Hey Steelers Fans. Welcome to Thursday.
The Kickoff
In an effort to prove just how valuable these ‘mandatory’ mini-camps are for NFL teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers will use their final day to work on some stuff right? Add in a few more wrinkles to the offensive playbook? Maybe see what T.J. Watt looks like on the other side? Nah… There’s no time for all of that, not when you can go to Kennywood! This is probably where I would have inserted a Kenny Pickett joke in the past but those days are long gone. The team’s trip to the beloved Pittsburgh Area amusement park will serve as some team building much in the same way that Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin did with movie screenings. Frankly I have no problem with what Mike McCarthy is doing here. My issue is when coaches start bitching about “not having enough time with players” due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Well, today is a day to be on the Practice field but that’s not going to happen. I mean, who doesn’t want to see Yahya Black in the front seat of a roller coaster?
Speaking of Watt
The last several years we were told that Tomlin and Teryl Austin were going to “move T.J. Watt around the formation more.” Yet like clockwork, there he was lined up on his usual side of the defense. Watt admitted yesterday that the lack of him moving around was due to his “stubbornness” and admitted he has to adjust because of how this defense is so much different from what he’s had in the past. The proof is always in the pudding.
DWash Gets Paid
As they did with Nick Herbig a day earlier, the Steelers are keeping a member of the 2023 Draft Class in town a while longer. The team and tight end Darnell Washington have agreed to a four year $42 million extension which elevates the big man into the top 12 highest-paid tight ends. Under Arthur Smith, the Steelers used a lot of multiple tight end sets, something the entire league seems to be moving towards. Mike McCarthy however loves 11-personnel which means just one tight end so the deployment of DWash and Pat Freiermuth will be extremely interesting.
Exotic Herbig?
There was some chatter this week about how the Steelers will utilize Nick Herbig given his large extension and the fact he plays behind Watt and Alex Highsmith. Could we see Herbig in more ‘off ball LB’ situations? I think it’s a distinct possibility. We saw Austin – in very limited situations – use his top three pass rushers last year. Perhaps Patrick Graham is more willing and more creative in doing so. I’m a big believer in having my best players on the field so I’m all for it.
Random Reads
I miss the days when championship series or games were actually about the games. Now we have to be inundated with who is sitting courtside and what will Stephen A. Smith be wearing. Embarrassing in my book… There has been high praise of what the LA Rams have done in terms of dismissing draft picks in the name of trading those picks for proven players. It has resulted in one Super Bowl appearance and a win but that’s it. The Rams have been competitive, yes, but I’m not sure I’d call their paradigm hugely successful… I pay a lot more attention to soccer now than I used to simply because my son plays it, but I’m not “excited” for the World Cup at all. FIFA has to be one of the most corrupt entities in all of sports… Started watching “Shrinking” on Apple TV. Harrison Ford and Jason Segal. I’m through the first season and it’s really funny. Very well written and the acting is excellent.
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