PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers spent February overhauling their offensive teaching workers, March doing the identical to the quarterback room and the final week of April giving the offensive line a large injection of youth.
The huddle and the sideline will look considerably totally different this fall when the Steelers take the sphere in Week 1.
How longtime coach Mike Tomlin needs his workforce to maneuver the ball, nonetheless, is not going to. The proof came to visit three sometimes-tense days of the NFL draft, when normal supervisor Omar Khan’s took his emphasis on constructing the workforce from the within out to the acute.
The Steelers chosen offensive linemen with three of their first 5 picks, grabbing Washington sort out Troy Fautanu within the first spherical, West Virginia middle Zach Frazier within the second and South Dakota State guard Mason McCormick within the fourth.
The earlier time Pittsburgh used such heavy draft capital on linemen got here in 1976 on the top of the “Metal Curtain” dynasty. Doing it once more practically 50 years later highlights that whereas the sport is ever-changing, some facets stay timeless, notably in Pittsburgh.
“It was a powerful offensive line group,” Khan stated. “We’ve talked loads of instances about how we really feel concerning the significance of the offensive line … it simply sort of labored that approach for us.”
Frazier and Fautanu determine to be given each probability to earn a beginning job in coaching camp. Fautanu began 27 of 28 video games at left sort out throughout his junior and senior seasons with the Huskies whereas Frazier was a four-year starter for the Mountaineers. McCormick, who figures to be taught behind veterans Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels, suited up a staggering 70 instances for the Jackrabbits.
“We’re searching for guys with expertise,” Tomlin stated. “Oftentimes that expertise is coupled with expertise. It’s good to have a gaggle that’s mature as gamers and as individuals. All which means is we should always count on these guys to have a excessive ground and a great presentation of what they’re able to early on.”
First-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith now has the instruments to probably re-create the dominant floor sport he put collectively whereas calling performs with Tennessee in 2019 and 2020.
As a substitute of Derrick Henry, Smith has Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren among the best working again tandems within the league. Fautanu, Frazier and sort out Broderick Jones — final 12 months’s first-round choose — give the road a core that shares a pedigree with the group the Steelers had within the mid-2010s with middle Maurkice Pouncey, guard David DeCastro and sort out Alejandro Villanueva.
“There’s a sure fashion of play and intent we wish that matches this workforce and the historical past right here and the Steelers and the model of soccer, a shared imaginative and prescient,” Smith stated.
A imaginative and prescient Smith will attempt to see to fruition. Whereas a lot of the eye throughout coaching camp can be on just lately acquired quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, throughout them it may very well be the identical because it ever was in Pittsburgh.
WAITING FOR WILSON, PART 1
The Steelers didn’t neglect the opposite positions completely. Pittsburgh drafted Michigan extensive receiver Roman Wilson within the third spherical, received over by each his velocity (Wilson ran a 4.39 40-yard sprint) and his competitiveness.
The 5-foot-11 Wilson isn’t afraid to go over the center and is a keen blocker, a trait not all the time shared by his new teammates.
Maybe simply as importantly to Tomlin, Wilson comes from a program coming off a nationwide title.
“You’ll be able to’t say sufficient concerning the successful part by way of the way in which it shapes (gamers like Wilson’s) relationship with the sport and what they’re keen to do and their mettle,” Tomlin stated. “He checks numerous these containers.”
WAITING FOR WILSON, PART 2
Payton Wilson’s school resume screamed high-end expertise. That’s what made the within linebacker’s availability late within the third spherical all of the extra startling to Khan and Tomlin.
Wilson received the Butkus Award because the nation’s prime linebacker after his remaining season at North Carolina State. Nonetheless, groups gave the impression to be scared off by his damage historical past, together with a number of knee surgical procedures.
Not the Steelers, who may pair Wilson with newly signed Patrick Queen sooner or later down the street.
“We’re actually excited concerning the assortment of expertise we’ve been in a position to assemble,” Tomlin stated.
WHAT’S MISSING
The Steelers entered the draft with wants at extensive receiver and the secondary. They ended the draft by tabbing Roman Wilson and taking a flyer on Texas defensive again Ryan Watts within the sixth spherical.
Whereas each have potential, Pittsburgh — which is constructed to win now, as all the time — may nonetheless use a severe expertise inflow at each positions earlier than they report back to coaching camp at Saint Vincent School in late July.
Outdoors linebacker Alex Highsmith restructured his contract to liberate somewhat wage cap area, and there’s a really actual probability Khan may buy groceries within the coming weeks.
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