86WARD
06-12-2015, 08:31 PM
It is no secret that 2014 free agent signee Cam Thomas struggled mightily last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, eventually losing his starting job and considerable playing time as the season went on. What might be a surprise however, is that Thomas’ spot among the 53-man roster is far from a certainty as training camp fast approaches.
Thomas’ underwhelming performances last season stemmed from a multitude of mechanical and technique issues, the most notable of which was consistently playing too high and allowing blockers to control his frame at the point of attack. Thomas isn’t the type of athlete that will typically be effective on passing downs, so Pittsburgh hoped he’d aid the development of a young defensive line as a consistent run stopper. Instead, Thomas ended up on the ground more than he did in the backfield, a plight which rippled over the entire Steelers defense early in the season.
Physical conditioning was an issue for Thomas in college, as he was part of a steady rotation at North Carolina, where the coaches desired to keep him fresh for early down work against the run. The big defensive lineman’s size and raw tools made him an intriguing fifth-round pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2010, but since then he has been a mostly underwhelming presence at both of his NFL stops.
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/06/steelers-rookies-could-push-cam-thomas-out-the-door/
Thomas’ underwhelming performances last season stemmed from a multitude of mechanical and technique issues, the most notable of which was consistently playing too high and allowing blockers to control his frame at the point of attack. Thomas isn’t the type of athlete that will typically be effective on passing downs, so Pittsburgh hoped he’d aid the development of a young defensive line as a consistent run stopper. Instead, Thomas ended up on the ground more than he did in the backfield, a plight which rippled over the entire Steelers defense early in the season.
Physical conditioning was an issue for Thomas in college, as he was part of a steady rotation at North Carolina, where the coaches desired to keep him fresh for early down work against the run. The big defensive lineman’s size and raw tools made him an intriguing fifth-round pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2010, but since then he has been a mostly underwhelming presence at both of his NFL stops.
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/06/steelers-rookies-could-push-cam-thomas-out-the-door/