Words mean things. And NFL players learn that pretty quickly as their words are parsed by fans and the media constantly.
Few know that as well as former Steelers running back and ESPN analyst Merril Hoge.
So, when Hoge went on 93.7 The Fan earlier this week and said the Steelers should cut bait with Devin Bush now -- even saying Robert Spillane is the team's best linebacker -- he knew what he was doing.
And it wouldn't be surprising if he did it at the behest of Mike Tomlin.
Really? Yep.
Tomlin is not above using a member of the media to push a player to try to "prove the haters wrong."
Remember Warren Sapp's "old, slow and done," remark about the Steelers defense about 10 years ago?
Now, think about who Sapp might know who would want to motivate the Steelers with a comment like that out of left field.
That was Tomlin's doing.
So, it wouldn't surprise me when Hoge says things like, "He is who he is. He doesn’t play with great instincts. I don’t care if he’s a first-rounder. I don’t care if he’s fast. He’s not a very good football player. He doesn’t play smart. He doesn’t play fast. He doesn’t even play with good leverage and technique when he does. And he hurts you," that it's coming at the behest of Tomlin to motivate Bush.
• Of course, Bush haters -- and there are many -- will jump all over that comment, just as they did Bush's comment that he doesn't have anything to prove to anyone because he's a first-round pick.
Bush talked for six minutes Wednesday at the Steelers' OTA session, the first time he's spoke to the media since last season ended. He answered well over a dozen questions, many of them asked by me.
And most of his answers were exactly what you'd want to hear from him in terms of his recovery, his motivation to have a good season, etc. Then there was that answer.
Again, words mean things. And Bush's detractors jumped all over that response as a sign that he just doesn't get it.
I'll say this: Like many players, Bush isn't comfortable speaking to a group of reporters. And that interview began as just me and another reporter, but grew as it went on. Initially, he told me he had two minutes before he had to get to a meeting when I asked him if we could talk. But by the time the other reporters jumped in, he had answered some of the questions multiple times and was well over his two minutes.
Maybe, just maybe, he was getting a little testy at that point.
• I have a lot of respect for Hoge and his football analysis. He's very good at what he does. But for him to say Spillane is the Steelers' best linebacker is a little telling.
This isn't 1989 any more. As much as I like Spillane's ability and willingness to fill the hole in the running game, he's a liability in coverage. Turn on tape of anytime Spillane is in the game. Yes, he reads things well and understands the defensive concepts. But his lack of speed and change of direction becomes obvious as teams target him constantly in the passing game.
• That's the reality of today's NFL. Fact of the matter is, opposing passing games are going to target linebackers in coverage.
The Steelers' inside linebackers as a group were targeted 128 times in 2021 and allowed 89 receptions, a completion percentage of 69.5.
Many of those are short, easy passes for a quarterback to complete. In fact, Bush's yards per target -- the average depth of where those passes were thrown -- was 6.7 yards. Spillane's was the exact same. Bush allowed 9.6 yards per catch. Spillane allowed 10.1 yards per reception.
Myles Jack, the Steelers' free agent acquisition at the position, allowed a completion percentage of 78.3 percent with a depth of target of 7.3 yards and average per catch allowed of 9.3.
Just throwing that out there, not knowing as much about how the Jaguars played defense last season or Jack's responsibilities in it.
But if I had to guess who the Steelers' primary dime linebacker will wind up being this season, Jack would be my pick.
• A 24th civil suit is set to be filed against Deshaun Watson on Monday according to a report in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
This situation is going to end very badly for the Browns.
There is a growing feeling among NFL circles that Watson won't play a down of football in 2022. And if that happens, the Browns are in deep trouble. Not only did they give up a bevy of picks to acquire Watson and then paid him an exorbitant contract, he'll have used up one of the four years on his deal without playing football.
Then, even if he's permitted to play in 2023 -- which isn't a given, either -- he won't have played football in two years. And he'll count nearly $55 million against the team's salary cap. Myles Garrett will be $29.1 million against the cap, while Amari Cooper will count $23.7 million.
That means Cleveland will have nearly $108 million tied up in three players. That's not a good cap strategy.
• Whenever somebody asks me who looks good in OTA or minicamp sessions, I remind myself of Jahine Arnold.
Arnold, who was with the Steelers from 1996 through 1998 was "Mr. May." He always looked great -- when there was no danger of going over the middle and getting hit.
But come August, that changed every year.
Tomlin calls this "football in shorts" for a reason. There's no real blocking. There's no real tackling. And everyone looks athletic, otherwise they wouldn't be around every long.
Arnold caught six career passes despite being targeted 21 times in his career. His Mr. May nickname turned to "Jaclang" once the tackle football began.
• According to the NFLPA, the Steelers have $20.4 million in salary cap space available after Stephon Tuitt's retirement.
I've seen other numbers bandied about, but that is the actual number.
They need cap space to sign the remaining two rookies of their draft class -- first-rounder Kenny Pickett and fourth-rounder Calvin Austin -- have around $6 million in money to spend during the regular season and even increase Minkah Fitzpatrick's cap number, if necessary, with a new deal. Even with those things, the team should have $8 to $10 million to spend on additional things.
Obviously, a defensive lineman to help offset the loss of Tuitt would be a big get. But a veteran running back remains on the wish list, as well. Every team in the NFL with the exception of the Steelers had at least two running backs with at least 65 touches last season according to former Steelers PR sage Ryan Scarpino. Najee Harris had 381 touches. Benny Snell had 38. That can't continue. But the coaching staff has to trust someone other than Harris to handle the load.
• Even if the Steelers don't make any additions to their roster this week, that doesn't mean they won't.
Remember, Trai Turner was signed last year after minicamp ended. Melvin Ingram was added right before the start of training camp. Joe Haden was signed in 2017 right before the start of the season after his surprising release from Cleveland.
There's still time.
• Here's a little factoid that might only be interesting to me, but I'll share it anyway: The Steelers are the only team in the NFL that have two players on their roster who have led the league in punt return average.
Diontae Johnson did so in 2019. Gunner Olszewski did it in 2020 while with the Patriots.
Now they are teammates.
"Diontae and I were talking about that the other day," Olszewski told me when I brought it up. "It just shows how much the Steelers value special teams."
• The Steelers do value special teams more than a lot of teams. And that's one thing many people always seem to forget when they're roster-building or talking about this camp battle or that camp battle.
The Steelers' top five players in terms of special teams snap counts in 2021 were Ulysees Gilbert (337), Miles Killebrew (335), Derek Watt (332), Snell (326) and Marcus Allen (301).
Those guys are core special teams players. That doesn't mean they can't be beaten out for a spot by someone else, but it can't just be them being beaten out at their position. They have to be beaten out as special teams players, as well.
And you can probably part with one of those guys, but certainly not all five.
