{"id":807802,"date":"2026-08-09T10:14:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T10:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/807802\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T10:14:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T10:14:09","slug":"steelers-2026-training-camp-diary-day-nine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/807802\/","title":{"rendered":"Steelers 2026 Training Camp Diary: Day Nine"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re back after yesterday\u2019s showers and storms closed practice to fans<\/a>. Saturday, Pittsburgh held its annual night practice, the only difference being it coming on a weekend instead of usual Friday night lights. Let\u2019s talk about what went down at Latrobe Memorial Stadium.<\/p>\n

A reminder there\u2019s a summary\/recap near the bottom of the post for those who don\u2019t have time to read through all of today\u2019s notes.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re planning a trip to Disney, this is the team you want to work with. Reach out to TouringPlans\u00a0via\u00a0their website at the link here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Camp Notes (Day Eight)<\/p>\n

\u2013 Injury roundup. Not practicing tonight were DL Sebastian Joseph-Day (unknown), OT Max Iheanachor (neck\/shoulder), DL Logan Lee (unknown), RB Eli Heidenreich (right leg), S Jaquan Brisker (unknown), CB Brandin Echols (left foot\/ankle) and OL Steven Jones (unknown) along with the PUP guys: DB Jalen Ramsey, CB Joey Porter Jr., and CB Donte Kent. Ramsey, Brisker, and Porter hung around each other for most of the night.<\/p>\n

Heidenreich had a black sleeve on his right leg so that appears to be his ailment. Echols wore a gray boot on his left foot. That doesn\u2019t always mean a severe injury, sometimes it\u2019s just protective and precautionary, but we\u2019ll see when he can get back. Still could be a few days.<\/p>\n

Max Iheanachor didn\u2019t wear a brace or sling, so that\u2019s a positive sign. The Trib reported he had a brace on after Thursday\u2019s practice.<\/p>\n

WR Michael Pittman Jr. had his right leg examined by trainers midway through practice. Head trainer Gabe Amponsah checked the back of Pittman\u2019s right leg, his hamstring region, and had him kick out his foot once or twice. Pittman finished the day watching the rest of practice and didn\u2019t put his helmet back on or take another rep, though the remainder of practice was backup and run-game oriented. DK Metcalf didn\u2019t get many reps at the end, either. So it\u2019s hard to say for sure if Pittman would\u2019ve missed reps, but I don\u2019t think he was set to go back in.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll check his status for Monday\u2019s session. Don\u2019t want to raise major alarm bells but don\u2019t be shocked if he needs a few days to recover.<\/p>\n

Reserve offensive lineman Lorenzo Thompson was slow to get up after one play in team period. He seemed okay but might\u2019ve missed a final rep or two. We\u2019ll double-check for the next session after the off day.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Setup for the night practice was a little different beyond the Saturday session and hour earlier start time. Renovations to the stadium changed the layout and I couldn\u2019t make my way to the less-crowded visitor side after arriving at 4:45. It was closed early even before the buses for the players left Saint Vincent College. Had to wait until after the players arrived and started stretch line before I could make my way to the other side.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Training and support staffers were first to the field and set up tables and equipment well before practice began.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Five yellow school buses, with police escorts ahead and behind, pulled in around 5:14 PM. Mike McCarthy and Omar Kahn were the first onto the field with players spilling out behind them. Renegade\u00a0blared as fans cheered and shouted for autographs. New S Rayshawn Jenkins filmed the crowd walking onto the field. He seemed in awe of it all. You can see his vantage point on his Instagram story.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2013 Another strong crowd attended practice tonight, and it\u2019s always a highlight of camp. For what it\u2019s worth, there was a major line that snaked around the stadium last year. Not the case this year. I was able to walk basically right to the entrance and get inside the stadium. Still, it filled up fast and both bleachers were packed by the time practice got going. The 50\/50 total pool was $6,500 with the winner getting half.<\/p>\n

\u2013 A group of fans had a Gennings Dunker sign ready for him along the fence line. I later saw one person wearing a Dunker jersey.<\/p>\n

\u2013 During install\/warmup, the offensive lines. Keep in mind they mixed and matched a lot throughout practice.<\/p>\n

First team: Fautanu-McCormick-Frazier-Anderson-Cook
Second team: B. Jones-Hoffman-McCollum-Dunker-Driscoll
Third Team: Nester-Thompson-Crippen-Dunker-B. Jones<\/p>\n

With lines a little thin, Jones and Dunker double-dipped reps.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Newly claimed TE Lance Mason practiced during individual periods, but I don\u2019t think he worked in team. I did not see fellow claim WR Colton Dowell and his No. 27 on the field. Guess he\u2019s getting in late and will hopefully be available Monday.<\/p>\n

Individual Period<\/p>\n

\u2013 Defensive linemen worked on get-off drills during one of the individual periods. At the same time and right next to them, the EDGE rushers worked on pass-rush drills with positional coach C.J. Ah You acting as the offensive tackle to get around. The offensive linemen worked on stunt pickup.<\/p>\n

\u2013\u00a0 Quarterbacks throwing on air but tossing true 9 routes\/go-balls to begin. Jakobie Keeney-James with a nice track of one deep ball. Soon after, Joaquin Davis showed his speed on a good ball that hit him right in stride. There are moments where you can see Aaron Rodgers and Drew Allar\u2019s arm talent while Will Howard\u2019s passes can hang, rookie Kaden Wetjen slowing down a bit for one of his targets.<\/p>\n

Special Teams Period<\/p>\n

\u2013 Team worked on kickoffs today. Kick-return pairings: Kaden Wetjen\/D\u2019Shawn Jamison, Roman Wilson\/Jakobie Keeney-James, Kaden Wetjen\/Kaleb Johnson, Max Hurleman\/Kaden Wetjen.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Some notable names on kick coverage. Second-round rookie WR Germie Bernard and a pair of defensive linemen: DE Anthony Goodlow and NT Kyler Baugh. The new kickoff rules that don\u2019t require 40-yard downfield sprints make playing big guys viable. Goodlow and Baugh are plus athletes, and you should see them work there during the preseason. On one rep, Goodlow and Baugh were on the field covering a kick together.<\/p>\n

\u2013 On one kickoff, the coverage team was one man short and had just 10 out there. Assistant Darian Thompson halted the moment to get the 11th guy on, CB Doneiko Slaughter hustling out to fill the gap on the right side.<\/p>\n

Competition Period (1v1)<\/p>\n

Mostly watched o-line\/d-line but a couple of 7-on-7 notes I jotted down.<\/p>\n

\u2013 DK Metcalf made an awesome, one-handed contested grab down the right sideline with \u2013 I believe \u2013 CB Asante Samuel Jr. all over him. Highlight-reel stuff. Moments later, WR Brandon Smith burned the cornerback covering him and made a full-extension diving grab. Really good stuff.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Daylen Everette with a good plaster on one rep, forcing a breakup. Rayshawn Jenkins later broke up a throw over the middle to Darnell Washington, the pass skirting through Washington\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Tight end Robert Tonyan beat Jack Henderson on a fade left sideline with a good ball to put it in his arms.<\/p>\n

OL\/DL 1v1s I charted. They went into 2v2 stunt pickup afterward but I didn\u2019t chart those much.<\/p>\n

1. Alex Highsmith\u2019s inside spin beats Troy Fautanu with ease. Nice rep from Highsmith.
2. Cam Heyward bull rush on Mason McCormick with moderate effectiveness.
3. Zach Frazier stalls out Yahya Black\u2019s bull rush initially, but Black keeps pushing and drives Frazier back.
4. Spencer Anderson wins this rep against Keeanu Benton.
5. Dylan Cook a good rep to seal T.J. Watt upfield.
6. Great rep from Broderick Jones, who tosses down Nick Herbig at the end. Best rep of the drill.
7. Brock Hoffman hop step back to slow down Esezi Otomewo\u2019s bull rush.
8. Gabriel Rubio bull rush on Ryan McCollum, who stalls it out.
9. Kyler Baugh generates some movement on his power rush against Gennings Dunker.
10. Nice rep from Doug Lester. At left tackle, he seals Jamin Davis upfield.
11. Positive rep from Kevin Jobity Jr., who rips under Lorenzo Thompson.
12. Dean Lowry put one of the centers on his heels. I think it was McCollum, but it might\u2019ve been Greg Crippen.
13. Swim move from Derrick Harmon beats Hoffman. Good rep from Harmon.
14. Watt can\u2019t rip under Cook until the very end at the top of the arc. Cook gets the win.
15. Fautanu seals Highsmith on his high\/outside rush.
16. McCormick wins against Otomewo, whose swim move fails.
17. Clean swim and win by Benton against Anderson. Heck of a move.
18. Julius Welschof gains a step inside against Jack Driscoll.
19. Fautanu keeps Herbig wide, but Herbig is able to get past at the end. Still, not a bad rep by Fautanu.
20. Baugh can\u2019t shed his lineman. Unsure who, perhaps Hoffman.
21. McCollum holds on against Harmon\u2019s bull rush.
22. Dunker stalls out Otomewo.
23. Davis with a win, ripping under Thompson who aligned at right tackle. Thompson was completely upright and stiff here, but he\u2019s worked more at guard than tackle.
24. Nester seals Malik Harrison up the arc.
25. Lowry bull rush strung together with a late swim move against Hoffman.
26. Quick and excellent win by Baugh against Crippen. A-plus moment.
27. Good rep by Jobity to close it out. Fakes a spin move and then rips through Dunker, showing the ability to corner and bend through contact.<\/p>\n

Team Period (11 v 11)<\/p>\n

First Session \u2013 Walkthrough\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2013 Even with just one field to work with instead of the usual three, the Steelers still worked their \u201c2 Spot\u201d dueling 11-on-11 periods. The first team worked on the right side (from the home bleachers perspective) with the backups on the left side.<\/p>\n

\u2013 RB Lew Nichols worked with the 2\u2019s after spending time with the 1\u2019s earlier this week. Could be planned rotation between the backup runners but worth noting.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Usually, the handheld pole camera follows Will Howard and Drew Allar around when the quarterbacks get split up. Not today. It stayed with Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, and the 1\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u2013 With the 2\u2019s, TE Jaheim Bell got a couple of FB snaps during the goal-line walkthrough.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Usually, a walkthrough is as low-intensity as it gets. Don\u2019t tell that to C Ryan McCollum and S Rayshawn Jenkins. They mixed it up after one goal-line rep. McCollum got his helmet knocked off, the two separated, and then McCollum threw an open-handed slap\/punch to Jenkins. Teammates quickly pulled the two apart and cooler heads prevailed.<\/p>\n

Nothing wrong with a little early-practice scrum from two competitors.<\/p>\n

Second Session<\/p>\n

1. Ball on the 35. Derrick Harmon and Cam Heyward the d-tackles. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith the EDGEs. Asante Samuel at LCB, Jamel Dean at RCB, and Doneiko Slaughter at NCB. Rayshawn Jenkins and Robert Spears-Jennings the safeties.<\/p>\n

Aaron Rodgers throws left on an out route\/sideline throw. Dean reads and jumps it, picking it off, staying inbounds, and housing it the other way for a pick-six. Big defensive celebration ensues. Great play by Dean.<\/p>\n

2. Mason Rudolph comes in with the 2\u2019s. Looks right and then comes back left to connect with Kaleb Johnson. He has it for a moment, but the downhill defender closing knocks it out of Johnson\u2019s hands. I think it was Nick Herbig who knocked it away, but I\u2019m not fully sure. I\u2019ll call it a drop by Johnson.<\/p>\n

3. Draw left side to Johnson. Carson Bruener on the tag.<\/p>\n

4. Devan Boykin blitzes from the defense\u2019s left side. Rudolph looks left side, but it\u2019s nearly picked similar to Dean\u2019s play above. Rookie Daylen Everette got his hands on it but couldn\u2019t bring the pass in. Defense still got hyped for him with Jalen Ramsey pushing him in a way-to-go manner afterward.<\/p>\n

5. Brandon Smith and Ben Skowronek the outside receivers with Germie Bernard in the slot.<\/p>\n

Rudolph complete to Bernard on a crosser right to left. He sits down and makes the grab.<\/p>\n

6. Rudolph complete to Johnson left side, Johnson making a nice grab over his head in the flat.<\/p>\n

7. Jack Henderson and Sebastian Castro the safeties. D\u2019Shawn Jamison at LCB. Toss right to Johnson. Good run defense by Jack Sawyer to gum up the works and slow down Johnson\u2019s path.<\/p>\n

8. Rudolph finds Bernard on his second or third progression and it\u2019s a relatively short completion.<\/p>\n

9. Rudolph climbs the pocket. Runs out of bounds with nothing there as Bruener chases him out.<\/p>\n

10. Screen left. Pass batted down by the defense. Not sure by who \u2013 possibly EDGE Jamin Davis.<\/p>\n

11. Rudolph fires to Bernard left side. Ball off his chest and out of bounds, a drop, with Everette covering.<\/p>\n

12. Steelers bring the field goal unit out. Rookie Laith Marjan attempting about a 46-yard field goal. Has the distance but he pushes it left with the refs underneath the goalposts signaling the kick is no good.<\/p>\n

13. Steelers reset and bring the next group in for a quasi-two-minute drill.<\/p>\n

Botched handoff between Howard and RB Lew Nichols. Looks like Nichols departed a little too early and Howard couldn\u2019t reach out to fit the ball into him. Ball hits the ground and rookie UDFA Kevin Jobity Jr. falls on it.<\/p>\n

Coaches blow the whistle and that\u2019s it. It\u2019s a turnover so Howard and the rest lose any remaining reps of the period. Price you pay for a turnover.<\/p>\n

Third Session<\/p>\n

1. Roman Wilson and Brandon Smith the two receivers. Pat Freiermuth and Robert Tonyan the tight ends.<\/p>\n

Play-action by Rodgers to Dowdle in the right flat. Herbig comes down to tag him.<\/p>\n

2. Keeanu Benton and Cam Heyward the d-tackles. DeShon Elliott working at safety here, getting some limited team reps.<\/p>\n

Dowdle draw. Riley Nowakowski lead block but Cam Heyward stuffs it at\/near the line of scrimmage.<\/p>\n

3. Ben Skowronek, Roman Wilson, and Brandon Smith the receiver trio. Rodgers under center.<\/p>\n

Play-action. Rodgers hits Darnell Washington in the left flat, who throws a stiff arm in Queen\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

4. O-line of B. Jones-Hoffman-McCollum-Dunker-Driscoll. Nowakowski at fullback.<\/p>\n

Toss to Jaylen Warren. Harmon crashes through and wraps him up. Excellent rep from Harmon.<\/p>\n

5. Attempted screen from Howard to Tonyan. Yahya Black reads it and gets in the way, a pass-game eclipse. Howard dirts the ball well short of Tonyan and it\u2019s incomplete.<\/p>\n

6. Black and Lowry the d-tackles. Skowronek and Smith on the outside with Bernard in the slot. Jaheim Bell in at tight end.<\/p>\n

Toss to Nichols. Left side but Nichols sees a lane and cuts it right and upfield with Sebastian Castro applying the tag.<\/p>\n

7. Julius Welschof and Jamin Davis the EDGE rushers. Israel Mukuamu and Sebastian Castro the safety pairing. Tamon Lynum at LCB, Daryl Porter at RCB.<\/p>\n

Nichols carry left side. He gets tripped up and goes to the ground.<\/p>\n

8. Drew Allar play-action. Brandon Smith makes a diving catch left side. Nice play to reach out and secure it as he goes to the ground.<\/p>\n

9. Gun run to Warren. Warren left side but bounces off to the right for a couple yards.<\/p>\n

10. Rodgers complete to Freiermuth underneath for about 5 yards.<\/p>\n

11. Cole Holcomb and Carson Bruener the inside linebackers. Nick Herbig the LOLB, Jack Sawyer the ROLB. Doneiko Slaughter and Daylen Everette the cornerbacks. Aaron Rodgers at QB, Riley Nowakowski the FB.<\/p>\n

Toss left to Dowdle. There\u2019s a lane and he finds it, showing good burst upfield and jetting away from Yahya Black\u2019s outstretched hand.<\/p>\n

12. Rudolph play-action. Hits Dowdle right flat with Cole Holcomb chasing him out of bounds.<\/p>\n

Fourth Session<\/p>\n

1. Jack Sawyer at LOLB, Alex Highsmith at ROLB. Nick Herbig working off-ball.<\/p>\n

Toss left to Warren. Payton Wilson gets off TE Darnell Washington\u2019s block and jams Warren. Wilson jaws with Warren a little bit after the play.<\/p>\n

2. Swing pass from Rodgers to Warren left side. Herbig tags him in the flat.<\/p>\n

3. Rodgers quick fire to Brandon Smith with Tamon Lynum tackling him to the ground.<\/p>\n

4. Alex Highsmith at LOLB, Jack Sawyer at ROLB. Harmon at LDE, Black at NT, Otomewo at RDE. Rudolph under center.<\/p>\n

Dowdle carry up the middle. Bounces to the right and falls forward for a couple.<\/p>\n

5.. Holcomb and Harrison the inside linebackers. Howard boots out and completes to Max Hurleman before D\u2019Shawn Jamison can close and knock it away.<\/p>\n

6. O-line of Nester-Hoffman-McCollum-Dunker-Driscoll.<\/p>\n

Screen left from Howard to Keeney-James. Couple of blocks to finish the rep down the sideline.<\/p>\n

7. Kaden Wetjen in the slot, Joaquin Davis and Ben Skowronek the outside receivers. Drew Allar in at quarterback.<\/p>\n

Allar\u2019s throw to Wetjen is low and he can\u2019t haul it in. Could\u2019ve been a better throw, no question, but Wetjen has a limited catch radius.<\/p>\n

8. Nowakowski in at fullback. Run up the middle. Gabriel Rubio with a big stick, along with others, on the back I failed to note. Nice play from the front at the line of scrimmage.<\/p>\n

9. Rodgers boots to his right. Pretty throw off his back foot complete to Washington right side between two defenders. Couldn\u2019t have walked up and handed it to him any better and legitimately one of the best throws I\u2019ve seen Rodgers make in camp or regular season since joining Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

10. Rodgers wants Roman Wilson on a curl route, but Jenkins closes and breaks it up with forceful contact over the top. Incomplete.<\/p>\n

11. Kaleb Johnson up the middle. Jenkins on the stop.<\/p>\n

12. Brandon Smith and Ben Skowronek the receivers.<\/p>\n

Low snap but Mason Rudolph handles it. Fires left side to Hurleman, picking up a good block from Smith to create a lane. Nice job by Rudolph to keep it on track.<\/p>\n

13. Allar boots left. Can\u2019t get his hips square and his throw to Tonyan in the flat misses. Incomplete.<\/p>\n

14. Anthony Goodlow at LDE, Gabriel Rubio at NT, Kevin Jobity Jr. at RDE.<\/p>\n

Toss to Johnson. He bobbles the snap and loses the ball behind the line of scrimmage. He falls on the ball and it\u2019s a dead play.<\/p>\n

15. Nowakowski at fullback. Howard complete to Tonyan downfield down the right sideline. He pushes off on S Sebastian Castro, but I didn\u2019t see a ref throw a flag. Castro, with his white gloves turned upward, can\u2019t believe there wasn\u2019t a call. He\u2019s correct for wanting the flag.<\/p>\n

16. Lake McRee in at tight end. Howard finds him 20 yards downfield on a skinny post, a good pass and catch. Howard with a fist pump in celebration.<\/p>\n

17. Rodgers play fake. Can\u2019t read my notes here. Something to Warren, I think, but it\u2019s scribbled buried at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n

18. Benton at LDE, Black at NT, Lowry at RDE. Nowakowski at FB. Spears-Jennings and Jenkins the safety duo with Samuel and Dean the left and right corners. Tonyan false starts and gets pulled from the rep, replaced by Bell.<\/p>\n

Warren on the carry. Payton Wilson slams into Nowakowski in the hole as Warren skirts past, but it isn\u2019t a long run.<\/p>\n

19. Sawyer and Highsmith the outside linebackers. Herbig over the B-gap in the three-outside linebacker package.<\/p>\n

Rodgers complete to Bernard, who requires a double catch but makes the reception and turns upfield.<\/p>\n

20. Rudolph throw to Roman Wilson is incomplete. Payton Wilson covering.<\/p>\n

Fifth Session<\/p>\n

1. Ball on the offense\u2019s 48. Wilson and Bernard the wideouts. Freiermuth the tight end.<\/p>\n

Rodgers\u2019 throw complete to WR Brandon Smith.<\/p>\n

2. Rodgers finds an open Freiermuth over the middle. Spears-Jennings collided with someone and fell down, leaving Freiermuth wide open.<\/p>\n

3. Slaughter slot corner with Everette and Jamison outside. Rodgers has nothing there so he scrambles and runs down the left side as the fans\u2019 cheers swell at the sight.<\/p>\n

4. Washington, Nowakowski, and Tonyan the tight ends out of 13 personnel. Rudolph boots left. Nothing there so he matches Rodgers and runs.<\/p>\n

5. Howard in at quarterback. Good touch to float his throw right sideline over Castro and complete to Joaquin Davis.<\/p>\n

6. Offense has to rehuddle after wires get crossed. Boykin in the slot. Wetjen motions left to right.<\/p>\n

Howard finds Wetjen open and sitting down between zone defenders.<\/p>\n

7. Drew Allar in at QB, Kaleb Johnson in at RB.<\/p>\n

Allar\u2019s throw to Davis is incomplete. Maybe a bad ball or Allar thought Davis would settle. Unsure. Looks like Broderick Jones false started, jumping a half-second too early. Ref threw the flag but the play didn\u2019t stop.<\/p>\n

8. Wilson and Bernard on the outside with Smith in the slot. Warren run left side with Sawyer chasing backside. Warren fumbled and the ball squirted free. Don\u2019t know if offense or defense landed on it.<\/p>\n

9. Rodgers throws to Warren left side. Nice job by Warren to reach back and twist for the ball in the air.<\/p>\n

10. Spears-Jennings and Henderson the safeties. Ultra-fast catch-and-release from Rodgers complete to Freiermuth as the No. 3 slot receiver right. Vintage Rodgers.<\/p>\n

11. Mason Rudolph in at QB with Lew Nichols at RB.<\/p>\n

Rudolph flushed left. Throws to the sideline. I think Roman Wilson caught it but I\u2019m not sure.<\/p>\n

12. Welschof and Davis the EDGE rushers, left and right respectively. Lynum and Daryl Porter the cornerbacks. Allar at QB.<\/p>\n

Nichols on the carry and he charges 4-5 yards ahead.<\/p>\n

13. Davis and Levi Wentz the receivers. Nowakowski standing up slot right.<\/p>\n

Allar wants Wentz right side but Boykin dives and breaks it up. Good play by the rookie defensive back.<\/p>\n

14. Henderson on the blitz. Howard is squeezed and bounces into Kaleb Johnson for the sack to end practice.<\/p>\n

\u2013 The night ended with fireworks, as it does every year. A thunderstorm in the distance accompanied me on the drive home, watching the lightning flash through the clouds. Cool scenes.<\/p>\n

Camp Recap (TL;DR)<\/p>\n

\u2013 Offense still too sloppy with fumbles, penalties, and overall mistakes. Need to clean it up fast before the preseason opener.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Not that he needs much attention this time of year, but really good practice for Aaron Rodgers. Maybe his best of camp. He zipped passes with pinpoint accuracy.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Will Howard also had a nice day with great accuracy to all levels of the field. Drew Allar flashed his arm talent but he\u2019s still missing throws underneath.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Wide receiver Brandon Smith had a heck of a day and caught everything in 7 on 7 and team periods. He\u2019s made impressive grabs this camp and can reach outside his frame. Has worked among the 1\u2019s for a lot of the summer and is a leader for a practice squad spot so long as he can show something on special teams.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Couple of fumbles for Jaylen Warren this week. Needs to tamp that down. Nichols and Johnson with balls on the ground on exchanges, too. That just can\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Love the tone and energy S Rayshawn Jenkins brings. He loves football and it shows.<\/p>\n

\u2013 There\u2019s been some concern about CB Jamel Dean from fans\/media throughout camp. It\u2019s been a little uneven but he\u2019s made plays and his pick-six to open the day was an awesome way to begin. There\u2019s been plenty of good here for him. It\u2019s why I let camp play out instead of making initial conclusions, positive or negative.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Payton Wilson and Derrick Harmon continue to shine. Their run defense and block shedding has been excellent. Stacking big-time practice performances.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Broderick Jones with good 1v1 reps, especially against Herbig. That\u2019s key for his confidence.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Overall, practice was enjoyable. It always is in this setting. But no tackling, less physicality overall, no true two-minute drill, and the absence of backs on \u2018backers, a staple of these night sessions. It\u2019s just not the same. Not even all that close.<\/p>\n

McCarthy\u2019s approach may prove to be the correct one, but I found myself missing a Mike Tomlin training camp on a night like this.<\/p>\n

Saint Vincent Snapshot<\/p>\n

The team at the line of scrimmage.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Tallest Players In Steelers History<\/p>\n

Highlighting the tallest players who have played for the franchise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You\u2019re getting a two-fer of the \u201cextras\u201d today.<\/p>\n

Matt Spaeth\/TE \u2013 6071<\/p>\n

A college John Mackey Award winner, Spaeth\u2019s NFL impact came as a blocker. He spent seven years and two stints with Pittsburgh, the 1B to Heath Miller\u2019s 1A, and won a ring with the Steelers during his sophomore season. He caught seven touchdowns, including the final of Ben Roethlisberger\u2019s six during his record-setting outing against Baltimore in 2014.<\/p>\n

Mike Adams\/OT \u2013 6072<\/p>\n

A second round pick out of Ohio State, Adams\u2019 career never met expectations. He struggled across his 20 NFL starts and was cut after failing his physical in 2016. These days, Adams has slimmed down and is fond of yoga.<\/p>\n

Soundtrack Of Camp<\/p>\n

A song I listened to during my trip to or from Latrobe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Weightless \u2013 ufo ufo<\/a><\/p>\n

Let There Be Music \u2013 Orleans<\/a><\/p>\n

Fred Rogers Quote Of The Day<\/p>\n

\u201cThe world needs a sense of worth, and it will achieve it only by its people feeling that they are worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLife is deep and simple, and what our society gives us is shallow and complicated.\u201d<\/p>\n