Day 2 of the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is in the books. Another padless practice but a spirited and solid day of work for the team. Let’s dive into the notebook.
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Camp Notes (Day 2)
– From an injury standpoint, things were pretty light. QB Russell Wilson was slightly more active today than yesterday. He went through a pre-practice warmups routine, going through arm exercises like the ones Mason Rudolph and Tom House-coached quarterbacks do. He also went through stretch line and leaned on RB Jonathan Ward as he stretched out his legs. But he didn’t participate when the team jogged in stretch line and ultimately, never put on a helmet or participated in individual/team sessions.
Beyond that, not much else to note. The players on NFI/PUP remain there. DL Willington Previlon, who seemed to be limited yesterday, was working full today. I did not notice any mid-practice injuries and Mike Tomlin noted nothing afterward.
– The first player down the stairs today was rookie QB John Rhys Plumlee at 10:05. Birthday boy Joey Porter Jr. and OL Nate Herbig quickly followed him. Porter got on the JUGS machine as DBs Coach Grady Brown watched intently while Herbig snapped to Plumlee to get some very early, pre-practice work in.
But the actual first player on the field may have again been rookie ILB Payton Wilson. He must’ve spilled onto the field the back way instead of the stairs because when I saw him, he was on the far field with ILBs Coach Aaron Curry, hitting the blocking sled a few times. He was eventually joined by young ILBs Tyler Murray and Jacoby Windmon.
– Receivers again working early. Before WRs Coach Zach Azzanni put the group to work, rookie Roman Wilson along with veteran Marquez Callaway and Jaray Jenkins got on the JUGS machine.
– In on-air warmups with the first-team offense, Justin Fields was again the first-team quarterback with Wilson out. The three receivers, like yesterday, had George Pickens and Van Jefferson on the outside and Calvin Austin III in the slot.
– The o-lines were largely the same as yesterday. Troy Fautanu got brief action in 7 shots as the first-team right tackle but for most of the day, they were the same.
First Team: Moore-Seumalo-Herbig-Daniels-Jones
Second Team: Cook-McCormick-Frazier-Anderson-Fautanu
Third Team: Hamilton-Beach-McCollum-Fisher-Hardy
– In warmups, Pittsburgh worked on a swing screen, hitting the running back in the flat with the tight end pulling out as a designed lead blocker (no linemen pulling). Basically a run-game extension with a lead blocker. Would end up seeing this in the team period.
– Plenty of mixing and matching in the return lines but primarily, the punt return line consisted of WRs Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller, and Quez Watkins. FS Minkah Fitzpatrick and CB Cam Sutton jumped into the drill midway through it.
QB John Rhys Plumlee went through kick and punt returns. On one punt, he lost the ball and it doinked right off his helmet. He caught the next one cleanly and the crowd gave him a mock cheer, which Plumlee took well and raised his hand in the air to the bleachers to celebrate fielding it. He looked like a mostly college quarterback trying to do things receivers are accustomed to. But his athleticism and trying to create additional value outside of a No. 4 QB has the team getting creative, which I support.
In addition to Plumlee, Jaylen Warren handled plenty of kick-return work. Given the new rules, the kick machine skipped low line drives to them, forcing them to catch the ball off the hop. Pittsburgh’s expecting to see some of that this year now that hangtimes have become irrelevant (no one can move until the ball is caught or hits the ground so a sky kick does little to help the coverage unit).
– Bunch of players taking gunner reps, essentially the same group as yesterday. Some of the names in my notes, though not an exclusive list, include WR Marquez Callaway, CB Beanie Bishop Jr., CB Darius Rush, WR Jaray Jenkins, and WR Jacob Copeland.
– SS and core special teamer Miles Killebrew spent a solid 10 minutes honing his craft by himself. He alternated between working on his set on the punt protect/coverage team, just like a left tackle would. Then, he would turn around and work on his angles/hand placement with a football he placed on a bag, simulating a punt block he’s become so known for.
He’d set the ball back up and do it all over again. It’s work like this before practice, without anyone prompting him, that makes Killebrew an elite special teamer and why he’s had a long NFL career.
– I generally don’t take many notes about the stretch line but one there was one difference today. The offense and defense stretched on different fields. The offense on the near field next to the bleachers and the defense on the middle of the three fields. Yesterday, they were stretching together but separated today. It’s a new strength and conditioning staff and though the look of the stretch line seems generally the same, they may have some different ideas. I assume here, utilizing both fields just gives everyone more space to work with as opposed to trying to squeeze the whole roster on the width of one field, which leaves little elbow room.
– I’m sure a coach in the comments can offer some insight here but a very interesting drill Azzanni put the receivers through. I’m assuming this is to help keep their hands/elbows in the right spot.
They would then simulate the same drill next without the chair. Which is good because I don’t think Roger Goodell allows those on gamedays.
– Azzanni and an assistant had players work on their releases, having them pump their arms and feet and slide to one direction before sending them upfield. He mixed it up for each guy and for rookie Roman Wilson, he held him a couple extra beats before directing him upfield. Just to make sure guys don’t cheat the drill and try to time things.
– Overall, observing Azzanni on the heels of yesterday’s report about George Pickens, he’s a vocal but clear teacher. During one drill that WR Jacob Copeland messed up on, Azzanni paused things to spend about 20 seconds to talk him through how to correct it.
A moment later, he was very hands-on teaching the points of the next drill. He explained what he wanted and what happens if they do it right. I couldn’t make out every word but the point was to drill the why of the drill and why it was important. And that’s important.
– On the other side of the field, OL Coach Pat Meyer and Assistant Isaac Williams focused on combination blocks with the o-linemen. In pairs, they’d secure the first level with one lineman climbing to the second level based on how the defense flowed.
– Some special teams notes that occurred between team periods. Miles Killebrew continues to serve as the Steelers’ starting upback. TE Rodney Williams aligned adjacent as the left wing while SS DeShon Elliott and FB Jack Colletto alternated reps as the right wing.
Backup S Nate Meadors worked as the second-team upback. RB Jonathan Ward was a wing while TE MyCole Pruitt also saw action there.
– Later while working with the field goal protect team, DeMarvin Leal and Rodney Williams served as the wings. DL Willington Previlon and DL Isaiahh Loudermilk came in after with the backups.
– Coaches used soccer balls to bounce or roll to the gunners, making them knock the ball away from the goal line like they would trying to down a punt. Obviously, a soccer ball doesn’t roll and bounce like a football but it’d be hard to use footballs because they’re unpredictable and would bounce all around and you wouldn’t put in any good work. You’d just spend the period chasing down footballs. So better to get the coaching/teaching point across with a soccer ball.
– Post-practice, Russell Wilson spent time throwing to TE Pat Freiermuth and WR Roman Wilson. The collective o-line hardly leave the field, Dylan Cook and Troy Fautanu among the many pairings and people still on the grass long after the final practice horn sounded. Active group.
First Team Period (11 v 11)
1. Seven shots makes its first appearance in camp. Ball on the defense’s 2. Offense opens in 12 personnel. Defense has T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith at OLB, Larry Ogunjobi and Cam Heyward at DT, Elandon Roberts and Patrick Queen at ILB, Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson at cornerback, and Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott at safety.
Justin Fields looks for Pat Freiermuth on an out route left side, but Elliott is all over it and the pass is contested and incomplete. Freiermuth motions his hand to throw a flag and his offensive teammates along the sideline agree. But I’ll give this as a win for the defense.
2. 11 personnel. RPO. Fields pulls the football out of Najee Harris’ belly and again looks for Freiermuth just inside the goal line. It’s high and over his head but Freiermuth reaches up and gets hands on it. The ball skims through his fingers and incomplete, Porter on the coverage.
3. 11 personnel, empty set. Fields shows good touch on a corner/7-route complete to Van Jefferson working on Porter for the offense’s first score. T.J. Watt got pressure off the edge.
4. Beanie Bishop Jr. the slot corner here. Keeanu Benton and Montravius Adams the DT pairing. Offense in 11 personnel. Fields looks for Jefferson again, but the pass is incomplete, Bishop on the coverage. Troy Fautanu was the RT on this rep and per Steelers.com’s Bob Labriola, Broderick Jones shifted over to LT for this rep.
5. Kyle Allen comes in at QB. 11 personnel. Bullet pass short right side squeezes the ball to TE MyCole Pruitt for the touchdown.
6. 11 personnel. Roman Wilson motions across and aligns in the slot. Allen play-fake and he throws a touchdown to the right side. Unfortunately, I don’t have who caught it in my notes. Lots of players around and I didn’t have the best view so I missed the scorer.
7. With back-to-back scores, the offense rallies from a 3-1 deficit to tie things at three. Tomlin brings the first-team offense back on to decide the winner, including Justin Fields at QB. 11 personnel. Fields wants to throw along the right side. But T.J. Watt gets a hand on it. The ball still crosses the LOS but falls into the end zone, well incomplete. The defense wins, 4-3.
Second Team Period (11 v 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 34. 12 personnel with TEs Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth out there. O-line of Moore-Seumalo-Herbig-Daniels-Jones. George Pickens and Van Jefferson the two-receiver set, stacked to the right. Play-action but T.J. Watt and Patrick Queen quickly converge on Justin Fields and generate pressure. Fields tosses the ball to the left with no one really around. Broderick Jones ended up on his back, though I don’t know if he got tripped or how he ended on the ground.
2. 11 personnel. Jefferson and Pickens the outside receivers with Calvin Austin III in the slot. Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts are the inside linebackers. Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott at safety with Beanie Bishop Jr. over slot. Fields throws vertically down the right side for WR George Pickens, but CB Donte Jackson has great inside leverage. The pass is incomplete, bouncing off Pickens’ outstretched hand. Great coverage.
3. 11 personnel. Fields has Austin open for a crosser working left to right but the pass is behind him and incomplete, Austin a slight show of frustration over the missed opportunity.
4. Kyle Allen comes in. Offense remains in 11 personnel. MyCole Pruitt the tight end aligned Y-Off. Allen hits Roman Wilson over the middle, creating space against CB Kalon Barnes, for a 13-yard catch. Wilson’s first of the team period.
5. 12 personnel. Allen under center. Kalon Barnes and Darius Rush the cornerbacks. Allen checks down to RB Jaylen Warren left side for a few yards. Good chase by DL DeMarvin Leal, running step for step with Warren (who finishes every play by running into the end zone) but Leal is athletic and can keep up. He tries to punch the ball out, though Warren secures it tightly and hangs on. Good strain and finish and attention to detail from both men.
6. 11 personnel. Nick Herbig and Jeremiah Moon the outside linebackers. Porter and Jackson at corner. RPO with LT Dylan Cook pulling. Fields, back in the game, throws left flat for Freiermuth. He makes the catch but Queen immediately tags him after a gain of just 2. Queen flashing his speed.
7. 12 personnel. Freiermuth split out wide. Offense working out of pistol. Leal rushes in free and gets his hands up to bat down a Fields pass as he tries to throw to his right.
8. 11 personnel. Allen directs Roman Wilson where to align, Wilson initially moving to his right out of the huddle but is supposed to line up slot left. Allen squeezes in an out route to Connor Heyward, S Damontae Kazee inches shy of breaking it up. Heyward quickly gets upfield with good YAC, I’ll call it a gain of 10 but there’s no tackling today (or this weekend; pads come on Tuesday).
“I like the run after!” Mike Tomlin calls out to Heyward.
9. 11 personnel. Ryan Watts and Miles Killebrew the safety duo. Anthony Averett and Cory Trice Jr. the cornerback pairing. Kyle Allen out of pistol. Swing pass to RB La’Mical Perine in the right flat but LB Jacoby Windmon tags him after a gain of about 3.
10. 12 personnel. Third-team o-line in. Hamilton-Beach-McCollum-Fisher-Hardy. John Rhys Plumlee under center. Screen to RB Daijun Edwards with two blockers in space and only one defender – believe it was Fisher and Hardy securing the block. I’ll give it a gain of 15.
Third Team Period (11 v 11)
1. Line of scrimmage at the offense’s 28. 11 personnel. Third-down period, situational drill. Justin Fields wants to throw left side, but the vet Cam Heyward gets a hand on it to knock it down incomplete.
2. 11 personnel again. First-team line in, Moore at left tackle, Jones at right tackle. Fields throws a slot fade for Calvin Austin III, but Beanie Bishop blankets him, and the pass is incomplete. Air-tight coverage. Lots of praise for Bishop from his defensive teammates after the play.
3. 13 personnel. Fields complete this time, hitting WR Scotty Miller along the right side. Gain of 5 before LB Elandon Roberts tags him.
4. 11 personnel. Second-team unit in. O-line of Cook-McCormick-Frazier-Anderson-Fautanu. QB Kyle Allen working out of empty. Jeremiah Moon in at LDE (hand down) and Nick Herbig at ROLB. They’ve flip-flopped sides early in camp. Montravius Adams and DeMarvin Leal the nickel d-line up with Payton Wilson at ILB and interestingly, Ryan Watts down in the box in a dime-backer type of alignment for this play (he’d sub out the next play). Reminder, this is a third-down period so Pittsburgh’s defense can dip into more sub-package looks.
Allen’s pass complete to Pruitt left side for 6. Leal thought he was held by some lineman on the play and wants a flag thrown. An imaginary one, at least.
5. Watts comes out and ILB Mark Robinson subs in. 12 personnel. Nothing there for Kyle Allen, good overall defensive coverage, and he scrambles away to the right. Pittsburgh was trying their swing pass to the back in the left flat but it was covered up.
6. 11 personnel. Porter and Jackson in at cornerback. LG Mason McCormick leans forward and false starts. He’s pulled out of the rep, replaced by Ryan McCollum. Read-option for Justin Fields, which the team ran in warmups. He keeps the ball and shows his burst and speed off right side. Hard to say where he’s “down” since he can’t be hit but there was definitely a lane for him. I’ll give him 6 yards here.
7. 11 personnel. Fields hits Austin on a route near the right sideline for 7. Bishop grabs Austin by the ankles and pulls him down, an actual tackle in this padless drill, though it wasn’t an especially aggressive collision.
8. 11 personnel. Darius Rush and Kalon Barnes the cornerbacks on the outside with Grayland Arnold in the slot. DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk the DTs in the nickel package. Kyron Johnson and David Perales the outside linebackers. RB La’Mical Perine gets the carry right side but there’s nothing there. Linebackers set the edge well, primarily Johnson.
9. 11 personnel. Empty set. Kyle Allen in at QB. Kyron Johnson with his hand down and Julius Welschof at ROLB. Nice rush by DT Willington Previlon to beat the block and get interior pressure. Allen complete to Roman Wilson for a gain of 10 right side.
10. 11 personnel. TE Darnell Washington goes in motion left to right. John Rhys Plumlee picking up the rep here, but the play is made by rookie DL Logan Lee, batting the pass down at the line of scrimmage. Lee was working over LG here.
* I can’t find reference to the particular play in the scribbling that are my notes but there was a botched handoff between Kyle Allen and RB Jonathan Ward at the mesh point at some point in this drill. The ball squirted away, I believe recovered by the offense, but it was hard to tell who fell on it. I assume the offense because there was no big defensive/turnover celebration after.
Fourth Team Period (11 v 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 24. O-line of Moore-Seumalo-Herbig-Daniels-Jones. Justin Fields under center, Najee Harris the running back. James Daniels called for the false start. He’s pulled from the rep, replaced by Mason McCormick getting a snap at RG. Good run by Harris; I’ll give him 7.
2. 12 personnel. Ogunjobi-Benton-Loudermilk the starting defensive line. For the second day, Cam Heyward not working in the final team session to manage his reps. With pressure surrounding him and a muddy pocket, a flat-footed Justin Fields shows off his arm with a great ball on a post to George Pickens downfield to the 25-yard line, a 51-yard completion. Big play.
3. 11 personnel. Pistol formation. Harris carries right side for a gain of 3. Bishop working out of the slot here.
4. Second-team line of Cook-McCormick-Frazier-Herbig-Fautanu. D-line of Leal-Adams-Loudermilk. Payton Wilson and Mark Robinson at ILB, Jeremiah Moon and Nick Herbig at OLB, Damontae Kazee and Miles Killebrew at S, Darius Rush and Kalon Barnes at CB. Kyle Allen under center. Jaylen Warren carry left side for short gain, good run fill from LB Mark Robinson to force the cutback.
5. 21 personnel. Porter and Jackson in at corner, Fitzpatrick and Elliott at safety. Connor Heyward aligns wide out of the huddle before being motioned to the backfield and lining up as a fullback with his hand down. Warren another carry, this one for 4 yards, and as he always down, runs to the end zone. WR Scotty Miller showed good effort to block Minkah Fitzpatrick for Warren as the three snaked their way downfield.
6. Kyron Johnson and David Perales in at OLB. LB Jacoby Windmon walks out on the RB wide to the left with the offense in 11 personnel and empty. Slot fade with good touch from Justin Fields to Pat Freiermuth against Elliott for a gain of 24.
7. 11 personnel. Jacob Slade and Logan Lee the defensive linemen. Julius Welschof and David Perales the outside linebackers. Tyler Murray and Mark Robinson at ILB. Kyle Allen under center. La’Mical Perine carry left side and cuts upfield, Murray giving chase for a couple of yards.
8. Thomas Graham and Anthony Averett the outside cornerbacks. 21 personnel, Jack Colletto in the backfield. Looks like there was early movement on the o-line as RB Daijun Edwards gets the carry for 4 or 5 yards. D-line knifed in and the play was just sorta messy to end the day.
Camp Recap (TL’DR version)
– Justin Fields is impressing with his vertical throws. No limits on what his arm is capable of. Good two practices overall but he needs to be more consistent on some of the shorter gimmes, missing a couple of in-breaking/crossing routes these two sessions as well.
– Overall, Kyle Allen has known where to go with the football and been smart. All three QBs have protected the ball and generally made good decisions.
– Still hard to gauge the offensive line’s play until the pads are on. Too many false starts in general by the offense, I’ll say that.
– Saw a heavier batch of RPOs today under Arthur Smith, which should carry over into the season.
– Despite some missed connections, TE Pat Freiermuth receiving the first two targets in 7 shots is notable. He continues to get fed the ball.
– More burn for WR Roman Wilson today after a quiet camp debut.
– Very active day for the d-line and defenders at the LOS. Watt, Heyward, Leal, and Lee batted passes down. Those guys made plays and knowing they can’t hit the QB, this is a great way to still impact the passing game.
– Another good day for DeMarvin Leal. Quick off the ball, getting his hands up in throwing lanes, finishing plays. Maybe the light has come on for him. But his performance in pads will be key.
– Thought there’d be more rotation at slot corner today. Instead, Beanie Bishop Jr. handled the bulk of the slot reps and has held his own.
– CB Donte Jackson has had his wins and losses like all corners, especially in this setting, but he’s been ultra-competitive against George Pickens. I like what he’s brought two days into camp.
– Finally, that T.J. Watt guy? Yeah, he’s pretty good. A defensive menace today.
Saint Vincent Snapshot
A two-fer today. After practice, Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, and Mike Tomlin chatting, as owner/GM/coach have after camp for years now.
A shot of Payton Wilson getting very early work on the blocking sled.
Steelers Short Kings Series
A series on the shortest and smallest players in team history with large stories to tell.
K David Trout: 5-6, 165 pounds (1981, 1987)
One of my favorite Steelers stories for the extreme time between his two Steelers (and NFL) stints. Trout made his debut in 1981, serving as Pittsburgh’s kicker throughout the season and hitting 70 percent of his field goals.
After spending time in the USFL, he returned to the Steelers in 1987 as a strike-replacement player. He played in three games, making all of his extra points but missing both his field goals. Trout went 2,114 days before NFL appearances, which I gotta think is a Steelers record (though not an NFL one; Doug Flutie went longer between stints).
Norm MacDonald’s Best Quotes/Jokes
“I always told everybody the perfect joke would be where the setup and punch line were identical.”
