This is the first week for Steelers players to put on their helmets and hit the field. And Coach Mike McCarthy likes what he's seeing.
"I think we're in a really good spot," McCarthy said on Tuesday. "I've been very pleased with the participation."
Because the Steelers have a new head coach, they're allowed a "bonus" voluntary minicamp, which takes place this week.
By the end of Organized Team Activities (OTAs), which run until June 12, McCarthy said his goal is to make sure "every one of our players has what they need schematically, the communication, the details of each and every one of their roles and responsibilities. I think we're off to an excellent start, and I've been very impressed and appreciative of the time spent by our players connecting with the new coaching staff."
That will be the baseline for when the team goes to training camp, with the dates yet to be determined. But one date has been decided.
"We get that first padded practice on August 3rd, if you're wondering," McCarthy said. "Then we get to go out there and play football."
For now, though, it's about installation.
In installing his offensive, defensive, and special teams schemes, McCarthy teaches "conceptually. And when you do that, it slows everything down and it gives you an opportunity to teach things in buckets. The passing game, for instance, will be taught in 14 buckets, so it'll take 14 opportunities with the perimeter guys to put that in. The run game will be taught in seven buckets. It's easy to learn that way, but the application to how it's really going to be utilized is over a big-picture focus.
"It's a great exercise for our players, to learn from the core, from the foundation, of what that particular concept is. When you do it this way, it'll take a good six weeks. And then when we get to the OTAs (beginning May 18), now we'll go play, but we're still in helmets and shorts. So, you do what you can there, and you lean on the things that you're able to practice.
"So that's the process. Done it a long time. That way, it works. But we're really just making sure everybody is truly ready for when we get off that bus, when we arrive in Latrobe, that it's all ball."
Steelers players have been hearing a new voice on the field in practices this week with McCarthy, and it's mostly been the quarterbacks who have been on the receiving end of that new voice.
"It's the first time I called the plays in the quarterback's helmet," McCarthy said. "I need to work on my punch and bunch enunciation They keep telling me to go 'dahntahn.'"
McCarthy, of course, is a Pittsburgh native and proud of his local dialect.
But which quarterback has heard his voice more often through the helmet speaker?
"This is very beneficial time for Will (Howard) and Mason (Rudolph) right now," McCarthy said. "They split all the reps today and the last two days, and that's just great work. When you see it improve from one day to the next, that's what you're looking for."
McCarthy said his quarterbacks' demeanor has been "all football ... they both clearly had a better day today than they did yesterday, and that's the norm. That's how these things go."
Rudolph is in his seventh NFL spring. Howard is in his second.
"He's done a really good job," McCarthy said of Howard. "I know just meeting with him in January compared to today, he's had a really good offseason before the offseason. He's in much better shape. Obviously, I've been very impressed with his movement skills. We're just two days into the footwork drills, which we've been allowed to do the last two days, and I've been impressed."
McCarthy has also been impressed with what he sees from the lines on both sides of the ball.
"The offensive line is a huge part of how I view the game of football, and I've been extremely impressed with the group." he said. "You've got a great bunch of veteran guys that I didn't know much about, and you're really looking forward to the pads."
McCarthy likes the flexibility of the offensive linemen, and he likes the size of the linemen on the other side.
"This is the biggest defensive line I've ever coached, and I think they look exactly how you're supposed to look," he said. "The O-line and the D-line will be the first group off the bus. I'm very impressed with the D-line group."
