LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – Mike Tomlin led off his report day thoughts saying all players had arrived at camp and were accounted for. He also laid out his thoughts on the quarterbacks, addressed why practice times changed and the player he is expecting to accomplish big things in 2024.
QB situation
Tomlin confirmed that Russell Wilson remains in pole position to be the starting quarterback. He wouldn't provide too many more details, especially when asked about the snap distribution during camp.
"Very carefully, you guys think I'm going to back myself into a corner so you guys are going to ask me about rep allocations, no way," Tomlin said Wednesday. "I've been on the job too long for that."
As for the impressions Wilson has made on the head coach after joining the Steelers in March.
"He likes to work," Tomlin said. "I just think that is a very good place to begin. He's highly conditioned. He brings a unique approach to the weight room for a guy that plays his position. There are a lot of interesting things about him in terms of his appetite for work that is really attractive."
Injuries
Physically Unable to Perform List
· DL Dean Lowry
· LB Cole Holcomb
Non-football injury list
· RB/WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson hurt his hamstring training in the offseason and is considered day-to-day right now.
Home sweet camp
He addressed it in his opening comments and was asked again about it later, Tomlin still deeply believes in the idea of holding training camp at St. Vincent College, even when very few do.
"We appreciate coming up to Latrobe," Tomlin said. "We don't take it for granted. We realize in 2024 we are in the minority in terms of teams that go away to a destination camp. We are excited about that. We are really excited about the winning edge that it provides us."
"We think that we have an opportunity to capture that which you can't measure in an environment like this. That understanding, that respect, that growth that is associated with informal time that groups get a chance to spend together in an environment like this is something we are cognizant of and really intentional about teeing up."
Big things
It's the second year for a couple of key players, corner Joey Porter, Junior, tackle Broderick Jones, tight end Darnell Washington, linebacker Nick Herbig. Tomlin was asked about another from the 2023 rookie class, defensive lineman Keeanu Benton. His expectations for him were summed up in two words.
"Big things, big things," Tomlin said of what Benton should do in 2024.
Morning practice starts
Tomlin gave a couple of reasons for the change in weekday training camp practice starting times to 10:30a from the traditional 1:55p or 2:55p.
· It's better for teaching because often they were pressed for time after afternoon practices and had to make the corrections the next day
· Often players were rushed at dinner and they want to make sure they do a better allowing the players to bring a better appetite with an earlier practice
They are working to find a better team development process.
Other notes
· Corner Cam Sutton suspension will not impact how he is used at training camp
· On returning to having a joint practice, they will do so in a closed environment against Buffalo next month.
"Particularly with the new kickoff, just interested in getting some work against other people," Tomlin said. "Most of the time when you do joint practices, a lot is about special teams and young guys getting intentional work. That's the spirit in which we're going into it."
· For a first time 'Hard Knocks' will follow the team during the season
"I'm not overly concerned about it to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. "The people we compete most intimately with are faced with the same issues. From that standpoint, it's fair. We'll get to it when we get to it. It's just too many challenges in front of us right now for me to be overly preoccupied with that.
