Darkish storm clouds that rolled in throughout apply pressured the Pittsburgh Steelers to chop their session brief Friday at Saint Vincent Faculty. However there’s nonetheless a lot to debate from right now’s session so let’s get to it.
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Camp Notes (Day One)
– Not typically you see the Steelers so rapidly halt apply and go inside the best way they did right now. There wasn’t a lot rain and solely a bit thunder, however the group performed it protected and made the gamers stroll up the hill and stairs to the constructing, opting to not come again. Pittsburgh will attempt to get a full day’s work in tomorrow, although extra rain and storms are within the forecast.
– Damage roundup: As Mike Tomlin famous after apply, issues are establishment. OG Isaac Seumalo (mushy tissue) stays on NFI. Like yesterday, he did gentle jogging throughout one portion of apply. TE Jonnu Smith hit the JUGS machine early in apply and dressed however his day was completed after stretch line. He didn’t work throughout the person or the group interval. C Ryan McCollum labored throughout the person intervals however not within the group periods. RB Cordarrelle Patterson didn’t gown or work. He could have been on the sphere but when so, I didn’t see him.
– New Steelers security Chuck Clark will put on No. 21. He picked up a pair reps throughout group intervals right now.
– Battle of the Wilsons. Yesterday, ILB Payton Wilson was the primary man out. Immediately, it was WR Roman Wilson, who made his method down the steps at 1:27. OL Nick Broeker was the following participant out whereas Wilson and ILB Cole Holcomb trotted out collectively at 1:30. Like yesterday, Roman Wilson signed autographs earlier than making his solution to the sphere. As soon as there, he was the primary participant to the JUGS machine. Rookies Montana Lemonious-Craig and Ke’Shawn Williams quickly joined him whereas fellow rookie Roc Taylor hung out working with WRs Coach Zach Azzanni, catching passes round a apply dummy (that appears like this to imitate a DB blocking line of sight).
– I make this extra as an goal commentary than an editorial, however Aaron Rodgers will get…quite a bit much less cheers than I’d count on for a future Corridor of Fame quarterback. I do know he’s new to the group, however Russell Wilson bought much more applause from the followers who line the fence line than Rodgers, who barely registers greater than a well mannered golf clap. It’s not that he’s sneering at followers both. He doesn’t signal autographs earlier than apply (most gamers don’t) however acknowledges them and extends his proper arm to high-five a couple of as he walks down the hill.
– Heart/quarterback snapping pairings within the early warmups earlier than the entire offense got here collectively. Zach Frazier-Aaron Rodgers, Max Scharping-Mason Rudolph, Ryan McCollum-Skylar Thompson, and Nick Broeker-Will Howard.
– Offensive line teams have been the identical as yesterday. The literal strains for the group intervals (reminder McCollum was restricted)
1st Crew: Broderick Jones-Spencer Anderson-Zach Frazier-Mason McCormick-Troy Fautanu2nd Crew: Calvin Anderson-Doug Nester-Max Scharping-Steven Jones-Dylan Cook3rd Crew: Gareth Warren-Doug Nester-Nick Broeker-Aiden Williams-Steven Jones
– Couple of rookie tight ends, JJ Galbreath and DJ Thomas-Jones, taking part in catch and hanging out earlier than TEs Coach Alfredo Roberts put the group to work early in apply.
– Like yesterday, Calvin Austin III, DK Metcalf, and Roman Wilson have been the three-receivers to “begin” within the first offensive grouping through the preliminary on-air/set up reps. Throughout these performs, RB Kenneth Gainwell continued to separate out like a receiver.
– Veteran WR Brandon Johnson spent a second speaking with an assistant coach, engaged on the footwork of his launch.
– Punt-return strains have been the identical as yesterday: Calvin Austin, Scotty Miller, Donte Kent, Robert Woods, Max Hurleman, and Ke’Shawn Williams. Humorous second when TE Darnell Washington stepped in to subject a punt and was excited to catch it cleanly. It was only for enjoyable although. Possibly a bit extra severely was EDGE DeMarvin Leal fielding at the very least one kick within the KR line. Not that he’d ever be a real returner, however he could possibly be used as an up man on that unit the place it’s potential he might find yourself fielding one in recreation.
– Corridor of Famer Troy Polamalu has spent the previous two days at Steelers’ apply. Cool to see these legends come again and be round camp.
– Defensive Backs Coach Gerald Alexander goes all out throughout the person session. Mimicking a receiver for the DBs, he’s operating routes at three-quarters pace. Actually giving them a superb look. Exhibiting, not simply instructing. Grady Brown wasn’t fingers off, however he didn’t work like that.
– Some particular groups notes throughout a devoted punt interval, although the main target was primarily on the defend group and never punters and returners. Of the core group, the wings, guards, and tackles, right here have been the strains.
First Group: Malik Harrison-Mark Robinson-Lengthy Snapper-Nick Herbig-Connor Heyward. That was the entrance line. The wings have been Payton Wilson and Jeremiah Moon.
Second Group: Julius Welschof-Eku Leota-Lengthy Snapper-Jack Sawyer-JJ Galbreath. That was the entrance line. The wings have been Carson Bruener and Cole Holcomb.
Third Group: A skeleton pairing of who was left over. Devin Harper, Trey Sermon, and DJ Thomas-Jones have been a part of the group with Sebastian Castro the upback. Don’t have the upback famous within the different two strains however we all know Miles Killebrew is the starter.
First Crew Interval (11 on 11)
Seven Photographs returns. Ball on the opponent’s 2-yard line.
1. Offensive line of Broderick Jones-Spencer Anderson-Zach Frazier-Mason McCormick-Troy Fautanu. Price noting T.J. Watt aligned at proper outdoors linebacker right here as an alternative of his ordinary left spot. A part of the transferring round he mentioned he’ll do. Alex Highsmith was on the opposite facet. Normal suspects elsewhere defensively.
Offense comes out in 12 personnel (2-TE units). Zach Frazier’s snap is low and rolls previous Aaron Rodgers. Assume Rodgers tried to maintain the play alive, but it surely was just about over. I don’t suppose the coaches counted it as a result of they ran seven extra reps after this, so we’ll simply cross this rep out.
2. Watt nonetheless on the appropriate facet, now taking part in proper defensive finish along with his hand down. Rodgers throws his first landing go of coaching camp, hitting WR DK Metcalf on a pace out left facet. Metcalf shed by means of RCB Darius Slay to create house and haul within the go.
3. DeShon Elliott and Jalen Ramsey the protection pairing towards 12 personnel, Pat Freiermuth and Connor Heyward the tight ends. Rodgers nonetheless in at quarterback with Jaylen Warren the again. Rodgers needs Metcalf on a back-shoulder fade proper facet however LCB Joey Porter Jr. contests it effectively and helps break it up.
4. Second-team offensive line of Anderson-Nester-Scharping-Jones-Prepare dinner. Mason Rudolph subs in at quarterback with rookie RB Kaleb Johnson within the backfield. Receiver Ke’Shawn Williams motions left to proper. Rudolph seems to be left and comes again center and proper. After working by means of his progressions, he fires it over the center behind the top zone. However security Juan Thornhill spies it and bats it up and away, the soccer falling up and over the crossbar and incomplete. Good rep from Thornhill.
5. Steelers in 12 personnel. Robert Woods and Scotty Miller the 2 receivers, Woods within the slot and Miller out vast. Rudolph seems to be for Miller and fires a slant proper facet full to him for the rating.
6. Offense stays in 12 personnel. O-line grouping of Warren-Nester-Broeker-Williams-Jones. Brandon Johnson checks in at receiver. QB Will Howard seems to be for Johnson but it surely’s incomplete, LCB Cory Trice Jr. blanketing it effectively.
7. DeMarvin Leal and Jeremiah Moon (his hand within the filth because the RDE) sub in at outdoors linebacker. Esezi Otomewo and Logan Lee the d-tackle pairing. Evan Hull in at operating again with Max Hurleman motioning slot proper. Brandon Johnson bottom X receiver. Will Howard fires to TE JJ Galbreath proper facet, and he makes a pleasant spinning snare to safe it for the landing.
8. To interrupt a 3-3 tie, the coaches introduced again the first-team offense and protection to settle the rating. Good idea right here to create pure picks and rubs that bought Pat Freiermuth vast open for the landing. Day goes to the offense, 4-3.
Second Crew Interval (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 30. Watt once more at proper outdoors linebacker with Highsmith left. Offense in 11 personnel, Roman Wilson, DK Metcalf, and Calvin Austin the three receivers. In response, the protection deployed Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay outdoors and Jalen Ramsey within the slot. Derrick Harmon and Cameron Heyward the d-tackle pairing. Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen the within linebackers, Juan Thornhill and DeShon Elliott the safeties.
Pre-snap, Austin goes in movement from proper to left and Ramsey follows. Aaron Rodgers hits Austin left facet for about an 8-yard achieve. Slay crept up however peeled off on this non-contact session however in a recreation, there’s a superb probability this ends incomplete. Or, in any case, Austin would’ve been popped good. Good job by Fautanu sealing Highsmith up the sting.
2. Steelers once more in 11 personnel. Identical cornerback grouping as above. Empty set with LB Payton Wilson strolling out to cowl the again. Rodgers hits Kenneth Gainwell for a brief beneath completion, the latter wiggling out of Wilson’s wrap up on the finish of the play.
3. Extra 11 personnel. Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, and DK Metcalf the three receivers. Jack Sawyer in at LOLB, Nick Herbig at ROLB. Keeanu Benton and Dean Lowry the nickel pairing. Rodgers in at QB, Kaleb Johnson at RB, offense aligned 3×1. Tunnel display screen to the left from Rodgers to Metcalf however there’s not a ton of room and Metcalf bumps into Skowronek. Herbig tags him. Acquire of two yards.
4. Nonetheless in 11 personnel however offense utilizing tight/lowered splits. Rodgers full to Johnson for about 4 yards. Good inside rush transfer by Sawyer to beat his block.
5. Mason Rudolph in at quarterback. Brandin Echols at LCB, Cory Trice Jr. at RCB. Rudolph hits Connor Heyward over the center for about 5 yards.
6. Beanie Bishop Jr. within the slot with Echols and Trice on the skin. Leal and Moon at outdoors linebacker. Cole Holcomb walks out vast towards the offensive empty set. Rudolph hits Skowronek left facet for about 6 yards, Trice on the protection.
7. Steelers in 11 personnel. Rudolph at quarterback, Hull at operating again. First true heave of camp with Rudolph firing deep down the center for WR Lance McCutcheon. Brandin Echols sees it the entire method and does a pleasant job of breaking the go up, laying on his again and placing his arms out to have a good time. Ball could have been a bit underthrown, however nonetheless a pleasant play.
8. Skylar Thompson checks in at QB. Low snap right here and the beginning of the play is bumpy. Thompson fires left facet for Robert Woods however Trice has strong protection and it’s incomplete.
9. Chuck Clark checking in and getting security reps reverse Miles Killebrew. Cameron McCutcheon and James Pierre the nook pairing, Julius Welschof and Eku Leota at outdoors linebacker. Tight finish JJ Galbreath goes into movement. Display screen left to RB Kaleb Johnson with a number of room out in entrance. Proper guard Aiden Williams is operating arduous to remain in entrance and throw blocks. Give him a achieve of 15ish, although like I famous yesterday, “down” is subjective in these settings.
Just like the hustle from rookie DL Yahya Black right here although Johnson simply scooted away.
10. Jacob Slade and Logan Lee the d-line pairing. Carson Bruener and Mark Robinson at inside ‘backer. Will Howard in at QB. Fast throw within the flat from Howard to Trey Sermon, who bobbled and practically dropped the go. He hauled it within the second time as Robinson charged arduous to affect the close to drop. Give it a achieve of 5 yards.
Third Crew Interval (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 30. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith of their “regular” outdoors linebacker spots. Keeanu Benton and Cam Heyward the d-tackle duo, Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen at inside linebacker, Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, and Jalen Ramsey within the slot with DeShon Elliott and Juan Thornhill at security.
Roman Wilson, DK Metcalf, and Calvin Austin the three receivers, Austin within the slot. Rodgers needs Austin however his throw is effectively brief and incomplete, Ramsey within the neighborhood and protecting him.
For no matter it’s price, LT Broderick Jones doubled over on the finish of the play and stayed like that for a second. However he returned to the huddle and practiced the remainder of the day, although just a few reps have been left due to the rain.
2. Offense in 12 personnel, Freiermuth and Heyward the tight ends. Ramsey was on the sphere, however Elliott adopted Heyward as he motioned throughout. Rodgers hit WR Calvin Austin for his longest completion of camp and previous midfield earlier than being tagged by Juan Thornhill. At the least a 20-yard completion if no more.
3. Okie entrance of Dean Lowry-Keeanu Benton-Derrick Harmon. Blocking up entrance gave Kaleb Johnson the nook to show upfield alongside the left sideline for a 7- or 8-yard achieve.
4. Ball on the offense’s 34. Slay and Porter the cornerback pairing, Lowry and Harmon the d-tackles. Steelers in 11 personnel. Porter breaks up a brief throw to Freiermuth. Up entrance, Herbig dusted Broderick Jones with a fantastic inside spin transfer.
5. Rudolph full to Connor Heyward proper facet. Heyward made a sliding seize to come back down with the go for a couple of 12-yard pickup, although falling down prevented YAC.
6. Echols and Trice the skin cornerbacks. D-line of Yahya Black-Daniel Ekuale-Isaiahh Loudermilk. Rodgers full to JJ Galbreath proper facet with good YAC as DeMarvin Leal, dropping into protection, chased from behind. I’ll put it down for a achieve of 15.
7. Echols and Trice nonetheless the skin corners with Bishop within the slot. Nothing there for Rudolph, who will get touched by Jeremiah Moon. Rudolph dumped the ball off late, however this was a lifeless play.
8. Will Howard needs WR Ke’Shawn Williams on a slant left facet. Possibly the throw was a contact low however nonetheless catchable and Williams couldn’t haul it in.
9. Evan Hull on the carry. Nothing actually there. Logan Lee first man to tag him as Hull took it proper facet.
10. Skylar Thompson in at quarterback. In search of Galbreath left facet however rookie CB Donte Kent does a pleasant job closing and ending the play, swatting the ball away.
From right here, storm clouds rolled in, and the group walked as much as the ability for the day.
Camp Recap (TL;DR)
– Nonetheless ready to be taught extra in regards to the quarterbacks and the offense. Clearly simply two days in. Issues haven’t been good however a lot of apply has been clear. Not a ton of blown assignments, dropped passes, or pre-snap penalties, and snaps total have been okay. A few blips and errors, together with the primary play of Seven Photographs, however for the time of yr with a lot “new,” it’s gone pretty effectively.
– Not stunning primarily based on his faculty tape however rookie TE JJ Galbreath is athletic with good fingers. He’s made a few robust grabs these first two days and has a pleasant catch radius. There’s apply squad materials right here.
– Lengthy methods to go within the analysis and it doesn’t imply quite a bit till the pads come on. But it surely hasn’t been a fantastic two days for Broderick Jones in go professional. Has had bother with the Steelers’ proficient outdoors linebackers. Had an unpleasant rep Thursday and a troublesome one right now towards Herbig.
– Good that WR Roman Wilson is wholesome and dealing however hoping to quickly have extra in my notes of him making performs. He can’t at all times dictate when the ball goes to him and it’s not like several one receiver is having a scorching begin to camp. But it surely’ll be good for Wilson to have that first huge play now that Metcalf has his landing and Austin has an extended completion from Rodgers.
– Scorching take. Pound-for-pound, DeMarvin Leal could be probably the most athletic participant on the Steelers. That alone doesn’t make for a profitable NFL participant, however the man is a freak athlete, no query. His chase after the ball in house. His total fluidity. The way in which he jumps round, leaping excessive into the air after his kick-return rep early in apply. That’s why he’s nonetheless round. There’s an fascinating athletic profile with him.
Discovering the match has at all times been problematic. Nonetheless suppose he’s finest beginning over with one other group, one that might make him a 4-3 defensive finish. If there’s a commerce candidate to flip for a seventh-round choose at cutdowns, it’s Leal.
– Couple good rushes from rookie Jack Sawyer right now. He’s bought instruments in his toolbox and a number of methods to win, together with inside rushes/counters. Steelers’ rookie class is off to a pleasant begin throughout the board.
– Linebacker Cole Holcomb continues to maneuver effectively and take part each step of the best way. He’s additionally engaged on particular groups to extend his worth and odds of creating the 53-man roster. I suppose there’s a time the place I ought to cease noting that “wow, man practices” but it surely’s simply good to substantiate he’s wholesome. I’m having fun with it, although I’m certain not as a lot as him.
– Steelers defensive backs made performs right now. Joey Porter Jr., Cory Trice Jr., Brandin Echols, Juan Thornhill, and Donte Kent all with breakups. Group is bodily and aggressive on the soccer.
Saint Vincent Snapshot
A really lengthy line to enter coaching camp right now.
15 Longest Steelers Touchdowns
Clips of the longest scores in Steelers’ historical past.
Larry Anderson – 95 yards (1978)
Larry Anderson scored simply as soon as in 4 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However he knew how you can make an enormous impression. On the hop, Anderson returned this kick 95 yards the opposite method in a 1978 win over the Cleveland Browns. It served as a right away reply after Cleveland had taken a 7-6 lead. Pittsburgh by no means appeared again, scoring 21 unanswered in a 34-14 victory.
Anderson served because the Steelers’ main kick returner for 4 seasons earlier than ending his profession with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts.
Jim Gaffigan Quote Of The Day
“I’m a fan of enjoyable. And after I get bored with enjoyable, I love to do nothing.”
