Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh’s offensive line should have been in a “pit of despair” after they lost Maurkice Pouncey for the season to a knee injury last Sunday afternoon.
Luckily for the Steelers, Fernando Velasco was still available as a free agent and the team inked him to a contract earlier this week. Since he was signed by Pittsburgh, all the former Tennessee Titan has done is draw some rave reviews from his new teammates according to Scott Brown of ESPN.com:
C Fernando Velasco mum on whether he will start in Cincy, but several teammates said they have never seen anyone pick up a playbook so fast
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_15) September 13, 2013
Steelers RB Isaac Redman: "I haven't seen him mess up one time. I’ve just never seen a guy come in and pick up an offense that fast.”
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_15) September 13, 2013
With Velasco picking up the offensive playbook so fast, the Steelers will be allowed more flexibility as a whole along their offensive line over the coming weeks. As I mentioned yesterday, Velasco’s emergence will allow Pittsburgh’s coaching staff to use Kelvin Beachum in the “tight end” role he was originally intended to play before Pouncey’s injury.
It will be quite the impressive accomplishment if Velasco can start in Pouncey’s place at center as early as this Monday. It will be a testament to the hard-work and dedication of him, his teammates, and the coaching staff to have him ready to play that early, and it would be even more impressive if he drew the same rave reviews for his play in the regular season as he has for his play in practice with the Steelers.
Stats & Info. Provided By: ESPN.com, Steelers.com and Pro Football Reference
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