The Steelers returned to work on Tuesday after being off Monday and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was on crutches.
Sanders had a procedure on his sore left foot, getting bone marrow from his heel injected into the area in which he had a stress fracture during the offseason.
Sanders expects to be back in two to three weeks.
© The highlight of today's practice was the linebackers vs. tight ends running drill.
I watched rookie Chris Carter, a fifth-round pick out of Fresno State a lot - as did coach Mike Tomlin.
Carter looks small compared to the team's other linebackers and that showed up in this drill. He pretty much got overpowered by anyone he went up against.
He looked better in one-on-one pass rushing drills later, but he needs to work on his functional strength.
Tomlin was riding second-year linebacker Jason Worilds pretty good throughout the drill.
Worilds told me he has added some muscle this season and is up to 257 pounds. He looked like Carter last season, so there is some hope there.
© Starring for the tight ends in the drill was first-year player Jamie McCoy. McCoy showed strong hands and good strength. He does duck his head some at contact, but that can possibly be coached out of him.
© Rookie offensive lineman Keith Williams is starting at left guard, at least until Thursday, and he has shown some pretty good nasty.
On an inside run drill Tuesday, he caught a blitzing Larry Foote and drove him into the ground.
He also held his own in one-on-one passing drills against first-round pick Cameron Heyward. Looks like the sixth-round draft pick might have a future here.
© The more I see of the punters in camp, the more sense it makes that the team resigned Daniel Sepulveda. I've seen my fill of 30 and 35-yard kicks.
20 comments:
Dale,
Ed Bouchette said he thinks no. 14 (is that WR Armand Robinson?), WR Wes Lyons and TE W. Saunders all have had their moments so far this camp and have a chance. Ed also said he believes that the team would sign Flozell before it would resign Starks. The Steelers need a stud guard so here's to hoping G Keith Williams makes this team.
The thing that I like about McCoy is that he also has 4.5 speed, which would make him the fastest of the H-Back types on the roster. I'll still wait for the games to see who separates themselves. If Chris Carter can play special teams, I have no problem with giving him a redshirt year to work on that strengh because he definitely has quickness and that bend coming around the corner. But if he can't play special teams, then he's just another Bruce Davis.
Dale,
The Vikings just released LT Bryant McKinnie. He's 31 years old and will be 32 next month, but do you think the Steelers would be interested? The dude does have a couple of pro bowls on his resume and is a natural LT. Thoughts?
McKinnie could be possible - at the right price. Mike Tomlin would be familiar with him.
It's too early to make any decisions about young wideouts. It's one thing to make catches when you know you're not going to be hit. Another to make them when you know you're taking a shot.
Dale, you're killin me
You're telling me that Worilds was tiny in his year 1 appearance, but has put on considerable weight to get to 257. Well he was drafted and listed at 262. So he either lost 5 lbs to get to his current weight, or gained weight to get to 270.
Do you even coved this team? C'mon now. I want to believe you, but please, fact check the two or three things you're gonna tell me before you post them. You know, like a real journalist would do.
He either lost weight to get to your reported 257, or he noticeably gained weight from his supposedly weak 1st year 262lb appearance, and is 270+ now. Which is it Lolley? Can you post a fact checked edit to this in the future, or should I get my info elsewhere? Its inexcusable not to know a player's previous weight when making an erroneous and illogical comment about their current weight.
Dale,
That's right, Tomlin would know him. Hmmmm. The thought just got even more intriguing.
Actually, Anonymous, Worilds was listed at 254 if you go by draftscout which is far more reliable than the team's listing. And while three pounds is hardly a huge bulk up, I'm sure I'll be waiting with the others for you to apologize to Dale, or not, I don't really care much. Just sayin
That 262 may not be official when he joined the team. 257 is what Worilds told Lolley
He's just reporting what he was told and what he sees. Worilds DID look slim last year. And he still looked explosive. He probably added a lot of muscle and is at the 257 he says he is.
how is draftscout's weigh in at the combine in march more reliable than the listed OFFICIAL weight by the Steelers and the NFL at training camp?
Kyle, So now we're blaming the player for what he told Lolley rather than expect Lolley to fact check his articles.
All im saying is he was 262 officially last year. If he's 257 now, he's lost weight. Go back and edit it to say he's lost weight if thats accurate, and then deter the entire suggested point in the article (which is based around the weight gains from year 1-2 that lolley observed, which apparently never existed). All I'm asking for is logical information, I don't think that makes me overly demanding as a reader.
Those of you that are grinding over whether or not someone is 257 or 262 really need to get a life..seriously.
Get a life anonymous, if you wanna disagree that's fine but don't be an @$$. Dale spends his time reporting to us on this blog for nothing, at least give a little gratitude
I can see why the steelers brought back sepulvada. But what are they going to do when he blows another knee? Doesnt matter how good your punter is if he only has one knee
Anonymous,
Draftscout is more reliable because it's based on an actual weigh-in and they have no reason to fudge it. NFL teams, and college and high school for that matter, always list their players as heavier than they are, although Casey Hampton has probably never been listed as heavy as he really is. There is every reason to believe that the Steelers listed Worilds as heavier than he was, seeing as how that is standard practice.
Thanks.
Dale,
Thanks for the updates! Had a couple questions...I know its early...but wondering...
Is Worilds the second coming of Bruce Davis?
Does Baron Batch force Jon Dwyer out of his roster spot?
Charlie Batch or Dennis Dixon @ #3 QB?
Anon,
You have to be new to sports if you think teams "official" weights are official.
i'm gonna start teaching my ten year old to punt every day so he can hit 45 yarders on a consistent basis and laugh all the way to the bank.
seriously, how can there be a shortage on punters?
To the Anonymous poster who ripped Dale, Welcome to the NFL weight listings, where Casey Hampton has weighed exactly 325 throughout his entire career and Jerome Bettis never exceeded 255.
It might be very fulfilling for you to try to show up a seasoned reporter by calling him out anonymously, but you missed the entire point of Dale's post. The fact is Worilds was skinny last year, and he is visibly bigger this preseason.
i thought Worilds looked pretty good as a 20 yr old rookie
looking forward to watching him progress
Dale - do any of the young TE/Hbacks look good?
Ultraview, your data sucks. It's out of date (doesn't reflect cuts, like Max Starks) and omits key players (ever heard of James Harrison?).
As several posters have stated, what guys are listed as and what they really are usually are two different things.
What's James Farrior listed at? He's been playing at 225 to 230 the past few years. Worilds looks thicker and stronger.
As for the young tight ends, McCoy has caught my eye.
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