The Pomp And Joe Show
Nick Farabaugh thinks Calvin Austin is back, Nussmeier and Allar draft talk
10 Feb 2026
Chapter 1: What are the Steelers' needs in the upcoming draft?
nick it's a pleasure to have you i don't believe we've ever spoken before you're a recent graduate of slippery rock am i right about that no on that note we bring in nick faribault from penn live does a great job covering the steelers and we welcome him to the pomp and joe show nick how are you today how are you pomp how are you gotta love the intro every time every time i'm on with either bechtel joe doesn't matter i hear it every time
Well, you're sitting across from me and also Joe's cardboard cutout as he has gone into a colonoscopy today. So I think he's out of there by now. We'll be checking in on him a little bit later. So I don't know why I decided to say that other than you're next to him on the video screen. And Austin put it up, so it needed to be explained.
All right, so you were at the Senior Bowl, I know, and you've done a lot of research work concerning this upcoming draft, which is going to be interesting to see. And they're going to have so many people in downtown Pittsburgh, man. It's going to be something like we've never seen before. And with the 21st pick in that draft, the Steelers are going to make a selection.
I'm of the belief, at least in my mind, they need much more receiving help than they have. Which is the way you would go with that 21st pick, and how much of this is impacted by Aaron Rodgers' decision at this point?
Yeah, I mean, I think Rodgers definitely impacts it, but there's not necessarily a quarterback that's going to necessarily be there. Ty Simpson's going to be the question mark, and if he's there or if he even is worth the 21st overall pick, Joe, I mean, because you really look at Simpson, and he's a guy that ā has struggled with injuries, didn't really do well down the stretch.
I don't think he's a slam dunk first-round pick. I don't think there's always going to be this idea that they're going to take the quarterback at 21. It's always going to be there, but it might not happen. Tyson says a lot of questions on his profile, and I think they really need a wide receiver, and this is a great wide receiver class. That is something that has become abundantly clear.
It's a deep class, but there's also a phenomenal top to this class, and it's not just ā There are the top three guys, and those top three guys are Carnell Tate of Ohio State, Jordan Tyson of Arizona State, and Makai Lemon of USC.
But then there's another layer where if the Steelers didn't want to trade up and try and get one of those guys, they can get a guy like Casey Concepcion out of Texas A&M who has drawn comps to Zay Flowers, a guy like Benzel Boston who's a bigger body contested catch guy. There's a lot of different types. There's a lot of different types that could fit into the Steelers' offense.
Probably depends on what they do in free agency, Pop, honestly. Who do they sign? I think they're going to try and sign somebody and draft somebody. I just think they need two or three guys in that room, especially with Calvin Austin being a free agent. Is he going to come back? I think that's a question. They need depth plus two starters probably. And so we'll see where it goes.
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Chapter 2: How does Calvin Austin fit into the Steelers' roster plans?
So it's possible that guard is the best player available if they stick at 21.
Yeah, you can never have enough depth on that offensive line or defensive line. I think we saw that with Seattle in the Super Bowl and what they were able to do up front, not necessarily with top edge rushers, just the way they schemed and delivered up front, stopping a run game and everything else. But I want to get back. You mentioned Calvin Austin because I think that's interesting.
When I look at him, somebody's giving him some money to play, whether it's here or elsewhere. I'm thinking he probably owes it to himself to look around and find. But I don't look at him as a two or a three. I think they're better off if they could find two other guys and he's a four if they're going to use those four receivers.
If so, does that mean that the Steelers will not try to bring him back, or do you think they offer him?
I think they'll offer him. And the reason is he's a fit with Mike McCarthy's scheme. Mike McCarthy likes guys that can play all three spots and can stretch the field with speed. He's worked with guys that are undersized in the past. You know, I think of him kind of like he could be the equivalent to a Kavante Turpin. You remember? Yeah. Kavante Turpin was a return specialist.
It was kind of the wide receiver four and can play a little bit, get some manufactured touches. I think that's kind of where I see Calvin Austin fitting in. And listen, he's not going to break the bank. I think, you know, where he's going to come in at ā six, seven a year. They have so much cap space to work with. It's not like they're starving for it.
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Chapter 3: What impact does Aaron Rodgers' decision have on the Steelers' draft strategy?
So I think Calvin Austin is a guy that one, I think wants to return from what I've heard. He wants to return. I think the Steelers are probably going to want him back. Is he going to explore it? Yes. I expect Calvin Austin to be back, but I actually think that they're going to bring him back as a wide receiver for, I would not be surprised if Calvin Austin is not a starter next year.
And rightfully so. I mean, Mike McCarthy's scheme is just different than what Arthur Smith ran, right? Arthur Smith ran all the two tight end sets and three tight ends and jumbo package. Mike McCarthy's more of a spread look. He's 11 personnel, three wide receivers on the field. Let's do those neat guys that can run routes and win everywhere. And Calvin Austin's great depth.
I just don't think he's a wide receiver two or three, as you mentioned. And so there's a good enough... classier in free agency, Bob, to where you can look at a guy like Romeo Dubs, Rashid Shaheed, someone like that. Shaheed would probably honestly nix the idea of bringing Austin back. He's kind of just the supersized version of Calvin Austin.
But if they don't get a guy like Shaheed there, I think there are more options than you can even imagine out there right now. It's not an elite class. There's Alec Pierce. He's kind of the top target probably a wide receiver free agency class, but there's enough targets out there where the Steelers can make some signings here, still have a need on draft day and really turn over this room.
But I think Calvin Austin right now, by my math, is probably part of the solution not leaving here and can easily be the wide receiver for him and really fill that return man spot, which would be a need otherwise too.
One more question for me before I turn over to Austin because, as Joe says, the mere thought of keeping Austin out of this conversation would bring you to tears, and I don't want to do that, right? Not at all, Bob. I want no tears. But I want to ask you about ā obviously you've heard all the stuff about Rodgers, so your belief is he's going to be back.
So what does that mean moving forward for a guy like Howard? Because if he is back for one more year, then I would assume next year they're going to draft somebody. Is Howard ever going to get a chance? Should he be able to compete with someone down the road ā What have you learned about their feeling of Howard and how they want to utilize him even with a Rodgers return?
Right. I mean, well, listen, I think they like Will Howard, but he is a six-run pick. And I think that just comes into focus. It's not like he's the 12th overall pick like J.J. McCarthy was, for example, where they let Sam Darn walk. They had to see what this guy had. They traded up for him. The Steelers did not. They took him in the sixth round of the draft.
And listen, I think they got a great value pick. I think they got excellent, excellent value. And they really liked what Will Howard did this year. He's really smart. And one of the traits when you talk with people around the league about what do you need to be a Mike McCarthy quarterback, man, you've got to be so smart pre-snap.
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Chapter 4: Which wide receivers are top prospects in this draft class?
So many different things you can do at the line of scrimmage as a Michael McCarthy quarterback. And Will Howard can do it. And I think that's one thing the Steelers really believe. He's a very smart quarterback. Aaron Rodgers taught him tricks of the trade. Whether that was mechanically, I think he helped him out with his footwork. That's always been an issue for Will Howard.
Will Howard's footwork has always been a little bit out of rhythm and has been sloppy at times when he struggled in college. Well, Aaron Rodgers helped him do that, from what I've heard, and helped him get into rhythm and It looked like he was a comfortable quarterback. He didn't look like he was skittish. Now things can change when you get into a game, but they like what Will Howard did.
They thought he grew last year under Aaron Rodgers. But here's the thing. He is a six-round pick. And while I think they're intrigued by it, you can't really just go into a season with a six-round pick two years after the fact and make him the starter. And so I think it's just tough for Will Howard. And listen, most of the guys that have become success stories out of those late-round picks, Bob,
have been in because of injuries. I mean, you think about Tom Brady himself, Drew Bledsoe got hurt. You think about Dak Prescott, Tony Romo got hurt. You think about Brock Purdy, Trey Lance broke his ankle. Like all these things have to happen. And so he's going to need some luck on his side. I'm sure that he will get a chance to kind of rise up the depth chart, right?
He will get the chance to usurp people. They're not going to have a closed mind. to him maybe even jumping Mason Rudolph this year. Mason Rudolph is under contract, but if Will Howard shows he can be the guy, I don't think they're going to really be against that.
But as to a quarterback coming in next year, Will Howard, what he's going to need is an extended time playing this year and to prove he's the guy. Otherwise, I think he's probably unfortunately a little bit behind the eight ball there just because of the realities of the NFL.
Will there be a toss sweep to Jonu Smith in a December game in Baltimore next year, Nick? Will he be on the team?
I'm not expecting Jonu Smith back. Listen, this team, and something you hear just kind of repeatedly over time when you go on these trips is how highly this front office holds Pat Frymouth in regard. One of those guys wasn't going to be back next year. They're not going to spend $12 million on two tight ends that they couldn't maximize.
And McCarthy's scheme, it utilizes the tight ends, but it doesn't utilize them the same way that you look at an Arthur Smith offense. And so you need a move tight end, and Pat Fryman probably fits the profile better. I mean, think of the guys he had in Dallas. You think of the Dalton Schultzes, the Jake Fergusons. That's pretty much Pat Fryman, and that's the thing.
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Chapter 5: What are the potential quarterbacks the Steelers might draft?
It's likely that the first-year cap hit, even on that Washington in his rookie year, would still increase significantly. So if you're going to have two tenants under contract for long term, I think it's going to be Darnell Washington and Pat Fram with not Johnny Smith.
So then why did they give Johnny Smith an extension? Was that a Mike Tomlin thing? Not an Omar Khan reason?
Well, I think everyone was on board with it. I think Arthur Smith obviously kind of panhandled for that. He wanted his guy. And that's the reason he was out of Miami, right?
Because they weren't going to give it to him. So they made him available.
Correct. And they were rightfully so. I mean, Miami utilized him in an uber-specific way. They utilized him spread out, almost like a wide receiver. He was never in line blocking. The Steelers asked him to put his hand in the dirt and block. That never went well. He was a guy that they brought in.
And teams, it was kind of funny, Bob, when you watched the film last year, the Dolphins offense, teams treated John O. Smith like a wide receiver. So when he was out there and there were three other wide receivers, they played it like it was 10 personnel, four wide receivers, one running back.
And it worked because John Smith is still athletic enough to stretch the field and he's able to really stretch seams and do different things after the catch. But the Steelers didn't have that role very much in that offense in the seam rule was going to Pat for our move because Pat for our move is very good at that role. And so instead, he kind of turned into a running back in some ways.
It was kind of almost shocking, to be quite honest with you. He was mostly screens. He was, you know, put in the backfield at times. They didn't utilize him the same way Miami did. There's a place for Johnny Smith on a roster. I'm just not sure it's with Pittsburgh. And I don't think it's for 12 million really anywhere in the league right now. He's not that type of player anymore.
He can be a useful player, but he's got to get to the right scheme.
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Chapter 6: How does Mike McCarthy's offensive scheme affect player roles?
I don't expect it to come super early unless Simpson falls. That's the kind of variable. If Ty Simpson starts to fall into the middle of the second round, that's where I think that pops up. And he very well might. And Ty Simpson had back issues, a leg issue, and a cracked rib this year. And that could explain some of why he struggled.
But it's also going to come up as a very big question for teams with his durability. That's the one outlier I could see where the Steelers go. You know, we're going to take a quarterback earlier than people think. They'll probably have to move up to get him in the second round there. But to me, otherwise, I'm thinking, you know, fourth or fifth round. I'm thinking someone like Garrett Nussmeier.
I said this to Austin earlier. I do think since his stock is falling, Drew Allard would make sense on day three.
Oh, ding, ding, ding. Ding, ding, ding, ding. Big smile just came to his face.
Yeah, yeah. He's probably got the guy, you know, he's probably got a lot of upside for them to tap into.
But let me ask you this, Nick, how do they tap into it if you make it sound like it's going to be tough for Will Howard? Yeah, he was a sixth round pick, but let's say Aller's a fourth round pick or something of that nature. How are they going to give him the opportunity with Rodgers here? to get any opportunity to show what he can do.
Because it'll probably come back the next year, and then you have two of those same kind of guys, and you'll probably draft another quarterback. And I get your point about drafting quarterbacks until you get it right, because it is the most important. But how does that figure for this year?
Yeah, I mean, it really is. You're like giving two guys redshirt years. That really is what it is. And then if Rodgers gets hurt or things go off the rails, then you start to turn to the young guys. That's how it kind of works. I mean, listen, the Steelers and Mike McCarthy and Art Rooney have said it. They're not a team that's in rebuilding. They're not trying to rebuild.
So their goal isn't to see what Will Howard has or what a rookie QB would have. It's only going to come if they get into that spot. And so the opportunities come in practice. They come through development. They come through the preseason. You kind of have to do evaluation in that regard.
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Chapter 7: What are the Steelers' options for improving their defense?
They had two young guys. So it helps when you have multiple boards at play to say, hey, maybe this guy's the answer. Maybe this guy's the answer. Maybe this guy's the answer when maybe something doesn't work out.
So we know it's not going to happen, Nick, but I'm curious your thoughts on what it would take to trade up for the number one pick with the Raiders. They're going to pick Mendoza, but if the Steelers were to move up from like 21 or to the number two pick if they wanted Ty Simpson, something like that, would it be like two, three first round picks?
You'd have to give up future. I don't like third, fourth round picks to get it done. Do you, Nick? You'd have to go to next year and the year after and the year after. Yeah.
Yeah, they would take their first this year, next year, probably a year after that, plus a significant player or two even. I mean, I think about ā you remember when the Panthers went up, they had to give up their ā they had to give up two firsts plus DJ Moore to do that. If you're going 21, you're going to have to give up three firsts.
It would be like three firsts Alex Highsmith and Derek Harmon. Like it would be something insane. Wow.
They have a chart for this, don't they? They have a chart about what it would take to move certain spots up, and they know what all these general managers do. So it's a lot.
I think it's untenable. It would be absolutely insane, which is why I think if they do move up, it would be four or five, maybe six spots. It's not going to be anything crazy. They need the first-round pick next year because right now, and that's right now, people in league circles think that next year's quarterback class has a chance to be deeper.
There's a chance where there could be three or four first-round quarterbacks, just only going to be one, maybe two this year. We'll see where Simpson falls. And so that's a thought right now. And the Steelers at least have to have the first-round pick. And so you can't trade up and get rid of your 20-27 first when you don't have a quarterback. It's just bad business.
No, it really is. I don't think. Defensively, what do you think they most need to become this historic defense? Because if you saw Seattle play, I think that's a historic defense, the way they play it. And Nick, it goes to show you that you can still win. A lot of these teams that are in the top five in defenses end up going far in the playoffs. So there is... that component to it?
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Chapter 8: How should the Steelers approach trading up in the draft?
I think that's what they need. I also think they need to continue to beef up that front. They have young pieces. I like what they have in Benton. I like what they have in Harmon. Y.A. Black showed some very promising things. but Cam Hayward will not be here forever. It will not always have, you know, the elder statesman of the room and one of the best defensive tackles in football.
They need to complete that set. Um, all these great teams have great defensive lines, even though Seattle's isn't elite. They have a lot of very good players, Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Boya Moffay, Chena Noosu, um, Lots of very good underrated players on that front. And so the Steelers need to continue to beef that out.
And they're on a very good start there, a very good path on the defensive line. But they need some very big difference makers. I think they need, outside of Joey Porter Jr., who I think has grown into a difference maker, they need a guy on the middle of that defense. Really, safety or slot corner, that's just a game changer. You know, you think about how Mike Hilton was.
He was a complete math changer with how he was. Minka Fitzpatrick, when he terrorized the middle. They need a guy in that middle there. And then they need one more piece, I think, to the defensive line to take the next step. And hopefully the schematic part comes with Patrick Graham coming.
And that was always, I think, one of the biggest leaps, maybe the biggest leap that they needed to reach these heights that these other teams have. Because I think they have a lot of talent to work with. So we'll see what Patrick Graham can utilize there. So those three things need to happen. It's not too crazy to think they could have.
To your point about Seattle, that's one of the reasons why it was hard to give any of them the MVP of the Super Bowl because they all had a hand in it. It wasn't one guy, right? They didn't look for one guy to be the MVP. You could have given it to the entire squad because everything was spread out. Everyone made big plays. They canceled each other out, it looked like.
Nick, thanks very much for your time. Always appreciate your insight, and we'll look forward to doing it again. Thanks, man. Thanks for having me on, Pomp. Appreciate it as always. Nick Faribault from PennLive joining us here. Pomp and Joe's show as we roll along.
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