The Pittsburgh Steelers reported Friday to Latrobe for the start of training camp and the conditioning test has already been completed.
According to head coach Mike Tomlin, two players will begin training camp on the Active PUP list. Those two players are safety Mike Mitchell (groin) and running back Alvester Alexander (groin). Tomlin said he only expects Mitchell to be sidelined about a week or so and that he injured his groin during training.
Mitchell, who played last season with the Carolina Panthers, was signed during the offseason on the first day of free agency to replace the outgoing Ryan Clark, who the Steelers decided not to re-sign. Alvester spent most of the 2013 season on the Steelers practice squad.
With Mitchell temporarily sidelined, second-year safety Shamarko Thomas and veteran Will Allen figure to get quite a few extra snaps in his absence. Allen reportedly worked quite a bit with the first team defense at the strong safety position during the OTA practices while starter Troy Polamalu chose to stay home to continue training.
Two players have yet to report according to Tomlin and they are punter Adam Podlesh and guard Ramon Foster. Podlesh, according to Tomlin, has a very pregnant wife, while Foster had a death in his family.
The Steelers will practice for the first time on the fields of Saint Vincent College on Saturday.
