Just one more practice separates the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2024 preseason opener Friday night against the Houston Texans. Before we get to there, let’s discuss what happened during the team’s training camp Wednesday.
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Camp Notes (Day 12)
– Injury roundup. Lot to look for and react to today. Not practicing today were OLB Alex Highsmith (groin), S Nate Meadors (hamstring), and OLB Markus Golden (unknown). Golden casually pedaled on the exercise bike early in practice. Highsmith wasn’t on the field at the beginning, but he made his way down midway through practice, walking fine and not visibly injured.
Several players returned in full. The players rested Tuesday were back: OLB T.J. Watt, DL Cam Heyward, and OG Isaac Seumalo. More notably, CB Grayland Arnold (soft tissue, per Tomlin), TE Rodney Williams, NT Keeanu Benton, DL/OLB DeMarvin Leal, LB Patrick Queen (foot/ankle), and OLB Jeremiah Moon were all full participants after missing some recent time.
RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson and DL Dean Lowry are continuing to work on the side and increase their conditioning.
Finally, TEs Coach Alfredo Roberts returned after missing Tuesday’s practice for unknown reasons.
During practice, NT Breiden Fehoko suffered a left arm/shoulder injury about midway through, spending the rest of it on the bench with a large wrap. Something to watch. SS DeShon Elliott jammed his hand/wrist in 1v1 against TE Pat Freiermuth and spent a few minutes with trainers getting it taped. He then got tangled up with Freiermuth during a team period and was slow getting up before walking along the sideline. 93.7 The Fan reported that Elliott left on a cart. I can’t confirm or deny that, but Elliott finished practice in uniform. So he looks fine.
– The Steelers made one roster move today, waived/injured LB Tyler Murray after he was hurt yesterday. The team signed LB Easton Gibbs, and he practiced in full. He is wearing No. 34. Despite a thin group at OLB, no moves were made there.
– LB Payton Wilson was first out on the field at 9:58 AM.
– Referees returned for today’s practice.
– A fan along the hill where players come out held out a Damontae Kazee No. 23 jersey, which he made sure to sign before hitting the practice field.
– WR Jacob Copeland hit the field early and got work on the JUGS machine, catching several passes before warming up and stretching as WRs Coach Zach Azzanni joined him.
– Though the team didn’t kick or punt today, rookie DL Logan Lee worked on his long snapping early in practice as K Matthew Wright caught them.
– Like yesterday, Troy Fautanu worked as the team’s first-team RT today. Dan Moore Jr., like yesterday, saw initial first-team left tackle reps but rotated with Broderick Jones throughout the day. During warmups with the second-team, Broderick Jones worked as the left tackle while Dylan Cook continued to work on the right side.
– Third-team o-line was status quo: Devery Hamilton-Tyler Beach-Ryan McCollum-Joey Fisher-Anderson Hardy.
– Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts hung out by themselves on the far field during the early warmup/special teams period. They’ve become good friends.
– DeMarvin Leal worked with coach Denzel Martin and the outside linebackers (Watt, Herbig, Johnson, Moon, Welschof) during individual period.
– Heavy focus on kickoffs during the special teams period today. Couple different lines but here’s the “starting” coverage and return team.
Coverage unit from left to right from the kicker’s perspective.
Aaron Shampklin-Jacob Copeland-Daijun Edwards-Jacoby Windmon-Julius Welschof-Grayland Arnold-Easton Gibbs-Kyler McMichael-Thomas Graham Jr.
And the return team.
Dez Fitzpatrick-Tyler Matakevich-Miles Killebrew-Payton Wilson-Mark Robinson-Ryan Watts-Darius Rush
Connor Heyward MyCole Pruitt
John Rhys Plumlee and Jonathan Ward were the kick returners in the landing zone. In later periods, it was Plumlee and Calvin Austin III and Jacob Copeland with another unit being Austin and Miller. After that, it was Miller and Edwards.
DL Logan Lee also got looks on the coverage team. As did DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk.
First Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Seven Shots. Ball on the 2. T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig the starting outside linebackers with Alex Highsmith held out. O-line of Moore-Seumalo-Herbig-Daniels-Fautanu. Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts the inside linebackers. Russell Wilson in at quarterback, under center out of 13 personnel.
Najee Harris carry left side for the touchdown.
2. Justin Fields in at QB. D-line of Larry Ogunjobi-Montravius Adams-Cam Heyward. 11 personnel. George Pickens in the slot with Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson around him. Fields hits Austin back left corner between two defenders. I believe Donte Jackson dove and nearly tipped it, but Fields squeezes it in and Austin makes the catch, Pickens celebrating with him afterward.
3. Wilson back in at quarterback. Austin in the slot. 11 personnel. Broderick Jones in at left tackle. Wilson wants Jefferson on an out route left side, but Jefferson gets his head around late and the pass is incomplete. Jackson covering.
4. Wilson remains in at quarterback. Kyron Johnson and Julius Welschof the outside linebacker pairing. 21 personnel, Jack Colletto in at fullback with Jaylen Warren at running back.
Warren with the carry up the middle and scores. Queen dove in to try to stop him from the side but missed while the o-line pushed Warren over the goal line. There was debate over touchdown or no touchdown but believe that was ruled a score.
5. Fields checks in. 11 personnel. Fields scrambles up the middle for the touchdown, a win for the defense. O-line of Jones-McCormick-Frazier-Anderson-Cook.
6. Goal-line defense with four down linemen: Jacob Slade-Logan Lee-Breiden Fehoko-Willington Previlon. 22 personnel for the offense, Fields still in. RB La’Mical Perine follows FB Jack Colletto left side for the easy score, WR Dez Fitzpatrick throwing a good block to help forge a path.
7. Mike Tomlin has a discussion with the group as everyone is trying to figure out what units and people are in the game. Eventually, Kyle Allen comes in at QB. 12 personnel. TE Rodney Williams goes in motion. Handoff to RB Aaron Shampklin right side, Payton Wilson unable to make the stop.
1v1 Competition Period
– Split time between some RB/LB 1v1s and WR/DB 1v1s.
1. Payton Wilson picks off pass on an out route by Jaylen Warren. QB John Rhys Plumlee on the throw.
2. Jack Colletto bursts away from Mark Robinson, making the catch on an out route.
3. LB Jacoby Windmon with a breakup against RB Aaron Shampklin, tipping the ball up. Good rep but a chance it could’ve been picked as it went up in the air and Windmon let it fall. “Lay out for that ball!” a coach called out.
4. Nice head fake by La’Mical Perine to beat LB Tyler Matakevich on an in route.
5. Jonathan Ward has space on an out route against Elandon Roberts, working on leverage.
6. Ditto with Daijun Edwards, beating new LB Easton Gibbs to the outside.
7. Looked like Najee Harris and Payton Wilson got a bit tangled up, though Harris finished the rep with a catch.
8. Switching to WR/DB. Or in this case, a tight end. Pat Freiermuth beats DeShon Elliott to the inside, Elliott jamming his wrist here. He’d get white tape applied to his right wrist
9. Nice close by CB Beanie Bishop Jr. on Calvin Austin III’s speed out, closing hard and breaking the throw up after Austin initially caught it.
10. TE Rodney Williams beats S Ryan Watts on an in-cut.
11. Smooth route by Van Jefferson to the corner. Not 100 percent sure of the DB, I think Cory Trice Jr. or possibly Damontae Kazee.
12. Scotty Miller beats Joey Porter Jr. to the inside, separating enough at the break point. Reminder this drill is slanted toward the offense.
13. Connor Heyward has two steps down the seam against S Miles Killebrew. Tried to find the ball over his shoulder but it clips off his outstretched hands and falls incomplete.
14. Jacob Copeland with the reception on a speed out, CB Thomas Graham Jr. unable to rip it out.
15. Successful 5-yard curl for WR Jaray Jenkins, making a tough grab while working on Anthony Averett.
16. Ryan Watts defends back-shoulder throw to Pat Freiermuth well, breaking it up.
17. Dez Fitzpatrick shows speed and gets a step on CB Kalon Barnes, making a downfield and vertical grab along the right sideline into the end zone.
18. Darnell Washington beats Damontae Kazee down the seam and makes a one-handed catch in the end zone. A nice play but the refs called OPI.
19. George Pickens easy sideline catch against Porter’s off coverage.
20. Quez Watkins beats Kyler McMichael on an in-breaking route, making the grab.
21. Watts too grabby and pushy on TE Matt Sokol, flagged by the officials for DPI on this rep vertically.
22. Jacob Copeland burns Darius Rush but can’t complete the play, dropping an attempted basket catch.
23. Good battle between Calvin Austin III and Beanie Bishop Jr., Austin leaping to make the grab but the refs ruling him out of bounds.
24. Speed out from Pickens to win on Porter but really nothing Porter can do from a catch-point perspective. A touchdown, the drill now shifting from about the 20 to the goal line.
25. WR Duece Watts wins on a slant, crossing CB Donte Jackson’s face.
26. Nice Y nod from Darnell Washington to beat Kazee over the middle.
27. Jaray Jenkins shakes Bishop off the line but Bishop recovers as Jenkins breaks out to the back of the end zone. Throw incomplete.
28. WR Tarik Black wins on a dig route against Rush.
29. Scotty Miller pivot route on the goal line is well run and caught for the score.
30. Dez Fitzpatrick touchdown on an out route against McMichael.
31. Watts has the breakup in the right corner against Rodney Williams, but Watts is again flagged for too much contact.
32. Jefferson finds the ball against Bishop for the grab.
Second Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 40. DeShon Elliott and Damontae Kazee the safety pairing. 11 personnel. Russell Wilson in at quarterback. Live-tackling period. Jaylen Warren on the carry. Missed tackle by T.J. Watt and Warren cuts upfield before Elandon Roberts takes him down. Gain of 2.
2. Moore in at left tackle, Fautanu right tackle. 11 personnel. Justin Fields the quarterback. Fields play-action. Hits George Pickens along the right sideline for a gain of 10, stepping out of a low Bishop tackle attempt as Pickens goes out of bounds.
3. Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson the cornerbacks on the outside. 12 personnel. Fields the quarterback. Najee Harris carry left side, stepping out of a tackle and finding a large running lane. Damontae Kazee makes the open-field tackle, taking Harris down by the ankles. Gain of 12.
4. Russell Wilson the QB. Broderick Jones in at left tackle. 11 personnel. Harris hard run, breaking a tackle for a gain of at least 7.
5. 13 personnel. Fields the QB. Play-action and finds Pat Freiermuth behind the defense along the right sideline, the TE making a juggling catch and pulling the ball in before being chased down from behind. A 37-yard pickup. Play fakes effective this camp.
6. 21 personnel. RB Jonathan Ward a gain of 4 right side, taken down by DL Logan Lee and LB Jacoby Windmon.
7. 12 personnel. RB Aaron Shampklin run of 6, tripped up by Mark Robinson, who grabs an ankle and takes him down.
8. O-line of Moore-McCormick-Frazier-Anderson-Cook. Wilson in at QB, 11 personnel. Thomas Graham flies in off the edge, the offense’s left/defense’s eight, and drops La’Mical Perine for a loss of 3.
9. 11 personnel. Kyler McMichael and Cory Trice Jr. on the outside with Grayland Arnold in the slot. Jeremiah Moon at ROLB. Kyle Allen in at QB. Perine carry again right side but this time, it’s Arnold knifing in for the TFL, a loss of 2. Slot corners making plays.
10. 12 personnel. TE Matt Sokol goes in motion. Allen the QB. Play-action. Pressure from DL Willington Previlon. Allen scrambles.
11. 11 personnel. John Rhys Plumlee checks in at quarterback. Play-action and looks like a designed QB boot and run to the right, chased by DeMarvin Leal, who was not fooled.
12. Kyle Allen at QB. 22 personnel. Rodney Williams flexed out to the left, Connor Heyward at fullback. Daijun Edwards run left side. Good gain with a big lane before Ryan Watts makes the open-field stop, a 15-yard pickup. Windmon flew into the backfield but lost his balance and fell at the line of scrimmage as FB Jack Colletto led the way.
Third Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the offense’s 19. T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig the outside linebackers. D-line of Larry Ogunjobi-Keeanu Benton-Cam Heyward. Donte Jackson the LCB and Joey Porter Jr. the RCB. Damontae Kazee and DeShon Elliott the safeties with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts the ILBs.
12 personnel. Fields in at QB. Slant to Pickens complete for 7 as Roberts applies pressure on his rush. Queen upset that he just missed breaking this throw up.
2. 11 personnel. Fautanu in at right tackle, Moore at left tackle. Empty set. Wilson in at QB. Throw intended for Jefferson is off the mark and incomplete along the right sideline, Wilson’s throw off and uncatchable.
“Good shit, defense!” someone called out for the tight coverage all around.
3. 11 personnel. Fields back in. Watt hand down as the LDE. Calvin Austin III goes in motion. Fields throws a quick bubble screen left side for Pickens. It’s high and over his head but Pickens jumps and makes a great one-handed snag with his right hand to pull the ball in. I’ll give it a gain of 5.
4. 13 personnel. Fields still the quarterback. Rolls right and hits Freiermuth along the sideline, making a tough and nice snag to get his feet in for 4 yards against Elliott. Both up a little slow, especially Elliott. He walked along the sideline after, but he was OK.
5. 12 personnel. Screen left from Fields to RB Jonathan Ward. Wide open with Spencer Anderson and, I believe, Zach Frazier out in front. A defender (possibly Julius Welschof) gets knocked down trying to chase after the football. I’ll give it a healthy pickup of 20 though hard to say where the play was over in this non-tackling session.
6. 12 personnel. Broderick Jones in at LT. Connor Heyward the fullback. Throw over the middle is caught by WR Quez Watkins, a gain of 16 but Watkins loses the ball on the way down.
7. Ryan Watts and Miles Killebrew the safety pairing. Thomas Graham slot corner. 11 personnel. Russell Wilson complete to Watkins for a 6-yard gain, Watts applying the tag.
8. D-line of Willington Previlon at LDE, Logan Lee at NT (for the injured Fehoko) and Jacob Slade at RDE. Kyle Allen in and under center. 12 personnel. Windmon gets pressure and Allen hurriedly throws the ball to Perine for 3. Payton Wilson and Julius Welschof are the two defenders on the stop as Welschof has a half-hearted punch on the ball.
9. 11 personnel. Trice in at LCB, Arnold in the slot. Arnold blitzes and beats the back, earning praise. Allen hits Tarik Black for 15 yards over the middle on a dig route.
10. DeMarvin Leal and Jeremiah Moon the outside linebackers. Willington Previlon and Jacob Slade the DTs. 11 personnel. Rodney Williams going in motion. Allen screen left. Well-read by Tyler Matakevich and Slade, a loss of 3. Mark Robinson rushed free off the edge on a blitz.
11. Darius Rush and Kyler McMichael the outside corners. John Rhys Plumlee under center. Ryan Watts the box safety with Cam Sutton playing the post. Matakevich and Gibbs the inside linebackers. 12 personnel. Boot left for Plumlee. Nothing is there and he wisely takes off.
12. Offense shows a lot of confusion, and I believe it was Arthur Smith vocalizing his frustration. “What are we doing!?” he calls out as players try to figure out who is in the play and where they’re supposed to be. Offense finally gets set. Play-fake but the pocket immediately collapses, seemingly every lineman losing his rep. Plumlee just tucks and runs.
Fourth Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Elliott and Fitzpatrick the safety pairing. Moore in at LT. Ogunjobi and Heyward the defensive tackles. Wilson and Queen the inside linebackers, Jackson and Porter the corners with Bishop in the slot. 11 personnel. Harris carry up the middle from Wilson as the quarterback, a gain of 5.
2. 11 personnel. Pickens slot right. Wilson still in. Complete to Pickens right side for 5 yards before Bishop tosses him down.
3. Ball on the offense’s 23. Fitzpatrick and Kazee the safety duo. Trice in as the dime defender. Justin Fields comes in and hits Connor Heyward short for a gain of 3 in the right flat against Trice.
4. Welschof and Johnson the outside linebackers. Broderick Jones in at left tackle. 12 personnel, Freiermuth and Pruitt standing up to the left. Fields hits Watkins over the middle, wide open and sitting down and showing his numbers, a gain of 17.
5. O-line of Jones-McCormick-Frazier-Anderson-Cook. D-line of Keeanu Benton at LDE (despite Karl Dunbar saying he wouldn’t play DE), Montravius Adams at nose tackle, and Isaiahh Loudermilk at RDE. Wilson and Robinson at inside linebacker. Fields finds Heyward on a crosser working left to right for 15 yards, Watts on the tag.
6. Adams and Loudermilk the defensive tackle pairing. Fields in at QB, 11 personnel. Trips bunch left. Fields checks to Jonathan Ward for 5 against Mark Robinson.
7. 12 personnel. Anthony Averett and Kalon Barnes the outside corners, Thomas Graham Jr. in the slot. Russell Wilson hits Connor Heyward left side, Moon on the tag. Don’t have the yardage. Funny moment where Matt Sokol accidentally ran into Heyward, knocking him down. Friendly fire.
8. Wilson still in at QB. 11 personnel. Darnell Washington goes in motion. Wilson checks to Perine for about 5 and Watts again applies the tag to wrap things up.
9. Kyle Allen checks in with the third-team offensive line. 11 personnel. TE Matt Sokol goes in motion. Grayland Arnold working in the slot. Shampklin on a run with good burst up the middle. I’ll give him 15 as Darius Rush and others give chase.
10. 11 personnel. O-line of Hamilton-Beach-McCollum-Fisher-Hamilton. Defense loses sight of TE Rodney Williams and he’s wide open. With plenty of YAC, it’s a 30-yard gain down the left sideline.
“Way to go!” Pat Freiermuth calls out to Williams as he high-fives him while Williams walks back.
11. Logan Lee and Jacob Slade the defensive tackles. DeMarvin Leal and Jacoby Windmon the outside linebackers with Easton Gibbs and Tyler Matakevich the inside linebackers. 11 personnel. Allen looks for WR Duece Watts left side but incomplete, McMichael covering.
12. Watts and Sutton the safety duo. Plumlee in at QB. 12 personnel, Sokol and Heyward the tight ends. 2×2 formation. Nice spin move by Windmon beats Hamilton. Plumlee climbs and hits Duece Watts, on the ground as he brings in the catch, for a 9-yard gain.
– No real o-line/d-line notes today. Groups working 2v2 on stunt pickup and rushes. Cam Heyward and Nick Herbig had a good tandem rush to beat Dan Moore Jr. and Isaac Seumalo, Heyward and Herbig head-butting to celebrate after the rep.
– Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson with good touchdown catches in 7 on 7. Wilson threw the one to Austin.
Fifth Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Ball on the defense’s 20, red zone work. Wilson in at QB. 11 personnel. Austin in the slot, Pickens and Jefferson on the outside. Washington the Y. Harris carry up the middle for a few.
2. Fields in at QB. 11 personnel. Fields fires into the end zone after being flushed left in the general area of Freiermuth. Ball not really catchable as Roberts stuck to him well. Incomplete.
3. 12 personnel. Fitzpatrick and Kazee the safety duo. Twin right with Pickens and Jefferson. Jaylen Warren carry left side for 2.
4. Warren again on the carry, this time for roughly 3. Windmon knifes through and tags him.
5. Leal and Welschof the outside linebackers. Fields the quarterback. Fields throw back of the end zone and Austin makes a tough, leaping grab working over Bishop for the score. Nice snag from Austin.
6. Wilson back in at QB. Out route to Dez Fitzpatrick right side for the touchdown against Joey Porter Jr. 5-yard score.
Sixth Team Period (11 on 11)
1. Tomlin starts with a two-minute drill to close practice like yesterday. This time, Plumlee gets his chance. Ball on the offense’s 40. Watts and Sutton at safety. Plumlee hits Heyward right side, 4-yard gain.
2. Offense is flagged for not being set on the snap but they play on. Plumlee finds Black for 8 yards left side against Trice.
3. Plumlee’s throw hits Jaray Jenkins out of bounds for a gain of 9, effectively working the sideline to preserve the clock.
4. Kyron Johnson getting pressure. Plumlee fires deep down the right sideline for Jenkins but he doesn’t see the ball. Cam Sutton from his safety spot does and dives out for the pick, but it hits off his hands and falls incomplete in the end zone.
5. Windmon gets pressure. Plumlee flushed out and chucks the ball out of bounds.
6. Third down. Plumlee has Perine open in the right flat, but he drops it as Mark Robinson closes.
7. Fourth down. Copeland in the slot, Watts and Black on the outside. Throw to Watts on a deep in-cut is high and over his head incomplete. Pressure again as Anderson Hardy got beat and was on the ground.
– GM Omar Khan walked down to the field a little after 12:30, talking with an individual (unsure who) for 10-15 minutes. After practice, Khan gathered with Tomlin and spoke to head trainer Gabe Amponsah to presumably receive a health update. Tomlin and Khan then chatted for several minutes, though it’s something they do after every practice. Usually, they’re joined by Art Rooney II though he wasn’t speaking with them when I left practice.
Camp Recap (TL;DR)
– Strong two days for the Steelers’ running game in the live sessions. O-line dominating the front seven, though the nickel corners in Graham and Arnold made plays. Najee Harris has run well and run hard.
– Count on seeing QB John Rhys Plumlee get some return action during the preseason. How well he’ll do, I don’t know. But he’ll be trotted out there.
– Been a tough camp for third-string RT Anderson Hardy. Thought he’d be a sleeper, but he’s been beat far too often in pass protection.
– Tight ends making plays today in Rodney Williams and Pat Freiermuth. Freiermuth has mastered the art of the juggling catch on throws outside his frame.
– Good day for WR Calvin Austin III, who made some tough catches outside his frame. That’s what you want to see.
– CB Kalon Barnes ran a 4.23 40 coming out of Baylor but he doesn’t play to that time. He gets beat vertically too often for how fast he’s supposed to be.
– S Ryan Watts is long and big but has to walk the line better to avoid flags. He was grabby in college, too.
– DL Logan Lee has been Mr. Versatile. Defensive end, nose tackle, on kick returns and coverage, long snapper, field goal protect as a blocker, he’s doing a little bit of everything. Good for his value.
Saint Vincent Snapshot
Russell Wilson leaning on George Pickens to get loose in stretch line.
Steelers Short Kings
A series on the shortest and smallest players in team history with large stories to tell.
RB Chris Rainey: 5-8, 178 pounds (2012)
A fifth-round pick out of Florida, the Steelers never quite knew what to do with Rainey. He managed just 3.9 yards per carry as a rookie for the team and didn’t make an impact in the passing game. He found a bit more success as a kick returner but spent just one season on the active roster. A college track star, he spent the bulk of his professional career in the CFL, last playing for the BC Lions in 2021.
His older brother is Rod “He Hate Me” Smart, one of the NFL’s greatest nicknames.
Norm MacDonald Quote/Joke Of The Day
“My dad died, and my grandfather died, and my great-grandfather died. And the guy before him, I don’t know. Probably died.”
