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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 05.20.19
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:55
Welcome to my Steelers chat. Send in your questions and we will get started.
Mtsteel
11:57
Hi Ray, thanks for your time with these chats. What's your take on Justin Layne as 3rd round pick? Do you see him as an answer in the secondary somewhere or more like a Cam Sutton who obviously is not an answer as a 3rd round pick himself. Thanks
Ray Fittipaldo
11:59
Well, they're obviously hoping he is someone who will develop into a useful player for them. He's a third-round pick. Players selected in the third round should be useful players. They plan to start him on the outside, which means he'll be in a backup role to starters Joe Haden and Steven Nelson. But with his size and athleticism he also might be able to help out in sub-packages. He's an intriguing prospect. I think there is a lot of potential there. It's just a matter of the Steelers coaches getting it out of him.
CourtneyWest
11:59
Mr Fittipaldo, can you see a scenario where Artie Burns breaks camp as the teams nickel corner, playing like the first round pick he is then earning a long term contract after the season?? People forget that he just turned 24 in May and everyone expects the team to extend Joe Haden even though he’s 30 years old and that means if Haden loses even Half a step his days are numbered. Your thoughts?? By the way- I appreciate you answering one of my questions last week.🇮🇹
Ray Fittipaldo
12:01
My gut reaction to that is no. Artie Burns has never played in the slot. He has only played outside corner. He's a long, lanky guy who can run. Those types of players usually have success on the outside. The inside slot guys usually are smaller and quicker and better able to deal with small and quicker slot receivers. Now maybe Burns does well in camp and finds a role in sub-packages, but I don't think they're counting on that happening.
Steeltowntim@aol.com
12:01
Ray, With the rookie deals done and Ben;s extension adding to cap it doesn't look like we will have much cap space to sign anyone from other rosters on cut down days. About ho much we got left?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:02
You're right. Not a lot right now. But if there is someone worth picking up in early September the Steelers can always redo a deal of a veteran to free up some cap space. They do it all the time.
Jason in Slippery Rock
12:03
Ray, what is your opinion that Zach Gentry will a) make the team and b) will supplant Grimble as the number 2 tight end?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
I'll let you know by the middle of August. Let's give him a chance to compete in training camp.
thomastown
12:03
It seems the only logical reason to extend Tomlin this year (2 years left on contract) would be thinking if they make it to the SB, his price would go up. But if that happens,  I would think they would gladly pay that later. What other reason is there for them to do it now?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:05
I agree with you 100 percent. If he wins the Super Bowl and they have to pay him more $ then it's money well spent. Otherwise, you're extending a coach who in the past two years has: 1. lost a home playoff game as the No. 2 seed in the AFC; 2. choked away a playoff berth with an epic collapse last season; and 3. overseen a locker room that has been chaotic and disruptive for several years.
Larry in KY
12:06
Hi Ray.  Do you get the feeling that the Patriots are always ahead of the curve?  While 31 teams are frantically drafting smaller, faster ILB's the Patriots are stockpiling bigger players to run over them?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:07
This all started late last season after Josh Gordon was injured. They changed their offense and won the Super Bowl. Shame on NFL teams for not recognizing if they're caught off guard.
pbourdon
12:07
Ray - I don't truly believe that a guy like Ben needs to lot of Incentives outside of the Ultimate prize to be at his best. He has shown that throughout his career... That being said, do you think that what transpired in the off season can provide additional motivation for Ben (and in a lot of ways, the rest of the team)? Ben will certainly want to prove that he can win without Brown and Bell (although IMO he has already proven it - his record speaks for itself). Can it really help in the long run?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:08
Yes. I don't think this would ever be anything he verbalized, but any competitor wants to prove people wrong.
Priofessor Flush
12:08
Is BJ Finney targeted for an extension and pay raise to keep him in the Black and Gold for several more years?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:10
At this point I'm not sure. If they viewed Finney as a potential starter they would have let Ramon Foster walk and signed Finney to a long-term deal to be their starting LG in 2019 and beyond. Instead, they extended the 33-year old Foster for two more years and offered Finney a restricted free agent tender. He signed it, but he'll be an unrestricted free agent in March unless the Steelers give him a new contract in the weeks after next season.
AK
12:10
What is your opinion of Sean Davis’ play for the Steelers?  Do you think he has played well enough to get an extension?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:13
Not really. I'm not saying it's entirely his fault, but he hasn't played to my expectations. I think part of the problem has been the coaches changing his position so often. He went from slot corner as a rookie to strong safety for a year and a half and then to free safety last season. That's three positions in three years. That being said, I expect starting free safeties to have more than one interception. That's all Davis provided last season. And overall, I didn't feel like he was really close to getting many others. So to answer your question, I think Davis  has to play better to warrant an extension. If they give him one now it'll be purely out of desperation for lack of any others to fill that role or projecting what he might be. Either way, I think it's a bad gamble to extend him. Let him play it out.
Black Jack Bill
12:13
Do the Steelers have any say in their opening week matchup vs. the Cheats up in Beantown? I know several teams have whined and moaned about playing in the first game of the year, but I assume that money (and ratings) always win out.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:14
Sure, they'll have a chance. Not a great chance, but they could go in there and surprise if Roethlisberger and the offense plays well. Too many times over the years that hasn't happened in Foxboro.
Kiwi Jimmy
12:14
How much importance do you place in veterans attending OTAs?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:15
In a year like this year, after such a bad end to last season and the tumultuous offseason, I think it's much more important than other years.
jrmycllns
12:15
Ray with the recent loading up of smaller faster linebackers are you predicting a defensive scheme shift for the future.  I realize they have always wanted fast linebackers but this year's draft was a larger focus.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:16
That's the way the league is going. I think it will be smart if teams kept a player like Vince Williams on the 53-man roster in case teams want to line up and run the ball. But overall, the game is trending in another direction and teams like the Steelers are trying to adjust their personnel.
ron
12:17
Hi Ray, appreciate your chats, just wondering if there was more to joey porter being let go. Performance results or a good player not being a good coach and not getting enough from what he had to work with.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:18
Not really. Outside linebackers, other than TJ Watt, haven't exactly been the strong point of the defense in recent years. And Joey had some off-field incidents that I'm sure didn't help.
Troy
12:18
I seem to be in minority, but I felt that the Steelers defense wasn't bad last year. They did lead (tie) NFL with Sacks. I think if they improve the TO ratio and get off the field late in games, your looking at a Top 5 NFL defense.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
I agree, but turnovers haven't been something these players have provided the past few years. And it's laregely the same group of players except for the addition to Steven Nelson, Mark Barron and Devin Bush. Maybe those guys will make a big difference. We'll have to wait and see.
Ben M
12:21
Hi Ray, I understand t least 6 of our picks were in Danny Colbert's scouting area. Not sure if he also covers Kentucky. So I'm curious to know, is Danny Colbert a next level scout, or might he have undue influence in the Steelers War Room on draft day?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
It might have just been a coincidence. And a young scout such as Danny doesn't have great influence on the draft. He might have a very good idea of what his father wants though. That might explain some things.
Kiwi Jimmy
12:22
Why not bring in a bunch of punters for open tryouts?...There is this boy we call the Milkeman in NZ who can punt a ball to Tasmania....surely there is one lad better than the shanker the Steelers have used the past few years!!!
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
All the way to Tazmania? Send him over.
Professor Flush
12:23
Who will return punts this season? Switzer or by committee?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:23
Diontae Johnson returned some punts in college. He could compete for that role too. And maybe Eli Rogers.
Eric Carr
12:23
Ray, I know it's WAY early but right now in May, how many draft picks do you predict will make it and who do you think will not?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
You're right. It's way too early. And you never know how injuries will play into things. I can better answer that question in August.
Kiwi Jimmy
12:24
Love these chats. Will defense play more 5 and 6 backs in passing situations, or is 3/4 still the staple on first and second downs?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
They played in sub-packages 75 percent of the time last season. That's obviously dictated by offensive personnel so you never know how a season will unfold, but it seems like a good bet the numbers will be similar this season as well.
Ed
12:26
Ron Cook wrote  that Mike Tomlin should get a contract extension.  Why now?  Let's see how he does this season first after the previous turmoil.  Your thoughts?
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