Check out Ray’s chat transcript below, and join us for free Tuesday at our Punt, Pass & Chat event on the North Shore, talking Steelers, NFL and more:
Ray Fittipaldo: Welcome to my Steelers chat. Post you questions, and we will get started soon.
KJ from CA: What were your thoughts on Donte Moncrief's 1st game experience as a Steeler last night? Does he have the inside track for #2, or is the job closer to being Washington's?
Ray Fittipaldo: Moncrief actually made his debut against the Chiefs although he played just a few snaps in that game. He saw more extended action last night. He caught two passes for 11 yards. He played 20 snaps. It's interesting. He seems to have a nice rapport with Ben Roethlisberger, but James Washington by far has posted the best stats of any WR this preseason. However, most of Washington's production has come with Rudolph or Dobbs at QB. So there is still the matter of chemistry between Washington and Roethlisberger. I think they'll have a good connection. We just haven't seen the production in games yet.
KJ from CA: Just when it appeared that Bud Dupree was making tangible progress and improvements, along comes this hand injury from last night's game. Do you have any idea how serious this injury is?
Ray Fittipaldo: I have not heard any news about the injury being serious. I saw Dupree laughing and joking on the sidelines at one point when his pads were off. I assume it's minor for that reason, but we should learn more tomorrow when Mike Tomlin addresses the media.
KJ from CA: I really haven't been overly impressed with Benny Snell the RB ( I was excited about him after watching him dismantle Penn State in his final collegiate game, but he seems to lack the burst of speed to get outside and his power running thus far is leaving something to be desired), but he has caught my eye on special teams. Is this where you believe he will make his mark this season?
Ray Fittipaldo: I'm kind of in your boat with Snell. I think Trey Edmunds has been better this summer, but I just don't see the Steelers cutting a fourth-round pick. Plus, Edmunds has practice squad eligibility left so you could stash him there and bring him up as needed. Snell did not play last night due to an injury. I certainly have to see more from him before I pencil him in for any kind of role this season.
Manny: Ray, We have seen enough from Dobbs if coaches don’t see it I don’t know who will, Hodges has higher ceiling no doubt an will have more NFL success, really hoping Steelers don’t screw this decision which seems pretty obvious who to carry on 53.. can you say who would you chose as 3rd QB? Thanks
Ray Fittipaldo: Dobbs continues to struggle with his short and intermediate throws. That has been the biggest disappointment for me. He obviously runs better than any QB they have. That's important, but not as important as throwing with accuracy, especially in an offense that has trended toward the short and intermediate passing game. However, Dobbs remains on a rookie contract. He's smart and is a good team player. Unless you can trade him for a fifth-round pick or higher I'd keep him on the roster. It won;t cost much and there might be some benefit to it. As for Hodges, he's been good, but I can't sit here and say for sure he has better upside than Dobbs. Based on what? A few preseason snaps?
KJ from CA: I was impressed, especially with Tuitt's play. I also like the way Bush always seems to be near the ball! How do you feel about the 1st defensive unit's play last night?
Ray Fittipaldo: I thought the first-team defense did very well. Granted, Tennessee's offensive line is a mess, but they did exactly what they're supposed to do in that situation -- dominate. If they can pressure QBs they should be able to force more turnovers this season because they upgraded their speed and they're able to play man-to-man more than they have. Good QBs can find the soft spots in zones even when there is pressure. It's much harder to fit the ball into tight man-to-man windows in those situations.
Buckeye Phil: Is Barron going to be the everydown ILB with William and Bush alternating based on offense personnel / down & distance?
Ray Fittipaldo: All three ILBs will have big roles. It might even be a week-to-week thing in terms of their playing time. When they play a team that likes to run then of course Williams could play more snaps. When they play teams that pass more often then Barron likely is more involved.
Daniel: Could you see a scenario on which Bud plays great, has a 10-12 sack season and the Steelers manage to keep him?
Ray Fittipaldo: When you say "great" I think of an All-Pro or Pro Bowl type season. In that case, it's going to be very hard to keep him because edge defenders that produce in that manner make big $, especially on the open market.
Southside Johnny : Ray...do you think Benny Snell may be assigned to the practice squad based on his injuries and lackluster running in the preseason? Thank you.
Ray Fittipaldo: I think some team out there might claim him if he was cut. That's why I think he makes the roster, not because he's necessarily earned it with his play.
Alan: I know it’s only preseason but the defense looked very fast to me against the Titans. Particularly bush and edmunds. Has that been your observation as well or am I reading too much into a preseason game?
Ray Fittipaldo: Good observation. It's night and day difference between this year and last year when it comes to speed on defense. Plus, Edmunds is playing faster because he's more comfortable and knows what to do. Players usually improve a lot from year 1 to year 2.
obxandy: What do you see as hardest cut decisions for Steelers at end of this week? Thanks. Enjoy your chats.
Ray Fittipaldo: I'm doing a 53-man roster projection that will publish later on today or tomorrow morning, and I'm having a hard time figuring out which direction they want to go with the sixth WR, if they keep six. To me, it's down to Rogers, Switzer, Spencer and Holton for the fifth and sixth spots. Spencer has made a nice case for himself. Holton is a good special teams player. And then there is Rogers/Switzer. Do you really need both of them? I suppose you could carry them both, but it doesn't really make sense from a roster-building perspective because they're very similar in their skill sets.
GSMP: Does Josh Dobbs realistically have any trade value? And if he does what are the odds he is traded?
Ray Fittipaldo: Maybe we'll find out. Could the Colts use a backup QB for Jacoby Brissett? Could another team need a backup? It's possible, but I don't know if he'd bring enough in return for me to make that move. I'd consider it for a fifth-round pick or higher.
jake: I was hoping Sutton Smith would've shown up last night, thinking he's headed to the practice squad. Thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo: He's been injured so it's hard to evaluate him. The Steelers gave him 55 snaps on defense last night and he finished with one tackle. He also played 15 snaps on special teams. They obviously wanted to see what he could do after missing the first two preseason games. It might come down to strictly special teams play. For instance, if Smith is a better option than Ulysees Gilbert on Danny Smith's units. That could be a factor. But again, he hasn't really played enough for anyone to really know if he'd excel on special teams, either. He certainly didn't stand out on defense last night.
Matt: Does Skipper make the final cut? Will he be 1 of the 53?
Ray Fittipaldo: Depends on the injuries to Adeniyi and Chickillo. They're the top two backups. If one of their injuries lingers into the regular season it would potentially open the door for Skipper, who has been impressive.
Stephen : Your opinion as to whether Dobbs will be traded if he is not the backup quarterback. Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't think they'll seek out a trade for him, but if a team makes a nice offer then I'm sure they'll consider it.
Mark: Why do you suppose Switzer got such a long look at returning instead of someone less experienced? I'd think they already know what they have in him back there?
Ray Fittipaldo: The third preseason game is the "dress rehearsal" so that usually means the players involved in the first quarter are getting prepared for the roles they'll have during the regular season. I know that doesn't mean Switzer is definitely on the team, but I think he will be the slot WR and punt returner. With Diontae Johnson banged up there aren't a lot of other options unless Spencer is on the 53.
Ryan: Do you think Dupree is really primed for a breakout year or is he just looking this good cause its preseason? I'm really hoping he has turned it on.
Ray Fittipaldo: He had a nice rush last night against the backup left tackle for the Titans. He used his left arm to push the tackle back and collapsed the pocket. It was very impressive. I want to see him do more of that.
GSMP: How many of the draft picks make the team? I'd say six with Smith, Buggs and Gray as the three getting cut.
Ray Fittipaldo: I think I'm with you, but who do you have beating out Buggs for the sixth spot on the DL? I have Buggs making it because I didn't see anyone play better than him. I think Henry Mondeaux is a sleeper, but you can probably sneak him onto the practice squad.
SteelFanSLC: What do you think they do with Skipper? Dude has looked dominant on defense but hasnt played much if at all on special teams.
Ray Fittipaldo: It's interesting you brought up special teams. I just looked. He played 29 defensive snaps but none on defense. If you;re going to be a fourth OLB you have to be able to play special teams. Otherwise, he'd just be inactive every week. James Harrison was a special teams player before he turned into a starter. I would imagine Skipper is poised for the practice squad for that reason unless, of course, those Adeniyi and Chickillo injuries keep them out into the regular season.
Kiwi Jimmy: I thought the Steelers brought their A game last night, while the hometeam Titans didnt want to be there. I was impressed the speed of the defense, especially. What did you think Ray?
Ray Fittipaldo: About as good as you can hope for in a third preseason game. They even got to work in some bad weather.
GSMP: How many snaps does Vince Williams get come the regular season? He's a sure tackler and can rush the QB up the middle. But it seems Bush and Barron give them more flexibility in a base defense.
Ray Fittipaldo: Depends on the matchup every week.
Professor Flush: Any interest in the Colts looking at Dobbs or even Rudolph as a backup now that Luck has retired?
Ray Fittipaldo: I just brought that up a few questions back. I haven't studied every roster to know if another backup would make more sense to the Colts, but I'm sure they're looking at their options this week.
Winning: Hi Ray, I don't give too much credence to to Preseason victories and such, but against the Titans, the team looked really good. This defense is really coming on. Short of depth, when you line up the starters, where is the weakness?
Ray Fittipaldo: The weakness would be not creating turnovers. Good defenses do that and the Steelers didn't do that nearly enough last season. I like the starting D-line. I like the revamped linebacker group, and I think the defensive backfield has potential to be better. I don't think the secondary is great by any means, but I do think it's better than last season.
AK: I was sure before that Grimble is not a #2 TE and he has done nothing to show that he is. What are your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo: I'm skeptical as well. But honestly, it will depend on who is available in a trade or after final cut-downs. If there isn't anyone better than Grimble then you just have to roll with him.
The Lamplighter : Ray, we now have fast but undersized ILBs and do not have the big NT (Hampton, Steed, etc) to eat up space in middle. How vulnerable will we be to a team that is committed to a power running game (such as Jaguars)?
Ray Fittipaldo: That's always a concern. And good offensive coordinators will test the Steelers when they do line up with Hargrave and Barron on the field at the same time. But sometimes it's better to defend the pass than the run and force teams to have that run-first attitude. The way the NFL is trending a lot of teams are built to pass. If you invite them to run and they're not very good at it, then you're winning as a defense.
Professor Flush: What is the status of Sean Davis's injury? Is it an ankle or an upper thigh bruise? How did you evaluate the safety play last evening? I thought Edmunds showed major improvement from last season. He seemed more comfortable back in the secondary.
Ray Fittipaldo: Davis was seen walking off without much of a limp. He even stopped to give some fans his wristbands. So it didn't seem like a major injury. And I agree with you on Edmunds. He looked like he was playing fast last night. I don't think he played fast as a rookie. I think he was just trying to survive.
UT Rocket: What about Ola? Is he headed for an IR designation?
Ray Fittipaldo: Gerry Dulac described it as a 2-4 week injury. He had surgery the day before the Chiefs game so he's still got another week or two or three to go before being ready. But I don't know if they use an IR designated for return spot on him if he's only going to miss a game or two.
UT Rocket: Has Chickillo done enough to warrant a roster spot?
Ray Fittipaldo: He signed a two-year, $8 million contract to be a backup OLB. They like him. He just has to stay healthy.
BlackJack Bill: Will the final preseason game showcase rookies, free agents and second team players exclusively or will some starters play a few series?
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't think any of the starters will play. There is no reason to play them.
UT Rocket: Seems like the coaching staff is pretty down on Diontae Johnson right now. Is that the case?
Ray Fittipaldo: Only because he's been injured. And I wouldn't say they're disappointed with him. Just the fact that he's been banged up, which likely means he won't have a big role on the team in the early going.
Sean Dennis: Hi Ray, Defense looked FAST last night! Excited to watch them this season....but other than JuJu and Washington, did any receivers or tight ends stand out?? Should Steeler Nation be concerned or will that group be okay?
Ray Fittipaldo: I think the WR corps will be OK. Honestly, I'd like to see Washington catch some calls from Ben before I feel really good about it. That's the only thing I didn't see from the offense this summer.
Eric Carr: Ray, I think it's a huge mistake to not extend Hargrave now. I think he'll be gone and really break out elsewhere next year. Is it a money issue with trying to extend both him and Haden now?
Ray Fittipaldo: They like Hargrave and there isn't much young depth behind him. I wouldn't close the door on an extension just yet. It might not come before the season, but he's been a really good player. It's also possible he wants to test the open market, which could be a reason they didn't talk much this summer.
Sean Dennis: Ray, does the defense have the makings of a top 5 unit this year? They look fast, are playing tighter coverage, getting sacks and creating turnovers.
Ray Fittipaldo: I just want to see more turnovers. I don't really care about that stats. They were a top-10 defense last season in almost every statistical category -- total yard, passing yard, rushing yards. What did it all mean? Nothing really because they wouldn't create turnovers or get off the field when they had to.
RealityMan: I really think T. Edmonds will have a much bigger impact this year and like Kelly so safety looks good but I am worried that Cam Sutton has been unable to parlay his great camp to game action which means Hilton keeps slot role? This proved to be a weakness last year. Hilton is a good tackler and Blitzer but not great in coverage. He looks better as a safety, especially if Davis is injured. Thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo: I think you're onto something. And I couldn't close the door on Sutton earning more playing time in the slot. It might not happen for the opener, but I could see him having a role this season.
Gracie: Switzer does not flash on kick returns. Gotta find a way to keep Spencer. Dulac thinks Switzer a lock. What u say?
Ray Fittipaldo: Not sure I'd say lock, but he's close to it.
Justin: Ray, what was your take on the camera angle last night?
Ray Fittipaldo: Didn't like it. I got used to it as the game went on, but I like the traditional angle. Maybe sprinkle that in every once in a while, but not the whole game.
Nate: Hi Ray, JuJu, Moncrief, Washington, Switzer and Johnson are pretty much locks. If the Steelers stick with 6 WRs, who would you keep - Spencer, Rogers or Holton? Thanks!
Ray Fittipaldo: I'm leaning toward Holton because he closely resembles Darrius Heyward-Bey. But I'm not feeling really good about that prediction. That's the toughest group to predict.
KamKelly4ever: Yo, checking in for this week's Kam Kelly question. Is the vibe that he's a lock for the 53 at this point?
Ray Fittipaldo: Looking that way, yes. They like him as their third safety in their big nickel package.
Pbrit: Do you think Belichick will key off of our ILB configuration to rip into our defense (i.e. pass when Williams is in and run when Barron is in)?
Ray Fittipaldo: Good call. Brady is a master at that. Find the mismatch and then exploit it.
Eric Carr: Ray, with Kelly's emergence I don't feel a move for a safety is necessary. How about you? And do you think they will make a move for a TE or any other player before the season?
Ray Fittipaldo: I agree safety is less an issue now than it was three weeks ago because Kelly has played well. I think if they can upgrade at TE they will. They like to use two TEs. And Grimble seems a bit shaky to me as a No. 2.
Kiwi Jimmy: If the Steelers pick up a #2 TE after all the cutdowns, do they cut Zach Gentry and try to sneak him onto the practice squad?
Ray Fittipaldo: That's a good question. Not only was Gentry a fifth-round pick, but he was selected early in the fifth round. I think he was like the second or third player taken in the fifth round. Someone might take a flyer on him and carry him as their No. 3 TE if the Steelers cut him. But practice squad is always an option if he's not claimed.
BlackJack Bill: I like Buggs, played in an elite program at Bama. Does he make the team or even the practice squad?
Ray Fittipaldo: DL isn't exactly deep with talent. I think he makes it as the sixth player in that group -- Tuitt, Heyward, Hargrave, Alualu and McCullers.
KJ from CA: Is Chuks Okorafor going to make the final 53?
Ray Fittipaldo: Okorafor has not had a strong camp, but he is coming off shoulder surgery. That might have something to do with his struggles. I think he makes it because I think they keep nine OL again this year. Not sure if he's the swing tackle though. Zach Banner is competing with him for that job.
fvicchy@yahoo.com: Hi Mr. Fittipaldo Thank you for your chats. They are great ! Can you explain why we did not see #6 in at QB last night? I really have enjoyed watching him play and think that he may have a place in the NFL.
Ray Fittipaldo: You'll see Hodges plenty in the final game against the Panthers Thursday night.
Sean Dennis: Ray, does Spillane make the 53?
Ray Fittipaldo: I like Spillane, but I'm not sure there is room. He'd have to make it purely because of his special teams ability.
Nate: Hi Ray, care to make any predictions on a surprise cut(s) at the end of the week? Thanks!
Ray Fittipaldo: I don't know that there will be any surprise cuts. Would cutting Eli Rogers be a surprise? That's about the biggest name I can come up with at the moment, and I'm not even sure they'll release him.
Ray Fittipaldo: Thanks for the great questions this week. Once the regular season begins Brian Batko and I will be switching chat days. I'll go on Tuesday and Brian will take over on Mondays.
First Published: August 26, 2019, 3:17 p.m.