Smith-Schuster steps into No. 1 receiver role nicely
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster catches a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of the game played on Dec. 9 in Oakland, Calif. Smith-Schuster, who is replacing Antonio Brown as Pittsburgh's No. 1 receiver, has been brilliant in the first two practices at training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger protects the ball after scoring a touchdown in the second half of a 23-16 victory over the Ravens last season in Baltimore. Roethlisberger is excited about what he sees in the Steelers' defense early on in training camp at Saint Vincent College.
LATROBE 鈥� JuJu Smith-Schuster is a b-a-a-a-a-a-d man.
The receiver who鈥檚 been tasked to step up as the No. 1 receiver in place of Antonio Brown has been a beast through two camp practices.
On Saturday, for the second consecutive day, Smith-Schuster scored an early touchdown in Seven Shots, among other big catches.
This after Smith-Schuster had run past both starting corners聽鈥� Steven Nelson and later Joe Haden聽鈥� for deep touchdown passes on Friday.
It appears the concerns about replacing Brown might be overwrought.
But former Steelers cornerback and current CBS 缅北禁地 analyst Bryant McFadden, who watched Saturday鈥檚 practice at Saint Vincent College, said it鈥檚 because of Ben Roethlisberger.
鈥淭he most important part when it comes to trying to determine the pass-catcher position is Seven,鈥� McFadden said. 鈥淪even looks real good. When you have a quarterback, that is the most important part of your team offensively. Even though you might have an elite pass-catcher, they鈥檙e only as good as their quarterback, and Ben has shown the ability to get the most out of whoever it is that鈥檚 lining up there.
鈥淩emember, before AB there was Mike Wallace,鈥� McFadden added. 鈥淎nd when Mike left, it was like, 鈥榃ill AB be able to perform as a No. 1 pass-catcher?鈥� Yes he did. Not just because of who he was as a player but look who the quarterback was.
鈥淲atching Ben today, he鈥檚 slimmed up. He looks to be in tip-top shape. His arm appears to be extremely accurate. And the mental part hasn鈥檛 left at all. I think that鈥檚 a huge factor in the success as far as determining how you replace what AB provided.鈥�
McFadden said that Smith-Schuster running past both Steelers cornerbacks on Friday shouldn鈥檛 be reason to worry about the defense.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good news,鈥� McFadden said, 鈥渂ecause No. 1, JuJu hasn鈥檛 dropped off. He鈥檚 embracing the No. 1 wide receiver role. No. 2, he鈥檚 gotten faster. And lastly, the third thing, when you鈥檙e playing against an elite player, they will get the best of you, but you will eventually get the best of them. That鈥檚 the game within the game we鈥檒l see with guys like Nelson and Haden. I鈥檓 sure they鈥檙e going to get the opportunities to really dominate JuJu. That鈥檚 the back-and-forth competitive thing within the game.鈥�
McFadden pointed to a play in Saturday鈥檚 practice as an example.
鈥淭hey tried to get Joe on a double move,鈥� McFadden said. 鈥淛uJu ran an out and up on him and Joe was on top of him. Ben had to pump, pump, and then had to go in the opposite direction. Most people didn鈥檛 see it because Joe didn鈥檛 get to play on the ball. His coverage was so phenomenal it forced Ben to go the opposite direction. That鈥檚 the game within the game that you love to see from quality players. When you鈥檙e on a good team with good players, every day might not be your day, but the object is to bounce back the next day and I think Joe had a successful day because JuJu didn鈥檛 get behind him at all.鈥�
Fast defense
Roethlisberger didn鈥檛 feign excitement when asked whether he noticed anything different about the defense last spring.
鈥淭hey were flying around,鈥� Roethlisberger said. 鈥淚 know we鈥檝e said things like that in the past, but just to see how fast those guys are moving, covering聽鈥� the secondary guys, the linebackers, the d-line. Even on a simple run play聽鈥� when our coaches let the runner run so you can get some pursuit聽鈥� it felt like all 11 guys on defense were getting to the runner, getting to a receiver. It just feels like there鈥檚 more energy over there.鈥�
Roethlisberger chuckled to himself for what he was about to say, that he鈥檚 excited about going up against the defense in pads for the first time today.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the exclamation point for the defense,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see how it gets when we get out here and do some of these things, but I鈥檓 excited for them because they seem to be a really fast defense.鈥�
鈥淭he speed鈥檚 markedly up from last year,鈥� said LBers coach Jerry Olsavsky. 鈥淒evin (Bush) is just much faster. You just can鈥檛 coach that. Mark (Barron) can really move, too. It鈥檚 just a good situation.鈥�
The trade up
As rumors swirled on draft day that the Steelers would attempt to trade up for Bush, Olsavsky refused to buy in. He might鈥檝e been the only guy in the organization who wasn鈥檛 on pins and needles that night.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 because we don鈥檛 do that. We don鈥檛 trade up,鈥� Olsavsky said. 鈥淪o on draft day I was sitting there and people were teasing me saying 鈥楬ey we鈥檙e going to go up and do this,鈥� and I鈥檓 like, 鈥榃e aren鈥檛 doing that.鈥� And then it fell. That鈥檚 how crazy the draft is; one guy goes to a team you don鈥檛 expect and another team doesn鈥檛 want your guy and is like 鈥楲et鈥檚 (trade) outta here and get another guy later.鈥� And we paid the right price.鈥�
Olsavsky explained that he didn鈥檛 expect the Detroit Lions to take the tight end (T.J. Hockenson) that Denver wanted. And when the Broncos鈥� turn came up at pick 10, they figured they could get a tight end later, and traded with the Steelers, who of course took Bush.
Bush has been learning the buck inside position, which has traditionally been the spot held by the playcaller. James Farrior often talked about not truly understanding the position for years.
Olsavsky was asked if Bush will be overwhelmed early on.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think he鈥檒l be overwhelmed because he was raised right,鈥� Olsavsky said. 鈥淗is family鈥檚 good, his dad played, he鈥檚 been around guys his whole life, he played at Michigan, his godfather is Derrick Brooks. When you鈥檙e exposed to that environment, a great environment with a great family and a dad who loves to play football and teaches you how to play football, you love it. That鈥檚 really what you see, so I don鈥檛 think he鈥檚 overly anxious. He鈥檚 just waiting to get his chance.鈥�
It鈥檚 early, but Olsavsky said of Bush, 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great kid. He鈥檚 intelligent. He needs to be a little louder but that鈥檒l come. He knows what he鈥檚 doing, and he can run.鈥�
So far, Bush is rotating with Vince Williams and Mark Barron at the two inside positions. Clearly, though, the Steelers have big plans for their prized rookie.
Colbert, like all of us, year-to-year
Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert turned down a contract extension from the Steelers last week because he wants to take the rest of his career on a year-to-year basis. That鈥檚 what he told team president Art Rooney II after his last extension, and Rooney agreed to Colbert鈥檚 plan.
Colbert is in the 20th season with the Steelers. His current contract expires next May, around which time the 62-year-old will consider another year.
鈥淭hat hasn鈥檛 changed anything that we鈥檙e doing from a preparation standpoint,鈥� Colbert said. 鈥淢y schedule this year is as busy as it was in any previous year in terms of college visits, college work, college studies, games, and all of that. Nothing has changed along those lines. When we鈥檙e in the meetings with scouts, I鈥檓 talking about things we have to do different next year in our meetings. Our mindset is about 2019, and 2019 is the priority. I鈥檓 not thinking about this being my last year.
鈥淚 still love what I do,鈥� he added. 鈥淎nd as long as I still love what I do, I could see myself continuing to do it. But we just want to do that on a year-to-year basis.鈥�
Negotiating plan
The Steelers are currently in contract talks with Joe Haden, who鈥檚 entering the final year of his contract.
A team source said that Haden鈥檚 age聽鈥� 30聽鈥� won鈥檛 impact on the talks, and that the Steelers aren鈥檛 waiting to see if Haden remains healthy through camp.
But that is the plan with Bud Dupree though. The Steelers want to watch Dupree perform in preseason before deciding whether to extend an offer.
Dupree would be more of a deadline negotiation, while two other players in the final years of contracts聽鈥� safety Sean Davis and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave聽鈥� will draw the Steelers鈥� attention after their done negotiating with Haden.
Those are the only four players being discussed internally by the team at this time.
Hall of honor
The Steelers announced their 2019 Hall of Honor class Saturday:
n Larry Brown, TE/RT, 1971-84聽鈥� Brown caught a four-yard touchdown pass in Super Bowl IX but established himself as one of the most underrated performers in team history with his dominating play at right tackle. 缅北禁地writer Ed Bouchette once asked Chuck Noll which of his players not in the Hall of Fame should be, and Noll said Brown.
n Bill Cowher, head coach, 1992-2006聽鈥� Won 149 games, eight division titles, and Super Bowl XL. Was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year in 1992. An easy choice.
n Elbie Nickel, TE, 1947-57聽鈥� Caught 329 passes and scored 37 touchdowns. Was considered the team鈥檚 greatest tight end until Heath Miller came along and caught 592 passes for 45 touchdowns. So why not induct Heath? Regardless, Nickel was one of the organization鈥檚 first offensive stars.
n Hines Ward, WR, 1998-2011聽鈥� The franchise鈥檚 all-time leader in receptions (1,000), receiving yards (12,083) and receiving touchdowns (85). Another easy choice.
The induction ceremony will be held Sunday, Sept. 29 at Heinz Field.