A determined Dareus
Back practicing Tuesday was Marcell Dareus, who
http://www.authenticsteelerssale.com/shop-by-players-ernie-stautner-jersey-c-2_51.html returned from a strained hamstring. Although his reps were managed the defensive tackle was effective in practice early. During a 9-on-7 run game period, Dareus routinely forced inside runs to bounce outside and he and Kyle Williamseffectively clogged up the middle. Dareus cannot be handled one-on-one, but even on some double teams his could not be moved from inside gaps.
“
I have something to prove to myself, to my teammates, to our fans,” Dareus said of the upcoming season. “I just want to do my best. If I’m doing my best, I know its good enough.”Dareus thrived in an attack-style scheme three years ago that ran a 4-3 front and defensive coordinator said they
’ll be sending their front four in much the same way. Dareus, who is used to being disruptive, is looking forward to being productive in the new system and feels he has a firm handle on what’s expected of him.“
With this defense with (coach) McDermott, he did a great job with that,” said Dareus. “He strategically clarified every position for everybody. If you do your job everything else takes care of itself. We still have a little bit more jelling to do, but for the most part everything has been clear cut for us.”Ragland inside and out
Linebacker Reggie Ragland is close to a year removed from suffering his torn ACL. It was Aug. 5th last year that it happened. Tuesday was his third
http://www.authenticsteelersshop.com/shop-by-players-darrius-heywardbey-jersey-c-2_42.html day in pads and he feels like he
’s carrying his weight well.“
The more and more I keep getting at it, the more and more I’m feeling better,” he said. “I’m taking it day by day. Today my leg felt good with the pads on so I just have to keep getting better and better.”And as much as fans and outside observers want to make the middle linebacker role an issue, head coach Sean McDermott has taken a different approach when it comes to Ragland.
“
There’s a plan for every player. Reggie’s (plan), again, second-year player coming off of the injury he came off of. Really, this is his first year,” said McDermott. “Acclimating him to practice tempo – he missed most of the spring – acclimating him to the system and putting him in position, like we try to do with all of our players, to have success; success early, and success in the long term. I like what he did the other day – the second day in pads. I saw a physical aspect of his game, an emotional aspect of his game that we need in our defense. A lot of work remains for all of us, including Reggie at this point.”In Tuesday
’s practice, Ragland was deployed at middle linebacker with the second unit for most of the day, but he also lined up outside for a snap or two in base defense with rookie Matt Milano at the mike linebacker position. He also lined up Michael Thomas Womens Jersey outside of Milano in the second-team nickel package as one of the two linebackers.It could be a byproduct of the fact that Lorenzo Alexander had the day off and Tanner Vallejo rotated up to the starting unit in Alexander
’s place, but it seems obvious they want to see just how versatile Ragland’s game can be.
