  Is it just filler for national commentators? Or do you agree.  Second - this draft class looks like it could be one of the best in a long time for the Steelers.  I think there could be 5 players who makes a significant contribution to the team for some time.  Thoughts?
Brian Batko
10:30
As I've written before, there always are going to be those who doubt Kenny Pickett, for the same reason he was criticized coming out of Pitt. And, to be fair, he did fall to 20th overall, which is abnormal for the top QB in any draft. But it's important for any commentator - local, national, international - to not get bogged down by narratives and evaluate whether a player improves once he gets to the NFL. That seems to be happening for Pickett. As for this draft class, yeah, this looks like a very strong "top five."
mrbig
10:31
who is the biggest pick-up on either side of the ball this offseason... I'm thinking seumalo and porter?
Brian Batko
10:33
Yeah, probably Isaac Seumalo and Joey Porter Jr. will have the biggest impacts of the new faces this year. If not JJ, then one of the new ILBs. Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander have looked good.
Mr. Rooney
10:35
So Bats.  Excitement for the younger Herbig seems to be growing daily.  I'm excited too.  But it seems to me we have been here before with names like Adeniyi.  Guys who flash preseason but not so much in the regular season.  What say you?
Brian Batko
10:36
I say there's a difference between a guy who was highly productive in the Big Ten and drafted in the 4th round as a result versus UDFAs who were decent in the MAC and then may have feasted on some third-string O-linemen in preseason games.
Sport
10:37
Assuming Kendrick Green is cut, do the Steelers need a backup Center or can the Maryland 7th rounder do the job?
Brian Batko
10:38
Don't forget about Nate Herbig. He's been banged up with a shoulder injury and didn't play Saturday night, but he can snap too. Personally, I'd be fine with the center depth if he and Anderson both remain on the roster behind Mason Cole. This is usually where someone chimes in with "Green can't be a backup center anyway," which might actually be true.
John in SC
10:38
Good morning and thanks for the chats. I’ve been impressed with the options given to Tomlin this season. Is it to early to call Omar GM of the Year?
Brian Batko
10:39
Well, yes. But I suppose he could make a case for GM of the offseason.
Lou
10:41
Hey Brian… seems like the Steelers could be one injury away from being really compromised in the WR or DB department. Do you think it’s possible a late addition can be made to shore those areas up?
Brian Batko
10:42
It's possible. I'm sure the front office will keep an eye on who gets cut around the league Aug. 29, as they always do. The CB situation is trickier to me than WR.
Doug from Spring City
10:43
Hi Brian.  Love the chats!  Do you expect to see any of the 1st team offense/defense on the field this week against the Falcons?  I get the injury concern, but I also believe those guys want the reps too.
Brian Batko
10:45
Last year, they did. But Mike Tomlin could change his mind on that for multiple reasons. One, the natural progression of feeling out the 3-game preseason schedule and adjusting his approach accordingly. Two, has he seen enough from the starting offense already? Their situation is different than it was last preseason, when Mitch Trubisky was trying to get up to speed, show what he could do, etc. Three, TJ Watt and Diontae Johnson got banged up in that preseason finale a year ago. He may want to avoid that risk again close to the season, although it's really not that close, given the long layoff.
Jud
10:46
If we have a quality 4 man rotation for OLB, could we possibly get back to the old days of disrupting opposing offenses enough not to have to score 30+ pts per game?
Brian Batko
10:47
Preventing that drop-off from the starters to the 2s is part of it, sure. But I think the secondary and inside linebacker play will go further toward that mission. It's not like they've had a bad pass rush lately, although last year was uncharacteristically ineffective for large portions of the season when Watt wasn't healthy.
Mike Brown
10:49
Brian, are we on the verge of seeing a running back controversy blossom right before our eyes?  Jaylen Warren is the home run hitter we haven’t had since Fast Willie Parker.
Brian Batko
10:52
Whoa, hey, Rashard Mendenhall would like a word. But as for the current backs, I would say ... maybe. Jaylen Warren just keeps impressing more and more. Does he deserve more carries? Yes. Do I think he should take over as the lead guy? No, at least not yet. Could there be a controversy? Well... I'll just say Najee Harris seems to be acutely aware of the situation. He's already railed against the philosophy of replacing RBs with cheaper and younger ones when they get too expensive or have too much tread off their tires. It'll be worth keeping an eye on.
Adam
10:52
Why haven't we heard Darnell Washington's name at all during camp?
Brian Batko
10:53
Are you following a bunch of Bills writers on accident?
SMF
10:53
Thanks for the chats.  Just curious.  Do the coaches behind the scenes think Dan Moore is much improved from last year?  He appears a lock to start game 1.   Or, is Broderick Jones just not ready.
Brian Batko
10:55
I'm really not sure. That's a good question. Much like the RB situation though, it's a nice problem to have when there are two guys capable of playing at a high level as the starter. I'll say this much, Moore has looked solid to my naked eye in practice, and Jones did allow a sack Saturday night. I figured the gap would be closing by this point on the calendar, but it might actually be widening in Moore's favor.
pozone6031@comcast.net
10:56
BB I think we are solid and can beat anyone in our division. I say we go 4 and 2 what say you?
Brian Batko
10:57
They can beat anyone in their division and also lose to anyone. It's the AFC North, probably the toughest quadrant of teams in football, for my money. I'm high on the Ravens this year. I'm always high on the Bengals, but so much of that is tied to Joe Burrow, that his calf injury concerns me. And the Browns ... well, I'm sick of trying to make any projections on the Browns.
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