McCullers puts size to better use
But mammoth DT must finish off more plays
There was little indication last season the Steelers wanted to bring back defensive tackle Daniel McCullers for another season. In fact, after playing just 13 snaps all season and being a healthy scratch most games, it seemedlike a slam dunk that hewould not return.
Not only did the Steelers re-sign McCullers to a oneyear contract in March, but it appears they have some big plans for their biggest player.
McCullers, the monstrous 6-foot-7, 352-pound nose tackle, started the second preseason game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday night and has been working with the first-team defense in practice. The Steelers haven’t named a starter yet and probably won’t until after the final preseason game in a couple of weeks, but it’s quite obvious there is an open competition for the job between McCullers and incumbent Javon Hargrave and perhapsothers.
“I haven’t been told anything,” McCullers said. “I’m just going out there and working every day. I just go out there and show them what I can do. We’ll see what happens.”
Coach Mike Tomlin said after practice Saturday not to read too much into starting assignments for preseason games or rotations during practices. He did say McCullers has played well throughthe first three weeks oftraining camp.
“I think he’s had a good camp, and I think he is taking that into games,” Tomlin said. “But we have two significant weeks left and two significant performances, so he is still writing that story.”
The reason for the competition at nose tackle might stem from the Steelers’ inability to stop the run effectively last season. They allowed 4.4 yards per carry, which ranked 27th in the league.
It also might have to do with new defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and his preference for how he wants his interior tackles to play. Hargrave (6-2, 305) is smallish for a nose tackle, while McCullers has ideal size to clogup the middle.
Hargrave, a third-round pick in 2016 who has started 25 games in his first two seasons in the NFL, isn’t fretting.
“I’m having a solid preseason, just trying to get better and get ready for the regular season,” said Hargrave, who played 454 snaps last season, third-most among the defensive linemen, and recorded two sacks. “Coming in, the way we play things now is a little different. I’m just trying to get better the way coach Dunbar is tryingto teach us now.”
Whether it’s Hargrave, McCullers or even Tyson Alualu, who started the first preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, plenty of Steelers have noticed McCullers’ improvement this summer. Team captain Cameron Heyward, who plays alongside McCullers at defensive end, has seen a different approach.
“There’s a lot more to Dan this year,” Heyward said. “You just want to see him put the whole package together because you know he can dominate these centers and you know he can put a lot of people on their backs. We’re going to ask a little bit moreof him.”
McCullers’ strength is collapsing the pocket in the passing game and disrupting the interior on running plays. He does this by pushing the center into the backfield to create havoc. There isn’t much finesse to his game.
McCullers is quite effective in doing this, but he’s still not finishing plays. He collapsed the pocket early and often Thursday night, but could not get a sack. On one occasion, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ran right past him to pick up a firstdown.
“Dan has looked better, but he still has to improve,” Heyward said. “I love the way he’s coming off the ball and kicking centers’ tails. But he has to disengage and get off blocks. That’s the next step. Dan is a big man, and this is a big-guy football league so if you can get him going in the right direction, it’s going to help us.”
McCullers fell so far out of favor with former defensive line coach John Mitchell last season that he did not dress him for the playoff game against Jacksonville, even though Hargrave and defensive end Stephon Tuitt were dealing with injuries. The Jaguars took advantage and rushedfor 164 yards and four touchdowns.
“That Jacksonville game was hard,” McCullers said. “They were running the ball a lot. I felt like I could have helped a lot that game. It didn’t work out that way. I’m back and, hopefully, next time we see them we show them what’s up and play a goodgame.”
McCullers is entering his fifth NFL season, and, despite his limited playing experience, he finally feels like he has a firm grasp on what it takes to be successful. Now, it’s just a matter of continuing to earn his coaches’ trust.
“It’s coming together,” he said. “I just have to be aggressive and be a dominant player. That’s what I have to do. That’s what they want me to do. I know I can do it. I justhave to be consistent.”