Training camp has brought out the best kind of early pressure for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the rookies are feeling it.
Rookie offensive lineman Max Iheanachor and former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar have already been put through the fire by the Steelers and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, and head coach Mike McCarthy says that’s exactly how it should look.
“This is incredible work for us offensively, and I know we’re stressing them, too,” McCarthy said. “This is what you want out of training camp.
You don’t want to ever have to get to a point in training camp and say, ‘Hey, can you give me this scheme or this formation or this stress point?’ The offense gives the defense that.
The defense has definitely given us that.”
The early camp buzz has not stopped there. Germie Bernard is also drawing praise from McCarthy, with the rookie standing out in the mix as camp continues.
There’s also optimism around the backfield. Rico Dowdle is positioned to pair with Jaylen Warren, giving the Steelers what the report describes as two great options in the backfield.
Around the league, there are other camp storylines getting attention, too. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has dismissed the Steelers’ Super Bowl chances, which the report calls harsh.
Elsewhere, Bills wide receiver D.J. Moore is said to be impressive in his first training camp, Larry Fitzgerald is preparing for his gold jacket ahead of his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement, and the Patriots’ contract with rookie Gabe Jacas includes interesting injury language.
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Camp, though, has told a slightly different story so far. Allar has reportedly been the more impressive of the two in training camp, which adds an intriguing layer to a competition that is still very much in progress and could keep shifting as the preseason moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Mason McCormick Is Making The Steelers O-Line Even Tougher To Ignore
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The bigger question now is how quickly that progress translates as he settles into a new spot on the line. McCormick is making the move from right guard to left guard while also heading into a contract year, a setup that can sharpen the edge for any player trying to turn promise into something more permanent. If his camp start is any indication, the Steelers may have found another blocker whose rise is only getting tougher to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Camp Is Already Shaking Up Key Jobs On The Depth Chart
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The same can be said on the other side of the ledger, where Dylan Cook, JJ Galbreath and Jack Sawyer have had tougher stretches and are in need of cleaner showings as camp moves forward. Asante Samuel Jr. has also been part of the encouraging group, and his play is adding another layer to the competition as Pittsburgh keeps evaluating which jobs are still up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]