By Jeremy Hritz
It’s been quite a while since I put together a set of Steelers Study Notes, but today is just seems appropriate. With so much going on in Pittsburgh Steelers land, I wanted to take a moment to get my thoughts together and put them into writing. I’m still in the process of studying the UDRFAs, and those profiles will continue to be released in the coming days until all 10 are complete, so be sure to check them out. And if you haven’t done so yet, check out the most recent The Steel Study Podcast, in addition to the latest Study Session. All of my podcasts can be found on Apple Podcasts, so please leave a rating and a review. It is greatly appreciated!
Without further hesitation, here are my Steelers Study Notes for 5/15/22:
- Rookie Minicamp has begun, but don’t expect much meaningful information to be gleaned about what these youngsters can and cannot do in a Steelers uniform. Minicamp is an opportunity for the players to begin the acclimation process to the organization, get comfortable with their colleagues and coaches, and begin to understand the rigors and expectations of the NFL. Players running routes and drills on air cannot be generalized to the actual game, so be wary of reports indicating that such and such a player was making phenomenal plays. Until the pads go on, what these players can provide is a mystery.
- What can be determined from minicamp is a player’s professionalism and work ethic, and how they approach their preparation. This, in itself, is important, because without great work habits, all the talent in the world won’t matter.
- The Steelers signed a veteran tackle this past week in Trent Scott. The past two seasons, Scott played in Carolina, and prior to that, he spent two years with the Chargers. At 28 years old, Scott is being brought in to compete for depth, but nothing beyond. He will not even be a lock to make the roster.
- Earlier this week, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette made some noise that there was animosity between Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers organization, which I think is just nonsense. Following that report, when Kenny Pickett spoke to the media, he referenced a phone call with Roethlisberger, in which he recounted: [He] said he’s always there for me if I have any questions or advice. He’s an unbelievable player, a Hall of Famer, he’s definitely someone I’ll use as a resource in these coming weeks.” Hardly sounds like a disgruntled former employee.
- The Steelers have signed 4 of their draft picks so far: George Pickens, Connor Heyward, Mark Robinson, and Chris Oladokun. Good work so early in the offseason.
- Speaking of Pickens, there were concerns about him prior to the draft in terms of his ACL injury. However, at minicamp, he said: “I’m back to 100 percent now.” This is encouraging, and if this is in fact true, Steelers Nation could be in for a treat with Pickens this season.
- The NFL schedule was released this week, and NFL.com did an analysis to determine which team had the most difficult schedule. Guess who, according to NFL.com author Nick Shook, has the most challenging schedule? You guessed it: the Steelers. Shook states, “Nearly every single game in the first half of the season looks like it could be a significant hurdle for Pittsburgh, a franchise taking its first steps into the post-Ben Roethlisberger era, and five of the first eight contests come away from Heinz Field.” Look upon the schedule with caution, and without the memory of last season, as with every NFL season, the league is not the same from one year to the next. What looks like a difficult schedule now could turn out to be a meek mouse when embroiled in the throes of the season.
That is all for today! Have a great Sunday!
Jeremy