Steelers Camp Takeaways: Harmon, Black Coming on Strong for DL

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UNITY TWP., Pa. — On one hand, it's hard not to notice what Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Derrick Harmon has done through the first four practices of his rookie training camp.
Harmon has looked quick, physical and strong. He's made plays in the backfield, pressured the quarterback, dominated offensive linemen with his physicality, and generally been the best Steelers defensive lineman on the field, outside of Cam Heyward.
On the other hand, it's been four practices — and none of them in pads.
'The big man game is played in pads, and I'm looking forward to seeing him and others under those circumstances,' head coach Mike Tomlin said. 'Not to discount what he's done, but that's such a major component of his job description.'
But still, everyone I've talked to in Latrobe has gushed about the play of No. 99 so far. The so far is key. It's a long way to go, but optimism is rising that the Steelers' first-round pick could have a very strong rookie season.
His running mate hasn't been shabby, either. Fifth-rounder Yahya Black sparked some on Saturday with some physicality, knocking back an offensive lineman with a big swat. On Sunday, he used that swat to batter two Mason Rudolph passes. Black is not an elite pass-rusher, but with his huge frame, that's an effective way for him to improve his usefulness in this area of the game.
'It's something that we really value culturally,' Tomlin said. 'I think Cam probably led all interior d-linemen in the league last year. [Keeanu} Benton was also very high. We work at it. He has an aptitude for it, and hopefully it continues and even more so.'
LET DYLAN COOK?
Left tackle Broderick Jones has been dealing with a lower-body soft-tissue injury, and it significantly limited him in practice on Sunday. Trainers put an extensive wrap around the right side of his hip/groin area after individual drills on Sunday, causing him to miss the first rep of seven shots.
Jones returned for the rest of the first-team reps in seven shots, but did not participate in any of the rest of practice. Tomlin said after practice that he can be characterized as day to day.
Calvin Anderson replaced Jones for that first rep of seven shots, as he had during the 2024 seasons. With Anderson returning on a two-year contract, it seemed likely that the veteran was in line to be the team's swing backup tackle — or at least the backup at left tackle, where 710 of his career 937 snaps have come.
But after that first period, it was fourth-year tackle Dylan Cook that filled in for Jones with the first team the rest of the way. Cook joined the Steelers in 2023, having spent his rookie season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A future contract signee in January, he surprisingly made the team that August and spent all of 2023 on the active roster, though he was dressed for just one game, and did not play a snap.
Despite that, it seemed that the Steelers liked Cook and were grooming him for a future backup role. But things fell apart in 2024. Last year, a late preseason injury caused him to be placed on the injured reserve list before the start of the regular season. He was waived from the injured reserve in late October and added to the team's practice squad, where he spent the remainder of the 2024 season.
So Cook entered this season appearing to be a solid fourth on the depth chart at tackle, behind Jones, Troy Fautanu and Anderson. With there being no guarantee of four tackles making the 53-man roster, that put Cook squarely on the roster bubble. But his presence at left tackle on Sunday suggested that may not be the case, and the team still sees something they want to develop in the 27-year-old former college quarterback.
Tomlin, true to form, isn't ready to crown anyone on July 27.
'We're just acclimating,' he said. 'Certainly, he's a veteran guy that's been a round and has served in that capacity before but I'm not assuming anything at this juncture, at this early stage of development regarding specific roles and specialization.'
ECHOLS BRINGS THE ENERGY
One of the louder voices throughout training camp has been new Steelers cornerback Brandon Echols. The veteran defensive back has brought the energy — and the smack talk — every practice session so far, and shows no sign of letting up.
He's backing up that talk with solid play, as well. He and Cory Trice have both excelled with the second team at outside cornerback, and they seem to be locked into a battle for that No. 4 CB job behind starters Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay.
Echols had an interception in seven shots on Sunday.
'I like Echols a lot,' Tomlin said. 'He's a hard-working guy. He's a professional certainly. We've competed against him in the past, not only as a defender, but as a core teamer. That's a veteran guy that brings that energy every day. He's made some plays, and it's reasonable to expect that to continue.'
UDFA VS UDFA
One of everyone's favorite training camp pastimes is to latch on to an undrafted free agent long shot to make the team. Two of the most popular this year have been wide receiver Roc Taylor and safety Sebastian Castro. They went head to head a bunch on Sunday, and Taylor won the day with three big plays on dig routes over the middle of the field.
Taylor is a big body that is always a threat to go deep. He's turned that into leverage for cutting off routes and finding soft spots in the middle of the field.
SEVEN SHOTS
The defense won for the second straight day, with all three seven shots of training camp so far going down to the last rep.
🏈 Aaron Rodgers found Jonnu Smith on an out route to the right side of the formation. He was wide open thanks to a busted coverage. Joey Porter Jr. was the closest defender, but it didn't look like he expected to carry Smith to the outside.
🏈 Rodgers tried another out route to the left side, but Juan Thornhill made a great play to get all the way over the to the sideline from his safety alignment and break up the pass intended for DK Metcalf.
🏈 Troy Fautanu false started before the third rep. Tomlin let the offense stay at the two-yard line instead of pushing them back. Rodgers hit Pat Freiermuth with a little pop pass right behind the line for an easy score.
🏈 With the second team in the game, Max Hurleman lined up at tailback and ran an angle route to the left side. He beat Darius Slay to the flat, but couldn't hang on to Mason Rudolph's pass.
🏈 Rudolph skied a ball, looking for Darnell Washington on the left side, but Brandin Echols went up and got it for an interception. He then performed a humping-the-ground celebration that probably needed to be seen to be fully understood.
🏈 With Will Howard under center, Evan Hull ran a rub route to the right side, catching Cole Holcomb up in the wash for a walk-in touchdown.
🏈 The first teams came back onto the field. The offense had trips to the right, Rodgers made his initial read to the left, but couldn't find anyone open. He came back to the right and threw to Roman Wilson in the back of the end zone, but DeShon Elliott had him locked down.
The defense has won two and lost one through three seven shots periods so far this year.
INJURY UPDATES
🏈 OLB Jeremiah Moon did not practice after leaving Saturday's session on a cart. He is being evaluated for a calf injury.
🏈 TE DJ Thomas-Jones left the practice field on a cart after suffering a left ankle/calf injury during a team period. Tomlin called his injury significant, but said he is still being evaluated. The Steelers have only five tight ends on the active roster, with fellow UDFA JJ Galbreath getting significant additional reps on Sunday.
🏈 S Quindell Johnson was a limited participant in practice, taking individual drills and working off to the side in team periods.
🏈 LG Isaac Seumalo missed his fourth consecutive practice while on the non-football injury list with an undisclosed soft tissue injury. Spencer Anderson again moved up to the first team at left guard.
🏈 TE Jonnu Smith was a full participant in practice for the second straight day.
🏈 RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson (undisclosed) did not practice for the fourth straight day.
🏈 C Ryan McCollum has been limited in action with an unknown ailment.
🏈 WR Montana Lemonious-Craig was unable to finish practice with a lower-body soft tissue injury and is considered day to day.
🏈 OLB T.J. Watt, DT Cam Heyward and CB Darius Slay all returned after being given the day off on Saturday.
NOTES FROM TEAM PERIODS
🏈 In addition to the false start in seven shots, Troy Fautanu got absolutely dog-walked by T.J. Watt on one rep. That'll happen.
🏈 Kenneth Gainwell caught a shovel pass on a nifty little play-action look I haven't seen before from Arthur Smith. Jack Sawyer and Jalen Ramsey weren't fooled, though, and smothered it. The Steelers ran a lot of play action on Sunday, to mixed results. Miles Killebrew had an unlocked sack of Mason Rudolph one rep. Rudolph hit a big gainer to Brandon Johnson on the final play before the practice was called due to thunderstorms ion the area. On the whole, it probably makes the play action a lot more believable when there's more than a handful of running calls per day.
🏈 In a 7-on-7 period, Rodgers might've made his best throw of training camp, fitting a slant into Metcalf with Slay all over him in trail coverage and a safety crashing down. The ball arrived in such a tight window that it sprung Metcalf upfield and could have been a big gain.
🏈 Kaleb Johnson knows he needs to get better at pass protection, our Joe Fitzgerald wrote on Sunday. But he could also use to work on his hands. He dropped an easy one from Howard in 7-on-7.
🏈 Jalen Ramsey had a fantastic defensive play that won't find the stat sheet. The offense ran Kenneth Gainwell to the right flat and Pat Freiermuth on a flag route right in front of him. The pass from Rodgers went to Gainwell, and he took off upfield untouched with Freiermuth ahead of him as a lead blocker. Ramsey was the only defender at the point of attack, and he took on Freiermuth, forced Gainwell to the sideline, and gave the rest of the defense time to get over and make the play. What could have been an easy 20-yard gain settled for less than 10.
FIGHT!
Cole Holcomb and Ryan McCollum got into the middle of the biggest scrap of training camp so far.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Camp Takeaways: Harmon, Black Coming on Strong for DL
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