Hey Steelers Fans. Welcome to Monday.
The Kickoff
This Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the Steelers will host their ‘mandatory’ mini-camp. Generally, teams use this opportunity to install their offensive and defensive schemes. Making this rather mundane item more enticing this year is of course the fact that the team has a new head coach. Any time you have a new head coach, this opportunity becomes much more important. New coaching staffs mean new terminology and new ways of doing things and with the Collective Bargaining Agreement being what it is, time is limited. The one bit of good news in this particular case is that Mike McCarthy has been here before and he isn’t blinking. Does it also help that the guy whose taken more snaps under center for him than any other QB is back? I don’t know how the answer could be “no.” Aaron Rodgers’ presence will be crucial for the development of the offense especially from the mental aspect. Defensively is where I think things could be a bit more complicated. Patrick Graham’s system is already far different from what Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin were doing. Getting everyone on board – especially with communication – will be a huge challenge.
The Latest Podcast
Episode 476 of the SCB Steelers Podcast presented by DEK Roofing Inc is available. We focused largely on the defensive side of the ball on this show. I’d love it if you stopped by our YouTube Channel and subscribed!
Quarterback Dance
Mike McCarty has done a masterful job of not tipping his hand regarding his quarterbacks. We know that Rodgers will be the starter and that Drew Allar is destined to be the number three guy but what of Will Howard and Mason Rudolph? Since Howard is technically the “number two” guy so far this Spring, Rudolph seems to be the guy on the outside looking in. I’m not ready to go there yet. Training Camp and preseason games will have a major impact as they always do so I’m not ready to make any declarations just yet.
Politics and Sports
Once again we’ve seen the ugly intersection of what happens when a professional athlete openly supports a politician. NY Giants QB Jaxson Dart recently introduced President Trump at an event which brought a negative response from Dart’s teammate Abdul Carter. For many years, these things were largely left to the locker room. Guys were more than aware of their teammates’ views but set those things aside for the common goal of winning games. Social media has absolutely taken a blow torch to this.
Wonder What He Did?
Assistant Special Teams Coach Derius Swinton II was let go by the Steelers this weekend for “Violation of Team Policy.” As Scarps said on the podcast Thursday nite, these things usually involve one of two things; money or inappropriate behavior towards staff or media.
Does Roman Have a Spot?
D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman, Jr are as solidified at WR1 and WR2 as any two guys could be. Germie Bernard, despite being a rookie, seems to have the inside track on the number three spot. Ben Skowronek will make this roster because of his Special Teams’ prowess which brings the total of wide receivers to four. Assuming Kaden Wetjen is the return man, that gives the Steelers five wideouts. What does all of this mean for Roman Wilson? The former third round pick has struggled to find his place in Pittsburgh. While a new coaching staff likely gave him hope, the return of Aaron Rodgers may have removed that simply because of Rodgers’ sway over the offense. I’m going to remain optimistic with Wilson but he will have to participate on Special Teams to a degree too.
Random Reads
I thoroughly enjoy watching the Women’s College World Series. The game moves quickly and the strategy is off the charts in terms of intensity… College Football is a mess and I don’t see it getting better any time soon. If I had a crystal ball I would suggest we will see a breakaway of the top 40 or 50 programs into one league and the remaining schools into their own. Sad, but it seems like that’s where we are headed… Karma has come to the Detroit Tigers. I said from day one they never should have hired A.J. Hinch as their manager. He was the manager of the Astros during their scandal-plagued World Series run. In my mind, anyone that was in charge of that mess shouldn’t be a manager again… I hate cheaters.
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