It's hard to get too excited about non-contact, padless practices in shorts, but that just goes to show how much we all love football. The start of organized team activities makes it feel like football is back. The first wave of Steelers OTAs kicked off on March 23rd and there are two more stretches of practices from May 30th to June 1st and from June 5th through the 8th. Here is the full offseason schedule.
Even though we are just three days into Steelers OTAs, there are already some players who have really caught the attention of the local media. Video clips have made their way around Twitter, and even though players are only going through positional drills, these three names have stood out so far.
3. WR Calvin Austin III
This is a player that Steelers fans were very excited about when Pittsburgh selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Austin was a dynamic playmaker at Memphis thanks to his absurd athletic traits and 4.32 speed, but he slid in the draft due to his tiny frame (5'7 3/4'', 170 lbs).
Austin missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury that landed him on IR. This occurred early in the summer, which also caused him to miss essentially all of training camp and the 2022 preseason. In some ways, this is like Austin's redshirt rookie year.
Despite the fact that he's coming off a major injury, the media has been quick to notice Austin during positional drills. The bite-sized wide receiver has already displayed his quick-twitch, shiftiness, and speed that made him so appealing as a prospect. We will look to see where Calvin Austin falls in line when it comes to the pecking order at wide receiver this summer. For now, he's already turning heads at Steelers OTAs.
2. TE Darnell Washington
This mammoth is hard to miss, and the media who were on hand for the first wave of organized team activities quickly found that out. At 6'7'' and 270 pounds, Darnell Washington towers above Pat Freiermuth. Shots of him blocking sleds alongside Broderick Jones make the rookie first-round OT look much smaller than he actually is.
Admittedly, Washington looks a bit lumbering on the routes that I've seen him run so far, and he's not the quickest in and out of his breaks. This is to be expected of a player his size. Regardless, he can gain ground fast with his long strides, and it's easy to see how he can be a nightmare for opposing defenses in the red zone.
During the first wave of Steelers OTAs, Washington makes the blocking drills look effortless. This was a player who many NFL Draft analysts predicted could go somewhere in the back half of the first round or early in the second.
Washington fell due to concerns about his knees, but that certainly doesn't seem like an issue at the moment. The big tight end has been out there participating in full. Fans are thrilled with the value they got with the 93rd pick, and the media is already eating it up with clips of Darnell Washington at Steelers OTAs.
1. IOL Kendrick Green
I don't think this is a player that anyone thought was going to be heavily on the radar during Steelers OTAs. Kendrick Green was drafted to potentially be the replacement at center to a recently retired Maurkice Pouncey, but after he struggled as a rookie, he was quickly moved to guard during his second offseason.
Unfortunately, Green was much worse following the transition to guard, as he simply didn't possess the size or play strength to hold up here. This was on display often during the 2022 preseason. As a result, Green was buried on the depth chart and didn't see the field for Pittsburgh last season.
Now that the Steelers have signed two free agent guards in 2022, Green is firmly behind Isaac Seumalo, James Daniels, Nate Herbig, and Kevin Dotson on the depth chart. This would no doubt bump him off the roster. However, it looks like the coaching staff has him lined up as a center during OTAs.
Green can be seen in some video clips taking second-team center reps behind Mason Cole. Knowing this could be the plan, Kendrick Green suddenly stands a solid chance to make the roster by reverting back to his old position. Obviously, we can't tell anything about his performance at OTAs, as he isn't going up against anyone, but the fact that he is lining up at center has certainly turned some heads.