– The Pittsburgh Steelers have finished their NFL-required “ramp-up” period with their fourth pad-less practice of camp. Following an off day Monday, they’ll be back on Chuck Noll Field Tuesday for the team’s first padded practice. But before that, let’s discuss what happened Sunday at Saint Vincent College.
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Camp Notes (Day Four)
– Injury roundup. QB Russell Wilson remained out today but bordered on being a “limited” participant. Still hasn’t put on a helmet but he threw a handful of passes during the individual quarterback session, though he would come in after Justin Fields. Most of his work was limited to straight drop backs instead of bootlegs and rollouts while he gets back from his calf strain. He also worked on his footwork through a bag drill, going around the bags instead of stepping over them like the rest of the quarterbacks. Prior to that, he looked at his the card on his wristband and simulated some drop backs before the first practice horn sounded. Later, during the punt/special teams period, Wilson had a “chute” with a person at the end to provide resistance as the nine-time Pro Bowler worked on his footwork. Something new he’s doing he didn’t do the first three days.
It wasn’t a ton of work but it was his most active day. Despite the fourth missed session, I have no concern and would be surprised if Wilson wasn’t working in the team period on Tuesday.
TE Rodney Williams (shoulder) did not practice due to an AC sprain, per Mike Tomlin. I didn’t see him on the field at the start of practice but saw him on the field at the end. It may be a few more days on him.
I didn’t spot WR Van Jefferson on the field today. The three-receiver trio for the first snap of warmups was Scotty Miller, Roman Wilson, and George Pickens (Calvin Austin III did practice, the team’s done some mixing and matching). Tomlin did not mention him in his post-practice recap but I’m pretty sure Jefferson didn’t work with the team today. I’ll look for him Tuesday.
OG Isaac Seumalo returned after getting Saturday off. In-practice, the team seemed healthy.
Finally, RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson spent time on the exercise bike during stretch line, slowly working his way back. I would not expect him to return Tuesday. I haven’t seen LB Cole Holcomb or DL Dean Lowry, but I admit I’m not really looking for them. They remain on Active/PUP.
– As is often the case, LB Payton Wilson the first player to walk down the stairs at 1:10 to begin his pre-practice routine. No one else came out for six minutes when OL Zach Frazier and Nate Herbig, also among the first daily to take the field, came down the stairs to help the quarterbacks warm up once they made their way down a short time later.
– Like yesterday, the refs were on-hand for practice. Believe they are local officials the team brings in.
– Former Steelers linebackers helping out at camp. Vince Williams, a linebackers coach for Pine-Richland High School, is helping that group. And Ryan Shazier is here as an assistant for drills. In one, he had a “boxing glove on a stick” as the running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers went through the “Big Bertha” dummies, poking at them as they came through to try and punch the ball out.
– Rookie S Ryan Watts and veteran S DeShon Elliott were among the DBs to spend time on the JUGS machine before practice.
– DL Logan Lee and Jacob Slade partnered up to work on their punch and shed in the early goings of practice.
– TE Darnell Washington spent a lot of side time working on his pass-protection sets. First, with TE Coach Alfredo Roberts early in practice, the two the only ones working while the rest of the tight ends filtered down to the field and again during an early special teams period. After practice, OT Broderick Jones spent a couple minutes with Washington doing the same.
– Elandon Roberts and Patrick Queens the ILB duo and the two might have become fast friends. The two walked down the stairs together to enter practice.
– For a handful of reps on the side, as the quarterbacks/centers worked by themselves, Mason McCormick snapped to Russell Wilson. They need a fourth center besides Nate Herbig, Zach Frazier, and Ryan McCollum, but it was Spencer Anderson who had been doing that. Wilson snaps to the “other” center because he wasn’t working full today. The takeaway is that McCormick is getting at least a little bit of time at center on the side. We’ll see if he does anything beyond that going forward but a note to file away.
– Mike Tomlin and Ike Taylor had a quick chat before practice today. The vibes of Pittsburgh feeling like a college campus. A ton of former players are on the field and of course, Taylor has done some scouting for the organization.
– It was a day of false starts. Tons of the young linemen having to take a literal lap. Tyler Beach was the first victim in warmups.
And throughout practice, as my notes will reflect, he was far from the only one. Mason McCormick, Troy Fautanu, Anderson Hardy, and Joey Fisher all got familiar with the Steelers’ sideline.
– The punt returners were the team’s usual suspects. WR Quez Watkins, QB John Rhys Plumlee, CB Cam Sutton, FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, and WR Scotty Miller. Kick return line included RB Jonathan Ward, WR Calvin Austin III, WR Roman Wilson, and RB Jaylen Warren.
Plumlee is still having trouble consistently securing the football with another bobble today. For what it’s worth, he doesn’t wear gloves. I assume that’s because as a quarterback, he prefers not to use them but maybe that would help as a returner. Most guys wear gloves though I noticed WR Quez Watkins does not.
– T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith partnering up to work on hand use and pass-rush moves in practice.
– In individual work, offensive linemen working on their punches, two-hand and independent hand work.
– Your daily stretch line update. Today, the entire team was together but on the middle field instead of the near field next to the bleachers.
– WRs Coach Zach Azzanni isn’t just coaching up the players. He’s coaching other coaches. An assistant with Azzanni who I believe is Bam Bryant, the WRs coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College who is in Pittsburgh for camp as part of the Bill Walsh Fellowship, had Azzanni lead him through some teaching points focusing on releases and getting off the line. That’ll help as Bryant coaches up the receivers through drills and information he can take to his team when he returns to college.
– Defensive backs coach Grady Brown worked with the cornerbacks on the middle field during individual drills while new assistant DBs coach Anthony Midget coached up the safeties on the far field. The safeties started off by focusing on their pursuit angles, working inside out and a “hug” tackle on the “runner,” a fellow safety. DC Teryl Austin spent time with the corners.
– Watching Cam Heyward go through pass-rush drills on the dummies. Violence in his hands is still very real and he punched the ball out of the assistant coach’s hand, as is the goal of the drill at the end.
– Special teams work later in practice. Still focusing on punting, no kickoffs yet. I keep waiting – maybe Tuesday. Cameron Johnston yardage and distances:
From his goal line: 4.04 seconds (53 yards)
From his own 21-yard line. 4.70 seconds (40 yards), 4.49 seconds (43 yards), 4.96 seconds (51 yards), 4.70 seconds (43 yards), 4.82 seconds (47 yards), 4.88 seconds (51 yards). Distances not as impressive but good hangtimes and he was consistent overall.
There was one rep, and I’m not sure if it was one of these or one of the in-between ones I don’t chart (where Johnston just punts it himself; there’s no hike and snap) but from the 21 and with Johnston physically punting the ball at his 10 yard-line, the ball bounced at around the 30- or 35-yard line. In itself, not super impressive for the setting.
But Miller let it go and as the ball started to roll down the field, Miller watched it, hoping it would roll into the end zone. It kept going and rolled all the way down to the end zone before it tipped over the front right pylon. Technically, that’s a touchback and the ref ruled it as such. But it would’ve been downed by a teammate first and just to see the accuracy of punting from your own 10 to hit the pylon on the other end of the field is pretty wild.
– During 7-on-7s, the o-line gathered on the middle field. Worked on twists and stunt pickup.
– 7-on-7 highlights. The tight ends came alive. Darnell Washington was the most active he’s been, making a nice snag on a 7-route against S Nate Meadors, a soft-hands catch away from his body. Later in a scramble drill, he worked himself open and kept his toes inbounds along the right sideline. That earned him a bunch of praise, including from WRs Coach Zach Azzanni.
– MyCole Pruitt made an awesome one-handed snag down the seam, reaching out with his right hand to haul in a Justin Fields pass.
– And Pat Freiermuth had a great tipped catch along the left sideline working on CB Thomas Graham Jr. A little high, he went over his head to get a piece of the ball and tipped it twice before securing it. It looked like he got both feet in but the ref called him out of bounds. A great effort, at minimum, and I still think it was a catch. Our photographer Tim Rice got a great shot of it.
– Defensively, CB Darius Rush had a good swat and breakup against WR Jaray Jenkins, some No. 21 on No. 21 action.
– Payton Wilson came close to tipping away a pass from his curl zone but missed the ball by an inch and WR Jacob Copeland made the short catch.
First Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Seven shots. Ball on the 2. Before things got started, Mike Tomlin gathered the whole team together and said a couple words before breaking the group down (shown in the above team photo).
Offensive line of Moore-Seumalo-Herbig-Daniels-Jones. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith the OLBs, Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson the corners. Offense in 11 personnel. QB Justin Fields out of shotgun hands the ball off to RB Najee Harris. He seemed to muscle his way over the goal line with a collision and tackle for a touchdown, but according to reports on the field, Mike Tomlin ruled it a defensive win.
2. 11 personnel. George Pickens and Scotty Miller on the outside with Roman Wilson in the slot. Fields looks left for Wilson, on a quick jerk/reverse motion to the left but it’s covered. He comes back to the middle and finds Miller open for the score. Big offensive celebration ensues, Darnell Washington jumping on Miller’s back, and twice his size, nearly knocking him over.
3. Still in 11 personnel. Designed quarterback run to the left side by Fields, a touchdown. While quarterbacks can’t be hit and my usual rule is “don’t count them as touchdowns,” because this was a designed run and not a scramble, I’ll give the offense the win here. And more importantly, a sign of the short-yardage packages they could implement with Fields.
4. 12 personnel. George Pickens aligned in the slot with TE/FB Connor Heyward split out. Fields wants Pickens in the back right corner, but Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joey Porter Jr. are in the area and this pass is incomplete. Pickens didn’t have a chance to catch it.
5. Kalon Barnes in at LCB, Darius Rush in at RCB. 11 personnel. QB Kyle Allen finds WR Quez Watkins in the back of the end zone over the middle, Watkins skying high and making a great grab for the touchdown. Offense again explodes to celebrate, WRs Coach Zach Azzanni in his yellow shirt running in to join the players.
6. 12 personnel. Payton Wilson rushes in free off the offense’s left edge, defense’s right. Kyle Allen has WR Marquez Callaway wide open on the left side, a defensive coverage bust, and he grabs the ball above his helmet for an easy score.
7. David Perales and Kyron Johnson the outside linebackers. Payton Wilson and Mark Robinson the inside linebackers. 11 personnel. Quez Watkins, Marquez Callaway, and Jaray Jenkins the three receivers. Gun run to RB La’Mical Perine, the same play as the first one to Harris. This time, it’s a touchdown.
Offense wins 7 shots 5-2, a nice bounce back after the defense won 6-1 yesterday. Fields looked strong here.
Second Team Session (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 23. O-line of: Moore-Seumalo-Herbig-Daniels-Jones. D-line of Larry Ogunjobi-Keeanu Benton-Cam Heyward. Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson the outside corners with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts at inside linebacker. DeShon Elliott and Minkah Fitzpatrick the safeties.
Pickens, working out of the slot, has a step inside on Donte Jackson and Fields hits him for a 9-yard pickup.
2. 11 personnel. TE MyCole Pruitt goes in motion. CB Beanie Bishop Jr. comes on a slot blitz, but RB Najee Harris does a nice job to pick it up. Fields wants Scotty Miller on a corner route toward the left sideline but it’s overthrown and Donte Jackson, who wasn’t covering Miller but was on that side, finds the ball and pulls it into his lap. The first INT of camp. He runs it back about 15 or so yards.
3. Fields play-action. Screen to the right but SS DeShon Elliott blitzes and it’s a would-be sack. Play goes on and Fields’ throw is high and over Jaylen Warren’s head. He reaches out and makes a nifty one-hand snag with his right hand. With green grass, he jets downfield. Hard to say where he’s “down,” especially since in typical Warren fashion, he sprints to the end zone, but I’ll give him 20.
4. 12 personnel. Fields under center. Elliott again blitzes and rushes free. Fields wants an over route to a receiver working left to right, unsure who, but CB Kalon Barnes jumps it and should’ve picked it off. He dropped the interception.
5. 21 personnel. Fields complete to WR Dez Fitzpatrick for a gain of 13. Jack Colletto in at fullback on the play.
6. Montravius Adams and DeMarvin Leal the defensive tackle pairing. Jeremiah Moon and Nick Herbig at outside linebacker with Payton Wilson and Mark Robinson the inside linebackers. Darius Rush and Kalon Barnes the outside corner with Grayland Arnold in the slot. Damontae Kazee and Miles Killebrew at safety.
11 personnel for the offense. Play-action, QB Kyle Allen hits WR Quez Watkins for a 4-yard gain.
7. 11 personnel. Second-team line of Dylan Cook-Mason McCormick-Zach Frazier-Spencer Anderson-Troy Fautanu. Allen under center. RB screen left to Aaron Shampklin. There are blockers in space, but Shampklin drops the ball. Unfortunate outcome.
8. 12 personnel. Defensive line trio of rookie Logan Lee at LDE, Breiden Fehoko at NT, and Isaiahh Loudermilk at RDE. WR Jaray Jenkins goes in motion to a stacked look with WR Marquez Callaway. Allen rolls right and throws a bit crossbody to TE MyCole Pruitt, who makes the snag and gets upfield. Someone punched the ball out at the end, though Pruitt fell on it to recover. Gain of 9.
9. D-line of Ogunjobi-Benton-Heyward. 12 personnel. Connor Heyward motions from split out wide to a wing spot next to left tackle. Successful screen right from Justin Fields to La’Mical Perine for about 12 yards as Ryan Watts chases him from behind.
10. 21 personnel. Ryan Watts and Miles Killebrew the safety duo with Thomas Graham Jr. and Anthony Averett at cornerback. Jacoby Windmon and Tyler Murray the inside linebackers. Jack Colletto split out wide initially before motioning in to fullback. RT Anderson Hardy false start and he’s out of the drill to take his lap, replaced by Broderick Jones.
Fields hits Colletto around midfield, tagged up by Windmon after a gain of about 10. David Perales beat LT Devery Hamilton around the edge on this play.
11. John Rhys Plumlee working out of pistol. Dart down the left seam is off the outstretched arms of WR Jaray Jenkins, Miles Killebrew closing hard from his free safety spot. Incomplete.
12. Plumlee under center, 12 personnel. Good snap timing by NT Breiden Fehoko, beating RG Joey Fisher and slanting to penetrate into the backfield. Plumlee turns on the afterburners to scurry away right side.
Third Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 19. Jackson and Porter the outside corners with Beanie Bishop Jr. in the slot. Queen and Roberts the inside linebackers. Handoff to Najee Harris left side but not much available. I’ll give him a gain of 1.
2. 12 personnel. Payton Wilson comes in opposite Queen. Three safeties on the field in Elliott, Fitzpatrick, and Kazee. Fields scrambles right and looks for George Pickens on a short throw. A little behind, the two aren’t perfectly on the same page, and Pickens falls to a knee as the ball clips off his inside hand and incomplete.
3. 11 personnel. Benton and Adams the DT pairing. T.J. Watt hand down at LDE with Alex Highsmith the ROLB. Payton Wilson split out wide to cover the back. Fields airs it out left sideline for Pickens. Lots of downfield contact, I believe Porter on the coverage, and the refs throw the flag for DPI.
4. 11 personnel. Roman Wilson in the slot. Complete on a crosser for 10 yards, Bishop covering.
5. 11 personnel. Leal and Loudermilk the DT pairing. Barnes and Rush the left and right corner. Ryan Watts down low as the sixth/dime defender, Josiah Scott in the slot. Miles Killebrew and Nate Meadors at safety. Fields at quarterback, Shampklin at running back.
Fields hits TE Pat Freiermuth left side for a gain of about 8. Looks like Payton Wilson knocked it out at the end. Good finish by him.
5. 11 personnel. Mark Robinson and Payton Wilson the inside linebacker pairing with Grayland Arnold covering slot. Kyle Allen in at QB. Mason McCormick false starts and…He. Is. Outta There. Time to do a lap. Tyler Beach comes in. Allen hits RB Jonathan Ward for 5 yards.
6. 12 personnel. Logan Lee and Willington Previlon the DT pairing. Thomas Graham Jr. and Darius Rush at cornerback with Mark Robinson and Payton Wilson the inside linebackers. Aaron Shampklin in at RB. Allen throws for WR Marquez Callaway in an extended sequence, but Arnold does a nice job staying in his hip pocket and breaking the throw up.
7. Payton Wilson the lone ILB as the Steelers are in dime for this third-down period. Ryan Watts the sixth DB. Graham and Barnes the outside corners with Arnold the nickel. Allen scans and throws for Jaray Jenkins right corner. A little short and in front, Jenkins trying to come back for the ball and diving, but it lands a foot in front of his outstretched arm. Incomplete.
8. Cory Trice Jr. and Anthony Averett the cornerbacks. Josiah Scott in the slot and Trice bumps inside in this trips look. Justin Fields in at QB. Read option, Fields hands to RB La’Mical Perine and there’s a good lane inside before Ryan Watts tags him. I’ll give him about 8.
9. 11 personnel. Keeanu Benton and Montravius Adams the nickel d-tackles. Cory Trice Jr. the left cornerback. Fields zips the ball into WR Calvin Austin III on a curl between a couple defenders. Gain of 9.
10. Jacob Slade and Logan Lee the d-tackle pairing. Plumlee in at quarterback. 11 personnel. LT Devery Hamilton pulls on this run as the lead blocker, rookie RB Daijun Edwards following behind. I’ll give him 5. He runs to the end zone with CB Cam Sutton chasing to finish the rep.
11. 12 personnel. David Perales and Julius Welschof at OLB with Tyler Matakevich and Jacoby Windmon the ILB. Cam Sutton over slot. Ryan Watts comes on a blitz. As does Matakevich, who bats down the pass at the line.
Fourth Team Session (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 27. Troy Fautanu in at RT with Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle, curious enough. As the period went on, it seemed like the Steelers were mixing and matching their line in some different combinations. 11 personnel. Najee Harris run for about 5. Keeanu Benton jammed his hand/finger on this play but would stay in.
2. RB Jaylen Warren stretch run left. Larry Ogunjobi tags him for a pickup of 3.
3. O-line combination of Dan Moore Jr.-Mason McCormick-Nate Herbig-Spencer Anderson-Broderick Jones. Fields fires a rocket on a slant to Connor Heyward but it’s through his hands and incomplete, SS DeShon Elliott covering.
4. 12 personnel. Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen the inside linebackers. Fields checks down to Warren right side, pickup of about 5 before Wilson tags him. NT Montravius Adams hustled to chase Warren down the right sideline.
5. Zach Frazier in at center with Troy Fautanu at right tackle. Fautanu false starts and yup, it’s lap time.
“You’re next, Frazier” Mike Tomlin calls out after the other two drafted rookie linemen McCormick and Fautanu have been punished. Frazier was clean all day, though it helps being the center.
21 personnel. Kyle Allen hits FB Jack Colletto for 3. Jeremiah Moon had a really nice inside spin move on TE MyCole Pruitt and Moon’s defensive teammates on the sideline were geeked to see it.
6. 11 personnel. Tyler Murray and Mark Robinson at inside linebacker. Tight splits from the offense. RB Aaron Shampklin on the carry but not much doing, Grayland Arnold and Tyler Murray tagging him. No gain.
7. Fautanu has run his lap and is back in at right tackle. 12 personnel. Connor Heyward motions to align as the fullback. Logan Lee in at LDE. Kyle Allen complete to Marquez Callaway for a strong gain of 29 yards.
8. 11 personnel. George Pickens and Scotty Miller the outside receivers with Calvin Austin III in the slot. Read/option and Fields keeps and takes off right side.
9. 12 personnel. Fields now under center. Joey Fisher false starts and he’s off for a trip around the field. Things go from bad to worse with a poor exchange between third-string center Ryan McCollum and Fields, a dead play.
After a quick team conference, McCollum is told to take his lap. As he begins walking to the sideline, he bellows out a very audible – hide your eyes, kids – “FUCK!” The crowd chuckles. McCollum does not.
21 personnel with Zach Frazier jumping in to play center. Jonathan Ward carry right side, don’t have the yards. Colletto was the FB here.
10. 11 personnel. Josiah Scott over slot. Kyle Allen scans and finds WR Dez Fitzpatrick wide open left side. But he flat out drops this one, potentially taking his eyes off the ball. Ouch.
11. John Rhys Plumlee checks in at QB. 11 personnel. WR Duece Watts out wide with Jacob Copeland slot left. RB Daijun Edwards up the middle with a spin move to his left. Gain of 5.
Camp Recap (TL;DR Version)
– Too many unforced errors by the offense. Four false starts and one bad exchange. O-line and tight ends have been jumpy, mostly the first/second-year guys. Mason McCormick especially but he’s far from the only one.
– Justin Fields looked really good in 7 shots. In open-field drill work, he was far shakier and stacked bad plays.
– Whether or not they’ll be more successful is to be determined but expect Arthur Smith to run a lot more RB screens. They’re calling them multiple times each day.
– Good day for WR Quez Watkins, especially his leaping catch in 7 shots.
– Payton Wilson looked quick and played with effort and finish. As Mike Tomlin noted post-practice, the defense “ball searched” well to force at least two fumbles.
– Not exactly in-stadium scenarios with zero rush but Cameron Johnston has looked solid punting his first two days in.
– Mentioned it yesterday but reps have been scarce for CB Cory Trice Jr. He’s not seeing a lot of time whereas Kalon Barnes and Darius Rush are getting a ton of reps as clear second-team outside corners.
– Hard to determine the RB pecking order but feels like La’Mical Perine has gotten more and higher pecking-order reps than the other backs not named Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Things can change and evaluation for run game/trenches starts Tuesday. Until then, I don’t have a lot to say here.
Saint Vincent Snapshot
New QBs Coach Tom Arth putting the quarterbacks through bag drills. John Rhys Plumlee on the rollout here.
Steelers Short Kings Series
A series on the shortest and smallest players in team history with large stories to tell.
HB Pepper Petrella: 5-7, 160 pounds (1945)
Petrella appeared in only three games with the team, starting one, and is credited with 15 carries, a handful of returns, and one interception. He played his college ball at Penn State. There’s a great article telling his life story, including his days as a “speedy” star at Downington High School and helping Penn State beat Pitt for the first time in 20 years.
Petrella fought in World War II, completing 73 missions.
Norm MacDonald Quote/Joke Of The Day
“He has the disease of alcoholism. And he came to me, and he told me, and I’m the kind of guy that likes to look at the bright side of things. So I told him, I said, “Richie, it’s true that you have a disease and everything, but I think you got the best one.'”
