Each day of Steelers training camp, the Trib rounds up some things to pay attention to during practice at Saint Vincent:
WHAT TO WATCH
Football in shorts: With the exception of outside linebacker T.J. Watt, every player on the 91-man roster is expected to be healthy for the first official training camp workout. Watt was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list Thursday when he injured his hamstring during the conditioning test. Coach Mike Tomlin expects Watt’s absence to be a short one. Watt won’t miss much physicallity on the first two days when teams aren’t permitted to practice in pads.
Spreading the wealth: With Antonio Brown gone, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will throw to a younger group of receivers than usual. Competition will begin for the No. 2 job opposite starter JuJu Smith-Schuster, who moves into the No. 1 spot. James Washington, veteran Donte Moncrief and rookie Diontae Johnson are the top candidates for the job, with Washington entering camp as the front runner.
New faces on defense: First-round draft pick Devin Bush will be on the field as will some free agents signed to plug holes on the defense. That includes inside linebacker Mark Barron and cornerback Steven Nelson.
Practice time: 2:55-5 p.m.
