The Pittsburgh Steelers took the field in sloppy conditions on Wednesday, with the rain coming down heavily at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. For a team entering the first phase of full team, practicing in a torrential downpour is a good first step.
With that in mind, what did we learn from Wednesday’s practice?
Getting in the Rain
The Steelers’ practice on Wednesday started with a bell security gauntlet for both the offense and defense. That is something head coach Mike Tomlin tries to do at every chance he can when the weather is inclement.
And practicing in the rain surprises nobody that has been around the organization, especially outside linebacker Nick Herbig, who knew Tomlin would push them to practice outdoors.
“Nope, I’m not surprised at all,” Herbig said Wednesday. “Coach T(omlin) always tells us there will be a game where we have to play in weather like this. So, we were out here working.”
While it is almost June, it felt more like November, with swift winds, heavy rain, and temperatures at just 50 degrees. That could pass for a late November game in Baltimore.
Kaleb Johnson’s speed
There might not be a more detail-oriented player in this rookie class than Kaleb Johnson. Johnson asks meticulous questions, and that is something he says he has always prided himself on throughout his career.
It helps that Johnson just looks like an NFL workhorse back. He has that frame. Yet, after running a 4.57 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, some have questioned his speed, but Johnson shared a factoid about his GPS-timed speed, which shows him in the top echleon of running backs.
“My catching ability, my route running, really my speed,” Johnson said. “Last time I checked, I hit 22 miles per hour.”
Johnson has been dialed into his pass protection more than anything. To get onto the field, Johnson has to become a polsiehd pass protector, and Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell at the type of players to learn that from.
“Pass blocking that’s my main thing. That’s what I want to work on. I’m going to work on it every day. After practice, just going over there with the bag right there and hitting it with Coach [Eddie] Faulkner. Just learning, and learning from [Jaylen] Warren, too, because he’s one of the best dudes in the league right now. I told him let’s do it. Let’s work after every practice and do it. He’s with it, and I’m down to go,” Johnson said.
From people I talk to in the organization, reviews for Johnson’s work ethic are already incredibly high, so it is no surprise to see him soaking this stuff up like a sponge. His stock should see him play early in this season, it just depends on his development for how much.
A new name in the slot CB battle
On Tuesday, Beanie Bishop stated he was working as the starting slot cornerback, but the name he said that was running after him was notable. Seventh-round rookie Donte Kent is something to circle in that battle.
Kent is a freak athlete with ridiculous ball production in his college career. Over five years, he had two interceptions but 47 passes defensed. He added four forced fumbles over that stretch.
“I just have a dawg mentality,” Kent said. “That ball is my ball. My mindset is I’m going to go make a play on the football every pass thrown my way.”
Kent remarked about his upbringing with three older brothers. He is the youngest of his brothers, with his older brothers playing professional football elsewhere.
His brother, Desmond, played at Robert Morris, while his other brother, Ronald, is in the Canadian Football League on the British Columbia Lions.
Kent was a high school wrestler, too, which he remarked allows him to be an expert ‘form tackler.’ Most of the time offensive linemen or defensive linemen are wrestlers, not cornerbacks, but that is a unique advantage Kent feels he has, too.
He confirmed he is working mostly in the slot for now, but he feels he could play inside or outside. On top of that, Kent is an excellent kick returner who will factor into that.
“Most of my time is in the nickel right now,” Kent said. “I think I can play inside or outside, but I feel comfortable in (the nickel). We’ll see where it goes.”
As things develop, Kent is a name to circle in this slot cornerback competition.
Darius Slay sacrifices and wants to be a mentor
Darius Slay was not at OTAs on Tuesday, but he did show up on Wednesday. Guys like T.J. Watt and DK Metcalf are not here, and OTAs attendance does not matter that much. But Slay, who wants to be a leader and sacrifice, showed up with a championship mentality.
“Guys have families. I have one as well. You want to be a champion? There are things you have to sacrifice, and this is one of the jobs I want to sacrifice. I want to come here, be on time, be present, let guys see my face, let them know it’s important for me to be here, and I’m here to win,” Slay said.
One of Slay’s main objectives this year has been mentoring Joey Porter Jr. Wednesday was the first day the pair ever met, but Slay is trying to take Porter under his wing and turn him into a superstar.
“I told him I used to watch his tape growing up,” Porter said. “I know a lot of guys don’t like when I say that because it makes them feel old. He’s been in the league a long time. He’s a great vet. I’m glad to keep learning from him.”
Slay might in the last year of his career, but the Steelers are going to get the best of the multiple time All-Pro every day.
Porter on penalties
Joey Porter Jr. acknowledged his penalty issues in 2024 were a problem. The Steelers sat him down and wanted him to work through that this offseason. Porter does not think it requires drastic change, but little things that added up on film.
“It’s really about cleaning up the little stuff I watched on tape,” Porter said. “When I go back on tape, there’s nothing really drastic that sticks out. There’s nobody out there beating me by yards. There’s little things to clean up in my technique. I feel like I’ve been working on that during this offseason, so I’m really excited to put that on tape.”
The little things were all technique and trust based, Porter said. He has great natural physical tools, but a lot of Porter’s penalties came in bunches, and some of that might be mental throughout a game where it can snowball. He was called for 17 penalties, but 14 of those came in four games.
“There was a little thing, like just clean up the penalties. I feel like that’s the main thing for me, just clean up the little penalties. I looked at the tape, it’s not as bad as I think it was. They’re just like little things I need to work on and I’ve been in the lab working on that. So, I’m just really ready to put that out there,” Porter said.
It seems that will be Porter’s top focus this offseason as he tries to regain his rookie year form.
