He's holding in and he said yesterday, it was coach
tomlin's decision that he not practice and then when Tom was
asked about it, he said one my decision. So, you know, there
were times last year when TJ W was holding in, you kind of
wondered whether
tomlin's really on board with this, or whether he's just
comfortable with the message, it sends that you can just show
up Up and not practice. Especially when he is the king
of we want. Volunteers, not hostages.
You're kind of in the hostage category
when you're showing up and holding in and refusing to
practice. Yeah. I mean to a degree, but you're still at
least there, even though you're not happy about your contract.
And that's where a coach has the,
you know, dance defined line there about, you know,
understanding the other circumstances that are there
now. But but I'm with you, in the fact that, you know,
you know, one that's an awkward Exchange.
Change yesterday. All right. So that obviously something is not
on the right pager there or deante, Johnson didn't want to
take the Heat and he thought maybe Mike Tomlin was going to
take it for him, also here to Mike. What's interesting to me
a little bit is just like hey, deante Johnson. We know is he's
a really good
player. They drafted him and we know how good they are at
finding Talent at the receiver position, but
you know yeah he's
he's another way. I'll go. What's the sweet spot for him
and it's different than DK Metcalfe where it's like, well
he The highest paid or the third highest paid or where
it's going to be but deante Johnson. He's not to me in
the class of those two guys.
You know, not yet, at least
he's not. I mean, again we're talking about a guy two years
ago where we couldn't catch the football and the most drops in
the league, you know. So there's those issues, they're
really good football player, but I'm interested to see how
they balance what they pay him to I am as much as I like
the guy. He's not as good as DJ more at 20 million a year or
Terry microrna 22 a year,
you know, No, and then you get into the Keenan. Allen, Chris
Godwin conversation at 20 million a year with Mike
Williams. Is he that good as he those guys?
I don't know if he is either. So that one's interesting to me
to let alone when you add in the chase. Claypool is probably
going to be in a similar situation here sued too, and
I think he actually has more physical ability
than deante Johnson. So there's a few factors here in
Pittsburgh, that intrigued me.
And think about it. You've got the market exploding at
the position, so guys who haven't gotten paid yet want, there's
yeah, but not all of these guys are going to be as good as
the ones at the top of the market. And the Steelers are very good
at drafting receivers
anywhere in the draft and working them into competent
starters. And they drafted two more receivers this year.
You've got Claypool coming behind deante Johnson and
a decade ago,
they made an offer to Mike Wallace.
Wallace said, no, thanks.
They gave it to Antonio Brown.
Instead and Wallace left in free agency.
I made the point several weeks ago, because, Mark, Boley of
the athletic said, they're not going to pay either of these
guys, 20 million a year. It's like, well then they better be
ready to watch him. Walk away. It's almost like outside
linebacker was back in
the 90s and might be
yeah. We're yeah, yeah, but you led the team in sacks great
season. You want to get paid? Sorry. It's not going to be
here. Bringing the next guy.
Same thing for the next guy. Sorry, great. Thanks for having you
will bring in the next guy. They're doing the same thing at
the receiver position. And there's a chance
that neither guy. Yeah. After 2022
for Johnson 23 for Claypool. Yeah. I'm going to be
interested to see how it plays out too because you know you
stated it correctly and there they have an eye for it. And
the guys they drafted this year I mean I'm a big fan of
George, George Pickens the kid. They drafted out of Georgia,
if he doesn't have injury and out for most of last year, he's
a first-round Talent at receiver. So he could be that
next guy, Calvin, Austin. The other kid, they drafted out of
Memphis.
Oh my gosh. I mean, he's,
you know, a smaller Jitterbug type, but he's got three
rockets up his ass, Mike he can fly. He's going to be one of
those type of guys, so you're right, that option is on
the table to kind of. Let it play out and go away. We
got guys, coming up the system here. No big deal, you know?
And, and it's off kilter with Claypool and deante Johnson to
where, you know, you're gonna have Claypool next year, too.
So I know that that's one. This one's a little trickier to me.
And I don't know how this one's going to play out. Dkd bow,
they're getting done. There's no
Doubt, it's fine, details and fine. Print this one, I said
here and go. I don't necessarily I'm sold. This
one's getting done.
And I think yesterday's awkwardness between Johnson and
Tom and maybe the sign that at some point. What's going to
happen to Johnson is what we thought could eventually happen
with TJ W last year,
where they just say it's time, you know, here you go, time to
go to work and then he gets paid this year
and he goes elsewhere next year and gets paid in free agency.