Steelers rookie minicamp is this weekend and I have one piece of advice for everybody — no matter what you hear or read, don’t believe it.
Football in shorts is one thing but football in shorts with a group of 50 players with, at the most, six being on the roster when the season starts in early September is barely worth watching.
Advertisement
Rookie minicamp will last three days with the first two being open to the media. It will be the first time we get to see the draft picks with a Steelers’ helmet on, but nothing should be gleaned from it.
The Steelers simultaneously invite a number of tryout players to have enough to conduct a practice. Inevitable, they will sign a player or two from the tryout. Last year they signed R.J. Prince and Damoun Patterson. In 2017, they signed Matt Galambos and Phazahn Odom. The year before that, they brought back Brandon Brown-Dukes, Cameron Stingily, Marcus Tucker and Donald Washington.
Over the past six years, the Steelers have signed 11 tryout players.
As for rookie minicamp, I was fooled about five years ago with what I saw on the field.
Dri Archer was a third-round pick of the Steelers and was head-and-shoulders above everybody else suggesting, at least to me, that he wouldn’t be overwhelmed when the big boys arrived a couple of weeks later when OTAs kicked off.
Yeah, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Archer’s 4.26 speed wasn’t as fast when the regulars showed up. Archer had 63 total yards in two seasons with the Steelers and I learned my lesson.
Now, on to the questions:
Do you expect the team to add a veteran OLB or TE now that the compensatory pick deadline has passed?
— Jake Kaplan (@jlkaplan7) May 7, 2019
That’s a good question, Jake. I would say no to both positions barring a season-ending injury to either Vance McDonald or Bud Dupree in the upcoming spring practices. You look at the free agency pool and especially at tight end and who is out there is any good? I can see more of a situation where a veteran is released in the final cut and the Steelers jump on it that way.
But your questions lead me to a more profound question when it comes to tight ends. There has to be a plan in place here that we aren’t privy to yet, right? Mike Tomlin always talks about competition and depth and the tight end spot had neither. It’s very unlike them to be so limited at a position in terms of numbers that has me thinking that they have some out-of-the-box scheme in the making. Now, does that mean Jaylen Samuels will be used more for what he was drafted for and that as a pass-catching H-back? Maybe. Is it a way to get him on the field more and use his talents?
Advertisement
It’s probably more of an expanded role for McDonald that’s in the working, but that still leaves little wiggle room in case of injury. McDonald has the talent to be a Heath Miller-like option for Ben Roethlisberger, but the issue with McDonald is that he has had a difficult time staying healthy, missing 12 games over the past three years and 22 games since his rookie season.
•••
Are either of those late round linebackers going to see the field outside ST?
— HowdyDo (@HowdyDo16) May 7, 2019
I am having a hard time seeing either Sutton Smith or Ulysees Gilbert III making the team let along getting on the field this year. Both are projects, but both have talent. To me, give me the guy who has the production on his resume over upside and that would be Smith over Gilbert.
Look at Smith’s numbers at Northern Illinois. They are spectacular — 29 sacks and 54 tackles for losses over the past two years. But still, I would be shocked if either made the 53-man roster out of training camp.
•••
What do you think of the philosophy of sitting rookies?
— Travis Gunn (@ItsTravisGunn) May 8, 2019
It made sense in 2010 but not now, at least to me. With everybody getting four-year contracts since the new CBA came into play in the early part of the decade, you need to get players on the field sooner rather than later. Don’t get me wrong, I see their point. It would probably be best for everybody involved if a rookie doesn’t get on the field that first year but I also think that’s position specific.
Running backs and linebackers are able to get on the field quicker than quarterbacks and offensive linemen so I think it should be on a player-by-player basis. Saying that, Devin Bush should be inserted into the starting lineup on the first day of OTAs and then go from there.
•••
Who do you think will start opposite to Joe Haden on Week 1?
— A.Shaw (@A_Shrew) May 8, 2019
If you decide to give the largest free agent contract in the history of your team to a player, it is pretty safe to assume that Steven Nelson will be that guy next to Haden. And rightfully so. Nelson’s four interceptions would have led the Steelers a year ago and with a team that has struggled to create turnovers, that’s a big deal.
Advertisement
The Steelers want to bring Justin Layne around slowly and that makes sense. Layne was a four-star recruit out of high school and was a top 10 player in Ohio. He made the switch to cornerback midway through his true freshman season meaning he has less than 35 collegiate games at the position before getting drafted.
Artie Burns could be interesting, but with there being no chance of him returning next year, you would have to believe he wouldn’t get the benefit of the doubt even if his practice work suggests otherwise.
•••
Got to thinking…..i don’t see a huge difference in Diontae Johnson and Eli Rogers….with that…..not really fully boasting at the upside….talk to me.
— Coach Edison (@coach_edison) May 9, 2019
Really Coach? I will be the first to admit that I am not totally sold on Johnson either but to compare him to Eli Rogers is strange. Rogers is a pure slot receiver while Johnson can play all three spots.
I think since Johnson is from Toledo and his measurables don’t jump out at you that a lot of people aren’t very high on him. But talk to anybody in the Steelers’ facility and they are totally sold on Johnson’s abilities. Now, can that translate into production this year? Likely not.
I did a deep dive on Steelers’ receivers in their rookie years and it really isn’t pretty. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Santonio Holmes had very productive first years, but after that, it was a lot of hits and misses with Emmanuel Sanders 50/28/376/2; Plaxico Burress 65/22/273/0; James Washington 38/16/217/1; Antonio Brown 19/16/167/0; Markus Wheaton 13/6/64/0; Limas Sweed 10/6/64/0; and Sammie Coates 2/1/11/0.
Martavis Bryant and Mike Wallace made up for average numbers with some down-the-field abilities.
•••
What happened to the tall receiver turned cb that Steelers brought for a visit? Small college
— Michael Brace (@MichaelBrace9) May 9, 2019
I think you are talking about Stephen Denmark out of Valdosta State. The Bears drafted him in the seventh round.
•••
When is Big Bens restaurant Opening on North Shore? Is it this Fall?
— Dave Pape (@davepape64) May 8, 2019
North Shore Seven! I heard that it is being planned for the fall. It would be perfect timing, right? I am kind of disappointed that Hines Ward’s restaurant went out of business. I thought they had good food.
•••
Do you get free coffee at the facility?
— Rich Durbin (@Imaldris) May 8, 2019
Yes. They just put in an iced coffee machine, so that’s exciting. It’s no Dunkin’ but what is? They run a top-notch cafeteria at the South Side and Chef Kevin is the real deal.
•••
Who is the most underrated Steeler this season?
— Eric (@ThePittsburgher) May 8, 2019
Hi Eric, how are you? Most underrated Steelers this season can be a number of players, but I will think out of the box a little. Javon Hargrave is one of the best at what he does but gets overshadowed — and rightfully so — but Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt. I am a big Hargrave fan. I think he offers up plenty to the defense.
Advertisement
On offense, once again, I am going to think outside of the box and say Ryan Switzer. Switzer showed that he could be a capable slot guy last year and remember, he was thrown into that position after being acquired days before the start of the season.
•••
Do you anticipate any change in scheme to the Steelers defense this year since last year was pretty bad. Or do they believe different personnel will solve all their issues?
— Dr Thunder (@TimAnglin13) May 8, 2019
Good question. Last year they had to go the route of the hybrid linebacker because of a lack of personnel. This year, that personnel is better — Mark Barron for Morgan Burnett and Bush for Jon Bostic. But that doesn’t mean the Steelers are going to go heavy with the junk defenses, but I am sure they aren’t going to throw them out the door either.
The Steelers love to have options and the nickel/dime/dollar or whatever sub-package they can think of is on the board. The nickel will be used the most but having the ability to match up better players and not permitting the opposition of taking advantage of Bostic cover Keenan Allen will instantly make them better.
To answer your question, every scheme and grouping is on the field, but I would expect to see less seven defensive back schemes.
•••
What type of defense are we? Is it a 3-4? Multiple? Nickel base?
— Shawn Gallagher (@ShawnG_32) May 8, 2019
If you have your nickel out there more than 70 percent of the time you have to say you are a nickel team. But, you know what, that 4-3/3-4 debate is not relevant anymore. Every team plays multiple fronts. Look at the Steelers, they are a three-man front, but with the outside linebackers at the line, they can be considered a five-man front. But rarely ever do those five guys rush the passer at the same time.
Every defense is a hybrid of sorts nowadays.
(Photo of Dri Archer: Phil Sears/USA Today)
