Jacob Klinger | jklinger@pennlive.com
LATROBE, Pa. -- Ross Cockrell got his first full day of Antonio Brown matchups on Saturday as Artie Burns remained sideline with an injury suffered in Friday's practice under the lights of Latrobe Memorial Stadium. While Brown continued to have the success over the middle of the field that those who watch him have come to expect, Cockrell did make at least one impressive play on Brown and the ball.
In the same Saturday session, Ben Roethlisberger was among the Steelers returning to practice, Pittsburgh's slot receiver situation continued to develop and a camp standout's limitations surfaced.
That, more, here:
Antonio Brown vs. Ross Cockrell
(Barry Reeger | Special to PennLive)
It wasn't nearly as dramatic or consistent of a duel as Browns-Burn had been through the first week of camp. Still, Cockrell was clearly tested and up to the challenge he's faced before.
Brown did make the play of the day, drifting over the back-middle of the end zone for a scrambling Roethlisberger early in an 11-on-11 period of practice, but Cockrell did strike back, staying with Brown into the back-right corner of the end zone to stretch around the star receiver's frame and knock another Roethlisberger pass out of his hands.
'Got 'em!'
Inside linebacker Vince Williams said, as the offense jumped offside in an early 11-on-11 period. He and Ryan Shazier, from the sidelines, also loudly celebrated the second-string defense drawing their offensive opponents off with a well-timed shift between snap cadences late in the session.
Who's back?
Besides Roethlisberger, Sean Davis (right shoulder) returned to play starting strong safety next to Robert Golden. Justin Hunter (left knee) came back from what he said was a rest day to play as the target receiver with the first-string offense.
Who's out?
Mike Mitchell (soft tissue, upper-left thigh wrapped), Ryan Shazier, Landry Jones (abdomen), Bud Dupree (said he's "good" earlier Saturday) and James Conner (sprained AC joint).
Cameron Sutton (lower body) and Senquez Golson also remained sidelined. Sammie Coates is still running on the side while he stays on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Saturday did not mark the conditional re-reinstatement double-secret probation release of Martavis Bryant, either.
Ramon Foster was given a veteran's day off, allowing B.J. Finney to play first-team offense for the second straight day. On Friday he was the starting center as Maurkice Pouncey got a rest. On Saturday he was the top left guard.
Pittsburgh Steelers fan Bailey Edmundson,10, of Leesburg Va., poses with the Steelers' six Lombardi Trophies at the annual evening practice session at Memorial Stadium in Latrobe. (Barry Reeger | Special to PennLive)
Pittsburgh got a new player
AP/Matt Rourke
His name is JaCorey Shepherd and he's a cornerback who's also returned kicks. The Steelers waived defensive end Nelson Adams to sign Shepherd.
"I'm just getting to know him first and foremost," Tomlin said. "I'm sure that may be part of the evaluation, but we got to get his feet on the ground here in Latrobe."
Seven shots
Cockrell made his first of at least two pass breakups against Brown on the first play. Coty Sensabaugh was flagged for pass interference against Hunter on the second. Jesse James caught a pass drilled to his chest and JuJu Smith-Schuster got a step on William Gay for the final first-team score.
Knile Davis broke a tackle on a run up the middle to convert, Dobbs made a pass to the shallow middle-right part of the end zone that could've been a throwaway or just a bad throw and Demarcus Ayers snared a ball over Steven Johnson on the drill's final play. This excited Brown's personal photographer.
(AP)
JuJu Smith-Schuster & Eli Rogers
Hunter's return shunted Smith-Schuster back to playing the slot. He and Rogers split reps, with the rookie taking the first few with the starters in some periods and the opposite being true in others. Both got first-team snaps in these instances, though Pittsburgh did appear to favor Smith-Schuster in the red zone.
Rogers said earlier in the day that he doesn't see size.
A dip for Hunter
His ability to separate downfield and be a large, leaping target remains, but the limitations of his career to date were underscored when he burned Sensabaugh by several steps deep downfield, only to let the ball hit his hands, his body and the ground.
The fact that Sensabaugh got so readily beat also does not bode well for the Steelers. With Burns out he has worked as the third outside corner. That role might go to Gay during the season.
On Burns
The second-year corner had both of his knees wrapped in ice as he watched the final period of practice from the behind the end zone on Chuck Noll Field.
A RB note
Brandon Brown-Dukes got some first-team reps. Fitzgerald Toussaint and Knile Davis seem to remain favored over the Mercyhurst alum.
A Greater Harrisburg note
A 2-TE observation
On the highlight of the day play that was Roethlisberger-to-Brown, Pittsburgh lined up with two tight ends from around 20 yards out. One of them was Xavier Grimble, split wide to the left.
Remember this as the season nears and gets underway. Pittsburgh has an increasing number of options when it comes to "playing big."
Mike Hilton, man
Mike Hilton continues to hunt down receivers. Ayers was the most obvious target today, getting stopped short of the end zone in a red zone period when Hilton could've simply guided him out of bounds. The former Ole Miss standout continues to make a case for himself as the backup slot corner to Gay, though he'll likely have to make a special teams play or two in preseason to make the 53-man roster.
Other highlights and noteworthy notes
- Cobi Hamilton, Toussaint, Marcus Tucker, Davis, Brown-Dukes, Trey Williams and Terrell Watson took kick returns
- Jake McGee snagged a midfield pass over the head of Steven Johnson
- Greater Harrisburg native Kyle Friend appears to be the team's third-choice center. He got second-team reps with Finney - the immediate backup to Pouncey - starting at guard.
- Gay toed the sideline to make a deep interception against Darrius Heyward-Bey. Gay is clearly a fan favorite, at least in Latrobe.
- Roster hopeful outside linebacker Farrington Huguenin went down after a red zone drill, prompting Tomlin to stop the special teams period that was about to start in front of Huguenin. He walked off the field with the guidance of two training staff members.
More Steelers coverage
- Steelers react to Tomlin's contract extension
- Burns wants Bryant
- How Tyson Alualu has been used (he was a backup right defensive end Saturday)
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