The Terrible Podcast – Initial Depth Chart Dissection, Porter Jr. Update, 2026 NFL Season Predictions & More

0:00Welcome to the Terrible Clockcast with your host from Steeler's Depot.com where you can find all your latest and greatest Steelers news. It's Dave Bryan and Alex Kassaro. Always Lynn talking Steelers. And now here's Dave and Alex. Welcome to the Terrible Podcast season 17 episode 20. He's Dave Bryan. I'm Alex Kassaro. Steelers Depot.com. Thanks for being back with us this Wednesday Steelers Nation day football is back. The NFL kicks off tonight on a Wednesday, a rematch of the last football game that was played Patriots and Seahawks to start 2026 just days away from the Steelers opening up their season against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. And the TV map just came out good news for most out of market Steelers fans.

1:00So plenty to talk about Dave. How you doing? I'm doing well and I'm not playing Minecraft today. I don't even know what Minecraft is. Maybe you know what Minecraft is. But evidently Mike Tomlin is a huge Minecraft fan that we found out over the last, I guess 24 hours here. That's a hell of a way to open up the show. But it's the first thing that popped into my mind. Other than of course football is back. And we finally made it Alex to start of the 2026 NFL season tonight. It's kind of weird being on a Wednesday, but I guess we'll have Wednesday night football, Thursday night football and then obviously college football on Saturday. I imagine there's a handful college games. I didn't look on Friday, but full slate of college on Saturday. Then the bulk of the NFL games on Sunday there. So it's going to be a eventful football week from this point forward here. Not that you were going to go outside anyway, Dave, but a lot of reason to stay inside and watch ball this week.

2:01All right, Dave. Let's get into it. Pittsburgh releasing its first depth chart of the regular season yesterday. And I still take these with some grains of salt, but they're obviously more valuable and take a little more worthwhile than the training camp preseason additions that are just truly a gobbled mess that are often incorrect. And so the notable I think to start with and we'll talk about him throughout the show because there's a little bit of news on that front. But Joy Porter Jr. listed as a starter or alongside a Santege Samuel Jr. So there's the or label between Porter and Samuel on the starter designation for the one cornerback spot. Don't have that with Dean on the other end. I'm having a little trouble interpreting what that means. Is that somehow health related because Porter still ramping up? Is that a little subtle shade to Porter about the contract situation and his threat to sit out week one? How do you interpret that or between Porter and Samuel? Posturing. Playing, playing and simple.

3:04I think that's a look. You know, Dave, they're probably saying, okay, you know, you're not you're not committing to actually playing in the interview from a couple of days ago there. You know, he made he said, he had one point he said, maybe we'll see, you know, he he had made his decision yet. So I think in turn, the steeters put in or in there because you told us you were a maybe. So that's it. Did they have to do that? Short answers, no. Did they do that as sort of a subtle reply? And look, for all we know, Bert's the one that filled this out. I know who and you know, Mike McCarthy kept saying that you know, Bert's death chart a couple of times during the off season and all like that. Is this Bert inserting the or on there by a direction or is this Bert saying, well, don't

4:04really know if he is going to start or not. So I'm going to put the or in there. So we could we could put the 10 full hats on, I suppose and you know, look at this eight different ways. But I think it's either a posturing or B they really don't know if he's going to play in he said, maybe so we're going to essentially put him maybe in there between Joey Porter, Jr. and Assate, Sam and Jr. because he hasn't really told us what are not he's going to play. I think that probably stands to reason. And I'm not 100% sure who puts together the regular season edition, the comps team, Bert lot and head or director of communications does the training camp stuff. But that, you know, no one really cares about that. I think this one has to make sure it has at least some level of baseline accuracy. So I don't know if the team has any further input in terms of the coaching staff. You could also sit there and say that Sam was a good player and they want to get Samuel a role this year and he's a starting caliber guy. Now you could have put the or next to Dean and Samuel and gone that way instead.

5:05But that was my biggest and one of my few takeaways from this depth chart was that or label between those two. All right. Well, you asked me how I read it. How do you interpret it? I think your explanation is correct. The border did not fully commit to week one and that's just the posturing leverage. I think we both expect him to play contract or not. And so the team will reflect that commentary in the step chart. All right. Now the depth chart as a whole, it looks, looks kind of political more than anything because you see, let's see, you got one, two, three wide receivers listed with the starters. You have the or between Pat Fierre muth and Darnell Washington. You have, I guess you, I guess they didn't put an or between Jalen Warren and Rico Dowddle. But I think that's political and the fact that Jalen Warren is the veteran on it, you know, been there longer. So he gets the nod there. It is interesting that you list three wide receivers in the starting lineup.

6:09We'll see if they actually come out in 11 person now. That sort of thing there. And obviously, I think that where my eyes immediately went to and I don't know if you can, how much you can make out of it based on what Mike McCarthy did and did not say on Monday was Dylan Cook is listed as the starting right tackle ahead of a rookie, Maxi Honature. But Mike McCarthy all kind of sort of painted himself in the corner a little bit with Dylan Cook on Monday. But it within that he did. He did not come right out and say that Dylan Cook is going to be the starter. But I think and we've we've we've broached this topic a few times over the last few weeks here. It feels like you said, delicately, Dylan Cook is going to open up as a starting right tackle. However, comma, you know, if they, if they, if they feel that they can trust Maxi Honature and they feel that he understands the playbook and they legitimately feel like he is the

7:12better option and they don't feel like they'll have to go backwards with him at any point and maybe, you know, maybe perhaps he will start on Sunday. But I'm in the mindset of looking forward to number 60, try it out there at the first snap at right tackle being Dylan Cook. Agreed. He really comes down to reps and McCarthy indicated that Dylan Cook was getting the bulk if not all the first team right tackle reps on, you know, four Monday's practice in throughout the week and assuming that holds true. He's getting the reps. You're not going to then just suddenly pivot to the rookie and ask him to go in there and play with those guys. So it would be really surprising if you honnature got the nod at this point. I think pretty even though we can't say for certain just yet that we've been very careful where eager to post the they've declared a starting right tackle McCarthy speaks here in about an hour from the time we record this. So maybe he'll have an update today and maybe he'll just play Koi the rest of the week.

8:13But it's going to be pretty surprising if Cook does not start a right tackle on Sunday. I agree. Uh, some other, I guess sort of kind of notable things on the depth chart. Uh, one one starting safety, Jacquan Brisker, uh, uh, listed there. Uh, Jamin Ramsey listed as the, uh, the nickel. We already covered the or between Porter and Assante Samuel Jr. Uh, obviously and then look, I think political too. You got three outside linebackers, uh, uh, you know, on, on technically in the starters there, even though they, they list, uh, uh, now I guess they do have them listed as all outside linebackers. They don't designated the side with Nick Herbig, uh, they're, uh, right or left. They have Alex Icemith, right, uh, TJ what left and then Nick Herbig just outside linebacker. But I think that's political at this point as well too. So, uh, are they going to open up with three outside linebackers on the field against the

9:15Falcons on Sunday? Probably not. Yeah, there's 12 starters on defense and last I checked, you can only have 11 of those guys. So that's just reflective though of Herbig's value and starting caliber. And as you said, sort of the political and just respect the two guy like Nick Herbig, not to play some as a pure backup on the depth chart should also note throughout training camp on those depth charts. Why a black was consistently listed as starting nose tackle now Keanu Benton is listed as the starting nose tackle black a backup to Kim Hayward still up Joseph Day is the backup nose tackle. He's not taking any nose tackle work whenever he was healthy. So out of that, Jim Blackwell will still get no tackle time, but Benton back there at no tackle will see exactly what that division of labor is like for the Falcons game of Ben's going to play. He just paid him a bunch of money. He's going to play it a lot. And so we'll see exactly how it looks. He didn't get no tackle work in the preseason in part because Kim Hayward did not play. And so Benton kicked out a defensive and but I'm very interested in seeing how the distribution

10:16of reps go whenever I chart this thing after the Falcons game. All right, I guess the other little minor thing will Howard listed as a third quarterback. And I think both of us agree he will probably be listed as the number three in active emergency quarterback on Sunday against the Falcons. I guess moving forward from that point. Be interesting to see on a week to week basis if there is allowed to be sort of a competition maybe to between Howard and Aller for the number three emergency spot that dresses and all. I have an imagine to start season here. It's going to be going to see a lot of Howard in that role. But we'll take it week by week moving forward within this. And obviously we wait or we have eyes on every time the state is game release comes out to start the game week to go straight to the depth chart to see if there's any changes listed in there. Overall, I think for what the depth chart is, you know, I think we've interpreted it the best

11:21that we can. But as a whole, you know, I think we went over what we think could potentially happen as it matches up to the depth chart. Sure. Last thing to note to rookies in starting spots. That's Riley Noah Kowski at full back in Caden, we genitals that you're starting return man, kicks and punch no surprise on either front for whatever it's worth the co or the backup kick returners, even the only two kick returners out there. Jaylin Warren Rico Dowdell and then Dowdell, let's see, back up punt returner. He's not gotten any work in punt return. But I do wonder who that second kick returner will be back there. I thought maybe it'd be Eli Hyden right because he got that work in the summer. He's not listed on the depth chart. So it could be Warren, who man those duties last year. So I'll be watching for that come the opening kick whenever that happens for Pittsburgh returning on Sunday. All right. All right, Dave, let's go to Joy Porter, Jr. I know we've talked about it so much, but it is still a dominant storyline as Pittsburgh races towards the start of the season.

12:25We just saw another cornerback get paid Christian Christian Gonzalez of the Patriots. Now the highest paid cornerback and football. That deal was done 48 hours or less before their opener tonight against Seattle. So as Andrew Brent, and as you say, Dave, deadline, spur action will the same whole true with Joey Porter, Jr. We shall see. There is some news on that front in the sense of according to Mike Garifalo reporting last night. The Pittsburgh has officially offered Porter a contract. Now, it clearly was not enough to get a deal done and Garifalo said as much, but that is progress from his previous update that a couple of weeks ago, I don't know, we can have two weeks ago. He said that Pittsburgh had yet to offer Porter a contract. A deal apparently has been submitted. I assume that's part of Porter return to practice and he's acting in good faith and the team will as well. So at least there's some discussions and some hard numbers being talked about Dave. All right, Alex, can you tell me if that was a formal offer or not? Let's get real semantics about it.

13:26All right, Mike Garifalo reported this is the quote we have said that there has been an offer made update. There has been an offer made. I am told via sources that the Steaters have made an offer. It is not good enough for this one to be deemed close, but the Steaters are showing a willingness to engage, which means we've got a couple of days for both sides to figure out. What are the right numbers to get a deal done? There is a lot of work to be done for my understanding. I would not call it imminent. I would not call it close, but I will call it an actual negotiation now that the Steaters have made an offer. That obviously came on the heels of Jeremy Fowler a couple of hours earlier on Tuesday saying that to his understanding that no offer had been made up until that point, I believe. I don't have the direct quote from Jeremy Fowler, but you know, we went into the night. Look, I was real vigil. I was afraid to even go to the bathroom yesterday at certain points today,

14:30because I thought, man, I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'll miss the news dropping about Joey Porter Jr. signing an extension. Need to start investing into Penn's hell. I'm almost full. I'm almost close to 60 anyway. Got a good reason too. But long and short of it, is it didn't get done? I even waited up a little bit extra last night because the Christian Gonzales news had dropped later in the evening, but as we roll, at least at the time that we're recording this podcast, there's been no update on the Joey Porter situation up until now. Now, I dug deeper into the Christian Gonzales numbers now that they're out and our buddy over at Texans cap posted a nice graphic of the true cash flows of all the top cornerbacks that have recently signed. And as I've stated a few times, I think there's a little bit of a hole in there for Joey Porter Jr. to potentially end up as, let's say, the third highest paid cornerback on

15:37the list from a new money average and from a cash flow perspective, you know, in comparative. Now look, here's the thing with the witherspoon and the Gonzales deals is both those guys new money technically didn't start until after the 2027 season for the fact that both those guys had already been given the fifth year option that was on the books at that time there. So it's hard to go apples to apples. You have to take the apples and oranges and try to mesh them together there, but to the best and I put this on Twitter as well too. I think it probably made a little bit of sense to you there. I think there I think there's a hole there and I'm people probably driving off the road at this point and I think there's a possibility and good reason to think that if the steeters do get a deal done with Joey Porter that potentially it could end up with him being the third highest ranked corner and that in turn would probably

16:42part of the steeters of guarantee, fully guaranteeing not only the 2026 money but the 2027 money as well too, although his cash flow probably wouldn't be as obviously as strong as witherspoon and Gonzales, but you know I think that would be a good resolution to both of these both sides you know getting this thing done whether or not it will I obviously don't know nothing that has happened over the course of since our last show really has made me lose any confidence I'd still at the 90% or slightly better phase of thinking that that they'll ultimately get this thing done to me it makes too much sense for for both sides to find some sort of common ground and get it done but until it obviously until it gets done it's not done but in the flip side until we get to Sunday there's always time to get it done and you know as I like to say deadlines for action so

17:47we'll sit around and wait and watch this move for and I think the big thing with today being Wednesday it's the first injury report from the Steelers of 2026 and Mike McCarthy says this team's healthy overall and but it will be interesting to see if Joey Porter Jr. is listed on that injury report in some way shape or form as maybe being limited and why is it personal is it back is it hamstring is it hang now but we'll find that out later today I think the Gonzales deal showed that these things can pick up in a hurry if I wasn't following the Patriots negotiations super closely but I think even 12 hours before that deal was announced Adam Scheffer saying is this thing is dead in current form there's no talk they're not close you know could it change it could but yeah there was no momentum towards a deal and then all of a sudden almost before 1 a.m. there was a deal and they

18:47would they'd agreed to the contract and that is probably in part because of the season being right at their doorstep and so the same could apply for Joey Porter Jr. the way that it's applied to Kim Hayward and T.J. Watt and other guys in the past so you know you had to expect at some point Pittsburgh was going to offer a contract of some sort to Porter there was no way they were going to go through this whole process and not even offer the guy a deal that would feel insulting now this deal obviously not good enough to get an agreement but usually the initial offer is not okay we'll take it especially in a negotiation like this there's going to be some back and forth so I have some more renewed optimism that a deal will get done it may not get done until Friday Saturday last second type stuff a la Gonzales but the fact that they're engaging they're talking you mentioned that you know Porter's camp sent an offer back or at least gave some sort of feedback tells you that this thing is is making some progress do you think look there's no airport note no traveling in this first first game this year all of the old Troy Palamolo situation from several

19:51years ago if this thing's not done by midnight Saturday night or is that do you call that midnight Saturday night or do you call that midnight Sunday morning technically be a thing Sunday morning okay if it's if it's not done by then then it's not getting done right it's hard to know exactly when that deadline is I mean in theory it's something happened at 8 a.m. on Sunday can you really sit there and say there was no chance of that occurring typically my expectation is that you know at some point around that time very early Sunday morning you're going to get an atom shaft or tweet or some insider tweets saying that no deal has gotten done and they're just kind of going to the season and and that is that but can never say it's over until it's over all right I agree there and I the right look I would have thought ideally and obviously you would have liked to have gotten this thing done yesterday so you don't have this cloud hanging carrying over

20:51I guess technically even though it's what did they consider Monday a bonus practice right sure that's fair right so Wednesday is officially kind of the the first real practice and I I was 92% sure that the deal is going to get done yesterday because of just all the the scandal about a deal being out there I just it felt it felt right it felt the time it had the Christian Gonzalez deal done there's nowhere left to run in hide for anybody at this point plus the fact that Wednesday's the the first official practice of the week but he's practicing he's practicing yeah I mean you get what I mean though yeah you know all all clouds all questions kind of lifted so I had a tweet ready breaking maybe I jigs myself there but look there's still time to get it done and you know I'm I'm at this point for what we know that's out there and all I'm

21:57I I'm going to be in the camp of thinking this thing gets done up until midnight Sunday yeah I'm be locked up with your Dave and and like you said you know the absence of evidence isn't evidence but at what point do we just not hear word on Porter deal and assume that the deal is not going to get done it's hard to know exactly when that deadline is without a reporter tweeting out that information but we shall see and even the Pittsburgh did of course say they're not going to break their in-season negotiation rule and I assume that to be true Baker may feel just got paid yesterday despite it seemingly like those contract talks were done and they were closing down doors and they were focusing on the season then all of a sudden hey he's a fucking year on the highest contract in franchise history so can never can never say never I suppose but I'm glad the Baker deal got done just people did not talk about Baker and Pittsburgh next year which was never going to happen and now officially will not happen oh well that's not going to look I thought the same thing but we're bound to get some talk depending on how the season goes with Baker and I'm going I haven't

23:02seen the full contract lay out of the Baker thing but I don't know if there's any fully fully guaranteed money past this year maybe there is I you know I have to look it all but it's not going to stop from a few major media outlets from or sub major media outlets you know like the PFFs and all like that from throwing out there or bleach your report throwing out there you know possibility of Baker may feel being traded to the Steelers or something along those lines so I've just got I want to prepare you and the listeners to that even though you would think that would we would be done with such speculation I'm willing to bet that we're not all right let's move on from the Porter talk and let's go to Mike McCarthy speaking to the media on Monday mentioned already the right tackle situation that it certainly seems to be Dylan Cook all the McCarthy would not confirm that he's the official starter for this game the other piece of information he offered and usually Dave this time of year work you have the the post ready to go about the

24:02Steelers captains in season long captains and who they're going to be and you know just kind of a formality on that but McCartney is going to do things a little bit differently and do it the way he's done it in his past stops and they can green Bay and Dallas with weekly captains and so I don't know what they those will be announced or revealed or if at all they'll be revealed publicly not sure the team will handle that but Pittsburgh will no longer have the season long captains they did under my Tomlin they can shift week to week that caused a few more waves than what I what I thought it was really a oh okay to me when Mike McCarthy said it uh and uh obviously there's there's been some pushback with some fan base I think James Harrison came out on his podcast with Joe Hayden saying he didn't he doesn't like that decision I don't see what the what the big what what what you know I don't see why you have to play old man shake your fist at the clouds in this situation personally I mean I've read I read and listened to what James Harrison said about

25:04it I sometimes I think James uh James has already gone back and forth on the whole joy Porter situation as well too I think he thought that the deal would get done and then when the Christian Gonzalez deal surface heat I don't know I don't think it's going to get I think James sort of I don't know if I'd say this to his face but uh sort of sort of blows with the wind a little bit you know and and and tries to tries to hot take it a little bit. He tweeted that you a couple of times in response to some of the stuff you said so I'd be some some good some bad right? as well so yeah I don't know if I if I ever ran into him on the street I tell him who I am of course I wouldn't do that with a lot of people but well you on this street it's just unlikely in the first place. Yeah yeah. I don't I don't I don't get the big deal what it's just way my McCarthy likes to do it uh I I don't see what the big deal here is. Yeah I don't really have a preference I mean I have a preference that I would prefer the season long captain maybe that's

26:06just the model that I'm used to but I don't think it's a big deal nothing to get up and arms about maybe there can be a little bit of the politics of the weekly captain so I mean I just wonder how many there's going to be the only thing I care about captain's is you should only have at max four and really I think three one offense one defense one defense. That's 12 like a ramps. The exact of the ramps have just their entire roster is captains were just totally waters down and devalues to meaning of the word captain so that's my only gripe I have about captains but he want to do it weekly you know and have a guy that had a great week of practice or earned it or whatever the case is I'm okay with that I mean I imagine out of the gate you know I mean I assume Rogers and Hayward and Watt will be captains every single week and then maybe the lot some more people to that will see on special teams whether that's Carson Bruner will Peyton Wilson continue after his mid season captain sea last year will have to follow that but I don't it's what what the card is done it's served him I assume well so it's fine is this the equivalent to with with some fans of somebody changing the packaging on the on the brand toilet paper that we like to

27:08use you know or or our favorite tomato sauce or whatever it's just one more thing for our staff to write about each week but we'll we'll live and again I think we're I think we're more okay with it than a lot of people seem to be yeah I don't think this is going to play a huge part in whether the Steelers win one or two more games this season anything else some Mike McCarthy did say the Monday practice wasn't I think he said that for the Monday practice wasn't quite as clean as he would like it to be but you know a couple more days to stole work things out but he said at the top there are he was asked are you guys healthy and ready to go what's the status for the game he says yeah we're healthy I don't really expect anybody to have a hard time getting ready uh boy I tell you what we did miss is the old Mike Tomlin opening uh talking to paint paint the opponent has a super pole champion that was a little bit different and this one ran about what 10 11 12 minutes whereas Mike Tomlin's ran anywhere between like 25 or 30 minutes there uh

28:14now because he's gonna speak multiple times so he'll don't get to that one time by week send other than that uh look at it I think we should expect Mike Mike McCarthy to say a lot but not say anything uh I think we've kind of gathered that from the time that uh he's become a beat beat you was named the head coach there so uh the out of takeaway uh and he has said this earlier in the all season I think speaking about the young defensive line he says I love everything about defensive line this D line is as deep of a group as I've been a part of thinking back over the last three decades it's a group that I look to carry uh the team old line and D line this part of the country this style of play you've got to have it and we've got it I'm excited about our D line and I think uh it's been one of the at least on my end here and I think you can concur here uh over the all season I think it's one of the things that has me most excited uh about this 2000 and 20 16ers team is uh the makeup of this defensive line heading into the season right

29:19is one of the first things McCarthy said about this team was how big the defense line is and they got some big guys up front and Hayward and Harmon and YA Black and Rubio and Joe B. And just I mean the whole the whole lot of them there's not one small defense alignment on this roster so from health standpoint it would expect a pretty clean interior port today there could be somebody limited in some minor stuff but sounds like brisker pitman met calf but Noah Kawaski Joseph Day you would presume porter will be healthy enough to play in this game from a health standpoint that's all a really good place to be of course Elliott is on ir and that's the big loss here but you know beyond that this group is healthy for week one and that's always where you want to start all right well see if the engine what the injury report has to say when it's released later on today from the coordinators Patrick Graham Brian Angelico Danny Crossman talking I don't think there was anything too noteworthy I think we're going to get some more noteworthy commentary once the game is actually played and there's a little more to talk about but anything that stuck out here from

30:20the coordinators just him saying at one point I forget the line of question that yeah he's going to lean into the defensive line you know because that that that's where his background is related to that so I think that was the main kind of kind of take away that I got from from him obviously they're not getting I can reveal kind of the game plan against the Falcons but I think he did talk about you be John and you know the you know obviously the the the challenges that that that that's going to be on Sunday against the Falcons there but he says look he was asked have you played be John before he said yes he and he was asked how did that go he says well we lost the game I can't remember the exact stats and all that stuff but we lost he says 15 to 13 or something like that so minimize the points I think it was last year or two years ago Kirk cousins was a quarterback I believe but be John is a good player you know how these guys from one year to the next you just watch his

31:20highlight film from last year he's special special football player then they've got I think Brian Robinson behind him that's another good running back they've got some guys that you have to worry about over there offensively and you know he's asking I think Kyle pits a question as well too but not a lot of not a lot of substance overall or takeaways or talking points I don't think coming from Patrick Graham I did think it was interesting on the contained be John Robinson front Graham admitted you know he's sort of crowdsourcing ways to slow down Robinson talking to guys to play in that 24 opener and there's a lot of veterans to play in that game Steele's Falcons week one like him Hayward and TJ what Alex Heismith and the Kerr big actually Porter Jr that you know how did you guys approach that game with the coaching points and he's going to talk to everyone that he can talk to such a meldine's played against be John and NFC Southball before obviously Falcons in fucking years and so he'll talk to anyone to kind of get a sense of what the idea was back then has broken a nice job in that 24 game to limit Robinson so I think Graham is showing that you know

32:25any ideas that he can gather any good ideas no matter where they come from is going to be helpful to him and I think even he didn't mention this but I do wonder he talked about the bill count hand is the Falcons New Offense line coach that new coaching staff under Kevin Stofansky you know Brian Angelico coached with Bill Callahan in Washington for a year in 2019 and so I bet you Angel Lico has a good understanding of what Callahan likes to do in terms of his blocking scheme so I wonder if there's a little bit of crosstalk between coordinators and how to slow down the Falcons attack and look Bill Callahan's a damn good offense line coach so and obviously be you know the the pair of running backs that they have over there in the two Robinson's uh is is a is a very good duo as well too and you have to think that Elaine is going to come out want to try to run the football to take soft some of the onus off of the guy like to uh you know in that offense there so uh this so you know this a bit of good test for the state is run defense right out of the shoot we just talked about uh the you know the defensive line we have talked a little bit about kind of the questions that uh uh that the defense might have at the inside linebacker position and how we

33:29both expect Patrick Queen and and and and Peyton Wilson to take steps forward uh this year specifically when it comes against the run here so that this will be a good challenge for the state is right out of the shoot uh when when facing the uh the Falcons offense that's the game plan slow down the B Robinson's the B John and Brian Robinson the back up there but obviously B John is the the top guy and they're going to lead on him quite a bit and as you mentioned Graham talking about Kyle Pitz and him post catch I was watching Falcons tape watching the preseason finale not that Pitz is introducing himself he's established but man he was breaking tackles they were getting him in space and and his run after ability is really really unique and Stefan C's going to use tight ends a whole lot more we're bringing that Brown's flair to the Falcons now multiple tight ends and just some of the the same philosophy in hallmarks and so slowing down Pitz and of course Drake London will be the three keys agreed hi Brian Angelico what did he say that stuck out to you that we need to discuss anything I I think it was pretty minimal on on that to talk about Jeremy Bernard and and having him be so

34:31versatile throughout the summer and throughout this process but then sort of pairing that that down to a game plan each week and of course you're not installing your you're not game planning with your entire playbook this week's going to be a little more um just reduced in in terms of how game plans are made a little more specific so we'll see exactly how Bernard gets moved around and Bernard's talked about earning trust with Aaron Rogers and that's always the big thing so we'll see how Bernard handles that workload and how they plan to use them all right what about Danny Crossman on special teams yeah same thing not a lot there I think a little bit of commentary about Hayden Reich and that personal protector role and you know you talked about you know even mental reps on the side they don't always have to come through on field work and so you would expect Hayden Reich to get that nod there putting a rookie in that position a little bit of a leap of faith but I think they feel like he's ready for it and then just talked about the WeChat punt return touchdown that he was excited for that and that's why you draft that guy all right and we're not expecting Travis Holmer to be elevated from the practice squad on on Saturday right I'm

35:32not I mean could it happen you know anything is possible but I don't have any reason to believe that yeah it sounds like they're fine with least Eli Hayden Reich out of the shoot as a personal protector there and Crossman also talking up Robert Spirsch Jennings and his special teams ability and just a good summer that he's had and he didn't play a lot of teams in the preseason because he was playing so much on defense and so I don't know how much of a defensive role he'll have obviously much smaller if any compared to exhibition action and so he'll have to be a real teamer if he is gonna I see more dressing this game so yeah you know we'll see what that looks like look why the things we talked about him when he was drafted was if he's gonna make this roster he's gonna have to show up on special teams right yeah and he certainly had some moments he had that penalty that he drew as a gunner I think against what the jets the judge I just think he didn't play a ton in terms of the bottom of the snaps maybe 10 or 15 or so across the whole three games and again that's because he was playing so much on on defense but we'll have to see I'm really

36:33curious for your Saturday inactive prediction post date I think this could be very interesting to see the we'll assume five names that you pick yeah I I'm settled on three of them for sure well yeah those are okay I really know how we're at all or dunk here either do is where it gets into Houston right and I'm not expecting elevations on Saturday but I have gone on gone into Saturdays not thinking there'd be elevations before so I got a good eye look I I have a feeling you're gonna see both Bernard and Roman Wilson go ahead and dress in this I do too I do too I am so not the spoiler but I imagine Joe but he probably that I wonder that fit that fifth one they'll be interesting I think I'm thinking I'm leaning towards ever it maybe yeah but obviously we have the question about Joey Porter Jr. right so there there is that so I think I'm four of five kind of ripped down at this point wait to see what happens baby with Joey Porter Jr. Dave came Hayward

37:33with the Steelers off day on Tuesday he had a lot of media airtime and one I think it was pre requirement was pre-recorded with the Aaron Rogers Park one in interview with him which was always interesting and sure got a lot a lot of buzz but he also was on the rich eyes and show he'll be on the eyes and show every Tuesday to talk whatever is going on Steelers and in a broad but he said that he's done signing contracts after all the consternation not this year but the past two years about him trying to renegotiate his deal those days are apparently over he says that either 2026 or at the latest 2027 will be his final NFL season he's under contract through 2027 and so he said that pretty pretty firmly so that's we're seeing you to this be the last year came Hayward or next year I imagine will play next year but obviously depends on how the season goes depends on how his body feels all those factors I think you hit on the big thing there how his body feels and how the season goes are the two biggest things with their I do think it's plausible to at least start

38:38accepting the possibility that 2026 could be his final season even though he's under contract for 2027 how likely is that I mean right now you'd have to think that in here you know and hopefully in his addies thinking all right yeah let's go win it all this year look if they if he wins it all this year he beat me might he might pull it full of Jerome Bettison and and and and walk away right and you sure and you damn sure couldn't blame him for that either so there's there's that one end of it now if this team you know makes the playoffs and and and maybe wins a game or two maybe he says let's give it one more run boys in 2027 on the flip side if this team uh doesn't make the playoffs and maybe he gets nicked up a little bit you know I think they're I think you get back in talking about potentially 2026 being his final season but well that's a that's a worry for several much from now at this point uh right now I'm just expecting uh came Hayward to continue to uh to

39:43kick the ass of one father time in 2026 yep starting this week and I think it'll be a reduced snap count but I think whenever they need a big play they're going to have him on the field anything else anything from the Rogers part one interview yeah yeah there was a little and look by the way if you haven't seen uh seen that go watching and the second part I think gets released uh Thursday uh that's a damn it's a damn good interview with uh what was that that was not a training camp addition one that one is I seem been recorded post training camp well they they mentioned a whole Roberts thing getting cut so uh okay yeah that of course yeah had to be pretty recently then okay good uh he said uh he talked air I just talked I don't want to spend a lot of time on this uh but they talked about the grass the elements are a factor in Pittsburgh agriculture stadium has some tricky wind and up until maybe this year it's been the worst playing surface in the NFL but uh both preseason games were nice so it sounds like uh Aaron liked the uh the new grass surface there uh the

40:49other thing that stuck out to me the most in that part one was Aaron Rogers basically tempering the expectations for one rookie wide receiver Jeremy Bernard he says anytime you bring in a young player unless they're Calvin Johnson you have to temper your expectations it's one of the most difficult positions I think to transfer from college to the NFL and it usually takes guys a year or two the best guys I had in Green Bay if you think about all of them from Greg Jennings to James Jones Jordy Nelson Devonte Adams Randall Cobb their rookie years were not explosive years they never won rookie of the year I think you need to temper expectations for sure with Jeremy but he's a great kid he's done everything right he's gotten better yeah and that goes back to our conversation Monday even to the national media has made so much airtime out of the Wilman Wilson comments about Rogers breaking down that practice interception I think he's shown more confidence in in Roman than he

41:51has Bernard now obviously what happens on the field and how those guys play will still dictate a lot and Bernard's gonna play and make some some plays this year and I think is a typical rookie because he seems so mature and so smart and just so workman like and so that's overly positive to accelerate his development but he's still a rookie I think Rogers recognizes that and isn't gonna assume anything about what he can offer this year over Rogers career only two rookie whiteouts have ever had more than 500 yards their first year with Rogers or had more than 40 reception so to me those are absolute ceilings for Bernard agreed air Rogers is very calculated you don't you know he don't just say things off the cuff the other thing that kind of caught my eye was talking about the 2026 season and Steelers team being a work in progress I think we're going to be a work in progress to some extent but I think the talent is there I think schematically we're good on both sides of the ball we'll see what happens with special teams just make it even on

42:52special teams don't lose the game that's all I'm asking we got a damn good kicker though Boz is Boz he's a good kicker and Cam can pump the hell out of it but I think we're going to be a work in progress I mean times he said work in progress we've got a new offensive scheme and we haven't had all of our guys I'm excited to see the one two punch of Jalen and Rico and see how that shakes out because they're both super dynamic players just it feels like we this feels like a setup for after the first two or three games of Aaron Rogers saying see I told you we'd be a work in progress here I don't want to just react as it just reality it gets fair with a lot of new pieces a new system and scheme of even though you have Rogers and McCarthy a lot of other guys have to turn unlearn stuff and learn new stuff uh what was the other thing that kind of cool I I just want to go back I was stick on that point for a second I know you've been pretty confident and I said the schedule certainly looks more inviting early in the year but here's my concern the

43:55first half of the year Pittsburgh is that work in progress and so they might lose a game or two they quote unquote should win to an opponent and then when they finally hit their stride late in the season here comes the gauntlet of all the toughest teams on the schedule at least on paper so is that is that going to have recipe for disaster where the first half of the year you're figuring yourself out you take some lumps along the way you finally get on track and now you're facing Denver in Houston and Philadelphia and Baltimore twice and it's like okay now we're in the meat of the schedule so that gives me pause and that's why I'm kind of a little more pessimistic about the year look hey out here yeah since the schedule was released we have said what this team better get off to good start in these in these in these first eight games here I even though I picked this team to go nine and eight I I think it's plausible that this team could go six and two say three to first eight now within that I will tell you this I mean now that my predictions are already out there I have this team going one and two in the first three games and then obviously have them beating who

44:57they play a week four the Browns yes I have them beating the Browns so I have them two and two after the first four games here and then obviously the next four they they better win four straight you know as you see it's kind of where my head's at if this team wants to wants to have things figured out you know going post buy and into that kind of that the the the the the the the schedule there so yeah and and look do we expect it to all go perfect on on Sunday against the Falcons probably not but at least and we said this too I think more specifically on on the recent live stream there is and well I think on the other on the recent podcast well too I don't think you could have now that we see how things have played out specifically with the Falcons with losing or top two ed rushers to injuries and or and suspension uh at least from from a state is offensive perspective I don't think you could have chosen a better week one opponent for them so uh you know you hope that the mistakes that you do make don't get you you know uh uh

46:05an L in the process and hopefully you can learn and it just be part of the maturation and the coming together process here at at at the start of the regular season sure I'm with you it's a favorable matchup and I've said it I'll say for the Friday show they better win this game there's no reason they should lose this game even though week one is weird and produces a lot of funky results and teams are figuring themselves out and figuring out their opponent and new head coaches on both sides and all that kind of stuff but obviously if you had to draw it up it's hard to pick a better draw than hosting Atlanta week one. All right Aaron Rogers was also and I give I give my buddy Adam shine a lot of crap throughout the year and all like that but Adam I think Adam is a big fan of Steelers Depot I think he kind of feel he tags me all the time as well too and look he's more bullish on the Steelers than both of us are uh this year uh Aaron Rodgers had an interview with him on mad dog radio on serious which by the way series is not a sponsor of our show and I say this all the time really more around the start of the season series is a great

47:08subscription uh to have especially for all the NFL channels and all like that but anyway uh he talked a little bit about Will Howard and Drew Aller uh in his interview with Adam Chinese says well uh Will was kind of like a rookie this year because he broke his hand and camp last year and missed the entire preseason up until that point he was playing excellent like I was super impressed with his like first 10 days of camp before he got hurt he was playing really damn good uh and but at the same time he hadn't played in the preseason game and and then Drew came in drafted high and I thought he really got better throughout camp and played really good in the preseason he says pre seasons tough for a lot of reasons but you're playing especially when you're in the fourth quarter with a lot of guys that aren't actually making the roster some guys that aren't even the making the practice squad so I think uh he handled himself really well and I felt like both guys are really efficient and I think they've got a bright future he says you know they've got a great quarterback coach and Tom Arthur who is an old teammate of mine going way back and he's been a head

48:13coach at college level for a number of different places and then obviously Mike McCarty and his tracker record with the quarterbacks you know it's not surprising to look at the future and know that those two are going to be part of what the Steelers do at quarterback once they put me out to pasture so I'm excited for those guys and glad they're on the roster because I like those guys a lot they're good young kids and they care about it and they ask a lot of questions and I love helping them out yeah it's well said and those guys are certainly I think a really good ecosystem and environment to succeed and does that guarantee they're going to be the next franchise quarterback or be anything you know xyz in terms of outcomes no but I think it means they're going to have the greatest chance to reach their potential in their ceiling whatever that may be and to have a really good environment of Carthie and Arth and me able to sit and learn and of course Aaron Rogers and even Mason Rudolph two veteran guys that can really share a lot of perspective and experiences I mean could those guys be in better situations on any other team any other situation right now maybe if

49:17you got paired with a you know quarterback whisperer to like Kevin O'Connell or out of cow Shanahan or somebody like that but I think they're a great great spot I agree I agree yeah yeah and Adam I think it's maybe the most bullish national analyst that I've seen he projects an 11 win season and for Pittsburgh to win at least one playoff game yeah he's he's bullish all right Dave anything else from the NFL news at large that we need to talk about oh I guess not really overall especially Steelers related as we sit here where I guess we're about what 30 or so minutes away from the Mike McCarthy press conference and in practice will follow and then we'll get the injury report after that so shall we talk about our season predictions and a couple of game predictions here for the next two nights absolutely do you want to go season predictions first or start with the here and now with these next two games on the schedule let's get the season predictions out the way here we've already both given our season predictions for the Pittsburgh stators I have them

50:22going nine and eight I'm so glad that you took them one game less than me so most of the focus will be on you with I see the game your plan with with having the having a losing season here both of us obviously don't have this team making the playoffs I have a post coming up about all my predictions for the 2026 NFL season later today as I do usually drop that right before the game gets underway first game obviously Wednesday night I have the Baltimore Ravens going 12 and five in the division winning the division I think the start of their even though the new head coach and and the changes that they made over there they got a lot of they you know I think Lamar Jackson their kindery their receiving core I think they got enough horses on defense there the start of their schedule is is feels really conducive for them potentially winning I don't know the first six seven games potentially or at works maybe a loss within there I have them 12 and five I have the Cincinnati

51:27Bengals going 10 and seven finishing second in the ABC North have the Steelers of nine and eight finishing third missing the playoffs have the Cleveland Browns going four and thirteen and Todd Monkin getting fired after the season there as far as the rest of the AFC goes not gonna spend a lot of time on it I have the Kansas City Chiefs winning the West 12 and five record I have the Denver Broncos and Chargers both ten and seven have the Broncos winning tiebreakers for the final wild card spot I have the Houston Texans winning the South with the ten and seven record that's the only team I have coming out of playoffs I have both the Bengals and the Ravens making the playoffs that all epists a lot of the listeners off me saying that I have both the bills and the Patriots coming out of the east with the bills winning the division 11 is six record and the Patriots ten and seven record as far as the NFC East goes I have the Cowboys winning their

52:30division the Packers winning the North the Buckeneers winning the South and the Rams winning the NFC West the playoffs teams I have are the on that side are the Rams the Cowboys the Packers the Buckeneers the Seahawks is a wild card the Bears is a wild card and the Eagles is a wild card Long story short matric late through this in the AFC championship game I have the bills beating the Ravens in the NFC championship game I have the Rams beating the Cowboys and I have the Rams beating the bills and Super Bowl 61 in their own backyard at so five stadiums so I'm going chalk with this when I'm going super team with the with the with the Rams winning it all in in the for the 2026 season. All right so just to recap and spit it back to me who are your AFC

53:31divisional winners the division winners Buffalo bills Baltimore Ravens Houston Texans and Kansas City chiefs I know the Denver Broncos is going to be a sexy sexy pick a lot of people but I think Denver ends up finishing second in the division and just getting in to the wild card races the Senate seed. Okay my AFC division winners like the Broncos the bills the Ravens and the Jaguars so I'm going to have Jacksonville taken the AFC South my wild card teams are the Texans the Bengals and the chiefs in your wild card teams were who my wild card teams in the AFC were the Patriots, Bengals and Broncos. Okay I have the Patriots missing the playoffs entirely I think a little bit of a hangover from the Super Bowl all the distraction of the variable stuff and Rousini stuff and then AJ Brown's going to crash out at some point this season and I think you just have a season regression there from a pretty young team NFC repeat your division winners if you

54:31could please my division winners in NFC the Cowboys the Packers the Bucket Niers and the Rams. Okay I have the Bears Saints winning the South Rams and Cowboys as my division winners in who were your wild card teams. My wild card teams were the Seahawks the Bears and the Eagles. Okay I have out of the NFC wild card the Seahawks the Niners and the Detroit Lions back in the playoff picture for me my AFC title game was Broncos over Bills NFC title game Rams over Seahawks and in the Super Bowl it is that sexy pick you talked about the Broncos will take down an upset I assume the Rams and Super Bowl 60. All right okay I have the Broncos losing to the chiefs in the AFC wild card round. All right good deal so do you have any surprise I guess neither of us have a super surprise team this year what is your most surprising either inclusion in the playoffs or exclusion from the postseason Steelers aside. I guess that's a good question because there's always

55:35that one I mean like last year who would have guessed Patriots and Seahawks in the Super Bowl I mean it's just no one would even guess that so and there's always usually like some surprise teams. I guess my biggest surprise overall is that Jaguars not making the playoffs and the Lions missing the playoffs. Why I know Jacksonville in the postseason. I got to see more from you know their second year head coach and all and I just think that they lose you know lose a couple of games that people probably haven't penciled in or I haven't going 98 you know okay so I have them probably losing a couple of close games and all so I'm I respect what they did last year I just I want to see them do it again before I consider them out that that's a playoff team you know what teams from a year ago that did not make the playoffs are back in your postseason picture because this is in the stat like four teams every year that didn't make the playoffs get back in I think you have what the Ravens bangles in the AFC anybody else from there they didn't make the the dance a year ago. Oh let's see

56:39the cheat you have the chiefs in. I have the chiefs in yes okay so that's up there they didn't make the postseason a year ago I think it's probably it on the AFC side. Let's see you're the little last year obviously don't I have Pittsburgh not making playoffs after making a last year I have I don't have Jacksonville in there the charge I had the chargers missing to playoffs and they were would they are they have playoff team like yeah they were playoff team yeah I'm just I'm asking routines they did not make the playoffs that's it that's it for the AFC side. Okay what anFC teams that making it that didn't make it last year correct Dallas uh Tampa Bay and that's it I think okay no that's not I think that that tracks with the history that you get some surprise I mean that today one it's like a big shock in there but teams that didn't make the postseason a year ago that are back in the dance and so that seems realistic to me okay

57:41who's your MVP for the year oh you know what I haven't even thought about that uh we can say yeah let ask me that on on on on Friday show all right all right good deal day let's make our picks for the games tonight and tomorrow in Australia all right let's see obviously we have the Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots on Wednesday night and I'm pulling up the my booky lines right now this uh the Seahawks are favored by three points over the Patriots and the Patriots are not going to have I don't lead Travion Henderson uh for this game it'll be interesting to watch him throughout the week on a long week and see if he's able to play against the Steelers in in in week two there but uh Seahawks are three point home favorites you you can go first well you guys saw my stance on the Patriots this year of expecting some regression so give me Seattle I'll take Seattle and lay those three points as well too I'm I'm I'm guessing you expect

58:42Seahawks to cover too right yes all right uh and then the game in Australia the Rams are hosting the 49ers uh Aaron Donald the not playing in this game they're going to ramp him up a little bit for they put him on the field this obviously a big NFC West matchup to start to seize and the 49ers lost to the another man is there a power station over over in Australia as well too and this team is just snake bitten uh with injuries once again uh uh boy old Fred over there's gonna he might have to uh hold that the entire defense together there uh the Rams are four point favorites over to 49ers what say you yeah that was Alfred Collins but out for the season that up teller tendon injury really unfortunate yeah just this one's it's a weird game for so many reasons and the travel differences disparity in terms of how both teams are approaching it I mean I like the Rams a lot

59:43this year but those divisional games are always tight give me the Niners to at least cover all right uh I think the Niners ran for a very disappointing see I think I have nine and eight overall here uh give me the Rams uh to cover that four points so give me both of the favorites in this uh next two games to uh to cover Rams uh by by by covers the four and the Seahawks covers the three and you're going to opposite way in the 49ers game you have them at least covered you think 49ers win this out right I wouldn't go that far I think it'll be a field goal game either way all right okay all right Dave let's get through some reader listener emails and close out today show all right and Mike McCarty podcast I guess is still a few minutes away here let's see how many of these we can get from John I guess we should just mention really quickly I get this I think the athletic broke the news uh Maxie Hauntedchor was was robbed apparently I was a little I was out of the loop yesterday evening so maybe you can explain it better but it seems like he's okay it's like he wasn't home

1:00:44his house was broken in too is that the story oh yeah that I I didn't spend a lot of time but yeah it sounded like that happened I guess during the last preseason game uh or second I forget uh but I think he's okay it just is you know we lost I think nearly two hundred thousand dollars in jewelry and luggage and that kind of thing so that's sad to hear that is it's unfortunately happening a lot with players having their houses broken into it seems like these uh these no you know obviously when they're not home and when they can get in the house so yeah I just glad he's okay all right uh Jonathan Mason I apologize in advance for the lengthy email bear with me with the season about the kickoff I'm unsure how to feel about this season as a whole and wanted to see what both of you you're just general feeling feelings are overall is right now with the season about the start I ask because I feel the changes with Mike McCarty is causing me to feel this way a lot of stars have not played together the combination of no hitting and training camp less

1:01:45training camp practices and the close uh close of training camp came sputtering and the close of training camp came sputtering to an end naming weekly captains instead of having pierced shoes season-long captains no opening statement in his press conference and dismissed the Falcons when asked and said focusing on themselves almost comes across as unprepared he says I'm not saying this approaches wrong his approach is wrong and maybe it's just change that has me feeling this way but all all I've heard about this offseason is his attention to detail and maybe that is the case behind the scenes scenes it just doesn't come across that way I should focus should I focus more on the fact that he's an offensive mind and a play caller primarily and not worry too much about the head coach aspects that seem much different obviously I know he's been successful in the past with one of your thoughts on these things I laid out make sense of the concerns about uh I have

1:02:47concerns about or if it's just change that we will all be getting used to look I personally I'm not gonna tell you how to feel here uh look training camp was different Alex right out of the sheet you know I think a lot of the things that Alex laid out after him talking to several uh people that had covered the cowboys and and and the Packers I you know I don't I don't think uh anything to happen in training camp should should have surprised anything uh at least away Alex had kind of laid it out overall there uh you know as far as the hitting and the tackling goes I will say this at least for the guys that were out there and and and yeah a lot a lot of the starters obviously did not play uh do they either being held out or injuries that's some minor concern I guess but they I thought they tackled really well that might have been a bet that might have been the best tackling preseason we've seen from the Steeder's team in a few years to be quite honest with you overall I'm I'm not worried about the weekly captains thing I'm not worried about the way he

1:03:52opens up his press conferences being different than the way that Mike Tomlin uh spends the first 10 12 minutes talking about the opposition on both sides of the ball and all like that it's just a different type of style uh that we've got used to over the over the years I think he is a very detailed guy overall uh so any kind of I guess intrepidation I think you that that that Jonathan might have uh I I don't think it should be for the less training camp practices less physical practices uh uh players not playing in a preseason the way he opens up pre I there's there's a lot more there there's a lot of different things to worry about to me when it comes to the 2026 Steeder season outside of the way this team prepared for the 2026 season if that makes sense yeah I think that's well framed there there are some things that we've been a little critical of or disagreed or had a curious eye towards but we understand change is different than change can be an adjustment period

1:04:58and Dave and I are both guys you love the same and and know what to expect and the bottom line is though is that you know I don't mean to say this demeaning to to the list I'm just kind of saying this to the to the broad base fan base of here's the change that you ordered you want to change you want it Tomlin gone you wanted something fresh and different and not the same old same old and and here it is and so I understand it feels a little bit uh it'd be uncertain and unsteady of okay how's it's going to work and oh this is different and how to adjust to it but this is what you know Pittsburgh was supposed to do quote unquote for fans who won at Tomlin gone which was the majority of them I felt like and wanted to a change in vision and and and approach and so this is what you signed up for and we'll see how it goes and obviously if the season goes great the changes will be loved and welcomed if the season goes poorly or there was the overall outcome is indifferent the changes will be met with more skepticism but you understand you hired a whole new guy a whole new person and and these things were going to happen and I think largely you know this is a tried and true guide you knew what you were signing up for and that's why Pittsburgh made

1:06:00the hire. John I thought I'll tell you this once again and you probably heard us talk about this and Alex she said nobody despite pushes back more unchanged than then Alex and myself and me specifically I could get my wife on here and she would have tested that in any portion of my life I don't like change and I think that's fairly common with people my age as well too so I appreciate the email Jonathan and yeah let's see how the season goes all luts right in hello gentleman and fantastic job as always would players going into their final year of their contract like cook Spencer Anderson Ramsey Samuel and Queen could the stairs be shaping up for a big cup pick year cooking Anderson already have their replacements in house and Everett could replace Samuel thank you and keep up the great work one Paul you're already fast forward and pass the season there first and foremost Ramsey is not in the final year of his contract uh uh there so if Ramsey's

1:07:02out the door it will be a contract termination uh I could could Spencer Anderson end up having a good year and Patrick Queen end up having a good year and and wind up uh uh getting uh uh you know a positive on the on the on the balance sheet of uh free agency when it comes to compensatory picks yeah I suppose uh obviously Queen has a chance of impacting it I think a little bit more than Spencer Anderson and then Asante Samuel how much does Asante Samuel play this year and and and and uh does a strong if if Samuel play you know we don't know how much he's going to play Alex and I both think he should play uh some hard to keep that guy off the field especially coming out of the preseason he said let's say Samuel has a fairly decent year yeah that could potentially impact the the compensatory value uh sheet overall but I guess that's a long way of saying I'm not ready to spend a lot of time talking about that just yet because uh the the 2026 season is that

1:08:07hand and and we'll see how it goes right if Ramsey is no longer a stealer he'll be cut which means Pittsburgh is not entitled to any sort of compensatory value or selections on on that front obviously depends on who puts for science in preseason next year too and what things could be canceled out so yeah they probably will get a couple of complexes fair to say what that looks like it's you know we'll talk about that more you know come January man we've got some listeners man they are constantly looking forward aren't they hey I'm not mad at it I appreciate the longer we got a lot of already already into 2027 a lot of uh listening so they uh definitely an educated group here at Mark Owls right sand interesting uh short email here I quote unquote enjoyed well maybe that's not the right word appreciated your season record predictions what moves could the Steelers reasonably have done in the offseason to make you think they were playoff bound this coming

1:09:11season that is a great question uh Mark Owls uh I will tell you this uh the first thing that popped through my head if we're going into talking about moves this team uh could have made I don't think you could just go individual because a lot of um uh it's like in the Bible so and so beget so and so beget you know I think you know you don't go in it in it with a sole purpose of like one or two different kind of players I get I get the premise overall here uh I guess what are you saying is damn uh this team spent a lot of money this team was fairly fairly active in free agency obviously made the trade for Michael Pittman Jr uh they've got a lot of extensions done well obviously wait to see what happens with the Joey Porter Jr one but obviously even without the Joey Porter Jr one this is a team that appears to be top five in cash spending and the cash spending amount that went way and beyond what I was expecting uh them to do at this point uh you know they they got the

1:10:19veteran quarterback uh obviously back and what's the stat that you have on that this is of this is a first quarterback starting quarterback in week one in back to back season since Ben and what year was that would have been his last two seasons 2020 and 2021 all right uh so obviously it's good to see continuity in that I mean to go out get a guy like Rico Dattle to uh to go along with Jalen Warren in the backfield uh yeah you draft another tackle a young tackle within there you make the moves of uh switching uh Fah Tano uh yeah I think one of the steaks moves in the off season was resigning of the San Te Samuel at the deal they got him uh at uh there uh like the Sebastian Joseph Day edition uh look uh looking back and look you just can't push a button and make this trade happen or make that trade happen and and and and and go forward right so there's a lot of things that are

1:11:19out of control out of your control over I would have liked to see this team maybe look deeper into uh uh over there uh with uh uh Mac Mac Jones over there with San Francisco to see maybe if they could have got him in as a starting quarterback this year uh I think it was pretty evident the way the steeters do business that Malik willis with the guaranteed money and with them being transition still into looking for a franchise quarterback I think that even though I don't think it would have hurt my feelings to I think it would have been interesting to see them go down that road I don't know if that would have ultimately worked out well it had just been different uh but I I guess that's a long way for me to say I think they did the best with what they had to work with and I can't sit here and say man if they would have done this or done that they would have been a much better position that would have got me to thinking that this team could be better than nine and eight is that

1:12:21does all that make sense yeah I understand your thought process I mean if you had I think gotten a in anime the heart bonnet more you know I wasn't the big fan of the pitman edition that they got another receiver I might have felt you know better about the the passing game had the secondary not dealt with so many injuries and just missed time during the summer maybe I would have felt a little bit better about that group out of the gate even though I do think it's a talented group on paper with a lot of potential and you know could could become a good unit by mid or late season but a lot of my thought was just the bumpiness of change which can be good but might be some short term pain for a longer term gain and that's what I might thought process for why this should could be one pure plus a division is tougher this year to I think it will be a healthy Lamar and assuming a healthy Joe burrow and better defense is for both of those teams also makes things more challenging for Pittsburgh mark what is your prediction emails back real quick let us know what your record prediction is for this uh... two thousand twenty sixteen uh Jeff Berg says hope doesn't seem to spring eternal hearing your season predictions certainly sounded like

1:13:21hope doesn't spring eternal I was wondering why Alex thinks the defense won't get many turnovers with mostly the same roster on defense is it simply the coaching change on that side of the ball at defense coordinator or also the DC and the other coaches combined I feel like the offense should be better than last year but uh... to still have a bleak outlook for that side I guess comes down to mostly the quarterback being even older and also the component of the opponent quality question mark uh... is the strength of the schedule this year harder than last year thanks so much and here we go right uh... he asked you uh... why do you why specifically you think the defense won't get uh... many turnovers with mostly the same roster on defense yeah I think some of it is culture and even they have a lot of veterans who worry that culture I think it's perfect for all the warts of Tomlin and to our Austin they really harp that in particular you saw big change and take away culture whenever Austin was hired and that's a different not just for the higher but the

1:14:22approach and an eternal research of drills and just the overall mentality and all the big little things they would do to wrap it and I don't know if that's been done quite as much underpatriot gram and extract records and please just not been strong of teams with takeaways I think the average is twenty third place over six or seven years as a DC only once then the top 10 and that was a 10th place finish and a start contrast was he was team since that since 2020 have led the NFL in takeaways and I think led them in takeaways or maybe were tied for second last year so I just see that maybe being harder to sustain all right uh... his last part all kind of chime in on the he says it feels like the offense should be better than last year but to still have a bleak outlook for that side I guess comes down to mostly the quarterback being even older and also the opponent quality yeah look you know I think they're better on both sides of the football I really do but I worry about the play of uh of Aaron Rodgers over over a season now look Aaron Rodgers could come out and throw three hundred yards and three touchdowns against Atlanta in week one uh... you

1:15:26know I'm not gonna overcreate it correct if that happens just like Alex uh... I'm warning Alex if the state does have three take away so it gets to five to become an after you uh... right out of the shoot here but uh... I I there are two things that have me thinking that this team uh... will go nine and eight uh... and that's uh... the play of the quarterback and even though I think the past defense will be better than last year I don't think that's going to be enough better to offset uh... that the slight increase in play out of their own quarterback there uh... as far as the strength of schedule I I haven't looked back uh at at you know and look it all goes off records and all like that some will say that's kind of uh... a misnomer to go off pre pre-previous seasons record when you're when you're uh... building strength the schedule but look just on paper and we've mentioned this several times that the second half of the schedule for the Steelers is is a extremely

1:16:28tough schedule with how many playoff teams are are within that uh... with within a back half of their schedule yeah it's a much I think overall somebody said it was like the eighth easiest schedule but obviously the the back half and the the the final pushes it's almost all of them I mean even Carolina was a playoff team last year technically by uh... eagles broncos Texans jaguars panthers uh... and then obviously you got two games against the Ravens uh... within there and and look my nine once again to to reiterate reiterate of people miss the show the other day the the uh... uh... the nine and nine and eight record I projected them having came down to that last game against a Baltimore Ravens I have them be I've this opus people I haven't been swept by the the Ravens this year uh... I have them splitting with the bangles I have them losing the first game against the bangles and winning the second game against the bangles uh... have them sweeping the so uh... that that last game against Baltimore uh... I have them losing and and that's how I have them

1:17:35going uh... nine and eight instead of ten and seven all right yeah so obviously this thing could go you know the other way and in in in Pittsburgh's favor and that's you know how last you ended up so yeah the margin between winning and losing NFL is always tight and and we'll see what happens hi Alex we're coming up on the mic McCarthy press conference here we're about an hour in twenty or so minutes into this one here so we'll wrap it up we'll be back on Friday we'll go over what happened in the Wednesday and Thursday games we'll uh... we'll have a lot of kind of stat questions and all right you got a lot of questions uh... uh... for the Friday show and we do have right now currently a beat writer from the Falcons lined up uh... to talk to us on the Friday show as well too and we'll talk injury reports and hope maybe we're talking about a Joey Porter junior deal but anyway until Friday as usual you can follow me on twitter at stdp.fo follow Alex at Alex underscore kazora fall the show at terrible podcast you can email the show the terrible

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