What We Learned Day 2 of Steelers Rookie Mini Camp

[pczach]

What We Learned Day 2 of Steelers Rookie Mini Camp

Noah Strackbein



The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive playbook has an Alabama feel, which means plenty of Najee Harris.

PITTSBURGH -- Day 2 of rookie minicamp is in the books, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are one weekend into preparation for the 2021 season.

The Steelers had 12 first-year players, 17 members of their rookie class and five tryouts at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex Friday and Saturday. Players worked with position coaches to establish ground with the team as a ramp-up to OTAs and mandatory minicamp later this month.

"Our goals are to get an assessment of conditioning and for them to have an opportunity to display their conditioning," head coach Mike Tomlin said on Saturday. "To do some teaching and learning, to understand how they take in information individually and collectively. To deliver information to them, to utilize all our teach tools in an effort to get to know them from a teaching and learning perspective."

Tomlin, first-round pick Najee Harris and sixth-round pick Quincy Roche spoke with the media following practice and left plenty of laughs - and insight - into the first weekend on the field.

Najee Harris Came Ready to Go

Tomlin didn't want to talk about the offensive chemistry between Harris and Pat Freiermuth or whether or not the undrafted rookies impressed at camp. What he did talk about, though, was Harris.

Read the rest here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/oth...?ocid=msedgntp

[stillers4me]

[Shoes]

What We Learned Day 2 of Steelers Rookie Mini Camp

Noah Strackbein



The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive playbook has an Alabama feel, which means plenty of Najee Harris.

PITTSBURGH -- Day 2 of rookie minicamp is in the books, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are one weekend into preparation for the 2021 season.

The Steelers had 12 first-year players, 17 members of their rookie class and five tryouts at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex Friday and Saturday. Players worked with position coaches to establish ground with the team as a ramp-up to OTAs and mandatory minicamp later this month.

"Our goals are to get an assessment of conditioning and for them to have an opportunity to display their conditioning," head coach Mike Tomlin said on Saturday. "To do some teaching and learning, to understand how they take in information individually and collectively. To deliver information to them, to utilize all our teach tools in an effort to get to know them from a teaching and learning perspective."

Tomlin, first-round pick Najee Harris and sixth-round pick Quincy Roche spoke with the media following practice and left plenty of laughs - and insight - into the first weekend on the field.

Najee Harris Came Ready to Go

Tomlin didn't want to talk about the offensive chemistry between Harris and Pat Freiermuth or whether or not the undrafted rookies impressed at camp. What he did talk about, though, was Harris.

Read the rest here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/oth...?ocid=msedgntp

It will be interesting to see how Canada has modified the Steelers o playbook and his own.

[Rotorhead]

It will be interesting to see how Canada has modified the Steelers o playbook and his own.

Hopefully significantly!

[Born2Steel]

I think we learned that this year's rookie mini camp was pointless to pretty much everyone not directly involved.

[BlackAndGold]

I think we learned that this year's rookie mini camp was pointless to pretty much everyone not directly involved.

Most of the time they are useless. Last season showed that.

[86WARD]

Hopefully significantly!

Sounds like it is significantly different.

I’ll believe it when I don’t see a wrap around draw out of shotgun formation while the o-line takes a step back to run block...

[Shoes]

Sounds like it is significantly different.

I’ll believe it when I don’t see a wrap around draw out of shotgun formation while the o-line takes a step back to run block...

[Born2Steel]

Sounds like it is significantly different.

I’ll believe it when I don’t see a wrap around draw out of shotgun formation while the o-line takes a step back to run block...

I read/heard that there was a major emphasis last season on not letting Ben get hit. The conversation went to the lack of aggression by the OL and how this effected the run game. Every down was ran as if it was a passing down and since Ben was getting rid of the ball so quickly, the hope was it would cause defenses to drop more into coverage. Not sure if I believe ALL of this btw, just sharing. For a while this worked but teams are not dumb and it got figured out. IF this had been a college football season the Steelers went 12-0 though, so there's that. LOL, I'm not sure why that would have even been brought up let alone published as part of the piece. I think people like to use a little bit of football knowledge and mix in a bit of speculation, and throw in some conspiracy in an attempt to understand why things go wrong on the football field. Usually winning the LOS wins the game. I think that is where this team is focused currently.

[Mojouw]

I read/heard that there was a major emphasis last season on not letting Ben get hit. The conversation went to the lack of aggression by the OL and how this effected the run game. Every down was ran as if it was a passing down and since Ben was getting rid of the ball so quickly, the hope was it would cause defenses to drop more into coverage. Not sure if I believe ALL of this btw, just sharing. For a while this worked but teams are not dumb and it got figured out. IF this had been a college football season the Steelers went 12-0 though, so there's that. LOL, I'm not sure why that would have even been brought up let alone published as part of the piece. I think people like to use a little bit of football knowledge and mix in a bit of speculation, and throw in some conspiracy in an attempt to understand why things go wrong on the football field. Usually winning the LOS wins the game. I think that is where this team is focused currently.

I have read and heard similar. But that is why I do not understand that "Canada and Klemm are going to change/fix everything" narrative. Ben is still the QB. He is still basically immobile. He isn't going to suddenly want to get hit MORE another year older.

At best, the offensive line off-set what it lost in experience with the increased exuberance of youth. But while I am a fan of the offensive line grouping and think it will be fine, I do not think they have assembled an impenetrable wall. All 5 of the projected starters can get beat by good NFL pass rushers.

So....what I do not understand...is how the new offensive brain trust will be able to do much of anything truly different if the problem is that he QB can NOT get hit. Not ever ever. I mean an effective offense that generates big plays means the QB has to get hit at least a few times a game...

[Born2Steel]

I have read and heard similar. But that is why I do not understand that "Canada and Klemm are going to change/fix everything" narrative. Ben is still the QB. He is still basically immobile. He isn't going to suddenly want to get hit MORE another year older.

At best, the offensive line off-set what it lost in experience with the increased exuberance of youth. But while I am a fan of the offensive line grouping and think it will be fine, I do not think they have assembled an impenetrable wall. All 5 of the projected starters can get beat by good NFL pass rushers.

So....what I do not understand...is how the new offensive brain trust will be able to do much of anything truly different if the problem is that he QB can NOT get hit. Not ever ever. I mean an effective offense that generates big plays means the QB has to get hit at least a few times a game...

Considering one of the goals of every offense is to limit the number of hits on the QB I don't find it odd at all. Ben is now a full season and offseason removed from major elbow surgery on his throwing arm so I would think the 'worry factor' has lessened more than a little for this season, compared to last season. When Rudolph takes over the role(assuming) the idea will be to protect him as much as possible also.

The idea of an impenetrable wall is going to resemble more of a moving, zone blocking wall I'm thinking. More like when Bell was the RB. RBs that have better vision to see cutbacks and create on their own go well with that style OL play. A more 'literal' type RB like Snell/Conner will hit the designated hole or bounce outside but that is typically the extent of their creativity. RBs like Bell and Harris that are 'less literal' find those cutback lanes easier, read defensive angles better, and are usually just harder to get to in the backfield. A zone blocking scheme puts the OL in usually a block odd or even front that is moving more to a side than straight ahead man blocking. This creates more 'holes' for a more creative style RB to take advantage of. I think getting back to this will improve the run game significantly. I think this will also help the passing game as well as help limit the number of QB hits on 'passing downs'.

Maybe this isn't a planned change for the offense but the signs seem to point that way to me.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Considering one of the goals of every offense is to limit the number of hits on the QB I don't find it odd at all. Ben is now a full season and offseason removed from major elbow surgery on his throwing arm so I would think the 'worry factor' has lessened more than a little for this season, compared to last season. When Rudolph takes over the role(assuming) the idea will be to protect him as much as possible also.

The idea of an impenetrable wall is going to resemble more of a moving, zone blocking wall I'm thinking. More like when Bell was the RB. RBs that have better vision to see cutbacks and create on their own go well with that style OL play. A more 'literal' type RB like Snell/Conner will hit the designated hole or bounce outside but that is typically the extent of their creativity. RBs like Bell and Harris that are 'less literal' find those cutback lanes easier, read defensive angles better, and are usually just harder to get to in the backfield. A zone blocking scheme puts the OL in usually a block odd or even front that is moving more to a side than straight ahead man blocking. This creates more 'holes' for a more creative style RB to take advantage of. I think getting back to this will improve the run game significantly. I think this will also help the passing game as well as help limit the number of QB hits on 'passing downs'.

Maybe this isn't a planned change for the offense but the signs seem to point that way to me.

good post $$$

[Mojouw]

Considering one of the goals of every offense is to limit the number of hits on the QB I don't find it odd at all. Ben is now a full season and offseason removed from major elbow surgery on his throwing arm so I would think the 'worry factor' has lessened more than a little for this season, compared to last season. When Rudolph takes over the role(assuming) the idea will be to protect him as much as possible also.

The idea of an impenetrable wall is going to resemble more of a moving, zone blocking wall I'm thinking. More like when Bell was the RB. RBs that have better vision to see cutbacks and create on their own go well with that style OL play. A more 'literal' type RB like Snell/Conner will hit the designated hole or bounce outside but that is typically the extent of their creativity. RBs like Bell and Harris that are 'less literal' find those cutback lanes easier, read defensive angles better, and are usually just harder to get to in the backfield. A zone blocking scheme puts the OL in usually a block odd or even front that is moving more to a side than straight ahead man blocking. This creates more 'holes' for a more creative style RB to take advantage of. I think getting back to this will improve the run game significantly. I think this will also help the passing game as well as help limit the number of QB hits on 'passing downs'.

Maybe this isn't a planned change for the offense but the signs seem to point that way to me.

Ok. Sure, I will buy all that.

But I still have this question/line of thought:

If we assume that the 2020 Steelers put in place an offensive line scheme/approach that was based on the single priority of everything has to be focused on insulating the QB from hits and that negatively impacted the running game...what has changed? Are they more willing to expose the QB to hits? If so why? And If not, what is going to change that will improve things from 2020?

[Born2Steel]

Ok. Sure, I will buy all that.

But I still have this question/line of thought:

If we assume that the 2020 Steelers put in place an offensive line scheme/approach that was based on the single priority of everything has to be focused on insulating the QB from hits and that negatively impacted the running game...what has changed? Are they more willing to expose the QB to hits? If so why? And If not, what is going to change that will improve things from 2020?

I tried to answer that. Change in OL blocking scheme, more creative RB play. Also talked about in this or other threads, more pre-snap motion to identify coverage, get free releases for receivers, and expose blitzers. Ben was getting rid of the ball consistently in under 2 seconds in 2020. I think we will still see that for the most part. The days of Ben scrambling around waiting for downfield targets to come open are mostly gone, I'm thinking. Ben's still going to get hit, the point is to limit the number of hits.

[Mojouw]

I tried to answer that. Change in OL blocking scheme, more creative RB play. Also talked about in this or other threads, more pre-snap motion to identify coverage, get free releases for receivers, and expose blitzers. Ben was getting rid of the ball consistently in under 2 seconds in 2020. I think we will still see that for the most part. The days of Ben scrambling around waiting for downfield targets to come open are mostly gone, I'm thinking. Ben's still going to get hit, the point is to limit the number of hits.

I think I see what you are saying...but for me...if the bold portion doesn't change in a meaningful manner for the 2021 offense, the run game outcome won't change either. And this could be because I am not understanding things properly. But if you have a pass game totally focused on short, quick, throws -- then what is to prevent the defense from just compressing things like they did in the second half of 2020? If all the LBs and both safeties are "inside the box" I question how effective any running game can be, regardless of pre-snap motion and blocking scheme.

I am likely missing a piece or pieces here and almost certainly not expressing what is in my head very clearly.

But it is fun to talk about.

[Istina]

I tried to answer that. Change in OL blocking scheme, more creative RB play. Also talked about in this or other threads, more pre-snap motion to identify coverage, get free releases for receivers, and expose blitzers. Ben was getting rid of the ball consistently in under 2 seconds in 2020. I think we will still see that for the most part. The days of Ben scrambling around waiting for downfield targets to come open are mostly gone, I'm thinking. Ben's still going to get hit, the point is to limit the number of hits.

I guess the question still remains that if, for the most part, as you say Ben is going to get rid of the ball in under 2 seconds then I think we can expect the same results but with different personnel. Ben is going to have to trust the offensive line to give him at 3 seconds (the norm) so that deeper routes can develop, otherwise, he'll be throwing to the LOS and that won't help the running game in the least. This really wasn't a question.

[Born2Steel]

I think I see what you are saying...but for me...if the bold portion doesn't change in a meaningful manner for the 2021 offense, the run game outcome won't change either. And this could be because I am not understanding things properly. But if you have a pass game totally focused on short, quick, throws -- then what is to prevent the defense from just compressing things like they did in the second half of 2020? If all the LBs and both safeties are "inside the box" I question how effective any running game can be, regardless of pre-snap motion and blocking scheme.

I am likely missing a piece or pieces here and almost certainly not expressing what is in my head very clearly.

But it is fun to talk about.

Except now you have a run game that is less predictable and once Harris gets to the 2nd level he's gone for a big gain. In some portions of the field you would love to have the safeties in the box.

Instead of under 2secs go with under 3secs, still the fastest in the league: https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/20...ocus-nfl-2020/

IF LBs and Safeties are flowing with the OL to take away running lanes, a pass route is open. IF LBs and Safeties are playing back in coverage there will be open running lanes. Think of options using DJ in that jet sweep motion everyone hates, but this time you have a zone blocking scheme to help sell it. OR a RB that will line up anywhere effectively. OR WRs and TEs that are willing blockers in the run game with a RB that is not just standing still waiting on a shotgun handoff(QB not under Center).

Not asking who is better but who brings better athleticism to the position. AV or Chuks? Dotson or Feiler? Pouncey or Finney/Green? Freiermuth or McDonald? Harris or Snell? This is not 2020's offense. IF Canada is running all the pre-snap motion that keeps being talked about those blitzing Safeties, LBs, and CBs are going to get exposed and exploited by Big Ben. The one thing 'Father Time' cannot steal here is his experience.

- - - Updated - - -

I guess the question still remains that if, for the most part, as you say Ben is going to get rid of the ball in under 2 seconds then I think we can expect the same results but with different personnel. Ben is going to have to trust the offensive line to give him at 3 seconds (the norm) so that deeper routes can develop, otherwise, he'll be throwing to the LOS and that won't help the running game in the least. This really wasn't a question.

What IS going to help the running game, and again this is purely my guess/hope/speculation on the planned offensive scheme and execution, is getting back to the running style we had with Bell. Is there any doubt the RB room has been upgraded significantly? Is there any doubt there is now a more athletic OL room? I don't see how the run game won't be significantly better.

- - - Updated - - -

Obviously this is not something I learned from rookie mini camp, so apologies for derailing the conversation.

[Mojouw]

Except now you have a run game that is less predictable and once Harris gets to the 2nd level he's gone for a big gain. In some portions of the field you would love to have the safeties in the box.

Instead of under 2secs go with under 3secs, still the fastest in the league: https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/20...ocus-nfl-2020/

IF LBs and Safeties are flowing with the OL to take away running lanes, a pass route is open. IF LBs and Safeties are playing back in coverage there will be open running lanes. Think of options using DJ in that jet sweep motion everyone hates, but this time you have a zone blocking scheme to help sell it. OR a RB that will line up anywhere effectively. OR WRs and TEs that are willing blockers in the run game with a RB that is not just standing still waiting on a shotgun handoff(QB not under Center).

Not asking who is better but who brings better athleticism to the position. AV or Chuks? Dotson or Feiler? Pouncey or Finney/Green? Freiermuth or McDonald? Harris or Snell? This is not 2020's offense. IF Canada is running all the pre-snap motion that keeps being talked about those blitzing Safeties, LBs, and CBs are going to get exposed and exploited by Big Ben. The one thing 'Father Time' cannot steal here is his experience.

That’s a great vision. But I can’t get past that the limits of Ben drove much of the bad scheme bus and he likely didn’t get better in the off season.

But this is threatening to derail a good discussion with a tired song and dance from me. I’m likely just too pessimistic anyways.

The overall direction of the offense and the pieces they’ve been able to quickly assemble is a more than reasonable source of optimism.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

The short passing game can work and has in the past and I remember my dad hating Ken Anderson doing it, said it was boring football. It worked though but not out of shotgun and that hurts the running game.

[Born2Steel]

From 2004 up to Bell being drafted(2013) Ben was sacked an average of 38 times per season with 9 of those seasons being 30+. After drafting Bell Ben's average sacks dropped to 26 times per season, Bell's rookie season was still 40+, then drops to an average of 23.

Using that same time period, before Bell Ben averaged 21 TD passes per season, with only 3 seasons with 25+. After drafting Bell Ben's average TDs per season rose to 29, with 6 of 25+ including 2020(33) in which Ben apparently sucked.

My point? The return to an offense similar to when Bell was the RB seems to me to be a good and positive thing.

As a side note, 2020 Ben was 33TDs, 10INTs, and 13Sacks in 15 games, along with his 6th best completion rate. Tied for 2nd most pass attempts in his career. I am very optimistic for this offense.