Ray Fittipaldo: Welcome to my Steelers chat. Let's get started.
Scott in Amsterdam: Why has Bell not signed his franchise tag yet? Given his history of injury and off-field issues, the Steelers would be fools to sign him long term!
Ray Fittipaldo: Well, the Steelers just might be fools then because they have said on the record they would like to keep Bell as part of their core. We'll find out in a week. The deadline to get a long-term deal done is 4 p.m. July 17. I don't have a feel one way or the other, but there is plenty of incentive for both sides to strike a deal.
Scott in Amsterdam: Will Keith Butler be on the hot seat if his defense doesn't take another big step forward this year? In an interview two weeks ago, he gave a very poor excuse for why his secondary was not prepared against the Patriots...
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't know if he'd be on the hot seat, but the defense is expected to take a big step forward this season. Of course, his best players have to be healthy, and that was not the case early last season when Bud Dupree and others missed time due to injuries. I think more than anything, Butler will be judged this year on the transition to playing more man defense. Everyone knows it, the Steelers have said it. They need better man defense to be a part of their arsenal if they are going take that next step. Butler is the coordinator and it will be up to him to make sure his players are able to do that.
JamesinNYC: What is your favorite "good news" out of early training, besides lack of serious injuries?
Ray Fittipaldo: Probably the way the rookies seemed to respond in OTAs and minicamp. The coaches had some high praise for TJ Watt and Juju Smith Schuster. They're also high on the potential of third-round pic,k Cam Sutton. Soon, the real football starts and we'll find out if they're ready to play in the NFL.
Jim Rogers: Besides BR, which player can the Steelers least afford to lose to a long term injury?
Ray Fittipaldo: That's a great question. We saw last year they were able to win without Cam Heyward. And we saw in 2015 they were able to win without Le'Veon Bell and Maurkice Pouncey. The sign f a good team is being able to win when your stars go down. The Patriots did that last year when they won the Super Bowl without Rob Gronkowski. We just saw the Penguins win the Stanley Cup without Kris Letang. The Steelers obviously proved they have a strong group of players who can fight through injury adversity. I suppose the one scenario we don't really know about is playing for a long stretch without Antonio Brown because they haven't had to do that since he was drafted in 2010. So Brown would be my answer if for no other reason than being able to replace his immense production in the passing game.
Steelbravo7: So 26 is doesn't show up to OTAs but plays in a charity basketball game and is all about his "album" release. Doesn't it seem like his mind is extremely off of football and the f.o. should seem a bit peeved at this?
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't see it that way. He was allowed to rehab on his own this spring and Mike Tomlin did not say he was unhappy about Bell not being present for OTAs or minicamp. He's always had other interests and it's never interfered with his preparation for a season. I don't expect that to happen now especially with him going into a season where so much could be on the line for him.
Scott in Amsterdam: Heard several coaches talk about the need to secure home field advantage in the playoffs...what happened to the attitude that they can beat anyone, anywhere?
Ray Fittipaldo: Home-field advantage is important for the Steelers because they have a hard time in New England. They have a hard time with New England in Pittsburgh, too, but your chances are better in a home playoff game. The Steelers have proven the past few years they win on the road in the playoffs. They won in Cincinnati two years ago and in Kansas City in January. That's not the problem. Beating the Patriots anywhere, most notably in Foxboro, has been the problem.
Scott in Amsterdam: Haley mentioned Knile Davis as one of the new guys on offense that he is excited about. Can you understand why (from you have seen so far)?
Ray Fittipaldo: He looked pretty good to me this spring too. He had early success with the Chiefs and then fell out of favor. Sometimes a change of scenery is all that's needed for a player. We'll see if that works for the Steelers. And if not, no big deal. He signed for pretty much the veteran minimum.
Guest: Why not take a shot at Regis. The Jets are paying him. He could help tutor the corners in how to play at a high degree of comps
Ray Fittipaldo: What about Kathie Lee?
Ray Fittipaldo: If you haven't noticed not a lot of other teams are rushing to sign Revis either. His best days are behind him.
Ernie Jamison: Hey Ray, I get the feeling the Steelers really like Demarcus Ayers. Which I do. Though our wide receiving group is very deep it seems. Will he be one who makes the 53 man roster in your opinion?
Ray Fittipaldo: Will be tough for him because he plays the same role as Eli Rogers and the Steelers like Rogers too. Ayers came on late last season and did well when called upon, but he's competing for one of six spots on a roster that includes Rogers, Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Martavis Bryant, Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Justin Hunter. All but Smith-Schuster (who has the team made as a second-round pick) has a longer and better NFL resume than Ayers.
anthony: I think that Watts, Smith, Sutton, and B Allen will (by the end of the year) play a significant part in contributing to the Steelers getting to and winning the Superbowl, what's your take on this years draft class and who gas stood out the most?
Ray Fittipaldo: As I previously mentioned, the top three picks did well in the spring for whatever that's worth. Not sure Allen will have a role this season although he does have potential. I think the Steelers need some of the rookies to step up and play a role. I just don't know if those roles will be the determining factor in any Super Bowl run.
Andrew: Do you think we will see more blitzes from the secondary , leaving the rest in man coverage, as the DBs continue to develop? QB pressure will be essential for this defense to be successful.
Ray Fittipaldo: The idea is to pressure with four and cover with seven. The Steelers haven't been great at generating pressure with four so they've had to incorporate more blitzes than they'd prefer. If they blitz a lot again this season I would imagine it's because their pressure with four wasn't up to par again.
BishkekSteeler: I'm seeing a lot of off-season hype about TJ Watt , and while I'm hoping it's true, is their any reason to get excited about someone who has switched position and has very limited experience playing that new position being a big contributor this season other than his last name?
Ray Fittipaldo: They're excited because he picked up the system well in the spring and because he looks the part. We won't really know what he's all about until the preseason games begin. But they do like the potential there.
GregLeaper: What do you think happens with Bell, long term?
Ray Fittipaldo: I keep going back to the fact Art Rooney and Kevin Colbert have come out and said they want Bell to be a part of the team long-term and the fact that Bell grew up a Steelers fan and has been excellent in his first four years in the league. for that reason, I have a feeling they will get something done. It's just a hunch. Neither side is discussing the negotiations right now. Not much information is being shared. I outlined in a story that will be on post-gazette.com later today why it makes sense for both sides to strike a long-term deal. My prediction: 4 years for $40 million or 4 years for $50 million with $20-23 million guaranteed at signing. I think that's the sweet spot when it's all said and done.
GregLeaper: Are you pessimistic, as many are, about Golson?
Ray Fittipaldo: Honestly, there is so little to go on. He's been injured for two years and he didn't do much to stand out this spring. I just don;t feel like there is any reason to be optimistic at this point. Obviously, this is a very important training camp for him.
Ray Fittipaldo: Elite pass rusher or shutdown cover CB. But every defense in the NFL wants that.
GregLeaper: If you could one quality piece to the defense, what position would it be?
Ray Fittipaldo: Question to previous answer.
Will Blackwell: Assuming he stats healthy and drug free what kind of numbers do you expect Bryant to put up? 80 catches 10 tds?
Ray Fittipaldo: Well, Brown will continue to lead the team in catches and yards because he is that good. If Bryant stays healthy though and can produce big plays like he always has I'd say 55-65 catches for close to 1,000 yards is very doable.
Daniel : How likely is it that we see Xavier Grimble as a Day 1 starter?
Ray Fittipaldo: Not likely. Jesse James has done nothing to lose his job.
MoJoJoJoJoJoJo: Not much news around this time of year... NFL dead zone. Is it a good time to look away and take a break? Or is there anything developing other than L Bells contract?
Ray Fittipaldo: 4 p.m. July 17 is the deadline for Bell to sign a long-term deal. Otherwise, he'll play the 2017 season on a one-year $12.12 million deal. Most of these franchise player deals come down to the deadline.
Rod Rust: Would the balance of Afc shifted if the Steelers would have signed Donta Hightower?
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't know about that. The Patriots have won in the past after their best players move on. It certainly wouldn't have helped their cause though.
Adam: How should fans approach this year mentally? Should we expect Super Bowl or bust? Should we expect this to be the last year of a long window with the anticipation/uncertainty of Ben's future?
Ray Fittipaldo: Isn't it Super Bowl or bust every year around here. And yes, year to year is a prudent way of looking at it though I still think Roethlisberger will play out the final three years of his contract.
Tom from Cleveland: Long time lurking fan Ray...Has the FO signed #78 yet? Also, are any of the current QB's realistically capable of growing into a starting roll after Ben hangs up his spikes?
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't think they'll move onto Villanueva or Tuitt until there is a resolution with Bell.
Dan K.: The Steelers had an extremely difficult schedule when they won the Super Bowl in '08. Do you think the Nov-Dec run of Packers, Bengals, Ravens, Patriots might benefit the team in terms of playoff prep? Thanks!
Ray Fittipaldo: If beating the Patriots means knocking them out of the playoffs, then yes!
Adam: If Ben was driven towards contemplating retirement due to the loss at NE, how can we keep his enthusiasm high? Even if we were to win it all, wouldn't Ben see that as an ideal way to retire?
Ray Fittipaldo: Maybe at this point, but he's always said his goal is to retire with more Super Bowls than anyone. Another this season would give him three. Once you taste success you want to keep going back for more. I think it would be the opposite. He'd be inspired to return and win more.
Adam: What is the likely punishment for Artie Burns?
Ray Fittipaldo: From the Steelers? Nothing, although I think they'll encourage him to start paying his tickets and maintain a driver's license.
Adam: Do you agree that Mitchell is vastly overpaid?
Ray Fittipaldo: There was some misinformation in that USA Today story. Te $8.1 million cited in the article is merely the cap hi for the 2017 season. He signed a five-year, $25 million deal. So he makes $5 million on average over the life of his contract. The author of the story made a mistake. I doubt they'd rank him as being overrated at the $5 million a year rate. That's a slightly above average salary for a starting safety and Mitchell has been average the past few years.
Adam: Even if the Steelers wanted to bring D Williams back, there is no room on the RB depth chart right?
Ray Fittipaldo: I believe Williams' training these days is jumping off the top turnbuckle and onto collapse-able tables. His NFL career -- at least in Pittsburgh -- appears over.
BishkekSteeler: In the past 10 years or so, the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals have had to beat themselves up badly to get out of the North and move on to the playoffs against NE who generally walked through with little to no competition. Why don't pundits take more issue with this?
Ray Fittipaldo: What is there to take issue with? The NFL won't make the Patriots switch divisions. They play the schedule in front of them.
Adam: Do you think someone on D gets 10 sacks?
Ray Fittipaldo: If someone does, it will be Dupree. But I'm not convinced that'll happen.
Adam: How many more years of elite production can we expect from AB? Will he remain elite into his early 30s?
Ray Fittipaldo: Most WRs are still in their prime in their early 30s. It's when they get to 32 and 33 that they drop off. There have been a few exceptions over the years. Jerry Rice had one of his best years when he was 33, but most experience a decline around that age.
Rich: I thought Grmble looked like he has potential to even pass James. Your thoughts
Ray Fittipaldo: Maybe when they want a TE to make a big play. But when it comes to running their offense they were quite effective with James as the primary TE.
JamesinNYC: Of the plethora of wide receivers they have which one could they and would they be willing to trade?
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't know if there is a lot of trade value for any of them, but I suspect the one with the most is Sammie Coates based on his early-season production last year before the injuries.
Steeler Nation Peasant 1963: Is Cam Heyward's injury more serious than the scant discussion of it, imo, has implied, recurrence like high ankle sprains etc.?
Ray Fittipaldo: He was on the field in OTAs and minicamp. I expect him to be close to 100 percent in camp if he's not already there.
Carson Long: Shouldn't Gary Anderson be in the hall of fame?
Ray Fittipaldo: That's a question for Ed Bouchette. But my answer is no.
Ray Fittipaldo: Well, let's take QB out of the equation because every team would be in dire straits. My call is inside linebacker.
SteelDa1: RB, ILB, QB and TE all seem to have the least amount of depth, e.g., there's significant fall-off after the starter. Which position most likely to hurt Pittsburgh in case of an injury -- after QB, of course.
Ray Fittipaldo: Question to previous answer.
Steeler Nation Peasant 1963: Best restaurant meal you've had this offseason in the Pittsburgh area?
Ray Fittipaldo: 1905 Eatery in McKees Rocks.
clark griswold: Where did you go on your Summer vacation Ray?
Ray Fittipaldo: Stay-cation though I did spend a lot of time at softball fields.
jd: i know the steelers don't have a history of trades but why not try trading a wr for a draft pick or lb or db with a team that is overloaded on those positions but not wr's?
Ray Fittipaldo: I just don't think you'd get much in return. What would you get for Sammie Coates? A fourth or fifth-round pick? And only if a team is desperate to make a trade for a WR. You might be better off seeing if he can recapture his early-season form.
Jimmy the Greek: The Patriots do more with less every season, or so it seems. Even if the Steelers are superior talent-wise, New England puts in a wrinkle that somehow gets them an upper hand. Do you think the Steelers' coaching staff can adjust on the fly in a high-stakes game?
Ray Fittipaldo: Depends upon who is playing in that game? Is Le'Veon Bell available?
Rick Woods: Any chance Mike Mitchell does not make the final roster?
Ray Fittipaldo: He's their starting strong safety. Of course he'll be on the roster barring an injury.
Gregor: JuJu seems to have a similar attitude to Hines. Would a team reach out to a former player to mentor/coach a player who plays the same style?
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't know if that would happen formally, no.
Steeler Nation Peasant 1963: Dropping LBs back 20+ yards in coverage has become a liability and stale imo. Do you think we'll see less of that or is the dead horse in for more abuse?
Ray Fittipaldo: I think you could definitely see more six DB packages this year now that Lawrence Timmons is no longer on the roster.
Steve: Can Ross Cockrell become the kind of man to man defender the Steelers are looking for and lock down the starting spot long term?
Ray Fittipaldo: If that was the case they would have signed him to a long-term deal by now.
Please not the same old: Do you think if the defense improves this year on getting pressure on the QB and playing man coverage through the year, that Tomlin and Defensive Coordinator Keith Butler will muff things up by again playing zone in the Playoffs?
Ray Fittipaldo: They played zone because they had no other choice in the playoffs. You can argue that's the front office's fault as much as the coaching staff.
RPJR: Hey Ray, Do you think it matters if the Steelers would benefit with a #1 or #2 seed regarding the Patriots? And of course there's still a Raiders team that was a Carr short of seeing what they could do in the postseason.
Ray Fittipaldo: I know the history from 2001 and 2004, but I still think home-field is something to shoot for. That being said, what better venue to exorcise demons for the Steelers than Foxboro? If you have a championship team you find a way to win anywhere.
Steeler Nation Peasant 1963: And do telll... What'd you have at the 1905 Eatery?
Ray Fittipaldo: You have to go to the bakery in the back to get the potato pies.
Tim: What is the ownership hierarchy after "Art Rooney II" ?
Ray Fittipaldo: If you're asking who will take over for Art II when he steps down, it will be his son Dan. At least that's the plan.
Gibby in Indy: A huge fan of Harrison but he seemed to run out of gas a lot earlier in the playoff games to me at least. Did you see this too and do you think this is why they drafted Watt in the first round?
Ray Fittipaldo: He looked pretty good to me when he forced that holding call on Eric Fisher late in the game against the Chiefs.
Ray Fittipaldo: Thanks for all the great questions this week. We'll do it again next week at the same time when we may or may not have resolution to the Le'Veon Bell story. Stay tuned.
First Published: July 10, 2017, 1:10 p.m.
Updated: July 10, 2017, 4:57 p.m.
