LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – Mike Tomlin said they came back to Latrobe and practice on Sunday to work out some of the mistakes from Friday. He also had an injury updates including first round tackle Troy Fautanu as QB Russell Wilson got a majority of the first team reps.
Tomlin said Fautanu has a knee sprain and will be out this week against Buffalo. He said they are really optimistic for a quick return for him, but he is day-to-day. Fautanu suffered the injury during the game against Houston.
"He was doing really well," Tomlin said of Fautanu's performance before the injury Friday. "Obviously, we wanted to get him a lot of work because that's where he's in, in development. I like the general trajectory of it."
Other injuries
Tomlin said they gave reduced time to several players including Keeanu Benton (eye injury from Friday), Alex Highsmith, Donte Jackson, DeMarvin Leal.
WR Tarik Black suffered a hamstring injury and couldn't finish practice and CB Kalon Barnes had a quad injury and couldn't finish.
Zach gets some 1st team
Second-round pick, center Zach Frazier ran some with the first team on Sunday. Often when he was in, they moved Nate Herbig to guard. The other first team reps at center were Herbig's and Herbig would get the first few.
"He was in the stadium on Friday," Tomlin said. "He's got that in-stadium exposure and so it's reasonable to expect him to be significantly better. This week we are going to position him to do so with an increased work load."
Slash
A lot of talk about Justin Fields having a role other than quarterback. Fourth stringer John Rhys Plumlee worked as a receiver for a few reps and caught a couple of passes.
"I guess adding to the arsenal," Plumlee said. "Trying to expand as much as I can and show I can help in any way. They told me about it this morning. They said we want to get a look at you doing this. I said 'sure, let's do it'."
Plumlee said they are trying to find a way to keep him incorporated. Tomlin called him a versatile, athletic guy and interesting athlete. The 6', 200-pound Plumlee played a year of receiver at Mississippi, but prefers to play quarterback. On Friday, he was the first to return a kickoff for the Steelers under the new rules, as he's been working as a returner all camp.
"I told the fella, 'I'm going to hit it'," Plumlee said. "It's either going to be a house call or a 911 call."
Patterson practice
Kick returner/running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson went through his first practice after he was activated from the PUP list on Friday. He said there was no need to do anything stupid as he's been nursing an injury.
"I fit any role," Patterson said. "Just put me out on the football field and I will find a way."
Asked about the new kickoff rules, he said they are really different. There are things he likes and doesn't like about them. Patterson said his past experience with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has him in a good place offensively, even missing all of the time.
Other Notes
· Now that CB Grayland Arnold is healthy, he's going to get reps in the defensive backfield, including at nickel
· On WR Quez Watkins having a good practice after dropping a punt and misjudging a couple others against the Texans 'He needed a day today'.
· Tomlin congratulated DB Beanie Bishop after great coverage and a PBU against Van Jefferson during three-on-three drills
· DL Jacob Slade got his hands up to tip a pass from Justin Fields that LB Jacoby Windmon intercepted
· OL Spencer Anderson has been the first back-up guard, but he played some at tackle at practice Sunday
· It was the highest attended practice of the entire camp with the stands full and much of the area on the hills dotted with fans
7 shots
· Justin Fields fade incomplete to Van Jefferson
· Russell Wilson fade incomplete to George Pickens (could have been a miscommunication)
· Wilson pass to the flat to Jaylen Warren was complete, but as he turned towards the end zone, he slipped down
· There are no official sacks, but Wilson would have been sacked by TJ Watt on a play that was blown dead
· Fields flat pass TD to Jonathan Ward
· Fields pass too high for Tarik Black (Beanie Bishop good coverage)
· Fields quick TD to Scotty Miller
