Post-Gazette Sports Network: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more

On the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to ponder possible moves for GM Omar Khan and coach Mike McCarthy ahead of training camp in a couple of weeks.

Could a deal still be struck to send a highly paid outside linebacker like T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith or Nick Herbig to another team? Or would that weaken the 2026 team too much? Could Patrick Queen be moved, as his 2027 return to the roster seems increasingly unlikely? And is there any other potential move that could rival what Khan did last summer in dealing Minkah Fitzpatrick to acquire Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith?

Our duo tackles those questions, then gets into thornier roster questions. Is a veteran like Mekhi Becton and option in free agency amid the uncertainty at guard? Or do the Steelers have enough belief in internal options like Gennings Dunker, Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman? Where does Ray feel contract extension talks stand with Joey Porter Jr.? And will we see a lack of depth moves this summer given the presence of a large rookie class that includes a lot of Day 3 NFL draft picks like Kaden Wetjen, Eli Heidenreich, Robert Spears-Jennings and Gabriel Rubio?

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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 changes new coach Mike McCarthy may bring to the offense this season.

Could more first-down passing be the secret sauce to unlocking more success on that side of the ball? And how will that success manifest for QB Aaron Rodgers and pass catching options including DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Darnell Washington, Pat Freiermuth, Germie Bernard, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle?

Our duo tackles those questions, then ponders whether a recent ranking of pass rushers that had Steelers star T.J. Watt at No. 7 is accurate unfair.

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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 ponder how the Steelers' Aaron Rodgers stacks up against other older QBs who won Super Bowls late in their careers.

Where does Rodgers rank alongside names like John Elway, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning? Is the roster around him that includes names like T.J. Watt, DK Metcalf, Cam Heyward, Michael Pittman Jr. and Jaylen Warren enough to get him over the top? Especially with a new coaching staff led by Mike McCarthy? Or were those Broncos and Buccaneers teams of the past that lifted those past QBs to glory better than what GM Omar Khan has assembled this offseason?

Our duo tackles those questions. Then Chris offers insight on what he's seen from seventh-round NFL draft pick Eli Heidenreich on film. And ponders the future for the rookie class that also includes Drew Allar, Gennings Dunker, Max Iheanachor and Germie Bernard after looking at some of their collect production up close.

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On the Friday edition of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Adam Bittner and Christopher Carter ponder which members of the team's 2025 NFL draft class are capable of making Year 2 leaps in performance.

Can Derrick Harmon raise the high bar from his rookie season? And possibly pick of the mantle of leadership from fellow defensive lineman Cam Heyward? Will Kaleb Johnson be able to bounce back and find his way at running back next to Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren? And where does Jack Sawyer fit within the crowded outside linebacker group that also includes T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig?

Our duo tackles those questions, then considers the future of other Day 3 picks. Can Yahya Black prove that he is more than quality depth along the defensive line? Must Will Howard prove himself a capable backup to Aaron Rodgers during the exhibition schedule? And how much pressure is on seventh-round picks Donte Kent and Carson Bruener with a large rookie class coming in?

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Post-Gazette Pirates insider Colin Beazley gives his report card for the club. This show is presented by FanDuel.

What grade did the struggling rotation led by Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones receiver? Did manager Don Kelly's bullpen show any meaningful improvement? Or did it lose ground? Has Endy Rodriguez seized the starting catching job for good? What did infielders including Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn and Spencer Horwitz show? And how did Bryan Reynolds and the outfield group grade out amid an injury to Oneil Cruz? Colin tackles those questions and more.

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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 take stock of how the Steelers match up with Pittsburgh's others pro sports teams in terms of chances to win the city's next championship.

Do playmakers including Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward Joey Porter Jr. and Jaylen Warren give coach Mike McCarthy and GM Omar Khan enough to compete for the Super Bowl this year? Or do the Pirates have an edge in the young talent needed with Paul Skenes, Konnor Griffin, Braxton Ashcraft and others. And what kind of future do the Steelers have after 2026? Are Porter and young offensive linemen including Zach Frazier, Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick enough to build a consistent contender around? Our duo 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 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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