LATROBE, Pa. - Key takeaways from today's practice at Saint Vincent College.
SEVEN SHOTS: QB Ben Roethlisberger completed scoring/converting passes to WR Eli Rogers and WR Antonio brown in the practice-opening, 2-yard drill. Roethlisberger also threw incomplete for WR Antonio Brown … CB Doran Grant came up with a pass defensed to deny WR Sammie Coates on a pass from QB Landry Jones.
TACKLE FOOTBALL: WR/RB Dri Archer had the play of the day in "Team Run/Red Zone," bursting 19 yards to the 1-yard line.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed the players' and coaches' families to Saint Vincent College to watch practice.
CATCH OF THE DAY:** QB/WR Devin Gardner maintained possession after taking a high, hard shot from LB Lawrence Timmons over the middle.
HOLDING PATTERN: Head coach Mike Tomlin said he had no update on CB Senquez Golson's status, and that Golson's continued absence from practice (shoulder) was a contributing factor in the Steelers' decision to trade for CB Brandon Boykin.
"He's just another NFL-capable, veteran corner to put in the mix in a very competitive situation," Tomlin said of Boykin. "We don't have a lot of experience. There are some questions at the position. We don't mind the lack of experience and the questions but we have to have enough viable candidates.
"With Senquez being out we thought it was important to acquire another viable option to put in the mix and let those guys sort themselves out over the course of the preseason."
BRYANT ON THE MEND: Tomlin said WR Martavis Bryant will miss some time after dealing with an infection in his elbow. "It was fixed this morning," Tomlin said. "He's going to be out for a number of days to make sure that infection subsides. He should be back to us sooner rather than later but it'll be a couple days making sure that's behind him."
HOUSEKEEPING: Tomlin said G Ramon Foster (stingers), LB Jarvis Jones (biceps contusion) and CB Antwon Blake (knee) didn't finish practice … Tomlin said RB Josh Harris (shoulder), S Shamarko Thomas (shoulder), LB Ryan Shazier (back), S Mike Mitchell (hamstring), S Ross Ventrone (left leg) and WR Markus Wheaton (hamstring) didn't practice … TE Heath Miller, LB James Harrison, DE Cam Heyward and RB DeAngelo Williams also didn't work … Tomlin said he anticipated C Maurkice Pouncey(right foot sprain) coming off the P.U.P. list and practicing on Monday. S Will Allen (coach's decision) practiced for the first time today.
