The Latrobe weather was far nicer Sunday than it was Saturday. So was the play of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense. A great fourth day of training camp. After a day off Monday, the Steelers will return for their first padded practice of 2023 on Tuesday.
Let’s get into what happened on the field.
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Camp Notes (Day Four)
– Let’s start with an injury roundup. Not practicing today were FS Minkah Fitzpatrick (personal, was not on the field), S Damontae Kazee (left ankle), RB Alfonzo Graham (right arm), DL Cam Heyward (rest), OG Isaac Seumalo (appears to be rest), CB Patrick Peterson (rest), and OLB T.J. Watt (rest). QB Mitch Trubisky got a half-day and didn’t work in team, OT Chukwuma Okorafor was limited to just individual drills but looked okay while we learned FB Monte Pottebaum decided to retire.
Kazee has a gray boot on his left foot but was walking around and standing on it. He told reporters he doesn’t believe it’s serious. Graham has a black sling over his shoulder and on his arm after falling in 7v7 Saturday. Real concerned he’s going to get waived/injured in a few days.
Returning to practice was DL/EDGE DeMarvin Leal, who practiced in full. And newly signed LB Kwon Alexander was a full participant, working in individual and team drills. More on him in a moment.
– Like yesterday, the players walked down the road/hill instead of the stairs to begin practice on the turf field before transitioning to the near/grass field for team sessions. Center Mason Cole was the first player on the field day, well ahead of anyone else. Linebacker Cole Holcomb was the first defensive player to walk down. Rookie CB Joey Porter Jr. nearly forgot and was about to walk down the stairs before realizing the change and turning himself around, smiling as he began to walk down the road. Safety Tre Norwood was nice enough to greet fans along the fence line before walking down the hill while CB Levi Wallace again signed for fans.
– A recap of Alexander’s day. Walked out a side door alongside CB James Pierre and ILB Elandon Roberts. Had his helmet in hand as he walked to the turf field. He spent plenty of time in warmups hanging near LB Coach Aaron Curry and Roberts, talking and going over things. He went through individual work and though I don’t believe he participated in seven shots, he worked in the other team periods. After seven shots, he sat on the bench looking at tape on the tablet with Curry, getting up to speed on Pittsburgh’s defense. Dude came ready to work today, that’s for sure.
His performance? Hard to judge with limited reps. But he didn’t look lost out there and moved well in zone coverage.
– Big picture today was about moving and shaking. With injuries and player’s days off, lines got shorter and there were more chances for young guys to get reps and for players to showcase their versatility. Lots of mixing and matching.
That was evident by the first-team offensive line in warmup snaps. From left to right: Broderick Jones-Kevin Dotson-Mason Cole-James Daniels-Dan Moore Jr.
Left guard Nate Herbig rotated in along the first team. In team periods, Dotson would get the first two left guard reps while Herbig would get the next two with the ones. Herbig saw some second-team work at center, snapping for the first time this summer. Pittsburgh only had 12 offensive linemen fully practicing today, three shorter than normal with Seumalo and Okorafor not working in team drills and Jarrid Williams released to make room for Alexander’s signing.
– Messing around early in practice, Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett kicked some field goals. Trubisky barely cleared the bar from 27 yards out, but it was good. Pickett had a little more leg on and easily cleared, entertaining fans while waiting for the rest of the team to come over.
– Graham could only watch practice. With a sling on his right arm, he held a football on his left as the running backs went through drills. We’ll see if he’s even part of the roster Tuesday.
– Let’s jump into the team sessions.
First Team Session (11 v 11)
1. Initial offensive line of Broderick Jones-Kevin Dotson-Mason Cole-James Daniels-Dan Moore Jr.
With Watt resting, Nick Herbig got first team reps at left outside linebacker opposite Alex Highsmith. Empty set initially with Najee Harris motioning sidecar to Pickett, something we’ve seen a lot as a man/zone indicator. Pickett looks left and wants TE Pat Freiermuth on a curl about 5 yards into the end zone but CB Levi Wallace swats it away.
2. Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts the first-team insidehe linebacker pairing. Nice pick play by the offense with Diontae Johnson running a curl and George Pickens to the back right corner. Pittsburgh’s defense can’t handle it correctly and Pickens is wide open for an easy score.
3. Now Mark Robinson jumps in with the ones. And David Perales steps in at right outside linebacker. Chandon Sullivan working in the slot. Jaylen Warren in at running back. Nothing there initially for Pickett who scrambles left. Keeping his eyes downfield, he hits TE Zach Gentry for the score.
4. Empty set for Pickett. Connor Heyward aligned slot right. Pat Freiermuth runs a quick out right side and Pickett puts it on him for the score against Miles Killebrew.
5. Mason Rudolph coming in with the twos, Trubisky not working in team today. Mark Robinson and Chapelle Russell the inside linebackers. Empty initially with Anthony McFarland Jr. being motioned in. Cody White and Miles Boykin the outside receivers with Calvin Austin III in the slot.
Rudolph wants to throw a slant to the left, believe intended for White, but he never sees the lurking Kenny Robinson and throws it right into his arms for the interception.
6. Rookie RB Darius Hagans steps in. Pony backfield with McFarland motioned out wide. Throw right side is in traffic but catchable though Connor Heyward can’t finish the catch and the ball hits the ground, sandwiched between two defenders. Incomplete.
7. Offensive line grouping of Dylan Cook-Ryan McCollum-Kendrick Green-Bill Dunkle-Spencer Anderson. Offense/defense knotted at 3-3, this one wins it. Rudolph sprints right and looks for Gunner Olszewski but the pass is incomplete and the defense wins, pumped for its victory.
Second Team Session
1. Ball on the offense’s 39. Tre Norwood seeing first-team safety reps with Fitzpatrick and Kazee not working, aligned opposite Keanu Neal. O-line same as seven shots: Jones-Dotson-Cole-Daniels-Moore. Allen Robinson II aligned in the slot.
Curl/comeback from Pickett complete to Diontae Johnson for 11. On the edges, Alex Highsmith was able to dip under Jones.
2. Roberts and Holcomb the inside linebacker pairing. Larry Ogunjobi-Montravius Adams-Isaiahh Loudermilk the base defensive line pairing. Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith the outside linebacker pairing with Joey Porter Jr. – for Peterson – and Levi Wallace the outside corners. Pickett complete to Freiermuth over the middle working on Holcomb for a gain of 9.
3. Now Nate Herbig steps in at left guard. Herbig and Perales the EDGE pairing. Chandon Sullivan working out of the slot. Pickett throw to Austin in the left flat. A little high but Austin can’t finish it, another example of a limited catch radius. Linebacker Mark Robinson closing hot gives him a nudge.
4. Robinson and Holcomb the inside linebacker pairing. Neal and Norwood the safety pairing. Neal fakes like he’s going to drop into the deep half and then blitzes. Pickett complete to George Pickens for a good gain, call it 16 yards. Nick Herbig dusted Dan Moore off the edge and to the outside. “There you go, Nick!” someone from the defense called out.
5. Gunner Olszewski aligned in the slot, Mason Rudolph in at quarterback. Pass complete to Olszewski for a gain of 8, Kenny Robinson over top trying to punch the ball out.
6. Second-team offensive line: Broderick Jones-Kevin Dotson-Nate Herbig-Bill Dunkle-Le’Raven Clark. Cody White and Gunner Olszewski the two receivers in this 12-personnel grouping, Connor Heyward and Darnell Washington the tight ends. “Big empty” initially before Anthony McFarland Jr. motions in. Nothing there for Rudolph to throw to and he tucks and runs up the middle.
7. Inside linebacker pairing of Chapelle Russell and Mark Robinson. Safety/corner Elijah Riley on a blitz. Rudolph looks for Olszewski left side. He stretches out for it but can’t make the play, off his hands and incomplete on what would’ve been a tough grab.
8. O-line grouping of Dylan Cook-Spencer Anderson-Kendrick Green-Bill Dunkle-Le’Raven Clark. Rudolph under center, Jason Huntley the running back. Darnell Washington the Y-off tight end. Rudolph complete to WR Ja’Marcus Bradley on a shallow cross for about 5 yards. Huntley got put on his heels here but swallowed up a blitz well enough. Unsure of the rusher.
9. Welcome to camp, Tanner Morgan. The rookie UDFA getting his first team reps of camp. First throw is a slant left intended for Hakeem Butler that’s at eye-level, maybe a bit above, but contested well by Cory Trice Jr. and the pass is incomplete, not tipped but over everyone’s head.
10. Riley coming on a blitz. Screen left to McFarland is complete with safety Kenny Robinson reading the screen well and coming downhill, the tackle trying to seal him off. Scoring yardage here is tough – could Robinson have made the tackle? – but I think he could’ve. I’ll call it a loss of 2, though McFarland was of course able to keep running downfield and into the end zone. RB Coach Eddie Faulkner wants his backs to finish their runs.
11. Robinson and Riley the safety pairing. Nick Kwiatkoski and Tanner Muse the inside linebackers. Empty set for Morgan. Pressure from Breiden Fehoko and others and Morgan simply takes off and runs.
12. Fehoko jumps early and is offsides here. Morgan smartly heaves deep downfield for one of the 80-wearing receivers, either Dez Fitzpatrick or Ja’Marcus Bradley, but the pass is incomplete. Kenny Robinson and someone else covered it well with a decent collision near the catch point.
Third Team Session
1. Offensive line of Jones-Dotson-Cole-Daniels-Moore. Roberts and Holcomb the inside linebackers. Herbig and Highsmith the outside linebackers. Trice and Porter the corners. Neal and Norwood the safeties with Chandon Sullivan working slot corner. First play is a deep ball right side, Kenny Pickett looking for George Pickens. He has a step on Trice, who makes the mistake of looking back for the ball despite being out-of-phase, not hip-to-hip with Pickens, and Pickens is able to create more separation downfield. He makes the grab before being tagged at the opposing 23, a 49-yard throw and catch for one of the biggest plays in camp.
Want to note here I saw Nick Herbig try a cross chop against Moore. Didn’t work but another move in his toolbelt.
2. Empty set. Roberts on the blitz. Pickett looks for Harris in the right flat but Holcomb makes a fantastic diving effort to knock the ball away. Really good play.
3. Pickett complete right sideline to Freiermuth for 5 yards, pushed out of bounds by Neal.
4. Porter and Wallace the outside corners. Washington in at tight end with Connor Heyward in the backfield like a running back. Diontae Johnson false starts and doesn’t run a route as the play gets underway, taking a knee as things continue. Pickett rolls right and looks for Connor Heyward along the sideline. His left foot steps and slides on out of bounds line and the pass is incomplete despite Heyward’s effort to come back for the football.
5. Warren in at running back, Rudolph in at quarterback. Manny Jones gets free, potentially on a stunt, and provides some pressure. Calvin Austin III opener on a short, 5-yard crosser and he turns on the jets and shows his speed downfield. I’ll put him down for a gain of 27.
6. O-line grouping of Jones-McCollum-Herbig-Anderson-Clark. McFarland split out from empty and then motioned in. Nice throw over the middle from Rudolph to WR Cody White for a gain of 17.
7. Designed swing screen right side from Mason Rudolph to Anthony McFarland Jr. Hard to mark yardage here, good pursuit by the linebackers, but I’ll call it a gain of 10.
8. O-line grouping of Cook-Anderson-Green-Dunkle-Clark. Jaylen Warren in at running back. Pressure off the edge by Toby Nduwke and Rudolph runs, a common theme of camp. Tons of pressure from Pittsburgh’s EDGE rushers over the first four days.
9. Now the front five consists of Cook-Dunkle-Green-McCollum-Anderson. Tanner Morgan steps in at quarterback. Fires a deep shot down the middle of the field – unaware that Steelers’ quarterbacks are legally required to avoid throwing there – though this one is basically in triple coverage. Intended for Dez Fitzpatrick but Chris Wilcox is the man who gets a hand on it, though he can’t pick it off. It’s batted and falls to the ground. But Mike Tomlin at least seemed impressed by Morgan’s willingness to air it out in his first snaps of camp.
10. DeMarvin Leal in the game as a stand-up left outside linebacker. Darius Hagans in at running back, first split out in empty and then motioned into the backfield. Low snap here. Morgan ends up firing complete to Fitzpatrick for 10 yards.
11. Leal and Roche the outside linebacker pairing with Luq Barcoo and Madre Harper the corners. Norwood and Robinson the safeties with James Nyamwaya and Manny Jones the defensive tackle pairing. Mark Robinson in at linebacker with Miles Killebrew – normally the team’s safety – standing next to him. Elijah Riley in the slot.
Another tuck and run for the quarterbacks, this time Morgan taking off. Not sure what he did but WR Coach Frisman Jackson and Pat Freiermuth were happy with something that WR Dan Chisena did on this play, earning high-fives and praise as he walked back.
12. Offense huddles up but the whistle blows. They’re a man short. Hagans sheepishly trots from the sideline and joins the huddle. Throw right side on a slant/dig intended for Chisena is broken up by Porter, who may have made contact a step early. Leal beat Spencer Anderson around the edge here.
– Some quick special teams notes.
– Working on some mock return stuff. Those seeing action as the returners (there were no punts) included Gunner Olszewski, Calvin Austin, Jordan Byrd, Ja’Marcus Bradley, Jason Huntley, and Anthony McFarland. Tomlin gave Austin some praise after making a quick cut up field.
– Keanu Neal is a hard worker, always getting in extra reps on the middle field with a coach during the special teams sessions. James Pierre was also working on his press/punch technique with a coach during a breather.
– And some 7v7 notes.
– Joey Porter Jr. with another downfield breakup on Calvin Austin III. Austin had a half-step on him but Porter was overall positioned well and helped rip the ball out on the way down. He’s run well with Austin this summer and Austin still has his speed and burst.
– Diontae Johnson made sure the rookie didn’t feel too good about himself, beating Porter on a sluggo for roughly a 20-yard catch downfield, Porter bringing both hands to his face knowing he got got.
– Cody White had a nice grab, getting his head around and making a grab on a dig route with Cory Trice Jr. draped all over him.
– Kwon Alexander moved fluidly in underneath zone coverage.
Fourth Team Session
1. Neal and Norwood the safety pairing. Offensive line of Jones-Dotson-Cole-Daniels-Moore. Ogunjobi-Adams-Loudermilk the three down linemen. Herbig and Highsmith the EDGE pairing.
Pickett wants to hit RB Najee Harris on an angle route. Looks like it could’ve/should’ve been caught but Harris doesn’t get a hand on it and it’s incomplete.
2. Ball on the offense’s 39. Porter and Wallace the outside corners with Sullivan in the slot. Pickens and Johnson the outside receivers and Austin in the slot. Fake jet motion to Austin with Harris getting the inside zone carry. Cole Holcomb immediately meets him for a gain of 1.
3. Nate Herbig in at left guard. Defensive line trio of Leal-Adams-Loudermilk. Herbig and Perales the EDGE duo, Mark Robinson in for Roberts at inside linebacker. Jaylen Warren inside zone for 4.
4. Cody White and George Pickens the outside receivers with Allen Robinson II in the slot. Darnell Washington at tight end. Sprint left from Pickett, who throws a little behind Robinson. He reaches back and has it for a gain of 5.
5. Jones-Dotson-Herbig-Dunkle-Clark the five linemen. Russell and Robinson the inside linebackers. Mason Rudolph in at quarterback. Some pressure and Rudolph doesn’t have his feet perfectly set but fires downfield in the area of Calvin Austin III running near the left sideline, between that and the hash. Ball should be outside shoulder but isn’t and Kenny Robinson tracks and finds the ball, leaping and high-pointing the ball for his second interception – both off Rudolph – of the day.
6. Interesting moment here. Rudolph under center. Connor Heyward the true deep back and takes a traditional handoff on a zone run. Not much doing and we’ll call it no gain but Heyward getting honest running back reps here, maybe in part because of Graham’s injury.
7. Chandon Sullivan in the slot. Kwon Alexander and Chapelle Russell the inside linebackers. Rudolph short completion to White, we’ll call it 3, with Pierre covering. Killebrew and Robinson the safety pairing here, Trice and Pierre the corners.
8. Killebrew comes on a blitz. Darius Hagans gets met by Killebrew and Leal behind the line for a loss of 2.
9. Offensive line of Cook-Dunkle-Green-McCollum-Anderson. Tanner Morgan under center, Jason Huntley the running back. Morgan play-action. Slow-developing moment and the play quickly falls apart, Morgan getting bumped and falling as he fires left sideline. Off Darnell Washington’s outstretched right hand but it wasn’t a catchable ball, more of a pressure-induced throwaway.
10. Hakeem Butler and Dez Fitzpatrick the wide receiver pairing. Nick Kwiatkoski and Tanner Muse the inside linebacker pairing. Chris Wilcox and Tre Norwood in at safety. Pony look with McFarland and Huntley out there. Huntley carry left side. Big hold initially with Dunkle grabbing the back of Muse’s jersey as he lost the block. Would-be holding but we’ll give Huntley a confident gain of 7.
11. Nyamwaya and Fehoko the defensive tackles. Porter and Trice the cornerbacks with Riley in the slot. Leal and Nduwke the outside linebackers. Screen left to Hagans. Kwiatkoski gets him after a gain of 2 or 3.
12. Herbig in at right guard. Hagans with the carry right side for a solid gain of 8 yards.
Camp Summary
– Today was the day for the young names to make some noise. More reps for them than usual, especially along the offensive line. Spencer Anderson played left guard, right guard, and right tackle, flipping throughout individual team periods. Don’t have a great feel for how he performed, still tough to judge in shells, but his versatility helped get him drafted and was on display Sunday.
– Mason Rudolph’s two picks were pretty rough. Not what you want to see from a vet.
– Connor Heyward has truly been aligned just about everywhere. Today, true running back, both in the backfield and sidecar in shotgun. He was a running back at Michigan State until Kenneth Walker transferred in and pushed Heyward to fullback/tight end.
– Calvin Austin III has had an up/down first set of practices but his speed and burst aren’t sapped from his 2022 foot injury. Still plenty fast and explosive.
– Collectively, Pittsburgh’s EDGE rushers have impressed. Basically all these guys have made plays. Let’s see if they carry it over once the pads come on.
– Cole Holcomb had a solid day. Filling the run, making plays in coverage, he’s stacked two good days. Mark Robinson must also be impressing to earn some first-team looks, even knowing the team has added Kwon Alexander.
– Kenny Robinson certainly boosted his stock today. Two quality interceptions and read a screen to McFarland well. Dude made plays and found the football. That’s gonna get you noticed.
Saint Vincent Photo Of The Day
The view of my walk into campus. Really pretty day and an awesome atmosphere.
Better Know A Steeler
A daily blurb offering a brief bio of an interesting former Steeler.
Gene Mingo was the first Black kicker in NFL history, playing for the Denver Broncos in 1960. He finished his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, kicking in the 1969 and 1970 seasons, though he made just 38.6 percent of his kicks over that span.
Bill Burr’s Quote Of The Day
“I love my dog. I hate bankers. I have issues with women. In my head, I’m a great guy.”
