HR2: News of the Day

0:00We see you. Your calendar's color coded. Your outfit for tomorrow is already laid out. You have everything in top-aware labeled in your fridge. You buy in bulk. You meal prep. You know what you're doing in 2027. You're a planner. And we're here to say you don't have to do it all. S&T Bank makes banking easy. From our friendly team to our online and mobile solutions, we do more so you can do less. Stop by your local branch. Visit STBank.com or call 800-325-2265 S&T Bank. Member FDIC. Studio Estate after a week on Radio Row inside the Indiana Convention Center. We got our steps in. We had some good food, some good times, some good conversation, and we learned

1:04plenty about this upcoming draft class in the process. Before we get back into some of that and free agency, and we've gotten a ton of tweets over the last week or so that we need to get into too. But first, Matt, news of the day, because there's been plenty of movement shaken around the NFL today. And perhaps the biggest one, I think, a trade between the lions and the Texans. You and I talked about, I think it was the week before we went to the combine. So two weeks ago, how Houston feels like a team that really needs a running back, really needs CJ Stroud to have a consistent run game, something he's never had to lean on. We talked about maybe like a guy like Kenneth Walker in free agency. Yeah. And I guess that's still not impossible. That's not completely awful now, but probably much more doubtful because the Houston Texans, Sonic and Knuckles broken up in Detroit. The lions sending running back David Montgomery to the

2:04Texans for a fourth round pick, a seventh round pick, and offensive linemen juice scrugs. I was start with the lions, because I think the Texans are the bigger conversation. Montgomery them asked for a trade. They're not going to give them money. Gives us a superstar. They're going to give him more and more touches as they should. Nothing against you David, but your older you got a lot of wear and tear in your body. We'll just draft a big back probably in the fifth or sixth round and get younger and cheaper there and Gibbs is going to get featured. Cool. Okay. Makes sense. I think this is a pretty good haul from Montgomery, though. I mean, considering his age, fourth round picks really far from nothing. I mean, I thought he'd get a fifth straight up type of deal. Scrugs hasn't been particularly good, and he's had a hard time staying on the field. But he was a day to pick center slash guard, which is a real area of issue for them just two years ago. So he's on a rookie deal, and he was recently a high pick at a position in need. It's gravy. I mean, but

3:06Hank Freiley's their o-line coach. I bet he's doubted. I bet he liked them a lot coming out of Penn State. Let me work with them and see if I can get something out of them. So I think that's a really nice haul for the Lions, you know, fourth to seventh at an offensive line project. Yeah. For a running back that you would have probably cut anyways. I don't know if they would have caught him. He would have gone after this year anyways. He's not the long-term plans. Yes. I think that's that's really good business for Detroit. And it makes sense for Houston. I get it for Houston. David Montgomery can play like somebody I can trust. When those, I think it was Saturday, maybe that the reports came out that the Lions were looking to deal him or he put in a trade request. Of course, you know, all all my buddies in the group chat and things like that. And what do we think? And this and that. And I was like, hey, I wouldn't hate to pair him with Jalen Warren. No, right, right. And what would it take? Conversation comes out right away. And I was like, I'd probably give up a fifth round pick. That's about where I was at too. There's have two six rounders. I'd definitely give up a six round pick. And I mean, they get a fourth, you get a seventh, and you get a major wonder if there are a handful of teams

4:08interested. There must have been a viable project there at offensive line too. So I think it makes a lot of sense for both teams. I mean, again, as you mentioned, Houston needs some needs to start with a running game, start from the ground up because they're not going to move away from Stroud to make his life easier. I want to talk about their aligned a minute, though, which is a little weird. Yeah, but Montgomery gets a lot of yards on his own. I mean, he's one of the best extra contact runners over the last five years or so. The last three years, he has over 2,500 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns in three years. Yeah. And that's that's like sharing the backfield with one of the best running backs in the NFL. Yeah. And so that's exactly what they need. They're they're going to cut mix and that's an absolute foregone conclusion. But here's the here's the weird part is one year ago they that in 2024, they'd one of the worst aligns in the league. And one year ago, they cut Shaq Mason who was a maybe their best guard at the time and traded tonsil who's one of

5:09the best left tackles in the league. So their their line was a mess and they traded their two veterans and their their logic was what they didn't say this, but they basically said we just want these guys kind of think their own way. We want to get younger in the online room and they did drafts of guys, but tonsils of stud and Washington's thrilled to have them. So what do they do then? They trade tight as Howard to the Browns is the other move. They trade two offensive linemen today despite having one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Yeah. So there has to be another shoe or two to drop here. You know, like I'm sure they watched all those offensive linemen we talked about the draft and said, boy, there's a lot of those we like. We think we can get one. Maybe it's a trade up. I don't know if they'll be there at 27 or where they pick. But there's even some people speculating like if Trent Williams and the Niners part ways. They must have something lined up because you can't just it's a it's a it's a it's a trade of four offensive linemen

6:11in two years basically bad might be a little too strong, but it's a offensive line that certainly needs help. Yeah, it's definitely their biggest need. It's definitely their biggest need. And they just traded two guys and they've traded as you mentioned multiple in the last couple years. It's a it's not a easy free agency position to go out and find people that that you know, can get you some lined up in free agency or a trade or something like that. But I do want to mention the Browns because yeah, I've said this eight hundred. They need offensive line help probably more than anybody in the other than Dawod Jones who missed almost the entire year all the year. They basically have no often no starting offensive linemen under contract. So Howard's not the next Joe Thomas or anything, but he's played a lot of guard and he's played a lot of right tackle. And I think they said they want to use him a tackle Browns. They extended him as soon as they got him. I think he's most comfortable with tackle. He's a former first round pick, but I'm sure people are still going to mock free lane or fauna or one of those guys. Absolutely

7:12as well as they should and guards and centers too, but it's a good starting point. At least, he's going to be one of your starting five for sure. And that's hey, if you've got him, if you've got Dawod Jones, if you got a first round pick in there, you can start to see the nest, the nest being built on the offensive line there. Matt speaking of offensive linemen, and they had the picks to give. They had a lot of pick. They do. Yeah, they do. Speaking of offensive linemen, the chiefs have informed your one Taylor that he will be released before the start of the new year, barring a trade that will save the chiefs $20 million in cap space. Good player. Not a great player. Fine play. A lot of penalties, a lot of penalties, a lot of issues, but he's a starting right tackle. And those guys I'm growing. He's a starting tackle in the NFL. And those guys are always needed. Um, they gave Jalen Moore almost the same deal as Dan Moore last off season. Another one. People are like, wow, he was he's not really even a starter, but he'll be the right tackle. And then they drafted the Simmons kid out of Ohio State who, if you can stay in the field, might be one of the best left tackles in the league before long. So

8:17they they're fine there. Taylor's just not worth 20. I mean, he's like the poster boy for lining up way off the line of scrimmage on passing downs and moving early, but he'll be someone starting right tackle. I would yes, absolutely. And they're not going to have a ton of cap space from what I gather, too. Like they got to make some moves. Chiefs. I mean, they'd do them home. Yeah, like I think in theory, they would have liked to keep Jawan Taylor. But yeah, he's he's the, you know, the, don't make it go. He's the B plus student making valedictorian money. Yeah, yeah. And that's the difference there. I mean, the athletic put out a list today. And I think we've even seen it of every team's likely cut cut candidate. He was the obvious one for them. And it sounds like, you know, a lot of mord's just been informed by Washington that he's probably going to be like, oh, there's been the next couple of days, there's going to be a lot of names you guys have heard of. And lastly, there's something wrong with them. I was going to say, probably don't want to necessarily jump on them, but they don't hurt your comp equation, which is big. These

9:19guys get cut. I already saw some of the social media aggregator accounts, the six bird black and gold accounts, tweeting about Latamore. I'm good. I'm good. He was terrible with watching. He was terrible. He's 30. He's at a major injury late in the season. I'm good. I know it's a big name. And once upon a time, he was great. That screams, Darius slay 2.0 to me all over again. Yeah, right. No, they gave up substantial draft picks to the saints. And he's been bad every step away with Washington. Yes. Bengals agreeing to an extension with Dalton Ryzener, worth up to worth up to $5 million. He's a quality guard. He's a quality guard. And they traded for him in season last year. Didn't they? He may have been a really late free agent. He might have been like a saute Samuel, like free agent that was getting over an injury. And that sounds right. I knew it was. It was a different type of situation, but he definitely wasn't bangle this time last year. No, no, he was not. He's a good year for him. He sure did.

10:22And they there are another one who needs needs help in that department. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you mentioned a pro ball, former pro ball corner marshal and latimore will be released by the commanders that will save them 18 and a half million in a in salary cap space. I think that's a no, a no easy one, right? It's a bad trade and yeah, pretty, pretty easy one there. Another noteworthy move is it's not official yet, but the cold space he told peers, you're not leaving that. Yes. And I think pitman very well could. I know Matt Taylor didn't agree with us, but I think he was wearing a little bit of blue and white colored glasses for that. We're all guilty of that. Oh, yeah. You spend so much time. He also said Richardson's not going anywhere. And I think Richardson's going somewhere too. Yeah, right. Yeah. That's we'll talk because we actually got some tweets about about Pearson pitman and things like that that we can talk about more in this hour. I guess last kind of news of the day notable Matt, the Vikings have informed both Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave that they will be cut or traded in a move that, you know, combining the two of them will save the team about 18 and a half

11:27million dollars in cap space. They're tied up against it too. Both big names. Yeah, both of that very good NFL careers they have, but both are getting a little long in the tooth. Yeah, Jones always has some kind of soft tissue. He started one now. He's had a really good career. But he's gonna play. I mean, he wasn't bad when he was on the field at all. I mean, if he's a number two. Okay. He's got another year or two. I bet in him. Hargrave. 33, but did start 15 games last year. Yeah, people don't remember, but he he was drafted very old. You know, he was like a five or six year college player. So he's a little older than you think. I'm going to look into him because I do think that's the type of nose the stealers need. You're not going to Casey Hampton's the world aren't really a thing anymore. But kind of what Hardgrave was at his best is what I'd love to see them get. And I don't think Benton's ever going to be quite nosy enough for that. But he didn't do much for the Vikings this year. He's also had

12:33some injuries and some age. But I do want to look into I don't I'm incomplete from me on him of what he is at this moment. I wouldn't do a little more research because maybe you come back here for four million or something. You know, hey, if the price is when he snaps, you know, the price is right. Yeah. Um, he had the torn triceps in 2024. Okay. Signed a two year deal with the Vikings after that. He was that was money though. Yeah. He was marketable just a year ago. That was when he was with the Niners. Yeah. Did start 15 out of 17 games last year at age 33. Pretty pretty good. But three and a half sacks, not a, you know, massive. Yeah. And I say it was a big contract. It was a big contract. And he's another one, man, who had some great years here in Pittsburgh and filled with the Eagles. Philadelphia. Yeah. And then with the Niners too. That's what saying. Like just one year ago, he was very marketable. I mean, like no one bad in Iowa. And they signed that deal. I still remember when he signed with the Eagles, I went on with the old show that I produced. And I was like, you guys are going to love this guy. Yeah. He's he's going to, he's going to keep his head down and come to work.

13:37And he doesn't make any noise. And he's not, you know, flashy, but my goodness, he's so good. He's good. And he was a big part of of the Eagles. And that just what they seemingly always have some just monsters there on that defensive line. He's a guy that they all and I often said was the most recent stealer free agent that they would have loved. Yeah. But to it and Hayward are making too much money. And Ben was there at the time and just couldn't, you know, yes, yes. So that's your news of the day, ladies and gentlemen. There's a lot of that kind of stuff popping up. But there's going to I think I mean, we've been doing a news of the day segment pretty much every day since Mike Tomlin resigned. And by bet we will for three weeks. And I bet we will continue to hear through most of most of the month of March because obviously we have free agency stuff with that trades and in cap cuts and all that. And for these teams store, not cap compliant. Absolutely. And Matt at the end of the month, we've got the owner's meetings, the league meetings. And there's always rule change stuff that comes from that. So we'll have some news of the day like, well, the Tush, the Tush push last year was two votes short of being

14:41banned. Yeah. Yeah. I'm sure that will be on the docket again here at the end of the month. I think it was two years ago. They changed the kickoff rules, changing the kickoff rules, all that kind of stuff. Could we see game day rosters expanded? All these, all these different kinds of things. We've seen practice squads expanded in the in the not so distant or not so a lot of people talk to the owners being more recent. Every coach speaks and so there will be a lot of stuff coming out of there. They're absolutely will be. So we're going to take a break here. Well, one thing I wish we could comment on now, which is kind of harsh. But I wish I knew whose medicals didn't go so well this last weekend. You know, usually have to learn on draft day, basically like, boy, I thought it'd be a second router who went in the fifth. And then someone is like, yeah, well, that makes that makes sense. There's certain other things earlier. Some more thoughts ahead of free agency. Some final thoughts from Indian apolis. We'll start to get to some tweets as well as we roll along here in hour number two. What's your? Matt Williams and it is the drive Steelers Nation radio on the Steelers audio network.

15:43You're tuned to the drive on your 24 seven home of the black and gold Steelers Nation radio. Rolling along here on the drive on this Monday, plenty of combine talks and free agency thoughts, moving and shaking around the league. We're going to get to some tweets here soon. Matt, we did briefly mention but man, Jeremiah love had himself a big time Saturday. And I think now I mean, I would have probably been surprised if he made it out of the top 10 heading into the combine. Yes. But now it feels like he is got to be really liking his chances to be taken there in the first few picks. I think he's a really good chance. He's a best player in draft, you know, just regardless position, just putting a grade on dudes. He's the type of guy that could have done nothing. It wouldn't have hurt his stock at all if he decided I'm not going to work out for anybody any time. I can only hurt myself here. Right. I can only kind of go backwards at this point. No one's even

16:46nipping on my heels to be running back to. And some of those other running backs, I'd do good workouts, but no one's touching him. And I don't think anyone else is even probably going to top two rounds. How early could he go? I don't really draft order off the top of my head. He won't go the jets. I'd be shocked if the Cardinals go that early, but I've maybe Tennessee. I mean, the Browns won't be. No, um, Tennessee for Giants five Brown six commanders seven commanders. Maybe we're putting him at the annual Saints at eight chiefs at nine. Those are the two he gets mocked through the most. Like I can't imagine gets past the chiefs. I would be shocked. And I don't even know if the Bengals would be interested in taking them at 10 because they have so many other needs. But boy, that often to be loaded with that guy, but I would be shocked if he made it past Kansas City and or Cincinnati. Nobody trades up for running backs nowadays, but could someone at 11 or 12 go to seven, you know, just to get ahead of like the Saints dolphins. No, no, they're going to extend a child boys. They just gave Giovante Williams money. Rams at 13. Doubtful. Doubtful. Ravens

17:53at 14. Doubtful. Although no doubtful 15 bucks 16 jets. I don't know. Lions aren't going to do it. Vikings aren't going to do it. So I think Vikings won't move up Washington, New Orleans, Kansas City, Cincinnati. If I was Tennessee, they have so many other needs too, but they're they're the most cash based league. They're going to fill a lot. Yeah, they're not going to sign a running back and maybe, you know, say Tennessee goes out and gets someone like Devon Lloyd for their defense. Yeah, yeah. And they had another piece on offense and we're like, they could have one of the big receivers. Yeah, right, right. Throw a throw a stud running back in the mix there. I'm not usually big on investing in running backs. I'm not saying like running backs don't matter or you're stupid if you take one in the top 10 because there are people that believe it that strong. But when I condone it the most is when it's going to help my my young quarterback. Yeah, absolutely. If it's going to help shock, if it's going to help ward, you know, obviously, Ashton Gentie didn't have the year last year that everybody thought he

18:56was going to have for a million different reasons that were out of his control. Yeah, I don't blame him for much of that. But I still think even a year out, you're still excited of like, okay, we're going to drop Mendoza in there. I'm glad he's there. He's got a running back. He's got a really good tie in. If we can if we can get him this offensive line moving in the right direction all the sudden, he's going to have some pieces to work with off the jump here. Yeah, I just think it's a really nice. It's got to be a good feeling as a young inexperienced quarterback that if I just give this guy the ball, he's going to do something with it. He might break a break play. When I don't know what to do, I just dump it off to him. I mean, I get easy completions with this guy. We get manufactured first down. So unlike most running backs in the league. And you mentioned Jenny. And I forgot that I can't remember if it was on the air or if it was just when we were talking before, but Greg Kosell is like, I really like Jenny last year, but he's like loves way better prospect way better. He's like wow, like as good as I've seen type prospect. Like wow, okay. Hey, if he says that he means it. Yeah, yeah, he says that he means it. So I'll take I'll take his

20:00word for it. He's he's one of the, I think kind of real ex factors in this equation. Um, let's see here. The other person I wanted to talk to you about from Saturday was Cornell Tate, of course, Ohio State wide receiver. Didn't have the greatest testing day. No, but I don't think it's going to kill him. I think there's still a really good chance. He'll be wide receiver for five, three years, something like that. Yes. But right in the same range as CD Lam, Devonte Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, T Higgins, Keenan Allen. I'm glad you laid out that way. That's kind of where I was going to go too. Like if you told me two years ago that somebody like Cornell Tate goes to the combine runs a four five three, like that's fine. Yeah. Speed's vastly overrated. He's not a burner. Um, frankly, we know he's going to go to a Ohio States pro day and make it and it'll be a little bit better. Oh, no, 39, you aren't track. You always talk about in Columbus. If he can best make it look like a four four nine, which really isn't much different, but just the eye appeals a little better. I don't think it'll hurt him at all.

21:05Wide receiver arrow up arrow down arrow up on Ted Hurst arrow down on Malachi fields. Yes and no, definitely on Hurst dude and Lance Hurst might not last till day three now. I don't think I think Lance and Hurst are two small school guys that are real legit that probably could have played a lot of different places. Just stuck where they did because they, you know, loyalty that are big, fast downfield guys and they play that way. Um, there's a lot of people stock downing fields and no one I never thought he was super explosive or burner, but you know, I'm a little bit of a nerd. He had the best recon of all of them. He did. And that's a big deal. A lot like Smith and Jacob and some of these guys like, I'd rather nobody runs three cones. So having the best, there's not as many people that do it, but still his time was quite good in the three cone for that's hard for six, three, six, four human being. That's a little, that's a short guy drill, you know.

22:06He's one of those ones. If if he wants to hang around till day two and be an option for the Steelers, I'm just fine with that. Yeah. And the 50 Asian neighborhood. Yeah. Matt, there's always a name at the combine, particularly on Saturdays now when that's quarterbacks running backs, wide receivers that the prom king positions, right? That we didn't even really mention or maybe did just once or so heading into the process that starts to get on everybody's radar. For me, that's Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell. Good one. Six five two 15 ran a four three one, a split of 1.48. I mean, the best of anyone on Saturday. Yeah. 42 inches on the vertical. I mean, insanely athletic, insanely fast and at six five two 15. Yes. That could work. So I mentioned I was listening to Danes first podcast post combine. Of course, he knew who he was, but I wouldn't get too excited about him like take him in the second round just because of his numbers. At least this was Danes thoughts on him combine was he'll probably get drafted,

23:10but like wasn't even a thousand percent certain. And now he's definitely going to get drafted, you know, but fifth round it. Sure. Like, but he's a perfect guy we've talked about as that last piece of the puzzle free agent, second rounder and him. Yeah. And coach him up. Coach him up. Yeah. Give him a year on special teams. Use that big frame. Run down the field and knock people around and do what happens. Make a couple plays and grow and develop absolutely. And then Matt, most of what I think that, you know, the real draft next, the real talent evaluators of this process thought that Ty Simpson helped his stock over the weekend. He threw the best of everyone and really looked apart. And I do think he's finally healthy. I don't know if he's for me or for the Steelers and all that good stuff. But I think he's going to go in the first round. Back half of it, you know, the jets, I think picked 17 with their second choice. I think that's the earliest he could go. He feels a lot like dark 16. Okay. I mean, yeah, feels a lot like

24:13dark a year ago where one of those teams that are bad moves up from the second round to 26 to get them and get the fifth year option. Sears will highly consider them. They definitely did look at quarterbacks heavily. And you know, that was no, you know, secret a lot of the guys that went to the podium mentioned the Steelers, I guess I haven't done the podium stuff. But I think he's helping himself during this process. But I told people he would, you know, like his last time he saw him play football wasn't so great. And he wasn't healthy. But he's son of a coaches kid. Everyone says his interviews are going to be phenomenal. And he's going to throw the ball way better now than he did at the end of his season. But she did. Sure. Mendoza didn't throw, but I guess he had the best throat. Consensus was the best pass or in drills and in. According to McShay, Ty Simpson faces legitimate concerns such as his non prototype frame, durability questions and inexperience. As we've talked about just 15 starts in his college career,

25:14that combination makes teams uneasy. But overall, the sentiment coming out of Indy, he helped himself. Yes. Okay. It feels like he continuing to check the boxes and everything throughout the rest of this process is going to be a first rounder. I would think in the Jackson Dart range. Yeah. Yeah. And maybe the home run, you know, I think that's so wait till next year. I I would too. And it, hey, it may be if it's different. If by the time the draft rolls around, Aaron Rogers is in place. And you're like, we can we can stash this guy for a year. We can let him we can let him learn from one of the all time greats. You made a lot of needs fixed as we already talked about it. You know, that I think is the only route that I would convince myself on Thai Simpson. Is it like if I would love him to be in the same room with Rogers for if I'm the Rams and I can get him and let him sit behind Stafford for a year. Sign me up. Yeah. Yeah. But there's not many of those situations around the league right now. I could be really good for Pittsburgh LA. I don't know who else has that like looking for the successor. Yeah. Going to be there for one year type thing. Yeah. So yeah. But someone someone's going to continue

26:17to fall in love with him. Someone's going to take him because everyone, you know, it's a position of need. It's what would worry me as a team like the Jets or the Browns move up from early seconds. Grab him and just ruin him and throw him right in and don't block for him or yeah. We have seen that fish before. It happens all the time. We have seen that fish before. And then you talked about how it feels like a fast track, how you and I were like these guys are so specialized now. There's everyone is spending months training for this position groups were historically fast, Matt. Oh, crazy. defensive backs average 40 time was 4.44 seconds best of all time. The safeties in particular were crazy. That's the best of all time. Yeah. wide receivers average 4.44 seconds best of all time running backs 4.45 seconds best of all time linebackers 4.55 seconds. The average time for an off ball linebacker first all time. That really stood out to be linebackers and safeties. These never used to run like that.

27:20Right. Right. Right. Right. And not just like sunny styles from Ohio State and some of these top guys that we've talked about. I'm close to being alone. There's a million of them. Quarterback 40 times 4.6 second fastest all time. Tight end 40 times 4.63 first all time. Defense of line and like 4.3. It's right here. It's right here. It's right around a 4.39. Imagine that guy coming at you. Go. Go. defensive line. But guys jump in 45. Did you catch this? I'm sorry. No, you're fine. So deep set the tight end vertical record. And then stowers broke it. Right. And then there was somebody in between because they do them alphabetically. Yeah. There was some Gibroni in between. I'm who did whatever. And then stowers broke it like 45 seconds. Yeah. It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. Defensive line fastest of all time. 4.83 seconds. Offensive line. Fastest of all time. Five point one seconds. Five sixes anymore on the O line. Every position group had their best 40 aggregate combined average all time except for quarterbacks. And they were second. They were second. It's ridiculous. Now we know everyone's

28:21getting faster better trained. You know, that's just evolution. And I do think that track is faster than it used to be because like two or three years ago they said they changed the turf. Not necessarily for that reason. They changed it for the cold. Not for the storm. But it is considered a faster surface than it was 10 years ago or whatever. But also the slow guys aren't running. Yeah. I mean, we don't have that part. That part really makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're going to cut. They're going to cut some weight and run at their pro day or whatever they have in there. It's more comfortable or want us. Yeah. Yeah. Want to train more for it. I don't know. But the slow guys aren't running. But I think they should all run there because it's a fast track. Either they're Ohio State. Yeah. Yeah. A couple more takeaways before we get to our last break and get to some tweets before we get out of here. Florida defensive line. And Caleb Banks 85 and three three force inch wingspan longest by a defensive tackle in 25 years. He also ran a five oh four 40 at three hundred and 27 pounds. Yeah. I I was kind of hoping

29:22it'd be there 21. I don't know. Yeah. I think he's the one detail. I think he's DT one now and I think he will go off the board and the in the in the first 20 picks. I do too. Sunny styles 43 and a half inch vertical best by a linebacker since 2003. Ken Yonsey broke the 40 yard dash record 4.39 seconds actually held by Doran Dickerson of pit of the of this parish for a long time. West day. West day. Bay Bay. Palco. Palco. Palco you there at West day. That's why you end up going to pit. It was a Palco action. Yeah. He actually told me hilarious story one time because his final three schools were Pete Carroll's USC. Urban Myers Florida and Dave Wands that's pit really. Okay. And he was right after I left. He was he went to tell Dave Wands that that he wanted to take visits to Florida and the USC and Dave was like Dave Wands that is like eating a steak and he looks at me and he goes hey you come here I promise you you're going to be able to go to California and Florida anytime you want you're going to make good money. All right you got to those places you got to

30:22those places for vacations not to develop as a football player like he was like he gave me this like you this is where you're from like you could go to California and Florida and visit any time you want you. He was like all right coach yeah I guess you're right I'm going to stay here. But yeah I mean Jeremiah love 4.36. I don't think caught it but unbelievable. His dad I guess his dad's really tight with him and has been a driving factor and his dad was upset with that number not because he was like sunny boy you're not you know living up the expectations. He's just because he knew love can let love wouldn't be happy with it. I mean like which is hilarious that a running back of his size is not happy with a sub four four time. Yeah because he ran a second time because he was disenchanted with the first one and some people say he might run another day and because he can do it faster. He's just that competitive. Hey that's that's the type of guy you want. Right right. That's what you like to hear. Let's close this thing down today's show with some of your tweets, some of your questions, comments, concerns, reactions on the other side,

31:27Matt Williams in it is the drive Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network. Back on the drive here on this Monday final segment of the day you know what that means at his time to close things down with some of your tweets. Matt Michael Odessa, one of our P-1s here. Loyalist. Yeah. Loyalist. Regular. Real front of the show, front in real life out at training camp. Yeah man we can't that's cool. Draft scenario question. Pick nine sunny styles is still available. Would you consider trading up to get him a bonus should be jumping Cincinnati and keeping him away from them too. I would love to get that guy no matter what I think he's a total superstar. He's one of the I always do the if I had to put a

32:30chip down on one player from this draft to go to Canton. He's he would definitely be in strong. Maybe we'll definitely let's do that exercise or something like a week before the draft. Yeah. But he would be high high on that list. And that's a lovely thought Michael but I bet to get that far up a cost you a one in a two. Not a one to three. That's not a five spot project Jones move. Or future day two pick that I don't want to get rid of. And really to make it work I would then be looking to trade queen. And I kind of would rather just roll it back because I'm excited to see queen in this defense. Healthy. Used a little differently. But linebackers somewhat of an underrated need to. I mean you really only have him and Wilson on the team at the moment. And if Queens you don't leave after the season. The awesome dev styles. I just don't know how feasible that is. Plus I think he could go like six overall. Yeah. And theory I would love to have him. I don't know

33:33I want to pay what it would cost to get him when you just you've you've already got needs on defense that are greater than linebacker. I think right. And and plenty amounts to feed on offense too. I didn't see what I had to line up perfectly to. I love the player. Right. But I just think it's going to be an expensive cost to get him. Who would you rather trade up for styles or downs? Ooh. I'm think I'm going to go downs. Like I guess it's not even trade up. Now I can give you one out of the sky. Who would you rather have? Oh man. I think I'd take downs. I think I'd take downs. There's so much lighter there. There's so but I will say both of those position groups feels like there's a lot of good options. There are there can and you don't have to be incredible there. But I think it's nice to have Paul Amalo too. A lot of a lot of the people that you and I talk to this week have downs number one on their big boards. I think Dane does and he's not farther than two or three for anybody. I'd be I'd be very happy with either. I would I would trade pick 21 for either right now without question. I think I think I'd give a slight edge to downs though.

34:36Jake Jake tweets and says the tailing green do enough to peak your interest this weekend. We mentioned him earlier. He had a really good weekend and sane weekend. He is a athletic freak athletic freak. I mean set like one of the best combines in quarterback history is like him and Richardson neck and neck except he's six six and half or whatever. He should go high. I've been talking to you about him since September or the around campus stuff because he has everything you can't coach. And I didn't watch a ton of them on Saturdays during the season. But I did watch all the senior bull stuff and there's a handful of times where he just takes off and his stride length is like every the five yard markers are like gone, gone, gone, gone. And he just like he looks like one of he looks like some of those like six foot 10 basketball small forwards. Yeah. Who could take two steps from mid-court and dunk. Yeah, exactly. Three stuff three big leaps in their down court. Yes. For getting a rebound. Yes. You know the Greek freak or somebody like that. Exactly. Right. Now he also is very long armed which people think is good thing. But that's part of his problem

35:37because his release is kind of all over the place. He needs so much work. So I've done more work on him since his combine. And as you can imagine accuracy and decision making which probably are the two most important things in a quarterback like you have to have them or you can't play the position or his biggest weaknesses. Yes. I mean, but he definitely has things he can't coach. I bet he goes to the end of the third round to like the Rams or somebody like that that just sits on him for a while. And everyone's already already being like, well, he could always switch positions. Yes. But I don't know. He wants to. Yeah. I mean, he's put a lot of time in the quarterback positions. I'd rather just go draft somebody that played that position. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. That means good receiver. I mean, he's never run around his life as far as I know. Yeah. I don't like that fall back. It's a mind. Just because Tarell priored it at one time, 1000 yard receiving season doesn't mean that that's normal or a lot of people can do or it's a great plan. Yeah. Now, if you draft it, I'm like the Steelers took

36:40him to the third round. I'd love to have him active on game day and have a package for him or be your push push guy at a minimum or whatever. Get his jersey dirty some way. But that kind of stuff is if you think he can develop him into a quarterback, it's worth a pick. But I bet he goes late third round, like a Joe Milton or, you know, I think you're right. Like a little more impressive. I think he could certainly go at the end of day two, if not early on day three. And that's just again, I mean, I've been talking about this guy in the around campus segment since September. Yeah. But I as as a will Howard draft range interest. If he's going in the third or fourth round, too rich for my blood, I'm not using third on him. No, if it's if the six round rolls around and you have those two picks and he's still there, absolutely sign me up. Yeah. Or use them both to trade up the end of the fifth or something fine. You know, fine. But I'm drafted two receivers and two safeties and alignment and yeah, yeah, yeah. But he's a he's a guy that I really think there's potential there, but I'm not I'm not

37:43given a pie draft pick for us as much as I am very intrigued by the skill set and have been for a few months a year away from me in a year away. But in three years, he might he might be willing. Yeah. Yeah, he easily can be willing. Right. Uh, Lew tweets and says at pick 21, you have a defensive lineman, offensive tackle, offensive guard safety and wide receiver all with the same grade, which position would you take? Oh boy. That's a good question, Lew. Well, tackles are the hardest to find. They are. They are. So I would not take a guard. I can eliminate guard. Yeah. And I don't think you can just by the nature of his question, I can't be like, well, this is super deep safety draft is super deep receiver drafts. I'm going to eliminate them. I think you just take prospect X with this grade on them. I think I get a wide receiver. I probably would do. You need a guy. Yeah. You need more dynamic playmakers on that offense.

38:44And next year's first one pick would say, thank you. I mean, you got to think about that guy. Continue to build the nest. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Something we touched on a little bit, Matt, but we could talk about for a few minutes more here. Ian tweets and says, welcome back to the Berg, gentlemen. Thank you for all the content from Andy with Alec Pierce now likely to get tagged is dobs the most likely desirable free agent wide receiver for the Steelers to target. Yes, but two more names that kept coming up. Dobs to me is probably my favorite for what he'll likely cost. And you'll probably overspend a little, but that's day one of free agency no matter what. I immediately have wanted nothing to do with Wandel Robinson because he's tiny, tiny, tiny. He's coming off a really good year and talking through Mike McCarthy's passing game. Philosophies. Wandel Robinson would be useful. It's a lot of quick hitters. Get first down, move the chains. Pierce a lot. And he's a better player than you looks. That prototype doesn't do a lot

39:47for me, but you've talked about that. Yeah. Yeah. But I do understand two big guys on the outside and him as a chain mover is of interest. And the other one that I pursued to jump out of his skin, but Rob brought him up two or three times, kind of like, why does Rob keep bringing up Jalen Nailer? Yeah. Steelers just signed an offensive coach from their staff. I think they're going to extend Addison. Jefferson's not going anywhere. Can't take a lot of serious big money. Nailer's a lot better than you think and pursued a lot of them could mission state dude, but he's like, I was going to say jumped out of his skin new excitement. He would be a really good three. And the more I looked into him, I immediately thought, ah, he's not good enough. But if that was their free agent signing, I'd be like, okay, now I'm still looking for around one guy probably, but they would have killed for Jalen Nailer last year. Oh, my goodness. Oh, yeah. He's smart and downfield dude, fast,

40:47speedy Nailer, I think his name. He's one that I would certainly be interested in, especially again, if you're crazy expensive. If you're going to, if you're going to go out and you're going to draft the, the more prototype body type. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, get your ex and your Z. He could be your Y type. I'm with Boston. I'm very interested. I mean, now you okay. Now you've got a real receiving core. Very interested. Speaking of wide receivers, John tweets us after the combine, what are your thoughts on Jacobi Lane? He's kind of the other USC wide receiver besides McKaylen. I think he's the perfect example of media fans get too excited about what happened in Indy because he had a really good workout. But his tape, he still gets put, he gets pushed around through his, he does not play strong at all. He's very linear. He's very lean. And he gets misguided through his routes, a bunch, press coverage beats a crap out of him. And he's not a sharp route runner, even though he's a good athlete. There's stuff to work with there, but I wouldn't

41:50double count him in. Everyone knew he's a good athlete at what the USC. Sure, but he's not a good receiver yet. You know, it's a good way to put it. Yeah. Yeah. All right, Matt, a couple of quick hitters here as we wrap this thing up. Brad tweets us and says, have you guys done a segment on the Steelers free agents and whether you would want to resign them or let them walk. If so, please point me towards that episode. If not, how about having that conversation? We did that conversation, but it was like a month ago. Yeah. We will do that again this week before free and I've had some thoughts change a little, but we should do a big beefy segment of all the offensive guys, big beefy segment on all the defensive guys soon, Wednesday or Thursday or something. Absolutely. Give people plenty of time to listen. I'm with you on the four Monday. I'm with you on that. A team act tweets and says if Kyler Murray gets released, any interest for the Steelers. Yeah, but it's a real fallback plan. You know, I mean, like it would be not be priority already number one. I have all the quarterbacks that it could move. I think he's the one

42:53that's most likely to rejuvenate his career, but that's what I would agree with that. I mean, like to be the next Mayfield Daniel Jones. I just think of all those body types. And I'm doing that I'm doing the tight cast thing here, but like Drew Breeze is the only one who's going to can and Breeze is noticeably bigger. Yeah, you know, and was a tennis player. A lot of these undersized guys, they have success in spurts, but it's just never as consistent as you want them to be. Baker Mayfield, you know, so a big thing about Kyler is I think his athleticism is definitely dropped, which you knew it would. Sure. You know, I mean, he was a crazy. Oh my gosh, you know, his baseball top 10 pick, all that stuff. Right. Like most short quarterbacks, really struggles in the middle of field, but he's always been a really, really good deep thrower. But this last year or two, his deep numbers are horrendous, horrendous. And maybe it's a system he's in. But I mean, the adherison and Wilson and McBride, I mean, weren't that bad? It gives me more pause. Yeah. I mean, that used to be a saving grace is crowdline

43:57scrimmages going to be each other top at least because he's not going to be in the middle of field. Well, that's really falling off. Last one, SR 94 tweets random. But if you were the Philadelphia Eagles, would you trade your 23rd overall pick for Max Crosby? Yeah. That's not random. We like these kind of questions. Yes. Shepter or Policero or one of those guys today said Max Crosby very well could get traded the next couple of days and mentioned Eagles, Niners, Patriots. If you're the Eagles, it's when it's window open season. That's what they do. And why would you shy away from that now? And if I was a Patriots, I'd be very excited. 31st pick. Plus, plus, of course. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 23rd might get it done if you throw in like a like a 2027 fifth rounder. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 31. You're going to need a little more juice. But tell you what, I'm sure I'm sure Mad Max would be happy to land it either of those places to know that there's a great sponsor. Matt tomorrow on the show, let's dig deeper into the safety conversation. Yeah. Both the free agency class and the draft class. It's a much bigger need

44:57than looks on the surface. And let's go over some newer cut candidates here this week as we get it close to free agency in the negotiating period about a week from now. But that would do it for us for today. Thanks to Justin on the ones and twos TV, Mr. V on the Mr. TV on the video side of things. The guy who took 7,000 pounds of equipment to Indianapolis and back and live the telltale. We build an F-150 for basically as in we right, right, right. I told all those others, you know, are all of our other Steelers media video buddies, you know, Nate and Alec and all those guys who I love. Great dude. I had good time with those. Yeah, I told them though, they're on my, they're on my naughty list because I, you know, I wasn't going to leave TV hanging to all this video equipment. I was going to take them out. Yeah, right. Yeah. When we, when we submit our next invoices, Matt, I might have to build the Steelers for a couple hours of video production in there. Big shout out to TV for the great work all week. And as always, Justin with us here this week, we're going to have some fun for Matt Williams and I'm West Mueller. Take care everybody. We will talk

45:59to you tomorrow. As always, you know where to find us. It's on your 24 seven home of the black and gold Steelers nation radio on the Steelers audio network. We see you. Your calendar's color coded. Your outfit for tomorrow is already laid out. You have everything in top of where labeled in your fridge. You buy in bulk. You meal prep. You know what you're doing in 2027. You're a planner. And we're here to say you don't have to do it all. S&T Bank makes banking easy from our friendly team to our online and mobile solutions. We do more so you can do less. Stop by your local branch. Visit STBank.com or call 800-325-2265 S&T Bank. Member FDIC.