Training Camp Takeaways: Derek Watt Continues to Expand His Role

PITTSBURGH — The requires Derek Watt to tackle an even bigger function within the offense have been plentiful.

It was a file on repeat in 2020 as followers requested why Watt was not on the sphere extra, even because the Steelers struggled down the stretch.

Matt Canada is thought for utilizing a fullback closely in his offense. That a lot is all the time clear and recognized. Nonetheless, Mike Tomlin made it know that Watt needed to earn his approach into the offense. Canada would possibly need Watt to be an enormous half, but it surely was going to be earned.

On Tuesday. Watt confirmed off why he must be that man. It began off within the one-on-one drills when Watt ran a fast hitch route in opposition to Calvin Bundage. Watt snagged a one-handed catch outdoors of his body to the oohs and aahs of the gang watching on. Nevertheless, his largest play on an under-center play-action play from Dwayne Haskins.

Watt ran a deep over route. Haskins discovered Watt large open however sailed it a bit of bit over his head. Nonetheless, Watt made a superb one-handed catch and practically took it to the top zone earlier than being undercut by Tre Norwood. On one other play-action, Haskins discovered Watt breaking open on a flag route.

General, it was three performs to construct upon the wheel routes that Watt has already been concerned in. The route tree is as various because the one which Kyle Shanahan employs for Kyle Juczczyk, so it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how a lot of this involves fruition within the season.

SEVEN SHOTS

Seven pictures is a every day set of gamers from the two-yard line, that includes the Steelers No. 1 offense vs. No. 1 protection for 3 performs, No. 2 offense vs. No. 2 protection for 2 performs and the No. 3 offense vs. No. 3 protection for 2 performs.

🏈: The Steelers opened up in an empty formation, three by two, with a stacked look of Diontae Johnson and Najee Harris to the bottom on the 2 facet.

They tried to create a pure choose and Harris ran a fast slant. Nevertheless, Alex Highsmith learn it and bought the interception off Ben Roethlisberger. Only a higher play by Highsmith to learn that it was coming.

🏈: On the subsequent play, the Steelers went journeys with Johnson remoted to the bottom of the formation. Pat Freiermuth was remoted to the robust facet of the formation on the boundary. JuJu Smith-Schuster was within the slot. Haden tried to reflect Johnson, who attacked Haden’s leverage as if he was going for a fade. Nevertheless, as soon as Haden turned his hips, Johnson lower proper again inside and bought the landing on a slant.

🏈: The Steelers but once more went empty set on the objective line. Roethlisberger despatched Harris out large. The protection buzzed round and there appeared to be every kind of site visitors. Nevertheless, pre-snap, Freiermuth was remoted on robust security Miles Killebrew. The ball went to Freiermuth via the site visitors for a landing.

🏈: The Steelers remoted James Washington to the weak facet in opposition to Justin Layne. Mason Rudolph scanned the sphere, nevertheless, it was tight protection by Layne. He batted it away and it falls incomplete because the protection tied it up.

🏈: The Steelers bought right into a condensed bunch set with Anthony Johnson, Kevin Rader, and Rico Bussey. Isaiah McKoy was lined up the weak facet on the X-receiver place. Rudolph discovered nobody open to the bunch set, so he scanned again to the alternative facet and hit Trey Edmunds within the flat for a landing.

🏈: The Steelers labored into empty as Haskins bought his first rep of seven pictures. It was Bussey within the slot with Samuels on the skin. The Steelers labored Samuels again to the center of the sphere on a fast in route. In the meantime. Bussey sprinted to the again pylon on what appears like a easy clearout route by design. Samuels bought large open for the landing.

🏈: This time, the Steelers had tight finish Marcus Baugh put to the skin by himself in opposition to Mark Gilbert. He was clearly Haskins’ first learn. Nevertheless, Gilbert was hermetic on Baugh and picked it off.

OFFENSIVE LINE VS DEFENSIVE LINE HIGHLIGHTS

Kendrick Inexperienced stood out because the star of the lineman one-on-ones. First, he confronted a hungry and keen Tyson Alualu’s bull rush. Nevertheless, Inexperienced stood his floor and confirmed off nice core power and steadiness. That was a powerful rep in opposition to a man who was spectacular in 2020.

Nevertheless, Inexperienced’s battle in opposition to Isaiah Buggs could also be much more noteworthy. Buggs received the primary rep, no query about it. Inexperienced lunged ahead and Buggs merely swam over the overzealous Inexperienced. Nonetheless, Inexperienced’s subsequent two reps had been spectacular. After Buggs tried to bull rush him, Inexperienced anchored down fantastically. He fully stonewalled Buggs. After that, Inexperienced bought in Buggs’ face. On the subsequent rep, Inexperienced was working half-man. Buggs tried to get round him, however Inexperienced bought his arms inside and threw Buggs to the turf. But once more, Inexperienced bought proper in Buggs’ face. He appears to be a nasty tone-setter.

Highsmith went up in opposition to Dan Moore as soon as once more. It was all Highsmith on Tuesday, nevertheless. The primary rep was a ghost transfer the place Moore merely had no reply. The second was a rip and dip as Highsmith zoomed proper on previous Moore. The workforce interval right this moment was higher for Moore, however he doesn’t look like fairly able to step into the function he has consumed because of accidents. Highsmith totally outclassed him.

Cassius Marsh continued to make a powerful case to be the fourth outdoors linebacker on the workforce. Dealing with Aviante Collins and John Leglue, Marsh received all three of his reps with a rip and dip mixture and a cross chop-rip mixture on Leglue. Since coming back from his damage, he has put collectively some good days.

ATTACK THE MIDDLE

The Steelers had been one of many groups that almost all sometimes attacked the center of the sphere in 2020. That truth was clear as day after they had been utilizing Smith-Schuster as a glorified working again. Nonetheless, after Randy Fichtner was canned, Matt Canada wanted to usher in some kind of means to assault that a part of the sphere.

They’re using quite a lot of play-action passes to assault that a part of the sphere. Deep over routes and posts have gotten excessively frequent. Digs at about 15 yards of depth are there, too. The route tree to the center of the sphere up the seam is expansive. That’s the largest, most necessary factor. They’re displaying a need to assault the center of the sphere previous ten yards.

THE PUNTING COMPETITION CONTINUES

The Steelers did punting drills, and it definitely felt as if Pressley Harvin III received the struggle in opposition to Jordan Berry. This has been a contest that has swung like a seesaw previously months. Harvin simply has the larger leg, however Berry had the consistency. On Tuesday, it appeared as if Harvin lastly had the entire thing collectively.

Harvin downed a beautiful punt that hung within the air for about 5 seconds. It allowed Johnson greater than sufficient time to work down the sphere and snag the ball contained in the five-yard line. On one other punt, Harvin booted a cannonball from the seven-yard line of his personal finish zone to the opposing 18-yard line. All of his punts averaged round 5 seconds of dangle time. Berry’s had been considerably much less at round 4.2. A second of distinction can imply that a lot. Harvin received on Tuesday.

JUSTIN LAYNE’S NEW TECHNIQUE

It has been no secret that Layne has struggled all through the primary portion of coaching camp. Nevertheless, the excellent news for Layne is that the Steelers must nonetheless love his potential. The bodily instruments are all eye-popping, and that’s the reason Layne remains to be round other than his fabulous gunner talents.

Beforehand utilizing plenty of step-kick and bounce and jam methods when up on the road, Layne had struggled. Nevertheless, Grady Brown is taking Layne beneath his wing. At present, they had been working extensively on the inch method. It appears to have Layne taking part in higher, as he was in a zone right this moment. With three go breakups, Layne has made some performs because it stands. If the brand new method can provide him a consolation zone, perhaps Layne can determine this factor out.