We are down to one final wave of practices at Steelers OTAs before fans can start looking ahead to mandatory minicamps. It's really going to feel like football when Steelers training camp rolls around at the end of June, but for roughly the next seven weeks, trying to scavenge some insight on Pittsburgh's practices in shells will have to do.
So far, there have been a number of players who have stood out in a positive light at Steelers OTAs. Now a few more young faces are being recognized. The latest Steelers news involves some buzz from a Day 3 rookie and an athletic off-ball linebacker trying to carve out a role.
Steelers news:
Over the first two waves of Steelers OTAs, we've heard plenty of buzz on young players like Calvin Austin III, Jaylen Warren, Darnell Washington, Joey Porter Jr., and Cory Trice. Now it's Nick Herbig's time to shine. Nick Farabaugh of Pittsburgh Sports Now talked with some defensive linemen who said that Herbig impressed during Tuesday's practice.
Herbig could be seen working out with the edge defenders, and it appears that the coaching staff wants to try him out as an outside linebacker early in his career. However, initial comments from Omar Khan and Andy Weidl suggest he could be used at both ILB and OLB. Herbig had thoroughly impressive film at Wisconsin but slipped in the NFL Draft due to size and length concerns. He will be one of the most intriguing players to watch at training camp this year.
More Steelers news:
In other Steelers news, Tanner Muse is starting to put himself on the radar at the inside linebacker position. During the second wave of OTAs, it was Mark Robinson who made a splash with an interception. Now Muse is stepping up his game with a pick of his own at practice.
Muse was a former linebacker-safety hybrid coming out of Clemson in 2020. But at 6'2'' and 227 pounds with 4.41 speed, his athletic profile had teams intrigued. Muse has been primarily a special teams player early in his career, but with a linebacker room that no longer includes Myles Jack, Devin Bush, or Robert Spillane, he could have a chance to carve out a rotational role on defense if he continues to impress the coaching staff with his play in coverage.
NFL news:
The Associated Press reports that the Buffalo Bills have officially broken ground on a new stadium. The project is expected to be complete and ready for hosting games by the start of the 2026 season. This new stadium has a substantial projected cost of $1.54 billion, of which taxpayers will be responsible for paying $850 million, per the report. The new stadium is expected to seat over 60,000 fans.