In the Locker Room with Wolf & Starks (Pittsburgh Steelers)This is in the Locker Room, presented by Ford and brought to you by acro Sure, the official insurance and cybersecurity partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, by Bett MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI, and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig Wolfley and Max Stark's.
Oh, guess what day it is? Guess what day it is? H anybody, Julie, Hey, guess what day it is? Come on, I know you can hear me. Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, What day is it? Mike Leslie? Guess what today is?
It's that's right, it is WEXT day.
Inside the locker room, and we are joined by the one the only Steel City Insider editor but also author of the Pittsburgh Steelers an illustrated timeline. Uh, mister Jim Wexle, Jim, how are we doing today?
On this lovely Wednesday? You have Wesson. Max wolf is.
Going to do some high falutine things. He will be at Hyde Park Steakhouse enjoying a Tomahawk Rabbi. So you are stuck with you were stuck with the youngies today.
Oh man, No, it's not, it's not stuck. It is hump day. And you know, remember when who was it on New York City Blues? Was it New York City Blues where the guy used to call the bad guys humps?
Oh? What's that? Was it?
Or Hill Street? Blue? Hillstre Yeah, Hill Street Blues? Yeah, no, maybe maybe, and.
That was a long time ago anyway. Yeah, you know, so it's uh you said as the guy was saying it's hump day, and you said, yes, it is Jim Wexel Day.
Yeah.
I thought I thought that was kind of funny. That was a kind of inadvertent wolf type humor, you.
Know, Yeah, indeed, I mean, you know, we gotta have fun here. We gotta have fun here, and obviously nobody's having more fun than the Steelers, apparently in Omar Khan uh pulling off two trades before the trade deadline. Just want to get your thoughts on the acquisitions, you know, I think there. I think there's also uh, you know, a Nostradamis type forecast by you because you said that they were probably gonna be looking at somebody in that in that wide receiver field. So you are correct on that one. What do you what do you make of not only the trade for wide receiver but also an outside linebacker.
I don't know that anybody's down on this trade. Any any of us in the im media business, they're going to be down on it. I'm sure you guys are happy with these moves. But I do know every time I mentioned Mike Williams he was a guy I said, you know, it's a guy you can get for a later round pick. Every time I say that, I'm look into comments section and somebody would really be ripping on me. You know, some people just really hate Mike Williams. I don't think it's in the media, but it's not me. And I'm excited about both of those moves. I don't know how you cannot like them, especially since a guy who covers the draft will get to leave early on the fourth day. So you know, if you want to break down each one specifically, I think Mike Williams is the opposite of what they have. You know, if they were going to go get another little guy that runs four to three, they've gone enough of those. That's the thing. They have depths. People said they don't have depth. They have depth. They don't have a second starter, and this guy could be it. I mean, this is the kind of guy where you know, if Russ throws a moon ball to him, and he showed his speed last Thursday night, he showed his speed, it just he just got overthrown by Rogers. But if Rush throws him a moonball, this guy can go up and catch it and you can still run. So now what does the safety do with pickets? Now you got to drop two safeties back there, don't you Now? That opens up fire move in the middle in the run game even more so, I think it does a lot. It just as long as his skills still there, and I believe it's going to be. Weren't the Chargers trying to get him back. Weren't they one of the teams in the in the hunt for getting him a trading deadline? Yeah, that's the team that let him go, so he must still have it left. And you know the Jets, who knows what they like and don't like, and who knows what Aaron Rodgers told the owner to do and not to do. Uh, you know, it's weird that they lost the receiver and then traded this guy. So it makes you think he doesn't have anything left in the tank. But they are a weird organization. So I like the fact that the Chargers were digging in there to get him back. So I think it's a good, good move. It's it's the lowest. When I say the lowest of the fifth round picks, I mean the least valuable of the two fifth round picks and the other trade man, do we want to talk about that one yet? Or we want to stick with Mike Williams.
Now, let's go, let's go have let's go full Monty on the analysis.
Yeah, let's where's where's Preston?
I mean, I think people. I must have talked to three different guys. I edited column today by one of my guys, Matt Steele. He's in tune with all this, and he wrote a column and he suggested something that I've heard two three other times that this indicates that Nate Herbig is not close to returning. But I just think is a deal too good for Mike Toman to pass up. As Ramo Foster tweeted, this is a guy that Mike Toman always talked about in detail at meetings. How they have to block him? They had him in for a pre draft visit in twenty fifteen. Mike Tomon really likes this guy, and to get him for the third of their seventh round picks, the least valuable of their seventh round picks, is a steal. You know, he wanted Marcus Golden. So I don't know that it really indicates and it could, but I don't think it really indicates that. And Nick Herbig is not coming back. I mean it indicates that they wanted to replace Demarvin Leal as a guy they move inside on pass downs to give him a pass rusher, give him a third pass rusher of the front four inside, also a guy that can play outside in rundowns. You know, he's what is he two ninety? It's not too ninety. He's a big boy for an outside linebacker and a pass rusher. So he gives him that, and you know he was he was the Packers play four to three. I believe he was. His skills weren't being totally used there. He's a better as a three to four guy. So I don't know that this is an indication of Nick Herbig or not. But I just think Mike Tolman couldn't pass this up. I mean, how could you? And yes, he's going to be expensive next year, but you notice what happens, Maybe thirteen million for a pass rusher isn't going to be too much next year if other things happened, you know, bad, bad things happened to what they've got in front of him. So I don't know how you could miss on either of these two moves. And it makes the third day of the draft a lot easier for US writers. So it's a win win win, So.
Yeah, yeah, wex.
I wanted to stick with kind of along the same lines as far right with you if I jump in here, Max. Perhaps perhaps the most impactful addition to the roster might not be somebody that they acquired yesterday, but someone who has been serving a suspension through the first half of the season. Cam Sutton. Heard Mike Tomlin talk about him yesterday and the message was kind of this guy's extremely versatile. You can play anywhere in the secondary. And so it's not just you know, Beanie Bishop who's on notice, it's everybody in that secondary that's on notice. How do you expect it to look for Cam Sutton out of the gate this Sunday in DC, with with so much time missed, well, beating.
Beating ran with the ones beating confirmed. He ran with the ones Monday. Now, that doesn't always mean anything on a bye week. I've seen Mike Toma change up from Monday to Wednesday's the first day of true preparation. I've seen him change. I've been caught, I've been scalded myself by writing things from Mondays practice on a bye week. But it just and the way he put that makes me feel like Cam is not going to be the nickel corner, the number one nickel corner. He can play everywhere. He's you know, you've given a matter boys, whereas he's going to be on the bench. So yeah, he can play everywhere. I hope he's faster than he was at training camp. Maybe he wasn't going full go because he didn't need to. Maybe he wasn't in shape because he didn't need to be. Cam has lately not been one to talk too much. Apparently he talked I got there a little late. He talked Monday from it locker with his back turned to the reporters. He's, you know, since his event, he's not very enthusiastic as he used to be. So I would like to know how much training he put in and why he appeared to be slow at training camp. I could be I could be wrong. That was just my take. But what I do notice about him when he when he comes in, the communication picks up and the coaches know that. I mean, it's a while event. And when you're playing a rookie quarterback like Jayden Daniels kind of savvy and the ability to disguise, uh, he will only help that. And that's what they like to do against a rookie. And with Minka and Deshaun Elliott back there and you sew Camp Sutton in there, you're going to confuse this guy, this this rookie quarterback, no matter how good he is, so I would think he might be part of that. Otherwise, I think being he's gonna gettinue with the ones. Even though you know two of Beanie's three interceptions were off deflections. It's nice to be sport too that that indicates something. But still I'm not going to call him a ballhawk yet. I know he's from West Virginia. I know he's from West Virginia, but.
That's all right with WEX.
I think like the and you know, I've kind of used this example too, and maybe not this Sunday. But eventually, as the season plays out and Cam Sutton gets back up to speed, like it could end up being a Justin Fields Russell Wilson thing. It's it's not a knock on Justin Fields. He was good, but you might have great behind him on the bench. I don't think it's a knock on Beanie Bishop. I think he's been good. You just might have great behind him on the bench.
You have good behind him on the bench, and that is good because injuries happen, sure, and who knows where the next injury could happen. I'd like to see Corey Trice get back myself. He didn't. He didn't want to talk about that either. But I was a little surprised to see that he's in the running to come back, that the coach even mentioned him, and so maybe he's closer than we think. So, you know, the depths coming back for that last run, There's going to be injuries. There's going to be more injuries, and we have no idea how this is all going to shake out. You know, people ask me, what do you think, who's the best team in the division, And I say, let's just wait and watch. I mean, the Steelers have added depth, the Ravens have added depth. There could be there could be a real injury run for either team, and the Steelers are fortified at key positions right now, and that's a good thing.
Yeah, I completely agree.
I think you know this, these were moments to say, hey, in case of emergency, break this glass here. And you know before that we were kind of thin on that, right. You know, we had already taken injuries at the outside line backer position and the defensive line.
So what do you do.
You go get a combo guy that that that can play in a four down nickel, but they can also play in the base three four you know, wide receiver red zone's been slumping. Well, I would love to be able to go deploy two six foot four wide receivers, a six foot eight, you know tight end, and also a six foot four tight.
End, you know what I'm saying, Like, I mean, who doesn't want that?
And then, like you said, you get a Zach Frazier back, You're getting a Cordero Patterson back. Like there's all of these things. And then you've added a Swiss Army knife and you and an all purpose utility uh guy in Cam Sutton that can play anywhere in your secondary, so you know, and you still wait on Tyler Mettacab, You're still waiting on Cole Jokum at the line, at the inside linebacker position and what they can bring to that or the special teams, like these are all good things.
I mean, it couldn't have been a.
Better bye week slash trade deadline, you know, weekend week off for the Steelers to really get healthy. And it almost feels like you even got more in the trade than you did because of all the health you're getting in these opportunities, so you know. So I mean it's a win win, and like you said, fortifications for the end of the season, because I told Wolf this before he left, we still are are kind of underscoring. We're going to be playing three games in ten days later in this season. Do you know how important it is to have this type of depth getting ready for that kind of push there that can be a make or break point for the season that's division or wild card or even playoffs at all.
Like there's too much on the line to leave it up to chance.
And I thought this was a way of leave no doubt and just add more opportunities and add more depth so that you don't have those question marks going into December.
You know, that's great that you brought up that three games in ten days, because they did that before. Wasn't it twenty twenty one? And what do these Reds get involved in?
That?
Was it three and ten days? And that's when it all fell apart? They got all beat up. Well, it all fell apart right then, and so experience from your head guys, like your head coach Omar was here too. Uh, perhaps that played a part into this. You know, look back at look back when they've lost the playoff games that they should have won. I'm not talking about recently with old Ben. You know, look back at the playoff games they should have won. You know that Tebow game, it's just full of injuries, just full of injury. I listed all the injuries in my book. And even Ben was limping when he got off the plane. Guess he was limping all week. A ton of guys out. You look at when Antonio Brown was hurt and Le'Veon was hurt. Those were the games they lost. So you know, going into a playoff game, they don't have that sensational triplets any more, but they look like it got good and they look like they're deep, so this could be interesting.
Indeed, Well, WEX last one I've got for you. Mike Tomlin historically has had a lot of success against rookie quarterbacks. But Jaden Daniels, I think is I mean he is He's off to a store historic start in his own right. How do you expect the Steelers? What do you expect from him? The Steelers having an extra bye week to prepare. You know, they've had success against quarterbacks with his similar makeup in the past, but you know, this is a guy who's what, played nine games in the league. That's it. It's a much smaller sample size. What do you expect for this? You know, this Steelers defense against a talented upstart quarterback, albeit a rookie who's just started nine games in this league.
Yeah, I think some may answers to this question. We're in your question, you know, uh hate when I do that. WEX first. No, No, if I can remember some of it, I could use it in my answer. No. Let's first of all, that's stat I would not go to the betting parlor with that stat because I don't know if it's the last fifteen years where they compiled that outstanding record, much of that as Dick Lebow and the three four when it was still a little misunderstood by rookie quarterbacks. So, I mean, last year they lost to a rookie quarterback, Cleveland's rookie third string quarterback, I believe. So you know, I don't know that this defense is as it should get the credit for all that rookie quarterback pounding they've done over the last couple of decades. But this is a good, smart, savvy group of secondary people that Cam Sutton has just made more savvy. And perhaps that helps with this outstanding rookie quarterback because this guy isn't whoever, well, who is the Cleveland guy that beat him last year, dj T or something like.
That, Storial Thompson, robt, Dtry Dorry and Thompson.
Yeah, this guy is a little better. And and that was part of the answer you put in your question was the mobility factory they have. Whatever their record is against Lamar Jackson, it's pretty good. So they know what they're doing with their mush rushes and keeping the guy in the pocket, keeping the lanes closed. They know what they're doing. So you get some some savvy uh, disguising from Minca and company, and you get your mush rush, and you know Washington's running backs injured, that will help. Then you can worry about getting outside the quarterback getting outside as opposed to the running back getting inside, which is why the Ravens are so dangerous this year to that record the Steelers have against them now inside and outside. So uh yeah, I think, uh, there's the answer in there in some of all of that less.
Yeah, No, it absolutely can.
And you know, kind of one of the things that you know, I want to I want to last leave you with X, but as you kind of look at Mike Tomlin out of the by and just historically how second half pushes look too, in your thoughts and in your mindset, just how do you how do you how do you view kind.
Of these first three to four games out of the by knowing that.
You know, what we thought might have been a small reprieve before a gauntlet has now just become a murderer's row. When you look at the three non conference, non division games, it's Washington, it's Philly, it's cac that are in there, and then you've got six divisional games. How do you see the first part of this playing out in your mind, knowing that we're coming off of a bye and you might get a mini one after the Cleveland Thursday night game, the weekend before Thanksgiving or the week before Thanksgiving.
But very important push here right now to keep pace.
Let's just say a very important game here. I'm going to go with that because playing that team after the bye, you have the advantage. I haven't looked at Washington injury report from last week. I understand the running back I beat up a little bit. If there are more great but the Steelers should have the advantage here with this buy because as tough as schedule as we thought this was at the beginning of the year, I think it's gotten tougher. You look at Cleveland, you assume that was a win or two because of Deshaun Watson. Well he, fortunately for Cleveland fans, got injured. So I know James Watson, James Winston's can be bad, but he can also be good. And Watson just seemed to like never be good. So that's gonna be tough. And I think Cincinnati seems to have gotten it all together and they're gonna be tough even if they're playing spoiler role against the Steelers. They'll be very tough Philadelphia. They're just not gonna win there. They just don't you know, if we all put it out there and say it and they get tired of hearing it and do something about it. Maybe what has it been since nineteen sixty five?
So I'm owing to the Yeah, so yeah, you're owing to there?
Yeah, yeah, I don't know what. Maybe maybe back you could tell us what's the tough about that? When when the game comes up? But I mean nineteen sixty five the steel nineteen sixty five Steelers were two and twelve and one of those wins was at Chilly, So, uh, what else you got? Baltimore? Baltimore? They went out and got a couple good players and trade deadline? Didn't they know that they're already good? You know they should have sat pat How to Davis fight? Are the years going by that quickly? Is he that old? I thought he just drafted a couple of years ago. I thought he was all throw a couple of years ago. So who else did they just pick up Deontay Johnson? I mean it's gonna be that's gonna help them. We all know that. So uh in Kansas City, you're eight, no stop trading for good players. You know you can stop now, but they haven't. And I think the Steelers is gonna win that game the middle of the week, and maybe Kansas City will be resting guys for number one playoff seed that they are already clinched by them. But so that's gonna be a tough stretch, and so I just hope they all look at just this one game and let's call it a must. At least they should call it a must. I know it's out of conference, but it is a rookie quarterback, you know, go get this guy. You're on to buy. I don't know what Tomlins record is. I recall it's pretty good. So they should you know, this should be a big game to them.
Oh yeah, no, absolutely absolutely WEX.
It's gonna be fun and we're gonna be We're gonna bring it all to you, all the news, all the analyzes during the week leading up to all of these games. As we barrel down towards the second half of the season. You know, we as always we want to thank you for coming in the locker room each and every Wednesday. It's WEX Day. Wednesdays when you come into the locker room. Of course, you could go to steel City Insider dot com and check the daily writings of a one mister Jim Wexel. Can also go get some of his literature out there on bookshelves, Barnes and Nobles.
What what what's the store in the shady side? I forgot? I'm alway, I'm gonna always forget this one because I've never been there.
Well, it's in Squirrel Hill.
Squirrel Hill.
There we go the spot. I'm sorry, I got a couple. I've got a couple of signings coming up at Barnes and Noble November thirtieth degrees, is it?
Yes?
Thank you wes Man, Look at you, wes There we go.
Did I mentioned West Virginia? That's right, because I mentioned WU.
Player, I got We's back.
Baby.
Well, let me let me throw something about Pittsburgh Steelers, an illustrated timeline. Let me throw a nugget in. If I got a little time, we can throw a little historical nugget in every week. Maybe you know down the stretcher, the Washington Redskins, you know the Chiefs sold the team in nineteen forty. George Preston Marshall, owner of the Redskins, always told him, you know your city is going to come alive. It's a football city. Don't sell this team. And the Chief had second thoughts right away, and he found a way to get it back, some kind of weird trade they made in nineteen forty. Then in nineteen forty two, he gets Bill Dudley with the number one pick of the draft, and Dudley was their last rushing champ. He did that in forty six, the last rushing champ for the Steelers then nineteen forty two is a rookie. He was really off to a great start. And Washington came to town and it was the biggest crowd. It's like thirty seven thousand, biggest crowd in Steelers history in nineteen forty two at Forbes Field and Dudley had a great game, but the Redskins won. It was a great game and they called it the day pro Football form to Pittsburgh in the Indy Pittsburgh Papers. And George Preston Marshall, you know these historian guys, we lose track of stuff. Is George Preston Marshall or George Marshall. George Preston Marshall told the chief, I told you, I told you this city loves football, and so that was the first big day. Well, then Dudley gets traded in nineteen forty seven by Jock Sutherland. They didn't like each other. Southerland was a disciplinarian like Bobby Knight says, you got to pass three times before you shoot. Sutherland used to tell Dudley, you got to take three steps this way and whichever way is designed before you make a move. Dudley thought that was stupid. Running backs make their moves instinctively, right, So after he scored a touchdown, Sutherland looked at the tape and started to tell it off Dudley, like Bobby Knight would tell off one of his players, and so Dudley wanted wanted out. In nineteen forty seven, they traded him and he eventually got to the Redskins. I think he went to Detroit and then the Redskins, and he was returning a punt for a touchdown. He was rolling down the sideline and the two Rooney boys, I forget how old they would have been at the time, Dan and Art Junior were cheering for Dudley running down the snydline because they loved them. He was the cool dude, and the chief had to admonish the boys for cheering for the player from the other team, and Dudley did score the touchdown. So that's my historical nugget on the Washington Redskins. That's all I got on them.
Oh man, Well, that that is plenty, And like you said, you could pick up the book. Pittsburghs Dealer is an illustraight timeline at Barnes and Nobles. Jim Wexel dot com. Holiday coming up, i'd imagine wex is there still an opportunity for some personalization on the opening pages.
Oh absolutely, and really it's sell him really well. And I'm getting a lot of requests. And you know this, this will all the way up till December twentieth. I think I can get the book to you by that. You know you've got time.
Yeah, perfect, perfect. Now you're very welcome. You're very welcome.
You're such a dear friend to the broadcast but also to the city of Pittsburgh, so we appreciate it. Of course, you can hear wex every Wednesday here inside the locker room. Like I said, go to Steel City insider dot com, Jim Wexel dot com, catch publications and also writings as well. We're going to step aside. We'll be back with more when we come back. Here inside the Locker Room on the Steelers Audio Network.
This is in the Locker Room, presented by Ford and brought to you by acro Sure, the official insurance and Cybersecurity partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, by Bett MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI, and by FedEx. Where now meets next. Now here's Craig Wilfley and Max Stark's.
All right back inside the locker room here, and boy oh boy, you know, thinking about what the Steelers have now, I'm not going to call it an embarrassment at Riches West, I promise you I will not, But I tell you what, you know, the cover's not bear, I'll say, I'll put out of that. I'll put it that way. The cover's not bear for the Steelers going and getting some key pieces in free agency to really bolster two personnel groups where one of them didn't really have any issues with the wide receiving Corps.
But you always want more, you know.
And then talking about the outside linebacker position slash defensive line of position.
So you just call it the front line.
Going and going and getting a flexitarian uh and in that in that position group, I am. I'm happy about that, But then you think about what we're getting back on the other side, and uh, you know, the competition ahead. I feel good about where we're at from that perspective. But you know, it's one of those things where you look at it and you talk to the guys in the locker room because you know, they had media availability on Monday, uh, and they went and they talked to Patrick Queen. They went and they talked to Joey Porter, Junior, Beanie Bishop and the like, and it was just, you know, it resounding. Everybody was happy and excited. I mean it was it was lighthearted. It was all smiles. I mean, granted, was that was that a weekend off. Maybe somebody went down to Cabo, they went to ac we went to a couple of college games. But everybody had that smile on their face and that and that's something that I remember in my time. You know, when you come back from a buy, especially after you know where you are right now, you know you're sitting comfortably in first place, you know, now, granted you have all your division games left, but right now, snapshot, you're in first place. You know, you're sitting there with with with with a with a very good pace setting record to keep you in in the tops of the division and the tops of the conference. But you know, my question is is that have we hit the ceiling or is this just the end of the first level We're building the second level of the house.
It's a great question, Max, because you're right, I mean, there is the possibility that that this this is it, right, I mean, Russell Wilson has upgraded the quarterback position, and the Steelers are what they are and they're six and two, and let's see if they can keep that going.
But I think you're right.
This also changes the possibility of the ceiling for this team long term down the stretch, because can Russell Wilson continue to grow? Because do you have all the weapons that you need on offense now? Because do you have enough on defense too that you can survive some injuries or just guys needing blows on the sideline? Like it, it does feel different than it has the last couple years. And even at the end of the Ben Roethlisberger era, when the Steelers are winning games and is wex reference that eleven and zero start a few years ago. I think this even feels different than that, just because it feels like you're six and two, you're playing good football, You've got an answer at the quarterback position, and there's still a lot of room to grow. Like you guys have done a good job of highlighting that over the last bye week, where this offense can continue to grow, where the defense can get better, and if those things happen, I mean, I think there's a lot of reason for Optic. You've got the six and two record in first place in your division. You've got now a reinforcement on offense and defense at key positions. At the trade deadline, and you're getting some key reinforcements back just naturally again via returning from injury or in Cam Sutton's case, suspension. I mean, getting Cam Sutton back is like a huge deadline addition. Getting Zach Fraser back is like a huge deadline addition herbig Cordero Patterson. I mean it it feels like Max like they they have the dogs to run with the top teams now, you know, whereas in the past, it felt like, all right, if the Steelers are gonna pull this off, the defense is gonna have to perform a miracle, and X, Y and Z is gonna have to fall into the place where now it feels like you can look at it and you go, man, we can line up and go toe to toe with the best teams in the AFC, the best teams in the NFC. And I, you know, I think we could have maybe kid ourselves and said that in the past couple of years at times, but now it feels legitimate.
Yeah, it does.
I mean, this is not kind of pie in the sky optimism, you know, and just be you know, wishing for the best out of a bad situation. These are things where you're you're in this position because of what you did, because of the decisions you made in the off season, the kids you drafted, and the way you went about the preseason, the way you assembled this roster. You know, the turnover year on year over the last two years, and just churning this roster to get it to this point, Like you've paid the debt to warrant the reward, right, And I think that's been one of the biggest things that I've seen and I've been like, okay, hey, we have gone through the gauntlet. We've gone through all of you know, all of the issues and all of the you know, the negativity and everything else to actually have a team that you could really really really put yourself behind and believe in and and and it's a complete team. That's the other thing west right, It's a complete team. Yes, Like, I don't have question marks at any position group where when's the last time we've been able to say that?
Absolutely? It's been a while, you know.
I mean we could pick individual players, but a unit as a whole. I don't have questions. I don't question the offensive line. I don't question the wide receiving corps. I don't question tight end, running back, quarterback, defensive line, linebacking, inside and outside, secondary, safeties, corners, right. I Special teams, kicker, punter. We lost Cam Johnston and Corlis Weightman has come in and been phenomenal. And how long have people been belly aching about punting?
You know?
And the plays of special team has made you know, on a consistent basis, not just going to say over the last a consistent basis, it has not been a weakness, you know, So I'm finding those and I could point to players and say I'd love for him to play better. I would love for this to be a little bit better. But groups in units though, I don't have a single question. And then we went out, we bolstered even more. So you know, we could talk about depth. Maybe that's your only concerned, but then boom, we got additional depth. Wide receiver wasn't hurting for it, but you add another weapon, a six foot four weapon. And then defensively, yes, we're a little thin on the d line and outside linebackers. But like you said, if you get a nick herbig back, you know, was a precious Smith signing either a sign of bolstering or a sign of herbig isn't coming back.
We need accomplishment.
Number three sure remains me seen, but we still got it. Regardless of whatever it is, there's depth there now. So it's just it's really encouraging and hopefully everybody stealing nations also feeling that same way.
I think that's spot on.
I think you're absolutely right, and you know, that's what I keep coming back to as well, like the the whole concern of what does this mean for person? You know, you're talking wide receivers. What does it mean for Calvin Austin, What does it mean for Van Jefferson? What does it mean for Roman Wilson, you know? And on down the line defense? What does it mean for you know, for her big and for things like that. To me, that's less inconsequential, like those things will work themselves out, as wex just mentioned, like we're doing all this talking about Cam Sutton and Beanie Bishop. If somebody in the secondary gets injured, that'll answer the question. That'll work itself out. A lot of this stuff, to me, will work itself out. But I always want to feel like I, you know, if I've got four chairs to phill Max, I want six people to fill those four chairs, you know what I mean. I don't want four people to for those fill those four chairs again, especially when it feels like things are coming together for this team. Cam Hayward is playing high level football, and I think we all expect that to continue, but we.
Also know he's not a spring chicken. TJ. Watt is playing high level football.
He's did he just turn thirty or he's going to turn thirty before too much longer. He's starting to get on the other side, of that thing. Who knows what happens with Russell Wilson. Remember it's just a one year deal here in Pittsburgh. Najee Harris free agent after this season. I mean, the list goes on and on of the future being unknown for so many of your key players, whether it be to contract status, orde to just father time and age. This is the time I think to leave no stone unturned. Go get another wide receiver, Go get another pass rusher, and you know what, if you end up not needing them, fine, because that's a more preferred outcome than getting to December and going, oh, man, crap, we really shouldn't have sat on our hands that first week in November.
Yeah, exactly, exactly, leave no leave no doubt, right, you know. And I think that's kind of where you're at. It's like, hey, you know, not, we're not. We're not throwing up the bat cycle saying is went went, went win or nothing, you know, at all costs. But it's like, no, we are building something here. But also let's take advantage of the opportunities we have in front of us. We didn't think we'd be here, but we're here now, right, and we have to play for now. Just as much as we have to think about the future, you have to be both present and future minded in this. And you don't want to look back in the past and wonder what if should it, could have would a why didn't we? Why did we? You want to leave all of that doubt out out by the wayside. And I think that's kind of the biggest thing that you see is just being able to create those opportunities, being able to put yourself in the best position, because, let's face it, fan base team, we all deserve it ownership, we all deserve to be in this position after what we've dealt with now, we didn't have to go to the depths of a lot of teams around the league that have to really, you know, just completely crash and burn in order to build it back up. You know, I never want to be in a position where where we're having a conversation about the number one overall pick unless we trade it for it, right, you know, you know, I mean, that's something I never want to be in. And thank goodness, you know, for the better part of the twentieth century, twenty first century, we haven't had to do that, Yep, we we haven't had to be in that Oh my gosh, you know we're picking in the top five. You know that that's a luxury. I know, fans got to take it, oh man, and we just tank it. We can get this guy. Well, you know what you have to do.
You have to suck really really bad.
Really bad.
And then and then, Max, nothing's guaranteed even if you suck really really.
Bad, exactly because there's other teams that are going to suck better.
Exactly for batter and just those those picks aren't guaranteed. And I think sometimes, particularly the like living Western Pennsylvania Steelers fans, they look at the hockey team here, Max, and they go, well, they did it with Lemu, they did it with Crosby. Look, all you gotta do is suck and you get a great player like yeah, fine, until that doesn't work out, and then all you're doing is perpetuating the suck even longer.
And now and now you you you have buried yourself into the ground right with with with those opportunities, and I think that's the other thing. And then it takes four, five, six, ten. Hell, where's the last time the Browns have been good?
Look at the Jets, I mean, look at the team we're about to play this weekend, max. How many times they've gone through this. Now they finally got their guy, but look how long it took them.
And look where Carolina currently is.
How many quarterbacks are the Bears gone through that? This is the top five pick, This is the guy. I mean, you know, and Caleb Williams isn't even a guaranteed thing now.
Yeah, exactly, Caleb Willims in Chicago. Yeah, not all that glitters ain't gold. And I think that's what people have to kind of remember, like it's a luxury because you get more known commodities a little bit later in the draft. You hit that sweet spot in the middle of the draft, right, I'd say twelve through twenty ish, you know, twenty one to twenty two ish. That's the sweet spot where you get tried and true veterans and not really banking on ceilings.
Yes, that you usually get in the top.
Ten and maybe nine ten, maybe a little bit more flexibility, but there's still teams reaching to jump up there. So it's not necessarily the team where they're atting the draft is who's traded into that that's believing that hype and lost in the sauce and that's where the Steelers kind of, you know, have never really had to be in that area. I mean we jumped up once and it was all with that did uh yeah, you know yeah, and even then, Hello, Devin Bush, where is he?
Ye?
I mean where's and then yeah, I mean it's just it's been a it's been a hodgepodge of that.
I mean, it really has in a lot of sense. But yeah, you're right.
I mean the last time the Steelers jumped up into the top ten and took what felt like a sure thing, right, I mean, there's two middle linebackers in this class that are gonna be good. It's Devin Bush and it's Devin White, and now they're both off their original teams and they're both struggling.
Yeah, exactly.
So I think that's kind of one of the things that I just I look in and so, you know, for everybody out there, it's like, oh my gosh, man, you know, you should be totally going for this.
No, no, no, I shouldn't. No, I shouldn't.
I don't and I don't have to because I mean I rely on try tested and true, and you still build your team the nuts and bolts of your team through the draft. You don't build them correct, you don't build them through free agency. We've seen how all of that looks, and it's it's not it's not it's not a good look. And I think that's what people have to kind of understand is that it's a process. And I love what omar Con is doing. He's not he's not being complacent, but he's not being overly aggressive. He's not reaching.
You could be.
There's a difference between being aggressive and being confident and be and being cocky and reaching. Those are two different things, very thin line between the two. But you have to know where that line is, where's the edge of that. And I think omar Con so far has just done a great job and that scouting department and our personnel directors and Andy Widelar assistant GM, they've done a really good job of whipping of whipping around and making sure that they knew exactly where everything was. Who's available, what are the options pound the phones, see who's who we can add if there's a surprise, good if there's not. If it's a known commodity and it comes for lesser than value, you're not competing against other teams for that that's where you can say, you know what, got something here, because I think, honestly we talked about that Mike Williams being being skirted around for LA. I'm sure he said, LA Pittsburgh, LA Pittsburgh, L A Pittsburgh, LA Pittsburgh. Okay, one team six and two leading their division. The other one is in the same division as Kansas City. I've been there, done that. The grass is not greener. You didn't like me before, why do you now want me on the rebound? You know I'm in my glow up phase, whatever you want to call it, I'm gonna I'm gonna go where it's new.
And also, you know, hey, it's a team that's also throwing the football. You have to remember LA throwing the football.
Justin Herbert's numbers have been severely depressed from what he's used to in his career. I'm not going to a place that that that can't really run the ball and and and does not want to throw the ball. On top of that, and they've they've been in some battles and lost some lost some really tough games. Now I'm going here, I'm going to I'd rather fight with the Bengals, Browns and you know the Ravens versus dealing with what that bus saw is.
In case that's undefeated.
Right now, I have a better path to a home home field game in the playoffs here than I do.
There no doubt that that division race is looking like it's probably already locked up in the AFC West.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think I think they've next week. I think officially you'll probably almost call it, you know, for them. All right, well, we're gonna step aside West before we got the pit ultimate lamp.
We got the bell lap coming up.
So we'll be back with more here inside the Locker Room, a Maxi and West edition of said locker Room. Because Craig wolf is at Hyde Park, I'm sure probably knee deep in scaloped potatoes right now.
We'll be back with more after these commercial breaks.
This is in the Locker Room, presented by Ford and brought to you by acro Sure, the official insurance and Cybersecurity partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, BET MGM, Huntington Bank, PNC, PEPSI, and by FedEx. Where now meets next? Now here's Craig Wolf, Lee and Max Starks.
All right, Well, it wouldn't be a show if we did not do the word of the day. So it's like I'll be doing that. Today's word of the day is quid pro quote. Quid pro quote.
Wait, hold on, that's multiple words, isn't it.
Yeah, it is, but it is a single word for this purpose.
Is you know example, during the negotiation, each side wanted a clear quid pro quote before agreeing to any terms. And I think about, you know, the quid pro quo of in the acquisitions of Preston Smith, Mike Williams.
Now we're talking, Uh so.
Omar Kahn clearly defined it. What what what the quid pro co was?
You're gonna give us a lot for a little and Steals are boaster themselves because of that.
So I figured what an appropriate word for Now.
That's good, that's real good. That's a good way to shut this thing down.
Yeah.
So with that, you know, we didn't eve hit. Let's hit it one time, let's let's quit. Let's give everybody the bell lap and the power hour all together into this Optimist has to make an appearance at some.
That's right now.
Now now, now we've officially ended the show. So with that, I'm Max Stark's Craig wolf Lee is down at Hyde Park. We got Wesley Euler of course, the ultimate Swiss Army Knife, can fill in anywhere and do it all for us, and of course CJ and of course Brian La Martita. We want to make sure that you guys go out and have a great day and we'll talk to you tomorrow
