Communication. All good defenses do it very well.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers are aiming to be a good-to-great defense in 2023 like they have talked about all offseason, the first step in that is going to be communicating and being on the same page right away, at least according to team captain and face of the franchise Cameron Heyward.
The All-Pro defensive tackle appeared on NFL Network’s Training Camp Live with co-hosts Colleen Wolfe and Brian Baldinger Tuesday following the first padded practice at training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe and stressed the importance of communicating defensively with a number of new faces in the fold.
“I think it’s really cool, the group we have, but we understand what’s ahead of us. We understand that a Super Bowl is not made in August and July. You gotta really just build on it. You gotta make sure that each guy is growing. You have that communication,” Heyward said to Wolfe and Baldinger, according to video via NFL.com. “We have a lot of different guys in different spots. Two new inside linebackers. So, I’m excited about those guys, but we really gotta just stress that conversation and that communication to go to the next level.”
For the second offseason in a row the Steelers did a bit of a roster churn defensively. Gone are linebackers Myles Jack, Devin Bush and Robert Spillane, as well as cornerbacks Ahkello Witherspoon, Cameron Sutton and Arthur Maulet, not to mention dependable safety Terrell Edmunds.
In are the likes of linebackers Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, and Tanner Muse, cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan, and safety Keanu Neal. Pittsburgh added veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander on Saturday night, too.
So with so many new faces, communication is key.
Fortunately for Pittsburgh, a lot of the standout guys defensively are well-versed in the system and know where guys need to be on certain calls.
Overcommunication and understanding roles and responsibilities needs to be figured out now. This is where teams are built, right here in training camp. Kinks are ironed out, roles are defined and players settle in. Once the communication and understanding of roles within the scheme are figured out, guys can play freely.
That might not happen until midway through the season, so there’s an overemphasis on communication.
To be the best defense they can possibly, health will play a vital role. But don’t overlook communication. A great defense communicates well. Those that struggle usually don’t.
