Keeps Adams on the blind side
Mike Tomlin was wrapping up 鈥淔riday Night Lights鈥澛犫�� St. Vincent College version 1.0聽鈥� at his post-practice press conference, when music began wafting over from the baseball field.
鈥淕uys,鈥� the Steelers鈥� P.R. man interrupted, 鈥渢he band鈥檚 starting to play. Last question for coach.鈥�
鈥淲hy?鈥� asked a newsman. 鈥淚s he going to the concert?鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 running the fireworks,鈥� said Tomlin. 鈥淭he more you can do!鈥�
The more you can do.
It鈥檚 the credo this time of the year. It鈥檚 how undrafted rookies聽鈥� or, really, all of those fighting for the last few roster spots聽鈥� win jobs.
It鈥檚 also what coaches say when they want to take a look at a possible change, and last night Tomlin wanted to take a look at Mike Adams playing left tackle and Marcus Gilbert playing right tackle.
It is, in fact, what I鈥檝e wanted to see since the start of spring ball. And last night聽鈥� under the most game-like conditions a coach can simulate during a training camp聽鈥� seemed to be a telling time.
In my mind, anyway.
But Tomlin said it really didn鈥檛 mean all that much. When he was asked if the move was made merely to expand those tackles鈥� 鈥減osition flexibility,鈥� Tomlin said, 鈥淎bsolutely.鈥�
Here was the follow-up: 鈥淢ight Adams stay there for good?鈥�
鈥淵eah,鈥� Tomlin admitted. 鈥淏ut read into it what you read into it. If Ike Taylor was playing left corner and being swapped to right corner, it鈥檚 about the same thing. I know we make more out of it than what it is, but it鈥檚 just that.鈥�
Maybe he鈥檚 trying to convince the former left tackle of that. Maybe Gilbert needs to believe the move doesn鈥檛 mean anything more than Taylor following A.J. Green from the left side to the right side.
But didn鈥檛 we, the Pittsburgh media, spend the 2010 season explaining the extreme difficulty in Flozell Adams鈥� move to the right side?
Hey, I鈥檓 all for the move. Gilbert at LT was my No. 4 concern coming into camp, if you recall that pre-camp column. And trust that some of the team鈥檚 employees feel the same way. They saw the way he injured half of his linemates and then himself last season. They understand the questions surrounding his grit and fire. And Tomlin heard plenty about giving Adams a look at left tackle instead. At 鈥淔riday Night Lights,鈥� a magical practice where we want to believe things are happening for a reason, Tomlin acquiesced.
Does it mean anything?
Well, Adams did play well. He鈥檚 played well all week, after overcoming a recent stabbing, and he deserves the opportunity. And on this night he kept No. 7 clean. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 most important for Adams, because we know he鈥檚 a killer in the run game.
And in the one-on-one drills, Adams didn鈥檛 need two, or even one, blown rep to begin warming up to the task. Adams came right out and shut Cameron Heyward down to set the tone for the remainder of the drill.
So, yes, Adams deserves a look, a good, long, sincere look. That鈥檚 my opinion, while Tomlin鈥檚 is still under wraps.
An offensive lineman who鈥檚 played next to both tackles, and who鈥檚 old enough and mature enough to provide me with some honesty, was asked to break this logjam.
鈥淏oth of them have been playing well beside me,鈥� said left guard Ramon Foster. 鈥淢ike did well today. Gilbert has been consistent also. It鈥檒l just have to battle itself off. Mike is naturally left-handed; Gilbert鈥檚 right-handed. We鈥檒l see how the coaches view it, but in my opinion they鈥檙e both about even.鈥�
You鈥檙e going to abstain, Ramon?
颁鈥檓辞苍.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I see it,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou asked for my honest opinion. That鈥檚 it鈥�
That鈥檚 not how many others see it here. Many others smarter than me believe Adams is the natural left tackle and Gilbert is the natural right tackle; or even a natural to be replaced at the first opportunity.
But that鈥檚 coming from the hardcore crowd up here. They get camp flu earlier than most.