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Steelers Notebook: Adams all right at tackle position
Monday, August 02, 2010
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/1077048-66.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/1077048-66.stm[/url]
Players and coaches on offense were not the only ones happy to see five-time Pro Bowler Flozell Adams join the Steelers' line at right tackle.
Defensive end Aaron Smith also was pleased, even though he must line up across from him during training camp practices.
"I feel I'm getting younger by the day," Smith said. "Just keep bringing old guys in, I'll be the young guy again."
Smith is 34, Adams 35.
Early reports have Adams fitting in nicely at right tackle after playing most of his 12-year career with the Dallas Cowboys at left tackle. One of those reports came from Smith.
"He looks good. I don't know how much football he's been able to do but he's going to help us. The thing about experience is guys know how to make adjustments and understand what's going on. I think he can be a big asset for us."
Hood to keep defense fresh
Defensive end Ziggy Hood had a good first couple of days in training camp and looks every bit like a first-round draft pick from 2009. But where can he play? Smith has started at left end since 2000 and Brett Keisel has started at right end since 2006 and neither player has given his coaches any reason not to keep the status quo.
"If you're good enough, you're going to get on the field, that's just the way it works," Smith said. "With him and if we get a nice rotation it will be nice and guys won't have to play a ton of snaps. It will keep you more fresh and allow guys to get after people."
Smith then threw out a line in reference to the five fourth-quarter leads the defense blew in 2009 losses.
"Maybe in the fourth quarter, we won't be so tired to finish."
Hood took a few snaps at nose tackle over the weekend with Casey Hampton out but there are no plans to use him there.
Redman looks for opening
Kirby Wilson, who coaches the running backs, approached Isaac Redman before camp's first practice to let him know he has an opportunity this summer to carve out a niche for himself.
Although Redman thought he had done that last season, and the fans almost picketed in his favor, he did not make the team and spent most of the season on the practice squad.
"He said the ball's in my court," said Redman, an undrafted rookie in 2009 from Bowie State in Maryland. "It's up to me whether I make this team or not and I just have to find that niche or whatever it is."
He did so well carving one out last summer that he quickly became known as "Red Zone" for his success near the goal line. During last camp's first goal-line drill, he scored on his only two carries. Then, in the first preseason game, he scored touchdowns from 3 and 5 yards against the Cardinals.
In the second and final camp goal-line drill, Redman scored all three times against the first-team defense. Tomlin wanted to see if he could keep doing it and if he was in any better shape than when he first reported to camp and told the coaches to keep giving him the ball.
Redman kept scoring. In seven live plays run from the 1 in that drill, Redman scored five times and lost another on a disputed call. Still, he was released and signed to the practice squad.
"Last year I did well in that area," Redman acknowledged. "I guess that's the niche that I'm going to have to excel in again and kind of focus on that to make this team."
The coaches have mentioned his name more often since the spring, both Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.
"My conditioning is way better than it was last year," Redman said. "I didn't have a problem with the run test this year, where last year I had a big problem with it. I feel more like a pro right now."
Concussion to Foster
Besides the hamstring injury to rookie center Maurkice Pouncey Sunday morning, guard Ramon Foster joined the injury list with a concussion. Active players still out were Casey Hampton (hamstring) and rookie running back Jonathan Dwyer.
For more on the Steelers, read the blog, Ed Bouchette On the Steelers at [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/plus"]http://www.post-gazette.com/plus[/url]. Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email="ebouchette@post-gazette.com"]ebouchette@post-gazette.com[/email].
Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/1077048-66.stm#ixzz0vQPS72cO"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/10 ... z0vQPS72cO[/url]
Monday, August 02, 2010
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/1077048-66.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/1077048-66.stm[/url]
Players and coaches on offense were not the only ones happy to see five-time Pro Bowler Flozell Adams join the Steelers' line at right tackle.
Defensive end Aaron Smith also was pleased, even though he must line up across from him during training camp practices.
"I feel I'm getting younger by the day," Smith said. "Just keep bringing old guys in, I'll be the young guy again."
Smith is 34, Adams 35.
Early reports have Adams fitting in nicely at right tackle after playing most of his 12-year career with the Dallas Cowboys at left tackle. One of those reports came from Smith.
"He looks good. I don't know how much football he's been able to do but he's going to help us. The thing about experience is guys know how to make adjustments and understand what's going on. I think he can be a big asset for us."
Hood to keep defense fresh
Defensive end Ziggy Hood had a good first couple of days in training camp and looks every bit like a first-round draft pick from 2009. But where can he play? Smith has started at left end since 2000 and Brett Keisel has started at right end since 2006 and neither player has given his coaches any reason not to keep the status quo.
"If you're good enough, you're going to get on the field, that's just the way it works," Smith said. "With him and if we get a nice rotation it will be nice and guys won't have to play a ton of snaps. It will keep you more fresh and allow guys to get after people."
Smith then threw out a line in reference to the five fourth-quarter leads the defense blew in 2009 losses.
"Maybe in the fourth quarter, we won't be so tired to finish."
Hood took a few snaps at nose tackle over the weekend with Casey Hampton out but there are no plans to use him there.
Redman looks for opening
Kirby Wilson, who coaches the running backs, approached Isaac Redman before camp's first practice to let him know he has an opportunity this summer to carve out a niche for himself.
Although Redman thought he had done that last season, and the fans almost picketed in his favor, he did not make the team and spent most of the season on the practice squad.
"He said the ball's in my court," said Redman, an undrafted rookie in 2009 from Bowie State in Maryland. "It's up to me whether I make this team or not and I just have to find that niche or whatever it is."
He did so well carving one out last summer that he quickly became known as "Red Zone" for his success near the goal line. During last camp's first goal-line drill, he scored on his only two carries. Then, in the first preseason game, he scored touchdowns from 3 and 5 yards against the Cardinals.
In the second and final camp goal-line drill, Redman scored all three times against the first-team defense. Tomlin wanted to see if he could keep doing it and if he was in any better shape than when he first reported to camp and told the coaches to keep giving him the ball.
Redman kept scoring. In seven live plays run from the 1 in that drill, Redman scored five times and lost another on a disputed call. Still, he was released and signed to the practice squad.
"Last year I did well in that area," Redman acknowledged. "I guess that's the niche that I'm going to have to excel in again and kind of focus on that to make this team."
The coaches have mentioned his name more often since the spring, both Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.
"My conditioning is way better than it was last year," Redman said. "I didn't have a problem with the run test this year, where last year I had a big problem with it. I feel more like a pro right now."
Concussion to Foster
Besides the hamstring injury to rookie center Maurkice Pouncey Sunday morning, guard Ramon Foster joined the injury list with a concussion. Active players still out were Casey Hampton (hamstring) and rookie running back Jonathan Dwyer.
For more on the Steelers, read the blog, Ed Bouchette On the Steelers at [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/plus"]http://www.post-gazette.com/plus[/url]. Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email="ebouchette@post-gazette.com"]ebouchette@post-gazette.com[/email].
Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/1077048-66.stm#ixzz0vQPS72cO"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/10 ... z0vQPS72cO[/url]
