The Pittsburgh Steelers begin their second week of training camp on Monday, and once they take the field, things will look different than they did during the first week. The pads will come on, and the level of competition will rise. Football in shorts signals the return of the game, but football in pads is when it truly feels like football is back.
There is plenty to watch starting Monday. The Steelers will ramp up the intensity with more physical drills, tougher competition, and an atmosphere that adds a new dimension to training camp. Here are three things to watch during the Steelers' first padded practice:
Young quarterbacks under pressure
One of the biggest position battles under the microscope this camp is at quarterback. Not only are Mason Rudolph and Will Howard battling for positioning on the depth chart, but Drew Allar has also been under evaluation. While Howard and Rudolph have gone shot for shot, Allar has flashed encouraging signs of growth. The real test begins when the pressure increases at the line of scrimmage.
The quarterbacks won't be getting hit, but padded practices add another important layer to their evaluation. Battles between the offensive and defensive lines will intensify during team periods, and the increased physicality between defensive backs and receivers will also raise the degree of difficulty. Those factors could provide a clearer picture of where each quarterback stands.
Offensive line pushing back
Football in shorts isn't ideal for evaluating blocking. There are only so many things offensive and defensive linemen can do without pads, but the real work begins Monday and continues into the preseason. This offensive line needs to buck the trend of previous camps and establish itself early.
The Steelers' defensive line has traditionally gotten off to fast starts in training camp. There's nothing wrong with that, but if this new offense is going to build confidence, the offensive line can set the tone by holding its own and generating push up front.
Defensive backs playing physically
There won't be live tackling, but that doesn't mean there won't be some noticeable pops on the practice field. This isn't 2008, when Ryan Clark would literally knock someone out coming across the middle. Still, there should be plenty of spirited competition between the receivers and defensive backs.
Expect harder jams at the line of scrimmage, defenders trying to jar the ball loose, and maybe even a late hit or two. That's simply the nature of training camp once the pads come on. There are going to be some big collisions, and the Steelers' defensive backs should embrace the physicality. The receivers, meanwhile, need to be ready to respond.
