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

On the Thursday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Adam Bittner and Christopher Carter react to news that the Steelers are re-signing Darnell Washington to a long-term contract extension.

Was this deal a good one for GM Omar Khan and coach Mike McCarthy? Or will that depend upon how they use Washington alongside other receiving options like DK Metcalf, Germie Bernard, Michael Pittman Jr., Pat Freiermuth and Jaylen Warren? Is it a surprise that this deal got done before Joey Porter Jr.'s or Keeanu Benton's? And how does this deal impact those negotiations?

Our duo tackles those questions. Then takes stock of the team's EDGE rusher situation following Nick Herbig's extension earlier in the week. Could the move necessitate a trade of Alex Highsmith or T.J. Watt before the season? And is the term still investing too heavily in a defense that isn't producing dominant results?

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Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo report from Day 2 of the team's mandatory minicamp at its South Side facility.

They react to the news that Nick Herbig has signed a lucrative contract extension. What does this mean for coach Mike McCarthy and DC Patrick Graham's defense moving forward? Could a move be made with T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith, who both have significant contracts of their own at the same position? Or could GM Omar Khan really be looking to pay big money to all three moving forward? And what implications could Herbig's deal have on negotiations with other 2023 NFL draft class members including Joey Porter Jr., Darnell Washington and Keeanu Benton? Our duo tackles those questions and more.

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Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo report from the first day of the team's mandatory minicamp at its South Side facility.

Why was rookie CB Daylen Everette a frequent target for QB Aaron Rodgers and WR DK Metcalf in drills? And how did he perform? Was it a surprise that no players held out or held in amid contract negotiations with names like Joey Porter Jr., Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig? And what did we learn about new DC Patrick Graham's plans for the season with names like Jalen Ramsey, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and others on the field for practice for the first time this offseason? Our duo tackles those questions and more.

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Post-Gazette Pirates insider Colin Beazley gives his report card for GM Ben Cherington and manager Don Kelly's squad for May. This show is presented by FanDuel.

Did Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Mitch Keller and Bubba Chandler and the starters do a good enough job mitigating the struggles of the bullpen? How low of a mark did Yohan Ramirez, Dennis Santana, Justin Lawrence and the bullpen get? How did outfielders Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz and other fare in the absence of Ryan O'Hearn? And what did Colin see from infielders including Konnor Griffin, Nick Gonzalez, Brandon Lowe and Spencer Horwitz? He 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, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to preview some of the top storylines for the team's minicamp this week.

Does Roman Wilson hold the key to the success of the wide receivers group this year? Can he help the group be dominant alongside DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard? Or will he hold the offense back by struggling to find a consistent connection with QB Aaron Rodgers within coach Mike McCarthy's offense like he did last season?

Our duo tackles those questions, then ponders which players may hold in and not practice with the team this week. Will names like Nick Herbig, Joey Porter Jr., Jaylen Warren and Jalen Ramsey finally make appearances? Or could they be looking for something contractually ahead of training camp next month?

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Post-Gazette Pirates insider Colin Beazley welcomes sports columnist Noah Hiles to talk about a busy week of news for the club.

Did manager Don Kelly make the right call in moving Carmen Mlodzinski to the struggling bullpen? Despite his solid numbers as a starter this season? And what kind of impact can Jaren Jones make on the rotation next to names like Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler?

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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 react to a busy week at the team's OTAs.

Is new coach Mike McCarthy's plan to get playmakers including DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Germie Bernard, Roman Wilson and Pat Freiermuth realistic? Or too ambitious as the team welcomes back Aaron Rodgers at QB?

And what should we make of Patrick Queen's comments about NFL trade rumors that swirled around him this offseason and GM Omar Khan's glut of extension candidates to deal with this summer, including Joey Porter Jr., Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington? Our duo tackles those questions and more?

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Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo report from OTAs practice at the team's South Side facility.

They explain how QB Aaron Rodgers remains engaged in installing coach Mike McCarthy's offense despite veteran status that might otherwise allow him to sit out. And how the lure of one more run in the NFL seems to be inspiring him as he leads a unit dotted with stars like DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Jaylen Warren, Pat Freiermuth and others.

Then later, the guys discuss CB Daylen Everette and why he's be one of the stand out rookies from an NFL draft class that includes names like Max Iheanachor, Germie Bernard and fellow third-round picks Drew Allar and Gennings Dunker.

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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 Adam Bittner and Christopher Carter ponder the future for players who've either been marginalized in the past or overlooked by many since the start of the NFL offseason workout program.

Can Kaleb Johnson overcome his special teams gaffe that landed him in former coach Mike Tomlin's proverbial dog house and prove that he belongs in the backfield alongside Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle? How will Roman Wilson respond to offseason moves for Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard that figure to push him down the depth chart? And how will new coach Mike McCarthy use tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington?

Our duo ponders those questions. Then analyzes Payton Wilson's ability to help teammate Patrick Queen shore up communication from the middle linebacker spot and chart a future for that position group with Queen's contract status uncertain past 2026.

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In his weekly mailbag video, Post-Gazette Pirates insider Colin Beazley answers reader questions. Among them: What can GM Ben Cherington realistically do to fix the bullpen internally as the trade deadline is still months away? How long can the Pirates live without production from Marcell Ozuna, and does Ryan O'Hearn's injury change that calculus? Is Oneil Cruz striking out too much? How will they split playing time between recent call-ups Jhostynxon Garcia and Esmerlyn Valdez? And when will we see Jared Jones again? Colin tackles those topics and more.

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