Draft Picks Progress

[feltdizz]

The problem is that they aren't getting reps regardless of whether the team is good or not, they are the future, at least for right now.

Pappy

yep, I fell a victim to the Deebo signing just like fans did with Keisel, Smith, etc...

gotta let these young guys get reps. It's not we are coming off a deep playoff run or an 11-5 season.

[papillon]

yep, I fell a victim to the Deebo signing just like fans did with Keisel, Smith, etc...

gotta let these young guys get reps. It's not we are coming off a deep playoff run or an 11-5 season.

I believe the thinking was that the 6-2 down the stretch last year plus one more respectable year out of Keisel and James and they might compete deep into the playoffs. That isn't happening at this point, I might consider releasing Keisel and bringing Mauro up from the PS and Harrison and bring McCullers up as well. Moore and Heyward-Bey aren't seeing enough time or making enough of an impact to keep Bryant on the PS either.

It's time to take some un-Steeler like steps and complete the youth movement and take the growing pains that go with it, but at the same time find out what you have or don't have. Harrison is top 3 favorite of mine of all time, but its time to move on. I would have liked to see what he could be doing right now if he had stayed in football shape. There's no use in paying him to get into football shape.

Pappy

[WindyCitySteel]

The 6-2 was a mirage, built largely on a schedule of tomato can QBs. When it counted, we lost to the Phins in a blizzard and NE put a double nickel on the D.

This is largely the same team, only the schedule will be a little tougher this year.

But I agree with Pappy - play the kids. The oldsters are accomplishing nothing but stealing valuable playing and learning time from the future players.

[hawaiiansteel]

ROOKIE TALES

Jim Wexell
Publisher SteelCityInsider.net
Oct 15, 2014

Three rookies took on new and important roles at the Steelers' Wednesday practice.

PITTSBURGH -- Martavis Bryant didn't look like the savior of the Steelers' struggling red-zone offense Wednesday. He just looked like a rookie getting his first taste of genuine game preparation.

The 6-foot-4 receiver with the deep speed couldn't catch up to one pass, and he let another one go through his hands. But his quarterback wasn't about to judge Bryant harshly, or at all.

"I have to look and see if he was in the right spot, right depth. Was it me? Was it him?" said Ben Roethlisberger. "Plus, it is the first time we've done anything. Throw someone in the fire that quick, there's got to be a little bit of a curve.

"We've got an extra day this week so it's too early to pass judgment."

The two players worked together in the spring and summer, of course, but since the season has begun, and each rep is so much more meaningful, Bryant had only worked with the scout team and backup quarterbacks until Wednesday's practice.

But with nobody stepping forward to help the NFL's 31st-ranked red-zone offense, Mike Tomlin is looking at the tall, fourth-round rookie who used his 4.46 combine speed and 39-inch vertical jump to catch 13 touchdown passes in three seasons at Clemson. When asked what worked best for him there, Bryant said, "Fade balls."

The Steelers could use that skill, but since Bryant has never played special teams other than to return kicks, he's far from a sure thing to play.

Markus Wheaton may also have something to say about Bryant's playing time. The Steelers' first-year starter caught only four of 11 passes in last Sunday's loss, but Wheaton attacked Wednesday's practice with vigor.

"Yeah, I'm trying to get it together," said the second-year receiver. "Obviously I came off a bad performance but I'm looking forward to regaining my confidence and getting better. That's all I can do is get better."

Wheaton reached out to Roethlisberger for some extra work on Monday and then showed up early for extra film viewing Wednesday morning. At practice, his play was marked by a lack of the confusion that plagued him and Roethlisberger in Cleveland.

"He's putting the work in," said Roethlisberger. "He watches film, asks me what I want. I want him to know that I'm not discouraged by what's transpired the last couple of games, that it's as much me as it is him, that I need to work better to connect."

SHAZIER BACK IN SADDLE

Rookie Ryan Shazier returned to practice after missing three games with a sprained right knee. He wore a brace and, according to the man who replaced him, flashed his old speed at times.

"I saw some burst," said Sean Spence. "I saw him break up a couple of passes. I saw that burst I usually see."

Spence, of course, understands how to come back from a knee injury, so he gave Shazier some advice.

"I was just talking to him," Spence said. "I told him to ease into it. 'You're not going to be 100 percent right today. Try to get better each and every day.'" "I felt pretty good out there today," said Shazier. "There are some things I messed up, some things I can do better. But I was excited about being out there."

Shazier said, "We split reps. I was with the scout team, with the ones, with the twos, all over the field."

Did he cut loose and attempt to run full speed?

"It's kind of hard because you have to build up for it with more and more reps," Shazier said. "I was out there thinking a lot, so today I was just out there happy and thinking. I've got to calm my nerves back down and I feel everything will go back smooth."

THIRD ROOK A CHARM

The third rookie of note from Wednesday's practice, second-round pick Stephon Tuitt, is more likely to start than either Shazier or Bryant.

With Steve McLendon out, the Steelers have little choice but to move Cam Thomas from left defensive end to his more natural nose tackle position. And with reserve royale Brett Keisel missing practice and questionable with a knee injury, Tomlin must get Tuitt ready.

Tuitt is a 6-5 1/2, 303-pound defensive end out of Notre Dame. The 22-year-old has played in every game this season and his snap counts have been: 9, 15, 9, 2, 12 and a season-high 18 last Sunday. He's made two tackles.

If Tuitt starts, he'll be the first rookie defensive lineman to start for the Steelers since Casey Hampton started the 2001 AFC Championship Game. Hampton's first start was in the sixth game of his rookie 2001 season.

[URL]http://pit.scout.com/story/1464240-rookie-tales?s=68[/URL]

[WindyCitySteel]

With Steve McLendon out, the Steelers have little choice but to move Cam Thomas from left defensive end to his more natural nose tackle position. And with reserve royale Brett Keisel missing practice and questionable with a knee injury, Tomlin must get Tuitt ready.

LOL. What was the excuse when Thomas was stinking up the joint before Mac got hurt? "Reserve royale" Brett Keisel is getting starter reps, or was before he got a contusion of the birth certificate.

Anyway, anxious to see Tuitt and McCullers this Monday, hopefully teamed with Heyward. That's the future DL if they stick with a 3-4, and this season is all about building for the future.

[Slapstick]

At 3-3, this season is not yet about building the future. Tomlin and the coaches have determined that the current line up was not giving the team the best chance to win. You have to go with the other options on your roster. They may make mistakes, but, at this point, rookie mistakes are no worse than veteran mistakes.

[feltdizz]

At 3-3, this season is not yet about building the future. Tomlin and the coaches have determined that the current line up was not giving the team the best chance to win. You have to go with the other options on your roster. They may make mistakes, but, at this point, rookie mistakes are no worse than veteran mistakes.

I think it is about the future.

[steelsnis]

To complain about this year's draft picks after 6-games of the season is one of the most short-sighted things I've ever seen. Can we at least wait until the end of the year (which still isn't ample time to evaluate a draft class) to comment about the quality of the class?

Especially in light of the fact that one player started right out of the box but has missed time due to injury (Shazier), another one is going to get his first start this week (Tuitt), two more are going to see their first action this week (Bryant, McCullers), and two of them are on IR. (Zumwalt, Richardson). Archer hasn't been effective at all to this point, but hasn't exactly had a ton of opportunity either.

I'm not saying this is the next coming of the draft class of '74, but to judge an entire draft after 6 games is pretty crazy.

[WindyCitySteel]

At 3-3, this season is not yet about building the future. Tomlin and the coaches have determined that the current line up was not giving the team the best chance to win. You have to go with the other options on your roster. They may make mistakes, but, at this point, rookie mistakes are no worse than veteran mistakes.

The only way it's not is if the young players ball out and turn the team around, which is unlikely. The "veteran" guys they're replacing haven't been doing much so far and there's no reason to think they'll turn it around against a much tougher upcoming schedule when they were getting whipped by tomato cans.

You are practicing mathematical optimism and not trusting what you see with your eyeballs. They could lose the next five and you'd say "they still have a chance to run the table and make the playoffs."

This team stinks and it's high time some of these young guys got a chance to grow and contribute. Troy should be giving way to Thomas once he's healthy again.

[Discipline of Steel]

The only way it's not is if the young players ball out and turn the team around, which is unlikely. The "veteran" guys they're replacing haven't been doing much so far and there's no reason to think they'll turn it around against a much tougher upcoming schedule when they were getting whipped by tomato cans.

You are practicing mathematical optimism and not trusting what you see with your eyeballs. They could lose the next five and you'd say "they still have a chance to run the table and make the playoffs."

This team stinks and it's high time some of these young guys got a chance to grow and contribute. Troy should be giving way to Thomas once he's healthy again.

So you have given up on the season already? I bet no one in the entire Steelers organization has yet....seeing as how they are 3-3

[K Train]

Excited to see Tuitt get significant playing time, and maybe Mccullers can put an end to the Cam Thomas experience, because lets face it he could suck complete ass out there and hold his ground better than thomas

[papillon]

Excited to see Tuitt get significant playing time, and maybe Mccullers can put an end to the Cam Thomas experience, because lets face it he could suck complete ass out there and hold his ground better than thomas

"The Cam Thomas Experience" sounds like a rock band, "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" for example or "The Allan Parsons Project" could be "The Cam Thomas Project"

Pappy

[K Train]

I meant experiment, but i like where your head is at.

[papillon]

I meant experiment, but i like where your head is at.

Just trying to add a bit of humor to an otherwise miserable few weeks of football.

Pappy

[Slapstick]

The only way it's not is if the young players ball out and turn the team around, which is unlikely. The "veteran" guys they're replacing haven't been doing much so far and there's no reason to think they'll turn it around against a much tougher upcoming schedule when they were getting whipped by tomato cans.

You are practicing mathematical optimism and not trusting what you see with your eyeballs. They could lose the next five and you'd say "they still have a chance to run the table and make the playoffs."

This team stinks and it's high time some of these young guys got a chance to grow and contribute. Troy should be giving way to Thomas once he's healthy again.

Actually, I am trusting what I see with my eyeballs. It is exactly what I said I saw and what I said the coaches saw: that the current lineup is not giving the team the best chance to win. Hence, the changes.