Random OTA thoughts, notes
The offensive assistant coaches were made available to the media today as the Steelers wrap up their OTAs this week before starting mandatatory mini-camp next week.
After talking to a player or two, I gravitated over to where offensive coordiantor Todd Haley was holding court.
Haley had a couple of interesting things to say, first and foremost when asked about how playing time will be distributed between Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams at running back.
Haley said that it will be different this season as opposed to what it was last year – when Williams barely played when Bell was healthy – because the coaching staff has seen what Williams can do on a weekly basis.
He did note that Bell does not like to come off the field and, quite frankly, it would be difficult for me to take a multi-dimesional star such as Bell off the field.
But Williams and Bell have a good relationship and Bell isn’t going to complain if the Steelers carve out some kind of role for Williams this season.
The team tried to do some stuff with Williams when they had both healthy last season – most notably making an attempt to use Williams as a short-yardage back at Kansas City with mixed results.
I don’t see the team boxing itself in by proclaiming Williams a short-yardage back or saying he’s going to play every fourth series, but I do think the coaching staff will find a way to get him a certain number of touches each game, just to keep him in the flow of things. A closer role perhaps?
That was what they sold LeGarrette Blount on a couple of years ago and then he pouted his way off the team when he wasn’t used in that role in a win at Tennessee when Bell was ripping off 10-yard runs in the fourth quarter.
But Williams won’t pout. He knows the pecking order and who the main guy is. This isn’t a 1 and 1A situation and he knows that.
Besides, I don’t expect the Steelers to play Bell much – if at all – in the preseason. Williams will get plenty of action with the first-team offense then.
• When asked about 30 points per game being the goal again this season, Haley said that was the case.
What about 35?
Haley said they had to hit the first goal before they thought about that, but you could see the twinkle in his eye at the thought of that kind of explosiveness.
To reach that, the Steelers will have to stay healthy on the offensive side of the ball. But they are certainly capable, even without Martavis Bryant.
• Jason Cole of the Bleacher Report joined Adam Crowley and me on SNR during the first week of OTAs and we asked him what the national perception of this offense was.
He said that there were still question marks at receiver.
After watching Markus Wheaton, Sammie Coates and Darrius Heyward-Bey work for three more weeks – along with Antonio Brown – I’m not buying that.
Wheaton has looked solid and was, in fact, the No. 2 receiver last year ahead of Bryant. Coates appears to get what it takes to get on the field consistently. And Heyward-Bey might be the best No. 4 receiver in the league – if you want to look at the pecking order in that fashion, though the Steelers do not.
This is a good group. It would be better with Bryant, to be sure. But add Ladarius Green to the group, along with an improving Jesse James to go along with Bell, and Pittsburgh’s passing game is as good as anyone’s.
• Antonio Brown is flat-out uncoverable. And he is perhaps the most dangerous player in the league after the catch.
He caught a pass over the middle today, planted his foot at a dead run and went in a completely different direction without losing speed. Unstoppable.
• Carnell Lake said over the weekend that the Steelers were prepared to take William Jackson before Cincinnati grabbed him one pick before Pittsburgh selected Artie Burns.
Peter King reported it differently, but I’m inclined to believe Lake on this one.
That’s nothing against Burns, who appears to be solid from what I’ve seen thus far. But I, like most people, had Jackson rated higher. So, apparently, did the Steelers.