LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – A number of players missed the full-padded workout at St. Vincent College on Monday-a few of them starters and one rumored to be. Here is the news from Training Camp on Monday.
Fautanu to start?
Steelers first-round pick Troy Fautanu won’t play on Saturday and currently has his left knee in a full brace. Head coach Mike Tomlin said it is a minor meniscus injury and while out against Buffalo, they are leaving the door for him to return against Detroit in the preseason finale.
Hours after posting that Fautanu will miss the rest of the preseason, the Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac says Fautanu will start the season opener with Broderick Jones battling with Dan Moore, Junior to start on the left side. Jones worked mostly on the right side on Monday.
Other injuries
Tomlin said there were a myriad of camp bumps and bruises and a few other guys were given the day off. He singled out corner Donte Jackson and safety DeShon Elliott as a pair who missed work but fall in that category. Linebacker Alex Highsmith continues to miss with his groin injury, working non-football drills on a side field. Nose tackle Keeanu Benton was in uniform put didn’t practice following an eye injury during the game. Rookie receiver Roman Wilson has not returned to practice after an ankle injury and receiver Tarik Black left Sunday’s practice due to injury and did not practice today.
Those not practicing opened the door for others
· Montravius Adams worked at nose tackle making a couple of plays including knocking down a running back emphatically, along with batting down a pass
· In his second practice with the Steelers, DL Dean Lowry knocked down a pass against Justin Fields.
· Second year corner Cory Trice got a number of first-team reps at corner with Grayland Arnold (recently back from injury) getting work at nickel and had a nice PBU during seven-on-seven drills
· Second-year offensive lineman Spencer Anderson got run at tackle for the second straight day after mostly playing guard at camp
Highlights
· RB La’Mical Perine had a run during on 11-on-11 drills where he had multiple bodies on him and kept his legs churning as defenders fell off him, the offense cheered louder and louder
· Fields threw three really nice passes-one on a seam route to Quez Watkins about 40 yards downfield (Beanie Bishop had good coverage) and another to Calvin Austin as Arnold had coverage during seven-on-seven drills. The other was about 50-yards, during 11-on-11 drills to Van Jefferson.
· QB Russell Wilson had a rollout finding Austin downfield behind the secondary, about a 50-yard throw.
· Bishop tipped a pass over the middle from Kyle Allen that CB Kyler McMichael intercepted
Center watch
Nate Herbig got the majority of first-team reps at center, but rookie Zach Frazier did work in for a couple of snaps. When then happened, Herbig replaced James Daniels and moved to right guard. Herbig and Fields had a pair of fumbled exchanges in the preseason opener, both took blame. It was worked on a lot on Monday.
“I like their efforts,” Tomlin said. “But I cannot remove that fundamental component of evaluation. We’ve got to be 1000% on C-Q [center/quarterback]
exchanges. That’s just the standard of professional ball, and so they’re evolving there.”
7 Shots
· Cordarrelle Patterson end around TD
· Damontae Kazee pass breakup v 6’7” tight end Darnell Washington, Russell Wilson threw it
· TJ Watt/Elandon Roberts stop Patterson up middle
· Fields scramble finds Austin wide open TD
· Fields cross to tight end Connor Heyward TD
· RB Jonathan Ward TD up the middle
· Pickens TD end around, but Nick Herbig was obviously clipped.
Counted as touchdown, but likely a flag
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields each got three reps
Flag work
CB Joey Porter, Junior was flagged for pass interference during the game on Friday. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said they continue to work on it and help him avoid those mistakes.
“There’s always work to be done, work to be had,” Porter said Monday. “I just try to stack my days and get stuff I don’t like off my tape. I had a call, didn’t like it, but it’s preseason, gotta work on stuff like that. Going to be grinding every day.”
Last one
Wednesday morning is the last open practice to the public. It starts at 10:30a at St. Vincent College.