Happy Friday to yinz and I hope this past week has gone well for all.
We are now in the month of July and that means NFL training camps are scheduled to get underway in less than four weeks from now. As far as the 2020 NFL preseason is concerned, it looks like it’s now been cut to two weeks and could potentially be wiped out completely. I’m guessing we’ll have a lot to talk about concerning the NFL’s remainder-of-the-offseason plans come next Friday at this same time. It sure sounds like they have quite a bit to put to bed concerning COVID-19 in a very short amount of time.
There wasn’t too much to discuss about the Pittsburgh Steelers this past week and that’s not a bad thing. Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward did talk to the NFL Network this past week so there was that. Maybe we’ll get another player interview or two next week.
As is usually the case for this part of the offseason, we’ll continue staying busy attempting to create some interesting content to keep most of yinz entertained.
As usual, I have five questions for yinz to answer these next few days and like last weekend, we’ll give away one copy of the new book by Steelers running back James Conner to one randomly selected winner who responds to all five in the comments below. The great David O. will once again be in charge of fairly selecting the winner.
Last weekend it was reader hoptown that won the book and he needs to contact me here and give me an address to mail to.
If you have a little time in the next few days, please drop Eddie a card or letter in the mail. What a great random act of kindness this would be for a fellow fan of the Steelers.
Thank you to everyone that visited the site this past week as traffic was way, way above expectations.
I hope all of yinz have a great and safe holiday weekend and we hope to see most around the site the next few days if you have time to frequent it.
Peace and love, peace and love!
1 – Will any preseason games be played this year?
2 – Will rookie outside linebacker Alex Highsmith play more than 249.5 defensive snaps during the 2020 regular season?
3 – Of the five non-Super Bowl or AFC Championship Game losses that the Steelers have endured under head coach Mike Tomlin, which one would you have liked to see the team have an immediate ‘do-over’ in?
Divisional – January 14, 2018 vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Divisional – January 17, 2016 at Denver Broncos
WildCard – January 3, 2015 vs Baltimore Ravens
WildCard – January 8, 2012 at Denver Broncos
WildCard – January 5, 2008 vs Jacksonville Jaguars
4 – Better stats and all-around play in the next two seasons: Eric Ebron or David Njoku?
5 – How many hot dogs and buns do you think you could eat in ten minutes?
Recap of 2020 Last June Weekend Friday Night 5 Questions
Question 1: 61% of Steelers Depot respondents would not give up a 2021 sixth round draft pick to sign DT Steve McLendon as a one-year rental for 2020. Most respondents appreciate McLendon but cite his age and question whether losing a draft pick is worth the cost. Replacing Daniel McCullers would soften the cap hit but there is a six-year age difference between McLendon (34) and McCullers (28).
Question 2: Respondents split 50/50 on their belief the NFL will ultimately get all 256 regular season games played in 2020 despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Several commented that they don’t see the NFL giving up $ billions in potential revenue. A couple noted that the Premier League was playing across the pond.
Question 3: Zach Banner will be the Steelers starting right tackle come week 1 of the 2020 regular season according to 67% of respondents. Matt Feiler and Chuks Okorafor evenly split the remainder of the vote. Both Dave Bryan and Alex Kozora stated their belief that Okorafor would be the right tackle on the Terrible Podcast. Let us see who gets it right.
Question 4: Steelers running back James Conner will gain over 999.5 total yards from scrimmage in 2020 according to 70% of respondents. The minority view noted his injury history plus the question of whether the Steelers will play a full 16 game schedule. I hope they do!
Question 5: ILB Vince Williams will play under 624.3 defensive snaps in 2020 according to 65% of respondents. A shorter season, the emergence of Devin Bush, plus more use of just three linebackers in pass defense schemes factored into the responses.
Congrats to Hoptown for winning the new James Conner book compliments of Steelers Depot.
