First look at Devin Bush
Keith Butler praised the firstround pick on his first day at training camp.
Devin Bush had been hearing about this day from the time he was drafted by the Steelers in April. Sure, Bush went through a month’s worth of practices in the spring, but those practices were light, or as coach Mike Tomlin refers to them, “football in shorts.”
On Sunday, after two light practices without pads to open training camp, the Steelers got to play real football for the first time in seven months. And all eyes were on Bush, a 5- foot- 11, 234- pound inside linebacker, who was selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the draft.
“He looked good,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said. “It’s what we expect out of him. He’s still learning. He made a couple mistakes here and there, but he’s a sharp kid. The good thing about him I think he’s going to be very coachable in terms of not making the same mistake twice. Most of the time those guys turn out to be good players.”
Bush played every snap with the first- team defense alongside veteran Vince Williams during the team periods. Veteran Mark Barron, who was signed to a two- year, $ 12 million contract in March, was given the day off.
Bush didn’t flash with any spectacular plays Sunday. He made a few tackles, but he also dropped an interception in the final team period. The Steelers believe the impact plays that made him one of the top linebacker prospects in his draft class will come in due time. They feel that way because he has been so astute in the classroom and on the field with his ability to communicate and learn the defense.
“He always looks good,” second- year linebacker Ola Adeniyi said. “He’s really good. The Steelers defense is not the easiest. I heard a lot of rookies don’t play like that their first year. But he’s coming out here and showing he can do it. That says a lot about him.”
By the time the regular season rolls around the expectation is for Bush to start and play on almost every down. But early in camp the coaches have divided the reps evenly among Bush, Williams and Barron. He has been paired with Williams and Barron, and Barron has played dime linebacker in the sub- packages. On some occasions, the Steelers have used cornerback Cameron Sutton as the dime linebacker and paired him alongside Bush.
“It’s a good rotation,” Bush said. “You get to learn a lot watching as well. With Mark and Vince being veterans, you get mental reps, stand alongside them and ask questions.”
The depth at inside linebacker is nice for the Steelers, who went through last season with Williams playing 71 percent of the defensive snaps. Williams, who has 47 career starts under his belt, remains an important part of the defense, but he might not play as much because Bush and Barron are the hybrid linebackers that are in demand to play against the NFL’s spread offenses.
The Steelers felt so confident in the acquisition of Barron and Bush that they immediately released Jon Bostic, a starter last season alongside Williams.
Bush has not disappointed. He has demonstrated an ability to quickly learn the defense, but his teammates are making sure he’s up to speed by forcing him to make every defensive call when he’s on the field.
“We’re kind of like making him make the calls so he won’t get lackadaisical with it because he is that guy,” outside linebacker Bud Dupree said. “We have to make sure he’s on top of that, and he’s doing a pretty good job with it.”
Dupree said Bush is further along than most rookies, commenting that Bush is “beyond his years.” Barron also has been impressed with Bush’s football savvy and ability to comprehend defensive schemes.
“He came in from the jump and did it,” Barron said. “He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He’s doing a great job. I want to commend him.”
Ola impresses again
The first day in pads always includes the competitive backs on backers drill, and Adeniyi was the standout performer Sunday.
The drill pits running backs and tight ends against linebackers. The backs must block the charging backers, who can either attempt to run over the offensive player with a bull rush or sidestep them by using their athleticism and pass- rushing technique.
The NFL this year outlawed the Oklahoma drill and “bull in the ring,” two oldschool football drills that were deemed too barbaric because of the head- to- head collisions. The backs on backers drill remains, but the Steelers scaled it back a bit Sunday compared to previous years. Bull rushes were at a minimum and defenders honed their technique with finesse moves.
Nonetheless, Adeniyi’s quickness and his ability to bend around his offensive counterparts was impressive.
“Ola is flashing and showing some burst and finishing some rushes,” Tomlin said.
Adeniyi flashed some a year ago as well, but he was injured in the final preseason game and spent most of the season on injured reserve. He was elevated to the 53- man roster late in the season, but he’s hoping to earn a bigger role this season.
For as impressive as he has been early on, the coaches have yet to elevate Adeniyi to any reps with the first- team defense. Anthony Chickillo, the top reserve last season, has been running with the starters with T. J. Watt on the physically unable to perform list.
“I’m just being patient and doing what I need to do with the second team and third team,” Adeniyi said. “Whatever I have to do to get that opportunity, I’ll do it.”
Injuries
Safety Sean Davis left practice early with a finger injury. Tomlin said it might be dislocated. Kameron Kelly, who was signed in the spring after playing in the Alliance of American Football, replaced Davis on the first- team defense.