Steelers DeCastro & Adams Off To Slow Start, No Need To Panic

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers DeCastro & Adams Off To Slow Start, No Need To Panic

Aug 3rd, 2012 by CraigSteelers

We’ve been saying over here in not so many words that rookies David DeCastro and Mike Adams will be the saving grace for the Steelers’ offensive line…. like right away. There’s not enough Heinz 57 for me to lather up my hat for consumption if this isn’t the case. From early reports at OTA’s and mini camps, Adams was becoming a fast learner. DeCastro, being the first rounder, has been placed on a rather high pedestal of expectations. But, according to Chris Adamski of cbssports.com, either one has yet to become a ‘done deal’ as the new starters at guard and tackle.

DeCastro has been seen beaten during blocking drills – and not by Troy Polamalu either, but by third year Al Woods. Of course coming in as a rookie is a tough spot to be in. The NFL is a completely different level of intensity and skill. It will take time to adjust and DeCastro recognizes that he has a lot of work to do. And let’s not forget that it’s only the end of the first full week of camp. There’s a long road ahead. The same goes for Adams. Trai Essex has been leading the way at left tackle with Adams following. Max Starks, though listed on the PUP is around to act as mentor for the first year man out of Ohio State.

There’s plenty of time for these two young men to keep learning, refining those skills, and eventually step into starting rolls by the beginning of the season. As one of our readers so strongly put, Steelers’ offensive line coach Sean Kugler is a fantastic coach, and will be great in grooming all of these players to gel together as a cohesive offensive line. I still see some great strides taken by this line over the coming season. The offense will be more effective overall for it, and Big Ben will be a happier little camper with his head in the clouds and not 3 inches deep in the turf.

Hey, not every rookie the Steelers draft can be a Maurkice Pouncey. And even he had some growing pains over his first year. Panic not Steeler Nation – you can still trade in that Wallace jersey for a DeCastro #66.

[URL]http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/08/03/steelers-decastro-adams-off-to-slow-start-no-need-to-panic/[/URL]

[Shawn]

In other news, after one week of OTAs Rainey has yet to have learned the entire play book. It appears the 2012 draft class is a bust.

[flippy]

And Spence hasn't displaced Foote. Bust #4.

[hawaiiansteel]

Ed: Adams Promoted to First Team

SATURDAY, 04 AUGUST 2012 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

Mike Adams, the Steelers second-round draft choice, has been promoted to the first team at left tackle. Adams leapfrogged over veteran Trai Essex the past few days. Coach Mike Tomlin said Adams earned that promotion and he will continue to run with the first team.

The question now becomes whether Adams or Max Starks will open the season as the starting left tackle. Starks is on the physically unable to perform list after ACL surgery in January but indications are he will be ready to play for the start of the regular season.

In today's goalline drills, the defense crushed the offense, stopping them short on five of seven plays from the 1 1/2 yardline.

[URL]http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/117489-ed-adams-promoted-to-first-team[/URL]

[skyhawk]

Bustacastro.

[hawaiiansteel]

Making the Leap: Mike Adams Moves Into the Starting Lineup at Tackle

August 5th, 2012 Matt Loede



The Steelers appear to be on the verge of a changing of the guard. Or in this case, a changing of the tackle.

Mike Adams, the Ohio State tackle the team took in the second round of this past April’s NFL Draft, is moving up the charts, and according to Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette, he’s lining up with the #1′s in camp.

Mike Adams moved up to the starting left tackle job in just one week of his rookie training camp. That’s quicker than even Maurkice Pouncey moved into the top spot at center his rookie season in 2010. There’s still one thing left for Adams to do, however. He must beat out last year’s starter, Max Starks, who is currently on the PUP list but should be ready to go before the season begins. Mike Tomlin said on Saturday that Adams is “far from ready,” yet it looks as though he will start the first preseason game on Ben Roethlisberger’s blind side Thursday night against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

There was some panic due to the fact that both Adams and David DeCastro were not starting right off the bat. All seems calm now, as Adams has moved into his number one role, and while DeCastro hasn’t, the move to having him start on the O-line will soon enough.

[URL]http://www.steelersgab.com/2012/08/05/making-the-leap-mike-adams-moves-into-the-starting-lineup-at-tackle/[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Bustacastro.

That's DeBustro to you.

Seriously, though...I think the only reason that Adams has been promoted to the starting lineup first is that Ramon Foster is a much more competant NFL RG than Trai Essex is an NFL LT. Plus, DeCastro needs to work on his interviewing skills before being named a starter. The team is giving Foster (who has started 26 out of 41 games in 3 seasons) an opportunity to start at least 1 preseason game before he is replaced. Essex, on the other hand, has been a backup for all but one season of his 7 year NFL career, so it is not surprising that Adams has already passed him for a position like LT that requires a certain degree of athletic ability in order to prevent your QB from getting killed. I'd say if Max Starks were healthy, DeCastro would be starting at RG before Adams would be starting at LT.

[phillyesq]

I'd be surprised if DeCastro isn't starting by week 1, and shocked if he isn't starting by week 6. Due to their school schedules, these guys missed most of the offseason work, so it doesn't surprise me that it's taken them more than a week of training camp to become entrenched starters.

I think Starks/Adams, as Ruthless pointed out, is a closer call because Starks is a better starter. When he is healthy, it wouldn't surprise me if Starks is inserted with the first team. I think the Steelers will make Adams earn the LT position, and just from looking at the depth chart, veterans are typically viewed as the incumbents, especially at this stage.

[flippy]

I'm surprised how well put together Adams looks in his pics. I usually expect these big guys to be a little sloppy and take a year or 2 in the NFL weight room to turn their body into an NFL body. With the way he looks already, he may turn into the Incredible Hulk next year and throw around a guy like Ngata or Suh like a rag doll - not that he'll ever have to block those guys per se.

[fezziwig]

DeCastro will be the starter this season. Not that Adams doesn't have a shot at being a starter but, DeCastro will stand more of a chance of being a starter.

[hawaiiansteel]

Rookie offensive tackle Adams earning Steelers snaps, trust

By F. Dale Lolley
Aug 5, 2012


LATROBE – At 6-7, 323 pounds, offensive tackle Mike Adams cuts an imposing figure.

That hasn’t stopped some teammates from taking a run at the Steelers’ rookie during training camp here at Saint Vincent College.

Adams’ tenacity on the football field has already gotten him into a brief skirmish or two, most often with former Ohio State teammate Cameron Heyward.

The two went at it again Friday night during the Steelers’ practice at Latrobe Stadium, with Heyward taking offense after Adams knocked him to the ground during a team drill.

While they don’t necessarily like teammates fighting, the coaching staff seems to have taken notice of the second-round draft pick’s tenacity. Adams was moved up to the first-team offensive line Saturday, sliding ahead of veteran Trai Essex.

“Mike’s been doing a nice job. He’s earning those snaps,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “But again, he’s far from ready.”

Adams, however, is certainly moving in the right direction, something many wondered would ever happen after his final season at Ohio State.

Adams missed the first five games of the 2011 season for his part in receiving illegal benefits at Ohio State. Then, he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL draft combine.

The Steelers initially took him off of their draft board following his positive drug test. But Adams, a native of Farrell, set an appointment with Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert and Tomlin and begged for a second chance.

Considered by most to have first-round talent, Adams slipped to the second round, where he was selected by the Steelers.

Thus far, he’s been making the most of his second chance.

But lurking in the background is Max Starks, the team’s starter at left tackle for most of 2011.

Starks suffered a torn ACL at the end of last season, but the Steelers re-signed him just prior to the start of training camp. Starks is currently on the physically unable to perform list but has been working out with trainer Marcel Pastoor during Steelers practices. He’s also been helping Adams with the transition to the NFL.

“Having a guy like Max is priceless to my development,” Adams said. “Max is a guy who’s been doing it for a long time at a high level, so just to have him here to help me is something I’m really grateful for.”

Adams wasn’t the only Steelers rookie working with the first-team offense Saturday.

No. 1 draft pick David DeCastro was moved into a starting role at right guard after Ramon Foster shifted over to left guard in place of Willie Colon, who sat out Saturday with a sore ankle.

“He’s been doing a nice job of representing himself, so we’ll see where it goes,” said Tomlin. “I wasn’t watching him specifically. I’ll look at that tonight on tape. Just in general, he’s been representing himself well.”

[URL]http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sports11/Adams--DeCastro-Steelers-1s[/URL]

[fezziwig]

So your saying Heyward is a bust

[Eddie Spaghetti]

guess ramon foster doesn't read the board and realize he has no business being on an NFL roster.

even money says he is the week 1 starter in denver.

good for him to compete hard for his job.

[fezziwig]

I think it's great that we have these guys coming into their own finally, fighting for their jobs and trying to improve and trying to be the starter. We are seeing the youth movement here and kind of a rebuilding situation also. No....I take that back about rebuilding because we were never down to need to come back up but, it's nice to see we have young guys taking over now.

[feltdizz]

Why did DeCastro drop in the draft? I know its early but people were talking like he was the truth. just wondering if he was available because he needs time to get acclimated.