A weekly feature with Steelers Contributing Writer/Editor Brian Batko's thoughts, analysis and commentary on the Steelers. Four downs' worth of insight, and always going for it: no punting allowed.
First down: The more the merrier. Embarking on a season in which there are a plethora of offensive options for the Steelers — some established and some promising, some pass-catchers and some ball-carriers, some wideouts and some tight ends — the unit appears to be taking an unselfish approach as training camp ramps up. On report day, quarterback Aaron Rodgers acknowledged the "humility" of receiver Michael Pittman Jr. before anything X's and O's-related.
In the same room as Pittman, Roman Wilson is on the same page, too. Those two will be vying for targets along with DK Metcalf and rookie Germie Bernard, not to mention Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, but more than anything they're striving for the whole to be greater than the sum of its parts.
"I think that's just the Steeler Way in general," Wilson said after practice Friday. "I don't think it's just the offense. I think it's everywhere. You see a lot of guys who have been doing this for a long time."
Second down: Same goes for the defense. Wilson makes a solid point. As much as you can highlight the willingness of Jaylen Warren to share touches in the backfield, or Freiermuth's commitment to winning no matter what his stat line looks like, that theme is taking shape on the other side of the ball, as well.
This defense brought in a like-minded veteran free agent on the front line in Sebastian Joseph-Day. To a man, the outside linebacker trio of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig have been adamant that there will be plenty of snaps to go around for all three of them. And in the secondary, one of the earliest developments of camp is that the defensive staff will have some difficult decisions to make with the depth chart once Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey are healthy.
"Me and Joey played together last year, so we're just rooting for each other," said cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., another NFL legacy who has flashed in Porter's absence. "I'm rooting for him. I'm hoping everything happens how he wants it to happen. We're just rooting for each other. It's a brotherhood."
Third down: Offensive line taking shape. Back in the spring, amid OTAs and veteran minicamp, it seemed clear that tackle Troy Fautanu and guard Mason McCormick were flipping as a duo from the right side to the left. But head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive line coach James Campen were hesitant to etch that in stone, noting that it was still early in the process.
Well, as the process continues, there are no signs of that switch slowing down. Fautanu and McCormick are holding down the left tackle and guard spots consistently with the first-team offense, while many of their fellow linemen cross-train positions and sides of the line. That also further cements that versatile backups-turned-part-time starters Dylan Cook and Spencer Anderson are trying to hold off competitors for starting jobs on the right side, including first-round pick Max Iheanachor and free-agent signing Brock Hoffman.
"It's an excellent example of what we talked about the other day, position [flexibility]," McCarthy said Friday morning of Anderson and Cook. "Those guys define that very well. And it's a real credit to them — what they've done in the past and how we view them, their ability to play multiple positions. But it also gives them a chance to compete to win a job, and win a starting job, so I've been very impressed with their work."
Fourth down: A port for a storm. We always hear about "next man up" in the NFL. How about "next field up"?
There's a new backup plan for training camp at Saint Vincent College, and you can't miss it if you're walking the grounds around Chuck Noll Field. The Dunlap Family Athletic and Recreation Center now offers the Steelers an indoor field in case of inclement weather. In an ideal world, they'll hold each of their practices outside for fans to watch, but there's rain in the forecast for much of next week in Latrobe, so at least they have an insurance policy.
"It was nice," Watt said after the team held its annual conditioning test there Tuesday. "Obviously, we only got a short look at it. I think we were only over there for 15, 20 minutes, but it's a really nice facility. It's been a long time coming. I'm glad we have somewhere to go when it rains now."
