Le'Veon Bell and Bud Dupree lock horns at Latrobe's Memorial Stadium Friday -- NEAL COOLONG

July 31, 2015

Steelers camp, Day 5: Meet Roosevelt Nix

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LATROBE, Pa. — The Steelers’ annual Night Practice conjures of memories of cooler-temperature practices. We remember some of those, and may long for the steamy afternoons we had this week when it’s 15 degrees out. For now, we’re really just going to revel in the throwback feel of football played in a quaint venue under the

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30 Comments Newest to oldest

racerxkid
7-31-2015, 4:12 pm
Sad to see that Karma missed a day and let Blount get a ring.. That guy has shown consistently that he doesn't have any respect for his job, his team, or the sport. He's not the only one, but you reminded me of his crap antics and that along with him failing whatever he failed for the Pats makes me so glad he's not a Steeler anymore. Not to mention we now have his polar opposite (when it comes to off the field shenanigans and attitude) with D-Will. Looking forward to your coverage tonight Neal

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hernleyt
7-31-2015, 6:26 pm
Coates has the ability and, from everything I've heard, the work ethic to take over the 4th WR spot. He wouldn't get any higher than that this season barring injury or unexpected poor play, but it still beats seeing DHB dropping everything thrown his way. And he's shown a willingness and ability to block which is definitely a welcome trait and one that we've gotten pretty used to seeing. I look forward to seeing your coverage of tonight's practice Neal

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Ryan Stein
7-31-2015, 7:15 pm
I wish Peezy would have laid Blount out. I seriously can't stand that guy. If he wouldn't have quit on his team and got kicked off of it, we would have beat the Ravens in the playoffs. That clown left us with Ben Tate...tremendous

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Milo Hamilton
7-31-2015, 11:01 pm
Ryan - I don't know if you heard this but Blount failed the Patriots run test and was placed on some list or another. I heard Josh Miller say in the 4 years he was with the Pats he never saw anyone fail it, including himself. And at 45 he's sure he could still do it now.

TheGreatOne21
7-31-2015, 11:18 pm
HI Milo, I heard the same thing and posted other day that.

steeltalk
7-31-2015, 10:51 pm
Hey Neal, was Blount running all night for going after Coach (emphasize that word) Peezy? Porter has earned his spot on the coaching staff and should be respected accordingly. I understand joking and messing around, but this sounds like it went beyond. Correct if that's not the case.

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Neal Coolong
8-1-2015, 12:45 am
I can't speak to the aftermath, they may have just chalked it up to the emotion involved.

Dejan Kovacevic
8-1-2015, 12:46 am
I just tried slipping past Cam Clear. I'll be damned. It IS easy!

mccorklemusic
8-1-2015, 3:22 am
@Dejan Kovacevic haha thanks for the giggle.

Phantaskippy
8-1-2015, 12:45 am
It seems like I'm constantly reading reports of guys stopping Jones, has Jones beat anyone yet, or is he just making opponents look good.

I want to believe in Jones but these reports are slowly crushing hope for a big step up.

Great writing again Neal, really enjoy your longer pieces, and this format is perfect for them.

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Neal Coolong
8-1-2015, 12:50 am
Thanks man...you might remember Paper Champions, I was having a discussion with him and my evaluation wasn't kind. His response via text, "C'mon Jarvis."

He was a big believer in him. If his faith is shaken, then yours should be too.

There's a lot to like with Nix as a per diem player (i.e. a camp body), he really shouldn't be handling third-year Jones the way he did on consecutive rushes. He doesn't seem to want to display a move, he just bullrushes. I remember at one point he attempted a spin move, got to the 180 degree point and turned back around after everyone up to and including the guy blocking him saw what he was trying to do.

coachmarsot
8-1-2015, 1:18 am
Thank God we have Deebo. I don't know which Jones is worse, Landry or Jarvis. Good thing we drafted Chickillo.

mccorklemusic
8-1-2015, 3:24 am
These drills are a bit unrealistic, and while disheartening, I won't write him off until I see him in a game situation.

Neal Coolong
8-1-2015, 8:56 am
You are correct, @Mccorklemusic, it's a good drill, but it's not the end-all of evaluation. Jones has done a thing or two in scrimmages. I'd be as shocked as the rest of Steeler Nation if Jones gets 15 sacks this year, but he seems to have a knack of finding a way to make a play here and there.

Phantaskippy
8-1-2015, 12:54 am
Chickillo and Rogers, right on.

The last spots on the roster have to play ST, esp. when you look at ST snap counts from last year.

Guys like Garvin, Golden, DHB, they give little on offense/decense, but those 3 were worth 775 ST snaps. Fans like to have young guys beat them out with potential in the 2 main phases, but we learned in 2009 not to make that mistake.

Eli Rogers and Chickillo need to show a lot on ST to beat out the ST specialists, or even earn a bonus spot at the same position.

I'm high on Ian Gold, a tackling machine (defense and ST) who long-snapped is intriguing, what he did on ST in Canada was awesome, interested to see what he can do in the NFL.

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DormontyDawson
8-1-2015, 11:50 am
I know you meant Ian Wild, not Gold. Ian Gold I think played at Michigan, then in the NFL somewhere.

But as you say, Wild is an intriguing prospect. And long-snapping gives Steelers one more reason to keep him on the roster.

And he's out of Baldwin High School and Mercyhurst so there's the "local kid" angle as well.

Phantaskippy
8-1-2015, 12:04 pm
Oh man, you are right. I wonder how many other places I've done that.

hernleyt
8-1-2015, 7:48 am
As a tentative believer in Jarvis' ability to make an impact, reading stuff like this is very disheartening. Not because Nix can't be a good player, but the fact that he was a linebacker last year and is now making Jarvis look like he doesn't know the position doesn't bode well. Maybe this is an overreaction since today makes a week that they've been there and I certainly hope that's the case. It is good to hear that Vince and Shazier are doing well though. We as Steelers fans know what 98 brings but I feel as though he is underrated across the league. I'm looking for big things from Shazier. Despite his injuries he does have a year in the system. There will be tweaks of course but the basics are still the same and that should help him, as should working with Deebo this offseason. I like hearing positive things about Chickillo he could be a surprise considering his draft spot. I don't know much about Rogers but if he can play ST and catch the ball he could easily take DHB's spot

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Neal Coolong
8-1-2015, 8:52 am
Let me clarify something on Jones as well as the drill itself. It's really about being physical and being willing to hit. The quarterback is an assistant coach who's not throwing the ball. There are no other players participating. The results aren't as important as the work they're all putting in.

Vince Williams and Ryan Shazier deftly avoided punches from running backs initially. Jones decided to try to go through him (as did Terence Garvin for that matter). Does that mean that's all he'll do in games? I don't know, if it is, though, it won't be because that's all we saw in backs on backers.

Jones is definitely bigger, and he's working to play with more power. That's been a knock on him, and it should help him in run support as well -- something this drill isn't measuring.

Neal Coolong
8-1-2015, 8:54 am
DHB isn't going anywhere. He's a veteran receiver on a group of young and enormously talented guys. Removing the veteran for the sake of an undrafted rookie would take a huge amount. In Rogers' case, I think he might be the only one capable of making an argument to keep six receivers, but that's ONLY if he shows he can return punts on Sundays.

We know how much Tomlin enjoys rookies returning punts.

I think he and Devin Gardner have the inside track on what will probably be two practice squad receiver positions.

hernleyt
8-1-2015, 7:15 pm
Neal this is why I appreciate what you do. I know that training camp is a process and it's still relatively early in that. All I was saying was that as someone trained to look more at results process it was disheartening. I haven't lost faith in Jarvis because of one camp drill. I just didn't like hearing that he had gotten stonewalled by a FB who was a LB last year. I was definitely too focused on the actual results instead of the work put in. And DHB I've just never really been a fan of, but I do recognize the ST contributions he has made and they've been quite a lot. If Rogers could win the punt return job that would be great, but I don't see Tomlin entrusting a rookie with a job that AB is currently holding. Thank you again Neal for all the great work you do

chethejet
8-1-2015, 8:17 am
It is not Jones fault for being an undersized OLB. It is not his fault he runs a 49 forty and has a vertical of 30.5 inches. Not his fault he ran a 20 shuttle that would have been next to last at the combine. It is the Steelers fault for picking him so high and boasting he was the steal of the draft.

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Bubba Banjo
8-1-2015, 9:48 am
Drop the mike.

DormontyDawson
8-1-2015, 9:07 am
Jarvis was having a solid year early last year before being derailed by injury. And in the last game of 2013, against the Browns, he was all over the field.

I'm staying optimistic on JJ.

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joe.krze
8-1-2015, 9:18 am
Jarvis Jones is a "stiff".

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Greasy Curt
8-1-2015, 9:58 am
You dudes are insane. OLBs are not supposed to start their rookie year. You know what he, Woodley, Porter, Worilds, Gildon, and Lloyd all have in common? They all contributed next to zilch their rookie years. His entire second season was wiped out, and prior to that he was killing it. Everyone needs to relax, keep your fingers crossed that Cortez figures it out, crack a coke, smile, and shut the hell up.

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Bubba Banjo
8-1-2015, 10:34 am
Crack and Coke? No wonder your smilin.

Bubba Banjo
8-1-2015, 10:10 am
Awesome article Neal. I really like the inside stuff on the bus ride and passing thru the folks to the practice. Man Latrobe is an awesome little town. Couldnt have described the folks better. Gives me chills a bit. All this nonsense "Nation" babble that all the media hacks spew for every team's "Nation" is so cliche. Steelers fans are family. Small hard working towns and good folks. Not all of them sure. So much has changed. But its the old pick up a shovel or lend a hand working man's soul I remember from my dad and the fans years ago when we went to games. Seems so long. I havent been to a game in person since old 3 Rivers years and years ago early on. But man that takes me back. Nice writing brutha,

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Bubba Banjo
8-1-2015, 10:11 am
Chickallo go get em man..... dont slow down a notch. Dont earn a spot..... TAKE IT!!!

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Bubba Banjo
8-1-2015, 10:15 am
Same thing brutha Nix..... we need a punch em in the mouth hit man at full back... its your spot. We need a BULL at that position. GO STRONG!!

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Steelers camp, Day 5: Meet Roosevelt Nix

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