When it Includes how the Stephon Tuitt state of affairs wrapped up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLIVE said he noticed the retirement coming.

“To not blow My very personal horn, however … toot-toot,” Madden said on this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “I said two months in the past he was retiring. I knew he was. And the Steelers knew, too.”

Based mostly on Madden, the lull guessween The selection and the exact announcement was multifaceted.

“I might Inform you 100% the Steelers knew he was retiring two months in the past. They solely requested him To primarytain off on his announcement. Principally to get him To vary his thoughts. Cam Heyward was In cost of that,” Madden insisted.

But Regardless of The very Incontrovertible actuality that that didn’t work out, Madden is satisfied the Steelers wouldn’t have approached their offseason plan any in A particular method.

“Had they introduced two months in the past, had they not believed for even a second that he’d be coming again, I don’t assume They might’ve drafted in A particular method. I nonetheless assume They might’ve taken Kenny Pickett. I don’t assume They might’ve dealt with free agency any completely different,” Madden said.

That’s Some extent I agree with. For as a lot As a Outcome of the Steelers want depth on the Defensive place, I’m Not sure there was one other 3-4 Defensive placeman Inside The primary wave of free agency thOn They might’ve signed, Whilst quickly as they knew that Tuitt was retiring.

Now, what about Akiem Hicks Inside the second wave of free agency as a nostril deal with/defensive finish to enhance A pair of of the burden off Tyson Alualu, after the draft and roughly a day earlier than Tuitt retired?

Yeah. Maybe. But he accomplished up going to Tampa Bay.

But I don’t know In the event that they draft all that in A particular method Whilst quickly as they did Discover out about Tuitt. Maybe they take Defensive placeman Travis Jones out of UConn Inside the second spherical Rather than broad receiver George Pickens.

Then Once again, the Steelers have been truly thinner at broad receiver than they have been alongside the Defensive place, with or with out Tuitt. That they had extra our bodies On the D-line than they did at broad receiver or working again. After Heyward and Alualu, there’s Isaiahh Loudermilk, Chris Wormley, the Davis twins (Carlos and Khalil), DeMarvin Leal, Henry Mondeaux and others.

And that i guess working again and broad receiver are the place the Steelers’ money goes in free agency guessween now and The start of the common season, even earlier than Defensive place.

“I really feel they exactly appreciated Pickens,” Madden continued. “So I’m Not sure Which might’ve turned out any completely different. The A method it’s exactly A critical factor is Do You’d like to don’t take Pickett. So I am very assured As quickly as I say it wouldn’t have modified somefactor about how they put the roster collectively from the time they knew Tuitt was going to retire, to the time he truly introduced his retirement.”

Elsethe place Inside the podcast, Madden and I additionally converse Regarding the NHL convention finals. We analyze The biggest method forward for the Penguins’ free agent state of affairs. We converse about the Pirates’ current scorching stretch and A pair of of Devin Bush’s current feedagain.

Pay attention: Tim Benz and Mark Madden converse Stephon Tuitt’s retirement; plus Penguins, Pirates and extra

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Consider staff author. You will Have The power to contact Tim at [email protected] or by way of Twitter. All tweets Could be reposted. All emails are topic to publication till specified in any other case.