Pittsburgh Steelers: Biggest Takeaways from 1st Week of Training Camp

The Pittsburgh Steelers got an early start to training camp by virtue of playing in the Hall of Fame Game. Although the veterans may not appreciate an extra week at Saint Vincent College, the coaching staff and young players looking to make the roster will take full advantage of this time.

With the team breaking out the pads on Wednesday, the Steelers had their first taste of real football this summer. The hitting helps set a physical tone in camp and begins to separate the roster players from the non-roster players.

While there are still three weeks of camp to go—as well as five preseason games—we have already had the opportunity to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the team as well as any changes made to the schemes.

Here is a look at five of the biggest takeaways from the first week of training camp.  

Depth Issues at Quarterback

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Landry Jones will compete with Tajh Boyd for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.

Over the past two seasons, Ben Roethlisberger started 32 games. It was the first time in his career that he started 16 games in back-to-back seasons.

The Steelers hope that his streak will continue but must be prepared if he has to miss any action. Bruce Gradkowski is No. 2 on the depth chart and has only played in a handful of snaps in his two seasons in Pittsburgh.

Gradkowski began training camp on the physically unable to perform list with a shoulder injury. That has left Landry Jones in the backup role with Tajh Boyd and Tyler Murphy rounding out the depth chart.

Through the first week of practices, Boyd has impressed the most with his ability to put touch on his passes as well as make plays with his legs when the pocket breaks down. Meanwhile, Jones continues to be slow with his decision-making and relies on the underneath receivers.

As long as Gradkowski returns to the lineup, the Steelers will be fine at the position. But what if he is out for a longer period?

"If that happens, then I'll deal with it," head coach Mike Tomlin told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.

Fowler believes that Boyd will win the No. 3 role, and based on what I’ve watched at camp so far, Boyd has the lead over Jones. However, if Gradkowski’s shoulder is slow to recover, the Steelers must explore other options, as neither player is prepared to carry the offense if Roethlisberger misses any time.

Lesser Role for Tight Ends

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

The Steelers lack a true receiving option at tight end behind Heath Miller.

Each year we wait for the Steelers to draft a replacement for Heath Miller, and each year they pass on all of the early options. Instead, general manager Kevin Colbert has opted for developmental projects Rob Blanchflower and Jesse James.

Part of the reason could be the evolution of the offense.

While some teams continue to try to find the next big, athletic Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham, the Steelers are content utilizing their receivers. With Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton along with rookie Sammie Coates, why would offensive coordinator Todd Haley want another tight end to pair with Heath Miller?

There are only so many balls to go around, and Roethlisberger focuses those targets to the receivers and to Le’Veon Bell—as well as Miller.

Of the passes thrown this camp, rarely do they head toward a tight end, according to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Although it should be a noted caveat that starter Heath Miller was given a 'veteran's day off' on a 90-plus degree day [on Wednesday] at St. Vincent College, it still was telling that more than 30 snaps were taken before a tight end was thrown a pass during 11-on-11s."

Adamski added: “Whereas in 2012, tight ends accounted for about a quarter of quarterback targets and of the team's receiving yards, and 27.1 percent of the Steelers' receptions, by last season, each of those benchmarks had dropped to roughly one-sixth of the production.”

Even as he slows, Miller will continue to get his targets this year, but those could decrease as the offense shifts more toward the receivers and running backs. Based on what Matt Spaeth told Adamski, the tight ends are fine with that:

“We have a saying that there's never enough balls to go around for everyone,” said Spaeth. “But if you're going to be a special group, you've got to have special players—and you've got to have special players that understand that they're not going to get the ball all the time.”

Whether it is blocking or receiving, the Steelers have a well-rounded group of tight ends, but they may end up doing more for the ground game than they do for the passing attack.

Moats' Job to Lose

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Arthur Moats will start at left outside linebacker.

With two first-round draft picks at outside linebacker as well as James Harrison providing depth, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle. Through the early part of training camp, that is the case for Arthur Moats, but this should not bother him.

Moats has quietly had a strong camp and should have the job locked up entering the regular season. That is the mindset he has as well entering his first season with the Steelers at the top of the depth chart.

“I feel like the job’s mine until I’m told otherwise,” Moats told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It’s all about what you put on tape. That’s any position. If you put bad stuff on tape, they’ll get you out of there.”

Through the first week of practice, Moats has been explosive off the edge. He adds an element of speed that the Steelers have lacked at the position and has been disruptive in the backfield.

Moats performed well last year while in a limited role. He finished the season with 23 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. If he can put up that type of production over the course of a full season, the Steelers will have something special.

Bud Dupree is the future at left outside linebacker, but until he is ready, the Steelers are in good hands with Moats.

Cover 2 Concepts for Defense

Associated Press

Mike Tomlin and Keith Butler will put their stamp on the defense this year.

The Steelers offense isn’t the only area of the team to undergo an evolution. Under new defensive coordinator Keith Butler, the defense will follow suit, and that could include some Cover 2 concepts, according to Jim Wexell of SteelCityInsider.net:

"Tomlin, who often roams between position groupings shouting instruction and encouragement, worked primarily with the defensive secondary yesterday, and looked like the position coach of his younger days as he taught his defensive backs the specifics of playing Cover 2," he wrote.

With Dick LeBeau at the helm, the Steelers ran Cover 3 in the secondary and had two-gap defensive linemen. However, the personnel has slowly changed over the years, and the Steelers have drafted players to play in a hybrid system.

Besides the new looks in the secondary, the Steelers will use their defensive linemen in a different way, according to what ESPN analyst—and former Steeler safety—Ryan Clark told Wexell:

"You didn't pay Cam that money to be a two-gapper. He's a penetrator. That's what he does. That's what he's good at," Clark said.

Do not expect wholesale changes this year but rather a slow process where the coaching staff implements new ideas to maximize the talent it has on defense. If that involves playing Cover 2 in the secondary and using the defensive linemen to rush the passer, expect Tomlin and Butler do what it takes to get the defense back on track.

Bell’s Suspension Reduced

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Le'Veon Bell will only miss two games because of suspension.

Although not a football story in terms of what the Steelers are doing on the field, there was no bigger story at training camp than the news that the NFL reduced Le’Veon Bell’s three-game suspension to two games.

“I just want to go out there and continue to practice with my team as long as I can,” Bell said, per Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I don’t want to go through all the details. I’m just glad I got the suspension reduced.”

With this news behind him, Bell can now turn his full attention to preparing for the season. That is good news for the Steelers, as he once again entered training camp in excellent shape and appears healthy after recovering from a knee injury during the offseason.

The backfield is taking shape behind Bell as DeAngelo Williams continues to adjust to Pittsburgh’s offense. He will carry the bulk of the load through the first two weeks of the season. However, he won’t be the only back to get some touches.

Josh Harris has looked like the clear-cut No. 3 back throughout the early part of training camp. He is built like a rock (5'11", 210 lbs) and has good speed, as he demonstrated on Wednesday with a long run through the middle of the defense.

Throw in Dri Archer, and the Steelers have a versatile package to throw at opposing defense while Bell is out. However, they will be happy to get him back on the field for the third game rather than the fourth.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, and roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com. Camp observations obtained firsthand.               

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