2018 Steelers Training Camp - General Discussion

It begins today. Players report to St. Vincent by 4pm.

https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-announce-training-camp-schedule

Some early observations by Mike Prisuta, WDVE's sports reporter. Biggest thing: Former WR Eli Rodgers is in town for a visit.

Check out Mike Prisuta (@DVEMike): https://twitter.com/DVEMike?s=09

Update: Eli Rodgers is saying he is happy to be back in the Black and Gold. Cam Heyward is also welcoming him back. I assume he is signed.

https://twitter.com/__bELIeve17/status/1022158168133124097?s=19

NFL Network reported that the team is coming in with a much more serious attitude compared with last year. Supposedly, "more disciplined." That's until AB arrives in a helicopter.

^ Nailed it.

https://www.facebook.com/steelers/videos/10156791242779905/

Helicopter is nice, but showing up in Stone Cold Steve Austin gear with championship belt in hand was even better.

https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2018/07/26/and-thats-the-bottom-line-cause-stone-cold-vince-williams-said-so/

Heyward said Steelers led league in missed tackles in 2017 so they will focus on tackling in training camp. "You clean that stuff up, we were already a top 5 defense, it puts us in a better category. You do that, stress it more, [but] by the end of day guys got to buy in."

— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) July 26, 2018

I hope these guys see the window is not going to stay open too much longer. Ben is not a spring chicken anymore. We have a huge ? at DB. and ILB is also up for grabs. This should be our year to separate so we get home field in the playoffs. Here it comes: PLAYOFFS,PLAYOFFS, you wanna talk about PLAYOFFS

Mason the that 3rd round draft pick might make you forget about Ben?

If anyone thinks, players included, that they played anywhere near a top 5 defense last season? I'd say a lot of players were hanging around Snoop this off season.

@Crash wrote:

If anyone thinks, players included, that they played anywhere near a top 5 defense last season?  I'd say a lot of players were hanging around Snoop this off season.  

Maybe they mean top 5 in their division.

The D was solid for the 10 games, minus the Jacksonville debacle. Even in the Chicago loss, the stat line wasn't bad. We gave up a lot of rushing yards, but little to no passing.

Looking at the NFL stats, they weren't allowing more than ~250-300 yards passing and ~50-90 yards running. After week 11, the wheels completely came off. This was before Shazier got hurt too.

Look at the NFL.com recap links in the link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Pittsburgh_Steelers_season?wprov=sfla1

It would be interesting to speculate what happened against the Packers that seemed to follow them the rest of the season.

First new wrinkle revealed in Fichtner's offense

Tight ends lining up in the slot are nothing new to the NFL, but it’s an alignment seldom shown by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Is this about to change? Multiple tweeters who attended Thursday’s first practice of camp report that such could be the case.

In particular, Vance McDonald worked from the slot on multiple plays and was even isolated once away from the line.

https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2018/07/27/first-new-wrinkle-revealed-in-fichtners-offense-tight-ends-line-up-in-the-slot/

James Washington has done nothing during these first two training camp practices to show me that he won't be a solid contributor this year. @TheAthleticPGH

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) July 27, 2018

#Steelers @AB84 doing @AB84 things pic.twitter.com/5A3gXOJzPS

— Steelers Depot (@Steelersdepot) July 28, 2018

@Wallace108 wrote:

James Washington has done nothing during these first two training camp practices to show me that he won't be a solid contributor this year. @TheAthleticPGH

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) July 27, 2018

Yeah reading through camp notes it seems like I keep hearing Washington's name. It's been mentioned that he has a fantastic catch radius, and an excellent ability to catch the ball in traffic. I concur with Kaboly, I think Washington is going to contribute this year. I think he might even be an upgrade over Bryant. Seems to check all the boxes, can catch in traffic, has good hands, decent speed, and he's a very hard worker. Excited to see how he progresses this season.

Ramon Foster was carted off yesterday. Injury appears serious.

https://twitter.com/DVEMike/status/1023349596511195136?s=19

Huge sigh of relief from #Steelers camp. LG Ramon Foster hyperextended his knee, but did not suffer any ligament damage and will NOT need surgery. Should be out 4-5 weeks.
Remember: no Steeler has logged more snaps since 2009 than him.

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) July 29, 2018

Can't get it to post right, so click the link. Little Ben to Little AB.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl1rS6NAmRl/

@Wallace108 wrote:

Can't get it to post right, so click the link. Little Ben to Little AB.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl1rS6NAmRl/

That is so cool. Just hope he doesn't start twerking after the catch.

@solardave wrote:

@Wallace108 wrote:

Can't get it to post right, so click the link. Little Ben to Little AB.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl1rS6NAmRl/

That is so cool. Just hope he doesn't start twerking after the catch.

Little Bell would be holding out for an extra cookie.

@Wallace108 wrote:

@solardave wrote:

@Wallace108 wrote:

Can't get it to post right, so click the link. Little Ben to Little AB.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl1rS6NAmRl/

That is so cool. Just hope he doesn't start twerking after the catch.

Little Bell would be holding out for an extra cookie.

It's only 6 practices but you can tell Terrell Edmunds is the real deal.

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) August 1, 2018

@Wallace108 wrote:

It's only 6 practices but you can tell Terrell Edmunds is the real deal.

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) August 1, 2018

Good! He better be, we used a 1st Round Pick on a guy that most projected in the 2nd or 3rd Round. I hope he turns out to be a beast!

@Wallace108 wrote:

Heyward said Steelers led league in missed tackles in 2017 so they will focus on tackling in training camp. "You clean that stuff up, we were already a top 5 defense, it puts us in a better category. You do that, stress it more, [but] by the end of day guys got to buy in."

— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) July 26, 2018

i don't know, just doesn't make me feel confident about Butler. I thought proper tackling was the one basic fundamental skill a defender had to know. Why are they taking about this now? How can you be a steeler defender (or a steeler defense as a whole) and not be able to tackle properly? I know this was an issue even before Shazier got hurt.

with Gay and Mitchell gone the defensive tackling has already gottin better.