Steelers inside the ropes: Wilkinsburg native Kenny Robinson has 2 interceptions

With two starting safeties not participating in practice, Kenny Robinson got a chance Sunday to shine for his hometown team.

A native of Wilkinsburg who played in the WPIAL and at West Virginia University, Robinson had two interceptions of Mason Rudolph during team drills at Saint Vincent College.

“I was appreciative of the playmaking from Kenny Robinson,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “A… guy who had an opportunity to rise up because of the short lines.”

Tomlin’s “short lines” reference was to a condensed roster of players available for Sunday’s practice in light of injury, absence and that Tomlin gave several tenured veterans the day off. In Robinson’s case, that Minkah Fitzpatrick (personal) and Damontae Kazee (ankle) were out meant he spent plenty of time on Chuck Noll Field for 11-on-11 and seven-on-seven play.

Robinson took advantage immediately, intercepting Rudolph on the fourth snap of the “seven shots” two-point simulation that opens the team-drill portion of practice. Toward the end of practice, Robinson again picked off Rudolph — this time on a deep ball intended for Calvin Austin III.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Robinson appeared in 19 games for the Carolina Panthers in 2020-21 after they’d made him a fifth-round pick. He was signed by the Steelers in January.

• Broderick Jones spent the entire practice as the first-team left tackle. This would typically be bigger news for the first-round pick — but it comes with the caveat that tackle Chuks Okorafor was one of the established veterans kept out of team drills. Still, that the Steelers elect to slot Jones at left tackle while moving incumbent starting left tackle Dan Moore Jr. to the right side is a signal they are grooming Moore — not Jones — to be the top backup “swing tackle.”
• The interceptions weren’t the only passes on which Rudolph struggled. He failed to convert on any of three snaps in seven shots and missed on other throws. Rudolph had significantly more reps Sunday than he had over the first three days of camp. No. 2 quarterback Mitch Trubisky did not take part in team drills.
• The offense scored on three of four opportunities with Kenny Pickett as QB — once when George Pickens found himself wide open in the back corner of the end zone, once off a Pickett scramble to find Zach Gentry and once on a quick pass to Pat Freiermuth. Pickett’s only unsuccessful snap was his first: Levi Wallace knocked down a pass in the end zone intended for Freiermuth.
• Rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was one of the defenders nearby on the blown coverage on the Pickens score. Playing plenty of reps Sunday, Porter at times seemed frustrated. Once, he let Diontae Johnson get a half a step of separation, and Pickett dropped a perfect pass into Johnson’s hands about 12 yards downfield. Porter looked to the sky in frustration and made a motion that suggested he was angry at himself for not getting his hands up. Johnson, though, gave him a friendly, supportive pat on the back on his way back to the huddle.
• Pickett and Pickens each had an impressive day. At one point, while scrambling briskly to his left, Pickett leaped off one foot and fired an accurate strike into a tight window 10 yards downfield to Pickens. Another time, Pickett laid a ball 40 yards down the right sideline into Pickens’ hands.
• No. 4 quarterback Tanner Morgan got his first team reps of camp. He was confident enough to attempt throws down the field.
• On the day the Steelers announced the signing of Kwon Alexander, Cole Holcomb made some plays while in coverage. Alexander arrives with a reputation of being a good coverage inside linebacker.
• Running back Anthony McFarland continued to pop, as he has throughout the first week. He gets plenty of reps, and, after catching short passes, shows off good speed in weaving through a defense. But this is with no pads on. It will interesting to see if McFarland can continue to shine when tackling is permitted.
• Live field goals were kicked as the highlight of special-teams drills, with both Chris Boswell and B.T. Potter appearing to show strong, accurate legs. The attempted kicks, though, were mostly short — in the range of 30-40 yards.
• For fun, Pickett booted a field goal, with Boswell holding.
• Seventh-round pick Spencer Anderson played at least three positions (some each at guard and tackle) during Sunday’s drills.

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