Steelers Training Camp News: Roc Taylor IMPRESSING + Will Howard Picking Up Aaron Rodgers’ Tricks

Steelers Training Camp News: Roc Taylor IMPRESSING + Will Howard Picking Up Aaron Rodgers’ Tricks

Welcome in to Steelers Talk. I’m your host, Jack Spar. It was another day and another practice there in Latroe for Steelers training camp. Uh, make sure you guys click that subscribe button if you haven’t already because just like today, I’m going to be putting out a practice report for every single Steelers training camp practice that is open to the public. So, if you guys want to know which players are impressing, which players maybe are disappointing a little bit, if you guys want honest coverage of what’s going on in Latro at Steelers Training Camp, we give you guys free premium and in-depth Steelers coverage um on these practices every single day right here on Steelers Talk. So, whether I’m here at home on my day off, whether I’m on vacation like I was last week, or whether I’m in studio, I’m getting you guys a video breaking down Steelers practice every single day. So, click that subscribe button if you want that coverage. All right. So, we will start here with a shell practice today. So, if you guys don’t know what shells means, uh that’s just shoulder pads today. So, it wasn’t a fully padded practice like it was last night at Friday night lights. And you know, that makes sense. You know, it’s a it’s a later practice obviously um on Friday. Um and then you’re turning it around for afternoon practice on Saturday. Just makes sense to maybe have more of a lighter day. And it was very apparent that Mike Tomlin wanted to give some of his veterans a day off and give them some rest um and not go too crazy uh coming off that night practice last night. So guys like Aaron Rogers quarterback DK Metaf Calvin Austin III, John Smith, TJ Watt, Cam Hayward, Keanu Benson, Dante Kent, Deshawn Elliot, Ryan Mcllum, Isaac Samalo was limited today. Um Zesi Otomo Otou. God, that’s a tough name right there. Uh but then uh there’s also some injuries. Uh Calvin Anderson and Corey Trice Jr. it was announced by head coach Mike Tomlin after practice today have soft tissue injuries and it will it will be quote unquote more than just a couple of days. So that’s not great to see specifically with Anderson um because you know he got a $4 million contract this year to be this team’s swing tackle and with Brick Jones having the struggles that he has had uh mostly through camp to this point. You know, it’s not great to see Anderson go down and be out for multiple days here. And then Cory Trice Jr. has a hamstring issue and he will also be out multiple days. Um, which sucks because he just can’t stay healthy, man. You know, he’s long, he’s physical. Um, you know, he’s had some good moments in camp to this point, just like he has in every Steelers camp uh that he’s attended to this point, but just can’t stay healthy. Now, he hasn’t had the major injury that he had um in his rookie season when when he tore his ACL, but it’s been a lot of soft tissue injuries for him. he just can’t stay on the field. Um, and that was really a big point of emphasis for GMO Maran when he was asked about Cory Trice at the combine this year where he said, you know, the big thing for him is he’s got to prove he can stay healthy. And for him to have an injury here where he’s going to be out multiple days with a hamstring issue yet again, um, that is not something uh that goes into Cory Trice Jr.’s favor. So, that’s not great to hear. But then we get into practice and uh, defense won seven shots again today by a final score of 4-2. Uh Rudolph had a coverage sack, good defense from Jaylen Ramsey, Darius Slay, uh across the board in the secondary, uh which led to a coverage sack on the first play. Then Rudolph hit Darnell Washington in the corner of the end zone. Uh DW made a leaping grab, got his feet down for the TD. So good to see DW getting a touchdown in seven shots today. Then Cole Hulkcom had a PBU on a pass intended to move on the third play. Then Beanie Bishop Jr. had a PBU on a pass intended for Ben Skironic. Uh then Will Howard had a touchdown to Brandon Johnson on a slant. Uh then Sebastian Castro, the UDFA out of Iowa, had a PBU uh on a play intended for Fulch, the new tight end here. Uh that was thrown by Skyler Thompson. And then the final play was a poor throw from Skyler Thompson on a miscommunication with a running back. So the defense ended up winning uh today’s seven shots by a final score of 5-2. And uh the defense is leading in that period in camp. Uh also 5-2 in camp. They’ve won three straight. Uh they’ve also won uh five of the last six. So um you know they are definitely dominating in that particular uh drill and that they do at the beginning of every single practice. Uh some offensive notes that I had from today’s practice. Will Howard is actually picking up some of Aaron Rogers’s tricks. Uh he had a hard count today and he drew the the defense off sides. Obviously, Rogers is a legend doing that. So, I wonder uh if he’s had some he’s passing down some of his um you know, cadence tricks to Will Howard because he’s been doing a good job of that so far in camp. Also, somebody I want to talk about here and somebody that’s been consistently impressing me throughout camp here is UDFA out of Memphis wide receiver Rock Taylor. Um you know, where there’s been a lot of receivers in Steelers camp that have been underwhelming. Roman Wilson, uh, Calvin Austin III, Ro Robert Woods, Ben Skironic, those guys haven’t really gotten going in terms of, you know, having putting stacking really good days together. But Rock Taylor, this UDFA big body, really good uh, deep play threat out of me out of Memphis, great contested ball winner, you know, he’s taking that skill set that we saw from him in Memphis where he’s this big body, savvy route runner that’s not a great athlete, but he’s going to make contested catches, has awesome hands. Um and he finds ways to get open even though he’s got four or five speed which is you know very very slow for a receiver. Um he just finds ways subtle ways to get an advantage over the corner guarding him and he consistently makes plays down the field and uh that’s a skill set that we just haven’t really seen from the Steelers receivers outside of DK Metaf to this point and even DK has had his inconsistencies with his hands and coming down with contested catches down the field so far in this camp. So, um, Rock Taylor’s been super impressive, uh, throughout these first two weeks of camp. you know, as we go into next week, of course, with the preseason game a week from today. Um, he’s definitely somebody I’m going to be keeping my eye out for because the more Rock Taylor continues to impress, uh, the more opportunities he’s going to get, especially if some of these receivers like Roman Wilson, Robert Woods, guys that have opportunities to really be full-time starters with this offense continue to um, you know, not regress, but, you know, maybe disappoint a little bit uh, relative to their expectations heading into this training camp. And as long as the Steelers don’t bring in another receiver, Rock Taylor throughout this preseason will have opportunities to move up the depth chart here. He’s working mostly with the third team offense, but he did get some second team reps today um with the with the number of of veterans on off days. But Rock Taylor, man, super impressive guy to this point. He’s been, you know, the pleasant surprise in the wide receiver room so far in camp, and I’m excited to see uh what he’s able to do heading into uh this next week. Um, and then also just in general guys, with Aaron Rogers not out there, without DK Metaf out there, without Calvin Austin III out there, the offense just as a whole with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard out there was in a bit of a disarray today. Um, you know, they didn’t really get the quick game going today. The screen game was non-existent. Um the defense obviously still having Jaylen Ramsay out there who was playing mostly outside corner. Darius Slay who’s had a really impressive stretch of practices here. Juan Thornhill was playing quite a bit in the slot today. Beanie Bishop Jr. got some time in the slot. Chuck Clark uh was playing uh with the first team defense today. Deshun Elliot had the day off today. I was just really impressive to see that first team defense, you know, continue to really play well without TJ Watt on the field, without Kiana Benson on the field, without Keon Hayward on the field, and these guys just continue to get after uh that offense and continue to really dominate this camp to be frank with you guys. So, um I think the first team offense looked worse with Mason Rudolph out there than what we’ve seen from Aaron Rogers. Now, obviously, we haven’t seen Rogers like light it up and, you know, completely pick apart this Steelers defense, but as Mike Tomlin pointed out after last night’s practice in his press conference with the media, you know, the defense is usually ahead of the offense at this point. I think, you know, seeing the the better efficiency with Rogers with the first team compared to guys like Will Howard and Mason Rudolph shows us that yes, Aaron Rogers is the best quarterback on this team. He is going to be QB1. he is their best option and their best chance to win heading into the 2025 season. Um so seeing the offense struggle a little little bit today, that first team offense struggle a little bit with Mason in there today uh makes me feel a little bit better about what we’ve seen from the first team offense when Rogers has been out there because it has looked better uh when Rogers has been out there compared to Mason. Uh also there’s more snap issues for center Zack Frasier. Um, I can pretty much guarantee you guys, there hasn’t been another starting center in the National Football League that’s put the ball on the ground more often than Zack Frasier has in this camp. And that is concerning, all right? Because, you know, first couple practices, if it’s on the ground a couple times, you know, whatever, as long as you get it right, but now we’re, you know, we’re done with the second week of camp now, guys, and it seems like every single practice there are bad snaps from Zack Frasier. And now it’s with multiple quarterbacks. We’ve seen it with Rogers, and then we had it with both Mason Rudolph and Will Howard today. So, it’s, you know, we’ve saw it with Justin Fields last year, we’ve seen it with Aaron Rogers this year, we’re seeing it with Mason Rudolph, and we’re seeing it with Will Howard, the common denominator there is the center, Zack Frasier. So, even though I’m a big fan of Frasier, he had an awesome rookie season last year, you know, I I’m I’m on record saying that he’s going into this season as a top five center in football. Um, and you know, his wrestling background definitely serves its purpose uh as a center in the National Football League, and he’s awesome. All right, but he needs to get the ball consistently to his quarterback. All right, we can’t have the ball on the ground. It’s just getting a little bit annoying at this point. So, I really hope, you know, by the time that these guys leave Latro, we see Frasier um really get a little bit of consistency with the snapping and having put together multiple days in a row without a bad snap because that hasn’t happened to this point. But also sticking with the offensive line here, Brick Jones looked better today than he did last night. Last night, it was not a good day for Brick Jones. Um, he was kind of rotating in uh team periods today. He wasn’t the full-time starting left tackle. Uh, Spencer Anderson actually got some time at left tackle today. Same thing with Dylan Cook, but I actually think out of those three, Brick Jones probably looked the best. Um, so that’s good news to see Brick have his best day of camp to this point. Now, obviously, it wasn’t a fully padded practice. You want to see him put it together, especially when we get to the preseason game next week. Um, but a a step in the right direction is what I’ll say for Brick Jones at today’s practice. Um, and there’s been some people, guys, that have said, and you know, especially last night when he got his ass kicked against Alex Heismith where he didn’t win a single rep versus Heismith in the one-on- ones, people were saying, “Put Darnell Washington at left tackle.” Um, because obviously Darnell is a big guy. He’s like 290 pounds. Um Mark Cabolia is on record saying that he thinks Darnell Washington weighs more than Brick Jones who’s lost some pretty significant weight this year and Darnell Washington was an absolute stone wall in the backs on backers drill yesterday uh beating guys like TJ Watt, Alex Heismith, Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer. Um you know he was the star of the show in backs on backers yesterday. So people kind of saw that and said let’s just put Darnell Washington at left tackle. uh he’s a better blocker than Brick Jones and you know it’s an interesting idea but I definitely think Washington is most valuable as a tight end because he has legitimately looked good as a tight end guys. He is out there and he is making plays in seven shots. He made a nice leaping grab today. Uh his hands are super secure. You know he just looks like he knows what to do. um which is not what we could say about him his first two years in the league because he had to learn a new offense in each of the first two years and now that he’s in his second year in an NFL offense here and it’s his third year in the league. He just looks way more comfortable out there. He’s moving great. He’s catching the football reliably. Uh he’s not dropping passes. Um he looks great out there and he looks like he’s going to be a legitimate tight end for this football team this year, which is great news. So obviously you you hope it doesn’t come to the point where you have to put Darnell Washington at tackle because you want him to be able to be used as kind of that quote unquote sixth offensive lineman as your blocking tight end that can also be used as a valuable receiver. Kind of be this teams is Mercedes Lewis. Aaron Rogers has compared Darnell to Mercedes quite a bit since his arrival in Pittsburgh. Um, but you know, I I really hope Rodri or or somebody else on this offensive line can step up at that left tackle spot so this team doesn’t have to put Darnell Washington at left tackle later on in the year. Some defensive notes, James Pierre uh had multiple interceptions today in the one-on- ones. He’s looking fantastic. He’s had three interceptions in the last two practices, and he’s looked pretty good in in coverage as well. Um, you know, I’ve been pretty critical of James Pierre in years past, but he has made some big-time plays. Uh, I remember two years ago he made an interception against the Colts which was just unreal. Um, when they were going down that win streak down the stretch with Kenny Picket and James Pierre had a leaping interception, like a diving interception. That was one of the greatest interceptions I’ve ever seen. Pierre’s making some plays on the football this year in camp and he’s certainly competing for um, a roster spot in that cornerback room. Another standout day for Derek Carman, the rookie out of def out of Oregon. multiple pressures today up the middle. He just continues to impress and continues to be disruptive. He looks ready for for day one action as a starting defensive end for this football team. Then you got Chuck Clark uh who I said this earlier, but he rotated in and and played first team safety today alongside Juan Thornhill. Um and he’s he’s definitely looking the part, man. He’s definitely looking like he can go out there and he can keep the top on the defense. He he’s made multiple plays on the football. He’s had several near interceptions. I believe he’s had three PBUs uh on plays where he’s tracking that football. So, um he seems like a good veteran presence. And if Juan Thornnehill or Deshawn Elliot, god forbid, go down with injury, um I think that this team can, you know, they they can rely on on Chuck Clark to go in there and play a couple of weeks and, you know, play as a starting caliber safety in this defense. And then the my final point on defense is, you know, somebody that’s been having a quietly great camp is Alex Heismith. I mean, yesterday he toasted Brick Jones in the one-on- ones. Uh, absolutely kicked his ass three nothing, dusted him on all three reps. Um, and then he was getting in the back field consistently today again. Um, so, you know, he is somebody that just continues to put stack up good days, continue to rack up pressures, make the his opponent in front of him, you know, look bad. Um, and when you’re doing that, you know you’re a pretty freaking good player, man. Like Heismith such an underrated player. There’s a lot of people in this fan base right now saying that this team should trade him away for Terry McLuren or or Micah Parsons and include Heismith in the deal. I just couldn’t I just couldn’t disagree with that opinion more. Like Heismith is the disruptor on the edge in this defense. And you might think it’s TJ Watt, but a lot of times it’s Heismith that’s getting that initial pressure because he’s so because he’s just screaming off that edge. He has an awesome spin move. He’s got a bunch of uh pass rush moves at his disposal and he’s creating that initial pressure. And then TJ Watt, who’s usually getting chipped, uh usually getting double teamed, is usually there second, but he’s there to clean up. And that and you know, that’s why TJ get so many sacks is because not only can TJ win as the primary rusher, but he can also win as the secondary rusher. And that’s why this is one of, if not the best edge rusher duos in the National Football League, is because those two players complement each other so so much. and getting rid of a guy like Heismith in a year where you really need to uh you know establish yourself on defense as a elite pass rush just doesn’t make any sense to me. Uh but that’s just my opinion. I I and not to mention Heismith’s contract of you know he’s you’re only paying him 18 1920 million against the cap every season. You know that would be less than half of what the Steelers would have to pay for Micah Parsons. Now obviously Parsons is a hell of a player. Um, you know, and you can even make an argument that he’s more impactful and more versatile than TJ Watt is, but you know, TJ Watt and Alex Heismith for the amount of money that they’re paying them, I think is a better value than paying TJ Watt and Micah Parsons over $41 million a piece. You know, that is just an insane amount of money to spend on two players. And right now, you you have Heismith on your team at a bargain. And you got TJ Watt who’s as good as he is. and you got Nick Herig in his role as that third edge rusher. I mean, like this is, you know, arguably the best pass rush in football with those three guys on the edge. So, I don’t want to mess with that at all. Um, I want to completely highlight how great of a camp Heismith is having and that I don’t think he’s going anywhere even for spectacular players like T like Terry McLuren uh andor Micah Parson. So, that’ll be it for today’s show, guys. Really do appreciate you stopping by today. I’ll have another practice report tomorrow. Um, tomorrow’s family day in the Trobe First Steelers training camp and usually they do goal line work. Usually they do uh a lot of short yardage stuff. So, it’s going to be fully padded. It’s going to be a lot of fun. So, you’re not going to want to miss tomorrow’s practice report right here on Steelers Talk. 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Pittsburgh Steelers training camp news coverage here on Steelers Talk on Saturday, August 2nd, where a number of Steelers veterans got the day off today after last night’s ‘Friday Night Lights’ practice in Latrobe, giving more opportunities to younger players such as Will Howard and Roc Taylor as Pittsburgh’s first preseason game of the year is only a week away. Could Roc Taylor possibly establish himself as WR2 if Roman Wilson, Robert Woods, and Calvin Austin III continue their slow start to camp? Could PIT consider moving Darnell Washington to left tackle if Broderick Jones continues his early camp struggles?

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– Steelers Friday Night Lights Practice Report: Broderick Jones STRUGGLES + Cory Trice Injured AGAIN – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTKeLAOnovw
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