Drive10.14.26Hr1: Scouting the Bucs

0:03 You're tuned to The Drive on your 24-7 home of the black and gold.

0:07 Steelers Nation Radio.

0:25 Good afternoon, Steelers Nation. It's The Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. Wes Shuler and Matt Williamson with you here for the next two hours on this Wednesday. as we will start to turn the page a little bit and we will begin to, uh, focus less on Sunday's victory and look more ahead to this weekend's challenge in Tampa.

0:42 We will of course have around campus today. We're going to talk to our buddy, Mike DeFabo, a whole bunch to get into, uh, on the, uh, on the drive here this afternoon and into the evening, Matt, I want to start though. I guess it is kind of piggybacking off of, uh, a topic that we've kicked around plenty this week already.

1:00 Okay.

1:01 But officially official now, Jalen Warren, your AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

1:07 So as I'm digging into Matt's stats, I always, I mean, you've read him for years. The Warren numbers ever since he's been a Steeler are always way better than people realize. I mean, like they're all, I mean, the receiving stuff is like McCaffrey-like. I mean, like McCaffrey-like, not McCaffrey-light. Yards per carry. Yards after contact.

1:28 I'll take either one, by the way.

1:30 Yeah.

1:30 McCaffrey-like or McCaffrey-light. I'll take either one. Either one works for me.

1:34 Now, I got to say, doing him this week, it's even better than ever with him. I mean, like, yards per touch. He's number one amongst running backs by almost a yard more than Kenneth Walker. I mean, it's crazy.

1:47 Here's that number for you because you sent this to us.

1:50 I retweeted it from somebody, right?

1:51 Yeah. Or maybe it was Tyler. But we were talking about it in our group chat earlier today. 51 running backs in the NFL have 30 or more touches this season.

2:00 Yeah.

2:01 It's not a crazy number, right?

2:02 Jalen Warren is number one in yards per touch at 7.2 yards. That includes catches and runs.

2:07 Right, right, right. Yards per carry, he's second.

2:11 That's insane.

2:12 7.2 yards per touch for Jalen Warren to lead all running backs, again, that have qualified, that have enough touches, enough carries and receptions this season. Yeah. Number two is Kenneth Walker, Super Bowl MVP.

2:23 He's had a phenomenal year.

2:24 Lighting the world on fire in Kansas City at 6.3.

2:27 It's not even really close. It's a yard difference. B.

2:30 John Robinson, who I think you and I, rightfully so, and a lot of other people in the football world gush over all the time, 6.1. Yeah. That's more than a yard behind Jalen Warren.

2:40 I know. It's pretty crazy.

2:41 I mean, Jameer Gibbs is fourth. Kyron Williams is fifth. And Jalen Warren not only stands at the top of that list, but by a nice margin.

2:49 He does. And yards per carry, only Walker's ahead of him. You know what I mean? So, now, we're at the point of the season, if you have one 80-yarder, it's going to really, really raise your average on these type of things.

3:03 No doubt.

3:03 You know what I mean? I mean, the math of it is. There's not as many to go off of.

3:08 The 50-yard runs, the 80-yard receptions, they move your average a lot more in the front half of the season than they do in game 14.

3:16 Yeah, exactly. And he does have the home run ones. But still, that's why I started the conversation with year after year. This isn't new for him, is what shocks people. He didn't come out of nowhere. I think Steeler fans know that, but Even some fantasy analysts and national people I listen to, man, Warren's coming out of nowhere. I'm like, not really. This is who he's been.

3:41 This is who he's been.

3:42 The line's better. Scheme around him's a little better. And he's getting the ball more.

3:46 Pass catchers are starting to make some plays, too. We've seen more from DK Metcalf, more from Jeremy Bernard, more from the tight ends. I think that keeps defenses a little more honest with Jalen Warren. Yeah, it's been a phenomenal start to the season for him, especially these last couple games.

4:01 And he hasn't found the end zone yet.

4:03 That is the crazy part. One touchdown run, right?

4:07 That's the only touchdown run the Steelers have all year. But he doesn't have any carries inside the 10. This is in Matt's stats, too. I just dug this up.

4:18 That's pretty wild.

4:19 That's pretty wild. I mean, there's only been, I think, two running back carries. I'm not sure exactly the number on that. But a couple of the guys behind him happened to get him because he'd run 80 yards, and then he got dragged down and.

4:33 He was tired. Or the turf monster got him.

4:36 Yeah, exactly.

4:36 That game against Cincinnati.

4:37 So they brought in Nichols for, like, one carry inside the 10. So Rodgers has been throwing touchdowns.

4:43 Aaron Rodgers did the one-yard, two-point conversion plunge in Cleveland.

4:46 If you think about it, it really isn't that crazy, but it is a little shocking. Like, fantasy owners, maybe there's even more on the bone if he starts getting touches inside the 10.

4:57 If there's more on the bone for Jalen Warren, then I'll tell you what, he might find himself on some all-pro lists and go into a Pro Bowl here, if that is the case. But it's been an awesome start to the season for him. It's nice to see him get national recognition to kind of back that up here this week. AFC Offensive Player of the Week, Jalen Warren. Matt, I wanted to also go with just some news around the league as we get things started here today. Let's start in the division. where the Ravens are saying Lamar has a realistic chance to return this weekend against the Browns.

5:31 They are in Cleveland.

5:33 I got the impression that maybe he could have played last week, again, if it was the AFC Championship game or whatever. And wisely, they kind of looked at it like, it's an NFC contest on the road. We'll just sit him here, get him ready for the stretch. So I think he'll be in there probably this week, but I think he's good to go.

5:51 Staying with quarterbacks the falcons are saying that michael pennix is on track to start this weekend versus the bears as long as he has no setbacks i.

5:59 Don't think he's broken ribs i know his rib injuries but i don't think they're broken and those are tough and there's not much you can do about it it's really.

6:06 It's one of those things it's it's you just got to let it heal and give it the time it needs and one of.

6:10 The issues people have with broken ribs is you can't sleep It's just so uncomfortable.

6:15 It's like ribs, collarbone.

6:16 Yeah.

6:17 It just makes everything so uncomfortable.

6:18 It's not like you put a cast on it. You just kind of live with it and then you roll over. Right. Right.

6:23 No, it's any of those type of injuries that make it difficult to sleep. It seems like the recovery is always. I bet. It just, it takes longer.

6:30 It's more of a pain.

6:31 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

6:31 It's a pain in the rumpus, as my mom would say. And yeah, but sounds like he avoided something much more long term. And as long as he is able to do some healing this week on track to start I guess the Chicago bears this weekend, Matt, uh, kind of last, um, big injury notable here. Uh, Christian Gonzalez, of course, of the new England Patriots says that he's ready to go this weekend after missing, uh, their last two games.

6:58 That's big for them. Cause they've been winning without him. I mean, they're, they kind of turned their season around while he was out. And I don't think it's to the level of like, we were talking about this on my other show that maybe the two best defensive players walking the planet, Micah Parsons and Miles Garrett, we were talking about trade deadline stuff, are going to get added to their team at some point.

7:18 Yeah, it's a really good point.

7:20 It's kind of like the trade deadline, like, oh, we're picking up Micah Parsons for free. Like, oh, okay, I can stay afloat.

7:25 If you can stay afloat and keep your head above water and get that guy back.

7:29 And, you know, this is one of the best corners in the league, and they started winning without him, and now you've inserted him into the mix. It's like, okay.

7:35 Yep, they've got the Jets. I can't remember if it's at home or on the road this weekend.

7:40 I don't know.

7:40 I think it's in New England. It is in New England.

7:42 Yes.

7:43 I know today's the day we really start turning the page and looking ahead to all these different contests and everything. Of course, Thursday night football tomorrow is a pretty juicy one between Denver and Seattle there. at mile high uh speaking of uh micah parsons he said if the super bowl was this week i'm playing the super bowl okay super bowl is not this week matt um and the packers.

8:07 Are better news than i thought at this stage though yeah.

8:09 The packers are three and two you know they kind of uh similar new england looked like uh they were really struggling out of the gate but they have found a way.

8:18 I'm not sold that they've turned things around, but they're a lot like New England to me, where the quarterback is just putting the team on his back and is playing great.

8:25 They are on Sunday Night Football this week against the Cowboys.

8:28 Green Bay is.

8:29 Yes, at home at Lambeau.

8:31 I bet you Parsons would really like to play that one. I think they might have opened his window, though. Somebody's window got opened today, 21 days. Okay. It might be him.

8:42 All right, let's see if we can get.

8:45 I saw it just like if you go to ESPN and you go to the NFL page, you know how they have the bullet points on the right? I think one of them was, oh, his window opened, and I was shocked it happened that soon. Okay. I might be wrong.

8:56 Yeah, I'm not seeing it right here now for Parsons, but that also doesn't mean that it's not true.

9:00 It might not be him, but there was somebody good that's coming back earlier than I thought, maybe. But it sounds like, I mean, I wonder if he could convince him. He's like, can I just rush the passer 10 times against the Cowboys? All right.

9:12 Guys come on just let me go hunting out there just to Just a few times. It's the New England Patriots in the 21-day.

9:19 Window for A.J.

9:21 Brown.

9:22 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

9:22 That was one I was thinking of.

9:23 Shout out to intrepid video producer Mr. Tyler Lee.

9:26 Nice work.

9:27 As always. He's looking fly over there today, isn't he? He's got his hat. He's got his fancy hoodie and his little jacket. He's all color-coordinated over there today.

9:36 He's looking sharp, that guy.

9:38 His shoes go with him. Everything's black and white with that guy.

9:41 Looking real sharp, that guy. By the way, you guys will laugh at this. I talked to our buddy- and formerly of this radio network, Arthur Motes, earlier today.

9:50 Good, good.

9:50 And he was like, you getting ready for Paris? He's like, you better be packing some nice stuff. He's like, don't be walking around Paris looking like a bum, all right? You better be dressing out there in Paris. He's like, don't tourist yourself out there and look like a jabroni, okay? He was like, I know you. He's like, you're just going to have all WVU gear packed and stand in front of the Eiffel Tower in your WVU hoodie. He's like, put some nice clothes on for me, all right?

10:15 But we have to wear our Steeler gear.

10:17 That's what it is most of the time.

10:19 I'm bad about it. Once I put it on, I'm like, I'm not going to change. I'm just going to walk in and wear this tonight. And it's like, we're doing shows. I'm not going to pack multiple things. No, right, right.

10:29 I do always laugh at that, Matt. there are a lot of people and I don't, I don't knock these people. I'm, I'm a, I'm a sports psycho too, clearly, but there's a lot of people who, when they go on vacation, just want to rep their cities, their teams, their gear.

10:44 Which is fine, which is fine.

10:45 And I get it. And then you see other people and they're like, Hey, go Steelers. And where are you from? And all that. I'm kind of the opposite. Like I just, I want to, I want to blend it. I, if I'm going on a trip to Europe, I don't necessarily need to introduce myself to fellow Yinzers and Pittsburgh people at all. Like, I'm in there to soak up the culture.

11:04 I'm not there to meet Pittsburghers. I know a lot of them.

11:07 I'm not trying to be Jack Nicholson. I don't want my product to be, or my environment to be a product of me when I'm soaking up a different culture.

11:15 I don't need to find new Pittsburgh friends in Paris.

11:17 Exactly.

11:18 I got plenty here. You're right.

11:20 But, but I'm going now, having said all that, I'm going to be rocking Steelers gear all week. And I'm going to meet a lot of new Pittsburgh friends in Paris. Cause that's obviously a little bit different. I'm not, it is. I'm not just going on holiday.

11:31 And people would probably know why you're there too. Even if you're not with the team, but let me like you're because there's a Steeler game in Paris. It doesn't happen every day.

11:37 No, it does not.

11:38 But like, I probably would do like what my son does at Kentucky though. He does wear pens and Steelers gear quite a bit. like around campus around campus yeah oh i used to do that all the time like he has a darn old washington jersey that gets some attention that's nice that's yeah that's a lot of fun people yell from across the street or whatever you know.

11:55 I think i've told you this story before about uh but maybe not i'll tell it before i go to break and this works well because we're going to do around campus uh in a little bit swapping some collegiate stuff i missed in my four and a half years at WVU. I did one extra semester, got the extra football season in there, had a nice little internship with it that paid me a little bit of money. So I had a really easy last semester. I think I only had like nine credits and two of those classes were online.

12:22 That's awesome.

12:22 Worked, worked for the athletic department, made some money, got an extra semester in college, all that good stuff. So five football seasons total with the extra semester that I was a student at WVU, six home games a year, 30 games in total over those five seasons.

12:37 Gotcha.

12:38 I missed one. I was at 29 of the 30 WVU football games in my time there. The one that I missed was because we were playing Norfolk state in one of those early season.

12:46 Favored by 30 years old.

12:48 Pay pay for play type games. My roommate, his grandpa played football at Michigan and his grandpa wanted us to come up to Ann Arbor for the Michigan Notre Dame game.

12:57 Oh wow.

12:58 Bernard Robinson, Manti Teo college game day.

13:01 You got to say yes to that.

13:02 I was like, absolutely. I was like, I will miss one WVU game against Norfolk State to go up to the big house.

13:08 If it wasn't one of those type of games, though, I bet you stay at WVU.

13:11 Oh, absolutely.

13:12 I mean, obviously, if it was like Pitt, you would.

13:13 Yes.

13:14 Like, what if it's just Joe Average conference game?

13:16 If it was Oklahoma State? I would have to really think about it. Okay.

13:20 Okay. I was wondering what the cutoff is. When do I go? And when do I stay?

13:23 It would have been a big 12 conference game. If not at that time.

13:26 Like worst team in the big.

13:28 12, Kansas back.

13:28 Yeah.

13:29 Horrible back then.

13:30 Your favorite by 20 or something.

13:32 Maybe I would have, I would have probably, I would have probably still gone to the big house for the weekend.

13:35 Yeah.

13:35 Unless it was like Pitt or Oklahoma or Texas.

13:38 Yeah.

13:38 Yeah.

13:39 Um, so we go up, we had a great time. Michigan scored with three seconds left to win the game. It was crazy. It was a lot of fun, really cool atmosphere. Um, But to that game, we get to the hotel and my buddy's grandpa had all this Michigan gear for us.

13:52 No, I'm sure.

13:53 Hats, shirts, hoodies. And I was like, I was like, Mr. Thompson, I'm sorry. I can't wear that stuff. Like I just, I can't do it, but I brought my Steelers Lamar Woodley Jersey.

14:04 So I was like, it's kind.

14:07 Of neutral, but it still fits in with the local crowd.

14:09 Yeah.

14:10 Matt, that day.

14:10 You looked the part then wearing that.

14:12 That, that day, I kid you not. I had probably 50 Michigan fans throughout the tailgate in the game, like tap me on the shoulder and be like, that's a sick Jersey.

14:20 I bet. I bet.

14:21 Cause it was the, it was the, I don't think they called him color rush back then. I think they were still just calling them all alternates. but it's the ones that look like the color rush jerseys now with the, with the gold font.

14:31 Okay.

14:32 Yeah.

14:33 So it's not the average Woodley Jersey.

14:34 It was a really nice Woodley Jersey. And I had so many people be like, dude, that's a sick Jersey. That's awesome. And so it worked out very well.

14:41 Like, I don't even think I'm, I'm not even like a crazy, you know, pit guy or anything like that, but like, I wouldn't wear Oklahoma state stuff if I, and you know, just to, If someone gave it to me.

14:51 So I really struck.

14:52 I wear Kentucky stuff. My kids, I give them a lot of money.

14:56 I've seen you and your awesome wife, Nikki, you know, rocking some cool Kentucky gear over the last couple of years.

15:01 You know, right.

15:02 I've had that conversation with my wife. So it's kind of a point of pride for me. I mean, you know, my parents made my initials WVU.

15:08 I grew up going to games there.

15:10 I've never worn any gear for any other school. Like, I didn't have a UNC Tar Heels Michael Jordan hoodie when I was growing up, you know?

15:18 Yeah, yeah.

15:19 I didn't get a USC t-shirt in the Reggie Bush days like a bunch of my buddies did. I've been a WVU guy since, you know, since I came into this world kicking and screaming and wailing and crying. But what if my... What if one of my daughters goes to Kentucky, goes to UNC, goes to Florida, goes to Tennessee?

15:37 Dale didn't love that his daughter went to WVU.

15:39 Now, that's it. I will never wear Pitt stuff, all right?

15:42 I don't know if Dale ever wore WVU stuff or not.

15:45 My mom could be the head coach of Pitt football, and I would be hoping for her to get fired and to lose her job.

15:50 I mean, that's how— I sent Browns gear home and my parents wouldn't wear it.

15:54 But what if they go to Arizona or they go to Wisconsin or Michigan State?

15:59 Then you will.

15:59 I probably will have to break my streak at some point.

16:02 When you write a big check and you go there and you see that they're happy and all that, it's like, let's go to the bookstore. Yeah.

16:08 Like, I'll get a polo maybe.

16:09 Yeah, that's how it starts. And then Christmas they buy you something and then they wear this for my graduation party, blah, blah, blah. And then you end up with a handful of things.

16:19 I think I would let it slide, Matt Williamson. Anything for the kids, right? Anything for the kids. That's our kind of opening statement here today on the drive.

16:28 We went on a tangent there. I'm sorry.

16:29 That's okay. Little TV loves it. Little hodgepodge of randomness.

16:33 I never wear jerseys anymore, but I did when I was like my son's age or into my 30s. Or certainly if I went to a Pens game, I always put a jersey on. But rarely do I now. But my son just inherited all my old ones.

16:44 That's the best.

16:44 And there's a Marino pit. There's a Bradshaw and a Mean Joe college jersey. Nice. That's kind of cool. I like those back in the day. There were a lot of 12s and 75s walking around Three Rivers back in the day. There weren't many college ones.

17:02 Sure, that is pretty cool. As you know, we've had that conversation before. I've got a very extensive jersey collection.

17:08 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

17:09 A lot of WVU stuff, a lot of soccer, both Manchester United and I've got an Argentina jersey, a Germany jersey, a France jersey, an England jersey. Um, few baseball jerseys as well too. And I've always joked with Morgan, like, okay, since we didn't have any boys and via the miracles of science, I'm out of the game. So we're not having any more kids.

17:27 Yeah.

17:28 Yeah. That's a ship sailed.

17:29 Without going too far into the weeds. I think everybody knows what I'm saying. I'm like the girls better at least marry cool husbands who are into sports and I can give them all these jerseys one day.

17:37 Maybe a nephew or something. Maybe somebody, but right.

17:40 Yeah.

17:41 Yeah.

17:41 But like, I've dude, I've got some really cool USA hockey jerseys. Like that was, I told, I told Morgan, um, Back when USA won the gold medal in February, I ordered two USA hockey jerseys, one white, one blue. And I said to Morgan at the time, I was like, these are the last jerseys I think I'm ever going to buy.

17:57 And she was like, yeah, sure.

18:00 Yeah, right.

18:01 And then I bought a USA jersey during the World Cup a few months later. Just getting started.

18:06 My son liked into it though. I mean, there's awesome. I haven't bought them in 20 years, but there's a lot of them use.

18:11 And I've got my grandpa's old, he was kind of the generation before jerseys, obviously. I got my grandpa's old starter jackets from the nineties.

18:19 Still.

18:20 Oh, I used to wear one Steelers, one pens, one WVU one.

18:23 Okay.

18:24 Every time I wear those, like if I wear one to a pens game, if I wear one to a WVU game, uh, someone will tap me on the shoulder and be like, I'll give you $ 200 for that right now.

18:33 They like hard to find now.

18:34 Yes.

18:34 Like the Chuck Knoll sideline jersey.

18:36 They're not the remade ones now. They're bringing those back now and they're still cool, but they're not the original 90s ones. And my grandpa had them in good condition.

18:46 I loved mine when I was, because it's like, that's what Chuck Knoll wears on the sideline. Exactly right. There weren't like official gear back then.

18:52 I had the same one that Bill Cowher was wearing on the sideline.

18:54 I was like, this is awesome.

18:56 I don't know how we got here in this conversation, Matt, but Wednesday is kind of our just shoot from the hip day here on the program. But we have plenty more to get to as we roll along. We are just getting started. Listen, if you got any cool jersey stories or anything like that for us, you know where to get at us if you want to get involved.

19:12 Wes Shuler, Matt Williamson, just getting going here on this Wednesday. It's The Drive, Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

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20:53 All right, Matt, let's start talking some Tampa Bay Buccaneers here.

20:56 Not quite yet. I got something to piggyback off last segment, too. Oh, we hodgepodge.

21:00 Let's hodgepodge, baby.

21:01 So I think people know I grew up in Mount Lebanon, Heidenreich High School, blah, blah, blah.

21:05 Ah, this cake eater over here, TV. And I moved to Mount Lebanon.

21:08 I moved to Upper St.

21:09 Clair.

21:10 More cake eater.

21:11 Cake eater.

21:12 But that's not an uncommon move for people my age. Like, you grow up in St. Clair, you move to Lebo.

21:17 Yeah, you have a house in Hamptons, you have a house in Cape Cod, you know? Yeah.

21:21 But anyway, they're huge rivals. Many people I know, it never bothered me because I wasn't an athlete. I didn't grow up hating St. Clair or anything like that.

21:29 You didn't play them in whatever sport.

21:31 Many of my good buds that have done the same thing, like refuse, I'm never wearing St. Clair gear. But then you start paying taxes and then your son is a good athlete. You know, like a good buddy of mine, he's maybe even listened, AJ, is like, he was a great tennis player. He won Whip Heels, you know, and his son ended up being a really good St. Clair athlete.

21:52 And it was like hard for him to put on St. Clair gear, you know? And they, meanwhile, they'd be playing Lebo and hoops. And of course you're rooting for your son. You're not rooting for Lebo, you know, like, you know, it's kind of like your West Virginia pit thing. Like you maybe would come around.

22:04 Well, there's no chance. Again, my, my daughters are free to go to school wherever they want. And as much as I dislike, you could even use that four letter H word hate.

22:16 Yeah.

22:16 The university located in the Oakland district of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is, I ain't wearing that gear ever.

22:21 I don't think you would.

22:22 Yeah.

22:22 You'd have to pay me $ 5 million to get me to wear that gear. My girls can go to school there. I'm not naive. It's a great school.

22:29 Yeah, absolutely. And I love some great programs. Close to home too. Yeah. Um, but you're not strapped, but on move.

22:36 In day, dad is decked out in WVU stuff, walking into your dorm and there's no chance.

22:40 Yeah.

22:41 There's just absolutely no chance.

22:43 We got to get to some football stuff, but I know you got in trouble one time for wearing WVU gear at, the facility, right? Because the pig people didn't like it. Well... I mean, like, that to me is crazy.

22:53 This was a long... This was pre-COVID. No, this was right after.

22:56 It was you, wasn't it? Or you were crawling?

22:58 No, it was me. It was me. There was a certain... Certain guy who may or may not still be the head of the program down there. Yeah. Who was not happy with me wearing a WVU hat at Steelers practice.

23:09 Yes.

23:10 Doing my job at a Steelers practice.

23:12 Right.

23:13 Because he was walking some recruits around and, you know, you can't have this guy in a WVU hat sitting there. No problem with Pursuta and his Michigan State stuff and hat. No problem with Ben's and his Syracuse hat.

23:24 Right, right, right, right, right. It's okay, though. It's all right. with Jerome Bettis is walking around in a Notre Dame hat.

23:29 If you, if you, if you, if you really want that story, you should ask Motes to tell that story. Cause he, that's what him and I were still doing shows. He loves, he loves to tell that story.

23:38 I would never have a problem with that. Even if I was the, I used to be that guy. If I'm walking around with a recruit and I walked past you and didn't know you, I wouldn't have cared.

23:46 You'd probably be like, look at this idiot wearing the WVU.

23:48 Right.

23:49 I'd make a joke of it of some kind, but right. Anyway, let's talk about football.

23:52 Let's talk about football, Matt. I want to get into one of our, Favorite exercises every single week. It is quite simply, I think it's a good way to start getting familiar with the names on the upcoming opponent's roster.

24:05 Okay.

24:05 We're going to do our pick a player exercise here.

24:07 Okay.

24:08 I think most of our listeners are probably familiar with this, but it's very simple. Matt and I go through the upcoming opponent's roster, and we pick one guy. We usually pick one, but if he's on offense, we'll say this is the guy we'd take on defense or vice versa.

24:20 Yeah, yeah, and we're going to bring up some other names.

24:22 Yes, but we have a rule, though, that it can't be quarterbacks because that's— And it wouldn't be this— And it wouldn't, but that wouldn't matter this week anyways.

24:29 Along those lines, I've been asked a couple times, do you want Baker to play or not? I mean, like, that's how bad he was coming in. I think I don't want Baker to play, but still, I mean, like that's how bad he was before injuries.

24:42 Yes.

24:43 Matt, this one's a lot of fun because there's a couple of good candidates. There's a couple of really good candidates on each side of the ball. I think on offense, you have to start with the wide receiver position. I mean, a Mecca, a Buka, a guy, he's the obvious one.

24:55 He's the obvious because of the contract, the age, right?

24:58 And that's part of this too. You have to take them as is their age, their contract, everything. You're not just borrowing this guy for the rest of the season. You're taking on Their contract and all that stuff, too.

25:08 Him and Bernard for the next six, seven years. The guys you have already in the mix.

25:13 Absolutely.

25:13 He'd be very alluring.

25:15 He would be very, very alluring. Even though it is a position that we feel very strongly about for the Steelers now, I feel like we have to mention Tristan Wirfs.

25:24 He might be the best. cities in the country would take worse and be done we.

25:28 Were doing this exercise for a lot of other teams he would be the.

25:31 Answer he might be the best offensive lineman walking the planet the best tackle in the world and he might be the best left tackle in the world and there's a very strong case for that he's not old he's expensive but who cares and you'd hate to do it but hey troy you're playing right guard and he might be a better guard than tackle possibly you know i mean like.

25:54 Or you trade one of those offensive linemen and you get your quarterback of the future.

25:58 Right, right, right. I probably would take him. I mean, the best left tackle in the world in his prime.

26:05 Is very valuable.

26:06 It's kind of like, I'm not sure why you have a conversation with him. It's the hardest thing to find on the planet. It's kind of like when we did this last year. It's like, we don't need edge guys, but I'm taking Myles Garrett. Right. You know, I'm Browns week.

26:18 I'm not overthinking this. I'm taking the guy who's probably the best at what he does in the entire world.

26:21 Right. You know, like if the, if every GM got together and they all had blank rosters, worse would be a top 10 pick of non quarterbacks.

26:30 Yes.

26:30 You know what I mean?

26:31 Yes.

26:31 So like he's super valuable.

26:32 I think it's, it's a very easy him or a Mecca, a Buka for, for this Tampa Bay offense.

26:38 They is really exciting to know in terms of defense.

26:41 No doubt.

26:42 You know, like it even crossed my mind. Oh man.

26:44 Good Lord.

26:45 He is a real handful. He's still playing great. Little older. He's also making a lot of money, but like when he was talking about how he wanted to trade before they bumped up his contract a little bit, you had, I mean, I think all 31 teams had to at least be like, have the conversation. Yeah.

27:01 Like should we make an offer for this guy?

27:02 I need them. No, but boy, he makes everyone around him so much better. And he pushes a pocket too. I mean, he's far from just a run plugger, you know, like. I mean, he's Dexter.

27:12 Lawrence type force in the middle of that.

27:15 He reminds me a lot of Haloti Nada, you know, who was.

27:18 Violent.

27:19 Violent.

27:20 Just violent.

27:20 Yeah.

27:21 And, you know, that era of nose tackles was Wilford Hampton types. You know, there weren't many Nadas that were 6'5 and could rush the passer. They may not have been as stout against the run as Hamper, Wilford. Not what you asked me, but like. I wouldn't pick Hampton or Wilfork out now for today's NFL. They'd be useful.

27:43 I'd like to have them, but I'm taking Veya over them. You know what I mean? Just in terms of every down and value and all that. I don't think anyone on defense is in the conversation. I think Reuben Bain has a bright future. He hasn't done much yet, and he's been injured, but I don't need an edge.

28:00 What do you think about either of the safeties?

28:02 I love Winfield. how he's played lately. I need to dig into that. He seems like he's been quiet a little bit lately. They're good. I mean, their secondary is loaded with guys that aren't big names that are better than you think. And frankly, this defense is a lot better than you'd think for a one-win team. I think they're pretty good on defense and Bulls say what you want about him. I think he's probably going to get fired, but he's still a really good defensive coach. I'm taking worse, but The conversation's still fun.

28:31 The conversation's very fun.

28:32 Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, Abuko would be wonderful. Rookie deal.

28:37 But yeah, I'm taking Werfs, and then maybe I'll flip an offensive lineman for a wide receiver, for a quarterback.

28:43 Maybe I'll play with six offensive linemen every snap. Whatever it is, I'm just taking him.

28:47 Yes.

28:48 That's a Miles Garrett conversation. I don't need him, but I'm taking him.

28:52 Oh, Matt, it's tough looking at the Tampa Bay defensive depth chart and seeing Josiah Trotter starting at linebacker. Tyke Smith starting at Strong Safety. Those are two of the Neil Brown Morgantown exports.

29:06 Oh, okay.

29:07 Both those guys with Akeem Mesidor and Zach Frazier started their career at WVU. Tyke transferred to Georgia. Josiah transferred to Missouri. Akeem transferred to Miami.

29:18 Trotter's been pretty good. He's kind of an old-school thumper type, but he's been good.

29:23 I thought he was a really good college linebacker. I didn't know if his skill set would translate to the pros.

29:28 It doesn't for everybody.

29:29 It's like some Landon Roberts vibes to give Steelers.

29:32 He's a 1985 linebacker. He's like his dad.

29:34 He's an A-gap downhill.

29:36 And he'll knock the crap out of you. Knock the crap out of you, linebacker.

29:39 Right.

29:40 Ask him to play in reverse.

29:41 Eh, not really.

29:42 Not so good.

29:43 He was a freshman All-American at WVU and then transferred.

29:45 Oh, so he was good right away.

29:46 And then transferred to Missouri after Neil Brown got fired. And he was so much fun to watch. But the one area of his game was if it was like a big tight end, He's not going to.

29:58 Carry him 30 yards downfield.

29:59 He would struggle to run with him downfield, absolutely. That's a fun one, though, for this roster.

30:04 You'd love to have Winfield. Total side note, it's a little early in the season for this, but who's going to be the sellers at the trade deadline? We were asked about Buda Baker the other day. Could you pry Winfield away from them if they lose another game? Maybe. Something like that, you know? And the older guy, they need picks. It's starting to wheels turn a little bit of Godwin. Maybe you could peel him away. He's not the player he used to be, but he's okay.

30:38 It's interesting. They've got some dudes looking at their roster.

30:44 They should be better than a one-win team.

30:45 They should.

30:46 I mean, the quarterback really hurt them this season. And not that they have it fixed, but they're more dangerous than you think. I think they're actually better than the Colts.

30:55 I think of the no-win or the one-win teams in the NFL. The Houston Texans aside.

31:02 I think Houston's way better than all of them.

31:04 I think Tampa's probably the most surprising other than Houston.

31:07 Surprising, yeah.

31:08 And the Chargers, I know, are surprising 0-5, but their offensive line is so beat up.

31:12 And they've earned it. They flat out stink.

31:14 And they just flat out stink.

31:15 Yeah, they're really bad.

31:17 I'm also really excited to keep an eye on Graham Barton on Sunday.

31:20 I almost brought him up. It's like, I don't know where he'd fit here.

31:23 Of those three big centers that year that Zach Frazier came out, Barton was the first-round pick.

31:27 I know the Steelers loved him, too. They loved him more than Frazier or less, whatever, but they would have been very happy taking Barton in the first round, from what I understand. That was the Faltano year.

31:37 Yep, Jackson Powers Johnson being the other big center name.

31:41 He's clearly third now.

31:42 He's clearly third.

31:43 Frazier's one, but Barton.

31:45 Upcoming opponent. That one was a lot more fun, I think, than the last. Cleveland was a little tough. Indy was a little tough.

31:52 We didn't do one for Cleveland.

31:53 That's right, we didn't. We'll get them here in a couple weeks.

31:56 We'll get them on the rookie receivers now I think about it.

31:59 Oh, yeah.

31:59 We haven't done this year's, yeah.

32:01 For sure.

32:01 I remember last year was like, ah, I'm all scared. Not much else.

32:04 Tell you what, though, Carson Schlesinger could.

32:06 Factor into that conversation.

32:07 There's a couple guys, but we'll get to them in a few weeks. Let's get to our last break here of the first hour. We'll close this thing down on the other side. Rolling along on the drive, Euler and Williamson. Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

32:23 And now a word from our sponsor, Bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean, crisp... There's nothing better than the clean, crisp. Uh, what if we just got out of here and grabbed some Bud Lights?

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32:40 Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean, crisp taste of Bud Light.

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32:53 I used to have cable internet, but I'm a 100% kind of fan, so I switched to Verizon Fios. It's 100% fiber internet that's super reliable. So I streamed 100% of the NFL draft live with ultra low lag.

33:03 And after what went down in.

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33:10 I told you they were building their own line. I win the bet.

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33:26 You're tuned to The Drive on your 24-7 home of the black and gold.

33:30 Steelers Nation Radio.

33:49 Matt, piggybacking off of the buyers and sellers conversation that you just mentioned, That stuff's going to start heating up. I love it when a plan comes together. That was the A team, right?

34:00 I interrupt you all the time, and I apologize. It's okay.

34:02 That's usually when you get to the good stuff.

34:04 Like today, we did a six-pack of who are the worst six teams in the league, who are the top six teams in the league. And then we started just kind of going down a rabbit hole like we often do about what would you want, you know, maybe these six teams could want from the bottom six teams in the trade deadline. And we just kind of talked through it.

34:20 And I think the trade deadline is going to be really active this year. Because all those top teams could still use something. You know, like, give me one more receiver for Seattle. Give me, you know, the Lions, the Bears. Give me some kind of defensive player, you know, or the Bills. Max Crosby would be on the move. Yeah, yeah.

34:38 You know, and I just think that the top teams, maybe even including the Steelers, who knows, could be pretty active pursuing players this year.

34:46 It feels like, and you and I have had this conversation before, it feels like every year the trade deadline gets a little more active.

34:51 Yeah, it's a little spicier. A little spicier.

34:54 And funny enough, we go to break there and I go to NFL.com and the first thing I see right on the homepage is buyers and sellers as the trade deadline approaches. Some of the teams that they have listed as sellers are uh, the LA chargers at the top of the list.

35:09 I think that, I wonder how far they would go down that hole. Like we were asked about Derwin James yesterday, you know, Leo Mack, but that's the thing.

35:16 A lot of the names for the chargers that you'd be interested in on a trade market or on the defensive side of the football. And at least for me, if I'm the Steelers, I'm trying to add on the offensive side of the football.

35:25 I mean, they're not trading Herbert or Alt or Slater or McConkie, you know, they might. So who else? I mean, They don't have.

35:33 Any really wide receivers that you would love.

35:35 Not that they would get in part with, you know.

35:38 Right.

35:39 Titans listed on there as well, Matt?

35:41 Yeah, I think like Pollard could go. Pollard, absolutely. Those type of dudes.

35:44 Maybe Calvin Ridley?

35:45 Yes. You could get him for a bag of chips right now. You could get him, sure. I don't know if he's shot or if he's not. He brings nothing on special teams. So if he's not one of your top three, he doesn't have a lot of value. But he was pretty good in his day. You basically just have to pay him at this point.

36:03 I wouldn't think someone like Jeffrey Simmons would be on the move.

36:06 No, they just paid him. He's like the only guy they can put on the billboards.

36:10 Correct. Miami Dolphins on here, Matt. That's another one that makes a lot of sense. But I think another one where if you kind of look at some of the veterans that you would be interested in, most of them would be on the defensive side of the football.

36:20 I think they'll move Jordan Brooks, especially with Rodriguez coming in as strong as he has. But I don't know if the Steelers would be interested in a linebacker.

36:27 Maybe a defensive back, depending on some of the injury stuff. But it feels like wide receiver would be the one that you would really circle. Tampa Bay is also on this list, and they would be one that would have some.

36:38 We kind of touched on some of them, but yeah, I would think they would.

36:40 Emeka Buka wouldn't be on the trade block.

36:43 No.

36:44 Chris Godwin.

36:45 Godwin could probably go.

36:46 He probably could. I don't know if I'd be interested.

36:48 He's a little redundant of the big slot type of guys, like a Pittman, Bernard type. I kind of want, if the Steelers were to add a receiver, I would hope he'd be fast by wide receiver standards. And speed's like one of the most overrated things when evaluating wide outs. But I don't know that I need another, as much as we rave about the wide receiver blocking and things like that, I'm not sure I need another dirty work guy. No, I could kind of just use a clear out scary dude.

37:14 You know, Matt, there's, um, there's something to be said for having the roster that wants to make the game of fist fight.

37:23 Yeah.

37:23 Right.

37:23 Right.

37:23 Right.

37:23 That's a strength of lean into it right now. But I also with that wouldn't mind a guy who would really excel in a seven on seven drill.

37:32 Brian Thomas jr. Or whatever, like maybe he doesn't go over the middle of time or block a lot, but he's big and fast. And he runs really, really well. That's good, too.

37:41 You hear that sometimes. We want to make it a fist fight. They want to make it a seven-on-seven drill. But sometimes it's good to have those wide receivers that excel in a seven-on-seven drill.

37:49 Yeah, you want the guys who can do both, but right.

37:52 Two more teams listed here as sellers, Matt. The New Orleans Saints. Man, three straight losses. They're one and four.

37:58 I think they've got to get to that point.

38:01 They're another one where.

38:02 There's not a ton of candidates on these teams.

38:04 Maybe Travis Achan, but Steelers wouldn't be in that market.

38:07 Yeah.

38:08 They would have some guys on defense like a Cam Jordan and a couple others, maybe Caden Ellis. But I don't think the Steelers are in that market. Could you see them moving Kelvin Banks?

38:19 He's hurt. And they love him. No, he's too valuable.

38:23 Too valuable.

38:24 And young.

38:25 Last one is Arizona Cardinals. Obviously already traded away Marvin Harrison Jr.

38:29 Yeah, I think you could get a lot of their older dudes.

38:32 We even mentioned if James Conner's back and healthy, could he be on the move?

38:35 I kind of bet he moves. If I was, if I was a baker makes a little sense.

38:39 And like we said, like if there was a situation where Rico Dowdle wasn't going to return and you give a six round pick for James Connor. Great.

38:46 Not the Steelers be the market, but I do think they'll trade sweat. He'll end up in Detroit.

38:50 That's one of the names that they mentioned here. But yeah, I wouldn't imagine the Steelers to be in that market.

38:54 No.

38:54 And he wouldn't be cheap, man.

38:55 He, he'd look pretty good on that Chicago bears roster right now.

38:59 I'd be interested in defensive backs and a wide receiver.

39:02 Yeah.

39:02 Yeah.

39:03 That's at least we call on.

39:04 I think that's where, where most of our heads would be at this point. Matt, the three buyers that NFL.com has listed are the 49ers, the Buffalo Bills, and the Minnesota Vikings.

39:14 I think the Niners are definitely a buyer for something probably on defense. We talked about that heavy today.

39:19 Says interior defensive line and edge rusher.

39:22 I mean, they're in it to win it with that roster that they might not mind even moving a first-round pick if they think it could be 32nd for Crosby or whatever. Who are the other two teams?

39:31 The Bills and the Vikings.

39:34 I think. I don't know about the Vikes.

39:36 Bills listed for safety and cornerback help in the secondary. Vikings listed as maybe potentially adding another playmaker on offense.

39:47 Okay. I'm not sure if I buy that the Vikings will be buyers. I mean, they have the perfect record right now going into a buy. Maybe. Maybe.

39:57 Yeah, I don't know where.

39:57 I'm not sure where that'd even be. Maybe you'd want to throw like a Pollard in the mix because Aaron Jones older.

40:02 Maybe that'd be the one.

40:03 And it's a fifth-round pick. It's not a huge investment.

40:05 Like, I don't see them taking a big swing at wide receiver.

40:07 With what they're doing there. I mean, I know their defense is like the best in the league, but that's more scheme than great players. I mean, if you added and gave... Flores, another defensive playmaker, some kind of pass rusher, he'd get the most.

40:21 Out of him.

40:21 No doubt. No doubt.

40:23 That's an hour in the books. Another hour to go. When we return, we'll talk to our buddy Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, get his thoughts on all the moving and the shaking down on the south side and getting closer to Tampa Bay on Sunday. We will also go around campus and have our weekly college football conversation. So plenty more to get to here as we're halfway home today and halfway home for the week. Euler, Williamson, it's The Drive, Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.

40:53 And now a word from our sponsor, Bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean, crisp... There's nothing better than the clean, crisp... Uh, what if we just got out of here and grabbed some Bud Lights? But man, we're on air for four more hours.

41:09 I'll figure it out.

41:10 Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean, crisp taste of Bud Light.

41:15 Stock up now. Bud Light.

41:16 Easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser-Busch Bud Light Beer, St.

41:21 Louis, Missouri.

41:22 I used to have cable internet, but I'm a 100% kind of fan, so I switched to Verizon Fios. It's 100% fiber internet that's super reliable. So I streamed 100% of the NFL draft live with ultra low lag. And after what went down in the first round, still getting video calls from my best friend, rubbing it in that he called all the picks.

41:39 I told you they were building their own line. I win the bet.

41:43 Get 100% fiber internet with Verizon Fios, because when it comes to your team, it's 100% or nothing. Call 1-833-VERIZON to switch today.

41:50 Get that hot dog costume ready.

41:52 Bruh.