HR2: Live from Training Camp

As practice continues, Matt and Wes continue to give you commentary on all the action.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Rolling along here our number two of the drive from
Steelers training camp. Of course, we are in sunny lay Trobe, Pennsylvania,
here on the campus of St. Vincent College, where it
is a well kind of a skeleton drill going on
in front of us here. A little bit mad, is that, yeah?
Describe it.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
What they're doing is they're working on picking up in
mostly I would say, more of a defensive minded thing,
dealing with close to bunch sets, route combinations all to
one side of the field, usually three receivers all to
one side, the wide side of the field. And a
little known fact about this league is the distinctions between

(01:35):
outside receivers and slot receivers is getting blurrier and blurrier first.
And the Steelers are a great example because a lot
of tight ends are lining up in the slot. John
neu will line up everywhere, even outside receivers. And I
put that in quotes. I don't know who quote who
does the data analysis of this, but it's very true
that the last several years, the average NFL formation has

(01:59):
become more and more condensed, not as far to the sidelines,
closer to the line of scrimmage. So you're getting a
lot of bodies, like in this situation, like between the
hash and the numbers, there's three receivers there, and you've
got three defense defensive players trying to cipher who's got who,
and picks and rubs and man coverage beaters and all

(02:20):
these type of things. I don't have a wonderful reason
why that the league is getting more and more condensed
closer to the line of scrimmage. I think, well, I
definitely think that the bunch concepts are but they're not new.
But still I think a lot of well spitballing as
we go through this, and so much of the reason

(02:42):
for offensive changes, I always go back to the same thing.
It's just D lines better than O line, And if
I'm going to attack the sidelines, I have to protect
a little longer and make a longer throw, and I
don't always trust my O line to hold up as much.
But it's definitely true. It's a trend in the league,
and it steals you a lot of it too. They
don't spread thing guys out all the way on the sidelines,

(03:03):
and you know that type of thing. You know, Pickens
lined up there a lot, Metcalfole line up there a lot,
especially with these tight end usaige. You're gonna see a
lot of condensed thing, you know, condensed formations closer to
the ball. It's just where the league is going. Another
reason why it definitely is true is we talk about
there's a shortage of o lineman the league. There's a
shortage off the ball linebackers too.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
Total.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
There's a lot of teams that would love to be
average off the ball linebackers. And I grew up, you
go up to some degree in an era of ray
Lewis or Lambert and Singletary and our lacquer there was
always stud.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
And even like logic Willis and Bobby Wager.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
And there's Fred Warner and everybody else. Knowyes, you know,
like there's there's not that many of those guys. And
what's worse is you could argue the Steelers are average
or above average and off the ball linebacker covering the
middle of the field. I mean, that's where I'm going
with this, is the coverage of Billy against those bunches
and slots and tight ends in the slot. But there's

(04:04):
so many teams that are just searching, you know, that
just don't have the linebackers. And some of it's back
to like our tight end conversation, a lot of these linebackers,
especially ones drafted high that are great athletes, really have
a tough time their first year or two in the league,
and it takes a while before your brain to catch up,
and these teams are just manipulating you to no end,

(04:25):
and there's so much to digest and then you got
to take on a guard before you know it, and
off of all, linebackers take a while, and there's a real.

Speaker 1 (04:33):
Shortage in the league, no doubt about it.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
And I think people were attacking them more.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
And they're not at the top of the food chain
in terms of positions that are commanding large chunks of
the salary.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
Can and even less and less now because people are
just like, I'm done trying. I'm done taking Devon White
and Devin Bush in the top ten. I'm just gonna
take one in the third round, or pay a Hulcombe
that's coming off as first contract that maybe doesn't have
a highest ceiling, but I know what he is.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
Even someone like a Jack Campbell right right later on
in the process.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
It's taking him a while, but it's starting to starting
to look good, right right, right right, And it's.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
Kind of maybe same church, different pew with some of
that stuff that we were talking about with tight ends
earlier exactly. Takes them time to come along and.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
You're in the middle of the field and there's a
lot to digest. Absolutely, we got a lot of responsibilities.

Speaker 1 (05:20):
We got team period getting started in front of us
here Aaron Rodgers hands off the jayl and warre and
able to shift and make some people miss and get
the crowd all fired up here. It's a good day
to be a running back when there's no when there's
no live tackling. Yeah, it is, I tell you, Matt Williamson.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
Plus they take it to the house. It's kind of
like an old school high school college, you know, when
do you pull up some of these guys taking eighty
yards of the house and you know, the cold crowd's
like wow, always busted in eighty yards.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
We've been seeing that in a long time, right as uh,
Aaron Rodgers will break the huddle once again once again
under center.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
You got signed sort of that bunch to the left here.
Like we talked about again, this is not a pretty
condensed formation. Nobody outside the numbers here, you know, And
it's not just a Steelers came.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
Metcraft and across the middle man. I tell you what
that is. A that is a locomotive when he gets
when he gets moving, that Peyton Wilson will running stride
for stride with him. That dude's fastest.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, you talk about those off the ball linebackers. I mean,
if Wilson could take a step forward, which I expect him.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
To, becomes a quality starter. Yeah what third round.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
Draft pick every down player, which I think is exactly
what they think he will be.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
But if he's above average, like if he's like a
BAM B plus player, right, you know.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
If him and Queen are a combination of B minus
to B plus, that's ahead of the game.

Speaker 1 (06:37):
Totally, I think, particularly what you have in front of
them and behind them on y Yeah. Yeah, Aaron Rodgers
once again going under center. Here, looks like we got
Caleb Johnson checking in at running back. Now, Nick Herbigs
screaming out some signals to the defense to keep them
all on the same page. Fake to Johnson, little dump

(06:57):
off the move, nice one headed snaged by Friar. He's
got green grass in front of him.

Speaker 2 (07:02):
D J.

Speaker 1 (07:03):
Watt comes sprinting down the field to try and the defense.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
Rod Elliott on a blitz there that was picked up
pretty well, and they kind of just did everything the
opposite side and nullified it.

Speaker 1 (07:13):
I think Herbig was trying to get the defense on
the same page there, but it was too late. And
that's one of those things I'm excited to see Aaron
Rodgers do throughout the course of the season. Catch some defenses.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
Slipping happens a ton throughout his career, more than any
quarterback I can remember when he senses that indecision or
lack of communication on their side. Let's go, let's go,
let's go. I mean, he's so well known for and
no one's never done this better. Is defensive substitution, snaps
the ball when you get twelve in the field or
aren't ready, and he's always on top.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
Of right play.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
You guys don't enjoy watching that. Yeah, really frustrating to
be on the other side of it.

Speaker 1 (07:50):
Johnson here head, I tell you what stuck him. The
Friarmouth and Mason McCormick not too pleased with that.

Speaker 2 (07:58):
One, nor should they be agree, took him down. McCormick
just blasted him from behind.

Speaker 1 (08:03):
Now No, sorry, that's Fraser now, And yeah, I thought
it was McCormick coming back over, but that was that
was Fraser. It's been a it's been.

Speaker 2 (08:13):
A little while since that was pretty real though.

Speaker 1 (08:16):
That was pretty real. Uh So I would love.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
The rewind button, but it would have looked like to me,
is Black with those extremely long arms and power basically
just clotheslined them. And I think he I don't know
that he had malicious intents. I think he's just I'm
trying to get an arm out there, but he's kind
of bigger and stronger than everybody else and hit him
across the throat area and it kind of looked like
a w W clothes line. His feet went flying up

(08:41):
like you know, like a Russian sickle. Oh yeah, yeah,
flat on his back on the middle of the ring.
And immediately the other guys didn't like it. McCormick in
particular came flying over, blasted Black from behind, and then
and then Fraser and him start throwing blows a little
bit too. So I get both eyes, you know, totally. Yeah,
yeah again, I think you're right to do it.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
I don't think it was anything malicious on why but
when and when you when you see that live, it
looks malicious you know what I.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
Mean, happens to be one hundred and fifty pounds heavier.
And the guy he had exactly right.

Speaker 1 (09:13):
Exactly right, and and yeah, and hey, I tell you what,
Mike Tomlin after that went right over to Fraser and
McCormick and gave him kind of a you know, a
little a little head nod. Hey, way to have your
guys back, right, I'd.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
Be upset if the line didn't do that. You need
enforcers on the line. Pounds, you wouldn't let that fly.
That's just the way it works.

Speaker 1 (09:29):
You know, right, Max talks about that all the time.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
Yeah, you need to be enforcers at that position.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
Totally, totally. And so hey, after a couple of days
of we're too nice to each other.

Speaker 2 (09:40):
Out there, yeah they were kind of pleasant lately.

Speaker 1 (09:42):
Labs is looking in here laughing at us right now.
As uh Mason Rudolph under center. He will fake it
to Trey Sermon throws downfield for Robert Woods able to
find a nice spot in covery Fiel the Woods up.

Speaker 2 (09:56):
A little bit. I do, Yeah, I mean I think
he's I think we're starting. That's a pretty inside track
that definitely make the team and they signed him. I
didn't though, for sure.

Speaker 1 (10:03):
I think we're starting to see it really from a
lot of these wide receivers. Yeah, Dk Metcalfe, you expect it,
but he's.

Speaker 2 (10:09):
They featured him from the start, Yes, exactly stands out.

Speaker 1 (10:12):
He stands out. But Roman Wilson's had a couple solid
practices in a row. I think Robert Woods as well too.
Like we've talked about guys like Rock Taylor and Johnson.

Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, yeah, Johnson shows up from time, So.

Speaker 1 (10:24):
I do I like what we've seen from the wide receivers.
I think they're starting to emerge a little bit here
and you know what to.

Speaker 2 (10:30):
Call Hurlman, but he's out there getting more and a
lot of.

Speaker 1 (10:33):
Targets over the last Absolutely.

Speaker 3 (10:35):
Yeah, I'm not saying that they're perfect at the receiver position,
but I do think some guys are starting to show
up a little more and I'm starting to have a
better feel for them, especially Woods.

Speaker 1 (10:47):
I would agree. I would agree. It's been nice to
see him over these last couple of practices, been very active.
I'd like I said say the same thing about Roman Wilson.
I think he's, you know, starting to to play the
best football that we've seen him play in the limited
amount of time that we've seen him in these settings.
And some of the younger guys, some of the undrafted
guys or the free agent guys are are, you know,

(11:07):
putting their hand in the pile as well too.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
It'll be interesting how that shakes out.

Speaker 1 (11:11):
Cut that yeah, Woods in motion from left to right
to give to Caleb Johnson who's runs into a large
group of big men there, and that we'll do it
for the second teamers here in this portion of practice
as we do have team period going on in front
of us. They're moving from right to left in front
of us here at Chuck Nollfield. Tristan Thompson will check

(11:34):
in as well a lot of the other threes on off.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
Why hey blacks back in.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
Tell you what, he's got a bright future in WWE
if this whole football thing doesn't work out for him.
But I think this football thing is gonna work out
for him, just fine.

Speaker 2 (11:48):
No, I've been impressed. He's a large human being.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
He is a big dude, and he moves very well
for his size. As looks like an issue there for
Skyler Thompson on the exchange with a snap, but he
able to pick it up and get rid of it quickly.
Dump that one off to the right side for a nice.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
Little pickup, say the defensive back, I didn't recognize Jamison
came free on the slop blitz too.

Speaker 1 (12:12):
I did want to follow up with you on that
point that you were making earlier mad about Heath Miller,
well about Pat Fryermouth, where you brought Heath Miller into
the conversation and talking about if you look around the
National Football League, age twenty.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
Seventy seven is kind of a magic number really when.

Speaker 1 (12:26):
Really, when tight ends start to take off. Well, guess what,
that's how old Heath Miller was when he made his
first Chris first Pro Bowl was twenty seven years old.

Speaker 2 (12:34):
So maybe I just didn't make this up. You know, his.

Speaker 1 (12:37):
First four years in the league, I mean he was fine.

Speaker 2 (12:40):
You know, no one thought he was a bus right right.

Speaker 1 (12:42):
No, he's having five hundred ish, you know, reception yards,
thirty forty some receptions. But in two thousand and nine.

Speaker 2 (12:52):
Nobody was upset with him as a first round exactly right,
exactly right.

Speaker 1 (12:55):
But in two thousand and nine man ninety eight targets
seventy six. Wow, I mean he had never had more
than sixty six targets going into that year. He had
ninety eight targets that year, had never had more than
forty eight receptions. He had seventy six receptions.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
The true breakout season, true.

Speaker 1 (13:13):
Breakout season for nearly eight hundred yards receiving and six touchdowns.
He caught thirty seven receptions for first downs that year. Wow, Okay,
that that was really it where he took off and
then you know, ended up making another Pro Bowl when
he was thirty years old. But that twenty seven year
season was the second best statistical season of his career.

Speaker 2 (13:33):
Okay. Interesting, And that's often when they hit their stride.
And I mentioned some first rounders like Najoku and Ingram
that didn't burst on the scene right away, and now
they're starting to really get into that neighborhood. I told
you this story before, and I've mentioned on the air
the OTA period after they had traded for Vance McDonald.
He sat down with Dale and I and I was

(13:55):
just talking to McDonald and realized he was going into
his age twenty seven and I mentioned to him like,
I don't know if you know this, Vance, but a
lot of data shows that your position really starts to
peak at about the age you're at now, and sometimes
you know, players will just kind of blow smoke or

(14:15):
the answer oh cool and yeah exactly, oh that's nice
or whatever. But like this light bulb went off in
his head. You can just tell, like and he's like
I had never heard that. He's like, oh does that
add up? Because my body feels better than ever. I'm
stronger than I was. I have such better recognition. And again,
those guys, especially the great ones, Gates and Witting, and

(14:36):
these guys have really Gonzales, have really long careers. Loyland
can hardly run at the end of their career, but
they know all the soft spots and zones and they
have all the smarts, and I think that starts to
come around that age twenty seven years. They just know,
if I play this leverage against this safety and my
quarterback can throw it to the my off my hand,
I can.

Speaker 1 (14:55):
They've got their grown man.

Speaker 2 (14:57):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they know what to rebound, you know.

Speaker 1 (15:00):
Exactly right. And it's funny too, Matt, Like, twenty six
years old was the first time that Travis Kelcey made
a Pro Bowl. Twenty seven was when he really took
off and wasn't All Pro.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
I was going to bring him up. He did not
burst on the scene like people think. No, no, I
mean he was a tremendous athlete. I think it was
a third round pick. And it wasn't just because Mahome
showed up. It was, Oh, it took him a little while,
right right right.

Speaker 1 (15:22):
He made three or four Pro Bowls with with Alex
Smith before Mahomes got.

Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yeah, yeah, yea, yeah, a very good career before Mahome
showed up. That's and he's a perfect example.

Speaker 1 (15:31):
But yeah, made his first Pro Bowl at twenty six,
first All Pro at twenty seven, really took off. It
had a good season at twenty six, really took off
at twenty seven, and then you know, it was an
All Pro for seven straight season.

Speaker 2 (15:41):
And again, he's fain, he's and.

Speaker 1 (15:43):
He's an obviously extreme example. He's the best, perhaps the
best to have ever done it on that short list
of you know, with Rob Gronkowski and a couple of
those other guys that you just mentioned. But same thing,
Like everyone talked about him last year like he was
a finished product and not the same and that's probably true.
I don't know about the finished product part, but he
had eight hundred and twenty three receiving yards last.

Speaker 2 (16:03):
Year, right and played less snaps.

Speaker 1 (16:05):
Aged thirty five at over eight hundred yards receiving those
those guys.

Speaker 2 (16:09):
Age well yeah, well on the Eros tour.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
Hey, Matt, I don't know about you, but Travis Kelsey's feeling.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
Twenty two absolutely.

Speaker 1 (16:19):
And with that, we need to get to a break
before Mac gets me wound up here anymore. As it's
another special teams period going on in front of us
right now. Good time to take a break. We'll come back,
continue to paint a picture for you as we roll
along here on another nice day of practice in Latro, Pennsylvania.
Beautiful weather here at St. Vincent College. It's all part
of this special edition of The Drive. It's our training

(16:40):
camp coverage ongoing on Steelers Nation Radio and a Steelers Audio.

Speaker 4 (16:44):
Network Iheartradios live coverage. I'm not twenty twenty five Steelers
Training Camp. He's presented by FedEx Where Now meets Next
and also brought to you by Liked Independence Health System
by Pennsylvania One Call System by Live Casino, Caliente Pizza

(17:07):
and Draft House by Tom's Appliances. South Hills Auto, Laurel
Highlands Visitors Bureau, we Max Select Realty, the Pittsburgh Steelers
pro shot and by US steel.

Speaker 1 (17:21):
Back on campus here at St. Vincent College. Practice ongoing
for the Pittsburgh Steelers Little special Teams period. Now defensive
line getting some rest. It looks like the offensive line
maybe just going through some basic construction stuff, but nothing crazy.

Speaker 2 (17:36):
Big guys are kind of chilling.

Speaker 1 (17:37):
Big guys are kind of chilling. No more kerfuffles. No, right,
that was a that was one of those things. And listen,
I think to an extent, you don't mind those kind
of things.

Speaker 2 (17:52):
No, not at all. I'd be offended if the old
line didn't step up in that direction. And I don't
think Black was trying to take his head off or
anything like that, just reaching over to kind of make
the tackle. But it's got tree trumps for arms, and
you hit him in the right spot and down he went.
And I'm sure it didn't feel good.

Speaker 1 (18:07):
Oh absolutely not. And uh, you know that's one of
the things you see something just because something isn't necessarily dirty,
doesn't mean it doesn't warrant a response.

Speaker 2 (18:14):
Right right, absolutely right, And can't let it fly.

Speaker 1 (18:17):
Can't let it fly. And you know that's one thing.
You know, you mentioned the Pouncys and the Castros and
you know, big ass anytime someone would breathe on Ben Roethlisberger,
there would be a reaction.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
That's part of your job. That's not just I mean, yes,
blocking people is your job. But this sport is not
gentle or kind or you know, the raven see that stuff,
They're going to take it the next step. I mean, yeah,
that's the way it.

Speaker 1 (18:43):
Goes Listen, off Samuelson was out there to play your
defense and prevent the other team from scoring, but he
was also out there to rip your head off if
you look at Lemieux the wrong way, right, right.

Speaker 2 (18:52):
I mean that's yeah. Or don't be parked in front
the net, you know, I mean, right, Scott Stevens or
I mean it goes on and on and on and.

Speaker 1 (19:00):
So with that, Yeah, a little little little uptick there
for for a few minutes in practice, but I think again,
uh no, no harm. Reminded me of last year, maybe
probably around the same time, like kind of right in
the dog days of Camp a Land and Roberts on
a day where there was no pads. He's too trying
to like it wasn't nausea or Jalen Warren, but it
was somebody else who was out there, and a land

(19:21):
of Roberts kind of thumped them a little a little,
a little more harsher than usual or in a team drill.
And Mason McCormick say, I mean Mason McCormick came running up.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
There's no doubt that was a rookie year he did that.

Speaker 1 (19:36):
That was last year. And it was like, you know,
after practice, a Landon Roberts was kind of laughing about
it and was like, hey, you know, I wasn't trying
to do anything dirty. I just thought, you know, we
needed a little we need a little more energy out there.
You know. It was trying to get everybody going.

Speaker 2 (19:48):
The intensity of everyone in practice picks up a not
r right, stuff, This hasn't been the most physical practice.
I'm gonna say it's a bad practice, but it's not
the most physical one. And then I was sudden everything's
humming a little harder after that, you know, great, right again,
if you're the head coach, you don't mind it.

Speaker 1 (20:05):
No, you don't want it to spiral or to you know,
turn into a regular normal thing.

Speaker 2 (20:09):
But no, and I don't want anything dirty.

Speaker 1 (20:11):
Exactly right.

Speaker 2 (20:12):
I mean we're all teammates here, exactly right, right, exactly right,
nothing intentional.

Speaker 1 (20:16):
From time to time, competitors are going to compete.

Speaker 2 (20:18):
Man, Yeah, yeah, yeah, a little extra bump, that's all right.

Speaker 1 (20:21):
Uh, just to follow up on all this by kind
of final count of myself and what I've pieced together
from the you know, the reporters and the journalists on
the sideline, Uh, those who are not practicing today.

Speaker 2 (20:32):
I think it's a pretty good last time.

Speaker 1 (20:33):
Calvin and Austin the third, Dante Kent, Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay,
Corey Trice, a lot in the secondary bear yeah, yeah,
Calvin Anderson, Will Howard, Derek Harmon, Alex Hismith.

Speaker 2 (20:44):
Okay, I wonder if there's some small minor injuries and
stuff of that nature, or save them for tomorrow Veteran's
day off that's in a row for Ramsey yep, to.

Speaker 1 (20:53):
Row for Ramsey, which is uh, that'll be interesting to
me to see what happens to him tomorrow. You know,
you typically don't get two of that rins days off
in a row.

Speaker 2 (21:02):
But right more to that than just veterans day.

Speaker 1 (21:05):
Off, you know, and again maybe that's something that Mike
Toman will touch on today and his kind of post
practice rap. He'll also have his full Jacksonville Jaguars press
conference tomorrow at noon, which I believe we will be.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
I can't help myself, dude, Robert Woods just muffed another
punt yesterday. He muffed like four out of five. This
one will clank wing right to the ground. Like, can
we end that experiment? Or I mean, I was just
praising him about how I'm liking more and more of
what he's doing a wide receiver, But every time he's
back there returning bar, it's the balls on the ground.

Speaker 1 (21:37):
And that's one of those again you talk about the
number one thing that coaches have to have to put
you out there is trust.

Speaker 2 (21:42):
Yeah, you know, he's even going over I'm not sure
who he's talking to, but he's talking about his form.
His forum was terrible. His forum was like catching the
ball in front of him on one knee, Like that's
all you're taught to punch, punch punts at.

Speaker 1 (21:54):
All, alligator arms style.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
Yeah, what are you doing? Let's end that experiment. That's
not work.

Speaker 1 (22:00):
Looks like we're going to have another team period here
in front of us ones on once, so we will
bring you that here now as practice rolls along, Aaron
Rodgers in the huddle with the offense.

Speaker 2 (22:12):
It's funny we were talking about usage and whatnot, and
only Cam Hayward's been in the team drill the entire
I don't think, ye right, I think. I mean the
days that he's quote practices are a lot different than everybody.

Speaker 1 (22:23):
Else's, which is just fine with you.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
Oh, just keep doing it right and Rodgers.

Speaker 1 (22:27):
In the shotgun Jalen Warren to his right over the middle,
quick hitter to Scottie Miller read the defense offf coverage
there right in front of one thorn hill out of
been a nice ten eleven yards.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
Yeah, yeah, offense, well done.

Speaker 1 (22:38):
Uh. Cam Hayward is he's in the far side end zone,
has just been doing some conditioning stuff.

Speaker 2 (22:45):
Is totally own agenda.

Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, it's fine with me.

Speaker 2 (22:48):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (22:48):
Just keep the big man limber and healthy and ready
to go for September.

Speaker 2 (22:52):
Yeah. Tomlin used to joke about him being in the pool.
I think every Wednesday he was in the like the conditioning. Yeah, yeah,
do your own thing. Play great play forever.

Speaker 1 (23:03):
Yep, that's exactly right. You earn it as the offense
now will get their second crack at this wef Connor
Heyward split out wide with gain Well an quick hitter.
He just caught the defense sleep.

Speaker 2 (23:17):
It's just what we were talking about an hour ago
about there's a little bit of miscommunication or a little
communication gaff with the defense. Ball comes out now boom,
you know, and man that that is specially.

Speaker 1 (23:27):
If that happened in a live game, it would have
been up to Deshaun Elliott to make a tackle and
open field and if not, that would have been to
the house. Yeah, oh yeah for Roman Wilson as he
had all kinds of space. And yeah, this secondary today
obviously much different, kind of reworked with a lot of
those guys that we just named, uh not participating today.

Speaker 2 (23:46):
So Rogers is gonna be kind to him.

Speaker 1 (23:49):
They were not kind of the offense the first you know,
week or two of camp. Now now maybe today the
offense giving it back to him a little bit as
the ones will stay in there. Aaron Rodgers Jaalen Warren
bunch to the right side, but John hus Smith in motion,
he will move back into the bunch. There is Aaron

(24:09):
Rodgers lofts one down the left side, intended for Scotty Miller,
but just a little bit out of his reaching. Blitz
was coming, Blitz was coming. Well covered guy, Yeah, and
we'll go. I'm thinking so, but it looks like now,
I don't know, it looks like that Aaron Rodgers might
want another.

Speaker 2 (24:28):
Rep Yreka some of the that the ones on defense
out here.

Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yeah, some of the offensive line checking checking out.

Speaker 2 (24:34):
Yeah, there was some chefs. Rodger Jones is coming off.

Speaker 1 (24:37):
Roder Joneses is running off, as is Jalen Warren. But
still looks like the rest of the first team offensive
line out there as well too. No, sayamalu. So you've
got Cook and Anderson on the left side, but Fraser
McCormick falpanu.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
Maybe it's wanting to give Cook at Yeah.

Speaker 1 (24:54):
Maybe where Darnell Washington moves in motion from left to right,
Aaron Rodgers signaling some stuff, the Roman Wilson and Scotty
Miller looking that way for Scotty Miller over the middle.
A nice little pocket of coverage there between one Thornhill
and Patrick Queen and another what would have been a
nice uh stick moving reception for the offense.

Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, I said, it's another quick pressure and ball came
out boom it was it would not have been a
sack that was not a late in the down situation
and found it in breaking receiver. Boom hit him in stride.
Real Crisp Rogers had couple couple praes in room.

Speaker 1 (25:27):
I agree, he's looked as sharp and as comfortable as
he has here this week so far. Are we still
gonna be able to say, like, move the sticks, move
the chains when they you know, do all this digital
measurement stuff.

Speaker 2 (25:38):
I think those fellows are still out there.

Speaker 1 (25:39):
Is that gonna be like could you tell your kid
now to roll down the window and they look at.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
You like, what are you talking about?

Speaker 1 (25:44):
Roll down the window? What does that mean? Move the chains?
What are you talking about? What chains?

Speaker 2 (25:51):
Chains? Yeah? Now that might be a dinosaur terminology here soon,
not for me and.

Speaker 1 (25:58):
You, we'll get its. Rudolph in the shotgun. He's got
Caleb Johnson's sidecard to his right, Darnell Washington out there,
as is Robert Woods and John new Smith. The quick
throat of Darnell Washington For a nice little.

Speaker 2 (26:10):
Like that, it'd be hard to drag to the ground
at that point.

Speaker 1 (26:12):
Catch at five six yards pass the line of scrimmage,
but fall forward for another two or three yards. A
lot that that guy can do with that uh, that
body type and that skill set.

Speaker 2 (26:21):
That's for sure, no question. I think they're getting more
and more involved with getting him more and more involved.

Speaker 1 (26:26):
Cam Johnson was just booming the ball on the on
the other field as well too. That guy looks like
he is all the way back.

Speaker 2 (26:33):
Yes, he looks phenomenal, same as he didn't last camp.

Speaker 1 (26:38):
JJ gawbreath in motion now move's left, returns right, shotgun
snapped back for Mason Rudolph and that one blown up
nicely by Jack Sawyer. But Rudolph will lobb it for
Robert Woods and it's just a little out of his reach.

Speaker 2 (26:54):
It's the blitz period and they're gonna get home sometimes obviously.

Speaker 1 (26:57):
Totally totally, and hey, I think there's been a lot
less of that lately, which has been good to see
a lot less of the defensive front wrecking with the
offense is trying to do before they even get going.
But that was a that was a good rep by
Jack Sawyer on our guy, Stephen Jones. He has.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
I think they're quite pleased with what he's done.

Speaker 1 (27:19):
I think so too, and if like like we've talked about,
he can give you some stuff on special teams as
well too. I think he's going to be in for
a successful rookie season.

Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, I'm getting fonder and fonder of his work.

Speaker 1 (27:30):
Trips to the right hurlman in motion, Rudolph looking that
way now, gonna dump it back for Tray Sermon on
the opposite side of the field. Nice little pick up
there as uh, Jack Sawyer runs down the field and
tries to punch the ball out of his former Ohio
State Although I doubt that they played at the same time.

(27:50):
He was probably Sawyer was probably getting campus as Tray
Sermon was was.

Speaker 2 (27:55):
Like year four or five, right, so at.

Speaker 1 (27:58):
Most one year. But little little Buckeye on Buckeye crime
there down the field as those two are having some fun.
Uh Mason Ruffs still in the huddle there, it looks
like it, Yes, it is still Mason, still Mason Rudolph
for the offense.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
You gott think Rudolph's reps in practice are going to
pick up.

Speaker 1 (28:15):
A little bit of Howard absolutely think so.

Speaker 2 (28:17):
You don't just give them all the Thompson.

Speaker 1 (28:20):
No no, and you hey, you want Mason Rudolph to
stay sharp man. Yeah, as much as.

Speaker 2 (28:25):
You know that's probably getting home, get that out.

Speaker 1 (28:28):
Yeah, as much as like Mason Rudolph is a known
commodity at this station his career, you still want him
to get work, still want him to stay sharp as
uh he will now check out.

Speaker 2 (28:37):
I think that was a six man pressure and then
they did really good job coverage behind it.

Speaker 1 (28:41):
Yeah, got home quick there, and you're right, not not
much for for Mason Rudolph to work with behind the play.
M see a couple more reps here before we will
take a break here in this three o'clock hour practice.
Rolling on in front of us, a little team period
going on. Max Hurlman in the backfield with Skyler Thompson.

(29:03):
Now the big man, Darnell Washington goes in motion from
right to left, and we got a false start.

Speaker 2 (29:09):
Many of those have it no funny, like, well, I'm
just gonna false start maybe all camp?

Speaker 1 (29:13):
Yeah, absolutely haven't. As that was I'm trying to figure
out who that was.

Speaker 2 (29:17):
There, quick hitter to Hurlman there on the false start,
that was the right guard.

Speaker 1 (29:22):
It was the right guard, yes, but yeah, nice quick
hitter to Hurlman. Is he continued to probably I think
that's who it was. I do believe seventy one. As
it looks like when Johnny Smith's gonna check in here,
as they continue to work, all these tight ends are
getting work with all the quarterbacks.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
Yeah, yes, it's not. I mean, I know the depth
charts is Friar Moose won and he probably gonna get
the most work of all of them. But they're all
going to be used a lot in a lot of
different ways. I mean, it's an interesting group and an
interesting dynamic.

Speaker 1 (29:53):
Johnny Smith lined up out wide here, Now he will
move in motion more towards the slot. Thompson looking that way,
but he's well covered. Gonna dump it back across the
middle for Evan Hall, the Northwestern man, they are down
the sideline.

Speaker 2 (30:12):
Curtsey what he does in preseason?

Speaker 1 (30:13):
Yeah, him and Hurleman both. You know, we've we've seen
a lot of them in practice. We know that they're capable,
we know that they're versatile.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
Hurlman's role keeps growing, it does. It's gona be catching passes.
He canna get a couple carried, yep.

Speaker 1 (30:25):
And certainly, and I would expect that we'll see a
lot of that on Saturday Night. In Jacksonville for sure, Yeah, yeah, yeah, Matt,
what do he said? We get to a break here.
We'll wrap up the three o'clock hour when we return
on the other side. We've got some Twitter questions we're
gonna get to.

Speaker 3 (30:37):
We've got if you want audio to play or around
the league segment.

Speaker 1 (30:42):
All kinds of different stuff going on here as it's
another busy day on the campus of Saint Vincent College
here in Latrobe, another day of our full Steelers Nation
Radio coverage. Matt and I are with you until five o'clock.
The conclusion of practice, probably about a half an hour
way is Ooh. Max Hurlman just almost made a really
nice diving catch there, but just wasn't able to hold
to haul that one in. We'll continue to paint the

(31:03):
picture for you when we return. Wes Shuoler Matt Williamson.
Special edition of the Drive here on Steelers Nation Radio
on a Steelers Audio network.

Speaker 4 (31:13):
Iheartradios. Live coverage Job twenty twenty five Steelers Training Camp
is presented by Vedex where Now meets Next and also
brought to you by CGR Wholesale Roofing and Siding Supply
Center by Tons Appliances by Always Safe Flagging and Traffic Control,
by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, by Schneider Down's, by

(31:36):
Has's Steaked Seahouse, by your Neighborhood Forward Store, by Castle Rock,
by Clearview Federal Credit Union, and by US Steel.

Speaker 1 (31:49):
Rolling along here at practice for your Pittsburgh Steelers, the
penultimate practice of this week. One more tomorrow before we
all take off to Jacksonville on Friday. As Aaron Rode
now moving from right to left as the offensive switch
directions here and the ones are back on the field,
he'll dump that one off to Kenneth gain One, who's
just got to burst.

Speaker 2 (32:09):
Yeah, he really does. He shows up in this environment
really strong.

Speaker 1 (32:13):
Yeah, good job thereby Dylan Cook working at left tackle,
who did a good.

Speaker 2 (32:19):
Job working them in more and more. I don't think
that's a knock on Jones. I just think that they're
pretty interested in Cook.

Speaker 1 (32:25):
Yes, I think you're absolutely right. And he did a
really good job on herbig there. Herbert tried to hit
him with a spin move and he stayed with him
the whole way.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
This drill has been pretty intense, pretty high paid.

Speaker 1 (32:34):
It absolutely has. It's been good to see. I think
the last two days. This week has been a yeah,
stepping up an you know, I think they could tell
they're starting to get to that point. It's separation time,
you know what I mean. And you've got a preseason
game coming up, and everybody wants to make sure they're
getting their reps and their opportunity.

Speaker 2 (32:49):
And speaking of left tackle, I think it's noteworthy though
that Jones and Ciamal who are just kind of by
themselves here. I won't want to say resting, but they're
not with the other I'm been ready to come in
the game. I think the left side of the lines is
kind of getting a break. But I also think you
need to get cooked some reps if you're not happy
to Jones, you know what I mean, he's not out

(33:10):
of the woods as this guy is going to be
a star, you know.

Speaker 1 (33:13):
Yeah, no, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (33:14):
In fact, I need to have a trust factor with Cook.

Speaker 1 (33:16):
He's one of the best.

Speaker 2 (33:17):
With Calvin Anderson being out totally.

Speaker 1 (33:19):
Yeah, you're you're already thinner than you want to be.

Speaker 2 (33:22):
Yeah, and see, you.

Speaker 1 (33:23):
Better have some people that you can rely on, some
people that you can trust. Oh man, we've got Mason
Rudolph here operating with Caleb Johnson to his right now
with the twos in the fold, Max Harlaman gonna move
in motion. We continue to say his name a lot
a lot out here at practice, as they will have
trips to the left for Mason Rudolph and he's back,

(33:45):
he's looking, and he's dumping that one over the middle
to JJ Gallbreath for a nice pick up.

Speaker 2 (33:50):
Golbreth keeps showing up too. I just don't think there's
any tight end, you know, spots for him, but it's
been tight ends in the past to do that, and
they end up on the practice squad and they end
up calling him up with an injury or whatever. But
he snags the ball away from his frame. He sure
does run pretty well too.

Speaker 1 (34:04):
He can he can move. Like I said it, it's
there's there's four very established tight ends in front of him.
But I think he's doing everything he can to at
least get in that conversation and going to be a
couple of big preseason games for him as well. Certainly
as Mason Rudolph now will break the huddle, this time
with Tray Sermon to his right. He's got a trio

(34:26):
of receivers to the right as well, to Connor Hayward
to the left. Another one. He's bunch formations that Matt
them talking about here with Hurlaman in motion once again,
Steelers will bring blitz. Rudolph, looking able to get rid
of it, throws one downfield on a nice completetion sh
to Johnson, Yeah, down the field, kind of able to
pluck that one.

Speaker 2 (34:46):
Makes him play a game or play a practice does
Yeah he does. It's a gutsy throw and made a
nice adjustment on the ball.

Speaker 1 (34:52):
Third year man out of UCF And yeah, he went
up in kind of high pointed that one over top
a beanie Bishop who wasn't able to get turned around
and find it just in time. As the offense continues,
Matt to find some footing here this week.

Speaker 2 (35:05):
Absolutely a little more rhythm at all levels. Not just Rogers,
who you would expect to have picked it up and
he has, but even these two's two oh line Rudolph hurlman,
I mean hurlman, I mean again.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
Ocean once again here on this rep. Rudolph looking that
way instead, he's gonna dump it off to Kenneth Gainwell,
who picks up some nice blocks in.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
The o Linmon leading the way for him. I think
that was a design all along. Look everybody off, dump
it the game well with a couple of linemen leading
the way.

Speaker 1 (35:33):
Yep. And we've seen more of that kind of screen
game stuff from the Steelers out here as did as well.
Too encouraging to see.

Speaker 2 (35:40):
It is it is, alright, what else we got going here?
Looks like we got we got Skylar.

Speaker 1 (35:47):
Thompson checking in now, yeah, along with some of the
some of the third team defense as well two as
a couple of the defensive backs will move way down
the field to get a better look at this.

Speaker 2 (36:00):
As much it's a make a trick. He kind of
see thing as a deep center field or they'd watch
practice from you know, deep in the middle of the field.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
Yep. It looks like one thorn hill and maybe Miles
killer Brew taking a knee back there now just almost
did it. Skyler Thompson operating from the shotgun here, he
gets the snap he's looking right now, moves up in
the pocket nicely and lets one fly for a nice
reception there over the middle of the field. As as

(36:30):
the team period continues ongoing in front of us here,
mister Williamson.

Speaker 2 (36:36):
Nice pressure there from Dominique Davis defensive tackle at a
UNC Pembrooke. Can't say I'm familiar with his work, but
he's a real wide body knows tackle type. But he
got good penetration on that one.

Speaker 1 (36:47):
And yeah, and that was like a six white guy, Yeah,
big wide. He's got that low center of gravity out
there right now. I can see him moving around on
the interior of that defensive line as Skyler Thompson will
continue to operate in the shotgun with Max Harlaman in
motion once again. Evan Hall is out there as well too,

(37:11):
and the snap is back looking downfield, you unleash one
for Rock Taylor and just a little.

Speaker 2 (37:17):
Little bit little gravy there by the corner.

Speaker 1 (37:19):
Little gravy, A little gravvy by the corner on that one.
Was that Darryl Porter trying to see they got the
crop top numbers rolled up.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
In the so the build looks like him and I
think he wears the beanie on.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
He does, he sure does. Whar's the uh yeah, what
are those things called? Right? That's right? Yes, exactly exactly right.
As that was a nice downfield throw there, that was
That was Daryl Porter, nice down field throw there by.
Skyler Thompson just a little out of the reach of

(37:50):
Rock Taylor. Matt. We've gotten some tweets and things that
we can get to as well too. Here throughout the
course of the show, Steelers standard tweets us and says,
can you say, can you guys, can you say with confidence?
Part of me, can you say with confidence that the
Steelers are good enough at wide receiver?

Speaker 2 (38:06):
No? I mean that's a big statement right right right now.
I think adding Johnny Smith and being as as strong
as you are a tight end certainly helps. But there
are gonna be situations when you're losing by eight with
six minutes on the clock and you want a lot
of dynamic weapons out there that aren't tight ends. And

(38:29):
I think you're below the league average and that that
regard for sure. Let alone. If Metcalf misses any time,
then all of a sudden, you're extremely extremely weak there.
So No, I do think that we've seen some progress
from Wilson, and I think we know who Austin is
at this point. Austin a year ago was one of

(38:50):
my crossroad players, and I think he crossed the roads
or whatever, you know what I mean, Yeah, yeah, right right.
I wasn't sure a year ago He's some injuries before this.
I think Willon's starting to show that as well. I
think Woods is an NFL receiver. But I would like
another threat totally. Yeah, to say that I'm confident, right,

(39:10):
I mean that's a big word.

Speaker 1 (39:11):
I feel better about the wide receiver room than I
did this time last year.

Speaker 2 (39:15):
And I feel better about it than I did a
week ago.

Speaker 1 (39:17):
Yes, I'm with you on that.

Speaker 2 (39:19):
But I can't say that I'm However, that question was
structured hundred percent confident or whatever. No, can you.

Speaker 1 (39:26):
Say with confidence that the Steelers are good enough at
wide receiver? That was the way that was phrased. And
I'm not saying. I'm not saying with confidence that they're
terrible at wide receiver either. No, but I think I'm
with you one more, one more.

Speaker 2 (39:40):
You know, it's probably their weakest position group, I think.
I mean, yeah, Metcalf carries a lot of weight. Didn't
the counter opposite or the counter to that, But I
think it's probably their their weakest position.

Speaker 1 (39:52):
It certainly might be. It certainly might be, which is
something that we will continue to keep an eye on
and monitor as the As the t heads into a
special teams period here in front of us.

Speaker 2 (40:03):
LJ tweets the lefty kicker coming up, Oh.

Speaker 1 (40:06):
Ben saals Corlis weightman holding for him as he has
been throughout camp, saws drills that one. LJ tweets us
and says, seeing some posts that Caleb Johnson has struggled
with pass protection. If so, is that fixable short term
or is that more of a long term problem.

Speaker 2 (40:25):
I think it's true. I mean that I'm called a work.

Speaker 1 (40:27):
In progress has gone along.

Speaker 2 (40:30):
Yeah, I mean he did not come. He even not
become a Pittsburgh Steeler as an accomplished past protector. And
side note of this running back class rookies across the league,
there was only like one or two that were good,
and they were guys that were actually asked to do
more than him. So I wonder that, I mean, this
is kind of a college thing for you is in

(40:51):
the world and I know this is what they asked,
but hey, this is when you can take Yeah. Sometimes
this class of rookies across the league at receiver and
running back were like the worst group of draftable blockers.
I've seen it running back in wide receiver and I
throw it to you. I wonder, in the world of

(41:12):
nil does the nineteen year old say, I don't. I
was excited to do the dirty work. I got some
money in the bank, you know what I mean. Like
the Ohio State kids were great Henderson.

Speaker 1 (41:24):
Pro style offense, and there's more competition.

Speaker 2 (41:26):
You could get benched even if you're an nil guy.
You know, But across the draft class that it was
a very weak group of past protectors running back and
run blockers at wide receiver. I'm just wondering if that's
the beginning of a trend. I mean, we know college
football changes very rapidly.

Speaker 1 (41:44):
Yeah, No, listen, with the money involved, now, I don't
think you're being too cynical to bring that in. No, right, right, right,
These guys have less incentive to go put their face
in the fan than ever, sure, because they're already making
decent money. I think part of it is more and more.
And listen, there's still a lot of programs that do
run pro style offenses in college football. But there's a

(42:07):
lot of spread you out, there's a lot of you know,
whether it's air raid or run and shoot style spread
however you want to describe it, offenses in collegiate football
as well. I think that's a big part of it.
And I also this might be one of those I

(42:27):
don't know, like the things that you would typically say
that like, you know, like okay, Boomer, you know what
I mean, Nobody would say it an old person. But
I also I think there's a real almost touchy feely,
almost like a real jump scare for college coaches now
to coach their guys.

Speaker 2 (42:45):
Hard right right right because you're not blocking.

Speaker 1 (42:48):
If I if I get on this guy's backside and
he's not doing things right and I'm screaming, yell at him,
he's just gonna transfer.

Speaker 2 (42:54):
He's gonna transfer, right. No, it's kind of I threw
it to you. College game is so much better than
I do.

Speaker 1 (42:58):
I think it's a very weird, dico, because.

Speaker 2 (43:01):
Am I going to die on that hill as a coach?

Speaker 1 (43:03):
Am I going to die on that as a coach?
And then and then lose this guy in four months
when the transfer portal opens, and man, like I just
I a lot of times I think some of that
stuff is you know, can be exaggerated. But I do
think that there was like this.

Speaker 2 (43:19):
Which is unusual in this class.

Speaker 1 (43:21):
Maybe it's just an exception, you know what I meane,
Next year, next year and you know, there's a bunch
of Ruman Wilson pipes at the wide receiver position and
then guys who are willing to go.

Speaker 2 (43:29):
Into changing at college football.

Speaker 1 (43:31):
Lots changing and you know what to like, it's just
you could totally see that right how the money and
the portal and because of that, coaches.

Speaker 2 (43:39):
Man, these guys on my butt about blocking in the
run game.

Speaker 1 (43:43):
Handle these guys with kid gloves, you know, more than
ever before. At the same time, though, like that's isn't
that a weird kind of juxtaposition or like dichotomy, because
the best players always want to be coached, you know
what I mean, Like point blank period, the best players
want to be coached.

Speaker 2 (43:58):
And poor block, poor pass protecting running backs entering the
league has gone on since the dawna time. It's really
really hard and if most programs, if you're at NFL
running back, you're probably going out on a route or
getting the ball, you know what I mean, Like they
don't want their star necessarily protecting. But this group was

(44:19):
really really poor, and Johnson's one of them. But Johnson
has a little more excuse than some of them in
that they didn't throw the ball.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
There's a lot of opportunity the entire season, right.

Speaker 2 (44:31):
I mean it was like the lowest passing offense in
all of college football.

Speaker 1 (44:36):
Yes, no, it absolutely was, and I think certainly, but
I don't.

Speaker 2 (44:39):
Think it's a long term thing. Back to the question,
I don't either if we're in Week eight or if
we're sitting here next year and he's bad at it,
well then I'm worried, but it's gonna take time.

Speaker 1 (44:50):
Rich tweets us and says, now that Will Howard is injured, Well,
we only win sixteen games. You're catching on, rich You're
the kind of guy that we like around here, buddy, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (45:00):
Ye, yeah, as Hey. I love the enthusiasm for Will Howard,
but it's been a little crazy when you mentioned anything
that he's not going to be a star.

Speaker 1 (45:07):
And Matt, yeah, I agree with you on that, But
I also the other side of that is always we
have to remember they call all these people out here
and all these amongst Steeler Nation fans, right, and that's
short for a fanatic, That's exactly right. I still remember
every year as a kid, there was some player that
was drafted in the fifth or sixth or seventh round

(45:29):
that was gonna end up being a future gold Jets
and you can't wait to see him out there that far.
I mean, I was the one pound on the table
for some time for Breck Keesel the whole you know,
da draft and no receipts on that one for me
to produce there. But yeah, that was a good one
from Rich. Let's do this. Let's take another break here.

(45:51):
Special team is going on. We'll maybe bring you the
conclusion of the final periods of practice on the other side.
Get to some of these tweets as well too. We
also have some comments to play from Roman Wilson, from TJ. Watt,
from a couple others that we will get to in
the final hour of the program as well. So plenty
of moving and shaking in our final bonus hour when
we return West Shuler Matt Williams said, it's a special

(46:11):
edition of The Drive Live at Training Camp twenty twenty
five on Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.