Who is the Steelers’ real free safety?
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Vince Williams did such a good job breaking down the linebacker position for reporters, he was asked about those playing behind him.
无毛视频淢an, it无毛视频檚 like a whole new group back there,无毛视频� Williams said of the safeties and cornerbacks. 无毛视频淓verybody has new numbers and everything. But I无毛视频檓 pretty sure they无毛视频檙e going to get it patched up. I was talking to those guys. Morgan无毛视频檚 a cool dude. He无毛视频檚 in the box a lot, so I无毛视频檓 excited to see what they can do.无毛视频�
Morgan Burnett, No. 42, was playing one half of the box, since the supposed free safety who played strong safety at Green Bay, was paired deep with Sean Davis, No. 21, the possible free safety who无毛视频檚 played strong safety his first two years in Pittsburgh.
Who无毛视频檚 the real free safety?
无毛视频淭here really is no designated free and strong as of right now,无毛视频� said Davis. 无毛视频淲e just played left and right today, so we played both, free and strong today.无毛视频�
The Steelers, of course, normally have distinct roles for their free and strong safeties. Why did they play the two as right and left on the first day of OTA practices?
无毛视频淛ust because he can do both and I can do both,无毛视频� Davis said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e still learning how to communicate with each other so that just made things a little easier for us. Communication-wise, he controlled his side of the field and I controlled my side of the field.无毛视频�
Will the Steelers revert to distinct roles back there?
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know,无毛视频� Davis said.
Davis came out of college as a safety with cornerback experience, so he was known as a coverage safety who could strike. He measured 6-1, 201 and ran a 4.46 40 at his 2016 NFL Combine.
Burnett came out of college in 2010 with similar numbers. He measured 6-1陆, 209, and ran a 4.51 at his Georgia Tech pro day. He无毛视频檚 spent his entire eight-year career in Green Bay, and averaged 7.03 tackles per game, 0.45 pass breakups per game, and 0.26 turnovers per game, primarily as a strong safety.
Davis, in his two seasons at strong safety, averaged 5.0 tackles, 0.41 pass breakups, and 0.19 turnovers per game.
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 an awesome guy, high-character guy,无毛视频� Davis said of his new partner. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 his ninth year in the league, so I look up to him. He has a lot of wisdom and I无毛视频檓 looking at picking at him, trying to get everything I can get off of him. But, yeah, he无毛视频檚 an awesome guy, a good guy to being around. I无毛视频檓 looking forward to playing out there with him.无毛视频�
Both players are learning from a new defensive backfield coach, former Penn State assistant Tom Bradley.
无毛视频淵eah, we无毛视频檙e all learning,无毛视频� Davis said. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 different from Coach (Carnell) Lake. But I like Coach Bradley and he has a good group of guys. I无毛视频檓 looking forward to rising with him.无毛视频�
NOTES: Le无毛视频橵eon Bell, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cameron Heyward were absent from this voluntary OTA. Heyward arrived late and said he was receiving minor treatment. 无毛视频� Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt flopped sides, reportedly for good. Dupree is now the blind-side rusher on the right side. 无毛视频� Other number changes in the secondary: Joe Haden (to 23( and Mike Hilton (now 28). 无毛视频� Running back Stevan Ridley changed to number 22. 无毛视频� Ben Roethlisberger said he offered this bit of advice to rookie QB Mason Rudolph: 无毛视频淗e was probably six or seven yards from Rosie (Nix) and he threw it pretty hard. 无毛视频� I just pulled him aside and said, 无毛视频楬ey, listen. You无毛视频檒l learn quickly that every throw doesn无毛视频檛 have to be the hardest throw you can make. You don无毛视频檛 have to put every throw on a guy无毛视频檚 chest as hard as you can. It无毛视频檚 a great opportunity to just give him a nice easy touch pass.'无毛视频� Roethlisberger无毛视频檚 first impression of Rudolph? 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 got a big arm. He underthrew A.B.(Antonio Brown) 无毛视频� but he seems to understand the offense. Seems to not have any issues in the huddle, so I thought he did really well.无毛视频� 无毛视频� Tyler Matakevich opened the spring at the mack inside linebacker position, the position played by Ryan Shazier. Williams opened at his normal buck ILB spot.