Hey Steelers Fans. Welcome to Friday!
The Kickoff
Today begins one of the scariest points of the season in my opinion. Oh I’m sure Ravens week scares many of you even more but not me. This is the period of the season between Mini-Camp and Training Camp. The players are left to their own devices and most of the time, that’s not a problem. If the past tells us anything however, it’s that some guys make poor choices. Either their actions are bad or the situations they put themselves in are bad. It could be one or both. All 32 NFL organizations hold their collective breaths as players both prepare for the season and enjoy some final moments with family before the season begins. Let us all hope that things remain quiet on the South Side. And North Side. And tropical beaches… you get it.
The Latest Podcast
Episode 425 of the SCB Steelers Podcast presented by DEK Roofing Inc is available! We discussed Aaron Rodgers, T.J. Watt, the end of Mini-camp and much more!!
Mini-Camp Musings
The two most interesting things in my opinion came from assistant coaches Karl Dunbar and Zach Azzanni. Both proclaimed Derrick Harmon (D-Line) and Calvin Austin III (WR) would be starters. In Harmon’s case, it makes sense. He’s a first round pick and the talent around him doesn’t compare to his own. In terms of Austin, he’s been proclaimed ‘WR2’ which would easily make him the smallest number two wide receiver in the NFL. I call these developments “interesting” because naming starters before Training Camp even begins is not something the Steelers usually do.
Mini-Camp Musings Two
I don’t get into “who looked good and who didn’t” during Mini-Camp simply because these guys are doing everything with shorts and shirts on. In other words, everyone looks good. As far as Rodgers goes, he’s doing everything right. He’s saying all the right things and doing all the right things through his first three days as a Steeler so that’s good. As I’ve said all along, when the team faces adversity this year, that’s when the true colors of all players come out.
Watt Update
The update is that there’s little to update. All we can do at this point is make guesses as to when T.J. Watt may sign his new deal and report. Some think he may not show until the middle of Camp while others think it could as late as Week One. We firmly believe Watt will get his new deal. He’s not getting traded but there is an interesting thought that came up on the podcast last night. What if he does what his brother J.J. did? In his case, he went to the Texans and told them he didn’t think the organization was doing enough to win and asked to be let go. The Steelers aren’t going to let T.J. go, but one thing we don’t know is how he is feeling these days.
Random Reads
Did you happen to catch the image this week of D.K. Metcalf standing next to Pat Freiermuth? D.K. is a large man and the fact he moves as quickly as he does is incredible… Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift were at the Stanley Cup Finals last night. You probably knew this because the cameras couldn’t stop showing them for the first 20 minutes… The U.S Open looks absolutely brutal. There are seriously small animals that have gone missing in that rough… The Steelers will report to Latrobe on July 23rd. Seems like they start earlier and earlier every year… Mike Tomlin also said this week that the on-field portions of Camp will be in the afternoon after being earlier in the day last year. His reasoning? It’s not ‘hot enough’ in the morning… Have a great weekend and Happy Father’s Day to All!
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