More often than not, OTAs are used primarily for offensive installation and for getting guys’ feet wet. The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t all been about training wheels this year, however, at least with some of the veteran players that they have brought in, instead using this time to flesh out what they can bring to the table, and where.
The biggest stories in that regard have been Dan Moore Jr. getting work at right tackle and Patrick Peterson working on the inside in the slot at cornerback. But for Keanu Neal, what the Steelers have been asking him to do isn’t so new to him. According to Joe Rutter, he has already been asked to work not just at strong safety during practice but also as a dime linebacker.
“I’ve been moving around quite a bit”, he told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently. “Down in the box, I’ve been in the deep part of the field. Getting a feel for each aspect has been good. Here, they are about having chess pieces to move around. I’m not the only one doing that, and it’s good to learn that way of playing”.
Some chess pieces are more mobile than others, of course. I don’t think we’re going to see any of the ‘Avatar’ cornerbacks lining up on the inside, for example, and I’m including James Pierre in that group for simplicity’s sake—plus he makes the 6’2” cutoff.
But for others, versatility is the name of the game. Guys like Neal who can line up at different parts of the field and then be somewhere else after the snap, those are the sorts of variables the Steelers are looking for to add wrinkles to the defense and confuse their opponents.
That’s what they’re hoping Peterson will be able to do as he begins to work more on the inside after spending basically his entire football life lining up almost strictly as an outside cornerback. He’ll still see plenty of time there, but the more comfortable he is in the slot, the more looks the Steelers can give.
All-Pro free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is another guy who can pop up where you least expect, which is precisely his goal this year. Even coming off a career year in which he led the league in interceptions, he wants to continue to better his game and put himself in position to make the plays offenses can’t anticipate, using his mind—and his flexibility.
Having a safety like Neal who can play either safety position, in the slot, or in the box is quite valuable, though. He can beef up your dime package, for one thing, mitigating the otherwise compromised physicality that presents by taking a linebacker off the field.
Damontae Kazee can move around, as well, though not so much as a box defender, but certainly in the slot. Having three safeties who can wear many hats is something the Steelers hope to exploit this season, more than they were able to last year.
