Steelers hit paydirt with first-round pick Watt
LATROBE 鈥� The first time the Steelers tried to replace James Harrison, they drafted Jarvis Jones in the first round in 2013 and let Harrison sign as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals. He retired the following season.
But a few weeks later, Jones was injured and the Steelers brought Harrison back. And he eventually forced Jones out of town.
The Steelers are again trying to replace Harrison, and this time it appears they hit paydirt with first-round pick T.J. Watt.
鈥淲hat does Mike Mayock say? Plug and play?鈥� Mike Tomlin asked out loud after Watt made a play during the first practice of training camp.
He may have been merely challenging Harrison鈥檚 pride, but Watt has shown speed, intelligence and a terrific motor up throughout the spring and in the early practices at training camp.
But he hadn鈥檛 had a chance to show off his power or toughness until Sunday, when the team practiced in pads for the first time, and then again on Monday.
鈥淚 thought he did well,鈥� said outside linebackers coach Joey Porter. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got good hand usage, plays heavy-handed. You know how hard he fights to get to the ball. He was disruptive. In the backs-on-backers you could see the power that he plays with. His mistakes were down to a minimum. He understands the concepts of what we鈥檙e trying to do. I thought he had some good one-on-ones. It was Day One, the first day of pads, but I feel good where he鈥檚 at.鈥�
The physical part of the game was something of a question mark for Watt, who disappointed talent evaluators early last season at Wisconsin. One scout recalled him being pushed around in early October as a 235-pounder. But that was 17 pounds and 10 months ago. Watt checked into training camp at 252 pounds and appears to have the power required of a player who鈥檒l play end in a nickel front 75 percent of the time.
To be certain, Watt has the power and physicality in his game that Jones lacked.
鈥淲e did nickel yesterday and he held the point. They didn鈥檛 run the ball,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like he鈥檚 getting pushed around by anybody out there. To tell you the truth, I didn鈥檛 think he got pushed around at Wisconsin, so until he shows me that he can鈥檛 hold the edge and gets pushed around, I won鈥檛 worry about it. He鈥檚 not a light guy. He鈥檚 not a skinny guy. He鈥檚 long with good reach, good punch. I don鈥檛 see a problem with him setting the edge.鈥�
Not that Watt鈥檚 an automatic to replace Harrison this season. The 39-year-old was put in the starting lineup in the middle of last season and the Steelers won nine straight games.
He鈥檚 still a power player and has been working on his cardio on the far Saint Vincent field in sweats. But no matter how hard Harrison works, he鈥檚 not going to match Watt鈥檚 speed, and coaches love to increase team speed whenever possible.
Not that Porter has a plan for how he wants to work Watt into the lineup.
鈥淭oo early,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淎nd every time I do that, I stick my foot in my mouth.鈥�
Porter recalled last season when he told a reporter how Jones and Harrison were going to split their reps, only to have Tomlin change the plan soon thereafter. Tomlin even joked this year when he told a reporter he should ask Porter about this year鈥檚 reps plan.
Porter laughed. 鈥淩ight now,鈥� he said, 鈥淛ames will be on the shelf for a couple weeks. He鈥檚 not even practicing, so I don鈥檛 even have to think about that right now. It鈥檚 all about getting T.J. ready to play.鈥�
Watt, of course, is the brother of NFL players J.J. and Derek Watt. The three went home to Wisconsin following their respective minicamps and trained for five weeks before returning to training camp.
Did they give T.J. any good advice?
鈥淜eep your mouth shut and be a sponge and suck up as much information as possible,鈥� Watt said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not coming out here trying to be somebody I鈥檓 not. I truly love the game of football and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 trying to learn as much as possible and give Pittsburgh what they wanted in a draft pick.鈥�
What they want is for him to ably replace the legend, Harrison, some day, perhaps soon.
And this time it appears the Steelers picked the right player.
鈥淚 was happy how the first day went,鈥� was all Porter would add. 鈥淚t was something to build on.鈥�
NOTES: James Conner (shoulder) and Senquez Golson (hamstring) were sent to Pittsburgh for MRIs on Monday following their departures from Sunday鈥檚 practice. Tomlin didn鈥檛 provide results to the media, but the sense among assistant coaches is that the injuries are not serious. 鈥� Ramon Foster, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Scott Orndoff, Mike Mitchell, Vince Williams and Lavon Hooks also missed Monday鈥檚 practice with minor injuries. 鈥� Stephon Tuitt (ankle), Ryan Shazier (heat) and Landry Jones (abdomen) left Monday鈥檚 practice. 鈥� Martavis Bryant remains tied up with the league鈥檚 suspension policy but ran sprints on a far field and caught passes from a trainer. His return appears to be imminent, although Tomlin refused comment.