LATROBE — Each day brings its own set of challenges.
Pittsburgh Steelers players have a unique set of challenges compared to the Average Joe, but nonetheless they have challenges. Wednesday’s training camp session at St. Vincent College was a test for Pittsburgh. The practice fields in Latrobe practically bubbled under the midday sun. Temperatures hovered around 86 degrees, humidity near 55 percent and little to no wind. The heat index topped out at 90 degrees.
Despite the unrelenting heat, hundreds of die-hard Steelers fans sat in the bleachers at Chuck Noll Field, perched on the hill overlooking the practice fields and surrounded barriers between players and fans to get an up-close look at their favorite players.
The Steelers players did their best to entertain the fans. After a warm-up session the team split into a brief special teams period. Several punt returners took turns seeing who could hold the most balls at the same time while still fielding kicks (from a jugs machine).
Anthony Miller stole the show.
The former Chicago Bear latched on to a football between his thighs and carried five in his arms while hauling in a final punt. His total of seven footballs apparently set the unofficial record at this year’s training camp, as I overheard on the sideline.
From special teams, the Steelers transitioned into positional drills. I spent the period monitoring the quarterbacks throwing passes to the wide receivers. Two of the team’s top pass catchers in Chase Claypool and Dionte Johnson were not participating. Claypool was out with a shoulder injury and Johnson was yet to sign his deal (he resigned Thursday).
Without the top two guys on the field, rookie George Pickens and fourth-year Miles Boykin took advantage of the opportunity.
The lengthy wideouts used their big frames (6-3 and 6-4) to go over smaller defenders, especially during goal line routes. Rookie Calvin Austin also impressed with a couple of nice grabs in the one-on-ones.
Once the Steelers transitioned into a team period, all eyes were on the quarterbacks. It was hard to say who ran with the 1s or the 2s because the skill position players were continually rotating. What was clear was that Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph were getting the lion’s share of the snaps. Trubisky, who signed a two-year $14.3 million contract this offseason, looked in control of the offense. The former Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears signal-caller was also the most apt quarterback to take off and make plays with his feet when the pocket broke down. He had several nice gains with his legs during the period.
Rudolph, a 2018 third-round draft pick, is currently on a one-year $6 million extension with the club. The Oklahoma State product has spent his entire career with Pittsburgh and seemed to act the part. He was comfortable in the team period and the offense seemed to hum at about the same efficiency as when Trubisky was guiding the huddle.
Kenny Pickett, a rookie whom the Steelers selected at 20th overall in this year’s draft, looked out of sorts. He struggled against the blitz and had a handful of inaccurate passes. The former Pitt Panthers star did make a stellar back shoulder throw down the sideline but the ball was dropped.
After more individual drills and another team period that focused on running the football, practice was nearly complete — but head coach Mike Tomlin called for a two-minute drill. The drill came when players were exhausted after 90 minutes in the sun, but that was by design.
Trubisky got the first crack at running the offense. He navigated the team down the field and connected with Pickens for a touchdown. Rudolph was next up. He got his team inside the ten-yard line but failed to convert for a score. His fourth-down pass sailed over the hands of Gunner Olszewski in the back of the end zone.
Pickett did not get a chance to run the two-minute offense, which is telling of the quarterback situation. It’s clear Rudolph and Trubisky are No. 1 and No. 2 in the QB hierarchy, but who is on top? That’s yet to be determined.
From a financial standpoint it seems Trubisky would get the starting nod when the Steelers take the field against the Bengals in Sept. 11’s regular season opener. Rudolph will need to clearly outplay Mitch throughout the rest of training camp and in preseason action to get a chance to run the offense this season. Pickett looked and played like a rookie, but that’s to be expected.
Tomlin would be wise to not rush Kenny into a starting role and crush the rookie’s confidence before his NFL career has a chance to begin.
