From one perspective, what the Pittsburgh Steelers did on Monday resembles a training camp practice like so many of those that have taken place in Saint Vincent over the years.
Players gather on the field, strikes and transitions to individual drilling and capture resources. A seven-game 2-point simulation came next, and a spiritual backs-on-‘backers who followed drill blocking. The Steelers served 11-on-11, 7-on-7 and special teams worked. They worked at a fast pace and were sent off from the field after less than 90 minutes.
“From a starting point,” coach Mike Tomlin said, “I liked the competitive atmosphere, but also the awareness of how we should work in this environment.”
Oh, the environment.
That was different. So was the silence.
Unlike those other occasions when the Steelers would put on pads for the first time, no fans cheered every completed pass or praised every hitting hit. The Steelers were forced from Westmoreland County to the North Shore due to the coronavirus pandemic, and made preparations for a season that would begin in four weeks under relatively quiet conditions at Heinz Field.
Instead of thousands of fans on the hill as well as in the bleachers at Chuck Noll Field, the Steelers took the field with a handful of reporters and scouts sitting in the lower bowl of the 68,400-seat location. There was no public noise or music pumped in, and it was so muffled in the stands that defensive captain Cameron Heyward playfully motivated reporters in a failed plea to generate some noise.
For reporters who were able to watch practice for the first time and for fans who can watch a live streamed portion of the workout, it was a chance to see Ben Roethlisberger continue with the right arm reaching an elbow 11 months ago underwent surgery. In the 2-point drill, he made a connection with rookie second-round Chase Claypool, who made a juggling catch in the corner of the end zone.
It was also a chance to see Claypool and the rest of the rookie concept class compete against more experienced players. Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and running back Anthony McFarland earn extra reps in the league backs-on-‘backers marking the first padded practice.
The offensive line, which competes on right-hand approach between Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner, and a new left-back in Matt Feiler, took a different look on Monday. Center Maurkice Pouncey was absent for personal reasons, and guard David DeCastro stood on the sidelines with a minor injury. This gave Tomlin the chance to look at other players in the interior.
Tomlin was coy when asked how he will assign the first teamwork between Okorafor and Banner.
“It will be thinking and based on drills of the day and things of that nature,” he said. “It will be honest, but I will not necessarily count rep.”
Tomlin also did not offer much about the competition at nose pack, where Tyson Alualu and Dan McCullers were tasked with replacing Javon Hargrave in the base defense.
During individual practice, Tomlin took a keen interest in how the tight ends, especially free agent Eric Ebron, hit the blocking sled. Tomlin roared words of encouragement as he looked.
The Steelers will have 13 more chances to practice in pads before the 80-man roster needs to be trimmed to 53 active players and a 16-man training team is formed. How Tomlin handles those workouts while providing competition in some positions while others prepare on a 16-game schedule will be the challenge.
“I think we need to draw a nice line in between,” Heyward said. “I know we want to be physical, but we want to make sure we boys participate in the games. … We need to show ourselves physically in ways. We need to show that we can be physically on the verge of attack, because once September comes, things will move terribly fast. It will affect us before we know it. ‘
Joe Rutter is a Tribune Review staff writer. You can contact Joe via email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
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Sport | Steelers / NFL
