LATROBE, Pa. – It's still the acclimation period. Pads won't become part of the festivities until Tuesday, July 30, which is four days away. But during Friday's practice at Saint Vincent College, the Steelers did more things that made it look more like training camp and less like minicamp.
"A real awesome day out here in terms of teaching and learning, and I think that's the component at this stage of the journey," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "There's so much area for improvement, that you just see significant coaching points and lesson opportunities with each snap of the ball. Really excited about the work we've done today, and more excited about the meetings that we will have into this evening and analysis of it and then we repeat the process and come back out here tomorrow.
"And really at this stage, that cycle is what's so important in terms of getting better and covering some things so we can get onto more complex issues and problems. The preseason gets on us quick in today's NFL, and so days like today there's significant learning like will happen tonight, and then the analysis of it is significant as well."
One thing that didn't change from Thursday's opening practice was that Russell Wilson again watched while wearing a baseball cap, and Justin Fields took the snaps with the first group on offense.
For whatever reason, Fields looked to be more effective, more comfortable on Friday, and it could have been something as simple as being in a bit more of a groove after a month-plus layoff between the end of the offseason program and reporting day at Saint Vincent College.
"Like I talked to the team about, I very rarely, particularly at this stage of the journey, do I worry about who's not working," said Tomlin. "I view it more as an opportunity for those who are working. Those who get elevated opportunities because of it and how units respond to the absence of people, because that's reflective of the season. We're gonna lose guys from time to time, and we've still got to function.
"I was really excited about (No. 3 quarterback) Kyle Allen today getting elevated work as a consequence of Russell's injury, and so a really nice opportunity for him. I thought he did some nice things, for example, in that regard."
Allen did have a nice day, but Fields did more eye-catching things.
• He threw a pass that perfectly led WR Calvin Austin III to allow him to use his speed and run through the secondary.
• On a read-option type play, Fields flashed his ability as a fast and decisive runner.
• Later in the practice, Fields threw a ball off his back foot that traveled close to 50 yards toward George Pickens, who adjusted his body to the ball and caught it between two defenders.
• Shortly after that, Fields executed a throw to TE Pat Freiermuth on a deep slant toward the sideline and his touch on the ball didn't lead the receiver too far where he wouldn't have been unable to make the catch and stay in bounds.
RETURN OF 7-SHOTS
Missing from Thursday's session, 7-shots was a part of Friday's practice, and as he has done in the past, Tomlin re-inserted the first teams on offense and defense for the deciding seventh play. That play ended in an incomplete pass to the delight of the defense.
"We don't want the third group to determine the winner of a drill," said Tomlin. "I think it's appropriate to get the first group back out there, if we're talking about winning and losing and who's eating good tonight at dinner. That's why I will always send the first groups back out to determine tight contests."
One interesting sidelight of 7-shots was that during Fields' first few snaps of the drill, Tomlin made some changes along the offensive line. Dan Moore Jr. and Broderick Jones opened as the left tackle and right tackle, respectively, but with Fields still on the field, Jones was moved to left tackle and rookie Troy Fautanu was inserted at right tackle.
TOMLIN'S INJURY UPDATE: "No real news, new news on the injury front. We held Russ out again today, but there's no new news to add in terms of his health. It could still be characterized as day to day. He's got a minor thing that I don't want to become a major thing, and so I'd rather deal with short term misery."
