Steelers ink Cotchery

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Steelers ink Cotchery

Seems to me that Jerricho has his sights set a lot higher than being the 5th receiver!! I have a feeling that this year's WR corp will be one of the best in Steeler history!!! Very similar to the group they had in 95!! Can't wait to see Ben use these assets to his advantage!!!

He could eventually fit as a replacement for Hines Ward in the future. If Hines doesn't play beyond this season, there wasn't anyone on the roster with his particular skillset until we signed Jerricho. Wallace is a completely different animal as a burner, and Sanders/Brown are both closer to Santonio in style than Hines (quick guys with tremendous run-after-catch ability). Cotchery seems to fit more in the Ward role (a possession guy that is good at finding holes in a zone and moving the chains).

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Steelers ink Cotchery

someone's gotta tell Cotchery it's the Black & Gold...


Surgery for Taylor; Cotchery practices

By Teresa Varley - Steelers.com


It was back to work for the Steelers on Sunday afternoon, but there were several players noticeably absent from practice, including cornerback Ike Taylor.

Taylor was sporting a cast on his broken left thumb suffered early on against the Redskins on Friday night.

“Ike is going to get his thumb fixed on Tuesday,” said Coach Mike Tomlin. “He’s going to have surgery so we’ll get him back out here quickly, I’m sure. I’m sure he’ll be stabilized in some form or fashion after the surgery is complete.”

Neither Tomlin nor Taylor offered a timetable on the injury, waiting to see how surgery goes, but Taylor is confident they will find a way for him to play with the injury.

“It’s all good. I don’t think you ever play 100 percent during the season,” said Taylor. “We are going to figure something out. I am sure they have something back there brewing.”

Taylor believes he suffered the injury on the second play of the game, but doesn’t recall what exactly happened.

“You feel pain but you don’t think about it when you are on the field,” said Taylor. “I told the doctor to look at it. He was like, yeah get out of there.

“It was just a freak accident. I can’t explain it. I don’t know how I did it. You don’t think about pain during the game.”

* * *

Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery made his debut at Steelers practice on Sunday afternoon and immediately felt comfortable in his new surroundings.

“It’s a fresh start. It’s a great atmosphere,” said Cotchery. “I am happy to be here. Everyone is tight. Everyone is close here. It’s easy to work in that atmosphere. You are going to get better.

“I was talking to Ryan Clark earlier and I was telling him I used to watch the (Steelers) interviews and I would hear guys talk about we do things a certain way over here. I wondered what they were talking about. I came here on my visit and I got it.

“These guys in the locker room, I get it. I see what everyone is talking about. It’s such a well-respected organization and you get it as soon as you walk through the door.”

Cotchery immediately got into the flow of things with the ball thrown his way several times during practice.

“He moved around well,” said Tomlin. “Of course we’ve been microwaving him, if you will, from an assignment standpoint. He’s a veteran guy and has eight years in the league. So we expect him to catch up pretty quickly.”

Cotchery was one of a handful of players who spent time after practice getting a little extra work in.

“You are a rookie all over again,” said Cotchery of learning things. “You don’t go out and play like a rookie, but you are learning new information, you are in a new environment and you have to respond well to it. You have to stay in the playbook. I am just trying to ask everybody questions and get it on the fly and make plays.

“I was having a blast. The whole playbook is being thrown at me right now but that is good. I need to be overloaded with information so I can go out and play. It was good to be on the field with these guys. I understand what is going on here. It’s something special so I am glad to be a part of it.”

Cotchery was brought in to add experience to a position where Hines Wardand third-year receiver Mike Wallace are joined by second-year players Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders.

“He adds depth. He is a great wide out,” said Ward. “He has been making plays every since he has been in the league. We really don’t have a lot of experience. Guys are having a good camp; we are just adding that extra veteran guy to be there. He definitely adds strength.”

Cotchery asked to be released from the Jets this year, wanting a new start and feeling like it was time to move on. He first visited with the Steelers, then the Baltimore Ravens, before signing with the Steelers.

“I am here to help this team get to the Super Bowl and win it. The Steelers are contending every year. I want to come in here and make some plays and win the Super Bowl.

“I came to play for a Super Bowl contender. But the atmosphere, the way they handle their guys here. It’s something I need at this time. This is the best for me to thrive in as a person and player.”

Cotchery said he is looking forward to playing with Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of his new teammates and was excited about day one.

“I didn’t sleep much last night,” said Cotchery. “I was looking forward to putting on the black and yellow. It’s an exciting time for me.”

* * *

Things got a little feisty in practice with offensive tackle Jonathan Scott and defensive end Cameron Heyward mixing things up, getting into a little scuffle at the end of play that teammates had to break-up.

“It’s part of the game,” said Heyward. “We are going to battle out here. Sometimes we are going to have guys getting after each other. It’s all in fun. We still love each other off the field.”

* * *

Tomlin on injuries: “We have a number of guys that are in the process of working themselves into participation in different forms and fashions. A lot of guys participating in individuals: Chris Kemoeatu, Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown and others. We’ll just continue to march those guys back. Some of the new injuries: Shaun Suisham had an illness; Brett Keiselsustained an ankle injury in the game; Arnaz Battle’s knee is swollen; Aaron Smith’s knee is swollen as well. Baron Batch is scheduled to get his surgery on Wednesday. Other than those things, we’re moving forward.”

* * *

The Steelers will hold two more open practices before breaking camp. They will have practice at St. Vincent College on Monday, Aug. 15 and Tuesday, Aug. 16 with both practices starting at 2:55 p.m.

[url="http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Surgery-for-Taylor-Cotchery-practices/a8469a2b-9fdb-453f-a55a-2aa5b7e5e782"]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/ ... a5b7e5e782[/url]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Steelers ink Cotchery

someone's gotta tell Cotchery it's the Black & Gold...

I blame that Khalifa bastage...I hate that #&@%ing song.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Steelers ink Cotchery

Cotchery settles in at camp

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, August 15, 2011



The way Jerricho Cotchery tells it, he should have no trouble meshing with teammates who share a blue-collar sensibility.

"My game is not pretty; it's not cute. My game is to get the job done," Cotchery, the Steelers' latest addition, said Sunday at St. Vincent College. "Whatever I have to do to help this team win the Super Bowl, I'm all for it."

It is fitting that Cotchery plans to take a Hines Ward approach at his second NFL stop. The Steelers signed Cotchery to a one-year contract to provide experience at wide receiver along with Ward, their most tenured player.

Cotchery, who was released by the New York Jets earlier this month, is also something of an insurance policy.

The Steelers shut down Emmanuel Sanders early in training camp so he could fully from offseason surgery on his left foot. Following a recent minor surgical procedure done to expedite the healing process, Sanders had said he hoped to play in the Steelers' final two preseason games.

Yesterday, the second-year receiver said he hopes to return for the Steelers' preseason finale Sept. 1 in Carolina.

"The worst thing I can do in this situation is go and rush it and re-break my foot, and then it being a lingering injury during the season," said Sanders, who had surgery during the offseason to correct a stress fracture in his left foot. "The X-rays are showing that the bone is starting to fill in, so I can't wish for anything better."

Cotchery, who is heading into his eighth NFL season, said pretty much the same thing about the Steelers.

The 6-foot, 203-pounder visited St. Vincent last Sunday. By the time he left, Cotchery knew he wanted to join the Steelers even though he is assured of nothing beyond a spot in the wide receivers rotation.

Cotchery said he visited the Ravens only as a formality, and he arrived in Latrobe on Saturday after agreeing to terms with the Steelers last Thursday.

"I was talking to (free safety) Ryan Clark how I used to watch the interviews and I used to hear guys talk about, 'We do things a certain way over here.' And I always wondered what they were talking about," Cotchery said before his first practice with the Steelers. "And I came here on my visit, and I got it. Everyone's close here, and it's easy to work in and you're going to get better."

Cotchery has 353 career receptions -- 210 more than Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Sanders combined. That total doesn't include the 4-yard touchdown catch Cotchery made against the Steelers in last season's AFC Championship Game.

His signing has been heartily endorsed by the Steelers' wide receivers, even though it may create a bit of a logjam when everyone is healthy.

"The more competition, the better," Wallace said. "He's a versatile guy; I think you can put him anywhere."

Cotchery had surgery during the offseason to correct a herniated disc. He said he has made a full recovery and that he's been running at full speed since last month.

Cotchery said the opportunity to play for a perennial Super Bowl contender drew him to the Steelers. He had been with a team that is on the cusp of reaching the Super Bowl, but Cotchery requested his release after the Jets signed Plaxico Burress.

"Future-wise, I didn't really see myself fitting in (with the Jets)," Cotchery said.

The Steelers had also courted Burress, and Cotchery is hoping to show them that he is anything but a consolation prize after they couldn't land him.

"This atmosphere is what I need right now," Cotchery said. "Nothing is given to you over here. You've got to come in, work your tail off and earn your stripes."

Inside the ropes

• Beleaguered lineman Tony Hills will start at right guard Thursday when the Steelers play Philadelphia at Heinz Field. Hills (6-foot-5, 305 pounds) practiced with the first team at right guard Sunday and said afterward that he will start against the Eagles. "I am open to the challenge," Hills said. "It's a great opportunity and a great challenge against a good pass-rush and penetrating team." Hills, the Steelers' fourth-round pick in 2008 out of Texas, has played in only four games in three years, most of which came at tackle.

• Left tackle Jonathan Scott and rookie first-round pick Cameron Heyward got into a scuffle during practice and had to be separated by teammates, including Maurkice Pouncey and Casey Hampton. "It's part of the game," Heyward said. "... it's all in fun and we still love each other off the field."

• Undrafted rookie free agent Miguel Chavis was moved from defensive end to tight end for yesterday's practice. The Steelers have been looking for an end-of-the-line blocking tight end since the departure of Matt Spaeth to Chicago. Chavis (6-5, 280) took part in individual drills, but no team drills.

• Punter Daniel Sepulveda picked up where he left off in Friday's preseason game by unleashing several booming punts during special teams practice. Sepulveda, who is coming off a right ACL injury, kicked approximately 20 balls, with a number of them traveling longer than 50 yards. Sepulveda averaged 51 yards on four kicks against the Redskins on Friday.

• Not practicing Sunday were kicker Shaun Suisham (illness), DE Brett Keisel (ankle), WR Arnaz Battle (knee), DE Aaron Smith (knee), CB Ike Taylor (thumb), WR Wes Lyons (concussion) and CB Crezdon Butler (leg).

Note: To make room for Cotchery, the Steelers placed defensive end Sunny Harris on the waived/injured list. Harris hurt his foot in the Steelers' 16-7 loss to the Washington Redskins on Friday night. Harris' foot is in a protective boot and he is on crutches.

[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_751594.html#ixzz1V78CJoSV"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1V78CJoSV[/url]

[feltdizz]

Re: Steelers ink Cotchery

"My game is not pretty; it's not cute."

Pot meet Kettle...

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Steelers ink Cotchery

Jerricho's injury walls come tumblin' down

Saturday, September 24, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Jerricho Cotchery pulls in a pass Aug. 18 against the Eagles.


It was a quick and successful start for Jerricho Cotchery after he signed with the Steelers two weeks into training camp.

After averaging 51 catches and 645 yards in seven seasons with the New York Jets, his debut with the Steelers in the second preseason game was equally productive.

Cotchery had two catches for 49 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles, including a 20-yard touchdown from Byron Leftwich. His arrival looked to be the finishing touch to a receiving corps that includes Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown.

"When I first walked into the locker room in the preseason game and to see my name on a black-and-gold jersey, it was a sight," Cotchery said.

"I was excited to be out there."

But nobody has seen Cotchery since, at least, not on a football field. He injured his right hamstring in that game, did not play in the final two preseason games and aggravated the injury the week leading up to the opener in Baltimore.

Cotchery, though, might finally resurface Sunday night in Lucas Oil Stadium when the Steelers (1-1) play the Indianapolis Colts (0-2). He has practiced all week and could dress as the fifth receiver against the Colts.

"To have that setback and having to wait this long to get back on the field have been frustrating," Cotchery said. "But the guys and coaching staff have been very supportive through this time."

Cotchery, 29, was signed to give the Steelers a tough, experienced receiver in the slot, a player who could catch the ball in what offensive coordinator Bruce Arians calls "the grimy areas of the field."

But, even if he does dress against the Colts, Cotchery likely will be used only in five-wide receiver sets. The Steelers want to make sure their young playmakers, Sanders and Brown, are on the field in the three- and four-receiver formations.

No matter. Cotchery will be glad just to be back in uniform.

"I got a lot of work in and I didn't have any setbacks," Cotchery said. "I woke up this morning and feel good right now. Coach [Mike Tomlin] is going to listen to me to see how my body is responding, and they're going to watch me work and they're going to go from there."

Cotchery said he felt his hamstring tightening against the Eagles and came out of the game. As a precaution, the Steelers held him out of practice at training camp and did not let him play in the final two preseason games, hoping to have him ready against the Ravens.

But, that week, Cotchery tested his hamstring and ended up aggravating the injury, setting him back again. He missed the first two games against the Ravens and Seattle Seahawks.

"We were being very cautious at that time, that's the frustrating part about it," Cotchery said. "It started feeling pretty good, and I went out and practiced and did it again. I wanted to be out there for that first game and I ended up missing two games because I re-did it.

"Right now, I'm feeling better than I felt at that time. Right now, I'm trying to build off this and move in the right direction to put this behind us."

Left is left, right is right

The Colts have what Mike Tomlin called a "unique" way of aligning their wide receivers -- always lining Reggie Wayne on their left side and Pierre Garcon on the right.

They did the same thing when Marvin Harrison played, too, always lining him on the right.

But, actually, it's not that unique.

Arians, who was the quarterback coach in Indianapolis from 1998-2000, said the Colts do that because their former offensive coordinator, Tom Moore, always preferred his receivers to line up on the same side -- even when he was with the Steelers.

Arians said Lynn Swann always lined on the right side and John Stallworth to the left when Moore was in charge of the Steelers offense from 1977-89.

"He always thought if Marvin Harrison was going to run 100 routes, it's easier for him to run 100 routes from the right side rather than 50 from the right and 50 from the left," Arians said.

Quick hits

• Defensive end Brett Keisel (knee sprain) did not practiced all week and will not play against the Colts. He already has been ruled out.

• Cornerback Bryant McFadden (hamstring), who did not play against Seattle, has practiced with the second team, and will not start. He will be replaced by William Gay at left cornerback. McFadden isn't listed on the team's official status report.

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