Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Dri Archer will apparently not practice at all this week during the first OTA session of the 2014 season.
Initially it was reported that Archer, the Steelers third-round selection this year in the 2014 NFL Draft, was excused from practice with an illness, but evidently that illness didn’t prevent him from attending the NFL Players Association Rookie Premier in Los Angeles that got underway on Wednesday.
Maybe there is more to this story than what we know, but Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote Thursday morning that it really looks like Archer just blew off the first week of OTAs. Sure, these practices are voluntary, but one would think that a rookie would want to attend them.
Archer was present for the Steelers rookie minicamp following the draft, so at least he has gotten a chance to get some work in.
We will see if head coach Mike Tomlin meets the media after Thursday’s practice and if perhaps he gave Archer his blessing to be away all week. I kind of doubt that, though.
