JotCast | Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat: 07.24.24

Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat: 07.24.24

Gerry Dulac

9:38

Good morning all and welcome back....I'm at training camp for Day 1, so we'll start our chat in about 10-15 min.

9:52

OK, let's get going...fire away

TVC15

9:52

Hi Gerry, On or before the NFL Draft if the Steelers had traded for and signed Brandon Aiyuk to the $28 million he reportedly wanted at the time …. given the huge WR contracts that Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Tyreek Hill have signed since then would he already be holding out from the Steelers? Next year for sure?

Gerry Dulac

9:52

We'll never know

HeHateMe

9:52

I have a lot of confidence in Fields. How many Bears QB’s have ever been good? I think he's our franchise. Your thoughts?

Gerry Dulac

9:53

I'm not going to say your confidence is misplaced because it's only fair to give him a chance. But do I need to remind you he won only 10 games in three years in Chicago? 10!!

Jim_Bow_Dean

9:53

A lot of people are saying they shouldn’t have traded Johnson because it left the WR depth thin. Wasn’t the depth at CB even worse before the trade? It was basically JPJ and two 2023 rookies.

Gerry Dulac

9:54

That is correct. On both fronts

Guest

9:54

Any chance the Steelers extend on of the QBs before the season or will they let this season play out with no QB signed for 2025?

Gerry Dulac

9:54

Right now, their plan is not to sign any of their QBs this season.

Guest

9:54

if justin fields and russell wilson were both coming out of college today which would you pick? An if its fields then why not give him an open competition to see who starts ?

Gerry Dulac

9:56

Well, Fields was a No. 1 pick and I believe Wilson was an undersized third-round pick. So, I -- and the Steelers -- would have taken Fields. But Fields has not proven to be the better QB at all, so why should there be an open competition??

Ryno McCombie

9:56

The Steelers seem content going into the season with one of the worst WR groups in the league. Why is that?

Gerry Dulac

9:56

I wouldn't go that far

Ryno McCombie

9:56

Any Update on a Cam contract and will the third year be voidable?

Gerry Dulac

9:57

There is no update and there might not be.

Lester Huffman

9:57

Better chance to be lead back in 2025. Warren or Harris or someone else?

Gerry Dulac

9:57

Well let me just say this, it will start out being Harris......

Mwk

9:57

Greetings! Speaking of quarterbacks, I think that Russell Wilson will get the job done and have a good year. He's a savvy vet and in today's NFL, the quarterback is physically protected extending their careers. He had a rough couple years in Denver, but their team stunk across the board. He seems motivated and that's good. A bigger concern for me is the defensive line, in your opinion, did they address that adequately and can Cam Hayward return to an All pro level? Thank you

Gerry Dulac

10:02

Wilson threw 26 TDs with eight picks last year. You know how many teams (and QBs) and would take that??? And he had a five-game winning stretch where he beat four playoff teams -- Packers, Chiefs, Bills , Browns. And you're right about the defensive line. They did nothing to make it better.

Lester Huffman

10:02

Do you have confidence in the interior DL this year?

Gerry Dulac

10:02

Confidence is a strong word

Ned

10:02

good morning, Gerry! Do you believe the team will trade for a wr1 or wr2 before the season starts?

Gerry Dulac

10:03

They think they have WR1 in George Pickens. But I'm not going to rule it out. The chances, though, keep dwindling.

Joe TronzoBFalls

10:03

Will the inexperience on the offensive line impact win success in weeks 1-8? Doesn't it take O lines time to "gel"?

Gerry Dulac

10:04

Inexperience? Their OLine is fine.

Brett Lohr

10:04

Who is a veteran you think may be the surprise cut in a month?

Gerry Dulac

10:05

Loudermilk? Leal?

Barry Halls

10:05

Will Justin Fields get a fair shot at winning number 1? Or was Wilson promised the starting job as a way to get him to sign?

Gerry Dulac

10:05

Did Mason Rudolph get a fair shot?

Brett Lohr

10:05

Are there any rule changes in the NFL this year?

Gerry Dulac

10:05

Yes. The kickoff rule being the biggest. Will change the game

Andrew in ATL

10:07

What does Justin Fields need to focus on to be a QB1 in the league from the Steelers perspective, mechanics or reading defenses? Does Tom Arth have a background that is stronger in one of those areas to help Fields get there?

Gerry Dulac

10:08

I hear a lot of good things already about Tom Arth. And I'm sure recognition has been one of the areas where Fields has been lacking.

Andrew Pony

10:11

Do you think Fields will have a package of plays each game?

Gerry Dulac

10:12

That has never been Mike Tomlin's M.O. -- he doesn't believe in taking his starting QB out of the game. But, hey, this is a different time that calls for different measures, so maybe they will. And why not?

Latrobe '24

10:12

what do you think the chances are that on opening day we will see Jones at LT and the #1 OL draft pick at RT?

Gerry Dulac

10:12

Slim.

Andrew Pony

10:12

How long of a leash does Russell Wilson have this year?

Gerry Dulac

10:13

Long enough