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Steelers 2022 Pre-Camp Roster Assessment

Overall few starting positions are truly being contested in 2022. A couple maybe on the offensive line, some jockeying at wide receiver and of course, at quarterback – these are the only real starter-level battles. Maybe you throw in safety if Kazee shines in camp or corner if Witherspoon struggle and Sutton latches on as the outside starter. But both of those are long shots. The rest is about depth/role players.

Coaching will offer some of the biggest intrigue. Will we see Matt Canada’s “true” offense? What is Canada’s “true” offense and will it be significantly better than last year’s (it better!)?

And what impact will the addition of Flores have to the defense, and likewise, what will Austin’s implementation as the new defensive coordinator have on a defense that can use a few new wrinkles.

Here’s a positional breakdown:

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Exclusive with Steelers Running Back Jaylen Warren

First, why choose Pittsburgh as your free agent destination?

I felt like it was the best situation for me at that moment. My agent and I were talking about it and they gave me the best signing bonus and, looking at the running back room, there was some good competition there.

After Najee there seems to be a real competition at running back, like you said. Do you look at the roster a lot still? Do you pay attention to that?

It’s more a “what happens happens” kind of thing. I’m just going to go there and put my best foot forward and do what the coaches want me to do. It’s a good room to learn from.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Punter/end Fred Glatz, 1956

First, can you talk about your coaching career – how you got started and when?

I got into coaching as a graduate student when I was at Pitt. I coached the JV squad while I was working on my graduate work. Warren McGuirk brought me in to play for Vic Fusia. Vic was a former Pitt coach so he knew me from there.

You were a legendary high school coach in Boston at St. Johns Prep – who helped shape your approach to coaching and how?

John Michelosen at Pitt – he was a quiet guy. I wouldn’t say stern, but he was a hard guy. I knew I wasn’t going to be an easy coach – I wanted to win. That was all there was to it for me.

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Exclusive with Steelers Offensive Tackle Trenton Scott

First – why sign with Pittsburgh and how did that occur?

I was a free agent and was just at home working out, honestly, when I got a call from my agent saying Pittsburgh wanted me to come in. I had a tryout for the Bears in June but that didn’t work out. I went to Pittsburgh and passed the physical and am hitting the ground running and have my nose in the playbook now.

You’ve got some stuff that you do for the community outside of football right?

I have a scholarship program I do every June and a backpack drive as well back home. I started those my rookie year. I don’t have a foundation yet but that’s the goal eventually.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Linebacker Marshall McFadden, 2012

First, I know you’re involved with NASCAR now – how did that happen?

Well, after the NFL I went to Canada for two years, but I found out then that Canada wasn’t it for me – I wasn’t enjoying it.

I was living in Charlotte, North Carolina – that’s where the national headquarters of NASCAR is. I grew up in Lamar, a short distance away. My friend was involved in NASCAR and when he heard I was back he asked if I would be interested in trying out the crew side of NASCAR. I had no idea about NASCAR – even though I grew up right there, I never watched it or anything. But I gave it a try.

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Exclusive with Former Steelers Defensive Back/Return Man Donnie Elder, 1986

First, tell me about your post-NFL work and how you got started in that?

I’m a police officer. I used to work for the Tampa Bay Police Department and now work for the public school system.

I figured I’d give it a try. We were all about helping others when we played football so it was something I wanted to do when I was done as well.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult?

Not for me. I was always thinking about life after football. I wasn’t what you’d call an elite player and wasn’t being given a big tv contract after I was done. I knew I had to find something to do after football eventually and was prepared for it.

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Exclusive: David Finoli on Two new Books: Where Pittsburgh Played: Oakland’s Historic Sports Venues and Integrating Pittsburgh Sports

First, can you talk about the inspiration behind these two books?

On the Oakland book, I was reading an article on when the Pirates opened in Forbes Field – it was on the same day of the Jack Johnson fight in the Duquesne Gardens. I thought about that – back then every major sporting event in Pittsburgh happened within walking distance of each other in Oakland. I thought about that and the four facilities that they occurred in.

With the Integrating Pittsburgh Sports book, Tom Rooney has done a lot of work already with the Josh Gibson Foundation for example. Integration in Pittsburgh sports – there have been a number of important aspects of that that started in our area and I wanted to celebrate those pioneers. Many didn’t get their just due in the past and we wanted to correct that.

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Exclusive with Steelers Offensive Tackle Jordan Tucker

So first off, what made you decide to sign with the Steelers as a free agent?

They were the first to reach out to me – they reached out before the seventh round and told me they wanted to sign me to a free agent contract if I wasn’t drafted. They called my agent first and he gave them the permission to call me. They FaceTimed me after that and offered some incentives that other teams didn’t, so they were the clear choice after that.

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Exclusive: Steelers Defensive Lineman Donovan Jeter

First, beyond the local connection, why did you choose to sign with the Steelers?

They called my agent – it was around the middle of the sixth round or so. They told him that if I wasn’t drafted they’d want to sign me.

I just think the Steelers fit my playing style and mindset. And of course it’s a dream come true to play for my hometown team. I didn’t think it was a real possibility though. There are 32 teams so I figured another team would get me.

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Exclusive with Steelers Outside Linebacker, T.D. Moultry

So first off, what made you decide to sign with the Steelers as a free agent?

The Steelers seemed like the best fit for me to have a chance to make the team. With Watt there I think I start off there and be part of the rotation – I think they still have some open spots at linebacker, and I can contribute on special teams as well.

Did you sense the team had any interest during the draft?

They and Miami both called my agent. I talked to my agent about which would be the better fit. The Steelers didn’t draft an outside linebacker – we felt Pittsburgh was the better fit in part because of that.

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