Sean Davis is still recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum, but that hasn't stopped him from hitting the ground running at OTAs.
"The whole practice," Davis confirmed today.
His workout included 21 "half-gassers" (across the field sideline to sideline) and multiple sprints spanning the width of three of the four fields at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, with periodic checks of his wrist a part of the process.
"I stay on the clock to make sure I'm up to pace," Davis reported. "I'm not slacking."
Davis said he hurt his shoulder in the third game of his rookie season, last Sept. 25 in Philadelphia.
He played through it well enough to start the final seven regular-season games and all three of the Steelers' playoff games opposite Mike Mitchell at safety after an early and ultimately unsuccessful stint as the slot-cornerback in the sub-package defense.
Davis isn't sure when he'll rejoin the defense, but he's convinced he'll be a different player once he eventually does.
"Last year should be the worst that I play," he said. "Hopefully, I can make some steps forward with healthy shoulders."
Davis can already tell how far he's come since arriving on the second round of the 2016 draft simply by watching the initial steps taken by the three defensive players the Steelers drafted this time around _ linebacker T.J. Watt, cornerback Cameron Sutton and cornerback Brian Allen.
"Looking at them practice, it definitely brings back memories," Davis said. "That's really not yourself out there. Your head's spinning, trying to learn the defense. You're trying to play to the best of your abilities and everything's going super fast.
"That was me last year."
The Steelers participate in day 4 of the 2017 Organized Team Activities at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
T.J. Watt
Xavier Grimble and Rushel Shell
James Harrison
Mike Mitchell
Vince Williams
Steven Johnson
Sean Davis
Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Ben Roethlisberger, Bart Houston, Joshua Dobbs, and Landry Jones
Robert Golden
Anthony Chickillo
James Harrison
James Harrison
T.J. Watt
Keion Adams
Bud Dupree
James Harrison
Bart Houston
Brandon Dixon
Demarcus Ayers
Artie Burns
Ben Roethlisberger
Landry Jones
Terry Cousin
Robert Golden
Jacob Hagen
Kameron Canaday
Martavis Bryant
Justin Hunter
Daimion Stafford
Ben Roethlisberger
Antonio Brown
Scott Orndoff
Scott Orndoff
Knile Davis
JuJu Smith-Schuster
James Conner
Mike Mitchell
Antonio Brown
Cameron Sutton
Sammie Coates
Antonio Brown
Daimion Stafford
Keavon Milton
Cobi Hamilton
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Bud Dupree
James Harrison
Steven Johnson
Anthony Chickillo
Bud Dupree
James Harrison
Jordan Dangerfield
Javon Hargrave
Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Arthur Moats
Steven Johnson
Jordan Dangerfield
Cameron Sutton
Martavis Bryant
Maurkice Pouncey and Roosevelt Nix
Sean Davis
Bud Dupree
Davis, first-round cornerback Artie Burns and third-round nose tackle Javon Hargrave all become rookie starters a season ago.
More will be expected from them this season.
Davis said they'll also demand more from themselves.
"We don't have the excuse any more of us being rookies," Davis said. "We have to carry our load, step up and kind of become leaders.
"It is a younger defense. We can't let that be an excuse to hold us down."
