The Steelers have signed eight of their nine 2013 draft picks, including their top two picks linebacker Jarvis Jones and running back Le'Veon Bell, well ahead of the normal timetable for picks to sign. The only draft choice who has yet to sign is quarterback Landry Jones, the fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma.
"It's a good thing that me and Jarvis Jones both got it out of the way," said Bell. "We don't have to worry about the business side of it anymore. It's just football. We can go out there and do what we do.
"It's something you don't have to worry about anymore. It's something you put behind you, so you keep moving forward. We can put our heads in the playbook more and everything else that we need to do to get out here and show what we can do."
Bell has been taking part in the Steelers OTAs for the past three weeks, getting his first taste of life in the NFL. And from the little exposure he has had, he feels comfortable in his ability to handle playing a full 16-game season.
"I'm very confident," said Bell. "I got the ball 382 times last year in college. I feel like my body will hold up as long as I stay healthy, eat right, do the same things I've always been doing, and I should be fine."
Steelers players had teammate Mike Adams on their minds on Tuesday, as the offensive tackle continues to recover from stab wounds suffered during an attempted robbery over the weekend.
"It's unfortunate," said Kelvin Beachum. "That's a great man and a good friend. He's my locker mate. I also sit by him in team meetings so it's difficult with him not here. He's going to make a full recovery. God has blessed him. I'm happy to see him recover and happy to see him get better. We're just looking for him to improve."
Teammates have been calling and texting Adams since hearing of the incident, and many of the offensive linemen visited him in the hospital as well.
"We went up there and hung out with him at the hospital, just to join him," said center Maurkice Pouncey.
On Monday Coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Adams should need about six to eight weeks to return to football activities, and his teammates know it could have been far worse.
"It's a blessing," said Pouncey. "Even he said that the angel was with him that day. Everybody knows he is a really blessed kid to be alive."
With Adams sidelined, Beachum is not only working at center, a new position he began to learn during OTAs, but also at tackle.
"I'm getting a lot of work and a lot of reps, and I'm watching a lot of film," said Beachum. "It's good. I'm taking it in stride and being accountable for the reps that I'm getting, so I need to make sure that every rep is as perfect as can be. It's one of those things I'm working on. I'm being accountable and taking responsibility for what the Steelers have given me so far."
Beachum said moving around doesn't bother him, and is hoping in the long run the hard work and learning the different positions is a benefit.
"When you learn the playbook, you want to learn it from a holistic point of view so whenever they throw you in at any position you are ready," said Beachum. "Once they call your name you are ready to go in and make an impact.
"You have to do some thinking. Like Coach (Mike) Tomlin said, if you know and understand what you're doing, you won't have to think. It's getting to that point where there's no thinking involved and it's just playing."
