Thursday’s “First Call” gives us some ballpark numbers on potential Steelers contracts for T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Coordinator Keith Butler reveals some defensive strategy. Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett is pushing to get Penn State and West Virginia back on the Panthers schedule.

And Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is going to get some preseason reps after all.

Not worth a dime

Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler doesn’t expect his unit to play much dime defense this season.

Speaking with reporters Thursday, Butler said, “To me, the times that we’re gonna play dime in the league: probably 10 percent.”

Given that the Steelers are struggling to find a fifth defensive back in their nickel set, it makes sense that they would try to avoid playing a lot of dime when six are needed. Plus, the franchise also just signed Joe Schobert to potentially be a second every-down linebacker to play nickel with Devin Bush.

“Our nickel has been good for us. We like it,” Butler added. “We like to be able to do some of the things we want to do, not just cover all the time, but to blitz and put pressure on the quarterback and run a couple of different coverages. To make us a little bit more versatile, we’re better off in nickel.”

Butler said part of the reason that he’s comfortable using dime so little is that he doesn’t expect most offenses to come out in four wide receivers too often. He sees most offenses preferring to deploy three receivers, one back, and a tight end.

It’s his contention that the Steelers nickel defense is a better matchup for that look.

‘Watt’ is it gonna take?

So how much is it going to cost to get linebacker T.J. Watt under contract in Pittsburgh? NFL reporter — and Braddock native — John Clayton says at least $100 million.

The great @JohnClaytonNFL says on @937thefan thinks the TJ Watt deal could be 4 years at $100 million.

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) August 25, 2021

“He deserves to be the highest paid defensive player,” Clayton said Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan. “Every year he is in the mix for defensive player of the year. And if that is going to be the case, he deserves the highest salary. He can top Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald. He is going to get a monster deal. And it needs to get done.”

As far as a prediction for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick’s contract? Clayton says somewhere between “$15.25 million and $17.5 million” but he is “not going to get to the $20 million range.”

Bring ‘em on

Also on 93.7 The Fan, Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett made an appearance and gave a good pitch to restart the Pitt/Penn State football rivalry.

There’s a hope — at least among many Pitt fans — that with a new so-called “alliance” between the ACC, Big Ten and PAC-12, the possibility of working together on schedules would reboot the Panthers versus Nittany Lions tradition.

Pickett endorses the idea.

“I think it’s a great game, two passionate fan bases,” Pickett said. “It’s different when it’s a rivalry game. I think that game along with the West Virginia one would be great to have pretty much every year.”

I’m on board with both those ideas. Even though West Virginia is currently in what remains of the Big 12, the university could attempt a move to the ACC.

“You should give what the fans — what the schools — want to go see. So, hopefully, they get back on the schedule here soon,” Pickett said.

I’m not holding my breath on either front. But if ever there was a chance, this seems like a pretty good one.

Punter’s price

Speaking of the Panthers, ex-Panther Andy Lee is still making money in the NFL.

And now the Arizona Cardinals punter has figured out a way to make a little bit more than just what is in his paycheck.

The 18-year vet sold his jersey number to wide receiver Rondale Moore. The rookie wore No. 4 at Purdue. He’s gone through camp as No. 85.

But when No. 14 opened up in Arizona, Lee offered to sell No. 4 and take No. 14 if Moore met his price. Via AzCardinals.com, that happened.

How much was Lee’s demand? That is unclear. But according to Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, it probably was pretty low.

“He does not like spending money at all,” Kingsbury said of Moore. “So it hurt him. But he was very happy to get the number.”

Moore apparently bought his mom a house after signing his rookie contract. However, according to his coach, “I don’t think he’s spent another dollar outside of that.”

Lee has worn No. 4 for most of his career. He’s also been No. 8 and No. 2. At Pitt, he was No. 36.

Burrow is back

After suffering a nasty knee injury in the 10th game of his rookie season, Joe Burrow will be back under center Sunday.

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback has been lobbying for some preseason playing time throughout training camp. But head coach Zac Taylor has held him off until this point.

Although now Burrow is getting the green light to play against the Miami Dolphins Sunday in Cincy’s last preseason game.

“I’m excited to get out there and have a game-type feel,” Burrow said via ProFootballTalk.com. “I think it’s important going into the last preseason game to be as close as you can to having a game-like feel. I’m going to be in the huddle during Game 1, so I need to be out there for the first play of this game.”

Taylor previously stated that Burrow showed the team enough in practices that he didn’t see the need to play his second-year star in a meaningless preseason game. But apparently Burrow’s repeated requests wore him down.

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