On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Adam Bittner and Christopher Carter discuss colleague Gerry Dulac's reporting on the Steelers' contract negotiations with Joey Porter Jr.
Is there a chance the two sides won't reach an agreement on an extension before the season? How much is Porter Jr. realistically worth compared to other top corners like Patrick Surtain II, Derek Stingley Jr., Trent McDuffie and Sauce Gardner? And do the Steelers need him in their secondary with veterans like Jamel Dean and Jalen Ramsey aging and young players like Daylen Everette still finding their way?
Our duo tackles those questions. Then later, Chris details his research on how realistic Mike McCarthy's goal of 55 touches per game can be for skill players including DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and Jaylen Warren. And he explains how he feels Robert Spears-Jennings fits into Patrick Graham's defense following his most recent film study on the PG website.
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On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Christopher Carter and Noah Hiles ponder reasonable expectations for the Steelers' defense as it enters the 2026 season as the NFL's most expensive yet again.
Are fans entitled to expect elite results from T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig as they lead the unit on lucrative contracts? Or is it more complicated than that as new DC Patrick Graham takes the reins from departed coaches Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin on coach Mike McCarthy's first-year staff?
Our duo tackles those question, then wonders whether QB Aaron Rodgers will continue to rely on short passes like he did in 2025. Or look to push the ball downfield more to an improved pass catching group that includes names like Germie Bernard, Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf, Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Warren, Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth.
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On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Adam Bittner and Christopher Carter discuss DK Metcalf's upside within the Steelers' offensive in 2026.
How much will the star WR benefit from the return of Aaron Rodgers at QB and the arrival of offensively focused head coach Mike McCarthy? Will defenses be able to focus on him less than they did in 2025 because of Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard joining the receivers room? And what are reasonable totals to expect from him alongside other receiving threats including Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Roman Wilson, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle?
Our duo tackles those questions, then ponders new DC Patrick Graham's plans for the safety group. How will he mimic the choices coach Mike Tomlin and DC Teryl Austin made last season? And how could he differ in how he uses names like Jalen Ramsey, Jaquan Brisker, DeShon Elliott and Darnell Savage?
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In his weekly Pirates mailbag video, Post-Gazette Pirates insider Colin Beazley answers reader questions. Among them: How will manager Don Kelly and GM Ben Cherington handle the catching situation following the Joey Bart trade that leaves Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez front and center? Are Jared Jones and Carmen Mlodzinski being handled correctly? Or are they being given too big a say in their usage? What is standing between Konnor Griffin and a healthy return to the lineup? And is DH Marcell Ozuna beginning to figure things out at the plate?
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On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Christopher Carter and Noah Hiles react to news this week that Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby will enter the NFL supplemental draft this summer.
Should coach Mike McCarthy and GM Omar Khan consider Sorsby as another possible successor to Aaron Rodgers after 2026? Or should they stand by their current duo of young QBs in Drew Allar and Will Howard? And what other options would they have to pursue a franchise QB after this season, when names including Dante Moore, Arch Manning and Jayden Maiava are expected to be available in the 2027 NFL draft? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
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Post-Gazette Pirates insider Colin Beazley details his conversation with reigning Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes about the state of MLB's current labor negotiations and the possibility that games could be lost in the 2027 season.
He also explains the competing proposals and the implications of each on the Pirates. Would owner Bob Nutting, GM Ben Cherington and manager Don Kelly be better able to compete in a salary cap system? Would it be more likely for stars like Skenes, Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, Braxton Ashcraft and Konnor Griffin to stay in Pittsburgh long term? And would the team be able to make more impact signings like Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn in free agency? Colin tackles those questions and more.
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On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Adam Bittner and Christopher Carter wrap up Steelers OTAs with a focus on the 2026 NFL draft class.
How should this group be viewed with Germie Bernard still the only player expected to contribute quickly? Can Max Iheanachor, Drew Allar, Gennings Dunker and/or Daylen Everette accelerate their respective timelines and make impacts the way names like Joey Porter Jr., Broderick Jones, Zach Frazier, Keeanu Benton, Mason McCormick and Derrick Harmon have in recent years under GM Omar Khan? And are we sleeping on the potential of specialist players like Kaden Wetjen, Eli Heidenreich and Riley Nowakowski to stand out within their roles?
Our duo tackles those questions and more as new coach Mike McCarthy's first team starts to take shape around established stars like DK Metcalf, Aaron Rodgers, T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward.
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On the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to analyze the team's moves with its 2023 NFL draft class.
Are new deals for LB Nick Herbig and TE Darnell Washington a sign of how much GM Omar Khan and coach Mike McCarthy believe in that group over the long run? Will Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton also get new deals this summer? And if so, will those players form the team's new core of stars, replacing the old guard led by Aaron Rodgers, T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Jalen Ramsey and DK Metcalf?
Our duo tackles those questions, then ponders the defense's future. How long will it remain the highest paid unit on that side of the ball in the NFL? Will the spending outlast the tenures of names like Ramsey, Watt and Heyward in Pittsburgh? Or will spending start flowing more to the offensive side of the ball and names like Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick, Zach Frazier, Jaylen Warren and others who could be up for new contracts in the next couple of years?
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On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to discuss coach Mike McCarthy's old-school ideas for tight ends Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth.
Can a 1990s-style role within the offense work for that duo with Aaron Rodgers at QB and an improved set of pass catchers including DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Germie Bernard, Roman Wilson and Jaylen Warren around them? And how capable is the current roster of playing that more physical style of the past?
Our duo tackles those questions, then talks QBs and how pivotal this summer could be for Will Howard as he looks to prove he deserves consideration for the QB2 role next to Mason Rudolph and Drew Allar.
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The Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac and Christopher Carter report from Steelers OTAs at the team's South Side facility. The explain how younger players including Drew Allar, Will Howard and others are getting more work this week with older veterans now off until training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Were Allar and Howard able to make the most of their reps with Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph absent? Does Howard need to unseat Rudolph as Rodgers' primary backup to make the roster? Will GM Omar Khan and coach Mike McCarthy get enough value out of Darnell Washington following his extension last week to play alongside Pat Freiermuth for the long term? Is new DC Patrick Graham signaling intent to play more nickel defense with names like Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker and DeShon Elliott in the secondary? And what's the timeline for an extension for Porter Jr.? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
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