LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – A star receiver is not holding out while a couple of veterans are dealing with injuries as Steelers camp opens with the team run test Tuesday afternoon.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is on the non-football injury list as Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said he sustained a wrist injury falling off a bike.
“It will create some short-term discomfort,” Tomlin said. “I don’t expect it to be an issue in the overall trajectory of his development and his place within this group, stadium availability and things of that nature. It’s just going to create some discomfort for him at the early stages of this.”
Defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, is on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list to begin camp.
“He has a knee that’s been swelling on him a little bit, probably from over-training,” Tomlin said. “Similar discussion to Minkah. We don’t expect it to be significant from a long-term perspective.”
Tomlin said there were a few other undisclosed guys who they will monitor over the first few days. That would include newcomer Larry Ogunjobi who had surgery to repair a foot injury.
“We are exercising precaution because he is new here and new to us,” Tomlin said. “As we get to know him, we will proceed with caution until we get a better understanding of how his body works so we take no steps backwards as we proceed.”
Receiver Diontae Johnson was at camp on time and Tomlin doesn’t expect a ‘hold-in’ like TJ Watt did last year. Watt in 2021 would report to camp, do individual, but not team drills.
QB Updates
Don’t expect Tomlin to say much about the starting quarterback situation daily.
“We are not going to micro-manage or over-manage this competition,” Tomlin said. “The depth chart will not rest on every throw. I know you guys will want to ask me every day and every throw, but we are going to be more steady than that. I think it’s important from a leadership perspective to not overmanage it. To not be too impulsive and that’s what I’ve relayed to those guys.”
He said the rotation will start the same as mini-camps and OTAs—Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett and Chris Oladokun.
No Ben
It’s Tomlin’s first training camp without Ben Roethlisberger as the starting quarterback.
“It’s scary because it’s the unknown,” Tomlin said of not having Roethlisberger. “We are venturing into a territory we haven’t been here in a long time from a quarterback perspective. I’ve always done the job with him. It’s exciting because from a competitor’s standpoint, you embrace challenges. You’re excited about the anxiety associated with that uncertainty.”
Offensive Line
A group that primarily stayed together during all of off-season work, Tomlin expects improvement on the offensive line with the offseason additions and just growth from young players.
“I expect it to be significant,” Tomlin said. “Not only because of what I’ve seen from them, but also what experience in this environment has shown me. Years ago, we had young guys like Pouncey and DeCastro and they had some on-the-job training and I saw a significant jump in that group. This is a different group. I think it’s reasonable to expect those guys to be much better and to grow.”
New Running Back
Of the new running back acquired on Monday, Tomlin said of Jeremy McNichols.
“He’s a guy that has a NFL resume,” Tomlin said. “We’ve been in stadiums with him in the past. We know that he’s capable. He, and others will be given the opportunity to define their roles and divide the labor up as we get into it.”
The 5’9”, 205-pounder has played 34 career NFL games rushing for 364 yards and 40 catches for 295 yards. The 26-year-old has a pair of total touchdowns and played for Tennessee (30 games), plus the Colts, Jaguars and 49ers.
Ben story
We finish as Tomlin was asked a story about his time with Roethlisberger at St. Vincent College.
“I enjoyed going by Ben’s room,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “Ben is one of the guys who brought the comforts of home to Latrobe. He spared no expense or amenity. I walked in that room today and I laughed. Cam Heyward is in that room now, but it’s less comfortable.”
“Cam is somewhat of a caveman.”