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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 08.23.22
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Ray Fittipaldo
1:54
Hello, let's get the chat going.
Guest
1:54
Ray, Hoping you can help me solve a problem. My heart says the OL is, L to R, 23,23,26,24,25 years old and is going to improve every game. My head says there is not a lot of talent there and the upside is not great. Do I go with my heart or my head?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:54
Your head.
Yogi in Yonkers
1:54
Hi Ray. How much of James Daniels' contract $$$ is guaranteed?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:55
$10 million. There is a team out after this season, but there would be a $5.8 million dead cap hit. Not ideal, but they could walk away if it doesn't work out.
Marc from Germany
1:56
Hi R! I read James Daniels explained his poor performance in the 2nd pre season game with sloppiness. That strikes me as alarming for an NFL OLiner. Making mistakes, sure. But sloppiness? Do you see a deeper problem there?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:59
Deeper problem on the offensive line? Yes, I'd say it's cavernous. I listened to four of the linemen do interviews yesterday. A lot of them said the issues lied in technique. Kevin Dotson told me finds himself falling back on old habits that previous line coaches taught him. I think some of the poor play can be attributed to these guys learning new techniques under Pat Meyer. I'm not blaming Meyer. They hired him to do a job, and he's trying to teach them what he thinks works. I think in the big picture we're seeing one of the big problems Mike Tomlin has endured in the past five years -- the identification, hiring and retention of offensive line coaches. I've pointed this out in stories in recent months, but it bears repeating. Chuks Okorafor is on his fifth offensive line coach in five years. It's hard to build continuity on a line when the door to the O-line room has been a revolving one.
Yates
2:00
Hi Ray. Truth be told K Green is 3rd or 4th best option for L.. OG.  Ditto for D Bush for ILB.  If football is the Steelers game and winning is its business how can the roles  of these two not reflect the tape they put out there week in and week out?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:01
I think Green needs a reset year. If they carry him on their 53-man roster I'd be surprised if he dresses. He needs time to address his deficiencies. To be honest, I just think he's too small to be an effective lineman, but it wouldn't hurt him to get good coaching without having to go out there and fail so often.
Guest
2:02
Are you chalking up the woes OG James Daniels is experiencing to lack of comfort with Meyer's scheme  or is there a level of concern regarding his overall readiness that you picked up in training camp/his 1 on 1 matchups?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:03
Daniels was a good player for the Bears. Not great but solid. As I mentioned, there is a learning curve with the new coach. Daniels is coming from the Bears. Cole is coming from the Vikings. The holdovers on the Steelers had different line coaches every year for the past couple of years. It takes time. I understand that, but they play a game in a couple of weeks. I never thought the line could be worse than last season, but they don't look very good right now.
Yates
2:04
Hi Ray.  Is Zach Banner still interested in playing?  He was viewed by MT as starter worthy last year.   Could he be helpful given the regression of 65 ?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:04
To my knowledge Banner didn't even get invited to a camp this summer. So Tomlin might have been the only person who viewed him as NFL starter worthy.
Guest
2:05
Is the team content with Avery/Tuscka as the team's edge rush depth or do you think we see a move?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:05
I think they'll make a move. I haven't seen much from either this summer from a pass rush standpoint.
TheMajor
2:05
Good Afternoon Ray - Multiple changes to the offensive line, including a new line coach, and the play looks eerily similar to last season.  You're an old line dog, is there a remote chance that this group might improve?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:06
Yes there is a remote chance. Ha ha.
TV
2:06
Chuks was left tackle to begin camp last season and was moved to the right side just before the season...why not move him back to the left side and try Moore or one of the other guys on the roster on the right side?  Worked wonders for TJ on defense.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:06
The only thing I can think of is Chuks did not and does not feel comfortable on the left side.
Guest
2:06
any data about guardian cap effects/mitigating training camp concussions this year?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:07
No official date. Mike Tomlin told us yesterday Joe Haeg was out with a concussion. I'm not sure if it happened in practice or a game, but it would appear those guardian helmets served their purpose in camp. I know in previous camp there were more concussions in practices. Small sample size of course.
Carl in Carrick
2:08
Hi Ray, I saw your 53 man projection.  If the Steelers make a trade for an offensive lineman or sign a free agent at that position, do you think Green may not survive the final cut?  Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:08
Green isn't good enough to even be a reserve, but I'm not sure they cut a third-round pick after one season. You can make an argument they should, but I'm not sure they do.
Southwest Steeler Fan
2:09
Ray, during training camp and two preseason games, we have observed excellent wide receiver skills by more pass catchers than can fit on our 53-man roster. Which wideouts do you believe will make the team and the practice squad? Since we can't keep them all, who might be a logical player for a trade? Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:09
I did my first 53-man roster projection this morning: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2022/08/23/pittsburgh-ste...
2:10
I had them keeping six: Johnson, Claypool, Pickens, Austin, Olszewski and Boykin.
KJ
2:10
How do you like Tyler Vaughn's chances for making the 53 man roster? It appears that all he does is produce, and that game-winning TD catch he caught from Pickett against the Seahawks wall "all him" with some nifty moves to get into the endzone.  To me, that was very impressive. What do you say, Ray?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:11
I've liked what I've seen from Vaughns, but I think he has a better chance of landing on the practice squad than the 53-man roster.
Alan
2:11
If O-line continues to underperform, do you see Mr. Rooney throw caution to the wind and go after an accomplished proven NFL o-line coach in offseason to fix the problem?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:12
It's not Art Rooney's responsibility to hire offensive line coaches. That's on the head coach, and Mike Tomlin's record in recent years is being questioned in that regard. He better hope Meyer pans out.
Norma Stitz
2:12
Can they get the O-line playing at a respectable level by 9/11?!
Ray Fittipaldo
2:12
They better or it might be 35-3 at halftime again.
Dixie Normiss
2:12
Does Devan Bush make this team?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:13
Devin Bush does, yes. I can't see them cutting him. They didn't cut Artie Burns in the final year of his rookie deal.
Or Jarvis Jones.
Guest
2:14
When the Steelers handed Flores a newly created position, it was stated his role was to improve the ILB group and Devin Bush.  It is clear that Bush is an absolute bust.  Is this a bad reflection on Flores and something that could hurt his chances of a future head coaching job?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:14
No.
Doug Frobel Fan Club
2:14
It's ridiculous to keep Green simply because he was picked in the third round last year. You said in your roster projection he does nothing for position flexibility on game days. His problems are physical and not mental or technique.  Admit the mistake and move on. It makes more sense to keep Haeg than Green.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:15
I agree with your thinking, but cutting a third-round pick after one year would be admitting a big mistake.
STLRMAD
2:15
What am I missing? Leglue last year appeared to me to show some pretty good promise. He seems head and shoulders above what I’ve witnessed from Green and Dotson this year. Why isn’t he in the mix?
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