Steelers News: OTAs, Harrison, Wheaton
By Kim Myers
The Steelers draft picks have been made and the offseason workout program is in full swing.
Steelers season never truly ends for Steeler Nation so while the team starts to put in the work to prepare for the 2016 NFL season we’ll be busy looking for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Sunday, June 5th.
That’s a wrap
Teresa Varley wraps up the second week of Steelers OTAs for us. From Antonio Brown becoming a fixture at Consol Energy Center for the Penguins Stanley Cup run to Daniel McCullers looking to step up in the absence of Steve McLendon on the defensive line.
More from Steelers News
- Mel Kiper Jr. makes predictable pick for Steelers in first NFL mock draft
- Steelers news: Brian Flores odds to land HC job, no projected compensatory picks, and more
- Why Jordan Addison to the Steelers is a good idea
- 4 reasons Steelers would have been embarrassed in the NFL playoffs
- The easiest cut the Pittsburgh Steelers will make in 2023
The Steelers will continue OTAs from June 6-9 and then will have their mandatory three-day minicamp from June 14-16 before they break for their summer vacations prior to the start of training camp at the end of July. That’s a lot of time to head down to Myrtle or Ocean City for vacation.
Win it for Deebo
When the Steelers got totally robbed by the no-good, stinking cheating New England Patriots in the 2004 AFC Championship game Ben Roethlisberger made a famous promise to Jerome Bettis that if he would come back for one more season he would lead him to the Super Bowl.
Roethlisberger delivered on that promise and the Steelers won Super Bowl XL the very next year. I don’t know if anyone promised James Harrison a Super Bowl run this season but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler suggests that defensive coordinator Keith Butler thinks that’s exactly what Harrison came back this year for.
You’re not going to let James Harrison down, would you?
It’s a little scary
Heath Miller has long been Ben Roethlisberger’s safety net in the Steelers offense. It’s almost as if he lived in the middle of the field or in the back of the endzone and was always open and ready to catch a pass for a much-needed first down or touchdown.
Next: The next Steelers veterans to go?
Josh Alper of PFT describes Markus Wheaton’s fears about how the offense will carry on this year without that safety net. Even with the signing of tight end Ladarius Green the playbook has to change to account for Miller’s absence.
"“Not having him there scares me a little bit. That’s really what’s motivated me to really pick up the offensive protections and really know the playbook in and out. I won’t have Heath there anymore. I’ll have a new guy that’s new to our system that I’ll probably be helping out the way Heath helped me out.” – Markus Wheaton"
Something tells me the absence of Miller will be more noticeable for the Steelers offense than the absence of Martavis Bryant.