T.J. Watt isn't one to rest on his laurels. If you don't believe that, you need only watch him go 100 miles per hour on every snap at the Steelers' training camp, which Tuesday was moved from Heinz Field to the UPMC-Rooney Sports Complex because of the threat of storms in the area.
Forget thunder storms. Watt creates a whole different problem for opposing offenses, even his own, against which he's practicing on a daily basis in this pandemic-related training camp situation.
The 2017 first-round draft pick has gotten better in each of his previous three NFL seasons, going from a player who recorded 7 sacks as a rookie to 13 in his second season to taking a run at the team record in 2019 when he had 14.5, just off James Harrison's 16 in 2008, when he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Watt finished third in the voting for that award last season. And if the early returns mean anything, he should be a good bet to be among the leaders in voting in 2020.
"I don’t know if there’s necessarily individual goals, nothing public that I know of. I’ll never publish my individual goals," Watt said Tuesday. "I just want to be able to be a game-wrecker. I want to be able to be somebody that the other team has to scheme around."
He's accomplished that, though that job is quite difficult when working against the Steelers defense. His bookend outside linebacker, Bud Dupree, had 11.5 sacks in 2019, while defensive tackles Cam Heyward, a three-time Pro Bowl player, and Stephon Tuitt provide plenty of pressure as well.
Try to take just one of them out of a game and the others will feast. That's especially true of the outside linebackers. Interior defensive linemen such as Heyward and Tuitt are easier to double team. To double an edge player, protections have to be shifted one way or the other.
Opponents can do that against the Steelers at their own risk.
"I think it’s very difficult when you have the line that we have, just the defense we have with all the weapons," Watt said. "You look at Cam Heyward, Tuitt, and you have Tyson (Alualu) rotating in, Bud on the other side and then all of our blitzers coming in from the back end as well. I think that’s the amazing thing about our defense. You can’t really pinpoint one player. Otherwise, the other three are going to take advantage."
They certainly did that in in 2019, when Watt and Dupree combined for 30 tackles for a loss, 53 quarterback hits and 12 forced fumbles while recording their 26 sacks.
And at 25, Watt is just coming into his prime.
"T.J. is still advancing in his pass rush, and he’s a problem for a lot of people because he does a great job of using his hands when he rushes the passer, does a good job in recognizing the difference between pass and run and play action and stuff like that," defensive coordinator Keith Butler said.
Part of the reason for that is because Watt works so hard at his craft. He and Dupree constantly push each other at practice. Last season, they set the goal of being the best pass rushing edge duo in the NFL.
They finished second to Tampa Bay's Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul for the most by an edge duo in the NFL last season. Barrett had a league-best 19.5, while Pierre-Paul had 8.5.
But, you're only as good as your next season. At least that's the way Watt attacks things, taking a cue from his older brothers, three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and now-teammate Derek Watt, a fullback signed by the Steelers in the offseason.
"The No. 1 consistent thing year in and year out is the hard work and always wanting to get better," Watt said. "There are still so many parts of my game that I want to continue to grow in and continue to get better at. So, I am just very eager to start this season, but I also understand that this process of training camp is a time for me to improve, not only personally but as a teammate as well."
Besides, all those sacks last season didn't add up to a winning record. The Steelers finished 8-8 without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for all but six quarters.
The Steelers have led the NFL in sacks the past three seasons -- the first time that's happened in NFL history -- but it hasn't added up to a win in the playoffs ... yet.
The quest to correct that issue starts Sept. 14 at MetLife Stadium against the Giants to open the 2020 regular season.
"I don’t like to talk about individual statistics, whether it is me, Bud or anyone on the team," Watt said. "We were 8-8 (last season) and bottom line that wasn’t good enough. You can’t pin that on one position group or one person. It is us collectively as the Pittsburgh Steelers and we have to do a better job this preseason time and this camp. And then, obviously, try to get the ball rolling and start off the right way in New York and keep the ball rolling from there."
• We weren't permitted to attend the practice today because it was moved indoor to the facility, so the Steelers media relations depart compiled the pool report for Tuesday.
According to that report, the Steelers are getting a little thin at wide receiver. JuJu Smith-Schuster didn't practice for the second consecutive day in what was called a day off. With Diontae Johnson still nursing a calf injury that has now kept him sidelined for a week and Anthony Johnson on crutches after apparently suffering some kind of leg injury Monday, the Steelers were down to six healthy receivers.
That position got even more thin during practice when Ryan Switzer left early with a foot injury.
It wouldn't be surprising to see the Steelers bring in another wide receiver before they practice again on Thursday.
Also missing Tuesday were guard Kevin Dotson (knee), safety Terrell Edmunds, for the fourth consecutive practice in what is being termed a "day off," tight end Vance McDonald (day off), offensive tackle Chuks Okorafor (groin), running back Wendell Smallwood (shoulder) offensive lineman Jarron Jones (undisclosed) and defensive lineman Chris Wormley (shoulder).
In addition to Switzer, running back Kerrith Whyte and cornerback Alexander Myers both left early with groin injuries.
The Steelers are off Wednesday. But if a player or two are signed between now and Thursday's practice, you'll know something is a little more serious than Mike Tomlin seemed to think on Tuesday.
• The Steelers continued to challenge running back Anthony McFarland in the passing game and he continues to impress.
Monday, he held his own against inside linebacker Devin Bush. Tuesday, he worked in one-on-one drills against another early camp standout, Ulysses Gilbert.
According to the practice report. McFarland got the best of Gilbert on three of his four reps against him, including catching a deep pass down the sideline.
That was one of the questions regarding McFarland coming out of Maryland. He was somewhat underutilized in the passing game, but showed some skills there at the NFL Scouting Combine.
From what I've seen thus far, he looks to have above average hands to go with his excellent speed. He also seems pretty good at running the basic running back routes.
It was noted, however, that both McFarland and Chase Claypool dropped a pass each from Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph Tuesday. That has not been the norm for those two.
• Rudolph had back-to-back touchdown throws in a red zone drill, finding Deon Cain and Amara Darboh in the end zone on slants.
The Steelers seem to be gaining a better idea of the throws Rudolph excels at and the quick slant is one of those.
Rudolph seems to be gaining more traction daily. The practice report also noted he hit Ray-Ray McCloud on a deep crossing route for a long score off play-action.
• GM Kevin Colbert will talk to the media on Wednesday, the only scheduled member of the Steelers to speak tomorrow.
And it very well could be the last time Colbert speaks to the media until the season is complete. You can bet preseason contract extensions will be a big part of the conversation.
According to the latest figures, the Steelers are about $4.7 million under the 2020 salary cap. Colbert likes to keep around $5 million in cap space available heading into the regular season.
That could be why things have been slow in terms of any extensions for current Steelers. The team needs to find ways to create more cap space with some of the signings without also upsetting the 2021 cap.
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