Dunlap: Five Things To Pay Attention To At Steelers Camp
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) - With eyes turning toward St. Vincent now, here are five things to keep an eye on at Steelers camp as it gets underway:
1. The Tight Ends: With much-beloved --- and incredibly talented --- Heath Miller retiring after becoming the greatest tight end in franchise history, there are big questions at this position. Is Ladarius Green good enough to be that multi-threat guy for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, much the way that Miller was his safety blanket for so many years?
It is safe to assume that Green, while coming to Pittsburgh with a decent pedigree, will be hard-pressed to play to the level anywhere near Miller. In addition, in his second season, how will Jesse James' confidence continue to grow and, more important, how will Big Ben's confidence in him grow?
Miller was so good for so long, it's hard to fathom the franchise having a question at this position, but they do.
2. How Many Reps Le'Veon Bell Gets: Everyone knows the situation with Bell, as he is reportedly facing a four-game ban due to a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. That said, however, he would still be eligible to go through training camp.
This puts the team in a bit of a quandary as Bell is fighting back through a knee injury and wouldn't be available for some time, but you also need to get him prepared for the season.
Furthermore, De'Angelo Williams and the potential backup behind him for the first month would need to get the balance of the carries in camp. Would it be smart to give Bell virtually no carries in camp? One will see.
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3. How Good Is Villanueva: Alejandro Villanueva comes into camp with a very decent chance of winning that left tackle spot. But playing left tackle in Pittsburgh comes with the added responsibility of covering the backside of Roethlisberger --- no small task.
If you make a mistake, one of the best quarterbacks in the game could get folded up and sent to the IR.
Villanueva's play in the past has been sporadically good but also seen dips. There is no question he needs to show coaches he can stabilize his play and get rid of the lulls and times he gets outright beaten badly.
4. Can Jarvis Jones Play: Haven't we pretty much been asking if Jarvis Jones can play since the first day he got to Pittsburgh? It sure feels that way. And, to be frank, I don't know how much of an answer we have yet.
This is, make no bones about it, a make or break season for this man at linebacker as he's been a disappointment to this point in his career.
The Steelers are counting on him to play well and, dependent on his play this season, Jones could see his time with this franchise coming to an end.
5. Do They Have Enough CBs: The Steelers went out and drafted Artie Burns in the first round and his potential should excite fans. That said, the guys on the edge in the Steelers defense have seemingly been a weakness for the better part of a decade.
William Gay has been a steadying force but will a guy like Senquez Golson or Ross Cockrell rise up and prove they can play every down in the NFL?
To me, it is given the offense will score; but can the CBs stop anyone from getting behind them and, thus, scoring a ton of points?
Colin Dunlap is a featured columnist at CBSPittsburgh.com. He can also be heard weekdays from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sports Radio 93-7 "The Fan." You can e-mail him at colin.dunlap@cbsradio.com. Check out his bio here.
