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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 02.03.22
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Ray Fittipaldo
9:58
OK let's get the chat started. Fire away with your questions.
Steeler in Virginia
9:59
I'm still confused about what happened with Zach Banner. Was it just he reinjured his knee and it was never right this season. Did we as fans get too caught up in the "72 is eligible" hype and not realize he wasn't that good in the first place? Having both tackle spots figured out before free agency starts would make me a lot less anxious about the line rebuild.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:01
Banner had a setback in training camp. They had to go with Moore at LT and Okorafor at RT as a result. Once Banner was able to return, the Steelers liked the continuity they had or just came to the conclusion that a rusty Banner wouldn't be much better than Okorafor. I'm not ruling out Banner coming back, but he won't play with the $6 million-plus cap hit that's currently on the books. It would be bad cap management to pay that much for an oft-injured player who has never started in the NFL.
Yinzer Steelheart
10:01
Hello Ray, I hope you are very well. Munchak or Marrone? Who do you like better? Will the Steelers now hire someone with experience and success as OL coach?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:04
Either of those guys would be great hires. Munchak has been with the Steelers and has knowledge on how the Steelers want to play on offense. So ideally, he'd come back, but the Steelers won't be his only option. He's in demand.
Yinzer Steelheart
10:04
We know that Steelers now have a little more cap space than other seasons. But, could they still manage to liberate even more space by releasing other players? Who do you think they might be?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:05
Plenty of options to create even more cap space. I just mentioned Banner. That move would free up $4-5 million. If they release Stephon Tuitt they would clear another $9 million in cap space. Those are two of the bigger ones, but there are other options too.
Jay
10:05
Morning Ray.  Denver has a new OL coach and Chris Morgan was hired by the bears.  Almost no brainer to rehire Mike Munchak right?  Gerry doesn't think so, did he has a drift with coach tomlin or is more about outside zone blocking scheme,
Ray Fittipaldo
10:06
For the Steelers, yes, but as I mentioned Munchak has options.
Yinzer Steelheart
10:06
What is you opinion of Mike Mayock as possible outside candidate for the GM job? When he worked on TV, I think he had a lot of knowledge about what type of players would fit in Pittsburgh. He had comments like: "That kid looks like a Pittsburgh Steeler to me" or "Mike Tomlin will love this kid, he fits very well with the system" or "This is the type of player Kevin Colbert wants for the Steelers"
Ray Fittipaldo
10:07
Mayock had some odd picks when he was GM with the Raiders. He picked the DL from Clemson in the top 5 when no one else even had him in the top 20. There were some other head-scratchers too. But he did draft well after the first round and built a roster that made it to the playoffs. He's knowledgeable, but I don't think he's on the radar.
Jay
10:08
Morning Ray.  Assuming steelers don't pick up a stud OL starter, where do they go at pick 20?  If Tyler Linderbaum, K. Green, and Penning are all available,  where do you prioritize, C, G, or T?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:09
I think all the guys you mentioned could be in play at No. 20. I'd be surprised if all three were off the board. I'm writing about the OL prospects that are here at the Senior Bowl for today so check it out. There are some other options.
TXSteeler
10:09
Would the Steelers have let their OL coach walk, somebody they and the players seemingly like, if they didn’t already have an upgrade they strongly thought would be in place?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:10
Or they just didn't think Morgan would work well here in the long term. What the Steelers need most is stability there. It's been a revolving door since Munchak left, and I think it's obvious the Steelers have suffered as a result. Tomlin absolutely has to make a good hire this time.
John
10:10
at this point in time after 2 days of practice at the senior bowl - who is the most likely selection at pick 20 for the Steelers?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:11
Way too early to tell. So much has to play out between now and the draft. Guys will rise and guys will fall in the coming weeks. Let it play out.
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus
10:12
I would trade this year's first round pick and a first and third round next year to the Giants for the fifth pick in the draft and take Kenny Pickett, assuming he's still there. He won't be at the 20th pick. I'm extremely biased but he checks all of the boxes. Address the both lines this year via the second and third round plus free agency
Ray Fittipaldo
10:12
I like Pickett, but he's not good enough to sacrifice that type of draft capital in my opinion.
J-Akron
10:12
Was there any bad blood between Munchak and the organization that would prevent him from returning?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:13
Not that I know of. The reason he gave when he left was he wanted to be closer to his daughter and her family. They live in Denver so that's why he settled on the Broncos even after the Broncos decided not to hire him as their head coach.
HT
10:13
Good morning Ray. Steelers need a receiver, or two. The fact that there were few intermediate and deep passes over the middle is as much a result of 11 &18 not being able/willing to run those routes as it is Ben’s age/arm.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:14
I don't think it had to do with the receivers. It was more about the QB and the offensive coordinator's play-calling, etc.
Tim
10:14
Although it would not be the overall number one pick in the draft like the bengals, is the incredible turn around of Cincinnati this year w Burrow leading the way giving the Steelers brass more steam to possibly pull the trigger on a qb in round one?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:15
Possibly. What's the old saying in the NFL? If you don't have a quarterback you don't have a chance. I believe that. Now I'm not convinced the Steelers believe there is a sure-fire franchise type of QB in this draft, but they are doing their homework here.
Matt
10:16
From what you have seen of the QBs, do you think the Steelers Brass will be willing to trade up 5 or so spots to get their QB1 or sit and wait?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:16
Hard to say not knowing the price would be trade up.
Frank
10:16
Hey ray, do you think the Steelers should take the best lineman at 20 and beef up the o and dline and secondary then maybe try to get a Bryce young or cj stroud
Ray Fittipaldo
10:18
They haven't taken an OL in the first round since 2012. It might be time to end that streak. They need to add young talent there and this is a good draft for OL. Just a matter of a player being available they like. You also have to realize they have a need for DL and CB. If OL is a deep class -- and it looks like it might be -- they could opt to address it in the second or third round. They'll take the best player available at a position of need.
TXSteeler
10:19
Why does it appear ILB is not being mentioned much in draft talk? Isn’t having ILBs who can’t, or won’t, she’d blocks and attack every bit as much a part of the run game problem as the DL? I contend it’s a bigger need with the return of Alualu and possibly Tuitt.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:20
Bush is returning as a starter and Spillane should return. They just invested a fourth-round pick in Buddy Johnson. I'd argue they have bigger needs at QB, OL, DL and secondary. I'm not ruling out an ILB, but they do have some players coming back.
LivingInMyFears
10:20
Ray, with Brady retiring the same year as Ben, do you think that will have any impact on Ben's "first-ballot" hall of fame status?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:21
I don't think that should matter at all. It might hurt guys who have been waiting for a few years. To me, a player like Roethlisberger is a first-ballot Hall of Famer no matter who else is going in.
BPOS
10:21
What do you make of the Flores accusations of the offer to pay for losses?  If they can prove this, can the NFL force Stephan Ross (and any others) to sell the team? I wish. Simply fining him or taking away draft picks is hardly a suitable punishment.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:22
If that is proven I would imagine there would be harsh penalties. So we'll see if Flores has receipts.
Sbeth
10:22
Ray, thanks for doing these chats.  I am wondering if Haskins has a shot to displace Mason at QB. I know neither is particularly mobile, but Haskins has the better arm and higher ceiling of the two. Also, is there any hope for Josh Dobbs to be the backup? He’s the mobile QB of the three, plus it’s always fun to say the Steelers have an actual rocket scientist on their team.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:23
Sure Haskins has a chance. Rudolph has been around longer and has more experience with the Steelers so I give him a slight edge going into the competition. Listen, if they were convinced Rudolph was their guy for sure they would have already named him their starter.
LivingInMyFears
10:24
With Stephen Ross' response to the Brian Flores allegations, we're now in a he-said/he-said scenario - where someone must be fabricating. The fact that Hue Jackson jumped on to share similar experiences in CLE seems to bolster the concept of where there's smoke, there's fire. Will it take other coaches/execs to come forward for this to completely play out?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:25
What Hue Jackson said was different. He complained about roster construction and the team philosophy on team building. It's two different forms of tanking. What Ross is accused of is much more serious because there is the allegation of him offering $100,000 for each loss.
FanInCincy
10:25
Ray, thanks for the chats. For the draft I think we need to go OL,OL, DL, ILB with our first 4 picks. Maybe sign a FA for the secondary and a competent RB to spell Harris. Your thoughts? Also, my neighbors here in Cincy are going nuts over the Bengals win. I just hold up 6 fingers and tell them wishing you luck!! joyjoy
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