Author: Jeff.Hartman

The Pittsburgh Steelers were back at practice, and it’s time to take a look at what went down.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the field for Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Wednesday, and for those who haven’t been paying attention this isn’t breaking news. The Steelers have been participating in OTAs for the last few months, but Phase 3, which just started, gets the most news.

In case you don’t know, Phase 1 of OTAs is essentially just workouts with the strength and conditioning staff, Phase 2 is more position specific training/drills and Phase 3 is the most football-like of all OTAs. It is Phase 3 which is where teams can do 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. No contact, no pads, but plenty of news to go around. Before going any further, it is important to note these workouts are 100% voluntary.

There was plenty of news on Day 6 which wasn’t just the aforementioned topics, and in this article I will dive into those, as well as share some video fans might enjoy checking out!

Let’s get to the news…

While most fans of the Steelers are looking forward to hearing about Joey Porter Jr. turning heads, it has actually been the other cornerback the team drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft which has been making an impact at OTAs.

That’s right, Cory Trice Jr. out of Purdue as a 7th Round pick has been the rookie making the most “splash”. On Thursday, to wrap up Week 2 of OTAs, Trice was all over the field making plays in the form of pass break ups and even an interception.

While this might not be the rookie cornerback most people were expecting to make plays, at least there are some plays being made regardless.

Now it’s time to check out what else took place during OTAs…

Interesting Take from Dan Moore Jr.

Some say it is like driving on the other side of the road, maybe this analogy is better?

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The Pittsburgh Steelers 3rd Round draft pick knows how dynamic he can be with his skill set.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were fortunate Darnell Washington was still available when in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. They were even more fortunate when you consider how the team traded their original 3rd Round pick to the Carolina Panthers to move back and obtain a pick in the 4th Round, and Washington was still there.

Most people had a late first round/second round grade on the former University of Georgia tight end, and there is a reason why. With his size and athleticism he can be a nightmare for defensive coordinators.

And Washington knows the kind of mismatch he can be when he puts it all together.

“When I put it all together, I can be a mismatch,” said Washington. “I can be anywhere on the field, whether that’s running routes or if that’s blocking. I need to put it all together. Once I do that, I will be a complete tight end. I am not complete yet. It takes time. Being with Coach Alfredo (Roberts) and working on our game will make it happen.

“I enjoy blocking. I enjoy every aspect of the game. Blocking, running routes, I have done it all. Back in my day, I used to play left tackle and I blocked a whole season. I have played receiver. I have played running back. I have done it all on the field. I enjoy every aspect of the game.

“It means the world to get the opportunity to be at this level now. I am just trying to prove everybody that passed on me wrong and that is what I plan on doing.”

Speaking of blocking, Washington knows what it takes to be successful. Where that all stems from is the mindset to not just be a good blocker, but a willing blocker. Someone who will put their nose in those dirty areas for the betterment of the offense.

“It comes from the mindset,” said Washington. “At tight end, we aren’t just catching balls and scoring touchdowns. We also have to block. If you can’t block, you can’t play in the league for a long time.”

While Washington knows how dominant he can be, he also realizes he is far from a finished product.

“There are lots of things I still need to learn,” said Washington. “I have learned a lot. I played at Georgia, so I thought I would come here and know a lot of things. I still have tons of things to learn, little details, routes, how to sell it. Little things can lead to big things.”

What Washington should be ultimately happy about is the tight end room he has been drafted into. A group of guys like Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry and Connor Heyward who have a great working relationship and are willing to help each other succeed. Who has been a help to him? Everyone.

“I have Pat (Freiermuth) to lean on, Zach (Gentry) to lean on and even Connor (Heyward), he has one more year in than me,” said Washington. “So, for sure my position group. No one specific. A little of everyone. Even the offensive linemen. Everybody.”

If the Steelers can utilized Washington the way he described, as a mismatch, it will make their offense even more dynamic. For a unit which struggled with being labeled as dynamic in 2022, Matt Canada’s group can use all they help they can get.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of the 2023 NFL offseason.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were back at practice, and it’s time to take a look at what went down.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the field for Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Wednesday, and for those who haven’t been paying attention this isn’t breaking news. The Steelers have been participating in OTAs for the last few months, but Phase 3, which just started, gets the most news.

In case you don’t know, Phase 1 of OTAs is essentially just workouts with the strength and conditioning staff, Phase 2 is more position specific training/drills and Phase 3 is the most football-like of all OTAs. It is Phase 3 which is where teams can do 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. No contact, no pads, but plenty of news to go around. Before going any further, it is important to note these workouts are 100% voluntary.

There was plenty of news on Day 5 which wasn’t just the aforementioned topics, and in this article I will dive into those, as well as share some video fans might enjoy checking out!

Let’s get to the news…

As OTAs stretch on, there seems to be less and less coverage of the workouts as fans claim there is no news coming out of workouts which are nothing more than “football in shorts”.

While there may be something to this sentiment, it doesn’t mean there is nothing which can be gleaned from these workouts. Performance absolutely can’t be gauged considering there is no physical tackling going on, but at the same time, there are certain things which are worth noting.

One of those things has been where the Steelers have been putting Dan Moore Jr. in the early stages of the offseason. After drafting Broderick Jones in the 1st Round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the team has been moving Moore to right tackle more.

This per Mike Nicastro:

It should be noted Moore isn’t playing specifically at right tackle, but is rotating to that side. However, Moore seems to have seen the writing on the wall and started to get a head-start on the move from left to right before the draft took place.

Now, it seems Chuks Okorafor could be in another position battle throughout training camp. The last time Okorafor found himself in this spot was when he and Zach Banner battled it out for the starting right tackle position. Banner won that job, but only lasted roughly one game before tearing his ACL, an injury which has kept him out of the league ever since.

Putting Moore on both sides of the line makes a ton of sense for the Steelers. Not only does it create competition with Moore and Okorafor, but it also gives Moore the experience necessary if he is the team’s swing tackle heading into the regular season. Some might call that a win-win, but Moore might just say it’s a chance for him to prove his worth over the incumbent Okorafor.

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