Steelers inside the ropes: Cory Trice and others get chances in the 1st team outside the CB

Grayland Arnold was not the only defensive back promoted to the first team at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp on Sunday. Cory Trice was also a regular in the starting defense.

Trice was the main beneficiary of Mike Tomlin gives experienced outside cornerback Donte Jackson The day off, Tomlin said, is an attempt to give younger players in this position additional opportunities. Darius Rush And Anthony Averett also took part in the first team matches against Joey Porter Jr. on Sunday.

Trice, a 6-foot-3 player who was drafted in the seventh round last year and missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL, had spent part of last week playing as a dime hybrid on the first-team defense. On Sunday, he was part of a pass to George Pickens out of Russell Wilson This was stopped on the second snap of the two-point conversion simulation “Seven Shots”.

Rush impressed Tomlin during a team phase towards the end of practice when he skipped a route and intercepted Justin Fields for a “Pick Six”.

“I like that, D-Rush! I like that, D-Rush!” Tomlin shouted.

Averett, 29, is not considered a “young” corner, but missed last season in the NFL due to injury and was signed after a tryout in May, so he competes with Trice and Rush for the position of best fullback for Jackson and Porter.

• Arnold’s promotion to the first team came at the expense of Beanie Bishopthe undrafted rookie who had taken virtually every first-team rep in the slot/nickel spot this camp before Sunday. Whether it was just a coincidence, a sign of frustration, or perhaps just a way to spur himself on, Bishop seemed as demonstrative on Sunday as he has been all camp. Twice early in practice, he shouted after a play and raised his arms toward the crowd.
• The defense stopped each of the first six snaps of “Seven Shots” before Wilson scored Scott Miller directly behind the right pylon in front of Rush and Miles Killebrew to finish the drill. The coverage held up well on a previous snap and forced Wilson to throw the ball away. Wilson also managed a dump-off to Jaylen Warren However, Warren slipped on a cut and was tackled just before the goal line.
• Among Justin Fields’ snaps was a similar throw to a running back (Jonathan Ward) just before the goal line, who could not get into the end zone, a missed shot on Van Jefferson Run along the back of the end zone and throw over a pass to Tarik Black in the end zone.
• The practice concluded with a two-minute drill in which both the first and second teams scored touchdowns after taking control at their own 40-yard line with 1 minute and 38 seconds on the clock and a timeout. The first team, led by Fields, advanced down the field on pass catches by Pickens (twice) and Calvin Austin III before Quez Watkins scored a goal on a catch from the slot into the right part of the end zone.
• Kyle Allen led the players of the second team to a “touchdown” through connections with Scott Miller And Rodney Williams before a high ball along the left sideline to Duece Watts. Watts, who defeated Killebrew and Thomas Graham Jr.was ruled out of bounds just before the pylon. Allen scored on the next play by sprinting into the right side of the end zone after a read option play.
• The non-starter receivers had a strong day overall during what was, for many of them, a largely quiet training camp. Watkins had the two-minute touchdown as well as a pass reception from Fields nearly 50 yards down the stretch. Watts also hit Kalon Barnes clean during a passing drill early in practice. Black had a 30-yard pass from Wilson caught between two defenders during a team phase in the middle of practice. Jacob Copelandin quick succession during the same exercise, exploited the imbalances against the inside linebackers by Ellandon Roberts And PatrickQueen with well-run routes that led to “scores”.
• Later in practice, when the offense found itself in a situation where Miller was wide out and the rookie outside linebacker Julius Welschof opposite him in cover, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin ran in to tell the defenders that they would have to switch if they ever saw such a pairing in a game again.
• beginner John Rhys Plumlee has not made any team reps as quarterback (he has thrown some alone with tight end Matt Sokol after practice), but he kept his spot on the best kickoff return team. What stood out on Sunday, however, was that Plumlee was used a few times as a wide receiver on the team, a position he held at times as a sophomore and junior at Ole Miss. Plumlee caught two balls in a short period of time in 7-on-7 play. That really pleased Tomlin, who walked up to Plumlee, patted his hand, and then patted him on the helmet.
• A duo from Michigan State managed an interception in the middle of practice – rookie defensive lineman Jacob Slade deflected a pass from Fields and Linebacker Jacoby Windmon caught it.
• As part of the restructuring of the offensive line Spencer Anderson played reps as right tackle on Sunday – including during the two-minute drill. Anderson had spent the entire summer focusing exclusively on the guard position.
• Guard Joey Fisher during an 11-on-11 running game, he ended up about 40 yards down the field, in a full sprint to try to get past a run by Aaron Shampkin.
• Two days after two botched snaps in the first quarter of a game, another problem during an exchange between quarterback and center at the start of practice led to a loud swear word from Tomlin.
• Likewise, the coordinator of the special teams Daniel Smith yelled during a punt period: “Work your asses off to get space! We made some plays way too easy (Friday)!”