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Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat transcript: 9.27.18

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat transcript: 9.27.18


Gerry Dulac: Good morning everyone. We will start our chat at 11 am. See you then
Gerry Dulac: OK, kids, lets get started....Go!!!

Jack: Gerry, Can the Steeler D rise to the occasion Sunday night? Steelers will need to have the running game in gear. How do you see it? Thank you. Great chats.
Gerry Dulac: Perhaps, but this offense revolves around Ben, so he will attack through the air, make no mistake.

Rich: Gerry, Are you surprised Landry is still unsigned? Teams must not have a high opinion on him Thanks.
Gerry Dulac: I am. I thought some teams would pick him up right away. But, remember, he is a vested vet, which means he doesn't have to sign w a team if someone claims him. He can pick where he wants to go.

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miki: hi jerry! gil brandt predicted jarvis jones would be a bust and he had artie burns rated as a late 3rd rounder. artie could be out of the league in a year or two. do you think the steelers are inflicted with "the curse of cortez allen"? their only cover corner is from cleveland.
Gerry Dulac: Their success rate lately hasn't been great. The jury still out on Bud Dupree too.

Dolphins defensive end William Hayes was injured while trying to avoid a roughing-the-passer penalty last weekend against the Oakland Raiders.
Ray Fittipaldo
Roughing-the-passer emphasis brings frustration and confusion. Get used to it.

BoulderPete: Gerry- re Bell. If he shows up week 10 Is it worth $5M (6 game checks) to keep him from signing w/ another team (Pats) and a 2020 3rd round pick? If so can he sign the tag and they just tell him to stay home? it feels like him coming back would be like picking a scab.
Gerry Dulac: No it's not. It's not worth it to keep a guy who will probably be unable to contribute -- given his two-year absence from a training camp and two months from the season -- and pay him $853 a week. It's more likley the Steelers will get rid of him than play him in 2018

miki: hi jerry! coach tomlin inherited a strong defense. during his tenure he has made it softer than a dairy queen. and he is a defensive coach. go figure. go steelers!!!
Gerry Dulac: That defense he inherited was a long time ago.

Joel: Passing up $855,000 a game for Mr. Bell seems like a terrible long term business decision. The future contract he hopes to obtain will have to factor in a huge amount of make-up money to break even over time. He's also passing up what could have been the best year of his competitive age. Will wage inflation and cap space growth help solve this for him going forward?
Gerry Dulac: I doubt it. And you left out one very very important item that will greatly affect his earning power -- his attitude and bizarre behavior. Would you invest in someone like that? There's a reason the Steelers did not commit big-time money to him.

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Too Tall Ball: What happened to the Steeler O in the second half Monday? I was so focused on whether the D would hold up that it wasn’t until after the game that I realized they went scoreless. Good adjustments by the Tampa D or did Fichner and Ben hit the snooze button?
Gerry Dulac: Maybe both

Andy-md: the regression in the defensive backfield has to be placed entirely on MT desk. Since 2006 No DB that this team has picked or signed undrafted players have amounted to a legit player. this include the smoke and mirrors K Lewis. Should Colbert reign in his assessment of talent?
Gerry Dulac: So you think Sean Davis is not a legit player?

Nick: Has Boswell lost it? Are the steelers trying out another kicker?
Gerry Dulac: No

Arturo: Hi Gerry, thanks a lot for this weekly chat, I really enjoy It! Do you think the Steelers should sign Justin Reid? He is the best available option in the FA market. Thanks!!!
Gerry Dulac: Is he available... I thought he was with the Texans??

Jon Gruden's Raiders are off to an 0-3 start this season.
Gerry Dulac
Gerry Dulac's 2018 NFL picks: Week 4

Leaper: If someone offers a 3rd rd. pick, or better, for Bell, done deal?
Gerry Dulac: Likely.

Frank: Seems like Tuitt isn't having the impact that we would expect from the salary he is making. Is he healthy?
Gerry Dulac: He is healthy.

Matt: Gerry, Here’s my Lev Bell trade prediction. Lev Bell 2 Colts for 4th round draft pick & CB Nate Hairston.(former 5th round pick with good man2man cover skills). What you think?
Gerry Dulac: Good thing you're not the GM

Vico: Hi Gerry. How do you think the Bell saga will end?
Gerry Dulac: Not good either way.

Johnny Q: Does Watt only have big games against the Browns?
Gerry Dulac: He must not like them

Leaper: Odds the Steelers recind 5th yr. option of Dupree.
Gerry Dulac: 60-40 to keep

Philippe: Good Morning Gerry. The Steelers have never had great secondaries in the last 15 years, yet they have managed to win 2 in 3 super bowl appearances. The key to making those secondaries look better than they were was the effectiveness of the pass rush... Can the pass rush improve enough over the course of the season to mask some glaring issues in their secondary? I feel like Fitzpatrick's missed some wide open receivers because the pass rush was fairly successful last week... Your thoughts?
Gerry Dulac: I agree. If the QB has time to throw, receivers are going to come open. Or there is going to be a defensive holding penalty after so long. Pressure is a big component for pass defense. It can cover up a few weaknesses.

Leaper: Odds Steelers offer 5th yr. option to Burns.
Gerry Dulac: What are you doing, establishing prop bets???? Getting worse

Matt: Any interest from Steelers in RB from the Lions (Ameer Abdullah)? Hear they are trying to trade him. (Especially if Bell is traded).
Gerry Dulac: I doubt it.

Steve R: Do you think that coach Tomlin is partly to blame for the Bell hold out he does have a history of running his backs into the ground?
Gerry Dulac: Well, according to his agent, that seems to be part of the concern

Matt: Love this Switzer kid we traded for. With 84,19,13, & Switzer, are we finally good with our WR depth?
Gerry Dulac: He's a solid player. Good return guy

famms11: What do you think will be the end result for Bell, do you think he still shows up before he has to so that he can be eligible to play.
Gerry Dulac: I think the end result will be not good for him. Why would the Steelers pay that much money per week to a player who can't or won't want to play????

Jack Straw: Hi Gerry. Nice to get the turnovers, but how much of that do you think was forced by the defense and how much was mental and physical errors that is more FitzTragic than FitzMagic?
Gerry Dulac: It doesn't matter how they get them, just that they get them.

Matt: Will Steelers resign Jesse James and/or Joe Haden? I like both a lot!
Gerry Dulac: Absolutely.

Tony P: How is our offense so inconsistent how do we go from scoring 30 points 1 half to 0 the next.
Gerry Dulac: That's a good question for which I have no immediate answer.

Matt: Is BJ Finney the starting LG this year or next?
Gerry Dulac: Next year is a good possibility

Matt: With the MLBs struggling this year, why wouldn’t the Steelers at least take a look at some pass coverage LBs like Michael Mauti out of PSU? He has to better than what we have?
Gerry Dulac: That's what Morgan Burnett and Terrell Edmunds are for -- to play those roles.

Mar: Do you think juju will be all time steeler great? And do u feel he will finish his career as a Steeler this guy is awesome!
Gerry Dulac: He has a loooong way to go, though he is off to as good start.

Philippe: Gerry, For the life of me, I cannot figure out what Bell thinks he is going to gain by holding out an entire season. It makes no sense to me at all.... He was offered 70 million, but is willing to give up 15 this year - which means he has to be hoping for a deal greater than 85 million (which would be the break even point) with another team - at age 27+? Will a team really pay him that much? If I'm the Steelers. I would not trade him for a third round pick when they would get one anyway as a compensatory pick - and I would re-franchise him, and then rescind it on the last possible day.... This whole situation is really sickening.
Gerry Dulac: He and his agent appear to be delusional. It is his agent's responsibility to know and read the market and I don't think he has done a very good job of that. I don't think for a minute the Steelers will be vindictive how they handle his situation. It will be very business-like and matter-of-fact, but it won't end well for Bell. As they say, he made his bed.....

Nick: Any chance we can trade Bell for a ILB to strengthen defennce?
Gerry Dulac: nope

Matt: Are you seeing improvement from Davis & Dupree? If you had to pick one you have more faith in, which one would it be?
Gerry Dulac: Sean Davis

RealSteel: Gerry, what do you make of J. Harrison’s “advice” for LeVeon? Seems kind of cowardly, especially coming from someone who refuses to let his kids get participation trophies. Seems like showing up & then faking an injury yet still getting paid is the same as a participation trophy to me.
Gerry Dulac: I was surprised he said that publicly, though I have heard other people randomly wonder the same thing.

Nick - Simi: Why would any team trade for Bell at this point? Doesn’t Bell have to sign his Franchise Tender before he could be traded anyway?
Gerry Dulac: Have you been paying attention? Right now, really, who would want him?

Matt: With the $850k/game savings from Bell's holdout, maybe the Steelers should sign Bowman or Reid? I know the line "There's a reason they're still FAs", but this D badly needs reinforcements. Any chance of either signing?
Gerry Dulac: Not unless there are significant injuries

Juice: Monday Night it really looked like Tomlin was calling the defenses and Butler was radioing them in? What do you think?
Gerry Dulac: He is. I have been telling you that since the end of last season. Everyone wants to blame Keith Butler, but he is not calling all the defenses.

Jacque Strap: Do you expect to see Jaylen Samuels integrated into the offense as the season progresses?
Gerry Dulac: Not really. Not unless there are injuries.

Stiller Fan: Hi Gerry, Shazier was the D's communicator - I heard that in meetings MT would show film and speak directly to Shazier to see what the call(s) would be. Who's that person now? 98? Because the D seems lack a pure leader
Gerry Dulac: That's because Shazier had the radio helmet and called out the sets. Vince has it now. Doesn't have so much to do with being a leader as it does the radio commander

Ryno: Is James Harrison trying to get rid of any remaining Steelers fans that still had any respect for him? This is the same guy that said he returns participation trophies for his kids, isn't it?
Gerry Dulac: I know. It's unfortunate. I'm not so surprised he is saying that stuff as much as I am he's going on TV and saying it.

Juice: Several times Monday we had defenders in position covering the receivers, but when the ball was in the air, they (other then Haden) would not turn their head and find the ball? That's not the first time I've seen it. The coaches should be coaching that right?
Gerry Dulac: Hey, you can coach all you want. I'm not defending the coaches, but you can teach and stress and film study all you want in practice, but it's still up to the player what he does on the field. Believe me, they get more upset than you do.

Juice: Be honest, did you get that "oh boy, here we go again" feeling when TB was making a come back in the 2nd half?
Gerry Dulac: Forget me, so did some of the players, Joe Haden in particular.

ron: Hi Gerry, appreciate your insights and observations. with our OC being a holdover from the Lebeau era, do you think teams have caught up with our system and scemes
Gerry Dulac: I don't think that's it. I think it's a matter of talent, smart players, a lack of execution. Sure, scheme hasn't something to do with it, especially if the players can't execute that scheme.

Ryno: Do all agents call in sick for their clients or is it just Antonio Brown? And if the appropriate people in the Steelers organization knew Brown wasn't going to be there, then why was there discipline involved? Or was the discipline just for social media stupidity?
Gerry Dulac: They didn't know he wasn't going to show up. He did not call and tell anyone, despite what was being said by his side. That's why he was fined.

Juice: What is the deal with Ben and AB and their continued inability to complete the long ball?
Gerry Dulac: Give it some time. Remember, AB missed the entire preseason. Maybe his injury is hampering him from getting open the way he would like. It's only three games.

Stiller Fan: Edmunds has shown some promise, any chance he stays the starter at the position and Burnett plays sub?
Gerry Dulac: Sure, but not right now

Krugerrand: Three weeks in, what are your thoughts on the new kick-off rules?
Gerry Dulac: They don't bother me. There's only been one return for touchdown so far. If I'm the receiving team, especially the Steelers, if that kickoff even remotely goes in the end zone, I take the touchback and the ball at the 25. With the way penalties are called on returns, your chances of getting the ball even to the 25 on a return are silm and none....and you know where slim just went.

Ryno: With the weekly additions to salary cap space for next season because of Bell, and the Shazier contract dropping off the books next season, will the Steelers be able to make a significant free-agent signing for the defense? Or are their contracts coming up that will increase significantly next season?
Gerry Dulac: A little of both, including Ben. But they will be in better shape, for sure

ron: I don't know why our secondary seems so out of place most of the time. Is it the coaching or the quality of players? Ben has to score 30 or 40 points every game to give us a chance.
Gerry Dulac: I hate to tell you, that's most of the NFL. Look around, that's the way the game is played.

me: Given the problems that Burns and Sensabaugh have had, are you surprised that Sutton isn't getting more playing time?
Gerry Dulac: That might change this week. It should.

Theo: Boy, Bostic sure looked like the player they brought him in to be on Monday...why haven't we noticed him until now?
Gerry Dulac: Yes he did. You noticed him because they rushed him a lot more. To his credit, he made a bunch of big plays -- a sack, 2 tackles for loss, QB hurryt, 2 passes defensed, one of which led to Mike Hilton interception at the 2. It was his best game

Reginald: Any team that trades for LeVeon Bell thinking he'll sign after the season is crazy, yes? He will be an UFA, which has been his goal all along, no way he gets that close and doesn't explore best offers
Gerry Dulac: Correct

TShip: Gerry-Ravens seem lacking in the secondary, another big night for Ben?
Gerry Dulac: They're not lacking that much. They're second in the league in pass defense. Haven't allowed a 40+ completion and only 7 of 20+. Only one AFC team has allowed fewer.
Gerry Dulac: OK kids, we outta time. That's it for today. Bye now

First Published: September 27, 2018, 1:53 p.m.
Updated: September 27, 2018, 4:51 p.m.

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