Quick Training Camp Observations

[SteelerAl]

Caught yesterday's practice so here are a few observations:

-- Heath Miller looked like the Heath we all know and love. Dominated Jarvis Jones 3 times in a row during an OLB vs. TE run-blocking drill. He was also very active catching passes in 11 on 11 drills.

-- Rookie TE Eric Waters was also impressive prior to going down with a back injury. Hope he is not out for long as he seems to be a good candidate for the PS or maybe even on the 53 as the 3rd tight end (not counting FB/TE Will Johnson who is a roster lock)

-- Jason Worilds looks poised for a big season...he is really a physical specimen and he's even made it through 5 practices now without any sort of nagging injury (knock on wood). I have a feeling he is going to feast on quite a few RTs this year.

-- Jarvis Jones had a poor practice. Still not seeing much in terms of explosion, leverage, initial punch etc. Maybe his mind was somewhere else yesterday because he had about 5 false starts in 1-on-1 drills or just when hitting the blocking shed. He just seemed to be thinking instead of reacting decisively.

-- Howard Jones had a nice practice. He'll be worth a watch in the preseason to see whether he can pressure the passer against backup OTs.

-- Did not see much from Brian Arnfelt...it looked to me like he may have been overtaken by Josh Mauro as the second team RDE...worth monitoring during the preseason. I'm still worried that we only have 3 DEs on the roster (the two Cams and Tuitt).

-- The light has not turned on for Mike Adams. I don't think there is any suspense whatsoever when it comes to the starting tackles being Beachum and Gilbert.

-- Justin Brown looks to have a solid grip on the #4 WR position for the moment while Martavis Bryant looks like he needs a redshirt year. My guess right now is that they keep 5 WRs (with Dri Archer making it more like 5.5) so Moye and Heyward-Bey get cut and Bryant is inactive for most of the season.

Overall, the defense looked fast and aggressive, stuffing the offense's attempt to run the ball (granted, neither Bell nor Blount were getting reps at RB) with Sharmako and Jordan Dangerfield just killing people from the safety position. Ben looks great along with the top 4 WRs plus Heath. This should be the best and most consistent offense we've had in quite some time, provided the O-line stays healthy and is capable of giving Bell and Blount some running lanes.

 

[Vader]

I've said from day 1 that Adams is not a LT. Now he is proven he isn't a RT either. Remember this is the guy that Tombert said was a 1st round talent. Only after he was caught smoking doobies did the Steelers down grade him to late 2nd round status.

IMHO Brown is easily the #4 WR. He isn't the fastest guy in the world but he can catch the ball and he is what Ben needs: a tall rangy WR that has good body control. Ben has been asking for this type of WR forever.

Good report.

 

[Superman]

I've said from day 1 that Adams is not a LT. Now he is proven he isn't a RT either. Remember this is the guy that Tombert said was a 1st round talent. Only after he was caught smoking doobies did the Steelers down grade him to late 2nd round status.

yep. Adams has the size you'd want in a LT, but he's just not a LT. I thought he'd be a good RT, but apparently that isn't in the cards for him either.

 

[Hines57]

Adams, another fuckeye ********.

 

[ZACKB]

Adams, another fuckeye ********.

Buckeye players seem to do just fine. Heyward is god and I feel good about Shazier. Why all the animosity toward Buckeyes? You a Meechigan Alum?

 

[Vader]

yep. Adams has the size you'd want in a LT, but he's just not a LT. I thought he'd be a good RT, but apparently that isn't in the cards for him either.

I don't have his numbers in front of me but watching him in college I never thought LT. He has great size but I've always questioned his footwork and his thought processes. Also I don't understand the huge difference between what everyone in the scouting world thought of him and what the Steelers thought. Most mock drafts said things like this about him:

He is a rather un-exciting prospect who can do the job and has the frame for the next level, but is more of a backup option at first and would struggle if thrown into a starting role. Based off his experience at a big-time school and frame, he has late round talent at the position.

Then when you take his horrible combine numbers into account I don't understand why they had him as a 1st rounder. Dri Archer benched more times than Adams. He is 6'7 323 lbs and could only lift 19 times. The rest of his numbers had him middle of the pack for OL. For the life of me I don't understand what Tombert was thinking. This was written after the combine:

This is a tough time for Adams, he is looking at being drafted at the end of the second day at this point.
This after some mock drafts had him in the first or second round. Even if a team still likes Adams' size and upside, he can now be had much later in the draft than originally thought.

And this was before his failed combine drug test came out. I just don't get it.

 

[Litos]

thanks for the Live Report, Karma

 

[Wingman]

It seemed a lot of the draft folks had us taking him in the first round prior to his drug test. It seems that a lot of folks were thinking first rounder besides Tombert as well. I thought he played left tackle at Ohio State and did reasonably well for them. He seemed in the off season to be developing better habits, work out partner DeCastro for example. But as you point out he may be having trouble making the change from college to the pros. I hope he develops because the team has so much invested in him. Otherwise he may earn the bust label. Gilbert has not been setting things on fire either so that does not bode well for the team. Beachum according to some info from camp was beaten quite handily by uncle Jarvis on at lest 3 occasions. So if the trend continues our tackles will be very weak again this year.

I am hoping that this years difficulties are from changes implemented by the munch that the players are still trying to get right.

 

[bermudasteel]

Thanks Al!

 

[Supersteeler]

Adams, another fuckeye ********.

Oh piss off.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Have we ever heard a report about Jarvis that was excited about how great he looks? About the best you ever get is reports that say he had a good practice. I can't recall ever reading a camp report in 2 years that talked about how Jarvis made a OL look silly or beat a guy easily.

i think i've heard more glowing reports about Howard Jones than i've heard about Jarvis in 2 years.

I get it, hes still learning but it does not build confidence to constantly hear reports of a guy who sounds like a 5th rounder. Even Ziggy had flashes of greatness in practices where he showed his potential.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Actually there were reports like that about Jones beating Beachum a couple of days ago

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

On a single play followed by him being easily handled. I meant an extended stretch of plays or a whole practice where he looks like a first round pass rusher.

Jarvis played extended time last preseason vs 3rd and 4th string scrubs and produced next to nothing. He should dominate guys like that.

 

[Coryea]

Alot of draft gurus had Adams going in the 1st round that season.

i think it was Gerry Dulac i heard on one of radio shows saying Jones beat beachum pretty easily twice in a row, but the thing that stuck out to him was that Jones faked the speed rush and punched beachum right in the chest knocking him off balance and easily beat him to the inside. He said jones never used any inside moves last season.

 

[antdrewjosh]

He used them they just didnt work or they worked but he wasnt strong enough to finish them.

 

[deljzc]

Reports about Jarvis Jones are eerily similar to those of Ziggy Hood. Always trying to find glass-half-full things to write about, but never really hearing much about him making a guy look bad or making explosive plays.

You hope the coaching staff evaluates Jones correctly earlier than they did with Hood (who they clung to as a starter WAY longer than they should while keeping Heyward on the bench). I hope we don't talk 3 years from now how another OLB on the roster is a better player that is being kept as a backup because Jones will get every benefit of the doubt.

This isn't the year bench him yet, but if he continues to be "just a guy", you hope we don't have another Ziggy Hood situation.

 

[Steelers1356]

Jarvis is doing fine. from earlier this week:

Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) tweeted at 5:05 PM on Mon, Jul 28, 2014:
Winners of linebackers on lineman. Jarvis Jones and Chris Elkins.

Reports are he's also been dominant in the 11 on 11 drills. 11 on 11 and backers vs linemen are the most important. In the one on one he went up against one of the best blocking TE's in the business, got schooled and I'm sure learned a few things. And remember, the tendency of the average camp goer will be to analyze JJ closely, especially after his slow rookie year with the expectation that he'll blow past his opponent on every play. Doesn't work that way, even the best pass rushers only average maybe a sack a game with an average of about 30 rushing pass play opportunities a game. Try not to over analyze the one on one drills where the blockers have a natural edge.

 

[Ward4HOF]

I read somewhere (sorry can't remember where) that Joe Thomas of Cleveland was giving him pointers last year in the game lol.

 

[antdrewjosh]

I read somewhere (sorry can't remember where) that Joe Thomas of Cleveland was giving him pointers last year in the game lol.

I see that as a good thing. The best in the biz giving you pointers

 

[jdell]

Adams might be the bust that many of you say he is, but please wait until after the pre-season to declare him that.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Jarvis is doing fine. from earlier this week:

Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) tweeted at 5:05 PM on Mon, Jul 28, 2014:
Winners of linebackers on lineman. Jarvis Jones and Chris Elkins.

Reports are he's also been dominant in the 11 on 11 drills. 11 on 11 and backers vs linemen are the most important. In the one on one he went up against one of the best blocking TE's in the business, got schooled and I'm sure learned a few things. And remember, the tendency of the average camp goer will be to analyze JJ closely, especially after his slow rookie year with the expectation that he'll blow past his opponent on every play. Doesn't work that way, even the best pass rushers only average maybe a sack a game with an average of about 30 rushing pass play opportunities a game. Try not to over analyze the one on one drills where the blockers have a natural edge.

i see where it says he got schooled and not to expect him to dominate every play.

i'm not expecting a sack on every play. Sacks can be overrated because sometimes they can be lucky. What i care about is consistent pressure. Woodley didn't put up huge sack totals but he would push the pocket on most plays.

the problem with Jarvis is he's all or nothing. If he doesn't win on an initial move then he's no factor. That's the problem.

 

[Ward4HOF]

I see that as a good thing. The best in the biz giving you pointers

No question, I just found it funny that he was giving pointers to the enemy. I saw Joe and Keisel talking after the game and he seems like a pretty good guy.

 

[antdrewjosh]

I read somewhere (sorry can't remember where) that Joe Thomas of Cleveland was giving him pointers last year in the game lol.

I see that as a good thing. The best in the biz giving you pointers

 

[Drink IRON City]

i see where it says he got schooled and not to expect him to dominate every play.

i'm not expecting a sack on every play. Sacks can be overrated because sometimes they can be lucky. What i care about is consistent pressure. Woodley didn't put up huge sack totals but he would push the pocket on most plays.

the problem with Jarvis is he's all or nothing. If he doesn't win on an initial move then he's no factor. That's the problem.

Ummmm, I remember Woodlley disappearing for stretches in a row. Then, the light turn on, suddenly he became a monster. Sometimes you'd see this a couple times a season. So not just about every play. Perspective


Salute the nation

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Ummmm, I remember Woodlley disappearing for stretches in a row. Then, the light turn on, suddenly he became a monster. Sometimes you'd see this a couple times a season. So not just about every play. Perspective


Salute the nation

True that he disappeared when he was injured or out of shape but even during those times he would still push the pocket and provide some rush. Woodley is rarely stopped dead by a single blocker. Jarvis is often completely stoned by 1 blocker.