North Shore Drive podcast - Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Post-Gazette Pirates insider Noah Hiles and columnist Jason Mackey chat live about hot topics around the team. What does it mean that GM Ben Cherington has demoted Henry Davis in favor of Yasmani Grandal? How should manager Derek Shelton handle the struggling Oneil Cruz? How important is this upcoming homestand against the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs to this team's hopes? And should we be surprised that names including Nick Gonzales, Ji Hwan Bae and Jake Lamb haven't been called up from the minor leagues.
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On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey reacts to the Steelers' decision to decline their fifth-year option on RB Najee Harris' rookie contract. Was it the right move by GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin to wait until the end of the 2024 season to decide how to move forward with their running backs? Was the option just too expensive for a back who's put up ordinary numbers in today's NFL? Will Jaylen Warren simply be a cheaper alternative in 2025?

Jason tackles those questions, plus Warren's suggestion that new QB Justin Fields could return kicks should he stay in the No. 2 role behind Russell Wilson. He then talks Pirates and how the upcoming series against the Colorado Rockies is pivotal if the team is going to get back on track offensively.
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On the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Mike's Beer Bar, host Christopher Carter and Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko continue to sort through the aftermath of the NFL draft. Will Troy Fautanu start at right tackle and replace Dan Moore Jr. in the lineup when he's ready, as many fans expect? Or could he win the left tackle spot over Broderick Jones, last year's first-round pick?

Our duo tackles those questions, then explains why UCF's John Rhys Plumlee and West Virginia's Beanie Bishop are among undrafted free agents to watch as rookie minicamp looms for GM Omar Khan, coach Mike Tomlin and Co. And in the final segment, they discuss whether young DBs Darius Rush, Ryan Watts and Corey Trice Jr. will find their respective niches in the Steelers defense this season.
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In his weekly YouTube appearance, Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise joins host Adam Bittner to discuss Steelers draft picks Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier. How quickly can they be upgrades on 2023 offensive line starters Dan Moore Jr. and Mason Cole? How long after that will they mature into the stalwart pieces of the line that the Steelers hope they can be? And where does fourth-round pick Mason McCormick fit into this conversation?

Our duo tackles those questions, the latest on WR trade rumors involving names like the Commanders' Terry McLaurin and the possibility of Cam Sutton returning to Pittsburgh. Then they get into the Pirates' recent offensive struggles. Has hitting coach Andy Haines become a scapegoat for GM Ben Cherington's systemic development failures? Does Cherington deserve to keep his job through the entire season if names including Henry Davis, Oneil Cruz and Jack Suwinski continue to sputter? And why does Paul think it's time to bring up names like Nick Gonzales, Ji Hwan Bae, Jake Lamb and Paul Skenes from the minors, then cut underperformers like Rowdy Tellez loose?
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On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Mike's Beer Bar, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to tackle swirling trade rumors at the WR position. Could GM Omar Khan swing a trade for a No. 2 option across from George Pickens soon, as pundits including Bryant McFadden have suggested? Or might the process take longer to play out? Is Denver's Courtland Sutton a potentially cheaper option than Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers standouts the Steelers have been connected to for weeks? And how do names including third-round pick Roman Wilson, former fourth-rounder Calvin Austin and free agent pickups Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins figure into the receiver conversation?

Our duo tackles those topics, then ponders whether Najee Harris could get a contract extension or see his fifth-year option exercised this week. Then Pirates insider Andrew Destin stops by to analyze Paul Skenes' latest strong start in the minors and his potential to join the club's rotation sooner or later amid profound struggles for the offense. 
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On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey reacts to the Pirates' latest punchless loss, a 5-2 defeat Tuesday against the Oakland Athletics. Is the club's strategy overseen by manager Derek Shelton and GM Ben Cherington of trying to see a lot of pitches flawed? Have key young players including Jack Suwinski and Oneil Cruz gotten worse compared to where they were one and two years ago? What is this club's offensive identity? Jason tackles those questions, reacts to Paul Skenes' latest strong start in the minors and highlights the importance of development successes like Drew O'Connor to the Penguins' future.
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