From congratulations to the players selected into the Steelers Hall of Fame by Coach Tomlin, to moon balls from Aaron Rodgers, day three of training camp has concluded. I was fortunate enough to be able to do some on-field observing of the team. Here are some key takeaways to look into as practices roll on.
Packed and Hot
Day three by far was the hottest and most packed practice of the summer so far. Temperatures reached 92, and the humidity, caused by heavy thunderstorms from the day before, made it feel close to 100. The fans showed out to support the black and gold. With non-moving traffic on Saint Vincent Drive and difficulty in getting off of Lincoln Highway, it was sure to be a packed barn. The constant reactions and emotions shown after every play, even kicks from Chris Boswell, distracted you from the insane heat for at least a second.
Fans Go Crazy… For Will Howard?
The fans were out in full force regardless of it being one of the hottest days at camp so far. The loudest reaction was for Will Howard. The fans want the kid to succeed and he didn’t look all too bad during drills. Though having limited reps with the third and fourth team, Howard put on one of the more impressive showings in the QB class on day three. Something to keep an eye on, maybe.
Rodgers to D.K.
Aaron Rodgers struggled in the early stages of practice, at one point not completing a pass after five attempts. The struggle bus has followed Rodgers since the start of camp. However, he found D.K. Metcalf, on a slant, during the seven shots drill in the red zone for a nice touchdown. There was a point during practice where Rodgers showed off his arm strength as he tried hitting Metcalf on a go route. This pass was defended very well by Joey Porter Jr. Ultimately, the pass was incomplete as it led D.K. out of bounds. There was a point where I heard communication between the two as Rodgers was talking to Metcalf after a play. Look for this connection to continue to grow as we move through camp.
Defense Showed Out
One of the biggest bright spots coming out of day three was the defense. Jalen Ramsey had his first interception of camp off a floater from Aaron Rodgers intended for Jonnu Smith. Ramsey was one of my “winners” from camp, he showed versatility and signs of his prime.
The secondary did very well on deep pass plays. As previously mentioned, the long ball to Metcalf, but also a deep pass from Mason Rudolph intended for Roman Wilson. This pass was broken up by newly acquired safety Chuck Clark.
The defense won day three for me. A lot of immediate pressure from the line that would have led to sacks on a few. With Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt off, the likes of Derrick Harmon and Jack Sawyer got to showcase their ability on the rush.
All In All
It was an amazing experience to see the guys live from the sideline in Latrobe. Though the defense won this day for me, there was lots to like from the offense. Darnell Washington was getting some reps in as he caught a touchdown pass from Aaorn Rodgers during seven shots. Roman Wilson made some noise and had a few targets. The rookies are making a name for themselves with some of the vets off. The team looked unfazed by the heat and humidity as they still put the work in and put on a show for the fans.
The Steelers are back at it in Latrobe today at 1:55 P.M. and will be off tomorrow. The pads are making their debut on Tuesday and the real hitting will begin.
