Training Camp 2019 news and discussion.

[Livewire]

 

 

[VigilantZombie]

1 hour ago, Livewire said:

 

 

Glad to hear that. 

[August4th]

hope everyone has a healthy and productive camp

 

[MOSteelers56]

TJ Watt is starting on the PUP due to hamstring tightness. Hopefully nothing reoccurring. 

I'm really excited to see what we have this TC and preseason. I expect a big year from Eli Rogers. I feel like people are sleeping on him. He looked LEGIT last time he was fully healthy. Like a blossoming AB. I think he makes a big push for the #3 and top slot guy(outside of JuJu of course). Or maybe he sucks and he'll get cut? Who knows? That's why I'm excited. The defense is the same way. They could be a really fun, strong bunch. Or they could suck and we could win 8 games. 

Edited July 25, 2019 by MOSteelers56
Pumped the brakes a bit on the Eli/AB comparison.

[Dcash4]

I think Eli’s ceiling is what we have seen. He is capable, but he is limited. There isn’t an explosion for big plays. Honestly, if you look back at his college numbers he is eerily the same guy every year. He can’t make big plays, or at least he hasn’t shown the ability to in the last 7 years of football. 

I like him, but I just think what you see is what you get at this point. Good routes, good hands, but not explosive enough to be a real threat in the league. It’s the reason I think Switzer has the edge, though I think Rogers is the better receiver. 

Gonna be an interesting camp for these receivers. 

[Dcash4]

Oh, but speaking of AB comparisons with Rogers....

I thought I remembered people calling him Baby AB or something on the team before. And then today, he shows up in the big rig in costume “ready to work”.

Probably not the best way to be compared to AB this year. I honestly thought that was a pretty stupid thing to do after the year we had. It was simple and small, but I can’t imagine but he brass was super excited about that. 

[VigilantZombie]

27 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

TJ Watt is starting on the PUP due to hamstring tightness. Hopefully nothing reoccurring. 

I'm really excited to see what we have this TC and preseason. I expect a big year from Eli Rogers. I feel like people are sleeping on him. He looked LEGIT last time he was fully healthy. Like a blossoming AB. I think he makes a big push for the #3 and top slot guy(outside of JuJu of course). Or maybe he sucks and he'll get cut? Who knows? That's why I'm excited. The defense is the same way. They could be a really fun, strong bunch. Or they could suck and we could win 8 games. 

Probably a precaution because of the importance he holds to our defense 

[Chieferific]

I don't know how much we'll be able to see in TC but surely the Offensive and Defensive strategies are going to be tinkered with. On Offense, perhaps a more "Conservative" approach with a greater focus on running the ball, utilizing the TE more and increased time of possession. I expect less explosive plays but more consistency. I think JuJu is ready to be the Man and Moncrief is going to be very effective with a real QB throwing at him. On Defense, DBs playing closer to the LOS and Slot DBs covering Slot WRs. Lots of blitzes out of Bush with Baron handling the Coverage duties. Some concerns, Pass Rush from OLB may be an issue with nothing but question marks behind Watt and with Baron and Bush at ILB I think they are vulnerable to inside Runs. But overall I expect an improved, drama-free and more consistent Playoff Team. 

[jebrick]

As long as I do not see VWill covering a WR again.

[bigben07MVP]

Apparently JuJu was in the slot a ton on day 1. He’s such a tough matchup when he’s in the slot, I think we see him there a lot more this year. 

Just my guess but I think Washington balls out and wins one of the outside spots (WR2).

For 3 WR sets: Washington, JuJu, and Moncrief if Juju is in the slot but Switz on the field if JuJu is outside.

Hopefully Diontae Johnson can win the #4 spot as well as punt returns so we can let Rodgers go. I think it’s more likely they keep 6 wide receivers (add Rodgers) on the roster for at least the first half of the season so Rodgers play the role of WR4 in 4 WR sets until the rookie is ready.

JuJu

Washington

Moncrief/Switz

Rodgers 

D Johnson (inactive)

Edited July 27, 2019 by bigben07MVP

[jebrick]

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/07/2019-steelers-training-camp-diary-day-one/
 

Quote

 

Safety Marcelis Branch was the early bird. On the far end of the field, he spent a few minutes catching on the JUGS machine too.  It was a precursor of what was to come. Early in practice, new defensive assistant Teryl Austin put all the defensive backs on the JUGS machine. It went like this.

Five receptions of planting and driving downhill. Half speed, nothing too crazy, but getting closer to the machine each time. Work on playing off coverage, finding the ball, and driving on it. They did nine more going side to side. Jog left, catch, jog right, catch. Back and forth, each player, until the line was complete. The defense jumped on the JUGS machine after practice too. Vince Williams was the first man on it and they rotated through.

This was a defense who dropped too many passes last year. And the coaches know it. Good sign.

 

Getting the DBs to work on the JUGs machine.  About time.

 

Quote

 

New offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett sported a black t-shirt and black shorts today. Very similar feel to how things were run under Mike Munchak. Lot of attention to working on stunt pickup, one of the biggest specific differences Munchak made early on in practice. Sarrett is much more vocal than Munchak was. You can hear and feel Sarrett’s presence much more. But it’s not the cliche coach yelling – “BLOCK SOMEBODY!” – as I’m sure a high school coach you had was prone to do. It’s all instructional, all constructive.

And like past years, and this is super critical, the linemen split into two groups. Sarrett worked with the interior linemen, guards and centers, while assistant Adrian Klemm worked with the tackles. Smaller group to work with, more specific drills to those positions, and you can maximize reps. Huge element of why this offensive line grew so much under Munchak. They maximized the reps they’re afforded by the CBA. Work smarter, not harder.

 

 

[warfelg]

8 hours ago, bigben07MVP said:

Apparently JuJu was in the slot a ton on day 1. He’s such a tough matchup when he’s in the slot, I think we see him there a lot more this year. 

Just my guess but I think Washington balls out and wins one of the outside spots (WR2).

For 3 WR sets: Washington, JuJu, and Moncrief if Juju is in the slot but Switz on the field if JuJu is outside.

Multi-faceted thing going on here:

Juju, yes is a beast in the slot, but at the same time do you put your slot corner on him (best at moving both directions) or do you trail your #1 corner in?  If you trail your #1 corner in with a 3 WR set, that means you need him to play with different responsibilities (CB-Blitz, run support, different bracket help) than what he is used to, and that's a weakness to exploit.  If you keep the NCB on Juju in the slot, that means you need to direct S help to that area, and do the same with Vance as well.  Then you got #1 and #2 corners on an island with a deep threat in Moncreif and a jump ball threat in Washington.  Take this one step further and take Vance off the field and insert Switz.  Now your dime corner is taking one of Switz or Juju, or your slide a #1 or #2 inside on one of them and the #4 has outside responsibility.  Even if you 'invert' the WR's and put Switz and Juju outside, then you slide Moncreif and Washington inside you got a similar conundrum.  

This is 4-d chess while others are playing checkers.

 

Also I love that Switz, Washington, and Moncreif made low key entrances, Juju walked in the side door.  1 clown left.  Eli.  

Edited July 27, 2019 by warfelg

[warfelg]

 This quote on the day AB landed on the NFI list and it was pointed out Bell was an hour late (it was claimed Bell was in a drug test, but no one else was called and they take at most 10 minutes)

[bigben07MVP]

@warfelg do you agree that Rodgers and Switz may both be kept temporarily if Johnson isn’t ready week 1? Or do you think we just use McDonald in 4 receiver sets?

[bigben07MVP]

I guess my point is the only way Rodgers makes the team is if he straight up beats out Switz (don’t see that happening) or if Johnson isn’t ready/can’t be trusted week 1.