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Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat: 02.20.19
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Gerry Dulac
10:45
OK, kids, we're going to start our chat in about 10 minutes. So get ready for our meeting...
10:57
Ok kids, here we go....!
Hubbs
10:57
Do the rooneys know or care how unpopular Tomlin is with Steeler fans?
Gerry Dulac
10:57
I'm sure they know. Impossible not to.
TeddyBallGame14
10:58
How dominant can TJ Watt be, if the Steelers strengthen up their weakest points at ILB and CB?
Gerry Dulac
10:58
Well, we've seen how good he can be with that unit they have, which is among the weakest, if not the weakest, I can ever remember.
TeddyBallGame14
11:05
With a consistent flow of players now doing everything they can to actively work their way off of this team (Blount, Martavis, Harrison, LevBell, AB), how do the Steelers get away from the established precedence of self-destruction and get back to what used to be a place where players WANTED to play and be a part of the Steelers' rich tradition of winning?
Gerry Dulac
11:06
You're always going to have players who want to play more, who want the ball more. If they didn't feel that way, you don't want them in your team. For the most part, I think Mike Tomlin has done a good job of instilling in his players that everybody has a role and that everybody has to be ready to play. They also do a good job of promoting from within ("Next man up") when there is an injury instead of going out and bringing in a replacement. That being said, the Steelers misrepresented their intentions to Blount and Harrison. That's no defense of what happened, just an explanation of why it happened. The others? They did it to themselves. The only person to blame in the Antonio Brown mess is Antonio Brown, no one else. No one.
Ralph
11:06
Do you think Mr Rooney will have a serious sit down with Tomlin to discuss his poor method of handling his team, and insist he stop being a bro and act like a head coach.  No more Browns and Bells, please
Gerry Dulac
11:09
He sits down with him frequently and they go over a lot of things. His job performance is evaluated every year. But, to your point, this year will likely be a little different, a little more intense. I believe AR2 is examining the entire situation more closely and what exactly has been going on. Do not take that to mean he doesn't know what's going on. Unless he is at a league meeting, AR2 is at every practice and meets with Tomlin and Kevin Colbert after every practice. He is very hands-on.
Bill
11:09
Dan Rooney isn't vindictive like Al Davis, but I'm old enough to remember what Davis did to Marcus Allen after some perceived slight.  Harder to do in the cap and social media era, but it would be fun to see Mr. Big Chest rot on the bench for three years or no show and let the Steelers keep the cash and the cap space.
Gerry Dulac
11:10
Believe me when I tell you, there are members of the Steelers hierarchy who would like to act vindictively against LeV Bell and probably AB as well. But that could be a case of the proverbial cutting off your nose to spite your face.
FoolBack
11:10
Hi Jerry.  The AB/AR2 Summit yesterday had all the right people involved on both sides (GM, cap-guy, AB's agent).  It was very business-like. Is it likely both sides know the trade value, and AB's likely destinations at this point?  Or is it too early for that?
Gerry Dulac
11:11
Too early. And the only way they'll know the true value is when teams actually come calling about AB and make an offer.
TeddyBallGame14
11:11
Is this the year the Steelers finally break from tradition and trade up to get an impact player at the top of the Draft?  I'm tired of settling for a middling prospect at the end of the first round.
Gerry Dulac
11:13
They are No. 20 this year, so that's just past the middle of the first round, not near the end. Plus, who knows what they might get in a trade for AB. Ideally, they would love to trade him to a team that has a pick in the top 10, maybe even top 5, like, say, the Jets. Or the Raiders
Joe p.
11:13
Why arent the steeler players coming to bens defense. He is being villified on tv and in press. Its a disgrace.  Thank you
Gerry Dulac
11:14
It is a disgrace, but the only people doing it are the people who have NO CLUE what's going on in that locker room or with the team. Either that, or they are just insanely stupid, which is a mitigating factor as well.
Juice
11:15
Greetings. Patrick Peterson + a second day pick for Mr. Big Head. You taking that?
Gerry Dulac
11:15
I am, but I doubt the Cardinals are
GreggInFayetteville
11:15
I just have to think that if both LSU defenders are available at #20, or the DB and Mich. ILB, you view the extra seconds the ILB could cover ANYONE as the better deal, right? And in these mock drafts, I stop reading when I see it list the Steelers picking anyone other than ILB, CB or Edge, am I right there, too?
Gerry Dulac
11:17
The only way they are not addressing CB or ILB/S hybrid/playmaker in the draft is if (and when) they take a WR, which is a very real possibility once they trade AB. Do not be surprised if it's a No. 1 pick
Jake
11:17
Any chance we can get a guy like Mosley in free agency to fix the lb group?
Gerry Dulac
11:17
No. He's not the type of player they need.
TucsonFan
11:18
Hi Gerry, I always preferred Noll's theory on drafting best available athlete regardless of position in the first couple of rounds. I feel that we have been targeting a position like corner back the last few years and we are passing on better athletes/players that in the long run will make the entire team better. Your thoughts?
Gerry Dulac
11:21
If that was the case, they would have drafted an ILB, any ILB, in the first round last year. Or drafted a CB/S in the first round, any CB/S, in 2017. They have targeted players in the first round, but if they are gone they do not just stick to that same position. TJ Watt, an OLB, was not their intended target position in 2017. Terrell Edmunds, a safety, was not their intended target position last year. Typically, they stick to their ratings of the best player, so long as it's at a position where there is at least a moderate need.
Juice
11:21
Chances the Steelers get a first round pick for Mr. Big Head and which team(s) would be most likely to give that pick up?
Gerry Dulac
11:21
Sure, I think there's a decent chance. A team like the Jets, Bills and Raiders could be likely suitors.
TeddyBallGame14
11:23
What realistic targets do the Steelers have for adding a veteran CB in free agency this offseason?
Gerry Dulac
11:24
I haven't looked at it enough yet to know for sure.
bngfan
11:24
Not very optimistic about next season, you can’t just replace Bell and Brown without missing a beat. Looks like an 8-8 season, thoughts?
Gerry Dulac
11:25
They've already replaced Bell. They will replace AB. They always do. Might not have the same production, but then did you or anyone else think JuJu would eclipse AB's production this year? Any year? As long as you have No. 7, don't discount anything. You ever take a look at Tom Brady's stable of receivers over the past 10 years when they've been winning the division title???
Ryno
11:26
Gerry, how far can AB go before he draws league attention for trying to get other teams to tamper with a contracted player?
Gerry Dulac
11:26
He is allowed to say whatever he wants. So long as other teams don't chime in. And I'm not talking about retired players from other teams.
Me
11:26
Any chance Art just met with AB, took the picture, etc. to try and make AB look reasonable and help the Steelers get a better trade deal?  As in, "See, AB is not that bad of a guy" type thing...
Gerry Dulac
11:26
Nope
Mike
11:27
If the Steelers can’t get true compensation for AB, 1st or 2nd rnd pick, why not call the N.Y. Giants and ask about OBJ. Straight up deal for the 2 disgruntled WRs. With Ben having 2-3 yrs left, perhaps a new setting for OBJ would work. What do the Steelers have to lose if they aren’t going to get true compensation for one of the best WRs in the NFL. I’d do it!
Gerry Dulac
11:27
That's why you're not the GM or owner.
Ryno
11:27
Is eating $2.5M a big deal if they hold on to Brown too long? After all, they routinely eat dead money on players anyway, so if they think they can get a better return by waiting, would you be okay not trading him the absolute first chance they get?
Gerry Dulac
11:29
That's too big a risk. Plus, why in the world would they want to give another $2.5 million to a guy who quit on their team and performed the most shameful act a professional athlete can commit????
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