Edmunds gets taste of first-team duties
A minor hamstring injury to starting strong safety Morgan Burnett gave rookie first-round pick Terrell Edmunds his first chance to work with the first-team defense Friday afternoon in his second training camp practice. That might not seem like a big deal, but it was the first time Edmunds worked with the starters on a fulltime basis for an entire practice.
The Steelers are taking a different approach with Edmunds than other firstround picks in recent years.
When linebacker Ryan Shazier was selected in the first round of the 2014 draft, he immediately was inserted into the starting lineup in his first practice at OTAs in the spring. Jarvis Jones, the first-round pick in 2013, also was given an opportunity to work with starters early in his career.
“It was good to go in there with all the veteran guys,” Edmunds said. “I saw the veterans on offense, too. I just ran out there and competed.”
Coach Mike Tomlin said he was exercising caution with Burnett’s injury. He does not believe it is serious.
“It gives more opportunities for guys like Edmunds and others to get reps,” Tomlin said.
His thoughts on Edmunds’ performance with the starters?
“I didn’t read too much into it,” he said. “There will be plenty of opportunities. It’s too early to paint a picture or draw conclusions. We’ll just keep rolling that ball out for him and for others.”
Edmunds is learning a number of different positions as a rookie. He has been the backup strong safety, but he also has been working in different spots in the nickel and dime defense.
Rudolph having fun, too
When the Steelers walked off the field Thursday evening, it was the end of the first day of another year of training camp for most players.
But for rookie quarterback Mason Rudolph, checking off his first day of camp was another small milestone, and an enjoyable one at that.
“It was fun getting out here, checking out how the new environment works,” Rudolph said. “All the fans, that’s kind of new to me, just being here [and] that many of them. But it was great. …
“It was just one of those days where I kind of had the rotation down, how it worked in Pittsburgh, and you’re just getting your feet wet in the new environment here.”
Granted, it wasn’t Rudolph or any of the rookies’ first day in Latrobe. The former Oklahoma State quarterback said Terry Cousin, the team’s director of player development, brought the group to the area earlier this month, helping them get acclimated to the environment and the process.
And that has helped Rudolph; he said he has been able to focus on “living period to period, moment to moment” as he soaks in all the information being thrown at him.
With the Steelers practicing without pads Thursday and Friday, Rudolph said the team has repeated a lot of the work from organized team activities and minicamp more than a month ago.
Now, though, Rudolph has had more time to study the playbook, pick quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner’s brain and learn how to prepare for the league.
“He’s awesome,” Rudolph said of working with Fichtner. “He’s been really helpful in my development — very detail-oriented, very quick to spell things out.
“He’s awesome at answering all my questions, of which I have had a lot. Blowing up his phone a little bit, too, so he’s good. He’s been fun, and I’m looking forward to hopefully a long career with him.”