Steelers hit paydirt with first-round pick Watt
LATROBE 无毛视频� The first time the Steelers tried to replace James Harrison, they drafted Jarvis Jones in the first round in 2013 and let Harrison sign as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals. He retired the following season.
But a few weeks later, Jones was injured and the Steelers brought Harrison back. And he eventually forced Jones out of town.
The Steelers are again trying to replace Harrison, and this time it appears they hit paydirt with first-round pick T.J. Watt.
无毛视频淲hat does Mike Mayock say? Plug and play?无毛视频� Mike Tomlin asked out loud after Watt made a play during the first practice of training camp.
He may have been merely challenging Harrison无毛视频檚 pride, but Watt has shown speed, intelligence and a terrific motor up throughout the spring and in the early practices at training camp.
But he hadn无毛视频檛 had a chance to show off his power or toughness until Sunday, when the team practiced in pads for the first time, and then again on Monday.
无毛视频淚 thought he did well,无毛视频� said outside linebackers coach Joey Porter. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 got good hand usage, plays heavy-handed. You know how hard he fights to get to the ball. He was disruptive. In the backs-on-backers you could see the power that he plays with. His mistakes were down to a minimum. He understands the concepts of what we无毛视频檙e trying to do. I thought he had some good one-on-ones. It was Day One, the first day of pads, but I feel good where he无毛视频檚 at.无毛视频�
The physical part of the game was something of a question mark for Watt, who disappointed talent evaluators early last season at Wisconsin. One scout recalled him being pushed around in early October as a 235-pounder. But that was 17 pounds and 10 months ago. Watt checked into training camp at 252 pounds and appears to have the power required of a player who无毛视频檒l play end in a nickel front 75 percent of the time.
To be certain, Watt has the power and physicality in his game that Jones lacked.
无毛视频淲e did nickel yesterday and he held the point. They didn无毛视频檛 run the ball,无毛视频� Porter said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 not like he无毛视频檚 getting pushed around by anybody out there. To tell you the truth, I didn无毛视频檛 think he got pushed around at Wisconsin, so until he shows me that he can无毛视频檛 hold the edge and gets pushed around, I won无毛视频檛 worry about it. He无毛视频檚 not a light guy. He无毛视频檚 not a skinny guy. He无毛视频檚 long with good reach, good punch. I don无毛视频檛 see a problem with him setting the edge.无毛视频�
Not that Watt无毛视频檚 an automatic to replace Harrison this season. The 39-year-old was put in the starting lineup in the middle of last season and the Steelers won nine straight games.
He无毛视频檚 still a power player and has been working on his cardio on the far Saint Vincent field in sweats. But no matter how hard Harrison works, he无毛视频檚 not going to match Watt无毛视频檚 speed, and coaches love to increase team speed whenever possible.
Not that Porter has a plan for how he wants to work Watt into the lineup.
无毛视频淭oo early,无毛视频� Porter said. 无毛视频淎nd every time I do that, I stick my foot in my mouth.无毛视频�
Porter recalled last season when he told a reporter how Jones and Harrison were going to split their reps, only to have Tomlin change the plan soon thereafter. Tomlin even joked this year when he told a reporter he should ask Porter about this year无毛视频檚 reps plan.
Porter laughed. 无毛视频淩ight now,无毛视频� he said, 无毛视频淛ames will be on the shelf for a couple weeks. He无毛视频檚 not even practicing, so I don无毛视频檛 even have to think about that right now. It无毛视频檚 all about getting T.J. ready to play.无毛视频�
Watt, of course, is the brother of NFL players J.J. and Derek Watt. The three went home to Wisconsin following their respective minicamps and trained for five weeks before returning to training camp.
Did they give T.J. any good advice?
无毛视频淜eep your mouth shut and be a sponge and suck up as much information as possible,无毛视频� Watt said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not coming out here trying to be somebody I无毛视频檓 not. I truly love the game of football and that无毛视频檚 why I无毛视频檓 trying to learn as much as possible and give Pittsburgh what they wanted in a draft pick.无毛视频�
What they want is for him to ably replace the legend, Harrison, some day, perhaps soon.
And this time it appears the Steelers picked the right player.
无毛视频淚 was happy how the first day went,无毛视频� was all Porter would add. 无毛视频淚t was something to build on.无毛视频�
NOTES: James Conner (shoulder) and Senquez Golson (hamstring) were sent to Pittsburgh for MRIs on Monday following their departures from Sunday无毛视频檚 practice. Tomlin didn无毛视频檛 provide results to the media, but the sense among assistant coaches is that the injuries are not serious. 无毛视频� Ramon Foster, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Scott Orndoff, Mike Mitchell, Vince Williams and Lavon Hooks also missed Monday无毛视频檚 practice with minor injuries. 无毛视频� Stephon Tuitt (ankle), Ryan Shazier (heat) and Landry Jones (abdomen) left Monday无毛视频檚 practice. 无毛视频� Martavis Bryant remains tied up with the league无毛视频檚 suspension policy but ran sprints on a far field and caught passes from a trainer. His return appears to be imminent, although Tomlin refused comment.