Every day to start practice, the Steelers' tight ends break off into their position drills. And that almost always includes a session of hitting the blocking sled under the watchful eye of head coach Mike Tomlin.
This year, that has taken on even more meaning as the team breaks in free agent signing Eric Ebron, a dangerous receiving threat who isn't known much for his blocking.
Then again, when you're never asked to block -- or rarely practice it -- how good can you be doing it?
The Steelers know Ebron, who signed a two-year, $12-million deal after spending the previous two seasons with the Colts, can catch the ball. But they demand their tight ends also be competent blockers.
And that's been the biggest adjustment for Ebron, who hadn't been asked to hit a true blocking sled since his college days at North Carolina.
"I just do whatever whatever I was asked to do, whether it was blocking or was to be a decoy or the primary target," Ebron said Sunday, an off day for the Steelers from practice as they continued their training camp at Heinz Field.
"From what I hear, Mike Tomlin is always over there. I think it's fun that Mike Tomlin is really at all the drills. He just continues to be a part of everything that's going on, all the cohesion going on around this time. I like it. As far as hitting the sled, it's fun. I haven't hit a sled in a while. It kind of gets practice going, but at the same time, you're really tired. It's cool."
That weariness hasn't carried over to his receiving skills, as Ebron has shown early why the Steelers picked him up to pair with incumbent starter Vance McDonald.
Ebron has shown to be a big target with soft hands in the passing game.
"He is a different type of tight end. He is very elite," said Steelers linebacker Devin Bush. "He has receiver-like movements. He is a mismatch at any position you put him."
That was the idea the Steelers had in mind when they signed Ebron, a former first-round pick of the Lions. They want to create those mismatches on a regular basis. And that could include using more sets with both Ebron and McDonald on the field together.
"It solves the offense's problems," Ebron said of those packages. "It solves the problem we have every snap. What is the defense trying to disguise and how are they trying to disguise it? With a veteran quarterback like Ben (Roethlisberger), who's seen it all, I feel like it helps with his clarity checking defenses. I believe two-tight end sets are dominant if you have two really good tight ends, and I believe we do."
McDonald caught 50 passes in 2018 when Roethlisberger played the full season but saw his numbers dip dramatically last season with the quarterback sidelined for all but six quarters with an elbow injury. From 2016 through 2018 while playing for the Lions and Colts, Ebron played in 45 games, catching 180 passes for 2,035 yards and 18 touchdowns, 13 of which came during a Pro Bowl season with Indianapolis in 2018.
But with Andrew Luck's surprising retirement in 2019, Ebron's numbers fell off dramatically. He also dealt with an ankle injury and appeared in just 11 games, catching 31 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns.
So, both Ebron and McDonald are looking to bounce back this season.
"You know they have a skillset, and that’s passing, especially Ebron catching passes, but he wants to help the team however he can," Roethlisberger said. "I think we can utilize those guys on multiple fronts in terms of helping this offense. It’s how Eric and I have gotten the kind of relationship just communicating. He stayed at my house earlier in the offseason when we were throwing, so we got to spend some time just sitting and talking and learning about each other. He’s excited to be here. I’m excited to have him here, and the other guys are excited to have him here too."
Building that relationship with Roethlisberger is just as important as showing the coaching staff he can hit the blocking sled and improve in that facet of the game for Ebron.
Without a rapport with the quarterback, Ebron, who also has played with Matthew Stafford in Detroit and Luck in Indianapolis, is just running around, playing the decoy.
"I'm just still trying to understand him," Ebron said of Roethlisberger. "I haven't had years with him. I haven't had months with him. I've literally had weeks. I believe I'm picking it up really well. And the way he thinks because at the end of the day, we can draw lines on paper but if I'm not thinking the same things as the quarterback, I'm not getting the ball. So I'm trying to pick his mind to see what he thinks to see what he likes and what he doesn't like."
He's made an immediate impact. Despite the lockdown during the pandemic, Ebron has quickly assimilated with his new teammates. He's on the field joking around with defenders during stretch periods. He's constantly chatting with Tomlin.
And he's picking the brain of McDonald, as well.
"I love his playmaking ability at tight end," McDonald said. "So it’ll be really awesome to see him fit in. Obviously, everyone is going to thrive with Eric on the field simply because of the threat that he is, and he is going to have the pull a certain amount of attention for the defense, so I think it’ll be fun seeing what he can do this year."
That will be both as a receiver and a blocker. Ebron might not have been asked to do much blocking in his stop at Indianapolis. But he will be tasked with doing that in Pittsburgh.
It won't make or break him in terms of playing time. But it will make the Steelers more dangerous if he shows he's capable of holding up not just as a receiver, but in the running game, as well.
"Knowing both of them, they don’t want to be lumped into the bubble of just being receiving tight ends," Roethlisberger said. "They want to do whatever it takes to block, to put their noses in the pile, to run the ball, things like that, and I think that’s encouraging."
For Ebron, it comes down to one simple thing. Despite being in the NFL for seven seasons, he's appeared in the playoffs just three times, winning one postseason game.
The Steelers have a bit of a drought there, as well. They haven't made the postseason since 2017 and haven't won a playoff game since 2016, when they played in the AFC Championship.
That's why Ebron has just one goal in mind for this season.
"Honestly, I'm just tired of losing," he said. "Me recreating any goal I've had is pointless. I just want to win. Here. That's kind of like my only goal."
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